Storiesonline.net ------- The Beast Within by Darkniciad Copyright© 2007 by Darkniciad ------- Description: Blessed - or perhaps cursed - with a magical gift, Bear experiences a vision during his daily meditation. This vision leads him to discover a very special ring, which is tied to both his family history, and his gift. Codes: MF fant slow tears rom cons oral ------- ------- [This story was submitted in one piece by the author. It has been divided into multiple chapters to provide compatibility with wider range of browsers, so chapter limits have no meanings. Storiesonline] You will get more out of this story if you have read "Deified" and "Of the People" first, as this story immediately follows those two tales. Laresa's World is a world parallel to our own, and there are subtle differences. The people in this tale are not meant to represet any real tribe, or true-to-life history. ------- Chapter 1 The boy cried. Great Bear did not fault the child for his tears. It would be many years still before the boy would learn to stand proud, enduring such pain with a stoic expression of bravery. Now, his tears were the natural expression of a boy with a broken leg. Calling up the power of the tribal magic, and giving the boy a drink of potion already prepared, Bear waited for the child to calm. When the magic and the pain killing draught took hold, Bear nodded to the boy's father. Fox held his son down, preparing for what was to come. Bear set the leg with a practiced motion, causing the child to scream out in pain. The flash of agony caused the boy to lose consciousness, which allowed Bear to check and wrap the leg without interference. Once the wrapping was complete, Bear once again called upon the tribal magic, and his own personal magic, to further dull the pain, and hasten the boy's healing. Bear knew the child would be up once again within days. "He will require rest, and should not walk for a time. He is young, and strong; he will heal quickly. Return him to me if the pain becomes great," Bear informed the child's father. Fox nodded in approval, lifting his slowly rousing son from the ground carefully. "Thank you, Dark Beast." Bear nodded in acknowledgement of the gratitude, not wincing from the title Dark Beast as he had in times past. Though the new name was one of respect and awe, it reminded Bear of his curse. The years had dulled his aversion to the name, however, and now Bear was just as comfortable with his new name as the one of his birth. Having seen thirty winters now since the revelation of his curse, time had brought much wisdom to the Shaman of the tribe. His curse served the people, and the will of the Great Spirit. In light of that, his desires were insignificant. Seeing all calm in the village, and seeing from the position of the sun that his meditation time drew near, Bear stepped into his teepee to remove his ceremonial garb. Stripping down to only a simple loincloth, the Shaman of the tribe vanished, replaced once again by the man. Though nearing his fiftieth year, Great Bear was still fit — his frame packed with lean muscle. Were it not for the wisdom in his eyes, and his iron gray, shoulder-length hair, one could easily mistake him for a man of thirty. His family was blessed with longevity and strength, and the man known as Dark Beast was no exception. The interior of the teepee showed no signs of female habitation, strange for a handsome and respected man in the tribe. Many women still sought to find their way into his heart — young and old alike — but Bear politely brushed the advances aside. Despite the loneliness that gripped him as he lay in his furs at night, he would not expose another to his curse. He chose to let that burden fall to another of his family. Stepping outside once more, Bear took a deep breath and stretched, preparing for his run. Long ago, the Great Spirit had revealed the place of meditation to him, and the run to reach it was one ofBear's few joys in life. So Great Bear ran — his strides long and steady. The village shrank rapidly behind him as his powerful legs ate up the distance, easily leaping creeks with banks nearly as wide as he was tall. The path was well known to him, and his body undertook the motion of running without conscious direction. This allowed Bear simply to enjoy the feeling of the wind in his face, and the last rays of the setting sun warming his back. The steep hill proved to be no more of an obstacle than the tall grasses and creeks between it and the village. Soon, Bear stood at the top, gazing at the setting sun. Just before it slipped beneath the horizon, he retrieved a hide-wrapped bundle from within a hollow of a nearby tree. After tucking the bundle in his loincloth, Bear gathered up wood for a small fire, adding some to the store within the hollow tree as well. The dry wood within would be a boon when next he came to meditate after a rainstorm, when the fuel lying beneath the trees would be too wet to burn. Removing the fire-starting tools and tinder from the hide bundle, Bear soon had a small fire burning, to which he added ceremonial herbs. Shedding his loincloth, revealing his generous manhood, Bear sat, inhaling deep the scent of the burning herbs, slipping into a meditative state. How long he sat, lost in commune with nature and the Great Spirit, he did not know. The vision which had come to him was the most vivid he had ever experienced. He knew the place shown to him in the vision, but the nature of the vision was puzzling — a buck with a shiny glint flickering at the tip of the creature's tallest tine. One thing was certain, Bear knew he had to visit this place, the vision nearly screamed that to him. Girding his loins once more, Bear doused his fire and replaced the hide bundle to its protected niche. Returning to the village at a slower pace, he determined that he would leave at first light. He knew that sleep would be difficult to find this night, as the vision brought with it a sense of urgency and wonder that Bear could not shake. ------- The next afternoon Bear strode into the small wood, coming to stand next to the spring-fed pool at its center. This was the location revealed to him in his vision, which had filled his dreams and awakened him before the dawn with an anxious need to leave immediately. Now standing next to the pool in the peaceful twilight created by the thick canopy above, Bear felt the sense of urgency ebb within him. His brow furrowing, he looked about, seeking the buck from his vision, or any sign of deer in the area. Not a single hoof print revealed itself to his keen eyes. Bear cast aside the feelings of frustration welling up within him, trusting in the vision given to him, but this proved more difficult as time passed and still no reason for his visit here appeared. Shifting his medicine bag, inspiration struck. Bear opened the bag, thinking that meditation might perhaps reveal his need to be here. Perhaps the deer was but a sign not yet understood, and communing with the Spirit would reveal its meaning. With the speed of a lifetime's practice, Bear cleared a spot near the pool, and gathered wood for a fire. Shortly thereafter, he fed the ceremonial herbs into the fire, shed his clothing, and sat cross-legged in meditation. As always, Bear was unsure how long his senses were turned inward, but the sound of a snort pulled him back from the world of visions. Opening his eyes, Bear saw the deer from his vision. It was a magnificent buck, and the eighteen points of its antlers seemed to reach for the sky. The creature showed no concern about Bear, the fire, or anything else around it. Bear's eyes widened when he saw a reflection of light winking from the tip of the tallest tine on the deer's left antler. As he looked, a ray of sunlight filtering through the blowing leaves above illuminated the deer brighter, further enhancing the bright spot that drew