OoOoO
"… although you have to say we lucked out." Emmett's voice jolts me back to the present as I clutch the cell close to my cheek.
"What did you say, man?" I shake my head to free myself from the wonderful memories of our first time in the woods near Fort Flagler.
"After I sucked you off, remember we met Tanya?"
"The blond vamp?"
"Yep, she was hunting way south, angry at Bella and Edward…"
"Because they planned to circumvent the Elders and bring our wrath on the Denalis too," I say with a loud sigh. "They intended to betroth me to Nessie in a weird tribal ceremony."
"Brought up courtesy of your dear friend Nahuel."
"Hey, I don't even know the guy!"
"It would have bound your will to Renesmee even more."
"This is why I'm undergoing the ceremony and meeting the Spirit Warriors." I let go of the headband and sit down on my bed. "So I've really got nothing to be mad at you for, huh?"
"Nope, you don't." Emmett huffs a laugh and then says before ending the call, "What time should I be there?"
"Twelve o'clock sharp."
oOoOo
When the pale faces picture Native Americans, they imagine a tall Indian wearing a large feathered headdress. It's important for Native American tribes, and it's made with beautiful bird feathers whose colors mesh with the overall design. In our tribe, not everyone can wear one because it is reserved for members of the council, the Chief foremost among them.
Due to my father's ailing health, I had been groomed for this position. Granted that it would have remained closed to me if I was still Nessie's imprint, but since the damned imprint was done for, that perspective opened up for me. Else it would have gone to Leah or Seth, both being of the strong Clearwater bloodline.
What Emmett doesn't know is that our headdresses are not static; every time the warrior performs a great deed, a feather is added. So after I phased for the first time, Dad gave me one feather of his own headdress, and Paul, Jared and Sam each added one. Befitting Ephraim Black's proud surname, my headdress is made up of white feathers with a black tip.
Gotta admit the headdress looks a bit ominous, big as it's become after the newborn battle; everyone gave me feathers for it. Leah outdid herself by adding two vulture feathers that fit the pattern – white with black spots and black tipped. Seth added a touch of originality by giving me small feathers of a buzzard, perfect for the flanks of my headdress.
All I had to do is create the new band with our symbols and add the feathers carefully. I also have to fast for five days and meditate on the important ceremony, so that means no food and no Emmett – two very hard things to do without.
Thanks to the Pack, most of the feathers come from Golden Eagles and as Quil, Embry, Paul, and Jared help me fix the headdress, we discuss in Quileute the moments they got them. Thanks to their fast reflexes, no Golden Eagles were ever harmed. They just took them out of their nests or irreverently plucked them out – in the case of Quil.
Since we live near the Olympic National Park and there are plenty of Golden Eagles around here, it determines the shape and colors of the headdress. As Paul finishes tanning the deer sinew for the strap, Embry is deftly putting the feathers on the buffalo leather that will hold them up in my head.
"Chief Black, your stuff is ready." Quil enters my room and cocks his head at the door, beyond which I hear Paul's muffled curses.
"Wow, I can't believe you're gonna be our chief." Embry says breathlessly as he adjusts the last feather, one of the buzzard ones Seth gave me.
"Our little Jake is a grown-ass man." Quil walks up to me and gives me a one-arm hug which I return with a pat on his back.
"Guys, you're overwhelming me, and it's not final," I say. "The Spirit Warriors have to approve."
"I bet they will. They can't have nothing against you after we battled the newborns, and most importantly, after you left Nessie." Embry trails off, his gaze drawn to the door where Paul strides in, holding up the deer sinew strap that will allow the headdress to be easily adjusted.
"Here you are, Black." Paul throws the leather at me and I catch it easily.
"What, no Chief Black?" I answer with a mocking smile.
"Not until the Spirit Warriors say so." Paul's lips tug up in a lopsided smirk as he thrusts his chin at the door. "By the way, your leech is here, I can smell him."
"It's about time Emm got here." I glance around at my friends, nodding at them. "Guys, do you mind leaving us alone?"
"Fine, but remember…." Quil taps my shoulder lightly. "No sex before the ceremony. The Elders would have your guts otherwise."
"Whatever," I say disgruntled.
The guys leave and Emmett walks in, taking at a glance my disordered room. "Sorry to butt in."
"You can butt in anytime you want."
"But you can never leave," Emm says with a grin.
I just shake my head at his strange words and he shrugs. "Anyway, since the ceremony is in a little while, I wanted to give you this first." He reaches out his arm and places a small bag on my hand.
"What is it?" I'm touched by his thoughtfulness. He's complied with the tradition of the warrior's friends helping him fashion his ceremonial garb without being aware of it, but then, that's Emmett for you.
"Open it and see."
I carefully untie the strings, my fingers touching the slight bulges in the bag. Finally, I pull out a sinew cord out of which dangles a gleaming wolf's tooth.
I shoot him a warm smile. "This is awesome, man!" Leaning forward, I peck his cheek and heft the necklace to admire it by the light of the window.
"What, no kiss?" he says with a pout in his mouth.
"It's meditation time, remember?"
"Spoilsport."
I finger the small rounded knobs near the wolf's tooth and glance up at him, a question in my eyes.
"No wolf was harmed during the making of this." He jerks his chin at the necklace. "I found the tooth years ago during one of my hunts, and I know how important a wolf amulet is for your tribe. I purchased the buffalo bone for the other stuff, and also the amethyst."
"You're the best, Emm!" I stroll to the bathroom and put it on, glancing at the mirror at the stark contrast between the necklace and my skin.
The headdress is almost done; I just need to put on the adjusting strap Paul worked on, and it's just in time, for the ritual walking of the Spirit World approaches.
After the ceremony, my recollection of my time spent with the Spirit Warriors is hasty. I vaguely recall meeting Taha Aki, our first shifter warrior, in wolf form and wrestling with him before the other warriors broke up the fight.
There are words in Quileute that linger, though.
Yápotalli, when talking about the cumbersome imprint to Nessie.
Ti'iyahl Qahla: 'Man Sun' when discussing Emmett, which is funny since he's a Cold One.
I must have created a good impression on the Spirit Warriors though, for I return to the earthly realm with their blessing, and the assurance that the imprint is broken. Indeed, no one will imprint again and the current ones will fade with time. I'm afraid I used my friend Quil as a warning shot to the Spirits. How can he transmit his shifter genes when he would have to wait 15 years just to attempt to procreate?
They excused their glaring error as a trick pulled by Raven, our trickster, and assured me there would be no more imprints.
They leave me with a strong message, though, and as the words and colors of the spirit world rapidly vanish in my head, I make my way out of the smoky hall towards the place where Emmett sits, surrounded by Paul, Leah, Embry, Seth, and Quil.
When I reach him, on a whim I lower my eyelids and model the headdress for Emm, shooting him a thoughtful glance as I finger the bracelets around my wrist.
"Emmett McCarthy, will you bond with me for life?"
Disregarding the onlookers, Emmett picks me up in his strong arms and twirls me around, shouting loud and clear, "Yes, by god I will!"
