We
took seats next to Elder and I surveyed the land. Tonight the feast
would be held in the meadow where I shot that bison. At least two
hundred plates and uncountable wooden knives and forks were laid upon
a humongous oval carpet that must have been woven by a selected
amount of women that were perfect for the job. Chances were they were
in the older crowd, probably single and no children. Most likely no
family left at all. They must have had to weave this caret for at
least five years.
In
the heart of the blanket which had a hole in it, was a contained fire
with the two smaller cooked bison on the sides and the bison I had
shot with my arrow, lay right in a direct pathway to Elder. There was
a little walkway filled with clay stones melded together with some
kind of adhesive-like material. Probably some kind of saliva mixed
with a bit of bone and other animal and plant based material that was
chosen to be the most tolerant of withstanding a four hundred pound
man. But that was a field that boys and men from the tribe usually
signed up for, so really I hadn't had a clue what could have made
the clay stones stick.
The
walkway was positioned right in the very front of Elders' Placemat
all the way to the center. It was there so that he had free reign to
access the beast first and easiest. After he would have taken his
portion of the Beast, all of the women would start cutting the
carcass. The men would then delve out the potatoes and mushrooms,
along with the fruits and vegetables. But before all of that stuff
could even begin the Elder let the excitement run its course. Every
one talked and laughed and Elder made small talk with the People of
high importance next to him. He smiled at me, but that was about it.
Kale was very quiet and had a strange look on her face... I was
beginning to salivate. I believe a lot of us stared to because most
started to quiet down. Now it was the time to pray.
All
Elder had to do was put of his massive hands up and quietness
engulfed the entire Land. It felt eerie and I saw a few people look
around. It felt wrong... But Elder continued on a speech and suddenly
everyone seemed to recover... but I still felt different. After the
speech we prayed to our Ancestors for the beautiful harvest of our
lands, the longevity of Elder and the success of all of the students.
Lastly Elder made a short and sweet speech about me. My catch and
presents were the only topics; things I'd already heard before. I
smiled and mostly looked down. It was embarrassing. Elder clapped me
on the shoulder at the end, and then the men and women selected to
serve the food got to their feet all at once and gave everyone
heaping spoonful's of everything except the meat.
We
all watched as Elder rose to his feet and successfully cut the first
piece of meat. The second cut he made was for me. And then he rose
with a serving plate and walked back to his spot. Soon after all of
the women we cutting and slicing and serving. As this process went on
Kale whispered in my ear,
"You
know why Elder shared what presents you got right?"
"No,
won't that make me a target for harassment?" I asked. She rolled
her eyes and said,
"Our
tribe won't have much time for harassment as classes start
tomorrow. But no that's no why silly! The reason is exactly this.
It is a warning to all, not to touch your items, and believe me they
won't." She smiled at me and then strangely went back to spacing
out...
Once
everything was shared and our plates were full I got a weird
sensation that had nothing to do with hunger. I felt fidgety and that
I should be out there in the forest...
Once
Kale and I dug into the food I was far from worrying about whatever I
felt. I laughed and talked to kale. Later Chive came over to greet us
and then we told stories and jokes. Chive was in love with my makeup.
He said I looked so pretty and deserved what I got one-hundred
percent. He even added, "Even if the contest was against Risk!" I
was shocked to hear this but didn't let it show. He didn't mean
it in a mean way; just trying to make me feel special. Which he had
to have known that he always made me feel special. He was a perfect
cousin.
Later
instruments were brought out and moms of newborn children were
selected to sing and dance with their husbands all seemed okay...
Far
too soon, the youngsters, sadly including Chive because of a fraction
of his age, were sent to their Tipis for bed. Kale seemed to
disappear occasionally, but always came back. Little by little
everyone seemed to go off to bed. I soon got itchy and my anxiety
level reached an all-time high. The only people left were the ones
who were intoxicated and Elder. I asked Kale if we could go to bed.
She looked serious for a second, but only for a second, and then she
said okay. Our Masters took us to our tipis.
I
laid tossing and turning for several hours. Then I finally couldn't
take it. I stood up and made sure Kale was fast asleep and walked out
of the Tipi. A cold, harsh wind, whipped my hair to and fro but I
kept walking. I felt like a rabid animal finding no peace within my
soul.
I
walked for about an hour until I was so cold I had to sit down.
Unfortunately and unexpectedly there was already someone laying
there. I jumped in horror as I saw it was a teenage girl. She was
naked and cut and bruised and skeleton thin. A small scream escaped
my mouth. I didn't know what to do so I decided to pray to my
ancestors that she'd be alright. I took off my extra sweatshirt and
put it on her squeezing myself tightly against the ferocious wind.
