The Hunting Party: Pa'li Mesa
I gratefully acknowledge one of the foremost creative geniuses of our times, James Cameron, for conceiving the lush moon Pandora and the "noble savages," the Na'vi, that inhabit it. This story uses the setting he created for his movie, Avatar. I have not received any money for my work based on Avatar. If I could get paid by the hour for these stories, I would retire and spend all my time dancing and writing in comfort.
This story contains all original characters and situations, set in Na'vi clans not appearing in the movie. It is an episodic story in which my ideas about the Na'vi way of hunting and living in the wild are presented.
The ten hunters are on foot, leading the twelve burdened pa'li upstream in single file on the narrow trail above the steep river bank. Txìtey, the leader of the hunting party, and Potey, his younger brother, have taken all twelve pa'li up to the top of Pa'li Mesa in the past, and know how each pa'li must be handled. They and Potey's mate Keti have been observing the other hunters during the trip, and know their skills in handling pa'li. Back at the waterhole, they lined up the hunters in the order they think best for the ascent, and handed to each the pa'li most suited to their skill. The four adolescent hunters are separated by adults, so an adult is in front and behind each to navigate the trail up, and help with any pa'li that might balk.
As always, Txìtey goes first with two pa'li, one of the most difficult followed by his favorite. Mäsay follows him, and is the best pa'li handler of the four young hunters, even though he is the next to youngest in the party. His pa'li is the most challenging of those assigned to the young hunters. Next is Äkaynu, the Leader of the Hunters for the Waterfall Clan. She is an ikran rider and prefers her ikran for traveling, but still can handle any pa'li. Zeyuo is next. As she is barely an adolescent, she is not able to "manhandle" a pa'li, so she is assigned the pa'li that is the easiest to handle and most reliable. Keti is next in line. As she is one of the clan's instructors for pa'li riding and handling, Keti is the best pa'li handler in the party, and has one of the most difficult pa'li to lead, even though it is her favorite. She is near the center to help others if needed. Behind her is Larotan, the older boy who is competent enough but not very confident in his ability. His pa'li is very reliable and easy to handle. Next is Lew'it, an ikran rider who rarely rides pa'li, but can handle most pa'li. Ti'mì, the older girl, follows, and is a competent pa'li handler for her age. Her pa'li is challenging on occasion, but usually is reliable. Following her is Tiunu, an ikran rider who rarely rides pa'li, and is given a reliable pa'li for this climb. Bringing up the rear, as always, is Potey. Like his brother, he has two pa'li, a difficult one followed by his favorite.
Shortly after leaving the sand of the waterhole behind, the two sisters, Äkaynu and Tiunu, begin singing a hunting song. Everyone joins in, except Mäsay, and sings the whole way. Lew'it bangs two drum sticks together to provide rhythm for the singing, and when he can reach it, drums on the firewood carried by the pa'li in front of him being led by Larotan. The brothers usually do not sing on the trail, but since their destination now is a haven and not a hunting spot, they do not mind the noise. Both are hoping to get onto the trail up the side of the mesa before any predator takes an interest in this disturbance.
The mesa could be called "Rock Mesa" because it looks like a single rock stuck in the river bank. As the party approaches the rock, it becomes clear that the rock is actually a collection of rock "logs" stood on end. Some of these logs have peeled off and lay broken on the ground or in the river. Most have a very regular shape with six sides. The mesa appears almost as tall as the clan's tree home, and its sheer, straight sides make it look very imposing. Only the side they are approaching is not vertical, and has a different color than the rock logs. It is a conical mountain made by an ancient lava flow off the top of the mesa, and is the only place where a trail to the top could exist. The trail they are following turns away from the river and opens into a large, shady clearing, full of signs that it is frequented by many of Eywa's children. The singing ceases as Txìtey waves the hunters into a circle.
"We'll stop here and take a very short break before climbing the trail to the top. Remember your pa'li and remember your place, so we can form up quickly when we leave. This clearing is where the warriors eat when they come out here to fix the trail, before and after the stormy season and whenever necessary. They sleep on top and eat down here, and work on the trail in between. They also gather the materials they need to fix the trail down here, and carry them up. Lots of good physical training the whole time." Looking to the young hunters, he asks "Have any of you been out here with the warriors?"
The girls shake their heads no. Larotan laughs "No, becoming a hunter is challenging enough for me." Mäsay looks down while Larotan speaks, and then follows with obvious frustration in his voice "I wanted to come out here with them, but they said I'm not ready yet. I'm the only warrior trainee my age who has not been out here with the work parties."
Äkaynu looks into Mäsay's eyes and says sternly "Our clan is no longer using age as a deciding factor. Eywa sent Zeyuo to our clan to show us that ability is more important than age." Zeyuo blushes. She hates it when adults talk about her in her presence, and knows from past experience there is nothing she can do except endure it gracefully. Äkaynu continues "If the warriors tell you you are not ready, you ought to ask yourself what you must do to become ready in their eyes. Your age and the age of others is not important, so don't waste your time thinking that way."
Now Mäsay blushes. He looks into her eyes and says rather dejectedly "Yes, Leader." He hangs his head, and his ears and tail droop down to match.
Txìtey looks to him and says softly "If you want, talk with me about it after we're in the corral."
Without looking up, Mäsay just nods his head yes in reply.
Speaking to the whole party again, Txìtey says "Take the pa'li to the pa'liwll, over there, then look for cleaning leaves and any ripe fruits and vegetables. There are no useful leaves on the mesa, so gather what you need. Take your weapons, and don't get out of sight. Go in groups, and take turns relieving yourselves. Do not wander off alone. We are surrounded by many animals, as you can tell by the signs around us, there are many sights, sounds, and smells now." A small herd of fwampop appears inside the clearing from the river bank. They are anxious to clean up after the hunting party, and know the hunters are keeping their predators at bay.
After picking what they can find nearby and relieving themselves, they reform the column. The trail goes out of the clearing and in between the mesa and the mountainside through a very narrow gap. Just before entering the gap, the leader makes a sharp turn back towards the river onto a steep trail that rises behind the vegetation. The mesa trail has a lighter color than the dark black soil of the bank trail, and has a powdery texture beneath a crust that is broken up by the hooves of the pa'li. The entire party follows onto the mesa trail before stopping. The leader Txìtey quickly unties and opens a solid gate, and resumes the climb. His younger brother Potey ties the gate shut behind the column after all pa'li have passed through. The narrow trail snakes up the side of the mesa, zigzagging repeatedly across the conical mountain. Some pa'li struggle with the loose, gritty trail that is almost too narrow for their hooves, but the hunters are able to keep them moving up the side of the mesa. No one speaks now unless they are directing their pa'li or checking on each other's progress in leading their pa'li up the steep trail. There are numerous stretches where the trail has been shored up with rocks or branches. Fortunately, the trail is passable today, and the party does not have to stop to make repairs. At one point, Larotan stops to inspect some rock logs used to shore up the mountainside. Lew'it asks if his pa'li is balking, and that gets Larotan moving again. He slows down at several more constructions, and Lew'it quickly cajoles him to keep moving each time. Near the top of the mesa, they encounter a second solid gate. Txìtey halts the party just long enough to untie and open the upper gate. They continue up and stop where the trail ends on the top of the mesa. Potey is the last to stop on the top after closing the upper gate. He joins the party standing in a circle, holding their pa'li behind them.
