At breakfast in the kitchen, Sedna did not waste any words on niceties.

"You came in through the attic again, didn't you. What happened this time?"

"It's Cern. I've been helping him with his shaman dream, and he has gained a lot of control. Lately every time we go into it together it becomes like the forest dream, and sometimes my form alters. At first it was just in the dream, and it was fun for both of us. But now it also happens for real. I wake up in an altered form and can't control it until he wakes up too. So to avoid him seeing what has happened, I leave him."

"Have you told him about this?"

"So far he doesn't know. I don't know what will happen when he finds out. I'm afraid he will blame himself, and withdraw from the dreaming. What we have together is too good to lose."

"You already know there is something powerful between you, something ancient. Your answer to the influence of his forest dream may be in your common past. You need to find out what it is. The only way to do that is to work together."

"I know you're right. I just don't know how to begin."