Waxing Gibbous

Welcoming (A)

Christmas morning came and went without an issue our small family spent the weekend together happy, almost as if nothing had changed. The next day I slept as long as I could before cleaning my car, because it did stink, pretty badly.

When that was done I rearranged my room. I had gotten a mannequin to hang my clothes. The bear cape over the top, I kept it in the art room slash office though, I didn't really want to wake up in the middle of the night to find a faceless doll staring at me.

My bison pelt was on the floor like a rug, my lynx blanket was draped over my bed frame. All my tools were placed in a shadow box and hung up.

"did you make this?" my mom asked as she looked at the fur blanket as she placed a plate on my nightstand.

"yeah. I had to hunt and skin a lot while I was gone. Lynx was one of them. Bison the other" I gestured to the rug she was standing on.

"you're going to give me a heart attack" she mumbled. I gave a small smile.

"It wasn't hard, just kinda gross."

"Gross?" Eve asked stepping into my room. I think they were afraid I would be gone for a long time which is why they were hovering. Eve was less so, she really wanted to talk about the dangerous stuff I got into. "is that why you stunk?"

"hardy har-har" I laughed sarcastically "contrary to belief I did bath, just the soap I made wasn't the best smelling. I'm glad to have my own soap. But it was good. I mean look-" I picked up my mannequin and showed them.

"is that a bear?" my mom exhaled with a shrill tone. I pursed my lips while Eve laughed.

"yes... it was a little one, but it was another part of the tradition."

"why don't you tell us everything, so your mom doesn't have to find out later" Eve suggested. I nodded agreeing, it would be better just to tell her everything now. Well, not everything but close.

"so when I got there I was initiated, and got my first tattoo. The one on my back. It was supposed to make me sick and force my body to fight it off, but that kinda backfired when I woke up the next morning without any problems."

I watched as my mom rubbed her temples. It was like her little girl was growing up and I don't think she really liked it.

"then I had to gather the items for my spirit quest. And that meant I had to find the plants required, have my first hunt, the Caribou." I gestured to the clothes and shoes "then skin and prepare the hides. My next task was a wolverine, Bison and Lynx. Everything was skinned and prepared. We used the Antler of my first Caribou to make my pendant, the handle of the knife. The bone was used to make the blade of the knife and sewing needles, and the needles for my tattoos."

I showed them the box with everything. "we also made utensils, soap. The horn of the bison was used for cups. Then I had to drink the tea for my spirit quest and find the stone that my pendant was made of; then kill a bear-or two..."

I glossed over the fact that I both drank shroom tea and smoked some herbs on the final night. I didn't really want to do it again, but it was an experience.

"I'm sorry did you say drink tea for a spirit quest?" expect Eve to catch that.

"yes"

"did that tea have mushrooms in it?" she asked with a smirk. My expression gave it away.

"please tell me that was a one-time thing" my mom whispered.

I nodded quickly "yes, I don't want to do that again"

"good" my mom replied.

"I do have another thing." I went to my office and grabbed the bear rug off the table. When I entered the room to show them, my moms eyes widened even more, it possible. "I don't know where to put this, but I thought it would look nice in front of the fire downstairs."