Sasqua'ia
Chapter 02
Charles W Bird
[email protected]
This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. The story is protected by copyright and may not be reproduced by any means without the express, written permission of the author.
***************************************************************
From Chapter 1; Eventually, the terrible radiation of the ruined lands beyond the Guardians began to fade and it became possible to venture out of their safe haven. Explorers carefully mapped the safe passages to the outside world and the New Sasqua’ia went to see what had become of that small green planet that had given their forbearers shelter as they fled the destruction of their home world.
THE EXPLORERS
Tac’li and Ban’al were chosen by the Council to lead the expedition out, beyond the Guardians.
Both were accomplished distance speakers and they both were powerful in mind and body. They chose twenty Sasqua’ia to accompany them to the outside world, knowing than some, or even all of them might not survive to return to their beloved forest.
The legends passed down to them of the refugees who had fled the horror of the outside world at the time its destruction, were horrible in description of the suffering endured by the people and their children of that time and the two leaders included several caregivers in their party against the possibility that they would encounter injured or suffering folk in the outside world, AND, may the Great Galactic Lord forbid, they encounter children who were in danger of dying.
Each member of the expedition had a companion Wolf and the Wolves volunteered to carry the packs of medical supplies the caregivers felt would be needed. After two weeks of gathering supplies, Tac’li and Ban’al deemed them ready to depart. The wolves were not servants to the Sasqua’ia, they were equal partners in the civilization that had evolved.
They followed the ancient pathways up the side of the massif they called, “The Guardian”. From the peak, they could see a great distance, their legends spoke of the land outside their forest to be sparse of vegetation and containing little water, but what they could see was a verdant prairie, and tree lined streams.
In the distance, they could see herds of four footed animals and there were a myriad of wild birds flying in the sky. They could see rafts of waterfowl swimming peacefully on the larger streams and lakes. Nowhere, could they see any sign of Human habitation, nor could they detect any, mentally.
They clambered down the far side of The Guardian and made their way toward the nearest lake. Once there, they set up their first night’s camp, the first of their kind to visit the outside world since the great destruction.
Darkness began to fall and they hurried to complete their evening meal. Afterwards, the Sasqua’ia sat around their campfire while their companion Wolves scouted the surrounding territory.
The Wolves reported no dangers, save a few small scavengers who departed in fright at the first sight of the massive Wolves. They spent the night in peaceful sleep, guarded by the Wolves. The only disturbances were the few night birds and their calls to each other.
Dawn arrived, and the bright sunshine lit up the grass lands in hues of greens and browns. They discovered that the animals they had seen from the top of The Guardian were cattle that had gone wild. The cattle were a bit nervous of the Wolves, but they didn’t panic, the cows only moved their calves away from the vicinity.
Their days passed peacefully, they had no set destination, so they followed the small river as it flowed through the meadowlands, joined by other small streams until it became a respectable river.
It was several days into their trip when a Wolf reported Humans ahead.
Tac’li and Ban’al decided to investigate, taking a caregiver, Jon’e with them and two guardian Wolves.
The Wolves led them to a small grove of trees and calmly waited for them to proceed into the camp of a small group of Humans.
The Humans jumped to their feet, it was a group of teens and they looked down on their luck. Their clothing was tattered and threadbare, and it was obvious they had not been eating regularly, their faces were gaunt and their ribs showed beneath their ragged clothing.
Tac’li sent to them, “We mean you no harm, we are the Sasqua’ia and would assist you.
At that moment, one of the teen females spotted the group of Wolves and screamed. The boys jumped in front of the females, in an attempt to defend them.
Tac’li smiled and said mentally, “These Wolves are our friends and protectors, they will not hurt you.” He bent over and rubbed Wolf Rar’bo on the ears. The huge Wolf licked Tac’li’s hand and rubbed up against his leg, wagging his tail.
A teen female said, “Hhh h He not eeeat yu?”
Wolf Rar’bo walked over to the young female and licked her hand and lay down in front of her, rolling onto his back in hopes she would rub his belly.
The teens told them their story, “Their tribe was starving and they were searching for the land of Shang’la, a place their legends told to them when they were small children, a land where the good folks, called the Shang’ia would care for them and feed them.”
Tac’li and Ban’al both sent to them them, “We are the Sasqua’ia and we will care for you and ask you to join us in our meal. If we can locate your people, we will feed and care for them also.”
The teens clung to their rescuers, tears flowing down their faces. Their leader, Pau’li told them, “We left our people at the place of the big water, three suns ago, please help them, there is no food and they could go no further. We pushed on further in hopes of find help for our folk.”
Tac’li and Ban’al turned to the Wolves and mentally shouted, “Find the people of these youngsters, they are hurt and starving!”
The Wolves raced out of the camp, Tac’li told the teens, “The Wolf Folk go in search of your people, they will tell us where they are. Then we will go to help them. Come now and eat with us that you may regain your strength.”
The youngsters ate like they were starving, which they were. The youngsters were so thin, even the little of food they had eaten distended their stomachs.
