The Eagle Feather: Life is Hard, but Beautiful (The Eagle Feather Saga Book 1)

by A. K. Vyas

  The children all hooted at this. “That Skorpon was so dumb!” laughed Mats.

  “Despite his wisdom, so was the turtle,” Mama replied to a chorus of confused faces. “He got very lucky. He should’ve known a Skorpon is a Skorpon. It will always live up to its nature.”

  The weather warmed as spring gave way to summer. In time, the daily treks to the chilly little lily pond resulted in every child of the People showing basic swimming ability. Each could at least paddle like a wolf through the water.

  A moon cycle later, the swimming group was walking back from the pond at midday. The little boys were arguing which was more dangerous, lions or tigers. The little girls just rolled their eyes at this. They all asked Mama to judge. Lulu was pondering a good answer, when she made the deadly mistake of stepping over instead of onto a small log in their path.

  Mama’s painful gasp snapped Emil and Cloud to attention. Holly caught Mama as she wobbled, reaching for her foot. Emil was horrified, thinking, No, no, not another snake, no please!

  Holly brushed a squashed red Skorpon from under Mama’s foot. Lulu was quivering as the pain and poison hit in waves, convulsing her body. Holly and the boys gently laid her down in the shade for comfort. Her skin was pale and her breathing was becoming labored.

  Mama took Emil’s hand in hers, smiling for him, despite the tears from the pain.

  “It’s all right, Babo, it’s my time. I love you, watch over Papa.” Then her breathing slowed, and she gently closed her eyes.

  Emil’s mind was racing at full speed. Mama was unconscious but still breathing. Edelweiss! There’s still a bit of time.

  Emil told Holly, “Keep her alive, get Papa and the healers. We need edelweiss!”

  Before Holly could answer, Emil and his white wolf were crashing through the forest back toward the Mountain River.

  They reached the sandy banks of the Mountain River as fast as the boy could move. Emil panted, catching his breath as he studied the current. I’m not a good swimmer. The current seemed calm today, but it’s stronger than it looks. There is no time. I need a small log or something, anything to help float across.

  Cloud saw Emil staring across the river and barked at him. Then the white wolf also glanced across the river and barked twice. Emil understood. He placed his arm over the wolf’s neck and pointed at the opposite bank. He led the wolf into the shallows, wrapping his arms tightly around Cloud’s neck. The pair were swept downriver by the current. Both paddled furiously across the river, as the white wolf kept the determined young boy afloat.

  The intrepid duo was exhausted as they crawled ashore the sand of the opposite bank. Emil had swallowed a lot of water, which he violently threw up, but they made it.

  Emil needed Inga. I don’t know where the Mountain Man village is. It’s strange thick forest ahead of us. Papa said we watch each other for war. I’ll bring them here to me!

  Soon, the unmistakable smoke from a large raging signal fire was rising into the clear blue sky for all to see. The still dripping boy had made several trips into nearby brush for kindling. Emil built the blaze in the sand. Then he forced himself to do the breathing exercise while he waited.

  It wasn’t long before Cloud sniffed the air and barked at something approaching rapidly out of the woods. Four large, shaggy Mountain Men were watching them through the trees. The men had incredulous looks on their faces.

  Emil began frantically jumping up and down screaming. “Inga, Inga, Inga, Mama, Skorpon, edelweiss! Skorpon, edelweiss!”

  The hunting team approached him cautiously, wary of a trap. They saw the boy was alone save for the white wolf. One of the Mountain Men was the biggest man Emil had ever seen, a mountain in a red beard. The boy kept pleading.

  The big man squinted his eyes in disbelief, asking, “Inga?” Clearly all four men had seen Cloud before.

  Emil pointed back over their heads toward their village, “Inga, Inga,” he pleaded. The boy clawed at his foot, mimicking a clawing bite. “Skorpon, Skorpon, Mama.” Emil pointed at their leather pouches. “Edelweiss! Edelweiss!’ The boy made the taking motion with his palm.

  The message was clear. Aki turned to the other hunters, while saying in their language, “This must be Aash’s boy. Why else would the great wolf follow him? They need edelweiss. A Skorpon has bit one of them.”

  The huge hunter knelt slowly in front of Emil, smiling and flashing the peace sign. “Edelweiss?” he asked. “Edelweiss?”

