Chapter 7
Dreams
With one last dramatic flourish, the mog-ur dropped his arm. Goov felt more alive than he had in his whole life as power swept through his veins. This is what it's like to be the powerful mog-ur, he thought with a sense of awe. He could feel the presence of the spirits around them and searched his thoughts to name them. As quickly as the power had come, he felt as if he was being torn in two. Unknowingly, he let out a faint moan as his spirit was disengaged from Creb's.
Creb had been following Goov's thoughts and knew it was best not to reveal too much. Shaking himself, he sat on the ground while his weariness wore off. A lot of energy was expended when connected to another's spirit.
"Where's Broud?" Creb motioned to Thonolan.
Thonolan stepped aside, grinning, to reveal a pair of thick flailing legs. Broud was still stuck headfirst into the cave wall. Faint moans were coming from it as he attempted to call for help. Creb's eye glistened at the sight. As Thonolan looked closer, he could have sworn the mog-ur was laughing.
The Rhino and Ursus came swiftly toward the stuck veejia. One on each side, they walked directly through the wall. Once they encountered Broud, they each took a side and ushered him forward until they were out of the cave. Creb and Thonolan followed at a respective distance.
"Ahhh!" Broud yelled, flailing around at his assailants.
"Open your eyes," Ursus commanded.
Eyes popped open and went wide with fright. If he could have, he would have crawled back into the dark place. "No!" He tried frantically to pull free. "I can't go now."
The rhino came close, snorting his displeasure. "You do not wish to enter your hearth that we prepared for you?"
Straightening his shoulders, Broud sensed this was a time for bravery. "There is much I still have to do yet. My status at death was not high."
"That is not my fault. You had every opportunity."
"I would ask that I stay here on earth for a little while longer."
Ursus growled low in his throat. "What do you say to this, Creb?"
The mog-ur came forward and took a moment to compose his thoughts. "I see nothing good that Broud needs to stay here for. His only intent is vengeance on those who he thinks has wronged him. This veejia would ask that you take him to his hearth."
"No! I won't go! Always, I feared you because of your relationship with the spirits," Broud said angrily, glaring at Creb, "but now, I am a spirit and have power too. I fear you no longer!" He towered over the mog-ur with hate-filled eyes.
"Enough!" Ursus ground out. "You have chosen your destiny. You will stay on earth."
"But..." Thonolan started to protest but was held back by a hand flick from Creb.
With a spiteful look, Broud sneered at the two veejias. I have won, he thought to himself. His gloating did not last long. Suddenly, his veeja felt heavy and sluggish. Astonishment washed through him as he looked down at his feet. They were in the ground! His legs were quickly following. With frenzied motions, he tried to step up and out of the soft earth but only found himself deeper. He lifted his terror filled eyes to Ursus. "What is happening to me?"
"You have your wish. You will spend eternity on, or rather inside earth. Always, you will know what goes on about you, but you will never be able to emerge. And," he added with more meaning, "you will watch Ayla become a legend among all people."
"No!" He struggled to pull his now sunken thighs out of the mire. In desperation, he looked around. "Creb, help me!"
Creb's liquid and wise eye looked down at the doomed veejia and turned away. He couldn't watch the son of his brother's hearth come to this end.
The Rhino stepped forward as Broud's shoulders were being immersed. "Broud, former leader of the clan of the Cave Bear is no longer counted among the clan." With a mighty thrust, he gored the place where the woolly rhino totem had been tattooed. A scream arose from Broud's throat as the pain of having no people, no protector and no hope seared him. When the Rhino turned away, an empty scar marred where his tattoo had once stood proud.
00000000000000
"Looks like you've been in a fight with a cave bear, and lost."
Interrupted from his thoughts, Thonolan looked toward the melodic voice. Seeing who stood before him, he shook his head to clear it. "Sela. I...it's been...oh Donii. I'm just glad to see you. Is your mother here too?"
She smiled and sat down beside him. "No, I came alone this time. Thonolan, I've missed you." She placed her hand over his for a moment, and then quickly retreated. "I'm sorry for what happened."
He wrinkled his brows, "how do you know about it?"
"The whole earth has been groaning with the news. There's not many veejias who don't know when a spirit has been doomed."
"He wasn't all bad, he could have been a good leader..."
"Hush." She put her finger to his lips. "It's over and he's gone. I doubt he appreciates your sympathy. After all, he now knows you're the one who spilled that hot soup on his lap."
He chuckled, "I guess you're right." Pausing, he glanced toward the man made structure that sat near the river. He'd been back for half a day but couldn't bring himself to go inside. He was glad that he found an old friend who he felt he could confide in. Gesturing toward the camp he said, "have you met the Mamutoi?"
She nodded, "some, yes. We don't always get along, even though we're spirits now." She pointedly stared at him then looked down. "I don't know if I want to meet them, but for Ayla, I know I must."
