Tessa laughed and gave Shanna big hug. "It's been a few moons since you left. It was good you left a note. Alina told us that the vision quests of a Shaman can last for a long time. She said that time moves differently in the spirit world than it does here."
Shanna squeezed her back. "That's true, but this is the first time I have gone on such a quest, and it's quite a shock. In fact, I must get some sleep. If you please, can you tell Alina that we must meet when I awake? I have learned some things that concern the whole tribe."
When the tribe members had completed their morning tasks, they all gathered at the meeting place. Shanna related the message of the Acolyte for Tribe Dahae.
"So you see, we have the following tasks for the good of Tribe Dahae: we must bring someone from Ani's clan to be Shaman after me; we must find a way for Rilee to become a chieftain of the Zamora clan; and we must build an elder village that is hidden from the world, where tribe members retire when they have surrendered their position."
Alina considered her words, then turned to Ani. "Ani, much of this concerns your clan. What do you think about this? Do you think we will be able to accomplish these things?"
"Bringing a clan member here to be shaman should be no trouble. This kind of arrangement is not uncommon among the clans. Zayden has two daughters by my sister. I will send a message to her to see if one of them would be suitable for this. If not, she will certainly know a young woman of the clan who would.
To make Rilee a chieftain is a more difficult thing, but not impossible. When a chieftain dies or abdicates, there is a contest among eligible clan members, male or female. The clan members judge the contest based on what they desire most in a chieftain. My mother was not the strongest or fastest of the competitors in her year, but she was the best at hunting and cooking, and the wisest in judgment, so she was chosen.
I will train Rilee in all of the possible contests, but in the end it depends on a contest being called when Rilee is eligible, and on what traits the clan desires."
"Thank you, Ani. All we can do is try. If the goddess is with us, then the chance will come, and if we have done our part, all will be well."
Alina turned next to Aili.
"Aili, you have taken on the responsibility of building the finances of the tribe. Now we hear that we must build a whole new village. Do you think that we can do this?"
"Of course, mother Creator. We have a long time before any of our tribe members will need this village. It will be modest at first, I'm afraid, but we will make it better over time.
The question is not really whether we can do it, but how. I propose that Tessa and I -- and perhaps this new Shaman apprentice when she arrives -- be the ones to build the village. We cannot use slaves because the location must be secret. The adults have their duties to the tribe, but we have the time to find a suitable location and build the village for you. Let this be our test, that we are worthy of Tribe Dahae and our positions within it."
Alina was impressed. "Very well. That is far beyond what is required of you and your younger tribe mates, but if you succeed you will have proven yourselves more than worthy to carry on Tribe Dahae to the next generation. Let us call this meeting to a close, so that we may get started on our duties."
Since she had to speak to her mother about bringing a shaman apprentice from Zamora Clan, Ani decided to go and visit in person. She had seen her mother at Aili's birthday celebration, but she had not seen her sister since she left the clans, and her nieces and nephew were now teenagers.
The lands between Dahae and Zamora were peaceful, with little in the way of people, except for the occasional hunter or herdsman. Ani enjoyed a quiet journey, taking her time to admire the beauty of the area in which they lived.
When Ani arrived at Zamora, she was quickly surrounded by her whole family, but Chieftain Isa was swift to drag her daughter away to a quiet area near the fishing pond. "Daughter, how I have missed you. What brings you here today?"
"I come on a mission from Tribe Dahae. I must speak with both you and Mondi about this, but first, I would love to hear how you and father and everyone else is doing."
The two caught up in the breezy shade of an old tree, as Ani learned all of the latest business of the clan.
"... And then he said, "Well, I suppose she's worth three goats, if you include two sheep in the deal."
Ani's sister Mondi came to join them at that moment. "Mother, are you telling that story about Gambu and his bride negotiations, again? Really, I think Deyi got off lucky there. Who would want to be married to that old crank? I heard old Bela's nephew offered three goats and two sheep for Deyi, just to show Gambu up."
"Greetings, sister! I see life in the clans is as lively as ever." Ani embraced her sister.
"But surely you didn't come all this way just to hear this old gossip."
"Not today, sister. Today I come as a messenger from Tribe Dahae. The goddess has gifted our shaman with guidance about the future of the tribe, and one of the tasks she has laid us was to welcome an apprentice shaman from this clan."
Mondi and Isa looked at each other and nodded in silent agreement.
"This is good news, daughter. Mondi's child Haylee has not yet found her calling here. I believe she has the sensitivity of soul to make a great shaman. I had been hoping she would take to singing or music, for she is a beautiful girl and would make some clan a fine performer, but she has not the talent, nor any passion for music."
Mondi nodded enthusiastically. "I believe Haylee would be at home among the Amazons, and with a good teacher like your ... woman ..." Mondi glanced nervously at Isa, who acted as if she heard nothing. "Well, a good teacher like her is just what Haylee needs right now. I will speak with her now, and she can return with you when you go back."
While Mondi went to speak with Haylee and Isa went to get supper started, Zayden called Ani over. Ani gave him all the news of Tribe Dahae and explained her mission in Zamora lands. Zayden's face went a little red.
