Red Deer has arrived early, to the sacred circle of the Lunatic Fringe where he and Wind Goddess celebrated Yule among many new friends such a short time ago. Driving through the rural countryside had been very relaxing, as he had anticipated, but still had not steeled him against the shock of such primal beauty. Swweping out the circle, Deer found his eyes constantly drawn eastward - where the immense expanse of sky overshadowed the lazy river flowing several hundred feet below him. Even in the midst of Winter, warm days sometimes come here... and this evening Deer was thankful they had received such for the esbat, mainly because he knew only to well how bitterly cold the breeze up the river valley could blow. As the others arrived, Deer greeted them one by one, and introduced them to the accoutrements of this place. He encouraged everyone to make individual pilgrimages to one or each of the remote altars, which he had himself visited earlier. Each had it's own path, leading out from the central altar and looping back by another route. And each was marked with a many an offering left by those who had visited before, in addition to its own granite marker inscribed with the triangular emblem of its particular element. Somewhat lower than the main circle lay the shrine of Air, upon a lower crown of the hill but with less restricted views of both sky and the airy drop to the river, as there were fewer trees about. Looping back to the circle then over the southern ridge, one might find the shrine of Fire, with a small circle of stones marking its hearth. Another loop back to the main circle, then moving westward would bring one to the shrine of Water, all the way down the high ridge to where a large, but still, creek moved to join the river's body. A rather strenuous loop back and a short walk north would lead one to the shrine of Earth, embraced within the sheltering roots of a mighty tree, fallen many years hence to leave an open gash in the hillside sheltered by dried roots - some the size of a man's thigh, reaching skyward. When each of the celebrants finished their exploration and joined Deer at the circle, he began the evening's rite.

Calling all to join hands, he led them round and round - their own steps marking out the perimeter of their circle for this moon. One of the group began to chant "She changes everything She touches, and everything She touches changes," and one by one they all joined in. After a brief time, the energy of their circle was as palpable to those gathered as was the mounting chill of the evening air. Deer signaled for all to stop, and as he removed himself from the circle, all remaining took a large step inward. In their midst no altar, only the fire-ring limned with stone and filled with white sand, in which stood a teepee fashioned of oak beams head high to the tallest of them.

Around the circle Deer moved, behind his gathered friends, until he approached the eastern quarter. Facing east, Deer raised his arms to the sky and intoned: "Gaurdians of the East, spirits of Air in its many blowings, we invite you to ward our circle tonight. As Imbolg approaches, bring with your presence the invigorating breath of new life, the first breath drawn. Fill our spirits with your presence as you fill the sails of a craft upon the waters, bringing us to our desired destinations." Deer lowered his arms and moved deosil towards the south. Again looking out from the circle, Deer raised his arms high and chanted: "Guardians of the South, spirits of Fire in its may glowings, we invite you to ward our circle tonight. As Imbolg approaches, bring with your presence the empassioned heat of the womb, the warm hold of the germinating seed. Open our minds with your presence as you fill the evening with light, bringing us to our needed visions." Deer again lowered his arms and moves deosil, now to the west. From the west, Deer looked outwards with arms upraised and called: "Guardians of the West, spirits of Water in its many flowings, we invite you to ward our circle tonight. As Imbolg approaches, bring with your presence the calming ebb and flow of generations, the fluid cycle that is life. Thrill our hearts with your presence as you fill the parched lands with life, gently bringing us to our long-sought loves." Again, Deer lowered his arms and moved about the circle, now to north. At the northern point, Deer raised his arms for the final call: "Guardians of the North, spirits of Earth in its many stillnesses, we invite you to ward our circle tonight. As Imbolg approaches, bring with your presence the the deep strength of life's source, the substance of which our forms are fashioned. Support our bodies with your presence as you support grasses of the fields and trees of the forest."

Finally, Deer moved back to his place among his friends. "Our circle is raised, and is well warded. Here, upon a hillside where many have called to the spirits for thousands of years before us, we weave that which is a time out of time and a place out of place." Deer looks to Owl, and smiles, as he waits...



