Crescent Moon: Aloura Cullen

Chapter 17

"It's ok Haniya, you'll get it. Don't push yourself so hard little sister, when the time comes for you to hunt with us, you'll be ready." Enapay says to Haniya as he shows her how to hold her bow.

"Don't baby her, she needs to get this just like we did. Don't treat her any different. Haniya stop putting all your strength in pulling the arrow back. Remember to breathe, stop over thinking this. If you miss again, I'll let father know you have yet to complete such a simple task." Helushka takes the bow from Enapay, walks over and pushes it to Haniya's chest.

  My ability to copy ones gift came very much in hand as I watched my uncle's memories play out, as though I was right there the day they happened. The sound of the running river blends in to the wind pushing through my long black hair, followed by the sound of playful children chasing each other through the tall pine trees. I can smell our latest hunt nearly done over a fire, and a mother singing to her daughter as she rocks her to sleep.

  Not only are all my senses working in his memory, but they are overwhelming me by picking up the surroundings of my physical body as well. All I can do is focus on what's being played out before me, ignoring the sound of my family miles away desperately trying to get to here. I shut out everything else but this memory, take a deep breathe and try to enjoying a piece of my history.

  Everyone working together, some laughing and smoking around the fire as more gatherers come back. My beautiful mother, appearing no older than 17 smiling as Enapay mimics Helushka when he starts to walk away. It's not long before I see about a dozen large wolves, each with their own unique patches and thick colored fur, playfully pounce and bite at each other only a few yards away.

"You can do it Haniya, just focus and breathe. You need to know how to hunt, not just in your wolf form but on two feet as well." His deep stern voice echoed in the packs thoughts.

  I didn't even have to look up to know who's thoughts were flowing in. However, since these memories weren't my own, I had no choice but to play along. The whole village seemed to go quiet as his large paws pressed into the soft dirt, each time getting closer as everyone he passed bowed their heads in respect.

  The wind glided through the thick trees, the burning fire in the middle of the village cracked as the embers that managed to escape, burned out before joining the leaves above. My heart began to pound as their father got closer, my hands were stubborn as I tried to control the shaking. My mind started overflowing with thoughts of longing approval from him. For a moment, I forgot this scene wasn't my own. My uncle craved his father's approval, he's the middle child; in his eyes, everything had already been done or would be done even better by his siblings.

"Father how was your hunt, I've been practicing all day with Enapay let me show you." Haniya eagerly says.

"He doesn't have time for that, we have a council meeting with the chief of our sister tribe. You should know that Haniya, it's about you after all." Helushka scowled as he walked over and handed their father a colorful beaded deerskin cloak.

"Then shouldn't I be there, stop treating me like a child. You're 3 years older than me, stop acting like you can tell me what to do brother." Mom says, her stern voice echoed for a few seconds before Helushka started to charged towards her; mom stood tall, she wasn't about to back down just because he was mad.

"Stop Helushka! She's not wrong, this is her future not yours." Enapay stepped in between them in hopes of not letting this escalate any further.

"Enough all of you. Honestly you'd think children were fighting if you didn't know any better." He covers his now human body as he walks towards my mother and places his hand on her shoulder.