Lands Edge

Now available in ebook at http://janhawkinsau.wordpress.com/the-dreaming-series/the-spirit-children/

The Beginning

Jeremy

You could still feel the sweet chill of the night in the air but it was cosy here close to the earth. The light was growing slowly as I lay back to watch the day arrive and gather my wits. The dark shadows were withdrawing across the ground and the fingers of light, those small dappled sprinkles in the first light of day were still hiding in the forest canopy mostly. It was peaceful, quiet, but the morning song was beginning.

The heat of summer had been cooling a little lately, well it seemed that to me and I was looking forward to the first of winter that was promised in the damp air.

The earth against my bareback had a good feel about it as I watched the growing brilliance in the dance of dawn light, high in the canopy where the leaves had begun to shift about in the light breeze. I wondered for a minute if I should still be asleep or even if it made any difference if I was awake or not.

I felt the pull of that curiosity but I knew I had to wake-up properly soon. I decided then that the Oruncha men hadn’t been around, or had they? I didn’t know how to gauge these things, none of us did but we all hoped that we would be chosen, those amongst us who wanted to be Shaman that is.

It was near time to join the others as they’d be preparing for the day and the morning campfire would be roaring soon. The mothers would have stirred-up the embers from last night and no doubt they would be together now at dawn with the youngest of the kids, talking around the camp about the day ahead.

The kids would be done with quiet night hours and would be looking for trouble to get into while their mums were busy with the babies. I knew they would expect a hand from all and anyone as the camp stirred. The girls could help there but with the younger men it was expected that we would help give an eye to the older boys for a time. Everyone had a job around the camp and it was expected that you would do the job that was given, either that or leave. We all had responsibilities.

That was unless we had escaped already, or hadn’t yet returned from our ceremony and at that I grinned. I had escaped for the time and it was accepted that I mightn’t return this morning. I had been in ceremony last night with the others. But even amongst these young men, most would be re-joining the camp and it seemed I would be with those this morning.

Most of us would be there, the Oruncha Spirit men only chose a few and I knew now that they hadn’t chosen me. The day was to be like so many others and everyone would be moving back towards the camp so I knew I should join them. Breakfast would be ready I was reminded as I felt the pangs of hunger stir.

Mostly the ceremony was over, for me anyway. It was all part of taking on the responsibilities of a man and all that stuff. I was well into my teens, another year and I would be finished with school and as a young man there was still a great deal to work out. Now though it seemed I was not ready yet to join the ranks of the Shaman. There was a disappointment in that for me but I had to accept it anyway.

I had always wanted to be a Shaman but so far this choice of mine hadn’t done much to choose me and deep down I knew my worth to the community was in dance. Something I loved, even storytelling and I knew I could spin a tale but maybe I was meant to be no more than this to my family. There was no shame in that, what was important was that I had a place already.

Thinking back over how the dance had chosen me I smiled, they were good times. I remembered when Taipan had pointed me out to the community, to my family. How he had put the marks of the dancer on me, placed his hands on my shoulder blades leaving the tell tale clay imprint of his hand to push me forward into a world I loved. I had led the dance that night when I was only a kid and I had led it well.