A/N: This is the same as Eternal Moon... A sneak peak at the thrid book in The Order of Eternals series. I am doing this for anyone interested in checking out my work in progress on the fourth book, which I just really started working on. I am going to start posting it soon... If anyone is interested...
Prologue
Spring of 1630
The youth secured his bow and arrows to his back and took off at a slow trot up the side of the mountain. His father had escorted him to the edge of the mountain as was the tradition of his tribe for becoming a man.
He was a half breed. His father was a shaman to their people, but his mother was Scottish. He had two names, Keltan, from his mother, and Elohi-Ayagi, from his father. He had often wondered at why his parents had decided upon two names that both held such similar meanings. But he liked both names, so he never complained.
He paused, looking again at the remaining distance he had to go to reach the top. There, he would make camp and prepare himself for his quest. He would be on the top of the mountain for one week.
During that time, he would search for the meaning of his existence. He was determined to discover his life was meant for something truly important. It would bring acceptance from his tribe.
Clenching his jaw, he continued up the mountain with renewed purpose. It would give him acceptance from the others of his tribe. Finally, if his quest showed him truly what he was to become, he would be known to them, not as a half breed, but as truly one of them!
He would know their respect, not their scorn. It wasn’t that they had ever been cruel to him. He just had not fit in as he would have wished to.
His parents had both loved him and they were accepted among the tribe, although they had looked at Heather as an outsider and a limitation to his father. She had not been truly accepted among them until she had been among them for many years. Keltan had nothing but admiration and respect for his mother. She was a brave and wonderful woman. He felt pride in having her blood.
When he finally reached the steepest incline, he pulled himself to safety and looked around. It was a cave, and it was perfect. The entrance was huge and dark. He could safely camp here and watch for beasts each night as he waited for the visions that would foretell his destiny.
Standing, he moved to gather some fallen branches from a tree that grew on the side of the cliff. He would use them to build his fire for warmth and eat some of the rations his father had allowed him to take for his first night. Starting tomorrow, he would have to begin hunting for the remainder of his quest.
After he had a decent fire burning, he unrolled his pallet and settled it on the ground. He ate his rations before lying down to take his rest. He would rise before dawn the coming morning. Tomorrow would be the day he began working to prove he was now a man.
Later, as he slept, the spirits of the animal energy within him gathered around him. The dragon, the wolf, the eagle, and the leopard all sat in wait for him to awaken.
Slowly, his eyes opened as he lay there, staring blankly at the creatures around him for several seconds. As he blinked the sleep out of his eyes, he realized he was truly awake and no longer dreaming.
Panic assailed him as he rose and looked frantically for his weapons. They sat there beside his makeshift bed. Grabbing the knife, he held it tight as he jumped to his feet, ready to fend off the first predator.
Each animal watched him with mixtures of mirth and tolerance shining on their faces. They each regarded him with intelligent eyes, but it was the dragon which spoke.
“Do you really think that if we wanted your flesh to feast upon that a mere blade would deter us?” He chuckled, shaking his head at the humorous situation. The other animals seemed to join in his laughter, which only served to infuriate and confuse Keltan further.
“What is it you want of me?” he demanded in a voice that was still in the process of making the change from child to adult. He tried to seem intimidating. Instead his voice cracked.
The leopard answered in a soft almost seductive voice, “You have sent up your prayers to discover your destiny, young Keltan.” She blinked once. “We have answered.”
Perplexed and intrigued, Keltan slowly lowered his meager weapon. “Are you my spirit guides?” Perhaps this was what he’d come searching for.
The eagle ruffled his feathers. “Well, of course, we are. We are also a part of your destiny.”
The boy sank back down onto his pallet and looked around at each of the majestic animals that surrounded him. They each looked at him with intelligent, friendly eyes. He felt somewhat embarrassed that he had flew into defense without even waiting to see if there was any who would attack.
Lowering his head, he offered softly, “I am sorry for not knowing what you were here for.”
The Dragon spoke again at that moment, “Child, you have nothing to apologize for. If I had been sleeping and awoke to find such an array of dangerous creatures surrounding me, I would feel threatened and intimidated too.”
The beautiful wolf who sat closest to him spoke that time. “Your reaction is understandable and forgiven, young one.”
Keltan turned to stare at her and was entranced with her eyes. They were the color of the sky when the sun was high. He was completely amazed. Never had he seen a wolf with such eyes. Stunning was their beauty.
She seemed to smile at him then. “I am one of your spirit guides. We shall be close as we each guide you through what you are to become.”
The dragon spoke again, drawing Keltan’s attention to him. “We are here with you because you are special, my young friend. Where most of your people may have one or two spirit guides, you have all four of us. We are the representatives of the energy within you.”
Keltan found himself drawn into the dragon’s words. He listened as the spirit told him of what he was to become and the powers he would have. The longer the dragon spoke, the bigger the young man’s eyes became.
When they fell silent, he questioned them. “Me, a Shape-shifter? But how? The stories of our tribe tell there hasn’t been one of those born to us in many years. My father said the last one was his great, great grandfather. Why me? After all this time?”
The dragon smiled and leant down, breathing his essence into the boy. Each spirit animal followed and they became one with he who had been sitting among them as a boy, but would leave the mountain a man.
Keltan looked around, realizing that he was alone now on the mountain. But he knew he wasn’t truly alone. As the truth of it became evident, he heard the whisper of the dragon in his very soul. “Because it is your destiny . . .”