Txìtey waves his arm across the vista of the mesa and shouts over the wind "Welcome to Pa'li Mesa, our clan's largest haven for hunters. It is also the least habitable of all havens. We passed through two gates on the trail up here. These gates must be kept closed to block wild animals from using the trail. Some hunting parties have found predators up here, so we always post watches. However, the gates do stop most critters. They are solid, and only the most determined animals will go over or around them."
"We have been doing our signs at each stop. Up here, there's not much to talk about. There are many birds around the edges of the mesa, and in the valleys, but most are too small for food. Many insects live in the valleys, but the winds are so fierce up here, I don't know how they survive. There are no other animals, except for those that come up the path we just traveled. There are no sights, as the rock surface collects no tracks and there is no vegetation to break. The wind blows all the time, so there are few sounds or smells. Your ears will get used to the wind after awhile, the way they get accustomed to the waterfalls back home. So, when you are on watch, use your ears. Listen for claws on the rock. If there's a predator up here, and you're lucky enough to have it get upwind of you, you might smell it. More likely, you'll have to see it or hear it."
"The reason for calling this place Pa'li Mesa is not obvious, but you'll see when we get to the corral. Here, the first of three surprises is visible. This mesa is not flat on top. Looking to the center, you can see the top of the mesa is completely covered by a small, dead volcano. The surface looks very smooth, but that is not the case. There are many valleys and cracks that radiate out from the central crater. That means you cannot easily walk around the outer edge of the mesa. To get anywhere easily, you must walk up to the central crater, circle around it, and then walk back out to your destination. We are going to the corral, so we'll walk up close to the crater, walk around it, and walk back out to the valley that contains the corral. The wind blows all the loose sand off the rock surface of the trail, but it is not as smooth as it looks. The surface away from the trail becomes very slick when it gets wet, so be careful walking around in the rain. The hunters in our clan have been using this haven for generations, and you can find the corral just by following the trail worn into the rock. You can see the trail leading up toward the crater. I'll take you up to the top of the crater, and you'll be able to see the whole trail from up there. We'll stop there briefly to see the next surprise, go to the corral to see the third surprise, and then unload the pa'li."
After the steep trail up with such poor footing, the trail to the crater on the hard stone is faster and easier. The pa'li move much better on this trail, and want to get to the corral for their treat. The hunters now have to keep them from going too fast as opposed to keep them from stopping. Even with the pa'li picking up the pace, the trip to the crater takes much longer than the young hunters expected. There are no landmarks, except the rim of the crater, and judging distances is next to impossible. Looking to either side, the rock surface is uneven. What lies beside the trail is not visible to the hunters. Finally, the slope becomes steeper just as the trail turns at the base of the central crater.
Txìtey stops the party, and again they form a circle to hear him speak. "I'll take the young hunters up to the rim. You can let your pa'li go when the others leave us. The pa'li are eager to get their reward in the corral, and will head there on their own. Brother, take the lead and open the gate before the pa'li bash it down."
"Yes, brother. Riders, ready to go?" The young hunters release their pa'li, who follow the four adults and the rest of the pa'li as they head down the trail.
"Everyone going to the rim, follow me." Txìtey leads the way up, with the four young hunters behind, and Txìtey's mate, Äkaynu, bringing up the rear. There is no trail here, so the surface is slicker, but it is dry so they quickly scale the crater. On the rim, they stop again and form a circle. "The wind is always much stronger here on the summit." Txìtey points to parts of the trail as he speaks. "It's easy to see the trail from here. We came up over there. The trail circles around, and goes out to the valley with the corral over there." Potey, the rest of the adults, and all pa'li are just making the turn and are heading downhill towards that valley. "The trail goes to a crack that looks like any other crack that surrounds the central crater. Most cracks look very narrow from up here. Some cracks aren't very long and end abruptly well before the edge of the mesa. Other cracks, like the one the pa'li are headed towards, are slightly wider than a pa'li, but do widen out considerably as they approach the edge of the mesa."
"On a clear day like today you can see all of the clan territories from here." Txìtey speaks as he points to the landmarks. "See that old volcano sticking out of the forest over there? That's the Forest Haven. See the line of trees to its left? That's the Lower Waterfall River. You can't see them because of the trees, but the Caves in the Cliff are out there by the river. The Grotto is to the right of the Forest Haven, and way beyond it, but it can't be seen anyway. It's hard to see even when you fly over it or walk by it. More to the right, over that way, are the mountains that protect our home. They surround our Hometree on three sides, and block our view of it from up here. You four young hunters will be ikran riders someday, and you will learn the landmarks in our territories. You can get a good start just by looking around from up here on clear days."
"Now, look into the crater." They all turn and look down into the pit. "It is fairly deep, but there is nothing in it except rocks. Many have hoped that it would fill up with water, but it never holds rain, no matter how heavy the storm. Believe me, it does rain very hard up here. The second surprise is here. Look at the shape of the crater. It is a circle. Look at the shape of the mesa. It is an oval. Now, imagine flying over it on an ikran. What would you see?"
The four young hunters look at each other, perplexed, but then the face of Ti'mì brightens up. Her artistic sense allows her to see the surprise in her mind.
She shouts, "It's an eye!"
Txìtey nods and says "Very good. From above, the top of the mesa looks like an eye. That is why all new ikran riders fly out here as soon as they can, so they can see the eye of Pa'li Mesa. Some have said that maybe this mesa should be called Eye Mesa, but the name Pa'li Mesa was used long before anyone flew over high enough to see the eye. I have never understood what would cause anyone to climb up here and look around enough to make the find that gave the name Pa'li Mesa. Our next stop will be the valley with our corral, and there you will see the third surprise."
The six hunters clamber down the steep slope of the volcano to the visible trail. As they walk around the crater, they pass a number of narrow cracks and larger gaps that lead to the outer edge of the mesa. Looking down these ways, they see nothing except the same gray stone that covers everything. Soon they come to the gap where the trail leads them, and encounter another solid gate. Pushing the gate open is difficult, as a stiff wind is blowing it shut. They are entering the valley haven used by generations of Waterfall Clan hunters, but it looks the same as the cracks and gaps they just passed. The leader closes the gate behind the hunters, who walk single-file through the narrow gap. The ground slopes downward steeply, and where it levels out, the walls separate, revealing the valley. The floor is fairly level, with the ends of the rock logs visible in several patches. The walls are interrupted by several alcoves. A number of short rock logs lie scattered around the floor in and near the alcoves. A riot of colors cover the corners where the walls meet the floor. Some straggly stunted bushes with tiny green, waxy leaves grow along the walls, sheltering the pitcher plants filled with the nectar that the pa'li crave. These pa'liwll do not have the long stems like those in the forest, and are somewhat smaller, but otherwise are the same. The pa'li have scattered around the walls, greedily licking the nectar out. Hundreds of these pitcher plants line the walls of this valley. After seeing so much desolation on the mesa, the young hunters stand in awe of the sight.
