The Hooman Saga - XIX - Serial Fiction

So far: The Hunting Council makes its plans to push the feral wolf-pack away from their valley - toward the hooman settlement. Snarl tries to get his own plan used. Now, we learn about this "probe"

Feb 22, 2025

WHEN SOO-SHE RETURNED to the Teacher's den, her hair shown bright in the twilight, enhancing the light tan of her doeskin dress. The swim had been refreshing. After Tig-she left her for the Hunting Council, Soo-she trotted on alone.

At the den, she called a howl softly, although this was more out of respect than necessity. She knew the Teacher had sensed her approach, just as she had sensed the Teacher already within the den.

As she crawled through the opening, she hiked the dress up away from her knees to keep it clean. Once within the den, she could move over to her fur-covered sleeping space.

When she settled, the gray wolf opened her eyes to look at her. "How was the pool?"

Soo-she smiled, "Delightful. To feel the sun and breeze on my skin, to be truly clean, those were much welcome. Some days I only wish I could have the beautiful fur like wolves. And not have to wear these clumsy clothes at all times."

Teacher smiled. "There is an old phrase passed down through the legends, 'Wishes should be used with caution, as they may come true.'"

Soo-she grinned as she sent, "Well, unless we can change our forms from those of our parents, there's little chance of that."

The Teacher looked off into the den like she was seeing deep into space beyond the valley itself. "But then, it's also known that nothing exists with out the idea behind it. Are ideas any different than wishes? Our spirits can take many forms, as our thoughts do. And our legends tell of those who can shift from one form to another. Who is to say our current ideas only keep us from our real potential?"

Soo-she nodded, as this was familiar to her. Her own escape was combining the idea of an escape pod with inter-orbital travel. All to save her own life. Combining those ideas into a new one has make it possible.

And then she thought of all she had encountered since that landing. Tig, Snarl, the ferals. Tig-she, the Teacher, the cubs. And seeing through other's eyes, through their dreams...

At this, she thought on purpose of other things, asking, "What can you tell me about the probe? Tig said hoomans either went crazy or got very sick."

The Teacher replied, "We tried on some willing hoomans who seemed to understand us. We didn't get clear thoughts from them, or they didn't trust their own thoughts. In all cases, the biggest problem was in having a mutual understanding so that communication could take place.

"Of those who got sick, they had to be taken back to their settlement on travois. Of those who Tig called 'insane', they didn't trust the voices they were hearing. And sometimes we would hide outside their gates to listen through those 'insane' into the hooman settlement. Most of them were not believed, and so quit trying to persuade others of what they had experienced. Some just kept their thoughts to themselves after that.

"We couldn't stay outside their gates for long, or even return often, as the hooman hunters would chase us and follow our tracks. So our studies are incomplete."

Soo-she asked, "But I understand that no hooman has ever been allowed in this valley before. The cubs I've played with have shared some of the legends. And you've told me about the Ancient Ones who were hooman and hunted with wolves..."

Teacher replied, "Yes, I have more teaching to do with those cubs you shared thoughts with. The Ancient Ones appeared hooman, but could take many forms. They preferred hooman form, but would often hunt with us as wolves, or even fly as the larger birds - hawk, own, even buzzard or condor. These the legends tell us well."

Both were quiet for awhile, keeping their thoughts to themselves.

Soo-she sent at last, "Do you think I'll be in danger when the probe begins?"

Teacher said, "That is up to you. You are different, and that is why Tig saw you needed to come here. There was no place for you to be safe where we could come and do the probe. The ferals would have killed you because of the hunting the feral hoomans have done against their kind. Even now, wolf skins hang from the walls of their settlement, with skulls and bones littered up around its base, as a way to keep the ferals at bay.

"When they kill wolves and coyotes, they use the carcasses as sign. Barbaric."

Soo-she sent again, "But am I at danger during the probe?"