Toon’ir and Lila’mi fished the small stream for fish to add to the meal. The boy, Pau’li showed them how to “call the fish”, he projected an image of a struggling insect in the water and the fish went into a feeding frenzy, all they had to do was to scoop the fish out of the water!
As they were cleaning the fish in preparation of cooking them, Wolf Rar’bo came racing back. He sent, “Friend Tac’li, the younglings’ folk are in bad trouble, they need your assistance. They cannot walk and they are all starving!”
Tac’li and Ban’al quickly decided to split their forces, Tac’li would lead half the Sasqua’ia to rescue the Humans and Ban’al would remain with the other half to care for the youngsters.
Pau’li insisted he would go with Tac’li to rescue their parents.
When Tac’li asked if he could keep up with the Sasqua’ia, he replied, “I do not know if I can keep up, but I must try, my parents and baby sister are among those we go to rescue.”
Tac’li understood the Human youth’s need and decided he would carry the boy himself, if need be.
The rescue group gathered food supplies, medicines and bandages, spare blankets and leather sandals; then made ready to depart.
THE RESCUE
The rescuers set off in a distance devouring lope, following Wolf Rar’bo and six Wolves he had selected from his pack. The Wolf leader urged his Sasqua’ia and the Human pup to hurry, that the Humans were near death.
Pau’li was struggling to keep up, but he fought his fatigue and near starvation valiantly.
The group ran the rest of the day before they neared the lake that the Human youngsters had called “The Big Water”.
They could hear a disturbance among the Wolves and frightened thoughts coming from the Humans, Tac’li sent to them, “We are the Sasqua’ia and we are coming to assist you, we are bringing your youngling, Pau’li with us.”
They heard in return, “He is not dead from these Wolf devils who are trying to eat us?”
Tac’li replied, “No, he is struggling to keep up with us, but he is very much alive. The Wolves are our friends and are there to assist you; they will not hurt you in any way.”
The Human replied, “Bbb But, they are wild beasts!”
Tac’li sent in return, “No they are not beasts, they are our partners and mind speak with us, call to them and they will reply!”
The rescue party finally came upon the Humans, huddled in the shade of a large rock along the lake shore. The Wolves were comforting the children and the adults looked on with wonder in their eyes.
Some of the Human adults were huddled in fear, the 7 foot tall Sasqua’ia looking more like huge animals than civilized beings to them.
Even the mind-speak did little to dispel their fears, the children, however, in the manner that children instinctively know those who will protect them, came running to the Sasqua’ia and the Wolves, who had been cuddling them, came with the children, their tails wagging and grins on their muzzles.
Tac’li had a small child on each shoulder and his own son was peeking from his pouch. All three children had grins of delight on their faces and it was those children that broke the ice dam, the adult Humans broke down in tears.
It had been a long day and, it was nearing dusk. Tac’li mind-spoke with Ban’al telling him that they would spend the night with the Humans and that they would return to the camp the next day.
They repaired the Humans’ clothing as best they could and fed them the last of the food they had brought before they headed back the next morning.
The Human adults had attached themselves to the Sasqua’ia and, at first, offered to be their slaves in return for care and food.
Both Tac’li and Ban’al were horrified; they both assured the Humans that they would not be slaves, that slavery was abhorrent to the Sasqua’ia. They would be a free people among them!
The trip back to the Sasqua’ia encampment was long and difficult for the Humans, their malnourishment and a lifelong lack of proper care had taken its toll. The small children were especially affected and it was not long before they were lagging behind.
The Wolves, in particular, were greatly disturbed and refused to leave any child behind. It was not long before there were small children riding on the backs of the Wolves and other Wolves were allowing older children to lean upon their shoulders or grasp their fur in order to assist them in keeping up.
Finally, the Pack Matriarch, Wolf Mol’la, sent, “Sasqua’ia Warrior Tac’li, we must stop and allow the Human Pups to rest, they cannot go any further without rest and food.”
Tac’li responded, “Dam of Pups, Mol’la, I respect your judgement, we shall spend the night at this path of water. We will feed the Human Pups and their parents, we all shall hunt and fish to feed them.”
Tac’li called a halt to their march and the hunters spread out, hunting fresh fruits and edible plants, and netting the abundant fish from the stream.
Mo’la, Dam of Human Pups, a name she would bear for the rest of her life, gathered up the Human Pups and she and the other dams curled up in the warm grass with them, cuddling the exhausted children until their meal was ready.
It was the beginning of a relationship between the Humans and the Wolves that would be treasured by both into the far future of both races.
By the time the party had rejoined the main Sasqua’ia camp, the Human/Wolf bond was permanently established and it allowed the Humans to mind-speak with the Sasqua’ia and each other with ease, over great distances.
Pau’li had finally recovered from his ordeal and was acknowledged as the leader of the young Humans, he explained to the Humans what little he had learned of their rescuers, the Sasqua’ia. That they lived a simple life and were vegetarians, however, they were neither unintelligent nor were they primitive. He had already seen that they were a spacefaring race.
