1 Bride of the Condor

As Feather-in-the-Wind sat in a relaxed repose and looked across the lake to the area holding the mounts, she took in the dark green of the forest beyond and the two white capped mountains. It was not yet winter, but she felt the cool evening breeze gently blow her long black hair and cool the back of her neck. She was as relaxed as she could be under the circumstance.

Born a princess in the land of the Condor, she never imagined leaving her homeland. Now she sat looking out at a lake in a northern country that was far from her home.

Her life direction back in her homeland had changed abruptly when she was chosen to become the “Bride” of the Condor. She became the human offering to the Condor King.

Her young life was idyllic. She had roamed the mountains and valleys around her father’s domain. At that time, she had never thought she was in any way special. Now she realize how privileged she had been.

In a drugged state and totally nude, she had been placed in a cave with all the other princesses offered to the Condor. Her case was special. She was the clan leader’s daughter. She was to be the one hundredth princess to be offered to the Condor King.

She would have frozen to death like all the others, but she had been rescued by Quiet Rabbit and Busy Bee, members of the Elk Clan. The two were members of the team that Taelo had led up into the mountains and were visiting the Condor Clan.

She became a member of Taelo’s team and journeyed with them through many adventures.

Her courage and bravery and personal skills had elevated her stature. She became a valued member of Taelo’s team. She faced and survived the giant tiger. Later she barely survived her battle with the giant bear of the North. Her ability to handle animals led her to become both a mount tamer and a leader of Taelo’s wolves.

Her skill in dealing with people made her respected by those around her. It was more than just respect, people trusted and loved her.

She thought back to her childhood. She was originally a member of the Condor Clan.

Her mother, Neiva-of-the-Stream had been one of the best teachers in her life.

And her brother, Bold Walker, her hero in that former life, had been her inspiration. His daring and his gentle coaching style had helped her develop many of the skills that had helped her survive the challenges she had faced.

She had been summed by Wise Owl the leader of the Elk Clan council and had been asked to sit on the bench on which she now reposed. She had not been told why she had been summoned. Her Elk Clan membership was now on its fifth season.

The evening breeze blew the dry yellow leaves of the willow past her feet. She looked down along the lake to where the willow, now bare of its leaves swayed in the evening breeze. The scene took her back to the cool day when Bold Walker had taught her to ride the Llama.

The memory of the Llama’s odor pulled her farther into her reminiscence. She could smell the sweet scent of the damp wool of the Llama.

He had demonstrated how to ride the Llama. He had made it look easy. Bold Walker had picked her up and put her on the Llama’s back. He had instructed her to hold on to the neck hair with all her strength. When he let go of her, the Llama took off on a trot that to her was more like a pounding jolt on her behind. Then the Llama abruptly stopped, and she was flipped over its head to the ground.

Once Bold Walker verified that she was alright, he had given her a pat on the behind and chuckled. He made the point that she needed to learn to control the actions of the Llama and not be its victim.

It only took that one time for her to learn. She was in control on every ride after that. She had several more falls as she tried to go faster and faster.

She would have spent all her time riding the many mountain trails, but her mother insisted on her spending time to learn to cook and to make pottery.

Her mother was among the best pottery makers in the Condor Clan. Her glazed pots, mugs and other dishes were prized throughout the village. It took most of a moon cycle to create and finish each item. She painted intricate designs on the white clay surface and then put the item into an oven for drying.

Feather-in-the-Wind was disappointed when on her first pottery making try, half of her items came out of the oven cracked or broken. She was surprised when her mother complemented her on the high number of good items.

This taught her that success was not always measured against the high-end potential but against the normally expected result.

The evening moon glimmering on the surface of the lake brought her back to the present and made her look up to where it was rising above the white snow-capped mountains.

The moon made the snow caps shimmer and glow a brilliant white.

She leaned forward and let her hand scratch Bold Walker, the name she had given to her wolf.

She thought of the day her brother pointed to the high-flying Condor that was flying with a bird almost as large.

The second bird was an Eagle.

She remembered him pointing it out because it was a rare sight to have the two giant birds flying in unison.

That was the day that Taelo and his team arrived as had been foretold by the Condor Clan seer.

