by Sheryl Seal
“She is busy with Elder meetings. So we have some time before she misses me. I have missed your smile, like the flower misses the sunshine. He winked and added, and your lips that taste of honey on mine.”
“Really, I would think you would have all the kisses you could handle and more with Yori.”
Grey Wolf laughed and in an amusing voice said, “Come now my little Golden Queen. You know this is all for looks to get the information we need. Some things will have to be done that either you or I will like for this charade to work.”
I felt my heart hit the ground in front of me and shatter there. So, it is true, they were now lovers.
“I said, for you to get close to her. To find out the truth of what we need to know, not that you should bed her.”
“Yori is a very intelligent, yet a very paranoid being. To get her confidence I have to be believable. What else would you have me do?”
Now I was just outraged. I wouldn’t waste any more time sulking on what wasn’t meant to be. If he was getting the information we needed I guess the plan was working. Could I love him afterwards though?
“Fine, whatever, has this worked? What information do you have for me? Do you know what this evil woman has planned?”
“It is scary and quite confusing in ways no others have seen. Sometimes when she lets her guard down and is sleeping, I see her shifting. It’s very faint but it is there. I have witnessed what I can only think in my mind to be known as a dragon or a snake-like monster of some sort. There is something else I have noticed too. Where she spends time there is death of all living plants. I still have no idea what she is after. Except the death of us all and the world we live in.”
I had sucked in my breath and held it for a moment because I knew these things too. Then I released it in a rush of air.
“These are some of the same effects that I have seen when her guard is down also. Maybe this will be the answer we need when the time comes. I will have to speak with grandfather. He must know of a creature that shifts into a snake-like dragon and what it is after. There has to be a way to stop her evil.”
“I must get back before she misses me. I don’t want her to think I am not being faithful. She has had this vision she says of you and I. She must not believe there is anything between us.”
“There isn’t anything between us that she needs worry about.” I said a little too curtly.
I could see the shock that went through him. It was like I had taken a knife and ran it through his body.
“When this is over though, you will still be mine. I will do whatever I have to do to win your heart back.” Then a gloomy smile crossed his face. It was enveloped in much pain. I knew it was because he had hurt our relationship. Both of our hearts were breaking. As he walked passed me his fingers caught in mine and a chill of ecstasy went all the way through me to my soul.
I didn’t know if I would ever be able to look at him without seeing Yori wrapped all over him. How would I ever be able to be intimate with him? All I can envision is her clinging to him. That wasn’t all I could see though and that was what devastated me.
I stayed at the falls awhile just thinking.
Grey Wolf thinks he will win my heart back. Could we ever make it work between us after this was over. Had he ever even lost my heart? It isn’t as though he just decided to go out and cheat on me. This was a formulated plan to get rid of an evil that has entered our world. I know what grandmother would say if I could forgive him. I could hear her voice loud and clear.
“Oria, if you forgive your man, you must not re-heat his sins for breakfast.”
I scowled miserably and wondered if I had the courage to do this and the compassion it would take. I would pray to the Great Spirit for the direction I needed in my life. I knew there was a plan for me. I also knew that it would all work out the way it was intended. Whether I felt it was what I wanted or what was meant to be. It really wouldn’t be my choice in the end. It would be however the Great Spirit destined my life.
Chapter 30
I found grandfather walking through the forest. He was sullenly eyeing the earth and the foliage around him. He was clicking his tongue in the deep thought and as I came up behind him he said with disappointment clear in his voice.
“Good day granddaughter we have a severe problem here. Our world appears to be dying all around us. I‘m not sure if we can stop the process that has already begun. I have been taking samples all day. I can already tell though, this is very bad magic. I am just not sure how deep this enchantment goes. What news do you have from Grey Wolf? Is he making progress with Yori?”
Oh, yeah, he’s making lots of progress is what I thought. What came out of my mouth wasn’t anything like that. “Yes grandfather, I believe he has found some important information that only you can help with.” Grandfather not missing the sour note in my tone of voice glanced at me from under his big busy brows. Then he squeezed my arm affectionately and motioned for me to continue.
“I have seen Yori for what she is when her guard is down and so has Grey Wolf. I had thought when I had seen her in the falls it was something evil but I was not sure. I was not as strong with my powers and did not trust them for what they were. I had forgotten about this until Grey Wolf spoke with me earlier. He too has seen this in Yori, when he’s with her and her guard is down. There is a great snake-like or dragon in her shifting that both of us have seen. I have been witness to other things and felt true evil deep within her. Grandfather what’s wrong, are you ill? What is it?”
“ I am fine child; just give me a minute to think.”
I stood there and held the old man’s hands while he took some deep breaths. I could tell this was not going to be anything good. He had gone an ashen color and looked as if he might pass out. He was a strong man though and finally pulled himself together. Gathering up his staff with both hands and leaning against it he let me know his thoughts.