Teacher replied, "Sorry, that line of thought traveled a different path than you asked for. I could try to reassure you otherwise. But 'truth is only as valuable as it is workable.' You have talents you've not admitted to yourself. There are skills you could practice and master far beyond what you consider you are presently capable. We have little time. Our hunters must push the ferals back. The probe must happen once they have left so not to distract them.

"The short answer is: you will be at danger only if you consider it so. Trust yourself, be truly open and receptive to the spirits. Your safety is your own to decide."

With that, Teacher rose and stretched, then moved out of the den. She sent a thought back to Soo-she to remain there and reflect. Tig-she would come to bring her to the probe site when all was ready.

- - - -

Outside the den, she saw the old Chief making his way toward her. Teacher met him on the path.

"How did the Council go?" she sent.

Chief replied, "As well as could be expected." He then sent her his understanding of the events.

She replied, "That is as I had sensed."

Chief was not surprised that Teacher could sense across the valley. Certainly, the emotions ran high during that meeting, and would have carried many of the thoughts far away for anyone able to listen.

Both sensed Tig-she coming along a different path to the teacher's den. They waited for her to come closer, meanwhile feeling the cool breeze that wafted down the valley walls since the sun had set. The evening birds were calling, and the nocturnal ones were stirring.

Tig-she came to where Teacher and Chief sat, then bowed before seating herself.

"All is as ready as we can be. The openings have been secured. Our female hunters and older cubs will be present for the probe. Those with young cubs still feeding will watch the other cubs and keep them cared for and quiet."

Chief sent, "Our thanks to you. These times are trying and it is good to have those we can trust at our side."

Tig-she bowed at the compliment.

Teacher narrow-sent to both, "This hooman is different as the night is from the day. We may learn more than we even expect. Of course already her thoughts and memories have told us what happened after the hoomans left, and explains the meteors in our skies.

"She may, I hope, give us an understanding of how to handle the ferals that surround us, especially the feral hoomans. Until she arrived, I had almost given up hope of finding sentient hoomans again. It has been long in our legends since such have existed."

At that, they all sat quietly, reflecting on the legends they had been told by this Teacher, and the teachers before her. Their own fathers and mothers had told them tales as well.

Teacher finally sent, "Of course this reminds me of the Old-one-who-painted-rocks, who said, 'Let each generation write their own legends.'"

Tig-she smiled, then rose. "I go to see the probe site is ready with what you need. The huntresses will be present when you arrive. I'll then come back for Soo-she."

As she trotted away, the Teacher and Chief shared the moment.

"How are you feeling these days, Chief?"

"As if you didn't already know. The pain has spread, despite all you've helped me in my dreams. My end-days draw closer."

Teacher sent, "And the spirit-world will welcome you to their path from here to there."

Chief relied, "I seem to remember the legends differently now. Details I hadn't before. Like those which tell of the endless love that spirits have, their understanding that goes beyond our mortal lives of waking, hunting, sleeping. There is a common theme I seem to see these days, but can't grasp the idea of it completely.

"The main feeling I get cannot be put into words. But it is peaceful."

Teacher sent, "And our words are simply ideas. Our ideas are as complete and firm as we consider they are. So said our oldest legends."

Chief added, "And they all bring us only the amount of joy, love, and harmony we ask for."

Finally, the Chief rose carefully to his feet. "I'll wait at the probe site. It looks to be a fine evening for this. The clouds have cleared and the spirits look down through the sky from the stars. Even the moon shines down, regardless of the fleas who infest her skin."

As he moved down the path, the Teacher sent her prayers after him: However many more trails he had to walk, let him learn and enjoy each footstep he took.

We’re now over halfway though this serial.

While the hunters have left to take the fight to their feral enemies, Snarl is up to something devious. Meanwhile, Sue is still preparing to undergo a mysterious “probe” which no human before her has survived…

Now we are counting down the remaining chapters. There are some 14 more chapters after this. But you’ll have to stay tuned until next week to see how they get out of this…

For now, set your calendar to keep track of these new adventures. Every Saturday.