The Tribe

by Emily J. DeLauter

A full summary is listed on the story. A short summary: It is a present time story that takes place in a different world. It is almost a elemental type of story where each tribe controls a different element

The Tribe

This is a fictional story written by myself, Emily J. DeLauter. The characters are my own idea and most of the places will be made up as well. Below will be a list of character's as well as the places it will take place in. I will be rating this as Mature for: Volience, Hints of Nudity, Durg's (Smoking), and Language. This is based off of my total randomness as I sat smoking a cigarette. I am 18 years old and I wanted to state that, because I do not condone under-age smoking. This said I will state again that I created these ideas on my own and I do not use any other writers ideas.

Story Information

This story takes place in present time with in a small tribe of humans who are mostly like the Indians. They on the other hand do not live in a small tribe and are a large group of familys that came together to live and act as their ancestors once did. They live in Terna and in the city called Quater. They and other tribes have special powers over Terna. Some include: water, fire, earth, air, ice, mist, smoke, sun, and plants. The main tribe is called the Smoke Tribe, who controls smoke, they can read smoke, as well as speak to it. They use smoke to tell stories as pictures. They live on the west side of Quater and the tribe north to them is fire.

The Narde's or Elders, teach everyone how to use the smoke, to talk to the smoke, to tell it things, and act as one with the smoke. The elders are any where from age 50 to 100. Most elders only live to be in their 80's. They are sometimes kind as well as rude and tough on the younger tribe members. There is only a certin amount of Narde's allowed to be teachers, the others are just there to help and take care of their family if able.

The Panta's or the adults, are the tribe member that are anywhere from 20 to 50. They are the children of the Narde's and the parents of the younger tribe members. During this stage in life they are married to their smoke mate. The Narde's use the smoke of the Panta's to mate them with the one most compatible. They do all the work to make the tribe stable. They raise their children, cook, hunt, clean, and any thing else that needs to be done.

The Bata's or young ones, do all the learning, and playing. They are age birth to 20. They learn everything that allows them to become Narde's and Panta's. The girls learn how to cook, clean, and make clothing. The boys learn to hunt, run a home, and please a wife they will one day have. This is their life for 20 years. Most children make it to be adults, but there are some who die young because of reasons common today. The boys and girls are never left alone, because they are taught that until marriage it is not good to meet the other.

Every ten years all the tribes do a ceremony where one Bata girl is chosen to go out to the other tribes and fight. Every ten years for one hundred years the smoke tribe has lost their lady of smoke to the other tribes. Every ten years it is the same. Smoke verses Earth, Mist verses Plants, Fire verses Mist, Air verses Fire, and Water verses Sun. Out of one hundred years only five girls have made it past the Earth tribe and then when they go up against the second tribe they meet their fate. Every ten years it is a daughter or grandaughter of a different member of the tribes.

It has been ten years since the last battle and the Narde's have spoke for each clan who will fight in the ceremony. Each has picked the one they thought would make it the farthest. Now as the days winde down to the last few before the ceremony and the Bata's are still unaware of their fate, one girl is called upon by her Narde's to learn more then the others. This is the same in each tribe and the Narde's do it very carefully.

NAME: Red Smoke

AGE: 17

EYE COLOR: Brown

HAIR COLOR: Red

BIRTHDATE: Nov. 7th

TATTOOS: Smoke cloud covering her back

HEIGHT/ WEIGHT: 5'7 110lbs.

FAMILY: Red Dawn (mother), Smoking Bear (father), Little Puff (brother,10), Fired Lilly (sister,3), Narde Rose (gran-mother), Narde Smoking Snake (gran-father)

BEST FRIEND: Smoked Cherry

Red Smoke's Family

It was two weeks before the ceremony with the other tribes. Red Smoke was barely home now, because the Narde's always called for her. She looked at her grandmother as she taught her how to control the smoke more fiercely, her grandfather sat watching.

Narde Rose who was 70 years old sighed as she looked at her gran-daughter. Narde Rose noticed the greif in her husband's face. She looked to her gan-daughter and smiled. "Go ahead home Red Smoke." She said and smiled waving her away.

