by Emil Toth
Kaathi addressed Sharika, “I know you and I have talked about how your people treated injuries and illnesses. Would you share it with the rest?”
“Of course. I wish I could tell you we are doing something exotic to heal each other. Unfortunately, I cannot contribute anything spectacular. We, like the mutants, are also conventional in our approach to healing. We had a shaman who treated the wounds of our hearts and minds.”
Kaathi looked at Scarlet and waited for her to share.
“The Homarians were primitive in their approach to healing. King Edmund had a personal healer. Sadly I never heard how he treated any of Edmund’s illnesses. The rest of the population was on their own, although there were a few people who were more cognizant of which plants were good for certain illnesses. When an illness would puzzle a family they would seek out someone more gifted to help them.”
Kaathi looked at each one of her dear friends. “What is the one thing tying all of these healing methods together?”
“Belief. Without it no one would be healed,” answered Ashlee. “When we see a plant eliminate an upset stomach or heal a rash enough times, it reinforces our understanding and it becomes a belief.
“Exactly, it is the same with our thoughts on healing. Belief is essential and prominent across a wide spectrum of our lives. It gives the universe, society and individuals order. We utilize a belief until we discover another more valid one and supplant it with the new one. In Mara’s case she was indoctrinated by everyone around her to visualize the body as whole and healthy to eliminate whatever ailed her.”
Jacob made a connection to what Kaathi was talking about and spoke, “Now I see why Taja insisted the children attend the Relationship Sessions. If you can reach a child’s mind before it is tainted by everyone, they can be taught a loving way to relate to each other.”
“Exactly,” responded Kaathi enthusiastically, “although we are born into the world with some carry over or residual influences, from other lives, we are basically taught how to love or hate from everyone around us. We are also influenced by our body in good and bad ways. It is essential to nurture the proper qualities of character for a child. It should be engaged the moment the mother knows she is pregnant. If the nurturing is sufficient, it will overcome the other qualities and dominate the individual.”
“Is there ever a time when it is not true?”
“Yes, our cells carry all of the elements to determine how we will look and properties for how our minds and bodies will function and react to challenges, people and events.”
“Can you give us an example about how we will act?”
“Of course. What is contained in the cells of our bodies determines how we are able to comprehend and react to stimuli. It is different in each one of us. Most of us act in what we would call a normal way to most things we encounter. Yet others may have a propensity to be angry, short tempered, unable to concentrate or cannot manipulate the body as well as others. Some of us cannot understand certain things we are taught. Others may need a different way to be taught how to do numbers. We are all different from each other. The truth is we are a mixture or combination of what is in our mothers and fathers and it contributes to a variety of ways our mind and body functions. Most of the time the combination gives birth to something new, which can be refreshing or unfortunate for the child. Here again you might see how important it is to have relationship skills to combat the differences in people and thus reduce or eliminate prejudices and misunderstandings.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Leah felt the contraction. She had given birth to her son seventeen years ago and was familiar with the sensations. Her son had died in a skirmish with the Homarians at the age of thirteen. He was forced to fight like a man for a third of his life. Her son died the same year they confronted Jacob and Kaathi. The two Normals quickly became friends and convinced them to live in their village. Isaac, the father of her deceased son, had given up his life to save her from the jaws of a lion, while on the journey to visit the Ancients. Her current husband, Durga, was left behind by the mutants to die. Kaathi took it upon herself to help him back to health and he became part of the group. Now, at the age of thirty-three she was about to give birth to twins.
Leah missed the intimate conversations she had with Isaac. Most of them were by looks, signing and mental images. Her conversations with Isaac were charged with intimacy. They were bound to be for they grew up together and knew everything about each other. Durga talked more than Isaac and rarely signed to communicate and was unable to master sending her images of what he wanted to say.
Leah never thought she would marry after losing Isaac. Durga was a half-breed, a combination of mutant and Normal. He was thirteen years her junior and not as fiercely protective as Isaac had been. The important thing was he loved her and treated her with respect. She would soon discover what kind of father Durga was going to be.
The contractions were closer together and stronger. She knew Durga had never assisted with a birth, consequently, she asked him to get Wahi, the birthing-mother. He returned shortly with Wahi. Durga went about heating water, while Wahi checked to see how close Leah was to giving birth. Wahi was short in stature and moved about with an efficiency of movement born from years of helping mothers give birth to their babies. She was a calming influence to mothers birthing their first child or the fourth. Much to her surprise the birth was imminent. She gave Leah instructions, which were unnecessary. Leah had been present at several births in her Searcher clan. Leah did not scream as most mothers did. She sweated, grimaced and pushed at the right times, with little coaxing from Wahi. The first twin appeared. It was a boy. It came out crying. Wahi showed Durga where to cut the umbilical cord, she tied it and cleaned the baby in the warm water and gave the naked child to the father. Leah birthed the baby girl a short while later. The baby needed encouragement to breathe and Wahi lightly smacked her tiny behind and got the baby to cry and breathe. She cut the cord, tied it and proceeded to clean the little girl baby, dry it and present it to the weeping mother.
