Gray Skies

Chapter Twenty-Four: One Of Us

A/N:  For those of you that didn't get my message, I deleted chapter 24 and 25 of this story and have changed the direction I'm taking the story in. that's why I'm uploading chapter 24 again. The first few paragraphs are the same but then it changes

Chapter Twenty-Four: One Of Us

                Deniah blinked several times as she stared hard at the old chief and attempted to understand what he had said. It certainly hadn’t been what she had been expecting to hear!

                “What… what kind of gift?” she questioned uneasily. She wanted to trust that this ‘gift’ was going to be the answer to the wishes she had wished so fervently.

                Big Sky shook his head and pointed at a small wooden box covered in ornately painted designs of leaves and vines. “Hand me that box.”

                Deniah reached out and took the box in her hands, realizing it was heavier than she had believed it would be. She sat in on Big Sky’s lap and then repositioned herself on the fur rug beneath her.

                “This box contains artifacts that tell stories of our people. Each object has a life and a spirit of its own,” Big Sky began as he lifted the lid. Deniah bit her lip and craned her neck hoping to peek inside. Big Sky clicked his tongue and her eyes went back to his face to find him shaking his head with disapproval.  “No peeking,” He warned.

                She flushed sheepishly and sat back nearly laughing when he smiled with amusement. “When the Great Mother created our people she wept when she saw the struggles we would face as our homelands were invaded,” As Big Sky spoke he pulled a large feather, a rib bone, several small stones and a crow intricately carved from bone. “But she gave us signs and seeds of wisdom to help us on our journey.”

                “That looks like Gray!” Deniah exclaimed before biting the inside of her cheek roughly to remind herself to be quiet and smiling apologetically at the old chief. Big Sky did not look annoyed; instead he gazed at her with fond amusement.

                “Yes it does. The owl is thought to be the sacred bird among our people though those of us with spiritual powers know that there is one creature more sacred than the rest. Gray Skies is the first crow among our people in hundreds of years.”

                “But Gray said all of you can turn into any animal—“ Deniah began and then she looked down at her hands. “—I am sorry I keep interrupting… Oh dear! Gray wasn’t supposed to tell me all of that! I didn’t get him in trouble did I?”

                Big Sky appeared taken aback by the tears in her eyes. “Calm yourself!” he scolded. “There is no harm in the knowledge you possess of our people.” Relief filled Deniah. She had worried for a moment that she had spoken too much. “Now, it is true that our people can take the shape of any animal they have seen however there is one animal for every person that is the easiest; one animal whose soul melds more completely with ours. For Gray Skies it is the crow and he is the first in many many lifetimes.”

                Deniah noticed that Big Sky’s voice was getting weaker and his words a bit slurred. It was clear the man was exhausted and needed rest. All thoughts of gifts left her mind and she only wanted to care for the man that Gray Skies loved so deeply. “Big Sky, you need rest,” she urged.

                “Not until after I am finished telling you what needs to be told. Very soon I will have a very long rest.”  Deniah winced at the reminder of his imminent death.