Firing, the moment of truth.
After the clay has been shaped and finished, the kiln awaits. A test. A moment of surrender. Fire does not forgive. But it does not lie. The glaze responds to every extra second, to every particle in the air. Sometimes, pieces emerge with an unexpected hue. Other times, they crack in the perfect place. And rarely, they return back to earth.
But always, they have something to say.