“This has been the easiest birthing I have ever had the privilege of assisting,” praised Wahi of Leah. “It was a marvelous experience. It is over and I feel elated and joyful. You should be proud. The babes look healthy.”
The birthing-mother waited for the placenta to discharge. Leah’s face twisted with pain. Her abdomen tightened. Wahi saw it and wondered what was happening. The whole village knew she was to birth twins and everything went as well as could be expected. What was possessing Leah’s body? Leah was sweating from the pain. Wahi wished her mother was present to advise her. In all the years of helping women birth their children none of the mothers reacted like this after normal births.
Leah clamped her mouth shut to stay the scream. She felt a horrendous cramp and involuntarily pushed with all her strength.
Wahi was startled to see the diminutive discharge of a third baby. A blue baby. She caught it before it hit the floor. She immediately knew the baby was stillborn. Leah and Wahi stared at each other not believing a third child had appeared. It was so tiny it fit into one of Wahi’s palms. She quickly cut the umbilical cord, wiped the child clean and laid it on Leah’s chest. She took one of the other babies so Leah could hold the stillborn. Leah’s emotions caught up with her and she wailed.
Durga had watched the joy and the agony of birth. He took his daughter from Wahi and let her wait for the placenta to discharge. He saw how small the last triplet was and instinctively knew there was no chance she would survive. The way Wahi shook her head it told him and Leah the child was stillborn.
The placenta came out, Wahi set it aside, cleaned Leah and the surrounding area up, wished the parents well and left. This is the best job in the world except for when death claims a new born. Blyth should have been here to witness the joy and the sadness. It is not often she will see a stillborn, thank Creator.
Wahi’s daughter, Blyth, was eleven and next year she would be assisting her. Blyth would take over when she tired
of birthing children.
It took a long time for Leah to look at Durga. “My heart is aching. Look how tiny she is.” She wept silently for a short while. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think we had triplets. They are beautiful.” She heaved a huge sigh. She was like all the Searcher mutant women. They were strong, practical and faced every setback philosophically. It was the way life was. Goodness sat next to sadness and they accepted it. Still, it was her child. She took a deep breath. She had grieved enough. The living needed her.
“I am thankful to Creator for giving us two beautiful babies. I am happy the twins are both well. This is one of the most joy filled days of my life.”
Durga knew of this side of the mutants. He had seen it in the Wanderers time and again. The difference between the two mutant cultures was that the Searchers’ expressed joy. Life went on and there was little time for grief.
He drew in a huge breath and asked, “Are you sticking with the names for them?”
“I am. Our daughter will be called Kati after Kaathi and our son’s name will be Marcel after your father.”
They heard Kaathi’s voice call to them.
Durga pulled the drape aside and Kaathi entered. She gave him a quick hug and bent down to kiss Leah on the forehead and saw the stillborn cradled in her arm.
“I am so very sorry. I truly am. I did not have the heart to tell you.”
“You told us we would have twins and you spoke the truth.”
“Did you want to have the funeral tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
“I shall let the others know.”
“Thank you.”
The mystic smiled. “I hope your joy overshadows your sadness.”
“It does… It does… We mutants are taught to live in the moment. So I know my sadness will not last long. I cannot let it hold me hostage.”
“Bless them for teaching it to you.”
My, what darling children you have brought into the world. The birth of a child is always an auspicious and joyful day. I’m happy for both of you.”
“Thank you for coming.”
“The others are coming tomorrow. I will tell them of your triplet’s death. They wanted to give you some rest before they fussed over you and the babies. May I hold my name sake?”
“Of course.”
Kaathi reached down and gathered the precious little girl in her arms. She kissed the babe’s cheeks. “I love how soft their skin is.”
She showered the baby with love and soft words. “May I hold Marcel?”
Leah smiled and exchanged babies. Kaathi kissed tiny Marcel.
“Kaathi, would you bless them?”
“It would be my pleasure.”
She laid Marcel in Leah’s other arm. She rested her hands on the babies, sent them her love. “I thank you, Creator, for blessing Leah, Durga and the world with these two beautiful children. May these newborn twins give joy to their parents and they themselves know joy all through their lives. May they fulfill their destinies with love and gratitude. I shall pray for your stillborn until I fall asleep.”
“Thank you.”
Kaathi kissed the babies again, hugged Leah and Durga and happily left.
CHAPTER SIX
Mara and Marie worked alongside Kaathi non-stop from early morning until late afternoon tending to the injured and sick. A young man sat down on the bench outside the healer’s hut and waited patiently for his turn to be received. Marie escorted a patient out of the hut and saw the man.
“Hello, I am Marie. Do you need help?”
“I am Yamen and I do. The small of my back has been giving me fits. I can barely do anything.”
Marie knelt down behind Yamen.
“Do you mind if I set my hands on it.”
“Why do you want to do it?”
“I am going to pray and send your back healing energy from Creator.”