He told them of the Great Ship and that they were all males, there were no female Sasqua’ia. The Humans had difficulty understanding that, and a red-faced Paul’li was forced to explain about the Sasqua’ia and their pouches.
Several of the Human men became belligerent and started shouting and shaking their fists.
Pau’li tried to calm them, but they became even louder and threatened Pau’li for having brought them to demons.
They continued to shout and shake their fists at Pau’li, as they grabbed their females and started to leave, dragging their children behind them.
The children were terrified and were crying, the Sasqua’ia stood there in amazement, not believing what they were seeing!
Pack Matriarch, Mo’la, however, did understand them, she bristled up her fur and stood in front of the men, her Wolf Pack standing behind her with bared teeth. She sent to the rampaging Humans, “You shall leave this place and you shall not take the Pups with you. Your females may stay, if they wish, but you angry males shall leave, NOW! You are no longer welcome among us. Do not attempt to return for you are now enemies of all whom we love and protect.”
The several Human men took several steps towards the Wolf Matriarch, thinking her but a trained dog. They were suddenly confronted by twenty angry Wolves, none smaller than five hundred pounds of furious Wolf.
They obeyed their Pack Leader, but they revered their Matriarch!
The Human men were last seen being driven from the area by Wolves nipping at their legs and heels every time they slowed or stopped.
The Mother Wolves calmly went back to cuddling their Human Children and the Sasqua’ia finished the supper they were preparing for the remaining Humans and their children.
FIRST REFUGEES
Tac’li and Ban’al led the Humans back over The Guardians and into the forests of the Sasqua’ia.
Pau’li’s father had been among the Human male troublemakers and Pau’li begged the two Sasqua’ia to allow him to live with them.
They both agreed. They had seen into the young mind of Pau’li and knew he was destined to be a leader among them all.
Wolf Pack Leader Rar’bo also asked to remain with Tac’li and Ban’al; their family was growing rapidly as it was nearly time for their sons to emerge from their pouches permanently.
The rest of the Refugee Humans were delivered to the Council and were granted permission to live among the Sasqua’ia.
Because their farm was on the path from The Guardians and was closest to the border lands, more Human refugees came among them.
Several of Rar’bo’s Wolves chose to remain with him and those living at Guardian Farm, so he delegated them to patrol the path leading from the Guardians.
Within several days, they brought the first small group of refugees to Guardian Farm. They were a ragged group of humans, clearly on their last reserves. They could not have gone even another day without some of them dying.
Rob’n and Lis’al were appalled; the children were starving, clothed in rags and filthy dirty. Their parents were no better, they had all taken a chance on the legends being right; that there was an oasis across the desert sands. They had six children and four teens among them; their ribs could be counted through the clothing.
Paul’li took the youngsters and showed them how to use the bath house, while Rob’n and Lis’al spoke with their parents.
Rar’Bo and Mo’la had become a committed pair of Wolves and they checked out the Newcomers thoroughly. They both sent to Rob’n and Lis’al that they approved of the adults and the one who had the bright red fur on her head and called herself Lis’l, was in whelp, she would have two Human pups.
Rob’n took the young woman’s mate, Dav’d, aside and gave him the news, he grew sad and replied, “We lost out baby girl to wild animals coming here, maybe now, my Lis’l can recover and stop crying.”
Despite being very young, Dav’d was a farmer and he recognized most of the crops being grown on Guardian Farm. He shyly asked if they could stay and he would work for their keep.
Both Rob’n and Lis’al objected, they told the young man he could stay and earn a share in the Farm, but they would not make an employee of him. They told him that the Sasqua’ia kept no slaves! They saw no difference between a slave and an employee.
Dav’d went running to his mate to tell her of the offer and what the Wolf Mo’la had told their New friends.
She was amazed but also cautious, she asked Dav’d, “Where are their wives?” Dav’d had no answer, he did not know. However, he said, “They must have them somewhere, there are small children among them.”
He promised to ask the boy, Pau’li, he was obviously Human and he lived as part of Rob’n’s and Lis’al’s family.
The first opportunity Dav’d had, he asked Pau’li about the Sasqua’ia wives, Pau’li explained as best he could, but Dav’d did not believe him.
A young Sasqua’ia, Gon’ji, was working with Pau’li hoeing weeds from the rows of vegetables. Pau’li asked Gon’ji’s permission to show Dav’d his pouch.
Dav’d’s face got very red with embarrassment, but he finally understood how all the Sasqu’ia could all be males.
Several of the children that had come with the group were without parents and both Rob’n and Lis’al insisted they remain at Guardian Farm. By the time the travelers were ready to go on to the Council, Dav’d and his mate, Lis’l and three small children, Tog’ia, Sam’li and Fok’ma had joined the Family of Guardian Farm.
The Sasqu’ia, Rob’n and Lis’al, were happy with the new additions to their family, they were both busy building additional bedrooms for everyone. Suddenly, their neat little farmhouse was becoming a large apartment complex.
They did build a small house for Dav’d and Lis’l away from their own house so that the young couple could have a little privacy.
