Eagle Mask, continued
Eagle Mask, continued
"If we miss the Flatheads before they return to Klauck, that is all we maybe eating for a while," said Hayoqwis.
They withdrew from the mortuary grove back down the salal lined path to the sun lit grassy field facing the east. Because Refuge Rock was a burial ground, it was clear that a path to the beach should be found and the three men proceeded to search for a ladder or steps that might lead them safely down the steep cliffs to the beach.
Refuge Rock was not quite an island and was connected to the mainland by a tongue jetting out between strips of sandy beach. Hayoqwis could see that a rocky arch formed in the middle of the wall and realized that it must be a passage when the tide is low.
"Cousins, do you see that arch in the bar down there? That is an opening of a tunnel to the other side. Strange that our Selawick guides failed to tell us about the passage," he said pointing toward the beach below.
"Why didn't they tell us?" asked Wountie looked to Hayoqwis trying to to discern his meaning.
Kalis immediately understood what happened, "Those deceivers tricked us and killed father and brother by forcing us around the perimeter to suffer attack by their sea lion guardian."
Just as the three men realized that blood justice among the tribes required Wountie, now the eldest son of Spe-eth, to execute revenge they looked up the inlet to caught sight of Swift in Battle pulling out of the Selawick camp. Smoke from the fire on shore continued to rise indicating that some of the party intended to stay behind. The braves watched as the guide canoe sped toward the hole of the arch, but instead of passing into it, the canoe beached near by and three men emerged dragging the vessel to dry sand. The three figures proceeded up the beach towards the rock where the Kaw-Seth looked from above, and disappeared from sight behind the trees growing on the ledge below.
"Look. It is Mowa'kek, Tseycum and Soowali coming to honor their dead. They do not know that we are up here. This is my chance to kill each of them so that the souls of brother and father might escape the depths of the sea and be carried to heaven," said Wountie his hands clinched in fists at his chest as if trying to rip a cloth. He knew the blood crime could not go unpunished. It was his duty even if it meant his life.
Kalis protested. "But, we don't have any knives. Without weapons we are at their mercy. Mowa'kek is a powerful shaman. If the Flatheads discover us violating their sacred ground he will torture us to death and then charm demons to hurt our families," said Kalis sounding more frightened than either of the others could remember.
"If we miss the Flatheads before they return to Klauck, that is all we maybe eating for a while," said Hayoqwis.
They withdrew from the mortuary grove back down the salal lined path to the sun lit grassy field facing the east. Because Refuge Rock was a burial ground, it was clear that a path to the beach should be found and the three men proceeded to search for a ladder or steps that might lead them safely down the steep cliffs to the beach.
Refuge Rock was not quite an island and was connected to the mainland by a tongue jetting out between strips of sandy beach. Hayoqwis could see that a rocky arch formed in the middle of the wall and realized that it must be a passage when the tide is low.
"Cousins, do you see that arch in the bar down there? That is an opening of a tunnel to the other side. Strange that our Selawick guides failed to tell us about the passage," he said pointing toward the beach below.
"Why didn't they tell us?" asked Wountie looked to Hayoqwis trying to to discern his meaning.
Kalis immediately understood what happened, "Those deceivers tricked us and killed father and brother by forcing us around the perimeter to suffer attack by their sea lion guardian."
Just as the three men realized that blood justice among the tribes required Wountie, now the eldest son of Spe-eth, to execute revenge they looked up the inlet to caught sight of Swift in Battle pulling out of the Selawick camp. Smoke from the fire on shore continued to rise indicating that some of the party intended to stay behind. The braves watched as the guide canoe sped toward the hole of the arch, but instead of passing into it, the canoe beached near by and three men emerged dragging the vessel to dry sand. The three figures proceeded up the beach towards the rock where the Kaw-Seth looked from above, and disappeared from sight behind the trees growing on the ledge below.
"Look. It is Mowa'kek, Tseycum and Soowali coming to honor their dead. They do not know that we are up here. This is my chance to kill each of them so that the souls of brother and father might escape the depths of the sea and be carried to heaven," said Wountie his hands clinched in fists at his chest as if trying to rip a cloth. He knew the blood crime could not go unpunished. It was his duty even if it meant his life.
