HP: Spirit Talker

Chapter 59 Storyline U.S. (Part 10)

"Soft Paw," a cheerful and energetic beauty, was unusually serious and collected this evening. The girl led me to one of the most remote places where shaman works, respectfully bowed to the back of an elder sitting on a log, and silently left. The fire was not big, but bright, with multicolored sparks going into the night sky. Only the red-orange streak of sunset remained from the light, and the first stars were already shining in the sky, but the moon would not appear today — it would appear only by morning.

The shaman's back, which I could not help feeling his spiritual power, broad and still strong, said that this man had been very strong in his youth. Two thick gray braids with traditional amulets-feathers, lanyard straps of talismans and amulets around his neck, a leather jacket embroidered with patterns and a wide belt with pouches and knots. As I approached, the man didn't even move.

Sitting down on another log, to the right of the old shaman, I could see his face. Weathered, covered with deep wrinkles, broad, with high cheekbones. A large hooked nose, thin pale lips, a masculine chin with a dimple, thick bushy eyebrows, closed eyes.

— The Elder Sister whispered to me of the coming of a young shaman from a foreign land.... — the man's voice was dry, hoarse, as if he had not spoken for a long time. — but I can see that you come from much farther away.

The old shaman opened his eyes sharply and looked at me. I flinched. I was staring at two pockets of white-yellow, pale glow, faintly pulsing. Silver sparks whirled in circles in them. I'd never seen such a thing, or even seen it described. No, the glow of a mage's eyes is well known and not uncommon, but it's usually just the iris or pupil, not the entire eye, turned to light.

— Sister says that the gift of the Sun Goddess is not harmful, you can leave this worry, your gifts will not be touched.... — The shaman was silent for a while, he turned his head to the left, and then he moved his hand in the air as if he was stroking some animal, rubbed his head, and turned to me again. — ...her gift will protect you from the evil eye and curses. Yes... — The shaman said with a strange and incomprehensible expression in his voice. — My sister thanked me with three gifts. Two of them you can easily open yourself, and the third you will soon feel in yourself. — The shaman suddenly grinned slyly, which was immediately reflected in a slightly more accelerated pulsation of light in his eyes. — Oh, our spirits have always loved to joke, and the Sisters' jokes have always carried a touch of their essence. — The old man grinned, and even began to chuckle. — That's what she's all about, ha-ha-ha!

— I hope it's not... — Honestly, I was getting a little tense with the meaningful innuendo, especially from someone like that who interrupted me.

— Oh! — the old man kept laughing. — You'll remember her with warm gratitude. but you'll swear too... ah-ha-ha-ha! — The old man's laughter resembled the cry of a bird, and for some time he didn't stop, but I decided to leave this subject, since there was no threat, and jokes... well, everything in the world is not without humor, and I like a good joke myself.

— I haven't had this much fun in a long time, he-he-he... — the old shaman was beginning to calm down, but he was still chuckling. — Yeah... cats and birds have always had a complicated relationship... oh yes! Aha-ha-ha-ha! — the shaman burst out laughing again, but I took it with philosophical humility and looked at the stars until the old man calmed down. — Yes... My sister made a joke of me in her own way at one time. I'm grateful to her now, but at the time I thought the Great One had a grudge against me for something, thus punishing me, he-he-he. Well, the night is short, so we should talk about important things. — The shaman took out a long smoking pipe from one of the pouches with expansion of space, filled it with some dried herbs, put his finger on it, thus igniting the herbs, took a drag, let out a cloud of silvery-blue smoke. — You asked your Sister about humans and Spirits and gods. Why are you interested in that? Why do you want to know why?