  Emil was frantically jumping up and down, motioning yes, give it to me.

  The big man placed his mighty ivory axe on the ground. He was looking for a small leather wrapping in his deerskin pouch.

  Sharp words ringing from the smallest man of the team interrupted him. The big man turned horrified at what he was hearing. He shook his head violently at the smaller man. Emil had no idea what they were saying, but the tone was menacing and the argument fierce.

  Emil couldn’t understand their words. Vili was telling the others this was a clear breach of the peace treaty. The boy was a spy sent by the People. His story didn’t matter. They had the right to kill him and the wolf.

  Cloud sensed this, and the rumblings of a low growl started in his throat. The ferocious white wolf stepped in front of Emil. Fenrir in full effect. It was once again clear to all present the wolf’s focus had unfinished business with Vili’s throat. The little boy slowly drew his obsidian knife. Emil tried to look fierce, or as fierce as an innocent child can look when trying to appear intimidating.

  Aki thundered at Vili, “How black is your soul, man? This is just a boy! One who swam the river alone, by the way. He’s trying to get edelweiss to save someone. His father saved my Inga! Let’s give it to him as long as he leaves now!” I should just let the wolf have him, thought Aki.

  Vili just raised his lethal ivory war axe in response. Aki turned and intensely asked Emil something. It was as if he was desperately offering something to Emil while nodding yes. Emil thought he was offering the edelweiss for payment. The crying boy offered up his obsidian knife, holding it up as if in trade. Emil nodded yes to Aki.

  Then three things happened at once. First, Cloud’s snarls focused on Vili. Second, the cruel hunter raised his mighty ivory war axe to kill the wolf. Third, neither of the first two things mattered much. In a flash, Aki had slammed his forearm down thunderously on Vili, completely shattering the smaller man’s arm. He picked Vili up over his head, as if he were but a small child, and unceremoniously hurled him back in a heap toward the woods.

  The red-bearded giant raised his mighty war axe. He bellowed fiercely at the remaining two Mountain Men in their tongue. “You both witnessed the boy accept my guest invitation, yes? By sacred law, he is now under Aki’s protection. Is this a problem?”

  The pair of Mountain Men looked at each other, then at the senseless Vili lying in a tangle like a drowned rat, not two paces away from them. Neither could well disguise the disdain they had for the fallen hunter. Truth be told, they were both fathers and decent fellows. Even if they weren’t, both were keenly aware of what a truly dangerous man Aki was. A Grizzly itself couldn’t have been as intimidating as the angry fire now radiating from the giant’s sharp green eyes. Emil shuddered involuntarily.

  One hunter just shrugged, saying, “The guest law is sacred. Get the boy out of here with the edelweiss.”

  The other Mountain Man nodded, saying something along the lines of, “Use the boat to help him back.”

  Cloud intuitively sensed all of this and stopped growling. Aki took a knee and his rage was replaced by a kind father’s smile. He pointed to himself, “Aki, Aki, Aki,” then he held up the leather wrap. “Edelweiss!” he exclaimed. Aki motioned for the boy to follow him up the shore. Cloud was still growling a bit, as the two other men saw to the unconscious one, but Emil stopped this. They quickly followed the giant.

  Aki led them to a large hollowed-out log hidden behind the tree line. The big man carried this log overhead to the edge of the river and lightly jumped in.
He motioned for Emil and Cloud to hop in, which they did. Aki paddled them back across to their side in no time. He handed Emil the edelweiss wrapping and pointed toward the People’s village. “Go,” he smiled. The giant watched the little boy and his wolf racing through the sand into their forest, before the log even came to a full stop on the shore.

  Shortly before dusk, a panting, exhausted Emil burst into the healers’ Gher yelling. “Edelweiss! Mama! Edelweiss!”

  Mama was lying asleep on a sleeping fur while Papa held her hand. The healers changed the wet poultice on her forehead. Papa’s exhausted eyes were red and bloodshot. He stared at a mud-splattered Emil as if in a dream. His son was dirty and completely scratched up from thorns. Papa thought, The hunting teams we sent to find him must have brought him back.