...Owl moves forward a step, then begins a slow walk deosil around the inner circle. Greeting each as she passes with a smile and warm hug. "Blessed Be" is murmered around the circle til she finally returns to her starting point. Stepping closer to center, Owl spreads her arms and gathers to her the warm energies of friends, and feels the welcoming glow she has come to expect when invoking the Goddess. Softly, at first, then with more resonence, she calls:

"Lady, together we gather once more in your name,
as the wheel of the year turns toward Sunlight again...
Where forest and sky kiss the edge of the waters,
Where spirits as we claim a kinship with daughters
of Elements born befor words are remembered,
and feelings, and thoughts are no longer hindered.
This is the legacy you have bequethed us,
the stars up above and the earth here beneath us.
In thanks and in reverence, light and dark we encompass...
and ask that your essence find welcome amongst us."

"So mote it be!"

Owl lowers her arms and stands quietly waiting for...



...Cloud, who steps toward the firepit. She has conceded to her home weather and switched from her green-brown robe to warm black wool, with the familiar brown cape that almost matches her flying hair, and carries a Tibetan prayer drum. Facing just East of North, slightly toward the realm of new possibilities from the dark of rest, she starts the drum spinning, just fast enough to make a beat that sounds like a ghost of approaching hoofs.

The Son of renewal; Brother of animals; Father of the indigenous, the native, the born-to-be, the natural, the fitting; Lord of That-Which-Is and of all right options... is arriving on the hastening beat. We feel Him in the rush of our blood toward all the endless possibilities of whatever Spring may bring, in the beat of our hearts with love for all that belongs, in our clicking fingers, our feet that cant stop tapping to the rhythm of life, death, reality. It isn't yet time for dancing, but the Dance is here, around and within, and it hardly matters that Cloud stills her drum as she steps back into the footmarked circle.

She sends a smile to Red Deer, and awaits...



...until filled with the energies that flow around and through the hillside this night, Deer stands quietly for a moment reflecting upon the powerful invocations of his friends. Then, he carefully removes himself from the circle - assuring that two between whom he stands take each others' hands - as he steps forward. Deosil he moves again, a complete round of the circle with a nod and a smile for each celebrant, then two more as he spirals in towards the center. Coming to the edge of the fire ring just at east by northeast, Deer stoops low and takes a moment's intercourse with the tender and kindling, and with the mighty beams there placed. As the wind kicks up again - bringing a notable chill to all - a huge, creamy white full moon is revealed over the river when the clouds previously veiling her have slipped away. In the wind's caress the river faintly ripples and many of the dry leaves covering the hillside begin to rustle about. "Tonight," Deer thinks "wind kisses the earth, the water and the very sky from which it arises. May it hold still, or close, long enough for the fire to take. Then, we'll see the beauty of wind kissing the flames as well." And still the wind is for a moment - but Deer knows this is not the eve for fancy work with drill or flints, knows that the air will not wait patiently enough for that - so he pulls a bic from beneath his robe and holds it to the tender. Once, twice, thrice sparks illuminate the area about him before the flame takes to the tender and then the kindling. Another moment, and Deer is forced to retreat rather hastily as indeed the flames are born aloft by a renewed breeze and the entire circle is suddenly transformed to a place of light and warmth. "Here are we gathered. Beneath the moon and stars, beneath boughs of the sleeping forest. May those who would petition our Lady and Lord for favor, or seek aught from Them, come forward." Deer resumes his place within the circle of friends and waits, as...



...LadyGrn steps forward, her purple cloak billowing in the breeze. She pauses a moment, smiling greetings to her beloved friends surrounding her in the circle. She then lifts her gaze too the luminous full moon shining above all.

