Dangerous Passage

1 Uneasy Feeling

Much of the water falling from its mighty height turned into a fine mist and then as it fell the cold air froze the mist and it landed gently on the valley below as a fine delicate snowflake. Each flake formed its unique and delicate beautiful pattern. It would drift down and land on top of the ever-growing mound below.

The water not turned into mist cascaded down from its height into the ice-covered pool, open where the water from above kept it from freezing over. The water left the pool below a layer of ice into the small river that ran along the cliffs past the compound to join another stream and then flow on toward the sea to the west.

Taelo stood in the compound outside of the main lodge and watched the early morning sun turn the mist into a mix of pink, grey and then a glowing yellow. Briefly a section of rainbow graced the sky. It was a cold, frozen display of the blazing white beauty of winter.

He had heard the call. He and the team would head North and backtrack the path Semper, and his followers had traveled.

The “Journey of the Heart” had been to the South. The “Journey of Discovery” had been to the East. This coming journey was a journey he was being called to go on by the ancients. There was an ominous nature to this call that he could not quite grasp. He would consult Broken Spear, the seer of the Others to get a better understanding.

That afternoon as he and Quiet Rabbit sat in the hot water pool Grey Fox Running asked about the next journey. He and White Swan knew their son would soon take his next journey and had conjectured if it would be to the North.

“When the weather begins to warm, we will set out on a journey to the North. This journey may be the hardest and the least enjoyable. Semper and his followers came down from the North and stayed to the valley between two mountain ranges.

Unlike those we rescued from the cannibals, Semper and his followers were migrating here in hopes of finding a better area. He was keeping track as best he could of the places he traveled through.

Running Stag had been listening to the conversation and shared his memories.

“I remember traveling along the coast. My father had been warned about the inland route. Huge bears would hunt people down. He said it was too dangerous to go that way. The journey down the coast was very difficult. We kept going out on a point and then had to come back to almost where we had started.

Then we ran into the cannibals. You saved us and you know the rest of the story,” Running Stag shared as he talked about his journey from the North.

He and his group had fought with and lost a battle with the cannibals. The cannibals immediately broke the legs of all the warriors. They were to be eaten first.

All of the older members were kept in a compound unless they were brought out to do work. The women were made to the work around the camp.

The younger members were ignored unless they somehow caught someone’s attention and then a nasty beating normally occurred.

Running Stag had been rescued by Taelo and together they had gone back and freed the few people left alive. Two of those people were Running Stag’s mother and father.

Taelo had spent time with all the members he had rescued that were still residing in the Northern Elk Clan. From them Taelo began to understand the environment and the potential dangers that the journey to the North would pose.

Taelo had already discussed this with Golden Hawk, Busy Bee, and Quiet Rabbit. The four of them were deep into the planning and preparation for the upcoming journey.

“I am glad we took the other journey’s first. This will be a very challenging journey for all of us,” Taelo shared with the group around him.

“Yes, it may be dangerous and challenging but I have been talking to all the team members, and they are eager to go on this journey.

Even my grandmother is ready. She has been riding the mounts and working with the wolves. She plans to be a leading member of the team,” Quiet Rabbit replied.

She too was ready to travel with Taelo.

Their previous journeys had made all of them grow and appreciate the world around them. They had returned from every journey with newfound knowledge that helped the Elk Clan enjoy a richer life.

There was no shortage of additional volunteers.

A few weeks later, Lily and her new mate arrived.

“I was afraid if we waited too long, we would miss your next journey. You know Slow Runner my mate, and you know he is not so slow," Lily said on her arrival as she proudly highlighted her mate.

She felt so lucky to find someone of Slow Runner’s stature and maturity. He was truly her second soul mate.

She had lost the first to the battles with the cannibals.

“We are pleased you came. Taelo has told us many tales of your bravery but many more about your cooking ability. I am sure he will be pleased to have you on the team for the journey to the north,” White Swan said in greeting the two as they led their mounts through the gate.

“It is good that you chose to come. I was feeling challenged to prepare for the journey to the north. You will know what you need to pull together to make the journey easier,” Floating Cloud said when greeting Lily.

“This will be a very hard journey for me. It will bring back terrible memories of suffering, pain, and loss. Taelo rescued me and knows how hard this will be,” Lily replied.

The memory of watching her first mate being tortured and devoured in a wild feast by the cannibals made her feel faint.

Slow Runner quietly supported her as he noticed. He too remembered the horror they had all lived through.

