The Great Moema

Two

Seeing my clear expression of shock, Leru Laughs softly. "Don't worry brother, our prayers provide safe passage."
"Why didn't you go up then, why are you still down here?" I ask.
"We came to get you," replies Pula. I let out an incredulous smirk. "Noha asked that we bring you along, it's your destiny."
"You said you couldn't make a fire," I start puzzled.
"Leru said we couldn't start a fire," answers Pula, "you would have thought we were crazy if we told you the mountain and its divine guardian sent us to you."
"So you didn't have any problems starting a fire?" I ask.
"Honestly, we never got to that point," replies Leru.
"Woaw, I want to hear it from Pula," I reply "you lie easily." I say looking at him quizzically. Leru shrugs in understanding and starts chewing on a piece of dried mango.
"He's right," starts Pula "We never got to that point. We left the village when the sun was at its highest. We were hoping to start on our way up The Great Moema before sunset, and set up camp in the cave Sango had taken us to for the ritual of the healing beads. As you know, The Great Mountain isn't a long walk from the village, but for some odd reason, we walked half the afternoon and the mountain wasn't getting any closer. As the sun began it's descent to the west, I took out my snuff, took a few whiffs and we began to pray. I couldn't understand how we'd walked for so long, a path I can see vividly in my head, a path which should take significantly less time to travel, was taking the entirety of our day." He takes a bite of a dried piece of meat and continues.
"I tell you brother, the mountain was moving away from us, or we were walking in the same spot. We prayed until I received a vision. You were on the mountain with us, but you were not presently with us. I saw Moema move further away from us without you by our sides, I saw you sitting under a big Morula tree watching the twinkle of the stars in the dark night sky,  and suddenly I knew exactly where you were. So we started to walk in your direction."
"What do you mean you knew where I was?" I ask "it sounds suspicious that you can track me by praying and seeing me in a vision."
"God only gives me what I need, nothing more, nothing less." Pula answers. "Leru and I want to travel to the mountain and learn the secrets of our people through prayer and solitude on the far side of Moema. For some odd reason, we can't reach the mountain without you. If you don't come with us, I don't know if we'll ever get there."
"You're both healers, you both have the gift, how is it possible that you can't go up the mountain without me? I am just a young initiate."
"We don't know brother," he shrugs "my vision gave me the feeling that Noha has met you, I saw you underwater with him. Well I didn't actually see him but I felt him there with you under water."
"Can't you ask the ancestors?" I ask, Pula giggles softly at my question.
"They only give me what they feel I need to know." He responds.
"Can you tell me my future then? I say handing him my bow.
"I can try brother," he replies reaching out for the bow. He carefully studies the bow, running his hands across the curved wood and animal skin.
"What you want, is on the other side of the Great Moema," a grin spreads across his face "I see you finding a treasure, something our people have never seen. I can't see what it is. Your future is bright, the brightness is blinding, and I am not ready to foretell such elaborate fortunes. Brother," he hands me back my bow "you know where you're going, but you don't know how to get there. You'll need guides in your travels and good counsel. We are the best counsel for you, sent to find you by the great divine energy of our creators. We will heal your physical and spiritual wounds. While you fight on the battleground with your physical body, we will ensure you are protected by the Gods and their potions. This I see in your future. I get a sense that we will bow down to you one of these days but I don't see this, I just feel it as a side note."

I look at him puzzled, unsure whether I can trust him. Leru also looks puzzled. The twins have always been different from the other boys, always a little slower, always thorough and nit-picky. They hardly played with the rest of the boys in the village for fear of getting sick from exhaustion and the constant heat of the valley. I've never spent time enough with them to get to know them, they were always together, something I envied about them, being born with your best friend.