“Do you have a question for me?”

The spirit was a great cat, with a thick coat and heavy, wide paws. Its eyes looked right to us, seeing yet another mage and familiar in its midst. How many had come to it with questions over the countless years? Judgement sharpened its gaze and left us quavering, but we knew our question was important.

My mage spoke, asking, “Please, we’d like to know what would help my brother’s fever. Is there anything that would help?”

The crisp outlines of the spirit’s eyes softened faintly, barely noticeable. It purred, closed its eyes, and thought, the crystals around it glowing. After a moment it opened its eyes again and plucked a leaf from the vines about its body. When it spoke, its voice had softened and quietened, echoing with a ring around its crystals. “Take this, and brew it into a tonic. It will help lift his fever, because I have told it to do so.”

We thanked it gratefully and left, as we had been told to, realising what incredible powers this spirit must have, to change the natural world around it. The gifted leaf was secured firmly between the pages of a journal, protected for the long journey home.