“I am remembering a story my grandfather’s told me as a child. It was a scary tale about the Ala. It is supposed to be a mythological creature. It may look like a black wind or a giant creature of indistinct form, a huge-mouthed human-like or a snake-like monster. A female dragon, a raven or whatever it wants. It can assume various human or animal shapes. It can even possess a person’s body. The Ale as more than one are called, are considered demons of bad weather. Their main purpose is to lead weather producing thunderclouds. They head in the direction of fields, vineyards or orchards to destroy the crops. They loot them and take them away. Extremely voracious, the Ale particularly likes to eat children. Their gluttony is not limited to the earth. It is believed they can try to devour the sun or the moon causing eclipses; her success would mean the end of the world. She has already destroyed other worlds and then she moves on to the next. We must stop her before she takes this world. She will never stop. This would be why there is evidence of our world dying.”
I was listening to grandfather’s story and it struck me that this was no tale. This Ala is very real and she is here now. If she were to escape this land and enter into the world of humans she would be unstoppable. We did need to stop her here. I now understood more than ever why this world existed and why the time for a new Golden Queen with much magic was here. I hoped I had what it would take to destroy here.
Then I thought of Grey Wolf and what danger we had put him in. He could not keep trying to get information from her. She was much more than a mere shapeshifter with magic. She is destruction and pure evil just like I had thought.
“Grandfather, I must go and warn Grey Wolf. He cannot keep up this charade any longer. She will destroy him if she believes he is only after the truth of what she is. I had no idea it would be such a total annihilation of evil when I asked him to do this. He is not prepared for an Ala.”
“She may already know this granddaughter. It would be very hard to keep anything from her. We will all be in more danger if she has discovered that we are all on to her. If she suspects anything you may not get a chance to warn h
im. Do not be deceived by the lack of power you believe Grey Wolf has either.”
“What does that mean grandfather?” I was thinking like what more could he be. Of course I knew he was very powerful.
“Just that he will be able to protect himself if the time comes that he is discovered.”
“Well, I must go and try to warn him just the same. Maybe I can put a protective spell on him. Or take him out of the equation completely. I will think of something on the way to his lodge.”
“Be careful granddaughter, I will talk with the ancestors and see what it will take to destroy this Ala.”
On my way to Grey Wolf’s lodge the dark clouds rolled in. I knew that something was wrong, and it wasn’t me. I was controlling myself now. In fact the more I thought on it, I believed someone else could also control the elements. I certainly couldn’t be the only one. Yori would be able to do this, and much more.
It started to rain by the time I made it back to the village. I heard the rolling thunder before I even noticed the flashing Lightning. It had struck the great lodge where we all ate and took our meetings. Something had happened and I just hoped I was not too late. Grey Wolf would be her first target I feared. Had she possibly discovered his deception already? A few people came out of the lodge hurt and looking for medical attention. One was Tim, and Jim was holding him up as he limped from the building. I directed Aponi who had come with Red Thunder to please go and find White Bear. He could help with the wounded. I had to make my way to Grey Wolf’s lodge because I now knew that the dreaded feeling in my stomach was for him. He was in trouble and there was no time to waste. Let him be alright Great Spirit, I prayed. I will forgive him anything. I prayed all the way there.
Red Thunder came with me. He said I would need his help if his brother Grey Wolf was in trouble. I didn’t have time to argue and just hoped he would not get in the way. We raced through the village that was pounding with hail the size of marbles. The hail was coming down so hard we both had welts all over us by the time we reached Grey Wolf’s lodge.
I couldn’t have stopped to knock on his lodge door if I had wanted; it had been ripped from the frame and tossed aside. The inside was a disaster area and there was no sign of Grey Wolf or Yori.
Red Thunder looked around and said a prayer, “May the Great Spirit guard and protect you my brother. What is going on Oria?”
“We have to find Grey Wolf. I have put him in so much danger. He is only a pawn in Yori’s plot to destroy our world and escape into the next one. Then she will destroy all other worlds that come after that.” I started to cry and then stopped. There was no time to feel pity for myself. I told Red Thunder what grandfather had told me and what we had decided Yori really was. “Where do you think she would take him? Do you think she would take him back to the prison in the mountain?”
“I do not know my Queen. I can go and look. I will take Aponi with me. We will be very discrete in our spirit forms.”
“Alright, Red Thunder, but be very careful. I cannot afford to lose you two. Ala is a very crafty demon. She is here to destroy everything. Once we find her only then can I defeat her. She may stay in hiding until she gets all she is after.”
“We will return when we have discovered where she keeps Grey Wolf.” Then he turned and left me standing there alone with the scattered debris that was once Grey Wolf’s lodge. I looked around to see if there could be any clues. All I found was my hair tie that I had lost one day after my swim at the falls.