"Listen, Ani. I'm afraid you're going to have your hands full with Haylee. I'm sure your mother and sister didn't mention it, but she's a bit of a troublemaker. Her sister Marlee has always taken to clan life so naturally. She's athletic and she loves to hunt. Poor Haylee has always lived a bit in her shadow and now that she's a teen, she's decided that if she isn't noticed for being good at things, like Marlee is, she will be noticed for being bad.
I'm afraid she's going to need some real tough love and some close watching. She's my girl, so I know she can grow up into a good woman, but she's going to fight that result every step of the way."
At that point, Zayden was called away to help with supper and Ani was left to ponder his words. Haylee was still pretty young. She couldn't be as bad as all that, right?
Ani decided to get to know both sisters a little bit, to see what they were like for herself.
It didn't take long for Ani to see that Marlee probably was as Zayden described. She was tomboyish and fit and immediately dragged Ani off to play a game. She chattered excitedly about how she had been chosen to go out hunting with White Benno, the great hunter of the clans. She would learn how to snare the slipperiest creatures and face down the most fearsome. Ani tried to imagine being a young woman of no particular talent who was twinned to this one. It would be difficult indeed.
Ani found Haylee at the fire, poking a stick around in the flames. "Hello, Haylee. Has your mother talked to you about coming with me to Tribe Dahae?"
Haylee didn't look up from the fire. She shrugged. "Yes, we talked," she finally said.
"We're looking forward to having you with us."
Another shrug.
"Well, it must be really overwhelming for you right now, so I won't bother you. Make sure you get a good night's sleep, for we must walk for many hours tomorrow."
When they arrived back at the village, Haylee was immediately surrounded by her new tribe members, who all wanted to introduce themselves at once. As everyone greeted her, she just stared around in awe. The Dahae village was very different from the Zamora camp.
Finally, Shanna stepped forward. "Come," she said to Haylee. "Let me show you the shaman's temple and meditation area. This is where I spend much of my time and where I will teach you."
The two of them retired to the temple. "A shaman must often be alone. The work we do requires solitude much of the time." The building had an aura of peace and calm. Sweet and spicy scented herbs grew in pots around the room and a softly flickering wall of candles glowed behind a bust of the goddess.
"When you become the shaman, you may remake this place to suit yourself and your own spiritual needs. A shaman's space is individual to her and reflective of her soul."
"Look," Haylee finally spoke. "I am no shaman. I'm not sure why my mother chose me for this. I have never been spiritual. I get in trouble at the rituals because I can't pay attention or I get bored and make trouble. Actually ..." her face crumpled a little. "I know exactly why she chose me for this. She wanted to be rid of me."
Shanna softened. "My dear, don't you know what a shaman is?"
Haylee looked at her, startled. "A shaman is a holy person," she replied.
"That's what a shaman becomes, eventually. But every shaman starts out as someone who doesn't fit in where they are. To become a shaman, you must reject everything that's in your past and the ties that bind normal people to the world, and you must accept that you are different. That difference will hold you apart from others, but it will also bring you closer to the goddess. And you will find, as you grow, that the good people in the world will accept you for who you are, not who they wish you would be. Now come, let's look at the meditation area."
Haylee was stunned by this speech, then thoughtful. If anyone had seen her, they would have seen a small moment of pure hope on her face, before it was replaced by a pronounced eye roll and a scowl.
Shanna introduced her to the meditation area but she only got about halfway through her speech before Haylee interrupted.
"I know you said a shaman is just different and all that, but all this stuff you're talking about now, I don't think I can do it. All of what you are describing sounds like the opposite of me."
"While there are some whose natural gifts make them a good shaman, there are far more who had to fight for every bit of skill, talent and knowledge with lots of hard work, studying and practice. Anyone can become a shaman, if they work hard enough, they may not have all of the skills of the naturally gifted, but they can learn all they need to know."
Haylee looked skeptical.
"You will never know until you try. Perhaps you won't succeed, but you will not know unless you try."
After that, it seemed as if Haylee began to settle in. She had a nice time eating dinner with the other girls and was given Aleah's old bed.
But in the morning, when Shanna came to wake her for training, she was gone.
That's what you get when you add random tribe members. Haylee's aspiration is Chief of Mischief and her traits are creative and snob. I thought it was pretty realistic that her family might want to send her off to Auntie's tribe, hee hee!
When Haylee turned up missing, the tribe went into a panic. Everyone rushed around, calling for Haylee and looking in every corner of the village, but at last they had to admit that she was no longer there.
Alina found herself at the ruined temple, standing in front of the statue. The temple was left over from the Aurinthians, who had ruled the land in times past, until the tribes and clans had banded together to push them back north. Alina didn't know who the statue was to the Aurinthians, but to her it was the Goddess.
"Please," she said to the statue, "It was your counsel that brought the Zamora girl to us and she has gone already. If she is meant to be with us, please lend us your aid, lady. We have no idea where she's gone and there are people out there who don't follow the rules of the tribe. There are wild beasts."
Alina felt herself beginning to panic. What would she tell Zayden? But then a shaft of light pierced through the trees and suddenly felt a calm fall over her. If this was meant to be, then they would find Haylee. They would.
