Stan was a light-sleeper and the widely spaced limbs of the shelter made it easy to spot the talons. Shine would sleep for days, and Dumpling was happy to be herself again. Assured of his own shape Stan got to his knees and backed out.
Extending his hand Stan greeted the silver bird, "Raven. I'm glad it's you."
Raven accepted the long fingered hand in both his. "I wasn't sure who to expect to be honest, and under the circumstances I left the readings out of the equation." The two males held the handshake knowing their roles in this unfolding story would amend the future. Neither were afraid of how genealogy grew, but then it was Haumea and her plotting that would prevail. Raven looked deeply into the musician's heart. "How did you leave her?"
Stan pulled the small glass vial from his jeans' pocket, "She wanted you to have this. She said, 'Give this to him when the time is right. This would be that time." Pale had long been an experimenter with remedies, part of her culture as navigator at the edges required knowing who the Medicine Plants are. She was not indigenous to this Salish place, so one lifetime was hardly enough to know them all; but, she did her best. Raven looked at the pink-red liquid that filled the vial and nodded, "Thank you."
Skeena and Aka walked the shoreline at the water's edge. The tide was high but there was always walking room. Skeena had never met Stan Costa but had heard about him from his mother. Aka knew the man from their work in the gardens, and the band Sonics had her children mesmerized. She introduced her brother and gave Stan a big hug. The twins peeked in to see Dumpling circled around a thin young woman. It was hard to tell who she was, but, Aka knew. "You found her," Aka said through tears that made her already big golden eyes glow like amber. If she was back, there had been an agreement, of exchange. Skeena read his sister's thoughts, caught the drift of things. "NO! Ma stayed to sacrifice herself for that girl?"
An enraged Raven is not a element to interrupt. His outrage woke Dumpling. Shine did not stir. But then she was deaf. "Your mother was ready." The Silver-bird knew words would be useless, but tried anyway. Time would help. But explanations ... mostly they never worked. It was Aka who knew what her mother's wishes were. Minoaka never released her brother's hand. She walked slowly over to her father's side. "The vial dad. Ma meant for Skeena to have it, not you. Leave us here. You folks take the Subaru. Let me be with Skeena, and Ma. We'll meet you at the Pin. Don't go home yet, okay?"
Jacob the Surveyor had stayed a respectful distance away, but, he saw everything. It was of course his kuleana to know everything about Sunlight Beach. The public access was his domain, and meddling at pivotal times was his responsibility as well. With the bit of glamour to which he was entitled Jacob ensured the Twins their time to grieve their mother's choice. If there was a pivot to this Salish community's history this was it. Clank, clank. His sticks set the boundary.
And then what happened? (click to keep reading)
Extending his hand Stan greeted the silver bird, "Raven. I'm glad it's you."
Raven accepted the long fingered hand in both his. "I wasn't sure who to expect to be honest, and under the circumstances I left the readings out of the equation." The two males held the handshake knowing their roles in this unfolding story would amend the future. Neither were afraid of how genealogy grew, but then it was Haumea and her plotting that would prevail. Raven looked deeply into the musician's heart. "How did you leave her?"
Stan pulled the small glass vial from his jeans' pocket, "She wanted you to have this. She said, 'Give this to him when the time is right. This would be that time." Pale had long been an experimenter with remedies, part of her culture as navigator at the edges required knowing who the Medicine Plants are. She was not indigenous to this Salish place, so one lifetime was hardly enough to know them all; but, she did her best. Raven looked at the pink-red liquid that filled the vial and nodded, "Thank you."
Skeena and Aka walked the shoreline at the water's edge. The tide was high but there was always walking room. Skeena had never met Stan Costa but had heard about him from his mother. Aka knew the man from their work in the gardens, and the band Sonics had her children mesmerized. She introduced her brother and gave Stan a big hug. The twins peeked in to see Dumpling circled around a thin young woman. It was hard to tell who she was, but, Aka knew. "You found her," Aka said through tears that made her already big golden eyes glow like amber. If she was back, there had been an agreement, of exchange. Skeena read his sister's thoughts, caught the drift of things. "NO! Ma stayed to sacrifice herself for that girl?"
An enraged Raven is not a element to interrupt. His outrage woke Dumpling. Shine did not stir. But then she was deaf. "Your mother was ready." The Silver-bird knew words would be useless, but tried anyway. Time would help. But explanations ... mostly they never worked. It was Aka who knew what her mother's wishes were. Minoaka never released her brother's hand. She walked slowly over to her father's side. "The vial dad. Ma meant for Skeena to have it, not you. Leave us here. You folks take the Subaru. Let me be with Skeena, and Ma. We'll meet you at the Pin. Don't go home yet, okay?"
Jacob the Surveyor had stayed a respectful distance away, but, he saw everything. It was of course his kuleana to know everything about Sunlight Beach. The public access was his domain, and meddling at pivotal times was his responsibility as well. With the bit of glamour to which he was entitled Jacob ensured the Twins their time to grieve their mother's choice. If there was a pivot to this Salish community's history this was it. Clank, clank. His sticks set the boundary.
And then what happened? (click to keep reading)
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