As the late afternoon sun fades, Fern moves about the clearing.  In the eastern most part of the 'active space' she places the cauldron, and fills it with water.  Tea lights, carefully set in their glass containers, make a path to the cauldron.  At sunset the tealight candles are lit, and the folk start assembling.  The clearing being rather an oval, they group takes an oval shape rather than a circular shape.

Once all are assembled, Fern speaks:

"We meet here in the light of the Full Moon, to celebrate Her beauty, to dance and sing and make merry, to make offerings and ask boons, to support each other and be a community.  My friends, Blessings and Welcome!"

Fern leaves the center, and Wildwalker comes forth to honor the Earth Mother...

Windwalker comes down the path of lights, she stands and feels the earth beneath her feet and the power within. Smiling at the others
gathered there she begins:

"There is a story among the Cherokee about the way life came to be on Mother Earth and how we are responsible for her. In another time the  Spirit beings lived in the skyvault and it was begining to get crowded. So the Great One decided it was time for the spirit beings to become physical and spread out of the skyvault. There was a great council meeting and the spirit beings decided on a plan. The Great One said, " those of you who choose to be a part of the creation of Mother Earth ,Elohino, will also have to protect her." Earth at that time was like a large floating island, held in place by four Cords of Life. The Great One said, "these Cords of Life will hold Elohino suspended as long as everything is held in balance." The keepers include the four-legged, the two-legged, the many-legged and the no-legged ones as well as the winged ones. Everything and everyone will live in harmony, interdependent on one another for sustained life and regeneration of life.

Each Clans' arrival below formed the hills and valleys and terrain and when it was done The Great One placed plants and trees to provide air and home to the Sacred Winds. And when it was done not only was Elohino alive, but that her survival and ours were interdependent.

Knowing that we are here to provide for Elohino and that we need her as much as she needs us Leads me to lift my arms to the Sky and send prayers on the smoke of the Sacred Fires so that The Great One might hear... for the continued safety of our mother. So as you walk your journey of life do not forget to touch Elohino. Let your footsteps fall softly upon the ground for held there are the bones of the Ancestors and the Spirit of those to come. Feel your Mother's heartbeat with your palms as they press against the earth. Listen closely to her song, for it is ancient and needs no words. Still when you hear it, truely hear it ,you feel an overwhelming sense of security knowing you are cared for by her. She asks for nothing and offers everything. Now, as every day, I thank you Mother for your support and your gifts of life and hope that I can walk in harmony with you and all my relations. Welcome Elohino to our celebration, welcome all..."

Windwalker turns and waits for...

...Nym' steps beneath the Ice Moon. This time last week the fertile earth lay beneath a blanket of snow. Nature resting dream of it's time to burst forth. Clasping a triskel in her hand, she looks around.

   "Ancestors of our hearts,
   Ancestors of our blood,
   Ancestors of this land.

   We seek your guidance,
   We ask your protection,
   We honor your dreams.

   Join with us this night,
   We look up to and know you.
   Above all, we bid you welcome..."

...The whispers of the trees take on a haunting sound of mingled tongues... The Ancestors are here... Seeing no one else step forth, DreamDancer decides it is time to come out of the shadows for a while and join in.Walking to the center of the clearing, he pasues and looks around at the smiles on the faces of his friends around him, then closes his eyes and raises his arms.

"Goddess, Mother of us all, embodied in the earth and the life we see around us, gazing upon us in your silvery dress as our Mother Moon, we ask and ivite you to join with us here tonight".

"God, Lord of the Hunt, bringer of warmth and plenty, we ask that you take a few moments from running with our brothers and sisters, the creatures of the wild, and invite you to join with us this night".

Feeling a warmth come over him, DreamDancer lowers his arms, opens his eyes and sees that his friends faces seem to glow, just a bit, and the smiles on their faces a little bit wider. He walks back to his place in the clearing. Fern stands at the end of the row of candles farthest from the cauldron.  She sees in the cauldron the image of the room, finally risen high enough to be reflected.