“The team’s Journey of Discovery gave me a chance to grow and to learn to manage my pain and loss. Taelo’s courage became my courage. Taelo’s vision has become my vision,” Lily continued after a brief pause.

Those around her were surprised at her emotional reply.

“I know how she feels. Taelo has been my hero since the time he returned and freed my mother and father. I was very lucky. I know the pain and sorrow that Lily speaks of. It will be a tough trip for me as well,” Running Stag said quietly to Feather-in-the-Wind.

“I am beginning to understand why Wise Owl created and gave the title of warriors at large to both Taelo and Golden Hawk. They have given each of us a second life.

I too understand the loss of family. Mine live on, but I can never return to the condor and the mountains to the south. But I have new purpose, and I will follow Taelo and Quiet Rabbit anywhere they wish to go,” Feather-in-the-Wind replied to Running Stag.

The smell of spring was in the air, but the snow had not yet yielded the valley to the flowers and the grass.

The river still had ice along its banks.

The promise was only in the air, not yet in the strength of the sun. The valley and all within were coming awake after a long cold winter.

Taelo’s core team had continued their tradition of having a meal together once a week. They had found a comfortable location down by the river where they could sit and watch the sunset.

Once again it was Taelo’s turn to cook. This time he was showboating. He had been out and was lucky enough to bag a young boar. He and Lasher had run it down and brought it back for this occasion.

He had sought out both Lily and Floating Cloud for cooking guidance and had carefully followed their advice.

“Well, both of you will know if I followed your detailed instructions well enough,” he said as he turned away from the fire.

The coals had slowly cooked the young boar. The aroma was tantalizing. Everyone was eager to get a piece.

All the members of the team were present. There was Lily and Slow Runner, Floating Cloud, Quiet Rabbit’s grandmother sitting next to Quiet Rabbit, Golden Hawk and Busy Bee, Running Stag and Feather-in-the-Wind.

Saber Scar and Marigold were not present because they had returned to their own clan for a short visit before the next journey.

“Tonight, we will discuss the upcoming journey and how to prepare for it. I have talked to everyone who has recently come from the north.

Golden Hawk has agreed to work with each of you to organize what will be needed and each of our responsibilities,” Taelo announced as he began to cut and pass out the sizzling boar’s meat.

“Each of you has suggested items that we will need. We will leave with more supplies for this trip than we did for other trips. What we have learned from talking with those who have recently arrived is to expect it to remain cold and that we may not find the food we need.

Hunting will also be hard. All of your input is useful,” Golden Hawk added.

“I have an uneasy feeling about this journey. I think that a trip to the old ones and a visit with Broken Spear is in order. When do you think we should go,” Taelo asked Golden Hawk?

“As soon as possible,” the entire team spoke at once.

They all had the same vision of sitting in the hot spring pool located in the cave of the Others.

2 Visit to the Others

Spring was threatening to warm the air and to turn the valley green. The melting snows had greatly increased the flow over the fall at the far end of the valley and the cold water flowing energetically past the lodge area, no longer supported ice on the banks.

The change of weather immediately energized the team to act.

They would go and visit the Others and seek Broken Spear’s consul.

“It is a beautiful day for you to start your trip to the home of the Other’s. Have a good visit. We will organize all the food and goods we will need for our trip,” Floating Cloud said.

She, Lily, and Slow Runner were staying behind. They had volunteered to get all the gear that had been identified collected, organized, and ready for the trip.

“Thank you for volunteering for this thankless but very important task,” Taelo said addressing the three.

The trip south through the Marker Mountains, down to the sea went smoothly. Lasher, Arrow, and Walker were the only wolves accompanying the team. Each walked beside their owner.

Lasher and Taelo were inseparable.

Arrow had a similar relationship with Running Stag and Walker was devoted to Feather-in-the-Wind.

“It will be good to visit with Burley Bear and Meadow Flower,” Quiet Rabbit commented as they came out on the coast to the thundering spring waves.

“Yes, and I will enjoy bathing in the warm water pool,” Busy Bee said as she dashed to the edge of the ocean.

They all walked to the edge of the water and dipped their hands into the water.

“The water is still very, very cold, but even in the summer it remains cold,” Busy Bee noted.

“Yes, the sea currents are from the north and remain cool throughout the summer months,” Golden Hawk added as he joined the rest of the team as they walked skirting the waves.

The beach ended and the team walked single file along the base of the cliff. This approach would bring them to the small stream that made its way to the sea from the cave of the others.

“Look ahead and you will see our friend Burley Bear,” Running Stag commented as he bolted ahead.

Both Burley Bear and Meadow Flower were waiting.

