He had come at long last to the end of his journey.
He felt comfortable standing in the middle of this long narrow field of colorful plants. He knew these plants well. Many powerful potions can be made from the leaves and roots of this plant they call the Lizard Claw. Being so worn after his trek, he layed down on the cool earth to let the late afternoon sun sooth his body. Those that are familiar with such things understand that every magic place has its keeper and this one was no different. As our friend lay relaxed with his legs outstretched, he noticed another lizard, a female lizard walking around the outermost edge of the field. He watched through the underbrush. She walked round and round the field and he soon came to realize that she was decreasing her spiral with each trip. In time, she would find her way directly to him. He imaganed she already knew exactly what she would find in the middle of her field. At this he stood up so as to see her better. When he finally got a clear view he could hardly believe his eyes. The plants around her were on fire, ablaze with a blinding red-orange glow. Each plant would ignite at her approach and then, inturn, extinguish unharmed with her passing. He watched, mesmerized. As she passed close she would look over at him sending a burning chill through his belly. He became lost in thought, wondering about the chill and how could it feel so strong when he knew it was only a small spasm caused by his nervousness. He was jolted from this deliberation when he realized she had come to a stop and was standing directly in front of him. There was a ring of flaming plants around them both. She was facing him, looking steadfastly into his eyes. He wanted to say something, but knew he should not. They just looked at each other. He studied her, looking closely at every detail of her magic form. He examined the red fringes around her toes and the translucency of her skin. He found her eyes to be particularly interesting. As he looked at them a feeling of unfocused intensity gently came over him and he became transfixed by her stare. The two stood there, locked in each others gaze. After a time she guided him to a plant that was not on fire and told him to eat it. As he looked at it, its outer leaves began to glow and one by one burst into flame. This time not from her energy, but from his own growing power. It was his time and he was ready. he took large bites hardly chewing before lunging for the next mouthful. His body smoldered as it absorbed the full force of this event. This plant had ignited his own inner knowledge. As his power grew, the keeper's power seemed to fade along with the image of her lizard form. The ghost like quality of her skin became so pronounced that the flame within her body could clearly be seen.
Her flame grew in brilliance and strength until she blazed like the fire plants around them. Indeed all the plants of the field glowed white hot with the force of her earthly magic as its sweet love was given froth. He too felt the plant inside his own body burn bright with the power of her understanding. It was this fire of purity that forged his desire for change into a new physical reality.
As the last embers of her mystic fire ripple out over the land, the plants subdue their flame and left standing alone in the middle of a long narrow field is a lizard with translucent skin and red fringes around his toes. For a new keeper of the flaming claw has found his truth.

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Copy right Kevin Boyer1993
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