straight and right. The trick was to find the best path down the river and allow the boat to be swept into the path, not fight the water.
Inside of the boat were many leather thongs lashing items in place. The men of the village had packed the boat with gourd-shaped blackened clay jars full of water as well as bags of dried meat, tubers, and some assorted supplies. The entire boat had even been blessed by the tr ibal Elders that very morning.
Darkwood, one of the best hunters of the tribe, was finishing the boat loading by adding some reed mats. He turned with the other men by the water to regard the daring young woman who now approached .
“Best of luck Ember. Me and ‘stubs’ have gone west many times before, a ten-day once. It's not so ba d. Just stay close to the water,” Darkwood sai d as reassuringly as he could.
“I... I will be fine, Dark. If the Gods wish this, why would they allow harm to come to me?” Ember said, more to convince herself than Darkwood. Several of the men nodded their heads in agreement. It seemed to Ember that the tribe was still in as much shock as she was and many were very unsure of the wisdom of this journey. Darkwood looked deeply into Embers eyes and could see her fear.
Good, be afraid, and let that fear guide your hands to less daring deeds , he thought. Darkwood had seen what happened to those who were too brave.
They don't call my friend “stubs” for nothing , he thought considering his friend who had lost his hand many season s before in a tragic accident while gathering wood.
Several of the Elders, including her grandmother and many of the tribe, were starting to wonder if Morning Dew was still of sound mind. If she questioned the Elders, Ember could probably get out of this trip now. But, if she did, the confusion and a split amongst the Elders could cause a rift within the entire tribe.
Besides, I really want to see what exists at the edge of the world , she thought with both irony and a little truth. Ember turned to her teary-eyed mother and held her tightly in an embrace to which her fam ily joined.
"I love you mother, " she said to a speechless East.
“I will return, by the Gods will, maybe next warm season!” Ember announced to the crowd, showing much more bravery than she felt.
Quickly now Ember, before you lose your nerve or start crying , she thought as she smiled and turned towards the boat. She stood for a moment merely staring at the boat when suddenly she heard the faint sound of East chanting a song.
East began to chant a song of strength, and others followed. The Great River People were singers and dancers at heart. One by one they joined with East chanting and singing. With the entire tribe now singing and chanting behind her, Ember mustered her will and climbed into the small dugout wooden boat. She settled her traveling supplies and a fishing spear and took a deep breath.
Before her, the Great River flowed. Once, the river had meant home and family, but now it carried her away, flowing with fear and adventure. Ember had lost herself in thought for a moment, but the sound of a change in the chanting drew her back. With a final whisper to the Gods for aid, she looked over her shoulder to her mother. East's eyes were wet with tears of sadness and admiration. East gave her daughter a short nod, a final send-off.
Ember was almost glad to start. The anticipation of such a quest could do more to unnerve a person than the actual quest. Several of the village men came forward to help push the little boat into the water with a resounding splash. Ember breathed deeply and set to work pulling free the steering pole, long and with a flattened end, which she would use to steer the little boat through the river.
Flo at ing down the river was a sort of controlled chaos. The more you tried to fight the river, the more the river fought you back. The most you could hope for was to use a small pole to steer the boat away from the bank and rocks and towards an open
Inside of the boat were many leather thongs lashing items in place. The men of the village had packed the boat with gourd-shaped blackened clay jars full of water as well as bags of dried meat, tubers, and some assorted supplies. The entire boat had even been blessed by the tr ibal Elders that very morning.
Darkwood, one of the best hunters of the tribe, was finishing the boat loading by adding some reed mats. He turned with the other men by the water to regard the daring young woman who now approached .
“Best of luck Ember. Me and ‘stubs’ have gone west many times before, a ten-day once. It's not so ba d. Just stay close to the water,” Darkwood sai d as reassuringly as he could.
“I... I will be fine, Dark. If the Gods wish this, why would they allow harm to come to me?” Ember said, more to convince herself than Darkwood. Several of the men nodded their heads in agreement. It seemed to Ember that the tribe was still in as much shock as she was and many were very unsure of the wisdom of this journey. Darkwood looked deeply into Embers eyes and could see her fear.
Good, be afraid, and let that fear guide your hands to less daring deeds , he thought. Darkwood had seen what happened to those who were too brave.
They don't call my friend “stubs” for nothing , he thought considering his friend who had lost his hand many season s before in a tragic accident while gathering wood.
Several of the Elders, including her grandmother and many of the tribe, were starting to wonder if Morning Dew was still of sound mind. If she questioned the Elders, Ember could probably get out of this trip now. But, if she did, the confusion and a split amongst the Elders could cause a rift within the entire tribe.
Besides, I really want to see what exists at the edge of the world , she thought with both irony and a little truth. Ember turned to her teary-eyed mother and held her tightly in an embrace to which her fam ily joined.
"I love you mother, " she said to a speechless East.
“I will return, by the Gods will, maybe next warm season!” Ember announced to the crowd, showing much more bravery than she felt.
Quickly now Ember, before you lose your nerve or start crying , she thought as she smiled and turned towards the boat. She stood for a moment merely staring at the boat when suddenly she heard the faint sound of East chanting a song.
East began to chant a song of strength, and others followed. The Great River People were singers and dancers at heart. One by one they joined with East chanting and singing. With the entire tribe now singing and chanting behind her, Ember mustered her will and climbed into the small dugout wooden boat. She settled her traveling supplies and a fishing spear and took a deep breath.
Before her, the Great River flowed. Once, the river had meant home and family, but now it carried her away, flowing with fear and adventure. Ember had lost herself in thought for a moment, but the sound of a change in the chanting drew her back. With a final whisper to the Gods for aid, she looked over her shoulder to her mother. East's eyes were wet with tears of sadness and admiration. East gave her daughter a short nod, a final send-off.
Ember was almost glad to start. The anticipation of such a quest could do more to unnerve a person than the actual quest. Several of the village men came forward to help push the little boat into the water with a resounding splash. Ember breathed deeply and set to work pulling free the steering pole, long and with a flattened end, which she would use to steer the little boat through the river.
Flo at ing down the river was a sort of controlled chaos. The more you tried to fight the river, the more the river fought you back. The most you could hope for was to use a small pole to steer the boat away from the bank and rocks and towards an open
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