A Short Story: Raksha Green Peaks

One day as Raksha was wandering through the Wahala Alps she overheard the elders speaking to her father and mother. The elders were displeased with Raksha's adventurous spirit, which often led her away from Wahala Alps. Shami expressed to the elders that Raksha was only thirteen and adventure and folly are stored in the heart of a child, but the elders insisted that Raksha was more than a child, she was the future leader of the Mammoth Tribe. The discourse between Shami and the elders continued as Raya sat silently praying internally. "Raya what say ye?" one of the elders called out and then everyone went silent as Raya had yet to speak. "You spoke of Raksha's adventurous spirit Elder Zahir, does not God reign over the spirit as well as the body and mind?" Raya spoke into the stillness and the elders sighed heavily, unable to refute her rhetorical question. Raya allowed the silence to linger a bit, before continuing. "You all have brought your concerns to Shami, and he has spoken, yet you quarrel and refuse him and deny Raksha her adolescence. Shami was chosen by you to lead and protect the Mammoth Tribe, do you no longer trust your own choices?" Raya asked solemnly as she looked into each elder's eyes. "Shami has spoken, and his word shall stand," Raya said as she delicately grabbed Shami's hand and stood up leading him to his feet as well. "Peace be with you all," Shami said and then went away from the elders with Raya.

As Shami and Raya exited the dwelling of the elders they spotted Raksha. Raksha gasped when their eyes met and took off running. "Raksha" Raya cried out, "let her go," Shami said then led his wife home. Raksha ran down the mountainside as tears streamed down her face. So many thoughts coursed through Raksha's mind as the wind flowed through her coiled tresses. Raksha slid on her heels to a stop as she reached the base of the mountain. Gingerly, Raksha rested her hands on her knees and took three long deep breaths to clear her mind of the elder's disapproval.

Raksha roamed around the base of the mountain and then ventured up to the top of the hillside to tend the winter vegetable garden. Raksha harvested what produce was ready and took the food into the storehouse for all the tribespeople to take as they needed. Afterward, Raksha ventured to her secret corner of the cavern - a space where ancient paintings adorned every inch of the cavern walls. Raksha remained in her secret corner of the cavern for much of the day, recounting the stories of each painting wishing she could have been alive to witness the stories.

Toward nightfall, Raksha's father came to her and beckoned that she come outside to hear the tale of The Frigid by Elder Ishaan. Raksha followed her father outside and took her place beside him around the campfire as more children and parents took their seats. Elder Ishaan began the tale of The Frigid and though Raksha had heard the tale all her life she still perked up when Elder Ishaan broke the first word of the story. As Elder Ishaan began to speak of the last war of The Frigid and how their ancestors had wielded sacred power to command the power of the mammoths murmuring broke out amongst the crowd. For the first time, there was speculation concerning whether the ancestors of the Mammoth Tribe possessed sacred power to command beasts of the land as great as mammoths. The elders present admonished the murmurers, which led to an uproar amongst the unbelievers.

The once peaceful gathering had become a verbal battle between those who believed in the power of their ancestors and those who did not. "Silence" Shami spoke with an outstretched hand towards the crowd and the murmurs swiftly dissipated. Shami locked eyes with the tribespeople gathered. "To question the power and might of the ancestors is to question God - for it was God that granted our ancestors the power to rule and subdue the mammoths to ensure the victory of our tribe," Shami said with boisterous conviction. "A victory which has allowed us to reign over Wahala Alps as far back as any of our memories will take us," Shami said dismissively to the unbelievers. "Shami - if I may" Raya interjected softly as she touched Shami's bicep and then Shami yielded the floor to her. "I have spent many nights before God and He has shown me that the power to subdue and rule the mammoths will return to our people" Raya spoke confidently. "Blasphemy the mammoths have been dead for centuries and none have seen one in Wahala Alps since The Frigid" a tribe member blurted out and then Shami stood and reached for his sword, "No Shami" Raya said as she swiftly stood and placed her hand on Shami's sword. "You may not believe me Kabir, son of Rohan, but I assure you all I speak the truth," Raya said in a loud voice as her gaze shifted from Kabir to the crowd, which had grown larger. "So, shall we all be given this power?" a small child cried out amongst the crowd. "No, my little one," Raya said as a smile grew on her face, "only one of us," Raya said and then shifted her gaze to Raksha, and soon the entire crowd gazed upon Raksha. "Why her?" a tribe member shouted, "We shall not question things too high for us to understand any longer. Away with you all" Shami said, and the crowd retreated to the caverns. As elder Zahir walked past Shami he stopped and said to him, "I never thought you brazen enough to brandish your sword over words." Shami tensed at his words. "Perhaps it is not us mistaken in our choice, but you who is no longer worthy of the choice," Elder Zahir said and then turned his gaze to Raya, "My dear you spoke bold claims, I pray ye to God they are honest." "Raksha" Elder Zahir called out and slowly she came from behind her parents, "the fate of the tribe rests with you, the fate of our world is in your hands be not careless," Elder Zahir said sternly, and then strolled off into the cavern.

Shami, Raya, and Raksha sat around the fire in silence. The murmuring inside the cavern could be heard outside and muddled the crackling sound of the fire. Some believed in the tale of the ancestors and others did not. Some believed Raksha would make a great leader and others did not. Some believed Shami should remain the leader of the tribe and others did not. Some believed the words of Raya and others claimed blasphemy. "Will we be driven out?" Raksha asked as the fire began to die out "This will always be our home" Shami said and then a swift wind blew out the fire leaving only the stars and moon for light.

~ To Be Continued