Kalis protested. "But, we don't have any knives. Without weapons we are at their mercy. Mowa'kek is a powerful shaman. If the Flatheads discover us violating their sacred ground he will torture us to death and then charm demons to hurt our families," said Kalis sounding more frightened than either of the others could remember.
"Let us hide and watch them come up. Then we will find the way down while they are distracted and steal the canoe. Revenge can wait for another day when we mount a war party," said Kalis.
"What if they catch us hiding?" replied Wounti instantly.
"Mowa'kek may have powers to detect us. Brothers, should we break into the house and take the spears and axes? Once armed we can ambush them from behind. The old chief can hardly walk and the shaman looks as if he is constantly under the influence of the mushrooms. We can club them like sunning seals," Wountie said with an urgency in his voice that betrayed his heightened emotion.
"We haven't eaten in more than a day. The weapons in the house are ceremonial and may have never been used. Let us take the canoe and escape. Think of their surprise when they return to find Swift in Battle gone," argued Kalis.
"Wait. I am sure that is a better way," said Hayoqwis taking hold of his grizzly bear necklace, polishing the claws together and focusing his eyes on an inner vision becoming clearer as he thought.
"Mowa'kek meant for us to die. He will consider us dead. We are dead men to him now. Dead men with authority from beyond the grave. He will do what ever we ask. We may be able to get our revenge and a white bear skin as a trophy for father and brother."
Hayoqwis led as the braves turned to run back to the mortuary house. Soon they stood again looking at the cedar log structure, its roof covered with moss. The carving of the sea lion grinned down upon them as if amused by their plan.
Mowa'kek parted his matted hair from his face and turned to peer between cracks in the mortuary house wall before him, apparently not noticing that it was recently violated or that at that moment the Kaw-Seth braves watched from the grove near by.
"Nestuka's command is complete. Look, my Chief. Here his old earthly body sits in majesty surrounded by all the sacred charms. Founder Nestuka and our people are victorious over our enemies. The Kaw-Seth and all the lesser people are powerless before the will of our protector."
"We should not speak ill of any tribe's ways, spirit man," said the elderly chief.
"Especially here in this place of refuge for bones of our fathers. My friend Spe-eth is dead because of your lies and who knows what forces may yet turn against us in payment for that cunning. Spe-eth was a good man, like one of my own grandsons. And his rich nephew was on a sacred quest for a wife, like Somkin will soon take up," he said looking up at the totem and the blue sky beyond.
"I wonder what power will snare us for betraying those who won the right to hunt our land? Raven will demand a payment for this dishonor and I will not let this killing go unnoticed like the deaths of non-initiated others. We both saw a raven fly away from this rock and head up the inlet as if taking a message to his chief on the mountain top? There will be an accounting that is for sure," he said turning to look east but unable to see the mountain ridge.
"Aged Chief, we stand on the place of refuge created by Great Raven exactly for this cause. If Teysecum or I violated your honor or broke the rules of the bone games or law of the potlash among the tribes, I claim the rights bestowed here on this rock to absolves us. Tonight it is completed. We will perform the rites, dine with the fathers and heroes and eat the fruit of the graves. This way we are cleansed of wrong doing. You yourself found forgiveness at this place.
"Nestuka judged them unworthy to pass this Rock and enter the sacred water ways. That is his right as commissioned by the Black Raven. Don't you see that Raven's will overrides the rights that the round-heads won at the bone games? They are better off dead then to continue to spread lies about the spirit world and offend our Great Black Raven. Those owl men serve him now under the sea. And they don't need a white bear -- or a wife -- where they are now," he said with a sharp laugh.
Tseycum added, "Please listen, wise father. These men are not worthy of a moment's sorrow. We felt that Nestuka should be their judge and if they could pass his test, only then would we help them reach their quest. Now Raven has clearly shown us his will. But, consider our fortunes. Now the Life-from-death Butterfly Women is free for Somkin to claim. That is why our tribe's suitor will be the first to bring the Duwam'ha chief not one but two white bear skins as a pre-engagement gift. It will all be proper.
"Somkin is making his way to Meet-in-the-Middle Island even now. When we return and everyone learns that the weak and ignoble Kaw-Seth suitor died trying to fulfill his quest, our tribe will win the honor of engagement to the supernatural bride and Raven's power will prove superior to all the tribes," Tseycum reasoned.
