“When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.”
― Winston S. Churchill
The beleaguered procession moved slowly along the narrow footpath in the shadows of the Black Mountains like a tired stream determined to outlast a drought. Whitney carried two hides under her arms. As they passed the ledge concealing Spirit’s Cave she looked forlornly at Mana. Mana smiled knowingly as she carried her end of the stretcher. “Focus on the lesson not the burden,” Whitney comprehended Mana’s silent conveyance. The animals were naturally uneasy throughout the journey in the darkness cast by the Black Mountains until the group rounded the last bend where they were greeted by the brilliant sunlight ahead. As Shadow and Mana reached the expanse where the mountains ended they stepped aside to allow the animals room to move more freely. The pasas spotted the lush trees ahead. They moved instinctively to the trees until the other monkeys who had assisted the children during the pursuit by the raptors spotted the pasas. The branches of the trees shook with excitement. A flood of howling overcame the group of spectators like festive music during a summer block party. The pasas who had labored so long under Cato’s command, the same group who had been forced to field a team during the terrifying contest leaped to the low branches of the trees and scurried high above to join the proconsuls who welcomed them amidst the abundant foliage. Their joyous cries extended beyond the neighboring canopy of trees announcing to the creatures of the land beyond that the animals were free.
The swaying grasses and the abundant yuccas trees provided the giant ground sloth with the ideal location to make his home. He had never traveled so far in such a long time. The spot he rested on was ideal for his carefree needs. The sloth conveyed to Mana that this location suited. She could also detect if Cato ever attempted to leave the shadows of the mountains through this end of the range. Here, she could warn the other animals while she detained the would-be Dark Master should he ever appear. At the other end of the trail through the mountains the pantars would surely be vigilant of Cato’s movement on the frontier of the wild lands. Mana expressed her appreciation to the sloth. As Nathan again began to walk ahead of the group he nodded to the sloth who seemed to the boy to offer a smile that spread across her wide face. She was the portrait of spiritual contentment.
Not long after they had journeyed through the trees the herd of camelots headed south to their habitat along with the glyptodons. Soon the group that departed the cave together was only left with the children along with Mana, Shadow, and Hairy who rested on Kyle’s lap. They marched accordingly until Nathan recognized a familiar area. As he crossed the stream he looked up the gradual meadow where he had watched Kyle and Whitney flee in different directions. Nathan recalled the terror he had felt when he was forced to make his decision about who to follow. “If only I had followed Kyle,” Nathan thought.
“Your reasons were sound,” he heard Mana convey.
Whitney offered, “You and Kyle may have both been in his condition.” Nathan considered his choice once more. Although he knew Mana and Whitney were right he felt the weight of regret resting on his heart. His attention was soon drawn to another urgency. The opening behind the waterfall was sealed for good. How could the children get back to his home?
“Nathan, it’s as if the mountain has moved,” Whitney conveyed in awe of the volume of rocks that were stacked in front of the fallen tree.
“That’s exactly what happened,” he replied. The children looked up towards the heaven where the colossal mountain disappeared through the atmosphere. “That is not the way we can go,” he expressed, “I don’t know what we’re going to do.”
“We can’t just wait, Kyle needs help,” Whitney urged. Nathan looked to Mana for assistance, but she could offer none. He felt the familiar tug of despondence overwhelming his spirit, but he was determined not to yield.
He was considering their options when he heard Whitney, “We must take him to the island. The family of spirits will know what to do.” Whitney’s idea was the only consideration that made sense to Nathan.
“It’s a long trip. It won’t be easy,” Nathan replied.
After a moment Whitney offered, “That is the rule of the land here isn’t it?”
“We will go a different way,” Mana interrupted. “The journey to the mountain on the lake will be shorter, beside the canoe cannot carry all of us.
“Right, let’s get a drink and a little rest and then we move on if that’s okay with you two,” Nathan expressed motioning to Mana and Shadow. Mana nodded her agreement.
“SSShadow go all the way too,” Nathan affectionately patted Shadow on his shoulder.
“You’re a good buddy Shadow.”