"Welcome to the corral. I never need to explain the third surprise. You see why this mesa is named Pa'li Mesa. The pa'liwll grow in many of the valleys on this mesa, but cannot be seen from the crater. This valley is one of the largest, and two fences were built across it to make a corral. A large alcove with a fire pit was made to our left, and several smaller alcoves were made to our right. The dark rock that covers everything up here has broken down from the large alcove and one small alcove, but the other small alcoves still have their rock coverings. The weather is very fierce up here, and these covered alcoves are the only places for shelter during a storm. You can see the rock logs used to make the fire pit and floors in the alcoves. Rain water cannot soak into the rock of the floor, so it rages through the valley like a torrent. When it rains hard, keep everything on the logs, including yourselves when you sleep, to keep from being washed away and over the edge."
Potey looks up from repairing the nearer fence, and asks "Leader, didn't the last party up here bring firewood? I thought they said they tied the bundles to the bottom rail of this fence, but there are no bundles here now."
Äkaynu walks through the young hunters, and answers "Yes, when they reported back, they said they had tied four bundles of firewood to the bottom rail of the inner fence."
"That rail was broken when we got in here, so we're replacing it now. The wind must have blown hard enough to break the rail and blow the bundles off the mesa. Except for some sticks scattered around between here and the edge, and the broken rail, there is no firewood up here now."
Txìtey says, "We've brought plenty, but now we have to find a good place for it. I was planning to tie our bundles to the fence, but that doesn't seem very smart since the last bundles broke the fence and disappeared. I hate filling the small alcoves, because they're needed when the weather is bad."
Larotan asks "Must the firewood be kept in this valley? There is little protection in here."
Txìtey says "Potey and I have been in many valleys up here, and there's not much protection in any of them."
"How about one of the narrow cracks? Is there one nearby that does not run all the way out to the edge?"
"The cracks on either side of the entrance to this valley are narrow and short, but they fill up with water in heavy rains. The firewood would get washed away, most likely."
"We could build a low wall over the entrance to divert the water away, and a second wall in the crack to hold the firewood in place. That wall needs some holes in the bottom for drainage."
Äkaynu looks to Larotan and asks "Do you think we could build that before nightfall?"
"That depends on what we can use up here. There are lots of rocks in the crater, but it will take a huge effort to move enough up the crater and down to the crack." Larotan points to the rock logs lying on the floor of the large alcove. "Where did those come from?"
Potey walks into the nearest small alcove, tries pulling on several, and finally pulls one away from the inside wall. "The walls of the cracks and valleys are made of these rock logs. Some are easy to pull out, and some can't be budged. They are very heavy, but they are easy to break." He slides the rock log across the floor to one lying down, and then lets it drop. The falling rock breaks cleanly where it hits the stationary rock.
Larotan says "That's very useful to know. Let's go to one of the adjacent cracks and see if we can pull out the rock logs. If enough can be pulled out, building two walls should go very quickly."
Txìtey asks "Brother, is the corral ready to go? It looks good to me."
"Let me check the outside fence first, but the inside is solid enough now."
"Let the women take over here, checking the fences and getting the pa'li into the corral. Ti'mì, why don't you start the fire this time. I know making fire is difficult for you, and the wind is brisk, but it gets easier with practice. The other women can give you pointers on what to do. If you need fire-starting tools, get them from the bag on Potey's favorite pa'li."
"Thanks, but Larotan and I are sharing fire-making tools, so I'll use those," says Ti'mì. She walks to the pa'li with Larotan's bag to fetch the tools.
"Men, let's check out the adjacent cracks and see if we can build these walls Larotan has suggested." The men leave the valley as a group, and the women are left to build the fire, watch the pa'li, and complete the work on the fences.
Äkaynu removes two bundles of firewood from a pa'li she packed at the waterhole and joins Ti'mì at the fire pit, planning to talk her through the steps to making fire. Keti, Tiunu, and Zeyuo check out the fences, and wedge a couple of sticks in with the rails to tighten them up. Once the rails are solid, they open the gate and herd the pa'li into the corral. Most of the pa'li are satisfied and simply walk around to find sheltered spots near the walls. The pa'li that are still hungry check out the pa'liwll along the walls, and noisily slurp up the nectar they find.
When Äkaynu gets to Ti'mì, she has already assembled the bow, fire plate, spindle, and holding plate, but has no wood ready yet. "Here is some firewood. The key to making fire easily is preparing the wood you need before you start."
"Yes, leader, I just wanted to put the parts together to make sure I have everything and it is ready to use. I don't make fire very often, and need to think it through every time."
"That is why my mate gives you young hunters your turns at making fire. Like all hunting skills, it gets easier with practice. So, what must be done next?"
"My tools are ready, the fire plate and spindle are dry, so now I need to get the firewood ready. I need to make shavings, break up the kindling, stack some firewood in the fire pit, putting smaller sticks in the middle of the larger sticks, and have larger pieces ready for when the fire gets going."
"That sounds very good. I'll stop talking so you can get to work."
"May I ask you a question?" Ti'mì is known for her ability to talk, especially while working on things that should demand her entire attention. She digs around in the bag to find the leather pouch holding the small stone blade needed to make the shavings.
"As long as it does not interfere with your fire-making."
"Larotan and I grew up together. He is always full of ideas, most of them are, well, unusual. You agreed to his idea very quickly. Is that idea that good?" Ti'mì pulls the leather pouch out of the bag, unties it, and carefully removes the stone knife. She pulls a stick out of a firewood bundle and begins making thin, short shavings from it.
"Finding ways to keep extra supplies up here for emergencies could be very important to our clan someday. If a hunter gets sick or injured, and can make it to one of our other havens, like the Forest Haven, or the Caves in the Cliff, or even the Grotto, there is a very good chance of meeting other hunters within a day or two. Those havens provide good shelter and have food, water, and firewood in abundance nearby. This haven is so far from home, and so large and barren, it is not used every day, and is not so good for emergencies."
"If I was hurt, I would stop just beyond the first gate on the trail, and wait there." Ti'mì picks up the pile of shavings she just made and places it beside the fire plate in the pit.
"That works if you are the first hunter here, but not if you are the last. Then you must wait until the hunters on top leave. If his idea makes this haven better for emergency use, his idea will be welcomed by all hunters. I think he knows that time will tell how well his idea works out."
"There have been times in the past when his ideas were ignored, and he was very unhappy." Ti'mì pulls out some dry, thin sticks and breaks them up into short lengths for kindling.
"Now that he is older, he should know better how his ideas will be received. But it is very important to the clan that he keeps making his ideas known. Each clan needs several adults that think differently than everyone else, and explain their thoughts clearly, to keep the clan safe. If everyone thinks the same way, problems will be overlooked. Keep encouraging him, even with ideas that seem unusual."
