Yosemite National Park
December 18th, 1916
Chris Clark was enjoying his evening, sitting in his cabin, drinking whiskey by the fireplace. The thirty-three year old park ranger didn't have a wife or a family and as such typically spent his evenings alone. Not that he minded of course, the peace and quiet comforted him, and when he got too lonely, he had his Siberian Husky, Saundra to keep him company.
He had seen plenty of excitement during his time as a U.S. Cavalryman and when his tour of duty had ended, he decided to become a ranger for the newly created National Park Service. He wanted the job primarily due to his fondness for nature. He had always loved the outdoors, from the freshwater fish in the rivers and streams, to the many bird species that lived in the trees. His buddies in the army had always joked about how he loved animals more than people, but that didn't bother him. All he wanted was to enjoy the serenity of the mountains.
Saundra barked from the room nearby, which got his attention. He got up and looked out the window. Through the waning sunlight, he could just make out a pillar of smoke coming from the mountain.
"Dammit." he said aloud. Wherever there's smoke there's a fire and forest fires are no joke. As a ranger, part of his duties was to watch out for forest fires and manage them. He knew it was probably nothing, just a late season camper who had hiked up there. But there were no other rangers on duty at this time of year and the risk of a fire spreading was too great for him to ignore. "Let's go check it out, Saundra."
Chris put on his jacket and winter boots. He grabbed a satchel of supplies, a lantern, his hat, and his trusty revolver in case things got out of hand. He opened the door and Saundra began to whimper at the cold.
"I know you're cold, but I need your help out there girl." He told her, giving her a set of gentle pats on the head. "It won't be for too long, and I got some deer sausage you can have when we get back. How does that sound?"
Saundra perked up at the mention of the sausage. Chris had always been impressed at just how smart his dog was. She really understood him, and didn't hesitate to do what he asked.
The two of them set out to investigate the peak. Saundra was, as always, curious about the things on the trail. She loved sniffing out the holes of the various rabbits, squirrels and chipmunks in the park, she was always able to find small traces of their activities. Chris struggled to keep her on track as the two of them hiked up the mountain. As they neared the summit, Saundra picked up a noise and ran off into the forest. Chris ran after her, desperate to try and track her down. As it got colder and darker, Chris continued to call out to his beloved canine. Unfortunately, all of it was in vain. Chris took one fatal misstep and tumbled off the edge of an unseen cliffside.
Chris awoke in a temperate forest. Sunlight beamed down through the canopy of the trees whilst a gentle breeze caressed his face. As he arose from the soft bed of leaves on the forest floor, he realized that he was completely naked, none of his supplies were nearby and Saundra was nowhere to be found.
He stood up and began to navigate his new surroundings. Even though he was naked, he felt no discomfort from the sticks and rocks on the forest floor or the branches of the trees. The temperature of the air was perfect, neither too hot nor too cold.
After a few minutes of walking he came across a clearing. Before him there stood a woman, who was just as naked as himself. She had an appearance of pure light showing through a shell of leaves and bark forming a beautiful feminine shape. Her hair was a lattice of grass, with a crown of wildflowers atop her head. Her eyes were like pools of water reflecting peace, serenity, and kindness upon him. She gave him a big smile as she looked at him, and stepped closer to lay a soft gentle hand upon his face.
"Welcome Chris Clark." she said in an ethereal voice. "I'm glad you've finally come to join us. Here I am known as Gaia, the Goddess. Though I am still a servant of the one most high. A steward of His creation."
"Where are my things?" Chris asked immediately. "Where's Saundra?"
"You do not need your clothes or supplies." She replied. "So long as you have my blessing you are under my protection. As for Saundra, we'll address her later. First of all, tell me. What is the last thing you remember?"
"Saundra ran off. I was chasing her through the snow, trying to keep my bearings. And I think I fell." Chris went over the events in his mind. "I died. Didn't I?"
