Weak in Body, Strong in Mind and Spirit
Chapter 20: Return to Camp

We proceeded at a slow pace for us Forest People because we needed to be careful with Izee. It seemed that all of the People of both Tribes were waiting for us. Windago and Nakani approached as the others waited respectfully. They looked at Izee with much consternation.

“He’s torn up pretty badly,” channeled Kimberly.

“I see that,” said Windago. “Quickly, to Aurora. She’s waiting for you.”

“You are injured, Pamela,” said Nakani.

“Not bad,” Pamela replied. “I’ll be fine. But I feel awful for Izee. It is all my fault.”

Windago and Nakani looked at Pamela with concern.

“Why do you say that?” asked Nakani.

“It was my idea to go to Brown Lake,” said Pamela sadly. She had tears welling up in her eyes.

“You did not know that Bear would be there,” said Windago softly.

“But when I saw the bear across the lake, I should have packed everyone up and left.”

“But most Black Bears are not threats,” answered Nakani. “They pretty much keep to themselves. You didn’t know this one was as ill tempered as Shaniko.”

“I still feel awful,” said Pamela. “Izee is badly wounded from trying to save me.”

“Pamela,” said Windago gently, “I know you are new to our ways. Do you remember when I said that you and Kimberly had the protection of our Tribes whenever you needed it?”

“Yes.”

“That is not an empty promise. It is a sacred bond between all of the People of the Forest. Izee is also a Young Warrior. He had to do what he did. It is who we Keepers of the Forest are.”

“I know,” said Pamela.

“You know better than you understand,” said Windago kindly. “It is my understanding that you wouldn’t leave Madu as he fought the Bear. You attacked the Bear as best you could, allowing Madu to break its neck. You could have fled but you did not. Why?”

“Madu is my friend,” replied Pamela.

“No, think again,” Windago continued. “You also tried to help Izee, and you don’t know him at all. Why?”

“Because he was in trouble and needed my help,” said Pamela.

“Exactly, Pamela. And Kimberly only left to keep Ady safe from the Bear,” said Windago. “Is that right Kimberly?”

“Yes,” smiled Kimberly, knowing what Windago had done.

“Pamela is your best friend and has been for many winters. Is that right?”

“That’s right,” replied Kimberly.

“Why didn’t you tell Ady to run, and you stay to help your best friend?” asked Windago with a smile.

“Because Ady needed my help more,” said Kimberly. “If the Bear killed us both, he would have been looking for Ady next. I wanted to get her away quickly. She needed me.”

“Precisely. You have made yourselves most worthy members of our Panther Tribe,” said Windago.

“And the Lower Wolfjaw,” added Nakani.

“Thank you,” said Pamela.

“Yes, thank you,” said Kimberly.

“Now, go to Aurora’s,” said Windago. “I’m sure you’re concerned about Izee.”

Pamela and Kimberly began to leave but stopped when they heard Windago say this.

“And you, Ady, are a very very brave little Little One,” said Windago.

“I was scared!” said Ady.

“Being scared improves your aim,” said Windago. “I heard you are a fine thrower of rocks.”

“My Brother showed me,” said Ady with a grin.

“Then Mulino is a fine teacher of rock throwers,” smiled Windago.

“Go with your Friends to Aurora’s,” he said.

Ady ran to Pamela and Kimberly, got between them, and took a hold of the hand of each. They were soon at Aurora’s and waited outside of her nest. Aurora noticed them and came outside.

“How is he?” asked Pamela.

“Badly hurt,” said Aurora. “Kimberly, you did a wonderful job cleaning his wounds.”

“Thank you,” said Kimberly. “I’m a nurse.”

“A nurse?” asked Aurora.

“A person who helps doctors care for patients, oftentimes,” said Kimberly.

“A doctor is our most skilled healer,” added Pamela.

“But you are a Healer yourself, Kimberly,” said Aurora.

“Not like you,” said Kimberly.

“What of Izee?” asked Pamela.

“Right now, I’m not sure,” said Aurora. “That had to be a huge Bear to inflict that kind of damage.”

