Ample/Well/Create

Loyal grasps his faith stone and emerges from the bath.The vision has,as expected,cleared his mind and has bought him ample time to create a well thought out plan.

Sent/Cent/Scent

When Loyal was sent out to find his Faith Stone,he went without one red cent to his name.But of course that was the normal way.Thus began the moral journey of most sixteen old youths.But unlike so many others whom joined The Corp to earn their stone,Loyal quickly found the scent to his stone laid along a different path.He stole his.

Elevate/Contrast/Memory

Loyal touches his faith stone.It is burnt orange and clear.In stark contrast to the 'think bath' it holds no special powers of it's own.It does not elevate your memory,nor does it let you speak to sprirt guides.It only holds what you bring to it.And in that,it is Loyal's most special and powerful tool.

Bongo/Little/Collar

Oscar moves a little closer to the branch collar to avoid the jest of the ever increasing wind speed.But still the raven says nothing.Dust is kicking up along the horizon.For some reason,this brown advancing cloud reminds Loyal of long ago when he was but a child...of the oncoming herd of wild bongo that stampeded along the Serengeti surrounding his family.

Suddenly,Loyal understands the message.

Tank/Cosmic/Eclipse

Intellectually,Loyal knows he is only soaking in a 'thought tank' taking a 'think bath',but instinctively,he also knows that Oscar is the cosmic soul of truth.The raven is Loyal's spirit guide-it's friendship and realness able to eclipse all other swallower truths.And he hates that Oscar is just wavering there,saying nothing to him.

Starlit/Whistle/Thistle

A deep blue starlit sky replaces the fading orange of the evening twi-light.A breeze blows through the field of thistle and uncut grass like the silent whistle of a muted harpy.The wind ruffles Oscar's feathers,but the raven remains silent.

Brave/Rusted/Ear

"One does not need to be brave to hear that the rusted gate needs oil;only an open ear,"quotes Oscar.

Wheat/Barren/Elegant/Gloves

The vision ends.Loyal is sitting under the oak tree,with the raven,Oscar,preaching above him.Oscar crows,"All of the elegant gloves in the world can not harvest wheat from the barren ground."

The sun is just set;the partly cloudy sky is glowing a radiant orange.Loyal glances up at Oscar and then picking up a small stone,he tosses it,"I am not a fool,Oscar.I know the moral of this Al-Yeshua lesson."

"But my job is to make sure you see the connections,"caws Oscar.

Gold/Manifest/Pure

In the fading memories of the dying Blade none can manifest the pure gold of precious memory as those of when he was a young pup.His life was at it's most comfortable and loving back then.It was only when he got separated from his human family and got lost in the woods forever that he had took control of his own destiny.But in his dying moments,it is that young pup that he truly envies.

Crave/Icicle/Abundant

Icicle,or Ice,as his pre-teenage female human calls him(so called because the young puppy loves putting his cold nose against her legs),loves his mother,Millie.He is the only pup the humans have kept.He is at the awkward age where he his wearing out his mother's abundant love.Where she used to crave his attention,now,she wearies of it,and her love wavers.Icicle sees this as wisdom on her part,and admires her more for it.

Give/Homeless/Panic

Millie can never be like Spirit,though she wants to be.She can not even acknowledge the thought of running away free like him.It would only give her panic attacks of being kicked out and of being left homeless.Yet,she admires him to death for his wiliness to bare the chain for the other moments of pure freedom.

Exit/Belief

Spirit admires Dealer.It is Spirit's belief that Dealer has the best of both worlds....and freedom.He is never chained up after being gone for days on end.It hurts Spirit to see Dealer exit out of the back of the yard while he can only tug at the end of his chain,and dream to be going with him.

Dealer/Whisp

Compared to Darkeye,Dealer is just a whisp of a pup.Smaller by half then Darkeye,Dealer has earned his name.He is crafty in the ways of both man and wild.But he has always wished he was more like his idol,Darkeye.Darkeye is a beast of passion-he took on King for crying out loud...and losing only made him wilder.Smarts were one thing...but to Dealer,the qualities of instinct and passion were so much more,and he lacked both.

Alternate/Fluent/Reverse

Darkeye's fluent movements in the woods,or on the hunt,were just the reverse of his clumsiness around Greytail.It was like he was some alternate universe Darkeye when he was around her.He knew it was foolish of him to try to mate with her:especially with her being pregnant with King's pups,but he could not help himself.Even with the anguish of being banned from the pack..and forced to hunt with human strays,or worse,alone,he knew he would not be able stop himself from doing it again.

Ornament/Clay

Greytail knows she is no mere ornament to the mighty King.After all she does carry his pups inside of her.And has he banished Darkeye for trying to mate with her.She digs in the cool clay and lays herself down.Oh,how she admires King.

Crystal/Blade

An orange beam of light goes straight up off the raising sun as Oscar caws 'The Tale Of The Tail':"King looks over at Blade.It is crystal clear to him though Blade is now very long of tooth,and his very days are numbered,that he-the mighty King-still envies him.

Blade had ruled the pack a long many years.King knows he should have killed him,but Blade still has wisdom that the young ruler can use.Blade is wounded and tired.King wishes,nay,hopes,he can last as long and lead as well as Blade has done.

Tail/Tale

Somewhat later Loyal is emerged in his think bath.He is sitting under an oak tree on a warm summer morning at mid-twilight.In a branch slightly above him is his muse,a talking raven named Oscar,"What you are seeking,"crows Oscar,"Is not a linear history lesson,but more of a ancient story...a parable,if you will,we call this story,'The Tale of The Tail'.......... ".

Steep

"Father,Tipid is correct.No on loved Theophilus more then me...and...even though we have no idea who the VI are,should we just automatically keep going back again and again?"

"Your words of caution show your fear LMDC.Not only will I steep myself in a think bath,but I will acknowledge the books as well before we proceed,"Then putting his forehead to Timber's,"I feel you have bought us,at least,that much time."

Gravity

The gravity of the situation was not lost on Tipid,"We must not be rash in our decisions,Brave Loyal.This tragedy maybe the catalyst that leads to a lasting peace,or treaty of understanding."

Basket

Loyal and LMDC look at each other.Who or what were The VI?

Suddenly,Timber arches up,hands spread out,and shouts,"Theophilus!Theophilus!'She clutches hold of Loyal and LMDC,"They,they gave me Theophilus' head in a basket."

Things were amiss.Theophilus was a pilot.You could not take him unawares.Right then and there,Loyal knows that he will find the answers-loop or no loop-even if he has to go to Hell and back to find them.