The procession led to the edge of a slight rise; the valley fell away downslope and southward from there. It was packed now, a sea of upturned painted faces that stretched into a firelit darkness where clumps of leaves glittered amid the rising sparks of the torches. A rolling cheer started as she stopped and raised her hands; it built rapidly into a war-yell, the racking banshee shriek surging back and forth as blades and bows were thrust into the air. Juniper shivered a little. Mackenzies weren’t exactly warlike; at least, they didn’t go out and start wars as a group. On the other hand, when someone provoked them . . .

O Powers, she thought, not for the first time. What have we brought back, to run wild once more upon the ridge of the world?

Quiet fell as she brought her staff up to make the Invocation, the silver Triple Moon on its top glittering. The throng raised their hands as she spoke, her strong trained voice ringing out: “I am Juniper, the Mackenzie of the Clan Mackenzie, Chief and Bard and Ollam, trained and consecrated to this my task. I am called here, by you and the Gods to hear, to judge, and to speak. Does any deny my right or my calling? Speak now or hold your tongue thereafter, for this place and time is consecrated by our gathering. All we do here is holy.”

A long silence and she continued, face raised: “Let us be blessed!”

“Let us be blessed!” the great crowd murmured, following her line by line.

“Manawyddan—Restless Sea, wash over me.”

A green branch sprinkled seawater, and she tasted the salt on her lips like tears.

“Manawyddan—Restless Sea, wash over me.”

“Cleanse and purify me! That I may make of myself a vessel; to listen and to hear.”

“Cleans and purify me! That I may make of myself a vessel; to listen and to hear.”

“Rhiannon—White Mare, stand by me, run with me, carry me that the land and I can be one, with Earth’s wisdom.”

She bent and took a clod of the dry friable earth, touching it to her lips. There was a long ripple as the Mackenzies did the same.

“Rhiannon—White Mare, stand by me, run with me, carry me that the land and I can be one, with Earth’s wisdom.”

“Arianrhod—Star-tressed Lady; as you light the firmament above us, dance in the light of this world of ours, dance through our hearts and through our eyes, bring Your light to our minds.”

She took a torch from her daughter Maud and lit it; the resinous wood flared up, and more lit all across the valley as her people called the response. The chanting rolled on:

“Sea and Land and Sky, I call on you:
Hear and hold and witness thus,
All that we say
All that we agree
All that we together do.
Honor to our Gods! May they hold
Our oaths
Our truths.”