Lines of cumulonimbus clouds layered the darkening skies. Braiding themselves around the towers of granite that pierced the clouds, and disappeared into the stratosphere. Their veins of quartz glowed in the storm, like light descending into the earth.

Thunder twisted through the squall. Spiraling around the ring of stones and surging through the totemic spire at the center. It stood taller than the rest and within its veins harbored living glyphs that flowed from the land to the sun.

The stag’s message had crossed the barrier between darkness and trees, and the storm spoke like an old friend. Leaning back against the spire, he spread his fingers wide and pressed his palms against the surface of its veins. The glyphs moved faster than light as he listened to the stones converse with the sky.

He could feel past the storm, past the thunder and into the air.

Inside the squall’s bands he saw her. Wrapped in threads of infinities and folded universes.

Her star shone deep within the horizon.

She was there.

©2025 by Rachel Tribble™