Time seemed to pass very quickly, the growing season was barely over when Dav’d came running to ask their assistance, Lis’l was having labor pains!
Rob’n explained to Dav’d that Sasqua’ia births were quite different from the of the Humans and were reluctant to get involved until Mo’la sent to them to get over there, NOW!
As it turned out, the young woman was ready to deliver as soon as they entered the room. She was a healthy young woman and she delivered her twins without any trouble.
The newborn twins were both boys and the happy couple named them Mo’li and Rar’li in honor of the two Wolves who had saved them.
It was Pau’li who discovered that the twins were very strong mind-speakers, or in their specific case, MIND-HOWLERS! He had been assisting Dav’d in setting up their family kitchen garden when the twins decided that Lis’l was not paying them sufficient attention and they were hungry!
The teen was in agony, the mental assault completely incapacitated him, leaving him with a world class headache after Lis’l had satisfied their hunger!
THE WHITE WOLF
Pau’li was becoming the leader of his age group, he was a New Human, with considerable mental powers, although both his parents were apparent Humans. His group also included other New Human boys, Sasqua’ia youths and Human refugee boys.
The numbers were fluid, one day there would be twenty boys and the next, they would be only fifteen boys. The day they found Char’li was a rare day when there were almost thirty boys roaming with Pau’li.
The boys had all their chores done and had received permission of their Fathers to hike up to the top of The Guardian and return, but, they were not to descend the outside slopes.
The boys all had a meal in their belt bags and they headed off the minute their chores were completed.
They maintained a slow pace, some of the Human boys were not able to keep up the pace of the others yet. So it was, a bit after the midday meal time, when they sat in the cool shade at the summit of The Guardian to eat their bread and cheese.
Pau’li had set sentries around their meal site, as he had seen his Poppas do when they had been on the Rescue Mission.
Rar’bo had decided, at the last minute, to accompany the boys on their trek. He was happy to accept any part of their meal that the boys were willing to share and he had decided to become a part of The Guardian Farm Pack.
He had just accepted a morsel of tasty cheese from Tan’r, a New Human boy of about twelve winters, when his ears went erect.
Rar’bo sent to Pau’li, “A pup approaches, a Wolf pup. He is very young; I will go to meet him.”
The huge Pack Leader Wolf headed down the outside slope of the mountain at a fast lope. A few minutes later, Pau’li heard, “Trek Leader, I am in need of assistance. Please, only you come to me, more will frighten the pup.”
Pau’li left the next oldest New Human boy, Bil’li, in charge and he hurried down the trail to meet Rar’bo.
He found him on the first shoulder below the summit, curled around a small white form. Rar’bo looked up and sent, “Trek Leader, this small one is in need of food and his paw is injured.”
Pau’li pulled a sharp thorn from the small pup’s front paw and then proceeded to spread nut paste on a slice of fresh bread for the young Wolf pup to eat.
The young Wolf gobbled the treat down and then looked at Pau’li as he sent, “Young Human, will you accept me into your pack? I have been rejected by my kind?”
Pau’li replied, “How are you called?” The pup answered, “I am named Char’li and am but three moons old and must grow some more. My sire promised I would be a great wolf one day and be a leader of my kind.”
Pau’li looked at Rar’bo, who nodded yes and Pau’li picked up the white ball of fluff and cuddled him to his chest as he sent, “Young White Wolf, yes I will accept you, will you be mine very own Wolf?” The little Wolf shook as he tried to cuddle deeper into Pau’li’s embrace, “Yes, young Human, I will gladly be thy companion. We are much the same, you and I. We will, together, be the champions of our folk.”
So it was that two younglings, both having been abandoned by their birth kind, had found communion in each other. Time would prove them both to be exceptional leaders, making their community stronger and better for them having been there.
The Humans shared their midday meal with the two Wolves and they enjoyed romping in the warm sun with Char’li, until he became tired and wanted to climb up into Pau’li’s lap for a short nap.
As the sun began its descent from midday high, Pau’li led his group back down the trail towards Guardian Farm. The White Wolf pup caused a sensation among those at Guardian Farm, nobody had ever seen a white Wolf before, not even other wolves.
Many of the other boys drooled in envy, the Wolf puppy had chosen Pau’li as Trek Leader as well as Companion.
The two were inseparable and, in a few short months, Char’li grew to outsize every Wolf living among the Sasqu’ia. He would stand over five feet at the shoulders and weigh in at six hundred pounds! It was said his paws were as big as a squash leaf and he could disembowel an enemy with a single swipe of his claws.
BOTH descriptions were proven correct and those who would hurt his kind or the Humans he loved soon learned to “run like hell” when Charli headed in their direction!
As the two companions matured, they took on increasingly important leadership rolls within the Sasqua’ia Community and, when danger threatened the life of the Sasqua’ia, they became the War Leaders of the Sasqu’ia, a post that would pass down to their offspring for many generations into the future.
****************************************************************
TBC
The leadership team of Pau’li and his Great White Wolf Companion, Char’li, will keep the Sasqua’ia, New Humans and the remnants of the Hopi People, Humans and Wolves safe for many years into the future.
