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In a peaceful indian village set around the Adirondack territory, an ancient evil awaits. |
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The child emerged from the thick columns of black smoke choking, eyes streaming dirty tracks through the smudges of dirt on his face. Running as fast as his seven year old legs could carry him, he headed in the direction his mother instructed him to go. Her voice echoed in his head, "Run to the cabin in the mountains, Tobias. Run as fast you can and don't look back." Choking back sobs, he recalled how terrified he was as she led him to the trap door in the barn. He could hear the screams of his older sister as her attackers, a band of warrior Mohawks, slaughtered her without mercy. He heard them as they whooped and yelled out in high, horrible yells of triumph. The house was burning, and the smoke permeated through the barn, making them choke and cough. His mother, frantic now, cleared away the hay that covered the door and threw it open, urging him down into the darkness of the escape tunnel. "Hurry, Toby!" she whispered loudly. "You run now, and you don't stop running until you reach the little cabin in the mountains. The one that daddy takes you to. You go there and you don't st0p for anyone!" "But, mommy, what about you?" he cried. "Aren't you coming too?" "No, baby, mommy will come for you later, now go! Hurry!" she said in a panicked voice. She grabbed his face in her hands and looked in her baby's unusual emerald eyes that glistened with his tears, knowing it would be for the last time. He was her baby. A sweet natured, loving child who brightened her whole being. She would die before she let those savages murder him. Kissing his forehead gently, she breathed in the sweet scent of his soft, dark hair one more time. "Dry your tears, Toby-bear, there's no time for them." she said, handing him a candle to light the way. "God isn't seeing your tears today." Her own eyes were intense, burning, as she looked at him. "Listen for me in the rustle of the trees, my love, for I will be watching over you. I will come for you soon. Now go. Make haste and don't look back". Shutting the trap door slowly, she covered it back over with hay, and with a backwards glance at the floor to see if anything looked different, she hurried back into the burning house. There was something she needed to do.... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Mohawk village buzzed with activity in the morning. The women met down by the river, socializing, bathing, and gathering water for cooking and making clothes. Some were carrying children wrapped tightly in furs and lashed to their bodies as they worked, and the others kept an eye out for the smaller toddlers. They were a tight knit group that worked together on a daily basis, keeping the village running smoothly. A woman's place in the village was important. Women made most, if not all, of the decisions in the Mohawk clans. Even on such topics as war. Strong and opinionated, the women of the Mohawk clans were a force to be reckoned with. There was a somber air at the river this early morning, and Makya, "she who hunts with eagles", wondered what was happening. "Pakuna, what is wrong? Why are the women not speaking?" she asked quietly of her older sister. "It is Aiyana again. Her mourning will not end. She cries in the longhouse endlessly. She is upsetting the children." Pakuna told her. "Let us hope that she get's back her heart, soon. This cannot be good for her." "No, you are right, sister. Her sadness is affecting everyone. The Great One must have needed her son for a reason. Is there nothing we can do to help her?" she asked. "I will speak to her later. Right now we need to get some water for today's meals. Did you see the huge deer that Duranjava brought home?" she asked Makya. "It's the biggest I've ever seen!" "I know! The hide will make for some wonderful leather. Your husband is a good provider, Pakuna. Your very lucky." she told the proud woman. "I hope that I will find a good hunter soon. "Oh, Makya, don't worry. You will. Your still young yet, anyway, to be worried of such things."She told told her younger sister. "What about Lakshya? He has always follows you with his eyes, you know, I have watched him." "Pakuna!" her little sister blushed. "He does not! He's only a boy, not yet a man, anyway." "As YOU are not yet a woman, Makya." Pakuna reminded her. "Next year is your ceremony, you will have to pick then. I think Lakshya is the perfect choice for you. Do not see how good he is at the men's games? Makya looked up at her big sister. "Yes, he is very good, isn't he?" she agreed. "And he is very handsome, is he not?" The both giggled at that and gathered the water in their otterskins. "This year, he will be ten summers. He will go on his walk then, and when he comes back, he will a man." To prove their manhood, Mohawk Indian boys were blindfolded and sent off in to the forest where they had to find their way home. Once they did, and many did not, a huge celebration was held in honor of boy's new manhood. Young indian maidens were expected to marry at the tender age eleven. This year was Lakshya's time and he found himself looking more and more at the maidens for a potential mate. His eyes always returned to Makya. Not too long ago, he was playing boys games, and now, eye's taking in Makya's big, doe like eyes and blossoming figure, all thoughts of fun and games disappeared. In it's place, a white heat in the pit of his stomach took it's place. