The Sire Sheaf (The King of Three Bloods Book 1) by Russ L. Howard

Author:Russ L. Howard [Howard, Russ L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: House of Howard Publishing
Published: 2018-04-13T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9: Eclipse at the Elk Spirit Lake

The pow wow was held in a large natural amphitheater of towering rocks and ancient old growth spruce, with spots of melting snow in the deep shade beneath them despite the warmth of the spring air. Everyone had gathered silently as the sun began its slow descent into the west, awaiting Thunder Horse’s pronouncement for the ceremonies to commence. Children were admonished to stay near the campfires, for although this was a sacred and holy crater, dark and malevolent skin walkers prowled in the night, creatures the Quailor called schnallygasters, who stole young children that wandered out of the safety of the campfires.

This was the day of the Sacred Council Fire of the Elk Spirit Crater, which had been planned by Thunder Horse and Mendaka to take place during the holy eclipse, the brief time when the ancestral spirits come to converse with their posterity on earth.

The sun continued sliding towards the day’s end as Sur Sceaf rode up to the wide mouth of the crater rim on White Fire. In honor of the Eclipse Ritual, Sur Sceaf wore his teal leather suit that was arced at the shoulders and had been fashioned by his wife, Paloma, who had done this in honor of her husband as was the tradition for those of king’s blood, who were customarily swaddled in royal green, teal, or Saxon green silk and which was worn throughout their life. The reason for which was forgotten in the Folk Mouth.

Sur Sceaf took a moment to inhale the sharp resinous fragrance of the white barked pines, which grew in the crevices of the craggy rock formations surrounding the crater. He marveled at the silvery silhouettes of the bleached hemlock ghost trees, before raising his eyes up to the magnificent columns of the two giant hemlocks connected with a sturdy beam that would provide the staging area for the coming ring ceremonies after the council fire was lit. Despite his dislike of heights, he found himself looking forward to being raised in the rings, primarily because it was the only pretext he had for spending intimate time with Taneshewa.

As a warrior, caution and attention to detail had been instilled in him, so he found himself looking up at the large beam that had been hoisted high and was secured from one giant hemlock to the other and fastened firmly with leather thongs. It looked sturdy enough. As in the practice rings, these three rings lay on the ground waiting to be hoisted. The larger ring was wrapped with bright orange and yellow streamers. That would be his and was known as the Sun Ring. The middle-sized ring was wrapped in green streamers and called the Earth Ring. It was Taneshewa’s. While the third and smallest ring was wrapped with silver streamers, and designated as the Moon Ring. It was Going Snake’s.

The next day, on the cusp of the eclipse, Sur Sceaf, Taneshewa, and Going Snake would be suspended and interlocked together between Heaven and Ea-Urth.

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