"Silver Lady of the Night, we welcome your return to fullness this month.  Light we can gaze at without fear, we welcome the peaking of energy and tides that your bring tonight.  Changing one, we welcome the lessons you bring, of ebb and flow, of the smaller deaths and renewals we face daily... weekly... monthly... yearly... that teach us of the longer cycles of decades, of eras, of lifetimes. Lady of the Moon, Blessings and Welcome!"

Fern walks the path to the cauldron.  "Let all who have need make offering and ask their boon."

Fern lights the incense she has brought as an offering from the candle closest to the cauldron, and places the incense next to the cauldron.  As the sweet smoke rises, she says, "Lady, A  gift for you.  The smoke rises to you, the ashes go to the earth.  From the Gods to the Earth to us, from us to the Earth to the Gods.... a gift for a gift.

Fern returns to her place, and next comes...

Girl steps up for a sec... She looks out among the waiting mist of people.  Folks veiled by distance.  She steps out of her shell for a moment to share.

She is smaller than she remembers.  Overwhelmed, sheepish, scared out of her mind.  She has taken note of the Stag King's words.  She won't let them slip away again.  This disconnection from the spirit world has been too much of a burden.  "I would like to thank all those involved for the stunning and vivid dreams I've been having.  Keep them coming, I want more.  Especially one's that will help me to decide where my future belongs.  I want to come back home to the fey for a time.  I miss your pranks.  The ghosts in my home are a little too eerie without the familiar scurry of faerie feet below.  Please let me come back to the fold.  Let me be a faerie princess again.  Thank you."

She steps back to wait for the next petitioner...

...Boudica walks from her place in the circle.  Dressed in her dark blue gown, she steps over to Nymue.  She hands her a yellow rose.

She then walks over to the cauldron, and leaves a red rose there. She looks at the moon, golden and bright, lighting up the entire circle. She bows, turns and returns to her place in the circle. Morgan steps forward and, lighting a small braid of sweetgrass, holds it up and allows the fragrant smoke to waft upwards.  She then raises her face to the huge, brilliant moon and says:

"Great Mother and Father, I earnestly beg Your attention and assistance in helping my family to overcome the darkness which has touched our lives this week.  I ask that You guide me to the proper methods of protection for my loved ones, my home and my self. I also ask that You look with favor on me and mine in the coming month, for it will be a trying one for us.  But I know that with Your love and strength to guide us, we will prevail!"

With a last wave of the smoldering sweetgrass around the circle, Morgan retreats to her place and watches...

...Tash steps into the circle.  Gazing up at the Moon, and feeling the cool breeze on her face she says "Gaia, Mother Earth, please welcome Marie into your arms as she comes to you from this our earthly realm, let her know of my regrets at not having seen her or spoken to her in these past few years, and please tell her that I love her.  Thank you..."

...EarthChild steps forward.  She lights a stick of her most treasured incense and inhales the rich smoke.  She adds it to the other offerings.  She looks up at the moon.  "Lord and Lady; there is much that I need to accomplish in the coming months. If there is any thing I would ask this month, let it be that I find the strength, time, and energy to do what must be done. I'm trying to come to terms with my past and let it go, and it is no easy thing.  It is part of the things that I need to do in this next month or so.  It is the only way that I will ever heal and move on with my life.  All I ask is that you be with me in this time."

EarthChild steps back into the circle as...

...Rosemary rises, and stands, for a moment, to collect her thoughts.  There are so many things she wants and so many things she wants to do.  She walks to the fire and places a crystal there.

"Lady, Lord, I want the little round, brown building for my church.  I have no means, but nothing is impossible for you.  I know you will help if you can.  Our religion does not trade in miracles, but if you can conjure up just a little one I'd be most happy." In the meantime the Chantry will praise and serve the Goddess the best way we know how, by teaching and by meeting at Your Full Moons.  So Mote It Be.."

