Getting back to the Camp which was almost all packed up except his Tipi. There was a gathering around his tipi. Different men and women were gathering to help Big Bugs take down his Tipi.
Big bugs waved everyone down.everyone watched him limp up to the Tipi.
“Thank You all for your kindness but I will be staying behind.”
The group Gasped. “Kuh, what for?” one of the Braves Said aloud.
“I was In the forest gathering water by the river and a Rabbit asked me to stay behind with some warriors to help bring back the sun he said he knows away.”
Everyone laughed. “ Quiet, what's going on here?” The chief walked up and asked.
“Big Bugs Said he was out getting water when a rabbit stepped out and asked him to help him bring back the sun.”
“Is this True Big Bugs?”
“Yes, it is Resting elk.”
“Very well, Seeing you were first to laugh, you will be staying behind to help Big bugs.”
The chief tapped Stone Bear on the shoulder.
He was shocked but he knew what he had to do.
“Prayers to these two who will venture for our clan to bring back the light.”
People gathered around and some had hand drums and others sang along.
The Drummers started to play and sing them prayers.
“May the great spirit watch over them and guide them to bring the light back to us.”
And when the song ended. They finished packing the last of the stuff.. Stone bear hugged his wife and child.
Big bugs watched as his child cry when the mom had to pull him along.
Stone bear turned and walked up to Big bugs and Pushed him.
“What! Woah settle down.”
“Look what you got us into.”
“What I got us into, I was going to do alone anyway.”
“yeah…yeah where do we go now?”
“Let me grab a few things then we can go.” Walking into his Tipi Big bugs Grabbed some sinew, flint rocks and His stone tomahawk. Then he Grabbed his blanket and walked out of the Tipi.
“We gotta go to this spot in the forest near the river. Follow me.”
Stone bear stood there grunted then started following Big bugs out into the forest.
They walked with their lance’s and torches.
“Why would you listen to the Rabbit?”
“ I don’t know.”
They continued to walk through the dark pines Eventually reaching the area. Big bugs placed his blanket on the side and started to dig out a small fire pit with his tomahawk.
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Stone bear grabbed a seat on the ground near a spruce and folded his arms around his chest and waited.
Big bugs pulled out some of the roots from the fire hole.
“There should be enough space now.” Big bugs Stood up and walked with his tomahawk, finding some old fallen diamond popular. Chopping into it he swung and swung till he chopped enough wood apart. Gathering his find he walked back. Dropping some of the wood beside the hole. Kneeling down to pick out the smallest chipped pieces of wood.
Big bugs sat beside the fire pit and placed the small pieces of wood into the pit.Then he picked out some old dry grass. And balled it on top of the small bits of wood. Then he built a small wood structure around it with the chopped pieces.
Big bugs Then put the torch head in the fire and started it up.
The area lit up nicely. They could see the trees and surrounding area. Big bugs got up and walked to some small pines and chopped them making them into a small fire tripod. Using the sinew he tied the top together.
Next he pulled the mint leaves and tied them to a tree to hang, taking some of the leaves he put them in his water bag and hung it over the fire.
The water boiled and the tea brewed inside of the buffalo stomach hanging over the fire.
Big bugs sat there waiting patiently.
“So how long are we waiting here, or you gonna tell me that you were making it up.”
“Four days.”
“What?”
“Yeah.”
“Four days, who said the rabbit?”
“Yeah.”
“How will he ever know how long four days is?”
“I think it was a Trickster playing you.”
“If you want to leave, then fine with me.”
“No, I gotta stay, learn my lesson, or see if I was right to laugh at a fool.”
“ You won't think of me as a fool, when the rabbit returns.”
Big bugs stared at the tea at full boil. Taking it off the fire, hanging it on a tree branch beside him.
“Gotta let that cool down a little.” Big bugs said to himself.
Stone bear watched big bugs sit and wait for the rabbit.
Thinking back to the time before the darkness, He was a young boy who roamed this forest hunted the wild game which lived free and were so numerous, He couldn’t walk more than hundred steps before seeing a massive moose roaming by. Now he sees only darkness.
“Why do you think the rabbit could do the things he says?”
“Well for one he was the only animal to walk up and speak to me.”
“And so?”
“And so now I'm gonna help him.”
“You want some tea?”
“No.”
Big bugs poured himself a nice tea in a birch bark basket and hung the rest up in the tree.
The gut bag of tea swung back and forth.
Big bugs sat there sipping his tea.
The hours passed and they continued to wait.
After sometime Big bugs fell asleep.
Stone bear looked out at Big bugs asleep. The fire went out and he laid back and fell asleep too.
They both woke up to the sounds of a huge moose running by.
Stone bear got up and threw his lance, missing the huge moose by an inch.
Stone bear got up and ran for his lance stuck in the ground. Big bugs watched Stone bear run into the darkness after gathering his spear from the soil.
Big bugs sat there waiting. Hours went by and Stone bear didn't come back. Big bugs then started to build a fire. Using the little coals from the last fire. Big bugs split some wood with his tomahawk. The fire was easy to build but he didn't have anything to cook on it.
Stone bear came walking back with his lance.
“I couldn't find this place for hours.”
“I just made the fire.” big bugs sat there looking at stone bear.
“What is wrong with you?”
“What do you mean?”
“I Got up and chased after the moose.”
“WE would have lost our place.”
“I Made it back.”
“Yeah cause I made a fire.”
“Pffft.” Stone bear waved his hands in disgust and walked over to his area and sat down.
“I was so upset, you know.”
“You were? Why?”
“You know why, cause I'm out here stuck in this forest while my wife and child are walking carrying the only life I knew, somewhere I don't know.”
“Yeah, you didn't have to stay.”
“I wanted to walk back here and put my lance through you and leave.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“I don't know, maybe I still will.” Stone bear narrowed his vision.
They both sat across from each other, the fire lighting up the small forested area around them.
“ I'm sorry..” Big bugs spoke after a while of silence.
“Why are you saying sorry now?”
“Cause I feel bad now.”
“Well still not helping.”
“Look, I'm sorry for the whole rabbit thing, I made it up, and i should have hunted down the moose with you.”
“Great! I Knew IT!” Stone bear got up. “Let's get the hell out of here and go back.”
Big bugs sat there with his head down. “ I can’t…”
“Why not?”
“Cause, If i lied then I would walk in shame for the rest of my days.”
“But you did, now let's go.”
“No, at least if I don't go back they will think of me as a hero who died trying to bring the sun back!”
“We're going back even if I have to beat your ass up and drag you back all the way with me.”
End of Chapter 002 Dark forest written by Travis Willier Copyright 2022