Our home was known in days past as the great hunting grounds. Once part of an ancient sea bed, the land composed of the shells of long dead sea creatures compressed into layers of sediment miles thick. Limestone from these shallow seas of the Cambrian era rose up when two continents collided to form the super continent Rodinia. This inland sea bed once lay upon the western edge of the long eroded, extinct mountain chain called the Grenvilles, that stretched from Canada to Mexico eons before the land was inhabited by beast or plant and a sky without oxygen. Rodinia broke asunder and once again assembled into the last supercontinent called Pangea forming the Appalachian Mountains in the process. The once tall mountains had weathered down over the eons into more rounded hills that we see today. Pockets of salt released by underground streams poured forth from natural licks at the end of the last ice age, luring herds of beasts both great and small to come suckle and wallow in the waters of the life giving mineral. Great roads were created by the hooves of countless mammoths, and bison wandering the same paths as those before them.

To our remembering, in the beginning, it was just us, our people, our families, as it had always been. And the world, as we knew it was open and vast. It was a constant struggle to find enough food to eat, good water to drink and warm dry places to sleep. The threat of danger kept us always alert and on the move. Following the trail of the great bison in advance of retreating glaciers, my people crossed what was known then as the Gohiy’ohne River from the north. They found life plentiful in the vast meadows and green forests to the south called Leyden.

The land was teaming with mastodons, mammoths, giant bison, giant beaver, giant sloths, horses and camel, deer along with predators such as saber toothed cats, grizzly bears, and wolves.

Before the time of the last river crossing, our people belonged to one great tribe that traveled east over the mighty mountains of Apsion. We lived in crude shelters made of stretched animal hides stitched together with sinew and vines, supported by a framework of long, thin wooden poles. Curing the hides, stitching together the various pieces to make everything from tents to clothing, was the task of women, children and the elderly. They were also responsible for making spears, and gathering tubers and herbs, and drying meat. All able bodied men were expected to join the hunt once they had gone through the rite of manhood.

One day in the time of new births, Karume the wise, the great leader of our tribe suddenly died from a fever after breaking his thigh bone on a hunt. His son Walasa was expected to replace his father, but his tall headstrong cousin Aghan challenged him over the role of leader. A heated battle took place and Aghan lost. Instead of making amends, Aghan’s pride led him to break from the tribe. Many tears were shed as family members said their last farewells.

Our new tribe consisted of three families, one led by Aghan, a strong skilled hunter and very prideful man led to violent outbursts, but was calmed by his small gentle wife Isera. They had three adolescent children, two boys Doheen, Iwano and his wife from another tribe Losana, and a daughter Hesha at the time of the great river crossing.

The second family was led by Aghan’s best friend Roteren, a stout hairy man and very loyal hunting companion. He married the lovely Hodsa, once considered the most beautiful woman of the tribe. They had five children at the time of the great river crossing. A son Ahwei, and his wife Domanza, followed by two daughters Pukawa, and Sipsa, and two more sons Litero and Koni

The third family was led by Aghan’s younger brother Kess the tracker, a quiet loyal man along with his young wife Yansawei and orphaned girl named Measala and their newborn baby Gorgah. Yansawei, begged in vain to convince Kess to remain with Walasa’s tribe, yet with many shed tears, she reluctantly followed her husband as the three families took what little possessions they could carry and traveled south following the buffalo trails through the great forests.

When our people reached the banks of great river Gohi’yohne, they witnessed the crossing of thousands of bison. Aghan had his people construct crude rafts of logs tied together with vines. The great river was swollen from heavy spring rains and had strong currents. By the blessings of the Great Hunter, no one died in the crossing and the tribe followed the trails of bison and mastodons south through vast fields of cane. The roads led further past dense forests, until the roads widened and converged at a great salt spring located along the banks of what is now known as the Licking River. The lure of salt insured a steady migration of game to one main location and this was a blessing from the Great Hunter.

Many seasons had passed since the new tribe had settled into the area of the licking river. The Great Hunter had blessed the tribe with plentiful game and they flourished on the edge of the cane fields and forests.

Aghan, the chief of the clan south of the Great River, was respected by all. His leadership as a hunter had allowed the tribe to survive the harsh winters and avoid starvation. Though he wasn’t a kind man, he was fair and dealt out punishment and praise equally to all. His wife Isera was kind and generous to all. It was she that tempered Aghan’s rage and kept peace in the tribe.

Doheen, the eldest son of Aghan, grew to be handsome, and strong headed like his father. He married Roteren’s youngest daughter Sipsa who was known to make beautiful clothes and curing hides. They produced four children. Bahru the eldest boy was blessed with strength and intelligence, but unlike his father had a more sensible nature. A second son Jib was good at making tools and traps. His third child was a  strong willed daughter named Lahama who yearned to be a boy. His youngest son Pitu, was born weak and frail, yet survived, surprising his parents with a striking intelligence.

Iwano, Aghan’s second son grew to be good hunter like his father, yet he was jealous of his older brother’s standing among the tribe. Though he never challenged his brother, he mumbled his disapproval in sarcastic grunts and rolled his eyes. He married a woman named Losana from the old tribe. Though her face seemed rather plain, Iwano was sexually drawn to her short, plump figure that bore him two strong boys. Iban the oldest was tall and a good hunter like his father. Tehwa, his youngest, was strong and lean, yet he possessed a sensitive and timid view of the world, thus being the favorite of his mother.

Roteren was thickly made. Bear-like and heavy browed, he towered over everyone. Despite his intimidating appearance, he was gentle and kind to everyone. Though not the official leader, he was a close second in command that everyone went to. Roteren married Hodsa, who was once considered the most beautiful woman of the old tribe, and they produced five children before the great river crossing.

Ahwei, the eldest son of Roteren, was muscular, strong, and easily riled. He wasn’t as successful a hunter as his father, but what he lacked in hunting skills he made up for it in brute strength. Before the river crossing, he married his cousin Domanza, the daughter of his mother’s sister Anache.  Ahwei and Domanza produced three sons and a daughter. The eldest son Okki was thickly muscled and a capable hunter with a level head. The second son Orin though big and strong, was said to have the soul of a woman and preferred women’s work. The third was a daughter named Yasa, and the youngest son Pog a short stout boy.

The second child was a daughter named Pukawa. She was known to be a great cook and also quite beautiful. She married a man from the old tribe named Tam, an artist and craftsman. She and her husband Tam had three children. An older daughter named Jiama who took after her mother and was a good cook and quite beautiful. Next a son named Tiroh, a strong fearless hunter. And finally a younger daughter named Hooti.

Roteren’s third child and daughter Sipsa married Doheen.

Roteren’s  fourth child Litero was known to have odd ways and could see visions. At an early age he was being groomed to be the next shaman. He married Aghan’s youngest daughter Hesha, a plain ordinary girl with an ability to befriend wild beasts.. The young couple were expecting their first child, and when the baby was born, Hesha experienced uncontrollable bleeding. Hesha weak and in pain asked to see the child. She looked into the baby’s eyes and told Litero to call him  Weaha which meant “silent watcher.” Hesha died moments later leaving Litero heartbroken with the task of having to raise Weaha without a teat to suckle. Losana at the time was suckling a year old Iban and volunteered to raise the child as her own.

Koni was Roteren’s youngest son. He wasn’t tall, handsome, or muscular, but he was adventurous and very brave. Once Koni jumped upon the back of a great bear as it attacked the camp and killed it. He married a young girl named Masala an orphan girl adopted by Kess. Koni and Masala had a son named Isa whose name meant agile like a deer and a second boy named Kuso. When Kuso was three years old, Masala died from snakebite. Fours years later an unusual young woman with flaming red hair named Kesa was found abandoned in the wilderness from some unknown tribe after the great river crossing. She was known to see visions and others thought she might be a witch.  She was the least trusted member among the tribe and usually kept to herself. Koni took Kesa as his wife, yet Kesa was unable to produce children.

After the river crossing, Kess remained loyal to his older brother and stayed with the new tribe despite his wife’s desire to return. Yansawei was rarely happy after leaving the old tribe. Often she would abandon her children Gorgo and Masala and go off into the woods to be alone for days at a time. At nights she wept for her mother. Kess could not console this broken woman. Four seasons after the crossing Yansawei gave birth to twin girls Tanani, and Falmei. Happiness finally returned to the life of a woman who suffered in grief so long. When the twins were but five seasons old, Yansawei took them along in the woods to pick berries in the moon of first frost and was mauled to death by a saber toothed cat. This was the first death the tribe had experienced since the crossing.

One cold autumn afternoon after a long exhausting three day hunt for deer through the thick underbrush, a party of four men dressed in buffalo pelts and makeshift feet coverings carrying only gourds of water, pouches, and long wooden spears, set up camp on the banks of a small creek. They were participating in a ceremonial hunt, part of the rites of passage into manhood rituals that every young man endures at the end of his thirteenth summer. Sitting before a blazing fire, Iwano, the older seasoned hunter, proudly displayed the many scars of his close calls with death to his two sons and nephew. Iban, the taller eldest son of 15 summers bragged of his own scars he’d received on major hunts. His cousin Weaha, just a summer less, pointed to a long red scar just below his right eye cutting across his nose.

“I thought I would die the time the big toothed lion bit down on my face,” said Weaha.

“The Great Hunter did not think it was your time to join our ancestors in the dream world. I was spared five times from certain death and look at me. I’ve survived to become an able hunter and father,” Iwano said pounding his chest and growling.

They laughed as Iwano recalled falling off the back of a buffalo into a pile of dung and nearly getting trampled. Iwano’s youngest son Tehwa listened intently with wide eyes.

“Were you scared of being killed?” said Tehwa.

“No, not your father. Nothing scares me,” he bragged.

“Do you think I’ll be a brave hunter also father?” said Tehwa.

“You’re my son. Of course you will,” said Iwano.

Iwano recalled a time when he watched his father Aghan, his grandfather Tinalt and all his uncles from the old tribe take down the Great Beast of the North.

“It stood as tall as three grown men and had a nose that reached the ground. And it could take down a tree with it’s curved white tusks. When it charged at us, it made a loud trumpeting noise Mrrrahhhhh, Mrrrahhh!  The men were anxious, but stood firm and held their long spears high to drive the beast toward a cliff. There was a snort and trumpet noise once the beast realize the danger.” said Iwano describing the event with his hands.

Tehwa sat silent beside the fire biting his lip and shaking. Weaha patted him on the shoulder.

“I was afraid on my first hunt also,” Weaha whispered.

Tehwa smiled and leaned into Weaha as his father described the great hunt.

“My uncle Kumar rushed forward and the mighty beast swatted him against the rocks where he almost died. As the rest of the men stood firm, Karume leapt from a ledge above the beast and landed on the beast’s back stabbing it in the neck until it fell. That was the day he was made leader of the tribe,” said Iwano.

“Tell us another story papa,” said Iban.

“It will have to wait. I’m tired and we need sleep,” said Iwano yawning. “Tomorrow Tehwa shall make his first kill and become a man.”

As the sun went down beyond the hills, the four tired, hungry men snuggled together for warmth under buffalo pelts beside the dying fire. The light snow that had fallen earlier in the day had melted and the tracks could not be easily seen. As the rest of the party lay sleeping, Weaha noticed strange glowing lights in the sky to the east.

The next morning just as the sun was rising, they followed muddy hoof prints up a hill through the brush. They trekked many hours until the sun was high in the sky. As they wandered near the river bank, Tehwa said he heard a noise off to the right in the thickets. Everyone stopped to listen and got down on one knee.  Iwano peered through the woods and saw a buck and two does nibbling on branches of berry vines. He motioned for the others to ready their spears. As they steadied themselves, a rustling was heard behind them. Weaha turned and was surprised by a large grizzly bear charging towards them. Iwano turned fast and ordered the boys to stand their ground with the spears. He knew that to run would be the death of at least some of them, but together they had a chance to defeat the bear. When Tehwa turned and saw the massive bear, he screamed and bolted towards the river.  Iwano called out to the boy to come back, but now the bear turned and charged after the Tehwa. The others ran after them, but they could only watch in horror as the bear quickly overtook the young boy, hitting him from behind. There was a sharp yelp as the bear tore into him. Iwano and the two other boys ran up to the bear yelling “Ha Ha Ha!!” Tehwa was shook side to side and then tossed into the air limp and landed motionless in the briars.. Iban reached the bear first and poked the bear from behind with his spear. The bear turned and rose up facing the older boy. He slashed the air but Iban jumped back and poked again. Iwano arrived and stood between the bear and his elder son. The bear lunged and caught the elder man with a swipe to his upper right arm and shoulder tearing flesh. Weaha spun around from behind and stabbed at the neck of the bear, enraging it. Iban tried to poke at it again, but the bear rose around and caught Iban in the face. He immediately fell to the ground and the bear grabbed the boy in its jaws and shook him around with blood spewing all about. The elder man screamed as he charged the bear with his spear, stabbing its chest. Weaha took his spear and shoved it from behind and it passed through the bear and the tip poked out the front. The bear roared and fell on top of Iban. The bear let out one last snort and fell silent. Weaha ran towards Tehwah whimpering on the ground near the briars, but as he turned the boy over, he saw that Tehwah had been eviscerated and was lying in a large pool of blood.

Iwano tugged and pulled, but the bear was too heavy to be lifted off of Iban. He called to Weaha in high pitched shrieks begging him push. Weaha and the elder man struggled against the bear’s bulk but it was useless. They used their spears as levers, prying the bear off Iban, but it was too late, he appeared to be quite dead as he didn’t have a much of a face left along with his upper left arm and shoulder almost torn away. They ran back to Tehwa who was still breathing and mumbling incoherently.

The elder man wiping away tears cried out, “Tehwa Tehwa my son. I have lost both my sons today. My life is in vain.” He dropped to his knees, arms dangling by his side, Iwano closed his eyes tight and let his head fall to his chest.

Tehwa moaned and looked at his father with pleading eyes, whispered that he was afraid and asked his father for help.  “I can not help you my son. You will soon join your fathers and your father’s fathers as has your brother who fought bravely to save us all.” Tehwa had a frightened look in his eyes, then his face went blank. The elder man raised his son in a final embrace and cursed the gods for taking his sons.

Weaha sat back resting against a tree shaking, his hands covering his eyes. The forest had grown quiet. Thinking they were all dead, Weaha stood and walked over to examine the bodies. Flies had already gathered on Iban’s corpse. His face unrecognizable. His uncle lay on the muddy ground beside Tehwa. His eyes were glazed over and flies covered his mangled guts. Iwano lay motionless beside him. Weaha touched his body and it still felt warm.

Weaha wiped his eyes and said, “Uncle are you alive?

There was no reply. Weaha examined the wounds to Iwano’s shoulder. The blood had clotted in a dark mass, but it still oozed out in a couple of places. Weaha covered his uncle in pelts and built a fire. He cut some meat from the dead bear and roasted it above the flames with a pointy stick. The smell made his growl and lick his lips. Soon Weaha heard a stirring. His uncle woke and mumbled words he couldn’t understand.

“Uncle, uncle its me Weaha.”

“Water, so thirsty. Get me some water.”

I brought him some fresh water from the stream and put the gourd to his lips. He gulped it down and begged for more. When I gave him more water he tried to sit up, but the wound started to bleed again.

“Lie still uncle, you are making it bleed again.”

“Weaha, you must help me bind these wounds or else I will die,” said Iwano. You’ll need to find the things your father used to heal wounds. Do you remember where to find them?”

“I think so, but I will have to leave you here alone. I’m afraid I might not remember how to get back.

If you do as I taught you, and remember the direction of the sun, special landmarks, and place markers on the trees, you will be fine.”

“I can’t do it. I’m not that good yet.”

“You must do this or else, we are both dead. Perhaps the ancestors will guide you. Get your things and go before the sun goes behind the hills. Hurry, go now,” he said.

Weaha left his uncle at the river’s edge and wandered east deeper into the woods. As a kid, he remembered gathering leaves of a thorny vine that grows in open fields and digging for the orange root of the plant whose leaves were shaped like a hand that grows in the moist shady forests.  He watched his father make poultices to heal wounds and treat the sick. If only his father were here now, he thought. There was so much more he needed to learn. He marked his trail by cutting a notch in the big trees and where there were no trees, he stacked stones pointing the way back. He knew it was important to remember special landmarks along the way if he were to find his way back.

Farther upstream, in a marshy area that reeked of rotten eggs and muck, he found the plant with the orange root and dug them out of the soft ground. He placed the roots in a pouch and continued on looking for a clearing. He followed a series of deer trails through the woods that led him in circles and he realized that he had gotten lost. He sat on a fallen tree and started to cry calling out the name of his father’s spirit to help guide him on his journey.

As a small child, Weaha’s father was given the name Litero which meant, “one who sees beyond the fog.” The tribe recognized Litero’s special gift and trained him to become a shaman. Litero  raised the boy as best he could with the help of Losana and his grandmothers. He taught his son about healing herbs and how to hunt, but he was not quite the same after the death of his wife and fell into despair. In the winter, after Weaha’s tenth summer, Litero went mad and ran naked into the forest during a blizzard and was found two days later frozen solid. That was when Weaha went back to live with his uncle Iwano and aunt Losana.

