Anung left his village early the next morning. He followed the path that headed East. All the people of his village watched him enter the forest. Each of his mothers cried her sorrow and each of his fathers called out his last advice.
He carried his pouch with food and the gifts the people had given him. Inside the pouch was his sling. Tied to his back were his snowshoes, as he was prepared for a long voyage that could take him through the winter. Over one shoulder was his father’s drum and over his other shoulder was his bow and a quiver of the finest arrows each father crafted for him.
All morning he could stay true to his course by following this path through the forests that blanketed the first low ridges. These forests were familiar to him, for his people traveled this path many times.
When the sun reached its peak the path came to a small river and followed along its bank to the South, Zwaawanong.
Anung drank some water and filled his water bottle, and rested.
If he stayed on the path he had been following he would not be heading East towards the place where he hoped to find the greatest chief of his people. If he stayed to his true direction he would be walking deep into the forests where he’d never traveled before and that made him so afraid.
As he sat there wondering what he should do, a voice spoke to him. Anung jumped to his feet in surprise and looked all around.
He saw no one about.
When the voice spoke again it called his name. “Anung, your journey takes you away from the paths of your village.” That is when Anung saw that it was Turtle sitting on a log at the riverbank speaking these words to him.
“Hello Turtle. How do you know I am on a journey?”
“A young man who is still a boy would only travel so far from his village all alone if he was on a journey.”
Anung told Turtle of his vision, and that his journey had just begun.
“I will go with you,” said Turtle, “for I too would like to see the greatest chief of all the people. My great ancestor Mishee Mackinakong carries all the people of the First Nations on his back. I must see how the greatest chief of all the people honors Mishee Mackinakong.”
When Turtle asked to come along on Anung’s quest, Anung picked up Turtle and put him in his pouch. They crossed the river and walked into the dark forest where there was no path to guide their way.
Anung was afraid of the dark forest but he hid his fear by telling Turtle stories about his village and his mothers and his fathers. As they journeyed on, soon he forgot he was afraid.