“It was,” said Pamela. “It could have been Shaniko’s twin, and just as foul tempered.”

“I’ll be right back,” said Aurora entering her nest.

She emerged shortly.

“He’s bleeding and losing blood,” said Aurora. “He’s bleeding to death. He will die.”

“What do you need?” asked Kimberly. “Can we help?”

“I need to get his blood to clot,” said Aurora. “I need alfalfa.”

“”C’mon Pam!” said Kimberly.

“Where are we going?” asked Pamela.

“To the barn! Danny just bought alfalfa!” said Kimberly.

“I’m coming too,” I said. “No more Bears.”

“And me,” said Puyallup.

I scooped up Pamela and Puyallup Kimberly. Wait for it... wait for it...

“Giddy up!” yelled Kimberly.

And there it is, I thought to myself.

We were running quickly. Time was important. We were at Kimberly’s conveyance in short order.

“Hop in the back, guys, and wrap those moving blankets around you like before,” said Kimberly.

Puyallup and I jumped in the back. I felt silly, but I did as requested, as did Puyallup.

We hadn’t gone far at all when Kimberly waved out a viewing portal.

“Hi Nancy!” shouted Kimberly.

This Nancy Little Person waved. Puyallup stuck his tongue out at her. Nancy looked surprised and held up a hand with one finger.

We were traveling fairly quickly and Kimberly’s conveyance was bouncing us around.

“Why is your conveyance doing this,” I projected.

“Doing what?” asked Kimberly.

“It is trying to throw us off of it,” I answered.

“Oh sorry, I’ll slow down,” said Kimberly.

“No, go no slower!” I responded. “Puyallup and I can hang on.”

We were off the mountains soon. It seemed strange. I could see our mountains behind us, but there were no mountains before us. Many conveyances passed by going towards where we had come from. Puyallup tried to generate good will with the Little People by sticking his tongue out at each one as they passed.

Eventually we left the conveyance trail and stopped next to a magnificent structure. The one Kimberly referred to as Danny stepped out of this most wonderful thing. It had a marvelous odor.

“I’m just muckin’ stalls,” said Danny. “I didn’t expect you back so soon. And I see you brought a couple of friends.”

“You remember Madu and Puyallup?” asked Kimberly.

“How could I forget?” said Danny as Puyallup stuck his tongue out at him.

“I need alfalfa, and fast,” said Kimberly.

“It’s over there,” said Danny pointing. “For what?”

“Medicine,” replied Kimberly. “I’ll tell you all about it later.”

Kim tossed this alfalfa in with us. She jumped in her conveyance and it whisked us all away. We were proceeding quickly.

“Stop at Fuel ’n Food!” shouted Pamela.

“No time!” said Kimberly.

“This will take less than a minute,” said Pamela.

Kimberly’s conveyance slowed and stopped at a most curious place. People were entering with nothing and leaving with things. There was a strange device there that appeared to feed conveyances. Little People stared at the two of us in the back of what Kimberly said was a “truck”. We were wrapped up in the moving blankets. Sometimes Little People would approach and stare an Puyallup and me. If they did, Puyallup stuck his tongue out at them in greeting. They always ran away. Why, I do not know.

Pamela ran out of Fuel ’n Food carrying something and entered the conveyance which then sped off.

“What did you buy?” asked Kimberly.

“The Leader-Herald,” said Pamela.

Pamela tried to interpret symbols on it. It looked like the one she showed us at camp.

“I can’t read anything but the headline because we’re bouncing too much,” she said.

“What does the headline say?” asked Kimberly.

“Meet Your Neighbors,” said Pamela.

“That’s it?” asked Kimberly.

“Well, below that is a photo of all of us standing together,” said Pamela. “I’ll read it later.”

After a short time, we were back at the trail to Chase Lake. Kimberly and Pamela left the conveyance. I picked up Pamela, and Puyallup Kimberly and the alfalfa and we were off. In a very short time we were at Aurora’s nest.

“Aurora! We’re back!” mind shouted Kimberly.

Aurora ran out and looked at the alfalfa and smiled.