[email protected]
This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. The story is protected by copyright and may not be reproduced by any means without the express, written permission of the author.
***************************************************************
From Chapter 1; Eventually, the terrible radiation of the ruined lands beyond the Guardians began to fade and it became possible to venture out of their safe haven. Explorers carefully mapped the safe passages to the outside world and the New Sasqua’ia went to see what had become of that small green planet that had given their forbearers shelter as they fled the destruction of their home world.
THE EXPLORERS
Tac’li and Ban’al were chosen by the Council to lead the expedition out, beyond the Guardians.
Both were accomplished distance speakers and they both were powerful in mind and body. They chose twenty Sasqua’ia to accompany them to the outside world, knowing than some, or even all of them might not survive to return to their beloved forest.
The legends passed down to them of the refugees who had fled the horror of the outside world at the time its destruction, were horrible in description of the suffering endured by the people and their children of that time and the two leaders included several caregivers in their party against the possibility that they would encounter injured or suffering folk in the outside world, AND, may the Great Galactic Lord forbid, they encounter children who were in danger of dying.
Each member of the expedition had a companion Wolf and the Wolves volunteered to carry the packs of medical supplies the caregivers felt would be needed. After two weeks of gathering supplies, Tac’li and Ban’al deemed them ready to depart. The wolves were not servants to the Sasqua’ia, they were equal partners in the civilization that had evolved.
They followed the ancient pathways up the side of the massif they called, “The Guardian”. From the peak, they could see a great distance, their legends spoke of the land outside their forest to be sparse of vegetation and containing little water, but what they could see was a verdant prairie, and tree lined streams.
In the distance, they could see herds of four footed animals and there were a myriad of wild birds flying in the sky. They could see rafts of waterfowl swimming peacefully on the larger streams and lakes. Nowhere, could they see any sign of Human habitation, nor could they detect any, mentally.
They clambered down the far side of The Guardian and made their way toward the nearest lake. Once there, they set up their first night’s camp, the first of their kind to visit the outside world since the great destruction.
Darkness began to fall and they hurried to complete their evening meal. Afterwards, the Sasqua’ia sat around their campfire while their companion Wolves scouted the surrounding territory.
The Wolves reported no dangers, save a few small scavengers who departed in fright at the first sight of the massive Wolves. They spent the night in peaceful sleep, guarded by the Wolves. The only disturbances were the few night birds and their calls to each other.
Dawn arrived, and the bright sunshine lit up the grass lands in hues of greens and browns. They discovered that the animals they had seen from the top of The Guardian were cattle that had gone wild. The cattle were a bit nervous of the Wolves, but they didn’t panic, the cows only moved their calves away from the vicinity.
Their days passed peacefully, they had no set destination, so they followed the small river as it flowed through the meadowlands, joined by other small streams until it became a respectable river.
It was several days into their trip when a Wolf reported Humans ahead.
Tac’li and Ban’al decided to investigate, taking a caregiver, Jon’e with them and two guardian Wolves.
The Wolves led them to a small grove of trees and calmly waited for them to proceed into the camp of a small group of Humans.
The Humans jumped to their feet, it was a group of teens and they looked down on their luck. Their clothing was tattered and threadbare, and it was obvious they had not been eating regularly, their faces were gaunt and their ribs showed beneath their ragged clothing.
Tac’li sent to them, “We mean you no harm, we are the Sasqua’ia and would assist you.
At that moment, one of the teen females spotted the group of Wolves and screamed. The boys jumped in front of the females, in an attempt to defend them.
Tac’li smiled and said mentally, “These Wolves are our friends and protectors, they will not hurt you.” He bent over and rubbed Wolf Rar’bo on the ears. The huge Wolf licked Tac’li’s hand and rubbed up against his leg, wagging his tail.
A teen female said, “Hhh h He not eeeat yu?”
Wolf Rar’bo walked over to the young female and licked her hand and lay down in front of her, rolling onto his back in hopes she would rub his belly.
The teens told them their story, “Their tribe was starving and they were searching for the land of Shang’la, a place their legends told to them when they were small children, a land where the good folks, called the Shang’ia would care for them and feed them.”
Tac’li and Ban’al both sent to them them, “We are the Sasqua’ia and we will care for you and ask you to join us in our meal. If we can locate your people, we will feed and care for them also.”
The teens clung to their rescuers, tears flowing down their faces. Their leader, Pau’li told them, “We left our people at the place of the big water, three suns ago, please help them, there is no food and they could go no further. We pushed on further in hopes of find help for our folk.”
Tac’li and Ban’al turned to the Wolves and mentally shouted, “Find the people of these youngsters, they are hurt and starving!”
The Wolves raced out of the camp, Tac’li told the teens, “The Wolf Folk go in search of your people, they will tell us where they are. Then we will go to help them. Come now and eat with us that you may regain your strength.”
The youngsters ate like they were starving, which they were. The youngsters were so thin, even the little of food they had eaten distended their stomachs.
