DotW: Lessons from Magnus - The Heart Stone

On their walk home from a training session, Shiloh decided to ask about Magnus's origins; was he born and raised in Riverfell? Were his parents still there? Did he know her mother? He was silent for a moment and, in an effort to satiate her thirst for knowing more about him while simultaneously avoiding her question about whether or not he had known her mother, he decided to open up.

"My father died when I was very young. He was on duty escorting a pair of Healers in the mountains searching for herbs when some rocks gave way and all three wolves fell. One of the Healers was killed, while the other had broken a leg. They managed to make it back, but my father complained of pain in his belly. The other Healers claimed something inside of him had broken during the fall. They did all they could to try and treat his injuries with herbal remedies, but the damage had been done and there was no fixing it.

I saw the Heart Stone for the first time during his Passing ceremony. I'd only ever heard of it before, as few wolves see it beyond the Lorekeepers -- except during a Passing. I remember it was a large, smooth stone and its color was like that of the morning sky, just before the sun appears on the horizon. They rested it on his chest just after giving him a heavy dose of herbs that would help him sleep. My mother told me to bring an item that reminded me of him and our time together. I chose a turkey feather I had tucked away in our den, as one of my fondest memories was when we were chased by a whole flock of the nasty beasts. After I had retrieved my feather, I found that nearly all of my father's family and friends had returned to him with their own items; some carried bones, antlers, stones. My mother brought a small bundle of leaves and told the others that she would miss walking through the Emerald Forest each season with him and watching the leaves change color. The Lorekeepers arranged each item carefully in a circle around him, then allowed my mother and I to stay with him after the sun set.

It was the middle of the night when he took his last breath, with the Heart Stone still resting on his chest over his heart. All of the Lorekeepers that had gathered were quietly chanting "Pass on in peace to the heavens. May you now run free among the stars," over and over again. The Master Lorekeeper that stayed with us told me that when the Passing ceremony is complete, my father's energy would pass through the Heart Stone as it ascended to the stars to rejoin our ancestors. By passing through the stone, he would leave a portion of his energy within it, and thus, would always be with us in and the pack. Forever. 

We buried his body the next day, along with some of the items that made up the circle of memories around him. According to the Lorekeeper, the items were meant more for those left behind, as it gave them something positive to think about and happy stories to tell those that had gathered prior to his Passing.

Every wolf of Riverfell passed through the Heart Stone for as far back as anyone could remember. Young or old. Omega or Alpha. Good or bad. The Master Lorekeeper told me that in a way, the stone is the Heart of Riverfell."

Photo reference of what I imagine the heart stone to look like, for anyone curious!

As I'm sure some (if not most) of you know, I lost my cat of 21 years a few weeks ago. Long story short, I had a mobile vet come out to our house to perform the euthanasia, as there was no way I could handle his last moments being frightened at a vet's office. Anyway. During the "procedure" and just before the final shot, the vet took out a small rose quartz stone and placed it on his chest. She explained to me that as he passes over, his energy will go through the stone as it leaves his body, but a little part of it will remain in the stone. When it was all over, she handed me the stone and told me to keep it. It hardly left my hand for three days.

This concept brought me a lot of comfort in what was one of the worst experiences I've ever had to go through. It was therapeutic and I loved the concept of the stone still holding some of my cat's energy, that I decided to incorporate the idea into Riverfell. Sort of a tribute, maybe. Honestly, focusing so hard on Riverfell has helped me cope with losing my best furry friend. It may seem strange, but it's helped keep my mind busy these last few weeks. </3

I really love the idea of Magnus teaching not only Shiloh, but also my watchers, about Riverfell. It's a fun way to explore the pack's culture and also how much Magnus teaches her during their time together. Plus we get a nice glimpse into Magnus's history and life, which I really wanted to touch on but wasn't sure how. Now I know!

Poor lil baby Magnus...I know exactly how you feel. :c Thankfully, the next few pieces of art I upload will be much happier and happen in present day, haha.

Magnus & Artwork © Quaylak