“We’ll walk along those hills,” Mana indicated gesturing to a set of rolling hills in the west. We will eventually scale one of the farthest hills that will lead to the big plain. After we cut across the big plain we will head toward the coast that will lead us to the cove where Nathan and I landed the canoe.”
“So, we’ll climb that mountain where the alewives are again?” Mana affirmed Nathan’s inquiry, “Great, this time it will be easy,” Nathan sarcastically responded. The companions traveled silently. The children did their best to avoid considering the fate of Kyle. The weather turned significantly warmer as they reached a gradual hill where Mana motioned to Nathan to lead them up. When the group reached the top of the grassy hill Nathan and Whitney gasped at what greeted them. A vast plain extending beyond their sight populated with herds of animals. Some were familiar to the children, but most of the species they had never seen.
“Oh my,” Whitney exclaimed spotting a troop of Woolly Mammoths. She began counting them, “There are almost twenty of them,” she expressed.
“They big,” Shadow marveled. The travelers paused to observe the gathered assembly of animals as if they were watching people in a mall. Two large black rhinoceroses swatted flies with their tails under the hot sun. At the bottom of the hill a herd of quaggas galloped playfully close to the group. “They look like half a zebra and half a horse,” Whitney expressed captivated. Further along the steppe they spotted a collection of Moas, “Those are the biggest birds I have ever seen,” gasped Whitney.
“I guess you forgot those two giants that tried to attack us when we were getting a lift from the Kukulas,” Nathan reminded his cousin. As astonished as they were the children, encouraged by Mana, moved onto the steppe.
“Will they attack us?” Nathan asked.
“No, they know what we are doing, they want to see your kind return to your world,” Mana explained, “but we’ll stay clear of the smilodons just the same?”
“Smilodons?” Whitney asked
“Big catsss with big teeth,” Shadow offered.
“You mean like the pantars?” Nathan inquired.
“Bigger than the pantars,” Mana expressed as the group headed through the plain. The majesty that the children witnessed would be hard to explain. The array of unknown animals freely grazing under the splendid sun were far too innumerable for the children to comprehend. Whitney halted,” This is the spot,” she said pointing to a shady scale tree that was surrounded by a field of jade vines, exotic parrot beaks, and bright yellow Hawkweeds. “We will bury the remains of the animals who died because of Cato’s greed for power here near the shade of that tree,” Whitney offered, “That is if you don’t mind Mana.” Mana nodded her ascent moved by the child’s gesture. They placed the stretcher beneath the shade of the scale tree. Nathan and Shadow dug a shallow grave for the pantar while Whitney and Mana did likewise for Mana’s fallen mate. They placed the hides in the cool ground and covered them with the upturned soil. Whitney gathered some of the parrot beaks and placed them on the earth marking the graves. The group stood in silence.
“You should say something Whitney, you know like they do in church,” Nathan expressed.
Whitney hesitated in thought, “Here are two creatures,” she paused uncertain of what to say, “Who died because of another’s greed,” Whitney recalled Mana’s word’s to the pantar in the great cavern, “Here they will rest forever in this beautiful spot where all that remember them can be reminded of the joy that their lives brought.” The poetry of Whitney’s simple offering complimented the beauty of her chosen burial ground. The group lingered in remembrance before they moved on.
They passed near a scattering of Irish Elk whose wide enormous antlers impressed the children as if they were spun from an exaggerated tale. One of the Elk drinking from a quagmire sensed the travelers. It elevated its head, the green sphagnum moss from the bog draped over its antlers like tinsel thrown on a Christmas tree. Off in the distance a large herd of steppe bison grazed. “They look like buffalo,” Nathan observed. As she walked Whitney brushed her hand across the golden grass plain. The children understood the privilege they were witnessing, this was nature unspoiled by the corruption of human life. Its beauty was breathtaking. Whitney thought that she could spend a lifetime on the steppe while never growing complacent. The trek across the vast plain took more time than the children were aware of. As they reached the edge of the first scattered trees Nathan realized that his attention had wandered from Kyle. He looked back leaning his head to the side of Mana who followed him reassured that Kyle laid resting with Hairy still riding atop him. After walking through a sparse forest, the children felt the familiar breeze of the ocean.