Suddenly making his face solemn, Mowa'kek looked up at the Sea Lion Totem figure. He lifted his basket of herbs above his face and began to shout in a wailing voice:
"Thanks be to the great lion Nestuka, Guardian of the Shinning Heavens. Our protector Raven has rightly judged the unworthy. May the five drowned bodies be consumed by sea worms. May their round headed names be forgotten and unshared by descendants. May their bones and teeth become indistinguishable from the shells, clay and sand that we -- and Selawik shaman and chiefs for generations to come -- walk across to reach these revered graves. No spirit helper is greater than Nestuka, Devil of the Sea and Guardian of Black Raven's sacred waters."
Mowa'kek placed the bowl at the feet of the three men and took from a deerskin pouch hanging at his side some fire start and lit the basket that quickly burned with a thread of white smoke. He then joined Soowali and Tseycum knelling on the ground with their heads between their knees facing the house and totem and repeated the sea lion song twice.
The shaman picked up the smoldering bowl and spoke again toward the house and totem.
"We the ruling Selawik chiefs now come to harvest the fruit of the dead to honor you and our Protector Raven and to share the power to escape from the depths of the underworld," he said.
Soolwali Whirlwind and his son Tseycum followed their shaman past the mortuary house to the path that led to the burial grove -- directly toward the place where the Suitor Hayoqwis and his cousins hid like hunters stalking game.
Next Chapter
"We haven't eaten in more than a day. The weapons in the house are ceremonial and may have never been used. Let us take the canoe and escape. Think of their surprise when they return to find Swift in Battle gone," argued Kalis.
"Wait. I am sure that is a better way," said Hayoqwis taking hold of his grizzly bear necklace, polishing the claws together and focusing his eyes on an inner vision becoming clearer as he thought.
"Mowa'kek meant for us to die. He will consider us dead. We are dead men to him now. Dead men with authority from beyond the grave. He will do what ever we ask. We may be able to get our revenge and a white bear skin as a trophy for father and brother."
Hayoqwis led as the braves turned to run back to the mortuary house. Soon they stood again looking at the cedar log structure, its roof covered with moss. The carving of the sea lion grinned down upon them as if amused by their plan.
Disregarding the customary respect for such a haunted place, he took hold of one of the wall boards and moved it away enough for him to crawl in. He was surprised that there was no smell of death. He thought that the salt in the wind from the ocean must have cured the body like a piece of salmon dried in the sun.
Hayoqwis crawled into the dank open space and crept across the narrow interior on his knees, moving close enough to lift the ceremonial spear from the stiff lap of the corpse sitting cross legged undisturbed for untold years until that moment. He noticed the blue glow of the abalone disks set in each eye socket. In death the shaman seemed to stare up as a man might wonder at the night sky.
The spear stood as tall as a boy and had a broad, glistening black blade that almost looked like a canoe paddle and Hayoqwis noticed that the tip appeared stained with a line of dried blood. As he pulled the weapon from the hands of its rightful owner, a string of beads draped around the neck of the corpses broke away and dozens of bone white shell beads fell down the tunic and onto the cedar plank floor. He quickly passed the spear to his cousins, then grabbed two war clubs and backed out of the grave, pushing the boards back in place almost flawlessly.
Not knowing how soon the approaching Flatheads might arrive, the men dashed deeper into the woods to find cover in the salal shrubs, being careful to choose a place permitting them to watch what the enemy was doing. Silently they each asked Wonderful Doer to divert the magic eyes of Mowa'kek from spying them.
Hayoqwis crawled into the dank open space and crept across the narrow interior on his knees, moving close enough to lift the ceremonial spear from the stiff lap of the corpse sitting cross legged undisturbed for untold years until that moment. He noticed the blue glow of the abalone disks set in each eye socket. In death the shaman seemed to stare up as a man might wonder at the night sky.
The spear stood as tall as a boy and had a broad, glistening black blade that almost looked like a canoe paddle and Hayoqwis noticed that the tip appeared stained with a line of dried blood. As he pulled the weapon from the hands of its rightful owner, a string of beads draped around the neck of the corpses broke away and dozens of bone white shell beads fell down the tunic and onto the cedar plank floor. He quickly passed the spear to his cousins, then grabbed two war clubs and backed out of the grave, pushing the boards back in place almost flawlessly.