"Then that's two of us who'd rather stay out here and enjoy the weather instead." The sky was deepening in silky sable darkness. They gazed upward toward the hearth fires each thinking of other fires in long ago hearths.
Thonolan shot up to a standstill, startling Sela. Concentrating on the emotions he felt emanating from the shelter, he grasped Sela. "Come on!" Pulling her with him, they hurried toward the Mammoth Hearth.
They took a short cut and entered a wall near the sleeping platforms. Feeling frenzied, Sela tried to compose herself before the hearth. It would not do to make a bad impression on these Mamutoi. Calmly she approached her sister's thrashing form.
"She's dreaming again," Sela said in a whisper. She knelt gracefully before the sleeping platform and laid one hand on her sister's heart, the other on the head.
In shock, she lifted her head toward the wizened old man sleeping nearby. "Thonolan, they're dreaming the same dream!"
"What?" Lacking the discernment with the woman, he relied on Sela to help. "How is that possible?"
"Here, take my hand. I'll show you." Gently, she guided his hand to Ayla's head and rested her hand atop. Instantly, they felt the pull into her subconscious.
Thonolan felt the link between the two minds, a weaker chain than he had shared with Creb. Who was guiding and who was watching? Through blurry shadows and echoed sounds he watched also. Ayla was home with the Zelondonii, and had a beautiful blonde son by her side. Another man approached whom he instinctively knew was also her son. Yet he was shorter and rougher looking, and part Clan. Thonolan watched in trepidation as they approached each other in hostility. He then saw Ayla begin to writhe in panic and they knew one must die. Trying to approach, she felt herself completely blocked. She woke up screaming!
Thonolan and Sela quickly backed away at her awakened outburst. Wonderment was on both of their faces.
"Ayla! Ayla! What's wrong?" Mamut asked.
Sela pulled Thonolan further back away from Mamut. The heard only muffled voices as they tried to calm the woman.
"Who was guiding? Who was watching?" Thonolan asked in bewilderment.
Sela looked just as shaken. "That's why this is so odd. The dream was obviously from the Mother, but she didn't guide it." Staring directly up at him she lowered her voice, "and neither did Ayla or Mamut."
(TMH pp. 64-65)
0000000000000000
Thank you for all of the lovely reviews, it's a great encouragement to me. Welcome to Khana, Huskerinexile and barbmc. And it's great to have back my original readers, Rubber Duck (yes I missed you), jester and Tamira.
With one last dramatic flourish, the mog-ur dropped his arm. Goov felt more alive than he had in his whole life as power swept through his veins. This is what it's like to be the powerful mog-ur, he thought with a sense of awe. He could feel the presence of the spirits around them and searched his thoughts to name them. As quickly as the power had come, he felt as if he was being torn in two. Unknowingly, he let out a faint moan as his spirit was disengaged from Creb's.
Creb had been following Goov's thoughts and knew it was best not to reveal too much. Shaking himself, he sat on the ground while his weariness wore off. A lot of energy was expended when connected to another's spirit.
"Where's Broud?" Creb motioned to Thonolan.
Thonolan stepped aside, grinning, to reveal a pair of thick flailing legs. Broud was still stuck headfirst into the cave wall. Faint moans were coming from it as he attempted to call for help. Creb's eye glistened at the sight. As Thonolan looked closer, he could have sworn the mog-ur was laughing.
The Rhino and Ursus came swiftly toward the stuck veejia. One on each side, they walked directly through the wall. Once they encountered Broud, they each took a side and ushered him forward until they were out of the cave. Creb and Thonolan followed at a respective distance.
"Ahhh!" Broud yelled, flailing around at his assailants.
"Open your eyes," Ursus commanded.
Eyes popped open and went wide with fright. If he could have, he would have crawled back into the dark place. "No!" He tried frantically to pull free. "I can't go now."
The rhino came close, snorting his displeasure. "You do not wish to enter your hearth that we prepared for you?"
Straightening his shoulders, Broud sensed this was a time for bravery. "There is much I still have to do yet. My status at death was not high."
"That is not my fault. You had every opportunity."
"I would ask that I stay here on earth for a little while longer."
Ursus growled low in his throat. "What do you say to this, Creb?"
The mog-ur came forward and took a moment to compose his thoughts. "I see nothing good that Broud needs to stay here for. His only intent is vengeance on those who he thinks has wronged him. This veejia would ask that you take him to his hearth."
"No! I won't go! Always, I feared you because of your relationship with the spirits," Broud said angrily, glaring at Creb, "but now, I am a spirit and have power too. I fear you no longer!" He towered over the mog-ur with hate-filled eyes.
"Enough!" Ursus ground out. "You have chosen your destiny. You will stay on earth."
"But..." Thonolan started to protest but was held back by a hand flick from Creb.
