Trepeeset stood at attention at the gathering, still numb from grief. His father, Pocohono, had just been placed in Mother Earth. A group of sixteen tribe members stood in a semicircle around the grave. Eight warriors, four women, two harvesters, the rain dancer, and the horseman. Many of the women in Trepeeset's tribe had moist eyes, but he was doing his best to remain stoic. Inside, he was destroyed, but he could not let anyone see that. After all, he had just become a warrior in his tribe a few moons ago.
These were difficult times in his tribe. They called themselves Wecoosak, The People of the Earth. But the corn crop was bad this year for the Wecoosak, the horses were ill, and worst of all, the Pale Man was starting to interfere with their lives. Many suspected the Pale Man was responsible for the death of Pocohono, but they flatly denied it. Or, at least, their interpreters did.
Trepeeset was left without a father, and the village was left without a medicine man. Trepeeset never learned his father's craft; he was much more interested in becoming a warrior to protect his village. But now that his father was dead, he had no other living relatives. His mother had died giving him life, and even his father could not save her. The only person still in his life whom he cared about was his best friend, Warrior Chotskalak.
"Warrior Trepeeset," the chief's voice boomed, snapping him out of his meditation.
"I hear you, my Chief," Trepeeset replied, hoping no one else noticed his voice waver in the middle.
"Medicine Man Pocohono was a good man. We will all miss him and avenge the wrong done to him and to our community." The chief, named Yolanuwek, was an old and fierce man, often cranky. Yet today, he showed genuine anger and sadness at the death of his father. They were strong allies, if not good friends.
Yolanuwek continued. "I saw him just before he passed. One of the final things he said, Warrior Trepeeset, was that he asked me to give this to you." He produced a small turquoise medallion on a string. I had seen my father wear it in his regalia as a necklace when he was living on Mother Earth. "He wants you to have it, Warrior Trepeeset."
There was a low murmur in the gathering. One of the traditions in the Wecoosak Way was that once you had left Mother Earth, you were to be buried with all of your possessions, because you have no need for them anymore. It would be rude and disrespectful for someone to steal something from one of his departed brothers or sisters and use it for his own purposes. Besides, Trepeeset felt he was not the type to wear jewelry.
"My Chief, I cannot..." the warrior began to protest.
"I know," the Chief interrupted. "Medicine Man Pocohono knew it was improper. But this was one of his most prized possessions, and that he wishes to share it with one of his favorite people. This is his Nant'o Das." He tossed it to Trepeeset. "Keep it. It is now yours."
A Nant'o Das is a last request, a dying wish. When a Wecoosak dies, he gives a Nant'o Das, and his compatriots still living are required to carry out that wish, no matter what rules or taboos it breaks. One could even order the death of the man who killed him, yet Pocohono wanted Trepeeset to have this shiny turquoise rock. Trepeeset quietly accepted the medallion and slipped it over his neck, hoping his lip would stop quivering.
The rest of the crowd then dispersed without another word, leaving Trepeeset standing alone above his father's grave. He knelt down and ran his fingers through the displaced dirt. "Goodbye, Father," Trepeeset quietly said. He felt a river of tears was ready to burst out of his eyes. Before he knew it, he was running to the lake. It was a place where he could be alone.
By the time he got to the lake, Trepeeset had begun to bawl. The pain in his heart was immense. He had lost his father, but was not allowed to show any emotion because he was supposed to be a warrior. Trepeeset collapsed onto his belly on the lake's shore and smacked the water his his fists. "Father...my father!" he cried with anguish. "I want you back! I would give anything to have you back!"
All of a sudden, a fuzzy feeling came over Trepeeset. It seemed to come from the turquoise medallion he was wearing around his neck. It was over in a couple seconds, but Trepeeset was still taken by surprise and stopped beating the water with his fists. He had grown larger! His breechclout seemed to be too small for him. He looked down at himself. He had hair growing on his chest, and his hands were larger and grizzled. He felt long hair going down his shoulders.
"What the-" Trepeeset said. His voice sounded a little deeper...and familiar. Slowly he turned his gaze towards the water of the lake. The water was still churning, but Trepeeset was stunned to find the face of his father staring back at him.
He had transformed into Pocohono!