Elvaris
2006-12-13, 10:02 PM
"'Laughing-Bear! Laughing Bear!'
Laughing-Bear looked up from his meditation to see one of the young men of the tribe running at him.
'What is it young one?' he said.
'A group of us were out hunting, and Running-Stream came across a boar.'
'Is he the one known as Running-Mouth?'
'I... I can't say, sir.' the youngster replied.
'Well I can. I'd be willing to bet he's the one who talked you into a dangerous hunting trip without permission,' Laughing Bear smirked.
'Laughing-Bear, Running-Mou... I mean Stream was hit by the boar in the leg. He was bleeding badly.'
'Let me get my medicine bag. We'll have to get to him quickly'
'Oh no. That won't be necessary. That's what I came here to tell you. Rolling-Cloud was right there. He put his hands on Running-Stream's leg and the wound closed up just like that. No scab, no nothing. As if it had never happened.'
'Rolling-Cloud?' Laughing-Bear rocked back, stunned by the news.
'Does that mean he's going to be a medicine man? ... Laughing Bear?'
'Take me to him, I need to talk to him.'
They passed the site of the goring a good distance from the village, the site still marked by quite a bit of Running-Stream's blood. This earned a stern look from Laughing-Bear as it was further from the boys' safe range than even he thought. A quick glance revealed Rolling-Cloud's tracks leading even further from the village, towards the edge of the valley. Laughing-Bear sent his guide back to the village, following the tracks on his own. He came across Rolling-Cloud sitting on a log staring up into the sky.
'Rolling-Cloud?'
'What? Laughing-Bear? What are you doing out here?'
'Looking for you. Apparently you've had a busy day.'
'I don't know what you're talking... Someone told you what happened?'
'These kind of things usually find their way to me. It's nothing to be ashamed of, you know.'
'I just... I don't want this. I don't even know what happened.'
'I didn't want it either. None of us ever do. One-With-Sky doesn't choose based on what we want. The stories say even he didn't want to lead the tribe, but when he did finally take the responsibility, he was both a great leader and a powerful shaman.'
'I'll never be either, nobody will listen to me.'
'These things take time. It took years before I was trusted by the elders. You'll have to be patient, but you wouldn't have been chosen if you weren't capable. One-With-Sky may be inscrutable, but he's never wrong.'
'What if I run away? What if I don't want to...'
'This isn't about wants any more Rolling-Cloud. This is about need. One-With-Sky needs you. The tribe needs you. And you can only run from that for so long. I'll help you in any way I can, and the elders will come around soon enough. They always do.'
'I'm afraid. What if i make a mistake?'
'A mistake? You think you'll only make one? We all make mistakes. You'll make them, I've made them, the elders have made them. Don't worry about the elders. They'll certainly be surprised when they hear. They'll bluster about how you're the wrong choice, they'll complain about how you're irresponsible and not suited for the job. That's why One-With-Sky doesn't consult them in his choice. No matter what happens, remember you are the chosen, you have the gift. As long as you stay true to that, you'll do fine. Now, will you come with me and learn of your gift?'"
Rolling-Cloud put his arm around the hesitant youth at his side.
"And that's what Laughing-Bear told me when I was chosen. You'll tell a similar story to your successor when his time comes. But now is your time, your time of need. One-With-Sky needs you, the tribe needs you. Will you come with me and learn of your gift?"
Laughing-Bear looked up from his meditation to see one of the young men of the tribe running at him.
'What is it young one?' he said.
'A group of us were out hunting, and Running-Stream came across a boar.'
'Is he the one known as Running-Mouth?'
'I... I can't say, sir.' the youngster replied.
'Well I can. I'd be willing to bet he's the one who talked you into a dangerous hunting trip without permission,' Laughing Bear smirked.
'Laughing-Bear, Running-Mou... I mean Stream was hit by the boar in the leg. He was bleeding badly.'
'Let me get my medicine bag. We'll have to get to him quickly'
'Oh no. That won't be necessary. That's what I came here to tell you. Rolling-Cloud was right there. He put his hands on Running-Stream's leg and the wound closed up just like that. No scab, no nothing. As if it had never happened.'
'Rolling-Cloud?' Laughing-Bear rocked back, stunned by the news.
'Does that mean he's going to be a medicine man? ... Laughing Bear?'
'Take me to him, I need to talk to him.'
They passed the site of the goring a good distance from the village, the site still marked by quite a bit of Running-Stream's blood. This earned a stern look from Laughing-Bear as it was further from the boys' safe range than even he thought. A quick glance revealed Rolling-Cloud's tracks leading even further from the village, towards the edge of the valley. Laughing-Bear sent his guide back to the village, following the tracks on his own. He came across Rolling-Cloud sitting on a log staring up into the sky.
'Rolling-Cloud?'
'What? Laughing-Bear? What are you doing out here?'
'Looking for you. Apparently you've had a busy day.'
'I don't know what you're talking... Someone told you what happened?'
'These kind of things usually find their way to me. It's nothing to be ashamed of, you know.'
'I just... I don't want this. I don't even know what happened.'
'I didn't want it either. None of us ever do. One-With-Sky doesn't choose based on what we want. The stories say even he didn't want to lead the tribe, but when he did finally take the responsibility, he was both a great leader and a powerful shaman.'
'I'll never be either, nobody will listen to me.'
'These things take time. It took years before I was trusted by the elders. You'll have to be patient, but you wouldn't have been chosen if you weren't capable. One-With-Sky may be inscrutable, but he's never wrong.'
'What if I run away? What if I don't want to...'
'This isn't about wants any more Rolling-Cloud. This is about need. One-With-Sky needs you. The tribe needs you. And you can only run from that for so long. I'll help you in any way I can, and the elders will come around soon enough. They always do.'
'I'm afraid. What if i make a mistake?'
'A mistake? You think you'll only make one? We all make mistakes. You'll make them, I've made them, the elders have made them. Don't worry about the elders. They'll certainly be surprised when they hear. They'll bluster about how you're the wrong choice, they'll complain about how you're irresponsible and not suited for the job. That's why One-With-Sky doesn't consult them in his choice. No matter what happens, remember you are the chosen, you have the gift. As long as you stay true to that, you'll do fine. Now, will you come with me and learn of your gift?'"
Rolling-Cloud put his arm around the hesitant youth at his side.
"And that's what Laughing-Bear told me when I was chosen. You'll tell a similar story to your successor when his time comes. But now is your time, your time of need. One-With-Sky needs you, the tribe needs you. Will you come with me and learn of your gift?"