StrangeOwl chapter 6
My escort and I had been moving for several hours now and I noticed the land becoming hilly and congested with trees and brush. Up ahead loomed the Crooked Man Mountains and about late afternoon we finally reached the base of the mountains. "We will stop here to rest and eat before we go on." said Eagles Mark.
One of the other warriors opened up his sack that he been carrying and handed out some dried venison.
While we ate I observed the Warriors. Each one of the four men was the best of our young warriors. Strong in their own way, they are good providers for the village and excellent defenders as well. The young women of the village had always spoken in delight about them; however, I could only see them as one would a sibling. Yes, they handsome and each has their own charm but romance was not what I felt in my heart when I gazed upon them. I called them Brothers and I knew they thought me only as a loving Sister. With a sigh, I wondered if there was someone for me out there somewhere, as most young women do.
I then looked at Eagles Mark and observed him talking solemnly to the other three Warriors. They all had grim looking faces and a resigned sadness about them. I felt a strange foreboding fall across me and the venison I had been chewing on became like dust in my mouth. Something very bad was going to happen and I wasn't going to be able to stop it. Flashes of things came to my mind's eye, too fast for me to understand. The top of my head was all tingly and I didn't like it one bit. Eagles Mark caught my eye and as one, the Four Warriors turned my way. I broke out in a sweat.
"Are you ready to see the Hidden Glen where you were found?" asked Eagles Mark. Nodding slowly, I asked, "How much further do we have to travel? With a quick grin, Eagles Mark looked at the other warriors and then back at me. "Oh, not very far." he said lazily. "In fact, we are already at its entrance."
I looked all around us and all I saw was trees, shrubs and Crooked Man Mountain. "Ok, what's the punch line, because I don't get your joke?" I asked perplexed. "Come with me and watch the magic." said Eagles Mark. Intrigued I walked to his side and he showed me a rocky slab of rock in the side of the mountain. Raising his hands up, Eagles Mark closed his eyes and then said in a loud voice, "Open Says Me!" I waited. Nothing happened. I glanced at Eagles Mark with a question upon my face. Eagles Mark opened one eye and said "Nothing happened?" I shook my head. "Of course not, Strange Owl." "Have you ever seen me do magic?" he said with a laugh. Snickers broke out behind us. Chagrined, I too, laughed. My earlier foreboding was forgotten.
"Come on, help me push this slab of rock." he said and the other three warriors and I put our hands on the slab of rock and it began to slowly push back into the mountain. Dirt and pebbles rained upon our shoulder which we shook off as we continued pushing. The slab finally came to a stop. The other three stood back and did not enter. "Only you and I will enter now, Strange Owl." said Eagles Mark.
Lighting a torch that was on a ledge, Eagles Mark led me deep into the cave. For a few minutes we kept moving and I was looking all around me. The cave was not all that big inside and it had no stalagmites or stalactites and it was becoming obvious to me now, that this cave was made by Men. I turned to Eagles Mark and he had stopped. "Look at this wall and tell me what you see." said Eagles Mark. On the wall were drawings and I saw man shapes with wings and one woman with wings and she was obviously pregnant. My mother! The drawings showed them coming from a strange hole in the sky and then the woman being left alone at a camp while the men went hunting. Another drawing showed the woman holding an infant. My birth I figured. Another drawing showed the hole in the sky again and more men coming with wings. I saw my mother hiding me with the blanket of feathers in a tree and leading the men away from me. I saw the hunters return and a battle. My mother was struck! I saw all the men leave into the hole in the sky except for four of them. My mother's body was then shown being carried through the hole. Another drawing showed the hole in the sky getting smaller. I saw drawings of the shifting of the men to bird form; then men warriors from this world being shown the Hidden Glen and them finding me as an Infant.
I finally understood. I was someone of importance and left here because there was no safer place. I turned to find Eagles Mark standing by another slab of rock and it was opened. A very somber Eagles Mark pointed through the entrance. "Through there is the Glen, Strange Owl." I walked to his side and saw that a forest, a valley and a river. "Once you go through this entrance, my Sister, you will never be able to return through it." I turned around to find Eagles Mark pushing another smaller slab and the cave began to rumble. "No!" I screamed. I realized that Eagles Mark was causing the cave to crumble and there was no way he was going to make it back out to the others. I reached out to grab his arm but Eagles Mark had moved further into the now crumbling cave. Boulders and earth were falling and I knew this was going to be Eagles Marks tomb. "Come with me!" I screamed. Shaking his head proudly, Eagles Mark yelled back, "I am the Guardian of the Cave! "Now Run Strange Owl!" "Do not let my sacrifice be in vain!" I had no choice. I turned and ran through the entrance and out of the cave as the mountain gave a great groan.
Falling to the ground I rolled down the incline and came to a rest against some fallen trees. The ground shook and earth and rocks and dust were flying everywhere.. I covered my head with my hands and my wings and winced when I was struck. Finally the mountain became silent. I jumped to my feet and turned to run back up to the cave, but it was gone. So to, was Eagles Mark. I fell to my knees and screamed my grief and rage at the sky. For the first time since I was an infant, I cried my heart out.