A/N – hey, I totally forgot this in the first two chapters so please apply this to them as well- I don't own squat. All characters and all that relates to Twilight saga belong to S. Meyer.
Chapter Three
"You have noticed that everything an Indian does is in a circle; and that is because the Power of the World always works in circles, and everything tries to be round. Everything the Power of the World does is done in a circle. The sky is round, and I have heard that the earth is round like a ball, and so are all the stars. The wind, in its greatest power, whirls. Birds make their nests in circles, for theirs is the same way as ours. The sun comes forth and goes down again in a circle. The moon does the same, and both are round. Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing, and always come back again to where they were. The life of a man is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is in everything where power moves. Our tipis were round like the nests of birds, and these were always set in a circle, the nation's hoop, a nest of many nests, where the Great Spirit meant for us to hatch our children." -
In the old days when we were a strong and happy people, all our power came to us from the sacred hoop of the nation, and so long as the hoop was unbroken, the people flourished. The flowering tree was the living centre of the hoop, and the circle of the four quarters nourished it. The east gave peace and light, the south gave warmth, the west gave rain, and the north with its cold and mighty wind gave strength and endurance. This knowledge came to us from the outer world with our ways.
Bella
During the time the guys were shopping, we managed to get so much done. I give credit to wolf strength and stamina, I hardly lifted a thing. Unpacking was so much easier than packing. Once the stereo was set up, everything moved quickly. Furniture was all in its right spot and boxes where in the right rooms. The kitchen was unpacked and the dishes had all been washed and dried. I even managed to get a few of my pictures up around the place.
Once they got back, it was mayhem. Caleb was running around like a chook without its head. I'd never seen him like this. I didn't mind when he was playing with Jared and Seth, when he wasn't under my feet. But right now, I was chopping stuff with a damn knife.
"Caleb Enough, stop running near me."
I was ignored.
"Caleb, leci u wo wana." {Come here now!}
Yeah that got his attention, using my mama tone.
"Huh, Shi'ma?"{Yes mama}
"I have asked you to stop running around me, haven't I?"
"Yes mama, you have. I sowy."
"I know you are sweetie. I like to see you having fun and it wouldn't bother me, if I didn't have a knife in my hands, honey."
"O tay Shi'ma, I stay out in dat room den. I not come to you no more cus of da knifes."
"Lila waste, wana iyaya skate ye, ciye" {Very good, now go play my son}
"Otay. Nayeli Shi'ma" {I love you mama}
"Kici iyuha Mitawa chante, Caleb" {with all my heart}
"How on earth do you do that?" Jared asked as he entered the kitchen.
"Do what?"
"Talk so well and understand that language."
"That language is Lakota and I have been learning since I was pregnant. I don't know it that well, I know the basics but it is tricky. Things are said different with some things for a female than for a male. The words can vary from the, his, hers, yours and my. Like my father is said Atewaye ki {ah-day-wah-yah kee} your father is Niyate ki {Nee-yah-day kee} Father by its self is Ate. {Ah – Day}So, if you hear Ah- day, he is calling for you.I can teach you, I have some books and Means recorded his voice to teach me."
"That would be great. Caleb will be talking English and he throws words in that I don't know. So yea, help will be nice."
"Sorry about that, he prefers Lakota better than English. He idolises Means and adores Miakoda. They have been our only family apart from the very few visits from Charlie in the last four years."
"Please don't apologize, I only wish we were more connected to our heritage. Our language is nearly lost. None but a few know it. I am glad you have instilled some native culture in him, it's actually inspiring."
"I tried to find out about Quileute. What words I have, he knows them. He can count to five. I can actually list what I have at the top of my head and so can he, there is so little. Want to hear him?"
"Sure, why not?"
"Caleb, come here sweetie."
"Can we show P'apa how we can count in our Quileute numbers?"
"Wihl , Hla'o, Qa'la, Ba'iyas, Tasi." {One, Two, Tree, Four, Five}
"Wow, how did you get to be so smart?" Jared asked him and he was quick to reply.
