Chapter Twenty-Seven
One evening, as Gray Dove was returning to his sleeping place
he came upon Thorn Blossom Fox and a group of children. They were
seated around a campfire singing a song, and he stopped to
listen. It was a song that was a favorite among the children....
2 "Gonna build me a Temple, not made of stone,
3 Gonna build me a Temple, of flesh and bone,
4 Gonna build it mighty, gonna build it strong,
5 Gonna build me a Temple They'll be glad to call Their
own!"
6 When the children were done, Gray Dove started clapping, and
several of them jumped in surprise. "Well, look who is
here," cried Thorn Blossom, "our brave Warlock, leader
of our fighting people! Perhaps, now that he is here, he will
answer some of those questions you are always asking me. Could it
be, sir? Could you take some time to speak with your young
admirers?"
7 "For those that give The Lords such a happy song,"
Gray Dove replied, "I can surely spend a few minutes
with!" He seated himself in the circle between Thorn Blossom
and one of the young ladies, and looked around the circle.
8 "Well," he exclaimed, "if no one asks any
questions, I can't answer any."
9 "Come, come, children," Thorn Blossom urged,
"daily you ask me questions about him! Now that he is here
before you, does a cat bite your tongue? Yawning Turtle, you have
a question....you ask first!"
10 The boy looked terrified, but finally spoke. "You are
said to be our best fighter, the bravest of our Warlocks. What is
it like in battle?"
11 "It is terrifying," Gray Dove explained. "The
noise and confusion is terrible. Often good friends are being
hurt all around you. Men are coming at you from all directions.
When you are a leader, you are the first one they try to kill.
12 It is a frightening experience, and as soon as it is over, you
want to forget about it. But there is also a strange sort of
excitement that seems to fill you when you are fighting. Mostly
you want it over and done with. You want to get out as swiftly as
you can."
13 One of the other boys politely raised his hand. "Speak,
Screaming Boar," Thorn Blossom told him.
14 "You are afraid, Lord?" the young man asked.
"You go on the battlefield with fear?"
15 "Of course," replied Gray Dove. "Only a fool
goes into battle unafraid. If you are not afraid how can you be
brave? Bravery is overcoming your fear, facing your
enemies."
16 "Thank you, Lord," the young man answered. "I
have often thought I was a coward because I was afraid. But if
you, the bravest of our Warlocks, is afraid, then surely there is
nothing wrong with my fear."
17 Thorn Blossom looked around the circle. "Gray Blossom
Turtle," she said, "now, I know you have a
question!"
18 "Lord," the girl asked, "what is it like to
kill a man in battle?"
19 "In the heat of battle," Gray Dove continued,
"you don't think about it much. The enemy is coming at you
so fast, you can only think to fight, warding off each blow, and
returning them. It is only afterwards that you see the dead,
sometimes the faces of those you have killed, and your stomach
turns. You want to be sick, but it is a sickness inside, a sorrow
that you cannot reach or deal with.
20 You have not wanted to bring death, but to defend your people,
and, yourself, you have had to. That does not make the killing
any easier. If it does, you had better resign. You must simply
learn to deal with that you have had to do. For some men it is
easier than others. For me, it is never easy."
21 "Perhaps it would be better," said Thorn Blossom,
"if we asked some questions about other things."
22 One of the girls looked mischievous and without even raising
her hand, spoke. "Lord, why haven't you taken a mate? Don't
you like girls? My sister says you are the most attractive man in
the camp, and every eligible girl wants you. But you do not look
at any of them!"
23 "Yellow Blossom Crow!" snapped Thorn Blossom,
"It is not polite to ask such questions!"
24 The other children laughed. Gray Dove raised his hand and they
all became silent. "It is not an unreasonable
question," he said. "Since I have left the temple of
Tr, where I was pledged never to take a mate, I have been so busy
that I have not had time to keep company with a woman. And, it is
not proper to speak for a woman unless you have kept company with
her, courted her in a proper manner.
25 A man does not walk up to any woman and say 'Will you be my
mate?' They must know each other for awhile, learn each-other's
likes and dislikes and know if they would be happy with
one-another, before they commit themselves to a lifelong
union."
26 The children nodded in agreement. The girl sitting beside Gray
Dove glanced around him. "Why don't you ask Thorn
Blossom?" she questioned. "My brother says you have
kept close company with her, even wrestling on the ground!"
27 Thorn Blossom jumped to her feet. "That is enough!"
she cried. "Our Warlock trained me for battle, that is why
we wrestled on the ground, for no other reason. Now, it is time
for your beds. Bid each other good night, and depart!"
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