Weaha sat waiting for a sign, but nothing happened. He gathered his courage and continued following the deer trails until it widened to a much larger buffalo trail. On both sides of the clearing he found the special thorny vines that still had leaves though it was late fall. It was late in the day and the sky grew darker. As he gathered the leaves he noticed bright lights in the sky just over the hill. They were moving like a cloud of fireflies just like the night before. Perhaps this was the sign he was praying for, he thought and trudged up the deer trail towards the lights.

As he neared the top of a cedar glade, the smell of death hung in the air. The buzz of flies were coming from behind a pile of rocks. Above the trees, a cloud of golden glowing mist settled among rocks on the clearing. Weaha hid behind a tree waiting to see what the glowing gas would do next. Rising from the glowing mist appeared a tall naked warrior with a crown of antlers growing out of either side of his head.  The few trees and plants around the lights grew rapidly as leaves sprouted from the dormant branches. Weaha shook with terror and fell to his knees. The being reacted to the rustling sound that Weaha made, shook his head from side to side and stretched his arms up into the air roaring like a beast. The being approached Weaha who tried to crawl away, but it spoke to him in a deep voice. “Human hiding in the brush, come closer. He spoke in a strange tongue, but Weaha could understand.

“Young Human, take off your shoes, for you stand upon sacred ground.”

Weaha trembled at the sight of this being, did as he was told and removed his moccasins.  The light absorbed into the flesh of the being giving the creature a faint glow.

Weaha’s voice faltered,“I must get back, My uncle is wounded. My cousins were killed by a bear. I alone am responsible for my uncle and my family.  I need to get back to him before he also dies.” He wanted to bolt, but his legs wouldn’t move.

“Young hunter, come stand before me or else I shall tear you apart,” it roared.

Weaha crept closer to the strange being. He was in awe of the giant man with antlers, flowing black hair and piercing grey eyes. The being snatched Weaha as if he were a limp rabbit dangling him by the nape of the neck. Weaha let out a squeal of pain as the being sunk its teeth deep into his neck.

He slipped lose and landed in a pool of blood at the feet of this giant who was licking the blood from his fingers. Weaha tried to crawl away but the creature growled barring his teeth. He reached for Weaha, who screamed, “Don’t eat me! Don’t eat me!”

“If you wish to live, make an oath that you will return to this spot in exactly seven seasons of the sleeping earth, eighty seven moons from now just as the full moon is rising in the east or else I shall eat you whole.”

“I swear, I swear,” said Weaha with tears flowing down his face.

“You shall bring three live male rabbits and sacrifice them upon these very rocks as a burnt offering. In return for your obedience, you will become the leader of a great people with the ability to heal the sick and to see visions. If you break this oath, a curse will be placed upon you and your tribe. Now stand and partake of the blood of the ethereal.” In one great motion the being sunk his teeth deep into the flesh of its own arm. Blood gushed from the wound. Weaha was unable to struggle and lay helpless. The great hunter placed his bleeding arm over the wound on the boy’s neck.

In a deep thundering voice the being said, “Blood of thy blood, flesh of thine flesh, I give to you a piece of me, a gift of the ethereals.”

As their blood intermingled, the boy’s neck healed almost instantly just as quickly as the wound of the warrior’s wrist. Weaha convulsed upon the ground all covered in blood and breathing heavily.

“Listen closely young hunter, give but one drop of your blood to the wounded and none to the dead. Let it drip into the wound and cover it with the herbs. Heed my warning, if you disobey and give blood to the dead, a most horrible curse will follow you. Go back to your people and remember your oath.”

Weaha stumbled to his feet and sprinted downhill, he stopped, turned to look back and saw the Great Hunter transform himself into a large serpent with the same rack of antlers. The leaves and flowers of the plants that burst into life became spent at the passing of this miraculous being.

Weaha ran back down the trails through the deep forest to the West. He found the notches cut into the trees and searched for the spot by the river where his uncle lay wounded. As darkness fell he found his uncle still alive, but his breathing had become shallow.  His uncle lay beside both of his fallen sons in a pool of blood.

“Iwano, Iwano I’m back!”he cried, but his uncle lay motionless and barely alive.  Weaha made a poultice of ground up herbs, then took a thorn and pricked his finger allowing a drop of his own blood fall into the wound. He placed the poultice on top.  Within moments his uncle’s breathing improved. Weaha built a blazing fire and sat patiently. It was quite dark and stars filled the sky. His uncle sat up examining his wounds that were quickly healing. They sat in silence for the longest time. Iwano stared intently at Weaha across the fire.

“Weaha, can you come closer?” said Iwano.

Weaha sat down beside him. Iwano reached out and felt Weaha’s face. Iwano recoiled, his eyes wide and mouth open.

“Are you a demon disguised as Weaha?” he said cowering. “Weaha has a scar across his face.”

“I’m your nephew Weaha,” he said running his fingers across his face feeling for the rough patches that was his scar, but it felt smooth.

“I was near death and you put your blood in my wound. You had a scar and now it is gone. Your blood is magical. Maybe you can do the same for your cousins. I want you to bring my sons back to me.” Iwano begged.

“I met the Great Hunter deep in the forest, he gave me the power to heal the living, but forbade me to treat the dead, lest a curse befall the entire tribe.”

“Would the Great Hunter have me go through life heartbroken without my sons? You have the ability to bring them back, yet refuse? How can you be so ungrateful after we raised you as our own son?” Iwano cried. “I’d rather perish than go on without them.”

Iwano snatched a rock from the ground and ran the jagged edge against his throat bringing blood. Weaha wrestled the rock from his hand and held his uncle tight. Reluctantly, Weaha told his uncle he would try.

He pricked his finger and let a drop of blood fall into Tehwa’s gaping wound and packed a poultice all over his eviscerated gut. They waited and waited, but nothing happened. They tried the same thing with Iban, but he remained cold and stiff.

“I’m sorry uncle. I can’t bring my cousins back to you. We must prepare the bear meat and take it back to our family.”

Iwano held his dead sons and wept. The two of them used their sharpened stones and cut the meat and smoked it over a fire. They scraped the flesh from the pelts and smoked them over the fire as well. The next morning, as the sun rose, they buried the dead boys in a shallow grave covering them with piles of rocks. Iwano and Weaha stood above the graves as Iwano recited a prayer to his ancestors to take his sons to be with the spirits and watch over them. They packed as much as they could carry into their packs and headed back to their family, two days walk down the buffalo trail.

On the long way back, Weaha suffered severe headaches. Iwano made a broth for Weaha to drink, but it didn’t help him. During the second night, Weaha dreamed that he was in a strange world of glowing fog where ghosts of his ancestors came and went without being seen. Iban and Tehwa appeared to Weaha and told him that he had done wrong and now a great curse was upon the tribe. Weaha woke up in a sweat and told Iwano of his dream.

Later that afternoon Iwano and Weaha arrived at their camp weary and tired. The tribe rushed to greet the returning party who labored under the weight of the meat they carried. Losana, Iwano’s short plump wife ran up to her husband and noticed that Iban and Tehwa were not to be seen.

“Where are my sons Iwano?” She looked deep into Iwano’s sunken eyes as he shook his head.

“No!! No, they can’t be dead!” She fell to her knees and covered her face in her hands.  Her screams filled the air across the entire camp. People poked their heads out of their tents. Women ran to comfort the sobbing woman. All were saddened to learn of Iban and Tehwah’s death. The women wailed and cried for the fallen hunters well into the night.  The two elder women Isera and Hodsa of the tribe took the meat and cooked it on the fire with the help of some of the younger children while the adults talked and wept.

Weaha retreated to his tent and kept away from the rest of the clan. His best friend and first cousin Tiroh, a tall lean young man the same age as Weaha, and his other best friend Bahru, who was two season’s older, a bit shorter and thickly built entered Weaha’s tent along with a much younger boy Kal. They came to hear Weaha’s account of the bear attack. Bahru cocked his head and leaned closer noticed that Weaha’s scars were healed and backed away holding his hands in the air.

Weaha swore to them that he was no demon, recalling the bear attack and his strange encounter deep in the woods. “The Great Hunter came from lights in the sky. He appeared as a giant man with antlers of a deer and his skin sparkled like sun on the water. He caught me spying on him from behind a tree. He was planning to eat me, but I begged him not to and he spared my life and healed me if I swore an oath to visit him once again in seven seasons. And after he healed me he transformed into a giant serpent with antlers and slithered away into the forest,” he said attempting to imitate the way the antlers appeared with his hands.

“Were you scared?” said Kal, all wide eyed leaning against Tiroh’s chest.

“Yes, but I was too weak to run.”

“What happens if you don’t keep your promise?”said Bahru.

“The Great Hunter said that if I did not keep my promise he would hunt me down and eat me and there would be a curse upon my family. But he also said that if I obeyed he would make me a great healer. Unfortunately nothing could be done to save Iban and Tehwa,” said Weaha whimpering and covering his eyes with his hand. The boys embraced their weary companion and welcomed him back to the tribe.

                         Chapter 2

The next day the tribe feasted on bear meat and mourned the loss of the two young men. Rumors surrounding the tragedy spread quickly through the tribe. What happened on that hunting trip was big magic and people were scared. Nothing like this had ever happened before. Iwano and Weaha were summoned to the tent of the elders, Aghan, Roteren, and Kess

“Come sit before our fire. You must tell us of your meeting with the Great Hunter,” said chief Aghan, the leader of the tribe. “No one has ever seen him in the flesh before.” He handed them each a bowl of bitter tea that had been boiling on the fire. He sat cross legged across from Weaha, leaning forward. His dark eyes blazing, reflecting the flames.

We’aha took a sip and grimaced, “Ugh.” As he described the events and incredible encounter, the three men shook their heads in amazement. Aghan’s younger brother Kess leaned over and examined Weaha’s face running his fingers across the check and nose. “It’s true, the scar is gone.”

“My scars are gone as well,” said Iwano opening his coat revealing his bare shoulder. “This is where the bear clawed me, yet not a scar.”

Weaha continued the story, but broke down in tears. “I’m sorry Grandfather, I tried to save my cousins by giving them my blood against the command of the Great Hunter.”

“Why did you disobey the Great Hunter?” said Aghan furrowing his brow and shaking his fist at Weaha. “You would risk the wrath of an angry god?”

Roteren stood and grabbed Aghan’s fist before he could strike the boy. “Hold fast dear friend,” he said stepping in between the two using his bulk. “Weaha is a smart boy. He must have had a good reason. Don’t be afraid, tell us why you did this.”

“I was afraid. He was gonna, he was trying,” Weaha stumbled at his words staring at Iwano.

“It was I who begged Weaha to do this. I was mad with grief and tried to kill myself. Forgive me father,” said Iwano crying. “Hit me if you must. It wasn’t Weaha’s fault.”

Aghan’s anger melted and held Iwano to his bosom. The men sat back down. “What sort of curse will befall our tribe? said Kess peeking out the door towards the tree line. “We are at the mercy of an angry god.  

Weaha shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.

Roteren scratched his thick dark beard and said, “Angry gods usually require a sacrifice. Aren’t the lives of Iban and Tehwa enough?”

“Let us hope so, but we must remain vigilant against this curse placed upon us. Go back to your tents,” said Aghan. “We will not tell the others of your disobedience.”

Five days after the bear attack, Tatswack, the younger sister of Domanza, who was engaged to Iban claimed to have seen a man in the woods that looked like Iban. He stunk of death and would not answer when she called out to him. He kept a distance just past the shadows. She claimed his spirit had come back to haunt her. The people of the village were terrified upon hearing this.

The following night people reported seeing two men wandering the darkness just beyond their camp fires. People called out to them, yet there was no answer. Doheen the elder brother of Iwano sat before the communal fire and saw two dark figures standing just past the lights. He grabbed a makeshift torch and crept cautiously towards them. They retreated back towards the tree line, keeping just out of sight. “Tehwa, Iban… Is that you? Come join us at the fire,” he said waving the torch. The two figures said nothing and backed away. Doheen returned to fire with fear in his eyes. His wife ran Sipsa ran to his side and put her hand on his shoulder. “What did you see?”

“I saw two great beasts with the faces of both Iban and Tehwa standing upright like a man, yet they looked more like tall lean bears, growling and panting like hungry wolves,” said Doheen trying to imitate their movements. The little children gasped and clutched their mothers closely.  

That night Weaha, Bahru, and Tiroh sat up tending the communal fire.  Bahru rested his beefy arm around Weaha’s shoulder. “It’s not your fault that Iban and Tehwah are dead. You and Iwano are lucky to have survived a bear attack,” said Bahru

“That’s right, a bear like that can just surprise you out of nowhere. Tehwah shouldn’t have run,” said Tiroh. “Their spirits have no reason to be angry.”

Weaha sat rocking back and forth with his face buried in his hands. The headaches had gotten worse.  The two boys put their arms around Weaha to comfort him. He couldn’t tell them what really happened.

During the wee hours just before dawn, Weaha and his sleepy cousins sat shivering beside the dying fire, staring off into the dark woods. A strange spell overtook Weaha as the world suddenly slowed down till he and everything else was frozen, even the flames. Terror filled his thoughts as the world he knew faded away and was replaced with another. He’d entered a place of dimly lit fog. Everyone had disappeared except for two horribly disfigured beings standing but a few feet away. He stood and called to them. His voice echoed as if in a cave. As they crept closer, Weaha recognized the faces of his dead cousins.

“Weaha what have you done to us?” one of the creatures whispered. “We’re trapped in a nightmare and feel a great hunger. The world is so different now and we’ve followed your scent. We’re changing and losing ourselves. You must do something soon, or it’ll be too late.”

“What can I do? I was told not to help the dead, yet your father begged me. Forgive me.”

“Come closer Weaha. I have a secret to tell you,” said Iban.

As Weaha drew near, Iban let out a low growl. “I want to eat your guts,” said Iban drooling. He appeared to be much taller with deep sunken eyes and a furry hulking body. His arms had grown much longer and his dirty fingers had lengthened into claws. The shock of the image woke Weaha from his trance and he was back sitting beside the dying fire with his companions who were unaware of the vision.  

As dawn broke, Weaha stood, calling the tribe together. The curious faces gathered to hear the important news.

“I’ve done a terrible thing. We must prepare ourselves. Keep the fires burning all night and let it encircle the camp,” said Weaha.

“What terrible thing have you done?” said his aunt Losana grabbing his shoulder.

Weaha cupped his face in his hands. “I’ve given the spirits unrest. It’s my fault,” he said retelling the story in detail as Losana covered her mouth staring at him in horror. “Just now I had a vision. It was Iban and Tehwah. Their spirits told me that they were changing into beasts and that I must find some way to stop them.”

Suddenly a scream interrupted the meeting. Kal ran towards the fire grabbing his mother’s hand. “What’s wrong Kal?” Jiama said taking him into her arms.

“The monsters! I saw the monsters just past the tree line,” he said pointing.

His tribe jumped into action, adults frantically gathering piles of firewood and placed them in the center of camp and built fires around the outer edges. That night, the two grandmothers Hodsa and Isera saw two men just past the light of their campfires. They called out to them, but they walked back into the woods. Each night since the event, different members of the tribe said they saw men past the fires but they didn’t look normal, but took on the appearance of a monstrous beasts, huge,hairy, and bear-like with huge teeth and claws. They never spoke, yet stood glaring at us with hungry eyes, just beyond the light of the fires.

Nine days had passed after the death of Iban and Tehwah. Things had calmed down and it seemed as if the beasts had moved on. The fires were kept burning, but security had become less important. On this one particular night the entire tribe woke up to screams coming from one of the tents. The men grabbed their spears and ran out into the darkness gathered outside of the tent belonging to Weaha’s younger cousin Yasa. The frantic girl stood outside the tent screaming that something entered her tent during the night and snatched her newborn baby.  Her young husband of 13 seasons, Pitu sat holding his distraught wife as the rest of the men made torches and searched the woods looking for the missing baby. A while later Orrin stumbled upon a bloody blanket and what remained of the half eaten baby just past the fires. The tribe looked to the elders for answers, but were told that only Weaha could save them from the vengeful spirits. The woman wailed and cried into the night while the men sat by the fires peering out into the darkness beyond the flames.

The next morning as the tribe mourned, Weaha sat alone outside his tent deep in thought. He had unleashed a curse upon his tribe and now it was up to him to find a solution. If only his father were here, he would know what to do, Weaha thought to himself. Suddenly there was a rustling in the weeds besides his tent. His head jerked up and he spun around. Kesa, Koni’s tall thin wife wearing nothing but a buffalo robe approached him. Her pale skin was covered head to toe in strange symbols scarred into her flesh, and her bright red hair was woven into small branches. Most of the tribe shunned her because they suspected her of being a witch. Years ago, the tribe found her abandoned in the woods tied to a tree and left to die. It was the custom among some tribes to leave a person possessed by demons to die alone in the woods. The elders thought it best to leave her there, but his uncle Koni fought to keep her since his wife Mesala died from snakebite and he needed someone to help raise his two young sons.