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A young boy of about eight summers, Anshu, meaning 'Radiant', came to the river looking for his aunt. He was a gentle child, a young horse whisperer. His way with animals was almost legendary at his tender age. A strange boy, but well liked, he had an inner goodness to him that made him a village favorite. Right now, his concern was focused on Aiyani, his Godmother. Again she lay in the long house crying on and off. His heart felt heavy, for her son had been his best friend. No longer would they ride together, or learn to hunt with their fathers. No longer could tell anyone his deepest secrets and not be made fun of. For the past four nights in a row, he had dreamed the same dream. He always woke in a panic, sweating and breathing heavily. Something was coming. Something bad. He didn't know what, or when, but he knew that his village was in mortal danger. And somehow, it had to with Akhikesh. How, he did not know. After he found his aunt and sent her up to tend to Aiyani, he went into the woods to find some Aloe to out in his spirit bag. The Mohawk indians believed that the Aloe plant kept evil spirits at bay. Anshu, walking down the well beaten path to a large pond, could not help but feel uneasy and troubled this morning. He toyed with his scalp lock, adorned with the feathers of a morning dove and various shells he found on the banks of the Mohawk River. He was proud of his hair, and like most men and boys in his clan, he plucked out the all of it except for a 'square' of hair at the very top of his head. His braid, tight and slick with bear grease, was the longest of all the boys in the village. But this morning, as he searched for Aloe, his mind was on more urgent matters. Though he was only eight, Anshu was a natural healer. The urge to make things right came naturally to him. It's why the horses trusted and loved him, and why he felt such unease at the moment. Something was not right on this day. He prayed to his animal spirit guide, the Morning Dove, to reveal the source of this feeling and to perhaps guide him as to the actions he should take. It was as if some sort of balance had been disrupted. Looking up, he noticed that black rain clouds were moving swiftly and purposefully towards the direction of the village. As he turned to finish his quest for Aloe, he was startled by the sudden appearance of a crow, not more than three feet away from where he was standing. Chills broke out on his arms and his hair stood on end. The crow symbolized death and dark spirits, and it was the last creature Anshu wanted to meet up with right now. All it did was help him to verify how he felt. The crows little black eyes watched him with such an intensity, it was as if it wanted to tell him something. "What is it you wish to say, dark spirit!" Anshu challenged the fearless bird bravely. "We have no need of you here today!" As if understanding Anshu's words, the black bird let out a series of clicks and caws. Then out of nowhere, it seemed, more of them came. Through the trees, they flew, almost darkening the sky with their numbers. The sound was nearly deafening, and Anshu felt a deep and terrible fear start from the pit of his stomach and blossom out from his very soul. Frozen with fear, he watch as they blackened the treetops. The cacophony of caws was so loud now, that he covered his ears and sank to his knee's on the ground. "Stop!" he screamed. "Leave me alone!" Then, just as quickly as they came, they left. Like one giant bird they rose from the tree's, resembling a murmuration of starlings in synchronized flight. When Anshu finally looked up, he was startled to see the original crow still sitting on the same branch staring at him intensely. "She's coming", it said, and it, too, flew away. Stunned at what just took place, Anishu stood there for a long period of time, trying to make sense of it all. He must go to the Shaman in his village and tell him of his vision. Surely he was being warned by something on a spiritual realm, and if so, Wakiyamani must be told. He would know what to do. Aloe forgotten, Anishu ran back to the village.... |
| Chapter | 1 | Chapter 5 | 21.87k |
| Chapter | 2 | Chapter 4 | 20.84k |
| Chapter | 3 | Chapter 3 | 11.20k |
| Chapter | 4 | Chapter 2 | 9.24k |
| Chapter | 5 | Chapter 2 | 9.24k |
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