they may be and no matter what situation. Still we cannot physically assist in the necessary events of one’s life.” 

“So, what is Muru’s destiny?” Kahu asked me curiously. “What was his purpose of living with us if his fate was not meant to be here?”

“His destiny . . . to you, I cannot say,” I told them without a expression on my face. “He and only he is meant to learn of such a fate; however, there is a reason why the two of you raised a mouse-child together . . . but you shall learn why before you even realize it.” 

The two mice looked at each other with confused gazes, but soon all had smiles. “After all we’ve been through so far together,” Kahu began.

“I guess we can manage it,” Quillac completed her mate’s sentence, nuzzling him and her son. 

Suddenly, my ears pricked up at a soft chirping – the larks! The singers of the dawn were calling . . . and our time on Earth was up.

“Muru,” I lifted my head, turning towards the tiny mouse-child. “the sunrise is now upon us – we must prepare for your journey home. Quickly, go say your final goodbyes.” I watched him nod and look at each of his parents. 

“Father, Mother,” soon Muru began to tear up himself as he spoke. “thank you so much for everything you’ve taught me. I love you so much, and no matter what awaits me, I will never, ever, forget you.”

Kahu smiled with a waterfall of tears flowing from his eyes. “We didn’t teach you much, Son. You were always so interested in the simplest of things, . . . but we did our best.” He wrapped his arms around Muru for a final embrace. “I’m so proud of you, my special little boy.” 

“Oh, my son . . . We love you so much . . . Must you go?” Quillac sobbed after hugging him, clutching onto Muru’s translucent palm with both of hers.

“I must. I have a destiny to uphold now,” he replied bravely. He turned back towards me with a calm expression. “Aniu, I am ready.” 

I returned his command with a nod and a howl that reached the heavens. I felt a surge of power flow through me, creating a beam of light in front of the slowly-rising sun in the east. I stepped towards it, but looked behind me with a kind gaze.

“Come now, child,” I told him warmly. “It is time.” I turned away, knowing that the small mouse would quickly scamper behind me and into the light. 

“Goodbye, Mother, . . . Father . . .” I heard Muru say as he quickly caught up to me, having just enough time to enter the beam before the sun dispersed it with its golden brightness.

It’s difficult to describe the sights that await one on the other side of the light, but the warmth was more of a welcome than you could imagine. I could tell by the slight shudders against my thick coat that Muru was still not easily adjusted to the new feeling of being only a once-living creature now entering the eternal afterlife, but I only looked forward, preparing to show him to what his fate had led him. 

“How are you feeling?” I asked my companion. I was curious to hear how Muru was handling things now that he was dead.

“I don’t know how to describe it, Aniu,” Muru replied back to me. His tone was murmured, as if his previous look of courage in front of his parents was only a façade, hiding his true emotions of sadness now that he had to bid his only family farewell. “I hate to say it, but I . . . I really miss my family, even though I just saw them for the last time.” 

“I understand how you feel,” I grinned, still speaking empathetically towards him. I knew his current flood of emotions were normal – I mean, he was just hours dead already, and I had faced many experiences before. Sometimes, there are feelings of regret that will never cease to linger around me after living so many lives on Earth, but Great Spirits have to maintain their composure, despite our past feelings. Mortals, however, . . . well, I suppose those emotions can stay with them for eons after their deaths, but I knew that for the destiny that awaited him, Muru could not continue to have such selfish regrets.

“What . . . what is this place?” He asked me, his tiny eyes now wide with awe. “I’ve never seen . . . anything so beautiful before!” The rodent had leapt onto my back once we had entered the light, clinging onto my fur so that his tiny form wouldn’t be blown into the heavenly breeze. 

I lightly chuckled. “You shouldn’t be afraid, young Muru; this is the Spirit Realm – the afterlife, you can say.”

“The afterlife, eh?” Muru said with awe. “Wow, this is completely unreal . . .” 

Indeed he was right – this world is hard to believe unless you see it with your own eyes. Not even I can visually describe the beauty and perfection of the Spirit Realm – especially since it is rare for a mortal such as yourself to witness these sights within life – but I can tell you that our world is rather obsolete compared to the land of the mortals.