With arms uplifted and face aglow with silvery light, LadyGrn speaks: "Anicent Mother, timeless and bright, I, thy child, greet you this night. Queen of Heaven, Moon Goodess, I stand before thee, ever grateful for thy wisdom, thy guidance, thy protection, and thy love. Mistress of magick and enchantment, you enhance my life in so many ways. I ask of you, healing for myself and those I love. I ask for thy aid while following my path, so that I may better understand thy ways. On this full moon night, I ask that you enlighten me, as all healing and knowledge come from thee. You are the source of all creativity and inspiration, may you bestow these gifts upon me, and all who seek thy light. Mother of all Mothers, I also thank thee for the safe delivery of Lucas Kellan. May your love shine brightly upon him, granting him health, happiness, wisdom and long life."

Silently, LadyGrn communes with the Goddess for a few moments longer, before returning to her place in circle to await...



...as Norda steps forward. So quietly this night does she move that it seems as if one moment she was not present and the next moment she materialized out of starlight and moonshine. Her tunic reflects this strangeness in its muted black shot through with gleaming grey, cuffed and belted in silver over a long black skirt. This was her garb long ago, and it pleases her to don it once again. The firelight makes the raised deer figures on her heavy silver pendant flicker, tricking the eye into imagining stags in full gallop. Her silver-brown hair is long and loose and whipping freely in the windy night, as she raises her arms and begins to speak: "Mother Moon, Father Sky, I greet thee as Thy child and Thy friend. Blessings on all here tonight. I thank You with an overflowing heart... so full of joy am I in this season that all I ask in petition this time 'round is that all may know in their own hearts this rare contentment that is singing through my spirit." She makes a motion as if to hug the starstrewn sky, Wolf Moon and all, and steps back into the Circle to await...



...the next, and Red Deer again moves to the circle's center. Absorbing heat from the pre-Imbolg fire, he simply stands for what seems an eternity before addressing the night. "Mother, Father - I ask that You hold closely all I hold dear. Bring us full circle again, as is Your will." Once more, Deer stands for a timeless moment staring into the flames - then upwards at the full moon now licked by their tongues - before returning to his place and watching for...



...Cloud, who somehow doesn't seem to need her warm cloak right now. She moves around the circle with her basket, passing out hugs along with... *reality and dreams.* For each of us, a small seed-laden pine cone from a tree that grows through concrete not far from Cloud's home. Beautiful in their own right, the cones also bear green promise; like our wishes, the tiny futures grow where they will, when conditions and Will are right. May our winter hopes grow big and strong in returning light, and we come through safe to see them shining green. She feeds the last cone to the fire in honor of Four Quarters Farm and justice, and steps back glowing to await...



...the time of rite when all awaitings pass. Deer, seeing no one else with a desire to come forward, returns to the fire side and begins slowly pacing widdershins about it. On his third turn about, he acknowledges each of the elements as a passes through their quarter, before stopping between the fire and the river. Red Deer holds his hands out from his sides, palms forward, and states: "Spirits of the Elements, Guardians of the Four Quarters - we thank you each for your attendence of our rite this moon. If you must, go your merry ways. If you will, stay with us and enjoy warm fellowship, light laughter and lasting love. Mother, Father - You who always come when we call, often not realizing that You are already here with us, many thanks we give for the blessings which flow from Your union. Truly blessed are we, as are all Your children. We are grateful that You fill our circle and hear our petitions. May each be granted according to need... as You will it, so mote it be."

Deer now faces outwards as he once again walks the circuit round, smiling into the face of each old friend there gathered. "Our circle is open but unbroken. We who have been here together are never truly apart." Resuming his place between two old friends, Deer opens the circle of hands and leads those who follow in a spiral - inwards toward the fire, outwards toward the edges of the trampled space which often holds many more celebrants - in myriad repitions of the Crane Dance sacred to their foremothers' foremothers. Faster and faster they spin until, just as the great oak timbers give way and collapse into the center of the fire pit, the group drops to the ground - releasing the energy they have raised into the night sky. Deer "sees" it flowing to its appointed tasks. And, grounding, "knows" that this evening is another in an endless string of pearls which Grandfather Twilight gives to the night sky.