Once upon a time, there was a little raven, who did not know her destiny, nor her purpose. Only dreams made a day pass, and a night fly. She would fly wherever the moonlit sky led her and the family. The shallow waters. The green trees. The valley of life. The little raven had already seen so much, but she knew there was a lot more to see. To experience. To understand.

There was a path she dared not take. A path too dark. Too lonely. And the only way to know true freedom. To understand her memories, a mystery unsolved. A dream too big to follow. She would always find a way past that path, a way around it, so she would not need to go there. The others laughed at her. “Why does she not dare to take the next step?” they would ask behind her back, whispering too loud not to be heard. It was obvious, yet not a reason at all, why she refused that path. A memory from dreams, feelings. She was afraid. Afraid to lose her friends, her family. Afraid to never see the scope of the moon, the bright stars or the life around her. But most importantly, she was afraid to lose herself. To forget who she was, what she had become. Afraid she would no longer remember what she had already seen, what she had learned. That things she is just starting to understand, would no longer have meaning for her. She should not, would not, could not, let go of what she held so dearly into her chest, her heart, her soul. Her Light within, a little candle lit, to keep out the Darkness. The madness.

She sat with the rest of the ravens at the valley of life, almost asleep after a long flight, when she heard it. A noise. A scream. A cry for help. She was wide awake, her eyes searching for the cause. Ears peeled for another sound. Her heart pounding twice as hard in her chest than it normally does, disturbing her inner silence. Her talons wrapping the branch she sat on so firmly, it shivered under her. Almost so much so that she was wondering if it would break. There. To her left. A sound, quite calmly for being the scream waking her up, but it was the same, she was sure of it. The noise came past a path, leading inside the forbidden forest. It was told that anyone flying inside, would never find their way out, losing themselves in the maze swirling around inside. They say the trees move around freely. That the main path shifts for every hour. The scream was louder this time, more filled with terror, with pain. The little raven saw no other way, she would not let anyone getting hurt if she could have done something to prevent that. Even if it meant walking past her own fears.

The forbidden forest was dark, filled with moving shadows. She followed the main path, leading deeper and deeper into a small nightmare. But every flap with her wings, every inch she moved along the path, the closer she came to the sound. Suddenly a beam of light showed up in the distance. A sparkle of hope. The little raven started flying faster. Wanted to see what gave the light in this darkened forest. Just a little longer. She burst past two trees and stopped mid-air. It was the most beautiful thing she had every witnessed her whole life. A black lake was before her. It sparkled in any colour she could think of. Midnight-blue. Sapphire. Green. Violet. Red. Golden. Silver. It looked like a perfect reflexion of the galaxy. The stars above. It had its own soul, a purpose. To light up the Darkness within the forest, giving life to creatures living here. Creatures the little raven had never seen before, never even heard of. Everything and everyone living in perfect harmony.

She finally understood. The mystery was clearing in front of her eyes, as she started to see. Truly see. This was her memory, a memory of tomorrow. A path to wisdom and secrets and a dream to follow. An adventure never ending, yet never truly starting. A wolf-like creature looked up to her. His fur as black as night, his eyes a golden glow. “Glad you heard me, young raven.” the wolf spoke, calm as the forest itself. “Do you now know what your purpose is?” The little raven nodded, more to herself than to the wolf. She knew what she was meant for. Something she had always known, deep inside. A shadow cannot exist without light, just as stars cannot shine without darkness. It all live in a balance, in perfect harmony, and she was the keeper of it all. Life and death, light and dark, lies and honesty, secrets and honour, fears and knowledge. All living in a memory never forgotten. She understood that taking the path she feared, would never change who she was, but rather embrace what hid inside of her. Show her purpose in life. She closed her eyes, letting everything fall into place in her mind and soul, as she slowly, but surely started waking up.