Toon’ir and Lila’mi fished the small stream for fish to add to the meal. The boy, Pau’li showed them how to “call the fish”, he projected an image of a struggling insect in the water and the fish went into a feeding frenzy, all they had to do was to scoop the fish out of the water!
As they were cleaning the fish in preparation of cooking them, Wolf Rar’bo came racing back. He sent, “Friend Tac’li, the younglings’ folk are in bad trouble, they need your assistance. They cannot walk and they are all starving!”
Tac’li and Ban’al quickly decided to split their forces, Tac’li would lead half the Sasqua’ia to rescue the Humans and Ban’al would remain with the other half to care for the youngsters.
Pau’li insisted he would go with Tac’li to rescue their parents.
When Tac’li asked if he could keep up with the Sasqua’ia, he replied, “I do not know if I can keep up, but I must try, my parents and baby sister are among those we go to rescue.”
Tac’li understood the Human youth’s need and decided he would carry the boy himself, if need be.
The rescue group gathered food supplies, medicines and bandages, spare blankets and leather sandals; then made ready to depart.
THE RESCUE
The rescuers set off in a distance devouring lope, following Wolf Rar’bo and six Wolves he had selected from his pack. The Wolf leader urged his Sasqua’ia and the Human pup to hurry, that the Humans were near death.
Pau’li was struggling to keep up, but he fought his fatigue and near starvation valiantly.
The group ran the rest of the day before they neared the lake that the Human youngsters had called “The Big Water”.
They could hear a disturbance among the Wolves and frightened thoughts coming from the Humans, Tac’li sent to them, “We are the Sasqua’ia and we are coming to assist you, we are bringing your youngling, Pau’li with us.”
They heard in return, “He is not dead from these Wolf devils who are trying to eat us?”
Tac’li replied, “No, he is struggling to keep up with us, but he is very much alive. The Wolves are our friends and are there to assist you; they will not hurt you in any way.”
The Human replied, “Bbb But, they are wild beasts!”
Tac’li sent in return, “No they are not beasts, they are our partners and mind speak with us, call to them and they will reply!”
The rescue party finally came upon the Humans, huddled in the shade of a large rock along the lake shore. The Wolves were comforting the children and the adults looked on with wonder in their eyes.
Some of the Human adults were huddled in fear, the 7 foot tall Sasqua’ia looking more like huge animals than civilized beings to them.
Even the mind-speak did little to dispel their fears, the children, however, in the manner that children instinctively know those who will protect them, came running to the Sasqua’ia and the Wolves, who had been cuddling them, came with the children, their tails wagging and grins on their muzzles.
Tac’li had a small child on each shoulder and his own son was peeking from his pouch. All three children had grins of delight on their faces and it was those children that broke the ice dam, the adult Humans broke down in tears.
It had been a long day and, it was nearing dusk. Tac’li mind-spoke with Ban’al telling him that they would spend the night with the Humans and that they would return to the camp the next day.
They repaired the Humans’ clothing as best they could and fed them the last of the food they had brought before they headed back the next morning.
The Human adults had attached themselves to the Sasqua’ia and, at first, offered to be their slaves in return for care and food.
Both Tac’li and Ban’al were horrified; they both assured the Humans that they would not be slaves, that slavery was abhorrent to the Sasqua’ia. They would be a free people among them!
The trip back to the Sasqua’ia encampment was long and difficult for the Humans, their malnourishment and a lifelong lack of proper care had taken its toll. The small children were especially affected and it was not long before they were lagging behind.
The Wolves, in particular, were greatly disturbed and refused to leave any child behind. It was not long before there were small children riding on the backs of the Wolves and other Wolves were allowing older children to lean upon their shoulders or grasp their fur in order to assist them in keeping up.
Finally, the Pack Matriarch, Wolf Mol’la, sent, “Sasqua’ia Warrior Tac’li, we must stop and allow the Human Pups to rest, they cannot go any further without rest and food.”
Tac’li responded, “Dam of Pups, Mol’la, I respect your judgement, we shall spend the night at this path of water. We will feed the Human Pups and their parents, we all shall hunt and fish to feed them.”
Tac’li called a halt to their march and the hunters spread out, hunting fresh fruits and edible plants, and netting the abundant fish from the stream.
Mo’la, Dam of Human Pups, a name she would bear for the rest of her life, gathered up the Human Pups and she and the other dams curled up in the warm grass with them, cuddling the exhausted children until their meal was ready.
It was the beginning of a relationship between the Humans and the Wolves that would be treasured by both into the far future of both races.
By the time the party had rejoined the main Sasqua’ia camp, the Human/Wolf bond was permanently established and it allowed the Humans to mind-speak with the Sasqua’ia and each other with ease, over great distances.
Pau’li had finally recovered from his ordeal and was acknowledged as the leader of the young Humans, he explained to the Humans what little he had learned of their rescuers, the Sasqua’ia. That they lived a simple life and were vegetarians, however, they were neither unintelligent nor were they primitive. He had already seen that they were a spacefaring race.
