Chapter 6,
Intuition.
Brieve's hands and knees slipped around in the mud,
As the lighter head grew brighter and brighter.
As she crawled out of the narrow tunnel,
She was overwhelmed by the vibrant landscape that surrounded her,
Mushrooms as far as the eye could see.
The hummingbird buzzed off ahead,
Already munching greedily on the mushrooms.
This mushroom is hiccup so tasty,
Breeze.
Brieve felt hungry too,
So she plucked a mushroom for herself.
Before she could put it to her lips,
A voice screamed,
Please,
Please don't eat me.
She threw the mushroom to the ground in shock and stared down at it.
Where is that voice coming from?
Surely not you,
A mushroom,
Brieve questioned.
She was so hungry,
She was so hungry,
She was so hungry,
She was so hungry.
She was hungry,
She was hungry,
Surely not you,
A mushroom,
Brieve questioned.
Yes,
Yes,
It's me,
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry if I scared you,
But I don't want you to eat me.
I have never seen a creature like you before.
You're looking for crystals,
Aren't you?
How did you know that?
We can see many things here,
This is a special place.
Brieve turned her head to look around the mushroom forest.
The hummingbird was now propped up against a mushroom stalk,
Looking completely intoxicated.
What's wrong with him?
Brieve asked her new acquaintance.
He will be like that for a few hours,
I'm afraid,
But don't worry,
We will take care of him.
We know how you can find your crystal.
Brieve's attention was now locked on the mushroom.
She was running out of time and needed all the help she could get.
There is a great pine that grows not far from here.
The pine has the ability to give insight to those that believe in its power.
I can direct you,
But you will need to pass a very grumpy lioness on your way.
The lioness is growing tired of this place and needs help to find her way back to her true calling.
Tell me the way,
Brieve said fearlessly,
And off she went.
The land was so dense with mushrooms it was hard to see the sky above.
Brieve continued on her path weaving her way around the thick stalks.
When she heard an odd sound nearby,
She paused and focused her attention on it.
It was someone crying.
Brieve followed her ears,
Treading lightly so not to alert anyone of her presence.
As she got closer,
She could see a lioness ahead between the mushrooms.
She stopped and watched the proud,
Beautiful animal sob.
It hurt Brieve to see such sadness in another,
So she closed her eyes and imagined she was a lioness.
Chapter 6 Exercise Take a deep inhale,
Filling your lower stomach,
Lungs and upper chest with air.
Now close your eyes and take a deep inhale,
Filling your lower stomach,
Lungs and upper chest with air.
Take a deep inhale,
Filling your lower stomach,
Lungs and upper chest with air.
Now close your eyes,
Open your mouth and stick out your tongue.
Utter a massive,
Loud,
Fierce roar,
Releasing any stale air and energy from your body.
Repeat this exercise several times.
Chapter 7 Exercise Brieve didn't wait another moment.
As she boldly approached the lioness,
Something crunched under her foot.
The lioness looked up,
Locking eyes with Brieve.
She stopped crying and Brieve could sense her emotion had changed from sadness to something far more threatening.
Brieve underestimated the size of the lioness.
With every step closer she took,
The lioness looked bigger and her sheer power and presence became more profound.
Brieve brought her attention back to her inhale and exhale.
There was no point in letting her mind wander to fear.
This was happening and she needed to stay as calm as possible.
She stopped right in front of the lioness.
The lioness opened her mouth just a crack.
Brieve's eyes wandered down the lioness's face.
Those teeth were ginormous,
She thought to herself.
What do you want?
The lioness spoke with such power.
Brieve was lost for words.
Before the girl could answer,
The lioness forced out a powerful roar.
The hairs on the back of Brieve's neck stood up and she backed away from the lioness.
When she had put some distance between them,
Brieve stopped.
The lioness had remained in the same spot.
Brieve sensed something was wrong.
Why had the lioness not chased her?
When she looked deep into the lioness's eyes,
She could see much sadness beyond her fierce exterior.
The lioness's eyes began to well up and Brieve could feel her pain again.
Why are you so sad?
Brieve asked her fearlessly,
Taking slow steps towards her.
I'm stuck here eating mushrooms for an eternity,
The lioness replied as she began to sob uncontrollably.
My back pore doesn't work,
It's too painful to move,
She added as her chin sank down to the ground.
Let me see,
Maybe I can help you,
Brieve offered,
Coming to stand close.
The lioness flinched as Brieve placed her hand on her shoulder.
Let me help you,
Brieve repeated in a firm tone.
There was silence for a moment as Brieve carefully checked the creature's back paws.
There was a crystal shard embedded between her claws.
I can see what it is,
Take a deep inhale,
She instructed,
And the lioness suddenly belted out a ginormous roar that seemed to echo out into the universe.
Brieve's voice was heard.
The silence that followed was even more deafening.
It made Brieve wonder whether she had done the right thing helping the lioness.
Brieve stepped back as the lioness stood up on all four paws and turned to face her.
How can I ever thank you?
The lioness gushed gratefully,
Nuzzling her head into Brieve's shoulder.
I need to find the pine that grows not far from here,
Brieve replied.
I will take you myself,
The lioness said,
And off they went to find the pine.
