Undead

And then there's Stalking Cougar.

I walked away from my people, I didn't know where I was going, I didn't care. I walked through the woods with the smell of blood all around, I walked through scrub country and out into the cold of the desert. Night was drawing to an end and I looked for shelter from the heat of day. I came to an outcropping of rock and a small cave, I crawled inside and went to sleep.

It was night when I awoke. The desert was awake, too. I smelled blood all around me, sensed the creatures of the night. My need was great and I did not hesitate. I ran down a hare and cut his throat. I drank until there was no blood left. It helped, but I was still very hungry. I started a fire and cooked the hare. The meat made me sick. Late into the night I ran down small animals and drank their blood. When the first one died I dropped his body on the ground. I was about to go after another when I stopped. It was not right to leave them like that. From then on, I skinned every animal I killed and left the body for the meat eaters.

As dawn approached I grew tired and went back to the cave. I was still hungry. I dreamed of drinking the blood of people.

Like eating the meat, I learned another lesson the hard way. One night I saw the dawn waking on the horizon. I decided to disregard my weariness and greet the sun. I found a rock I could climb and ascended. When I reached the top I sat down and waited for the sun.

As soon as the sun touched me my skin began to burn. The longer I sat in the growing light the worse it burned. I climbed down and waited in the shadow of the rock until some of my strength returned. I crawled into my cave and onto my furs. The pain began to ease and I started to fall asleep. As I drifted off I remembered Talking Crow's box. The sun had become my enemy and I had become a creature of the night. For this, too, Talking Crow would pay.

I found another weakness of the demon within me. The nights were cold and I had been wearing the furs I had claimed. I was pinning my furs around me with a silver pin I had. I pricked my finger with it... it was agony. I felt sick and lay down on my sleeping skins. For three nights I was at the point of death then my strength slowly began to return. On the fifth night I could sit up. I looked at the pin... silver was death.

It was worth being on the edge of death to know Talking Crow had weaknesses. One day I would bring him death.

She ran in terror.... I was close behind. I did not understand my surroundings, they were strange and confusing, but I understood my prey and that was enough. I could have caught her anytime, but I wanted the chase. I kept pace with her. When she ran, I ran. When she tired and slowed down, I slowed down. I took pleasure in her fear and the anticipation of what was to come. Then she made a fatal mistake, she turned down a way that had no exit. I waited at the entrance and watched her fear turn to panic. I closed in. The smell of her blood was intoxicating. I could hear it pounding in her veins.

I awoke. My heart was pounding and I was drenched with sweat. I built a large fire in my cave and let the sweat continue. I did not feed that night or for the next three nights. On the fourth night I spoke with my spirit guide.

He was an ancient shaman named Night Whisper. He was born without eyes, just empty sockets. Those that spoke of him called him The Eyeless One. No one knew how or when he died. He just disappeared one day and now was but a memory told around night fires. It was said that his empty eyes could see into a person's spirit.

When he came to me I spoke, "Eyeless One who sees into the spirit, I fear a demon lives inside me." He turned his empty eyes to me. "There is no demon... only you... a changed you." I asked, "What can be done wise one?" He thought a moment and then answered, "I have heard stories of creatures like you that hunger for blood. Some say they began across the great waters, others say they come from the stars. You must seek your answers far from here." Night Whisper was gone and I was left with less than hints.

The game was growing scarce and there were no answers for me in the desert. I looked to the east, on the horizon were mountains. There would be game in the foothills, larger game that would feed my growing hunger. There were tales of a wise man who lived in those mountains, perhaps I could find answers there.

That night I fed only once. As dawn was showing on the horizon I took a hare. After I fed I thanked his spirit, took his shinbone and put it in my medicine bag. I went into my cave, started a fire and began to chant.

My spirit left my body in the form of a hawk and flew out across the desert. I flew for three days until I reached the mountains. I found all the places where there would be water and shelter and then I returned to my body. When night came on I fed and began my journey to the mountains.

Excerpt from A Shaman's Quest by S.E.Estes