“This will do just fine,” she said as she ran back inside. “Just fine.”

We waited outside the abode for a long time. Finally, Aurora came out.

“It is up to the Earth Mother now,” she projected.

“Aurora, I didn’t stop to ask before, but why alfalfa?” asked Kimberly.

“Alfalfa is called ‘the father of all foods’,” she said. “It has many uses. It is a very nutritional food, of course, and treats many ailments such as ulcers and arthritis. I needed it because it stimulates blood clotting. Izee was bleeding to death. It also boosts the immune system, which will also be good for Izee.”

“Amazing,” said Kimberly. “We just supplement our horses’ hay with some. How did you administer it?”

“Both internally and externally,” said Aurora. “I mixed some with lake water in a vessel, like I did with your treatment. I also made a poultice and applied it to his wounds to aid in healing.”

“Wow,” said Kimberly. “I never knew all of this herbal stuff.”

“I’d be happy to teach you, Kimberly,” said Aurora.

“I don’t have 340 years to learn it all,” laughed Kimberly. “I think we’ll just rely on you.”

It was getting late for Little People. The sun was behind the mountains to the west. The stars were starting to appear.

“I need to turn in,” said Kimberly.

She then noticed Ady standing near, looking at her.

“C’mon kiddo, marshmallow time,” said Kimberly.

They walked to the abode. The fire was ready to be lit. Several little Little Ones were waiting with sticks. One was petting Olivia the Baddog who was enjoying being petted. Kimberly entered her tiny nest and appeared with the marshmallow food. She then made the fire appear. All of the little Little Ones sat on the ground around the fire.

“How does she do that?” asked one pointing.

“She’s a Wizard!” said another.

“No, Pamela is the Wizard. Kimberly is the Healer,” said another.

“She must be a Wizard too,” said another.

“Enough!” It was Keizer. “Burn your food and eat, and don’t squabble!”

I smiled. Each little Forest Person didn’t have one Mother. Every Female at the camp was their Mothers when necessary.

“Sorry Keizer...” said a chorus of little voices.

“Ady would you pass out the marshmallows please?” asked Kimberly.

“OK!” said Ady, happy to have this very important job. “Now try not to drop it in the fire, but if you do, it is OK because it happens to all of us.”

Pamela and Kimberly smiled. They enjoyed watching the littles.

“I like fire,” said one. “I’m going to learn how to do it.”

“You can’t make fire, you’re not a Wizard.”

“How do you know I’m not?”

“OK, do something a Wizard would do.”

“I don’t feel like it.”

“See, you’re not a Wizard.”

“Am too.”

“Are not!”

“Am too!”

“ENOUGH!” said Keizer.

At this point, Kimberly and Pamela were laughing.

“Keizer, if it is any consolation, Forest People children... littles... aren’t any different than ours,” said Pamela smiling.

“I am surprised that Forest People and Little People are so alike,” said Keizer.

“Huh. I never considered that,” said Pamela. “We’re obviously very different, but also very much the same.”

“I don’t think about such things,” said Keizer. “I’m too busy with the Littles.”

“Believe me, I understand,” said Pamela.

“Do you have Littles, Pamela?” asked Keizer.

“Two, but they’re grown. And three step-sons and two step-daughters,” said Pamela.

“I don’t understand your words,” said Keizer.

“My own two children... littles... are now adults. They’re grown,” explained Pamela. “But then I have step kids and they have children.”

Keizer was obviously confused.

“I married a man... a male... who had children from a previous marriage. Children from a mate he was no longer with,” she explained. “Those are step children.”

“What happened to his Mate? Did she die?” asked Keizer.

“No,” said Pamela. “They weren’t married anymore. They weren’t mates anymore.”

“Why not?” asked Keizer, still confused.

“Well... it’s complicated,” said Pamela. “Another time.”

“I see,” said Keizer. “I like watching fire. It is fascinating.”

“Yes, we think so too,” said Kimberly.

Keizer, Pamela, and Kimberly sat watching the fire while the Littles had fun toasting marshmallows. Life is good, thought Kimberly. I could live here, thought Pamela.