Spirits of the Wildflowers

by Parris Match

  “Malee, sends your property”, Hoocoh informed Dacoh; pointing to the parcel he had delivered.

  Dacoh knew that the wrapped offering contained the very best that Malee could earnestly muster and provide, she would do no less; amiable cooperation from her village equals was also necessary; her continued welcome acceptance depended upon this customary rite of passage.

  “Tell my good mother”; “Malee is a befitting adequate woman”, Dacoh softly replied.

  The even-tempered Eeboh frankly stated, “The whole village needs to see Dacoh’s face”.

  “Aie”, Dacoh wistfully answered.

  “See to your duty!” Oocaie added, smirking.

  Momentarily disheartened, Dacoh conceded, “I wish to return to my village and to live in the midst of my people”.

  The select brothers quit the wickerups quarantined clearing, as they knew they must, and left Dacoh to his calling.

  Tah, snug in her furry nest, within the shadowy vacated lodge, had grown accustomed to the muffled rhythmic voices afore the early morning, on the fringe between grayish dark and the limited ceiling of Sunlight. She wanted to arise, but dared not; she wanted to see to her privacy, but dared not; she must wait for her curious keepers’ bidding nod. The little wide-eyed fawn was so utterly alone and softly tethered in her emptiness; her perceived desolation and apprehension stayed her in place.

  Entering the chamber, after satisfying the fawn’s nourishment and thirst, and that moment of privacy, Dacoh guided his untested pet, an open short distance, from the wickerups canopied clearing. Upon reaching a solitary arrangement of sandstone blocks, thick level slabs set beside the yellow and green carpet of the leaching lake’s connecting meadow; with an unobstructed clear view of the outstanding, soft-golden and terra-cotta, entirely sunlit barrier of the colossal escarpment; he handily sat the deerskin wrapped fawn upon a large flat rock and placed the folded bundle on her lap. Abandoning the fawn, in a trying ruse, to disclose her defining behavior, but monitoring her free will from a stealthy separation; peering over and about, warily espying through the flaws and holes in the meadows nearby boundary of thorny briars and tangled thickets; Dacoh anxiously watched for the loosened bare fawns chosen path.

  Sitting slumped and dejected upon the unyielding stone bench, indirectly detecting her close warden’s clever fading departure; Tah slowly raised her eyes to meet and to know, the absolutely breathtaking, imposing magnificence of the arose citadels towering resplendent barricade; the sheer daunting walls of her, broad all-encompassing, ornate and beautiful confinement cell.

  Some Spirits breathe ahhh sigh, winged itinerants; wandering breeze, felt across the slightly-shivering captive’s clean pelt, gently wafting through the new early-morns dew-tipped sodden meadow. The undecided sweet scent of both dried and also greened grasses; the promising musty aroma of fertile dampened earth; the subtle mellow rustling of the glades diminished greenery; the calming still melodious, calling-out and quick response, muffled tweets of the flitting and fluttering, nervous and hesitant, last of the little birds; the unclouded framed expanse of the infinite sapphire sky; a single white-n-roseate daisy, discovered lonely in a possible field of green.

  Akin to a golden dandelions glittery translucent ball of fluff, to leap and bound away, and pirouette on a blowan sympathetic breath; Tah dreamily imagined, softly floating, poised on the gentle puffs of a more gentler stream of drifting affinity. Being carried on your way by the quick sprints of the wind to her familiar, dearly comforting, faraway and found, pleasant welcoming river valley. However, she clearly knew; she would remain in this strange, beautiful also, distant place, forever, forever, and forever, and never see her homeland again.

  Curiously unfolding the disguised layered packet, disclosing the contents of the casual offering, the inquisitive fawn was pleasingly taken aback with the appealing skillfully made apparel. Tearfully misted, bemused by the kindly compassionate gesture, Tah tenderly touched the chew-softened and beautifully crafted doe-skin garment; then held and affectionately stroked the deftly interlaced, acutely needed, stripped reed straw foot-coverings. A gift guardedly left behind for the fawns anticipated nurturing, to make amends for her inequity, and intended to ease her preceding trammeled state.

  The protective, held shut, tightly hugged, cocooning blanket, dropped from her shoulders to the waiting ground; with induced willingness the awakened little fawn-colored butterfly, dressed the kneelength blouse over her unshielded body, and slipped the intricate woven slippers onto her bruised and battered feet. Picking up the deerskin cloak, Tah shook it clean, spread it upon the stone platform, and sat down to wait for her master.

