After a couple hours of sleep, I felt remarkable. The storm still pounded outside the apartment, and the thunder echoed through the older building.

I did not trust Grey Mauser, but I wasn’t confident about bringing it up with Talon. She’d been my only teacher, and I trusted her. I didn’t want her to think I didn’t. All I could tell from the raccoon was that he was super powerful, his aura dwarfed mine, at least when I could find it.

I settled into a meditation, humming along to the clip clop of the hooves echoing in my mind. The power of the newly erected mana barrier sang mutely of green meadows and the running of the herd. As I stepped outside the apartment, crosshing the barrier, the electricity of the storm raged across the astral planes, knowing no limits from the meat world into the aether.

I watched for a while, standing on the balcony, awash in the mana rain. It scattered across my astral presence. It was…..odd. I had never seen any natural event reflected across the barriers.

I jumped, and as I landed all those meat stories below I had transformed into the silver white stallion, running. A block in a stride as I flashed through the city. All across the city flares of power as other magics erupted, spirits played, even the occasional dreamer entering the realm accidently.

Soon, ancient and abandoned farmland appeared, I was always a bit more cautious here as awakened creatures sometimes haunted the less populated areas. Wild spirits, magical animals. Most didn’t care to intervene with another on this realm, but that didn’t mean none did.

I neared Talon’s homestead and slowed as the golden infused black barrrier rose throughout. Raising a hoof slowly, I tapped lightly on the barrier. While I was alowed in, Talon was a private person, although I doubt I could ever surprise her.

After a few moments I entered, and crossed, searching for her astral presence. Ahead, on a massive rock, so ancient that it reflected deeply into the aetheric world, a massive black raven sat, wathing the storm clouds approching from the north.

I approached and bowed lightly, front legs lowering in greeting. The giant raven nodded in return, a caw of greeting translating into a welcome within my mind. One of the first things she taught me in astral form.

My neighs and snorts easily understood in her mind as asked, perhaps grudgingly, “I seek guidance, Talon.”

It was not a long pause, perhaps in the meat world it would be considered lengthy, awkward. But Talon operated in her own framework, and I had learned patience, well, some.

“You may ask,” spoke the raven.

I told her of my problems with the spirit, and what I needed regarding my mate’s brother. How the follower of the raccoon appeared to offer guidance, assistance. If a raven could snort, the last would have garnered such a reaction.

“Be cautious of the raccoon,” echoed in my mind. “They are scavengers, deceivers, deception is common. Even when allied, or helfpul, they seek a different outcome, a hidden mark to feed on and seek to create chaos. But learning what knowledge can be offered is always tempting, and not to be avoided out of hand, even from such as the raccoon. Be cautious.”

We sat and watched storm a while longer, while she answered more of my incessant questions. I always felt like a nattering old nag here, even though she always answered, patiently, in her own way of course.

As I got ready to depart, I asked about the storm. “It seems odd, I have never seen anything so fleeting appear in both worlds.”

The cackling caw translated as, “It is odd, but enchanting. Never before have I seen nor heard of it either. Perhaps it is something old returning to the world yet again. The world ever changes.”