He first discovered them with his father.
Rain was a healer, but his fights with death didn't make him a humorless body. No, the furfaced healer loved a roll in the furs and a few dreamberries. He shared the dreamberries with his son and gave advice on the rolling in the furs.
He discovered them again with his mother…
Sharpstone was a strong woman. Pale blond hair, bright purple eyes, she taught him how to use a spear. How to catch a fish. How to hunt. When the boar's tusk speared her, he didn't want to think about it. Dreamberries helped him not think.
….and again with Redmark.
Redmark is Pike's closest age-mate and they're good friends. Redmark would track the troll steps to the nearest crop of dreamberries and then they'd chase Old Maggoty away. The dreamberries were always tasty and they'd sit there all night, eating the damn things until Redmark's father showed up and started yelling.
Bearclaw also liked them.
The old Chief has a tolerance for the little purple berries and is not disturbed by Pike's love for them. So Pike shows him the secret places they grow and the two of them barter with the trolls. In the end they both come out of the caves with headaches. Joyleaf is always upset.
He introduces them to his sister.
Rainsong is sweet. Sweet and kind. He doesn't want her to feel pain. So when her mother dies he gives her a little pouch full to the bursting with them. She's the only thing he has to protect and he wants her to be happy. The dreamberries don't make her happy.
He gives them to the archer.
Moonshade refuses them. She does not want to forget the pain, she wants to mourn. Strongbow is not so easy. The pain of his child's death hurts him more than he can say. That's why he accepts the dreamberries with tears in his eyes.
Longbranch gives them a purpose.
All of the sudden the little purple jewels aren't for forgetting. They're for remembering. They're for telling stories so you don't forget your loved ones. They're for getting good and buzzed so you can look up at the stars and think how the beloved dead are watching you. So you know that one day you'll join them.
Longbranch teaches him how to tell stories with the dreamberries. Pike practices a lot.
The first story he tells is how his mother brought down three tall horns by herself. He thinks he saw Rain wipe his eyes.
The second story is how Redmark's mother shaped a branch into a troll's face and scared a human with it. Redmark's father doesn't say anything but puts his arm around his son.
The third story is how Bearclaw stole a human whelp right off its mother's back. Bearclaw howls with laughter and even Joyleaf cracks a smile.
The fourth story is Rainsong's birth. Of how much Sweetsong loved her daughter. Rainsong blushes, but tells him he's sweet.
The fifth story is of Crescent. How she took the blame when her young wolf friend climbed into Moonshade's den and chewed all the leathers to pieces. How they won't forget her. Moonshade sobs in Strongbow's arms and the archer gives silent thanks.
Later on Pike told more stories. Stories about the Ten Chiefs. Stories about how silly trolls are. Stories about outwitting the humans. Good stories all.
But his favorite story is how Rain the healer showed him how to pluck a dreamberry off the branch and enjoy it.
Finite
Author's notes- Everything belongs to Wendy and Richard Pini.