"Mida Means says I gots smarts cus I wisen to da spiwits inda winds, I hear dem all da times and see da fings in my dweams like Shi'ma. Dats how I knows yous a big wolf, cus I hads da dweams. Da old man inda winds he teld me I wuld see my papa soon and dat he would help keept da bad lady dat wuns inda woods away. She nots nice, she wants to hurts my mama weal bad cus dem fwends she had befaw wens she wived here, dems kiwd her boyfwend to help for mama to wiv. da man inda winds teld me she comes back and I scared she will hurts mama. Man inda winds says your papa is big stwong wolf and he gots lots a wolf fwends to helps him, so you pwease keep mama safe?"
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
"Fuck…um shit…"
"Bella, what is he talking about. You need to calm down, you will scare him and you're scaring me."
He was right, I needed to calm down but I was stuck between scared shitless and pissed that my child had to see that shit. I had to find out what he'd seen,
"Caleb, did you see the bad lady?"
"Yes, she was wooking at you inda woods, she was inda twees and da woolvs howld loud cus dems smeld her."
"What did she look like? Did the man in the wind tell you her name? Or what she is?"
"He gib me no name Shi'ma. She gots bwight owange curwy hair and she not uman. She wuns weal fast da woolvs twy to gets her all da times but she swims away. Da man inda winds he teld me to say to da woolvs dat dems needs to twik her wid your blud so she smells it and finks you dere wens you not, dems needs to twap her and be all wound her so she dos not gets away cus she will…she makes you ded."
My poor little boys lip quivered as tears pooled in his eyes. By this time everyone was in the kitchen with us and some were shaking bad. I ignored them and held Caleb tight.
"Shh chikala kwoli shh, no one is going to hurt mama, ok. Don't you worry.
"Sam, I'll tell you all everything tonight after Charlie and Sue leave."
"Charlie knows about us Bella but yeah, I think we need to know everything."
"Wait, what they know about us?"
"Yes Paul, Bella and Caleb both know that we are wolves and no, no one told them. It seems they are both very connected with the spirits as we all just heard, Caleb speaks with a man in the winds and he dreams of us chasing the red headed leech. Bella has also dreamt of us.
"Mida Means says I specul cus I can hear da wind man."
"Old man Means is right, you are special honey. How about we all head to the grill and get all this cooked up? Do you want to go with uncle Seth Caleb, while mama gets this here finished?"
"Otay Shi'ma, I lub you" he said squeezing me super tight.
"I love you too Caleb, always"
Once he left, I lost it. I let lose the sob that was stuck in my throat since Caleb first started to reveal his talks with the wind man. What are the spirits damn well thinking? He is only three for Pete's sake.
I felt his arms wrap around me as he pulled me to his chest and just held and rocked with me. I had a billion things running through my head and as much as I hate to admit it one of those was to take Caleb and run. I couldn't do that though, if we were safe anywhere it would be here with a pack of wolves and apparently the man in the fucking wind had a plan.
"He's only three for Christ's sake Jared; he shouldn't have to know this shit. What on earth is the wind dude thinking dumping this fuckery on him like that? I'll tell you one thing; I'm going get a freaking flame thrower and torch that ice whores' ass. I swear if she dares to come near my baby, I don't give a fuck if that bitch is immortal; she will be seeing the fiery pits of fucking hell. It was her fucked up psycho mate that wanted to play reaper, he lost. Play with a fucking match, you get burned. Don't they teach that shit in vamp rules 1oh fucking 1. I am not meals on wheels for these fuckers; do I really smell that fucking good that they all gotta take a bite?"
"Um…you do smell fucking awesome babe but not in the - I want to eat you kind of way…well, that's a lie. Ok, not in the - I wanna suck your blood kind of way, for me anyway. I don't really understand all that you just said but that will be explained tonight I gather. You're right I have not a clue why that shit was dumped on a three year old.
"I'm sorry for crying all over you. I'm not usually like this; I just got so mad that this was put on him. He shouldn't have to have my crap come to him."
