Walk A Different Path 🤍 Jaa/First

~ epilogue ~

For the first few weeks he used power tools and then he had to work by hand to chisel the fine details and Sam couldn't wait to see the finished product, he just hope that the village people liked it as well.

The weeks went by and everyone was happy, it was evident to everyone in the village that Maskwa and Sam were so in love, it seemed that the stone mason had also found a reason to stick around longer when he had started to date one of the young girls in the village. 

Finally, in mid September, Sam organised a village party to unveil what the stonemason had been working on all these months and he helped his mother in law and the other women to prepare food while the men prepared seating and a small bar area and the local band got their drums ready.

Raz and Pon had flown in and it was the first time they had seen Pipon's adopted parents'home that had been rebuilt for him so they were staying there.

The commission had been covered with a large tarpaulin and the hoarding removed so that when the time came to reveal it, it would be easier.

Everyone went home to bathe and dress in traditional clothing, beautiful embroidered shirts and colourful beaded jewellery. 

Sam dressed in snug pants and a lovely shirt that his mother in law had made for him and Maskwa wore his usual jeans and a crisp white chambray shirt and he left his hair flowing down his back and Sam fell in love with him all over again.

The party started and everyone was happy, the kids ran around playing while the adults chatted and then the village elders came to sit close to the commissioned work and Maskwa asked for everyone's attention.

Sam had been practising their native tongue but he still wasn't fluent so he decided to speak in english and asked Maskwa to translate for him then he began to speak.

"tansê, hello everyone, thank you for turning out tonight to celebrate with me ...

when I first came here I didn't know what to think, I was dreading it to be honest because I was always a city dweller and I thought I would go crazy stuck up a mountain but then I met Maskwa and his parents and they taught me so much and made me take a good hard look at myself and the life I was living ...

they made me feel so welcomed and loved and I couldn't help but fall in love not only with Maskwa but with his parents as well and then I fell in love with all of you and I wanted to thank each and every one of you for accepting me and welcoming me into your community ...

we've been through so much together since I first came here, of course I did what I could to help and I wanted to do more but I didn't know what and then I had an idea, I spoke with the village elders and they gave me permission to commission this piece of art and I hope you all like it?

I hope it will be the heart of the village, a place where we can meet to chat about our day, to laugh with each other or cry if we're feeling down or simply to sit and rest for a spell, anyway, that's it I guess, thank you guys and I love you" Sam said trying hard to hold his tears back.

The head elder stood up and came forward to reveal the piece and taking hold of the tarpaulin he carefully pulled it off to reveal the stonework beneath.

There were four benches carved into the massive stone facing north, south, east and west and above them was a stone plaque which read Aurora Springs, the name of not only their tribe but now also their village but it was the sculpture on top which demanded everyone's attention.

There stood a life size figure of a young man who looked suspiciously like Pon but the man carved from the stone had long flowing hair and wore leggings and a breechcloth and on his feet he wore moccasin boots.

In one hand he held a bow and arrow and his other hand reached down to nestle in the delicately carved fur of a large wolf which the stonemason had whitewashed just enough to give the animals fur some depth. 

The man and the wolf looked so real that no one would be surprised if they climbed down and walked away, it truly was a work of art and the village people were stunned into silence by its beauty.

Pon and Raz who had been stood at the back of the crowds looked at each other and Pon felt a tear roll down his face as Timi whined inside him.

Suddenly the people began cheering and whooping and the band began to play their drums as their singer began to sing a song of celebration. The women came up to Sam and hugged him before walking to the stonemason to praise his work while the men patted him on the back and Maskwa stood back and watched his lover with pride.

As the evening wore on, Maskwa and Sam sat at a table with Raz and Pon and the village people continued to celebrate their new village and enjoy the evening.

Sam was right, they had endured so much but good times were ahead, everyone could sense it,

"didn't Oon and Ngusoi want to come with you this time?" Sam asked Raz

"hmmm Oon was having issues" Raz explained.

"oww nothing bad I hope?" Sam asked.

"you wouldn't believe me if I told you" Raz laughed

"so do you think Pipon would have approved?" Maskwa asked Pon who looked slightly to the left of the stone sculpture and smiled at the man looking up at the artwork then across at him before waving and smiling back.

"yes, he definitely would have approved" Pon replied

~ The End ~

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~ find Oon and Ngusoi's story in Beta's Beastman ~

~ find Raz and Pon's story in Find Me In Your Memory ~

~ find Kiri and Kan's story in Kirikan's War ~

~ find Paitoon and Chit's story in Hidden Within ~

~ find Shawn and Darran's story in The Street Where You Reside ~