His aunt Kesa met his eyes and sat beside him letting the robe fall to the ground, revealing a twisted smile. She dug through the robe and pulled out a small leather pouch. “I have something that might help you, a special magic drink made from mushrooms that can transport you to the land of the spirits. The other’s don’t trust me and suspect me of being a witch, but in the Badger tribe, women become the shaman. I was training to be a shaman when our tribe was attacked by the Singoploli tribe. My sisters were kidnapped and I was left to die. I’m thankful that your uncle Koni took me for his wife and I want to help, but I want something in return.”

“Sure, what do you want me to do?”

“Follow me.” She took his hand and led him deep into the woods where she made a circle of stones and in the middle, she built a small fire. “The others don’t approve of magic potions,” she said placing a handful of dried mushrooms into a small bowl, grinding them into a fine powder and adding water and herbs. “Drink this and the spirits of your ancestors will visit you in a dream,” she said handing him the bowl.

Weaha put the bowl to his lips and drank the bitter mixture. Kesa told him to lie back and stare into the flames. Soon he felt an odd sensation and was whisked away back to that dark shadowy place. Strange beasts marching past him unaware as he stood in their midst, some passing through him like a cloud. The spirits had taken him to the land of the dead. Out of the dark mist a woman with white skin and long black hair appeared before him dressed in unusual thin wispy skins and spoke strange words that he didn’t understand. She took his hand a led him through the dark forest. Near a clearing stood two large hungry beasts snarling and sniffing the air. The beasts were unaware of their presence until she pulled a handful of white powder from a pouch. She scattered the powder around them in a circle. It glowed with a yellow light. The two beasts rose and charged at them, stopping short as if blinded and in pain. They backed off snarling, pacing back and forth looking for a way to attack. They were larger than a bear, furry with large claws and large shiny sharp teeth with an open drooling mouth foaming with disease. The beasts charged again but were afraid to cross it. She reached into her pocket and tasted the powder and instructed Weaha to do the same. He put it on his tongue and he knew it was salt.  She took another handful of the salt throwing it at the beasts causing them to yelp and growl in pain. The woman stepped outside of the protection of the circle and the beasts rushed at her slashing at the air and snarling, but they passed right through her body like a ghost. She walked back, taking Weaha’s hand and gently pulled. Weaha retreated back in fear, but she insisted they approach the beasts who sprang at them, but they passed right through swatting at the air.

Weaha awoke some time later vomiting and thrashing about. His wrists and ankles bound by leather straps tied to stakes hammered into the ground. While he was sleeping, Kesa cut his hand letting him bleed into a clay jar which she buried under a pile of rocks.

“Cut me loose. Why did you tie me up?” he said struggling against the ropes.

“Keep still, I did it to keep you from harming yourself. What did you see Weaha? Did the spirits come to you?” she said running her fingers through his hair.

“Yes, I met a strange woman who showed me that the beasts are afraid of salt. We need to go make salt so,” he gasped as she reached down and felt his groin. He moaned and closed his eyes.

“I want my payment now,” she said sitting on his erection. She picked up a knife and raised it to Weaha’s throat, smiling an evil grin.

“Don’t kill me,” he whispered. His body quivered. His eyes followed the knife as she ran the blade lightly across his arm to his hand. She slashed the strap in one quick motion freeing his hand and placing it upon her breast. He pulled his hand away and looked down, “Koni is a jealous man.”

“He doesn’t have to know,” she said cutting his other hand free. “This is my payment. I want your seed Weaha,” she laughed riding him harder. The sex grew to a climax as Weaha panted and let out a moan and a grunt.

She screamed and collapsed on top of him as the multiple scars etched into her arms, legs and torso faded away until her skin was without a blemish and smooth. The startled woman jumped to her feet rubbing her hands across her body. “What have I done?” she screamed. She donned her robe and ran down the trail back towards camp.

Weaha walked back towards the campsite smelling of sex as a cold drizzle fell upon the forest floor. Kesa’s naked body filled his thoughts along with the fear of Koni finding out what he had done with his wife. Never before had Weaha known the pleasure of a grown woman and the thought made his erection return.

When he returned to camp, the tribe was up in arms. Kesa ran back screaming and told a tale of being scratched by the beasts and Weaha heard her cries for help and healed her wounds. He played along with the lie and told the elders that he had seen another vision. It was decided that the entire village pack up their belongings and head northeast following the buffalo trail towards the sacred salt springs. The rain continued as they trudged through the mud, carrying their meager possessions. It was a long difficult journey for that time of the year and was especially hard on the children and the elderly. In many places on the road, the muddy clay was knee deep.

Late that afternoon Iwano and Doheen noticed a figure up ahead running and staggering towards them in drizzle. The elders ordered the tribe to stop and sent Doheen to investigate. He approached the figure waving his arms and called out, but there was no answer. Doheen confronted a lone pale skinned woman with long dark hair standing listless beside the path wet and shivering. He touched the woman’s arm and she screamed uncontrollably, lashing out at Doheen hitting him in the face. He grabbed her around the waist and she burst into tears.

“Tumanga! Tumanga!  We must run. They killed my friends. I escaped by climbing up a tall tree,” said the woman speaking in a tongue that was similar to his own. “My tribe fought the Tumangas and ran north for their lives.”

“Who are your people?” said Doheen trying to communicate using a common sign language along with his words.

“I am called Malmata. My people are known as the turtle clan from the South.  We were once a great tribe but now we are only five. Illness took out most of us within a season and now it seems the beasts will finish off the last of us if they have not done it already.”

Doheen waved at the tribe to venture forward. The frightened woman described the attacks using the common sign. The tribe upon hearing this were terrified. Weaha spoke up and said that the body must be found and burnt so that it’s spirit be set free.  The tribe searched the area and found the partially eaten body of a young woman in the brush and burnt her in a fire. They made camp at this spot putting the elders and young children in the center while the young men sat at the edge of the circle with torches. Dry wood was hard to find, but they used the hardened sap of the cedar trees to build their fires.

Weaha sat beside his favorite cousins Bahru and Tiroh, each of them taking turns sleeping while the others kept the fires burning.

Sometime during the night strange howls and growls were heard past the fires. Tiroh leaned over and whispered. “Are you afraid?”

The other two boys nodded yes.

“I don’t know how to fight a demon without spears,” said Tiroh

“All we have to fight them with is fire,” said Weaha.

There was a rustling in the brush, then a horrible scream. The boys jumped to the feet and held the torches high. A tall hairy beast nearly twice as tall as a normal man ran towards the boys snarling and barring its teeth. It lunged out at Bahru, but he held steady and jabbed at the beast with his torch. The three of them held the torches before the beast. By this time the entire tribe had awoken. Those on the further side came to join the fight, but Weaha, told them to go back to their places around the circle because the other beast might plan to attack from the other side.

Soon enough screams were heard from the other side of camp. Tiroh turned around and tapped Bahru on the arm.

“The other beast is attacking Pog and Okki.”

“Hold it back! We can’t let it get inside or we’re all dead?” said Weaha.

More screams and then suddenly a howling.

“Ahhhh, get it off me!” cried Pog who was being slashed by on the back by the beast’s claws. Okki hit the beast with his torch and it let out a squeal as it’s fur caught fire and ran back into the wood. The women rushed forward with fire and pulled Pog back into the center. Weaha, Bahru and Tiroh fought the other beast with fire and it soon gave up the fight and ran off into the woods and things grew very quiet.

“Weaha, Pog’s been hurt!” yelled Okki.

Weaha told his cousins to stay put, and he ran to where Pog lay bleeding surrounded by the women of the tribe. He bent down beside Pog and pricked his finger with the tip of his spear till it drew blood. The women watched as the blood dripped down into the wound. Pog lay shaking and sweating on the ground. They watched in amazement as the gaping wound began to rapidly clot and heal.

“Weaha you have powerful magic!” cried Hodsa

“I’ve never seen anything like this before. You have the blood of the Gods,” said Pog’s wife Tanani.

The next day the tribe continued north through the cold rain following the buffalo road.

The weary tribe arrived at the sacred salt springs just before dark. The many roads made by the great hoofed animals were laid bare down to the bedrock and converged upon this site. The beasts kept their distance because of the briny water, but were seen attacking the animals that came to drink at the salt licks.

The tribe set up camp and rested after their long journey. The cold rain had turned to snow overnight and the men of the tribe built small fires surrounding the camp. Groups of three took turns guarding the perimeter.

Early the next morning, the men built a huge bonfire. Salt pans were hung above the fires and the women and children would carry water from the stagnant brine pools and pour it into the pans. As the water would evaporate they would keep replacing it with more and more until it became very salty. On the edges of the pans white salt crystals formed and the women would collect it and place it in oiled skins. The tribe remained here for weeks until they collected a fair amount.

After the tribe had collected enough salt, it was decided that a party of hunters be dispatched to the graves of Iban and Tehwa. The bodies needed to be dug up, burned and covered with salt in order to set their angry spirits free. The party consisting of Weaha, and Iwano, who knew where the graves were located, Doheen and Koni for their tracking abilities, and Ahwei and Roteren who went along for their brute strength and hunting abilities. They traveled south along the buffalo road.

Along the way, the party found the reanimated corpse of a young buffalo calf missing the lower half of its body, crawling through the snow. The men formed a circle around it looking down at the creature as it snorted and struggled to get to its feet.

“What dark magic is this?” said Doheen poking at the calf with the tip of his spear. “This animal should be dead. Look at all the guts trailing behind it.”

“It is an abomination. It’s not natural,” said Roteren bending down to get a closer look. The animal turned its head towards Roteren and screamed in high pitched wails. Roteren jumped away.

“We must kill it!” cried Koni who stabbed it repeatedly with his spear.

The other men joined Koni in stabbing the beast while Weaha bent down took off his pack and pulled out the salt. He tossed some upon the creature who immediately began thrashing about. “I think we need to burn it.”

After setting the corpse afire and watching it burn, Weaha sprinkled the ashes and smoking bones with salt and uttered a sacrificial prayer. “Cursed beast of tainted blood, may the fire and salt purify your flesh and return your soul to the winds. May the Great Hunter aid me in my quest to rid the land of this abomination.”

 Weaha and Iwano found the side trail that led to the small stream where the bodies were buried. In between two large trees Iwano found the two shallow graves that had been dug open. They dug deeper yet never found the bodies.

“Maybe you forgot where you buried them,” said Roteren breathing heavy, his hulking body leaning against his spear.

“No, it was right here between these two trees,” said Weaha shivering putting his hands under his arm pits to warm them.

“I know it is snowy, but he’s right. I helped bury my sons here and this is the spot,” said Iwano examining the two trees. “Look here is my mark I carved in the tree.”

“Maybe they didn’t die but were just wounded.” said Doheen staring suspiciously at Iwano. “Maybe they were mad that you left them behind and have come back seeking revenge by dressing as beasts to scare us.”

“No, the bear killed them both right here. They both grew stiff and cold. They were covered in flies. I swear I watched the bear ripped them to pieces, and we buried them both right here” Iwano said Iwano wiping the tears from his eyes.

“How do we fight something that is already dead?” said Ahwei as his eyes darted back and forth towards the woods.

“We need to get back to the tribe now. We aren’t fighting spirits,” said Roteren pointing north.

As the party headed back retracing their tracks, Koni who was in the lead noticed other tracks in the snow. He stopped in his tracks, turned to the rest of the party and whispered, “We’re being followed.”

The party raced back following the trails. They each carried torches in case they were to be ambushed. Dark grey skies moved in and the wind picked up. Soon snow was falling in heavy wet clumps. It was difficult to see as everything became a blizzard of white. The wind extinguished their torches and they were forced to stop and take shelter in the middle of the day. The men found themselves in a vulnerable position. They needed a fire and a place out of the storm. Koni yelled and pointed towards the woods. Weaha and Roteren were bringing up the rear. Roteren stopped and said he needed to shit. He squatted in the field as Weaha turned and called out to the others to wait. Weaha turned back to look at Roteren when  suddenly a large dark shape sped past him. Weaha heard a yelp and saw the beast tackle Roteren. Weaha called out to the others for help. He ran towards Roteren but found a pile of steaming turds and a trail of blood.

The others followed the sound of Weaha’s voice and found him standing and pointing towards the road.

“Where is my father? cried Ahwei looking at the pile of turds.

“Grandfather stopped for a shit when the beast ran past me and grabbed him.”

There was a muffled scream in the distance and everyone ran with their spears towards the sound. An object lay motionless in the snow. Koni approached it slowly expecting an ambush. As he got closer he realized it was his father. He called out to the others to come quick. Roteren was still breathing. His upper thigh was gushing blood onto the snow. His leg had bite marks where a chunk had been taken from his flesh.

“We need to get him to shelter and stop the bleeding,” cried Weaha as he put pressure on the wound. Weaha cut his finger and allowed his blood to drip into the wound.

Roteren moaned in pain as Doheen and Ahwei carried him on their shoulders. Koni jumped around cursing the beasts that wounded his father. Iwano warned them to keep a level head because the beasts could have easily killed Roteren, instead they wanted him to be injured knowing that it would slow everyone down. This was a trap.

When they reached tree line, the men kicked the snow away and made a crude shelter of compacted snow. Iwano tried in vane to build a fire but the wind kept putting it out. Weaha tried stop the bleeding while everyone else stood guard with their spears in hand. The men used their bodies to block the wind long enough for Iwano to build a fire. They built a wall of snow to block the wind. Once the fire was going Weaha took a burning torch and shoved the fire into Roteren’s wound. He screamed in agony and the flesh seared.

“What are you doing to father?” Doheen screamed as he yanked the torch from Weaha’s hand.

“I’m trying to stop the bleeding. If I don’t he’ll die.” The bleeding did stop, but Weaha sat beside Roteren with a puzzled expression. “My blood should have made the bleeding stop. I don’t understand why it’s not working.”

The snow continued through that afternoon and well into the night. They kept the fire going all through the night and no one slept. The sounds of the beasts growling kept them from venturing far.

The next morning Roteren had taken a fever. His thigh stopped bleeding but now felt hot to the touch. The other men huddled for warmth. They were out of food and cold. The party needed to get back to the tribe. They were vulnerable and the beasts knew it.

Weaha sat pondering the situation. The snow stopped falling and the sun came out. Weaha jumped up waving his arms in the air. “I know what we can do.”

He opened his pack and pulled out the salt he had wrapped in the oil skins. He got the other’s to melt snow over the fire and poured some of the salt into the water. They smeared the salt water over the outside of their coats. The salt should repel the beasts long enough for them to reach the tribe as long as the rain didn’t return.  

The men built a simple sled out of wooden poles bound together with leather straps to carry Roteren across the snow. Once he was securely strapped in, the men gathered their things and struck out across the fields of snow.

They never encountered any sign of the beasts as they headed north, though they know they were being watched. Roteren’s fever was getting worse. Weaha tried putting more blood in his wound, but it did no good.

The men were shivering and by the time they reached the salt licks. The sun was low in the sky and the temperature was dropping. The snow that had started to melt was now refreezing making a hard crunchy shell atop the snow. It was difficult to walk through. Doheen dropped to his knees out of exhaustion when he saw Aghan racing towards the sled followed by the rest of the tribe.

Hodsa and Isera were busy cleaning Roteren’s wound. He was delirious with fever, babbling incoherently. Aghan crouched down beside his fallen comrade holding his large hand tightly. He stared lovingly into his vacant puffy eyes, “Roteren my beloved, do not leave the land of the living. I could not bear for you to depart from us. You must fight this sickness.”

In those days it was not uncommon for men to have an “Urutu,” a male lover, along with a wife. Such relationships strengthened the bonds between families.

The rest of the tribe prepared a trap. These beasts were not angry spirits as they first thought, but hungry beasts risen from the dead. The heavy snows stopped and the skies cleared. When night came, the tribe made a semicircle trail of salt and in the center they tied two live rabbits each to a tree. They waited and waited to see if the beasts would grab the rabbits while everyone else stood outside with skins full of brine.

Later near dawn a cracking noise broke the quiet and everyone was awakened. As the two beasts closed in on the squirming rabbits. The tribe soaked their clothes in fresh brine and completed the circle as the great bear-like beasts snarled and pawed at the ground. They closed in, but the beasts seemed blinded. People tossed the briny water upon the beasts and as it hit their flesh, they screamed in agony. The salt water both burned and blinded the beasts but did not kill them. They stabbed at them with spears, but even that did not kill them.

“We must burn them. Its the only way!” cried Aghan.

Blinded by the salt and wounded, the men grabbed burning logs from the fire and poked at the fur trying to light it on fire. Grease was tossed and the flames took to the fur. They roared and screamed with the most terrifying sounds. Soon the fire overtook them and they collapsed to the ground in a smoldering heap. The bodies were drug to the fire pit and burnt to ashes. Salt was placed on the ashes and buried with a huge mound of dirt.