Bear's eyes. Somehow sensing the action was appropriate, Bear stood. Part of him expected the deer to bolt instantly, the other part of him knew the animal was here for a reason, and would not leave before revealing that purpose. The buck appeared to be studying him, and so he put his hands out to his side, palms facing toward the deer. With another snort that carried a nearly human tone of satisfaction, the buck stepped forward toward Bear. A few steps later, man and beast were an arm's length apart, looking deep into each other's eyes. Bear could see intelligence far beyond that of a mere animal within the deer's eyes, and knew that it truly had been sent by the Spirit to guide him in some way. At last, the buck blinked, and took a single step backward. It bobbed its head once, giving Bear the impression of a respectful nod from a human. The creature then lowered its head, and Bear saw the source of the flickering reflections for the first time, a band of gold with an amber stone. The stories of his youth — the tales of his family — all returned with perfect clarity to Bear in that moment. Can it be? Reaching up slowly, Bear touched the ring. When the buck made no move to flinch away, Bear closed his fingers over the ring and tugged slightly; the ring slid into his palm. The deer raised its head, looking into Bear's eyes, before bobbing its antlers one last time and bounding off into the forest. Bear looked down at his closed hand, and then slowly opened it to examine the ring. It was exactly as his family legend described it. "Laresa." ------- Within her ring, Laresa felt the presence of a human nearby at last. After the difficult emotional parting with Nathifa, Laresa had been content to rest in reverie without a Master, but now she hungered to see the outside world again — for good or ill. Despite the difficulty in dealing with the steadily increasing — and hard to push aside — dark feelings concerning her slavery as a Djinn, Laresa was a social creature by nature, and she could not help but hope to soon meet a new Master. Her ring was in contact with human skin, that much she knew, but it was not yet on the person's finger. Sighing, she relaxed back into her cushions, hoping that whoever possessed her home would discover her soon. ------- The story had been passed down from his great-grandparents, told only to those of his blood, and never to any other. The silver-haired Djinn, Laresa, had brought his great-grandmother amongst the people, and played a part in bringing them the prosperity the tribe now enjoyed. Bear's great-grandmother, Firetop Bird, had freed her friend from service, wishing the Djinn away to find a new Master, in hopes that Laresa would find the way to attain her own freedom. The ring in his hand now could be no other. The tales told to him as a youth by his father described it so perfectly that he had been able to picture it in his mind, exactly as he saw it now. Bear contemplated why the ring would return now to the tribe — to him — and why the Great Spirit had directed him to come here and acquire it. There could be only one answer, but that answer brought only more questions. Obviously, he was to be the genie's new Master — but to what ends? Again remembering the story, Bear slipped the ring onto his finger. His eyes fell upon the bracelet around his wrist, passed down through the family from Firetop Bird. Bear's mind reeled as he considered the fact that the ultimate mother of his special family had once been enslaved within the ornament. Firetop bird had been a Djinn as well, named Nathifa, but found freedom in part through Laresa's actions. Though he had little reason to doubt the tales, especially considering the magic the bracelet possessed and his curse, Bear knew there was but one way to confirm the story. "Laresa," he said, and felt the ring warm as soon as the word passed his lips. Now that it was on his finger, the ring, and the genie within, responded to his call. Misty vapors intertwined with the smoke from his fire, swirling together and congealing into the form of Laresa. Bear's eyes widened, as even the vivid tales told to him could not do her justice. His heart raced, and he fought against the flow of blood rushing into his manhood, only now realizing that he still stood nude from his meditation. Laresa was surprised to see a man much akin to the very people amongst whom she had last walked the world outside her ring. Though his hair was gray, his body was that of a much younger man, sun-browned and well-muscled. She had a good view, because he stood nude before her, cloaked only in the faint wisps of smoke from a small fire. "Greetings, Master. I am Laresa, how may I serve you?" "You have truly returned to us, Moon in her Hair," Bear responded to her greeting. Now it was Laresa's turn to be surprised. Shaken out of her fascination with the attractive man's generous endowment by the sound of her tribal name, she asked, "How do you know that name?" "It has been passed down to all those of my blood, from when you last walked with the people. I am Great Bear, called Dark Beast, shaman of my people, and of the blood of Firetop Bird," Bear replied. Laresa could not speak, and could barely think. Never before had she come into the possession of a Master so closely related to a previous owner, let alone in an unbroken chain. Before her stood a descendant of her friend Nathifa, whom she had only left not so long ago. Seeing Laresa's confusion and unrest, Bear took the opportunity to gird his loins once more while the genie was distracted by her thoughts. The barely hidden curves of the woman's body were quickly overwhelming any attempt to control his manhood's reaction to them. The vest she wore exposed large expanses of her firm breasts, and the strange, thin, billowing pants she wore did little more than hide her most private treasure behind pleats of thicker material. It took no imagination to know from whence the genie's tribal name had come. The white-blonde tresses cascading down to the Djinn's shoulders truly looked as though they were moonbeams filtering through the night sky. She was truly beautiful, so different from the women of the tribe, and Bear realized he was once again staring at her. Beneath his loincloth, he was fully erect, and so shifted to cause the garment to hang away from him, making the outline less obvious. "The Great Spirit sent a vision unto me, and so I have come." "I don't understand," Laresa muttered quietly. "Nor do I. In time, the Great Spirit will reveal all things." Part of the story told to him by his father popped in his head, and Bear smiled as he finished dressing. "I grant you the freedom to choose your own path, as my great-grandmother did before me." The power of Bear granting her free will washed over Laresa, burning away her confusion in an instant. She shivered and said, "Thank you." Remembering his introduction, she asked, "Should I call you Great Bear, or Dark Beast?" Bear frowned slightly, "Both are true, though I prefer the name of my birth, Great Bear." "Then that is what I will call you. Thank you for granting me free will, Bear; few have done so in my centuries of servitude." Looking Bear over, Laresa realized she could see hints of Nathifa in the man's features now, as well as those of Hawk, the Brave to whom her friend had joined her life. "What are we to do now?" "I do not know," Bear replied. "My grandfather, Eagle Soaring, is still among us. Long has he desired to know the one who delivered him into this world from his mother's womb. In his last days, it would be a great gift to fulfill that wish for him." Laresa could still see the baby's tiny face in her mind's eye as though it were only yesterday she beheld it. Laresa found it difficult to imagine him as a grandfather, despite her having traveled back and forth through time regularly, and having watched Masters