SO, after I FINALLY I pulled my head out of my... I posted
the wrong chapter. THIS is the REAL chapter 17. Don't accept any substitutes!
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With their paperwork completed, Mr.
Benally knew it was time he and Miss Tsosie left. He paused at the door and
apologized to Dakota for her comments once his co-worker was out of earshot. He
was shocked when Naiche said, "It's ok, Sir. She just hasn't been around people
like us enough."
Mr. Benally knelt and looked the
boy in the eyes as he said, "Well, she's missing out. Hopefully, she'll come to
understand. Until then, you let your daddy teach you the ways of the Diné."
Once their visitors were gone,
Robin put his hand on Dakota's shoulder and said, "It's none of my business
what you and Naiche do. You're my brother, and I love you." Then turning to
Naiche, he added, "And I love you too, Yázhí."
Dakota smiled at his brother, then, looking around at his
family, he took a deep breath and said, "I think it's time you all knew the truth."
Wamblee gave his grandson an appraising look, then suggested
they gather in the living room. Once everyone was seated, Dakota knelt in front
of the couch, facing Jonas and Robin. He glanced at Robin, then looked Jonas in
the eyes as he said, "I need you to understand; you cannot share our secret
with others. Many will hate Naiche and me, and some will try to harm us. Mr.
Benally's acceptance is quite unusual among our people. Most are like Miss
Tsosie and would like to see us imprisoned or killed."
Jonas gasped, while Robin exclaimed, "Just because you're
gay?"
Dakota was flabbergasted. He stared at Robin briefly, then asked,
"Is that what you think her issue is?"
"Well, when Naiche mentioned you licking him, I just assumed..."
Robin looked uncomfortable, then quickly added, "You know I won't judge you,
and as I said, I love you both, no matter what."
Dakota shook his head and said, "Two-spirited people have
been accepted by the Navajo, and most other tribes, for as long as we can
remember. And my love for Naiche has nothing to do with sex, nor will it ever. Miss
Tsosie is concerned about the fact that Naiche and I are ánti'įhnii.
In English, that is most commonly translated as `skinwalker.'"
Seeing the confused looks on
Jonas and Robin's faces, Dakota went on, "Navajo culture honors the magic used
by our medicine men, those who are seen as healers in their communities. Most are
raised to this role through many years of training in the arts, handed down
from an elder medicine man. Like with all humans, power can corrupt, and some
medicine men used their magic for evil. Some of the most evil learned to change
their shape in order to deceive, intimidate, or even
kill. These evil witches are what most people mean when they speak of skinwalkers."
Robin chewed on his upper lip as
he thought, then asked, "You said many are taught, but not all?"
Dakota nodded as he said, "Many
are taught, yes, but the most powerful are those born with this magic. Power is
neither good nor evil; the person who has the power determines if they use it
for good or evil, but the power itself is neutral. Like many of our people, Miss
Tsosie assumes that simply having our abilities makes one evil."
"So, you and Naiche can change
into what? Werewolves?" Robin asked, still confused.
Dakota laughed as he shook his
head and replied, "We're not werewolves." He sighed, then continued, "Those who
learn the power can rarely shift into more than one shape. Those born with it
can, with a bit of practice, shift into any living shape we choose. However, we
tend to have preferred shapes. That's what I've been doing with Naiche. He has
found that his preferred shape is that of a fox. That is why I changed his name
to Tokala when I adopted him."
Jonas turned to Naiche and
exclaimed, "You can turn into a fox? Can I see? Please??!!"
Naiche looked to Dakota for
approval. On receiving a nod, he stepped to the center of the room and crouched
down. While the others watched, his arms and legs began to stretch, bend, and
reshape. Finger and toe bones got longer, wrists and ankles changed angles, and
hips rotated. As this was happening, his face was twisting as his jaw bones
stretched and grew narrow, forming into the sharp muzzle of a fox. As his ears
moved up on his head, the lobes grew pointy as they rose from the top of his
reformed skull. As this happened, orange fur slowly emerged over his entire
body, except for his chest. His chest, and the tip of his bushy tail, were
white.
Wamblee and Robin had watched in
awe, but Jonas was so excited that he ran to Naiche and petted him. Robin
looked at Dakota and asked, "You said his preferred shape
is a fox. What else can he do?"
