"What you feel is the world of death. Your soul balances on the edge. "
A gentle surface, which appeared to be a giant human hand, stopped his descent, cradling him while the hazy warmth stirred around him like clouds over the peaks.
"What happened? Where am I?"
From out of the billowing warmth, the features of a man formed. His face gleamed radiantly, lit from within. Sparkling black eyes stared out from either side of a straight nose.
Little Dancer's breath stilled in his throat; never had he seen so beautiful a man. Never had he been so captivated by the Power and empathy in a man's eyes.
"Who are you?"
The man laughed, the sound of it rippling the haze, turning it this way and that like he'd seen schools of minnows in the Moon River. The very air seemed to live with his laughter and Little Dancer's soul leapt while his nerves tingled.
"I am the Wolf Dreamer, the one you call First Man. I chose, once-—as you must do now. Only perhaps in those days, the choices were a little less difficult. "
"Why am I here?"
"You're dying, Little Dancer. Your body is freezing and your soul is drifting free.''
The warm haze around him shifted for a moment, changing from featureless to wind-whipped snowflakes. Slightly below him, he could recognize the mounded lump of his body, snow-packed and already becoming one with the drift that formed about it.
"So you see, this choice is yours. Live, and you will have a short time with your Elk Charm." The scene shifted, and Little Dancer stared down into the familiar depths of Hungry Bull's shelter, seeing Elk Charm in fitful sleep. To one side, Two Smokes stared up, as if he could see him. Through the vision, Little Dancer could feel the soul of the berdache as it savored the Power.
His eyes went back to Elk Charm and the love cried out from within. He tried to imprint the memory of her delicate face, of the lines of soft cheek and firm jaw. The wealth of her long hair spilled over the hides, framing her intense beauty.
He ached.
"I'll give you what time I can. The Spiral is coming full. I've kept Heavy Beaver from moving. I can keep your people safe for a while longer, give you more time. You're so young, but then, Clear Water resisted for a long time, too. She couldn't stomach the thought of Blood Bear touching her. "
"Blood Bear? My father?"
“You needed his strength, his indomitable courage— mindless and thoughtless though it might be. Oh, I've put a lot of thought into you and your life. You been given everything I can give you—except the will to do what needs to be done. "
"The will?"
"Exactly that. The Wise One Above—the Creator—made the universe so. As it turns, the cycles of stars and worlds and insects and even grains of sand make their own way. The Creator allowed for free will, for things to choose. What you wish to observe is what will be. You make up your world around you. Suppose I told you that what looked like solid rock was mostly empty space?"
"That the world is illusion?"
"White Calf told you the truth—only she doesn't comprehend the depths of her understanding yet. The patterns that are generated are fascinating, spinning, changing always. The very essence of the universe is like a brewing storm. It s so difficult to keep from watching, wondering. .
"Then why don't you?"
The Wolf Dreamer smiled, a hollow pain filling his eyes, the power of which left Little Dancer in tears.
"I'm not perfect, little friend—as nothing in creation is.
I, too, have my faults. I ... I have too much love in my spirit. In its way, too much love is as terrible as too much hate. Each hurts. You must understand that if everything existed in harmony, nothing would change and the universe would become stagnant—and die.
"But now you must choose. Will you choose to live? Or will you die? If you live, I'll keep you until the very last. I'll let you have as much pleasure as I can. At the same time, my people—all of them—need you. Heavy Beaver has changed the Spiral. "
Wolf Dreamer's gentle smile turned wistful. "Curious how powerful a single idea can be . . . how it can change the minds of so many until the very fabric of the universe ripples. You, however, can change it back. You can meet Heavy Beaver, and prove him false. Doing so may put the Spiral back the way it was. The last time, we lost the mammoth, and camel, and horse, and sloth. This time, I wouldn't lose the buffalo, and antelope, and I wouldn’t have the People go the way others are. "
"And if I choose to die?"
"That is your will. I can't lie to you, my friend. The way of death will be much easier, more pleasant to float off to the Starweb with Sage Root, Heron, Clear Water, Dancing Fox, and so many others. There, they Sing and Dance and hunt with other souls as they watch the universe in all its wonder."