  “Papa, it’s really me,’ declared Emil as he turned to the healers. “The Mountain Men gave me edelweiss. First, we grind it up and spread it on the bite. Then we put some in water for Mama to drink. Hurry!”

  The healers looked warily at the dried white flower in suspicion. The Mountain Men could not be trusted. Lulu’s breathing was growing fainter. This was just too much for Papa. He snatched it from them and ground up four flowers on the grinding stone. Papa took Mama’s foot and doused the cut with the powder. Papa and Emil woke Mama up and made her drink deeply from the water laced with the edelweiss. Then came the hard part. Papa and Emil waited all night next to Mama, trying to keep her comfortable.

  Emil fell asleep in Papa’s arms and woke up to his father’s hoarse jubilant yells. Mama’s fever had broken. There was no more pain; she was very sore but conscious. Mama sat up from the sleeping furs asking, “How did I get here, boys?” They both smothered her with kisses.

  The healers stampeded back into the Gher to fuss over her and told Papa he must sleep now.

  Papa carried an exhausted Emil to their Gher while the boy told his tale of the river crossing, Aki, and the hollowed log. It was an incredible story, and Papa would think on it later. Once back in the privacy of their Gher, he held Babo fiercely to his chest and sobbed deep tears of relief.

  Mama was on her feet again by midday. She was well enough to nibble at the evening meal. As the story spread, the entire village of the People was in awe of Emil and his white wolf. Chief Sev just blissfully rolled his eyes up toward the Sky Spirits and shook his head in utter amazement.

  Chapter Twenty

  “Death was afraid of him because he had the heart of a lion.” -Gurkha Proverb

  Star Talk

  The large Gher filled to capacity as the glowing summer sun baked the entire valley. Chief Sev fiddled with his pipe, and decided to put it away. Three Elders set out fresh sliced fruit and water. The Gher flaps were left open for light and fresh air.

  Papa brought Emil in, and he looked up at his father a bit confused. The Elders greeted them warmly and offered them some fruit. Emil settled in Papa’s lap, eyed a peach, and began noisily munching away.

  Chief Sev stated, “How is your mama, Emil? Peaches are my favorite too. Young man, we have some questions for you.”

  “Good,” replied the boy. “Mama is watching the girls sort berries.”

  Chief Sev cleared his throat and reminded himself to speak in a gentle tone.

  “Emil, yesterday was an incredible day. The edelweiss saved your mama. No one has ever survived a Skorpon bite before. The People are proud of you. Some of yesterday still mystifies us. Where did you get the white flower? Is it possible the Mountain Woman forgot or left us that leather wrapping here in the village?”

  “No, Chief,” stated Emil, “a Mountain Man named Aki gave it to me yesterday.”

  “What did this Mountain Man look like?” softly questioned the Chief.

  “He was a giant! The biggest man I’ve ever seen. Aki had red hair and carried a big axe with sharp white bones. He’s the scariest man in the world, but he was very nice. He stopped the smaller hunter from hurting me.” revealed Emil.

  The Chief was listening intently. He looked over the boy’s shoulder at Papa, whose emphatic nod fully confirmed this description of Aki. Chief Sev went on.

  “I see, and this Aki, this is very important, Emil. When Aki gave you this edelweiss, were the Mountain Men on our side of the river? We must know this?”

  “No,” Emil declared. He paused for a second. “Mama explained territory to me once. They were not here. I got the white flowers on their side of the river?”

  The Elders had a quizzical look. The chief turned his head, took a deep breath and smiled wryly. “Emil, can you please tell me exactly how you got over to their lands again, and young man, be careful. Because after yesterday, if you tell us you can actually fly, I might believe you.”

  Papa remarked, “Emil, please just tell them the whole story again from the start.”

  The boy took a big gulp of water, then repeated the entire tale again. Afterwards, the boy looked back at Papa, then Chief Sev. “May I have that big plum too?” Emil asked.

  Four sets of hands fumbled over the same plum as they gave it to the boy. Papa’s eyes were moist and red again as he hugged Emil tight. Chief Sev smiled in thoughtful silence. Emil’s story matched known facts and was consistent in retellings.

  “An old graybeard like me has seen some amazing things, good and bad. This might be the best,” stated Chief Sev. “You mentioned a snakelike man. Snakes are evil.”

