Dwellers of Ahwahnee (The Beyond Collection)

by Sheryl Seal

  I can’t let White Bear fall in love with me anymore than he was already. That wouldn’t be fair to him.

  I smiled at him and repeated what I hoped he understood. “We can be friends then?”

  “Of course, we will always be friends my Queen.”

  Chapter 28

  We rode the rest of the way through the forest. It was a comfortable silence that only two friends can have. Finally he announced that we were here and could dismount.

  We hobbled the horses and left them on their own. We unpacked our gear and placed it on the ground. He took my hand and said let’s walk up the trail.

  Not very far up the path I could hear a roaring. I knew it could only be a waterfall. Then it came into view and I gasped at the beauty and the length of it. There are waterfalls all over this Ahwahnee, one more beautiful than the next.

  “They call this Ribbon Falls, beautiful isn’t it? It’s of course this world’s version, not the one you would see in Yosemite. It reminds me of home, so peaceful with its powerful flowing water. There are many secret places in all of our worlds that are similar.”

  “It is very beautiful. I thought this was your home, where are you from White Bear?”

  “I am from the Black Hills. Nothing is more beautiful or sacred to me then my home. I am only here to help with training. I am a medicine man or holy man as you know, but there can never be enough. The old ways are dying out. I pray there will be more people that want to be medicine men. With doctors and magic in the world not many want to learn the old ways. I come through from this world to the Dakotas every other year. I love it here but I miss home many nights. This place helps me get through many lonely times. See, you are not the only one who misses home. I too, know what it’s like.”

  “I’m sorry White Bear. Sometimes I’m so wrapped up in my own misery of missing home; I forget that everyone here has another home. Of course we all miss our families and our lifestyles. I am willing to learn the old ways of medicine. You are right though, there’s a lot of magic. I am afraid most will always rely on that more than the healing arts of herbs.”

  He smiled wistfully and agreed with my assessment of the world today. Then he took off the bow and quiver of arrows that he had over his shoulder. “Everyone however, should learn to hunt and protect themselves in case they ever need to. I brought these in hopes that you would like me to teach you.”

  “I would love to learn. I have never been very good at sports. You will have to be patient with me.”

  “You have mastered all that I have taught you so far. I have no doubt that this will be the same. Come, I have a spot I often practice at over here.”

  We traveled down the trail not far from the falls. He had a target on a tree and I smiled at how far away it was. I wondered if I could even pull the string back and let it fly or if I could even hit that target so far away. He told me he had made the bow and quiver of arrows himself. It gave him something to do in down times and that they were as good as any manufactured ones. The arrows shoot true and the bow is light weight so I shouldn’t have a problem. He held them out for me and I took them in each hand. I liked the way they all felt. Then he grabbed me around the waist and angled my body at the target. I kind of shivered as his hands held my waist. The closeness of his body, and his smell of the woods and smoke reminded me of Grey Wolf.

  I shook off my feelings of Grey Wolf and I took the arrow he handed me. I notched it how he said and let it fly. The first one flew off away from the target and it fell short. The more I practiced the better I became though. Pretty soon I could hit the center of the target. The better I got the more fun it was. Finally my arms and fingers were sore and I didn’t think I could pull back one more time. White Bear announced it was time for lunch.

  He was smirking so I knew he felt how weary and aching I was getting and had mercy on me.

  After lunch I was laying back listening to White Bear tell stories of the old ways. He spoke of his ancestors and the Black Hills. He talked of how some believed that the war chief, Rain-in-the-face was responsible for killing General George Custer. Some people even believed that Rain-in-the-face had eaten the heart of George Custer’s brother Tom. Somewhere in the telling of Rain-in-the-Face and how White Bear was related to the war chief of the great tribe I must have fallen asleep. I woke up and he was not around anywhere. Well, that was rude of me, I thought to myself. I guess I was tired from not sleeping last night. The pleasant-sounding voice of White Bear made me feel so comfortable that I just drifted off. I hadn’t mentioned it to him, but he sounded very much like Grey Wolf when I closed my eyes. I must have felt very safe to just fall asleep like that. Maybe I am still gathering strength, I giggled embarrassed at myself.