When the tribe gathered again, empty-handed, Aili approached her mother.
"Mother-Creator, please let Tessa and I go look for Haylee."
"Aili, no. Ahmad and I will go."
"Please, mother. We are already tasked with finding a location for the elder village. We can do both at the same time. And I think we are the best ones to find her. We are the same age, we can think like her."
Alina sighed. "Very well. But please, stick to the main paths. Do not go deep into the forest."
"As you wish, mother."
Alina was about 80% sure Aili would not stick to the main paths, but she had to let her go sometime. She remembered her mother telling her of the ways of older tribes, where girls were sent out into the forest alone when they had only ten years. They must bring back a deer or bigger animal or they were cast from the tribe.
Alina didn't want to go back to those days, but she knew they weren't the tribes that had pushed out the Aurinthians anymore. If they didn't stay strong, they were open to threats from outside. If Aili and Tessa and Haylee couldn't survive the wilds around Dahae, they could not survive an attack on the tribe.
For the girls, it was an adventure. Aili brought the tribe's old atlas and made notes in it, so she could make updated maps when they returned.
They found campsites set up for travelers, where they grilled fruit they picked, and as they ate, Aili mused.
"I wonder how many travelers come through here?" Her mind was working, wondering if there was any way to take advantage of that. But that was a thought for another day, and quickly interrupted.
"We can't just wander aimlessly," Tessa said. "We need to get some direction. How do we know where she went? We don't even know her."
"Well," said Aili, "Where would you go, if you ran away?"
Tessa didn't hesitate. "I would go north, where my mom went. But she wouldn't have done that ... wait. Aili, I've got it. Shanna said that Haylee thought her clan had gotten rid of her. So she wouldn't go back to them, and I bet, knowing nowhere else to go, she went the opposite direction."
Aili's eyes lit up. "That actually makes a lot of sense. Let's try it." She consulted her atlas and they started off in the opposite direction from Zamora. It took them off the main paths, but there were still paths, so they decided that was okay.
As they walked, everything grew hushed. Aili looked around. "It's actually kind of nice here."
"Yeah," said Tessa. "It's really peaceful."
They came upon a man standing in the path. The two girls looked at each other. Outside of the tribes, a man on his own was an unknown quantity. But he saw their hesitation.
"Amazons, have no fear of me. I am a free man, a hunter. I am of no tribe and live simply in these woods."
Tessa stepped forward, her fear dropping away. "Tell me, sl ... hunter, whose lands are these?"
"No one's lands, Amazon. They once belonged to the Aurinthians, but now all that remains are the crumbling walls of their old fort. These lands are now home to those of us who seek to make our own way and live our own lives."
"Are their villages here?"
"Some small ones."
"Thank you, you've been very helpful. One last thing. Have you seen a girl about our age, traveling alone?"
"Yes, a girl did come this way. I stayed out of sight so I wouldn't alarm her. She went that way." He pointed down a small, almost hidden path through the trees.
"Thank you sir, she's a cousin of ours. We will pray to the goddess for a good hunt, for you've been very helpful."
The girls walked in the direction the hunter had indicated, going deeper into the trees, when Tessa suddenly gasped.
"What is it?" asked Aili.
"Do you see that glow up there? What do think it is?"
Ahead of them, there was a green glow, like nothing they'd ever seen before. "It's not a fire. I think ... we should check it out. If this is the way Haylee came, she may need our help."
"Here," said Tessa. "I think we need to climb up this way to get to where the glow is coming from."
The girls scrambled up a steep embankment and saw before them a tree, glowing brightly in the night.
"I know this," said Aili. "Mother said she wanted no other child after me until the slave Mika found a tree glowing brightly in the night and brought her a shining fruit from that tree."
"Do you think," said Tessa, "That these trees are a sign from the goddess? Perhaps they are meant to guide us."
It was just then that Haylee stepped out from behind the tree.
"Fine, you've got me." she said. "I'm too tired to run away from you."
Tessa pulled her aside. "Listen," she said. "I know how it feels to be the outsider. My mother brought trouble on my tribe, do you think I don't feel that every day? But the lesson I learned from her and from the tribe, who never blamed her or me, was that Tribe Dahae stands by all tribe members, no matter what."
"But that's the thing," said Haylee. "I don't think I'll be a good tribe member. I just ... I try, but sometimes, it's like there's a demon possessing me and I just can't help doing bad things."
"None of us are good tribe members all the time. We all try our best, and that's why the tribe exists. On our bad days, everyone is there to pick up the slack."
"It's fine, you don't need to convince me. I'm coming back. Something ... something happened out here. I don't know how to explain it. And I just know ... I know now that I'm supposed to be with you guys. I'm just afraid that you'll find out you don't want me."
"Don't worry about that. We'll make it work. If you try your best, so will we, and we'll all make it work."
When they returned, Haylee came before Alina, head bowed and tears slipping down her cheeks.
"I apologize, Creator. It was wrong of me to run. I will accept my punishment."
