Chapter 10

The fresh morning breeze gave Tsemo the shivers, because of his wet coat from the torrential rain of the night before. He squatted down in the downwind side of pile of driftwood to catch the first rays of the sun. Blinded by sun rays he closed his eyes and involuntarily concentrated his mind on Laong. In his mind’s eye he visualized his first encounter with Laong, the boy’s unexpected request to become a shaman, their closeness all through the night and later the sudden transformation of Laong from a boy with a crackling voice to a young man with a smooth alto. Was it his vivid imagination or something unnameable, Tsemo’s mind suddenly blended with the one of Laong and he saw a heartsick student waiting for his teacher at the next bend of the Bredd-ström.

With closed eyes Tsemo rose to his feet and like in a dream he tackled the next leg of his search for Laong along the stream. The straight course of the river through the hilly land turned into to a meandering route in a flat plain. The strong current of the wild stream had eroded the soil on its outside bank and has deposited the fines opposite bank. The cut bank was steep and unstable. Earlier in the year the high snow melt had exposed the roots of the bushes and trees growing along the edge of the bank. The bigger trees growing to close to the cliff were in danger to be washed away during the next high water. Most of the trees still stood tall except an old willow tree with a dead top. The willow’s root ball was already partially exposed and its half-rotten trunk was hanging way above over the rapid current. Some branches were already touching the water surface.

Already from the distance Tsemo’s sharp eyes caught a small dark figure perched on the tree trunk far out above the high water. Squinting against the sun he took it for a big bird, a fish hawk he thought. Coming closer the shape looked far too big for even a bird of prey. Then he realized who was sitting on the tree trunk. It was Laong. Laong was sitting enveloped in his dark coat on the slightly swaying tree. His head was bowed and his feet tangling were nearly touching the rapid-flowing water. Tsemo sneaked up on Laong but didn’t dare to call upon him for fear to scar him. Laong however had already recognized the shaman.

“Don´t come closer! Leave me alone!” he shouted. Laong’s voice sounded hoarse. He snivelled, “Stay away! Leave me alone!”

Tsemo felt at loss! “Laong! Laong! Come! I am so happy you are alive! We have searched for you the whole night! Aegir, Buri and I, we have searched for you every place we could imagine!” Laong however didn’t answer. “I am so happy now, that I found you! We missed you! I missed you!” Tsemo put out his heart to Laong, “I need you! I love you!”

When Tsemo wanted to enter the tree, Laong warned “Stay away! I am not worth it! You should not care for me! Nobody should care for me!

Meanwhile the sun was up in the sky and bathed the countryside with her rays. “If you don’t want to come down from he tree, then at least tell me why! I am your friend! I love you!”

“I am worthless! I am useless! I am worthless as shit! Nobody needs me! I can’t steer a boat like Aegir, I can’t make weapons like Buri, I can’t make remedies like you! Never I will be able to obtain the skills you have!”

“You are a good hunter, Laong! You can use a bow and arrow much better than Aegir. You are better scout than anyone of us! You know all about the animals in the fields and the woods! Why do you think you are minor to us?” When Laong didn’t move, “Please come down from the tree! We need you for the sun quest!” and then with a low voice, “I need you as my friend! I can’t live without you anymore!”

After a long time Laong came balancing back along the swaying trunk. He jumped down from tree trunk! Before he touched the ground He Tsemo caught him and took him in long, long hug and then the two began to dance a ring-a-ring-of-roses.

~.~.~

The big river’s current was fast, even in the proximity of the shore. Taking the dugout Aegir and Buri made the distance to the river-bend in about one third of the time Tsemo had needed by walking, including even the three stops. At the third stop Buri found foot-prints Tsemo had left in the sand.

“I am sure Tsemo is ahead of us!” he called to Aegir, “From now on we must pay much more attention to the shore! It’s still dusky!”

“Don´t worry, the sun will soon be up! Come on hurry! We can’t miss him then!”

The high rising riverbank at the cut-bank was densely covered by trees with exception of the small edge immediately at the steep cliff. “Let’s have another stop before the bend! It safer to check for Tsemo’s tracks, maybe he took a shortcut through the wood.”

“I have to stretch my legs anyway and examine my sprained ankle. It hurts. Meanwhile you can search for Tsemo’s tracks.”

Passing the little grove obscuring the view around the bend Buri´s eye caught two persons on its further end. Squinting against the rising sun he immediately felt confident that the small figure on the bank was Tsemo. But who was the one balancing upright along the tree-trunk hanging far out into the river touching the fast current with its branches? For a moment Buri became frightened as the man jumped down at Tsemo. But what was looking like a wrestling battle between fierce enemies at first, turned soon into a tight embrace and a dance of joy a moment later.

