Kahm nodded once and cast more wood into the fire. Sparks flew up into the air, lighting the cave’s high ceiling.
“So let it be done.”
Sunflower watched the proceedings with a calm heart. She had always known Talon was special and that his true destiny was still unfolding. As she watched those around her, she closed her eyes in silent entreaty. Please keep them safe from harm.
Wolf moved to stand at her side, pressing his warm fur against her bare legs as she shivered. Sunflower wondered if those that she loved felt the world shift, just as she had.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“When you return, you will no longer be known as the young man without a mother or father to call his own. You will return as a strong warrior, capable of defeating any enemy that stands against you.” Kahm’s words were powerful as he spoke over the fire while holding Talon’s gaze.
“I do not have much to offer, but I wish to honor you with a ceremony performed by my village when men become warriors. By your actions you will name yourself a warrior.” Kahm continued speaking as Talon watched him with quiet acceptance. “From times long lasting until now, men have walked the land; they have hunted for their women and children. You are a man of your village, by right of the first hunt. You know the ways of a hunter and are skilled with the weapons of the hunt.”
Kahm handed Talon a clay vessel that held contents meant to purge the belly. “You must drink until the vessel is empty and then you will wander the forest without your weapons at your side until your journey is complete.”
Talon accepted the offering even as he considered backing away from the challenge in Kahm’s eyes.
“You will return forever changed, but capable of meeting an enemy face to face.”
Talon took a bracing breath before tipping the vessel to his lips and gulping the contents in one long swallow. At first, he felt nothing other than an overwhelming sense of pride.
Kahm directed him to turn in a circle as he began to dance and sing to the beat of Miche’s drum. As Kahm lifted his voice in a melodious chant, Talon followed the steps of the dance until sweat beaded upon his brow and his heart raced. His mind drifted into a realm suspended between the spirit world and the world around him, as his soul flew free. When next Talon opened his eyes, he instinctively recognized that he had taken an irreversible step down the path that was linked to the unknowable future.
Pain seared Talon’s belly as he emptied the contents of his stomach. There was a raging inferno in his blood and he wanted nothing more than a cool sip of water. The small pool of rainwater that he had stumbled upon was full of swarming insects and animal droppings. Talon knew better than to quench his thirst though he was sorely tempted.
Another spasm ripped through his belly and he was reduced to crawling across the ground as he tried to find a place of concealment. Talon opened his eyes and he realized that he had been unaware of his surroundings for a long span of time. He glanced around but he didn’t see Kahm or Miche.
“You must not make a spear or take any weapon into your hand.” Kahm’s words came back to him as he considered how he would protect himself without his weapons. There were predators, great and small, to consider.
Talon was concerned about his swollen tongue and empty belly, but he also knew that he must first find shelter if he was to survive.
“You will become like the animals that are hunted by the one that has named himself a hunter.”
The scent of fear and sickness caused Talon’s nostrils to flare as he forced himself to stand and gain an understanding of his surroundings. The forest was eerily silent except for the brushing rasp of the wind through the leaves. His throat convulsed as saliva filled his mouth and his body threatened to react violently. He called upon the inner strength that never failed him as he forced a deep breath into his lungs.
“You will know what it means to face death and choose life.” Kahm’s voice intoned the very words that Talon had accepted without question.
Darkness would soon cover the forest completely and Talon had yet to find a safe place to spend the night. He had not realized how quickly he had become accustomed to the cave that sheltered them. A sound from the forest caused him to whip his head around as he instinctively reached for his spear. When his hand came away empty, he realized that his weapons were not with him. Whatever Kahm had given him to drink remained in his body, causing his vision to blur.
“Do not return until you have found something sacred, something of rare value and a thing of spirit.”
The world swirled with vivid color as Talon took two steps forward only to fall to his knees. His last conscious thought was that if he failed, his death would also be the death of his village.
Light seared the world as Talon blinked and opened his eyes. He had managed to crawl into a crevice of rock and stone. The small feat had taken everything that he had and he was not any closer to reaching his goal.
“There will come a time when you will want to turn aside from the task set before you. I urge you to fight through that selfish desire. Fight not for yourself, but for your sister and your village.” Kahm had known that Talon would want to admit defeat and it was this thought that buoyed Talon’s spirit.
“You will become like the snake that slithers upon the ground until legs sprout from your belly and you learn to walk like a four-legged beast. Search out the thing that is sacred and of rare value, find the thing that is made of spirit and then you will return triumphant.”
Kahm’s voice had merged with the beating drum until Talon could no longer tell the difference between his voice and the moving tempo of the drum. The sounds coalesced as they sought out the secret places of the heart and resounded within.
Talon reached out until he found two sticks and then a third. With a deep breath, he resolved to call fire forth from the sticks in his hand.
Talon’s arms were numb and his toes bled where he held the stick against the ground. He could smell smoke, but he was effectively blinded by darkness. There was no fire, no matter how he worked the wood. He continued his efforts as he urged the fire to come into the world. He breathed upon the sticks that he rubbed together, offering his breath as a sacrifice.
