Strange Owl Chapter 1
This story has 9 chapters. I haven't touched it in a few years.
Strange Owl
Chapter 1
At my naming ceremony I was given the name Strange Owl. I was found wrapped in a unusual blanket made of strange feathers in a hidden glen by hunters who had been lead there by a Snowy Owl. Guarding me they say, was a Golden Eagle and a Red Tail Hawk and a Screech Owl. Once the hunters appeared, these birds of prey jumped into the sky, circled and then vanished before their astonished eyes.
As a child I watched and studied all that was showed to me by Elders and the women. I am told I was swift of foot and silent when I ran and that I could appear without warning when ever I was needed before I was called. I was thought well of by the people because I was quiet, thoughtful and of a generous nature.
That all changed when I reached the age of 20.
It was on a still and calm night and all the people were by the fire; eating, telling stories, singing and there was much laughter. I was sitting there listening to the stories being told of a Man Bird that once been sighted by the Shaman of the village many years ago. This Man Bird was built strong like the peoples fiercest of warriors but on his back was two huge wings and they were magnificent. This Man Bird was hunting with bow and arrow just like the peoples warriors and he was tracking a wild boar. When this Man Bird jumped into the sky and spread his wings, the Shaman noticed that the feet changed into the claws of a bird of prey.
While listening to this story, I felt a shudder come from within my body. This was noticed by one of the women near me. "You cannot be cold, Child." "Why do you shiver?" she whispered. I just shrugged and told her it was nothing. Looking concerned, the woman turned back to listen to the continued stories.
I was no longer listening. I felt so strange! My whole body felt hot and itchy and I began to sweat like I was in the sweat lodge. This did not go un-noticed by the woman once again who called out loudly to me.
"Strange Owl, are you ill?" This stopped the story teller and the people turned to look in my direction.
By then I was trying to scratch at my shoulder blades. They were itching as if the black ants were crawling on me. I was standing up and swinging my arms around trying to get at my shoulders. Now everyone were standing and looking alarmed saying "What is wrong?" "Is she ill?" Hands reached out to assist me and I could not stand their touch. "Stop!" I screamed as I tried backing away. The people were becoming upset at my distress. "Is something biting her?" asked an Elder. And that is when it happened.
My hands started to curl and my nails began to turn black and extend outwards. I screamed in pain. The people could only look on in horror. The warriors...men who I had grown up with as a child and into young adult hood, grabbed their bows and spears and pointed them in my direction. "No! Don't!" I screamed at them. The women were grabbing the children and pulling them away from me. Children I had played with, children I had help raise. "Shape-Shifter! Shape-Shifter!" the women screamed as they raised the alarm.
Then another thing happened that made everyone struck dumb with silence. From my shoulders a ripping sound was heard, like a wolf stripping the bones bare. I dropped to me knees in agony and I screamed anew as two forms extended from my shoulder blades. These forms then pulled out and away from my body and hung out at my sides with a slick and slimy sucking sound. They were huge wings! The silence was deafening as the people looked at them in awe. Even the crickets were quiet.
Another sound caught the people attention, but away from my bloody form. All eyes turned to the East of the fire and they saw the Shaman and the Chief standing there. The Shaman had hit his walking staff upon a stone to get the attention away from me. Slowly the people parted and the Shaman and the Chief walked down their path to stand in front of me.
"So, Strange Owl. Your true form has come!" said the Shaman in a quiet but firm voice.