"Yes Narde Rose." She said and kissed her on the forhead and then her gran-father. She smiled waved and walked out. Red Smoke headed down the path and towards her home.

"Oh Smoking Snake, I am fearful for our little Red Smoke." She said as she started to weep. "Why must we send her? She is not as fierce as Little Yellow Smoke, nor as old." She said as she wept into her husbands chest.

"I know my dear, I know. Red Smoke is only seven-teen, She is not as well trained with her gift, as Little Yellow Smoke is, nor as fierce. Yet remember her family lost her Aunt Yellow Smoke at the last ceremony. It was our turn to send, and Fired Lilly is to young to do this. Red Smoke is very wise, I know she will be okay. We must trust her, we must because no one else but her family will believe in her." He said as he held his wife. "Now rest my dear, rest, for in one week we shall take her to the ceremony outskirts, to bathe her in the ritual rights, then take her to the Smoke and Earth battle field." He said and let her go.

Red Smoke was doing as told till she heard a boy's voice. She walked to the voice and spotted a boy appearing her age. She saw him naked in the river where they bathed. She hid behind a tree and watched amazed at him.

"Who is there?" the boy yelled as he grabed his knife and cloth. "Come out now and I shall not harm you." He said wrapping the cloth around him.

Red Rose blushed and walked out. "I'm sorry I was just heading home. I thought you were my brother and I came to yell at you to go home as well." She never looked at him as she spoke, because she feared he was still nude.

"Look at me. Who are you? What is your name?" He asked as he looked at her. "Why are you out so late at night? You are a Bata female, you should be home in bed." He said as he looked her over.

"I was going home. My name is Red Smoke. I was with my Narde's and they had just sent me home." She said as she looked up at him. "Please forgive me. I am sorry." She said and stood still.

"I am known as Smoking Deer. You are not forgiven, for I know you watched me as I was bathing. You know are laws, you know them well. I know this because you are almost a Panta are you not?" He asked her as he walked to her.

She nodded her head lightly. "I am only seven-teen. I still have three years till my ritual to be a Panta." She said as she looked at him. She backed up and walked into the tree.

"Be calm Red Smoke. I will not harm you." He said and put his knife away. He walked up to her and put his hands around her blocking her from any movement. "I see now why they keep these old rules. It is hard to remain pure with such a good looking girl like yourself." He said and leaned into her ear. "You have a beautiful voice, did you know that Red Smoke?" He said as he touched her cheek.

Red Smoke looked at him fearful still as he held her there. "Please, let me go. I must go home or they will come for me." She said as she turned her head away from him.

"I wounder, are all the Bata girls as cute as you?" He asked out loud. "I bet not, and I bet none of them are as lucky as you. Because none of the Bata girls have met me yet." He said as he touched her hair. "I want to kiss you Red Smoke." He told her as he moved in toward her lips.

She closed her eyes scared. "You can't. If you do that it will mess up our futures. We don't know who we are ment to be with." She said as she felt him near her lips.

"My name is Smoking Deer. Why don't you call me by it as I call you by your name?" He asked and kissed her forhead. He moved his arms down to his side and walked away.

Red Smoke stood still for a few minutes and one at a time opened her eyes. She looked around and saw he had gone, so she too took off and ran home. When Rose walked inside everyone was sitting down listening to her father tell a story. She walked to them and sat down to listen.

"Hello Red Smoke. Have you eatten your dinner yet?" Red Dawn asked as she offered a bowl of soup and bread to her daughter.

"We were listening to father. He was telling of us of how his hunting trip went. He said he would take me hunting with him in the morning." Little Puff said.

"I ate with Narde Rose and Narde Smoking Snake." She said and her stomach started to growl. "But that was at lunch." She said and took the food from her mother. "Thank you Panta." She said and moved towards the table to eat. "Father will you tell the story again?" She asked.

"Of course Red Smoke." He said and smiled. "I think your mother has something to tell you all. Since we are all home now." Smoking Bear said.