grow old while they possessed her. "We shall grant him that wish, then. I think it would be best if the rest of the village, other than your family, was unaware of my presence, if you do not disapprove?" "Your thoughts and desires are your own, Moonhair. Perhaps this is wise," Bear agreed. "Come, we shall return to my people." Reaching out with her senses, Laresa easily found the village, "I can take us there within a heartbeat, if you would like." Eager to see his grandfather's reaction to Laresa, Bear nodded his approval. A moment later, they stood just beyond sight of the village. Turning to the genie, Bear saw Laresa gazing in wonder at trees she recognized, though they were far larger than when last she had beheld them. "I have seen places changed by centuries, traveling through time, but to see this place again, after having just left it, is wondrous," Laresa mused. "So little has changed, and yet the changes are so profound. Nathifa and I sat under that tree our first day amongst your people." "Would that I had known Firetop Bird. I was too young to remember her when she went to join the Great Spirit." Laresa's eyes were misty when she turned back to Bear. The shaman could see pain and joy in those entrancing violet orbs, reflections of the bittersweet memories the genie held of this place. Smiling, she said, "Let us go grant your grandfather's wish." Bear found it disconcerting to have the people respectfully greeting him, while taking no notice of the beautiful genie at his side, who was invisible to their eyes. He moved quickly toward his grandfather's teepee, seeing his father, the Chieftain of the tribe, exiting as they approached. "His time to join the Great Spirit draws near," Bison Heart said with sadness in his voice as they approached. "Those of our blood come to see him on his way." Bear turned when his father did, and saw that the members of his extended family were approaching. Sadness quickly spread through the village, as the people knew such a procession could mean only one thing. "Come, he asks for you, Great Bear," the Chieftain said to his son. Surprised by this revelation, Bear asked, "For me?" Nodding, Bison opened the flap of the teepee, bidding his son to enter. Bear ducked inside, hearing the footsteps of his family approaching even as he did so. Moving to kneel at his grandfather's side, Bear took the old man's hand. "I have come, Eagle Soaring." The rest of the family filed inside, filling the teepee and spilling out into the area beyond the flap outside. The aged former chieftain turned slowly toward his grandson, and smiled. "I am close to the Spirit, as my time draws near, and secrets are known to me. You have undertaken a vision quest, Dark Beast." Glancing at Laresa, Bear smiled, and then turned back to his grandfather. "Yes, and I return bearing the fulfillment of that quest. Always have you spoken of your mother's dearest friend, who delivered you into the light of this world. The Great Spirit has led me to give you a gift, Grandfather." A ripple of surprise passed through the teepee when Laresa turned visible at Bear's side. Kneeling down, she covered Eagle and Bear's clasped hands with her own. Whispers of amazement buzzed behind them as Laresa said, "I see your mother, and your father in you. So too do I see the babe I beheld on the day you were born." The old chieftain's words were weak and breathless, "You are as beautiful as mother and father said, and more. They missed you greatly but held hope you would find peace. Always have I wished to behold you, to know you. Now as the Great Spirit comes for me, my life is truly fulfilled." A single tear rolled down Laresa's cheek, "You need not go so soon, my power can restore you." Shaking his head slowly, Eagle said, "No, the Great Spirit calls. My time is done, and I am content." Turning to Bear, he said, "Your quest is not ended, Dark Beast, your feet are but now on the path. Walk with you on this path..." A tremor passed through Eagle Soaring's body, and at first Bear believed his grandfather would be unable to continue. The old man's eyes filled with determination, however, and he spoke once more, "Walk with you on this path, must Moon in her Hair. In each other shall you find answers, though you shall know pain. Trials are before you. I have faith in you — blood of my blood." With that, Eagle's eyes closed, and his breathing slowed. Bear, his father, and two other men carried Eagle outside, so that he might pass from the world beneath the sky. Eagle soaring opened his eyes, and from above, all heard the cry of his namesake. Looking up, they saw an eagle circling above them, as though awaiting the spirit of the man named for it. A few short breaths later, Eagle Soaring passed from the world, the faint edges of a smile on his face. ------- The mourning of the family — and indeed the entire village — was profound. Tassels and ornaments were cut from clothing, and the men blackened their faces. Wails of grief resounded well into the night. A place was chosen atop a hill near where Great Bear meditated for Eagle Soaring's burial the next morning. Through Laresa's power, he was lifted high into the boughs of the largest tree, there to rest until nature reclaimed him. Once again, an eagle soared overhead as the family bid farewell to the wise old chieftain. Laresa was treated as a member of the family, and for a time she was able to forget her slavery as a Djinn. While the people buried Nathifa's son, she was simply another grieving woman. Upon returning to the village, the family returned to their teepees and their chores. A beautiful young woman stopped Bear as he neared his own teepee. "Eagle Soaring will be missed, Great Bear." The woman reached out and touched Bear's hand, "I grieve with you." Bear nodded, "My thanks unto you, Sweet Water. He dwells with the Spirit now." Laresa could see longing in the woman's eyes, and she could feel torment in her Master's soul as Bear passed Sweet Water, entering his teepee and pulling the flap closed once Laresa was inside. Laresa debated silently whether she should ask the question in her mind, but decided it wasn't her place at the moment. Bear knew her only from the stories passed down through his family thus far, and so she felt she shouldn't be prying into why Bear denied his feelings for the young woman. "I can prepare you something to eat, if you would like," Laresa suggested, "You could tell me about your family, and about life in the village now, if you don't mind talking. I can hide your voice as I do my own, so that none will think odd of you speaking to yourself. "Thank you, Moonhair. Speaking of my blood and my people would honor my grandfather. Perhaps it might lighten the burden on my spirit, as well," Bear responded, sitting down on the floor of the teepee. Laresa manifested a plate with a steaming hunk of venison, and a generous cake of cornbread. Bear examined the cornbread curiously, and then took a nibble. His eyes widened in delighted surprise, and then he started telling his tale in-between bites. ------- Some hours later, Bear completed his tale. Laresa asked, "So, Nathifa's bracelet still holds its magic, enough even to transform your uncle as it did Sees with a Hawks Eye?" Bear's eyes darkened, "That curse now resides in my family's blood, not within the bracelet." "Curse? But, that magic has protected your village all these years, and allowed your people to prosper. Surely it is a blessing, and not a curse," Laresa said cautiously, seeing and feeling the pain in her Master's bearing. Bear's eyes were distant as he responded. "For the village, it is a blessing. For me, it is a curse, as it was to my uncle before me. Even as he withdrew into himself, so must I. I will not burden a child with my blood, nor will I bring danger to a woman with my hands." Laresa nodded, not knowing how to respond to that. A call