I walked towards the parting crowd. All dressed in hide robes with animal patches. Spears and totem staffs in their hands.

“If I knew any better, I’d think you planned this whole thing.”

Panch chuckled. His voice dropped into a careless tone. “To make you look bad in front of the Chief’s daughter? Why would I do a thing like that,” he chuckled.

“I don’t know. I’ve heard you have a pretty bad reputation.”

“Well, it’s no fun to be good all the time.”

From the village we headed through the eastern woods. Our Chief, three elder shaman, ten higher ranked shaman, ten second year shaman, twenty-five young shaman, and one bearpine who was too stubborn to hibernate. The journey was a month's walk with five villages for resting and gathering supplies. And mid-mountain village marked the midway point.

There was little complaining the first three days. All the young shaman were to excited about being chosen to complain. But by the fourth day, most were growing weary, and ready to reach the first village.

"It's only half a days walk from here," the chief announced. "For now, we'll rest."

We stopped at The White Snake River. It was the largest and most fierce river in all the lands. It started far north in the mountain territory. Snaking southward through Spirit Ridge, while branching into the five other great territories: Forest territory, Volcano territory, Island territory, Prairie Territory, and the Canyon Territory.

“Let’s see them!” Tuma said, eagerly. “I’ve been waiting to see your Guardians for over a week!”

Mowak glanced at the skunk head totem on her wrist. “Shade is hibernating …”

“I’ll show you mine if you show me yours!” Onwae grinned, her cheeks bubbling. She plucked the butterfly totem from her neck.

“Of course!” Tuma grabbed his rooster head totem. “I’m tired of looking at Panchu’s rear …” The old bear licked his underbelly, glaring. “B-but I’ll start walking at the front of the pack from now on.”

“Good idea,” Panchu snapped, and then began licking himself again.

We chuckled.

Ownae held out her hand and shouted, “Sapphire … awaken!”

From the totem sprang a large, blue orb that shuttered green, blue, green then blue again. The spirit energy extended outward, fluttering and shaping into four wings attached to a slender-segmented body. Two antennas extend from the head as two rounded, black eyes sparkled. Sapphire flapped. Her wings sparkling blue, green and beautiful.

A gust whirled tdirt. Tuma held up an arm deflecting partials. “Hey!” He spat. His face reddening. “Knock it off!”

We all laughed.

Sapphire shot over Tuma’s head, as she glided out over the river. Yellow sun spots marked the blue of her wings. We watched and marveled at her beauty. Four times as large as any bird. And more majestic in every way.

“I guess if you’re going to show her off,“ Mowak pulled the totem from her wrist. “Then shade needs to make an appearance.”

Tuma wiped his tongue on his sleeve. “But I thought it was my turn …”

Panchu chuckled, “Pathetic.”

Mowak held out her totem. “Shade, awaken!”

The totem expelled from her hand, creating a blue orb that flashed and flickered, forming an outline of a four-legged beast with a bushy tail. Black hairs sprouted from all around the creature's body, as a white stripe extended from her pointed head to the tip of her tail.

Shade looked at Tuma and corked her head.

The boy's eyes bulged and he raised his hands. “Nice, skunk …”

Muwak frowned, “she’s not a skunk … she’s a skugar.”

“What difference does it make!” Tuma screamed, his face as red as cherry. “The thing is as large as a cougar and stinks like a skunk … Get it away!”

Shade brought her snout down and her brows furrowed.

“Oh, now you’ve done it.” Mowak shook her head. “She’s not spray trained yet.”

“What?” The boy lifted his arms. “You mean?” Shade turned around and lifted her tail. “Call her off—”

A yellow mist projected from the creatures rear, bringing with it a foul beastly reek that made me grab my nose and hold my breath. Onwae waved a hand. Panchu lifted his snout then buried it in his belly fur. And Mowak grinned.

“Gross!” Tuma screamed, tears rolling down his cheeks. “That thing urinated on me!” The four of us bursted into an uproar that carried over the trees. Tuma ran to the river, splashing himself with water. “It won’t come off!”

Mowak shadowed over him. She crossed her arms and said coldly, “The smell will last at least three months.”

“Three months!” He clenched his teeth and pointed at shade. “That vial creature is not a guardian … she’s a menace!”

“You shouldn’t have been so rude,” Shade said, raising her snout. “Now, best you hush or I’ll give you a real one.”

Tuma looked towards me for help. I waved my hands and shook my head. He then glanced up at Mowak. A pleading look in his eyes.