"Now you sound like we're mated!" Ti'mì huffs as she removes more sticks from the bundles, and piles them on end in the fire pit. "Both of us are two or three years away from that, at least. Besides, he always treats me like his little sister, and I always think of him as my big brother. I don't think we will become mated, even though lots of clan members believe we will end up mated." She places several larger pieces beside the pit to use once the fire is going. Ti'mì looks over the various piles of wood, and makes a few adjustments. The wind is blowing hard enough to move the lighter pieces around.
"I know you two are not mated. But, you are about the same age, and are always placed together in training classes because of that. With all the time you spend together, you know each other very well. Maybe after you two have your dream hunts, you might find your time together over the years leading to a closer relationship. Just because you have a brother-sister relationship now does not mean you cannot become mated in the future. You are growing into a fine young woman, and will make a good mate for some lucky man. Larotan is growing into a fine young man, and will make a good mate for some lucky woman. Only Eywa knows whether you two will become mated in the future. But even if you and Larotan do not become mates, you must still encourage him to make his thoughts known. That will keep you, your mate, your children, and your clan safer. It looks like you have the firewood prepared. Are you happy with your preparations?"
"Yes, but the wind keeps moving things around. This task is hard enough without the wind interfering."
"That is true, but usually conditions are at their worst when fire is needed the most. Today is very good practice in that regard. My mother used to tell me that making fire is like making a baby. It can't be hurried up, no matter how much you want to speed it along. So, pick up your tools, and keep at it until you see smoke."
Ti'mì stands the spindle up onto the fire plate, and holds it in place with the holding plate. She starts pushing the bow back and forth, quickly at first, and then slows down. Äkaynu looks at her and says "You need to find a pace that you can sustain, not too fast and not too slow." Ti'mì goes a little faster, and keeps at that pace until smoke rises from the fire plate. She quickly sets the bow, spindle, and holding plate aside, and using her large knife, picks up the coal and sets it on the shavings. She scoops up the shavings to blow on them, but the wind gusts, blowing the coal and some shavings out of her hands and onto the ground. "I thought you was going to blow on the coal while it was in the pit."
Ti'mì almost pouts while she says "I didn't do that because my braids would fall into the pit and get dirty, and there's no way to wash my hair up here." She sits back, looking very frustrated.
"Sometimes, even the best fire makers need several tries when the wind is blowing hard, so don't get upset." Äkaynu pulls a large stick out of a bundle, and hands it to Ti'mì. "If you want to pick up the coal to blow on it, you need to protect the coal. Here is a trick I learned when I was your age. Look at this wood very closely. When dry, or even a little green like this branch, you can shave very long curls off of it. These shavings are too thick to use with the coal, but will hold smaller shavings and protect them and the coal from the wind, and will catch fire quickly enough. First, make a ball of shavings with this kind of wood about the size of your fists together."
Ti'mì picks up her stone blade and carefully pushes it down the stick, making a single long curl. "Oh, Leader, thank you for suggesting I talk to your sister and her mate. I now See that it is possible to be a hunter and work with the crafters too." With each pass, she makes another long curl, dropping the shavings onto the ground in front of her. "I like to make things, but I also like hunting in the forest. My crafter friends want me to dedicate my life to the crafts, but I do not want to give up hunting. Tiunu and Lew'it have been very helpful, and have given me many good ideas on how to do both. I'm pretty certain I'll be going for my ikran after nesting season is over. I want to be far enough along so I can fly during the next clan hunting festival." Once she has enough wooden curls piled up, she collects them together with her hands into a ball.
"Thank you for deciding to become an ikran rider, our clan needs as many as we can get. If you don't fly at the next clan hunt, you will certainly fly the following ones. The Tsahik will tell you to do what pleases you the most. Being both a hunter and a crafter is a good choice for you because you have talents for both. I'm sure Tiunu and Lew'it can help you, and can suggest others to talk to that are doing several jobs. Since I couldn't be tsahik, I concentrated on being a hunter and mother. But many hunters have other skills, and want to develop them, especially mothers after their babies get old enough. Now, use your thumbs and push it down in the middle, like a bird's nest. After that, fill the hole in the center with fine shavings like you made before." Ti'mì forms the nest, and fills it with new shavings made from the first stick she used.
"Good. Put it by your fire plate, and make another coal." Ti'mì picks up the spindle, holding plate, and bow, and starts the tedious sawing motion. She uses about the same pace she found earlier. She starts to say something, but Äkaynu cuts her off, raising her hands and saying "It is best to stay quiet and focus on the fire plate until you get the fire going. Fire is your prey now. You must be quiet and concentrate on stalking it." Soon, smoke begins rising from the fire plate. Ti'mì sets the tools down, and picks up the coal with her knife. She puts the coal into the center of the nest, into the bed of fine shavings. She gathers up the nest with both hands and picks it up, putting it almost against her lips. She gently blows on the coal until a flame appears in the fine shavings. She sets the nest down at the base of her stacked firewood. She begins to feed the kindling into the flames. Using her knife again, she slides the burning ball beneath the pile of wood. She keeps feeding progressively larger sticks into the flames until the fire is roaring in the wind. In spite of the strong wind and her lack of experience, she has made fire for the hunting party. A huge smile appears on Ti'mì's face, and Äkaynu smiles with her. "See, you can make fire even with a stiff wind blowing. Remember the woods you used to make the shavings, and you can do this whenever the wind is blowing hard." Äkaynu takes the two sticks used for shavings, carries them to the nearest covered alcove, and stands them up inside. "Let's save these in case the fire goes out and they are needed again." Ti'mì builds up the fire with the large pieces of wood, and once it is blazing sufficiently on its own, she gathers up the tools and stows them back into the bag she shares with Larotan.
The men leave the valley through the gate, and first check the crack to the right. Txìtey and Potey squeeze in and try pulling the rocks, but can't get any of them to break loose. They move to the crack on the left of the valley entrance. Here, the rocks are easily pulled free. The brothers pull rock logs out of the wall and drag them to the entrance. The others stack them up, with three logs in each layer. This makes a wall that is just below waist high, and will divert run-off water and wind away from the crack. They all squeeze their way back to where the crack narrows. Here, the brothers and Mäsay pull down more rock logs. Larotan breaks them into pieces and places them so that there are channels running through the bottom layer. He places the next layer on the first, and offsets the channels. After the bottom two layers, solid logs are stacked up as high as the brothers can lift them, almost shoulder height. They have constructed an enclosed space large enough to hold all the firewood packed up here, with room for plenty more. Once this storage space is completed, the men return to the corral, and begin leading the pa'li out for unloading. The women help by leading the pa'li as needed until all are unloaded. Making the storage place took most of the daylight, but there is still light after all pa'li are unpacked and safely returned to the corral.
The entire party is standing by the gate in the inside fence as the last pa'li is led into the corral and the gate tied shut. Äkaynu gathers the party together in a circle in front of the gate. "I want to thank Larotan for his idea of building walls in a crack to protect our firewood supply. Our clan has struggled to make this haven more livable in case an emergency forces anyone up here without time to properly prepare for a stay. Getting and keeping water and firewood up here have always been tough problems. Only time will tell how well this storage space works out, but it seems the best idea since I've been coming here. Larotan, on behalf of the Waterfall Clan, we thank you, and we look forward to your good ideas in the future."
