"Another awful story?", one of the older kids says. 'Oh, no, all my stories are good, I promise.' "Some of them I don't understand." 'You will.'
TwoFeather smiles, yawning tiredly, pushing up his gangly white headfur. "Now. This one is about the time Longtail thought he was going to be a shaman -and- Chieftain's Son."
"Longtail Sharkstooth, the Great Chief of the North?", one of the younger kits asks.
TwoFeather stifles a grin. "The same."
TwoFeather says, "Twofeather was actually jealous of his older brother Pathwalker TwoPaws, because Pathwalker was both a healer and a hunter. Pathwalker had his own reasons, and Pathwalker was always jealous of Longtail for getting -his- position.""
'Why didn't they just trade places?'
TwoFeather ahs. "It's not that easy, Kimber. It's like Nanny Mendoza telling you you have to go to bed, or eat your vegetables. In the Indian culture, the Chief dictates who does what in most cases."
The kitten makes a face. "Yech. I'd love to skip vegetables and bedtime."
TwoFeather shakes his head. "No, because if you skip sleep too often, you get wrinkles under your eyes. Soon enough, you look like -me--- old and wrinkled."
Chorus of 'Ewwww.'
TwoFeather anyways. "Longtail went -right- to the source- the tribal shaman, SpiritCougar Stonetoss."
"I am Chieftain's son-- and I want to learn magic.", Longtail says. "Will you show me?"
TwoFeather says, "SpiritCougar eyed the young Longtail. "You have not yet earned your second name yet, and your path lies elsewhere. I must refuse.""
Longtail hmmfs, "Pathwalker is already learning the ways of healing and hunting. Why must I wait for my second name?"
SpiritCougar shakes his head. "Pathwalker learns because his mother is the healer, and he learns to hunt because his father is your father, the Chieftain. He is expected to be a good warrior."
Longtail nearly growls, "Aren't I supposed to be chief? A good warrior? And the chief can do more than one thing. I don't understand why you won't teach me."
TwoFeather says, "SpiritCougar had read the stars during Longtail's birth; he knew the cub was destined for greatness, but -only- if his path was arrow-straight and true.""
SpiritCougar shakes his head. "You will be chief one day, but only if you take the proper lessons."
Longtail shakes his head, "Should not a chief understand everything that goes on amongst his tribe? Shouldn't my lessons include those of a shaman or a healers?"
SpiritCougar says, "Chief SummerStorms Racing is a good warrior, but you are not yet old enough to learn such things. You need to be so tall to throw a spear with the right strength, and accuracy. To learn to deal with the Easterners, you must learn patience, first."
SpiritCougar smiles, perhaps a bit fangily. "Understanding is not the same as doing, Longtail."
Longtail rrfs, "It takes too long to learn patience. When can I finally start my learning?"
TwoFeather contemplates the fading light. "Aren't you already learning how to fish from Mackerel?"
Longtail flicks his tail and snorts, "Mackerel is one of the few to teach me anything. Fishing is not like hunting, or fighting, or even healing. I want to learn something important."
SpiritCougar smiles. "All things are important. It's just a matter of point of view."
SpiritCougar says, "For instance, would you also learn potterymaking from CleverFingers Foxtail?"
'Potterymaking. Ewwww.' "Shhh." 'Sorry.'
Longtail sighs, noting it's always a bad sign when elders smile and then change the subject, "No, of course not. That isn't a skill for a chief."
SpiritCougar. "But pottery is very important to the tribe. The vessels are good for the water we must carry. Surely, by your reasoning, shouldn't you know that too?"
SpiritCougar says, "..an improper container leaks, or attracts bugs, or fungus, and the people starve or perish of thirst. I think -that- is important to a Chief to be aware of."
Longtail hmmfs, "In that example, maybe your 'knowing about' and not actually doing applies."
SpiritCougar nods sagely. "Precisely. Now run along and play."
TwoFeather says, "Longtail wasn't about to be put off -that- easily."
Longtail growls, "I said in that example. Chiefs do hunt, and fight."
SpiritCougar nods. "Yes. But do they do magic, too?"
SpiritCougar answers, "No. That is why I am here."
The young wolf seems very determined, "Wouldn't the tribe be stronger if they had a chief who could do magic also? Pathwalker is learning hunting and healing."
SpiritCougar disagrees. "Pathwalker must learn how to balance himself on the inside; by balancing on the outside he does so." He sighs. "But, you will not be satisfied without an object lesson, will you.."
Snicker. 'Uh oh.' "Shh!" 'Sorry..'
Longtail growls, "I'd prefer a magic lesson."
SpiritCougar nods. "Very well. But if you learn a lesson from this, you will not bother me on the subject for at least another summer."
SpiritCougar says, "You have seen Old White-Eyes Coyote and his mystic fireballs, right?"
The young chief to be nods.
TwoFeather says, "White-Eyes Coyote, sometimes known as Wanderer, was well-versed in juggling fireballs without burning his hands and throwing them with unnerving accuracy, despite the fact that he was blind.", the wolf explains. "
SpiritCougar nods, and pulls down from a shelf in the hut...
...a pottery jar.
Longtail winces, and KNOWS this isn't a coincidence.
SpiritCougar unseals it carefully, and a musky scent tickles Longtail's nostrils.
