Canku Ota

(Many Paths)

An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America

October 4, 2003 - Issue 97

Thunderhawk – The Curse of the Robin Redbeast – Part 3

As Paden struggled through a terrible night of really scary dreams and visions about the giant Robin Redbeast that had almost taken him, he cried out loud in fear and pain. All around him were very scared about what was happening and whether or not he would come back to the physical world at all. The medicine mouse, Owaso chanted and danced ceremonial dances next to Paden all throughout the night in hopes of bringing him back to his loved ones. Nothing helped at all.

Paden could not eat or drink while he was in the state of unconsciousness. Since he had already experienced so much stress while he was away from the homeground he was terribly weak and was looking very skinny. Penny was by his side and holding his right paw tightly in her own. She was crying and sobbing and worried sick about him. Pat was pacing back and forth across the room and mumbling something about how he should have just gone out to find Paden by himself and not waited to meet with the other mice first. He knew that he had followed the proper homeground procedure, but he now felt personally responsible for what had happened to his beloved nephew.

Paddy and Michayla were trying to peek into the room where Paden was to see what was going on. They felt guilty as well. They knew that by lying about Paden they had caused him to run away and if he hadn’t run away this terrible thing would not have happened to him. They were also scared because they knew that if and when Paden did return to the physical world, he was in very big trouble because of their lies. Even though each of them had considered telling the truth after Paden ran away they hadn’t. If they were to try to tell the truth now they would be in even bigger trouble because of what had happened to Paden as result of their lies.

It was a terrible night in Happy Valley. Even the elders who had passed judgment on Paden were feeling badly about what had happened to the poor little mouse. But there was nothing that they could do to change the situation and they certainly were not going to reconsider the punishment which had been completely justified based upon the case that was presented. Lying was a terrible act and was punishable by severe consequences. According to the testimony of Paddy and Michayla, Paden’s best friend and his sister, he had told lies.

The sad part was that Paden didn’t even have any way of knowing that if he did return to the physical world, he would be returning to severe punishment for something that he hadn’t even done. He just passed farther and farther from consciousness.

As morning began to break on the horizon and the birds began to sing their cheerful songs there was no sense of the refreshing that morning usually brings. No, there was simply despair. Even the mighty medicine mouse Owaso was beginning to lose hope. He asked Pat and Penny to meet with him privately.

As Penny released little Paden’s paw it fell limp by his side and his breathing slowed down to a point where he was just barley hanging onto his life. It was a scary sight and Penny sobbed even louder. There were tears in Pat’s eyes as well.

As they walked away from the room with Owaso they were filled with terrible thoughts about what he was going to tell them. Suddenly Penny cried out and ran back to Paden’s side. Pat and Owaso looked at each other and just started walking again to a place where they could meet privately.

As they walked there was absolute silence. As they rounded a large rock Pat stopped suddenly in his tracks as he realized that Owaso was taking him to the place where they prepare to send their loved ones Spirits to the Spirit world when their time in the physical world has ended. Pat looked at Owaso with panic and anger in his eyes. He shouted, “Why are you bringing me here????”

Owaso was silent. He just put his left paw out as if to invite Pat to continue to the sacred spot that lay just ahead of them. Pat yelled out even louder, “I said…why are you bringing me here????” Owaso was patient and soft spoken and said, “My dear friend. I am sorry. I have done everything that I know to do to bring Paden back from his place that is now between the physical world and the Spirit world. He is not responding and as you saw, he is slipping away very quickly.”

Pat stared into Owaso’s eyes with a fury. He refused to give up on Paden. He said, “Listen Owaso. I have so much respect for you, but I will tell you that right now I am very, very angry. I will not listen to your words unless you tell me something different. I do not believe that there is nothing else that can be done. Yes, Paden is in a very bad way. Yes, you did try hard all night long. But…there must be something else that we can try and I know it must be done quickly. Tell me Owaso, what else can we do right now?”

Owaso put his right paw under his chin and tilted his head slightly to the right as he thought hard about what Pat had just said. Several long and agonizing minutes passed as the great Owaso tried to think of something else to try for poor little Paden. Pat was becoming irritable and he began to glare at Owaso as he tried to await an answer. Finally Pat said aggressively, “I’m going back to be by Paden’ side. I know that you will think of something else. Please come and get me so that I can be involved with whatever it is that you come up with.” Owaso looked directly into Pat’s eyes and moved his head up and down once in a slow deliberate “yes” answer to that request.

Pat then ran back to be by Paden’s side. As he ran toward the room he noticed that Paddy and Michayla were standing in the opening looking in. They heard Pat coming and jumped to the side to let him in. Penny looked over and saw Pat coming. She immediately stood up and said, “What happened? What did Owaso say to you? Where is Owaso?”

Pat said nothing at first. He just put his arms around Paden and hugged him very tightly. Then he shouted at Paden and shook him by his skinny little shoulders and urged him to come back right then and there. It was no use. Paden just hung limply in his arms barely even breathing. Penny blurted out again, “Pat! I said what happened?” Pat looked at her and tried to get the glaring defiance out of his eyes but he could not. Penny said, “Pat. I am not the enemy. I am your wife. Please don’t look at me like that. I know that you are upset and so am I. We need to work together to save our little Paden.”

Pat softened his look and apologized. He said that Owaso had been taking him to the sacred place where all mice take their loved ones to prepare them for their journey from the physical world to the Spiritual world.” Penny’s mouth dropped open wide and she said, “What??????” She couldn’t believe her ears. She couldn’t believe that even the great Owaso couldn’t come up with some other idea to help save their little Paden.

Pat stood silently for a few minutes as he tried to clear his mind of his anger about the situation. He felt bad that he had been aggressive with penny, but he was just so angry that they were in this position with Paden. His guilt was overwhelming. Then he finally spoke again saying, “Penny. I challenge Owaso strongly to think of something else to try to save Paden. I cannot and will not accept that this is the end. There must be something else that we can try to save him.” Penny meekly shook her head up and down in agreement, but she was stunned by the news about where Owaso had been taking them and what that meant about Paden’s condition.

No more words spoken. Pat and Penny each knelt down beside their little nephew and each grasped a paw and held it tightly to their hearts. They each began to softly chant and ask the Great Creator to have mercy on Paden. They looked at each other knowing what was happening and they began to cry.

To be continued

© 2003 Geoff Hampton

Geoff Hampton is an internationally known author, speaker, motivator and business consultant. Hampton is 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 as well as 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

Canku Ota is a copyright © 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 of Vicki Lockard and Paul Barry.

The "Canku Ota - A Newsletter Celebrating Native America" web site and its design is the

Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 of Paul C. Barry.

All Rights Reserved.