Besides them were two other familiar friends, Saber Scar and Marigold.

“I am honored that the leader of the Others personally came out to greet me,” Taelo said as he gave Burley Bear a hug.

He turned and gave Meadow Flower one as well.

“I hope you and Marigold had a good visit with your clan,” Taelo continued as he greeted the other two who had also become very close friends.

“Yes, we have enjoyed our time here, but we are ready for our next journey with you,” Saber Scar replied.

“Your scars make you look as fierce as I know you are,” Quiet Rabbit said putting her hand on Saber Scar’s chest.

The two of them had a special relationship.

Quiet Rabbit was the one who had stitched every one of the scars on Saber Scar’s chest. He had one set of scars from a saber-tooth tiger that attacked Taelo and one set of scars from the lion he, Feather-in-the-Wind and Running Stag had killed during the Journey of Discovery.

“Your arrival is timely, and the entire clan is waiting to share the evening meal and to listen to the tales you will be asked to tell,” Burley Bear said as he turned and led the way back to the entrance of the cave.

Broken Spear, the seer of the Others sat at the entrance of the cave. As always, he was attended by two of the older women of the clan.

He was by this time an ancient and most revered figure.

“We have been waiting for your visit. Tonight, we eat well. You will be asked to tell more stories of your many travels. Tomorrow you and I will talk about your journey North,” Broken Spear said in greeting.

Taelo was his personal inspiration. He had first seen Taelo through the eyes of an eagle during Taelo’s naming ceremony.

At that time Broken Spear had not known he was seeing one of the new ones.

Quiet Fox and Little Doe were standing behind Broken Spear. Quiet Fox had stepped aside and put Burley Bear into the clan’s leadership position.

“It is good to see our Eagle return. We look forward to this evening and to many more visits,” Quiet Fox said in greeting.

“Well, I am sure we will learn what is up. There is something in the air that says we will be surprised by something the clan has decided,” Taelo said to Quiet Rabbit as they were led into the clan’s living area.

This was the first time they had been so formally greeted.

After they had been shown the area where they would stay and given a few moments to put their things down, they were led to the central area.

There they were served a variety of meats, cooked roots, and barley.

The cooking of the Others was similar to their own, but the salting and spicing was unique. It was always a surprise at the flavors that were different but very enjoyable.

“I always look forward to the meals here,” Feather-in-the-Wind commented as she ate her second piece of meat.

“I don’t know where you put all the food that you eat,” Running Stag commented in a jealous tone.

He could never eat as much as Feather-in-the-Wind and yet she was half his size.

“Let the story telling begin,” Burley Bear announced once he saw that Taelo and his team had finished eating.

“I will begin with the story of how I met Taelo.”

Several people had previously told the story of Burley Bear’s first encounter with Taelo. This was the first time Burley Bear was going to tell his own version.

It was clear he had matured to a higher level of self-confidence.

The ground slapping response of his audience also signaled that this was a special event.

“This will be interesting,” Taelo whispered to Quiet Rabbit.

“I begin with the trickery the Elk Clan displayed the first time we encountered them. Our food shortage was severe. I was out hunting for deer or elk. Then I smelled the odor of smoking meat. I followed my nose to the edge of a cliff. Carefully I peered over the edge of the cliff at a hunting party of the new ones below.

They were drying strips of meat.

My mouth watered.

I am the largest among us, but you all know I am a ghost when I want to spy on someone. No one but Broken Spear has ever been able to see me coming.

Somehow the leader of the new ones sensed he was being watched. He sent out several scouts to determine if there was someone watching.

I quickly retreated back to our camp on the beach.

We all knew our camp was not in a good location, but Broken Spear had declared this was the location we would meet the person who would lead us on a new path.

We would meet the man of the Eagle.

On my return to camp, I organized a raiding party. I was determined we would get the meat this hunting party possessed.

Quiet Fox was not supportive of this venture, but he knew the clan was on the verge of starvation. He considered the alternatives and allowed me to take a team to see if we could steal the meat.

He gave strict orders not to kill anyone or even injure them.

This was a tough challenge for a raiding party.

We were brash and brave and knew we would come home with all the meat and be seen as heroes. We found a place down the beach and waited for the hunting party to appear.

“YES,” we all whispered when the loaded travois being pulled by four warriors appeared. We waited until they had committed to their direction and then we came swooping out of the forest.

What a surprise. Even with the loaded travois the warriors were close to out running us. Slowly we gained on the travois they were pulling. When we were a spear’s throw away, the four dropped the travois and accelerated and disappeared into the woods.

