The following day went much like the last few: Doc spent a little time before breakfast with Lia and Raindrop before heading to the testing grounds. He healed the last few tribe members who came to him, then watched the elders grade the crafters who’d brought their best items forward. With the warriors done, the testing was calmer, allowing Doc to relax more.
His meeting with the elders had simply been a refining of his plan. When they were leaving the lodge for the night, a score of elves arrived. Most of them were from the Muddy Creek tribe from the southern part of Vedana territory. Besides their contingent of fourteen, six others had arrived, two each from the Red Throat, Spiny Crest, and Duckwater tribes.
That evening, Doc finished being accepted as shaman by the tribes who’d originally been at the pau-wau. He’d felt a little odd having the much older Dancing Squirrel as his companion for the rite, but it went without problems.
~*~*~
Waking up the next morning, Doc was surprised that no one was beside him. Sitting up, he gave Rosa a smile; she was sitting to the side, watching him. “Good morning, my creepy Weed.”
“Good morning, Doc. Lia asked me to give you space this morning,” she pouted at him.
“Dancing Squirrel left?”
“She has a man to love her and would rather the joining be fuzzy than clear to her.”
Doc exhaled, rubbing at his face. “Now I feel like an ass.”
“That is why Lia wanted me to give you some space. She thought you would feel bad.”
Doc dropped his hands, but held out his arm. “Come here.”
She scurried on her knees to his side, hugging him. “It is okay, Voice.”
“And another tribe showed up last night,” Doc murmured.
“Which will likely mean another shaman rite,” Rosa said softly.
“Can you let our wives know what’s happening?”
“I did last night. That is why I stepped away during the dancing. They are fine with what you are doing, and just hope things end soon so you come back to them. No one is upset.”
“That has to be because their jealousy was removed,” Doc grumbled.
“Maybe a little, but they would have just pushed those feelings down if they still had them. They know what you are doing here and why it is important.”
Doc held Rosa close, closing his eyes to just breathe deeply for a moment. The scent of pine filled his nose and soothed him.
“I’m glad you enjoy my scent.”
“I do, and your taste.”
“I wouldn’t mind you having a taste right now, Voice,” Rosa’s words were husky and her eyes glowed brightly.
“Doc are you… Rosa?” Lia began, then transitioned to a question.
“He asked me to hold him,” Rosa answered.
Lia came in to sit next to his other side. “Are you okay, Doc?”
“Yeah… Just my mind trying to tell me that I’m a bad husband for doing what I did. You and Rosa reassure me, but that little bit of worry stays in the back of my mind.”
Lia snuggled against his other side. “I wish I could do more to help you, Doc. What you are doing is important. The tribes see hope for the first time since we were pushed into reservations. Rosa talked to our wives last night, and they agreed with me.”
“She told me. Like I said, it’s just my brain. I think it spiked a little because the Muddy Creek tribe arrived. Rosa, where are they from, exactly?”
“The Iberians called the place Meadow. I would need the map to show you… Oh, yes… that is the right area,” she corrected herself when Doc thought of the Las Vegas valley.
“Moapa,” Doc murmured. “It’ll work. They can help explain to the other tribes near there.”
“It’s time for breakfast. I have ours,” Lia said. “You need to get dressed.”
“What are the tests today?” Doc asked as Lia and Rosa stepped away, handing him his clothing.
“More of the crafters again. Gray Rabbit did well to separate things out like he did. Today will be the last day of the testing, though, and the last set of dances. It’ll be one of the few times a pau-wau extends past them if the Muddy Creek tribe wishes to talk longer than today.”
“What happens if they do?”
“The elders will meet after breakfast instead of at noon. If it goes into dinner, then the open dances will begin and continue until the pau-wau ends.”
Doc finished dressing and then stepped out with Lia. Taking his meal from her, they ate as they walked. He glanced around. “Where’s Yucca?”
“She went to speak to the Muddy Creek elder this morning. Her normal area of roaming was near their reservation. She thought it would help smooth things and speed them up if she explained to the elder before you meet with them,” Rosa said. “Also, Doc? You should look at your faith today.”
Doc frowned, but did as she said. He stopped walking as he stared at the page. “What in the hell?”
“Svetlana reached the capital of Tsarrus the other day. The Tsar sent out word that Lady Luck should be praised. It will spread rapidly,” Rosa giggled. “I think you can manage all your plans instead of just one or two now.”
“Weed?” Lia asked.
“Over one hundred thousand people prayed over the last couple of days,” Rosa smiled brightly.
“Goodness… that is impressive.”
“The clans of Tsarrus live in their underground cities, making them able to spread the word much quicker. The next couple of days will see that spike even more.”
Shaking his head, Doc started walking again. “Well, this will speed things up for the tribes, at least. I can take the upgrades for gifts that’ll shoot things much further down the track than I thought.”
“You are going to wait until the meeting?” Rosa asked, having been watching him.
“The impact will be greater at that point,” Doc said softly.
“Good morning, Shaman,” Wildflower said as she came up next to them.
Doc shifted from the English he’d been using all morning to Elvish, “Good morning, Elder.”
“It looks like the pau-wau will stretch for a few more days. Would you be willing to have me join you for dinner again?”
“For dinner, we would be honored. Depending on how things go today, I might have a different guest I need to host afterward.”
“Of course. The Muddy Creek will likely wish to do as we have. If not?”
“Dinner is fine, but as I said before, the other was only the once.”
Wildflower smiled. “Of course. I just wished to introduce your apprentice.”
“We would like to, as well,” Sunshine said, his wife and Bluewing with him. “If that is acceptable, Shaman?”
“A good point. We will discuss it during the lodge,” Doc said. “The others will want to add in, I’m sure.”
“For the best,” Wildflower nodded. “It’ll help with the Muddy Creek, too. When they see that all of us get apprentices, they will be more amenable to you being their shaman.”
“Shaman, do you mind if I sit with you during the testing today?” Bluewing asked. “I wanted to ask a few questions so I can better tell our possible child about their father.”
Doc’s eye twitched, but he kept the wince off his face. “Of course.”
“Ah, yes, that would be for the best,” Wildflower nodded. “I will join.”
“I will ask Raindrop if she’d like to join us,” Rosa smiled.
“Thank you, Rosa,” Doc said. “Before that, it looks like I have a few of the newcomers to heal.”
“Of course,” Sunshine chuckled. “Who wouldn’t want their injuries to heal?”
Doc didn’t have a reply to that.
~*~*~
Over the next few hours, Doc explained about himself, his life on Earth, and his goals for Mother’s survival. Bluewing and Raindrop were happy that Doc was half-elven, as it increased the chance for their children to look like elves. They understood why the elders were already talking about accepting half-elves as full tribal members.
What they wanted to hear the most about was Earth. They were fascinated that it’d been so similar to their world. The lack of other races was shocking, but the way that history on Earth looked so similar gave them hope. They trusted that Doc could make things better for Mother since he already had an idea of what would happen.
Yucca never showed up during the testing, but Doc spotted her sitting with the Muddy Creek tribe. The man she sat beside had a burn across the cheek. With him were mostly warriors, but also a woman sitting next to the chief like an equal. Doc figured she was the elder’s wife; he smiled, because he now had a way to bypass the need to sleep with her. All the faith he’d received from Tsarrus had given him a way to manage it. He could set down the burden of being the sole shaman all because of the dwarven clans.
Rosa watched his thoughts and she smiled. She was glad for him. His plan would remove the strain he’d been feeling and still push Luck’s hope of saving Mother. If they met up with Svetlana again, Rosa was going to thank her.