She went out with Bold Walker and many of the young and adventurous clan members to greet the visitors.

There was a giant among them that appeared to be very different than the rest of them. He was accompanied by a woman of similar appearance.

However, there were two women that caught her eye. To her they displayed an elegance and a confidence that would make anyone take notice.

The approaching group was well dressed and appeared to be friendly.

Their leader came forward followed by a wolf. He greeted her brother and introduced his wolf, Lasher as well.

It was very unusual for a person to have a wolf as a companion.

Then she watched as a second member came forward and introduced himself as Golden Hawk.

He was followed by the two elegant women that she now knew as Quiet Rabbit and Busy Bee. She was immediately struck by their beauty and their self-confidence as they introduced themselves.

There was a third, taller and very talkative woman member of the team that impressed her with the constant chatter that often brought out smiles or laughter.

Feather-in-the-Wind later had a laugh as well when she learned that the person’s name was Talking Wren. Much later she also began to listen intently because Talking Wren was brilliant.

She recalled the first meeting of the team with her father. He had called together the leadership council. They were gathered around at the base of her father’s meeting platform.

She was amazed as Taelo broke all protocol by leading his entire team up the steps of the platform to where her father was seated.

Visitors usually stood at the bottom of the platform to show their respect for the Condor Clan leader.

Taelo greeted her father in the same manner that he had greeted her brother. He put his left hand on her father’s right shoulder and then lifted his open right hand, smiled, and introduced himself. Then he introduced each of his team members.

Her father seemed to take the entire event in stride. She was relieved to see his positive reaction. He welcomed them and then led the way to where the welcome dinner was to be served.

It was not clear why Taelo and his team had traveled the great distance to the Condor Mountain Kingdom.

She inquired but no one knew.

It also became clear to her that Taelo and his team did not know the purpose of their visit.

She watched curiously as the team split up and seemed to go about and study what the people in the village did each day.

Talking Wren took great interest in the process of making the pottery. She asked what seemed to be an endless number of questions. However, her first oven test impressed her mother and resulted in the least failure that had ever been experienced!

After that, Feather-in-the-Wind paid much closer attention to what Talking Wren said and what she did.

She noted that Taelo and Golden Hawk went about examining how the stone preparers handled the stones to be laid out for a building. They asked almost as many questions as Talking Wren.

She next followed them out to where the Llamas were kept. Again, they asked many questions about the animal, the fur, and the meat.

It was clear to Feather-in-the-Wind that the visitors from the North were keen to learn. They were self-confident and they always thanked those with whom they interacted for having given them their time.

She was impressed by all the team members, and she realized that they were a team that was bound in spirit, and all had common love for learning.

Bold Walker invited Taelo and his team to go to the top of the mountain to visit the Condor nesting area. This was an invitation that was given only to visitors of the highest ranking.

Feather-in-the-Wind immediately asked Bold Walker to let her come along. She not only wanted to see the Condor nest, but she wanted to observe Taelo and his team.

They had captured her imagination and she wanted to learn more about them and how they seemed to work together in a seamless ebb and flow of energy.

The climb up the mountain in the thin air was hard on her. She could not imagine how Taelo, and his team felt.

It was clear that Little Otter, the second biggest among Taelo’s team struggled on the climb up.

Feather-in-the-Wind realized that he was a very shy and quiet person and that his partner was none other than Talking Wren.

This realization caused her to be even more observant of the relationships among the team of visitors.

Busy Bee and Golden Hawk were clearly together.

There was no doubt about Burley Bear and Meadow Flower. They were two people that were stronger and more powerful than any human she had ever experienced.

It was the relationship between Quiet Rabbit and Taelo that made her long for a similar relationship for herself. They seemed to exude an energy that empowered the entire team. Neither talked a great deal but when they did it was clear that the rest of the team listened.

On the way to the Condor nesting area, they passed the cave of the Condor Princesses. Entry into the cave was forbidden to all except on the day of the yearly sacrifice of the most desirable virgin. Then two priests would take the next virgin offering as a potential wife to the Condor King and place her next to the last virgin that lay frozen in the cave.

She was so enthralled to be going to see the Condor nesting site that it never crossed her mind that she would soon be the offering to the Condor.