He told them of the Great Ship and that they were all males, there were no female Sasqua’ia. The Humans had difficulty understanding that, and a red-faced Paul’li was forced to explain about the Sasqua’ia and their pouches.
Several of the Human men became belligerent and started shouting and shaking their fists.
Pau’li tried to calm them, but they became even louder and threatened Pau’li for having brought them to demons.
They continued to shout and shake their fists at Pau’li, as they grabbed their females and started to leave, dragging their children behind them.
The children were terrified and were crying, the Sasqua’ia stood there in amazement, not believing what they were seeing!
Pack Matriarch, Mo’la, however, did understand them, she bristled up her fur and stood in front of the men, her Wolf Pack standing behind her with bared teeth. She sent to the rampaging Humans, “You shall leave this place and you shall not take the Pups with you. Your females may stay, if they wish, but you angry males shall leave, NOW! You are no longer welcome among us. Do not attempt to return for you are now enemies of all whom we love and protect.”
The several Human men took several steps towards the Wolf Matriarch, thinking her but a trained dog. They were suddenly confronted by twenty angry Wolves, none smaller than five hundred pounds of furious Wolf.
They obeyed their Pack Leader, but they revered their Matriarch!
The Human men were last seen being driven from the area by Wolves nipping at their legs and heels every time they slowed or stopped.
The Mother Wolves calmly went back to cuddling their Human Children and the Sasqua’ia finished the supper they were preparing for the remaining Humans and their children.
FIRST REFUGEES
Tac’li and Ban’al led the Humans back over The Guardians and into the forests of the Sasqua’ia.
Pau’li’s father had been among the Human male troublemakers and Pau’li begged the two Sasqua’ia to allow him to live with them.
They both agreed. They had seen into the young mind of Pau’li and knew he was destined to be a leader among them all.
Wolf Pack Leader Rar’bo also asked to remain with Tac’li and Ban’al; their family was growing rapidly as it was nearly time for their sons to emerge from their pouches permanently.
The rest of the Refugee Humans were delivered to the Council and were granted permission to live among the Sasqua’ia.
Because their farm was on the path from The Guardians and was closest to the border lands, more Human refugees came among them.
Several of Rar’bo’s Wolves chose to remain with him and those living at Guardian Farm, so he delegated them to patrol the path leading from the Guardians.
Within several days, they brought the first small group of refugees to Guardian Farm. They were a ragged group of humans, clearly on their last reserves. They could not have gone even another day without some of them dying.
Rob’n and Lis’al were appalled; the children were starving, clothed in rags and filthy dirty. Their parents were no better, they had all taken a chance on the legends being right; that there was an oasis across the desert sands. They had six children and four teens among them; their ribs could be counted through the clothing.
Paul’li took the youngsters and showed them how to use the bath house, while Rob’n and Lis’al spoke with their parents.
Rar’Bo and Mo’la had become a committed pair of Wolves and they checked out the Newcomers thoroughly. They both sent to Rob’n and Lis’al that they approved of the adults and the one who had the bright red fur on her head and called herself Lis’l, was in whelp, she would have two Human pups.
Rob’n took the young woman’s mate, Dav’d, aside and gave him the news, he grew sad and replied, “We lost out baby girl to wild animals coming here, maybe now, my Lis’l can recover and stop crying.”
Despite being very young, Dav’d was a farmer and he recognized most of the crops being grown on Guardian Farm. He shyly asked if they could stay and he would work for their keep.
Both Rob’n and Lis’al objected, they told the young man he could stay and earn a share in the Farm, but they would not make an employee of him. They told him that the Sasqua’ia kept no slaves! They saw no difference between a slave and an employee.
Dav’d went running to his mate to tell her of the offer and what the Wolf Mo’la had told their New friends.
She was amazed but also cautious, she asked Dav’d, “Where are their wives?” Dav’d had no answer, he did not know. However, he said, “They must have them somewhere, there are small children among them.”
He promised to ask the boy, Pau’li, he was obviously Human and he lived as part of Rob’n’s and Lis’al’s family.
The first opportunity Dav’d had, he asked Pau’li about the Sasqua’ia wives, Pau’li explained as best he could, but Dav’d did not believe him.
A young Sasqua’ia, Gon’ji, was working with Pau’li hoeing weeds from the rows of vegetables. Pau’li asked Gon’ji’s permission to show Dav’d his pouch.
Dav’d’s face got very red with embarrassment, but he finally understood how all the Sasqu’ia could all be males.
Several of the children that had come with the group were without parents and both Rob’n and Lis’al insisted they remain at Guardian Farm. By the time the travelers were ready to go on to the Council, Dav’d and his mate, Lis’l and three small children, Tog’ia, Sam’li and Fok’ma had joined the Family of Guardian Farm.
The Sasqu’ia, Rob’n and Lis’al, were happy with the new additions to their family, they were both busy building additional bedrooms for everyone. Suddenly, their neat little farmhouse was becoming a large apartment complex.
They did build a small house for Dav’d and Lis’l away from their own house so that the young couple could have a little privacy.