"No, he shouldn't but it isn't your fault. Whatever grudge this bitch has, she shouldn't be blaming you. You are human, and in no way took the life of her mate. Not unless you're not human?"
"I am 100% human in a supernatural world. Come on let's get this out there before you wolves decide to use me as a chew toy too."
"That's not funny Bella"
"Yes it was, that's why you're laughing."
Jared
I don't know how I managed to calm Bella down when my own nerves were shot to shit, honestly I really don't. Today has been a cluster-fuck of emotions. First; I walk in a home to help with moving shit only to find out who I'm helping is the four year long missing piece of me. Second; I imprint on her and I'm ecstatic about it, which is putting it mildly. Third; I find out I have an adorable three year old son. Now, I can't even form the words to articulate the whirlwind of feeling that surged through me at that. Part of me was pissed at her, at me. I have missed out on so much of him and I know I just have to let the blame game go because really it all comes back to those only if's again.
After anger, I was saddened that I'd missed so much. I had missed her swollen belly, cravings and his birth. I didn't get to hold her hand while she threatened to castrate me and I know you may think me a few screws loose, but I'd happily go through that and more just to get my missed moments. I didn't see his head crown or hear his first cry, no cutting the cord or seeing him open his eyes to the world for the very first time. His first smile, laugh, tears and teeth. Crawling, walking and talking. So many firsts I'll never see.
Sadness turned to utter pride and joy as I remembered how he had said hello and interacted with the guys, he was mine. My boy. I loved how he didn't say anything to me; he just came to me to learn me by sight, smell and feel. Very primitive and natural. My boy is wise beyond his years. I love and adore the way he speaks. I know it's not right but I don't want to correct his English, it is just too cute for words. I was so stunned that he was speaking Native American dialects, not just Quileute but other tribal tongues as well and he spoke them so well too.
I have to say, that it is truly inspiring to see that a white woman has not just learned but taught her child this. She taught herself to teach her child and that is something that us natives have lost along the way. We now live as the white man, no longer off the land. We are no longer one with nature and our elders have to work to live so no longer have the time to teach the young. Bella did, she worked, went to college and raised our son and still managed to dedicate the time to teach Caleb the way of Natives while still learning herself. I want to kick my own ass for my lack of living by my own cultural beliefs. Maybe I should go on a spirit walk to retrieve what I've lost of myself, go camping more and rough it like my ancestors did. I could take Caleb with me and maybe the guys would like to come too.
Fourth; and this is the big fuck no! is that I found out that my son had very bad and very real dreams, apparently Bella does too. Some bleached bitch red head, frozen fossil is after my woman and my son talks to the wind. The wind chose to tell my three year old son, my baby boy and tells him that his mama, the one constant in his life, is in life threatening danger by a non human being. Poor little guy was breaking my heart with his little lips quivering trying to tell us that if we don't trick the bitch his mama dies. That right there is confliction at its best; I was trapped between heartbreak and tearing up, crying with him and shaking with extreme rage. I could see that Seth and Jake were brimming with rage too. Paul was clenching his jaw and fists, though I wasn't sure if he was angered at what we had heard from Caleb or the fact that our secret wasn't so secret after all. Embry just looked dazed and confused.
Sam had obviously known that they knew, which left me completely baffled as when the fuck he found out.
The boys had grilled all the meat and I helped Bella bring out the side dishes and bread rolls to the outdoor kitchen. It is now one of my favourite places to be. It had two cookers and a wood fire oven to do pizza and stuff, which is apparently on the menu for tonight's feast. One cooker was a plain BBQ grill while the other had a rotisserie to cook up a whole carcass. Shame we couldn't use that tonight. I will be making an order with the butcher real soon.
Everyone dug in and kept the chatter to peaceful topics obviously in silent agreement that Caleb shouldn't have to hear anymore than what he already had done. Once the food was eaten and our bellies satisfied, Bella asked if a couple of guys could collect the dead wood for the oven and for a bonfire as well as some stones to contain the fire. Sam and I remained along with Paul, which I found to be odd considering he doesn't like Bella. I'd have thought he'd choose to go with the others.
