The words of the Silent Sage were mysterious to Rana Kek Kek-"A Marvel of Animal Spirit about to Be." What could that mean? The Sage added in a whisper, "Beware the lake on your Journey to The High Ground at Great Pine. Trout is hungry and Heron stands invisible at the shore." Rana left Story Circle after Koli Bear stopped his story, disrupted by Oti Semper, Borea's ever vigilant owl, bringing his urgent plea to the bear. They must strike out together, at once, to stop Aramook, a raccoon passionate in his beliefs, from taking the Trail To Town, in an ill-conceived, if not deadly attempt to reason with the People of Man, so that the devastation of The Clearing would never happen again. The Sage whispered softly to the kek kek, "The forest brims with the elements at work with exceptional energy, it is true. Something unprecedented is afoot, I tell you this, Little Hopper." Rana, ever the intrepid amphibian, leapt forward into unpredictable adventure, guided by her instinct to hop the esker to The High Ground, commencing a journey of courageous discovery and growth through the consequences of risk and reward.