Not knowing how soon the approaching Flatheads might arrive, the men dashed deeper into the woods to find cover in the salal shrubs, being careful to choose a place permitting them to watch what the enemy was doing. Silently they each asked Wonderful Doer to divert the magic eyes of Mowa'kek from spying them.
In the shade of the hiding place, their fear gave way to anger -- an emotion that grew to match the intensity of their grief for the loss of Spe-eth and Tiska. They hardly noticed how hungry they were and now considered the full extent of the ruthless betrayal that their family had suffered.
"We were warned that the Flatheads are an untrustworthy people. The slave girls were right about the guide party's plot to harm us," said Hayowquis to his cousins now burning with rage and sorrow.
Kalis could not help but think of how the news of his father and brother's death would hurt his mother Gamlakyet. If only she were here to chat.
The men sat in silence, until Kalis asked in a low, questioning voice, "How did this happen to us?"
Slowly at first, then building to a rage, Kalis recited the fantastic events of the last few days.
"We were warned that the Flatheads are an untrustworthy people. The slave girls were right about the guide party's plot to harm us," said Hayowquis to his cousins now burning with rage and sorrow.
Kalis could not help but think of how the news of his father and brother's death would hurt his mother Gamlakyet. If only she were here to chat.
The men sat in silence, until Kalis asked in a low, questioning voice, "How did this happen to us?"
Slowly at first, then building to a rage, Kalis recited the fantastic events of the last few days.
"We came to Great Island on a festive suitor quest and fairly won rights to hunt white bear on their land. Their highest chief promised safe passage before everyone. Then we lost our way in the storm at the base of this rock. The monster attack caused Half Moon to wreck and we should have died with father and brother on the slippery ledge down there.
"We were crazy to try to climb the cliff -- if it weren't for the figured gesturing, we would never have tried. Who were those figures? Could it have been father and brother? You saw what I did. Where they demons calling us up here for sport?"
"We were crazy to try to climb the cliff -- if it weren't for the figured gesturing, we would never have tried. Who were those figures? Could it have been father and brother? You saw what I did. Where they demons calling us up here for sport?"
He considered calling out the name of Spe-eth again to see if he would answer, then realized silence was in order.
"If it was father gesturing us up, I would like to ask him how he could have ever joined the Flathead Raven Society in the first place? Was his mind dulled by the poison they shoved down his throat? He knew how bad these people are. Why would he lead us here to our doom?"
"Deformed faced dogs!" swore Wounti thrusting his double bladed knife up before him as if plunging into an invisible torso.
Hayoqwis motioned for Kalis and Wounti to quiet since he began to hear the singing men approach.
"They are coming to pray to their stinking guardian," said Kalis.
"What would they think if they knew that yesterday we watched the mighty Nestuka crushed in the jaws of the sea monster?" whispered Wounti.
"The shark came to our rescue. No one could have survived what we did last night except the power of Wonderful Doer is with him. The Creator's power is still with us. What can they do to dead men?" Hayoqwis asked in a hushed voice because the singing grew closer to the mortuary grove and where they hid.
Just then the three Flatheads came into view singing in revered tones and walking at a ceremonial pace as they did when the Kaw-Seth party first met them at Klauck. They spoke in the Selawik dialect, but Hayoquis could understand most of what they said.
"Nestuka, Nestuka, greatest of sea lions, protector, keeper and most honored spirit being of our fathers, guide us now as we come to visit your house in reverence," they chanted until coming to a stop directly in front of the small mortuary house. The grinning totem stared down.
Mowa'kek knelt and sat a small yellow basket filled with some kind of herbs in front of the house while the old chief and his son looked at the ground behind him. Their long hair hid their flat faces like dancers at a feast.
"If it was father gesturing us up, I would like to ask him how he could have ever joined the Flathead Raven Society in the first place? Was his mind dulled by the poison they shoved down his throat? He knew how bad these people are. Why would he lead us here to our doom?"
"Deformed faced dogs!" swore Wounti thrusting his double bladed knife up before him as if plunging into an invisible torso.
Hayoqwis motioned for Kalis and Wounti to quiet since he began to hear the singing men approach.
