Trouble's Turn: A Mystical Animal Allies Short Story Read online

she is not telling me. By her decisive yip, I know I had better not ask her about it anymore right now.

  One thing that puzzles me more than dreaming is praying, but now maybe I understand. “The earth people do not realize they are one with Creator? That must be why they pray.”

  “Yes, praying helps them experience their link with Great Mystery.”

  What must it be like to feel alone like that? I cannot imagine what it would be like if I did not feel that I am one with Great Mystery. It must be very difficult for them.

  Below, Runs from Snake’s mother is running among the People, panicked. “Have you seen him? Where is he?”

  Spirit Chief takes her by the shoulders, stopping her. He looks into her eyes. “Be at peace. Trust Great Spirit to guard him.”

  “He is so young.”

  “He is nearly a man. He left this morning in secret to seek his Vision this morning.” She goes weak in the knees and he steadies her. “You must know he is trying to earn a man’s name.” She stomps off, sobbing. She and other women of the People heat water for the stones. The turtle den keepers gather the stones and make their preparations for the sacred ceremony. Upset though she is, she does the work that needs to be done. Women console her. “I know what is to fear for a son,” one of them tells her.

  Mother’s ears prick. “I am called.” All of us feel it when the People reach out for help, and we carry their prayers, but when your One calls, it is different. Ears prick. Breath quickens. Whatever you are doing must stop. You must go to the Den between the Worlds and respond. It seems like everyone else but me has a person. Father has the Spirit Chief. My older brothers guide the warriors. My sisters are pups still. “Trouble, why don’t you go run your restless energy off with the whelps?” She leaves for the Den between the Worlds.

  My hackles are way up, lip to my nose, and I can’t help it. Fortunately, she is gone and doesn’t see me. “I don’t want to go play with the pups. “I know exactly how Runs From Snakes feels. I wonder if I will ever have one of the People to guide. Or will I always be “Trouble”?

  Nobody tells me anything even though I ask to learn. I am tired of watching and doing nothing except what even the younger pups do for the People. I find myself pacing in circles. That isn’t helpful, fun or interesting, so I trot off to find something else to do. The Pack are connecting with the one Two-legged they alone guide.

  With all the People praying, the air is full of sound. It reminds me of a flock of geese when they’re standing on the shore, talking all at once.

  Then I hear one voice coming to me loud and clear above the clamor. Great Spirit, humbly I ask you to show me my Spirit Guide. I live to serve the People. Show me the way.” I listen as he continues to pray and seek his Ally.

  Could I be his Ally? I run around in circles, flustered, not knowing what to do or where to start. The Den between the worlds! I run as fast as I can along the passage and scramble to a halt at the feet of the guardian.

  “What are you doing here, Trouble?”

  “I am called.”

  He snaps at me in warning. “Not possible. Run off and”

  I stand as tall as I can, snarling, hackles up. “Do NOT tell me to go off and play. I am called.”

  “You are showing aggression to a warrior, young whelp.”

  I am NOT a whelp! But I had better not say that. “I know, but I am called. Every Ally who is called must answer. I will NOT leave my Two-legged alone. He has asked for help.” I know when this is all over I’m in the worst trouble ever, but I hold my ground. My big concession is to uncurl my lip and flatten my hackles. I look him straight in the eye, which is probably worse than raising hackles and snarling.

  Young Runs From Snakes is deep in prayer, patient, expectant, waiting for his Ally. He asks humbly, without knowing who will come to him or when they will come, if at all.

  The guard sits down and howls his laughter. “You pass the test. I see that you truly are called and not just trying to sneak through, as I know you have done before.”

  Wasting no time, I woof a quick thanks as I jump over him and tear down the passage to the Den between the Worlds. I don’t know exactly what to do when I get there, but I will work that out. I wish my parents or the Elders would have taught me what to do when I asked.

  Will he see me or only know I’m there? Will I appear like mist or solid? Am I worthy of being an ally? Can I truly help him?

  Before reaching the Den I slow to a walk. It’s important for me to make a calm entrance, not bolt into the middle of everything. How nervous I am! All the Wolves are sitting quietly, uniting with their Two-legged on Earth. I find a place to sit. I am not sure what to do, but I open my heart to Runs From Snakes. After a bit, my uncertainty subsides in the midst of this deep communion.

