|
Post by Nootau on Sept 23, 2007 10:26:45 GMT -5
Nootau grunted, understanding that the talk was not going to be held off until later. He squirms onto his stomach then pulls his legs underneath him, and stands slowly. He trotted and weaved a bit between the trees, and he and Snow came to where the heart had been buried.
"Snow..." he pauses. "Do you believe in the Moose's rights to spiritual sympathy? Or.. do you believe in your ancestors?"
|
|
|
Post by Snowcap on Sept 23, 2007 13:34:35 GMT -5
Snowcap looked at the sky which was indigo with evening. A few stars twinkled curiously, and a misty cloud glided slowly across. The moon was a crescent tonight, hidden slightly by the trees. Snowcap sighed, then slowly answered Nootau's question.
"I was brought up differently than the wolves here," he began, " My pack was pure of color: only white wolves. We were descendants of the Arctic wolves of the north, though grey blood ran dominantly through our veins. Our tribe had spiritual values, something very rare among our species. I only inheirit their beliefs. Shall I change for this pack? Or am I allowed to share these ideas with the wolves? Counsel me, Beta."
|
|
|
Post by Nootau on Sept 24, 2007 8:37:47 GMT -5
Nootau sighed, and shook out his coat, perhaps stalling his answer.
"I was raised a bit like that. My grandfather would bury the heart. But you see, one night, he thought we were all asleep, and he dug it up again. And he ate it. It was just a stupid little trick. Then when he died and my father took his place, he didn't bury hearts, or prey. He never realized the trick. No. He did. I told him, and he always knew. Grandfather didn't steal food because he was bad. He was getting old, and was very kind. He never ate very much at meals, he wanted us growing pups to eat well. He ate the heart because he'd have been famished without it. When we were born they told us it mattered, the prey, and we believed it and grandfather kept his pride and stayed alive. When he died, my sisters did all kind of spiritual rituals on his body, tried even to bring him back, the youngest one. Nothing. We hadn't the heart to tell them. Ugh. Bad pun. Real bad pun."
|
|
|
Post by Snowcap on Sept 26, 2007 14:59:13 GMT -5
"Ah, I see." Snowcap's fur was ruffled my the mild breeze, and was billowing around his neck. He shook his head, then stared icily at Nootau.
"You do not think that our prey have feelings? I am not burying the heart to waste the animal. I simply believe that in doing so the spirit will live on and the species will prosper. But, if you say, I will change my ways." The white wolf padded softly away, back to where his pack was sleeping.
|
|
|
Post by Nootau on Sept 26, 2007 15:38:52 GMT -5
Nootau shook his head. "You're not seeing the point. We have feelings too. Hunger, death of our children, sickness, death by their blows, everything else as well. Their feelings don't matter. Not to say that ours do anymore. Just like. Just live."
He pads back also, uncertainly.
|
|