The next morning they searched the surrounding area for the remaining members of the turtle clan, but found no one. The mutilated corpses of dead or dying animals were burnt, covered in salt and buried. Perhaps they escaped the beasts, but a lingering fear remained and was talked about in whispers.

Two days later, the mighty hunter Roteren died of the fever. Before he died, his body had begun a transformation. His teeth grew longer and his body hair grew thick and dark. Long claws grew in place of nails. His body was placed upon a funeral pyre, burnt and his ashes were covered with salt and buried. It was a terrible blow to the tribe and Aghan was beside himself with grief. From that time onwards, Weaha was revered as a great powerful medicine man among his people. Once again peace returned to the tribe and the beasts did not return.

                          Chapter 3

Seven summers and eighty six moons had passed since Weaha encountered the Great Hunter. His healing abilities eventually ended after two summers. Now a bit older, wiser and a few inches taller he prepared his packs of herbs and bladders of water for the long journey ahead. Bahru, his cousin and best friend swaggered into the tent and slapped him on the shoulder.

“Are you prepared to meet the Great Hunter?”said Bahru putting his fists in the air. Weaha rolled his eyes and grunted. “What would happen if you decide not to go?” he said.

“Oh I’ve considered it, but I’ve made an oath to the Great Hunter and he said if I didn’t return, a curse would be upon the entire tribe.”

“Well you aren’t going alone. Tiroh and Isa have volunteered to join you. May the ancestors keep you safe and well,” said Bahru. He punched Weaha with a friendly jab, gave him a big hug. Weaha gathered his things into a leather pouch, grabbed his spear and walked outside the tent towards the communal fire.

Pukawa handed her son a bundle jerky and dried persimmons. Tiroh bent down to hug his mother and she slapped him on the back. “Promise you will keep your wits about you,” she said squeezing him tight.

“I promise, I’ve always done as you’ve taught me,” he said picking up his spear. Weaha approached the fire dressed in warm bear coat carrying skins of water and a spear.    

Isa, a short, thin framed boy stood quietly beside the fire already packed and ready to go. His head was downcast as he shuffled his feet and kicked at the dirt. The tribe gathered to wish them well and waved goodbye as the three set off on a two day journey to the east. The little ones ran along with them to the edge of the camp giggling and tugging at their packs.

Weaha and Tiroh walked side by side down the buffalo road to the east joking and throwing rocks at the squirrels. Isa lagged behind dragging his feet with his head hung low.

“What’s wrong with Isa?” said Weaha glancing behind.

“He decided to come along, since Koni got mad and punched him last night,” said Tiroh grunting. You didn’t hear them fighting?”

“No, what was it about?” said Weaha.

“It was over a stupid piece of meat. Koni called him a greedy coyote for taking the last piece of liver and tossed him out. He slept in our tent last afraid to go back. I asked him to join us,” said Tiroh.

“Maybe he should go back. It’s not safe walking alone. The big toothed cat likes to pick those who walk alone,” said Weaha.

“He’ll be fine. He’s just a little sad right now,” said Tiroh.

Soon the trail widened and the men were walking through grassy meadows. They knew this was the best place to find plenty of rabbits and deer. Tiroh and Weaha stopped beside the trail and lay prone in the tall grass. Soon Isa caught up.

“What are you doing?” said Isa crouching down beside them.

“Shhhh, We don’t want to scare the rabbits,” said Tiroh.

“I’ll get him with my spear,” said Isa.

“No, we need them alive. I have to sacrifice them on that hilltop,” said Weaha.

“My father taught me how to make a snare. You have to set it on a rabbit run. We’re watching the trails the rabbits take.” said Tiroh as Isa laid down on the grass beside them.  

After setting several traps, the men caught four live rabbits, and placed them in baskets that Tiroh’s father Tam had made for them. They spent the rest of the day following the trail made by the Great Beast of the North who drinks from his nose. They realized it would be dangerous if one of these beasts should happen upon them with such a small hunting party. Isa spotted fresh dung on the trail that led towards the salt streams to the north. They continued to follow the trail that led farther east. As it was getting dark, a gibbous moon rose in the eastern sky. Weaha studied the moon and scratched his head.

“We have two days at the most to reach the sacred place before the rutting moon. I think we should make camp here.” said Weaha.

Fine with me. My stomach is empty and roasted rabbit would be great right now,” said Tiroh rubbing his belly.

“You are always hungry Tiroh,” said Isa. “You should be like me. I don’t need much food.”

“Big strong hunters like me need to eat a lot,” said Tiroh pounding his chest. “We should kill two.”

“Sorry Tiroh, The Great Hunter demanded three. We will find more tomorrow,” said Weaha patting Tiroh’s shoulder.

They built a small fire and roasted one of the rabbits. The savory smell filled the air. After eating, Weaha and Tiroh slept beside the fire as Isa kept the fire going. Not long after sundown, strange sounds were heard in the darkness.  The two boys woke up and stared into the darkness, unable go back to sleep. The strange screams and grunts continued as they sat back to back with clutching their spears.

The next morning strange footprints similar to a bear were found just outside the range of the fire. Tiroh suggested that whatever it was, could be stalking them, which left them with unease. The trail of the great toothed beast veered north after crossing a small stream. Weaha remembered to follow the stream eastward for the rest of the journey.

Later that afternoon Isa spotted a turkey and aimed his spear at it when Weaha grabbed the boy’s arm. “Shhhhh be very quiet,” Weaha whispered pointed towards the left. They crouched down in the tall grass and saw a large black hairy beast. It wasn’t a bear but tall and thinner with long arms with huge sharp claws at the ends of its paws reaching past its knees. It walked upright like a man covered in fur and had a human face.

“What is that Weaha?” Tiroh whispered straining his neck to get a better look.

“It looks just like the beasts we killed long ago except more human-like.”

“What! …But we killed those beasts. We burned them and buried them in salt!” cried Isa shaking.

“Maybe there are others,” said Weaha. “Remember the missing turtle clan?”

“But didn’t Malmata say there were only five left including herself?” Said Tiroh.

“That was 84 moons ago. We would have encountered them if they were still around,” said We’aha.

“Who else could it be?” said Isa.

“I don’t know, but if it is the same kind of beast, then we are in great danger,” said Weaha

Weaha thought fast and grabbed his bag. “I’ve brought salt for food. We need to mix it with a little water and rub it all over our bodies. It may help us. The only problem is that we will stand out and be visible to the beast at all times. If it gets too close we’ll need to throw the salt water on it.”

It was getting late and Weaha stressed that he had less than a day to reach the sacred hill. The beasts did not seem to notice them and wandered off into the forest. The party hurried east beside the stream. Further up the trail they came upon a deadfall. As they were climbing over top it, Tiroh fell through and landed with a thud.

“Ahhhh, I can’t get up,” he cried. “I’m stuck.”

“Can you walk?” said Weaha climbing down towards him.

“No, I need help getting out,” said Tiroh on his back, his legs above him caught in the branches. They crawled through the dense brambles and dragged Tiroh to a clearing. Tiroh tried to stand, but he fell to the ground holding his ankle.

“I guess we will have to stay here for the night. Tiroh can’t walk and it will soon be dark,” said Weaha looking around to see if anything was watching.

“This is not a safe place. We can’t build a fire here and we can be easily attacked,” said Tiroh.

The boys struggled to get Tiroh to a clearing farther east. Suddenly Weaha looked around confused. “This is the place where we were attacked seven seasons ago. I remember that big white tree. That’s where we buried Iban and Tehwa. We can camp here for the night,” said Weaha.

That night they heard the same strange noises farther to the north. Beside a small fire the boys rubbed their skins in the salty mixture. They sat cowering around a blazing fire staring off into the darkness. None of them could sleep the entire night.

The next morning they awoke to a thick fog. Tiroh’s leg had swollen twice its normal size, was red and hot to the touch.

“Can you stand?” asked Weaha.

“No, it hurts to move my leg. I will need your help to continue,” said Tiroh gritting his teeth.

Weaha looked around grimacing and said, “If I take you with me, I will not make it to the sacred hill in time to meet the Great Hunter. I’m afraid I’m going to insist that you both stay here until I return.”  

The two men looked at each other with their mouths open as if they couldn’t believe what Weaha had just said. “What should we do if the beasts should return? I can’t fight them alone,” said Isa getting up in Weaha’s face shrugging his shoulders. “No, you can’t leave us here alone, please,” he begged. Isa sat down beside Tiroh pouting and shaking his head.

I’ll take the rabbits and go alone from here. Take the rest of my things and keep the fire going. Do not leave each other’s side. I’ll be back as soon as I can, I promise,” He waved and walked away feeling guilty for leaving his friends.

Isa made a big fire and the men sat back to back with spears in their hands. Weaha ran following the deer trails for a long ways. Suddenly he heard a noise in the woods moving towards him. It was a beast sniffing the air. He covered himself with fallen leaves to conceal his glowing salt soaked skins. The beast caught a deer and ate it not far from where Weaha lie. He lay motionless not making a sound. He tried to calm the rabbits who were stirring in their cages. The beast turned and looked in Weaha’s direction. He readied his spear. The beast looked around but continued to hover around the carcass.

The sun sunk low in the sky. Weaha knew that he didn’t have much time. In the sky to the east a strange bunch of lights like fireflies hung in the sky where a red moon rose on the horizon. Just over that ridge is where I met the Great Hunter he thought. He heard something rustling in the brush and saw the dark beast moving north.

Weaha took his chance and sprinted through the woods towards the lights carrying the rabbits and his spear. Somehow the beast caught his scent and followed close behind. Weaha could hear the footsteps behind him, but he did not dare turn to look but kept running with the rabbit cages banging against his thighs. Near the top of the hill a glowing mist lowered beneath the trees. He heard the beast behind him growling. The beast stopped short, shielding its eyes from the light. Weaha tried to catch his breath as he stood below a cloud of fire. One by one, he took a rabbit from its cage and slit its throat upon the rocks. The rabbits thrashed and kicked as blood ran red in pools. He backed away from the rocks as the cloud descended on the dying rabbits.  The corpses of the three rabbits were consumed by a bright yellow light and merged into one being. It transformed into that of a large naked man with a set of antlers perched on his head as before. The trees closest to the being burst forth in flower and grew green. Insects and birds nearby sang their mating songs. The air was filled with the smell of musk and flowers. The Great Hunter strutted around the rocks as in rut, stroking his erect phallus.

“Take off your shoes young hunter. Remember, you stand on sacred ground. You’ve honored your oath to me, so I have another gift to offer you. Come forward young hunter. Do not be afraid,” he said softly.

As he crept closer, Weaha became sexually aroused and confused. The Great Hunter smiled seductively and placed his left hand on Weaha’s shoulder and with his right hand, he placed his index finger on Weaha’s lower lip.

“Don’t be afraid. You are to receive a great gift, but first you must bite my finger and sever the joint and devour it,” said the Great Hunter in a whisper.

Weaha was hesitant, but did as he was instructed and tasted the blood on his tongue as he bit down hard. As he swallowed, it made him feel faint and dizzy. Weaha experienced an uncontrollable ejaculation and slumped to his knees.

“Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh, blood of my blood. You now have the blood of ancients flowing through your body. From this day onward, you shall become the first of a new people unique beyond all others. You will never grow old. But you alone have been given a magical sign. It can take you places that no mortal man can go, and you will do things no mortal man can ever do, but first you must rid the land of the abomination that one from among your tribe has created. Because of this, there is now a curse set loose upon the land. In the mountains to the east, you can find a white metal, when mixed with my blood and swallowed, it can protect anyone from the beasts. If the white metal comes into contact with the open wounds of the beasts, it will kill them instantly. A messenger has been sent to guide you on your quest. Now go quickly to your fellow hunters. They are in danger of being bitten by the abominations. If they are bitten you must give them the mixture before the third sunrise or else they will become a beast themselves. If you give them the blood mixture between the third sunrise, and the third sunset, it is best to kill them because they will become something much worse. Heed my warning young hunter. Go now to your friends,”

He raised his right hand and exposed a glowing symbol embedded in the palm. At that moment, Weaha felt a sharp pain in his own palm and a similar design burned into his flesh. The Great Hunter shook his head waving his massive antlers and let out a mighty roar. He grew taller and brighter until his flesh was covered in shiny scales. He transformed into a massive horned serpent slithering away into the forest. All the plants in the area surrounding the Great Hunter burst forth in fruits and dropped their now colorful leaves that turned brown upon hitting the ground. Weaha collapsed and awoke minutes later, still groggy, but his body felt different. The palm of his right hand hurt and looked red with a six sided figure scarred into the flesh. The beast that was behind him was now gone and must have fled into the woods. The sun had gone down and a full moon rose bright red in the eastern sky.  

Back at the campsite both boys faced in opposite directions with their backs to a small fire. Tiroh’s leg had become bright red and swollen. He moaned and rocked his body back and forth from the pain. Strange growls could be heard in the distance.

Isa sat up and looked around. “Shouldn’t Weaha be back by now?” said Isa shivering.

“I don’t know how far he had to go. But we will wait as long as we have to,” said Tiroh.

“What happens if doesn’t come back? said Isa.

“If he isn’t back by tomorrow morning, then we assume he is dead. The beast will hunt us down if we stay too long.” said Tiroh.

The full moon rose high in the sky casting eerie shadows across the ground. The fire started to die down and Isa rose to his feet.

“I need to gather more firewood. We need to keep the fire going,” said Isa crouching low and looking around.

“Please hurry back. The growling isn’t far off,” said Tiroh moving closer to the fire.

Isa tiptoed through the brush. It was not so difficult to see past the fire since the moon was quite bright. Isa spotted a fallen limb lying beside the stream. As he picked up the wood, Isa heard Tiroh screaming.

“Ahhhhh ahhhh, Isa, the beasts have found me!”

There was a scuffle coming from the camp. Isa could see the flickering light from the fire and a large dark figure lunging back and forth.

Isa put down the log but tripped over a root and fell into the stream with a big splash. Isa stood in waist high water and crouched low. The motion stopped and Tiroh yelled, “It’s coming your way Isa.”

Weaha ran through the forest and saw Tiroh sitting beside a dying fire poking at some huge beast with a torch.

“Go away! Ahhhh ahhh!” yelled Tiroh.

Weaha reached Tiroh with his arms raised, yelling at the beast. As he got closer, a bright light shone from the palm of the right hand and blinded the beast.

“Weaha, Isa’s down by the stream being stalked by the other one. Hurry!” said Tiroh pointing.

By the time Weaha reached the stream he heard a thrashing in the water and screaming. The beast was in the water slashing at Isa as he beat it with a stick. The beast lurched forward and grabbed Isa and nipped his upper arm and shoulder. Weaha ran into the water and shone the light from his hand and blinded the beast which sent it howling into the woods.

“Isa, Isa are you alright?” said Weaha.

Isa waded to the bank clutching his shoulder.

“It would have surly eaten me if you had not gotten here when you did,” said Isa shaking. The two boys hugged each other tight.

“We must get back to Tiroh,” said Weaha. The two boys ran back to the fire to find Tiroh breathing heavily.

“Oh thank the ancestors, you’ve been spared,” said Tiroh.

As they sat down Tiroh realized that Isa was injured.“You’re bleeding!” said Tiroh reaching for his shoulder.

“I got bit, but not too bad,” said Isa.

Weaha examined the wound and saw the bloody teeth marks.“We need to patch this up.” Weaha took out his pouch of healing herbs and sprinkled the herbs directly on the wound. Then he took a piece of thorny vine and pricked his finger, letting the blood drip into the wound.

“Did you meet the Great Hunter? We were so worried,” said Tiroh.

The blood bubbled at first, then nothing happened. Weaha expected the wound to heal. “The Great Hunter gave me once again the gift of healing and this.” He held out his hand for both Tiroh and Isa to see.

“What is this image on your hand. It glows like an orange fire,” said Tiroh.

“It’s a gift from..” Weaha said interrupted in mid sentence.

“Ahhhhhhh, it hurts. It hurts!” screamed Isa grabbing his shoulder.

Weaha looked and saw that the wound was not healing but growing worse.

“Tiroh let me see your leg,” said Weaha.

Tiroh took the moss off the wound on his leg and Weaha pricked his finger and let a drop of blood fall into the scrapped skin. Almost immediately the skin scabbed over and healed.

“Why isn’t my shoulder healing? You put your blood in it also,” said Isa stamping his feet kicking at the dirt.

“You’ve been bitten by the beast. The Great Hunter told me we need to find the white metal in the mountains to the East in order to heal you. But in order for this to work, we need to do this before the third sunrise, or it won’t work.”

Weaha and his companions sat staring into the flames as Weaha reenacted his encounter by jumping and lying on the ground. He stood waving his arms in the air and grunted. The boys’ eyes got big and held each other tight. “And right before I left, The Great Hunter said that he will send a messenger to lead us.”

Once the story had been told, the men huddled by the fire all through the night as the hungry beasts snarled and passed just out of range of our fires.

