the panther met my gaze with large yellow orbs
he entreated me follow him into the dark forest
we came upon a crackling fire
as I watched the sparks snapping up into the night
he transformed into a man
a love in my heart from lifetimes ago
we danced around the fire traveling deeper into the below, until owl came
and bade me join her in the sky
she brought me to the desert where pyramids towered in the hot dry sun
go below, she said, into the ground
there you will be reborn

silence followed

I traveled back then
to the stream where I started
and rejoined the middle world