from outside brought Bear back to reality, and he stood to open the tent flap. "The sickness grows again," said a worried woman outside the tent. "I will come," Bear told her and turned to retrieve his medicine bag when she hurried back to her own teepee. He sighed as he picked up the doeskin satchel. Laresa asked, "What is wrong?" "Running Wolf's sickness cannot be healed with my magic. I have tried, but always the sickness returns." Laresa stood and said, "I will come. Perhaps my power can help him, if you wish me to?" Bear nodded his head in thanks. "Running Wolf is the last of his blood, and the sickness takes him without a son. Many shaman and chieftains have come from his blood, and it would be good that it continues." Laresa smiled somewhat mischievously, "I can perhaps help there too." Bear chuckled at that, his mood lightening. He stepped out of the teepee, and Laresa followed, still invisible to all save Bear and his family. When they reached Wolf's teepee, his wife stepped out of the tent to let the shaman work his magic. Laresa swelled with pity when she saw the man. It was easy to see he had once been a strong Brave, but now had wasted away to nearly nothing. She stepped ahead of Bear, opening a channel to her power without a word. Reaching into Wolf, she found the source of the wasting sickness, and through her power eliminated it. Wolf's eyes opened in surprise, his mind clearing and some small part of his strength returning. Bear assisted the man to rise, and Wolf said, "Dark Beast — I feel my strength return." He will recover quickly. I will use my magic to ensure it. He will soon regain his full strength with good food and exercise, Laresa mentally informed Bear. Hearing her husband's voice, Wolf's wife stepped into the tent, calling his name. Wolf opened his arms and she immediately fell into them, weeping with joy. An amused smile decorating her face, Laresa added, Considering what I feel from them, I have little doubt his bloodline will extend shortly as well. "Thank you, Dark Beast," Wolf's wife turned to say, tears running down her cheeks. "Praise to the Great Spirit for this blessing, and thank you as well, Dark Beast," Wolf agreed. "Praise to the Great Spirit," Bear said with a nod, "I will leave you to each other." Laresa and Bear stepped out of the teepee, and Bear thought to Laresa, If I remember the stories well, you can see my thoughts. Yes, Bear, I understand you. Thank you for your magic. Running Wolf was as a brother to me before the sickness felled him. Laresa smiled and laid her hand on his arm, I enjoy helping others, and giving them pleasure. It is one of the joys I can take from my servitude. When Bear heard the word pleasure from Laresa's thoughts, coupled with her soft hand on his arm, he felt a stirring in his loins. He quickly stifled the thought, knowing that the genie would likely be able to sense the emotion if he let it grow too strong. He was too late, however, as Laresa had already caught the hint of desire from her Master. Memories of him nude when she had first appeared from the ring returned to Laresa, and her own arousal sprang to roaring life within her. It had been a very long time since she last lay with a man whom she found attractive, and who she wanted to touch her. Here was a man who desired no children, the main reason she had avoided the Braves when she had last lived in this village. She felt it unfair to steal the affections of the men from the women of the tribe, when she could offer the Braves no children to continue their lines. Laresa's storm-tossed emotions related to her slavery as a Djinn evaporated before the flame of pent up desire inside her. She could give him a gift as well. He feared to get close to anyone because of his curse, but he could not possibly hurt Laresa in any way. Not that she believed the magic would ever harm anyone who did not intend him or the tribe harm. He believed it, and that was all that truly mattered. It would mean waiting for the right moment, however. If she simply pressed herself on him, he would withdraw, leaving them both wanting. Following Bear back to his teepee, she knew there would be a time and place. She hoped it would be soon, as her sex tingled and her stiff nipples throbbed in turn with her fast beating heart. ------- Laresa concentrated on locating and transporting various implements of the Shaman's trade to replenish Bear's stores. While he enjoyed the treks to locate the various herbs, talismans, and other paraphernalia, he felt guilty about leaving the tribe without his magic while he was absent. When he lamented a missing herb, Laresa's suggestion that she might acquire the things he needed proved a welcome one to him. Bear sat meticulously crafting an amulet from a smooth river stone, looking up every so often to rest his eyes and hands as Laresa put each new object she teleported to the teepee in its proper place. The sounds of a loud argument broke the tranquility of the village, and Bear immediately stood, recognizing one of the voices as that of his father. He stepped through the flap, and found his father standing defiantly before a Brave Laresa didn't recognize. By his dress and regalia, Laresa assumed he was of a different tribe. The conversation quickly confirmed it as they approached. "You starve us with your magic," the man accused. Shaking his head, the Chieftain disagreed, "We take no more from the land than we ever have. It was not we who broke the peace. Your father may return to us at any time, and share in the bounty of the joined tribes." Puffing out his chest and squaring his shoulders, the stranger spit out, "We will not cower like the rabbit before your laws." Bison Heart maintained his passive expression, but Laresa could feel the disappointment and sadness flowing from him when he said, "The laws bring our bounty, and were made by all. Your grandfather smoked the pipe with me when the law was made." "There was no choice. This will come to war," The Brave responded, his voice dropping into a low, ominous tone as he said the last. Reaching them now, Great Bear said, "Does your father send you, Storm Cloud, or do you speak with his voice without his knowledge?" "My words are not for you," Storm Cloud said without even looking at Bear. "We will not starve. There will be war," he then said, still staring intently at the Chieftain. "We seek it not, but we will paint our faces if war seeks us, and the Great Spirit will bless us." Bison's words were even and measured, but his sadness deepened to Laresa's senses. "Once we ran together, Storm Cloud. We were as brothers," Bear said laying a hand on the Brave's shoulder. Jerking away from Bear, Storm growled, "No more." He turned and walked away, but suddenly darted off to the side, grabbing a girl by the arm. As he pulled her away from the village, drawing a bone knife and keeping the frightened girl between him and the people, he shouted, "You will return what you have stolen from us!" Laresa began to gather her power, but Bear stepped forward first. The transformation was so swift that Laresa didn't even see it happen. One moment, the Shaman was taking long strides toward the retreating Storm Cloud. The next, a roaring black grizzly charged the stunned Brave. Distracted and frightened by Bear's transformation into both his namesakes — the Great Bear, and the Dark Beast — he was unprepared when the girl bit down on his arm and spun away. In the moment he turned to try to grab her again, the grizzly was upon him. A single swipe of the transformed Bear's paw sent Storm Cloud hurtling to the ground, and rolling across the grass. Before the agile brave could gain his feet or bring his weapon in line, Bear was once more upon him, rearing up and roaring. Yellow teeth and claws bristled through night-black fur, and there was death in his eyes. Storm Cloud's knife fell from his