  After-morn spent arrested in place, lizard-ly basking in the warmth of the shifting progressive Sun, gracefully preening and braiding her gathered hair, demurely seated on a sandstone bench; Tah acquiescently looked in the direction of her masters’ return. Dacoh’s wary impish grin, with coal-black beady green eyes, espied on the ready tasty morsel, through an opening in the thorny bramble; following the changing chameleons every twitch and feminine primming, hungrily observed from the dense, tawny panther’s lair.

  Providing ample time for her final resolution, Dacoh left his brushy concealment behind, and nonchalantly approached the transformed emergent little fawn; lolling in-wait on a reclining couch of the sandstone suite, expectant to his eventual arrival, Tah looked for his natural satisfied approval, and found it.

  Introducing himself in front of the fawn, Dacoh squatted and sat upon his haunches, looking purposefully up into her staid impassive face.

  Drumming his fingertips against his chest, Dacoh began;

  “Dacoh”, Dacoh boldly declared himself.

  The fawn showed little response.

  “Dacoh”, he repeated thumping his chest.

  The fawn tentatively cocked her head but stayed baffled at his open animated behavior.

  Dacoh picked-up a rock, causing a slight twinge from the insecure skittish fawn; patting the rock Dacoh stated;

  “Ookoah”.

  Patting the boulder she sat on, Dacoh reiterated;

  “Ookoah”, “Ookoah”.

  The fawn followed Dacoh’s curious pantomime but expressed little reaction.

  Dacoh scooped-up a handful of earth, sifting his fingers through the soil held in his palm, Dacoh stated emphatically;

  “Marrah”, “Marrah”, “Marrah”.

  Receiving no recognition of his endeavor, Dacoh wiped the soil from his hand and sat pensively weighing his impasse with the coy little fawn, mulling over what would be his next attempt at training this diffident pet. After thorough deliberation, removing the deerskin waterbag from his waist, Dacoh overtly dribbled some water into his hand; discerning that he had the complete attention of the inexpressive fawn, he softly said;

  “Ehah”, “Ehah”.

  Offering the water-bag to the blinkered fawn, Tah instinctively reached out for the thirsting quench; Dacoh quickly pulling back and withholding the expected drink, Dacoh repeated;

  “Ehah”, “Ehah”.

  Again dribbling the water over his hand Dacoh said repeatedly;

  “Ehah”, “Ehah”.

  Tentatively shaking the sloshing water-bag before the fawn, lightly tapping his licked moistened lips with his other hand, Dacoh repetitiously offered;

  “Ehah”, “Ehah”, “Ehah”, “Ehah”.

  “ehah”, came tentatively the fawns prompted reply.

  “Aie”, Dacoh softly said, nodding his head in evident approval, willingly tendering the water-bag to the fawn’s possession.

  Tah greedily gulped her fill; Dacoh reached for the forfeited waterbag, tipping the water spout to his lips, he drank;

  “Ehah”, “Ehah”, he responded to the drink.

  Dacoh, again, gathered a handful of earth, held it in front of the fawn, took a pinch of the soil and sifted it back into his palm;

  “Marrah”, “Marrah”, he queried?

  “marrah”, she answered.

  Po
uring the fistful of dirt back onto the ground, Dacoh patted and stroked the surface of the land;

  “Marrah”, he affectionately expressed.

  “marrah”, was her reply.

  Dacoh dynamically thumped his chest.

  “Dacoh”, “Dacoh”, he vociferously declared.

  “dacoh’, she mimicked.

  “D-a-c-o-h”, he repeated, lightly patting his chest.

  “dacoh”, she aped.

  “Dacoh”, he repeated.

  “dacoh”, she barked.

  “Aie”, “Aie”, Dacoh nodded, agreeably smiling on her acknowledgment.

  Tah understood; “ehah” was a vital gift; “marrah” was where all things originated; this commanding powerful man was her captor, he was her master, he was her “dacoh”.

  Collecting the unneeded deerskin cloak and the leatherngourd, taking the compliant fawn by the hand, Dacoh led his trained and reliable pet back to the safe wickerups clearing, to the nearly tamed deer’s unfenced limited enclosure. Hesitant random Sun flashings, through the moderately denuded trees; by twilight to twilit, terracotta to ochereous, then vermillion, then crimson, then mauve massive cliff Spirits, keeping a watchful eye; remaining idle days and the disturbed nights peaceful passing, detached chary silence and the reappearing partial moon and twinkling stars as their only guests; aloof, fuzzy nested, shied by a twitch, slumbering alert squirrels waited for that new day.

