Me and one of the House Regulars “sat up” half the night talking about how the body perceives temperature as one goes through the various stages of sleep. There was one point where one of us meant to say “critical sheet” (as in “critical sheet temperature”), and it came out as “critical shit”.
After that point, the conversation devolved into 12 year old giggling as we both just got stupid saying “critical shit” in all sorts of mangled ways.
“KREETEECKIAL SHIAAT” ~giggles~
I woke up once, only to hear as I fell back asleep… “Is the shit critical, yet?”
So. Many. Muffled. Giggles.
The second dream, I was in an auditorium. I had been invited to attend a class for spiritwalkers. As I looked around, I saw I was the only one presenting as a normal human. I even wore my teeny afro instead of the feathers, and was in a casual shirt and jeans with the feather cloak put away. I saw no reason for me to ‘dress up’, as the invitation (delivered by a skeleton with just enough flesh to move bones, and just enough decayed rags to be formal) asked that those attending to “Be yourself. No grudges, totem spats, or hierarchies will be allowed. All attendees will be treated equally.”
Some were presenting as inhuman, because that’s what their dream presence is. Not a problem. They were being themselves. I wound up sitting two seats over from a tall male with an impressive antler rack growing from his head. I could tell he had newly grown it. His human neck was aching him severely. I tapped our mutual neighbor and asked to switch seats. He quickly agreed as the rack hanging over his head was making him nervous. Just as I thought, I was tall enough for the rack to graze against the top of my head. Antler Dude began to apologize but I cut him off. I took my satchel, placed it on my head as a cushion, and told Antler Dude to rest his rack on my head if it helps. I’m used to carrying loads up to my body weight, after all. He started to try to decline, but I pulled his rack over. “Okay. But just a little while, if you don’t mind.” I don’t mind. The relief in his neck was immediate.
Of course we were being observed by those around us. I heard movements behind us, then a blue skinned woman leaned forward and whispered in Antler Dude’s ear, “Let me know if my hands are too cold.”. I could feel the drafts of air chilled by her presence flowing down over us. As Antler Dude rested his rack on my head, Blue Lady began massaging his neck and shoulders. He got that look on his face that you get when you’re feeling just right, and the “ahhhh” that escaped from him brought knowing mirth to those surrounding him.
There was movement in front of us, others were switching seats. An older male with an antler rack so large, I’ve only seen Waking world examples in museums sat in front of us. The presenter hadn’t arrived yet, so no one took offense when he turned around in his seat to face Antler Dude. The Elder wore furs and trinkets that I only recognized from descriptions in anthropology books. “Your first rack, Son?” Antler Dude replied it was. “Was it a surprise?” It was. “So no one told you what to expect?” Antler Dude said he was working on his own and was surprised when a deer came to him in his trances and said he belonged to the Forest. The Elder just nodded. “Well, I’ll tell you what I can.” And he did.
I looked around and noted of those that came as the invitation asked of us, many other small clusters of conversation had broken out among the attendees. The wise was teaching those wanting to learn. Information was being passed around freely. I heard laughter and severity. I heard remorse and reconciliation. I saw folks being patient and just enjoying the comfort that comes with being around those that understand.
And still the presenter was absent.
Then I realized. There was never a presenter. The knowledge being taught wasn’t going to come from the unlit stage. It was happening right now. All around me. It was me learning compassion and bearing Antler Dude’s weight. It was Blue Lady learning her skills were useful after all and had more applications than she thought. It was the Elder, who had been mourning the closed minds of modern man, learning that there was those that wanted to be a part of the world instead of just trying to rule it. It was Antler Dude, who thought he was completely alone, and finding he is connected to so many once he opens his eyes.
There were some attendees that were being encrusted douchebags about the event, however. Despite the admonition to leave grudges behind, some just had to try and force themselves on others. A Hag was harassing a Sea Woman, threatening to steal the Sea Woman’s sealskin if she didn’t place herself under the Hag’s domain. The Sea Woman, dripping wet and clutching her sealskin tightly was cornered by the Hag. From the wording and accents, I gathered they came from Great Britain. But just before the Hag started to follow through with her threat, a large shark ‘aumakua got in between the two women. The Hag challenged the ‘Aumakua, thinking the newcomer was going to claim the Sea Woman as her own prey.
