Timestamp: 7th of Fall, 503 AV Pashake sat cross-legged next to a small campfire staring into the flames. His breathing was steady, in through the nose and out through the mouth, and he watched the flames dance with one another as he would soon be dancing himself. Their shadows mingled with the keerdash branches above casting an eerie flickering glow over the area. It was the day his searching would begin. Pashake had seen the ceremony before, but he was unsure what would happen after he left. Could he bring weapons, food, his horse, or was he to be completely alone? Not that he wasn't used to being alone, he often felt that way ever since his mother died. Pashake's father was still alive, but they were nothing alike and as much as they might try Pash felt they would never understand each other. He often wondered how his parents even came together when they were so different. Sighing, Pashake let his mind wander back to happier times. He wandered back to a day when his mother still lived. Pashake's mother died two years prior, though he sometimes believed her spirit still lingered to watch over him. They were both spiritists, Pash and his mother, but Pashake had very little experience under his belt when it came to ghosts. Would he even know if his mother were near? The flames continued to dance and Pashake continued to stare into them, letting his mind drift further back. As he looked over his childhood it was with a hint of sorrow that he admitted to himself it was almost over. When he came back from his searching he would be a man, and that was something to be happy about, but gone were the innocent years of childhood. Pash realized in fact that his childhood had really ended the day his mother died. The searching was just an affirmation of what he had already become. It was almost time for the ceremony to begin. With a branch Pash spread the coals and then dumped sand over them to prevent them from burning. He sensed the movement behind him before he heard it and knew that his father had come for him. Pashake stood and turned around meeting his father who to Pash's surprised embraced him warmly. After a moment's hesitation Pashake wrapped his arms around his father and returned the embrace. "I am so proud of you, Pash. I wish your mother could be here to see you today." Pashake smiled, though his father couldn't see it, and whispered back, "I do too, father, I do too." His father broke the embrace and held Pash at arm's length, trying to get one last look at his boy before he became a man. "She would be so proud of you, you know. She wanted to see this more than anything in the world." Pashake nodded and placed a hand on his father's shoulder. "I know, father, and I'm sure that wherever she is she's watching now." Flashing his father a boyish grin he turned and headed for the ceremony. "Let's get this thing started. I can't stay a boy forever!" The sadness of the moment didn't keep the excitement from building in his stomach as they walked toward the place where the ceremony would be. The tall trees of the keerdash grove parted to reveal the ring where the dance would take place. Pash wished his mother was there to see him, yes, but the sadness was replaced with excitement and anticipation for the ceremony to begin. Though he knew exactly what would happen, and had practiced for it for several days, he still couldn't wait to see what would happen. The entire tribe had come out to see him, but then again they came out to see everybody's Searching ceremony so he couldn't feel that special. He could see faces around the clearing and could sense movement in the darkness, though he couldn't see all the pretty girls he knew were there. Though it was a cold night a thin layer of sweat coated his skin as his nerves worked away at him, but he was ready and he wasn't going to back down. Pashake stepped into the circle and waited for the ceremony to begin. |