Chapter 25
#25 of The Mating Season: A Life of Dreams
Chapter 25
After everyone had settled down, Theo decided to take Roan home. Lea insisted on going to Zaldon's home to check on her father, and Roan insisted on accompanying his distraught mother there: he, too, was worried for Loryn.
Zane also left in search of his mother and wives, having caused enough chaos for one evening. Idella gathered a sleepy Mio and Zee and went with him. She was joined by Ceara, who took charge of Wynn, Inden, and LiAnh. Ceara carried a sleepy LiAnh on her hip and took Wynn by the paw, leading the three children away up the street.
Amrosa took a drunken Sade to Zaldon's home - where they would be staying to give Roan and Theo a pleasant wedding night. Zaldon and Julyan helped her, as Sade was much bigger than she was.
Enya pulled out a chair and sat, her eyes passing angrily over the ruined decorations. Yuri sat with her, and Zalia stood over her daughter's chair, touching her curls.
"You still had a wonderful ceremony, Enya," Zalia said soothingly. "And you have a wonderful wedding night ahead of you. Cheer up."
Enya laughed. "Thanks, Mom."
Kilyan looked at Keeno. "I guess we're on spit n' shine detail."
Keeno looked around at the mess. "Over my corpse," he muttered.
"I'll get your father home, Kilyan," Yzlo said. He grunted as he threw Kel's arm around his shoulders. Aliona and Hye helped him.
"Wait . . ." Hris set down his glass and looked at Yaholo. "Boy."
Yaholo nodded and rose from Kuza's side. He took up his staff - which had been leaning against the table - and touched the gnarled branches of it to the floor. Light blossomed there, growing brighter, until a white silhouette appeared before them.
Hye gasped. She and Aliona looked at each other in wonder.
Kilyan froze. And beside him, Keeno froze as well.
The silhouette towered over them, a young male wolf with piercing white eyes and a long mane that billowed about him constantly - like water. In fact, he smelled of water and was floating softly on a cloud of foam.
Zalia took a step forward, her blue eyes wide, her mouth slightly open. Her voice was small and sad when she whispered, "Sion?"
The apparition frowned. "You know my name, mortal. Who are you?" You, you, you.
Zalia's blue eyes trembled with tears. She touched an uncertain paw to her bosom. "I'm Zalia." She shook her head and a lick of black mane fell in her eyes. "Don't you remember?"
"He is gone back into nature," Yaholo explained softly. "He has no memory of his old life. But you can ask him what you wish. He guides my tribe along the river, helping us avoid fatalities again and again. He has much wisdom - which is befitting a river spirit," Yaholo said proudly.
Leaning heavily on Yzlo, Kel stared at the spirit, agape. He looked at Yaholo with worried eyes. "He became a river spirit?"
"Yes," Yaholo confirmed with a nod.
The spirit looked at Yaholo calmly. "Why have I been summoned? We are not near the river. I hear its call. I will return." Turn, turn, turn.
"No - wait!" Zalia cried, reaching out. "Please," she whispered. Kilyan rubbed her shoulder, but she hardly seemed to notice.
"These wolves," Yaholo called up to the spirit, "seek your wisdom and guidance."
The spirit seemed to understand now. He looked at Zalia, Kilyan, and Keeno, who had come before him and were looking up at him in amazement: he towered at least ten feet above them, spreading his white light over the balcony until it dazzled.
As they stood in Sion's blinding light, Zalia, Kilyan, and Keeno could feel the gentle warmth of his soul - the peace and content they known with him in life. They smiled at each other: it was really him.
"You have questions," the spirit said. "Ask." Ask, ask, ask.
Kilyan frowned sadly. "Are you happy?"
The spirit looked down at him uncertainly. "What is unhappiness to the river? The river can not be unhappy. It takes joy in simply being and flowing. Endlessly."
"Translation: yes," laughed Keeno.
Zalia looked up at the spirit hopefully. "So . . . you don't suffer? You're at peace?"
"The river knows no suffering but for it dries up," was the answer. Up, up, up. "Female With Familiar Eyes, your second question has already been answered: there is peace in being. There is peace in flowing. Where the river is chaotic, there is joy." Joy, joy, joy.
Zalia smiled and squeezed Keeno's paw. "Female with familiar eyes!" she whispered happily. "He remembers me!"
Keeno put his arm around her. "Who could forget you?"
"Now I will return to the river," the spirit announced. He stared into the distance a moment, as if listening to something they could not hear. He looked at Yaholo. "And you should return to the river as well. Your mother and uncle need you." You, you, you.
"Cohoma's in danger?" Hris cried, rising from his seat.
The spirit didn't look inclined to answer. He started to fade.
"Wait!" Keeno said, stepping forward. "One more thing!"
The spirit blinked at him. "Speak, mortal." Mortal, mortal, mortal.
"Is . . ." Keeno hesitated. "Is there a heaven?"
"Heaven," repeated the spirit. "What is this word? There is only nature and energy - both of which flow endlessly and seamlessly. One day your spirits will join the trees and the earth, the wind and the rain. If you are fortunate, you will join the river." The apparition smiled - for the first time - and vanished.