  I got up and took up the bow and quiver of arrows again. I thought I would practice a little even though I would probably have blisters on my fingers. I looked down and rubbed my fingers and I couldn’t find any blisters at all. Guess I’m tougher than I thought.

  I walked over to where I had practiced before. As I was notching the bow, I heard what I thought sounded like a groan. There was some commotion deeper into the trees.

  “White Bear is that you?” Then I heard a terrifying noise that could only be described as a deep growl and another groan.

  I didn’t even think about what I was doing. I just took off running towards the sounds. I came up on them suddenly and must have startled it. It being the biggest Grizzly Bear there ever was, I’m sure. It was almost unreal. It looked like a Sasquatch. The ones you always see on the television. They’re always standing straight up. Then they run away in a blur. I figured it had to be a bear since I had never seen a Sasquatch. I wasn’t going to take any chances. I knew that there were so many things I didn’t believe before coming here. It seemed real enough the way it was tossing White Bear around like a rag doll. Then it suddenly turned to charge me. It was almost too unreal to be a bear too. It had to have magic on it. Still coming at me in an indistinct form I had no idea what to do. I stood there dazed and tightened my hands. That’s when I realized I still had the bow and arrows in my grip. I lifted them quickly and notched the arrow. I aimed, said a quick prayer about my arrow flying true to the heart of the bear/Sasquatch or whatever it was, and let it fly.

  To my astonishment the arrow lit up like a lightning bolt. It hit the animal so solid it lifted it clean off its feet. That magical being hit the ground so hard it shook everything around and it sounded like thunder booming. Looking at it in amazement, I thought it looked dead. I then took off running for White Bear. Unexpectedly there was a big flash that halted me for a second and lit up everything around. I was momentarily blinded and when I looked around the bear had disappeared. I thought White Bear had seen this too because he was lying on the ground not far from where it had fallen. When I finally reached him, he had already passed out.

  I really couldn’t hear very well. There were screams in my head. I didn’t realize it until later but they were mine.

  “Oh, White Bear, no, wake up, please wake up!” I was crying and screaming at him but he wasn’t moving at all. I couldn’t think what to do and I laid my head down on his chest and wept for him. I thought he was dead. Then I heard him say, “Do not cry for me Oria, I am not dead yet. Is the great bear dead?” I lifted my head and looked into his eyes. They were blazing with fever and pain already. They were still the most beautiful color of jade. “Yes, it is dead. How badly are you hurt? What can I do?” He did not need to know at this point that the magical being had disappeared.

  “Bad enough, can you go get my medicine kit? It has herbs and a healing salve you can put on the wounds.”

  “Of course, I’ll be right back. Please, Matoskah don’t you dare die on me.”

  “I cannot win you over if I am dead. So I don’t plan on dying anytime in the near future.”

  I rolled my eyes at him and tried a smile I didn’t really feel.

  “How can you joke at a time like this? I’ll be right back.”

  I heard hi
m chuckle as I left him. I could also hear his thoughts as I raced away to get the medicine kit.

  “Who’s joking?”

  Then I heard him praying to Wakan Tanka to let him die like a warrior.

  I added my own prayer along with his, saying, “Don’t you dare take him, you can’t have him yet.”

  When I got back with the herbs, he had passed out once again. I had to shake him awake. I feared he had died this time. Finally I awakened him and breathed a sigh of relief.

  I was putting the herbs on his wounds and he was explaining how to use the salve as I moved from one arm to the other. Then I noticed that the other arm looked as if it were already healing. Weird, I thought maybe there’s magic in the salve.

  White Bear must have noticed too because he looked at me strangely.

  “I believe you have the magic art of healing in your touch my little Queen. Maybe you could try to place your hands on the wide open gash in my chest…” He coughed and I noticed blood on his lips. “Hurry, before it is the death of me.” He coughed again. A heart wrenching cough and there was a more blood on his lips.