  One close following morning, an awaiting Dacoh once more heard the signaling call from his steadfast brothers;

  “Caw…”, “Caw…”, “Caw…” sounded the ravens’ strident cry.

  “A good day in the valley, my brothers”, Dacoh greeted Oocaie, Eeboh, and Hoocoh as they exited from the low bushes; “Sit, talk with me”, he motioned with his hand.

  The brothers knew it was contrary to Ahcoo’ah’s specific instructions, but they formed an arc of fellowship, a safe distance from Dacoh, and sat to visit with their brother.

  “How goes with your stolen goods”, asked Oocaie, after a weighty silence.

  “Nearly tamed”, answered Dacoh reticently.

  “Tell us of your adventure!” Hoocoh petitioned; realizing Dacoh wished to be drawn out from his quiet pensive place.

  “Aie”, breathed Dacoh; then after slight hesitation, hastened; “We have a bloodcurdling harrowing tale just for my brothers ears”, Dacoh mysteriously confessed; and then continued into his poetic lively cadenced yarn;

  “The devious moon’s unmasking; inquisition’s face slowly revealed; from the somewhat shiny sinister, darkly drifting clouds.” “That secondary Spirit’s, swindled golden eye; eerily reflected deceitful light; itinerant illuminating smirk. Pale wispy night demons lurking on the misterious outer fringe; harsh raspy indistinct schemes, deadly breath whisss… perings, muffled threats not clearly heard but clearly understood. Those invisible skitterings and slitherings, scurrying, here and there, to and fro in haste; within the invasive silvery silken snail’s trace of the lowest slinky ground fogs crawl. Soft against my cheek, almost imperceptible, flutters of the wide-eyed predator’s wings, seek to snuff the hot expanding flame of courage, to turn the burning passion from my desired course. Alone and not forsaken in this blackened vale, but for my heart drumming loudly in our heated chest; timorous as the tiny tawny vulnerable mouse, we waited for the moment of our departure, deeply hidden in the poised safety of the restricted prickly briars. To ultimately discharge ever so quickly from my cloaked protective hole, innocent prey to the vital point of fate. Betrayal by the traitorous sky-rogues wicked shining; a higher eager screech from the dark as pitch, unforgiving swift barbarous talons in pursuit, sharpened claws of bloody vengeance, penalty for social trespass; run…, run…, run…”

  Tah evidently heard the brothers’ arrival, unfamiliar gruff dissonant jabber, then a cadenced tone of modulated harmony; curious to their alien character, nervously secluded in her exclusive pod, unseen from the darkness of the wickerup, she timidly espied through the crack in the cover of her solitude, on their squatted audible gathering.

  “ Illusive glittery moon beams on the currents rippling flood, cold… dark… infested water, teasing nippy hidden demons below, the wavering changeable shimmering true surface; grisly stringy tendrils of tickling slime, feeding on my tottering rocky heels; nibbling sharp teeth and gnashing fanged tentacles of the unknown deep, hungrily threatening man’s proud estate”.

  “Horrifically seizing the dividing rivers furthermost shore; hideous, grotesque, devouring specters thwarted; racing madly to the brushwood’s shadowed edge, gratefully relieved from death and for mankind, grave and fathomless, most primitive ordeal.”

  Tah watched the three squatted strangers attentively sitting before her animate dacoh, captivatingly listening to his enthralling conducted tale; his undulating, taken aromatic, muscular back, foretelling the rhythmic gestures of his supple expressive hands.

  “Luminous enticing silvery pathway pierced the dismal void, cautious prudent steps, to begin nimble and alert, down that lone lighted course. Softly, softly, softly, to outfox a solitary awakening; the padded crunch of every footstep, some errant pebble stones meet with a single click. The standstill odor of tingling sweat and anxious breaths, SHOUTING, into to the vast unknown; then ceaselessly, sneakily, skulking over the crooked well-worn trail. Doubts abound with every curve or suspicion, keen eyes and prickled ears attuned to every viewpoint or the slightest little tremble. Creaks and groans and ghoulish moans invade the chilling night; black, distorted, monstrous limbed, hovering wooden giants; lofty, unfelt, sudden wind gusts blow, then take calm, still breathe. Hurtling eager batty sprites; nigh hits and miss squeaks, and answered squealing’s; madly scattering against the insidious moon’s random glow.”

