The cool air rippled through her silvery scales and rushed over her mighty wings as she soared and wheeled above the vast virgin forest; she was the mistress of the sky… unchallenged, untethered… free! Syn woke with a start; cold air shocking her overheated body. She was wrapped in a thick fur, laying on the ground outside the sweat lodge, held in Torryn’s arms as he sat beside her while an Uthgardt girl held a skin to her lips and delightfully cool water poured into her parched mouth… her body craving it as never before. It took a few moments for her wits to return, but she couldn’t reconcile the experience the still burned in her mind with the reality around her. Elves don’t sleep as humans and other races do, so they don’t dream; instead the reverie lets them relive moments in their lives with such vivid detail that it dwarfs mere memory. But how could she have these memories… how could she remember being something she’s not! Looking about she saw Leela standing, with the aid of two attendants, wrapped in a thick fur like her and Torryn, amid a small circle of tribal elders. Their conversation seemed intense, more like an interrogation, but they kept their voices too low for even her sharp elven ears to hear. “What’s going on?” she demanded hoarsely between gulps of water as she took the skin in her own shaky hands, looking up at Torryn. “You’ve created quite a stir,” he smirked, pausing to take a long draw from his own water skin, then inquired with a more serious tone; “What do you remember?” “The sweat lodge… the heat… you and Leela… and then…” her voice trailed off as she struggled to assemble the disjointed images, but still couldn’t fit the pieces together. “And then?” he pressed, staring into her emerald eyes with a piercing gaze. “And then… I was a dragon,” she breathed in little more than a whisper, fearing that he would think she’d lost her mind… fearing that she had herself. Torryn smiled down at her knowingly, with a sparkle of admiration in his eyes as he teased; “I’ve heard that the ability to work magic comes from having the blood of ancient dragons in your veins, but it seems you also have a dragon’s spirit… at least as your totem.” He looked toward Leela and the tribal elders; who, it seemed, were finally settling their heated debate as they snuck furtive glances toward them. He knew the significance of Syn’s totem, and that accepting her vision wouldn’t be easy for them. But he also knew that her vision had been true. Then Leela lead the tribal elders towards them, sinking down to her knees beside Syn, as even her toned body had been sapped of strength by their time in the sweat lodge. There was a strange sense of excitement and respect in the way the elders stood, and a look of awe in Leela’s eyes as she spoke; “Your spirit guide came to you… it’s a rare totem… one not seen amongst the Uthgardt in generations. It’s a powerful spirit… an omen of greatness… amongst the Tree Ghosts from now on you are… Lady Dragon!” ****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** That's my version of a "Turkesorous" (i.e. an enormous turkey like the ones stuffed in most Americans' ovens)… Try carving that bird at the dinner table! Happy Thanksgiving to all my fellow Americans! Best wishes for a safe and happy day with loved ones and friends... and watch out for dragons!