  I had totally forgotten that my head wound had healed very quickly; I suppose I just assumed it was my own blood healing myself. Now I knew I must have the healing in my hands. It wasn’t needed before now. I couldn’t have known that I could heal others.

  His arm wounds were almost mended and that was all the proof I needed to at least try. I contemplated putting my hands on his gash that was profusely bleeding and doubting my own abilities for a second. He coughed up more blood and once again passed out.

  Alarmed, I put both my hands on his chest and down into the wounds. I immediately got this feeling in my inner being that the blood flow that was gushing had diminished. I lifted my hands to the top of the laceration and watched as a glowing light spread throughout. It slowly sealed itself together until all that remained was a few pink lines where the claws had gouged him.

  Amazed, I sat there and wept softly. I wasn’t sure why. Had he come to mean more to me than I thought? I was sure I was just in shock and scared for my friend.

  I sat beside White Bear for probably an hour before he finally started to come to. I held his hand the entire time he was out. I thought about him. I thought about Grey Wolf. I thought about myself and how my life had changed so much. I thought about the bear. I came to the conclusion from what I had seen, before it disappeared, that it was probably a bear with a magical spell on it. I looked to the spot where it had been when I shot it. Perhaps it was a shapeshifter; no I thought I would have felt that.

  Then my mind wandered back to the dream of last night. I knew now that it was another premonition. It all made sense if you look at what had just happened. I need a way to know when my dreams are premonitions or just dreams. I had no answers but hoped grandfather would be able to help me sort through more questions.

  I knew White Bear was awake before he opened his eyes; he was thinking am I dead? I certainly don’t feel any pain. Then he opened his beautiful eyes. The pain and fever were gone now and he said, “If I am dead I would love nothing better than to stay right here with you forever.”

  “Ever the charmer, aren’t you? You are not dead. Apparently I have the ability to heal. I never needed it before now so I didn’t know about it. You should try to get up; I think you are totally restored to your previous health. Except the scars you will now have.”

  “Yes, I feel better than I ever did. Thank you Oria, I owe you my life. I can live with some scars.”

  “I have a question for you, why didn’t you shape shift and protect yourself from the bear?” He chuckled and said, “I tried that but for some reason I could not shift. The bear had great magic. It would seem your magic was greater than the bears. You were able to defeat it. He looked over to where the bear had been in amazement. “Where did the bear go?”

  “It just disappeared after I shot it. I couldn’t figure it out but as I thought on it I knew it was part of the evil that has come into this world. We will have to warn the others. Anyone could be attacked at any time.”

  I also needed to speak with grandfather about these dreams, visions or premonitions that I have been having all my life.

  There has to be clues to what is happening now.

  Chapter 29

  White Bear said he felt better than he had in a long time. Especially, since he had just been attacked by a bear.

  It was near dusk when we arrived home and grandfather and several others from the village greeted us. With that knowing look he often got in his eyes, grandfather touched White Bear where the wound had been the worst, on his chest. “The Golden Queen has healed you with her magic. Her mark is on you. We are all grateful you were not taken to the happy hunting grounds of the ancestors.” Then he turned to me. He smiled big, and opened his arms. I immediately stepped into them and he wrapped me in a big hug. Which I so needed. I hadn’t realized it but I think I was still in shock and trembling. I just hung on for a minute. Then we released each other. “You have great magic Oria. I watched this all unfold in my vision. You are more powerful by the day my dear. Soon you will be able to take on all the evil that is in this world of ours. If this is what is to come none of us are safe.”

  “Yes, these are my feelings also. I would like to speak with you grandfather, if you have the time.”

  “We will talk later about your dreams, visions, and premonitions after you have rested.”

  I nodded yes to him as he walked away. As usual I was amazed at his insight. I knew he could always read me.

