Awakening the Lion

by Crymsyn Hart

  “I’m sorry that I mentioned it, but I wasn’t about to let myself be butchered by your mother. If you want to take us out of the village, I’d appreciate it,” Illiana said.

  The younger woman nodded. Illiana grabbed her pack and Belik slung his over his shoulder. As they walked, she felt more eyes on her than ever before—even when she was in front of the wolf pack being initiated. Her thoughts flickered to Christopher, and she wondered how he was doing. She had to force him out of her mind. He was behind her. Rama got them beyond the borders of the village and glanced behind them.

  “Go until you hit a large stream. Follow it south until it joins one of the tributaries and follow that to the lake. It’s a quicker way to travel and cuts off a few days. But before you go,” Rama went into the brush and took a moment, then she came out with the little girl. She was shaking and wanted to stick to her older sister. Large tears welled in the girl’s eyes. Rama pulled out a satchel and handed it to Illiana.

  “I’ll say that Marta ran away and I couldn’t find her. She likes playing in the grass at all hours. You have to take her with you.”

  Illiana glanced at Belik. “Uh—we can’t. I don’t even know if we’re going to find . . . ”

  Rama grabbed her arm. “My mother is going to kill her because of what you revealed. You owe it to her and to me. Besides, if you’re going to find other two-natured shifters, I’ve heard they’re in the mountains and the desert.”

  “Why do your people fear ones like Marta?” Belik asked.

  Rama shrugged. “They think the two-natured are evil spirits and she’s inhabited by a demon. She’s my little sister, and I know she’s not.”

  Illiana glanced at Belik. He nodded. They had to take the girl with them. She could not abandon her. Besides, if they made it and found her father’s people, they could help the girl.

  “Okay, we’ll bring her with us.” She knelt by the youngster. “Hi, Marta. I’m Illiana, and this is Belik. You’re going to come with us on an adventure. Does that sound like fun?”

  “Rama, do I have to go?” Marta asked.

  Her sister hugged her. “Yes, sweetie. You have to go. One day, when you’re older, I’m sure you can come back here. Right now, you have to go with them so the others don’t hurt you. You mind them, okay?”

  Marta nodded, but her lip quivered as she held back more tears.

  Illiana held out her hand, and the little girl threaded her fingers through hers. Rama nodded, and she added the other bundle to the ones they already had. Together, they proceeded away from the village. As they did, Illiana noticed a lone vulture flying over them. She glanced up at it and saw its dark beady eyes staring down at her.

  “Everything okay?’ Belik asked.

  “Yeah. Fine. Sorry. Let’s go.” She forced a smile, and she prayed the cougar clan would not follow them. Belik took Marta’s other hand in his free one, and they headed off.

  Chapter Five

  Belik watched their new companion while she slept calmly in Illiana’s arms. Seeing the child sleep, he knew that Illiana would be a wonderful mother. It made him think of the future and when they would settle down. He was not sure when that would happen, and he did not know if being a father was something he could take on at the moment. But the little girl needed protection.

  They had found the stream Rama had told them about and followed it for five days until it dumped into a larger river. The waterway was not as wild as the original one they had crossed with Rama. The terrain had become swampy and harder to navigate. It would be so much easier if they could fly, but he and Marta were not able to. She did not complain with the pace they set. At times she would sit upon Illiana’s shoulders or his and they would walk.

  The satchel Rama had given them was full of food and Marta’s things. So far they had not come across other people. When they came out of the grasslands and into the swamps, in the distance he saw the faint lumps of the mountains. At least they were getting closer. He hoped once they reached the edge, their journey would be over and he would be able to settle down with Illiana. Although once she discovered her people, he thought she might choose to be with someone like her. She said that she would not, but it all depended on who and what she found. Maybe, in the future, they could return to the forest where it was lush and green. At least his arm was feeling better and he could move it more.