  He is praying, listening. He hears a drumbeat. “The People are in council. I feel his anxiety as he wonders if there is trouble. “It is a test. I must not break the circle.”

  He has made a sacred hoop around him in which he stays as he seeks his guiding Vision. I know from stories others in the Pack have told me that the Two-leggeds sometimes see or hear things that are not there when they seek their vision. They believe it is a test to make sure they stay in the sacred circle, in prayer, seeking their vision, asking for their special Ally to reveal itself to them.

  At this moment, I could use a little guidance myself, so I quiet my thoughts and wait. He must know that his Ally is with him. I imagine myself standing before him and so I am. He has grown stronger both in body and spirit since I last saw him from above. While I see him and the rocky mountainside behind,

  What kind of person is he? What task is he alone gifted to do for his people? I gaze into his eyes to look into his spirit. He has compassion, the wisdom of an elder, gentle strength. I also see that he is stubborn and sometimes, unsure of himself, rash. He will be at the heart of trouble between The People and their enemies. “You are destined to save your people,” I tell him.

  His eyes grow wider. ”You are speaking to me? I am…deeply honored. I live to serve my people.”

  There are so many things I would like to say to him: how similar we are, how much I understand him, He deserves an Ally with more experience than I, because I can see his road will be difficult. He is uncertain of himself. I feel this from him. He does not know his true nature, perhaps because people so often overlook and underestimate him. He deserves a true name. He deserves to be treated with respect. He will be Spirit Chief of the People. I want to say all this to him but it is more important that I make certain he is safe.

  At first, I do not know what is all around him since I have been so focused on him. Perhaps if I put more of myself in his world, I can move and look around. How do I do that? Perhaps by intent and thought, as all things are done in my world. Imagine being more connected with his world. More solid.

  My ears twitch as I hear horses walking and men talking. Is he safe? I must know. “What sounds do you hear?”

  “Before you came to me, I heard the drum calling a warning.”

  “Your enemies approach. Do you hear the horses coming this way?”

  “I only hear something faint in the distance.”

  What is so clear to me is distant to him. I must ask Father about this.

  Needing to see more, I focus on his world. He is on a rocky ledge with one tree near, just a little outside his circle. I need to look around him. Directly below, a trail winds along. I jump down to the trail, look up. Anyone passing by will be able to see him from here. I listen. Three horses and three men. A scouting party. If they do not look up, he may be safe. If he climbs into the tree, he may make noise and cause them to look up and see him.

  Have the People decided to fight or scatter? I think of the Spirit Chief and am there with him. And with Father. Spirit Chief prays for his people to be unseen.

  Back to Runs From Snakes. “Three pale men on horses come. They may see you. Do you climb quietly?

  I will not leave the circle.”<
br />
  “This place is exposed.”

  “You are testing me. I have made my circle. If I am destined to save my people, then I will be safe within it.” He crosses his arms over his chest, resolute.

  I consider nipping his heel just a little but I don’t know how to be fully present in his world. Probably a good thing. He always seemed so quiet whenever I observed him. That sounds exactly like something I would say, and now I have a little empathy for Mother and Father. And I admire his strength of faith. “Sit in your circle and imagine you are part of the rock. There is no you, only rock”

  “I will.”

  I sit in front of him and in my mind, he is not there. He is one with the rock. No sacred circle, only rock. No Two-legged. Nothing to see but the mountainside. Nothing.

  Rustling below. Someone moves quietly by Two-legged standards. I go to the sound. It is his mother, not hiding herself but looking for her son. It may be that she does not hear the men. I try telling her to hide but she does not hear me. Wolf is not her guardian. She thinks only of her pup. It will be bad if the scouts find any of the people.

  Back with Runs From Snakes, I take my place in front of him as before. Causing him worry will make it more likely that he is visible, so I say nothing of his mother.

  “I hear them now.”

  “Be Still. You are one with the mountain.”

  His mother must hear them by now too. She takes a hiding place that is too near the trail. I must