There was a flare and then the first tendril of fire licked at his toes and the tips of his fingers. Talon accepted the burning sensation with a grimace of pain. He pressed the small bundle of tender grass toward the small flame only to watch it die out within an instant.
A low groan sounded and it was only as his chest rumbled that Talon realized that the desperate sound had come from him.
“Will Talon live?” Sunflower’s anxious gaze spoke of her deep concern for her brother.
“Miche and I survived the ceremony that made us into warriors.” Kahm hoped that his words would soothe Sunflower, but she merely stared at him without speaking.
“You were not without scars when you returned.” Oi’yan clarified, though she saw that Kahm sought to reassure Sunflower.
“What type of scars?” Sunflower’s eyebrows lifted as she rapidly signed the question.
“There are scars that a person can see and there are those that are held within. But the body and the mind are made stronger when tested.” Kahm decided that there was nothing else that he could say to Sunflower. Her brother’s life was at stake, but there was also something more. The Hokum Village had suffered deprivation and hunger for as long as either Talon or Sunflower could remember. He had set the challenge of becoming a warrior before him so that he would be fortified, despite the hardships that lay ahead. Talon was the only person that could bring about a change that would benefit his people.
Talon had managed to make his way through the forest with the light of the sun as his guide. He had suffered through the night wracked by chills and bouts of fever. A great hunger assailed his senses and he ate what was available to him.
He found snails and slugs underneath rocks and larger stones. He found a termite mound and feasted upon those that were drawn to the light, re
moving the wings before devouring the insects one by one. His thirst for water was quenched by licking the dew off green plants and leaves. He searched for something sacred and of rare value but he dismissed whatever he found. There was a feather of red-shouldered hawk and Talon managed to secrete the treasure, but he questioned whether it could truly be called a thing of spirit.
He found a crevice built into the side of a cliff overhang and discovered a multicolored stone, but he couldn’t say with certainty that it was a thing that was sacred and of rare value.
“You will question your purpose and your belief in yourself. This is to be expected, but you must not return until you have completed the task set before you. The spirit world watches the one that has deemed himself worthy of the honor shown to warriors.”
Talon felt unseen eyes upon him. He knew that his sister relied upon his ability to offer her protection and shelter. He told himself that with every step forward he stood closer to his goal.
“It has been four days.” Oi’yan knew that Kahm kept vigil as he sat outside of the cave entrance in deep meditation. She wouldn’t have given voice to her concern if not for the unaccustomed length of time that Talon had been gone. “Will you search for him?”
“I will not.” Kahm’s immediate answer caused Oi’yan to narrow her eyes in frustration.
“I do not seek to interfere.”
“Then do not question what stands as a thing between men.” Kahm’s voice was firm and Oi’yan bit back a quick retort.
“How long were you in the forest alone before you became a warrior?” Oi’yan knew that her question was unwelcome, but she couldn’t stem the flow of concern that came from her heart. “I will leave you now and return to Sunflower.”
Kahm stared after Oi’yan as she placed one hand upon her belly and returned to the cave that offered them shelter and security. He knew that his wife sought to remind him that he and Miche had both returned within three days. Although Sunflower remained calm in appearance, her eyes traveled to the cave entrance time and time again in hopes of seeing Talon.
“How long do you plan to wait?” Miche asked the very question that plagued Kahm.
His brother stood concealed by the forest and the shadows within. It was obvious that he had heard every word spoken between Kahm and Oi’yan. The clenching of his jaw was the only indication that Miche had overstepped and it was not long before he turned and walked way.
Kahm sent his thoughts to rest with Talon as he silently answered Miche’s question. As long as it takes.
Talon lost track of time. Hunger was his constant companion though he had become adept at seeking out edible plants and crawling bugs. He would have eaten well if only he had not been made to leave his weapons behind. He knew that he could have made a snare to catch a rabbit or squirrel but Kahm had warned him against such an action.
“If you rely upon snares or traps, then you have taken up a weapon against the animals of the forest. Set your sights on the things ahead and do not allow yourself to be swayed.”
Talon had taken to repeating Kahm’s warnings aloud and he knew that there were a few moments where he ranted for long stretches of time. He found amusement in the fact that he had willingly undertaken a quest that would return his body to a state of hunger and near starvation. As the days blurred one into another he was less inclined to reason at all. He gave into the urge to become like the animals that called the forest their home.
The snapping twigs and breaking branches alerted him to danger. Talon didn’t have to see the thing that ran toward him to know what beast approached. Only a bear, running in full stride could make such a sound. Fear snapped Talon’s mind back into focus as he climbed the nearest tree.
The stench of his flesh and the dirt that streaked his body was his only explanation for the young bear’s retreat. The animal sniffed the base of the tree that Talon had climbed. His massive claws marked the trunk and he even attempted to climb the tree only to return to the ground with a resounding crash.
