She bids you into the boat that is tethered to the shore & you drift with the current towards the island. There you see the cloak of Fate hanging on the loom, rich with colour and texture. This cloak is for you, take it and put it on. Then return to the shoreline, thank Reflection for her kindness and travel on.

     Then you may be surprised by a daunting figure leaping from the bushes or dropping, with a flourish, from a tree! Do Not Panic! This remarkable shape-shifter is the Guardian. There is no need to fear him, he means you no harm, for he is also wise, if enigmatic, guardian of your journey. He may point out, with a sardonic smile, the Raven watching from afar or the white bones and flesh of carrion. He may challenge you playfully with riddles or test your resolve with dark jests, but keep your nerve. Look for the light that glows in the darkness a little way down the path and up the hill and soon you will see the Hermit. Bid the Guardian farewell and walk steadily towards the Hermit's lamp.

     The fleeting shadow of a Wolf may flicker through the trees and a Goldcreast may dart into the high branches, but as you approach the dim yellow lamplight you will feel the eyes of the great White Bear watching you from a small burial mound some way off. Take a moment to meet Judgment's piercing gaze and pay silent respect to the sleepers in that quiet Earth. Then you will realise you are back at the great Oak and the Hermit is showing you the way back into the hollow trunk of The World Tree.