While Naiche and Jonas wrestled around
on the floor, Dakota replied, "I've seen him as a wolf pup, a small bobcat, and
the fox you now see. In time, he'll learn to take the shape of any living being
he can imagine, just as I can."
Wamblee nodded as he asked, "This
is why your mothers gave both of you the name Mingan?"
Dakota nodded as he explained, "For
our first shift, usually in our first year, we take the form of the first
animal we see in life. Shimásání, sorry, that's Grandmother
Bylilly, had a pet wolf. It was the first animal I ever saw, and I assume that
Naiche saw a descendant of that same wolf, or our wolves would look identical."
Robin had an awestruck expression
as he quietly asked, "So you can change into a wolf? What else can you become?"
Dakota shrugged as he asked,
"What can't I change into? My ancestors were limited by what they saw in life.
I have access to the internet, so I can become any animal I've seen in pictures.
Even something mythical like a unicorn, though I stick to animals that won't
freak out a human in case I'm seen. People wouldn't stop searching for me if I
were seen as a unicorn or something."
Robin was desperately trying to comprehend
and asked Dakota several questions. Dakota explained that, no, changing shapes
wasn't painful and that, yes, he did have a preferred shape. As Dakota answered
several more questions from Robin and Jonas, he realized that his grandfather
didn't seem surprised.
He was considering this when Robin
quietly asked, "Um... will I become like you if you bite me?"
Dakota struggled as he tried to hide
his laugh under a coughing fit. When he recovered, he replied, "I told you we
are not werewolves, so no, you will not become one of us if we bite you. I
would hope that Naiche is mature enough to know better than to bite you anyway.
Since you were not born one of us, the only way you could become like us is to
study our native magic for decades."
Robin gasped and, in a shocked
voice, asked, "So there really are werewolves?"
Dakota was about to answer when
Wamblee said, "There are many things in this world that humans have convinced
themselves are legends or myths. I will not confirm or deny the existence of
anything specific, but I will recommend that you keep an open mind. Just
remember that, like skinwalkers, most beings who are
not purely human have been vilified unjustly. Like humans, all creatures have
the capacity for good or evil."
Dakota turned to his grandfather
and stared. After a moment, he asked, "How long have you known?"
Wamblee gave a slight grin, then
answered, "When your father called to tell me about the cute wolf pup he found
in your crib, I suspected what you were. I went to an old friend who educated
me. When your mother died, and you and your father moved in here, my friend
advised me to keep my silence. He told me this day would come, the day you felt
you could trust me enough to reveal your secrets." He thought for a moment,
then added, "And, while I know the answer, I could ask you a similar question.
How did you learn so much about your nature without one of your own to guide
you?"
Dakota seemed lost in his own
thoughts for quite a while until he finally replied, "When father and I last
saw her, Shimásání told me that she would be my
guide. Not all those late-night calls to her were because I missed my
grandmother. She was teaching me about myself along with teaching me the ways
of the Diné."
Wamblee nodded as he said, "Asdza
Bylilly was a powerful medicine woman and I was honored to call her a friend,
as well as the mother of my son's wife. You are not the only one who had long
conversations with her on the telephone as you were growing up. The night she
passed on, she called me. She knew it was her time,
and she said that she knew her grandsons would find each other. I didn't understand
until you pulled that little fox out of the truck. He looked exactly like you
on the day your father brought you here." Wamblee paused to look around at the
boys in his home, then added, "There is no doubt in my mind that this family
was destined to be."
The room was silent as the boys
considered what Wamblee had revealed. After giving them a few minutes to
reflect, Wamblee stood and said, "You will have many years to contemplate what
you have learned about your brother and nephew, Opichi. The schools have
deadlines. I would suggest you and Dakota shower, then head into town and speak
with the admissions offices at Stone
Child and MSUN. They can guide you towards the correct path for your education."
After seeing Robin's nod, Dakota turned to Naiche and said, "You
can stay a fox, or you can change back to human, but either way, you are to
remain in the house or the backyard. Listen to Shinálí. Opichi and I will be back before
dark."