To his left Nathan recognized the edge of the land that met the ocean, “Are those the cliffs we passed by when we were on the canoe?” he inquired.
“Yes,” Mana conveyed. Before long the travelers were descending the gradual slope of land that met the cove where Nathan and Mana had landed the canoe. This time Nathan did not delay to watch the spectacle of the golden alewives. He understood that their quest was the same as his own. He paused however to inquire about Mana and Shadow. “Do you need to rest? You have been carrying Kyle for such a long time,” he paused in consideration, “I wish I could help carry him for you.”
“You will do well to lead us up the mountain. In the meantime, you will need to make a plan to cross the lake to the island,” Mana expressed. The travelers did not hesitate when they reached the beach. They preceded up the slope of the mountain intent to complete their mission. The trip up the mountain seemed far easier to Nathan this time even with the unconscious patient in tow. The group reached the lake stopping in the precise area where Mana and Nathan had been previously.
“Well, I don’t see any Kukulas in sight and even if they were here it would be too dangerous to attempt to carry Kyle in his injured way across the lake,” Whitney thought.
“We’ll have to make another raft and take our chances,” Nathan said fearing the obstacle that potentially awaited them crossing the lake, “Let’s get to work,” he concluded.
The raft was completed with Mana’s and Shadow’s assistance. The vessel was a facsimile of the previous craft that Mana and Nathan had constructed. This replication was more secure. Mana and Shadow carefully placed Kyle, stretcher and all, on the raft. Mana lifted Hairy from Kyle’s lap as Shadow secured the raft in the water for the children to board. Whitney appeared incredulous when she determined that Mana, Shadow, and Hairy were not going to make the trip to the island. “They can’t go any further,” Nathan explained.
“No, of course not,” Whitney reasoned while confronting the magnitude of this understanding, “We’ll see you upon our return, right?” Shadow waded up to his waste and then thrust the raft in the direction of the island. There were no farewells, the children could not even find reassurance in Mana, whose mind was silent to them. On cue the strong gale picked up, Nathan rechecked to ensure that the mass held steady in place. The raft accelerated steered towards the island. Whitney, having been informed about the details of Nathan’s first trip to the island, nervously joined her cousin surveying the waters. They rode in silence, the island growing nearer, when the raft was suddenly struck by a powerful force beneath. The craft split in half as all of the children were overturned into the cool water of the lake.
Whitney opened her eyes. She was entirely disoriented. In short time she regained her senses. Her condition was not what she had expected. She propped herself up in the bed in the guest room looking in the darkness for details that would confirm that she had awoken from a terrible dream. Night still lingered. Nathan suddenly appeared before her bed. He whispered just so Whitney could hear him, “That all happened right?”
Whitney remained disoriented, “Um hum,” she responded uncertain.
Whitney reached into her pajama pocket and found the tiny flashlight. She turned it on pointing it at Nathan’s face. She was mortified when she saw his expression, “Whitney, Kyle didn’t make it. We have to go back and get him!”
The children were desperate, “How can we do that? The only entrance to that land that we know about has been blocked.”
“Move over,” Nathan said as he climbed into bed next to Whitney, “We have to go back to sleep.” There was no other plan Whitney reasoned. She held Nathan’s hand as she turned off the flashlight. Nathan stared into the darkness as he heard Whitney whisper, “Please God, please let us go back to sleep, please God.”
Whitney shook Nathan’s chest, “Nathan, Nathan! Are you okay?”
Nathan opened his moist eyes, blinking several times, “I think so.” He sat up, “Where are we?”
“Something big knocked us over, probably that lake monster that you told me about. Look at what is left of the raft,” Whitney exclaimed pointing to the split timber and palm leaves floating close to where they were on the shore. The children studied the other’s expression. Something secured and learned prevented them from expressing what they knew. They could not fathom the ability to reveal to the other what they now understood. Somehow the children had insight that they could not and did not want to acknowledge. It was Whitney who redirected that moment of silent comprehension. She reacted according to the seed of kindness an instinct that never betrays us, “We made it, we’re on the island.”
