Wandering Tortoise continued his walk into the Ancient Forest.
He made his way through the ground growth, fallen tree’s, aging bushes seemed to offer a path that those who looked.
The air rich in forest smells, and the air seemed wet to breath, pleasant, He inhaled deeply, he thought he could almost feel the air enter his veins.
The scent was rich, dense “almost like food” he thought.
The light was interesting as well, like no single source, just from above that could make it through the thick branches above.
He listened to the slight rumble of a creek.
He walked towards it, listening to the ravens, crows and insects. The occasional scamper of another squirrel.
He climbed over a couple of fallen trees, ducked under some brambles and found himself next to the creek.
Slow moving, deeper than he had expected and it fed a small pool before it formed into a creek again and on down a hill.
He sat at the edge of the pool and pulled out some dried meat and began to enjoy the coolness of the pond, the slight rumble it shared and he watched dragonflies catch gnats on frog lilies and zoom back and forth.
They began to clear away from the pond, and he noticed the forest had become oddly quiet.
There were no more birds flying above, there were no sounds or scolding Squirrel people
Just silence.
Odd he thought as he listened to his breath.
“I’ve been expecting you Wandering Tortoise”
Said a gruff old voice.
Wandering Tortoise looked around and realized the voice hadn’t come from a particular direction, but from inside his head.
So odd he thought.
It said again,
“Wandering Tortoise”
“I’m here” he answered, “who is there?”
“They call me, Tashgooka”
“Tashgooka, where are you?” asked Wandering Tortoise.
Then the voice came to his ears from across the pond.
Tashgooka appeared on a log that he had sworn was just a broken stump a minute before.
Tashgooka was huge, Hairy, in fact, all hair, like a bear would be furred.
His face was somehow human, not quite, but certainly not bear.
“ I have not seen your people before Tashgooka, is this your home or are you like me, a Wanderer?.
“My people are not like yours, this is my home, and I wander, everywhere I go is home.
Which is why we are speaking today and I have allowed you to see me.
My people knew this day was coming and our people’s should speak.”
“Are you the first people’s the Squirrel just told me about?”
“That is one way to put it” answered Tashgooka,
“We have been here since the Mother was first created.
We have been here as longer than the bear, longer than the wolves, longer than the Oysters in your shores”
Wandering Tortoise could not imagine what came before Oysters, or the Animals, but wanted to accept Tashgookas word.
“I am glad to talk to you Tashgooka,
I have so many questions, first, how did you know my name, and
How did you come to expect me and I’m curious what your people wish to know about us.?”
“ I will keep our encounter short Wandering Tortoise he said.
Our people are concerned about you and your place with the Mother,
We disagree with the creator for your existence.”
Taken aback by such a statement, Wandering Tortoise answered.
He made sure there was no anger or defense in his voice.
“The Creator has wisdom in all things, every creature has a place and in his mind a purpose”
Tashgooka answered with slow gentle tone to his voice:
“We agree all creatures have purpose, and they do so without question, they do so with full acceptance of who they are and how they conduct their lives.
Their spirits are strong, They do not live one life externally, and one life internally.
Wandering Tortoise had never been confronted with this thought before.
“please explain” asked Wandering Tortoise.
Tashgooka was silent for a moment,
Then explained.
“your people have structures to your worship of the great spirit.
Ceremonies, tools and artwork.
For you your spirit is an activity, a separation from your living in the moment.
All other animals do not need such methods, they are, as they are, connected to the great spirit, and the Mother.
Art is not necessary, separation of spirit is not necessary
And because you have a separation of the spirit, you see art as a function that is similar to your spirit.
And it is here that your existence, puts the Mother at risk as well as all other creatures”
“Tashgooka,”
Wandering Tortoise answered
Then he lingered with the thought.
He wanted to understand what this creature was saying.
Tashgooka was silent and just gazed at him with no expectation of a response.
“We have much to talk about Tashgooka,
You seem to know about us and how we think, but we know nothing about you and your methods or thoughts”
“Wandering Tortoise Tashgooka said.
I do not wish to share much more than this,
Heed my words, consider them, know that I am part of this forest, part of the Mother and have reason to share this information with you.
“ You are a very confusing creature answered Wandering Tortoise,
He watched a breeze ripple it’s way across the Pond, then looked back
Tashgooka was gone, no stump now, just gone.
Sounds started to return to the forest.
Birds were flying, the dragonflies returned.
Wandering Tortoise breathed in the air.
How am I going to share this with my people?
And what exactly were his thoughts.
Wandering Tortoise turned back to the way he came.
He made a sound that scolded the Squirrel.
