I was all of 13 as I stood, looking out over the vast beauty of the valley. The sun was low on the horizon, but its warmth still carest my cheeks, like the hand of the Great Spirit.
I was tired from my trek up the escartment and paused only to rest as I scanned the valley with weiry eyes. I know not of what I sot to to see, only that I felt the need to see it.
As I looked on into the valley, I felt as though I was not alone. As I turned to see if I was correct, I felt the heat of the sun run down my back, as though I was sitting, with my back to the Fire. The sounds of the birds, still rang through the trees, as the wind rustled the needles of the great pines.
I felt strangely uneasy, as my eyes dug deep it to the wriggling leaves and needles of the trees and bushes, to see if my senses betrayed me.
Nothing, just the winds playing trickes on my. The Raven must be near, teasing me as he has done in the past.
As I turned, the feeling rushed through me as strong as a wind of the big water. I was not alone. Something was watching me. Something was coming.
I could hear its paws hitting the ground, it's breath huffing, as it moved through the trees as if it was not there.
The forest exploded as the Bear came at me. I turned and ran as it came for me. It's breath now warming my back as the sun had.
The sounds of its paws filledme with fear and the drowned out all the voices of the forest. I could feel my own heart beat in time to his, as he grew closer and closer.
As I rounded the trail head and made my way across the narrow path at the cliffs, I suddenly felt at ease, but for a moment. The sun dimmed, the sound of my heart faded, the pounding of his paws all, but dissappeared. A sudden flash of darkness and suddenly, it all flooded back. The voices in the forest, the light of the sun and two heart beats, pounding as if one. My eyes focused and I saw myself, from above. I was no longer me, I watched for, but a moment as a witness, as the Bear chased me down. I saw the fear on my face, the muscles flex and release as I lept from foot to foot, to out run my destroyer. But "I" felt no fear, up here, looking down on what would be my death.
A rush and a sense of falling filled my chest. Making me gasp as my spirit plunged in to the Bear. Now I could see me again from the Bears eyes. I could feel his heart in mine, I felt the wind brush against my fur, I could feel the ground tremble at the touch of my paws.
I chased myself, I chased myself for a cause I did not know. For reasons lost on the mind of a mere man. Although I was the Bear, I could not stop myself from the destruction I was about to do to myself. The fear grew in me again.
In a quick flash, I was in my own body again. Running. The burning in my chest and muscles, made my tears fall with ease. The pain felt as though I had been cut by a thousand knives. But I could not, would not stop. I would die.
I ran and stumbled as I tired, never giving up. The call of an Eagle turned my head towords the abyss at my side, that were the cliffs I once climbed as a young child. I saw her turn and show me her wings in full. I would not die this way, not running.
I turned at the fork in the path that lead to the shear cliffs, where we got our flint. Here I would make my stand.
No energy to run, it was time to fight my demon. I lead him to the place I would either die or take his life.
I stopped and turned in one motion and pulled my knife from its sheath, that hung around my neck, and drew my club, from my belt. I raised my head and roared at the Bear as it came to finish me.
Like the spirits of the dead it rose infront of me and opened its mouth, the roar moved me and shook me as I stood ready to face my fate.
Its mouth grew bigger as it rose, seemingly leaving the ground. It did not pause, it did not fear me. I felt the heat in its jaws as its mouth came over me swallowing me in one swoop.
For, but a moment, my life ended. I felt nothing, heard nothing, could see nothing, but I knew I was alive.
I began to blink, the world fuzzy, as if I had just woken up from a long nap. I blinked again and again, until the haze was removed from eyes. I could see the forest again. But it was different.
I could hear the trees talking to each other, they were laughing, telling stories. Off in the distance, I could hear the stream I loved to fish in giggling, as the Trout tickled her banks. The songs the birds sang, made sweet music in my ears. The valley was alive. I could see what I came to see, I knew now, what it was I had sot after. Life.
I began to cry, as it flooded my heart with great joy. I reached to wipe the tears from my face, only to see no hand, but in its place, a paw. I felt no fear, no confusion.