Alina looked at her for a long time. Then she sighed. "Your punishment is that you are stuck with us. Do not think this means there are no punishments in this tribe. It only means that I have decided you are better off simply starting your life with us. You are in a strange place, with people who are all new to you, and you have a lot to learn. I'd much rather have you focus on that than start off with a punishment."
"Yes, Creator. Thank you."
"Go with Shanna tomorrow. She will begin to teach you. Becoming a shaman requires a lot of discipline. You will have to work hard. I suggest you get a lot of rest."
Yikes, it's been a while. My birthday came up and my husband and I went on a little getaway. It's taken me a while to get back into the swing of things now that we're back, but I'm ready to get back into this story, so ... here we go!
Becoming
While Ani was tutoring Rilee one day, she suddenly become quite serious. "Rilee," she said, "your birthday is coming up soon. Normally, you would take on the duties of a slave until your young adult birthday, but you have another choice."
"I do?"
"Yes, but it will be just as hard work as serving your tribe as a slave. In fact, it might be even harder. But if you work hard, and if you succeed, you could be the leader of your very own clan. What do you think about that?"
Rilee's eyes shone with excitement. "But I'm a boy. Could I really be a Creator?"
"No. You cannot stay with the Amazons in adulthood and live. But you may go to the clans, where I came from. There, men and women live together equally, and each does the job where they are most skilled. As long as you are judged a good man, who will not bring trouble to the clans, you will go there when you become a man. And even outsider may become a chieftain, if you can pass the tests."
"What do I have to do to pass the tests?"
"That is the thing. The tribe who seeks the chieftain chooses, based on what they need most. My mother was not the strongest or fastest of the competitors for my clan, but she was the wisest in judgment. Clan Zamora had many feuds and she was chosen to resolve the disputes and unify the clan, which she did."
"So ... what do I do then?"
"We must make sure you have many skills. I will train you in everything I can, and if you work hard, and if you are lucky, this will be enough. Will you do it?"
"Yes!"
"Good, we will start after your birthday."
That day came soon enough. Ahmad worked hard on Rilee's cake. He was so proud of the the way Rilee was growing up. Sure, he was a mischievous kid, who liked to goof around and play pranks, but he always did his work, and obeyed when it was important.
When the change came, Rilee became self-conscious. His only coping mechanism was to work hard, so after the celebration, he went to the fire to roast some meat for supper.
Haylee smirked at him. "Really? It's your birthday ... why don't you relax a little? You're a slave, this is the one time you could get away with not working."
Rilee blushed. He found that he was suddenly nervous around girls, though he didn't really know why.
"That's okay. I don't really have anything else I want to do right now. Cooking meat is relaxing to me."
Haylee snorted. "Each to their own, I guess. You seemed like you might be fun when you were a kid but you've grown into a real wet blanket."
"A .. what?"
Haylee sighed. "Never mind. It's just something we say in the clans. I'm bored now, see you later." And with that, she stomped off, leaving Rilee dazed and confused at the fire.
Embarrassed, Rilee left the main tribal area and escaped back to the ruins area to be alone. He wasn't comfortable in his bigger body yet, but he hoped that Ani's training would help him.
When he got to the ruins, he stopped short. Sitting on a bench, lit only by the warm glow from the shaman hut, was Tessa. Rilee and Tessa had been friends when they were younger, but since she had grown, they hadn't spent much time together. Looking at her now, in the moonlight, it was as if the earth had dropped away from underneath him. She looked like a young goddess, watching over her temple.
Feeling his presence, Tessa turned around. "Happy birthday, Rilee! Are you having a good one?"
"Umm ... yes. Really good. Now that I'm older, I can begin to train with Ani to become a clan chieftain."
Hesitantly, he moved to sit next to her on the bench.
"That's so exciting! I know you'll do well." Suddenly she looked at him more closely. "Wow, you've really grown, haven't you?"
Rilee blushed even more deeply, if that was even possible.
"Sorry," she laughed. "I'm just so used to seeing you as a boy."
"Tessa, when you grew up, how did you know how to be ... well ... how to be older?"
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know ... it's just ... when you had your birthday, you came out looking so confident and pretty, like it was the most natural thing in the world. But I feel like ... I don't know how to act. I feel bigger, but aside from that, I don't really feel different than I did yesterday. Well, mostly anyway."
Now Tessa blushed a little. "Well, everyone feels that way. The trick is to explore the things that do feel different. Even though they seem like little things, those things are the beginnings of becoming an adult."
"How did you get to be so smart about this stuff?"
"I don't know, really. I think all the stuff that happened with my mom, it changed me. All of it really took me by surprise, and I didn't want to be surprised like that again. So I started paying attention to people, really paying attention, to notice what's going on beneath the surface. You learn a lot that way."
The two of them stood. It was getting late, and both had work to do the next day.
"Tessa," said Rilee, stopping her for a moment. "Do you think we can be good friends again? Like when we were little?"
"If you promise me something."
"Sure, anything."
"Wait until you know what it is. Rilee, I haven't forgotten about my mother. I'm going to get her someday. I've been studying it, and I think I know where she is. If you want to be my friend, promise you'll help me."