The impudent wolf is tempted to lean forward and smell the jar, but he has learned enough not to be that gullible. So he waits, impatiently.
SpiritCougar says, "Now, this is legendary mud from the FireHills to the north. It is sacred earth, and used in some of our ceremonial jars."
SpiritCougar says, "It is also said to cause explosions if used properly."
Longtail blinks . o O (If used properly?)
SpiritCougar smiled. "Hold out your hands."
(Smiling again. Not a good sign.), but Longtail holds out his hands.
SpiritCougar explains, "Handled properly by the right hands, this amount would make a fine incense dish. But you are not versed in potterymaking, and do not deem it important. So, we improvise based on your skills."
SpiritCougar says, "Pack those into three spheres, if you could."
Longtail, refusing to be daunted, does his best to do so, and rolls the clay like substance into three somewhat round balls.
The aromatic mud has a strange red tint to it, and actually seems to tingle.
SpiritCougar says, "Good. Now, without putting those three down, take -this- mud and make a fourth."
SpiritCougar holds out another handful of mud.
Longtail peers at it, "THIS mud? Is it different somehow?"
SpiritCougar nods. "It is the same mud, but This one I have blessed using my shamanic powers while you made the other three."
The young wolf ponders the notion that what may be a 'blessing' for SpiritCougar could be far from that to him, but Longtail carefully rolls a fourth ball, doing his best to keep it away from the other three.
SpiritCougar nods. "Now. Pick them all up, and do not let them touch the ground again. Step outside."
Longtail pads quietly outside.
SpiritCougar holds the tent-flap open, and then follows out into the light of the brilliant orange setting sun.
SpiritCougar says, "By the Four Corners Ceremony, you must hurl one of each sphere to each of the compass directions. When you throw to the east, make sure it goes OVER my hut."
SpiritCougar says, "..it is important that you do NOT put any of them down after you throw the first."
"..and the farther you throw, the stronger the magic."
"..and don't forget to call your name to the winds, and say that this is your gift of fire."
"Hsst! Mud doesn't make fire..." 'Shush.' "Sorry."
Longtail ponders this, then carefully cups three of the balls in his left hand securely, then takes the fourth in his hand and tosses it in a high arch to the north, shouting, "I am Longtail, and this is my gift of fire."
-whizzz...- *SPLAT!* "Not far enough or loud enough. And the West should be the last one you throw."
He repeats this, tossing even harder to the east (and well over Spiritcougar's tent) and shouts his name, and that this is his gift of fire as loud as he can. Then he does the same for the south.
When thrown to the south, there's a soft -splash!- sound. Probably hit the river.
Longtail, a bit disappointed so far turns to the west and winds up to throw.
It's hard to see into the setting sun, a great blaze of glory in the wolfcub's eyes..
Longtail shades his eyes with his left paw and then winds up and tosses the last mud ball as hard as he can and shouts at the top of his lungs, "I am Longtail, and this is my gift of fire!"
-whizz...- *SPLAT!* "HEY!"
Eyes and ears keep scanning, as Longtail waits for the magic to happen. He blinks, someone must have gotten in the way of his last throw.
TwoFeather says, "Stoneskipper, the tribe's bully, stormed up the hill from the west, with mud in his eye. "You're dead.", he snarled. I -know- you threw that.""
SpiritCougar whispered in Longtail's ear. "There's your explosion." And ducked back inside the hut.
Stoneskipper grins, fangily. "Gift of fire, eh? More like a gift of mud. And I am going to make you -eat- your gift."
Longtail is about to explain to Stoneskipper when he finally realizes how he was set up. He looks up at Stoneskipper with a sigh . o O (I wonder how you get even with a Shaman? Assuming I'm still here.)
Stoneskipper pauses. "Or, maybe, I'll, uh, leave you alone. I.. er.. am happy to have been part of your experiment."
TwoFeather says, "Stoneskipper turned tail and fled from the obvious power that was Longtail.."
Longtail blinks, "I did not intend to hit you Stoneskipper, and I appreciate your being so understand....ing?"
"-Ahem.-", said an all too familiar voice behind him.
TwoFeather says, "..or rather, Longtail's father, Chief Summer Storms Racing.""
Longtail ruh rohs mentally, then, as calmly as he can, turns around to face his father, the Chief.
"Experiment, hmm?", says the elder wolf. "Magic, hmm?", he says. "You will learn what I say you will, until the day you are Chief."
Longtail nods glumly.
Chief Summer Storms Racing calmly reaches up behind his neck, and brings his hand down... covered in all-too-familiar red mud.
They young wolf seems to get even smaller, and knows someday, in some small way, he'll get SpiritCougar for this.
"Come with me, son. I believe you have another lesson to learn...", he says ominously...
Assuming he's still around, of course. :P
TwoFeather smiles. "Longtail eventually forgot to 'get even' with SpiritCougar, because when he was finally let out of the chief's tent, his father kept better tabs on his activities, and made sure he was kept constantly busy."
TwoFeather says, "And that is why I call this tale..."
TwoFeather says, "....the Cub Who Threw Too Much.""
Snickers. Giggles. "I don't understand." 'Tell us another?'
TwoFeather mms. "Another time. I am old, of course.. and should sleep. I hope you enjoyed.."