She said coldly. “A real spray would've left you bed ridden for months. You don’t want to experience a skuars fury. Nor her poison." Mowak's lips sunk deeper. "What you got was a warning spray. Count your blessings. You should be smelling ripe by the morning.”

“Thank the great spirit,” Tuma said. Uneasy, he turned towards the Skugar and scowled. He then leaped to his feet and held out his rooster head totem. “Sqakron! Awaken!”

A flaming purple orb floated an inch from the ground, snaking outward into a long strand with four legs, and two wings. Black, sharp scales faded from the neck, over the wings, and to the arrowhead-shaped tail. From the belly, four taloned feet formed. And from the head, white feathers sprouted, a red comb on top, a golden beak, and a red sack that hung beneath it.

“Sqakron, to me!” He waved.

The creature crawled towards his heels, body slithering behind him. It was a small thing. Not much bigger than a common snake. Sqakron sniffed at Tuma. “Bru-cock!” It shrieked. Round eyes spinning and getting stuck, one up, one down. “Did you roll in a pig's pit? You smell awful!” Gobble, Gobble. He tilted his head sideways, glancing upward with his right eye. “You got any seed, master?”

We all laughed.

“Isn’t he great?” Tuma cheeks bubbled. He pulled some seed and littered the ground. Sqakron began to peck. “The best guardian a tribling could've asked for. One that listens. All it takes is a handful of seed.”

Panchu rumbled a guffaw. “A odd spirit for an odd boy …”

Sqakron raised his head, flicked it right, then quickly left. His left eye examined the old bear. “You talking about me?”

“Who else ...”

“Intolerable!” Gobble. Gobble. “Intolerable!” The creature went back to pecking.

Pachu glanced up at me. “See what I mean?”

Tuma shouted. “You leave him alone, you no-good-shaman-abandoner!" He raised a fist. "Or else!”

Panchu yawned.

I held out my hands between them. "You two need to get along. Having enemies is one thing, but to make enemies in our own party is another."

Tuma kneeled and picked the dragon rooster into his hand. "He's the one who started it ..."

"I said enough!" I lifted my ear to a high, whistling call. "It's time we get back to the group."

After they put their Guardians back into hibernation

we found the others. They gathered their things and started back on the path to Spirit Ridge. A windy path, that was much more overgrown then the one we'd been on previously. We started bundled together, but as the path narrowed and thickened, we found ourselves marching in a single line. The sky graying and rumbling, sending down droplets that hammered us and soaked our thick hide robes.

Vegetation grew like a fungus. Vines extended across the path, concealing the trail. The Chief called upon his greatest shaman. They used their spirit beasts to tug and tear through the thicker. And when they tire, they were swapped out for another group of spirit animals.

The Chief shook his head, "I've never seen it this bad … we're going to need the first year shamans help too."

Shade, Sapphire, and Sqakron, along with the other spirit animals of the first years, did their part to pull, cut, and rip through the brush. Each one taking their turn until they too tired. Panchu stayed at the rear, doing his best not be of any use. Instead, picking off any stray forest rats or birds that tried to get away.

"You know you could help …"

He looked around at all the shamen and shrugged a bear's shrug. "Looks like you've got all the hands you need."

I took a breath, deciding it was not worth my time to argue. Instead, I allowed my spear to be my guardian, spinning and swiping at every branch and bush that was in my way. The other shaman took their totem staffs and spears and did the same. And we too grew weary. Sweaty and muscles aching in every part of our bodies

Three days came and went. Rain. Sun. Cold. Warm. Windy. Calm. Each day a little different. But eventually we cleared the path, and when we had, the chief told us why it was so important. On the night we'd finished, he'd gathered all the young shaman together and explained.

"We allow the brush to grow over the trail on purpose," the Chief said. "It is your first test as a shaman. And many of you and your guardian did well." He looked upon Panchu and I. "Others, still have a lot of growing to do …"

After the Chiefs overlong speech, prasing every shaman other than those who knew us, I found Panchu lying down close to a campfire, looking upon the stars above.

I sat on a log beside him. "You knew it was a test?"

Panchu shook his head. "The same test every year ... even back in my day."

"And you wanted us to look bad?" I crossed my arms, my right eye twitching. "Cause you don't care about what they think."

"Indeed—"

"Well I do!" I said, prodding the butt end of my spear into the beast's belly. Panchu turned his enormous snout upon me, baring fangs. "And you're going to learn that this is not just about you."