After several more minutes of gliding towards the Spirit Realm, I landed in front of a small cave and lowered my head, allowing the tiny rodent to dismount from my back. “Here, Muru,” I told him. “This shall be your home from now on.” 

“This . . .” Muru gasped in disbelief. “This is . . . all mine?” I nodded with a small smile. “Oh, thank you so much, Aniu!”

“Step inside, my child,” I pointed my nose to the opening, which led into a dark space. “You have thanked me much too soon.” 

The rodent crept inside the opening, which was the perfect size for himself to keep his own privacy. Once he stepped in, the darkness immediately dispersed into a bright silver light, causing him to instantly smile.

“How . . . this is . . . oh my goodness!” the brown youngling put his fingered paws on his face with a wide-mouthed smile.  

“This is a gift from ‘Sister Moon’ herself,” I explained as he continued to explore his new surroundings. “She has taken quite a liking to your spirit from the beginning and wanted to give you something for your home here.”

“Oh, thank you!” Muru had now scampered to the back wall, where shelves of ancient texts and literature sat in rows. He was completely awestruck. “Oh my –” The mouse gasped yet again, reading the titles and seeing the many other things now in his possession. “’Ancient Spirits and their ways,’ . . . ‘The Magic Sprites of Nature,’ . . . oh, and these prisms!” I swear he let out what seemed to be a squeal of delight, spinning slowly around. “These shine and sparkle so beautifully in the moonlight!” 

I chuckled at his happiness. “I knew you fancied crystals, so I had this meant for you.”

“This is wonderful – thank you so much . . . for everything, Divine Lady!” Muru bowed his head several times, knowing that a simple thank-you was not nearly enough to show appreciation to one as high as a Great Spirit. I, however, easily accepted his praise, but now was time for him to learn why these were now his. 

“My child,” I began to ask, catching his attention despite his eagerness to begin reading a book in his tiny palms. “do you know why you have been given these books, prisms and these other things?”

He honestly shook his head, stepping outside so that I could see him. “Oh, no. I haven’t a clue why.” 

Good – he had no idea what fate had led him to do, and at last, I could reveal to him his destiny. “Muru, remember when I allowed you to see your parents a final time?”

“Yes, I do,” He nodded. “You said I had to agree to do whatever you requested of me . . . Does this connected to these books and crystals somehow, Aniu?” 

“Indeed they are,” I replied. “My request for you is a task that will not be simple nor difficult, for it all depends on how observant and knowledgeable you will become within the next few weeks.”

“Uh, I’m afraid I do not understand, My Lady,” the mouse-child seemed rather nervous replying to me in such a way, but I did not want him to know too much about the task at hand. “Pardon my asking, but what exactly is the purpose of this?” 

“Your destiny lies within this knowledge – both what you have learned from your parents on Earth and what you have yet to discover here in your grotto,” I told him. “What exactly your fate will lead you – I cannot tell you quite yet. There is still about two months before it shall become known to you.”

“Two months?” Muru repeated. “What will take place then?” 

I could sense the growing curiosity within the mouse-child, but I had to maintain the secret of what exactly his purpose was. “That is classified for the time being, I’m afraid.” I saw his head fall in disappointment, but my next words lifted his spirits. “However, during that time, you will improve on the skills that make you who you are.”

“You mean, like my prism-stacking and wisdom of the Old Ways?” He asked, no longer with chagrin in his dark eyes. “Oh! And my singing too?” 

I nodded. “Those books will enhance your current knowledge in ways you have yet to imagine, just as those crystals beneath the lunar rays will teach you the beauty of nature, light and song. These things will all be necessary in your destiny, but right now, you must learn to use these tools before I reveal the truth of why you are here.”

Muru, for a youngling, took these rather well. “Ah, I see.” He chuckled embarrassedly. “Now I understand why you made me swear – you knew I would do anything for you, right?” 

“This is true, but I also felt that you would be the right choice for this specific task,” I replied sweetly. “On Earth, I sensed how you really felt there. You were wiser than the eldest of mice, you communicated with spirits while you slept, and your fascination with the strangest of things made you feel . . . different than others . . . a loner, an outcast amongst mice.”Muru let out a light gasp of surprise; however, he knew I was right – I was observing him almost all the time.

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