A few sun cycles later, after their return down the mountain Feather-in-the-Wind and her family learned that she had been selected to be the next offering to the Condor King.

She was shocked.

Her mother was in grief.

Her father was outraged because he knew that his adversaries had colluded to make the selection happen. They had made the point that it was an honor to be the one hundredth young lady to be selected.

She learned later that Bold Walker immediately went to his friends from the North to ask for their help.

Before the Wedding Ceremony, Feather-in-the-Wind listened to Bold Walker explain what she needed to. He told her to fake drinking the intoxicating drink the priest would ask her to drink. He told her about a hidden bear skin that would be in the cave and that she was to get into it as soon as the priests had left. He made her repeat his instruction several times.

On the Condor Queen ceremonial day, she was led out to the raised seating area normally reserved for her father.

She was displayed and praised for her beauty. She was given the delicious but intoxicating drink. She drank as little as possible but it none the less had its effect.

Finally, she was disrobed to show her beauty to the entire Condor Clan.

She was then led up the mountain path to the cave where the Condor Clan placed their offering to the Condor King. She was amazed to see the long line of beautiful young nude women laying as if asleep. The last offering had been a friend of hers and she remembered the one before that.

She faked falling asleep to hasten the departure of the two priests.

Once they had left the cave, she made her way to where the bearskin was hidden. She pulled it out and that was the last she remembered.

When she next awoke, she was warm, and it was clear she was moving.

She sat up to look out from the middle of a travois. The first person she saw was Meadow Flower. Her awakening brought Taelo’s team to a standstill. They all came around and greeted her.

Quiet Rabbit and Busy Bee explained how they had entered almost immediately after the two priests left. They had dressed her, put her into the bear skin hide and carried her down the mountain where at the bottom Bold Walker had taken her across the crevasse and placed her on the travois.

They welcomed her to her new life as a member of the Elk Clan and let her know that they were on their way back to the North.

2 The Northern Elk Clan

On their way the team was met by Tough Hide and a group of his warriors. She watched as Taelo, Burley Bear and Lasher approached Tough Hide. Taelo greeted Tough Hide in the same manner as he had greeted her father.

The team was invited into the Warrior Clan Village.

The Warrior Clan village impressed her. It was clear to her that the stone masons were masters. Their buildings were massive and rose high overhead.

The team was led to the center of the village to a square where the second leader of the Warrior Clan was introduced. They were also presented to the rest of people in the square.

She watched as Taelo stepped forward and offered a gift of friendship to the thirty warriors that his team had faced and defeated on their way South. The gift was an arm band that depicted Taelo’s members in their fighting diamond formation surrounded by the thirty warriors.

It was a significant gift of friendship by the superior fighters to those they had defeated.

The gifts were accepted by each of the Warrior Clan fighters.

The Warrior Clan co-leader named Sharp Stone, looked at the gift and noted that Taelo’s team seemed to have gained another person.

She was immediately alarmed and frightened. It was clear that Sharp Stone had his eyes on her as he spoke.

The visit was strained, and had it not been for the co-leader Tough Hide, she knew that Sharp Stone would have tried to overpower Taelo’s team.

It was clear to her that Sharp Stone wanted all the power.

A handful of sun cycles latter, when Taelo decided to leave, Sharp Stone and at least thirty of his fighters surrounded the team.

He demanded that Taelo leave her and proceed to the North.

Before she could react, she found herself in the middle of the fighting diamond formation with Quiet Rabbit on her right side and Busy Bee on her left.

They quietly let her know that she was safe.

She did not feel safe. She watched as Taelo took one step forward as Sharp Stone moved toward him. She wanted to scream to Taelo to watch out. A lick on her hand made her look down at Lasher.

He had a deep rumble coming from his throat.

When Sharp Stone drew his knife as he rushed forward, she watched in amazement as Taelo took a slight smooth unhurried step back, reached back for the handle of his flat blade and swung it swiftly forward.

At the same instant, Lasher leaped in from the side and clamped down on Sharp Stone’s wrist that held the knife.

She had not realized that Lasher had moved from her side.

