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The Chinchilla Princess sat up, dried her eyes and smoothed her skirt as she asked, "What must I do, Great Wolf?"

Great Wolf smiled (as only a wolf can smile – in such a way that makes the skin crawl on the back of your neck for it surely looks as much like a sneer as anything might).

"Tell me your story, Princess, and then I shall tell you what to do."

So, with Great Wolf curled around her feet, The Chinchilla Princess told him the story of her life – of her birth, of her childhood, of her family, of her work as a Rulebender at Weave & Weasel Inc. in the Big Bright City of Lights, and of her beloved woodsman and their humble home in the forest.

And at the end (or rather that being the moment that she met the wolf, which could possibly be construed as a beginning in itself), Great Wolf sat up and sighed.

..........

"Princess… Your sadness comes from the implicit, hidden sacrifice made by those who walk the path of worshipping the Rules of the Agreed World – the sacrifice of Spirit."

"The Rules of the Agreed World exist to create a common ground for all – a world in which we can understand each other and work together amidst the myriad complexities and differences of our desires and dreams. The Rules have their place, but exact a heavy toll if you allow yourself to put them before your spirit’s needs."

"I am a Guardian of The Waking World. The Agreed World is Here, whereas The Waking World is Here, There and Everywhere."

"The Walking World is wild and untamed. There are no Rules. To walk the Waking Way is to let go of your dutiful following of the Rules of the Agreed World, and to choose your own path."

" It is by no accident you chose to walk another path and found your feet upon my way this night, Princess."

"I told you that you must sacrifice your fear to find that which you have lost, and this is no easy calling, for here in The Waking World, you will meet many strange visions and thoughts as you begin to see through the veil that lies between the worlds."

The Chinchilla Princess thought about what Great Wolf had said for some time. She was not quite sure she understood him, but she knew there was truth in his words, as she remembered the adventures to undreamt of places she had dreamt of as a child, and felt herself filling with hope.

"I believe I want to walk this new path, Great Wolf, but still I feel afraid," The Chinchilla Princess said.

"The sacrifice of your fear will not be a sudden one, Princess. Just as your spirit has slowly and quietly been sacrificed in the Agreed World, so will the sacrifice of your fear in the Waking World be an ongoing release."

"Sometimes you will even need to feel it beating in your chest and driving you wild, to know when it is time to let it go. Indeed, you have already begun to sacrifice your fear. Do you not see? You faced your fear when you met me, and now we sit and talk as old friends as a new world opens for you!"

The Chinchilla Princess smiled. "You are indeed mysterious, and as wise as you are wild Great Wolf. I trust you, and am ready now to do what must be done to recover my lost spirit."

"Very well, Princess. This is what you must do..."