According to the Cherokee medicine ceremony, the animals and plants had to stay awake for seven nights. The reasons weren't well known. Only the owl, panther, bat, and unnamed others were able to fulfill the requirements of the ceremony, so these animals were given the gift of night vision, which allowed them to hunt easily at night. Similarly, the only trees able to remain awake for the seven days were the cedar, pine, spruce, holly, laurel, and oak. These trees were given the gift of staying green year-round.