Larotan blushes, nods his head, and says "Thank you for listening to my idea and building it. I hope to get up here many times in the future to see how this works out. You are all welcome."
After the group echoes her thanks to Larotan, Txìtey speaks up to the whole party. "Mäsay, I need to talk with you. Everyone else can go to the fire. We'll join you shortly. The others quickly leave the two standing by the fence fronting the corral.
"Mäsay, I've been thinking about our discussion by the fire. What does your father think about your problems?"
"I don't know, leader. I haven't spoken with him for two years."
"No! You're joking!"
"No joke. We have nothing to say to each other."
"Does the Tsahik know about this?"
"I haven't told her, and she has never said anything to me. My parents grew up with her, and I think they are too embarrassed to talk seriously with her."
My brother and I and our mates also grew up with Lukeka and Tänaru before he became Clan Leader and she became Tsahik. I can understand your parents' reluctance, and your's. How did this split with your father happen?"
"I don't remember what started it. When I was little, I thought he knew everything. As I got older, I realized he was a moron. He never appreciated my ideas, like using my hunting bow to make fire, or even understood what I was saying most of the time. When he got upset with me, he would spank me. When I was little, he used a broken arrow. That really hurt, but as I got older, it didn't hurt as much. When he realized the old arrow wasn't working, he used his bow. I completely resent being spanked, and finally decided that I would never let him hit me again. About this time, the father of my mother went to Eywa, not long after her mother had gone. My mother was very unhappy all the time, and my father became even more difficult. The night before my first four-day training hunt, my father and I got into an argument. I had my gear packed for the hunt, and when he came at me with his bow, I grabbed my gear and ran away. He saw me run out into the forest, but he just stood there and yelled at me. I didn't care, I was free. I circled around, went into the tree through the back way, and climbed higher into the tree than I had ever climbed before. Some of the guys say there are alcoves up in the canopy where mated couples go to mate, and new couples go to get acquainted."
Txìtey smiles and nods his head at this saying. He has used those very same alcoves high in the tree for the very same reasons.
"I found an empty alcove, and slept there that night. I never climbed that far into the tree before, and knew they wouldn't think to look for me up there. I didn't sleep well, and came back down before dawn. I grabbed some food, and waited outside until the training hunt left. Thought maybe my parents would show up to send me off, but neither one did. Four days later when my group returned, I took an empty hammock on the opposite side of the tree from my parent's hammock, so we couldn't watch each other. Been there ever since. Sometimes, when my father is out hunting, I'd track down my mother and talk to her. Those visits were very painful for us both, so I haven't talked to her in a long time." Mäsay wipes some tears off his cheeks.
"I'm sorry to hear this. This situation is very unfortunate for you and your parents. Do you have any brothers or sisters?"
Mäsay looks down at the ground "No, I am the only child."
"I can see how your mother is grieving the loss of her parents and her only child. Sounds like she is taking these losses very hard. Has she spoken to the Tsahik?"
"I don't think so."
"I need to think much more about this. I was not expecting your answers. The first thing you must do when we get home is to tell the Tsahik the same things you just told me. Before we left, the Tsahik gave me two commands, keep everyone safe, and have Mäsay use the sacred trees. Did you use the Tree of Voices?"
"No. I get too much criticism from everyone already. That's why I don't talk to the Tsahik and the ancestors in the sacred trees. I'll just get more criticism."
"Maybe you are right, but consider this. If you would have talked to the Tsahik and listened to the sacred trees two years ago, maybe you would not be getting so much criticism now. The sudden break from your family can cause a sickness of your spirit that can disrupt everything else in your life. Not using the sacred trees for a long time is also very bad for your spirit. Besides the calm of Eywa, the ancestors have much knowledge and experience that you can draw on whenever you want, making your life easier. Now that you are alive, you are the only reason for their existence. They are waiting to talk to you, and you must talk with them. When you have gone to Eywa, you, too, will be waiting for the living to talk to you. You will be disappointed if no one speaks to you. So, do not disappoint your ancestors now by not speaking with them. Think about how your life has changed since you split with your parents. Has the number of criticisms gone up or down?"
"Up. Definitely up. Way, way up."
"All adolescents, boys and girls, go through a phase where they think their parents are morons. That is a natural part of growing up, as children must break free from their parents to become adults. Your break was too early and too total. Your parents could have helped you work through the early criticisms to avoid many of the later criticisms. Since they were not there to help you, your life is now very troubled. The split has gone on so long, your parents may not be willing or able to help you now. I would offer to take the place of your father, but I spend so much time away from our home, I may not be there when you need me. You must tell the Tsahik everything you told me, and ask for someone to listen to your problems and not criticize you, so you can work your way out of your current difficulties. We are planning to stop at one more sacred tree, the Tree of Souls, before returning home. Think about what you can ask your ancestors. Did you have a good relationship with your mother's father, what was his name?"
"Kätsay, and my mother's mother was 'Ura. I think so, leader, but we never discussed anything really serious."
"Good. Start with him. He will be happy to listen, I believe. Since the Tsahik gave me that order, my guess is she has talked to him, and he is waiting for you. I saw you walking in the Tree of Voices, and thought you had used it. You must make tsaheylu with the Tree of Souls when we get there, and talk to your mother's father, or we both will be in trouble with the Tsahik when we get home. Can you promise me that you will do that?"
Mäsay looks forlorn, but nods and replies "Yes, leader, I will do that."
"Very good. That is the first step to getting your life back on the right trail. You need to tell me about your problems with the warriors, too. My mate was very hard on you earlier today. You understand she was speaking as the Leader of the Hunters?"
"Yes, but it is painful for me to see others my age move forward when I can't. I know I have the abilities, they just don't want to see them."
"You have upset many leaders. That keeps them from seeing your abilities. Now you must work that much harder to overcome their bad feelings towards you."
"If my age doesn't matter, then their feelings shouldn't matter, either. I have the abilities."
"Well, feelings always matter, especially when you want to be a leader. Others won't follow you if they don't trust you, and they won't trust you if you upset them. But first you need them to feel better about you, so they can see your abilities and teach you what you need to know. That is why you must apologize to everyone you have upset, and ask what you must do to make things right. They will see you differently after that, and then recognize your abilities."
"They should recognize my abilities without my apologies!"
"Well, you made them upset, now you must undo the damage you have done. You must take responsibility for your actions. Your options are very limited if you don't."
"I don't know if I can do that, apologizing to everyone."
"A good leader does what must be done to achieve his goal. If you want to be a leader, you must apologize and learn how to be a good team member, and then learn how to be a good leader. There are many in our clan that see your potential besides myself, like the Clan Leader and Tsahik and my mate, but you must learn to work with everyone first, especially when you disagree with what is being done."
"I didn't think anyone cared about me."
