Eskimos : Chapter 1 : BLOOD AND SNOW (Trixie+EskimoHermit)

[Eskimohermit]

Ogtuk-luk walks over to Maniitok and kicks him in the ass

Mind your tongue and gather the dogs we're leaving!

[DSIGFUSS]

Maniitok quickly does what he's told. He throws Ogtuk-Luk a fearful look and then runs back to his own hut. He begins to pack many spears onto a sled and runs from village hut to village hut getting everyone ready to go.

Hurry brothers! As if Sedna herself were nipping at your heels!

Ogtuk-Luk and Yuralria are impressed with how quickly the village mobilizes it's hunting party. Not to surprising to Ogluk-tuk, as every man and boy above the age of 13 were ready for the big cariboo hunt tommorrow.

It was then that Chief Kalitok appeared from his hut and surveyed the choas around him. He was thick as an oak and was one of the few Eskimos who could grow some semblance of a beard. One of his half naked wives clung to his side and gently caressed his chest in their obvious afterglow.



What is the meaning of this Shaman? Why do you take so many of my hunters so close to the big cariboo hunt?

[trixie]

Yuralria bows her head to the chief, and speaks to him with her head down.

"They will be back in plenty of time for the hunt tomorrow, Chief. There are many belugas, beached on the ice. We must drag them back to the ocean before they freeze."

She raises her eyes again to the Chief and continues, "I believe it is Sedna, Chief. She is angry, and there may be....complications. Come let us speak in private."

[Eskimohermit]

Ogtuk-luk yells to the hunters

Keep working and make sure you have enough food for the dogs!!

[DSIGFUSS]

Chief Kalituk parts the hide to his entranceway and invites Yuralria inside.

The chief's hut is as extravagant a place as any in the village. Three cariboo skins cover the walls of the hut, another on the floor. Spear tips of all descriptions were displayed in an ornately carved whale bone wall mount. Drift wood containers and ivory carvings litter the floor but all seem to have there proper place. There was strict order in everything in Chief Kalitk's hut from his fur parkas hung carefully near his fire pit to his seal blubber rations stacked orderly at the foot of his giant, occupied bed.

As Yuralria enters the hut, she discovers that the tall leggy Dorset female fondling the cheif was as naked as the day she was born. Two other Dorset girls, no older than 16 lie sleeping under the chief's 14 ft polar bear skin cover, spent from their duties as 2nd and 3rd wife to the chief. The hunt which led him to this massive polar bear, had given Kalituk the leverage and power he had needed to challenge the previous Chief for leadership of the village. It was the largest polar bear ever hunted and the Dorset people still tell the sory around the fire during the Hunting ceremony.



Tell me Shaman. What troubles you? You speak of Belugas and Sedna in such a strange tone. Is everything ready for tommorrow? Will the caribboo hunt proceed as planned.

One of the young girls wakes up and stares at the Shaman, wide eyed and frightened, like a baby seal caught in the path of a walrus bull. The older girl, Kalitok's first wife, climbs back into the huge bed and quietly sings her back to sleep.

[DSIGFUSS]

Outside the Chief's Hut, The village men ready their sleds and carry armfuls of whale meat and blubber for the dogs from the storage huts. They begin to quickly stack the sleds with everything they will need for their journey.

Maniitok collects all the spears and wraps them in a piece of hide for easy carrying. When he is finished, he approaches Ogtuk-Luk with a nervousness to his every move. He whispers when he speaks so noone else but them can hear his words.



Ogtuk-Luk..... This man we found, washed up on the beach with all of the Beluga's, had a Thule spear tip deep in his belly. If they are outsiders or spirits, I do not think their intentions are peaceful. I am fearful to return. If Tornuaq and Unulaq were not waiting for me, I would advise against even going back.

Maniitok sighs and looks off over the horizion and into the setting sun.

It will be dark soon. The glacier is a dangerous place to be at dark. Anningan is cruel and cold.