nerveless, trembling hand. Knowing of the transformation Bear underwent was one thing, seeing it was quite another. His belly fluxed, and he nearly soiled himself as certain death loomed over him, in the form of a man he once called brother. The grizzly growled, shaking its enormous head, and then its paws lowered. In the blink of an eye, the bear blurred once more into the weary looking form of Great Bear. His voice husky, full of pain and anger, Bear said, "Go. Come amongst us no more. You shame the people with such acts." Scrambling back across the ground away from Bear, Storm Cloud found his feet and ran, as fast as his legs would carry him. Bear hung his head, and then fell to his knees. Laresa approached, but the little girl was the quicker to reach him, being closer. "Thank you, Dark Beast," she said in reverent tones. Bear turned to her and took her hand, "You were brave. Your mother and father will be proud, little sister." Bowing her head, the little girl hurried into the arms of her weeping mother. Laresa saw that Bison Heart was encouraging the people to return to their teepees, knowing how the transformation affected his son, though it had happened only twice before. Laresa laid a hand on the shaman's shoulder, thinking to him, Bear, are you hurt? Can I help? The curse is mine to bear, he thought back to her, and then rose to his feet. Laresa followed him back to his teepee sensing little more than a dark void in her troubled Master's mind. ------- Chapter 2 As nightfall neared, Bear at last rose from where he had sat down immediately upon secluding himself from the village. "I go to my meditation with the Great Spirit." Laresa asked, "Do you wish me to remain here?" He nearly said no, but something inside him disagreed quite strongly. Although he did not acknowledge it, he felt calm in her presence. Even the emotional devastation of his transformation stung with less pain this time. "You may come, if you wish." "Then I will. Perhaps I might find some answers of my own with you. I have found them before upon that hill." Bear nodded, and then said, "Come, the time approaches." As Bear trotted off, steadily increasing his speed, Laresa could feel the darker emotions within him evaporating. Increasing her pace to match his long strides, she found his exhilaration contagious. Her silvery hair whipping in the breeze, she ran beside him, bringing her power to bear for a moment to restrain her bouncing breasts. That irritant eliminated, she fell into the building joy of the run. Reaching the top of the hill, Laresa let the peaceful nature of the place seep into her. Bear turned to the sunset, as he always did, and Laresa sat down in the grass nearby to join him. Reaching out with her power, she summoned up the calming pendant given to her by the Incan priestess. The divine magic of the item quickly did its work, further relaxing the Djinn. No words passed between them as the sun sank slowly toward the horizon, painting the sky in lustrous shades of red and orange. Bear gathered up what he needed for his meditation fire, and soon had it burning. He pulled off his leather vest and slipped out of his moccasins, but paused in the process of reaching for his loincloth. It was only then that he remembered he was not alone atop the hill. Laresa could sense his discomfort, and said, "I have seen you so before, Bear. If this is part of your meditation ritual, you shouldn't change things because I am here." Bear hesitated for a moment more, but then nodded and tugged at his loincloth again. Laresa averted her eyes, which required a great deal of effort, watching the final sliver of the sun vanish in the distance. A few moments later, she could smell the herbs burning in Bear's fire, and could feel him slipping into a meditative state. Clearing her mind, letting the scent of the herbs and the earth permeate her, Laresa too let the world otherwise fade into the background. ------- Laresa started out of her trance, stunned that she had slipped so fully into the meditative state, and shaken by what she had seen. Bear's voice arose from behind her, asking, "You had a vision?" Laresa folded her arms in front of her, staring at the stars and trembling slightly. She could manage only to nod her head in the affirmative. "Do you wish to speak of it?" Laresa's first instinct was that talking about her vision was the last thing she wanted to do. After considering it, however, she changed her mind. In a soft voice, she related what had come to her in the vision, "I saw a beast arise within me. It gnawed at me, and held me tight in its grip. Its aspect changed constantly, becoming previous Masters, and others. I saw Nathifa, and your grandfather as a babe. I saw a cruel Master named Aaron, and a couple who loved me as a friend. I was afraid to fight the beast, and it fed upon my fear. No matter how often I wrenched free from it, it always pulled me back with terrible claws. In the end, it became my ring. That is when I awakened." Bear asked, "Do you understand the meaning of this vision?" Shaking her head, Laresa glanced down at the pendant hanging between her breasts, irritated that its magic didn't appear to be having any effect upon her now. The fear and desperation from her vision lingered within her, holding her in a grip as tight as the beast it had revealed to her. Bear stood and walked over to the Djinn, laying a hand on her shoulder as he spoke. "Some visions are not meant to be understood in the moment of their giving. They prepare the way for understanding when the time is right." He stood in silence for a few moments, softly squeezing Laresa's shoulder in a comforting manner. "My vision was of you. I saw you calming the dark beast I become when I change, taming it with your touch." Laresa turned, looking up into his eyes. As their eyes connected, something more passed between them. Laresa's unease vanished as if it had never been, and desire flared to brilliant life within Bear. As his feelings washed over her, they kindled need within Laresa as well. A twitch of his cock in her peripheral vision, so close to her face as she sat at his feet, built Laresa's passions even higher. A brisk wind swept over them, whipping both white-gold and dark gray hair with its strength. Shortly thereafter, the rain followed as they stared in silence into each other's eyes. Only a few drops fell at first, but the strength of the storm grew by the moment. In the distance, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled, drawing closer with each resounding boom of nature's power. "Perhaps the beast within you does not need taming, but understanding," Laresa said, spinning around completely to face him and stroking his muscled legs. "You call it a curse, and yet it saved a girl this day. When confronted with slaying a helpless man, you controlled the beast, sending Storm Cloud away instead. The beast serves the people, but it serves you as well. You are within it, even as it is within you. If it would not harm one who meant you harm, why would it harm one you love?" "I doubt still," Bear responded, his voice thick with restrained passion. With a thought, Laresa caused her clothing to vanish, baring her body to Bear as his was to her. Rivulets of water cascaded down their bodies, illuminated by the flashes of the approaching lightning. "You seclude yourself from the people, and your desires, because you fear the beast's power may bring them harm. The beast could not harm me, Bear, were it to be released, which I do not believe will happen." Laresa's hands moved upward, her thumbs sliding along the inside of his thighs, and her breasts lifting as she raised her arms. Bear's manhood began a steady rise, impossible for him to resist in light of her soft touch. "Give me your passion," Laresa gasped out, the statement punctuated by a clap of thunder, which shook their bodies with its