With a spiteful look, Broud sneered at the two veejias. I have won, he thought to himself. His gloating did not last long. Suddenly, his veeja felt heavy and sluggish. Astonishment washed through him as he looked down at his feet. They were in the ground! His legs were quickly following. With frenzied motions, he tried to step up and out of the soft earth but only found himself deeper. He lifted his terror filled eyes to Ursus. "What is happening to me?"
"You have your wish. You will spend eternity on, or rather inside earth. Always, you will know what goes on about you, but you will never be able to emerge. And," he added with more meaning, "you will watch Ayla become a legend among all people."
"No!" He struggled to pull his now sunken thighs out of the mire. In desperation, he looked around. "Creb, help me!"
Creb's liquid and wise eye looked down at the doomed veejia and turned away. He couldn't watch the son of his brother's hearth come to this end.
The Rhino stepped forward as Broud's shoulders were being immersed. "Broud, former leader of the clan of the Cave Bear is no longer counted among the clan." With a mighty thrust, he gored the place where the woolly rhino totem had been tattooed. A scream arose from Broud's throat as the pain of having no people, no protector and no hope seared him. When the Rhino turned away, an empty scar marred where his tattoo had once stood proud.
00000000000000
"Looks like you've been in a fight with a cave bear, and lost."
Interrupted from his thoughts, Thonolan looked toward the melodic voice. Seeing who stood before him, he shook his head to clear it. "Sela. I...it's been...oh Donii. I'm just glad to see you. Is your mother here too?"
She smiled and sat down beside him. "No, I came alone this time. Thonolan, I've missed you." She placed her hand over his for a moment, and then quickly retreated. "I'm sorry for what happened."
He wrinkled his brows, "how do you know about it?"
"The whole earth has been groaning with the news. There's not many veejias who don't know when a spirit has been doomed."
"He wasn't all bad, he could have been a good leader..."
"Hush." She put her finger to his lips. "It's over and he's gone. I doubt he appreciates your sympathy. After all, he now knows you're the one who spilled that hot soup on his lap."
He chuckled, "I guess you're right." Pausing, he glanced toward the man made structure that sat near the river. He'd been back for half a day but couldn't bring himself to go inside. He was glad that he found an old friend who he felt he could confide in. Gesturing toward the camp he said, "have you met the Mamutoi?"
She nodded, "some, yes. We don't always get along, even though we're spirits now." She pointedly stared at him then looked down. "I don't know if I want to meet them, but for Ayla, I know I must."
"Then that's two of us who'd rather stay out here and enjoy the weather instead." The sky was deepening in silky sable darkness. They gazed upward toward the hearth fires each thinking of other fires in long ago hearths.
Thonolan shot up to a standstill, startling Sela. Concentrating on the emotions he felt emanating from the shelter, he grasped Sela. "Come on!" Pulling her with him, they hurried toward the Mammoth Hearth.
They took a short cut and entered a wall near the sleeping platforms. Feeling frenzied, Sela tried to compose herself before the hearth. It would not do to make a bad impression on these Mamutoi. Calmly she approached her sister's thrashing form.
"She's dreaming again," Sela said in a whisper. She knelt gracefully before the sleeping platform and laid one hand on her sister's heart, the other on the head.
In shock, she lifted her head toward the wizened old man sleeping nearby. "Thonolan, they're dreaming the same dream!"
"What?" Lacking the discernment with the woman, he relied on Sela to help. "How is that possible?"
"Here, take my hand. I'll show you." Gently, she guided his hand to Ayla's head and rested her hand atop. Instantly, they felt the pull into her subconscious.
Thonolan felt the link between the two minds, a weaker chain than he had shared with Creb. Who was guiding and who was watching? Through blurry shadows and echoed sounds he watched also. Ayla was home with the Zelondonii, and had a beautiful blonde son by her side. Another man approached whom he instinctively knew was also her son. Yet he was shorter and rougher looking, and part Clan. Thonolan watched in trepidation as they approached each other in hostility. He then saw Ayla begin to writhe in panic and they knew one must die. Trying to approach, she felt herself completely blocked. She woke up screaming!
Thonolan and Sela quickly backed away at her awakened outburst. Wonderment was on both of their faces.
"Ayla! Ayla! What's wrong?" Mamut asked.
Sela pulled Thonolan further back away from Mamut. The heard only muffled voices as they tried to calm the woman.
"Who was guiding? Who was watching?" Thonolan asked in bewilderment.
Sela looked just as shaken. "That's why this is so odd. The dream was obviously from the Mother, but she didn't guide it." Staring directly up at him she lowered her voice, "and neither did Ayla or Mamut."
(TMH pp. 64-65)
0000000000000000
Thank you for all of the lovely reviews, it's a great encouragement to me. Welcome to Khana, Huskerinexile and barbmc. And it's great to have back my original readers, Rubber Duck (yes I missed you), jester and Tamira.