I picked it up and held it in my hands. I noticed that they were trembling. Clear as day I then heard Grey Wolf say. “Be strong my little Golden Queen. If looking forward scares you and looking back hurts you, then look beside you. I’ll always be there holding your hand the whole way.”
Then I thought I could feel his hand take mine.
That gave me all the courage I needed. No matter what else happens or has happened, I vowed to him and myself. “I will find you Grey Wolf. I promise we will be together again.” I didn’t care how I got him back. It didn’t matter what I had to do. I would do everything in my power to make our love survive. I promised myself one other thing.
I was going to take that Ala down.
Chapter 31
I left Grey Wolf’s lodge with the powerful premonition that the war had begun. I also had a new found fury towards Yori. The marbled size hail was now golf size and destroying everything around. I controlled my temper on the off chance that it was me. This did not lessen the hail storm that raged around me and the village.
I went through the village and noticed that everyone was shifting into their spirit animals. They were taking shelter where they could. Most headed for the hills where the caves were. Good, they would be safe there.
I also noticed Tim and Jim with White Bear. None of them were shifting or heading for cover though. I ran toward them, and screamed over the storm to make them hear me.
“What are you three doing? You need to shift and go for the caves.”
They explained to me that Tim could not shift because his leg was broken. Jim of course would not leave his brother behind. Therefore, White Bear would not leave either of them.
I rushed over to Tim and placed my hands on his leg. I watched again miraculously as the power within me healed his bone. The cut then closed up where the bone had broken through. Nothing was left but a scar. He looked at me in awe and hugged me. Then he and Jim shifted into their wolverine spirit animals. They vanished through the hail and forest somewhere.
White Bear said he would not leave my side no matter what. “What do we do now?” He yelled over the thunder that was now constantly booming.
I let him in on what I knew to be happening and the why of it. Then I asked if he still wanted to stay by my side. “I would totally understand if you left for safety now. I’m really not sure what will happen. I’m waiting for Red Thunder and Aponi to tell me what they’ve found out about Grey Wolf. Really, you might be safer at the caves. Getting Grey Wolf back and stopping the Ala will be my only concern.”
“I will not hide out in some cave while you and my other friends are in danger. I will help.”
He insisted on staying by my side and we agreed to check the rest of the village while we were waiting for news.
I found Nokomis with grandfather. He had a protective spell over them as they watched from the tree line.
I ran up to them and broke right through the spell without even trying. “Grandfather, why are you two still here? You need to move to the caves. It would be much safer there. If I could break your spell of protection then surely the Ala can. Come, I will have White Bear escort you.”
Grandfather tried to protest and insisted that I would need his help. I could not take the chance of anyone else getting in the path of the Ala though. I needed everyone I could round up all together in one place, safe.
White Bear shifted into a great bear and scooped up grandfather and Nokomis. He took off running with them toward the hills before they could protest. I heard him say he would be right back. “No need, I’m right behind you. The village is not where the Ala will be.”
I looked around at the deserted camp and with my protection in place; I shifted into a black panther. It must have been the first thought I had. I hurried off so that I could get there ahead of White Bear, Nokomis and grandfather. I wanted to be there and putting a protective spell on the caves before they arrived.
I was half way done. I could see a silver shimmer around one side of the cave when Red Thunder and Aponi arrived. They said they had no luck finding Grey Wolf. However, there was something odd. They could not get to the mountain wall where he was being kept before. Red Thunder believed a spell for certain had been placed there so that no one could reach this place.
“That must be where she keeps him. But why does she need him, he is but a shapeshifter. To her that would mean very little, unless...”
“Yes, I have been thinking on this for a while now. If she has discovered that he has been lying to her and
this was a ploy to find out more about her, then he is in more trouble than I thought. She will be more than a woman scorned. She will be Ala. Completely unleashed in her darkest form. I believe there is more that we haven’t uncovered about her.” Grey Wolf either, I thought to myself. Why would she need him above all others? Unless it was just to get to the Golden Queen.
Grandfather and Nokomis had arrived with White Bear. He shifted and I asked him to help them into the cave. I quickly set to weaving the ward that would protect all inside it and from anything else to break the spell. All of a sudden White Bear, Tim and Jim came slipping through before I was done.
“If you think for one minute that we’re staying behind while you three have all the fun, you’re wrong. You’re going to need all the help you can get.”
I finished the spell and desperately tried to explain to them all.
“This is going to be anything but fun Matoskah. I can’t risk you all getting hurt or maybe even killed.”
He was quick with a comeback though.
“You are going to need interference Oria. You will need someone to get in and out with Grey Wolf. You will be too busy defeating the Ala.”
I thought on this for a quick moment because I didn’t have time for more than that. I also recall in my dreams how they were all here to help defeat this Evil. Then I made a quick decision.
“After the ward on the mountain is broken, Red Thunder, and Tim and Jim can find Grey Wolf. White Bear and Aponi will stay with me. Then we will use all of your abilities to our advantage.”