Soulmates Ch. 05

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CHAPTER FIVE

The day had started early. Bags were packed the night before and left next to the lift. Richard and Dee were over at Eric's apartment having breakfast together with him and Maria and they started explaining what was going to happen. After breakfast, they started putting their gear in the SUV and Dee quickly send out emails saying they had business outside of town, they would be back in a weeks time and giving them a satellite number in case of emergencies.

After an hour, they were off towards Ulisi's home to pick her up and then the five Cherokees were off towards their homelands to the north.

Everyone had noticed big changes in Ulisi, she seemed more younger, though they just took it as being around the other Cherokees, to bring that life back to her and by releasing her wolf after such a long time.

After nine hours on the road, Eric turned off the highway and down a dirt track. Maria was amazed with the wildlife she was seeing. Richard explained that this was their homeland and bought the land years ago and made it into a reserve. The only people who were allowed to hunt were the ones who lived there, who were also Cherokee of tribe and who knew of their secret.

When they came out into a clearing, there was a large cabin like building on one side of the road and on the other side there was teepees standing along with other types of traditional homes. Maria couldn't help but stare at them, she was totally amazed, it felt like she was transported back in time.

Eric parked the car next to the large building and they started to unpack. A older man came up with a large smile. "Welcome home warriors" then clasped their arms in the traditional welcome.

Eric smiled. "It's good to be back, old friend." He turned to the side a little. "Let me introduce you to Ulisi and Maria."

The old man smiled. "I'm Charlie, I'm the current chief til Eric decides to step up." Then looked back to Eric. "So what's the plan boss?"

That was one thing he liked about Charlie, he was always straight to the point. "Ceremony tonight night on the first night of the cycle. If their staying here, tell them, their to go to the main house and not to leave til dawn. That will be for the next three nights after tonight."

Charlie nodded his understanding. "Got it, I'll call a meeting now." He then headed away from them.

By the time they were half way thru unpacking the SUV, a bell was rung and people started to head towards the main house. By the time they had fully unpacked, everyone was inside and Eric sighed, "I'll be back soon. Take them home would ya Richard."

Richard nodded, picking up their own gear along with Eric's, then headed towards the woods and Eric towards the main house.

* * * * *

As soon as Eric was inside, people smiled seeing him. He smiled and said a quick hello to a few of the older members as he headed to the front of the room. Once everyone was silent he started. "Every one of you knows what I am. You teach our history to our children that one day they might join me with Brother Wolf. I know we usually only do the ceremony once a year but I'm here now to do it tonight for my mate. Most of you have heard what it involves and as such, as soon as the sun starts to set, I want everyone in this building. You are not to leave til dawn. If I catch anyones scent outside, I won't beable to promise your safety."

There were mummers around the building. The tribes elders nodded. "You know what's best for us, so we'll follow your lead, Eric." one of them said.

He bowed his head to the elders and looked around at the younger people of the tribe. "If any of you want to head back to the city, I suggest you get ready now. And those curious, I highly suggest you do as I said about staying indoors. Like I said, I won't beable to promise your safety. If you are curious. Wait til you hear the wolves and look out the windows and you will see why I'm giving you this warning."

He made sure it sunk in with what he said before leaving them to do what they were doing. Charlie walked with him outside and sighed. "Gray Wolf, a few of them are talking take over. They think they have what it takes to be chief."

Eric chuckled. "That will never happened. I placed you as chief for a reason. But I'll be sure they understand what they are thinking. If they start freaking out, we'll get Richard to alter their memories and remove them from the tribe."

Charlie nodded. "Alright. I just wanted to make sure you knew what was going on before the ceremony, just in case there's trouble."

Stopping at the edge of the forest and shaking hands again, Eric headed into the forest as Charlie headed back to the building.

* * * * *

Their camp was in a small clearing, and consisted of two large teepees painted in their traditional symbols of being warriors and family of the tribe. The emblem of Brother Wolf was painted on the flaps that were considered doors. In the center of the clearing there were rounded stones for the ceremony and to the side there was darkened soil from past open fires.

