"Ah, my son yes that is what I have also seen. I will be going back up to my place at the peak of the mountain in the morning; once I am there I will consult with Grandfather Great Spirit and all of his messengers to see what all of this means. As I am getting too old to make many more trips, I will need you to come up with your brother in two days time to tell you what I have found out. The next time I will be coming down will be the harvest blessing, unless Grandfather calls my spirit from my body to join him in the Great Hunting Grounds of the Heavens before then," he says with a sadness to his voice. Turning away he heads back into the lodge and lays down to sleep. Followed by Snow Fox.
As the morning sunshine broke through the creases of the hide that was across the lodge entry, little Fire Fox bounced off of the bedding and made a bee line straight to his Grandfather. With wide golden,amber eyes he peaked up to look at the sleeping Elder. Just as he had thought that he was safe the Elder spoke with closed eyes to him, "I have lived far too long to fall for the tricks of little fox kits and their mischievous ways. I lived through the raising of your father, Uncle and their sisters. I bet you didn't know they had sisters did you? Well climb on up here and I will tell you about it." Doing as he was told he climbed up to his Grandfather. He was fascinated by the old man and drawn in every time he spoke. There was a power to his words even when spoken in a gentile tone. He started of saying, "Hum, where to begin? Ah, I know. Your Uncle, Snow Owl was the first born child of your Mamaw and I. She was the most beautiful creature I had ever set eyes upon. She had a hard time bringing him into the world, but he was strong, so we knew he would be a great figure one day and is now Chief. A year later came two girls Snow Bird and Snow Drop. A couple more years passed and two more girls were born Snow Fern and Snow Berry. Not but nine months later came Snow Flower and your Father being the last and smallest born Snow Owl. We used the Snow in their names because all of them had been born in the winter. Each of the girls had an natural attribute from nature. Music, Water, Wind, Plants, and Animals, and most of them have grown to look just like your Mamaw. They except for Snow Flower married into the four clans that we are allied with amongst the Cherokee Nation. Snow Flower passed as a child due to fever after one hard winter of fever. That is what made your father decide to learn to be a Medicine man. He also struggled to live through the fever since he was smaller than the rest of his siblings. But once he started to train with the previous Medicine man and the Healer he grew to be wise and strong." Wiping away a tear as he recounted the past he let out a long sigh.
Calming himself back down he then changed to a more serious tone, "I have told your father to bring your uncle with him up the mountain in a couple of days. We have seen a vision in the skies that I will be consulting with Great Spirit about once I get back today. So I will be going away after we eat our morning meal. I wish for you to come as well. Even if your father says to stay, I know your curious nature, so follow down wind a small distance behind, unless he brings your that is." A wrinkled smile and a wink slowly graced his weathered face. Even at his old age there was still a cunning twinkle in his bright eyes. Standing up he dressed in his fringed shirt, Loincloth, and leggings. Lastly he put on his moccasins and bundled the hide painting up and placed it into a leather sack in preparation of his departure. Once he finished eating he grabbed a walking stick and bade everyone good bye.
Walking up the mountain his thoughts were consumed with what he had seen with his son in the clouds. A bright moon with the red and blue stars close at the sides, large canoes in the clouds. Seeing his grandson blessed by the Sun and linked to a faraway girl blessed by a celestial foxtail. Rubbing his chin he remembered something from his youth that a wolf clansman who was traveling had told him... Tall ships had come to land at the shores and had built strange buildings on the lands of the Powhatan, Croatan, Siouan, Algonquian, Wampanog and Passamaquoddy. The people were as pale as ghosts and had strange weapons that killed with the power of lightning and sounds of thunder. Stopping he clutched his chest and dropped his walking stick. Was such a thing to repeat itself in their lands? Is this what the signs meant? Turning his eyes to the sky and trying to understand he fell to his knees at the revelation. A moment later he grabbed his walking stick and used it to lift his body off of the path. Quickening his pace he headed without stopping to his home. Hours later he was regretting rushing and pushing himself as his body ached terribly. Yet his mind was full of so many things. Immediately he had a meal and set upon preparing what he needed for the rituals that he was to do to communicate with Great Spirit and receive visions to answer the questions that were weighing on him. Next he gathered the items needed to create a sweat lodge for when his sons arrived. Exhausted he fell asleep early and had a dreamless night.