"I promise. I'll help you, no matter what." Rilee didn't know Tessa's mom, but he knew he would do anything for her. Even if it meant they had to run away. Even if it meant he was judged unfit to go to the clans, he would help her.
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Tessa laughed and gave Shanna big hug. "It's been a few moons since you left. It was good you left a note. Alina told us that the vision quests of a Shaman can last for a long time. She said that time moves differently in the spirit world than it does here."
Shanna squeezed her back. "That's true, but this is the first time I have gone on such a quest, and it's quite a shock. In fact, I must get some sleep. If you please, can you tell Alina that we must meet when I awake? I have learned some things that concern the whole tribe."
When the tribe members had completed their morning tasks, they all gathered at the meeting place. Shanna related the message of the Acolyte for Tribe Dahae.
"So you see, we have the following tasks for the good of Tribe Dahae: we must bring someone from Ani's clan to be Shaman after me; we must find a way for Rilee to become a chieftain of the Zamora clan; and we must build an elder village that is hidden from the world, where tribe members retire when they have surrendered their position."
Alina considered her words, then turned to Ani. "Ani, much of this concerns your clan. What do you think about this? Do you think we will be able to accomplish these things?"
"Bringing a clan member here to be shaman should be no trouble. This kind of arrangement is not uncommon among the clans. Zayden has two daughters by my sister. I will send a message to her to see if one of them would be suitable for this. If not, she will certainly know a young woman of the clan who would.
To make Rilee a chieftain is a more difficult thing, but not impossible. When a chieftain dies or abdicates, there is a contest among eligible clan members, male or female. The clan members judge the contest based on what they desire most in a chieftain. My mother was not the strongest or fastest of the competitors in her year, but she was the best at hunting and cooking, and the wisest in judgment, so she was chosen.
I will train Rilee in all of the possible contests, but in the end it depends on a contest being called when Rilee is eligible, and on what traits the clan desires."
"Thank you, Ani. All we can do is try. If the goddess is with us, then the chance will come, and if we have done our part, all will be well."
Alina turned next to Aili.
"Aili, you have taken on the responsibility of building the finances of the tribe. Now we hear that we must build a whole new village. Do you think that we can do this?"
"Of course, mother Creator. We have a long time before any of our tribe members will need this village. It will be modest at first, I'm afraid, but we will make it better over time.
The question is not really whether we can do it, but how. I propose that Tessa and I -- and perhaps this new Shaman apprentice when she arrives -- be the ones to build the village. We cannot use slaves because the location must be secret. The adults have their duties to the tribe, but we have the time to find a suitable location and build the village for you. Let this be our test, that we are worthy of Tribe Dahae and our positions within it."
Alina was impressed. "Very well. That is far beyond what is required of you and your younger tribe mates, but if you succeed you will have proven yourselves more than worthy to carry on Tribe Dahae to the next generation. Let us call this meeting to a close, so that we may get started on our duties."
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Since she had to speak to her mother about bringing a shaman apprentice from Zamora Clan, Ani decided to go and visit in person. She had seen her mother at Aili's birthday celebration, but she had not seen her sister since she left the clans, and her nieces and nephew were now teenagers.
The lands between Dahae and Zamora were peaceful, with little in the way of people, except for the occasional hunter or herdsman. Ani enjoyed a quiet journey, taking her time to admire the beauty of the area in which they lived.
When Ani arrived at Zamora, she was quickly surrounded by her whole family, but Chieftain Isa was swift to drag her daughter away to a quiet area near the fishing pond. "Daughter, how I have missed you. What brings you here today?"
"I come on a mission from Tribe Dahae. I must speak with both you and Mondi about this, but first, I would love to hear how you and father and everyone else is doing."
The two caught up in the breezy shade of an old tree, as Ani learned all of the latest business of the clan.
"... And then he said, "Well, I suppose she's worth three goats, if you include two sheep in the deal."
Ani's sister Mondi came to join them at that moment. "Mother, are you telling that story about Gambu and his bride negotiations, again? Really, I think Deyi got off lucky there. Who would want to be married to that old crank? I heard old Bela's nephew offered three goats and two sheep for Deyi, just to show Gambu up."
"Greetings, sister! I see life in the clans is as lively as ever." Ani embraced her sister.
"But surely you didn't come all this way just to hear this old gossip."
"Not today, sister. Today I come as a messenger from Tribe Dahae. The goddess has gifted our shaman with guidance about the future of the tribe, and one of the tasks she has laid us was to welcome an apprentice shaman from this clan."
Mondi and Isa looked at each other and nodded in silent agreement.
"This is good news, daughter. Mondi's child Haylee has not yet found her calling here. I believe she has the sensitivity of soul to make a great shaman. I had been hoping she would take to singing or music, for she is a beautiful girl and would make some clan a fine performer, but she has not the talent, nor any passion for music."
Mondi nodded enthusiastically. "I believe Haylee would be at home among the Amazons, and with a good teacher like your ... woman ..." Mondi glanced nervously at Isa, who acted as if she heard nothing. "Well, a good teacher like her is just what Haylee needs right now. I will speak with her now, and she can return with you when you go back."