Buri was about to shout with glee, when Aegir put his hand around his mouth from behind. “Hush, don’t disturb the boys! Let’s sneak up and take them by surprise!”

Like weasels Aegir and Buri sneaked up to their friends and just arrived when Tsemo asked, “Why did you climb the tree? Why did you look for a place on an old, rotten tree exposed to the raging stream? The tree could have broken and washed away by the current and you with it! Why for heavens sake did you do this?”

Laong closed his eyes and swallowed down his tension, “It was truth and dare!” then trying to hide his nervousness, “No, it only was truth or dare as long I was on solid ground. As soon I was far out on the tree-trunk swaying in the raging torrent I lost my heart. Suddenly I knew I was at the mercy of the Timeless. I prayed! I wanted a judgement of the Gods! “Sisters of fate, give me a sign!” I was praying, “Let break the tree, throw me into the current and let me die! It’s not my choice anymore!” He raised his head and looked into Tsemo’s eyes, “The tree didn’t break. The Weird Sisters didn’t want my life! I waited! There was nothing I could do, just wait!”

Aegir and Buri had been listening with rising emotion. Finally the dark-skinned youngster couldn’t control his feelings anymore. He rushed ahead, embraced Laong and nearly flung him on the ground, “You stupid boy! Don’t you know we need you? Don’t you know you are member of the crew, the crew of the sun seekers? Don’t you know we are friends?” then he looked to Tsemo as if to ask for permission to tell a secret, “Tsemo loves you! Don’t you know you stupid boy? I know, Aegir knows! You cannot imagine how Tsemo was desperate when you vanished without a trace!”

“Yes Tsemo was!” Aegir stated, “Tsemo would have walked to the end of the world to get you back!”

~.~.~

At noon they were back at the camp, happy and tired but full of new plans. “Lets rest, we all need sleep and tomorrow morning we will tackle the next leg of our voyage!” Aegir told the others looking for a sunny spot for to sleep.

Buri joined him soon on the fur blanket. Before he closed his eyes he looked over to Tsemo and Laong, who had made their bed behind a shrub putting forth the new leaves. “Look, how happy they are! I bet they make love as soon they feel confident that we are sleeping!”

Aegir smiled and took Buri in a hot embrace, “I guess they must wait! I am horny and don’t mind if they witness our love.”

Under the screen of flowering shrub Laong snuggled up to Tsemo. For the first time in his life he felt confident that their future would turn out all right. However he still had a question that wrecked his mind, a question only Tsemo could answer. “Tsemo!” he didn’t know how to start, “Tsemo! Is it true that shamans are immortal?” as Tsemo shook his head, “No, not immortal!” Laong began again. “I want to know if a shaman is the reincarnation of another shaman, a shaman who had been living way back. I want to know if the mind, the spirit of a shaman is immortal. Can you tell me? Can you tell me if my mind is the mind of a shaman whose body has withered away long ago?”

“Ask me a simpler question, Laong! I don’t know! I was told so by my teacher, the High Shaman, but only a few people remember their former life, their former identity. I don’t! But why are you asking?”

“Are there reports that somebody is reborn as a man, who was living in a woman’s body in his former life? Does he still show the preferences of a woman despite he is living in the body of a man?”

“I have not heard of a report like this. But there is something important you should know. A shaman is not only the reincarnation of a shaman living ages ago but he also has two spirits, has two minds. He has the empathy of a woman and the strength of a man. He is endowed with the talent of both sexes; he is soft and hard at the same time, kind and cruel, weak and strong. He can fall in love with a woman and he can fall in love with a man!” Tsemo fell silent but watched Laong affectionately, “Does this answer your questions?”

Laong also remained silent for a long time. He seemed to be deep in thoughts. “Yes, to some extent. Can I ask you a last question, something very personal?” when Tsemo nodded, he continued, “Ever since I can remember, I was more interested in boys than in girls. The older I became the more my interest in boys grew. While my peers all daydreamed about girls, I daydreamed about boys only. I like girls, I even liked to play around with girls, but I just mooned over boys.” then he turned red, “Since I met you, I just long for you!” As Tsemo didn’t react immediately, Laong leaped to his feet and ran away.

Tsemo caught him at the edge of the big stream, locked him in his arms and kissed him, “Laong, my Laong, never run away! Don’t you know by now that I am dreaming of a friend also, a friend just like you?”

~.~.~

From now on they were a well attuned team. Either Aegir or Laong were navigating the dugout from the stern while Buri or Tsemo kept the boat running smoothly sitting in the bow. They stayed away from the villages and camped out over night and only visited settlements to replenish their provisions. Once however they decided to stay for a day. Their attention was drawn to this place because of the many boat anchoring at the mooring. They were right. It was market-day and a perfect possibility to complete the equipment of Tsemo and Laong. In his haste to reach the boat the day after the equinox celebration Tsemo virtually had lost everything behind with exception of his dress and the sacred necklace he never took off. “I am poor as I was as a new-borne child,” he told the others, “but heaven always cared for me and he will do it again!” This time Buri did. He used the flints he had found and bartered some clothes for Tsemo to replace his torn ones and got a new shirt for Laong, because the boy had outgrown his.