  Marta stirred in her sleep, and Illiana opened her eyes. She flashed him a sleepy smile, glanced down at the little girl, and brushed the hair from her face. “At least she’s getting some sleep. What about you?”

  “Making sure that you’re safe.”

  “You need to sleep, too. We’ve had an arduous trek today, and I think tomorrow’s going to be harder.”

  “I can survive on a little bit of sleep. We need to be sure we don’t get eaten by anything in these woods. I don’t want to be threatened again.”

  “I know what you mean. If I’d known, I never would’ve suggested that we go to the village.”

  “It wasn’t just you. I also wanted to meet some new people. You can’t blame yourself for this. You were doing it for me, too. At least they will get something out of it and trade with the flock or even the wolf pack. I’d love to be perched on a limb within earshot while your mother meets with the leader of the cougar clan. She might think of your mother as dinner, but we both know that Lelana can take care of herself.”

  Illiana chuckled. “Yeah, we do. So what do you think about Marta?”

  “She seems to be a strong little kid. Look at what you had to endure, and you made it through.”

  She shook her head. “I made it through a lot of things, but never the idea of having my clan want to kill me. What effect is this whole experience going to have on her when she gets older?”

  “I don’t think she’ll have any problems when she gets older. Assuming we find your father’s people, she’ll have you for a good role model as she grows up. Of course, we have to get there first. When do you think we’ll reach the lake?”

  Illiana glanced up at the stars and saw a few clouds roll across the moon. “I hope by tomorrow afternoon. Then we can see if we can get across it. Flying over it would be so much easier from what they were telling me that it is so large. I don’t dare try it with Marta here. I don’t know how long it’ll take to get across. The old man said a few days. It’d be easier if I could control the water element and part the water. At least then we could walk across the lake and not have to worry about anything.”

  “Why don’t you get some sleep? We can worry about this tomorrow.”

  “No. I’ve slept enough. I’ll stay up and keep watch. The wind will let me know if anything is happening, and I can smell them, too. Right now, I don’t smell anything on the wind.”

  Belik nodded and closed his eyes, knowing they were getting closer to their journey’s end.

  * * * *

  Ohanzee stared at the carved creations before him. Most of his medium was bone or stone. Sometimes he worked with wood. It all depended on what stirred his interest at the time. Today he was focused on a piece of onyx he had come across. He had been walking and with something in mind, haunting his thoughts, and his palms tingled.

  The earth shivered underneath his feet. The power of the element flared through him, and he heard the whisper of the dirt beneath his feet. The energy moved through him, and he saw the rock he needed deep within his mind. When he closed his eyes and concentrated on it, the image of the crystal lingered in his thoughts. Some unseen force guided his hand into the earth. He dug into the loose dirt until he felt that zap and came away with the onyx stone that fit into his palm. The power of the stone was good, meaning there were no flaws in it. It was good to carve.

  He ran the stone over his palm and thought about what he would shape. The one image that kept running through his mind was of a large raven shifting into a wolf. Ohanzee tried to separate the two visions and choose one animal to sculpt, but they kept morphing. He sighed and grabbed one of his smaller chisels and fou
nd the line of the stone where he would start carving. The stone tingled in his hand while he pressed the metal chisel into it. He lost himself to forming the image from his mind into the physical. It took slow, even stroke, and he completely lost himself in the art of working on the onyx.

  “Uncle Ohanzee, Momma says it’s time to eat.”

  It took him a moment before he heard his niece talking to him. The likeness of the raven and the wolf lingered in his thoughts. He took a deep breath and focused back on the real world and realized he had fallen into a trance the way he always did when he got involved with his carving. Ohanzee blinked and examined the statuette in his hand. One way it appeared to be a raven. When he turned it another way, it resembled a wolf. It was the strangest thing he had ever done.

  “Are you coming for dinner?” He glanced up and saw Asha standing next to his niece.

  “Yeah, I’m coming. Sorry, I was carving and lost track of time.”

