A Cherokee Legend
An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. "A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy.
"It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego." He continued, "The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too."
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"
The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."
Prologue
Everyone has evil inside them, that’s what my mother always told me. She said the fight against evil is an endless fight but that it was a necessary war. Good and evil were two sides of the same coin. Just as there is good and evil in everyone, every power, or gift given to you by the gods and goddesses comes with good and evil too. I never really understood what that meant. I always thought my healing gift was purely good. That I was meant to do something pure and divine with my life. But I know now, as I watch the life of my mother’s killer seep from his body, that my gift can be a curse to others if I so chose.
Did I mean to kill him? I think I very much did, did I mean to filthy my healing power? No, but with the power of healing comes the power of death.
Chapter One
The creatures of the forest were scattered or at least their remains were. Blood mixed with the dirt of the ground. Foxes, rabbits, wolves, even the birds of the sky now littered the ground, lifeless. But their souls remained I could feel every one of them crying out for vengeance. I would be the weapon that took their revenge. They protected me and died for it.
A whispered whine reached my ears, carried by the wind that tangled my golden brown hair every which way behind my face. I recognized that whine as that of a wolf pup. The wolf pack that lived in the forest had a litter not to long ago. Had the wolf pups survived, I wondered.
I walked along the forest floor cursing silently the limit of my healing gift. Once someone was dead I could do nothing. These animals were my friends. They protected me and died for me. The wolves especially were sacred to me. Full-blooded Cherokee my mother had taught me a lot. The legends myths and customs of our clans. Wolfs were sacred to the Cherokee, my clan especially. The Wolf Clan produced warriors, my mother told me. They were protectors. Fierce yet fair.
I reached the cave that once housed the wolf pack. The whine was louder now, clearly coming from the cave. I whistled low a tune the wolf pups, if it was them, would understand and associate with me. The whine stopped and I heard the soft thud of foot steps as they neared the opening of the cave. One lone pup, the runt the alphas and I decided to name Kanati, looked up at me. His golden eyes glowing against his snow white fur in the moon’s illuminate glow.
“Your the only one left.” I said simply. He gave a soft whine and I could feel the grief and horror he felt. I slid to the forest floor on my knees and held my hand out to Kanati. “It is alright lil one. You did the right thing by listening to your parents. They wanted you to live. The others as brave as they may have been were stupid. They should have listened. You are no coward lil Kanati.” I told him as he nuzzled my palm with his muzzle. I could communicate with many animals on a certain level but I could understand wolfs clearly as if they are speaking English to me, momma told me it was the ancient Cherokee blood.
I want to go with you Katsuri, his little voice sounded scared but had a boldness to that I admired. I thought for a minute. The path I now took was a dangerous one. A path solely set on revenge against the one man who controlled what he thought was everyone. Against the man who ordered my death and anyone who protected or aided me. The man who sent those vile creatures who killed my mother.
Who was I to tell this pup he could not avenge his parents.
I nodded slowly. “Fine lil Kanati. You can join me but you must listen to me at all times understand?” I told him sternly. His gold eyes turned fierce and he lifted his muzzle and produced a piercing howl. When that was etched in mourning and promised blood of vengeance.
I picked Kanati up and we walked west where the sun had set hours before. The journey that lay before us wasn’t going to be an easy one. It would be long and dangerous. But I no longer felt I was going at it alone. Kanati was young, a baby even, but he would grow strong and he was a friend, more so a brother. We’d win this war at any cost.
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