power. Leaning forward, Laresa lapped his nearly erect organ from root to tip, drawing a gasp from Bear that was carried away by the wind almost as quickly as the sound passed his lips. As she looked up into his eyes, swirling her tongue over the purple helmet of his manhood, he laid his hand on her rain-soaked hair, pulling her toward him on pure instinct. Laresa parted her lips, taking him in her mouth with skill that only a Djinn with centuries of experience could possibly possess. In one smooth motion, she engulfed his entire length, the tip slipping into her throat and her lips pressing into the iron-gray curls at the root. Her throat, lips, and tongue all caressed his organ, the sounds of his groans lost in the howl of the wind and the booming of thunder. Laresa's saturated tresses whipped against Bear's legs as her head bobbed over his cock, one of her hands curling around him to grasp his slick buttock, while she rested his heavy balls in her other hand and caressed them. Despite the whirling of the wind, the scent of Laresa's arousal tickled both their noses, mingling with the smells of wet earth and ozone. A burst of flavor brought a fresh rush of saliva to Laresa's mouth, as a drop of pre-cum seeped from him. She moaned around him, savoring the flavor while continuing to suck him with quick strokes. Bear's hands reached under her arms, pulling her upward, and off his throbbing cock. He popped free of her mouth as she rose from her knees, and she immediately pressed her lips against his in a hungry kiss, as soon as she could reach him. Their arms wrapping around each other, their slick flesh met, and they released their pent up desire into ardent kisses. Bear grasped her buttocks in one powerful hand, placing his other hand on her back just below the shoulders. Dropping to his knees, he pulled her with him to the whipping, dripping grass below. He lowered her to the ground, supporting her easily in his arms. As soon as her back touched the earth, Laresa parted her legs wide, the hunger in her expression illuminated by bright flashes of lightning. The feeling of Bear's cock sliding into her hot, wet embrace was beyond compare. Both had been denied this pleasure for far too long, and the groans that escaped them as he settled into her depths overcame even the cacophony of the storm's raging. Laresa's breasts bounced from the power of his thrusts, and only his tight grip on her parted thighs prevented her from sliding away from him across the slippery grass. Popping her eyes open to watch him penetrating her wet heat, Laresa was almost surprised not to see the pounding rain hissing into steam against her burning flesh. Laresa's pleasure mounted quickly beneath his powerful assault, even as the storm continued to batter them with its full strength. The hot pressure behind Laresa's mound reached a painful intensity, growing larger and larger, filling her body with heat that seared her. A blinking strobe from the overhead lightning illuminated Bear's face for a moment when Laresa's eyes were open, and she knew that he too was near the point of no return. Bear's cock slammed into her a final time, the sounds of his release lost in the noise of the storm. The bubble within Laresa burst at the first hot spurt of his semen into her depths, the power of her orgasm causing her back to arch until only her bottom and the top of her head supported her. Laresa pinched her nipples tight as Bear continued to pulse, filling her abundant pools of cream. As they reached their peaks, so to did the storm. Nature unleashed its full fury around them, illuminating their trembling bodies in an endless series of strobes from the flickering electric bolts. The thunder rattled them with its power, and the rain was so heavy that it obscured the climaxing couple from each other despite the bright flashes of light. A tree a short distance away exploded as one of the storm's fiery forks of power reached down for it from the heavens. The intensity of their orgasms sapped the strength from both Bear and Laresa. They collapsed to the earth, spent beyond the ability to move — still joined by the bridge of his throbbing organ buried in her tightly clenched depths. The lightning slowed, and the rain slacked off, allowing them to hear each other panting and gasping for breath, if only barely despite their faces being mere inches apart. The storm moved on, leaving in its wake an exhausted couple, who only rose from their place in the grass with great effort. Even then, it was a while before Laresa could summon up the strength to transport them back to Bear's teepee. ------- Laresa blinked her violet eyes, feeling quite strange to be awakening outside her ring. Upon learning that she did not truly sleep while in the outside world, Bear had wished that she be able to do so if she desired. Waking up lying next to Bear, with her head cradled in his arm, was quite a pleasant new experience for the Djinn. Slipping from the furs, so as not to awaken him, she found that not everything was perfect with this new arrangement. She stretched for a few moments, attempting to work out the kinks in her muscles, only to cheat and use her magic when the exercise didn't help fast enough. Feeling better, Laresa decided that a special treat was in order, after the previous night's lovemaking amidst the storm. Calling forth her power, she manifested a plate of sizzling bacon, eggs, and well-buttered toast. As an afterthought, she created a cup of coffee as well. The smell soon roused Bear, who opened his eyes and sniffed deeply of the intoxicating aroma. Sitting up, he said, "Good morning, what is this?" "Something special I've discovered in my travels through time. Try it," Laresa said, handing Bear the cup of coffee. Bear's eyes opened wide with the first sip of the beverage. "What is this potion?" "It is called coffee. It is common enough in many places, especially in the future. It will help wake you up too. Do you like it?" Bear sighed and took another long drink, "Very much." Nodding toward the steaming plate, he said, "If this is as good, you will spoil me, Moonhair. I will soon be as big as the bear for which I am named." Smiling at him, Laresa responded, "I think I would like spoiling you, although I prefer you fit and handsome." Just enough suggestion crept into her voice to tell Bear exactly what she was thinking of when she said it. Taking a bite of the bacon, obviously savoring the taste from his expression, Bear said, "Do you regret our joining?" Laresa shook her head. "Not at all. I find it difficult in recent days to forget that one day you will pass on, or I will pass to another Master, but I am content." "Perhaps this is your beast — the one from your vision," Bear suggested, taking another sip of his coffee. The vision returned to Laresa now with perfect clarity. Bear was correct; the beast was her dissatisfaction with slavery to the ring. She assumed that the strong emotions the vision had roused within her had prevented her from seeing what seemed so simple now. It was her heart that all the people she had encountered over the centuries clawed at, whether they had meant to or not. Every attachment she formed would one day end, and there was nothing she could do to prevent it. "I believe you are right," Laresa agreed. "The vision told me nothing of how to face this beast, however." "Some visions reveal truths, others bring wisdom. Perhaps another vision will grant you the wisdom to confront your beast, or you will discover it through knowing the truth of it," Bear suggested. Laresa smiled and said, "And what of your beast? Have I tamed it?" "Perhaps I better understand it," Bear replied with a somewhat sheepish smile. "I would be pleased to have your touch continue to soothe the beast within me." Moving close to him, Laresa said, "And I would be pleased to do so." ------- Knowing now that he was still