Talon felt as if his heart beat outside of his chest as he watched the fearsome animal stalk away with long strides. He should have noticed the claw marks on the nearby trees, a clear indication that he had stumbled into the bear’s territory. Talon clung to the small branch that had threatened to fold under his weight. He was grateful for his life even though he was no closer to accomplishing his goal.
He spent the night beside the same tree that had offered him safety and he kept his eyes wide open. As the morning light filtered through the trees overhead, Talon remained in deep meditation. He considered his life, he remembered his mother, all that he knew about his father and the impact made by his grandmother.
He thought of Sunflower and the responsibility that he carried as her brother and then he remembered each person in his village and all that they had endured. Suddenly, he understood the purpose of his journey to find something sacred and of rare value and a thing of spirit. Realization dawned upon Talon as the midday sun blazed brilliantly, warming his body as if from the inside out.
Kahm was the first person to catch sight of the lean figure that emerged from the overgrown copse of woods. Miche slid from the forest like a shadow, but he hid his reaction to the sight of Talon’s body, which was riddled with cuts, scrapes and insect bites.
Kahm offered Talon a water skin and strips of meat that had been dried and flavored by Oi’yan and Sunflower. He took in the sight of Talon’s unbound hair, which hung in black sheaths past his shoulders. The young man’s sun burnished skin gave testament to the many days that he had spent alone in the forest.
Talon took long gulps of water before chewing the flavorful meat in two bites. He eyed the rest of the meal but refused to partake until his stomach grew accustomed to the surplus of food.
“You must not speak until you have washed and returned to the fire circle.” Kahm watched as Talon turned away. The young man walked with a slight limp that spoke of his time away from them.
“Seven days.” Miche stood at Kahm’s side as he watched Talon limp away.
Kahm’s throat worked but he remained silent. He had scouted the forest for Talon on the sixth day without speaking to Oi’yan and Sunflower of his growing concern. Miche had made the journey with him.
The only reason that Kahm had returned was to ensure that Talon had not come back while he was away. While he had not given in to fear, he had been full of quiet despair.
“He is a rare young man.” Kahm’s voice was firm as he spoke to his brother.
Miche remained silent as Talon returned and sat by the fire circle. He was honored to be a part of the ceremony that would forever name Talon a warrior.
Kahm had never allowed the fire to die out during the time that Talon was away. It was simply his way of silently proclaiming to the world that a sacred ceremony was underway.
After Talon had eaten his fill and taken in more of the water that they handed him, Kahm spread his hands wide. The men remained silent as the midday sun began to sink toward its resting place.
“You have returned with a thing that is sacred and of rare value. You have found a thing of spirit.” Kahm’s words were not a question, but a statement filled with expectation.
Talon was silent as he uncovered a bundle of leaves, one by one. He removed a multicolored rock the size of his fist and set this at Kahm’s feet. Next, he set a feather upon the rock and turned aside.
“Explain.” Kahm felt disappointment move through his soul. Talon had not come to an understanding of what was required from him.
“I found something sacred in the multicolored stone hewn from the side of a cliff. It is also a thing of rare value. The red-shouldered hawk’s feather is a thing of spirit and strength.”
“This is true.” Miche interrupted as if he sensed that Kahm would correct Talon’s error. It saddened him to see all that the young man had suffered without coming to a realization of what made a man a warrior.
Talon’s eyes twinkled as he glanced at Kahm. The man’s posture
was like the warriors of old. His arms were folded across his chest and his spear at his side. His eyes were dull with unspoken disappointment.
“Though these things are special, they are not what I was searching for at all.” Talon’s words brought a brief light of hope to Kahm’s gaze. Kahm and Miche were silent as they waited for Talon to continue speaking. “I found that my heart beats with the heart of a man that will receive the honorable place of a warrior. I am Talon. I am a hunter and a warrior.”
“Name the thing that you have found.” Kahm was not satisfied with Talon’s words, though he sensed that the young man had come to a full understanding of what the warrior ceremony taught, though the lesson was different for each person.
“I found myself. This is a thing that is sacred. A thing of rare value is the gift of life, and it is also a thing of spirit.” Talon’s eyes lit with an inner fire that couldn’t be extinguished as Kahm acknowledged the success of his quest with a barely perceptible nod of his head.
“Stand!” Kahm stood to his full height. The last vestiges of boyhood had been left behind seven days ago and the young man standing before him stood firm. “Never let another man tell you that you are less than worthy. Never let another man tell you that he will come in and take away your woman, your children and your possessions!” Kahm thrust his spear into the ground.
“Never!” Talon shouted in return as the fire blazed between them.
“Each season, you will dance the dance of your forefathers. You will remember that the men who have come before you are joined to you by loyalty, by faith and by shed blood. Will you remember?” Kahm’s voice was strong and proud.
“Yes!” Talon shouted as he faced Kahm and Miche over the blazing fire.
Pillar of Fire (Book One-The Whale Hunter Series) Page 14