Sleeping Beauty ₪ Billy Black

III.

Chapter Three | Bonfire

William cleared his throat.

"The Quileutes have been a small people from the beginning. And we are a small people still, but we have never disappeared. This is because there has always been magic in our blood. It wasn't always the magic of shape-shifting- that came later. First we were spirit warriors." William said.

Hehewuti leaned forward, at the majestic tone of William's voice as he began the story. Beside her, Billy was focused almost as if he was trying to get every last word his father said.

Everyone seemed to be in some sort of trance, listening closely to William as he told the story of the spirit warriors, how Utlapa had deceived Taha Aki, stealing his body and leaving none for Taha Aki's spirit to attach itself to, and forbade the spirit warriors to enter the spirit world.

He told of how Taha Aki and the wolf had shared a body, and gone down into the village to warn the people of Utlapa's betrayal.

The rage Taha Aki had felt at the murder of one of his people by Utlapa had caused the wolf the transform into a man. From then on, the spirit warriors began to change into wolves, each one's different appearance a symbol of their different spirits.

"Taha Aki had lived the span of three old men's lives. He had married a third wife after the deaths of the first two, and found in her his true spirit wife. Though he had loved the others, this was something else. He decided to give up his spirit wolf so that he would die when she did." William said.

"After Taha Aki gave up his spirit self, trouble began in the North with the Makahs. Several young women had disappeared and they believed the neighboring wolves were to blame. However, all the wolves knew it was none of them because their minds were still connected with each other. Taha Aki did not want a war, especially since he could not lead his people any longer. He gave his eldest son, Taha Wi, the responsibility of finding who was to blame. Taha Wi led five wolves in search through mountains looking for evidence but they only found a strange, sweet scent. They followed it and the journey took them so far north that Taha Wi sent the two younger brothers back to inform the chief. Taha Wi and the other two never returned." William said.

"A year later, two Makah maidens were taken from their homes on the same night and the Makahs called upon the wolves. The Quileutes found the same sweet scent and went on the hunt once more. Only one of them returned. Yaha Uta, the eldest son of Taha Aki's third wife, returned carrying strange cold pieces of a corpse. He described what had happened to his brothers. One of them underestimated the strength of the creature and became a victim. Yaha Uta and his other brother were more careful but the creature matched their movements and got his hands on one of them. Yaha Uta found an opening on the creature's throat and began tearing at him desperately trying to save his brother. It was too late but he succeeded in ripping his enemy apart." William added.

"Yaha Uta laid the remains of the creature on the ground to be examined. Suddenly the corpse began to attach itself together and so the elders set fire to it. They spread the ashes far and wide, except a small bag which Taha Aki wore around his neck to be warned if the creature ever decided to get himself together again. The creature was called the Cold One and the Blood Drinker. They feared there were others like it since they only had one wolf protector left. Then came the Cold Woman, its mate. She was the most beautiful creature to be seen, though one small boy claimed the smell hurt his nose. An elder heard this and yelled for them to get away. He was the first to die at the mercy of the woman. She then proceeded to the other people until Yaha Uta arrived, followed by Taha Aki, his third wife, and the elders. When Yaha Uta was defeated, Taha Aki turned into an old gray wolf with the strength given by his anger alone. He began fighting the Cold Woman, when his third wife came to a conclusion." William said.

"She had just seen her son killed and now her husband ran a terrible danger, along with the rest of her sons and tribe. She heard every word the witnesses told the council and heard Yaha Uta's version of events the night the other one was beaten. She knew that his brother's divergence had saved him. She grabbed a knife from one of her sons, ran towards the blood drinker and stabbed herself in the heart. The Cold Woman could not turn away from the fresh blood and gave in to the thirst. Taha Aki bit her throat and finished her off along with two of his sons who felt such rage at seeing their mother dead that they turned into wolves. After that, Taha Aki never returned to his human self, staying to protect his wife's body and leaving to the forest never to return to the tribe." William said.

"Hehewuti, is there anything you would like to say?" Old Quil asked as everyone looked at me.

"What William has said is true but the only thing I would add is that the wolves has always been with the Quileute people from the very beginning." I answered.

"What do you mean?" Billy asked.

"When my father, Q'waeti' went on and reached the Quileute land. He saw two wolves. There were no people here. Then Q'waeti' transformed the wolved into people. Then he instructed the people saying: "The common man will have only one wife. Only a chief may have four or eight wives. For this reason you Quileute shall be brave, because you come from wolves," said Q'waeti'. "In every manner you shall be strong." Over time the people lost their connection to the wolves until the cold ones arrived." I answered.

"Are you saying that we truly descended from wolves?" William asked.

"Yes, that is why the wolf allowed Taha Aki to share his body. The wolves are your guardians and will always remain with you all." I replied.

"I'm so glad, you're here, Hehewuti." Old Quil said.