The next morning they were awoken by the sound of an unaga, or giant sloth, reaching high into the branches of a chestnut tree. It seemed unconcerned with the boys who were within a throwing distance. It was nearly as big as the long toothed beast who drank with his nose

“How do you feel Tiroh?” Said Weaha checking the bandage. The wound was no longer red and hot to the touch.

“Much better, I think I feel well enough to walk,” said Tiroh. But Isa did not look so well. During the night he developed a fever and the wound on his shoulder turned a bright red.

“We need to go now. We have less than two days to find this white metal,” said Weaha.

“Where is this messenger? Unaga, are you are messenger?” Isa said calling out to the large sloth. It ignored Isa and kept on eating. Isa picked up a rock threw it at the great beast who turned to look, but kept eating.  

The three boys headed East towards the rising sun and the mountains beyond. A solitary crow flew just ahead of them. It perched upon a fallen tree and watched them curiously. Isa turned to Tiroh pointing.“That’s a funny bird. Look how he stares at us.”

The crow followed them down the side of a hill and they came to another small stream where giant beavers were gnawing on small trees. Tiroh decided to spear one of the rodents as it raced to the safety of the stream, but the crow became upset and dove at Tiroh, cawing and scolding.

“That crow is funny. He seems mad at Tiroh ever since he left the trail,” said Isa laughing.

“What do you mean?” said Weaha.

“Well, this crow is the same one we saw earlier. Could this crow be our messenger?”  

Weaha squinted and cocked his head and said, “I’d assumed our messenger would be a man, but I suppose he could just as well be a bird. Crow, if you’re our messenger, then show us the way.” The crow cawed and squawked at them, then flew towards the east and they followed. “I think we have our answer.”

_____________________________________________

                            Chapter 4

As the day grew on, Tiroh quickly regained his full health, Isa continued to grow weaker and struggled to keep up. His eyes were red and puffy and he groaned in pain. Weaha looked back at Isa and shook his head, “You must keep up Isa. We still have a long way to go and we can’t see the crow at night.”

“I need to rest just for bit,” Isa said plopping to the ground.  

Tiroh checked his pack for food, but they’d eaten the rest of their pemmican during the night and hunger made Tiroh’s stomach growl. “I wish I’d killed the beaver,” he said rubbing his gut.

The boys sat on the cold ground as the sky darkened and the wind picked up. The crow flew down from a branch and swooped low over the boys cawing loudly. “We need to get going. A storm is coming,” said Weaha pulling Isa to his feet.

They continued to follow the crow who flew in short bursts and sometimes hopped on the ground in front of them. The boys walked in single file up the side of a steep hill, Tiroh leading the way. Weaha turned and saw Isa shuffling his feet. His was falling far behind and Weaha ran back putting his arm around Isa’s waist urging him onwards.

Late that afternoon a steady rain had washed away the salt from their clothes and left them vulnerable. As the hills grew steeper, the boys struggled and slid on the muddy deer trail. Tiroh took a knee and motioned for Weaha to be still. Two deer were busy eating buds from a small tree. Tiroh took aim with his spear, but something spooked the deer and they ran off into the brush. Tiroh ran his palm down the side of his face and growled. Hunger made them weak and desperate for food.

Night came quickly and the soggy boys made a crude shelter by stringing their deer skins between two trees. Weaha managed to build a small fire with tinder and small dry branches he’d collected on the trail. Tiroh was busy overturning rocks but all he could find to eat were a few worms and bugs. Their spirits were low as their hunger grew. Isa was overtaken with a bad fever and sweats. Weaha didn’t see how they were going to make the journey the way things were. They struggled to keep the fire going through the rainy night for lack of dry wood. During the night something made crunching sounds in the underbrush. The wide eyed boys sat huddled together shaking in the cold. Isa let his head rest against Weaha’s chest as Tiroh sat poking at the fire.

“Tell me a story Weaha. The one about Basuzama,” said Isa looking up in Weaha’s eyes.

“You sure? That’s a scary story,” said Weaha holding him close.

“Yes, that is one of my favorites,” Isa said snuggling closer.

“Well then, Once many, many moons ago before the mountains of ice swallowed the land, our people lived across the Apsion mountains on the banks of the great waters. There lived a young hunter named Basuzama. He wasn’t a big man, nor was he the fastest, but he was a clever man.  

During the Moon of Wolves, the great leader Patua, led a band of six hunters deep into the woods, well beyond the normal hunting grounds because game had become scarce. They’d traveled days without food. It had been the worst winter the tribe had ever encountered. One night as the men sat huddled by a small fire, a strange man dressed in odd skins stumbled out of the brush bleeding from a head wound. His arms bound together with leather straps.

Patua welcomed the man to come sit by the fire. The man said that he and his companions had been captured by a tribe of cannibals. Upon hearing this, the hunters were scared,” Weaha said looking back and forth at his companions.

Tiroh’s eyes grew big and he grabbed his spear as he sat looking off into the dark woods.

Weaha resumed telling the story. “During the night, the wind picked up and heavy snow fell. The fire blew out. A terrible crashing sound was heard echoing in the distance. There were terrible screams and a struggle took place. In the chaos, young Basuzama got separated from his clan and hid inside the hollow of a fallen tree.

The next morning Basuzama awoke shaking and cold. He was alone. There were signs of a struggle with blood staining the white snow where the fire once blazed.

He followed the trail through the woods that led to an encampment in a clearing. He watched quietly from a safe distance and saw his friends hanging upside down in the trees. Four foul looking men were cooking a man over a fire.

Basuzama being a small boy armed with only a spear sat wondering how he could free his comrades. Then an idea came to him.

He busied himself constructing decoys in the shape of men with pine boughs and fallen limbs in a row safely beyond sight of the camp. Once he had made a dozen or so, he made fires behind the figures and placed lit torches on them as if they were holding them in their hands. Basuzama made loud noises and beat upon the rocks to attract the attention of the cannibals.  

When the cannibals saw the figures in the distance holding their torches, it looked like they were outnumbered. Basuzama ran around to the other side of their camp and found his comrades being watched by one of the men. He crept up quietly and stabbed the brute as he sat. Basuzama cut his friends loose, grabbed spears the cannibals had left at the campsite and went on to attack the other three cannibals ambushing them once they returned to the camp. Basuzama though just a small boy, had saved his friends from certain death. He went on to become a great chief of the northern clan. How do you feel Isa?” said Weaha looking down at Isa who was fast asleep.

“I like that story Weaha. Do you think there are really cannibals like that?” said Tiroh staring out into the woods.

“Not anymore. That was long ago. We have more dangerous things to worry about. You try to get some sleep. I’ll take first watch.”

At first light, the crow flew down from the branches above them and cawed. The boys quickly broke camp. Isa didn’t look good. His skin was red and hot to the touch.

“I’m dying aren’t I Weaha?” said Isa weakly.

“You have to keep going Isa. It’s the only way you can be saved,” said Weaha shoving his shoulder.

“I’ll just slow you down. Maybe you should just leave me.”

“We can’t leave you here to become a beast. Get up cousin,” cried Tiroh. “I’ll carry you if I have to.”

“Maybe it’s best you kill me now,” he said crying.

“Get up! You’re coming with us,” said Weaha pulling him up to his feet.

The crow was already frantic cawing and swooping low. It knew time was short. The boys headed east, going downhill. The woods opened up to meadows and soon their feet caked with mud as they tramped through the marshy fields of cane. Once they reached the end of the cane field, the crow refused to move. It sat at the base of a cane and pecked and squawked.

“What do you want crow? We aren’t at the cave yet,” said Weaha furiously waving his hands. “Keep going!” he said throwing a rock.

“Maybe he wants us to take some of the cane,” said Tiroh who walked over to the cane and bent it over breaking it in half. The crow seemed satisfied and continued towards the tree line.

By midday on the second day after the attack, they’d reached the foothills of the Apsion mountains. The crow led them to a stream where Tiroh was able to catch two fish. It was the first food since their rations ran out two days before. They stopped and made a small fire. Tiroh shoved a stick through one of the fish and handed it to Weaha.

“The beast follows us just beyond sight. He’s waiting to catch one of us alone,” said Weaha. “It knows that Isa is weak and barely able to walk.”

“How are you feeling, Isa?” asked Tiroh.

“Not good. Feels like my skin’s crawling with bugs. I feel very hot and terribly hungry. That fish smells so good. Everything smells overpowering,” he said.

Weaha roasted the fish over the fire and gave some to Isa who gobbled it down growling and slobbering. Tiroh sat down on a log beside him roasting his own fish. He stared at Isa curiously cocking his head. Isa had sprouted dark thick hairs on his face and arms.

The crow led them further to the east, higher and higher. The land grew steep forcing to climb over boulders and fallen trees that covered the mountains and then down into deep valleys. Dark hair now covered Isa’s body and his voice became rough. The boys realized they didn’t have much time. The encountered a raging river at the bottom of a deep valley and couldn’t find a way to cross. “What can we do now?” asked Tiroh leaning over the edge.

“The water’s too fast and deep. We could get swept away,” Weaha looked downstream and saw an old dead tree. “Maybe we can push that dead tree over and cross to the other side.”

They ran to the tree and pushed and shoved but the tree wouldn’t budge. Tiroh found a long log and used it to pry the tree loose from the ground. Finally it got loose and the men were able to push the tree across to the other side. The men had Isa walk across first, then Tiroh then Weaha, but as Weaha was crossing he slipped and fell into the swift icy water.

“We must get Weaha!”said Tiroh running down the bank.  Weaha was caught up in the swift current, falling and tumbling over rocks and branches. Tiroh sprinted ahead of Weaha and stuck a long branch in ahead of him. “Grab the branch!”  

Weaha snagged a limb and was able to pull himself out, but his leg was busted up. He feel back to the ground groaning in pain. Tiroh made a cane for Weaha, but his leg was broken.

Weaha and Isa sat huddled together on the boulders. Tiroh made camp and built a fire. Weaha’s leg was healing quickly but not fast enough to make the journey up the other side of the mountain. Isa feel into a deep sleep as Tiroh eyed him with suspicion. He looked over at Weaha and just shook his head and sighed.

Isa’s fever raged on. He spoke in grunts and moans. The crow was frantically pecking at Weaha’s feet. Tiroh sat with his head cradled in his hands. Weaha poked him with a stick.

“You need to go alone cousin. It’s up to you now to find the special metal. We are nearly out of salt, so you take it. I can protect Isa.”

Tiroh didn’t say a word, but got to his feet, walked to the river’s edge and smeared his body with salt water. He looked over at Weaha pouting, then grabbed his spear and followed the crow up over the next mountain. It had been well over two days since Isa was attacked by the beast and his mind was wandering. He’d grown a bit larger and hair covered his body to where he looked a bit of a brute. Weaha realized that he might have to kill Isa if Tiroh did not return in time.

                              Chapter 5

Tiroh reached the top of the ridge line late that afternoon and was exhausted. The crow led him down the other side of the mountain to a very steep cliff overlooking a great valley. The crow no longer flew but hopped across the ground flapping its wings. The crow hopped in circles refusing to go further. “I don’t see anything,” the boy cried. The crow cawed and stood in front some rocks beside the cliff. Covered by a dense thicket, he looked among the brush and found the opening to a very small cave.

“How am I supposed to get in there? It’s not much bigger than a rabbit hole,” he cursed. Tiroh was a big guy and not used to small spaces. He dug at the entrance pulling away rocks and debris until it widened. He cursed Weaha with every breath. Confined dark spaces was one of his greatest fears. Once the hole was bigger, he built a small fire and lit the end of a long stick wrapped with pieces of skin coated in pine resin he collected from the trees making a torch. He got down on his hands and knees  trying to squeeze his body through the small opening. He got stuck once and panicked. He wiggled his bulk dislodging rocks and dirt. Once inside, the opening widened so that he was able to eventually stand up. It was dark, but his torch put out enough light to see. He searched the cave making sure not to get too far from the opening. Exploring a bit further he saw a faint glow. As he drew near, it appeared to be a man surrounded in light.

“What are you?” Tiroh said backing away.

Suddenly the man emitted a brilliant glow that lit up the cave. “I am the messenger. You followed me to this cave. Hurry, you have little time to spare. These rocks contain the substance you need to help your friend,” he said pointing to a band of dark colored stripes in the rocks.

He grabbed as much of the substance that he could carry in his pouch and squeezed out the narrow entrance. Tiroh crawled out on his hands and knees. He stood and found the man already outside standing beside his fire. Tiroh reached out to touch the man, but his hand passed through him as if he were a cloud. Tiroh recoiled stumbling backwards almost falling off the cliff.

“Don’t be afraid, I’m merely a spirit sent to guide you on your quest. Follow my instructions and you shall extract the silver from the rocks. Time is short.”

The spirit instructed Tiroh to build a crude oven by stacking rocks forming a hollow in the middle where a fire was to be built. He then told Tiroh to crush one of the rocks he had found in the cave into a fine powder, adding salt, and crushed rocks with shells. He built a huge fire and cooked the rock. He went back into the cave and found various bones of the animals that were long killed by some predator. He built a big fire and cooked the bones until they became ash. The spirit instructed him to build a second fire and cook the melted rock upon a bed of powdered bone ash. Once the long cooking was completed, Tiroh had produced a small amount of the shiny white metal.

The spirit turned towards Tiroh and said, “My work is done. Go forth and save your friend before it is too late.” The spirit leaned towards the valley below and transformed back into a crow and flew off.

As Tiroh was preparing to climb down the mountainside, he heard a low growl and turned to see a saber toothed cat ready to pounce. He ran to the dying fire and picked up a burning branch. “Ha Ha Ha! back away!” He waved the stick and the cat retreated back into the woods. “Great Hunter, please help me to reach my friends in time.”

An entire day had passed and it was getting dark. Weaha realized that three days had passed. Isa was changing and time had almost run out. Weaha decided it best to bind Isa’s hands and feet. Isa was delirious with fever and started to growl and fight the bindings.  His front teeth were growing longer and his fingernails were becoming claws. Weaha contemplated having to kill Isa and prayed for Tiroh to return.

Tiroh worked tirelessly through the night at the instruction of the messenger. Once he had produced the first piece of pure silver, Tiroh packed the remaining rocks in his pack and followed the glowing messenger struggling through the dense underbrush. It was nearly dawn by the time he climbed back down the other side of the mountain. The sky was getting lighter by the time he heard the gurgling of the river. Tiroh called out to his friends. “Weaha, Im back! Where are you?”  

Weaha called out, “Over here! Hurry we haven’t much time.”

Seconds later, the first rays of the sun shone down into the valley, the messenger told Tiroh to run, but vanished at the break of day. Tiroh found the two men lying beside the dying fire. Isa lay prostrate on the ground with his legs and arms bound tightly with leather straps.

“Did you find the metal?”said Weaha grabbing at Tiroh’s pack  

“Yes, the messenger showed me how to make silver from the rocks. He dug inside his pouch and showed them to his friends. “The messenger also said that you are to grind a small piece of silver into dust and add it to hot salty water along with your blood. You are give this mixture to the rest of the tribe to protect them from the beasts.” Tiroh handed a small piece of silver to Weaha.

Isa complained that the silver looked almost too bright to look at and turned away. “It hurts! It hurts,” he cried.

“Isa, this is what you need,” said Weaha cutting his finger. He let the blood drop into Isa’s wound and shoved the silver in as well. Isa rolled violently on the ground and began to shake and then curled up in a ball, but then that morning… he died, or so they thought. He became cold and stiff. They stood helpless looking at their cousin.

“Why did he have to die? I think I was too late,” cried Tiroh punching a tree. “I’ve failed him, dear cousin,” he said sitting on the ground holding his head in his hands. The boys covered Isa with skins and planned to bury him the next morning.  Tiroh showed Weaha how to make a kiln as the messenger had taught him and they proceeded to smelt the rest of the silver ore before heading back. They could see the beasts just past the fire, snarling and roaring. Weaha let Tiroh sleep the rest of the day as he made the last of the silver.

That night as Tiroh sat guarding the camp, he heard a rustling of leaves and a low moan coming from where Isa lay covered. Tiroh shook Weaha from his sleep and he jumped up in terror thinking the beasts had penetrated the fires.

“Weaha, I hear a noise.” They walked over to the body and Tiroh noticed a twitching of Isa’s fingers. Then he slowly started to wake up as if he had been in a deep sleep.

“Isa, how do you feel? We thought you were dead,” said Tiroh taking his hand.

“Isa looked into their eyes and said, “I feel good. Did you get the silver to me in time?” he said smiling.

“I think so dear cousin. I think you are going to live,” Weaha said hugging Isa.

The next morning, Weaha’s leg had completely healed and though Isa had recovered, something was different. His body hair fell out and he seemed like his normal self, except he kept out of the sunlight wrapped up tightly in deer skins. That afternoon, they noticed Isa’s skin had turned an odd grayish blue color. He never became a beast past the third day as the great warrior has predicted, but Weaha was starting to wonder if it was something much worse. Tiroh caught fish in the creek, but Isa refused to eat.