While Mondi went to speak with Haylee and Isa went to get supper started, Zayden called Ani over. Ani gave him all the news of Tribe Dahae and explained her mission in Zamora lands. Zayden's face went a little red.
"Listen, Ani. I'm afraid you're going to have your hands full with Haylee. I'm sure your mother and sister didn't mention it, but she's a bit of a troublemaker. Her sister Marlee has always taken to clan life so naturally. She's athletic and she loves to hunt. Poor Haylee has always lived a bit in her shadow and now that she's a teen, she's decided that if she isn't noticed for being good at things, like Marlee is, she will be noticed for being bad.
I'm afraid she's going to need some real tough love and some close watching. She's my girl, so I know she can grow up into a good woman, but she's going to fight that result every step of the way."
At that point, Zayden was called away to help with supper and Ani was left to ponder his words. Haylee was still pretty young. She couldn't be as bad as all that, right?
Ani decided to get to know both sisters a little bit, to see what they were like for herself.
It didn't take long for Ani to see that Marlee probably was as Zayden described. She was tomboyish and fit and immediately dragged Ani off to play a game. She chattered excitedly about how she had been chosen to go out hunting with White Benno, the great hunter of the clans. She would learn how to snare the slipperiest creatures and face down the most fearsome. Ani tried to imagine being a young woman of no particular talent who was twinned to this one. It would be difficult indeed.
Ani found Haylee at the fire, poking a stick around in the flames. "Hello, Haylee. Has your mother talked to you about coming with me to Tribe Dahae?"
Haylee didn't look up from the fire. She shrugged. "Yes, we talked," she finally said.
"We're looking forward to having you with us."
Another shrug.
"Well, it must be really overwhelming for you right now, so I won't bother you. Make sure you get a good night's sleep, for we must walk for many hours tomorrow."
When they arrived back at the village, Haylee was immediately surrounded by her new tribe members, who all wanted to introduce themselves at once. As everyone greeted her, she just stared around in awe. The Dahae village was very different from the Zamora camp.
Finally, Shanna stepped forward. "Come," she said to Haylee. "Let me show you the shaman's temple and meditation area. This is where I spend much of my time and where I will teach you."
The two of them retired to the temple. "A shaman must often be alone. The work we do requires solitude much of the time." The building had an aura of peace and calm. Sweet and spicy scented herbs grew in pots around the room and a softly flickering wall of candles glowed behind a bust of the goddess.
"When you become the shaman, you may remake this place to suit yourself and your own spiritual needs. A shaman's space is individual to her and reflective of her soul."
"Look," Haylee finally spoke. "I am no shaman. I'm not sure why my mother chose me for this. I have never been spiritual. I get in trouble at the rituals because I can't pay attention or I get bored and make trouble. Actually ..." her face crumpled a little. "I know exactly why she chose me for this. She wanted to be rid of me."
Shanna softened. "My dear, don't you know what a shaman is?"
Haylee looked at her, startled. "A shaman is a holy person," she replied.
"That's what a shaman becomes, eventually. But every shaman starts out as someone who doesn't fit in where they are. To become a shaman, you must reject everything that's in your past and the ties that bind normal people to the world, and you must accept that you are different. That difference will hold you apart from others, but it will also bring you closer to the goddess. And you will find, as you grow, that the good people in the world will accept you for who you are, not who they wish you would be. Now come, let's look at the meditation area."
Haylee was stunned by this speech, then thoughtful. If anyone had seen her, they would have seen a small moment of pure hope on her face, before it was replaced by a pronounced eye roll and a scowl.
Shanna introduced her to the meditation area but she only got about halfway through her speech before Haylee interrupted.
"I know you said a shaman is just different and all that, but all this stuff you're talking about now, I don't think I can do it. All of what you are describing sounds like the opposite of me."
"While there are some whose natural gifts make them a good shaman, there are far more who had to fight for every bit of skill, talent and knowledge with lots of hard work, studying and practice. Anyone can become a shaman, if they work hard enough, they may not have all of the skills of the naturally gifted, but they can learn all they need to know."
Haylee looked skeptical.
"You will never know until you try. Perhaps you won't succeed, but you will not know unless you try."
After that, it seemed as if Haylee began to settle in. She had a nice time eating dinner with the other girls and was given Aleah's old bed.
But in the morning, when Shanna came to wake her for training, she was gone.
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But the Goddess has her reasons ....
When Haylee turned up missing, the tribe went into a panic. Everyone rushed around, calling for Haylee and looking in every corner of the village, but at last they had to admit that she was no longer there.
Alina found herself at the ruined temple, standing in front of the statue. The temple was left over from the Aurinthians, who had ruled the land in times past, until the tribes and clans had banded together to push them back north. Alina didn't know who the statue was to the Aurinthians, but to her it was the Goddess.
"Please," she said to the statue, "It was your counsel that brought the Zamora girl to us and she has gone already. If she is meant to be with us, please lend us your aid, lady. We have no idea where she's gone and there are people out there who don't follow the rules of the tribe. There are wild beasts."
Alina felt herself beginning to panic. What would she tell Zayden? But then a shaft of light pierced through the trees and suddenly felt a calm fall over her. If this was meant to be, then they would find Haylee. They would.