  Asha crossed her arms over her chest, and the look she gave her children when she was displeased with them appeared. “That isn’t anything new. Come on before it gets cold. Prisa, go tell your father and the others it’s time to eat.” She knelt down next to him.

  “Careful, there are a lot of shards scattered about.”

  “I’m used to all the stone shards. Growing up, I can’t forget about how many ended up embedded in my skin and my hair. Dad was always carving, too. Don’t worry about it.” Asha picked up the figurine and examined it. Ohanzee watched her reaction. She turned it over in her hand and held it up to the dying light. She held her breath, and then a smile came over her face when she turned it back around. “This is amazing. One way it resembles a bird and the other it appears to be a wolf, and there’s power in it. It’ll make a mighty talisman for someone. Did you make it for someone in particular?”

  He shrugged. “No. It’s been lingering in my thoughts for a while. I finally found the stone that could take the form that was required for the working.”

  “It looks like it’s flying or running. The earth energy runs through it even more when it’s in contact with the dirt. Does this have anything to do with the woman you’ve been dreaming about?”

  “Maybe. I don’t know.”

  “Maybe she’s more than a dream and this is a symbol from the great spirits that she’s coming and you have to prepare for her.” His sister gave him the carving and ruffled his hair the way she used to when he was a child. He jerked away from her, but Asha chuckled. “Come on. The food is getting cold, and I don’t want the children to devour everything. I swear they grow more every day.”

  Ohanzee shook his head at what his sister was saying. The children were growing, and each day they reminded him more of his sister. They had some resemblance to her mate. Prisa was the tiny image of Asha. Soon she would become a beautiful woman, and everyone would be after her the way they were after Asha when she was ready to be mated. She did not need to live with the shame that he carried on his shoulders every day. He knew Asha and her mate endured his disgrace for the family. If it was not for his skill at carving, then he would have been ousted from the clan long ago. The people who came to him barely spoke or made eye contact. Once they told him the design they desired, they left him to work. Ohanzee glanced back in the direction his sister went and thought about her statement about his vision. He picked up the piece and wondered if it truly was a sign from the spirits. Was the woman he had dreamed about for so many years truly real? Or was she some figment of his imagination? Ohanzee always assumed she was from fantasies of wishing he would have a mate one day, but that was never going to happen. No one wanted an abomination.

  He clutched the sculpture and let the power of the earth tingle his palm. Asha was right. It was a powerful talisman for the person it was meant for. Right now, it was not meant for him. He tucked the stone into a small pouch and gathered his things. Asha knew the right ways to antagonize him if he did anything to displease her. Once he came to the hut where the children were eating, his sister handed him a plate. Ohanzee picked at his food and ate a few pieces of the boar meat his brother-in-law had killed. Tormec wished he had a place of his own. Maybe it was time for him to make a place outside of the village, where he would no longer be a burden to anyone. He took a slice of flatbread and gave the rest of his serving to Prisa. She smiled and dug into the extra helping.

  “Where are you going?” Asha eyed him.

  “I’m not very hungry. I need to stretch my wings a little.”

  His sister nodded. He ducked out of the hut. Once he did, he felt the eyes of the villagers on him. They had gathered around the large bonfire in the center of the village. Ranolo stood near the flames. The holy man had his eyes closed and his hands outstretched over the blaze. His fingertips played the flames as though they were an instrument and he was the only one who could hear the music. The shaman’s control over all the elements was unusual among all of the tribes. Many of the other tribes came to him for guidance. Sometimes it was for healing, and sometimes it was for diplomatic matters. Ohanzee had wondered why the man had any interest in him at all. When he passed by, Ranolo opened his eyes and their gazes locked. That look stopped him, and he could feel the weight of the holy man’s mind press upon his. It seemed Ranolo reached into the depths of his soul and searched for the other half of him that was absent. That deficiency made him an outcast among the clan. Blinking, he tore his gaze away from the mystic and turned his attention back to his original purpose: to stretch his wings and feel the air ruffling his feathers.

