It had been days since she had been released from that tent, and Migisi couldn't have been anymore happier.

She had been woken up from her thankfully dreamless sleep by the medicine man, who had checked her thoroughly and the symbols around the tepee, and from the grim expression on his face Migisi thought that something bad was going to happen.

He then proceeded to ask her many questions.

"Were you dragged out of the tepee?" he asked.

Migisi explained the dream she had, and throughout it all the medicine man listened, his expression still grim until she told him that the symbols kept her close to the tepee and she managed to get back to her body. When she was finished, the medicine man's eyes closed, his expression relaxing.

"The symbols have worked," he mused before he reopened his eyes and looked back at her. "Being the child of the Holy One, evil spirits were attracted to you, which is why you were out of touch with your physical form."

Migisi had blinked in confusion. "Does this not happen to anyone who is cursed?"

"It depends on the person my dear," said the medicine man. "Many often cannot disconnect with their physical forms when they are in the world of dreams, while others only have a portion of such ability. There are, of course, a select few that can access it the way you have done child, but the majority of the time it is uncontrolled, nothing near the ability of your mother."

Migisi nodded, even though she was still a little lost. Either way, she was thankful when the medicine man told her that she was now free of any bad energy, and was allowed to return to her work shortly after.

Still, the words that man said when she was about to step out of the tepee chilled her.

"Be sure to protect yourself daughter of the Holy One," he warned. "I fear that any curses that befall you will not be able to be purged."

Migisi immediately walked out of the tepee to find her mother and brother without another word.

It was probably disrespectful on her part, but Migisi did not care at that moment. Even now the medicine man's words made her body feel cold, and she was wondering what he meant by those last few words.

He knew she was a girl.

Would he tell everyone? Or would he keep it a secret out of fear of Kwanita's anger?

Migisi knew her mother's anger was never a sight to behold, especially after she came to the knowledge of the older woman's hatred of the man who took Elsu. The anger in her eyes could probably rival the wrath of the gods and likely make even the most evil of spirits run in the other direction. Not only that, but Kwanita's normally warm brown eyes would immediately change into a blood red color that glowed eerily, while red liquid would pour out of every opening her body had to offer. Her aura would also turn dark and evil, ready to invoke her wrath onto any unfortunate soul that crossed her.

Migisi loved her mother, but she feared her too.

Those powers of hers...those were the same abilities she had inherited? What about Honan? Had he awakened them? Is that what the Holy Ones meant when she needed to have someone teach her how to control her powers, else she end up like Kwanita would be if angered?

All those question made Migisi's head hurt, and she wasn't sure who to ask either.

Though, Kwanita seemed to notice while they were working, and shortly after, when night fell and everyone was getting ready to retire to their tepees, Kwanita took her daughter aside, guiding her outside of the village and then kneeling to her height once they were a good distance away.

She smiled patiently. "What troubles you daughter?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Migisi stared at her mother, unsure. She wanted to immediately speak, but what kind of question should she ask? Should she ask her mother those personal questions, and would she react negatively? She wasn't sure if she wanted to know, but she did know that only her mother had answers, and she really needed answers.

"Mother," she began. "Did you feel...different when you use your abilities?"

Kwanita blinked before she understood, her gentle expression turning into a frown. "You have noticed, have you not?"

"Eh?"

Kwanita sighed, shifting herself so she was sitting on her knees. "Daughter." She paused to take a deep breath. "Listen to me carefully, as it is very important, and you will need it for many moons."

Migisi stayed silent, looking upon her mother with parted lips and a slight tilt of her head.

Kwanita was looking at the village at this point. "When I was young, around your time, I too was at a loss of what was going to become of me. I had no father, no mother, no brothers or sisters, no one except Mother Gaia. However, when my powers awoke, it was much later in my life, and I was also concerned."

"But were you in the same situation I was in?"

Kwanita didn't answer at first. "Not as young," she said. "It was when I was around the age to be married, though I never would be married to any man, it had already been decided. I had been under attack by many spirits, and I truly thought I would die. I may have lived many years, but I did not want to die in a painful and terrifying way."

Migisi's eyes widened in realization. "Then you...?"

Kwanita nodded. "Yes, that was when I awoke my powers for the first time, and it succeeded in driving away those evil spirits. Of course, I needed someone to teach me on how to use them, as I began to feel them strip away any reasoning I had."

Migisi stared at her mother, feeling her skin grow cold. "Then..."

Kwanita nodded again, sadly. "I'm afraid this might happen to you soon as well daughter, which is why I want Mother Gaia to teach you so you could prevent becoming corrupted, just as Mother Gaia had done for me."

"Can't I just not use them?" she asked.

Kwanita shook her head. "It does not work that way daughter. As soon as one awakens such abilities, it will start to cloud their minds and even their souls until nothing of what they used to be will be left. I almost lost that centuries ago until Mother Gaia saved me, and even then I wonder why I was gifted with such abilities."

Migisi remained silent as her mother continued.

"I truly wish I did not have such abilities Migisi, but it is far too late now. I have grown to accept that these powers are a part of me, and they will continue to be until the day I fade, but now that I have passed them onto my own children, I fear the worst."

"Mother?"

Kwanita turned to Migisi. "You were not supposed to awaken these powers this early daughter, and I fear of what will happen when your brothers awaken their powers too, but now I need to make a plan. I do not want my own children becoming corrupted by their own power."

Migisi said nothing a moment. "Then what are we going to do?"

Kwanita closed her eyes. "I fear that more is to come, but the only thing I can do is prepare you for what will come. Mother Gaia will be able to help you, though I fear I will not be of much help."

"Why?"

"I am a mere mortal, despite how much the people may wish it otherwise. Of course, I will admit I am more than human, I am still a mortal, and so are you and your brothers Migisi. There is only so much we can do, and so much that we cannot do that a god can."

Migisi went back to being silent, unsure of what to say to that. Despite not wanting to believe her, she knew she was right, for while she was more than a normal human being, that did not mean she was not like them. She still bled (especially the same color of blood), she had the same body appearance as any human child, and she could do the same things that other children could (and hopefully would when she outgrew this body).

That meant that she could feel pain, could cry, would have concerns, and others, and when she almost died by that Wendigo's hand, Migisi knew that she was as vulnerable as any of the people of her tribe.

And it scared her.

Migisi then looked back up at her mother. "When?" she asked.

Kwanita looked at her.

"When should we contact Mother Gaia? What about the Holy Ones Cyrus and Iamar? Would they not help us?"

Kwanita's eyes widened at her request, but a sad smile replaced it soon after. "It will not be that simple daughter. Cyrus and Iamar will not interfere with the world of Mother Gaia unless they are involved or Mother Gaia has granted them permission to come. Considering this situation however, I doubt she will let them come, or that this will involve them too much."

"What do you mean?"

Kwanita shook her head before standing up and taking her daughter with her. "We will talk about this another time. Now come daughter, your brother is awaiting us."

Migisi could only stare in bafflement at her mother as the older woman led her back to the village.