  Tah could not understand the words coming from her dacoh, but she did comprehend the gripping command that he possessed in his delivery. The strangers sat motionless, as her master spoke, their complete attention centered on the image of her enchanting man. Pleasingly smiling…, a pleasant flush of self-esteem came from she knew not where; the strumming sound of his soothing potent voice, mildly intoxicated her vacant emotional being. With a tingling, humming, sigh of comfort and satisfaction, Tah listened on….

  Dacoh continued; “Gloomy engulfing deep-gullied ruts, scaly opalescent wriggling, nasty reptilians writhing in the darkness; odious hissing, sinister snake pits of likely doom; glossy dismal gray, twisted rising pathways to my waiting fate. Quickly escaping the vipers shuddery depression, onto the unstable graveled summits of the alluvial spines; gully trails of lowered bitter sunken smoke, the after stench of obscene man remains, murmurs in the close distance, horizons flickering firelight, warned of the danger near”.

  The brothers sat fascinated with the absorbing tale that Dacoh told; a gratifying interlude from the mundane, was a cherished gift.

  “Crawling and creeping towards the enclosed, briefly flames lit, clay-brick encampment, base foul proof of the obscured enemy, clouding the way; floating ghostly exaggerated silhouettes of the aggressive inhuman host, cast against the slanted stone curtains. Panting quickened breaths of the shrewd prowling darkly panther, drum-taut quivering sinews, to pounce and capture, or to take sudden flight; narrow clearly focused, squinted stare, piercing very yellow eyes of agate, never to lose fixed sight of their intended prey. Partially seen fires flaring, sparkles ascending, bright red glints and errant sudden flashes, hint to the advancing hidden shadows; sounds of strange babble, dispersed voices shifting, scoffs of the probable approaching mocks. Transforming demons, extended arms and limbs, smoky tattletale earthly phantoms, whose whispers and whistles, through the higher forked barren branches; those seven threats of discovery, from each and every choice”.

  A warm swelled surge of admiration lightly swept through Tah, discreetly peering from her slotted secret place. The baritone accompanied gestures, high-spirited ballad and performance, tenderly strummed the vibrant flutter of her blushing ovum’ soul. An accentuated mane, long an
d flowing, glossy smooth black hair, bound then unbridled bushy tail; threshing against her captors, burnished coppery, undulating well-muscled back, lustfully glazed her impassioned eyes. Tah was exceedingly glad that this exciting powerful attractive man was her controlling dacoh.

  “Crabbing crisscross through our enemies garden plot, scurrying from mound to tilled mound, deftly crawling athwart, the cropped and timid crackling, of a fallen yellow patch of harvested corn; lightly softly/ softly pattering, nearer, nearer, nearer to their inner lair, obsessively lured to my desired reward. Who’s the spider and who’s the bait? Doubts meander, suspicions probe, milky ground-mists skimming, icily slithering and slinking, thru the entangled furrows of the foggy-streamed field. Chattering winks of the flaring scarlet flames, and stretched flitting shadows, cunningly hunt and search for any intruders stamp. Inundating ticks and clicks from wee insidious creatures of the early night, telltale silence would be their treacherous cold-blooded revenge. To wait…, to remain…, to linger…, watchful for that possible glint of a flaw; camp-fires lower and smother, lastly smolder, flicker and die; snuffles and hoarse snorts from the in-bedded fidgety wallowing affluent fat boars”.

  Dacoh lengthily held back in his telling; the silence was his emphasis.

  “Misgivings staid me from any venture more risky, dare not to invade the asleep-ing, swine’s filthy hovel; lone grotesque elongated specters, ghostly long-armed tricksters, still wandered the darkened boundaries. Grunting smelly wild beasts, scorpions and spiders, roamed in the deadly noxious pitch. Sadly wedged in a chilly impasse; a helpless, deemed meek, tiny scouting ant, slipping and sliding and then failing, within the one-way gullet of the engulfing funnel-shaped sand pitfall; quick immediate arising retreat was my single found option. What is this…? my eyes catch a gleaming yellow glimmer; Aie…! ; a splendid magnificent large golden treasure, familiar glossy reflections of merit in the moon’s eerie light; praise-worthy coup or something for this bold daring raid”.