After they had packed their gear away, Eric smiled and handed Maria a small bundle. "Put this on for me." Softly kissed her lips before he went into one of the other teepees.

She followed into the womens teepee and started to unwrap the outfit. She blinked a little then smiled seeing a small branch inside the clothing. She held it up to show Dee and Ulisi and they both smiled brightly at her. In their tribes traditions. If a man wants to claim a woman, he would give her a branch. If she showed him using the branch to start a fire, he would know she accepted to be his woman. If she didn't use the branch, it would mean she rejected him. Maria knew what her answer was straight away and couldn't wait for Eric to return from the hunt.

Dee giggled as the women were getting dressed. She couldn't help but stare at Ulisi, she seemed more different than before, even Maria noticed it. Ulisi looked over to them. "The wolf is getting stronger, so she's making me strong. Wait til I turn back after the first night," she said with a twinkle in her eyes.

The women got dressed in deer hid breech clothes and small vests to go with them. As Maria changed and was about to slip the vest on. Ulisi shocked her. "When did you get that young lady?"

Maria turned slowly and buttoned up the vest. "Get what Gran?"

Ulisi walked straight over to her, pulling the shoulder of the vest down and tapped a tattoo on the back of her shoulder. "That."

Maria and Dee just stared at her, both in shock. They had only ever known her as blind, how could she possibly see now. Maria softly said, "I got it when I was sixteen.... How come you can see? Or have you always been able to see and just pretended to be blind?"

Ulisi shook her head. "You should of told me you got it done." Having a better look at it. "I was blind, it's because of the herbs I took to make my wolf sleep. The wolf is a predator, it has to see where it's kill is going to beable to stay strong. Going blind is one of the effects to put the wolf to sleep. I won't get my brown eyes again, they'll end up being as they are now with a pale blue. They probably won't get any darker than they are now. But I will beable to see clearly if you decide to mark your body again, young lady."

Dee was curious. "What other effects will happen?"

Grinning. Ulisi said, "After this cycle, I'll be the women I should of always been." Not elaborating any further than that.

By the time they women had finished dressing and preparing themselves. The brothers had made a fire and took out their old weapons and laughing to each other. "Just like the old days, brother."

But they stopped when the women walked out of the tent. Eric couldn't keep his eyes off of Maria. He felt like he traveled back in time and back in the tribe. He softly said, "Wow."

Richard smiled at Dee and bowed his head to her to which she returned, then he grabbed Eric's arm and started half dragging him into the forest to hunt.

Dee went over to Richard, lacing her arm around his waist. "That sneaky old wolf can see again and she didn't tell us."

Richard blinked and Eric looked up and said, "You can see?"

Ulisi smirked. "Yes, I stopped taking the herbs and all of my senses are returning. By tomorrow I'll be the woman I should be." She stood there with her hands on her hips. "Shouldn't you two be off hunting for the ceremony by now."

Eric put his hands up as if he was wanting to stop a lecture before it came. "Ok, ok, we're going," he said chuckling, then quickly gave Maria a quick kiss before dragging Richard away from Dee's kiss.

* * * * *

Eric and Richard decided to hunt the human way. They headed straight towards one of the well-used deer tracks and followed the freshest tracks towards their targets. But something else caught their attention. Both men weren't able to completely shut off their senses and smelt a bear was in the area.

Richard looked over to Eric as they stopped and softly said, "The tribe hunts and we can't exactly have a bear in the area, just in case something happens to one of them."

Eric nodded. "So guess we're going bear hunting," he said with a grin.

Richard nodded with a chuckle. "Same rules tho, no shifting for you."

Eric shrugged and started to track the bear. "Yeah, it's no fun taking it down within the first minute."

After about an hour and further into the mountains, they had finally caught up with the large male grizzly, Eric put his bow and quiver down next to Richard and Richard handed him his dagger.

Eric took his own dagger out and held both and grinned. "Just like the old days, brother." Before standing up and walking towards the bear.

Richard knew what Eric was meaning. When they were human and they went bear hunting, Eric would do close range combat while Richard did range. They had always been in-tuned with each others movements so other than Eric ending up with injuries from the bear, he would never be hit with the arrows that Richard released.

