Chapter 13
March 31
Each Ranch
The next morning Wilhelm was still with them, though he had a cough and had slept poorly overnight. Enough time had passed that Alex again invoked his healing blessing which helped a lot, the coughing stopping immediately. The men decided that having Alex with Wilhelm was a wise precaution and the team would stay at the ranch. They expected Jessica to come out later that day, which also meant they would need to stay close to the ranch. Bull and Sam went over to the forge and again began to work on the team’s weapons.
Tom spent the morning working with his horse and two dogs. While Tom was spending time out in the fields working with his animals he saw an Indian walking in his direction from the fence line. As Tom was trying to get his mind bonding to work he continued what he was doing. The Indian continued to walk towards Tom and stopped abut 10 feet away, tilting his head and watching. After about a minute the Indian got a smile on his face and sat down. Tom’s younger dog, Kai, short for kaiser, one of the half breed mutts, walked over to where the Indian sat, tail wagging. Tom, startled, watched the normally unfriendly animal heading over like the stranger was a long-lost friend. “Careful Kai is not usually friendly” He warned.
The Indian put his hand out for the dog to sniff and the dog ignored the hand and rolled over next to the Indian. He smiled and began to rub the dog’s chest and belly while Kai wiggled happily on the ground. Tom, not sure what was going on stood up and walked over,
“Tom Shultz” sticking his hand out.
Sit “Mr. Shultz” the Indian replied ignoring the hand.
“Sir, did you do something to my dog?” Tom ignored the request or command for him to sit.
“I am Napi, we should talk, sitting would be more comfortable, Mr. Shultz” said the Indian.
Tom noticed Jager, his Tahltan Bear Dog and Lair, his mount come over on either side of him. “Mr. Napi, what are you doing to my animals?”
“Please, just Napi, sit and talk, please.”
“Answer my question Mr. Napi.” Tom shifted his stance to a more balanced position.
“Always so distrusting, your companions know me as friend” came the reply.
“Mr. Napi, I need to know what you are doing to my animals.”
“Nothing, are you turning down my gift, Mr Shultz?”
“What gift, I don’t know you.”
“Veho, always distrustful, not always bad thing Mr. Shultz.”
“What is it you want here Mr. Napi?”
Napi slowly stood. “Mr. Shultz, I would give some help and advice, though you seem to want neither. Tell your Knight that he must fill his Lance soon, else his mission fail. Many have noticed him.” With that Napi turned and started to walk away.
“Hey, wait, what do” Tom started to say reaching out to touch the Indian, who just suddenly disappeared. Tom looked around feeling spooked. He turned and mounting Lair, rode back to the forge, his dogs ranging ahead. Arriving at the ranch Tom entered the stable to take basic care of Lair. Then he went to the foundry to find Sam.
“Just had a visitor, I think. Got a minute to come talk?”
“Be a few more minutes Tom, have to make sure we don’t ruin this.”
“I’ll be outside” Tom went out and watched out over the fields he just came in from.
Sam and Bull set things to where they would not be ruined, banked the forge and came out to join Tom.
“Okay”, said Sam “Who do you think may have visited you?”
“Had an older gent, called himself Napi. Never have seen Kaizer roll over and act so friendly to a stranger.”
“Have to be something more then that.” Said Sam.
Jager and Lair both came over to pay attention to him. Lair normally would have just hung back grazing. Napi didn’t shake and wouldn’t answer my questions. Then” Tom shook his head, taking a deep breath and a heavy exhale, “accused me of turning down his gift, not that he offered anything. Next, he sent you a message, By your rank in the order. He called you, my knight.”
The three men looked at each other, they had mentioned the Supreme Order of Christ to some others, not a lot.
“Alright Tom give it to me.”
“Napi said fill your Lance soon or our mission will fail.” The men stood for a minute looking at each other, thinking. “Let’s go get Alex.” Sam said. The men walked over to the main house. Tom and Bull stopped outside while Sam went in.
“Alex, how is Mr. Wilhelm doing?” “I may be a healer but I ain’t no doctor. He seems to be breathing easy and restin quiet.”
Sam looked to the teenager, “Miss Mary, I need to borrow my man here. If your granpa gets to rambunctious you run out to get us at the forge.”
Mary looked at them, a determined look on her face, “I can do that Mr. Maclachlan.”
The men went out and Sam led them back to the forge. “Tom, please tell Alex what you told us.” After Tom told Alex what had happened, they once again looked at each other.
“Do we believe this, Indian. How did he even know so much?” asked Bull.
The men exchanged looks.
Sam said “Guide” A soft glow started in the rafters of the forge. “Guide, we need some help here.” Sam said.
“True” came the reply.
“Not something you are just going to help us with?” A pause, then Sam began again, “Guide, please tell us about Tom’s Indian visitor.”
“Which one?” was the response.
They looked at each other.
“Guess this is a hint we are doing the whole dogmen not werewolves again.” Said Bull.
“Guide, please tell us of the Indian called Napi that visited Tom this morning.” Said Sam.
“There was no Indian called Napi visiting this morning” came the reply.
Tom looked into the rafters “Guide tell me who this visitor calling himself Napi is.”
“Napi, or Old Man and his wife, Kipitaki, Old Woman, are of the Blackfoot. He can be a trickster, a troublemaker, and a foolish being, but he is also a well-intentioned demigod who helped shape the land of the Blackfeet.”
“Thank you Guide” said Tom.
“Now, Guide is this message about forming our Lance quickly one that is true?” asked Sam.
“Do you remember your Psalms? In Psalm 90. Line 4? Recite them with me.” The words appeared in the blue screen before each of them, “For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.” Guide continued, “The time for man and immortals pass at the same rate. But what is soon, that is not always the same.”
“You did not answer my question.” Started Sam, the light in the rafters began to dim, “Guide, is soon hours, days, weeks or maybe even Months as man measures time.”
“Gather your Lance, your troop, the 5 each to aid each of you, your workers and those who will live in Refuge. Quick is good, correct is better, you should be working on Refuge no later than May of this year.” The light in the rafters dimmed and went out.
“Okay unless someone has something now?” Sam looked at each man, “Everyone back to what we are working on today, put some thought, make that prayer into who we should try to get to join. We will talk and make plans once we see once Jessica gets here with whoever she is bringing.” The men turned and headed back to the tasks they had set themselves.
Veho: Spider spirit, trickster, slang for white man in the Cheyenne language.
I like your plot, characters and premise. I particularly like that you have groups of beings from diverse cultures and mythologies banding together to fight evil. Having the characters see their Character sheets, and having them level up as a result of their adventures, is a nice touch.