[Eskimohermit]

Ogluk-tuk looks over at Maniitok with a swelling of pride at his commitment to his fellow tribe members, even with the danger
to himself. He leans towards Maniitok and says.

Maniitok your courage honors all of us. With all of us together and Sedna on or side nothing can harm us. Now go and help the others we need to be ready.

In a quite whisper he continues.

Please keep your fears to yourself we need not concern the others now. You are a great asset to the tribe.

[trixie]

Tell me Shaman. What troubles you? You speak of Belugas and Sedna in such a strange tone. Is everything ready for tommorrow? Will the caribboo hunt proceed as planned.

One of the young girls wakes up and stares at the Shaman, wide eyed and frightened, like a baby seal caught in the path of a walrus bull. The older girl, Kalitok's first wife, climbs back into the huge bed and quietly sings her back to sleep.

Yuralria winces at the naked woman hanging off the chief. I don't think I'll ever get used to this sight. She nods to the Chief, averting her glances from the bed and stammers out her reply softly.

"I believe Sedna is angry. I'm unsure if she is angry with us, or angered by someone else. We will find out when we see the belugas first hand. Many many belugas have beached themselves on the ice. So many, that....we may not enjoy fruitful beluga hunting for many moons to come if we don't help them back in the water."

Yuralria's eyes flit about, and she forces her attention back to the chief, but not without seeing the three wives again, their bodies only evident by the lumpen furs thrown over the bed.

"There is more, Chief. Maanitok....he..." Yuralria moves closer to him and speaks in a lower tone, casting a fearful glance at the bed to ensure the wives wouldn't hear. "....he found a stranger....a pale faced stranger alone, with a thule spear in his belly. Tournuaq and Unulaq are out there with him, so we must return to help. But.....I.....I have had a vision, Chief. And so it does not surprise me, these strangers in our land, as in my vision I spoke with one."

[DSIGFUSS]

A vision of these ghostly strangers. Yuralria! What does it mean?

Chief Kalituk begins to put on his furs.

Outside the Chief's hut, Maniitok weeps at Ogtuk-Luk's side for his brothers. He believes Tornuaq and Unualaq to be in terrible danger.



I should never have left them

[trixie]

A vision of these ghostly strangers. Yuralria! What does it mean?

Chief Kalituk begins to put on his furs.

"In my vision, Chief, I met with a pale faced woman and her husband. It was a very different sight. They ate fruit to which I've never seen before, they use sharp shiny weapons, and they speak in another tongue. I could understand her, because in my vision we were speaking with our hearts, not our tongues."

Yuralria walks a bit away from the Chief and looks forlornly out a window to the commotion going on outside. "She mentioned there were trials coming our way. She gave me a book that told me more. But I was running for my life from a bear that wished to harm me in my dream state, and I dropped it."

Yuralria looks back at the Chief with a guilty look on her face. "I am unsure of what harm, or trials, as she called them, will come our way. I wish to see the stranger myself. Perhaps he is alone, but perhaps not. The woman from my dream was very kind to me. But perhaps the others like her will not be. I am not sure until I see him myself."

[Eskimohermit]

Ogtuk-luk watches maniitok walk away. As he watches he has a sudden thought that he should protect the tribe from this pale face man. He rushes to his hut to gather some supplies but can't find what he really needs then he see it. A large piece of ivory on the shelf , he packs everything but the ivory away in his pack then goes back out. H e sits down were he can see the whole village, pulls out his knife and the ivory and starts to carve.

[DSIGFUSS]

Yuralria looks back at the Chief with a guilty look on her face. "I am unsure of what harm, or trials, as she called them, will come our way. I wish to see the stranger myself. Perhaps he is alone, but perhaps not. The woman from my dream was very kind to me. But perhaps the others like her will not be. I am not sure until I see him myself."

The Chief stops tying on his furs and puts his hand on Yuralria's shoulder. The youngest of the three naked girls on Chief Kalituk's bed gasps. No man, Chief or not should touch the Shaman, save Ogtuk-Luk and only when she is in mortal danger. Chief Kalituk, however, did things differently. If it consoled Yuralria for even a moment before her duties and her traditional values got in the way, it was worth it.