The boys gathered their things and headed west towards the forested valleys. Isa shuffled along lagging behind them. He hid his face away from the sun light under the deer skins. His skin lost its natural tan color and if the sun were to shine on any part of his skin, it would immediately turn black leaving him screaming in agony.

It was mid day when the boys reached the edge of the cane fields. A herd of mastodon, similar to the Great Beast of the North, the tribe called the “Garoot,” were marching north towards the great river. Weaha signaled to the others to hide in the canes until they passed. Tiroh sat on the soggy ground and put his arm around Isa.

“We are waiting for the Garoot to pass. Is there anything we can do to make you feel better?”

“I’m so hungry it hurts,” Isa said whimpering and shaking under the deer pelt. Tiroh reached in his pouch and pulled out a piece of smoked fish and handed it to Isa. He slapped the fish away and turned his head to the side grimacing. “I need fresh meat.” Isa said grabbing Tiroh’s arm sniffing from forearm to wrist.

Tiroh yanked his arm away. “What’s wrong with you cousin? This is not natural.”

Isa sat crying and shaking his head. “I don’t know, but it’s getting worse.”

Once the Garoot had passed, Weaha waved and pointed to the trail. Tiroh pulled Isa to his feet and they continued on the path. Grey clouds blew in from the north and by late afternoon a cold drizzle made everything damp and miserable.

Weaha set up camp at the edge of a clearing and built a small fire. As it grew dark, Isa’s skin returned to a light blue and he said he felt great running around the fire like a child. They were in awe of his quick recovery. As the boys sat staring into the flames, Isa heard twigs breaking. The boys grabbed their spears staring wildly into the woods. Suddenly Isa jumped up and ran with such an incredible speed into the darkness. Weaha and Tiroh cried out to Isa to come back.

Isa sprinted through the underbrush, and quickly overpowered a deer tackling it to the ground. He tore into its neck with his hands and teeth drinking only the blood that gushed from the poor animal’s wound. He drank until his belly swelled tight.

“What’s happened to Isa?” said Tiroh readying his spear.  

“I’m afraid we might not have gotten the metal to him in time. He seems to be changing into that other more dangerous form that the Great Hunter warned us about,” said Weaha.

“What do you think we should do?”

“Let’s wait and see.”

There was a rustling sound in the woods. The sound of footsteps on wet leaves. The two men stood with spears ready. It was Isa dragging the body of a deer behind him. “Here guys, I got you a deer,” he said smiling. His face, hands and chest were glistening with fresh blood.

“Isa, how did you kill that deer? That’s not normal,” said Weaha bending down examining it.

“You healed me, Weaha. I’m quicker and stronger now,” said Isa flexing his muscles.

“But Isa, you caught a deer with your bare hands and bit into its neck,” said Tiroh pointing out the ripped throat of the deer.

“You aren’t happy? I killed it for you,” Isa said looking disappointed down at his feet. Isa sat away from the fire pouting.

“Is it safe that we skin the deer and cook the meat?” said Tiroh examining the carcass.

“I shall make that special tea and we should drink it first. If the meat is tainted, the tea will protect us,” said Weaha.

The next day Isa woke screaming in pain. The first rays of the morning sun burned his skin again. It smoked and crackled filling the air with the smell of burning flesh. They covered him with the bloody skinned deer pelt and hid him in the darkest part of the shade. The hair on his head had turned from black to snow white at the roots and his once brown eyes had become a grey blue. They spent the entire day keeping a fire, making weapons and smoking the meat while Isa slept.

As the sun got low in the sky, they set off towards home. The rolling hills and meadows were a welcome sight since traveling had gotten easier, but traveling by night made things a bit more dangerous. As they followed the trail of the bison, they heard something following them. Isa looked through the woods and said he saw the terrible beast that was tracking them. He leapt to his feet and ran into the woods. “Isa! Isa, come back!” they cried. They heard a scuffle and growls and then yelping. Tiroh held his torch high. Isa had the beast on it’s back tearing into its neck lapping at the blood as it flowed from the open wound.  As the two got closer Isa screamed, “Go away!”

“No Isa, we need to use the silver.” Isa reluctantly held the beast in place as Weaha placed a piece of silver in the beast’s gaping wound. The beast rolled in pain screaming in high pitched yelps and gurgling moans until it fell quiet. Its flesh quickly began to decompose and turn into black goo and matted dark hair. The stench of death was horrible.

“I think the silver killed the beast, but it’s done the opposite to you Isa,” said Tiroh poking at the decomposed flesh with the point of his spear.

“It made me better, see what I did to the beast. See how fast and strong it made me? I’m like the Great Hunter,” Isa said pounding his chest with his fist. Jumping wildly, Isa ran off into the dark forest screaming, “Woooha! woooha!”

Tiroh whispered to Weaha, “I’m scared of Isa. He was able to take down the beast with his bare hands and rip it’s neck open. Just think what would happen if he were to turn on us.”

“There’s a place I need to go to again. I need to find out what I should do and perhaps the Great Hunter will be there,” said Weaha.

The two men sat huddled next to a small fire taking turns staying awake all through the night. The weird behavior and incredible strength from Isa lay heavy on their thoughts.

That morning Isa returned to camp and lay covered in the deer pelts hiding from the sun. Weaha took some of the magical herbs from his pouch and made a strong tea. He drank it and stared off into woods. “Watch me closely Tiroh,” Weaha whispered, “I may cross over into another world.”

As he sat cross-legged before the fire, the world slowed to a crawl stopping in its tracks. Weaha was in that shadowy place again. There was a fuzzy transparent shape sleeping just feet away. It was Isa who seemed unaware of Weaha and it worried him to find Isa here.

Weaha left Isa and followed the golden trail to the horizon. Suddenly he was greeted by crows circling in the strange sky above him, then they flew just over a hillside. He followed the birds and as he crossed over the ridge line he looked into a strange valley and beheld a stone shelter above ground so perfectly smooth, with tall smooth trees made of stone holding up another perfectly smooth rock above. This was truly a sight to behold. As he grew near, he recognized the strange pale woman dressed in delicate blue skins. He called out to her. She turned and waved him closer.

“Come closer, friend. Do I know you?” she said. Weaha was surprised that she now could speak his words. He came closer and stood before her.

“I’m Weaha, shaman of my clan.”

“Welcome Weaha, I’m Cassandra. I remember you from long ago. Tell me Weaha, what do you seek?”

He reported the travails of the past few days.

“That does sound dire. Come Weaha, I’ve never seen the Great Hunter as you call him, but perhaps I can help. She had Weaha sit on the smooth floor as she went looking for something in the shelter. She produced a flat thin stone as thick as a piece of slate and positioned it to where it caught the reflection of the golden streak that ran across the sky. On the surface of the reflecting stone appeared the moon. Suddenly a possum ran up to her side and acted like a person tugging at her clothing. The possum pointed at an object in the stone. “Yes I see it, George.”  The two of them gazed into the stone and then Cassandra said, “Weaha I see a light blue creature, the first of its kind. It was dead yet brought back to life by the corrupted blood of your Great Hunter. It craves the blood of living animals and the salts of the white metal. It’s driven by a great hunger. I’m sorry, but unlike the other beasts that you pursue, this creature will remain smart and grows more dangerous as time passes. It will stop at nothing to survive and animals and man alike are it’s meal. If it bites a man without killing him, he will become just like them. You must put an end to this abomination or else you face a future plague. This creature is very smart. You must move quickly to stay ahead of it. The only way to kill this creature is to cut off its head and burn it or force it into the sunlight.”

“But this creature you speak of is my cousin.”

“He is no longer your cousin, Weaha. The longer you wait, the more powerful he will become, and he will spread this abomination to others. Now go quickly!”

“I will do as you say, Great Hunter Princess,” said Weaha.  

Weaha walked off into the fog. Part of him wished he could stay here safe from the beasts, but Tiroh and his family needed him. He started to run and was caught up in the fog.

Weaha willed himself back and found that no time had passed. The world sped up around him and there was Tiroh sitting with him by the fire. Weaha sat on the ground and continued to feel the effects of the drink. He vomited and stared into the flames. “I’m back,” Weaha said to Tiroh.

Weaha sat whispering to Tiroh of his experience in the spirit world. They peered uneasily at Isa who lay motionless on the ground.

“You would kill me, Weaha?” Isa said underneath the pile of animal pelts. “I’ve done nothing but help you.”

“You are changing Isa. We saw you take down the beast with your bare hands and drink its blood,” said Tiroh shaking.

“You would do this to me Weaha? said Isa sitting up. But Weaha remained silent. Isa walked towards Weaha. This time Isa’s voice sounded angry and loud. “You would try to kill your own cousin, the cousin who killed a deer for you, the cousin that killed the beast for you? You would repay my help with death?”

Weaha saw his eyes under the pelts grey and demonic. Isa came within reach of Weaha but he raised up his right hand and a flash of light blinded Isa. Tiroh stood and grabbed the pelts covering Isa’s body, trying to yank it away. Isa and Tiroh struggled. Isa screamed as parts of his body were exposed to the sun. Isa being much stronger, slung Tiroh to the ground. “You will not kill me, Tiroh. I’ve done nothing to you!” screamed Isa.

Tiroh tried to stand. “Help me, Tiroh, we must not let him escape,” cried Weaha running after Isa.  

But it was too late, Isa turned and ran deep into the woods trying to cover his burning flesh with the pelts. “We must stop him,Tiroh!”

“But what about the beast?  It is just waiting for us in the woods,” said Tiroh “We need to kill both of them.”

In the bright daylight the two men pursued Isa through the dense underbrush but lost his trail. As they walked back to camp, they decided to return to the tribe as soon as possible. Isa and the beast were more dangerous at night. They raced through the woods all the rest of that day, but found no trace of Isa. As night came, they made a fire and sat in the darkness back to back in case the beast or Isa should attack.

The next day they came across the partially eaten carcass of a deer. Most of the flesh had been eaten from the face, neck and abdomen. The ground was drenched in blood. “It looks as if the beast has been here. Look at how the flesh was eaten.” said Tiroh.

“It could have easily been a bear or perhaps a mountain lion,” said Weaha.

“No, look here at the tracks. These footprints look more like that of a man,” said Tiroh kicking at the carcass. Just then Weaha noticed movement. The mutilated deer’s head turned and looked towards Tiroh and it’s body jerked and it seemed as if this creature were trying to get to its feet. It opened its mouth and a most horrible scream came from it.

“How can this deer be alive?” Tiroh asked jumping away.

“Hold it down!” Weaha yelled. He took a small piece of the white metal and placed it in the wound. The wound started to produce smoke and the creature wailed like a woman screaming. It’s screams echoed through the forest, then it fell back in its tracks and began to decompose. “Weaha, it’s like the bison calf, seven seasons ago. Can a deer become a beast?”

“I don’t know Tiroh but it scares me to think how many deer or other animals may be like this one.”

The two of them sat and thought for a while, then Weaha said, “We need to set a trap. This beast must be killed. A thing like this can not be allowed to spread.”

There were still many hours left of daylight. Weaha and Tiroh worked quickly sharpening spears, tying back saplings and placing big rocks on the saplings so that if something should disturb the trees it would snap back and stab it with the spears. They quickly built a fire and placed it on all but one side of themselves.

“If the creature is to attack us, it must come through here. We will be ready,” said Tiroh. “Maybe we can put this metal in the tips of our spears. If it gets inside they will die.”

Before night fell in the forest, dark clouds returned from the west. The smell of rain filled the air and the wind picked up.  Tiroh and Weaha sat back to back. “I’m scared Weaha. I don’t think I have ever been this scared in my life. That deer today. That was the most horrible thing I had ever seen.”

“True it was a horrible thing, but can you imagine if beasts like that came to our village? That is why it is up to us to stop it.”

The rain came pouring down. And the sky lit up with lightning everywhere and thunder boomed. The men were drenched and sat shivering with their spears in their hands. The rain finally let up and all that could be heard was dripping sounds of droplets hitting the leaves on the forest floor and an owl in the tree above them.

Later that night there was a rustling in the forest. Weaha was on watch while Tiroh slept. Weaha nudged Tiroh from his sleep. “Wake up, Tiroh! something set off a trap.” The two men stared at each other shaking in fear.

“What do we do now?” said Tiroh rubbing his eyes.

“We wait.”

Minutes later, a massive beast rushed out of the darkness running straight for them on four legs. It was built like a buffalo, but also human-like. Tiroh jumped to his feet, his spear pointed forward. The creature tripped the first trap and the sapling whipped back and caught the beast in the side with spears. It snorted and shook itself loose. It was more angry and continued toward the two men who were holding spears tipped with silver. Then the beast tripped a second trap and it bellowed and plucked it from its side with its teeth and pulled the tree up by its roots. The two men prepared themselves to rush the beast when something big dropped down from the trees and landed on the beast’s back. It was Isa pale with glowing eyes like a cat. He sank his teeth deep into the beast and ripped at it’s throat draining it of blood until the beast fell. Isa stood above his kill with blood dripping down the front of his body. Isa looked straight at both Weaha and Tiroh.

“You were my friends, my family. I saved your lives twice and yet you would kill me. I will let you go, but if we shall ever meet again, I will drain you of blood as I have done to this beast. Farewell and tell my family that I love them.” Then Isa turned and ran off into the darkness. Before the beast could regenerate, Weaha stabbed it with the silver tipped spear and it smoked and turned into gore and the smell of death hung in the air.

“We can’t let him go can we Weaha?”said Tiroh pacing back and forth.

Weaha sighed, “What choice do we have now? I’ve failed my mission.”

“We’re still alive Weaha. We haven’t failed as long as we are still alive. We should go back and be with our people and deliver the white metal. It will protect us and our family if there are more beasts.”

The next day Tiroh and Weaha set off on the journey back to their village. It was supposed to be a day’s journey back to the tribe, but it was slow going since the weather had turned foul and muddy. The rivers had overflowed their banks and the heavy rains continued. They crossed two swollen rivers and was surprised by a pack of wolves taking down a buffalo. They carefully snuck past in case the wolves tried to defend their kill.

                             Chapter 6

A heavy rain fell late at night as Iwano sat vigilant wrapped in buffalo hides with his spear resting on his lap. It had been many days since Weaha had set out to meet the Great Hunter. He feared that something terrible had befallen the three young men, yet kept watch in hope of their return. He sat alone staring off into the dark woods as rain dripped down his face. He heard a crunching sound out in the darkness and picked up his spear. As the sound drew closer, Iwano stood straining his eyes, his spear ready to strike.

“Hai, hai, hai! Go away beast!” he cried out, but the sound drew closer still. “Who is out there?”

A lone dark figure walked forward covered in deer pelts. He uncovered his face and Iwano cocked his head curiously. “Isa, is that you?”

“Yes uncle, I have returned.”

The tribe gathered in the pouring rain beside the communal fire pit to welcome the return of the lone Isa who stood with his head covered under a hood of deer hide. People gasped when he removed the covering from around his face revealing his pale blueish grey skin and grey eyes.

Pukawa approached him looking around. “Isa, why did you come back alone? Where’s my son?” She looked him over and touched his face. “What happened to you?”

Isa looked down at his feet. “They’re both dead.”

Pukawa fell to her knees. The women of the tribe began to wail. Others stood with their mouths hanging open and gasped.

“They were killed by evil beasts as we tried to reach the sacred site of the Great Hunter. I alone was able to complete this task,” he said dropping the pelts to reveal his completely pale blue body. “The Great Hunter’s blood gave me strength and agility.”

The tribe backed away in horror at the site of his body. Isa took a spear head and cut his arm. Within seconds, the wound healed over. The tribe stood around in amazement. Then Isa crouched low like a mountain cat and sprang into a nearby tree, leaping from branch to branch. Isa dropped to the ground at their feet. “I have come back to protect you from the other beasts that still roam the forests,” Isa said flexing his biceps.

Bahru stepped forward and got up in Isa’s face, “Where did these beasts come from? We haven’t seen any beast in seven seasons and yet now there are beasts? How did you manage to get past them if Weaha and Tiroh could not?” he said with his hands on his hips. “Why should we trust you?”

Isa leaned over and whispered in Bahru’s ear, “You doubt my words cousin?” He growled lowly and with one hand shoved Bahru to the ground. “Anyone else doubt my words?” he said eyeing the crowd. “We need to move camp tonight.”

“It’s not wise to leave in the dark of night. We should wait to morning,” said Aghan the elder pleading with Isa. “The women and children are vulnerable at night. Don’t you see that?”

“You’re not the leader anymore old man!” Isa said grabbing Aghan’s wrist. “We’re leaving tonight,” he said shaking the elder.

Ahwei rushed to Aghan’s side punching Isa in the jaw. Isa released Aghan, and grabbed Ahwei by the neck and slung him against a tree knocking him out. Hodsa and Domanza ran to attend to Ahwei who was bleeding and unresponsive. The others were about to rush Isa with spears, when the melee was interrupted by the sound of a small child screaming near the edge of the camp. “The beasts are here!” said Abiwas running towards her mother Lahama. “I saw something in the woods.”