Time seemed to pass very quickly, the growing season was barely over when Dav’d came running to ask their assistance, Lis’l was having labor pains!
Rob’n explained to Dav’d that Sasqua’ia births were quite different from the of the Humans and were reluctant to get involved until Mo’la sent to them to get over there, NOW!
As it turned out, the young woman was ready to deliver as soon as they entered the room. She was a healthy young woman and she delivered her twins without any trouble.
The newborn twins were both boys and the happy couple named them Mo’li and Rar’li in honor of the two Wolves who had saved them.
It was Pau’li who discovered that the twins were very strong mind-speakers, or in their specific case, MIND-HOWLERS! He had been assisting Dav’d in setting up their family kitchen garden when the twins decided that Lis’l was not paying them sufficient attention and they were hungry!
The teen was in agony, the mental assault completely incapacitated him, leaving him with a world class headache after Lis’l had satisfied their hunger!
THE WHITE WOLF
Pau’li was becoming the leader of his age group, he was a New Human, with considerable mental powers, although both his parents were apparent Humans. His group also included other New Human boys, Sasqua’ia youths and Human refugee boys.
The numbers were fluid, one day there would be twenty boys and the next, they would be only fifteen boys. The day they found Char’li was a rare day when there were almost thirty boys roaming with Pau’li.
The boys had all their chores done and had received permission of their Fathers to hike up to the top of The Guardian and return, but, they were not to descend the outside slopes.
The boys all had a meal in their belt bags and they headed off the minute their chores were completed.
They maintained a slow pace, some of the Human boys were not able to keep up the pace of the others yet. So it was, a bit after the midday meal time, when they sat in the cool shade at the summit of The Guardian to eat their bread and cheese.
Pau’li had set sentries around their meal site, as he had seen his Poppas do when they had been on the Rescue Mission.
Rar’bo had decided, at the last minute, to accompany the boys on their trek. He was happy to accept any part of their meal that the boys were willing to share and he had decided to become a part of The Guardian Farm Pack.
He had just accepted a morsel of tasty cheese from Tan’r, a New Human boy of about twelve winters, when his ears went erect.
Rar’bo sent to Pau’li, “A pup approaches, a Wolf pup. He is very young; I will go to meet him.”
The huge Pack Leader Wolf headed down the outside slope of the mountain at a fast lope. A few minutes later, Pau’li heard, “Trek Leader, I am in need of assistance. Please, only you come to me, more will frighten the pup.”
Pau’li left the next oldest New Human boy, Bil’li, in charge and he hurried down the trail to meet Rar’bo.
He found him on the first shoulder below the summit, curled around a small white form. Rar’bo looked up and sent, “Trek Leader, this small one is in need of food and his paw is injured.”
Pau’li pulled a sharp thorn from the small pup’s front paw and then proceeded to spread nut paste on a slice of fresh bread for the young Wolf pup to eat.
The young Wolf gobbled the treat down and then looked at Pau’li as he sent, “Young Human, will you accept me into your pack? I have been rejected by my kind?”
Pau’li replied, “How are you called?” The pup answered, “I am named Char’li and am but three moons old and must grow some more. My sire promised I would be a great wolf one day and be a leader of my kind.”
Pau’li looked at Rar’bo, who nodded yes and Pau’li picked up the white ball of fluff and cuddled him to his chest as he sent, “Young White Wolf, yes I will accept you, will you be mine very own Wolf?” The little Wolf shook as he tried to cuddle deeper into Pau’li’s embrace, “Yes, young Human, I will gladly be thy companion. We are much the same, you and I. We will, together, be the champions of our folk.”
So it was that two younglings, both having been abandoned by their birth kind, had found communion in each other. Time would prove them both to be exceptional leaders, making their community stronger and better for them having been there.
The Humans shared their midday meal with the two Wolves and they enjoyed romping in the warm sun with Char’li, until he became tired and wanted to climb up into Pau’li’s lap for a short nap.
As the sun began its descent from midday high, Pau’li led his group back down the trail towards Guardian Farm. The White Wolf pup caused a sensation among those at Guardian Farm, nobody had ever seen a white Wolf before, not even other wolves.
Many of the other boys drooled in envy, the Wolf puppy had chosen Pau’li as Trek Leader as well as Companion.
The two were inseparable and, in a few short months, Char’li grew to outsize every Wolf living among the Sasqu’ia. He would stand over five feet at the shoulders and weigh in at six hundred pounds! It was said his paws were as big as a squash leaf and he could disembowel an enemy with a single swipe of his claws.
BOTH descriptions were proven correct and those who would hurt his kind or the Humans he loved soon learned to “run like hell” when Charli headed in their direction!
As the two companions matured, they took on increasingly important leadership rolls within the Sasqua’ia Community and, when danger threatened the life of the Sasqua’ia, they became the War Leaders of the Sasqu’ia, a post that would pass down to their offspring for many generations into the future.
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TBC
The leadership team of Pau’li and his Great White Wolf Companion, Char’li, will keep the Sasqua’ia, New Humans and the remnants of the Hopi People, Humans and Wolves safe for many years into the future.