As the waves of pain subside her eyes begin to swirl, changing from a rich tropical green, to burning fiery amber. Her anger makes her tremble and the fire in her core leaps and expands, threatening to explode from her surface in torrents of liquid brimstone.

Through her blazing haze of anger she again hears the baritone vibrations of the drum. The sound and feel of the frantic beat washes over her, soothing her fury. Her eyes slowly fade back to a jungle green and she sighs in relief as the tension begins to leave her. White hot energy begins to tendril its way through her, filling in gaps and cracks. She shudders in pleasure as her pain ebbs away. The drum beats more furiously and she closes her eyes in ecstasy. The energy has progressed into searing bolts of lightning, smashing their way through her, exploding inside of her, leaving her full. She is healing. Years of wear and age strip from her like layers of rotted old clothes. She feels refreshed and invigorated. Suddenly the drum stops. She stretches her lithe body in a feline roll. Her muscles and bones no longer creak and groan in protest. She is young. She is beautiful. She is healed.

The young woman’s hands stop abruptly and her eyes snap open. Shades of deep jade slowly fade back to blue. Sweat runs down her face, back, and chest, stinging her eyes and matting her hair. She gingerly sets the drum down and stands. Though her face remains unlined her eyes have aged greatly. They gleam like fathomless cerulean pools. Ocean-eyes. They are pools that have seen generations.

A breeze breaks the stillness winding its way through the trees. As the leaves rustle a sultry feminine voice calls out softly, “Earth-healer.”

The young woman nods her head accepting her path without question. “Earth-healer,” she repeats in a low sage-like voice. She bends down to retrieve the drum and stops to caress an unopened daisy. Suddenly it blossoms spilling pristine white and butter yellow across her hand. She lightly strokes the satiny pedals and the daisy seems to sigh contentedly into her hand. Smiling serenely she picks up her drum and walks away.