The Lord of Shadows Arc: Apocrypha

Laughing Crow's tribe is loosely based on the native tribes of the Dakota plains. Loosely. I picture their range straddling the Canadian/American border, from eastern Idaho to the western Dakotas.

They are not to be interpreted as a variant of the actual nations or tribes there. I just want to make this clear. Made up nation, made up tribe.

now that that's done, ^_^!

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Laughing Crow's Story

March

Laughing Crow had enjoyed a most excellent hunt. There were few things he enjoyed more than running through the plains with the wind in his long black hair, his eyes reflecting the gold of the sun, and the smell of blood fresh in his nostrils.

His face was split into a wide grin as he entered the village, a brace of rabbits over one shoulder, his leather buckskins damp with sweat.

"Hey 'Crow!" shouted a young boy, Falling Leaf. "See anything other than rabbits this time?"

'Crow laughed. "Well, I thought I saw a star-girl, but it was only Coyote, playing tricks. I think he was hunting these same rabbits.

"Oh, that reminds me," the boy was suddenly sober. "The Elders wanted to speak with you as soon as you got back. Red Dawn Eagle says it's important."

Laughing Crow stopped laughing. He didn't want to talk to the elders, he wanted to show off his latest catch to his milk-sibs, and maybe engage in a howling contest later on. But he knew well enough that trying to avoid a meeting with the elders was like trying to avoid the full moon--one could hope, but it would never work.

So 'Crow gave his catch over to Falling Leaf to take care of, and made his weary way to the Elder's tent, and presented himself according to centuries old custom.

Inside the tent, seven pairs of bright golden eyes stared out of the darkness. "Come in, Laughing Crow," said a voice. "we have been waiting for you."

The young man entered the tent and sat, the scent of burning sage nearly overwhelming his senses, waiting for the elders to speak.

"Young man," the voice finally spoke again. "You among our entire nation are best versed in the ways of the white man. The time has come for a representative to be chosen and sent across the sea to teach our ways to the One Who Comes. We have chosen you."

Laughing Crow was shocked to his very core. "What? Who is this 'One Who Comes', and why do we care about some white man from across the sea?"

There were faint grunts of commiseration. The voice spoke again, full of understanding. "The One Who Comes is not like other white men. His tribe was taken from him when he was an infant by the False Shadow, but now he is grown, and has gathered about himself a new tribe. He speaks to the serpents of the land in their own tongue. And, innermost in his tribe, are two Sons of Night and one like us."

"One like-- a werewolf? Does he know it's a werewolf?" Laughing Crow didn't bother to hide his surprise.

"Remus Lupin was publicly revealed to be a wolf-man several years ago. The One Who Comes, whom they call Harry Potter, knows that Lupin is a wolf. Even more, he has also brought a horse-man into his coven as well. This Harry Potter is not like other white men at all. . ."

Laughing Crow nodded. Two Sons of Night, a werewolf, and a centaur. It was unheard of among any humans, much less the white ones.

"And the two Sons of Night?" he asked. "What of them?"

There was a pause. "One is his husband, the son of the top Death Eater. The other is, the spirits say, a spy in the midst of shadows. Both are trustworthy, we are told."

Laughing Crow digested this. "And what has this to do with us?"

"The One Who Comes has been long awaited. White Buffalo Woman claims him as friend and brother. In other places, he is known as the Forest King, or the Herald of Night. The vampires have taken great interest in him, as have the children of the Sun-Mother. Even the She Who Watches moves to walk by his side. We are not completely human, Laughing Crow, but this one, this Harry Potter. . . he may be one that we can speak to. If so, he will need to know the ways of the spirits, of the land and her creatures, and there are none among the white people who can teach him what he needs. It may be that the long time of testing is beginning to end."

"But grandfathers, I am a warrior, I do not know myself the ways he she spirit world. How am I to teach him?"

There was a chuckle from the darkness. "You know more than you realise."

Another voice spoke. "There is a chance that he will come here this summer. If that is so, you will first teach him your skills-- the bow, the spear, and the horse. Then, when you leave to join him in Britain, you will teach him everything else."

Yet another voice spoke up, this one female. "And between now and then, you will undergo training in the advanced medicine of our people. All of our children know the basics, but now it is time to lay aside bow and spear and learn to walk along the night trails. It will be very difficult, for you have much to learn in little time, yet you have no choice but to do it."

The first voice again. "This is not a request, Laughing Crow."

The young warrior bowed his head in submission. "Then I will do as you say. I will lay aside my bow and spear, and learn the trails of night."