Chapter 2. Journey to the Far North and The Dreams

Dennis sighed as he turned to the window next to him. The plane ride felt like forever even with Kenny sleeping next to him and Sid reading a book on military flight. It's been a week since their grandmother sent that strange text and now they're spending who knows how long in Alaska to see what she needs help with. Their grandmother strongly believed in the old ways even though she was force to go to one of the former residential schools in the Yukon as a child. Their family is Inuit and she refused to forget the traditions of their people and practiced in secret. When she graduated, she returned to Alaska with their grandfather and started a family. After their parents, who disappeared a year ago, moved to Oregon to raise a family and fulfill their dreams, Tanana refused to move away from Fairbanks. Saying there's something she has to do in the surrounding forest. Their mom and dad shook it off saying it was nothing to worry about. But the only time their grandmother calls him and his brothers by their Inuit names something is seriously wrong and even Dennis couldn't shake it off as if it was nothing like he usually did. Now after finishing college and tying up loose ends back in Portland, The Nukilik brothers packed their bags and grabbed next flight to Fairbanks, Alaska. A few hours later, all Dennis could see was British Colombia. It was a beautiful sight as the sun started to set on the other side. Dennis watched the scene outside for a few minutes before he leaned back and closed his eyes. He didn't get enough sleep last night and a long plane ride is the good time to take a short nap.

Sid set his book down after finishing the last chapter. Normally, reading about flight of any kind would distract him from anything but it didn't work for long this time. He never understood why he read about flying let alone wanting to fly himself. It always fascinated him. He put the book back in his bag and looked over to see his younger brothers sleeping next to him. None of them slept well lately. Sid fingered the eagle pendant around his neck, a totem Tanana called it, and wondered how he woke up wearing it the night their grandmother contacted them. The strange thing was it felt warm, not stone cold from neglect. It would take time for jewelry to absorb heat from sunlight or human body. Another weird thing is he can't take it off no matter how many times he tried. Sid and his brothers were told stories about people interacting with animals and shamans but he never thought they were real.

They're just stories right?

Sid shrugged it off and decided to catch up on sleep. Maybe he'll think clearly afterwards. Before Sid could lean back in his seat, the captain said they were landing in Fairbanks airport. That felt short even though they were flying for hours.

Time is that weird.

Sid grabbed his bag and shook his brothers awake. Grumbling they grabbed their backpacks and waited. Once the plane landed, the Nukilik brothers disembarked. Once they picked up their luggage, Sid noticed a familiar face walking towards them. He smiled to see it was their grandmother.

"Boys." Tanana greeted.

"Grandma!" Dennis and Kenny said before they dropped their suitcases and hugged Tanana. Sid joined in. His excitement more contained then his younger brothers.

"It's been so long." She said returning the embrace. "We have much to talk about when we get to the house. Come on now get your things and lets go."

The brothers exchanged worried looks before grabbing their things and followed their grandma to the exit. The drive was a quiet one since no one knew what to say. Once they arrived at Tanana's house, they dropped their suitcases in the guest room before joining Tanana in the living room.

"Now, boys." Tanana began. "Do you know why I contacted you?"

Kenny shrugged, Sid shook his head and Dennis stroked his chin in thought. His brothers could shake dreams off as if they're nothing easily but he can't.

"Does it have something to do with the dream you had?"

Kenny and Sid turned to Dennis.

"You're still focused on that?" Kenny asked. "It was just a dream."

"It was no ordinary dream, young man." Tanana said a little annoyed. "You three need to be reminded of your heritage. Of where you came from. Your roots."

"We know we're Inuit, Grandma." Kenny said.

"I don't think that's what she's talking about." Sid said. "This feels like something else."

"It is." Tanana said as she pulled out a bowl of sand and stuck incense in the centre before lighting it. Sid silenced Kenny before he had a chance to say anything. The youngest brother wasn't known for being patient. Once the incense scent filled the room, Tanana began her story.

"It all started eons ago. When the world was young."

The brothers were startled as the room turned into a forest with wildlife and people dressed in furs. They knew their grandma was a shaman but it's been a while since they've seen her magic in action. They've forgotten how strong her powers were.

"A being of pure darkness materialized on our plane of existence. It's purpose was to replace happiness and peace with fear and despair among animals, plants and humans alike."

Images of a shadow like entity appeared and the wild/plant life and people collapsed when it touched them while crying in agony.

" After centuries of misery, our ancestor had enough and vowed to stop this shade once and for all. She knew she couldn't destroy the evil so she imprisoned it in stone and wood with the help of the Great Spirits. They also gave our bloodline the task of making sure the shade stays trapped in that tree forever."

Image as a woman dressed in grey furs raise a wooden staff in the air as the Great Spirits descended from the sky and touched the sticks and rocks below. The sticks and rocks grew and encased the entity.

"Ever since then, the shade has remained trapped in the forest outside of what is now Fairbanks since."

Tanana snuffed out the incense and the images disappeared.

The brothers shook their heads as their eyes adjusted. They were back in their grandmother's living room.

"Grandma." Kenny said. "This is what the hundredth time you've told us this story? It's just a tale you use to lull us to sleep."

Tanana frowned. Her youngest grandson wasn't exposed to Inuit culture as much as Sid and Dennis were. He was only a child when they moved to Portland. But that was still no reason to be thoughtless and selfish.

"This is more then just a story, Kenai." Tanana said firmly. "Stories have lessons hidden within. Starting tomorrow you boys are going to be reminded of where you came from. Now get some sleep. You're going to need it."

The brothers went upstairs in silence.