There was a mad scramble. Women and children packed their possessions as the men grabbed their spears standing guard. Within a few minutes, the camp had been packed away with Isa leading the frightened tribe west through the pouring rain.

                            Chapter 7

Two days later the tired boys tramped uphill following a muddy deer trail. Tiroh pointed to an old dead tree in the distance and said, “Our tribe should be on the other side of that hill. I remember that tree.”

Weaha smiled and patted Tiroh on his shoulder, “I sure hope so. My feet are wet and sore.”

As they neared the camp site, both of them stopped to listen. It was unusually quiet. “I don’t like this Tiroh. I don’t even hear birds,” said Weaha putting his hand to his ear. The camp lay just on the other side of the hill. When they rounded the top of the hill and walked down they didn’t see anything but bare ground.

Weaha sprinted towards the the site calling out the names of his family. He stood looking in all directions. He kicked at the dirt and stomped at the ground. “We’re too late and the Great Hunter has cursed me because I couldn’t stop the plague that I’ve caused. I’ve failed them!” Weaha dropped to the ground and wept.

Tiroh ran to Weaha putting his arms around him and said, “I don’t see any sign of struggle or bodies. Maybe they had to move camp for some reason. Weaha, we can’t give up hope,” said Tiroh pulling Weaha to his feet. “We must search for them.”

They dug through the old fire pit and found nothing but old tools and a few flakes of animal bone. They scoured through the bare camp and Tiroh called out to Weaha. “Come quick! Look I’ve found a necklace that I made for my mother. It was on a branch of the tree next to her hut. It would not be like her to just leave this behind.”

“We must find where they have gone,” said Weaha. The men searched the area and found tracks in the mud heading west.

It was difficult to follow the trails. The mud was deep and grazing beasts had trampled over the tracks left by the tribe. That night Weaha and Tiroh sat huddled shivering by a small fire. The cry of a whippoorwill was calling nearby. The rain had stopped and the stars shone bright in the night sky. The whippoorwill stopped crying then they heard something small walking through the leaves. Perhaps a deer or maybe a rabbit. They readied their spears. Suddenly out from the darkness appeared Tiroh’s niece of eight seasons, Mubi, alone, half clothed and shivering. The child stumbled towards the fire.

“Mubi? Mubi? Come here,” said Tiroh running towards her grabbing her into his arms, “Where are the others and why are you out here alone by yourself?”

The child was too cold to speak and fell to sleep in Tiroh’s arms. Weaha took the child and wrapped her in pelts. “We’ll keep her warm. Maybe she can tell us something in the morning,” said Weaha.    

The next morning after the boys found Mubi wandering the meadows alone, she woke up crying beside the fire. She wiped the tears from her eyes and said. “He said you were dead.”

“What! Who said we were dead?” said Tiroh yawning, and rubbing his eyes.

“Isa, Isa showed up two nights ago and said you were attacked by beasts. He said that the beasts killed you and Weaha. He made us move camp in the middle of night to flee from the beasts. There was a fight and Ahwei got hurt just as the beasts attacked the camp. We packed everything quickly. As we were fleeing, Bahru was bitten by a beast. We ran all night,” said Mubi rambling.

“Isa? Tiroh said gritting his teeth. “He’s taken our family away Weaha,” He paced back and forth around the dead fire shaking his fist.

“Did you see the beast Mubi?” Weaha asked as he sat up.

“No, but Isa and Abiwas did. He chased it away.  We ran from the beasts all night. The next morning we set up camp. Isa fell asleep in Bahru’s tent while the elders argued. They didn’t trust Isa. While Isa slept in the tent with Bahru, Uncle Doheen, grandfather Ahgan, Pitu, Jib and their wives and children left the camp.  Kess and the rest of us stayed behind. When the sun went down Isa came out of the tent and discovered that they left. He was very mad. We were all scared of him. He ran off into the woods after them in a rage. While Isa was gone, Grandma Hodsa went into the tent to check on Bahru. We heard Grandma screaming  from the tent. After that everyone but grandma Hodsa, Koni, Ahwei and Bahru went running off into the woods,” she said

Tiroh upon hearing this, screamed and beat his head, “Mubi please tell me where Grandma is from here?”

Mubi started to cry. “I don’t know. I don’t remember how to get back. I ran with my mom and brothers and cousins and Aunt Hooti through the woods all day yesterday. The other kids were having a hard time keeping up. We were all so tired. Then it got dark and really cold. I got separated in the darkness.”

Tiroh yelled in rage, “We must find them now!  We must kill Isa for what he has done!”

Weaha grabbed Tiroh and hugged him tight. Tiroh began to weep uncontrollably. “Tiroh I need you to be strong right now if we are to survive. We will find them, but first we must see that Mubi is okay,” Weaha whispered in his ear. “We should give her some of my blood in case she gets attacked later.”

Weaha prepared the special tea and handed the gourd to Mubi. He told her it would protect her from the nasty beasts.

Weaha and Tiroh broke camp and spent the day following Mubi’s footprints in the mud coming from the north. Cold winds blew down from the north freezing the mud crunchy and hard. The trail led deep into a thick forest of mighty oak, hickory, and maple. By late afternoon Tiroh found other footprints heading north, some of them belonging to children. Tiroh tracked the footprints to an old hollow tree and inside, found three young children including Mubi’s older brother Kal, huddled under a pile of leaves for warmth. Mubi ran to them as they screamed out her name.

“Mubi! We were looking for you and got lost in the darkness,” said Kal hugging her tightly.

“Where are the others?” cried Tiroh.

“The adults were running and we couldn’t keep up. It was so dark and it got very cold. I found this old hollow tree to hide in,”said Kal.

Weaha asked Tiroh to stay with the children knowing they would slow him down. He cut his wrist and made the blood, salt and silver mixture for the children to drink before he left. Then he hurried off to follow the trail of the others.

Weaha ran north past the forests through open grasslands following the footprints frozen in the mud of many adults as well as bison. They appeared to be fresh. They were heading downhill. Weaha guessed that they were thirsty and looking for water. In the distance he saw a group of men and women sitting beside a river. At the other side of the river was the tail end of a herd of bison that had just crossed the river. The women were sobbing. One of the men was lying on the ground bleeding.  As Weaha approached, the people took up spears.

Weaha’s bigger more muscular cousin Okki stepped forward pointing his spear at Weaha’s chest and said, “Go away beast! Isa said you and Tiroh were killed.”

Weaha came closer for all to see and raised his hands above his head.“I am not a beast Okki. Isa lied. Isa was the one bitten and became a beast. We tried to save him and give him medicine, but it was too late. Tiroh and I found the children huddled in a hollow tree.” Upon hearing this, Tiroh’s sister ran up from the river. “You found them?” said Jiama falling to the ground in tears.

“Yes, they’re with Tiroh. We must get back to them quickly before darkness falls. Isa can’t walk about in the daylight, but when it gets dark he is dangerous.”

“We can’t leave Orrin. He’s been trampled by the bison. He’ll die if we move him,” said Okki.

“If you trust me, I can help your brother. I’ve met the Great Hunter and he has once again given me the power to heal.” Okki lowered his spear and Weaha followed him to where Orrin lay shivering on the ground beside a small fire. Orrin’s body was cut and his face was swollen. He was barely breathing. Weaha bent down again and pricked his finger. He let one drop of his blood fall into the wound on Orrin’s face. Within minutes the wound grew pink and started to fill in with flesh and then scabbed over.

Okki’s eyes grew wide. “Weaha, you are truly a great healer,”said Okki hugging Weaha with a bear hug.  Weaha told them that before they go back to the children, he wanted them all to drink a potion that would help them survive a bite of the beast. There were fifteen adults and four children all standing around Weaha. He took out his gourd and then cut his arm to open a vein. He let it bleed till it almost filled the gourd. He had already crushed up some of the silver along with salt from a pouch and sprinkled it into the bowl and added water from the stream. As he mixed it up well, Weaha repeated the words of the Great Hunter “Blood of my blood, flesh of my flesh, you shall become like me.” He then had each of the members of his tribe take a small drink in this communion. Once everyone had been given a drink, Weaha gathered everyone together as quickly as possible to race back across the open fields back to the forest where Tiroh huddled with the children.

It was slow going because the sun was low in the sky. Weaha had trouble seeing the tracks and landmarks in the twilight. Soon they wandered blindly in darkness for miles.

Once they reached the forest, he knew he was close, but remembered telling Tiroh to be silent. It was too dark to see the trail and then it occurred to him to use the light from his hand. Weaha concentrated, trying to picture himself facing danger. It was then that the palm of his hand began to glow. Everyone in the group let out a gasp. “What magic is this Weaha?” said Okki stepping back.

“It’s another gift from the Great Hunter.” His hand sent out a bright light that lit up the forest. Soon Weaha was back following the trail.

As they tramped uphill through the forest, Weaha stopped and looked around. Weaha felt they must be close and called out Tiroh’s name.

“Weaha, we’re here,” a voice whispered. Weaha flashed his torch upon the old hollow tree and the children ran out one by one. Just as Weaha came closer, a thin, ghostly white creature dropped from a nearby tree like a cat and crouched upon the ground. The children screamed and stood in fear. Isa turned and grabbed the oldest boy Kal from behind and bent his head sideways preparing to bite.

Isa hissed and said. “Join me willingly or else I rip his neck open and drain his blood.”

Weaha looked at Isa and begged, No Isa, you were a good man and hunter, once. If you love your family, you will leave us alone.” Weaha crept closer, his arms up in the air.

“It is you who does not understand. You gave me a great gift. You see, I am the most powerful creature in the forest. It is I who will make you all like me,” he said pounding his chest with his free hand.

Kesa stepped forward inching closer to touch his shoulder. “Isa, please do not do this terrible thing. You are not responsible for what has become of you.”

“Join me stepmother, bring Kuso. Let me make us into a great tribe,” said Isa

“Take me instead. Let Kal go. It’s my fault this happened to you. I kept Weaha’s blood in a clay pot all these years ago.” Kesa started to cry and looked down at her feet. “I thought she was still alive when I tried to cure her, she broke her hip, but.” The rest of the tribe looked at her with shock and anger. “Once I realized that she was dead, I dug up her body and drug her deep into the woods and reburied her and encased the body in salt. I didn’t think she would return.”

“Grandma Isera? You turned her into a beast?” cried Jiama. “Isa, let Kal go!”

“Witch! She caused this abomination,” said Okki shaking his fist.

But there were two beasts. Who was the second beast?” said Tiroh.

Okki grabbed Kesa forcibly by the arm. “Who is the second!”

“Six moons ago I had baby born dead and didn’t tell anyone. I gave it some of the dried blood hoping that it would cure it, but it came back as a beast. I kept it hidden in a jar of salt, but It didn’t die, but slept. I buried the jar deep in the woods. It must have escaped as well.”

Suddenly Isa snapped the boy’s head back and sunk his large front teeth deep into Kal’s neck and ripped his throat open and the blood started to flow. But as Isa was drinking, he noticed something was not right and instinctively threw the boy to the ground. “Aghhhhhhhh!” he hissed. “What have you done? This boy’s blood burns.” Isa vomited up the blood in a big gush, spitting and coughing. He clutched his bony white stomach. Isa was visibly weakened and staggered back.  

Weaha looked at Isa and said, “All of them have taken the special mixture. The poison in you can not harm us.”

Isa crept back towards the darkness of the forest and said, “Maybe I can’t harm you, but there’s nothing you can do for the others. Right at this very minute grandfather Aghan, and everybody else have all been bitten and are changing. We will be a most powerful tribe. Nothing can stop us,” said Isa laughing.

“How could you do this to your own tribe? They did nothing to harm you. Isa, if they become like you, they will forever have to hide from the sun. I regret that I have set loose this abomination upon the world. It is my burden and shame that made this mess and it is up to me to see that it is ended.”

Just as Isa was about to run into the darkness Weaha called out his name and Isa turned to face him. A brilliant light lit up Isa’s face blinding him. Isa screamed and tripped. Weaha rushed up to Isa with his spear and stabbed him in the chest. Isa clutched the spear and tried to pull it out. Weaha yelled for Tiroh and the others to hold him down.

Isa screamed. “Please cousin you can not do this to me. You made me this way.” He screamed louder. “This will not kill me!”

Then as they held him down Weaha directed the men to bind Isa tightly to a tree. Isa screamed, “No you can not do this. I beg you to spare me!”

The tribe members grabbed Kesa and threw her to the ground. Jiama walked up to Kesa and spat in her face. “Witch, this is all your fault!” Kuso cried and was kept away from both Isa and Kesa. The tribe camped there for the night with fires blazing. People took turns sleeping and watching to make sure that Isa did not escape. Kesa sat on the ground beside Isa staring into the fire. Isa begged his step mother to help him escape, but she sat silent.

In the wee hours of the morning everyone was woken up. They all gathered around the tree. Isa looked so pale and blue. Weaha stared at Isa and said, “My dear cousin, you were a brave hunter and loyal friend. I do not blame you for what has happened. The abomination corrupted your soul and now it is my duty to put an end to this. Goodbye, my dear friend.” Isa pleaded with Weaha to set him free. As they all stood watching, the sun slowly rose in the eastern sky. Isa screamed “Please, please give me another chance.” As the first rays fell upon his pale skin he became a much darker blue to the point of being turquoise, then a mottled blueish brown. “Aghhhhhhh,” he screamed. “It burns so much.” Smoke and steam began to rise from his body. His skin then cracked and peeled as a hissing steam escaped his flesh. Isa could no longer scream. His eyes popped out of his head leaving two gaping holes sizzling. Soon his entire body turned black with his pointy, white teeth poking through his shriveled charred black face. He was a skeletal black shape barely clinging to the tree. Weaha bowed his head and said, “It is done.”

                            Chapter 8

The tribe gathered their belongings and returned to the site where they had left Bahru, Ahwei, Koni and Grandma Hodsa. As they approached the campsite, they saw three tents. Weaha told the others to stay back. He approached one of the tents and called for grandma Hodsa. “Grandma! Grandma Hodsa?” As he neared the tent a faint voice from inside said, “Weaha? is that you?” Weaha recognized the voice of his grandma Hodsa. “Yes, it is Weaha. We have come for you.”

“Weaha, listen carefully. You must leave us now and go far from here. We’ve all been bitten. Bahru died last night and now he has woken from death and is changing. His skin is turning a pale blue and his front teeth are growing pointy and sharp. The rest of us are either sick or dying. You must go. I’m afraid we will become like Isa.”

Weaha entered the tent and saw Bahru lying on the mat. Grandma sat beside Bahru shielding her eyes while covered in pelts. She was sweating and rocking back and forth. “Grandma you have not died yet, Perhaps I can still help you.” He took out his gourd and pricked his finger and let his blood drip into the bowl. He mixed his blood with the metal. “Drink this.”

She put the gourd to her lips and tasted the blood, but then she had a most violent reaction and vomited up blood and bile across the tent and onto Bahru. She rolled on the floor in pain. “I don’t think it’s working, Weaha. I feel worse than before.”

“I’m sorry, Grandma. Who are in the other tents?”

“In the first tent sits Grandfather Aghan and your Uncle Doheen and the rest of his family who fled to the woods. Isa bit them all, even the children. The other tent has Ahwei and Koni. They are all bitten and sick. Weaha, where are the others?”

They are a safe distance away. I’m so sorry I can not help you,” said Weaha in tears. He leaned over and hugged his grandmother. “Grandma I am going to bring the rest of the tribe here. I think it is safe for today at least. I think that we should be able to say goodbye.”

“Weaha, will we become killers like Isa?”

“I’m afraid so, Grandma. Isa couldn’t help control his urges.”

Hodsa pulled Weaha close and whispered in his ear. “When I die, don’t let me wake up. You need to put an end to this, Weaha,” she said.

“Grandma, maybe if we can keep you from dying, you won’t change. I want to try. You can’t hurt the rest of us because we are all protected by my blood, but maybe we can still help the rest of you.”

Weaha walked back to the edge of the camp where everyone else was waiting. The others asked if they were fine. When they heard the news that indeed everyone in the tents had been bitten, people started to weep. The tribe rushed to the side of those bitten. Weaha took Tiroh aside, “If I can’t cure them, the others will try to stop me from killing them. I don’t know what to do,”

“We must do as the Great Hunter would have us do. I will back you up when the time comes,” Tiroh said, grabbing his shoulder.

Grandma Hodsa was sweating with a high fever. She called the unbitten elders of the tribe to her bedside far from the ears of those who were sick and dying. “Listen, my dear family, I am dying. This terrible abominaion must end and it is up to you end this. When I die, you must burn my body immediately. I must not be allowed to rise again as a beast. I know it is hard, but you must do the same thing to the others that will follow me in death. Do not hesitate, but act quickly. Isa was a good boy, but it changed him and made him evil. It will happen to the rest of us if you let it. Swear to me that you will do this thing I ask.”