I found who I was, who I was ment to be. I am Ohkwai, of the Onyata'a:ka. Keepers of the Council Fire, People of the Hills.
I was tired from my trek up the escartment and paused only to rest as I scanned the valley with weiry eyes. I know not of what I sot to to see, only that I felt the need to see it.
As I looked on into the valley, I felt as though I was not alone. As I turned to see if I was correct, I felt the heat of the sun run down my back, as though I was sitting, with my back to the Fire. The sounds of the birds, still rang through the trees, as the wind rustled the needles of the great pines.
I felt strangely uneasy, as my eyes dug deep it to the wriggling leaves and needles of the trees and bushes, to see if my senses betrayed me.
Nothing, just the winds playing trickes on my. The Raven must be near, teasing me as he has done in the past.
As I turned, the feeling rushed through me as strong as a wind of the big water. I was not alone. Something was watching me. Something was coming.
I could hear its paws hitting the ground, it's breath huffing, as it moved through the trees as if it was not there.
The forest exploded as the Bear came at me. I turned and ran as it came for me. It's breath now warming my back as the sun had.
The sounds of its paws filledme with fear and the drowned out all the voices of the forest. I could feel my own heart beat in time to his, as he grew closer and closer.
As I rounded the trail head and made my way across the narrow path at the cliffs, I suddenly felt at ease, but for a moment. The sun dimmed, the sound of my heart faded, the pounding of his paws all, but dissappeared. A sudden flash of darkness and suddenly, it all flooded back. The voices in the forest, the light of the sun and two heart beats, pounding as if one. My eyes focused and I saw myself, from above. I was no longer me, I watched for, but a moment as a witness, as the Bear chased me down. I saw the fear on my face, the muscles flex and release as I lept from foot to foot, to out run my destroyer. But "I" felt no fear, up here, looking down on what would be my death.
A rush and a sense of falling filled my chest. Making me gasp as my spirit plunged in to the Bear. Now I could see me again from the Bears eyes. I could feel his heart in mine, I felt the wind brush against my fur, I could feel the ground tremble at the touch of my paws.
I chased myself, I chased myself for a cause I did not know. For reasons lost on the mind of a mere man. Although I was the Bear, I could not stop myself from the destruction I was about to do to myself. The fear grew in me again.
In a quick flash, I was in my own body again. Running. The burning in my chest and muscles, made my tears fall with ease. The pain felt as though I had been cut by a thousand knives. But I could not, would not stop. I would die.
I ran and stumbled as I tired, never giving up. The call of an Eagle turned my head towords the abyss at my side, that were the cliffs I once climbed as a young child. I saw her turn and show me her wings in full. I would not die this way, not running.
I turned at the fork in the path that lead to the shear cliffs, where we got our flint. Here I would make my stand.
No energy to run, it was time to fight my demon. I lead him to the place I would either die or take his life.
I stopped and turned in one motion and pulled my knife from its sheath, that hung around my neck, and drew my club, from my belt. I raised my head and roared at the Bear as it came to finish me.
Like the spirits of the dead it rose infront of me and opened its mouth, the roar moved me and shook me as I stood ready to face my fate.
Its mouth grew bigger as it rose, seemingly leaving the ground. It did not pause, it did not fear me. I felt the heat in its jaws as its mouth came over me swallowing me in one swoop.
For, but a moment, my life ended. I felt nothing, heard nothing, could see nothing, but I knew I was alive.
I began to blink, the world fuzzy, as if I had just woken up from a long nap. I blinked again and again, until the haze was removed from eyes. I could see the forest again. But it was different.
I could hear the trees talking to each other, they were laughing, telling stories. Off in the distance, I could hear the stream I loved to fish in giggling, as the Trout tickled her banks. The songs the birds sang, made sweet music in my ears. The valley was alive. I could see what I came to see, I knew now, what it was I had sot after. Life.
I began to cry, as it flooded my heart with great joy. I reached to wipe the tears from my face, only to see no hand, but in its place, a paw. I felt no fear, no confusion.
I found who I was, who I was ment to be. I am Ohkwai, of the Onyata'a:ka. Keepers of the Council Fire, People of the Hills.
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