"Could you three give me a hand to set up the tipi, Caleb likes to sleep in there when we have fire nights? Although with what has come to light, we will not be camping the whole night I'll put him in his bed once everyone leaves for the night."
"We can manage the tipi that's fine, just show us where you want it and Bella, we won't all be leaving. There will be at least one of us with you and Caleb at all times and we will be patrolling all over Lapush, which means here too."
"You guys…what if…I don't want anyone hurt because of me. God, if it were just me, I'd find her myself and flame her but I have Caleb. I can't even run from her, once she smells that I am here I'm done for. I am so very sorry for bringing this here. If I had any idea…I would have stayed away."
"It isn't your fault this leech is holding you to blame for what ever happened and it wouldn't have mattered if you stayed gone. If it is who we think it is, she's been coming by every few months since the Cullen's left. She just keeps slipping through and getting away."
"The gift of evasion? That must be her gift. She slipped by the Cullen's too, only they thought she cut her loses and took off."
"What do you mean by Gift?" Sam questioned.
"Sam, some vamps have extra abilities than the rest. Carlisle believes that if you had some kind of sixth sense when human you carry it over after the change, only it intensifies. So say Alice for instance, she can see the future dependent on the choices one makes. When she was human she probably had that in a milder form. Kind of like when if someone was to get in a car and drive, get a flicker of an image that they'll crash and then it happens, like déjà vu. Now, if someone was to decide to drive and they were to crash she would see it clearly and could prevent it, or if they change their mind and direction the vision would change too. Nothing is fixed and if someone was to not decide on something, no vision. Someone could also play her visions by sticking to a decision whether or not it is a true intension. An example would be that I strongly concentrate on going to Forks bookstore; I keep my focus on driving there. I picture it all playing out, yet I keep driving to Port A without making a definite decision."
"That sounds like a brain strain, you wouldn't be able to concentrate to drive"
"No Paul, your right but a vampire could. Their brain capacity is much greater than a human; they have forethought, which is front and centre and then multiple pockets of lesser thoughts. They can literally be doing math, hold a full conversation and recite the national anthem in Croatian all at once, while performing surgery."
"Damn. Do any of the others have these extra abilities?"
"Yes Jared, they do. I will tell you all everything tonight. It is all intermingled with my story."
"Are you gunna teld us stowys at da fiar tonight Shi'ma?"
"I will tell you a story before you go to sleep Caleb, which would you like to hear?"
"Da Owigin of da Winds, Shi'ma"
"Okay, tonight I will tell you the Origin of the Winds."
We all got to work setting up the tipi, Bella laid down mats, an air bed with blankets and pillows and when the guys returned with the wood and stones we got to setting up for the fire while Bella washed the dishes, again.
Sam left to go get Emily, Jake to get Billy, Bree, Quill and old Quill Ateara. Seth went on to get Charlie and Sue and Embry went to invite Leah, Brady and Collin. Sam and I decided that we'd just do a few sweeps around a few times through the night. The red head had just been through a few weeks ago so we had time to rest for now but still be vigilant.
I stayed with Caleb and with Paul helped set up his bedroom putting away his clothes in his closet and drawers. We then organised his plethora of toys and books. Bella was down in the kitchen once again fixing for a feast.
When I went down to the kitchen after the room was done, I noticed that she wasn't just making pizza. She had shoved all kinds of things inside the pizza dough, mushroom, cheese, onion, garlic, bacon and sausage. What the hell is she making?
"What is that Bella, it looks like a huge pizza pocket?"
"It's called a pid'e; they are commonly made by the Lebanese and Turkish. I have also marinated chicken wings, beef ribs and made potato bakes, pasta bakes a few salads and pies. Plus there will be heaps of pizzas too. Sweat tea, we have soda and beer. Do you think I should maybe bake a cake or two; I can easily whip up lamingtons and carrot cakes? Or ma…"
"Bella stop, I don't even know if we could honestly eat all that, besides Emily is sure to bring desert. What's wrong? You're practically vibrating with nervous energy."
