Canku Ota

(Many Paths)

An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America

September 6, 2003 - Issue 95

Thunderhawk - The Curse of the Robin Redbeast - Part 2

Penny woke up early in the morning and was crying hysterically. She had been so angry with Paden, but now she was worried sick. Where was he she wondered? Was he okay? She was very concerned. She woke Pat up and asked him to try to find some other adult mice to venture out and try to find her beloved little Paden. Pat agreed and called out an assembly of the other adult male mice by the use of a piercing loud whistle. All of the adult male mice quickly gathered at the meeting grounds.

As they all assembled Pat took his place on the speaker’s stone. He had called the meeting and was in charge of the event. As most of the adult male mice arrived he cleared his throat to get their attention. He said, “Ahhhhhhh Hmmmmmm!” and the other mice quieted down and took their seats to listen to hear what Pat had called the meeting for.

Pat began to speak saying, “Gentlemen! I have called you here today because Penny and I are fearful that something bad may have happened to our beloved little nephew Paden!” The crowd of adult male mice looked around at each other and began speaking to one another about what Pat had said. Then Pat said, “Brothers! I need your help! Who among you will volunteer to go out into the woods with me to find the poor little mouse?”

Sadly, not one mouse volunteered. They just sort of looked around at each other and shrugged their shoulders. Then one of the older mice shouted out, “Hey Pilgrim! Isn’t that boy Paden the one that the Elders have decreed such severe punishment was to be given for his lying and for his trouble controlling his anger? I mean he is a very violent mouse isn’t he? Why should I…or anyone else here for that matter help you find him when we don’t even know if he’s in trouble or just running away from home? Tell me Pilgrim! No…in fact…tell us all why!”

Pat was surprised at the rude response. He and Penny did more for everyone else than any other mouse in the homeground. It actually made him very angry and he could feel the heat in his cheeks as his blood pressure rose sharply. He was well respected and had to choose his words carefully at this point. He said, “Brother mouse. Your response is rude and unacceptable. You may have a problem with Paden, but he is just a little boy. I am not Paden and you are addressing me…not Paden. I suggest that you reconsider that nasty response. Every mouse here has heard your rude words and the obnoxious way that you have presented them to me. Paden is my beloved nephew and I will fight for him or any other member of my family that are disrespected by you or any other mouse. I will not stand long to hear you take back that obnoxious response. Consider this fair warning that you are in danger.” Pat looked very angry and the other mice were looking around at each other not quite sure what to do. Then a large laborer mouse walked over to the mouse who had disrespected Pat and warned the mouse to apologize as well.

The rude mouse, named Finnegan looked embarrassed and afraid. Suddenly he blurted out, “Oh….I was just kidding Pilgrim! I didn’t mean that stuff. I’ll be happy to help you find you find little Paden.”

Pat just shook his head back and forth in disgust at the obvious dishonesty that had just been shown before the entire adult male mouse group. He decided to let it go as finding Paden was his primary mission at that point. He again spoke to the group saying, “What other brothers will join me in my search for Paden today?” Then ten other mice agreed to help. Pat smiled and called the group over to the strategy planning area of the homeground.

He appointed three team leaders and asked each one to describe their plan and where they would go to search for Paden. After about forty-five minutes the group had a solid plan. They decided to meet up at Look Rock at three o’clock in the afternoon to see who had found what. Then off they went. Each team went off in a separate direction to try to find Paden.

Meanwhile back at Paden’s location, he was sure that he was about to die. As the Robin Redbeast got close Paden heard a familiar sound. It was the shrill screeching call of a Redtail hawk. Suddenly the Robin Redbeast whirled around and struck out at something that Paden couldn’t see. Paden wasted no time in running as fast as he could. He ran and ran and ran. Then he stopped at the top of a hill to look back.

As Paden looked back he saw the Robin Redbeast trying to fight off two large Redtail hawks. The hawks were flying all around the terrible beast and attacking it as they flew. The beast had no wings large enough to fly and it was so big that it was slow moving. The hawks were drawing blood from the creature.