"I wonder what Grandma meant by remind us of where we came from." Kenny said as he climbed into bed below Dennis's.

The guest room was big enough to move around but not for three separate beds. So there was a bunk bed for them to sleep in. They never complained about it since it was better then nothing.

"She believe's that we're too caught up in today's modern trends we've forgotten who we really are." Sid said as he exited the bathroom.

"You know she wants the traditions of our ancestors to live on."

Kenny sighed and looked down as he remembered what their grandmother went through as a child and what he heard on the news a couple years back. After the dark secret of former residential schools got out, the relatives of the students who survived wanted answers on the whereabouts of their missing family members and for something to be done to make up for what their relatives endured. It would take years to fix this mess.

A hundred or two at least.

And Tanana still hasn't heard about her four of her cousins who disappeared during her time at the former residential school.

"I wonder if Grandma will ever hear about her cousins." Dennis said looking down from his bunk. "She needs closure."

"I'm sure she will." Sid said. "Just like we'll find our parents someday. Good night."

"G'night."

Sid turned off the light and climbed onto the top bunk. After a while, the brothers fell asleep.

Sid's Dream

Sid opened his eyes to see he was in the middle of a forest. The surroundings felt familiar for some reason. Was this the forest he and his family use to go camping in when he was younger? Sid tried to stand up but he noticed something was wrong. He didn't feel like himself. He felt shorter and lighter. Noticing a mud puddle to the right of him, Sid turned and nearly jumped at his reflection. He looked like he did when he was ten years old and was dressed in red furs. The same attire Tanana gave him a few years ago.

'What's going on?' Sid thought as he felt his face. 'I don't remember this childhood memory.'

"Sitka, come on! The hunt is starting!"

Sid heard a voice of man in the distance. It couldn't be his father. Only grandma called him and his brothers by their Inuit names. Nonetheless, Sid went to the find the source of the voice.

Dennis's Dream

Dennis was running through the plains with panic in his eyes. He woke up near a cave with a pack of wolves inside and they were chasing him.

'Why are they trying to hunt me.' Dennis wondered as he ran as fast as his legs could carry him. 'Grandma said the wolf are the symbol of empathy and I just wanted to see them in person.'

Dennis shook his head. He didn't have time to figure things out when he found out he was in the country and was wearing blue furs. Not only that, the world looked bigger. He'll have to find a place to hide before he's mincemeat. Dennis kept running until he was reach a hill and lost his footing when he tried to stop. He fell and rolled down until he landed in a river. A deep one at that. His head broke the surface when the wolves came down the hill and arrived at the waters edge. Dennis dove back down so the pack wouldn't see him. After a minute, the pack was gone.

Dennis rose up for air and watched the wolves disappeared into the woods before he swam to the other side and got out. The air made him shiver but he didn't care. He now had time to examine his body. He felt different. His hands were small and his limbs were shorter. Turning to the river, Dennis jumped back in shock. He was in the body of an seven year old and smaller version of the snowsuit grandma gave him.

'Is this some kind of a joke?' Dennis wondered at loud.

He covered his mouth. His voice came out voice high not deep.

'What's a joke, Denahi?'

Dennis turned to see a woman dressed in green furs with a little boy around five year old wearing tan furs standing beside her. The boy looked like Kenny at that age.

'Ok, I'm freaking out.' Dennis thought.

Kenny's dream

Kenny opened his eyes to see he was inside a cave. He was nervous because caves are often home to bears, wolves and other animals who need shelter from the rain. At the same time he can't leave as he look outside to see a brown bear trying to catch salmon in a nearby river. Kenny was not a fan of bears since one almost killed him last year.

Wait that didn't happen.

Kenny slowly got to his feet. He had to get out of the cave somehow. As he stood up, Kenny noticed he felt lighter then normal. Did he lose weight? Kenny shook it off as he quietly left the cave. Keeping an eye on the bear to make sure it was still looking for a meal that's not him. Once he was a safe distance from the cave, Kenny realized he was near the forest and it looked taller then he remembered. Seeing a river in front of him, Kenny ran over and looked at his reflection. He was surprised to see he was five again and wearing the same tan coloured furs that looked like the snowsuit he got when he was eighteen. He felt his face and looked down at his small body. What happened to him? He was an adult before he went to sleep.

'Kenai, there you are.'

Kenny turned to see two boys that looked familiar. One was dressed in blue furs the other red. They were his older brothers and they looked worried.

'Where were you?' the red one asked. 'Mom and dad were scared something happened to you.'

'I was hiding from a bear, Sitka.' Kenny answered.

Kenny's hands rose to his mouth when his voice came out wrong.

'Kenai, are you ok?' Sitka asked as he walked over and placed a hand on Kenny's forehead.

'He's fine.' The blue brother said.

'Denahi!' Sitka said sharply.

Seeing no sign of a fever, Sitka hugged his youngest brother.

'Come on. Let's go home.'

Real world

Tanana carefully opened the door to the guest room. She woke up in the middle of the night and decided to check up on her grandsons. She sense something was going on and wanted to make sure everything was fine. Tanana was sure the ancient evil contained in the forest would find a way out at anytime soon but her family was not ready to help reinforce the spell. They need to remember who they are. They need to unlock their own abilities.

Starting tomorrow.

Tanana peeked through the door to see her grandsons sleeping soundly. Then she noticed the totems around their necks were glowing slightly. She remembered when she found the totems, felt a form of energy from them and wanted to give them to her grandsons.

"So there is something special about those totems after all." Tanana said quietly as she closed the door and went back to her room.

"But I need to talk the spirits about them. They might be more then just a symbol of their heritage."