"I do." Red Dawn said and smiled. "I am going to have a baby. You all will have another little Bata." She said and walked to her husband. She smiled and rubbed her belly. "Narde Rose told me yesterday when we were together. She said 'your smoke is a new. I belive you are with young Red Dawn.' I just looked at my mother and smiled, she was so quick to say it that I had to ask her to repeat herself." Red Dawn said and held her hand to Smoking Bear.

Smoking Bear smiled and took her hand after rubbing her belly. "We hope it is a little boy. We already have names picked out." He said and smiled. "Now for my story." He said and grabed his pipe to smoke and tell the story.

"Baby?" Fired Lilly asked and walked to her mother. "I'm baby!" She said. Her green eyes turned cold and upset, her red hair seemed to become a darker red with the blink of an eye. You could tell she wasn't happy.

"Yes little Bata, you are. Mommy is having another." Red Dawn told her three-year-old daughter. She picked Fired Lilly up and held her.

"Really a little brother or sister?" Little Puff asked and smiled. He was ten years old and had brown eyes with red hair. Even thought there was a seven year age difference between Little Puff and Red Smoke you coul only tell his age by his height. He was very mature and actted as his father did.

"That is wonderful." Red Smoke said and started to eat again.

"Yes, now for the story." Smoking Bear said as his smoke went up and started to paint a picture. "Ah I shall start where it really got intersting." he said and smiled. "I was with two Bata's from our village. Little Smoking Serpent and Smoking Deer." He said and they both came to life in his smoke along with himself.

Red Smoke stoped eating and looked at her father. "Little Smoking Serpent and Smoking Deer?" She asked.

"Oh I forgot, you do not know them. "Little Smoking Serpent is eleven. Smoking Deer is nine-teen. They are boys that I help teach since their fathers are no longer with us." Smoking Bear said. "We were walking into a field when we spotted a Maula (Mountian Lion). The boys stood still and seemed frozen. I tapped Smoking Deer on the shoulder and he pulled his bow and arrow. He took a few minutes and then sent the arrow sending straight into the Maula's heart. It fell over after the hit. Little Smoking Serpent then used his smoke to bring us the Maula. We walked home and I sent them to their homes with some Maula meat." He said and smiled at his daughter, the whole time his smoke was painting the picture he said.

"That is even better the second time Panta." Little Puff said as if hanging onto every word.

"Yes and when I wake in the morning I shall get you and we shall go hunting with Smoking Deer and Little Smoking Serpent." Smoking Bear said to his son. "Now go to bed, for we leave early." He said.

"Father, will you wake me? I would like to make you something too eat so mother may sleep in. Then I can walk you as far as Narde Roses home." She said and looked to her father.

Red Dawn nodded. "I would love to sleep in, and Red Smoke does need to learn how to cook for men." She said.

"Then I shall my Red smoke. Go to your bed and rest. We shall rise early tommorow." Smoking Bear said to his daughter.

Red Smoke smiled and nodded. "Thank you." She said and ran to her bedroom. She laided down and started to sleep.

The Dream

Red Smoke walked a path with her Narde Rose and Smoking Snake. She could not hear what they said or understand them. She just followed knowing that she was doing this for her tribe, knowing that the chance of her coming back home to see her family was slim. She walked with them and tried to understand what they were saying. She saw her Narde Rose make smoke and a tribe appeared in the smoke. They looked like her tribe, but knew it was someone else. As the smoke continued to show the village a girl appeared and started to use a mistly power. "fight me." Was all the girl said.

The dream quickly changed into her own village. Red Smoke was now walking down a path to the river where a boy sat legs in the water. He turned to her and looked at her. "Come to me. Come to me Red Smoke." He said and the figure chaged as well as the place. Smoking Deer was gone now and no where in-site. Red Smoke walked down the path and found her mother and brother. They were weeping. She couldn't tell why but they stood over a disfigured body, torn to shreds. She saw her mother turn with sister in tow and she to was crying. Then for some reason unknown to Red Smoke she started to cry to.

