The glowing path wound between trees that pulsed like heartbeats. As Mira stepped forward, her surroundings responded — shifting color, temperature, even gravity — to match her emotions.
It wasn't just a path.
It was her becoming.
Each step made her feel more—light, heavy, brave, afraid—all at once. Symbols formed in the air, written in wind and light:
Kindness. Fear. Rage. Wonder. Grief. Love.
"Feel them all," the cat's voice echoed, though it was nowhere to be seen. "Even the ones that scare you."
Mira hesitated as a shadowy version of herself blocked the path, its eyes hollow.
"You're weak," it said. "Too kind. Too afraid."
"I'm human," Mira replied.
She stepped through it. It dissolved like mist.
At the end of the path, a seed floated before her — glowing softly.
Without hesitation, Mira cupped it in her hand.
The moment she touched it, her form shifted — roots in her feet, wings on her back, and eyes that saw both the present and the yet-to-be.
She had embraced all parts of herself.
A doorway of light opened ahead.
The cat reappeared beside her, smiling with pride.
"You're ready, Mira."
"For what?" she asked.
"To shape stories… not just your own — but others' too."
And with that, she stepped through the doorway
(Fun stories by Gabrielle Ehi).