The Wild
Epilogue
The village had moved a while ago, and the Shaman felt that he could finally relax, as the braves had gotten over their desire for revenge. Jolon was gone however and he felt the weight of his loss tremendously. It had not been a small feat to convince the Chief to reinstate him in the tribe… Now, he wondered what it all had been for… He had nursed his adoptive son back to health, only to find that the emotional wound was far worse than the physical one.
Jolon had known in his heart that she was alive. What he did not know for sure is how she felt about him at the time. Eventually, it all became too much for the young man, and in spite of his gratitude to the old man, he had declined once more the succession that this one offered.
Of all things, he had decided that if she wanted him to, he would go back to her and live in her world.
The Shaman shook his head in disbelief, still incredulous about the depth of his love for her, and somewhat envious as well. He had lost his wife a long time ago to the fever, but even if he had loved her very much, he was certain that he would not have sacrificed his way of life for her. How wonderful must have been that woman for Jolon to do this. He almost wished that he had tried to find out.
Then again, he thought, maybe it also had to do with the baby. No matter the reason, he was sad and disappointed to have lost one that had been more than a son to him.
He listened to the sounds of the forest, trying to bring back the peace in his soul. This was needed for the dream quest that he had planned.
He still wanted to make sure that his son would be well…
He slowly slipped into the dream, feeling himself float far from where he was. He suddenly saw the road and followed it, letting the dream lead him on. In the distance, he found what he was looking for, but was surprised as well. He had expected the city or at least some of those ugly white men's habitations… He soon realized that Jolon and the girl were on their way back to the mountains. Joy built in his soul, as his hopes returned all at once. Still, they were not coming home yet, but rather going back to the modest home that they had built for themselves. The dream ended suddenly, as all of his worries returned. He was certain of only one thing. He had to make sure that his son would be allowed to come home.
He immediately went into action, not wanting to lose any more time.
In the chief's tent, he waited patiently until this one acknowledged his presence. He knew that this would be difficult and that he would have to be more convincing than he ever had been in his life.
Finally the chief was ready and he listened to the Shaman's arguments in silence. His stoic expression was in no way indicative of his true feelings. In the end, the chief still stayed silent for a long moment after the old shaman had stopped talking.
"I understand how much you care about all this, but I still can't accept this woman as part of our tribe. The affront to my daughter was unforgivable…"
Noayak had been listening in, unbeknown to them, and she came closer at this point.
"Father, I disagree. True, I was very angry when this happened. True also, I still hurt because of Jolon's change of heart. However, I've had time to think since then. Jolon was right to follow his heart. I wouldn't have wanted a man who longed for another… I think that I deserve better… I've seen what she tried to do for us, how she almost died for Jolon as well. I can't and won't deny this tribe his gift, only for the sake of misplaced pride. I implore you to reconsider…"
The chief had listened to his daughter in amazement. She was actually giving him a lesson in forgiveness and, if it gave him a slight sense of guilt, and hurt his pride as well, he was not about to be outdone by his own daughter on this.
He turned back toward the hopeful Shaman:
"If my daughter sees no reason to keep the girl away, then I believe that there's no reason for anyone else to do so."
The Shaman simply nodded, trying his best to hide his intense relief. He knew that the chief didn't want to see that, as changing his mind must already have been difficult for him, without witnessing some kind of triumph in the old man's expression.
He left the tent with a lighter heart, already preparing to greet back his prodigal son and the new family he brought along with him…
Phoebe's parents had a very hard time accepting her words. The way she had left was so abrupt, and had followed the unpleasant fight about her baby. They were still wondering if she had not run away because of it. Paul looked for her everywhere that he could think of; even going back to the Indian village, only to find it abandoned. For a whole year, he shared his time between his duties, and this search. Then one night, it all changed. That night his daughter came to him in a dream. She looked happy and serene, as he had never seen her. In her arms, she was cradling a small infant, and he knew instinctively that it had to be hers. In the dream, she showed him the baby and even her surroundings, smiling softly at him. He woke up with an intense feeling of relief, convinced at last that his daughter was happy and well. However, he still had a lingering doubt until his wife and later in the day, his nieces came to him with the same story about a wonderful dream.
From then on, every so often, Phoebe visited them in dreams… The only cloud left afterward was that they never saw her again, but they never doubted for a moment that her life had been good.
Paul and Prue still felt a void in their life, however. One that they filled by taking care of Paige... This one had a hard time getting over her misadventure, and only their nurturing allowed her to let herself love in time. A few years later, she finally met a sweet man, who helped put behind her all the sad memories…
They arrived at the tent that Phoebe and Jolon had built for themselves, and there they found the Shaman waiting for them with a broad smile. Jolon had not been prepared for this. He had already made up his mind that they would live by themselves and Phoebe had agreed to it, as they simply wanted to be together.
