The Flames.

I never had sexual relations with that woman [la Catalina], she had sexual relations with me

“Accident, my eye! I have an enemy nearby. A woman. “La Catalina!” She pushed me during a moment of weakness and I fell.”
“Why did she do that?”
“She wanted to kill me, that’s why.”
“Was she here with you?”
“Yes!”
“Why did you let her in?”
“I didn’t. She flew in.”
“I beg your pardon!”
“She is a blackbird [chanate]. And so effective at that. I was caught by surprise. She has been trying to finish me off for a long while. This time she got real close.”
“Did you say she is a blackbird? I mean, is she a bird?”
“There you go again with your questions. She is a blackbird! The same way I’m a crow. Am I a man or a bird? I’m a man who knows how to become a bird. But going back to “la Catalina”, she is a fiendish witch! Her intent to kill me is so strong that I can hardly fight her off. The blackbird came all the way into my house and I couldn’t stop it.”
“Can you become a bird, don Juan?”
“Yes! But that’s something we’ll take up later.”
“Why does she want to kill you?”
“Oh, there’s an old problem between us. It got out of hand and now it looks as if I will have to finish her off before she finishes me.”
“Are you going to use witchcraft?” I asked with great expectations.
“Don’t be silly. No witchcraft would ever work on her. I have other plans! I’ll tell you about them some day.”
“Can your ally protect you from her?”
“No! The little smoke only tells me what to do. Then I must protect myself.”
“How about Mescalito? Can he protect you from her?”
“No! Mescalito is a teacher, not a power to be used for personal reasons.”
“How about the devil’s weed?”
“I’ve already said that I must protect myself, following the directions of my ally the smoke. And as far as I know, the smoke can do anything. If you want to know about any point in question, the smoke will tell you. And it will give you not only knowledge, but also the means to proceed. It’s the most marvellous ally a man could have.”