Little Feather paced himself away from the
clearing where his tribe, the Wampanoag, rested. Leaves crunched
loudly under his moccasins but for the most part the leaves on
the trees needed a half of a season before they to would fall
along with the others. At the moment though, that was not what
was running through the young, tall boy's mind. He was more interested
in the deer tracts lying fresh at his feet.
Suddenly he became quiet and pulled off his
bow. Just as the arrow was about to slip out of the quiver and
onto the curved sapling secured with a string he fashioned himself
to serve for hunting the deer that had been drinking quietly at
the river, tuned it's head toward Little Feather and slipped away
into the woods. In disgust he sprinted back to his family's long
house.
"Mother" he called in hope for advice,
"Why couldn't I catch anything through hunting.
"It takes time to learn to hunt. Such
skills don't slip through your dream catcher" se answered
though calm in voice she was worried in truth. The other experienced
hunters weren't able to catch anything either. Even the fish were
winning in catch.
Then, as if to conform her fears, little feather
answered, "The other hunters haven't caught anything either."
"Perhaps", she answered, and then
quickly changed the subject so Little Feather wouldn't get worried.
"I think I'll have a rest in the sweat lodge for a while,"
and for the time being his attention was put elsewhere.
Something did slip through his dream catcher
that night though. The great eagle, a respectable creature that
watches over the animals and land, spoke to him about a great
plague sickening the earth. It was stretching over the land, killing
all the deer, fish, and beavers. Others too, but he would not
remember these when he woke up.
At dawn, The main hunters of the tribe gathered
together, little feather was able to join in. Arguments arouse
between the hunters. Suddenly the dream flashed into his mind.
He was going to explain what happened last night but he thought
about how the older hunters would react to such a strange notion.
After he pictured the humiliation he thought better of it. Since
the argument was every man for himself and nothing was being accomplished
he slipped away to ask advice from the oldest and wisest resident
of the tribe, Old Owl.
He shuffled his little feet over to Old Owl's
long house. He had the smallest long house being the only one
in his family but that did not mean only he was there, people
asked for his advice frequently. So when he found there to be
two other people at his house he was not surprised, and he expected
they came for the same or slightly modulated reason he had.
"Excuse me, am I able to see old owl?"
he questioned two the others waiting at the door of the long house.
"Are you here to discuss the hunting problem?"
one of them asked.
"Why else would I be here?" he said
in a humored voice.
"Good that means that we can visit Old
Owl together. It would save time for all of us," the boy
said
Little Feather suddenly realized that the other
two boys were Quick Stream and Moon Shine. Their names fitting
there personalities, Quick Stream being as fast as the wind and
Moon Shine being as beautiful glisten of the sun on the river.
They were twins, about his age. He often played lacrosse with
them.
They stepped in unison into the old mans lodge
to find him preparing a meal of vegetables. When they looked close
they discovered the vegetables were rotten. He must not have had
much luck even with his little garden of squash and carrots. His
dream was becoming all too real.
"Yes?" the old man, asked.
Little feather went first "What can we
do. Every hunt wanes with less food."
"The land are sickening" Moon Shine
added.
Little feather wondered if she has had the
same dream he did? He guessed they did and decided to ask
"Did you have a strange dream last night?"
"Yes I did, why do you ask?" she
inquired.
"Oh nothing."
Old Owl did think there was something there
though. "What is this dream that you speak of?"
"An eagle told me that the land was sickened
by a plague."
"Ah," the old man thought, "Perhaps
you have been chosen to go on a quest by the Great Spirit?"
It was a startling thought, but as he thought
about it perhaps it was the Eagle's way of choosing.
"How do we start?" then he recalled
something about "following the river's current before a storm"
in his dream. What was that supposed to mean. His head was buzzing
"I know" Quick stream said, "follow
the wind"
"Where did you get that Idea" Moon
Shine asked his brother.
"The river blows in that direction before
a storm" They didn't have to ask what she meant by that.
Like little feather they were already thinking about that verse
of the eagles dream.
They began their journey tomorrow, heading
into the wind. They walked for hours and hours. Over hills and
swamps. Finally after about a day's walk their journey came to
an end when a cliff rose above them.
"What shall we do now" Little feather
asked?
"Build d fire before that wolves come"
Quick Stream said calmly.
"W-w-wolves?" Moon Shine stuttered.
"Oh, don't be such a baby, The hunters
fight them off all the time. How dangerous can they be?"
Quick Stream counteracted, slightly annoyed.
As if to answer Quick stream, a loud moaning
howl came.
"What ever we do we better do it quick"
Little feather broke in.
"Why are we even here. Our parents must
be worried sick about us." Moon Shine asked.
Little Feather leaned against the almost completely
strait cliff and began banging rocks together in hope a spark
would jump onto a cushioning of leave to begin a flame. As he
leaned back he suddenly felt the wall behind him disappear revealing
a big hole in the side of the cliff.
"Wow" said little feather.
"There is nothing in the Four Corners
of the earth that will make me go in there" Moon shine exclaimed.
"What about wolves" Quick stream
asked
Moon Shine rushed into the cave but didn't see Quick stream chuckle.
Inside the cave they herd strange noises screeching and sudden silence. They all became suddenly serious. They had a gut felling that this was the end of their quest.
Moon shine suddenly screeched, "Blood!" Sure enough red droplets were at there feet.
"Come on lets go don't forget about our quest," Little Feather urged
But Moon Shine didn't come "I think I'll stay here"
So the two proceded on through the caves until they came to a extremely spacious cavern lit by a strange light.
"Who is that?!" This was an oxymoron. Both of them knew the answer to Little Feather question In The center of the cavern was a old man who was none other than old owl. Standing next
"Hello children" his voice was deep and menacing. "It was a great achievement for you to come this far however your effort is wasted" and he conjured the fire toward them
Moon shine began to get worried She decided to go in after them. It didn't take long for her to get lost, but eventually she found her self in the same cavern as the other two. She was looking around when she bumped into old owl. She had come through the other side of the cave.
"What?" She said offended, "Excuse your self," but old owl had fallen into the fire. Moonshine startled at what she did fainted
"Wha- What happened?" moon shine squinted through her half closed eyes
"You knocked old owl in a fire," Little feather replied
"That's terrible, Why are you smiling?"
"Because you saved the lands," Eagle explained