People of the Fire(165)

"Kill Heavy Beaver.''

''His way won't die with him. It must be changed. People change only through the Power of the Dream. Ideas are that way. They can only be replaced—never killed entirely. We deal with the Power of the human soul.''

"If he's strong enough."

“Yes, if he's strong enough. We've given him all we can.''

Fire Dancer suffered the feeling of falling the way he had when he almost died in the snow; haze settled over him, vanquishing the burning forest, dropping around him like fog on a frosty winter morning.

He waited, seeing the cloud around him whirl and twist, images forming from the billowing mass. Struggling, he sought to identify them, making a face from one, a tree from another. Finally, he managed to conjure Elk Charm's warm features from the drifting chaos. Crying out, he reached for her, only to have the changing mist reorganize, his youngest daughter's baby face appearing in the mist.

"Illusion."

And the baby's face disappeared.

White Calf beamed at him from the patterns of cloud. He called as she shifted into the gray haze.

"Illusion," the voice repeated. "As all life is illusion. As earth, stone, water, and air are hollow, a thin web of illusion which defies their real natures. ''

"Elk Charm?" he cried out, soul wrung like a twisted piece of damp leather.

"You must break the pattern of illusion."

One after another images formed, his mind jumping to identify them before they shifted in the madness of the mist. He watched, feverishly attempting to see.

"Too young, " the second voice affirmed.

Fire Dancer closed his eyes, curling into a fetal ball, ignoring it all, lost, unable to comprehend. He could feel the mist, swirling, changing. All of it mist. Formless, featureless, the reality remained.

"There."

His body came to rest. As he opened his eyes, he saw the Wolf Bundle lying before him.

“It must be restored, smoked. Blessed, and made wki it told him. "Cleanse me. Renew me. Two Smokes ha skill to make a new cover. The contents must be purified and made whole. You have little time. Restore the Power. Breathe your soul into mine. Wolf has been with you for a long time. His life is my life. You are First Man. When the time comes, he gives himself to you. You are the Fire Dancer.

"Listen to me. You must take Two Smokes and renew the Wolf Bundle. This is what you must do. . . . "

Scene by scene, a Dream unfolded. Fire Dancer cried out in horror, feeling what must happen, living it in the experience of the Dream.

"The damage must be undone . . . in the manner we have shown you. Do not fail. Believe in yourself ... in your Power.”

Fire Dancer's heart continued to throb. Only the curling mist remained, trying to form images in his mind. Bit by bit, it hovered closer, bathing his flesh as he dropped into a deep sleep, illusion swirling endlessly about him. In the background, he could hear Elk Charm whispering her love, hear his daughters crying out in fear. Somewhere, somewhere just beyond . . .

Two Smokes enjoyed the sunlight, feeling it sink into his flesh, warming his blood. No one had slept much the night before, only Fire Dancer, the wolf watching protectively, lifting a threatening lip if anyone stepped too close.

This morning, the light seemed clearer, no haze over the mountains. Each crag in the gray peaks could be made out in detail, so clear that if he reached, he might touch them. The endless vault of blue remained unmarred by a single cloud.

Two Smokes looked across, seeing Fire Dancer sleeping soundly. How curious. What Power had coursed through him that he might speak for the Wolf Bundle? What Power had they all experienced that laid haughty Blood Bear low? At the memory, Two Smokes felt his soul chill. That moment would live with him forever.

Tanager climbed up the rock from where she'd been talking with her warriors. Several of the young men had turned, trotting off across the meadow while sunlight glinted and leapt from their polished weapons.

The young woman seated herself beside Two Smokes, looking back at the sleeping figure of Fire Dancer. “We'll have to put a sunshade over him soon. Will the wolf let us?"

"I suppose. To be a black wolf in the sun must not be much fun."

Tanager called, ordering her people to see to it. None appeared to appreciate the job, but the wolf didn't react as they fixed a hide shelter.

"When will you go do this Dreaming?" She gave him a curious look.

Two Smokes shrugged. "He's the Dreamer, ask him. Any change in Blood Bear?"

"No." She leaned back on locked elbows, stretching her long legs out before her. "And I wouldn't have expected he'd be so quiet. I thought he'd be hollering for this and that, driving people crazy. Something seems to have settled into him. He simply lies there with a terrible expression on his face, staring. Always just staring. Everyone's frightened."