Chap 21

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As Rono, Peta, Konane and Eztli opened their eyes, a sense of anticipation lingered in the air."Zacil, did you hear them?" Eztli's voice carried a hint of excitement as she turned to Zacil. "Did you at least see your spirit animals?"

Eztli, with her piercing eyes and quiet demeanor, was the first to speak. "I heard my nahual's voice," she said softly, "it was a jaguar." The group turned to her, intrigued by her revelation. Rono, a stoic figure with a mysterious aura, nodded in acknowledgment. "My spirit animal was a snake," he disclosed. Konane, chimed in, "I saw my spirit animal. A dog." Peta, added with a smirk "Mine was an eagle."

Youngsters," Zacil's voice was low and melodic, "to be a true Nahual, you must become one with the shadows. Darkness is not your enemy, but your source of power. It cloaks you, empowering your essence, while light reveals the nahual presence.

Patli, , stepped forward, her gaze piercing through the veils of reality. "Life will not be easy for you," he intoned gravely. "The outside world is a realm of hostility towards your kind. You are different in ways that common folks will never comprehend. To survive, you must master the arts of stealth, secrecy, and yourself. You must become shadow warriors, veiled in secrecy, never to be exposed to the eyes of the mundane world."

But as the group delved deeper into their experiences, a sense of unease began to settle among them. Eztli's expression shifted, her brow furrowed in confusion. "My nahual said it doesn't remember," she confessed, casting a shadow of uncertainty over the group. The revelation sparked concern among the others, as one by one, they admitted that their spirit animals too seemed to have forgotten.

Zacil frowned, "What do you mean they don't remember?"

"It said it doesn't remember," Eztli admitted.

Patli gasped, "Wait, what?"

Zacil  listened intently to their concerns. "This isn't good," Patli remarked, her voice filled with apprehension. The group realized that something was amiss, that the bond between them and their spirit animals was faltering, threatening the balance of their inner selves.

"They shouldn't forget," Zacil asserted, the defiance in her voice unyielding

Patli's eyes widened. "Your nahuales... they're supposed to remember you! They were born as you were; you and they are the same identity."

As they pondered their next steps, Zacil urged caution. "You four need to be careful," she warned, her eyes shining with determination. "They can be unpredictable. We must help them remember, it will take time and patience." Each member of the group nodded in agreement, understanding the gravity of the situation.

Eztli, her eyes shining with determination, asked the crucial question that hung in the air - how should we help them?

Zacil's words held both warning and guidance. "You must be vigilant and patient. Trust is essential in this journey of rediscovery. We must find a way to awaken their memories and bring them back to their true self and maybe stand by your side in the dark times.

That's a lot of waiting," Rono noted, the frustration evident in his tone.

"Together," Peta added, grasping Rono's arm in solidarity.

"Yes, together. Remember, it's not just about you—it's about them too," Zacil declared, reminding them of their shared fate.

"We'll find a way," Rono muttered, determination sparking in his chest.

Eztli smiled faintly, "We have to."

Eztli, anything else you want to share?" Zacil inquired, her voice laced with concern."I didn't know that nahuales could be colorful," Eztli exclaimed, her eyes wide with wonder.

Patli,  furrowed her brow, "What do you mean?"

Eztli's gaze flickered with excitement as she recounted the battle with the witch, "When I saw the evil nahual witch transform into a black tecolote and Zacil into a white tecolote there were natural colors  when you see them at a zoo. But my nahual was green, like my stone, carved in the shape of a jaguar."

With a swift movement, Eztli reached into her pocket and retrieved a smooth, emerald-hued stone. As Rono, Peta, and Konane examined the stone, they noticed that each had a similar stone, but with a different color and animal intricately carved into it, mirroring their own nahual forms.

Zacil and Patli were astonished as they observed the array of colorful stones. In a land where people with nahuales were predominantly gray, the vibrant hues of green, blue, yellow, and orange.

Zacil's expression grew serious as she offered a revelation. "I forgot to mention something important. When a person of a nahual is ready to unlock their powers, they receive a stone—its origin remains a mystery." She paused, gauging their reactions. "Some believe it signifies the awakening of their nahual abilities of how they were bestowed upon those deemed worthy of wielding the powers of their nahuals. Some believed it to be a gift from the spirits, a mark of divine favor bestowed upon those destined for greatness. Others saw it as a manifestation of their inner strength and connection to the land, a symbol of their powers waiting to be unleashed.

However, we must be careful about showing them to others. There are those who would take advantage of us and turn us into targets."

The weight of Zacil's words settled heavily in the air. Rono grasped his snake stone tighter, the thought of becoming a target both thrilling and terrifying.

"We need to protect not only ourselves but our nahuales as well," he replied, determination filling his voice.

Eztli nodded, her fervor renewed. "Then let's keep our stones close and we should do it for ourselves.

"Together," Peta added, "We'll face whoever threatens us and uncover the truth behind these stones."

As Peta gazed at the stones with awe, Zacil turned to her with a somber expression. "Do you want to be part of this, Peta?" she asked softly. "If anything were to happen, I don't want to hurt you. I never wanted you to be involved in this. I had hoped for you to have a quiet life."Peta, determined and fearless, met her grandmother's gaze without hesitation. "I want to help, Grandma. I want to be a part of this," she declared with unwavering resolve.

Just as Zacil pondered Peta's words, a desperate cry for help pierced the tranquility of the town. Peta's eyes widened. "Is that Mr. Ramirez, your friend?" she asked.

The voice called out again, pleading for aid. Without a moment's hesitation, one of the servants of Patli, appeared at the gate, his expression filled with urgency. "

He sounds really desperate," Konane remarked.

With a swift gesture, the servant ushered a disheveled man into the courtyard of  Patli's home. It was Mr. Ramirez, a familiar face in the town, his eyes wild with distress. "Thank the heavens you are here," he exclaimed, his voice quivering with emotion.

Mr. Ramirez looked at Zacil with a mixture of hope and despair. "Zacil, I was told you were at Patli's house and you can help me.

Please, you must help me. It's my daughter, Mireya... There is something terribly wrong with her," he confessed, his voice laden with sorrow.

Zacil's heart ached at the anguish in Mr. Ramirez's words. "What has happened to your daughter?" she asked gently, her voice soothing in the face of his distress.

Mr. Ramirez leaned in closer, his words barely a whisper as he shared with Zacil the unsettling truth about his daughter's affliction. Zacil's eyes widened in astonishment, her thoughts racing as she processed the gravity of the situation.