You did all you could Yuralria.

Cheif Kalituk quickly remembers his duty and his hand and promptly removes it from Yuralria's shoulder. He continues to dress himself and then begins to gather his spears, all of which have spear heads shaped liek men.

This bear? Was it the same bear that plagued Aglakti's visions and forced her to leave the village?

[trixie]

Yuralria looks back at the Chief, a confused look washing over her face. Did he not enjoy the ravages of his three women in his bed just moments ago? And now he touches me??

Yuralria feels quite uncomfortable in the Chief's hut now, and begins to back away to the door.

"Yes, I do....believe it is the same...." she stammers, looking nervously about. Ogtuk-luk....what would he think if he'd seen that just now? I need to be around him....out visible to the tribe....not in here....with three naked women and a man who's half naked himself....

[DSIGFUSS]

Chief Kalituk notices Yuralria's uncomfort and smiles warmly at her.



Excuse me... Shaman. I go to far.

Cheif Kalituk backs away and looks sternly at his wives as if he were blaming them for his offense. He glances back at Yuralria and sighs.

I have never heard of so much madness converging on our people in so short of time. The whales and your visions... plus this pale faced stranger. Please allow me time to say goodbye to my wives. I will be accompanying you on your journey.

Chief Kalituk continues fastening his furs and turns away from Yuralria. He offers a short prayer over his fire and waits for Yuralria to leave.


ooc - Chapter 2 is beginning soon. Yuralria and eskimohermit can discuss their plans. You leave soon. If you want to bring anything out of the ordinary. Please specify.

[DSIGFUSS]

Maniitok watches Ogtuk-Luk carve his ivory. He nods his head and returns to his hut. He emerges after a few moments with his own piece of ivory and carving tools. He sits down next to Ogtuk-Luk and grins.



Excellent idea Ogtuk-Luk. We must be ready to fight this pale faced ghost. If he turns on us with his shiny knife and his hard skin, we will have to defend ourelves.

[trixie]

Yuralria nods her head and leaves the Chief's hut quietly.

She moves back to the village, joining Ogtuk-luk's side. She looks at his carving for a moment, then sits next to him.

Her eyes flicker from Maanitok to Ogtuk-luk's side. "You are carving? For the journey? Do you expect danger?" she asks simply.

[Eskimohermit]

Ogluk-tuk turns to Yuralria

I think that it is better to be prepared for I must defend you and the tribe to the last. Maniitok has shown great courage but I sense the underlying fear of this pale face one , and with your blessing this spear tip will help greatly. How is everything you look troubled .

[trixie]

Yuralria shifts, looking uncomfortable.

"I don't expect to be entering into battle. After all, we have the big hunt tomorrow morning. I must be back for the ceremony with Sedna. It is only one pale faced man, Ogtuk-luk." Yuralria's eyes cloud mysteriously. "Between you and me," she leans in close, "we don't know how many there are. Yes, we could be in danger. But you are very visible to the tribe, carving here in the open. Is it wise? To worry the women and children when their husbands come along with us?"

Yuralria lowers her voice even more from it's already quiet tone. "It's the chief. He comes with us. And.....he.....put his hand on me." She lowers her eyes, ashamed, knowing what it must sound like. No one was to touch the Shaman. Why did the Chief feel he could?

[Eskimohermit]

Ogluk-tuk turns to look at Yuralria and in a strong but very respectful tone says

I think that it is best that we are prepared for anything, however I am more concerned that the Chief would think to touch you. If he is coming with us than I must be with you at all times for no man not even the chief may touch you. This is very troubling we must be very careful.

[trixie]

Yuralria quietly nods her head, and lowers her eyes in shame.

"Thank you Ogtuk-luk. You are a faithful protector. I don't know what I'd do without you."

She sits, staring at the commotion, and tries to clear her head and calm her nerves for a moment.