Taelo’s blade cut through Sharp Stone’s shoulder and nearly cut him in half.

The battle was over in a split moment.

Taelo immediately called for obedience from the supporting Warrior Clan fighters. The Warrior Clan custom bound them to Taelo as their new leader.

Taelo in an instant became the co-leader of the Warrior Clan.

At that same moment Tough Hide and his supporters arrived. For a brief moment, Feather-in-the-Wind thought there would be additional fighting, but Taelo offered Tough Hide the loyalty of the fighters that he had just won and the control of the other half of the Warrior Clan that Taelo now controlled.

He made it clear that his only desire was to proceed North to his own land.

At that moment, she knew she would forever follow Taelo.

Their immediate departure resolved all the concerns she had been worrying about.

For the remainder of the journey, she spent as much time as possible learning the fighting skill as a member of the fighting diamond. Quiet Rabbit taught her the use of the sling.

The sling was a weapon that thrilled and inspired her. She practiced for the entire time the team traveled North.

She was impressed by the greeting given Taelo when the team arrived at the cave of the Others. She knew that this was Burley Bear’s and Meadow Flower’s clan. The entire Clan of Others cheered their arrival and the Seer of the clan personally greeted Taelo.

The highlight for her was the warm water pool. She sat in the warm water and looked out at the broad valley beyond. The snow-covered mountains beyond the valley seemed to create the rim of one of her mother’s beautifully decorated bowls.

What followed continued to bond her to the true friends and supporters she had the privilege to be surrounded by.

She missed her family, but she found an inner warmth in the deep bonds she was creating with her adopted clan.

Their stop between the twin white capped mountains next to a small lake was another highlight. With her sling, she had bagged one rabbit for each member of the team. Even Lasher had his own rabbit.

She personally skinned and prepared each rabbit. She took advantage of the guidance and help that she got from Quiet Rabbit, Busy Bee, and Talking Wren.

Even though Talking Wren, was cooking three very large trout that Taelo, Golden Hawk and Little Otter had caught, she was a continuous advisor on the proper seasoning and cooking of the rabbits.

Then they entered the valley that was to become the home of the Northern Elk Clan. Feather-in-the-Wind would forever remember the waterfall that at the top began as a stream of water and turned into a mist as fell into the lake at its base. The lake in turn fed the small river that ran along the face of the cliff back to the entrance of the valley.

She knew that Taelo’s discovery of a hot water spring and his plans to build the main lodge around it would make this a special place. It would rival the heated pool and the cave of the Others.

The work that followed challenged her, but she felt herself grow both physically and mentally.

The rising of the sun after the night of their arrival was the moment that she awoke and felt the excitement of being a part of a team that was focused on a mission that included building a new home.

The lodge they built was phenomenal. She realized how much Taelo, and his team had learned from her clan. It was also clear that Taelo and Talking Wren extrapolated their learning and took each concept one step farther.

The hot spring was captured and then it was guided in a zig-zag path beneath flat stones to create a heated floor. A stone lined pit was made just outside of the lodge to catch the water leaving the lodge.

This she categorized as a Taelo original.

The lodge roof was made from thin sheets of stone that had been found on the far side of the river. It served the same function as the flat clay sheets on the roofs of the buildings in the Condor Clan village.

The courtyard and the surrounding wall outside of the lodge reminded her of her family’s courtyard.

It was clear to her that the gate for the compound, and the massive lodge door made by Burley Bear had to have been inspired by the gate they had seen in the entrance to the Warrior Clan village. She complimented him on the marvelous examples of his woodworking skills.

She was with the team when Taelo and Golden Hawk made the discovery of the Cave near the top of the falls. Wall drawings on the cave walls told the history of the Elk Clan. All the Elk Clan members had tears in their eyes as they recounted the stories their parents had told them.

They were true stories told to them that were now coming to life.

The moment was one that reminded her of the stories her parents had told her about the Condor Clan. She wondered how many of the stories she had listened to were also true.

It was only a few suns later that she watched Quiet Rabbit hug Taelo as he answered a call from the Ancients to get salt from the salt mine.

This was “the” salt mine in the stories of the Elk Clan.

She listened as he let the team know that this was a mission that the ancients had told him to make on his own.