The Redbeast was obviously unafraid and stood its ground during the attacks, but the faster more agile hawks were inflicting serious damage. Paden knew that he should run but this was way too interesting! Finally the larger hawk, a male that Paden thought looked familiar landed on the back of the huge beast’s neck and savagely attacked it with his sharp beak and talons.

Suddenly the Red Beast began to stagger around and fell against a tree. It was still trying to bite the hawk that had landed on the back of its neck but it just couldn’t reach it. Then the beast began to make terrible noises. The loud sound that it had been making was now hard to hear and it was sounding like a desperation call for help. It said, “CHIRRRPPP!” Then it fell to the ground with a huge “thud” sound.

The second hawk flew down and started attacking the beast as well at that point. Paden watched in awe as the huge beast slowly but surely moved less and less and less as the hawks continued their attack without any let up. Then finally the beast was still. Paden jumped up and down and screamed, “Yeahhhhhh!” as loud as he could.

As Paden made that sound the two hawks looked up and directly at him. It made Paden feel scared and he started to run again. He ran and ran and ran. As he went further he began to hear a faint sound in the distance. He stopped to listen. He was breathing very heavily from all of his running and being so scared. He tried to hold his breath and listen. He became perfectly still and listened intently. Then he clearly heard a mouse calling his name off in the distance. He heard, “Paden! Paden! Where are you Paden?” It sounded like Pat! Paden screamed at the top of his lungs, “Hey! I’m over here! I’m over here! HELP!!!!!”

Then Paden started crying. The whole experience had been way too much for one little mouse. Then he started running in the direction of the cries he had heard from Pat. As he ran he began to get dizzy. Then he fell on the ground and passed out of consciousness. As he lay there motionless Pat and his group of adult mice came running up. At first they were horrified and thought that something bad had happened to Paden.

Pat knelt down next to his little nephew and cradled his head gently in his lap. He began to stroke the fur on top of Paden’s head and softly chant an old Irish lullaby that he sang to Paden when he was a little baby mouse. The soft soothing melody and the gentle stroking on his head felt so good to Paden. He had been through so much and was craving some loving and attention.

As he slowly began to awaken he looked right into Pat’s eyes and started crying. He was crying uncontrollably and talking all different things at the same time. He was saying something about everyone lying about him and what he had done and how everyone hates him and then he was saying something about the Robin Redbeast trying to kill him and the hawks ended up killing the Robin Redbeast.

The adult mice all looked at each other and shook their heads back and forth in sadness for poor little Paden. He had obviously been through a great deal and now he was imagining that a Robin Redbeast had tried to kill him.

Pat gently lifted the little mouse up and put him over his back. A couple of the other mice helped get Paden into a position where Pat could carry the little one and they could head for home.

Pat and one other mouse decided to take Paden home while the others went up to Look Rock to report that Paden had been found and was being taken back to the homeground. Pat looked up towards the sky and thanked the Great Creator for helping them find Paden safe and sound.

As they made their way back to the homeground Paden feel into a very deep sleep. It was a restless sleep and he kept having nightmares about the terrible Robin Redbeast. Pat was having trouble keeping him on his back since Paden was moving around so much in his nightmares.

When the mice arrived at the homeground they immediately called for a medicine mouse to come and try to save poor little Paden. Finally the medicine mouse arrived. He told all the other mice to go away and leave Paden alone with Pat and Penny and him. He listened closely to Paden’s heart and breathing and then gave Pat a long sad look. Pat said, “What is it? What’s the matter?” The medicine mouse clenched his lips tightly and shook his head back and forth. Pat looked at Penny and Penny looked at Pat. They both had fear in their eyes. They could only hope that little Paden would make it through the coming night.

– To Be Continued

© 2003 Geoff Hampton

Geoff Hampton is an internationally known author, speaker, motivator and business consultant. Hampton is also the Executive Director for St. Mary's Health & Fitness Center in Powell, TN and is also a regular columnist for the wellness/fitness Website www.fitcommerce.com and Canku Ota. He can be reached by E-mail at GEOFFLHAMPTON@aol.com. His national anti-obesity/diabetes campaign, The Wellness Wakeup Challenge can be reviewed at www.fitcommerce.com/wellness

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