Welcome Man Mask
After dark settled upon the camp he looked up to see flickering firelight reflecting off a rocky peak that rose above the tops of fir trees growing farther up the side of the mountain above him. A broad gray rock outcrop glowed faintly orange and the spot of light shifted with the wind. The fire! He wasn’t far now.
Muxqueum Snowy Owl grabbed his pack and walked into the dark forest, climbing up the side of the hills. No moon shown to light his way, but the night was clear and stars faintly illuminated the ground and lit the distant surface of the water down where his journey began. He heard the roar of surf even from this far up the mountain and the cool breeze smelled of the sea.
Looking out over the ledge that he climbed, the blue and black ocean below seemed wedded to the star decorated sky above. Both stretched to the right and to the left and before him -- joining together at the horizon. From his view point the two smaller islands out in the straight looked like lovers napping on a field. He must explore those arrowhead-like islands before his return to the mainland, he promised himself.
As he hiked, the fire-lit peak disappeared behind trees and giant rocks and reappeared when he emerged higher up. Careful not to slip off a ledge, he fought his way up through the obscuring brush, driven to spy the light once again, sometimes stumbling on loose rocks or tree roots in the dark. Normally he would wait until dawn for such a climb, but his desire to see the fire was strong. Finally he reached the tree line, walked out of the forest and saw the source of light at the base of the glowing rock wall. Tall flames dancing in a pit lit up the base of the final peak -- forming a flickering arch of white and orange firelight. He cautiously crept closer to get a better look and perhaps see who tended the fire.
Even though he walked in darkness, he was in an open expanse without boulders, trees or shrubs to hide behind, so he crawled on hands and feet. He moved down hill slowly, taking care not to disturb the rocks or make any sound. As he crouched on the broken granite he heard the gurgling sound of an unseen spring covered up by boulders directly below him and he felt thirsty. He hardly notice the scratches and bruises or how hard the sharp rocks felt on his knees and feet or that his face and hands grew numb with cold. Instead as he drew nearer he realized that this strange fire indeed produced no smoke. It must be supernatural flames.
Just then Muxqueum Snowy Owl saw a figure walk in front of the fire and stop silhouetted in the light. It was the shadow of a tall man, covered by a blanket. There was no one else besides the lone fire tender. Forced to lie upon the cold rocks, he watched the shadow put wood into the fire causing sparks to fly up – but still with out any smoke. The light from the fire grew brighter then subsided. He wondered if he should try to speak to the man or if he should return in the morning to make a more proper greeting.
Before he could decide what to do, the figure faced away from the fire, looked out toward the darkness where the young brave hid and shouted without any accent, “Friend, come by my fire and warm your self. You are welcome to share its heat. Do not be afraid.”
His spirit soared in his chest at the thrill of meeting the fire tender at last. The voice sounded familiar and reassuring and was oddly spoken in a dialect that sounded almost the way Kaw-Seth people talk.
He stood up, lifted his pack and bow and arrows above his head then put them down at his feet and said, “Thank you friend. I bring no weapon into your camp.”
Continued
Muxqueum Snowy Owl grabbed his pack and walked into the dark forest, climbing up the side of the hills. No moon shown to light his way, but the night was clear and stars faintly illuminated the ground and lit the distant surface of the water down where his journey began. He heard the roar of surf even from this far up the mountain and the cool breeze smelled of the sea.
Looking out over the ledge that he climbed, the blue and black ocean below seemed wedded to the star decorated sky above. Both stretched to the right and to the left and before him -- joining together at the horizon. From his view point the two smaller islands out in the straight looked like lovers napping on a field. He must explore those arrowhead-like islands before his return to the mainland, he promised himself.
As he hiked, the fire-lit peak disappeared behind trees and giant rocks and reappeared when he emerged higher up. Careful not to slip off a ledge, he fought his way up through the obscuring brush, driven to spy the light once again, sometimes stumbling on loose rocks or tree roots in the dark. Normally he would wait until dawn for such a climb, but his desire to see the fire was strong. Finally he reached the tree line, walked out of the forest and saw the source of light at the base of the glowing rock wall. Tall flames dancing in a pit lit up the base of the final peak -- forming a flickering arch of white and orange firelight. He cautiously crept closer to get a better look and perhaps see who tended the fire.
Even though he walked in darkness, he was in an open expanse without boulders, trees or shrubs to hide behind, so he crawled on hands and feet. He moved down hill slowly, taking care not to disturb the rocks or make any sound. As he crouched on the broken granite he heard the gurgling sound of an unseen spring covered up by boulders directly below him and he felt thirsty. He hardly notice the scratches and bruises or how hard the sharp rocks felt on his knees and feet or that his face and hands grew numb with cold. Instead as he drew nearer he realized that this strange fire indeed produced no smoke. It must be supernatural flames.
Just then Muxqueum Snowy Owl saw a figure walk in front of the fire and stop silhouetted in the light. It was the shadow of a tall man, covered by a blanket. There was no one else besides the lone fire tender. Forced to lie upon the cold rocks, he watched the shadow put wood into the fire causing sparks to fly up – but still with out any smoke. The light from the fire grew brighter then subsided. He wondered if he should try to speak to the man or if he should return in the morning to make a more proper greeting.
Before he could decide what to do, the figure faced away from the fire, looked out toward the darkness where the young brave hid and shouted without any accent, “Friend, come by my fire and warm your self. You are welcome to share its heat. Do not be afraid.”
His spirit soared in his chest at the thrill of meeting the fire tender at last. The voice sounded familiar and reassuring and was oddly spoken in a dialect that sounded almost the way Kaw-Seth people talk.
He stood up, lifted his pack and bow and arrows above his head then put them down at his feet and said, “Thank you friend. I bring no weapon into your camp.”
Continued
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