At first it lacked substance. Then it took form and she recognised Miralda. There was a dreamlike quality to the old woman. Fury saw her too.
'Look. It's Miralda.'
He touched Alison's hand.
'But is it her body or her spirit?' Alison asked.
Fury sat up. 'Sister ... is it you?'
The form moved closer and they heard Miralda's voice.
'Aye, young brother. I was snatched away before I could tell you all you need to know.'
Fury leant forward. 'We need to know where we can find Morpeth's Mouth. You said it is one of the gateways and we must cast Balduur's head into it.'
The apparition floated forward.
'First I must tell you why you made this journey.'
Her voice had a strange otherworldly quality. Alison looked through the shadowy figure to the foreshore beyond. There was nothing frightening. Miralda was reaching out to them from beyond the mortal plane.
'Are you ready?' she asked.
'We are,' Alison whispered.
'Then I shall tell you in the manner of the old people. They taught their faith by means of stories and I shall do the same. I need not remind you that such stories are not to be regarded as true in every word. It is the underlying truth that matters.
My story starts in a time long past before the coming of the new religions. In that time there was a young man of the dog totem, called Grey Wolf, and a young woman called Red Fox, who was likewise of the same totem. Now, as you know, it is forbidden for a man and woman of the same totem to marry and beget children. But, Red Fox was wondrously beautiful in the eyes of Grey Wolf and they would meet together whenever their two clans chanced upon one another.
'It came to pass that, at the great festival of Spring, the clans met to observe the ceremonies of the faith and arrange marriages between their sons and daughters. Red Fox was there and she was promised to a man of the bear totem. Grey Wolf was overcome by anguish and despair. He went to the elders and begged them to overthrow the decision. But, they would hear nothing of it and disciplined him for suggesting such a thing.
That night, when the people were dancing about the fires, Red Fox heard a beautiful sound and she was drawn towards it. Away from the protection of her clan, away from the light of the fires she went and found Grey Wolf singing beneath a young rowan tree. She settled in his arms and they made off together. Through the moonlight they hurried away, travelling on foot because in those times people had not taken to riding on the backs of horses.