"If that was the case, you wouldn't be here. You would have been expelled long ago. You are very young and very talented, but you are also very reckless. You must stop being disrespectful, and learn how to work with everyone else in the clan. You must think about the consequences of your words and actions before you make them. For the remainder of this trip, you must think about what you want to do. When we get home, you must talk to the Clan Leader and Tsahik, and give them your decision. Do you understand?"
"Yes, leader. They told me that when they told me I was assigned to your hunting party,"
"We should rejoin the others. Are you ready?"
"Yes, I'm ready. Thank you, leader. I was not aware that so many have been concerned for me."
"We are all brothers and sisters of the Waterfall Clan. The problems of each individual affects us all. We are all connected through the clan and through Eywa. I think everyone is willing to help you, but only when you stop being disrespectful and start accepting their help graciously."
"I understand, leader. I will think about what to say and do."
"Very good. Talk to me whenever you want. There will be much time to talk until we leave the Tree of Souls for the final hunt." Txìtey puts his arm around Mäsay's shoulders, and Mäsay puts his arm around Txìtey's waist, and they walk together, side-by-side, to the fire.
The rest of the party walks to the fire pit after leaving Txìtey and Mäsay at the gate. The women take a number of flat, six-sided stones that were stacked by the valley wall, brush them off with their hands, and place them around the fire pit for seats. With the fire blazing nicely, Lew'it looks towards the women and says "Sisters, we have a warm, cloudless night. Why don't we use the open alcove." The women nod and smile coyly, but do not speak in reply. "Potey, Larotan, let's prepare the alcove, and give the women some time for girl-talk. Grab some rope and one of the fence rails we brought up here. I'll get the bed rolls we'll use." The men pick up the items they need, and head to the alcove.
"Lew'it, what are you planning to do?" asks Larotan.
"We'll tie a skin to the fence rail and hang that over the entrance. That's what we have done in the past when we brought other hunters up here besides us three couples. Unless the wind blows really hard, this works well."
Larotan adds "If the wind picks up, we can try tying two more rails onto that rail to hold it in place." The men get to work making the flap to cover the alcove entrance. After tying a skin onto the pole, they hoist the pole up and lay it on the covering rock.
Zeyuo, the youngest, is the first of the women to speak as the men leave to prepare the open alcove. "I'm glad they left us alone. I need your help. I should start my periods very soon now. Both my mother and the Tsahik warned me of this, and today, for the first time, I find the smell from the men way too distracting. Even that fwampop food Mäsay has a scent that really affects me in unexpected ways. Tonight will be difficult because no one can wash up."
The women nod and smile knowingly.
Äkaynu says softly "Sounds like you are making the changes into womanhood. One of the changes is becoming more sensitive to the scents of men. As girls, we can smell the men, but we do not react to them. As we grow into womanhood, our bodies react to the scent. There is not much you can do except to try to relax and get used to it. Remember your breathing and relaxation exercises from the Tsahik?" Zeyou nods yes. "Part of the problem is that our annual hunting trip was started so that we three couples could mate and let ourselves go without disturbing anyone. We're planning to mate every night during this trip, that is why the guys are preparing the open alcove now. Their desire makes their scent stronger, and with no water for washing, tonight will be challenging for you. The best thing for you is to stay upwind from everyone else. The wind is strong enough, it should make it possible for you to sleep undisturbed tonight. The wind is blowing towards the crater, so pick a spot away from the crater. My mate will insist that you sleep with the other young hunters in this large alcove between the fire and the wall. I'm sure he wants everyone sleeping together in case a predator is up here with us. Sleep near this wall, by the corral fence. Ti'mì, you should sleep between her and the rest of the party. I'll make my mate understand why you two are sleeping there. That will keep you upwind from the men, but you will be near the pa'li, and that may not be pleasant either."
"Thank you for your help. I think the scents from the pa'li will be much easier to endure than the men." The women all laugh at this honest remark.
As the laughter dies out, Lew'it, Potey, and Larotan return from preparing the alcove. Potey says with a big smile "Don't let us stop the party."
Äkaynu says "I'm glad you men have returned. I have something serious to say to all of you." Everyone around the fire looks at her face.
"One more thing, Zeyuo." Äkaynu's face hardens as her ears move backwards. "I know Mäsay has made many people angry, but please don't call him names. This trip is his last chance to remain in the clan." The others get shocked looks on their faces at this news. "He has been on his best behavior so far, from what I have seen. Has he caused any trouble for you, Zeyuo?"
"Sorry, you're right. I will be more respectful. I'm just tired and very distracted now. He has not caused me any problems, and I have not seen him behaving badly at any time during this trip." The others nod in agreement. Zeyuo continues "I've heard many bad things said about him. He always seems so apart from everyone else, so cold and uncaring. I have not been in a group with him, but I was nearby when he made Huhemi very upset. I don't know what Mäsay said or did, but Huhemi threatened to tie him to a tree, have the beginning archery class use him for target practice, and then feed whatever was left to a pack of nantang."
They all laugh, because Huhemi is the most patient hunter in the clan, is very patient with his hunting students, and this creative punishment is very much out of character.
Lew'it adds "I heard he made Pizia very upset, and I think Mäsay is lucky to be alive after that."
They all agree, as Pizia is known for his fiery temper and his physicality, typical traits for a warrior leader. He looks very threatening even when he is sleeping. Making him upset is very dangerous, yet Mäsay did just that.
Äkaynu continues "If he causes trouble for any of you, tell me. Please do not tell Mäsay that we were talking about him. I don't want anything that we say or do antagonize him. He has too many problems already, and does not need us adding to them. The problems of each individual affects everyone in the clan. He is our brother through the clan and Eywa, and he may not realize yet, but he will need our help to regain his good standing with the clan, if he chooses to stay." The other adults nod their heads in agreement while Äkaynu speaks these words.
They turn and watch Txìtey and Mäsay walk from the fence, holding each other, to join them. Äkaynu thinks "This is a quite a change, seeing my mate treating Mäsay as his own son, and Mäsay treating him as his father." Her eyes meet Txìtey's, and nothing more had to be said. Txìtey has gained his trust, and now it is up to Mäsay to decide his future.
Äkaynu continues looking at Txìtey and says "My mate, we were discussing sleeping arrangements for tonight. Zeyuo and Ti'mì will be sleeping upwind by the fence," she points to the places, "and Mäsay and Larotan will sleep in the the large alcove. We three couples will switch places on the other side of them." At first, Txìtey frowns at this arrangement because he was planning to put all four young hunters in the back of the large alcove together, but when the word "upwind" registers, his face relaxes, he nods, and says "That sounds very good, my mate."
Lew'it says with a large grin "We have the open alcove ready. Why don't Tiunu and I go first?"
Txìtey smiles in return, nods, and replies "Go ahead, and take your time. I'll tell the youngsters about my worst night ever in the clan territories, which happened right here on top of this mesa, and then we can post watches and get some sleep. Everyone, grab your bed rolls and make your places."