Upon closer examination she looked like she belonged in our tribe.
I'd never seen her on our lands, and our tribe would never ever let
something like this happen. I started to shake the girl as I sat her
up,
"Wake
up!" I pleaded. My heart pounded in my chest and I couldn't
believe that this was happening. It was so surreal. Her eyes rolled
and then they focused on me. Her eyes were almost black and I feared
her. "Go..." She said weakly. "Before they get you." She
ended.
"Who?"
I asked. "Who!" I screamed. But the girl's eyes rolled back
into her skull. I'm having a nightmare I told myself, over and over
again, holding the girl against me as I caressed her hair. At long
last, I felt like giving into the cold to just die...
Hands
were on me when I came to and they were the hands of Kale. With
inhuman speed and carrying both the girl and me in her arms, she
raced against time to get us back to...
When
I woke up I was in Ivory Green's cabin. The light was just over the
horizon painting it a pigment of purples and pinks. I looked around
and spotted the girl, as well as Elder, Masters and Kale. They seemed
to notice that I was waking up. Kale raced to my side not bothering
to hide her inhuman speed. Tears streamed down her eyes like that of
a waterfall. I suddenly felt chilly and knew what I did last night; I
wondered why I was still so cold.
"You'll
be cold for a little while longer Rogue, try to sleep..." Just
don't slip away." She whispered this last part as she kissed my
forehead and I drifted back.
"When
I woke for the third time I felt so great wanted to jump out of bed.
But I couldn't; Kale was there to stop me.
"No
Rogue, it's just the medicine." "You're not well yet." I
sighed. It was hard to believe I was not well when I felt on top of
the word. This time around Elder came over to speak with me but Kale
wouldn't budge so they made a silent agreement that he would stand.
Why was she doing this?"
"Rogue,
do you remember anything that happened the night you found the Kara?"
My eyes found the emaciated Kara and she was surprisingly sitting up.
"I know this is hard but I need to know all you know."
"Yea,
I went for a walk.., because I felt the need to." "Something was
pulling me... Like a force or something strong." At this I coughed
hard. And it hurt. It really hurt. I'm guessing I'd been coughing
when I'd been asleep. "I just kept walking in a daze," I
continued. "The wind was unforgiving and I just felt like lying
down" "But then she was there and..." and then another bought
of coughing left him to say,
"That
is all I need to know... you were very brave." "And I'm also
surprised to see you alive." "I know your ancestors saved you so
be sure to thank them at some point." And then he put his hand
under my chin and said. "You're a fighter." His voiced cracked
as he said this and he let just one tear slip..." And I'm sorry I
haven't been the best Grandfather." "Just get better for me
eh?" With a small smile and a tap on my cheek he left giving
instructions to Ivory in a different language.
"Kale,
are you mad-." but she stopped me and said,
"Of
course not."
"Thanks
for saving us."
"You're
welcome." "It's time I tell you things you should know." She
then motioned for Kara to come over. Her little frame meandered over
and she gave me a hug.
"Thank
you Rogue, for saving me."
"Kara
tell her as much as you know and then I will do my part."
"Rogue
there are more things to this world then your lands. There are many
lands and portals that lead to different worlds. There is a wretched
woman who is after you. Someone all people fear. You must be careful
from now on..." She sniffed and shifted her scary dark eyes to the
floor. "I was sent to curse you but I fought the curse... well as
best as I could. I've been held captive for a while. I was bred to
kill-." "That's enough." Kale said.
"Rogue,
never ever give into your gifts, not yet. They are a gift... Yes, but
also a curse. Your gift is Healing, and it's part of the reason you
are alive. But your healing also fought for Kara's life as well. As
part of ... the curse, each minute you held her and healed her, the
more she took from you. Your life. I am a vampire; there are other
stranger things in this world, please try to be prepared." And with
a smile she said, "In a few hours after you've digested this all
think about the coming morning. Tomorrow is your first day of Martial
Arts. All classes were canceled, until you got better and there was a
search around the lands. I believe you'll be okay." She let
herself slouch a little. Something I'd never seen her do. "Kara
has been adopted in and she will share our tipi in a few days'
time. Kara will accompany you pretty much everywhere. She is well
versed in this danger."
"Plus
I owe you my life."
"Don't
say that," I said with my head spinning. We smiled at each other.
She fought to save me from a curse that was attached to her and I
fought off the cold and fought for her life. I had a good feeling
that we'd be great friends.
That
night I dreamt of her. She was cold and wicked and mean. She was
furious. She pulled out tufts of her hair. The last part scared me,
even though I was only dreaming. She threw a dagger through the heart
of Kara. I screamed and screamed and begged her to stop... When I
woke up I remembered nothing of it...
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