"They are coming to pray to their stinking guardian," said Kalis.
"What would they think if they knew that yesterday we watched the mighty Nestuka crushed in the jaws of the sea monster?" whispered Wounti.
"The shark came to our rescue. No one could have survived what we did last night except the power of Wonderful Doer is with him. The Creator's power is still with us. What can they do to dead men?" Hayoqwis asked in a hushed voice because the singing grew closer to the mortuary grove and where they hid.
Just then the three Flatheads came into view singing in revered tones and walking at a ceremonial pace as they did when the Kaw-Seth party first met them at Klauck. They spoke in the Selawik dialect, but Hayoquis could understand most of what they said.
"Nestuka, Nestuka, greatest of sea lions, protector, keeper and most honored spirit being of our fathers, guide us now as we come to visit your house in reverence," they chanted until coming to a stop directly in front of the small mortuary house. The grinning totem stared down.
Mowa'kek knelt and sat a small yellow basket filled with some kind of herbs in front of the house while the old chief and his son looked at the ground behind him. Their long hair hid their flat faces like dancers at a feast.
Suddenly the shaman arose, turned to his companions and blasted out a curse.
"Roundheaded children of whores. Those sickly owls, those overgrown beasts of the north. They deserved death. Death is their right reward. That is what the forest spirits told me at every waking moment since I first saw the hairless face of their damned suitor," said Mowa'kek with a viciousness that contrasted his reverent tone a moment before.
"Oh spirit man," said Chief Whirlwind.
"I was bound by honor of the Raven Society to guard him the moment he was initiated with my blood and the blood of my sons. For me to permit you to lead the Owl Men to their death below the cliffs brings shame upon my family and our clan. You know that I promised to protect him and that is why I came on this voyage. Now you say that you lied in not telling Red Spe-eth about the safe passage under the rocks," the old chief cried as if scolding a child caught stealing food.
"Chief, Great Raven knows that I did not kill them. We left them to our guardian Nestuka himself to judge if they should live or die. He chose that those blasphemers who openly turned their backs to Great Raven should remain forever slaves in his servant's lodge below the surf. My hand and my family is innocent of blood guilt. I did not kill them. You did not kill them," said Mowa'kek in a pleading voice that almost sounded sincere.
"Roundheaded children of whores. Those sickly owls, those overgrown beasts of the north. They deserved death. Death is their right reward. That is what the forest spirits told me at every waking moment since I first saw the hairless face of their damned suitor," said Mowa'kek with a viciousness that contrasted his reverent tone a moment before.
"Oh spirit man," said Chief Whirlwind.
"I was bound by honor of the Raven Society to guard him the moment he was initiated with my blood and the blood of my sons. For me to permit you to lead the Owl Men to their death below the cliffs brings shame upon my family and our clan. You know that I promised to protect him and that is why I came on this voyage. Now you say that you lied in not telling Red Spe-eth about the safe passage under the rocks," the old chief cried as if scolding a child caught stealing food.
"Chief, Great Raven knows that I did not kill them. We left them to our guardian Nestuka himself to judge if they should live or die. He chose that those blasphemers who openly turned their backs to Great Raven should remain forever slaves in his servant's lodge below the surf. My hand and my family is innocent of blood guilt. I did not kill them. You did not kill them," said Mowa'kek in a pleading voice that almost sounded sincere.
"If the roundheads were truly worthy, Neskuka or Raven or even their damned Owl Spirit would have spared them. Now that these filthy men are wiped away I feel that the spirits are appeased. Yes, I can breath easier," he said drawing in the clear ocean wind into his puffed out chest.
"Our realm is better now that the unworthy are gone. All is well and we can go home in peace tomorrow. The spirits are appeased. I am stronger. Now we must perform the rites and harvest some of the fruit of the graves. Tonight we eat venison with the ghosts and chant before the fire in the Rock Lodge until sunrise."
"Our realm is better now that the unworthy are gone. All is well and we can go home in peace tomorrow. The spirits are appeased. I am stronger. Now we must perform the rites and harvest some of the fruit of the graves. Tonight we eat venison with the ghosts and chant before the fire in the Rock Lodge until sunrise."