The bear looked up when Eric exposed himself and roared, but Eric didn't flinch at all so the bear ran at him to make it's attack.

Eric reminded himself to relax and think human, even tho his wolf was howling to be released. He started to stab the bear when it opened it's chest to the attacks. But he made sure that the hide wouldn't be to damaged, so with each attack Eric made, he made them exact but deadly towards the bear. Richard also took his time releasing the arrows, making sure each one counted.

The fight went on for just over ten minutes before the bear was finally taken down. Even with the injuries the bear had given him, they were already healing. Sweat beaded across Eric's chest and he sat down on the bears chest as he caught his breath. Richard grinned at his brother. "I'll let you get to carrying it back to camp. See ya there."

Eric looked up and shook his head. "I did all the work so you can do that."

They both started laughing and once Eric had calmed down enough, Eric grabbed the bears front paws and Richard grabbed its back paws as they started back towards camp.

* * * * *

The women back at camp were preparing items around the fire.

Dee and Ulisi felt the nerves coming from Maria so made sure she kept busy. Once everything was in place, Ulisi took Maria by the hand and took her over to the rugs that they placed and sat her down.

"I guess we should explain what's going to happen tonight so you won't be a bundle of nerves." Ulisi started.

Maria looked up with a bit of hope and remained silent as she was talked thru it.

Ulisi patted her hand. "When he comes to meet you, answer any questions truthfully. If there's any shadow of doubt in your heart, he'll know it. And always remember, Eric's wolf wouldn't of chosen you without knowing your the one. So never doubt your emotions, because I can feel you wanting him just as much as he wants you."

The young Cherokee listened and nodded lightly, then smiled a little. "What's the worse that can happen. The wolf spirit will think I'm unworthy to be given the wolf. That won't mean I can't stay with Eric. So whatever happens, as long as I'm with Eric, I don't mind."

* * * * *

By the time the brothers had returned from their hunt. The women were relaxed and singing old songs in their native language to the spirits.

As soon as Maria saw the bear, she gasped. "Oh my." Which made Dee and Ulisi look over to see the kill and they had the same expression as Maria.

The brothers grinned at the response from the women before placing the bear down gently. Maria went over to it and lightly ran her fingers thru the thick fur and knelt down, she lowered her head and moved her lips in a silent prayer.

The others watched her curiously before going back to work to make sure everything was set up for when the moon would appear within the next hour.

Maria moved her hand across the bears head one more time before standing up to see what else she could do. But before she did anything to help them, she made sure everyone was watching and placed the branch Eric had given her and made a small fire next to the large one. Letting them all know along with the spirits that she accepted Eric as her mate.

* * * * *

Once the moon had risen. Richard and Dee moved to the side of the camp with Maria and started to sing the song of the wolf. Ulisi and Eric cut their palms and allowed their blood to pool in their palm and stood at the front and back of Maria so she was between them as the first rays of the moon hit their camp.

Eric started first, speaking in their native tongue. "The goddess of the moon and earth, I call you forward to let brother wolf come to us. I, Gray Wolf am calling you, brother." he spoke as he painted blood emblems on Maria.

Once he was done, Ulisi moved up to Maria calling out, "The goddess of moon and earth, I call you forward to let brother wolf come to us. I, Baby Deer am calling you, brother." As she too painted designs on Maria.

They continued to make the calls to Brother Wolf until the moon was high in the sky and then the three of them sat down and began to sing, to see if their calls would summon him.

They waited another hour before a shooting star, shot across the sky and then it seemed to curve back towards them. Everyone but Maria knew what was going on. The three of them stood up and Maria inched back a little. Her nerves started to show.

As the star got closer, Maria could see it was a wolf running thru the night sky. She stepped forward a little and watched it. It was a large white wolf that glowed brightly like a star. Just before the wolf touched the earth, it trotted up and sniffed the air and howled.

Eric and Ulisi howled with the wolf before the howls ended and the wolf walked up to them, bowing its head to them. In a deep growling voice, "You call me brother and sister?"