After getting a yip
from Naiche and a nod from Jonas, Dakota and Robin headed to the apartments,
where they showered and dressed. With school records in hand, they were soon headed
to town in Dakota's classic truck. On the way, they talked about how to manage
their studies while working in the shop. Dakota had taken classes at Stone
Child during his three years in high school. He had made sure these were
accepted towards his graduation requirements and, by doing so, had graduated a
year early. Due to his familiarity with Stone Child, Dakota suggested they
begin with MSUN.
Robin didn't
understand why, but within the first five minutes of stepping onto the campus, he
knew that MSUN was the place for him. The admissions counselor was welcoming,
helpful, and easy to talk with. The business program at the school covered all
the classes Robin would need. None of that played into his decision. There was
just something inside him that said he needed to take classes here. As Dakota
and Robin filled out the registration forms, the counselor filled out the forms
to give Dakota transfer credits for his work at Stone. Robin would be a
freshman in the fall, while Dakota would be an incoming sophomore. Two hours
later, the self-proclaimed brothers left the admissions office with class
schedules in their hands.
Once they were done
at the college, Dakota wanted to show his brother around the town, so he parked
in front of Wolfer's Diner and started their walking tour. A half-block north,
they entered Havre Historical Underground, better known as `Havre Beneath the
Streets'. Dakota told Robin how, when the city burned in 1904, the businesses
moved underground while the buildings were rebuilt. At various times, this
underground city housed a brothel, a saloon, a Chinese laundry, and three opium
dens. During prohibition, it also provided space for alcohol smugglers in the
area.
As they returned above ground,
Dakota realized Robin wasn't his usual inquisitive self. While underground, he
noticed that his brother was staring at him several times and thought he knew
why. As they were approaching the truck, Dakota suggested they grab a
milkshake. When Robin agreed, they headed towards Wolfer's. Before they could
enter, Dakota held the door for a short, red-headed man to exit.
Dakota nodded respectfully toward
the man and said, "Greetings, Tse Nalyehe.
Or should I call you Unk Tehi, as my grandfather's
ancestors did?"
In an Irish accent, the small man
replied, "Good afternoon, young skinwalker. When I am in public, I go by Drake
Fraener, though I am impressed that you remember the names used by your ancestors,
both the Lakota and the Navajo. Do you still use the names you were given by
your mother?"
Dakota noticed Robin's quiet gasp
when he heard Drake's use of the word skinwalker, but he would have to deal
with that later. He smiled and replied, "I am Mingan Ashkii Dakota Two Guns. My friends call me Dakota.
I would be honored if you would use that name, Mr. Fraener."
Drake smiled as he responded,
"Only if you will call me Drake." Dakota nodded, then Drake glanced at Robin as
he added, "I would love to sit and allow your young friend his questions, but I
am in a rush today."
Noticing the glance, Dakota said,
"Forgive me; this is my brother, Robin." After Robin and Drake had shaken
hands, Dakota added, "You are always welcome at our home. I am sure that my
grandfather would enjoy seeing you again. If you allow it, my son and brothers
would like to hear your story."
Drake agreed to visit sometime in
the next few weeks, then went on his way as Dakota led Robin to a corner table.
They had just sat down when the young server brought menus. Dakota handed them
back and ordered two chocolate milkshakes. While waiting for them, Dakota tried
to reassure his brother.
"Are you ok with all of this? One
minute you act odd, and the next, you act like everything is perfectly normal.
You know you can ask me anything."
Robin chewed on his lower lip for
a moment, then said, "I'm not going to run away if that's what you are asking.
It is a lot to digest, but like you said, you're still the same person you were
before I found out." He paused, then asked, "Are there many like you? I mean,
shapeshifters. Are they all around me?"
Dakota was about to reply when
the server brought their milkshakes. They both took a spoonful, then Dakota
looked up and smiled at the older man who had turned around from the booth
behind them and quietly said, "Nice to see you again, Dakota. From what I've
overheard, I think you and your friend should be talking somewhere a bit more
private."
Dakota gave the man a surprised look, then said, "Hey, Mr. O'Faolan, I guess
you're right." He then looked at Robin and said, "Let's take these to one
of the tables at the veteran's memorial and continue our talk."
"I'll join you if you don't mind,"
Shamus said as he stood. He glanced at Robin, then turned back to Dakota and
added, "Based on what I heard, I think that you and your friend here might be
interested in what I have to say."