Nathan hesitated in an attempt to confirm what he now realized, “But, did Kyle make it?”
“I don’t see him anywhere,” she replied solemnly.
The soaked children rose to stand just as they heard laughter and music coming some distance ahead of them through the trees. They looked at each other uncertainly as they followed along a path that led in the direction where the noise was coming from. As they grew nearer, there was no mistaking that there was a festive event taking place. The children stepped into an opening. The familiar spirits greeted them warmly as they opened their enclosed circle. Expressions of relentless joy embraced them. Then they spotted Kyle in the middle of the assemblage, the center of attention, merrily clapping his hands while raising his leg repeatedly stomping to the beat of the fiddle played by a distant relative. Elizabeth took Kyle’s arm as they dosey-doe around and around.
Nathan could not contain himself, “Kyle!”
The fiddle stopped. Kyle looked at his cousins greeting them with a delightful grin, “Come on guys, join the party!” he exclaimed. Nathan and Whitney entered into the circle. All of their concerns were obliterated by the immense feeling of joy. The happiness they experienced like the land and animals they had encountered in this realm was uncompromise by humanity’s demise. They could have remained there secured in this bliss if not for the circling shadows above during a break in the music. “Kukula, kukula,” they heard.
Several Kukulas soared above the island signaling to the children that it was time to leave. The birds began their descent. All of the family spirits faded like scattering clouds consumed by the sun’s effulgence until only Whitney, Nathan, and Kyle remained. They knew it was their time to leave. The children walked to the clearing where the birds would land. Nathan expressed what Whitney had innately sensed as he shielded his eyes from the sun to view the Kukula’s descent, “There are only two birds coming down.” They looked at Kyle whose smile was as wide and free as either had ever recalled. On each side of him Kyle embraced a cousin placing a hand around their shoulder. Tears began to form in Whitney’s eyes.
“I’m staying here,” he said.
Nathan was understandably incredulous, “What!” Kyle nodded. “You can’t! Everything that we went through. You just can’t stay here.”
“Everything we went through was to get him here,” Whitney conceded.
“What will your parents say? What about your brother and sister and Grammy? They will be so hurt. They won’t be able to live without you. I won’t be able to,” Nathan could not conclude his thought, although it was unnecessary for each of the children understood.
Kyle patted Nathan warmly on his back, “I’ll always be with those who love me, don’t ever doubt that. It is perfect here for me. We have so much fun playing games, singing and dancing, eating blueberries,” his smile was a portrait as if painted perfectly by an artist, “I’m even teaching some of the old boys how to play basketball and soccer.” Kyle looked seriously into his cousins’ eyes. “It’s not just that I can’t leave, I don’t want to.” There it was. The revelation that Whitney and Nathan had recognized in each other’s countenance before they were reunited with Kyle. “Now, hurry, those birds look like they don’t want to wait here too much longer,” the Kukulas nervously awaited their riders.
“I don’t want to lose you Kyle.”
“Oh Nathan, you’ll never lose me,” he tapped Nathan on his forehead with his finger,”I’ll always be right here,” he stepped back as Whitney and Nathan climbed on the backs of the birds. The birds began their magnificent ascent. Whitney looked once more at Kyle whose boastful smile endured as she left the island. The birds flew close to each other. Whitney and Nathan looked at each other unashamed of the tears that dropped from their eyes onto the burgundy feathers of the Kukulas.
This time the birds took a detour heading to the east of the island. Soon they were far beyond the fading island. Soaring high in the sky the children were stunned. The lake appeared as big as an endless sea. Other islands, far too many to count populated the lake shocking the children’s limited perception. The children rode more confidently on the birds. The Kukulas circled heading back to the west where they had come from. They accelerated and rapidly descended the approaching island that they had moments before left. The birds soared just above the tree line flying close to the exposed rocks that formed at the shore of the island.
“Look there!” Nathan exclaimed. On a large rock at the edge of the island Kyle stood jubilantly waving his hands. The birds continued their direction. Atop the Kukulas the children flew leaving behind the island–their cousin’s island.