"Charlie. I don't think he will be happy that I'm back here; he hasn't even mentioned that I have a son. His own grandson."
"I don't know what to say Bella. I truly hope that he's a better man than to be ashamed of you and Caleb. I can't see why he would be, he is just so freaking adorable and you, you shine as a mama. Watching you just today has been above and beyond amazing. That little man is so damn precious and this, is all your doing; you did that all on your own."
"No, I didn't. If not for my friends even if they could not be with me physically, I would have lost hope. If I hadn't had Miakoda and Means, I wouldn't have found out their spiritual beliefs that are now my own as well."
"I think I'd like to learn of their beliefs, could you teach me?"
I could do that, it's a beautiful way of life. I was so detached from myself spiritually before that, I felt helpless and lost. Now, I have an inner peace and things are so much clearer."
"How did you get reattached?"
"I was about two months pregnant when I started to research about Native American heritage, languages and beliefs. Miakoda and I were at college together, I asked her if she could tell me about her, her tribe, their culture, language and heritage and explained why I wanted to learn as much as I could. She was studying to be a teacher too. Wanting to go back to Lakota for the school holiday, she saw that I was alone; she really didn't like that so she told me I was going with her. I didn't mind, what she had already taught me both saddened and inspired me and I wanted to meet more of these amazing souls. So I went, Jared it was so heart breaking that I lost it in her grandfathers yard. I fell to my knees and cried for all that I knew these souls have suffered and for all that they still suffer. Her Grandfather, Old man Means sat down on the ground with me pulling me into his lap to hold me as I shed my tears as if their pain was mine, and it really felt like it was."
Sam and Emily had come in the room Just after I'd asked how she became reattached but remained silent as Bella continued to talk.
"I had heard from Miakoda of the suffering of Wounded Knee,I had even watched the movie with her. But absolutely nothing could describe the true heartache in Lakota, nothing. Today, in this time, in America they live worse than some third world countries and it's all because of the American government. Their statistics' are beyond shocking and gut wrenching. On February 2nd 2010 they declared a state of emergency. There was no flood or hurricane, it was poverty. People were dying from disease, and cold not to mention starvation. They had no proper heating in the homes, which house in a two bedroom home an average of seventeen people. Larger homes up to forty people. The houses they live in are shoddy and substandard. Some even lived in cars on the side of the street. I saw a few looking through garbage and asked why they were, the answer crushed my heart. They were looking for food. I was so heartbroken and mad at what I saw, I just wanted to scream. How could these beautiful people be made to suffer like this?
Old man Means held me as I let it all out and the man didn't even know me. I was just some crazy pregnant woman that showed up with his granddaughter breaking down on his door step. After I'd cried all I could he picked me up and set me on my feet. He said to me, Chante Skuye, everything moves in circles. Time does not stand still, things will change. Our people will have peace again. They are lost because they have forgotten our way, they will find it.
I didn't fully get what Means was telling me then, but to go back to Lakota today, I can see the changes. It isn't great and a lot of it isn't even good, they are rebuilding though. I'm not so much talking about structures and homes. They are building in spirit and strength, coming together and learning the way of their ancestors. Healing their hearts and minds.
They started by taking on the government and abolishing the treaties that were so grossly broken by congress. They are now like the Quileute Nation, the Lakota Nation. The Republic of Lakota now have control on their Law, schools and medical needs. Yet, they still have restrictions to build on their land and that is what the government wants. They want the Lakota people to lack employment facilities so that what money goes in Lakota comes out. They know that if they can build their own supermarket, there will be work for the people and it will be Lakota dollars not US. If they can build the wind turbine, which they are fighting tooth and nail to get, to supply their Nation with environmentally friendly, cheaper, affordable and possibly free power, They can build it big enough to supply others and therefore have economic structure and once again creating jobs for their people. As it is, unemployment is more than 80%. The average yearly income is $2700 to $3500. They lack the bare necessities. Cancer is spreading through the people as well as a number of diseases that were all but gone in the US, like tuberculosis and polio, and diabetes. All of these are at epidemic levels and most are all because their water supply is being polluted and contaminated; they're trying to stop that crap too.