...Nymue' follows the path back to the cauldron with a pot of bright pink tulips in her hands. Placing the flowers beside the cauldron she says; "Blessed Lady, I bring this reminder of the blooms yet to come. As new life springs from the ground my husband is faced with new career paths before him. I ask that you help him to the right path."

Then taking a handful of seed from her pocket, Nym' holds the seed to the sky.As a gentle breeze seems to lift the seed upon its wings, carrying them to scatter where they may..

"Lady on the night we celebrated the spark of your flame, My Sisters and I gave birth to a Circle. A Circle to honor you in all your many names. Please guide these seeds that they may grow healthy and strong, fostering compassion and diversity. May my Sisters and Brothers receive these blessings:

 "May you go forth under the strength of the old ones,
 under the light of sun,
 under the radiance of moon.
 May you go forth with the splendor of fire,
 with the speed of lightning,
 with the swiftness of wind.
 May you go forth supported by the depth of sea,
 by the stability of earth,
 by the firmness of rock.
 May you be surrounded and encircled,
 with the protection of the nine elements."
    
As Nymue' moves back to her place she stops to hug Boudica, exchanging a knowing smile, then resumes her spot and awaits...
   
...Deer, who has so far stood silently upon the limn of their circle, but now moves slowly toward the cauldron. Reaching it, he holds forward the amber ever present about his neck, as well as a tiny vial which seems to share its glow. He bends to place a single drop upon the amber, and one into the waters of the cauldron. As he straightens, the deepest, most intense smell of sunshine, deep ocean and sweet musk which most present will ever experience, with heady overtones of spice, virtually explodes into the space around him.

"Mother, Father, I thank You for all life's blessings - including this gift of genuine ambergris distilled from that which occasionally washes ashore upon the far coast of Morocco. With it have I finally come into full contact with my comrades from the water."

Deer inhales deeply of the fragrance arising from the cauldron and meditates upon the shifting light within - with the effect of visions, or more accurately complete physical images, in which he dances in the depths singing with old friends songs already hundreds of millennia ancient when humans' first sang beneath this same full moon. Then returning to the circle of which he now partakes, Deer makes his way back to the place he had stood - briefly catching the watchful eye of Owl, who seems a bit bemused by this new aspect of her old friend...

...Seeing that all offerings and petitions have come to an end,  Fern steps forward again. 

"Great Lady of the Night, we thank you for your blessings.  We trust that you are pleased with the offerings, and that the petitions will be honored in their time."

"Silver One, As we bask in the glow of Your light, we thank you for attending this rite.  If you can, stay for the feast afterwards, but we understand if you must take your attention elsewhere."

"Lady of the Moon, Blessings and Farewell!"

Fern steps back, waiting for Dreamdancer to thank the Deities....

...DreamDancer nods to Fern  in passing, and walks forward into the open space.

"Mother Earth, Father Sky, we thank you for joining with us here tonight. Each time we feel your presence among us, it is the same as it always has been, yet each time is also a new experience for us. Stay if you will, go if you must. We bid you thanks and farewell".    DreamDancer bows his head in respect, and then walks back to his place. Nym' returns to the center warmed by the nights charms.

"Blessed Ancestors, we thank you and bid you well..
Go raibh mile maith agaibh
Blessings and Farewell..."

...somewhat surprised at her ability to move despite the roots reaching down deep from the soles of her feet, suz moves to the cauldron.

"'beautiful ones, wild ones, we thank you for your presence here this night.  ancient silent souls, laughing quick ones, those that fly and those that run, those that swim and those that creep, we are kin to you all and share the bounty of the Mother, this planet our home.  hail and farewell!' smiling, she steps back...

...Fern steps up to the cauldron once more.

"Blessed and High Ones, we thank you all for this time together, under the bright moonlight. Friends, I thank all of you for your presence here, too! Go if you must, stay for revels if you can! The Rite is Ended.  Everyone, Blessings and Farewell!"