By accident or design Ondine Ninetails finds a curious object in the crevices of her cave where she keeps her horde. Merely by sifting and shoving rocks and stone to hide her precious gems and coins ,it first appears to her as what seems to be as layered earth. That is ,until she looks closer.Ondine pushes away the stones and pulls out a heavy container of what appears to be leather and gold. And quickly shifts to her biped form to hold and gently examine what seems to be carefully wrapped and hidden beneath the wall. She immediately senses the weight of time in this strange package of scrolls And knows this cave was not the place to examine such an object.Quickly she returns to her dragon form and under a moonless sky, quietly takes it by her swiftest flight to her hidden tower .There she can examine more closely and see exactly what this is without being disturbed by nosey fae or less likable creatures from the land of Taure Ru.Once she arrives in her tower she carefully and with reverence , places the container on the podium or her highest floor….Lights the four candles that mark the skies directions and stand hesitantly looking at the container atop the podium, as if it might devour her.She sees that on the leather like cover is a gem-design painted with something akin to blood. She knows it was blood.As aged as these scrolls obviously are, the blood scent still smells as fresh as the new kill in the forest of Sylvhara that she has consistently fed upon.Her thoughts are fixed on the scent of blood. And her thoughts are instinctively fearful. But her curiosity overwhelms her .Ondine lifts her hand to touch and open this gleaning object, holding her breath as if to silence her racing heart….and finds within this heavied, musty, aged container of parchments, a multitude of scrolls layered with dust embedded in the folds. A heavy sense of lifting or maybe sinking passed between her eyes as she quickens to the touch of something alive.Ondine immediately knows these are maps. She can feel and see the lines and curves created by a timeless mind…..an intelligence that’s left its longing for continuance. When carefully sliding off the leather tie, Ondine feels a soft moan....and is startled at not knowing if the moan came from her own lips or the container.Opening it with reverence ,her trembling hands slid over the textured parchment carefully so as not to disturb or change this fragile gift. Unfolding the first scroll, the lines and curves spread randomly beyond the edges and gives no clue as to where this curious map leads to or where it beginsShe roars at the curious object and like a petulant youth shouts outloud ….without thought, “I need no map! I am not lost! I am not one nor am I separate form the whole!”Her own voice throws her to the ground .Ondine lifts herself back to stand and turns again to the map as if coaxed by a firm parent, feeling its draw and seduction similar and not unlike that of a patient lover.The lines of the Map shift and slide over the surface of the scroll as if in response to Ondine’s cry.A whisper of trance falls over Ondine’s eyes as a soft voice breaths in her ear “Close your eyes ….and point ….and touch.There ……you will begin………………………………........