We triumphantly turned the travois and hastily pulled them back to camp.

We were triumphant and were loud and brash in our boasting. We were thoroughly embarrassed when we took the cover off the load and realized the load was almost all wood with only a thin covering of meat.

Instead of being treated like heroes, we were greeted with laughter. The old warriors had their day pointing out to us the difference between a piece of wood and buffalo meat.

“Well, it seems you have met your match in trickery,” Quiet Fox publicly praised me.

“Though I was angry, even I had a good laugh. Such trickery can only be admired.

I now know Red Oak the current leader of the Elk Clan was the person who planned the trick. We have laughed together, several times, about that evening.

He has told me about how hard he found it to keep running while laughing to the point he had tears in his eyes. He and his men stopped at the edge of the woods and collapsed in laughter.

He told me that if we had been able to keep up with them, they would have surrendered in laughter.

The audience all let out a light whooping in appreciation of the story.

“So, you can understand how I felt later when two beautiful women and two scraggly boys trying to be warriors approached our camp. I looked up and down the beach and into the forest.

I knew this was another trick. I just could not figure out what kind of trick it might be.

Why would the new ones come to us with gifts?

Never before had any of the new ones even acknowledged our existence. The best treatment we ever received was to be left alone.

What possibly could they be up to?

I kept looking up the beach and into the forest. Something was up.

Immediately I knew these two were trying to find out what we were doing. They were spying.

I reached for the one that seemed to be in charge.

I was just going to get her attention.

Then…. Well then…,” Burley Bear stopped and looked slowly around, “…then the lights went out.”

The whooping of the clan members was thunderous.

Burley Bear raised his hands into the air and slowly turned a circle.

“I woke up in my lodge. It took me a moment to recall where I was and who I was. I was furious. I came roaring out of my lodge to find the warrior that had blindsided me.

As all of you know, no one in the clan has ever beaten me in combat.

What did I find?

There sitting next to Quiet Fox was a small, barely above my waist, boy.

Where was the warrior that had turned out the lights, I angrily shouted?

The boy stood up and put out his hand and said, “I am Taelo, claw of the eagle, the claw that strikes,”

Burley Bear clawed the air in an exaggerated motion and slowly turned with a grimace on his face.

The clan members were whooping as they watched Burley Bear.

“Then high in the sky, an eagle cried, and I realized that Broken Spear’s prediction that the “Man of the Eagle” would come to guide the clan. His prediction had come true!”

I stopped in my tracks. At that moment I realized Taelo was to lead us to our new home.

You all know that Taelo made me see. He made me see new possibilities. He made me see new ways of doing things. He made me see a new future for our clan.

He found us our cave, he found us the whale, and he has given us new purpose.

The audience was slapping the ground and whooping in appreciation of the story.

And now a story by Taelo, the claw that strikes,” Burly Bear said as he sat down and urged Taelo to stand up.

Taelo waited for the thunderous hand slapping on the floor to subside. The audience continued to give Burley Bear feedback to his great story. This by far was the best version they had ever heard.

“Well, done. You have truly become the leader of the clan,” Broken Spear quietly gave his praise to Burley Bear.

Taelo stood up after the clan quieted down. He walked slowly around the circle made by the clan members.

“I will not try to match the Burley Bear’s story telling talent.

You all know he can grow a story from a small fish to the size of a whale,” Taelo said as he watched the clan members.

“The story I will tell is a new story. It is about a hero. It is about a hero that has saved my life many times.

No, it is not about Burley Bear who is a hero that has saved my life.

No, it is not about Meadow Flower, Saber Scar or Marigold who have also saved my life.

It is not about Golden Hawk, Busy Bee or Quiet Rabbit nor is it about Feather-in-the-Wind or Running Stag.

You now know that I am constantly in need of saving,” Taelo began his introduction.

The clan members were listening intently.

This hero walks among you, and you do not recognize him but instead fear him.

He is here this evening, and you do not see him,” Taelo said slowly in a hushed tone.

He had everyone leaning in to listen to him.

“When the moon is full, you will hear his brethren and cousins. When you are on a hunt you are often challenged by his brothers.

Look around you. Do you see this hero,” Taelo asked almost in a whisper?

The audience was quiet. They were looking around for the hero. They were puzzled.

“Enemy” Taelo said in a loud commanding voice.

Lasher sprang to Taelo’s side as he let out a deep growl through his snarling mouth.

The hair stood up on the back of his neck, and he slowly turned his head as his snarl continued.

The front row of clan members froze where they sat.

Thank you for reading this far.