Faolain came amongst the bulk of the Council the next morning. Without pointing directly, he nodded toward the canyon. "There are things over there I want you to see. Just you for now." He glanced at Gryffyn and Faiydh. "Particularly the two of you." Then he dropped the big one on them. "We aren't the first ones that were ever here. The people of this place say that The Ancestors were here. They don't know much about them, but they tell strange tales. So do the walls of the canyon and the abandoned cities beyond it." "Why didn't you mention this before now?" Maeve asked. "You'll know when you see it." There were pictures pecked into the stone of the canyon walls of all manner of strange figures. Some were immediately recognizable as things they'd seen elsewhere, including the land they'd just left. Spirals. Many spirals and things that looked like horned creatures and even horned man-like figures. Some of them were like serpents. There was one in particular Faolain wanted Gryffyn and Faiydh to see. It sat in the shadows of the rock formations towering over them. "I have my own ideas as to what this is, but I'm not saying anything, because I want to hear what you think," Faolain said. "Brother?" Gryffyn pulled at his chin. "There is something vaguely familiar about it." "There should be," Faolain chuckled. He seemed overly amused as his laughter trailed off into a sigh. "I know!" Faiydh said. His expression was a bit smug because he'd figured it out before Gryffyn. He held up his hand, pointing toward the heavens around which Night would soon be drawing her cloak. There was no question in his eyes. "It's what's up there.... Ye could say 'twas me in the sky - Laird o' the Beasts. Or maybe 'tis Gryffyn," he laughed. It suddenly dawned on Gryffyn and he laughed too, casting his eyes upward. "So it 'tis, Faiydh. So it 'tis. Aye, the spiral...The Hammer. I'll be. Then, the stories are true." "Very good, Faiydh. Ye aint the King o' the Fey for nothin, are ye?!" Faolain smiled. "First thing I thought, too. Yes, they're true, Gryff. I find it all quite intriguin', milords. Don't you?" "Beyond a doubt!" Faiydh said, pleased with the Pilot's praise. He didn't get praise that often. "There's more. Wait'll ye see the dead city!" Faolain started off, leading them on across the canyon to where the land flattened out. ***** Very simple picture, but the lighting was a...well, you know :) Poser figure Faiydh against photo of a particular group of petroglyphs from Chaco Canyon in the Southwestern US that I find particularly intriguing. It only makes sense if you're familiar with a certain part of the night sky that rises late in the summer - 'a Man and His Dog'. At least that's what I think it is. Many myths are told about this part of the sky and it is the Gateway to the Underworld in Mesopotamian mythology. Photo credit: Petroglyphs at Una Vida, Chaco Canyon Copyright 2006 Eu-Jin Goh. Cheers to all and thanks so much for your comments! Rayvn P.S. Odile: I have been looking at Mssr. Dumezil. I was headed for him anyway, but you spurred me on :) Thanks!