Day: Furnas(Thursday)

Red Smoke woke screaming as her father walked into the room. When she saw him, she jumped and ran to her Panta. "Please, please Panta. Don't go. Don't go." She cried. She was sobbing as she begged him not to go hunting today.

"Red Smoke... Why do you weep and scream. Did you dream?" Smoking Bear asked as he held his daughter. "What happened that you cry out as you do?" He asked and looked at her.

"Yes I did dream. I was with my Nardes and they took me to another village, where a girl bode to me fight her. Then I was at the river and the boy Smoking Deer called me. Then I walked to mother and Little Puff, they wept as they stood over your body. You were dead Panta." Red Smoke cried.

"Hush now my little Bata. It was just a dream. I promise. Now come, you shall make me and Little Puff breakfast. Then you shall make us and Little Smoked Serpent and Smoking Deer lunch, we shall return and you can help your mother make dinner." Smoking Bear said and walked out.

Red Smoke nodded and cleaned her face. When she walked out her brother and father were ready to go. She made the food and left with them after they ate their breakfast. She grabed her brother and spoke, when they stood outside of Little Smoked Serpent's home. "Panta will need to be kept a close eye on. If you do not father may be in trouble." She said.

Little Puff nodded. "Why Red Smoke? What did your crys this morning have to do with it?" He asked her.

"I saw you and mother standing over his body, he was dead. You all wept. Please, father would not belive me, you must try and dissuade him. Little Puff if he goes, I fear we will lose him." Red Smoke told her brother.

"I understand Red Smoke." He said and looked away. "I shall try." He said.

"Come along now. We must get Smoking Deer before we leave." Smoking Bear said and started to walk with Little Smoked Serpent.

The group of four walked towards the end of the homes and there they met Smoking Deer outside his home.

Smoking Deer looked at Red Smoke. "Is that your daughter?" He asked Smoking Bear.

"She is, you know the laws, Smoking Deer, you may not touch her." Smoking Bear said then whispered the last of his thoughts to him. "She has heard and seen you in my stories and her dreams, I belive she will be your wife." He said to Smoking Deer.

He smiled and nodded. "Smoking Bear, I would enjoy that. You are like my father, and if we do get paired, I would have you as a father." He said and looked to Red Smoke. He winked and looked at her then kept walking.

The five of them now walked to the end of village where the men would leave and go hunting and Red Smoke would turn and go home. They stood there for a few minutes. Smoking Bear hugged his daughter and Little Puff also gave Red Smoke a hug. "We shall be back by night, we will all come to our home for dinner." Smoking Bear said to Red Smoke.

"I love Panta. Little Puff please remember what I asked." She said and stood.

"I shall." Little Puff said and followed his father and Little Smoked Serpent.

"Will you wait for me to return tonite? I would enjoy knowing you are waiting for me." Smoking Deer asked.

"Protect my father and brother and I will do as you please." Red Smoke said bowing to him.

"Then I shall do that for you. So you will wait for me, and we shall talk." He said.

"If I am late Smoking Deer it is because my Narde Rose is training me." Red Smoke told him.

"I shall wait till your father sends me home." Smoking Deer said and walked away.

Red Smoke smiled and walked away after the four males dissappared. She sighed and walked to her Narde's home.

"Ahh, my precious Red Smoke. Come in, How did you sleep? Have you eatten?" Narde Rose asked as she offered her bata to come in.

"Narde Rose I will not lie. I have not slept well and you must tell me my dreams as you told your daughter how she is with child. Please I belive Panta Smoking Bear will die today." Red Smoke said.

"Red Smoke tell me all you saw in your dreams, I shall tell you everything I can." Narde Rose told her.

Red Smoke told her dream once more and still wept as she told of the sight at the end. She took the cup that Narde Rose gave her and drank the tea from it leaving the tea petals behind.

"Red Smoke... You should not know the first part of the dream, but I promised I would tell you all. So here I shall read your petals and tell you true." Narde Rose said and sat down. She gasped and set the cup down. "SMOKING SNAKE." She screamed.