in control when he transformed into the great black grizzly, and that his passions would not trigger the transformation, Bear ended his seclusion to some extent. He went among the people more often, interacting on a purely social level in a manner not seen since his first transformation. Much of his time was still spent in his teepee and by himself in the wilderness, however. Or so the people of the village thought. In truth, he and Laresa became as husband and wife. Laresa found that by sleeping outside her ring, her strength remained for longer periods of time. Often, it would be weeks before she needed to seek the refuge of her ring to recharge her powers. Laresa could sense that Bear's family, the only people who knew of her, did not entirely approve of the arrangement, but this was tempered by their joy at return of Bear's once jovial nature. Bear asked no more of her than Laresa was willing and able to offer. He desired no children, still having no desire to sire one that might eventually carry his burden as protector of the tribe. He gave her free will, allowing her to make her own choices, where the ties that bound her to the ring would allow. Having Bear at her side allowed Laresa truly to appreciate the simple and joyful life she had attempted to have with Nathifa. He satisfied her needs, and she took great pleasure in satisfying his. Each evening, she shared in his meditation atop the hill, although no more visions came to her as they had the first time. When Bear returned to the waking world, they would make love as they had that first night in the storm, in the grass beneath the stars. Laresa was truly content, as she had not been for a very long time. The seasons turned, and Laresa once again used her magic to increase the bounty of the confederated tribes. Storm Cloud's father came to Bison Heart shortly before winter, sealing again the covenant between his tribe and the confederation. Whether he did so in acknowledgement of Bison Heart's honest desire to help, or necessity because of a lean year for his people was questionable. Regardless, the joined tribes regained the strength lost with the rebellious tribe's earlier departure. Laresa still struggled with her beast, knowing that Bear would one day pass from the world, while she would continue on. Before, with Clint, James, and other Masters, such thoughts had never entered her head. She couldn't even truly pinpoint when the change had occurred. Laresa looked upon it as an irritating flaw, while Bear contended it was growth of her spirit. Those words always brought with them a feeling of conviction, as though it were not merely his opinion, but an undeniable truth. He sounded so sure that Laresa actually had to fight the urge to search his mind for the source of that steadfast belief. Sitting across from Bear before his fire, on patches of earth cleared of snow and warmed by her power, Laresa waited for the shaman to return to the waking world from his meditation. She smiled, her bare nipples stiffening, as she saw Bear's breathing increase in pace, a signal she knew meant he would soon slip out of his trance. Wetness gathered within her as the other signs of his awakening slowly manifested. Bears eyes opened, and his brow furrowed. "Someone comes." A mischievous grin spread across her face as Laresa said, "Two someones will. Whoever is going to intrude won't know we are here." She summoned up her magic, hiding them from the eyes and ears of any who might come near. The scream of a bird of prey overhead caused Bear and Laresa to look up. An eagle circled overhead, steadily descending toward them. As they followed the spirals of the majestic bird, a coyote approaching through the snow also met their eyes. Laresa stood, immediately seeing that the coyote's paw prints appeared only a few feet beyond where it was now, with only pristine snow beyond. "This is something unnatural." Bear stood as well, knowing Laresa was correct, as such was the nature of the vision that had come to him in his meditation. The coyote paused, looking upward at the descending eagle. The canine waited as the eagle flared its wings, buffeting the air as it came to rest upon the ground nearby. Once the eagle's talons sank into the snow, both animals blurred and became men. "Grandfather," Bear muttered. Laresa's eyes narrowed when she recognized the other brave with Nathifa's son. "We meet again." The man who had been a coyote nodded his head in acknowledgement, but it was Eagle Soaring who spoke. "Painful truths I must bring to you, Dark Beast — Moonhair." "We await your wisdom, Eagle Soaring," Bear said reverently. Laresa said nothing, instead staring hard at the other man. She had a distinct feeling of being manipulated, and she did not like it. "Calm, Moon in her Hair, the truths we must give unto you will bring great pain, but are necessary for you both to fulfill your destiny," Eagle said to Laresa. Seeing Eagle's eyes misty with tears, Laresa's anger cooled somewhat. At least Nathifa's son appeared to like this no more than she did. Speaking to the other man, she said, "Who are you to know our destiny, and how are we to know that you do not attempt to make it for us?" Eagle started to speak, but the other brave lay a hand on his shoulder and took a step forward. "Force you to accept the truth, I cannot. Show you the truth, I can. Your must choose your path, for good or ill. I believe your wisdom, and compassion, will set your feet on the right path." "Dark Beast, it is of our blood that our people shall survive great troubles in times to come. The fruit of your loins, and of those who come after, will one day preserve the ways of our people, when strangers come to cast us out of this land," Eagle Soaring said to his grandson. Turning to Laresa, he said, "Moon in her Hair — friend of my mother — truths have been revealed to you as well, in your vision. In time, they shall lead to wisdom, and wisdom will lead you to your destiny." The transformed coyote spoke next, "You must choose in wisdom. See what the future may hold." Both Laresa and Bear saw the visions then. They saw themselves, hand in hand, and beyond them, a terrible scene of devastation. White men with guns ravaged the plains, the mountains, and all the sacred places, driving the people out, grinding them into the dust. The people retreated, forced into parcels of land where they scraped out a meager existence. Then the dress, the language, and all the ways of the people faded, until nothing remained. Those few who survived assimilated within the white man's world, their proud history utterly forgotten. Then the image of Bear faded away, and the vision of Laresa screamed. White-hot chains wrapped around her body, all coming from her ring. They held her tight, with no hope of slipping free, and both watchers could see an eternity of pain and slavery spreading out before the Djinn. The vision dissolved, to be replaced by another. In this vision, Bear and Laresa released each other's hands, with tears in their eyes. Beyond, the white men came again, but this time some of the people clung to the old ways, preserving their heritage. Leading them was a man in who Bear and Laresa could see the blood of Nathifa, of Hawk, of Eagle Soaring, and of Bear. Others took up his cause, and the ways of the people were not lost. Though their old life was gone, they held on to their traditions, and their proud history, preserving it for generations to come. Bear faded, as before, but the chains that bound Laresa cooled, the metal links weakening. The image then vanished, replaced by reality once more. Laresa's eyes flashed with anger as she stared hard at the two men before her. "I have been to the future, and I know what will be. I cannot change the future; it is one of the rules that bind me. If I try, I am forced back into my ring and across the face of space and time." Coyote