Lew'it and Tiunu head to the open alcove, holding hands, with each giving the other their most alluring "come hither" look. While everyone else is opening their bed rolls and getting them ready, Potey starts the story by asking "Brother, are you going to tell them about the night we were up here and the bad storm almost blew us off the mesa? That's the story I thought you were going to tell while we eating down by the waterhole, instead of the palulukan story."
"Well, if I told them that before the climb, they may not have followed me up here."
"That's true, brother. We have really nice weather up here tonight, compared with what we usually get. Either rain, or fog, or strong winds..."
"Or all three at the same time, like that night."
The four young hunters look at each other, and return to their seats around the fire, once their sleeping places are ready. Txìtey and Potey also sit down, leaving Äkaynu and Keti to finish up with the bedding.
"I had my ikran for almost a year, was still flying with my mentor Ngisey, but was nearing my ceremony to become a full ikran rider and hunter. After that I could ask for my dream hunt, become an adult, and then find a mate, so I was working hard to finish. I was assigned to a hunt with other ikran riders in training and their mentors. We were to hunt in the territory beyond this mesa. Potey was in a group of four young pa'li riders and two hunting instructors, brothers Witsey and Peysay, with eight pa'li to meet us and bring back the kills we could not carry back ourselves. They left early the day before. The ikran riders were to fly out early in the morning, but I asked to leave the day before so I could meet Potey and the other pa'li riders out here. Ngisey didn't want to give up his rest day, he had plans with his family, so he asked another ikran mentor, Kxetsi, who just happens to be the father of another young hunter on her way out here in the pa'li party, Keti." Keti smiles and nods, as she sits down beside Potey and puts her head on his shoulder. He wraps his arms around her waist, and they wrap their tails around each other. Äkaynu sits down beside Txìtey and takes his hand into her hands, and he settles his other hand on her thigh. They, too, wrap their tails around each other, smile, and then he continues. "He was happy to come out early to visit with her and her classmates, the boys Potey and Lrrfey and the girl Steysi, the night before the hunt. Our leaders agreed to let us fly out early, but told us most ikran hate this mesa, especially when the wind is strong, because there are few places where they can find shelter. I had not been here since I caught my ikran, and wanted to see the eye, and didn't think the weather would be a problem. I was so young and so stupid."
"Well, I was younger, but not more stupid."
"Yeah, little brother, I won't make the obvious reply to that." Everyone around the fire laughs or smiles.
"That's not how you should treat your little brother!"
"You didn't know what the weather was going to be up here that night, either. Kxetsi and Witsey planned for us to meet at the waterhole. We fliers were to make kills to feed our ikran, ourselves, and the pa'li party. The kills and field dressing must be far from the waterhole so predators would not be attracted while the pa'li party was here, because it was mostly very young hunters. We didn't want to chase off the game in the area planned for the hunt the next day, so we made our kills in the forest before getting to the waterhole. We cut out the meat we were saving, and let the ikran eat the rest. We wrapped and packed the meat while they ate, and when they were done, we flew down the trail. We found the pa'li party on the trail not far from the waterhole. We flew on to the waterhole and started the fire. Our ikran loved the shallows on the sandbar, they could stand in the water without getting any in their air holes. They took turns cleaning themselves in the shallows, and then stretching out over the sand to dry. Even though we both were keeping a close watch, no other animals appeared, because the ikran scared them off. When the fire was ready, we put the meat on, and had it and some vegetables we brought cooked when the pa'li party arrived. As you know, the pa'li get a little skittish when ikran are too close, even familiar ones with riders, so we sent our ikran into the trees above the waterhole. The pa'li riders were a little unhappy that the ikran had stirred up the water, so it was harder to fill their water bags, but they were very grateful to get fed as soon as they arrived. They ate, gathered firewood and water, watered and packed up the pa'li, washed themselves up, and headed to the corral on the mesa.
After they left, we put out the fire, washed up, and flew to the mesa, taking some firewood bundles they made for us. We had lots of time, so we flew high to see the eye, and then dropped down close to the top. We noticed a cloud bank off in the far distance, but didn't think much about it. We circled around the outer rim to look at all the valleys. We landed in several, and discussed whether to keep our ikran in a different valley overnight away from the pa'li, or have all of us stay in the valley with the corral. We decided to discuss it with Witsey, but picked out a large valley to use in case we needed to separate. It had a covered alcove where we put our firewood bundles, and held them in place with rock logs. Checking out the other valleys was the smartest thing we did waiting for the pa'li party to arrive."
"Next, we flew to the trail and checked it out. It had a wash-out that needed repair. So, we flew back to the corral and unloaded our ikran as much as possible, mainly removing our ikran quivers and bed rolls. Think the only things we carried were our knives, leaving everything else behind. We flew to a crack near where the trail ends on the top. We pulled out some rock logs and dragged them out to our ikran. I made the bond and mounted my ikran. While sitting on my saddle, Kxetsi handed me two rock logs to hold, which was all I could handle. He made the bond and mounted his ikran, and then walked it right against mine. He leaned over and took one log out of my arms. We were both overloaded, but the ikran were fed, watered, and rested. We carefully took flight. We dove to the wash-out, and pulled up almost into a hover. We dropped the rocks down the side of our legs. Mine was high, hitting the hillside. His hit the middle of the trail just below the wash-out, a perfect drop. We dove to the bottom of the mesa, and met the party in the clearing. They stopped and reorganized so they could fix the trail. We flew back up, got two more rock logs, and dropped them near the others. Mine went low, and his hit beside mine. There wasn't a good place to land, so we went back to the top, landed, and then walked down the trail to the wash-out. The time they saved by having us feed them was used to repair the trail, so it was near sundown when everyone made it to the corral."
"The first-timers made the trip up the top of the crater, and saw the rain clouds moving towards the mesa. Kxetsi and I knew the weather was changing because our ikran were getting unhappy and wanted to leave. Ikran are very sensitive to the weather, since they live in it their whole lives, and know when bad weather is approaching. What we didn't know was how severe the storm was going to be, and how long it was going to last. We decided to keep the ikran with us on top of the mesa, and hoped the storm would blow over quickly. I think Keti's father wanted to stay up here with her if the storm got really bad." Keti nods in agreement.
"Witsey was concerned enough to call us all together, and asked if any of us have ever ridden out a storm on this mesa. Of course, the adults were the only ones who had experienced a strong storm on Pa'li Mesa. I was nearly an adult, and did get rained on up here before, but like the rest of the young hunters, never saw a really bad storm on this mesa. Witsey and Kxetsi got into an argument about the ikran. If the storm got really bad, the ikran could be stuck here and get seriously injured. Our ikran were very unhappy, they wanted to find shelter somewhere else. Finally, the ikran settled the discussion by putting on quite a show, squawking as loud as they could, and practically scaring the pa'li right off the mesa. Witsey said the storm was coming from beyond the river towards us, so the side of the mesa away from the river should be best for the ikran, where the trail goes between the mesa and the mountainside. He asked if we had seen the nice clump of tall trees there. Since we just overflew the mesa, we saw them, and said so. He said we should send our ikran there until the storm passes."
"I looked to Kxetsi, and asked how to do that, as I had never given my ikran such an order before. He asked if I had ever seen my ikran hunker down for a storm."