Smoking Snake ran in and looked at her. "What, why do you scream?" He asked.

"She knows, she knows all, everything about today she has seen. She knows what will be of her." Narde Rose cried. "You must go and get Smoking Bear, he shall die today. She also knows about the ceremony. She knows she is to fight." Rose said and looked away.

Smoking Snake nodded. "I will go get some others and go find them. You explain the ceremony to Red Smoke." He said and left.

Red Smoke began to cry. She wiped her tears and looked to her Narde. "Narde, I think I know. I am to fight for the village right? I did not see the out come, but I know this other girl is strong. I might not make it home. Then after Panta is retrived I shall meet Smoking Deer and he will ask me to come to him. Father will not make it and mother will be alone with her four children." Red Smoke said.

Narde Rose nodded. "I believe you are right. I know you are our chosen one to fight for the ten year tribal ritual. I know you and Smoking Deer are soul mates. I do not however know how your father will fair or how you will fair when the battle is done. Please know we believe in you and your power." She said and looked at her gran-daughter.

Night Furnas (Thursday Night):

Red Smoke went with Narde Rose home to Red Dawn and Fired Lilly. When they got there they told her everything that Red Smoke saw. Dinner had been ready and after they told her, Red Dawn, Fired Lilly, and Red Smoke walked Narde Rose home.

"Red Smoke, go home and turn off the heated food. Then meet us where you walked Little Puff and Smoking Bear." Red Dawn said and took Fired Lilly.

Red Smoke nodded and ran home. She did as told and blew the fire out. She ran to met her family and it just so happened she had to pass the river. She gasped and saw Smoking Deer sitting at the River, covered in blood and feet in the water.

"Red Smoke. Please come here?" He said as he heard her walking. He stayed faced towards the river and when he spoke it was as if he wasn't even there.

Red Smoke walked to him. "Smoking Deer my father, he's dead, isn't he? He died out in the woods? Is that his blood on you?" She asked.

Smoking Deer nodded. "Yes, my blood is on me to. I tried to protect them. Your father knocked me aside and saved me. He asked me to take care of you." He said and turned to her.

Red Smoke cried and ran away. She ran to her father. She was to late. When she got there.

"I tired. Red Smoke. I tried, but he wouldn't belive me." Little Puff cried.

Red Smoke saw her mother crying and Fired Lilly who just seemed confused. She still cried as she ran away and back to the river.

Smoking Deer was there. He grabed her as she tried to jump into the river. "Red Smoke. That will not bring him back." He said as he held her.

They stayed together that night at the river side. It was the first time they had been alone without someone having to leave.

Red Smoke cried and fell into his chest with tears. "Why, Why did he not listen to me?" She cried.

Smoking Deer looked at her. "He was brave Red Smoke. He didn't want to show fear. He went out hunting to help raise us boys. He didn't not listen, he just didn't think it could end like that." He said holding her.

Red Smoke cleared her face and nodded. "But now, we have no father. He is gone. Little Puff will not know his ways, Fired Lilly will not really know him, and mother, oh mother is all alone now to raise and give brith to their child." She said as she started to sob. "To top it all off I am the ceremony and I might not be home ever again." She said and looked away.

Smoking Deer held her and sighed. "Your father told me, that, but I still want to be with you. I know you will make it back. Because I to saw you in my dreams last nite." He moved and grabed something from his pouch. "Take this with you. When you need luck or just some help it shall do exactly that. It shall bring us close together when we are to far apart." He said and gave her his knife. The same knife he drew on her the nite before.

Red Smoke nodded and took the knife. She set it down and reach around her neck. She took off the necklace and put it around his neck. "This is my necklace, my Narde gave it to my Panta and she gave it to me. Now I give it to you, so you might have a little piece of me when I am gone." She said and smiled at him.

Smoking Deer nodded and took her hand. "Red Smoke. Promise me that you will be strong. Promise me you will come home and be my wife no matter what." He said to her.