Day 25, 40,570 total word count. Thanksgiving Day!!

Happy Thanksgiving Day, and here's to hoping my story is not a Turkey!!

Today's Thanksgiving Excerpt:

“More importantly, you have opened my mind to the possibility of accomplishing the required training. We shall have to make use of the subterfuge of the Morning Light Run and take advantage of those early hours just before the light chases the sombre away. You will have to will yourself to feel that sense again. Just at that moment when Dark yields to Light. In fact, I think it is related to the green flash phenomena.

“Regardless, at this point, I can no longer be your Master.”

Sylk gaped at Moa’qi. “B-b-but, w-why?”

“Because, you have surpassed me. You can do something that I cannot. I am now your Mentor, not your Master.”

Sylk just stared without fully appreciating Moa’qi’s point.

Beaming broadly, “Sylk, this is a good thing. In fact, it is a wonderful thing, and brings my plan to fruition. This is so fortuitous, it causes one to wonder.” Focusing on Sylk, he said carefully, “I need you to stay awake a little while longer. I have things to plan, and you need to understand carefully your role in tomorrow’s events. Can you do this?”

“Yes”, replied Sylk, fire dancing in his eyes.

Moa’qi began talking, and Sylk began listening with every fibre of his being. They planned and schemed until well into near First Light before Moa’qi stood and said it was time for sleep. Taking his leave, he bid Sylk to sleep well for, “Tomorrow is Important.”


Chapter the nearing the end

Sylk went into his sleeping room while his mother put away the mugs and tea kettle. Laying down, he rolled back over to ask her a question, and found his mother preparing breakfast in the bright of Day. It had happened again. He sat up and took stock. He felt great! Relaxed, rested, no stiffness, nothing sore. Another timeless sleep. He came smoothly and easily to his feet and walked in to the food prep area. Once again, he had forgotten the question he had rolled over to ask. Thinking this rather odd, he was quiet, exchanging minimal small talk with his mother while he ate and thought about the coming events.

“Mother?”

“Yes my son.”

“You are aware of today’s schemings and plans?”

“Yes my son.”

“Have you no thoughts on these matters?”

Anuncio paused in her cleaning of the cooking utensils. Turning to her son, she managed, with some pain, “Sylk, this day was foreordained when we lost your father. Moa’qi is a man apart from the tribe, beginning since the loss of my husband, and continuing with the passing of Jedediah. When I accepted him as your Sustito, I knew that my dreams of a simple life would end. There will be separation and trials, and”, here she stifled a sob, “and sadness. We come to a crossroads, ordained in time before any memory of the Tribe can access. Events unfold, and we must respond as best we can. And hope. Against hope.”

She turned away, but not before Sylk saw the tears. Not knowing what to say, or how to comfort her, he finished, put up his utensils, and hugged his mother for a long time. “I will be careful, my mother. I am well-trained, and not without some skill. But mostly, I know what I don’t know. That seems to me to be more important than anything, at this point.”

She just clung tight for a moment more, and then he was out the door and down the path toward Center Village.


At Center Village, the large but disposable Deciding Hut was well under construction. Here the drama would be enacted. Sylk reviewed carefully all the various parts of this play. Noting mentally the current whereabouts of the various players, sensed through his feet even through the bustle of the morning activities, he decided to reconnoiter.

He looked for Tracker1 first, deciding that would he could stumble across him the easiest, due to his current location, outside the cheese maker’s hut. It would be simple enough to barter for some cheese, if necessary, as it was a normal morning activity. He could tell Tracker1 was nervous and excited. He too, no doubt, had plans for today. There was a Mankala Game underway, and by DarkFall it would be known who had won and at what cost. Coming around one hut, Sylk saw the two talking, Tracker1 and Gwadi. Walking up, he exchanged the morning greetings, and bid them to continue their business. However, Tracker1 was loathe to continue, and made some excuse for not having made his selection yet. Clearly, he had things to say to Gwadi that he did not want Sylk privy to. So Sylk arranged for some quesocabra, including enough barter points for delivery, and went on his way. Mentally, he determined to be aware of who all Tracker1 visited this morning prior to Selection.

Next he went looking for his closest child friend. Krugar would not be expecting this, as Sylk was no longer a boy. But Krugar would be on his trial at the start of the Season Change, and Sylk wanted to make sure that once they were both Men, they would resume their association. Krugar was outside his hut, playing a game in the dirt with some other kids. He looked up as Sylk came toward him, smiling and obviously please to see his friend. Sylk knelt down, and greeted his friend enthusiastically, telling him the trial was not all that, and assuring him that he had complete faith his friend would give a good account of himself. “I look forward to your Ceremony, my childhood friend!” Krugar smiled, said thanks, and watched a little sadly as his boyhood friend walked away. They had stretched the strictures of custom just about as far as they could without drawing open comment, and Krugar was grateful.

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