https://Voice.club - The warm scent of pine falls like a blessing as Matthew stands at the mouth of the cave. It is almost midnight; nighthawk and barn owl cease their pursuit of cricket and mice and bow their heads in humility. Whispers of wind through grasses below and tree limbs above combine to become a chorus to the glory of creation.
Song of bee and coo of bird join with night wind secrets to imbue Matthew with strength necessary for protecting all mountain creatures from mouse and squirrel to bobcat and wolf. He is their Watcher, their guardian.
All the secrets of sky, cloud, and star coalesce in a cave far inside the mountain. Starting deep within this cavern, wind plays tag with itself, spinning around the stalactites which dangle temptingly from the ceiling, causing them to vibrate into chords from an aeolian harp. The resulting song plays seductively to quartz, garnet, and amethyst which line the cave’s walls.
Fearing loss of himself and his healing gift in the chaos and sadness of the outside world, Matthew regularly comes to the cave for renewal when life around him becomes too much. His ability to sense animal fears and bring them calm has given Matthew a feeling of worth, a calling, a reason to exist.
Matthew spends his nights roaming these woods, drawing power from the song of the cave. Just as he gives strength and peace to animals, so does the cave bring him strength and a feeling of tranquility. Come morning, with a million stars still dancing overhead, strength renewed, he faces the day, the shadow of the song lingering in the air long after the wind has blown elsewhere to play.