“Unless you got a different invitation than I did, you’re in the wrong. No grudges, no fights, no claims to domination here. That outside this room, the Sea Woman would be my prey is irrelevant. In here, she is my sister, and I will defend her. Walk away, woman. You want her? Come through me.” The Hag blinked at the ‘Aumakua’s words and grudgingly backed off. The ‘Aumakua turned to the Sea Woman. “Come. You sit with us sea folk tonight. There are others that would be so rudely treated that have shelter with us as well. We will teach you how to defend yourself from predators like that.” The Sea Woman went with the ‘Aumakua. I saw the area of the seating they had claimed was almost entirely of folk related to the oceans and lakes. Even though there were other great predators like the shark ‘aumakua, it was clear the predators were presenting only to discourage bullies like the Hag. Within their group, prey and predator treated each other as equals.
Felt someone sniffing my arm. “I smell feathers. What’s a bird like you hanging out with terrestrials like this?” I look over and see a person in ceremonial garb. I don’t recognize the culture, but I can tell he represents some avian species.
“Giving someone some needed respite. Listening. Relaxing.”
“Carrying other people’s weight isn’t what I call relaxing. Why are you hiding your feathers? Display them proudly!” He shook his costume in a well-practiced display.
“Not hiding them well if you could smell them. Besides, this really isn’t the place for unnecessary displays.” I caught myself thinking “of arrogance”, and wondered if I had learned how to think quietly yet.
“Of course it is, you silly hen!” Hen? I ain’t your breeder, mister. “Sure, most of those here are folk you’ll never encounter in the boring world. But what if… what if… What if you do? How will they remember you if you don’t make an impression?”
“Does it matter? Which is better? To learn from each other, and carry those lessons back to the Waking for the betterment of self and those close to you? Or to make an ass out of yourself and be remembered for vain displays? Because I’m sure only one of those two memories are going to be kept. And I’d rather have the lesson.”
He took offense at my calling him out. He changed his presentation into an anthropomorphic union of vulture and human. I knew he meant to slap me, but I was still pinned by Antler Dude’s rack. However, I had no fear. I knew the conversation was not being held in a vacuum.
He started to strike forward only for his hand to be caught in a very tight grip. A woman in a wolf headdress and furs caught his right hand. His left was grabbed by Blue Lady and was quickly freezing. The two women looked at the Elder in askance. “No blood will be shed here. Cast him out.” Blue Lady chilled him to the point of hypothermia and released him. Wolf Woman easily manhandled him up the aisle, with other folk making way and holding the doors so she could throw him out. As the doors closed, I knew somehow, he was ejected from this world completely.
I brought my gaze back forward to find the Elder staring at me. I lowered my eyes in respect. “You chose not to wear your feathers because you do not identify with the raven.” I agreed. “For a long time, you did not identify as a daughter of man.” The wording made me wince, but I understood that was his way of saying ‘human’. I also agreed. “So, now you are discovering what it is to be a daughter of man, you are afraid of losing that if you identify with the raven.” Double wince.
“That, and there’s a lot of wrong knowledge I still have to undo about the raven, Sir. I barely count myself a fledgeling.”
“Well, Fledgeling, you’ll never find the right knowledge if you don’t try. Not all fledgelings fly on the first attempt. But those that learn from their mistakes are stronger than those that never make any.”
I felt Antler Dude’s rack lift off my head. He thanked me for carrying his weight, thanked Blue Lady for easing his pain, and thanked the Elder for teaching him. He had to get going and was sorrowful that he was going to miss the presentation.
“You didn’t miss anything.” He looked at me and asked me to explain. “We’ve been learning from each other all night long. The only question is, who sent the invitations?”
The Elder laughed. “You are good at deflecting uncomfortable thoughts, Fledgeling. But I won’t allow you to forget.” He took my hands and stared deep into my face. “No. You won’t forget.”
He released my hands and I woke up at once. As I started to type this down, I thought I would only have the little bit about “critical shit/sheet” to joke about. But, as the Elder said, I wouldn’t forget. I didn’t forget. And it wouldn’t leave me and demanded to be written and publicly posted.
Even though there are bits I would like to redact.
Uncomfortable thoughts? Oh, you have no idea what parts of my madness this is touching on. Uncomfortable as fuck.