Domanza spoke up with tears in her eyes, “I can not let them kill you Momma, my husband Ahwei, or my daughter Yasa. You brought this plague upon us Weaha. Maybe you should be the one to pay for these deaths,” she said pulling her hair.

“Please Domanza, you have to let us go. We are already dead,” Hodsa said crying. Domanza held Hodsa in her arms and rocked her gently.

Iwano spoke up and said, “If anyone should pay, it should be me and Kesa. I begged Weaha to spare my two sons and Kesa stole his blood, that is what started the plague. We must end this now as the Great Hunter has instructed.”

Arguments broke out in the tribe over what should be done as the day wore on. Kesa was taken to the edge of camp, tied up and beaten by some of the women of the tribe. Grandma Hodsa died that afternoon and Weaha and Tiroh took her body and had it burned in a funeral fire. As they stood watching the fire, Tiroh said,” Bahru will gain strength when night falls. We need to do something soon or else we will not be able to contain this. I’m afraid some will try to stop us.”

“Well, maybe we should act now. Bahru is my dearest friend, but he can not be allowed to live. We should set his tent on fire before the sun goes down. It is the only way, said Weaha.

Weaha, Tiroh and Iwano walked back to the campsite, but standing guard outside of Bahru’s tent was Okki, and Domanza. “What are you doing here Weaha?” Domanza yelled out.

“Step away, you know what has to be done”  

“I can’t let you kill our family,” said Okki.  Suddenly Weaha was hit in the head with a log by Orin and fell to the ground. Okki grabbed Tiroh from behind and wrestled him to the ground while Orin and Pog rushed forward and held Iwano.

Okki let Weaha go, but grabbed his spear and guarded his father’s tent. “You’ll have to kill me before I let you hurt my father,” said Okki. “Leave, you are not welcome here anymore.” The tribe was divided down the middle by immediate families. Weaha, along with Tiroh’s family, and Iwano and Losana left the rest of the tribe who stood guard over the tents.

“If we don’t end this now it will be too late.” Tiroh yelled back. The others didn’t listen, but tended to the sick. Weaha led what remained of the tribe downstream a ways and set up camp. There was a feeling of great sadness as it seemed that the break appeared permanent. During the day a snow storm rolled in and the ground was covered with a light dusting of snow. Ahwei succumbed to the fever and died as did Pitu and Doheen. The clan cried in mourning.

Late that afternoon just as the sun was going down, Bahru emerged from his tent. His bronze skin had turned a grey blue color and the hair on his head was coming in as pure white at the roots. The tribe gathered around him and were shocked at his appearance. He strutted about the camp stretching and flexing his muscles.

Okki approached him hesitantly and said, “Bahru, how do you feel? You look different.”

“Hello Okki my dear cousin. I feel powerful. Where are Weaha and the others?” he said looking around.

“They left early this afternoon. They would have you put to death, but we stopped them and drove them away.”

Bahru shook his head. Why would he want to kill me? I’m his best friend,” Bahru said pacing and sniffing the air.

“He was worried that you would become a creature like Isa. You wouldn’t harm us would you?”

“No, but I do have a desperate hunger for blood. I can smell yours right now,” he said crouching and jerking his head side to side. Bahru looked off into the forest and said, “I’ll be back.”  

The others watched as he darted off into the darkness. Domanza grabbed her son’s shoulders and whispered, “Have we made a mistake?”

In the wee hours of the morning, Bahru returned out of the darkness with his face and chest covered in blood, his belly swollen and round, carrying a dead deer across his shoulders. Its neck had been ripped open and drained of blood. He tossed the corpse on the ground. “Look, I have brought you meat.”

The site of him shocked those who were still awake sitting around the fire. Okki looked surprised, “Really? So how did you catch this deer without a spear? Will this deer come back like you?” said Okki.

Bahru thought about it and walked off towards the tents and came back with a knife. He started to cut off the legs of the deer and said, “I will remove the legs and gut this deer and if it comes back, I will burn it, but if not, then the meat should be good.”

As the eastern sky started to brighten, Bahru retreated to his tent. Domanza exited the tent and said that those who had died the previous day had awakened that morning and were becoming pale like Bahru. Aghan and three of the children who had died during the night had not yet come back.

During the day, the tribe tended to the newly arisen and gave them water. They resisted normal food, but demanded fresh meat.

Back at the other camp, Weaha and Tiroh discussed whether they should leave the others or wait a while longer. They decided to wait one more day before moving on. The tribe had been cut in half and Weaha feared their small number made them vulnerable.

Late that afternoon, clouds rolled in. Just as the sun was going down, Bahru emerged from his tent looking bigger and stronger than before. Ahwei stumbled out of his tent along with Pitu, Doheen, their wives and some of the children. The bitten ones wandered around camp like animals sniffing the air, all with pale skin and grey eyes. One of the children crawled along the ground and hissed like a wild cat. Finally, grandfather Aghan crawled out of the tent looking skeletal and blue. He crouched low then leapt into a tree like a beast. Bahru ordered Aghan out of the tree.

He dropped from the tree as agile as a panther and said, “I feel like a new man. I’m better than before. You can’t order me around, Bahru. I’m your elder, I’m hungry and ready to hunt. Who wants to join me?” he said staring at the bitten ones with silvery eyes. He turned and sped off into the woods.

Bahru and Ahwei stayed behind and watched as the rest of the bitten ones ran off into the dark woods following Aghan. Ahwei sat on the ground shaking and growling. Domanza came and sat beside him putting her arms around her husband. “Try to fight this thing. I don’t want to lose you,” she cried.

“I’m trying, but the hunger is too great,” said Ahwei squirming and twitching his head.

“Father, I can help you,” said Okki grabbing his hand, but Ahwei jumped to his feet knocking Domanza to the side and breaking Okki’s grip.

“Stand back Okki, I don’t want to hurt you, too,” he said eyeing them and growling. Suddenly he darted towards the woods. Domanza tried to follow him but Okki grabbed her around the waist and she sat in the ground crying.

The bitten ones returned just before daybreak boasting of their kills. All of them covered in blood and their bellies swollen and round. They’d become arrogant gloating of their strength. Okki welcomed his father back, yet Ahwei ignored him and spat blood upon the ground.

“Why are you acting like this? We’re your family,” said Okki arguing with Ahwei.

“No, you’re no longer family until you become like us,” hissed Aghan as he crept up behind Okki and bit deep into his neck. A stunned Okki screamed in horror. Aghan tossed the bleeding Okki to the ground like a dead rabbit. Aghan vomited up blood and grabbed at his stomach. “You taste terrible!”

Okki healed quickly because he had drunk the blood of Weaha. He sat on the ground shocked that his grandfather could do such a thing. Domanza ran to her son cursing Aghan, but he laughed. Bahru apologized for Aghan’s behavior and said he would lead them away to live in the caves to the East. Doheen overheard the conversation and grabbed the wounded Okki and tied him up and drug him into their tent and threatened to kill him if anyone were to try and stop them.

The rest of the tribe was terrified at what they had seen and cowered in their tents all through the night. Grandfather and Doheen had become evil. Neither Bahru nor Ahwei said a word to stop Doheen from attacking his son. As Okki lay tied up in their tent recovering from his wound, he felt thankful that Weaha had given him some of his blood.  He realized that he had made a terrible mistake.

As the morning sky began to brighten in the east, the bitten ones returned to their tents and took shelter under the pelts.

That morning Domanza left camp and wandered alone through the woods searching for Weaha’s camp. A fresh snow had fallen during the night. She stumbled into the camp as they were packing up to leave.

“You need to come quick. They have beaten up Okki and tied him up in their tent. You were right, they have become monsters,” she said crying.

“We need to act now while they are in the tents. They can’t survive long out in the sunshine,” said Weaha. “We must go now.”

The group followed Domanza back to the other camp armed with spears. The sun had melted the thin layer of snow. Most of the leaves had fallen from the trees and there were few places to hide from the daylight sun. When they arrived back at camp, the frightened members pointed to the tent where Okki was kept. Weaha instructed the unbitten members of the tribe to light torches.

Weaha burst into the tent and saw Okki tied up on the ground beside Doheen. His uncle grabbed Okki and screamed, “I’ll rip him apart if you come closer!”

Suddenly a blast of light shone from his hand and blinded Doheen. Weaha grabbed Okki and drug him outside in the sunshine. Tiroh and the rest of the men took gourds of fat and placed it around the base of the tents, while the women gathered dry cedar branches and placed them on top while the bitten ones slept. The ones carrying the torches stood around the tents and then Weaha waved, giving them a signal. They lit the cedar branches and the tents quickly caught fire. The unbitten ones held the burning torches waiting for the bitten ones to run from the tents. As the fires grew larger, screams were heard coming from the tents.

Bahru was the first to rush out into the bright sunshine. He’d covered himself in pelts. His exposed flesh rapidly turned from a dark blue to black and bubbled with steam. He ran screaming towards the woods, but the woods offered little protection from the sun.

Aghan sprang from the tent next, sprinting towards the woods. A small pelt covered his head yet the rest of his body was exposed. He rapidly turned black and dove into a pile of leaves. Smoke rose up from where he hid.

Ahwei exited next walking towards his sons smiling and said, “Farewell my sons, You did the right thing.” He stood in the bright sunshine and outstretched his arms to the skies. As he stood there, he burst into flames.

Tiroh and Iwano chased after Bahru as he fled into the woods. Jiama and Orin ran over to the leaves where Aghan was desperately trying to bury himself in the earth. They stabbing at him with spears and he yelped in pain. In one of the other tents, the little blue children huddled by the opening, screaming in pain as the fire started to burn them. They were too afraid to run out into the sunshine. Koni burst forth from his tent followed by Sipsa and Pitu. They ran together covered by a wet  blanket. “They are getting away!” yelled the young boy Kal. Kesa saw that it was her husband Koni running and she ran after him yelling, “Koni wait for me!”

The tents quickly burnt to the ground. Jiama and Orin lit the leaves on fire where Aghan was hiding. “Leave me alone you ungrateful children!” he screamed. He’d managed to bury his body under a layer of dirt and was still clawing at the soil trying to dig deeper.

“He digs like a mole!” Orrin said. Aghan reached out and grabbed Orrin by the ankle. Orrin stabbed at him with a spear. “Let go!” As they pulled the dirt from his body, he caught fire and screamed again.

Weaha ran after Koni, Sipsa and Pitu. He followed their tracks as far as a little stream. He found a smoldering blanket lying on the rocks beside the water. Beneath it he found the burning body of a young adult who he assumed to be Pitu. The stream wasn’t even knee high and Weaha knew they couldn’t survive long running through the water. He stood on the banks looking up and down stream. He noticed something downstream bobbing in the water. He ran towards it and saw that it was Kesa. Weaha pulled her from the water and she gasped, “Let me drown!”

“Where are they Kesa. I must find them.”

“I won’t tell you. You tricked me into drinking your blood. They have rejected me,” she cried.

“You are better off. They can never walk in the sun again.”

“I don’t care. I’d rather be like them,” she screamed and sat pulling at her hair.

Weaha stood at the bank knowing there were no leaves or shade trees nearby to hide under. Weaha took off his moccasins and waded in the stream hoping to feel the body of one of the bitten. He knew that they couldn’t have gone far. He walked upstream and stepped upon something just under the mud.

Kesa ran to Weaha screaming, “leave them alone!”

He grabbed a long pole and pried the body out of the muck. Kesa fought with Weaha and he slung her to the ground. Weaha grabbed Sipsa by the ankle and exposed her to the sunlight as she screamed, “Why can’t you just leave us alone?” She tried to dig back under the mud but the burning sun made her weaker. Steam poured from her flesh. She clawed at the mud howling in pain. She burst into flames and soon became a smoldering cinder beside the stream. Weaha waded back down stream barefoot yet was unable to find Koni. He spent hours searching, but walked back to camp empty handed leaving Kesa behind.

When Weaha reached the tribe he was told that everyone had been killed except for Bahru and Doheen. Tiroh and Iwano came back to camp empty handed. Bahru had somehow managed to escape. They had tracked him as far as the river and lost his trail.

“So did anyone see Doheen?” Weaha shouted. Everyone looked around saying no. Weaha examined the three burned out tents and noticed a mound in the scorched ground. Tiroh nodded and walked over to the tent Doheen had been sleeping in. They scooped away the ashes of the tent and noticed loose dirt. The men dug into the loose dirt and found a leg.

“He is here!” said Tiroh grabbing the leg. Okki dug frantically and found the other leg and together they pulled a kicking and screaming Doheen from the soil.

“Let me go! I have done nothing to you!” Steam started to pour from his dirty body and then he burst into flames. The screams were horrifying.

That afternoon, the tribe burnt and buried their dead. Women wailed  and men beat drums. The tribe was united in their mourning. Weaha went off alone into the woods hunting the missing men and Kesa. Three days passed and Weaha returned claiming he had been attacked by the last beast in the forest and that it bit him, but when it did, it vomited up blood and became weak. H was able to kill it with a silver tipped spear.

Weaha and the other men of the tribe hunted down the last of the abominations until they found no more. It took three moons before the last known abomination was destroyed.

From the day that the tribe drank the blood of Weaha, no adult ever grew old or got sick again. The children stopped aging once they reached adulthood.

One bright sunny day in the Moon of Happiness, three seasons since Weaha had met the Great Hunter, he sat with his tribe before the communal fire. Kess the elder, was retelling a story about the great River Crossing. The young ones sat in awe as Kess danced around the fire telling of the fight between Aghan and Walasa.

As Weaha sat staring into the flames as if in a trance, Iwano scrambled away from him in fear.

“Look at Weaha! There is light coming from his skin,” Iwano screamed. The tribe backed away and watched him curiously.

Beads of golden light formed on Weaha’s skin and soon covered his entire body with a glowing aura. The grass and plants nearby began to grow rapidly. Flies and bees swarmed around his body in a mad frenzy.

“Weaha are you okay?” said Tiroh keeping his distance.

Weaha awoke and looked at his body in amazement. As he stood, the tribe backed up. “Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you.”

“What is this magic? said Tess walking forwards to touch him. The light faded away and people seemed puzzled as bees and flies dropped dead in a circle surrounding Weaha.  

A few nights later after the tribe had feasted upon a recently killed deer, Weaha and the other tribe members were dancing around the fire in celebration of the kill. Orrin, Pog and Tam sat beating drums and the others circled the fire. Suddenly Weaha’s sweaty skin began to glow and became covered in a golden aura as before, but his body changed, morphing into the likeness of an agile deer. It leapt over the flames as the tribe backed away. In the panic, Weaha transformed back again unaware of his transformation.In time, the tribe had gained the same ability and became known as the Adamai.

Every seven years the tribe would send a representative to meet with the Great Hunter and sacrifice three male rabbits. On the night of the Rutting Moon, 49 seasons since Weaha first met the Great Hunter, Tiroh’s grandson, Tuvo  traveled to the sacred hill as a representative of the tribe. When the full moon rose in the East, Tuvo witnessed the arrival of three etherial beings in the form of two men and one woman. They handed Tuvo twelve jade disks and instructed him to build six cairns at a distance of 2400 paces from the sacred place on the hill, on the outer perimeter of a circle equal distance apart, as a warning to those who might enter. Each cairn  contained one of the jade disks that had the image of a hand with an eye in the palm, surrounded by a horned serpent. The remaining six disks were to be placed in similar cairns half the distance from the sacred hill, yet staggered between the other disks. No tree was to be cut nor any animal was to be killed who lived within the borders of the cairns except for the three sacrificial rabbits. Anything living within the perimeter could not be seen nor heard from the outside. On top the hill they built an altar to the Great Hunter to which selected members were sent once every seven years on the night of the Hunter’s moon. They became known as the Nunnemai, the keepers of the sacred oath.

As eons passed and new waves of humans poured out of the west bringing with them a different cultures and religions, the Adamai moved further into the woods shunning the new human tribes.

Bahru, Koni or Kesa were never heard from again, but there had been talk among neighboring tribes of some type of blue humans, called the Lakisa’mai, cursed men of Isa, living in the caves east in the mountains. Tales of abductions became common. People would simply vanish never to be seen again.

Years later there appeared a new race of long lived, light skinned, red headed giants, called the Lugmai, The giant men. Some were incredibly tall with double rows of teeth. They were intelligent and built massive stone structures, but they were also known to be cannibals. Their light skin burned easily in the sun, but they didn’t shun the sun like the blue skinned people. They soon dominated the land and drove the megafauna to extinction and destroyed vast areas of forests. A war broke out between Lugmai and men.  Eventually the Adamai teamed up with men and hunted down the last giant until they were extinct. Legend said that these giants were the offspring of the blue demons and Kesa the red headed witch.

Once the giants were extinguished, the Adamai retreated back into the forests and lived peacefully for many eons.

In time, white men appeared on the Eastern shores bringing disease and death in their greed to claim land for themselves. They drove the remaining tribes nearly to extinction just like the red giants of old. Once the land was cleared of forests and cities were built, the Adamai shape-shifted into crows and remained hidden within site of modern man, waiting for their day of redemption.