  After walking to the edge of the village, he stripped off his vest and was about to slip out of his pants when someone tapped his shoulder. The hawk screeched for freedom. Its talons scraped against his mind, and he cringed at the pain that rode his spine.

  “Going somewhere?” Ranolo asked.

  “Just needed to get away from everyone and have a little freedom.”

  “Sometimes the weight of the world needs to be shed like loose feathers. You were watching me at the bonfire. I saw the longing in your eyes to join in. You have every right to sit with the tribe.”

  “Only you would say that. The other villagers would argue with it.”

  The shaman sighed. “They don’t understand how valuable you are. Whatever you’re thinking, I’d advise against it. You are needed here now more than ever.”

  The holy man’s words wrestled with his choice to leave. “How do you know that? How do you always seem to know what I’m thinking?”

  “The elements speak to me about things unsettled. The spirits send me dreams about issues that need to be reconciled. You happen to be one of them. Besides, I keep an eye on you. There are many mysteries that one learns to read. The voice of the earth speaks to you when you need to find the right stone to carve.”

  “You also commune with the earth.”

  “That doesn’t matter. Your connection to it is stronger. Sometimes the dirt can loosen and fall away to expose the things that have been kept hidden. It hides secrets from some and reveals things to others. It all depends on what it wants to share.” Ranolo picked up a pebble, turned it over in his palm, and held it out to him.

  Ohanzee glanced at the ordinary gray rock and thought about what the holy man had said. It took him a moment before he took it. The energy of the rock moved up his arm, but it was not as strong as it was from the onyx he had touched earlier. Nothing about it piqued his interest. He shrugged and handed it back to Ranolo.

  “It doesn’t speak to you?” he asked.

  “No. It’s just a rock.”

  “And to me it tells me of the deer who walked past here and the vibrations that have been moving through the mountain. These tremors will grow, and we have to plan for that. For you there’s nothing but a whisper. Earth is stubborn and immovable at times like you can be. Sometimes we take more traits from the elements we are attuned with than the animals we share our bodies with.”

  He tried to hide his smile, but it was true what Ranolo said. “Asha has always said
that I was stubborn. She has a short temper. The fire element is stronger in her than it was in our mother, and my sister has a tendency to flare.”

  “So then you understand. Sometimes people are like the elements. They don’t hear what is there because they aren’t listening for it. Take a deep breath and have patience.”

  “What if I don’t want to wait? I’ve dealt with the tribe’s unyielding manner since my childhood. I see my sister with her mate and her children. It kills me each day a little more.”

  The shaman sighed. “I can’t force you to stay, but think about your sister first. I won’t keep you from your flight. Maybe the wind will carry you toward the Great Lake.”

  “Is there something there I should be looking for?”

  The other man shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s the way the wind is blowing at the moment. It’d make your flight less arduous. Sometimes coasting on the currents is all that’s needed. No need to struggle against the headwinds when you can soar higher and higher, gliding upon the updrafts.”

  Ohanzee had not thought about traveling as far as the Great Lake that was the size of a small sea, but to a place he had as a private haven. “I’ll think about it. If you’ll excuse me.”

  He grabbed his vest and walked farther away from the village, where he would not be interrupted by anyone. He folded his clothes into a bundle. From there, he took the leather thong he had from his hair and wrapped it around his clothes.

  Once he felt he was completely safe and alone he opened his mind and focused on the hawk. It was so close to coming out that, with just the small release, the feathers sprouted through his skin. It itched a little at first, but once he forgot about the human side and let the animal take over, it was easier to settle into his feathers.

  Sometimes he wondered if it would be easier to give over to the animal. The village would forget he was there. He could focus on living by the rules of the air and the hunt. He could see with the details of a hawk’s eyes. Ohanzee felt a great kinship to the animal that he shared his body with—not because it was part of him but because it helped him to understand how the world was and how he fit into it. Sometimes it was easier to forget that he was ever a man.