Many seasons have passed since I saw the dawn in a new light. But that day is still vivid in my mind... We had only a small farm, father mainly raised cattle, which supplied us not only with food, but a little spare coinage. We live a simple life in Kandor, much of the land was still unsettled, and far from and city. I liked that, I could walk for miles in the forest, able to enjoy it for its pure beauty. But that untouched beauty of the forest would not last. We began to head in for the night, mother was fixing dinner, and father carried me on his shoulders. I was an only child, no brothers, so I ended up helping father more then helping mother, she didn't like that much - said I wasn't suppose to do boys work. But I liked helping father around the farm, far better the cooking and housework. Daylight was coming to an end, far in the distance I could hear the wolves baying at the moon. I always liked to here them 'talk', father hated it. He feared the wolves would eat the cattle, but they never did. As the sun set, more then darkness creep over the land, and no one saw the dawn. But the cries of the wolves were not the only sounds of the night. A loud screech sounded overhead, piercing my ears, my spine shivered with that awful noise. Father put me down, holding my hand we quickened our pace. The screech sounded again, fast heavy footsteps gained quickly behind us. Father yell for me to run to the house, he dropped his tool bundle and took a spear from the roll of cloth. I hesitated, turn back to go to him, yelled for me to run. My ears rang, the screech echoed overhead. I turning back I ran to father, but in an instant he was lifted from the ground, screaming...
His spear fell from the sky, falling point down into the ground, his head followed, rolling past my feet. I stood there mortified, a scream from the house shook me from my trance. I turned only to see my home ablaze, and my mother be dragged out by a huge twisted looking beast. I pulled on the spear with all my strength, prying it from the ground. Wobbly I held it, and charged at the beast. Letting my mothers dead body fall like a rag doll, the beast drew a sword. The blade burned, a slash across my chest - the scar of which, I still wear to this day. Lying on the ground I looked up to see the beast above me, others like it coming to my final death. The wolves howled louder then any wind that has blown through the forest. A sliver streak flew over me like a bolt of lightning. Tearing the twisted beast limb from limb. I staggered to my knees, my blood spilling forth, I watched the wolf ravage the twisted beast. It was wounded, but several-twisted beast lay dead around the yard. I knew the wolf was dying, and so was I. Again the screech sounded, I looked up to see a dark winged shadow falling from the night sky, to have its kill. I hoisted the spear up, feeling the muscle in my body tearing even more, blood continued by spill forth. With a force of a hurricane, the winged beast was upon me, skewed by the spear. My head rolled back, my eyes meet those of the wolves, its deep golden eyes stared deep in to my soul. It limbed next to my side, biting the beast upon me, dragging it away in to the night. I lie there, dying.
Into dreams I fell, to vague to fully understand, but I do remember waking, the rising dawn was upon me, the sun warmed the land. I looked to the dawn, seeing it like I had never seen before. I was alone now, I staggered off into the woods, to follow my dreams.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I staggered into the forest, which I once use to run and play in. My chest burned from the gash of the beasts blade, pain pulsed through my body with each slow step. The dawns light cascaded through the forest canopy,
giving the forest a golden glow in the early autumn season.
At that time I was not sure if I was dreaming or awake. Now I know that I had entered a new world after my encounter with the Wolf and the Darkness. As I walked deeper into the forest the more I became part of Tel'aran'rhiod and the Waking world together as one. Something pulled me further into the forest, and pushed me further from the death that lingered behind me. Dreaming or waking, I began to see visions in my mind and in the forest. The Wolves were everywhere, in the dreams, the forest, the past and the future - all calling me to follow and to listen. I walked and listened, stories of ages past of men and women that saw the world in a different light - through the eyes of the Wolves. Stories of how these men and women fought as the Wolves did, to combat the growing Darkness that threatens the lands, to protect the lands from those that wish to raise cities
and destroy the old ways. Stories of times to come when the Wolves will fight beside the Followers of Light to face the Dark one in the final battle. And stories of how whether victory of defeat the Wolves shall forever fight to their dying days to protect the lands and forest.
Further yet I walked into the forest, further yet did the two worlds become one. Reaching a small clearing in the forest a new voice, soft and beautiful unlike any I have heard before came to me. I could not understand the words, but I could feel their meaning. The Wolves of both worlds sat in respect of this voice, the Wolves whispered to me what this voice was. They called this voice, Gaia. Mother, protector and creator of the lands forest and all that were whole to them. Gaia spoke, and I could feel my wounds heal, strength returned to my limbs, and I felt her beckon me.

At the far end of the clearing, a small cabin stood in ruins, outside of it laid an anvil and forge. The voice beckoned me to the anvil, there in the fallen leaves next to it a rod of steel. The wolves of both worlds gathered around and sat to watch, the fires of the forge light by unseen forces - I took up the hammer in my hands. I have never smithed a thing in my life, but for some reason I set to work with natural ease. Time had no meaning here, I worked the steel into a flat long strip. Sparks flew with every stroke of the hammer, the steel glowed white from the heat - the shape of a blade soon began to form. The blade finished, I began to sharpen its edge with a stone, and with each pass of the whetstone the blade sounded a new musical note, clearer and clearer. Completed, the blade took on the golden light that streamed through the autumn leaves.
The Wolves sounded in unison, instantly day became night. The moon was high in the sky, night had swallowed the forest, I was no longer in both worlds, just reality. And something stalked me in this world, I could feel the dark presence of something evil, it scent burned my nose, I held the blade tightly for reassurance. One of the Twisted followed me into the forest, seeking revenge, it charged. I had never wielded a sword, but somehow I knew. With a quick shift in stance I avoided it attack and sent its head flying into the darkness of the forest. Blood spurted from its headless body, covering me in black ink. I shook with fear and excitement, wandering to a nearby stream to wash myself clean, to compose myself. I looked down into the cool water, my own eyes stared back at me, and they shimmered golden in the moonlit waters.
From that night on, I have walked in both the Dream World and the Waking world, hearing the songs of the Wolves and the Voice of Gaia the Mother of the Lands. The blade given to me by Gaia still glistens with the autumn light, and I continue to walk the lands hunting the Darkness that hunts me.