Both boys stood as Dakota said,
"I'm sorry, Mr. O'Faolan, I'm being rude. This is my brother, Robin. Robin,
this is Shamus O'Faolan."
Shamus offered his hand to Robin
as he said, "Please, call me Shamus. Maybe if I get you doing it, Dakota will
get it through his thick skull that I don't like being called Mr. O'Faolan."
Dakota laughed as he, Robin, and
Shamus walked out the door of Wolfer's. As they walked the block to the small
park, Dakota wondered what Shamus had overheard and what the old man had to
say. At the same time, Shamus wondered why he had never realized Dakota was
like him. Sitting at one of the tables in the park, Dakota took another
spoonful of his shake, delaying the conversation. Robin looked from Shamus to
Dakota, then back as he, too, took a spoonful of chocolate and waited.
Shamus looked around to make sure
no one was close enough to hear, then he looked at Dakota, cleared his throat,
and said, "Please don't think I was being nosey, Dakota, but I overheard some
of what you two were saying. You need to be more careful when you're around
humans."
Dakota was so busy being
embarrassed about not being careful that the words failed to register in his
mind. Robin, on the other hand, heard the words and understood their meaning.
He looked at Shamus and asked, "So you're like Dakota?"
Shamus took a moment to choose
his words carefully, then replied, "Until I heard your conversation, I had
always assumed Dakota was human." He turned to Dakota and added, "Since I don't
know everything, I can't say if I'm like you or not."
Dakota looked at Shamus with
newfound interest as he considered how to respond. Shamus had just implied that
he was something other than human without saying what he was, exactly. Until
now, Dakota had always assumed that he and Drake were the only non-humans in
the area. He decided to continue the wordplay, hoping to learn more before he
revealed too much.
"What part of our conversation
has you suspecting that I'm not human?" Dakota challenged.
Shamus gave a knowing smile as he
nodded and said, "I heard your brother ask if there were other shapeshifters,
like you, all around him." He paused, then added, "Once we're done with this
topic, remind me to ask how you have an older brother who is obviously of
European descent."
Dakota smiled as he told Shamus
about his trip to Last Stand Ranch and the leatherworking classes he had taught,
and how Robin and Jonas had come to live with him and his grandfather. He went
on to explain why he and Robin considered themselves brothers. When he was
done, he sat and waited for Shamus to continue.
Shamus realized that they were
both avoiding the issue. He decided to be direct, so he asked, "What type of
shifter are you, Dakota?"
Dakota's eyebrows came together
in confusion as he asked, "What do you mean by type?"
Shamus glanced around to check
that they couldn't be overheard, then said, "I mean, are you a wolf shifter? A
cat? An eagle? What animal do you change into when you shift?"
Dakota was willing to risk
honesty, but Shamus' question had confused him even more. He thought for a
moment, then asked, "Why would I limit myself to one animal? I can shift into
all of those, and many others," as an afterthought, he added, "can't you?"
Shamus was surprised by what the
boy said. He had heard of shifters like Dakota, but in almost 500 years, he had
only met one other. He decided to trust, and said, "Unlike you, child of Loki,
I can only shift into the form of a wolf."
Dakota's face showed his
confusion as he absorbed Shamus' words. He thought for a moment, then asked,
"What do you mean by `Child of Loki'? He's a Norse god, I'm Navajo and Sioux."
One corner of Shamus' mouth
lifted in a smirk as he replied, "Gods are gods. They don't care about your
human DNA, and unlike the gods of your people, the Norse, Greek, and Roman gods
have historically spent a lot of time visiting humans. Living among us, causing
problems, and having children."
Robin interrupted, saying, "I've
read stories about things like that. They're called demi-gods, or something
like that, right? So Dakota's father was Loki?"
Before Shamus could reply, Dakota
stated, "My father was a proud Sioux warrior who died serving his country.
There's no way he was a Norse god."
Shamus smiled at Dakota's
dedication to honoring his father's memory. He carefully considered his words,
then said, "I watched your father grow up. I know he was a great man, and if he
were alive, I'm sure he would be very proud of the man you've become. That
doesn't change the fact that you are a son of Loki."
When Dakota started to protest,
Shamus held up his hand and explained, "Before I go into your situation, let me
tell you a legend."
