Fire, the Hunger

Part 5 - Beaver shares FIRE.

FIRE was given to the Pines when Hummingbird Quinde stole a flicker from the hearth from the great man, Taquea, and carried FIRE in his tail to the Pine trees. Still, the Animals Cousin did not have the warmth and complained about the darkness and cold at night. Plus, the other trees wanted to be Holders of FIRE. Little did they realize the horrors FIRE had for them.

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No matter how cold it was, the Pine Trees were always warm. All the Animal Cousins wanted FIRE for warmth. The Pines guarded their secret with jealousy.

This winter was so cold the trees and animals were in danger of freezing to death. From his home in the river, Beaver swam into his underground entry. The inside was warm only as dark as night. He worried about his Animals Cousin and the trees freezing.

At the coldest point of winter, the Pine trees had their annual secret meeting, their grand council meeting, which was in Idaho, on a corner where the Snake and Grande Ronde Rivers met by Beaver's home. Beaver watched for years as their FIRE burned and saw embers roll down the river bank and fall into Water. When Beaver retrieved an ember, it was cold, black, and quiet, no FIRE.

He told her friends, "I'm going to get FIRE for all the trees, and they will share with us. The Pines have no right to own it."

Many of the animals said, "This is not wise. What will the trees do with the FIRE?"
Beaver said, "They will share FIRE."

"The Pines build a massive bond FIRE to warm themselves after bathing in the icy, chilling Water. I will find a glowing ember and take to the trees."

One of the animals said, "Pine sentinels guard the meeting. They prevent stealing their FIRE. There is no way to enter!"

Beaver said, "I have a plan, I will be safe. The Pines are selfish trees; they need to share the warmth."

Under the river bank on his side of Grande Ronde River near the Pine FIRE, Beaver waited. He patiently watched for a long time, during which he felt the heat of FIRE warming he paws to his tail. The warmth made Beaver more determined; he was to get an ember to share with the trees; his Animals Cousin were to be warm.

Finally, a red glowing ember tumbled from FIRE down the bank and landed beside Beaver. He carefully picked up the bright red ember as not to burn his paws. He ran along the Grande Ronde River as fast he could.

The guards, the sentinels, spied the glowing ember held by Bearer and shouted out their battle cry, "GET HIM!" "GET HIM!" They stamped down the bank to catch Beaver. Darted from side to side, Beaver ran along the bank of the Grande River to dodge the pursuing Pines. When Beaver was far enough ahead, he ran in straight-line.

After running a long time, the Pines stood tired, stopped along the river's edge in large numbers, and they watched as the ember from FIRE escaped. The healthier and younger Pines remained in the chase. Then fewer and fewer Pines pursued Beaver. One at a time, they tired and stopped.

A dense growth of Pines and then scattered Pines line the bank stood and watched.
Old Cedar also chased Beaver. He wanted FIRE to belong to his family. So he said to the remaining tired panting Pines, "I'll go to the top of the hill and see how far ahead Beaver is. I will let you know where he runs." After climbing to the top of the hill, Old Cedar ran across the top to find Beaver. The Pines rested and waited for his return and directions.

Tired Beaver reached the shore of the Big Snake River. The ember held lightly his paws, which burnt him with the heat. Beaver repeated out loud over and over. "I will share FIRE."He walked into a shallow current of the Big Snake and slowing swam while holding the ember up in the Air until he reached the Willow trees on the other side.

Old Cedar observes Beaver swim into the Big Snake River, where the Grande Ronde connects. Pursuing Beaver was no longer possible; trees could not swim. The Cedar could do nothing; he stood and shouted to the Pines, "Beaver is in the river!"

The tired Pines could only observe Beaver.

Finally, on the opposite beach of the Big Snake River, Beaver handed FIRE to the Willows. They blazed with happiness. The Birchs, the Cottonwoods, Cedars, Firs, and Junipers grabbed FIRE. Then FIRE jumped to all bushes and the grasses, who handed FIRE to every plant. The hillside popped and blazed into Air. Beaver gasped as FIRE ignited.

The Pine trees shuttered as violate FIRE soared over the hills, eating everything. They said nothing to each other as they witness the assaulting chaos.

Birds flew from the burning trees. Beaver heard their squawks over the popping and the rumbling. His animal cousins howls, wails, yelps, and shrieks as they hopped, crawled and ran for safety while flames blasted up the mountain. The hunger of FIRE scrambled in ramped rage high and higher. Beaver released a hideous monster into his world.

Witnessing the havoc and panic from his Animal Cousins, Beaver slapped his tail on the surface of Water to call all the animals to the river. His cousins would be safe for a time; the animals ran and jumped into the Big Snake River, where they watched Water drown FIRE.
Since Beaver released the raft of FIRE that he wanted from the Pine trees, he feared FIRE as all animals do. FIRE ate their food, their homes, and them leaving ashes.

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From that time, the trees and animals no longer talk to each other, and the trees no longer walk or run. Beaver lost the skin from his tail while smashing his warning, his mark of guilt for thinking he helped. To this day, he builds dams for his Animals Cousins' safety if they need a place to hide from FIRE.

Old Cedar that helped Beaver stands on top of that hill where he stopped near the junction of the Grande Ronde by the Big Snake River. The chase was a long run because the Old Cedar is far away from his grove of Cedars, which grow along the river. He is so old that the top of his head is bald.

The Pines still wind along the bank in a straight line or zig-zag beneath the Cedar; they are old, twisted, and bent with age and guilt. The banks of the Grande Ronde River shows the direction the Pines followed Beaver either in a zig-zag or running straight.

All trees acquired FIRE and became Holders; FIRE is within each. FIRE waits ready for anybody to rub two sticks together or light a match, or for lightning to discharge a spark.

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BE AWARE; FIRE escapes to eating anything it touched, even you.