The road led from the cedar-dotted uplands into a valley of spruce. Logs covered with green moss and moulding yellow leaves lay tangled in the undergrowth. In the trees chickadees fluted and chirped, and a hen partridge scuttled across the road with her tiny yellow brood. Raphael politely said ‘Good-morning,’ but they only fluttered and stared at him out of brown, curious eyes.
‘DOES THAT ROAD LEAD TO MECHANA?’
Raphael ran on. Half an hour later, as he turned a sharp corner in the road, he nearly stumbled over a large black bear and her cub. The bear rose on her hind legs, her ears laid flat and the lips of her tan muzzle drawn back showing large white teeth.
Raphael stopped.
‘Good-morning,’ he said as pleasantly as he could, though his voice shook.
The bear dropped back to the road with a soft thud.
‘Who are you?’ she grunted.
‘I am Raphael,’ he replied, ‘Commander of the Elements under Gæa, the Earth Mother.’
By this time the cub had ambled forward to inspect this strange creature dressed in black feathers who smelt so queerly.