Dakota and Robin sat quietly and
listened as Shamus told them that most shapeshifter legends attributed their existence
to either a demi-god or a curse or blessing from one of the gods. True
lycanthropes, of course, traced their beginning to Lycan and his disastrous
dinner with Zeus. Hawk and lion shifters traced back to the times that Ra
walked the earth in human form. Some believed that all shifters could trace
their animal form to one god or another, while most
others believed that they were all descended from Loki and his many adventures
amongst humans.
Before Dakota could speak, Robin
asked, "If most shifters trace back to Loki, why are some limited to one form
or another?"
Shamus smiled and replied, "We
wish we knew, but the truth has been lost through the millennia. The most
accepted theory revolves around reproduction." When both boys looked confused,
Shamus went on, "As I said, I am a wolf shifter. Somewhere back in time, my
ancestors mated while in wolf form and had pups. The descendants of those pups
are now locked to that form. I can only be human or wolf. The theory is that
children of Loki who are not demi-gods come from bloodlines that have never had
offspring in a shifted form."
Dakota sat, stunned. This changed
everything he thought about himself and what he was. Robin put his hand on
Dakota's arm and asked, "Are you ok?"
Dakota slowly shook his head as
he mumbled, "I don't know. I have to reconsider a lot
about my life and what I thought I am. I always thought I was a skinwalker but
now I'm confused."
Shamus reached over and put his
hand on top of Dakota's as he said, I'm sorry, son. I didn't mean to cause you
problems. I just assumed you knew all of this when I heard Robin's question."
Thinking for a moment, he added, "Why don't you come out to the house tomorrow?
I have several manuscripts that address these issues. Most of them are
considered myths, but hey, we're supposed to be a myth, so I've always tried to
read them as histories."
Dakota nodded, then said, "I
appreciate it, Shamus. Would it be okay if I brought Robin and my son with me?"
Shamus chuckled as he asked,
"Son? When did this happen? Is his mother someone I know?"
Shamus chuckled when Robin told how
he found a naked Naiche sleeping in the horse trailer. When Dakota said that
the boy was his biological nephew and now, under Navajo law, his son, Shamus
could sense that Dakota was withholding something. He thought he knew what it
was.
"The boy's a son of Loki, too,
isn't he?"
Dakota paused, then deciding that
he should trust the older shifter, replied, "He is. I've spent the last few
days teaching him about skinwalkers and how to
control his shifts. Now I have to tell him that most
of what I told him isn't true."
"If you'll take some child-rearing
advice from an old man, save that conversation until you learn more. You said
he's five?" When Dakota nodded, Shamus continued, "Get your facts straight
before you tell him anything more. Changing your story too many times will just
confuse him, and it sounds like he's had it rough. Right now, he needs your
love more than he needs to know exactly what he is."
Dakota smiled and nodded as he
said, "He's got my love. He stole my heart the first night at home. I was
almost asleep when I heard him creeping into my room. When he saw me in my
preferred shape, he shifted into the cutest little fox cub and curled up in bed
with me to sleep."
Surprised, Shamus asked, "He can
shift already?"
Dakota tilted his head as he
said, "Well yeah. I did my first shift just after my first birthday. Isn't that
normal?"
Shamus shrugged as he replied, "I
can't say what's normal for you. We usually shift for the first-time during
puberty. When you come over, you'll meet most of the pack. Are you going to
share this with them? Or should we keep this quiet for a while?"
Dakota looked down, thinking,
then looked to Robin, who shrugged and said, "Not my secret to share. I'll do
whatever you choose."
Dakota bit his lower lip, then
said, "I suppose it would be nice to know more who are like me. Well, similar,
at least. Um, would it be okay if we wait until I'm there and we all talk about
it?"
Shamus nodded and said, "As your
brother said, it's your secret to share. You can tell whomever you like,
whenever you're ready. Without saying who they are, I'll say that you already
know all the young pups in my pack, except one."
After agreeing to visit Shamus in
the morning, Dakota and Robin tossed their empty cups into a nearby trash can
and headed for the truck. As he drove home, Dakota couldn't shake the feeling
that tomorrow would change his life in more ways than one.
As Shamus walked to his truck, he
wondered how Connor would react to meeting another shifter.