Eric nodded to the wolf. "Yes brother. I wish to take this human as my mate." He motioned towards Maria.

Brother Wolf looked at the young Cherokee woman and nodded then looked at the kill. "For me?" He walked over to the bear and sniffed it.

Eric answered. "Yes, the kill is for you."

The wolf took in the scent from the bear and looked over to the human and slowly stalked towards her. "Come with me human."

Maria looked a little nervous and looked over to Ulisi and Eric to see them both nod to her. She took the final steps towards the large wolf and he turned around, picking up the bear by the scruff of the neck before dragging in into the forest with Maria following.

* * * * *

Maria stayed close to the wolf as he lead her deeper into the forest. The only light was that of the moon which seemed to show the way for easier walking. After a long time, they came into a clearing and the wolf dropped the bear and he walked around to the other side of it, he shifted into a Cherokee man covered in a wolf skin. He stretched a bit and looked over to Maria. "Tell me what your feeling, human," he asked as he crouched down, taking a dagger out and began to skin the bear.

Maria never took her eyes off of what he was doing, then jumped a little with his question. His voice seemed softer than as a wolf so started to relax a little more. "Nervous," she said simply. He stopped the skinning and looked up with question so she continued. "Nervous, because your going to judge me to see if I am Gray Wolf's mate or just someone who he believes I am to be it."

He grinned, showing the sharp teeth of the wolf and shook his head. "I know who his mate is. So I don't have to judge you at all, human." He looked her over and shrugged. "You are not his mate, what do you think of that?" Then looked down to continue skinning the bear.

She watched him silently for a long time before answering. "Then I will be there for him until he finds his mate."

He paused for a moment with her answer. "You will beable to give him up for someone else?"

She sighed and sat down and ran her fingertips across the grass. "If we weren't to be then so be it. But I'll always love him, even if I'm not meant to be with him forever. But yes, I would give him up, so he can have true happiness." Her voice soft, it was easily heard she was upset but her voice had honesty in it.

Brother Wolf didn't look back at her as his knife slipped under the fur of the bear, he maneuvered it around with ease. "You blessed the bear? Why? What did you say?"

Maria looked over to him then the bear. "Yes, because it was a living creature. I thanked the spirits for allowing the kill and for the bear for giving its life to us."

He paused when she spoke then nodded before going silent again. His dagger slipping around the head of it before going back down over it's front paws. It seems to take hours but it was only twenty minutes if that for him to have the skin off and wrapping it up and taking it over and putting it down beside her. "Leave so I can eat in peace."

She quickly got up, picking up the fur and nodding. "I wish you a good evening, Brother Wolf."

He shifted back to his wolf form and started to eat to which she turned and headed back towards the camp.

* * * * *

She took her time before returning to camp. Her hand moving lazily over the head of the bear and she was deep in thought. She snapped out of it when she heard Eric call out, "Maria, your back!" And she looked up and smiled to him.

Ulisi took the fur from her as Eric gave her a tight hug. "Wasn't to bad to meet him was it?"

She shook her head and softly said, "It wasn't, but I'm not your mate." Before turning away to help Ulisi clean the fur to tan it.

Eric looked at her as she walked away. There was pain across his face when she said she wasn't his mate. How could that be. Even his wolf was pacing and growling at those words. Both, man and wolf knew she was, why didn't she believe she was now. Anger flashed in his eyes for a moment before Richard placed a hand on his shoulder. "Relax brother."

Eric growled at him before going over to Maria. "What do you mean your not my mate, Maria. We both know you are. What's changed now?"

Maria didn't look up to him as she concentrated on salting the hid and then helped Ulisi hang it up to dry. "He said I wasn't the chosen one to be your mate," she finally said after a very long time.

Eric went over to her as Ulisi, Richard and Dee headed into the forest to leave them alone. He moved his hand against her cheek to make her look up to him. He softly said, "I don't care what anyone says. You are the woman I want." Hugging her tightly.

She was still for a long time in his hug before tears rolled down her cheeks and wrapped her arms around him. "I'll be here for you til my last breath. I have and always will love you, Eric."