endured her gaze without flinching. "The future is fluid, Moonhair. Your power cannot change it, but free will can." "Lies," Laresa spat out, and then turned to Bear, "The second vision has already come to pass, Bear. I have seen it. The people are cast down, but the old ways are remembered. Even far in the future, they remember their proud heritage, and pass it down to those young ones who feel the spirit of the people within them. Your family does not approve of us, and that obviously extends to those who have passed from this world." "Would that your destiny lay with Bear," Eagle countered. "Through you, my grandson has regained himself. With great joy have I watched you share your lives. With great sadness I tell you that it must pass." "Bear, this cannot be." Laresa's eyes misted over. She could feel the conflicting emotions flowing from Bear, and her voice broke slightly as she said, "Tell me you do not believe this." Despite her strong words, they rang hollow in her heart. Deep inside, somehow, she knew the vision was true. "Never have I known a vision to be untrue. Nor have I known a falsehood to pass Eagle Soaring's lips, Moonhair," Bear replied, his voice tightly controlled. "Bear, don't say that. I am happy with you. The future can't be changed. We can't change it. All we have is now." "You know what you must do," Eagle said sadly. Bear took Laresa's hand. "I cannot endure knowing that I will bring you pain." "You bring me only happiness," Laresa argued. "You bring me great joy, Moonhair, but my time is but a ripple in the pond of your life. What once I have gone to join the Great Spirit? Even should these visions prove false, what then, when I must leave you?" "I don't care." Sobs shook the silvery-haired Djinn as she felt Bear summoning up his resolve. "Please..." "Never will I forget you, Moonhair." Bear took a deep breath. Knowing what was to come, Laresa sobbed, "No!" Bear said softly, "I wish for you to go seek your destiny." The moment the words passed his lips, Laresa knew them for what they were — a lie. Bear wanted nothing more than to spend his life with her, but he believed the vision and could not endure leading her into eternal slavery and pain. Still sobbing, Laresa dissolved into a misty vapor, returning to her ring. At the same moment, the ring vanished once more into the fabric of time. Bear fell to his knees, crying out in anguish until his voice grew hoarse. "This had to come to pass, Bear. You will preserve the ways of the people, and have set Moonhair on the path that can free her," Coyote said. "I do not thank you for this vision," Bear growled. Coyote responded, "Nor will Moonhair thank you for sending her away. This too shall lead to the growth of your spirits, however. In time shall you both know that this parting was necessary." Eagle's voice was thick with emotion when he spoke. "We go now. Though the future remains unclear, within that future shall you meet again with Moonhair." Closing his eyes tight, Bear refused to acknowledge the words. His soul screamed in pain. Men blurred once more into beasts, and a coyote loped away, even as an eagle soared into the heavens. ------- Six years later... With a final push and scream, Sweet Water delivered the babe into the pale light of the moon and stars above. "It is a girl," said the woman acting as midwife, wrapping the child in a blanket. Looking upon the babe, and the smiling woman to whom the midwife handed the infant, the years replayed in Bear's mind. Upon returning to the village, Bear had once more retreated within himself. When Sweet Water fell ill, he treated her as he did the others in the village, with a clinical detachment, seeking only to make them whole. Sweet Water's illness had proven virulent, forcing Bear to remain with her for days on a near constant basis. With stubborn determination, he battled the fever that ravaged her with all the skill and magic at his disposal. After more than a week, her fever broke, allowing Bear to nurse her back to health. Having a new appreciation for life after her brush with death, Sweet Water poured out her heart to Bear as she recovered. In an attempt to rebuff her attempts to open his heart to her, he had told her of Laresa, hiding nothing of his feelings for the Djinn. Sweet Water was undeterred. She accepted that Laresa would always occupy the shaman's heart, and she was content to share that space with the genie whom she had never met. Bear resisted, but Sweet Water would not be cast aside without a battle. She found the breach in his defenses, the need for companionship Laresa had awakened within him. It took a full turning of the seasons, but Sweet Water at last awakened him to the joy of life once more. Their son had been born a year earlier, and now he had a daughter as well. Bear knelt next to Sweet Water, looking closer at the tiny child in her arms. Moonlight reflected off his daughter's slick, full head of hair, reminding Bear for a moment of the silvery flashes from Laresa's tresses. The babe cooed — the sounds very close to the tune of an ancient song of the tribe. Tears in his eyes, and a wide smile on his face, bear said softly, "Moonsong." "It is a beautiful name. Moonsong she shall be," Sweet Water agreed. Bear looked up to the stars, wondering where Laresa might be now, and whether his decision had been the correct one. Sweet Water stroked his arm and said, "I pray for her happiness, Great Bear. You must trust in the Great Spirit. Never before have our people been led astray in his guidance." "You know my thoughts as though they were your own," Bear said, turning back to her. "It is my place to guide the tribe in the Spirit, yet you guide me." "As it should be. I believe Moonhair would feel so as well, would it have been possible for her to have remained at your side," Sweet Water responded with a weary grin. "The night grows chill." Picking his wife and child up in his still powerful arms, he carried them back into the teepee. ------- Within her ring, Laresa awakened. Anger and misery both clawed at her, the dream of Bear and Sweet Water ripping into her heart. To think that he might forget her so quickly, moving on with his life to another — after all they had shared — pained her greatly. Tears rolled down Laresa's face, even as her teeth clenched tight against a growl. Then the end of the dream returned to her. The look upon Bear's face as he gazed at the stars was one Laresa knew well. Sweet Water's words and Bear's response confirmed for Laresa that his contemplative, longing gaze was related to her. Though the lie that separated them pained her, the thought that perhaps he loved her still tempered the emotion. Perhaps this is more than a dream, she thought, It seemed so real, as though I stood beside them. Sighing, Laresa wished them well, if indeed the dream were a vision of reality. What was done was done, and nothing could change that now. She could not claim to love Bear if she wished him loneliness, simply because she felt pain herself. Hugging one of her cushions, Laresa settled in and drifted back off into the long sleep between Masters. ------- Coyote opened his eyes. "Thank you," Nathifa said gratefully. "Through her have the people prospered, and through her sacrifice shall the ways of the people be preserved. More peace than I can give her does she deserve," Coyote responded. Nathifa sighed, "I think she'll come to understand in time. Will she find her freedom, as did I?" "That remains unclear, but she walks the path," Coyote replied. "With each new pain, and with each new joy, she grows in wisdom and power. It that may she survive the trials that await her — to seize the moment when it comes. She is strong, and I believe she shall be free." "I pray it so. Be strong, Laresa. Be free, my dear friend." ------- The End ------- Posted: 2007-01-18 ------- http://storiesonline.net/ -------