"Turns out, shortly after I captured my ikran, there was a bad storm. The lead ikran trainer Kxeyku sent us up into the canopy of our Hometree to find our ikran and see how they were doing. We new ikran riders went up the tree in a group looking for them. Think it was the third nesting branch where we found our ikran, huddled among some older ikran. When one ikran saw us, it twittered, and all other ikran moved their heads around to look at us. I saw my ikran squeezed between two larger ikran, looking as comfortable as it could given the raging storm. It gave me the saddest face I've ever seen from an ikran. It didn't want to move and give up its good spot. I raised my hands up and gave him the command to stay. He gave me his cry of thanks, and put his head back under its wing."
"Kxetsi said it was good I had that experience. He said I should give my ikran that picture of him with his head under his wing first, then give him the picture of that clump of trees, and finally give him the picture of following his ikran. That way my ikran will know to follow his to find shelter. We both knew they would be glad to get off this mesa. We bonded with our ikran, put our ikran quivers back on them while giving them our commands, broke the bonds, and they were off. We didn't see them again until the next morning."
"With the ikran gone, Witsey assigned the two extra pa'li to us. He also wanted each of us to take a young hunter. Of course, I took my brother Potey and Kxetsi took his daughter Keti. Think Witsey took Steysi and Peysay took Lrrfey. We were to watch over our pa'li, our young hunter, and the young hunter's pa'li for the duration of the storm. The covered alcoves were barely big enough to hold us eight hunters, but we decided to stay together in this valley with the corral. We banked the fire in the fire pit, and made tiny fires in the back of the two small alcoves. We put our weapons against the sides within easy reach. We put Potey and Keti against the back of the alcove, separated by the fire, and stacked some firewood bundles in the corners against them to keep the wood dry. By this time, the rain clouds covered the mesa, shrouding everything in fog. Then, the rain came down in sheets, and quickly extinguished the fire in the fire pit. Kxetsi and I sat with our backs facing the storm. Both Witsey and Peysay had large waterproof skins in their bedrolls. We tied sticks around the skins to stretch them flat, and held them against our backs. That stopped most of the rain from coming inside our alcoves. Sometimes, my tail would get cramped, and without thinking, I'd straighten it out behind me under the skin, getting it soaked."
"Yeah, I remember. You'd snap it back inside, and get me wet, too."
"Sorry, brother. You'll never forget that, or forget to remind me of it." Everyone around the fire smiles or nods. "You and Keti did do a good job at feeding just enough wood to the fire to keep it going, without making it so hot to force us out in the rain."
"Well, you and Kxetsi kept moving the skin out to check on the pa'li or the other alcove, letting the cold air in, so it never got too hot."
"We were very concerned about the pa'li, but there was nothing we could do for them. At first, the wind was blowing the opposite direction it is tonight, coming down from the crater. Since there wasn't enough space along the walls in the corral, we kept them in front of the inside fence. The pa'li got down on the floor right against the wall, lying almost on top the pa'liwll plants. That protected them from the wind. Things were going well enough, considering, until the worst of the storm hit us."
"At first, the thunder was very loud, and it sounded like the lightning was hitting the crater. Then the storm moved over the crater and stopped right above us, and the lightning sounded like it was hitting right in our valley. We could feel each strike. The wind swirled around and blew the rain like it was coming from all directions. It was dark and the fog was thick. The rain was roaring. The wind was howling. The thunder was crashing. It was deafening and hurting my ears. I can still see Potey and Keti sitting there besides the fire with their hands over their ears. Many toruk and palulukan could be fighting in the corral, and we wouldn't be able to hear them over the storm. Of course, the pa'li became very agitated, and started running in circles. Witsey ran out of his alcove, and chased one pa'li into the crack. Kxetsi saw Witsey, ordered us to stay put, and ran out to help. The gate stopped that pa'li, so Witsey bonded with it, settled it down, and got it to turn around and lay down on the ground by the gate. Kxetsi chased the other moving pa'li into the crack, and got them bottled up in the narrow space. When they saw the first pa'li lay down, they followed suit. Witsey and Kxetsi ran back to their alcoves. Fortunately, neither they nor the pa'li were hit by the lightning. Lightning has hit hunters and pa'li up here in the past, and most go to Eywa right away. We thought we were safe enough in the alcoves, but we could feel the mesa shake every time the lightning hit. The rain was flowing through the valley like a river. The fire pit flooded, and all firewood and ashes were washed away. After a very long time, the storm moved on. It seemed like it rained forever, but it was still dark when it slowed down to a gentle rain. Witsey and Kxetsi left the alcoves to check on the pa'li and the fences. We were glad to get out of the alcoves and stretch our legs and tails. We led the pa'li into the corral. With the storm passing, the pa'li were much happier, and soon settled down to sleep."
"Kxetsi and I went to the other valley and retrieved our firewood bundles, which were intact and mostly dry. There still was a lot of water running down the crater and into the cracks. We noticed that the short cracks were full of water, and all water was draining into the cracks with valleys. That's how you can find the valleys in the rain. The young hunters had the fire pit emptied by the time we got back. Once we got a nice fire going again, things didn't seem so bad. We took turns watching the pa'li and getting some sleep. None of us got much sleep, but we did alright during the hunt the next day."
"Potey and Keti came through the storm without being upset, but Steysi and Lrrfey were rattled by it." Keti adds "We both had family for company. That helped a lot. Witsey and Peysay were good hunting instructors, but they weren't good at comforting Steysi and Lrrfey that night, from what Steysi told me afterwards."
Txìtey continues "Once their parents heard about it, they complained to the elders. I remember my father saying that dealing with weather is part of hunting, and all young hunters must learn to cope with it. But, many parents don't like the thought of their youngsters going through an experience like that. So, that was the last time a training party came up here with such young hunters. There have been some parents that brought their families out here to experience this mesa. Äkaynu and I, along with Keti and Potey, have brought our children up here. Don't think Tiunu and Lew'it have done that, but their musical and craft interests keep them around home. No training parties with very young hunters have visited here since then. I've seen many storms up here, but that night was the worst."
Äkaynu sits up and says "Now that the clan leadership has changed, thanks to Zeyuo, ..." Everyone looks at her as she rolls her eyes, and then she blushes when she realizes everyone saw her reaction. "... more young hunters will be coming up here. You young hunters are the first in a hunting party to visit this mesa without your parents since that party many years ago. Zeyuo, you are certainly the youngest. My hope is that the great weather up here tonight is Eywa's way of approving this change. You are the first, but more of your friends will be up here in the future. Now, my mate, make the assignments for standing watch, and let's get some sleep."
With that, Txìtey makes the assignments after some discussion and instructions. Even the young hunters will stand watch, being partnered with an adult hunter. Potey banks the fire, and everyone settles down for the night, either in bed or on watch. The wind and the fire are not enough to mask the mating sounds from the open alcove, but good manners dictates that those sounds be ignored and forgotten. Other than that, the night is calm and quiet on Pa'li Mesa.