Mowa'kek parted his matted hair from his face and turned to peer between cracks in the mortuary house wall before him, apparently not noticing that it was recently violated or that at that moment the Kaw-Seth braves watched from the grove near by.
"Nestuka's command is complete. Look, my Chief. Here his old earthly body sits in majesty surrounded by all the sacred charms. Founder Nestuka and our people are victorious over our enemies. The Kaw-Seth and all the lesser people are powerless before the will of our protector."
"We should not speak ill of any tribe's ways, spirit man," said the elderly chief.
"Especially here in this place of refuge for bones of our fathers. My friend Spe-eth is dead because of your lies and who knows what forces may yet turn against us in payment for that cunning. Spe-eth was a good man, like one of my own grandsons. And his rich nephew was on a sacred quest for a wife, like Somkin will soon take up," he said looking up at the totem and the blue sky beyond.
"I wonder what power will snare us for betraying those who won the right to hunt our land? Raven will demand a payment for this dishonor and I will not let this killing go unnoticed like the deaths of non-initiated others. We both saw a raven fly away from this rock and head up the inlet as if taking a message to his chief on the mountain top? There will be an accounting that is for sure," he said turning to look east but unable to see the mountain ridge.
"Aged Chief, we stand on the place of refuge created by Great Raven exactly for this cause. If Teysecum or I violated your honor or broke the rules of the bone games or law of the potlash among the tribes, I claim the rights bestowed here on this rock to absolves us. Tonight it is completed. We will perform the rites, dine with the fathers and heroes and eat the fruit of the graves. This way we are cleansed of wrong doing. You yourself found forgiveness at this place.
"Dear Whirlwind. Our protector chose to make the roundheads slaves in his undersea lodge to serve him there forever as punishment," said Mowa'kek.
"Nestuka judged them unworthy to pass this Rock and enter the sacred water ways. That is his right as commissioned by the Black Raven. Don't you see that Raven's will overrides the rights that the round-heads won at the bone games? They are better off dead then to continue to spread lies about the spirit world and offend our Great Black Raven. Those owl men serve him now under the sea. And they don't need a white bear -- or a wife -- where they are now," he said with a sharp laugh.
Tseycum added, "Please listen, wise father. These men are not worthy of a moment's sorrow. We felt that Nestuka should be their judge and if they could pass his test, only then would we help them reach their quest. Now Raven has clearly shown us his will. But, consider our fortunes. Now the Life-from-death Butterfly Women is free for Somkin to claim. That is why our tribe's suitor will be the first to bring the Duwam'ha chief not one but two white bear skins as a pre-engagement gift. It will all be proper.
"Somkin is making his way to Meet-in-the-Middle Island even now. When we return and everyone learns that the weak and ignoble Kaw-Seth suitor died trying to fulfill his quest, our tribe will win the honor of engagement to the supernatural bride and Raven's power will prove superior to all the tribes," Tseycum reasoned.
Suddenly making his face solemn, Mowa'kek looked up at the Sea Lion Totem figure. He lifted his basket of herbs above his face and began to shout in a wailing voice:
"Thanks be to the great lion Nestuka, Guardian of the Shinning Heavens. Our protector Raven has rightly judged the unworthy. May the five drowned bodies be consumed by sea worms. May their round headed names be forgotten and unshared by descendants. May their bones and teeth become indistinguishable from the shells, clay and sand that we -- and Selawik shaman and chiefs for generations to come -- walk across to reach these revered graves. No spirit helper is greater than Nestuka, Devil of the Sea and Guardian of Black Raven's sacred waters."
Mowa'kek placed the bowl at the feet of the three men and took from a deerskin pouch hanging at his side some fire start and lit the basket that quickly burned with a thread of white smoke. He then joined Soowali and Tseycum knelling on the ground with their heads between their knees facing the house and totem and repeated the sea lion song twice.
The shaman picked up the smoldering bowl and spoke again toward the house and totem.
"We the ruling Selawik chiefs now come to harvest the fruit of the dead to honor you and our Protector Raven and to share the power to escape from the depths of the underworld," he said.
Soolwali Whirlwind and his son Tseycum followed their shaman past the mortuary house to the path that led to the burial grove -- directly toward the place where the Suitor Hayoqwis and his cousins hid like hunters stalking game.
Next Chapter