A few sun cycles later as she sat, with both Quiet Rabbit and Busy Bee waiting for the rising of the morning sun, the light from the cave at the top of the falls began blinking a message. It was Taelo letting them know that an enemy threatened and that he was going to eliminate the threat.

She volunteered to go with Golden Hawk, who planned to go to the cave to help. Golden Hawk rejected her offer since he did not know what the situation was that he would face.

Two anxiety filled sun cycles later, the light from the top of cliff once again flashed. It let the team know that Taelo and Golden Hawk would be bringing more than twenty rescued people to the lodge.

The team went into action. She went out and bagged at least a dozen rabbits that she and Talking Wren used to create a stew to feed the large group of people that they were sure would arrive and need to eat.

The group of people looked starved and emaciated. She watched as Quiet Rabbit limited the amount of food that each person ate. She learned that a person that had not eaten well for a long time would get sick if they eat too much too soon.

She also met someone who would later be very special for her.

A young man, Running Stag, received praise from both Taelo and Golden Hawk for his bravery. He had been the single person to support Taelo in the battle against the cannibals and he had helped rescue Golden Hawk from a group holding him hostage.

She remembered thinking that Running Stag was barely as tall and no larger than herself.

We are both small and brave she thought.

That event was quickly followed by Taelo, Golden Hawk, Burley Bear and Little Otter going out to the rescue of another group of people.

Taelo and his wolf pulled sled returned first with a group of children and a mother and her infant.

She then watched as he recruited Running Stag to return with him to rescue another load of people.

Burley Bear, Little Otter and Golden Hawk returned just as the storm, that had threatened them all day, hit with astounding fury. It was a fierce storm and its arrival made visibility impossible. Everyone huddled in the warmth of the lodge.

The yelping and howling of the wolves signaled the arrival of the fourth sled.

Running Stag was the person that was guiding the wolf team, but he credited Lasher with getting them through the blinding snow. He accented his point by stating that his sled had come in through the gate and almost hit the lodge.

She watched in amazement as Lasher signaled his desire to go out into the storm by clamping Running Stag’s wrist in his mouth and dragging him to the lodge door.

Even Quiet Rabbit commented that she had never seen Lasher accept anyone as he had accepted Running Stag. She got a hide to wrap around Lashers body and made sure that his feet had dry booties.

Then Running Stag opened the door and Lasher bolted out into the driving snow.

Later, Lasher returned with Taelo. He had gone through the storm to find Taelo and then had led Taelo and a group of twenty back to the lodge.

Taelo was already her hero. He was a hero to his team. Now he was a hero to more than ninety new people.

He was the first to call all of them the Northern Elk Clan.

She took a new look at the slender young man named Running Stag.

The moons that followed saw the new clan blend and coalesce.

She spent her time teaching pottery making and the use of the sling. She also participated in Golden Hawk’s language lessons and in Quiet Rabbit’s and Meadow Flower’s cooking lessons.

Talking Wren became a logics coach and pointed out how the village around the mound on which the lodge was built should be developed.

She absorbed and grew from the coaching she received from all clan members.

The “Northern Elk Clan” unanimously agreed with Taelo to arrive to the annual Elk Clan’s meeting early . They followed Taelo’s plan to set up the camp sites and greet each Elk Clan with an arrival meal.

She listened, observed, and learned from all her mentors on how to influence and manage the change that they were bringing to the rest of the Elk Clan.

She was expecting to be a member of the Northern Elk Clan that she was sure would be led by Taelo.

She was surprised at the dozens of proposals she received to become someone’s mate. She asked if this was always the case when the Elk Clan gathered?

Quiet Rabbit, Busy Bee and Talking Wren laughed and told her that all the beautiful women had to fight suiters off. They claimed that because of their looks, they on the other had to run their mates down.

She had no interest in any of the proposals. She wanted to be free from such commitment.

The evening when the Elk Clan council agreed to another sub-clan, the Northern Elk was established. She was happily shocked when she learned that Wise Owl had named White Swan, Taelo’s mother as the first woman to lead an Elk Clan.

A woman had been named as the new Leader of the Northern Elk Clan!

What would happen next?