“I suppose you can do it.”
“As I am doing it, I want you to concentrate on what you are feeling in your back and see if it will send you a message as to why it is hurting. Can you do it?”
“It seems stupid.”
“It is not. Kaathi has found that the area bothering us can tell us why it is hurting if we listen.”
“Is it true? Does it work?”
“It has in many cases.”
“I will try anything to stop this pain.”
“While I set my hands on you, I want you to feel the pain in your back and then stop thinking about it, still your mind and expectantly wait.”
“That is it?”
“Yes.”
Marie set her hands on his back, said her prayer, opened herself to Creator’s healing energy and went into meditation. The young man had no problem feeling his pain. He did have trouble quieting his mind. When he did quiet it words tumbled into his mind and kept repeating themselves like rolling thunder. He was so eager to share what he heard he turned around and faced Marie, as she slowly came out of meditation.
“I am sorry, but I had to tell you. The words, ‘I am not supported by my parents in whom I want to marry,’ bounced around my head over and over.”
“I am not surprised to hear you say it. The small of your back supports you as you stand tall. I am certain your backache is due to the lack of parental support.”
“Are you sure?”
“As sure as the ache in your back. Once you accept their lack of support and strike out on your own it should disappear.”
“I think it feels better already.”
“It does not surprise me.”
“Thank you, Marie.”
“You are welcome.”
“What do I owe you?”
“A hug now and a favor later.”
Yamen smiled. “I can manage both.”
A lull came and Kaathi sent Marie and Mara off to relax. They did not have to be told a second time. They hugged the mystic and scurried off to relax and cool themselves in the shallows of the river.
Coming up from ducking under the water, Marie turned to Mara. “I never asked if your people were ruled by a man.”
“Our chief was a man.”
“What was life like among the Uchakwa?” inquired Marie.
“As a child, I can remember my parents, grandparents, friends and neighbors all taking an interest in me and my education.”
“Your education?”
“Yes, we learned through stories about animals, plants, history and our relations. In one way or another many of us were related. Our clan was small and every girl a few years older and younger was a playmate and friend. When I was old enough I was taken on trips through the jungle to learn which plant was good to eat and what the animals looked like and which ones to avoid or kill for food.”
“Do you know why you are small?”
“My people never knew they were small until two adventurers entered our territory.”
“Did your people question them about their size?”
“No. We killed them.”
“Why?”
“Our forefathers saw them as invaders and a threat.”
“Without talking to them how did they know?”
“They did not.”
“Do you find it sad they did not talk to them?”
“I did. I think it was after their appearance my people questioned why we were small. They reasoned it was to blend into the jungle better. My ancestors told stories about people with hair on them like monkeys and apes. We thought it was a form of curse on them. The first time I saw the simian Stalkers was when we engaged Kaathi, Jacob and the Stalkers in our forest. The Stalkers frightened me the most. At the time I thought the stories about them fit well and assumed they were being punished for something they did. I thought they were ugly. All of them were killed in the skirmish except Gauri. As I got to know her, I was no longer terrified of her.”
Mara stopped and smiled recalling something.
“What?”
“I remember telling Kaathi about those stories and she chuckled
and said every tribe has stories glorifying themselves and vilifying other tribes.”
“I can see people doing it,” replied Marie.
Mara continued, “I also recall being terrified of you tall people. Your strength was twice mine and I was at a disadvantage in close quarter fighting. The only good thing about your size was you presented us with a larger target for our arrows. The advantage was nullified in dense jungle.”
Marie raised her eyebrows saying, “I never heard how you came to stumble upon Kaathi and Gauri.”
“Our scouts saw her party and reported back to our people. Our territory was being invaded by a party of three distinct hairy people. I was one of twenty-eight warriors to investigate their presence. When we came upon them, I tried to convince Ogus to find out if the group was peaceful and simply passing through or was warlike. He would not listen to me. Ogus thought because we outnumbered them we could destroy them. Ogus was a stupid leader. It went badly for us because we could not use our arrows to kill them. The forest was too thick to shoot arrows. Me and two others attacked Jacob and paid a heavy price. The other two were killed and I suffered a head wound and a broken arm, while he went injury free. I was knocked unconscious. When I revived, I was the only one left alive among the Uchakwa warriors. Isaac and Leah suffered wounds and four of the Stalkers were dead. Their lone survivor was their female leader, Gauri. The whole battle was senseless. Later I found out Kaathi and her people were passing through and had no intention to steal our land as Ogus thought.”
“How terribly unfortunate Ogus did not listen to you. It would have been tremendously beneficial, if your people had the luxury of attending some Relationship Sessions,” Marie pointed out.
“I agree. How will we ever know someone’s intentions if we do not sit down and talk?”
“Were you ever married?” Marie asked.
“No, three men wanted me to be their woman. I never was stirred by any of them. If I had been, I likely would not have wanted to go with Kaathi on her adventure.”
“Do the Uchakwa have to reach a certain age before they get married?”