Read Global Warming Fun 2: Ice Giants Wake! Page 16
CHAPTER IX
Bear Claw and Hairless Bear
Following in the slow footsteps of Turtle Man, Mouse and Talking Owl, Talking Bear and the four new Tribe members at last entered the Great Dome. There the senior Tribe leaders suddenly became very agitated. There were sharp commands from Mouse and Talking Bear, followed by considerable running about by several young underling Tribe members.
"The Eternal Flame has become nearly extinguished due to lack of fuel," Talking Bear explained to the puzzled new Tribe members. He pointed at the big fireplace at the center of the dome, where firewood was hastily being placed atop glowing ambers and fanned into flame. "The children assigned to maintain the Flame were drawn to your induction ceremony, causing the lapse. They will of course be demoted."
"That sounds a bit severe to me," voiced Mary. "There are several other fires in this wonderful Dome that have maintained its warmth." This was her first time in the Dome of Elders, and she looked around in open wonder at the wonderful artful crafts displayed in it.
"Warmth of the Dome at-large is not the primary concern, Squirrel," explained Mouse. "Warmth of the Bear Claw is the concern."
"Bear Claw?" Ed asked.
"Yes," said Mouse. "Sit with us and we will speak of this, for it is the reason you are now here."
Mouse and Talking Owl helped Turtle Man lay upon his bed. The old man was smiling but obviously exhausted from the long ceremony and the incident involving the near extinguishing of the Eternal Flame. "EXPLAIN THEIR DUTIES, MOUSE," he thought. "I MUST REST."
"Yes, Great One," responded Mouse. Mouse, Chief Talking Bear, White Cloud, and the four new Tribe members sat in chairs that were arrayed around the Great One as he declined, while Talking Owl attended Turtle Man with sips of grog and water.
"First off, what do the four of you think of the ceremony and your induction into the Tribe?" Mouse asked.
"I thought it was wonderful," said Mary.
"After being here for eight years I finally feel that I am a part of this Tribe now," seconded Doc. "I am deeply grateful and hope that I can live up to the honor you have bestowed upon me."
"It was an astounding experience," voiced Jack. "I only hope that someday you allow us to share it with the world at-large."
"True, it would have made an outstanding flash-mob internet video," noted Ed. "But I gather that there are very serious reasons beyond our amusement that we have been brought into the Tribe."
"That is so," agreed Mouse. "We face great danger, and seek your help. You will all be moved into the Great Lodge to accomplish your new duties. Do you agree to this?"
"Of course," the new Tribe members muttered.
"Your duties are in two areas. First, as has already been outlined with Ed, we fear that the Stone-Coats are waking and we need Ed to learn to talk with turtles and Stone-Coats."
"I'll give it my best shot," said Ed.
"Second, we have decided that Doc and Jack might be able to help us better understand the danger by applying their science backgrounds," Mouse continued.
"That sounds very interesting," Jack remarked.
"And perhaps very dangerous," said Mouse. "We have had in our possession for several centuries something that you would call an 'artifact' which we now want you to study using science. We call it the Bear Claw."
Two burley tribesmen carrying long iron tongs appeared and with great care pulled aside a Basket-ball sized stone block that formed part of the central fireplace that housed the Eternal Flame. One of them reached into the resulting cavity and pulled something out that barely fit through the opening, something as long as a man's arm and as thick as a man's thigh that sparkled in the firelight of the Eternal Flame. It was pointed at one end, and irregular at the other, as if it had been broken at that end.
"It's the broken-off finger-tip of the Stone-Coat Hairless Bear," said Mouse.