The post The Turtle and The Bird first appeared on Glenn Wehmeyer.

The sun dipped below the horizon as Lilith reached the foothills of the mountain range. She stopped to catch her breath, taking in the stunning view before her. A light snowfall began to blanket the landscape and she smiled at its beauty. “I love this time of year,” she whispered softly, “it’s when nature reveals itself most intimately.”

With renewed energy, Lilith set off towards her destination – an uncharted peak hidden deep within these snow-capped peaks. As she made her way up the mountain path, she felt alive in ways that no classroom lecture or scholarly paper ever could: each step was a new discovery; every breath taken brought fresh air into her lungs; every muscle flexed reminded her of just how strong she truly was.

As she walked toward the peak, she could see it was snow-covered with two lone pine trees. She was amazed the two trees could survive on the peak.

The closer Lilith got to the summit, the more apparent it became that something wasn’t quite right. Despite being blanketed in a fresh layer of snow, these twin pines appeared almost desiccated – their needles were brittle and brown, as if they hadn’t seen rain or dew for years.

“What could have caused this?” She mused aloud to herself, stopping to examine them more closely. As she reached out tentatively towards one of the trees, a sudden gust of wind swept past her – carrying with it an unmistakable scent… death? Decay? Either way, it was strong enough to make Lilith’s stomach turn and send shivers down her spine.

She knew something bad happened here. Her curiosity grew as she walked around the peak looking for clues of what had occurred. She noticed several footprints in the snow that seemed to lead up to the tree line. They looked like they were made by a human with large feet. The prints appeared fresh but there was no one on the mountain so it couldn’t be recent.

As she followed these mysterious tracks, her heart began to pound faster and faster – each step leading further into unknown territory. She knew danger when she saw it; yet still, something compelled her forward…perhaps even fate itself?

At last, after several minutes of careful maneuvering through the snowy terrain, Lilith found what appeared to be a makeshift shelter tucked away beneath one of the trees. It was constructed out of branches and leaves – clearly not meant for long-term habitation but sufficient enough to protect against harsh elements until rescue arrived or help could come otherwise.

The small structure she discovered looked like it had been made by someone who knew what they were doing. There were even tools and equipment scattered around. She wondered why anyone would be on this remote peak in the winter, but there was no sign of life other than footprints leading away from where she stood.

The interior of the makeshift shelter held few clues about its inhabitant; just an old backpack and some tattered clothes strewn across a bedroll made from leaves – nothing that could provide any insight into who or what had been here before her arrival…or why they’d left in such haste. She noticed more tracks leading off into the distance.

As she followed these faint footprints, Lilith couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched – every hair on end and muscle tensed for action. But still…she continued forward…intrigued as much by fear as curiosity itself!

The trail led deeper into unknown territory until finally it came to an abrupt halt at what appeared to be a large cave entrance hidden among towering boulders high up on the mountainside. Cautiously stepping inside, Lilith found herself standing before yet another mystery…an ancient artifact carved into the solid rock face!

The carving was of a woman and two trees. It looked old but well maintained. A symbol of some sort sat in front of it. She reached out to touch the symbol as she felt an electric tingle surge through her body.

As her fingers brushed against this ancient relic, Lilith felt herself being pulled into another world entirely – one filled with powerful energies and raw magic! For what seemed like hours but could have been mere seconds later…she found herself standing before two majestic trees whose branches reached out towards heaven itself while roots dug deep down below their feet…and there between them stood a woman clad only in leaves who bore more than just a passing resemblance to – Lilith!

“Who are you?” She demanded, her voice echoing off stone walls surrounding them like thunder rolling across distant hills. Yet still no answer came back except for silence heavy enough to crush even the strongest souls…until finally…

Suddenly a soft voice emanated from the cave saying, “I am the guardian of this place.” Lilith was startled by the sound and turned to see an ethereal being standing before her. It looked like it was made out of mist and seemed almost translucent. Its features were indistinct but she could make out long dark hair that flowed around its shoulders, piercing eyes as black as midnight itself…and most striking – two large wings protruding from either side!

The guardian’s voice sent chills down Lilith’s spine, yet still she stood her ground. “What is this place?” She demanded boldly despite feeling small and insignificant compared to such a powerful being.

“This,” it replied slowly, its gaze piercing straight through her soul like nothing ever could before or since that day “…is a portal between realms.” Its voice was soft yet filled with power that seemed almost tangible as it spoke those words aloud!

But there was something familiar in the guardian’s voice. Something from her childhood.

As soon as she heard these words, Lilith could feel memories flooding back into her mind…memories of another time – when she was just a girl living among ancient ruins with an old woman who taught her about myths and legends long forgotten by the civilized world! Could this be the same place? And if so…why would someone open up such powerful magic within these lands??

“Why did you bring me here?” She asked cautiously, not wanting to anger whatever being stood before her but still needing answers badly enough that she dared risk doing just that!

The guardian’s voice grew stern as it replied, “You are the chosen one.” Lilith was shocked at these words. Why would this powerful creature choose a mere human? But there was something about its tone…something almost fatherly and protective. She felt herself drawn in by its presence even more than before!

“What do you mean?” She asked, her voice trembling slightly from fear mixed with anticipation for answers long sought after but never found until now! “You are destined to save our world,” came the reply as a gentle breeze began blowing through the cave entrance sending shivers down her spine despite not feeling cold at all anymore due to the guardian’s ethereal form surrounding her like a cloak, covering everything inside including Lilith herself!

“I am destined to save our world? How?” Lilith asked. The guardian replied, “You must find the three feline spirits and bring them to the portal.”

“But how do I know where these spirits are?” She demanded impatiently even though she couldn’t help feeling excited by the prospect now laid out before her!

“You will find them as you journey through life,” came the reply from beyond mortal comprehension once more…and with those words ringing in her ears, Lilith found herself standing alone again outside the mysterious cave entrance high up upon the mountain peak where only minutes earlier she’d been face-to-face with powerful being unlike any other ever encountered!

As soon as she heard these words, a surge of energy coursed through her body – so strong that it almost knocked her off balance! But then…just like that…it was gone leaving behind only confusion about what had just happened here today…and even more questions than answers!

Created with a little help from my AI agent IVY.

The post The Mountain Woman – A Story first appeared on Glenn Wehmeyer.