They've started a total immersion school, taking the kids back to their roots. Teaching them their language, as a first language. Showing them the way their ancestors live, getting back to nature. They have no class or bell ringing and they don't separate by age, by not separating them the children learn to communicate and mix with people of all ages. They have mentoring programs and the Elders come in and tell stories. The Lakota have hundreds of horses roam their lands freely as they always have and always should. So they have Equine education as well a plethora of other studies introduced to the children from the age of five.
They are a people with heart and soul. If I didn't feel a pull to come back here that would be where I'd want to go. Caleb loved it whenever we went to visit Old Man Means and the family. They'd put him on the back of a horse with one of the older kids and he'd love it. Put any Native kid on a horse and they are naturals, that's what Means told me."
I could tell she was as passionate about the people in Lakota as could Sam and Emily. Emily was hanging on every word she said. I understood it somewhat; the Quileute has had its own battle to become the Quileute Nation. We still have a long running battle to reclaim our lands. We, the Quileute Nation and the Olympic National Park have come to an agreement that benefits both, now we are waiting on congress to approve it.
"That is both heartbreaking and amazing. I'd love to learn more, the council here is still in a fight to get congress to pass on our land legislation. We have fears, especially since the tsunami in Japan that we will get one. The Quileute Tribal School as you know is right on First Beach, even without a tsunami we still get great storms and we are all on low land. We have had some bad ones that flooded our homes just in 2006. We need to build on higher ground to get out of the tsunami and flood zones, as it is we have one road in and out and with the school, council buildings and many homes so low there is only about eight minutes to get out once the tsunami warning goes off. They have drills at the school to load all eighty students on the buses and they won't make it. We just don't know what to do. Sam and the rest of the Elders have done all they can, now we have to wait for the US house of representatives to pull their fingers out and sign the legislation."
"Well, my house is like right at the edge of legal building zones, right?"
"Yeah, the highest too. We actually had talks to buy it but the council just didn't have the funds to do so."
Bella had a thoughtful expression on her face but nothing more was said. My mind drifted off thinking of the bonfire and feast we'd be soon having. I was a bit worried as to what she would reveal about her past with the Cullen's and the redhead.
I was also trying to come up with how and when I would talk with her about the Imprint. It wasn't instant love how Jake and Sam had it for Bree and Emily. I had loved and missed Bells from that night but I didn't need to look into her eyes to know that she was the one. I felt it deep within me; I knew when I woke to her gone.
My thoughts were interrupted by Jake, Billy and Bree walking in.
"Bells, this is my Bree. Bree meet Bells"
"Hi Bree, It's nice to meet you. I think we met briefly the night you and Jake met."
"Yeah, sorry I don't remember too much. It is nice to meet you too."
"Hi Billy, how have you been? Your looking well"
"Oh you know me, I'm still kicking. Jake here tells me I'm in for a surprise"
"Um…Jake, you didn't tell him?"
"Nah Bells, thought I'd let him get the joy I did. Shock value and all that"
It was right then that little feet and Pauls' big paws came pounding down the stairs.
"No Not by da haiws on me's chiny chin chin"
"Then I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house do…"
Paul stopped mid step noticing the audience he had for his little play and quickly tightened his jaw and posture inhaling deep through his nose. It was Billy that broke the silence with a quirked eye brow.
"So who's the little piggy here with you Paul?"
"Bella and Jareds' kid, Caleb"
A/N – Next up will be Bells pov continued from where we leave off here and the arrival of Charlie plus the bonfire. After ch 4 this will move a bit quicker instead of it being one day at a time we may have time skips but I am not certain at this point.
Thanks
Lauren
