Deja Vu

Jaella sat beside me. I was currently aware of the ironic circumstances. But that is not what Jaella wished to talk to me about .. at least at that point.

She wanted to speak to me of the spirits and Sahli. Of the spirits .. in ... Sahli. Of the spirits of the cave. Now my experience with these were minimal. I .. do not do ... spirits. Not the kind that were ever human anyway. When I speak of spirits I speak of entities that never drew breath or lived upon the grass as we do. However I had gone that day to help Sahli .. and from what I was gathering from Jaella .. that was not the end of it.

She asked me several questions .. some I had answers for ... others I did not. She gave me a leather pouch with some hair and beads from the Kassar woman. I asked her if she had given the thing to Sahli yet .. and she said no ... that she was afraid to let someone who was taking up residence in Sahli know about it. It made sense to me and so I told her I would hold onto it until it was needed.

Some might say .. "Fonce that was basically inviting yourself into a good haunting". But I do not .. do ... spirits. Not the kind that feel the need to haunt .. I feel I must reiterate.

She asked me about Yamka then .. and I told her basics of what the dynamic was and she of course connected as I knew she would. Thus .. the irony of the entire situation. She told me if Yamka's friendship was real .. it would weather the twists and turns of life. That it might take her awhile to find the path .. but that she would ... if the relationship was built on more than just circumstance. If anyone had the right and the knowledge to speak to me of such things .. it would be Jaella. I gave her words the weight they deserved.

It was about that time that Asria arrived with Lei and First Son of Trayu. Lei came to me and told me that I was her friend and offered me a box. She informed me that what was inside would not help me fix the wagon wheels any better because her mom had not allowed her to bring me paga. Within the box was a lock of her hair .. tied in a ribbon ... and a small feather. After what had passed between Asria and I .. I trusted none of it. But I told Lei I was thankful for her thoughtful gift. Lei told me it was so I would not forget her now .. I told her there was no danger of that. With or without the gift. She then told me I was allowed to teach her brother to fix wheels and drink paga. A thing of high trust and I told Lei I was aware of how much trust and that I appreciated such a gesture of faith in me.

Asria was making friends with Jaella .. but then asked me if she could ask that I keep her in mind on my next hunt. I told her that was not a problem .. I had heard of all the widowed women's children she had been collecting and telling stories to. Giving their mothers a break and time to do Clan responsibilities. I was not sure where that left Asria in her own Clan responsibilities .. but I knew what she was doing was important and something she obviously felt a calling to do.

I told her I had just butchered a bosk for my own use and Oren's wagons and I would send a good portion of it over. I knew Ayguili would be providing plenty .. but I also knew he might not be aware of how much extra Asria was using yet. There was more than enough to share and I made sure plenty got sent to Asria's wagons.

Asria left and Jaella and I settled into a comfortable conversation about the past .. she was surprised to find out that Ba'atar had been Ubar before his brother Ayguili. She had some experiences to share about Ba'atar that I had not known when I was Ubar and her guardian.. or things might have turned out a little differently. Things that only confirmed what I had learned of him since my return and though I respected his command then and would still again if and when he returned .. the man had lost my personal respect. She apologized for not speaking to me of it then. But I told her .. it was yesterday and fortunately no harm had come of her silence. What seemed to be good for the whole just happened to not be so great for either one of us .. but Tribe above all. Ba'atar was not there to defend himself .. so history was history .. and we both agreed it was the past and well behind us.

It was then that Seveya arrived. Just the sight of her eased the lines around my eyes and I felt my jaw relax. I could not deny .. to myself or anyone else ... that she pleased me. Her .. not her position ... whatever that turned out to be.

Did I say I really needed to find Ayguili?

Jaella commended Seveya for her courage. Seveya probably had no idea where those words came from .. but I did. I knew. I knew from whom Jaella had learned them. I knew what example she used to gauge that kind of courage. And I hoped Seveya realized the kind of experience that gave those words weight .. even if she did not know the specifics.

Then Jaella told Seveya the story. There was a moment there I think Seveya understood more than she was being told. She certainly pays attention .. though in this case it was spelled out rather clearly. If there was anything else I needed to add to that .. deja vu feeling ... I had it wrapped and delivered for my perusal.