  I was also very tired again and felt like I was sleeping on my feet. White Bear and I had both cleaned up before we trekked back to the village. I was worn out so I would do what grandfather suggested and go lay down for a while.

  That was not meant to be though. The old woman Nokomis was sitting outside her lodge. She was working on a basket and asked that I join her. Knowing there was no polite way to decline, I decided I could certainly spare some time for her. I sat down and took the cup of tea she handed me with her gnarled old hands. I said thank you and asked how she was today which is the custom. She smiled her toothless grin with those amazing blue eyes and cackled. “Certainly not as great as your day has been my little Golden Queen. You have learned many amazing things about yourself since last we spoke. You become strong. There have been many surprising things for you to deal with. I am wondering how you are handling all of it. I can see the mark of the ancient power within you. Do not be afraid of it, this is your life now. What is past and cannot be prevented should not be grieved for. Your visions have power and you need to listen to them.”

  I thought for a moment and considered her words of truth. I nodded my head and I thought how much like my grandmother she is. She even calls me my little Golden Queen. I would not grieve for what had happened and what I could not change. I reacted so quickly probably because of my vision.

  I could tell she could read my thoughts when she looked at me and casually replied. “This acceptance is a good thing. Wisdom comes only when you stop looking for it. Start living the life the creator envisioned for you. Now, I want you to start observing what happens when you follow your intuitive feelings. The result will be amplified energy, power, and a sense of things flowing. Remember if you can imagine it you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it. Now then, I will let you go and sleep on all I have given to you.

  Nokomis rose more gracefully then I thought the old woman could have. She took the cup from my hand and went into her lodge.

  I went to mine and lay down and thought about all she had said while I was drifting off.

  “I need you to listen to me my Little Golden Queen, come now; the time is here for you and I to speak.”

  “Grandmother is that you? Where are you? I cannot see you. I only see darkness. What is happening?”

  “You have to find compassion and embrace the darkness inside of you, in order to understand it, and ultimately, to transcend it. Do not worry so much
you will find your way; we all have a fear of the unknown, what one does with that fear will make all the difference in the world. Your power is strong and will not let you down; never give up on who you are my dear. You may not understand the changes in your life now, but you will be glad you kept moving forward when you look back from where you have come. You are The Golden Queen that all have been waiting for. The evil that comes must be stopped or it will surely devour the world. Now, you will have the strength you need. AWAKE!”

  I woke with a start and it was still light out. I looked around for grandmother but she was not here. Funny though, I could feel her presence and I caught a whiff of lilacs on the breeze that reminded me of her.

  I decided I could use a swim to revitalize me and walked down to the falls. I passed many people. They thanked me for saving the very handsome and eligible bachelor White Bear. Although, some agreed that his heart had already been given to me. I assured them that was not the case. Many giggled and were happy about this. It gave them hope for a future with the handsome Matoskah. They left me walking along the trail alone to the falls. My thoughts were of White Bear and I was happy he was my friend and that I had saved him from death. The world could only be a better place with him in it.

  I reached the foot of the falls where I encountered a very wet and fine looking Grey Wolf. He was just coming from the water. My body betrayed me and did a summersault. His hair was sparkling with water drops and hanging freely down his back. His muscular body slick and sexy looking was a shock to mine. It always seems to call to his. I tried to turn away before he saw me but as usual he felt my presence. As he reached for his breechcloth and leggings he laughed and playfully said to me. “Do not go Oria; I would like to talk with the mighty bear killer if I can.”

  “Do not be ridiculous Grey Wolf. I am not a mighty anything. I just did what came naturally. I used the weapon that White Bear had been teaching me to use and the magic was just there. I did not understand it at the time but I am beginning to.” I paused and looked around and asked angrily, “Where is Yori and why isn’t she hanging onto your body?” I sounded like a jealous woman when there was no need to be. I never wanted him to get close to her. Everyone agreed that this was our best plan to get the information we needed about her. I couldn’t get rid of that green-eyed monster no matter how hard I tried though. I decided to conceal my feelings while he responded to my question.