Besides this all four checked the stalls and counters for object useful for the journey and last not least for objects made of moon-stone, for knives, charms and pendants. Late in the afternoon Aegir was lucky, “Hey Buri, look this small token. I have never seen something like this. It’s like a carved stone, but much thinner and has a picture of a man on it.”

“Can we have a closer look at this charm?” Buri asked the old merchant.

“No!” was the answer, “I do not think you are wealthy enough to buy it! Young man! It’s from a country far, far away.” then he eyed Buri with surprise. “Is your skin black or are you just a dirty swine?” then touching Buri’s arm, “That’s not dirt. Your skin is dark, dark like skin of the people who made this charm!”

“You are old and yours eyes blearily, but they are sharp enough to face the truth. I am black because my mother was black. She lived in the country you just mentioned and we are on our way to this country!” then he opened the collar of his shirt, “Look!” and he showed the old man the moon-stone crescent warning him. “Don’t touch it! It’s sacred!”

The merchant studied it for a long time, and then warned him, “You know it’s precious! You even could trade it for the hand of a chieftain’s daughter! Don’t show it around and leave the place as on the spot. Be careful!”

They heeded the advice, left the village and didn’t look for a place for the night till the moon was high up in the sky. Further down the river they took the boat out of the water and hid it from sight in a small wood before they kindled a fire to roast a rabbit they had bought at the market.

The meat wasn’t even done when a small boat put in and four men jumped ashore armed to the teeth. Buri had the presence of mind to take his weapons and hide in the reed belt some steps upstream. Aegir received the late visitors “Hello! Who is honouring us with a late visit? I and my small brothers want to spend the night here and attend the market tomorrow.”

Closemouthed the chief of the group planted himself threateningly in front of Aegir holding a knife on his throat while the others prowled the place. When the others returned from their search without Buri, he started an interrogation, “Where is the black guy? Don’t deceive me! I know he is around.” When Aegir shrugged his shoulders, he pointed at Laong and ordered a scary looking bum with a disfigured face, “Take that boy captive! And you check the bank further down.” he told his other two men. Then he turned to Aegir, “Spill the truth brother, if you love your life!” turning to the man with the disfigured face, “Hold a knife to the kid’s throat and stab it, stab the bird, if I don’t get the answer I want!”

While the scar-face tried to control Laong who was trashing around like mad, Tsemo suddenly grabbed a blazing branch and attacked the boss of the intruders. This was Buri’s chance. He aimed his bow to the leader and the feathered arrow hit the thug in the back. The tall guy turned around to locate the new enemy. This gave Aegir the chance to kick scar-face in the crotch. The man left hold of Laong and Tsemo pushed the cursing man into the fire.

The arrow went deep into the back of the thug. Cursing and swearing to take dire revenge he tried to pull out arrow with both hands. Buri took the chance, darted at him and knocked him into the fire also. With his hair on fire the robber’s boss screamed with pain and thrashed around like mad. It was not easy to put the man and scar-face in shackles but finally the four succeeded.

Alarmed by the racket two other villains came running back and were received by arrows. Shocked by unexpected reception they surrendered and were tied together with their immobilized companions.

Buri took over the task to question the scoundrels, “Why did you try to hold us up? What did you want? Who told you to rib us?” None of the thugs answered. “Why did you try to kill us?” So Buri took the gang leader’s arm and pushed him towards the fire, “I roast your ass, if you don’t answer, get it!” he yelled at him.

This threat cheered Laong up. He laughed, “No don’t, Aegir. That pussy just shit his legs! He sticks like a dead boar!” This eased the situation for a moment. But in the end Buri had to poke the guy his knife between the rips before the thug told them all they wanted to know. The story was simple. The old merchant had blown Buri’s secret to the chieftain for a fat reward and the greedy chief of the clan had offered a fat reward to those who would bring him the crescent of moon-stone.

“Let’s leave that place!” Aegir warned his friends, “It’s not safe to stay here. I bet another chasing pack will show up before the night is over.”

“Never trust a stranger, even if he looks like man of honour!” Buri added, talking of the merchant.

Buri ordered the villains to strip naked and threw the clothes into the Bredd-ström. Taking along the weapons of the robbers the four friends launched their dugout and hooked up the boat of the villains, “You have to find your way back by foot!” Aegir mocked at the robbers, “We take along your boat, because we don’t need a tail!” And Laong kicked their chief in the ass, “Just a little keepsake!” he laughed, “Never try your luck with strangers!”

~.~.~