Wing Walden remembers that she saw Charred for the first time one Thanksgiving Day. The leaves had dropped off from the tree branches. The fall season plants had long ago dispersed their seeds on the wind. The remaining tall stalks were still holding onto their brittle, frost bitten leaves which seem to be clinging defiantly on them.
Wing was not sure what had caused her to look out the sliding glass door at that very moment, but she did, somehow knowing that she is being compelled to do so. Magical thinking or was it that she was still mourning her loss. Grief has a way of playing tricks on your mind. In truth, it didn’t really matter which reason is was or that maybe it had been a combination of the two.
Wing’s eyes traveled along the yard’s edge where the mowed grass met the woods. There he was! Finally, after all these years, she had been gifted with the sight of him.
Charred had been sent to Wing many times on the dreamscape, but this would be the first time that she had ever seen tangible evidence of his natural existence. Charred was searching too, as he is walking towards the house, he sensed that she was inside and needed to be comforted by his presence. Separating the brush with his head, Charred peeked through the forest of grass, and while doing so, he stepped forward placing one of his front paws onto the lawn. His eyes looked upwards seeking her, his Human Totem. Wing, with a room full of people behind her, didn’t say a word about what she is witnessing.
A smile came across the great lynx’ face when he saw Wing. He hovered just long enough to be satisfied that she had recognized him and she understood that he was watching over her. The great lynx lowered his head and stepped back into the cover of the woods. Wing turned around to rejoin her family celebrating Thanksgiving while knowing in that moment everything had changed. Little did Wing know that November evening would be the beginning of Wing Walden’s clairvoyant journey into her ancient past.