When the tribe gathered again, empty-handed, Aili approached her mother.
"Mother-Creator, please let Tessa and I go look for Haylee."
"Aili, no. Ahmad and I will go."
"Please, mother. We are already tasked with finding a location for the elder village. We can do both at the same time. And I think we are the best ones to find her. We are the same age, we can think like her."
Alina sighed. "Very well. But please, stick to the main paths. Do not go deep into the forest."
"As you wish, mother."
Alina was about 80% sure Aili would not stick to the main paths, but she had to let her go sometime. She remembered her mother telling her of the ways of older tribes, where girls were sent out into the forest alone when they had only ten years. They must bring back a deer or bigger animal or they were cast from the tribe.
Alina didn't want to go back to those days, but she knew they weren't the tribes that had pushed out the Aurinthians anymore. If they didn't stay strong, they were open to threats from outside. If Aili and Tessa and Haylee couldn't survive the wilds around Dahae, they could not survive an attack on the tribe.
For the girls, it was an adventure. Aili brought the tribe's old atlas and made notes in it, so she could make updated maps when they returned.
They found campsites set up for travelers, where they grilled fruit they picked, and as they ate, Aili mused.
"I wonder how many travelers come through here?" Her mind was working, wondering if there was any way to take advantage of that. But that was a thought for another day, and quickly interrupted.
"We can't just wander aimlessly," Tessa said. "We need to get some direction. How do we know where she went? We don't even know her."
"Well," said Aili, "Where would you go, if you ran away?"
Tessa didn't hesitate. "I would go north, where my mom went. But she wouldn't have done that ... wait. Aili, I've got it. Shanna said that Haylee thought her clan had gotten rid of her. So she wouldn't go back to them, and I bet, knowing nowhere else to go, she went the opposite direction."
Aili's eyes lit up. "That actually makes a lot of sense. Let's try it." She consulted her atlas and they started off in the opposite direction from Zamora. It took them off the main paths, but there were still paths, so they decided that was okay.
As they walked, everything grew hushed. Aili looked around. "It's actually kind of nice here."
"Yeah," said Tessa. "It's really peaceful."
They came upon a man standing in the path. The two girls looked at each other. Outside of the tribes, a man on his own was an unknown quantity. But he saw their hesitation.
"Amazons, have no fear of me. I am a free man, a hunter. I am of no tribe and live simply in these woods."
Tessa stepped forward, her fear dropping away. "Tell me, sl ... hunter, whose lands are these?"
"No one's lands, Amazon. They once belonged to the Aurinthians, but now all that remains are the crumbling walls of their old fort. These lands are now home to those of us who seek to make our own way and live our own lives."
"Are their villages here?"
"Some small ones."
"Thank you, you've been very helpful. One last thing. Have you seen a girl about our age, traveling alone?"
"Yes, a girl did come this way. I stayed out of sight so I wouldn't alarm her. She went that way." He pointed down a small, almost hidden path through the trees.
"Thank you sir, she's a cousin of ours. We will pray to the goddess for a good hunt, for you've been very helpful."
The girls walked in the direction the hunter had indicated, going deeper into the trees, when Tessa suddenly gasped.
"What is it?" asked Aili.
"Do you see that glow up there? What do think it is?"
Ahead of them, there was a green glow, like nothing they'd ever seen before. "It's not a fire. I think ... we should check it out. If this is the way Haylee came, she may need our help."
"Here," said Tessa. "I think we need to climb up this way to get to where the glow is coming from."
The girls scrambled up a steep embankment and saw before them a tree, glowing brightly in the night.
"I know this," said Aili. "Mother said she wanted no other child after me until the slave Mika found a tree glowing brightly in the night and brought her a shining fruit from that tree."
"Do you think," said Tessa, "That these trees are a sign from the goddess? Perhaps they are meant to guide us."
It was just then that Haylee stepped out from behind the tree.
"Fine, you've got me." she said. "I'm too tired to run away from you."
Tessa pulled her aside. "Listen," she said. "I know how it feels to be the outsider. My mother brought trouble on my tribe, do you think I don't feel that every day? But the lesson I learned from her and from the tribe, who never blamed her or me, was that Tribe Dahae stands by all tribe members, no matter what."
"But that's the thing," said Haylee. "I don't think I'll be a good tribe member. I just ... I try, but sometimes, it's like there's a demon possessing me and I just can't help doing bad things."
"None of us are good tribe members all the time. We all try our best, and that's why the tribe exists. On our bad days, everyone is there to pick up the slack."
"It's fine, you don't need to convince me. I'm coming back. Something ... something happened out here. I don't know how to explain it. And I just know ... I know now that I'm supposed to be with you guys. I'm just afraid that you'll find out you don't want me."
"Don't worry about that. We'll make it work. If you try your best, so will we, and we'll all make it work."
When they returned, Haylee came before Alina, head bowed and tears slipping down her cheeks.
"I apologize, Creator. It was wrong of me to run. I will accept my punishment."