  “Were they bad to you too?” asked Emil in a small, inquisitive voice.

  “The striped boas,” shuddered the Chief, “it still gives me nightmares, so I don’t talk of it.”

  “Emil,” reminded Papa sternly, “We don’t ask another man his business unless he cares to reveal it. Remember?”

  “Yes,” apologized Emil, “I’m sorry, Chief.”

  Chief Sev’s eyes were far away. He shuddered again then sighed while taking a deep breath.

  “No, Spearmaker. Emil asks a fair question. We’ve been questioning the lad all morning, and he can handle it. Back during war, I was sent to set traps for the Mountain Men on their trails. I’d been watching them all day and knew I’d spend the night on their side of the river. I found a heavily wooded hill with a cozy-looking cave. It was a bright night, though rain seemed possible. There was nothing but a bunch of sleeping bats in the cave. Something just felt wrong. I decided to pass the moonlight night up in a tree instead.

  “At the false dawn, I saw something I’ll never forget. A pack of large striped boas had sealed off the cave entrance. They were feasting on the trapped, screaming bats. The huge snakes were hunting as a pack! They coordinated their movements so there was no place for a single bat to escape. Snakes aren’t pack hunters! I could have been lying sleeping in that cave! It still gives me nightmares.”

  Everyone else in the Gher reacted to this serpentine tale in mute white-knuckled horror.

  “You were so brave, Chief Sev. You went in alone just like Bret,” Emil observed. The Chief just waved this notion away.

  Later that day, Emil and Papa were sitting under an old cherry tree on the edge of the village. The sun was as high as it would get that day and scalding the ground below. Emil was cuddled in Papa’s lap. They were sipping water in the shade. This was a “Man Talk,” where Emil and his papa talked man to man. The serious look in Emil’s eyes at this tender age always made Papa chuckle inwardly. However, what his boy had just pulled off was nothing to scoff at.

  Emil was chattering away about cherry trees. “I think it’s the best tree, Papa. The fruit is so good, and nothing is prettier than all those blossoms in the spring.”

  Papa pondered this. “You’re right, Babo. I never thought of it like that. The ancients honor this tree and its beautiful blossoms. They considered a short beautiful life, such as that of a cherry blossom, to be ideal.”

  Papa explained.

  “The People are tough and resilient; life requires this. We only honor courage in death. The sole honor for a man is death in service. He died in battle. For a woman, we only honor
death in childbirth. It’s just the old way. I don’t agree with this. There is more to life than a good death.

  “Your actions at the river saved Mama. Do you know how you really did it?”

  Emil was wondering if Papa had gotten a bit too much sun. Papa laughed at the puzzled look in his son’s eyes.

  “Oh, I know you took bold actions. The process you used was developing the situation. It’s good to plan ahead, but life rarely goes to plan. Any experienced hunter would have rightly disagreed with the risk of your plan. The river is rough. The Mountain Men are dangerously unpredictable, and setting a fire in their land could start a war. The experts would have talked you out of it. For the most part, who could blame them? But Mama would have died.”

  Emil tilted his head. “I know, I didn’t know how to do it, I was scared, but I had to save her.”

  Papa continued.

  “On the other hand, expertise comes from experience. This is a nice way of saying someone has already made the mistakes you are about to make. The pattern is always a bit different, but they’ve seen something close before. Bret was our best fisherman. If we needed to rely on fishing for food, it would be foolish and potentially costly to ignore his local expertise and advice.

  “There is a delicate balance here, Babo. Developing the situation is when you listen to the experts but not too much. It’s when you have a strategy, but adapt it to the inevitable uncertainty of local circumstances. When you went for the edelweiss, Emil, you instinctively developed the situation. Remember this.

  “Mama is alive today, because of your memory, courage, mindset, and a bit of luck. We can only control three of these things, Emil. You took great risk, but only because the reward was greater. This is a good mindset.”

  As they walked back to their Gher, Papa asked a bit too casually, “Babo, this smaller Mountain Man who was going to hurt you, did he have gray eyes like a snake?”

  “Yes, Papa, have you met him too?” asked Emil.

  Papa’s face hardened into a Stygian mask. “He’d best pray I never do again,” swore Papa in a hard, chilling voice Emil had never heard before.