other
necessities, like milk and eggs.
“Oh, that’s
really disgusting. How come you didn’t go?”
“Navarre is a
very good hunter. I guess it’s in his blood,” Phoenix answered.
Tahinah was Native American, or at least her grandfather was and
Ruben was a soldier.
“But it’s in
your blood, too.”
“I suppose, but
I’m not very good. Navarre can shoot three arrows before the first
hits its target. He is aiming for six. There are legends that say
that some Apache warriors could fire seven arrows before the first
hit its mark.”
“Wouldn’t it
depend on how far away the target was?” I asked.
“I guess; never
thought too much about it, really.”
We watched as
Ruben and Navarre turned the carcasses into cuts of meat. Mostly,
it was rabbit, but a few pheasants and a couple of wild turkeys lay
on the table as well. I’d eaten many rabbits since my arrival and
still had trouble separating the idea of fluffy bunnies from our
meal. This made my life just a little more difficult. As a rule,
they never caught small native animals whose lives were still more
endangered than ours were.
“I think Ruben
plans to turn us all into warriors. He hasn’t stopped worrying
about what we saw in town or what Lon had to say, but we’re not
really prepared to defend ourselves.”
“I don’t think
I’ll make much of a warrior.”
“Ruben still
has to convince Libby; and I would be surprised if she agreed to
you trading magick lesson for weapons training.”
The idea that I
could trade one for the other was suddenly exciting. I didn’t hate
magick; I just didn’t understand it. Hunting, shooting guns, firing
arrows, defending against an enemy – that was basic and something I
could understand.
Tahinah looked
around, “Has anyone seen Raven?” No one had seen her since we’d
been here, which was now hours. “Phoenix? See if you can find her
please.” Worry creased Tahinah’s brow as she headed toward the
house.
“She won’t be
far. It’s not her style to go wandering off and she isn’t a baby
anymore.” Phoenix wasn’t overly concerned about his sister, but he
searched for her anyway just to ease his mother’s worry. We checked
in and around the house and in parts of the garden we hadn’t
explored earlier.
Raven was
sixteen, just a few months younger than I. When we first met, I
thought we may have become friends, but she barely spoke to me on
the way to town, even though she sat beside me. When we arrived
there, she quickly found friends to spend the day with. I wasn’t
offended, just surprised.
We eventually
found Raven sitting in the old bus shelter at the end of the
driveway beside the road.
“Where have you
been?” Phoenix demanded. She didn’t answer. “Mum’s been looking for
you.”
“So... It took
her long enough to realise I was missing.” Raven didn’t smile, she
just stood up, stomped off and left us trailing behind her.
“Well, she’s a
nice girl,” I said, unable to hide the sarcasm.
“Yeh, she used
to be, I don’t know why she is being such a bitch. Teenage girl
thing, I guess.”
“Hey, I’m a
teenage girl!” I nudged him with my elbow.
Phoenix paused
and looked at me. He squinted and his brow wrinkled in the centre,
then he smiled and shrugged. “Yeh sure, I forget sometimes,” he
added as he grabbed my hand and dragged me back along the
driveway.
Chapter 7 ~ DANCE
WHEN THE MOON IS WATCHING
The aroma of
cooking meat and roasting vegetables drifted toward us as we walked
down the drive of the house. The sweet smoky smell made me forget
my misgivings about eating fluffy bunnies, as it always did. The
group now gathered around the fire as the sun slipped behind the
horizon. The wind had picked up a little, rendering the air fresh
and crisp.
I stood
watching the flames flicker and grow brighter as the sun set.
Roasted meat and yams, along with pots of stew were carried to the
tables. I smiled at the children who ate with happy faces and the
adults who
necessities, like milk and eggs.
“Oh, that’s
really disgusting. How come you didn’t go?”
“Navarre is a
very good hunter. I guess it’s in his blood,” Phoenix answered.
Tahinah was Native American, or at least her grandfather was and
Ruben was a soldier.
“But it’s in
your blood, too.”
“I suppose, but
I’m not very good. Navarre can shoot three arrows before the first
hits its target. He is aiming for six. There are legends that say
that some Apache warriors could fire seven arrows before the first
hit its mark.”
“Wouldn’t it
depend on how far away the target was?” I asked.
“I guess; never
thought too much about it, really.”
We watched as
Ruben and Navarre turned the carcasses into cuts of meat. Mostly,
it was rabbit, but a few pheasants and a couple of wild turkeys lay
on the table as well. I’d eaten many rabbits since my arrival and
still had trouble separating the idea of fluffy bunnies from our
meal. This made my life just a little more difficult. As a rule,
they never caught small native animals whose lives were still more
endangered than ours were.
“I think Ruben
plans to turn us all into warriors. He hasn’t stopped worrying
about what we saw in town or what Lon had to say, but we’re not
really prepared to defend ourselves.”
“I don’t think
I’ll make much of a warrior.”
“Ruben still
has to convince Libby; and I would be surprised if she agreed to
you trading magick lesson for weapons training.”
The idea that I
could trade one for the other was suddenly exciting. I didn’t hate
magick; I just didn’t understand it. Hunting, shooting guns, firing
arrows, defending against an enemy – that was basic and something I
could understand.
Tahinah looked
around, “Has anyone seen Raven?” No one had seen her since we’d
been here, which was now hours. “Phoenix? See if you can find her
please.” Worry creased Tahinah’s brow as she headed toward the
house.
“She won’t be
far. It’s not her style to go wandering off and she isn’t a baby
anymore.” Phoenix wasn’t overly concerned about his sister, but he
searched for her anyway just to ease his mother’s worry. We checked
in and around the house and in parts of the garden we hadn’t
explored earlier.
Raven was
sixteen, just a few months younger than I. When we first met, I
thought we may have become friends, but she barely spoke to me on
the way to town, even though she sat beside me. When we arrived
there, she quickly found friends to spend the day with. I wasn’t
offended, just surprised.
We eventually
found Raven sitting in the old bus shelter at the end of the
driveway beside the road.
“Where have you
been?” Phoenix demanded. She didn’t answer. “Mum’s been looking for
you.”
“So... It took
her long enough to realise I was missing.” Raven didn’t smile, she
just stood up, stomped off and left us trailing behind her.
“Well, she’s a
nice girl,” I said, unable to hide the sarcasm.
“Yeh, she used
to be, I don’t know why she is being such a bitch. Teenage girl
thing, I guess.”
“Hey, I’m a
teenage girl!” I nudged him with my elbow.
Phoenix paused
and looked at me. He squinted and his brow wrinkled in the centre,
then he smiled and shrugged. “Yeh sure, I forget sometimes,” he
added as he grabbed my hand and dragged me back along the
driveway.
Chapter 7 ~ DANCE
WHEN THE MOON IS WATCHING
The aroma of
cooking meat and roasting vegetables drifted toward us as we walked
down the drive of the house. The sweet smoky smell made me forget
my misgivings about eating fluffy bunnies, as it always did. The
group now gathered around the fire as the sun slipped behind the
horizon. The wind had picked up a little, rendering the air fresh
and crisp.
I stood
watching the flames flicker and grow brighter as the sun set.
Roasted meat and yams, along with pots of stew were carried to the
tables. I smiled at the children who ate with happy faces and the
adults who
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