Alina looked at her for a long time. Then she sighed. "Your punishment is that you are stuck with us. Do not think this means there are no punishments in this tribe. It only means that I have decided you are better off simply starting your life with us. You are in a strange place, with people who are all new to you, and you have a lot to learn. I'd much rather have you focus on that than start off with a punishment."
"Yes, Creator. Thank you."
"Go with Shanna tomorrow. She will begin to teach you. Becoming a shaman requires a lot of discipline. You will have to work hard. I suggest you get a lot of rest."
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Becoming
While Ani was tutoring Rilee one day, she suddenly become quite serious. "Rilee," she said, "your birthday is coming up soon. Normally, you would take on the duties of a slave until your young adult birthday, but you have another choice."
"I do?"
"Yes, but it will be just as hard work as serving your tribe as a slave. In fact, it might be even harder. But if you work hard, and if you succeed, you could be the leader of your very own clan. What do you think about that?"
Rilee's eyes shone with excitement. "But I'm a boy. Could I really be a Creator?"
"No. You cannot stay with the Amazons in adulthood and live. But you may go to the clans, where I came from. There, men and women live together equally, and each does the job where they are most skilled. As long as you are judged a good man, who will not bring trouble to the clans, you will go there when you become a man. And even outsider may become a chieftain, if you can pass the tests."
"What do I have to do to pass the tests?"
"That is the thing. The tribe who seeks the chieftain chooses, based on what they need most. My mother was not the strongest or fastest of the competitors for my clan, but she was the wisest in judgment. Clan Zamora had many feuds and she was chosen to resolve the disputes and unify the clan, which she did."
"So ... what do I do then?"
"We must make sure you have many skills. I will train you in everything I can, and if you work hard, and if you are lucky, this will be enough. Will you do it?"
"Yes!"
"Good, we will start after your birthday."
That day came soon enough. Ahmad worked hard on Rilee's cake. He was so proud of the the way Rilee was growing up. Sure, he was a mischievous kid, who liked to goof around and play pranks, but he always did his work, and obeyed when it was important.
When the change came, Rilee became self-conscious. His only coping mechanism was to work hard, so after the celebration, he went to the fire to roast some meat for supper.
Haylee smirked at him. "Really? It's your birthday ... why don't you relax a little? You're a slave, this is the one time you could get away with not working."
Rilee blushed. He found that he was suddenly nervous around girls, though he didn't really know why.
"That's okay. I don't really have anything else I want to do right now. Cooking meat is relaxing to me."
Haylee snorted. "Each to their own, I guess. You seemed like you might be fun when you were a kid but you've grown into a real wet blanket."
"A .. what?"
Haylee sighed. "Never mind. It's just something we say in the clans. I'm bored now, see you later." And with that, she stomped off, leaving Rilee dazed and confused at the fire.
Embarrassed, Rilee left the main tribal area and escaped back to the ruins area to be alone. He wasn't comfortable in his bigger body yet, but he hoped that Ani's training would help him.
When he got to the ruins, he stopped short. Sitting on a bench, lit only by the warm glow from the shaman hut, was Tessa. Rilee and Tessa had been friends when they were younger, but since she had grown, they hadn't spent much time together. Looking at her now, in the moonlight, it was as if the earth had dropped away from underneath him. She looked like a young goddess, watching over her temple.
Feeling his presence, Tessa turned around. "Happy birthday, Rilee! Are you having a good one?"
"Umm ... yes. Really good. Now that I'm older, I can begin to train with Ani to become a clan chieftain."
Hesitantly, he moved to sit next to her on the bench.
"That's so exciting! I know you'll do well." Suddenly she looked at him more closely. "Wow, you've really grown, haven't you?"
Rilee blushed even more deeply, if that was even possible.
"Sorry," she laughed. "I'm just so used to seeing you as a boy."
"Tessa, when you grew up, how did you know how to be ... well ... how to be older?"
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know ... it's just ... when you had your birthday, you came out looking so confident and pretty, like it was the most natural thing in the world. But I feel like ... I don't know how to act. I feel bigger, but aside from that, I don't really feel different than I did yesterday. Well, mostly anyway."
Now Tessa blushed a little. "Well, everyone feels that way. The trick is to explore the things that do feel different. Even though they seem like little things, those things are the beginnings of becoming an adult."
"How did you get to be so smart about this stuff?"
"I don't know, really. I think all the stuff that happened with my mom, it changed me. All of it really took me by surprise, and I didn't want to be surprised like that again. So I started paying attention to people, really paying attention, to notice what's going on beneath the surface. You learn a lot that way."
The two of them stood. It was getting late, and both had work to do the next day.
"Tessa," said Rilee, stopping her for a moment. "Do you think we can be good friends again? Like when we were little?"
"If you promise me something."
"Sure, anything."
"Wait until you know what it is. Rilee, I haven't forgotten about my mother. I'm going to get her someday. I've been studying it, and I think I know where she is. If you want to be my friend, promise you'll help me."
"I promise. I'll help you, no matter what." Rilee didn't know Tessa's mom, but he knew he would do anything for her. Even if it meant they had to run away. Even if it meant he was judged unfit to go to the clans, he would help her.
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After Kasanovas come Blaubers|The strange body|Nexir, forgotten King|Signature by @Marialein