However, seeing him there, and then hearing the good news, brought a renewed joy to them. They packed the little that they had there, and followed him home, convinced that they had found true happiness, at last…
Epilogue
The village had moved a while ago, and the Shaman felt that he could finally relax, as the braves had gotten over their desire for revenge. Jolon was gone however and he felt the weight of his loss tremendously. It had not been a small feat to convince the Chief to reinstate him in the tribe… Now, he wondered what it all had been for… He had nursed his adoptive son back to health, only to find that the emotional wound was far worse than the physical one.
Jolon had known in his heart that she was alive. What he did not know for sure is how she felt about him at the time. Eventually, it all became too much for the young man, and in spite of his gratitude to the old man, he had declined once more the succession that this one offered.
Of all things, he had decided that if she wanted him to, he would go back to her and live in her world.
The Shaman shook his head in disbelief, still incredulous about the depth of his love for her, and somewhat envious as well. He had lost his wife a long time ago to the fever, but even if he had loved her very much, he was certain that he would not have sacrificed his way of life for her. How wonderful must have been that woman for Jolon to do this. He almost wished that he had tried to find out.
Then again, he thought, maybe it also had to do with the baby. No matter the reason, he was sad and disappointed to have lost one that had been more than a son to him.
He listened to the sounds of the forest, trying to bring back the peace in his soul. This was needed for the dream quest that he had planned.
He still wanted to make sure that his son would be well…
He slowly slipped into the dream, feeling himself float far from where he was. He suddenly saw the road and followed it, letting the dream lead him on. In the distance, he found what he was looking for, but was surprised as well. He had expected the city or at least some of those ugly white men's habitations… He soon realized that Jolon and the girl were on their way back to the mountains. Joy built in his soul, as his hopes returned all at once. Still, they were not coming home yet, but rather going back to the modest home that they had built for themselves. The dream ended suddenly, as all of his worries returned. He was certain of only one thing. He had to make sure that his son would be allowed to come home.
He immediately went into action, not wanting to lose any more time.
In the chief's tent, he waited patiently until this one acknowledged his presence. He knew that this would be difficult and that he would have to be more convincing than he ever had been in his life.
Finally the chief was ready and he listened to the Shaman's arguments in silence. His stoic expression was in no way indicative of his true feelings. In the end, the chief still stayed silent for a long moment after the old shaman had stopped talking.
"I understand how much you care about all this, but I still can't accept this woman as part of our tribe. The affront to my daughter was unforgivable…"
Noayak had been listening in, unbeknown to them, and she came closer at this point.
"Father, I disagree. True, I was very angry when this happened. True also, I still hurt because of Jolon's change of heart. However, I've had time to think since then. Jolon was right to follow his heart. I wouldn't have wanted a man who longed for another… I think that I deserve better… I've seen what she tried to do for us, how she almost died for Jolon as well. I can't and won't deny this tribe his gift, only for the sake of misplaced pride. I implore you to reconsider…"
The chief had listened to his daughter in amazement. She was actually giving him a lesson in forgiveness and, if it gave him a slight sense of guilt, and hurt his pride as well, he was not about to be outdone by his own daughter on this.
He turned back toward the hopeful Shaman:
"If my daughter sees no reason to keep the girl away, then I believe that there's no reason for anyone else to do so."
The Shaman simply nodded, trying his best to hide his intense relief. He knew that the chief didn't want to see that, as changing his mind must already have been difficult for him, without witnessing some kind of triumph in the old man's expression.
He left the tent with a lighter heart, already preparing to greet back his prodigal son and the new family he brought along with him…
Phoebe's parents had a very hard time accepting her words. The way she had left was so abrupt, and had followed the unpleasant fight about her baby. They were still wondering if she had not run away because of it. Paul looked for her everywhere that he could think of; even going back to the Indian village, only to find it abandoned. For a whole year, he shared his time between his duties, and this search. Then one night, it all changed. That night his daughter came to him in a dream. She looked happy and serene, as he had never seen her. In her arms, she was cradling a small infant, and he knew instinctively that it had to be hers. In the dream, she showed him the baby and even her surroundings, smiling softly at him. He woke up with an intense feeling of relief, convinced at last that his daughter was happy and well. However, he still had a lingering doubt until his wife and later in the day, his nieces came to him with the same story about a wonderful dream.
From then on, every so often, Phoebe visited them in dreams… The only cloud left afterward was that they never saw her again, but they never doubted for a moment that her life had been good.
Paul and Prue still felt a void in their life, however. One that they filled by taking care of Paige... This one had a hard time getting over her misadventure, and only their nurturing allowed her to let herself love in time. A few years later, she finally met a sweet man, who helped put behind her all the sad memories…
They arrived at the tent that Phoebe and Jolon had built for themselves, and there they found the Shaman waiting for them with a broad smile. Jolon had not been prepared for this. He had already made up his mind that they would live by themselves and Phoebe had agreed to it, as they simply wanted to be together.
However, seeing him there, and then hearing the good news, brought a renewed joy to them. They packed the little that they had there, and followed him home, convinced that they had found true happiness, at last…