Panchu snapped, "don't forget I saved your life, boy!"

"And don't forget I can save yours too." I spun the spear and prodded it into the ground, glaring. "You know what I think?"

"I don't care what you think—"

"That you're afraid!" I clenched my teeth. "You're afraid of failure so you'd rather pretend not to care then to try." The old bears grizzly face eased and blinked several times, watching me. I had his attention. I would not allow myself to lose it. "You saw something in me. That's why you came back."

Panchu guffawed. "All I smelt was fear—"

"Exactly!" I said, bringing the beasts jaws closed. "You smelt the fear that lingers within you, pouring through me. You know why? Because we were meant to be bound to each other .... It is the purpose of The Great Spirit … and you felt it, as did I!"

The bear spun onto his legs quickly. "That was not why!"

"It is too!"

"No it's not!" He lunged forward and growled. "The only reason I saved you was because you reminded me of Kawah—" His voice trailed and his eyes widened. And he shook his head, turning away from me.

"Because you cared about him?" I smiled, searching his black eyes for the answer. "And you know what I think?" I pointed to the group of shamen behind me. "I think they're wrong about you. That they've always been wrong about you. And you'll continue to make them believe their right as long as you keep acting like you don't care."

I yanked the bear head totem from my neck and placed it on the log. "The choice is yours. Keep proving them right … or you can come prove me right. That we're a team. That you and I are one spirit. And that we belong together. I can't show them that my own … that we belong here … only with your help."

The old bear lowered his snout onto his paws. I frowned, turned on my heels, and left him alone by the fire.

The next morning I awoke to screams and hollars. I jumped up and grabbed my spear, racing towards the sound. Maybe the grim attacked us last night? Or maybe it was Dark Shamen? Or maybe, just maybe, I angered Panchu enough to go on a feeding frenzy. My stomach twisted at the thought.

I ran around a corner finding the massacre at the camp … but it was not the one I thought it'd be. And the screams and hollers were not of horror and terror, but of joy.

"The Great Spirit has blessed us!" Tuma grinned, grabbing my shoulder and jumping like a hare. "Look over there! Look over there!"

Across the way, hundreds of silver, scaly fish, each one larger than the last, sat in a pile, ten feet tall. Enough to feed a tribe for a month. My eyes grew and sparkled of silver.

"By what miracle?" The Chief grinned, looking to the sky above, then to the group of young shamen. "Your work has made The Great Spirit proud!"

They raised their arms and screamed and hollered victoriously.

Onwae and Mowak came holding their plate filled with fresh meat. "It's delicious!" Onwae said.

"Even I'm impressed." Mowak said bitterly. "Why don't you both go get you some."

Tuma grabbed my hand, "let's go, Kai!"

I pulled away. "You all go on without me … I'm sure Panchu will want to join us."

I then ran to where he'd been the night before, slightly worried he'd gone back to where he'd come from. Though oddly, my spirit didn't feel empty, but full of warm energy that passed through from my feet to my head. I found the firepit was only smoke and ash. And my bear-head totem, and two of the largest silvers I'd ever seen, were resting on the log.

"'Bout time you showed up," Panchu said, positioned upright and prepared to maul. "Are you ready to eat?"

I nodded and sat across from him, smelling the fresh, fishy flesh. My mouth tingled and my tongue salivated. "You did all of this?"

Panchu stared at me for a long moment. "You've still got a lot to learn, Tribling."

I scratched my head. "What have I missed this time?" He corked his head at me and waited. Suddenly I was hit by a thought. "We were too tired to hunt …"

"Precisely." The old bear replied. "All of you were expending all your energy hacking leaves, instead of staying ready for an attack or a hunt." He looked into my eyes and for the first time I saw light within them. "If you and I are going to be the best, then we always have to be smart, and we always have to be ready. Do you understand me?"

"I—I guess so …"

He nodded and looked over his shoulder at the thicket. "Out there, in the world of Dark Shaman and Grims, all they know is hate. And if we allow it, their hate will consume us all." He turned back towards me, brought his snout down, and then swallowed the silver in one gulp. "Now, if you don't mind … I've been awake all night and would like to get some shut-eye."

Panchu rolled onto his back and the instant he hit the dirt, he was snoring loud as a buzzard.

I grinned and nodded. "Thank you for the lesson, old bear." Then took the totem and snapped it back onto my necklace. Pleased, I whispered, "thank you." Then too tore into my fish, leaving only the bones.