On a clear day long ago, sat a beautiful young Indian girl, her name was Makai. Her hair was as black as the wing of the crow, her eyes as dark as the deepest pool. Her face was a rich golden tan, and very defined, full of life and pride. Makai wore the look of a person in deep thought. She had been troubled of late, she was having strange dreams and feelings. She felt as though something important was going to happen, but she did not know what. Makai thought this to be odd for a girl of only
twelve summers.
Her life to this point had been a happy carefree life in the village with her mother and father. She had been blessed by the Great Spirit to have such a happy life. Makai loved helping to care for her younger brother and sister, helping with preparing the meals and she really liked doing bead work when making clothes.
However today she had other things weighing heavy on her mind. Makai lay back on the grassy knoll where she sat overlooking the river. She was watching the skies when she became aware of the largest hawk she had ever seen. She watched as the hawk circled close then went far away. She felt that she should not be able to see the hawk because of how far away it was. And yet she could see it as plain as day. The hawk then came back very close to the river. Close enough for her to see it was snow white with gray tips on the wings. She thought it to be the most beautiful bird she had ever seen. The hawk came to rest on an old, weather twisted, oak that looked to be a thousand years old. It was strange that Makai had not seen the tree before. It was as though the tree just appeared when the hawk wanted it to be there. The hawk perched on a tree branch looking at the small girl. Makai was a little afraid, but not enough to run away. They sat for awhile just watching one another. Makai felt strongly compelled to ask the beautiful bird a question but thought, "how silly to talk to a bird..."
Makai noticed the sun was sinking low. It was time to start the evening meal. She must rush home. Her mother would need her to help with the meal and the small ones. As she ran she was aware of the hawk following from high in the sky.
Makai would not tell anyone of her encounter with the hawk, she knew of her tribes love of a hawk dinner, and this hawk was not for eating....Makai, herself, did not care for meat of any kind, she loved to eat things that grew from the earth. (She wondered if the hawk would be back the next day).....
Her chores finally done, she ran to the river knoll praying the hawk would be there again today. There in the great oak sat the hawk. As the girl came closer the hawk flew into the sky on wings that seamed to span the horizon, and fill the sky. The child somehow knew the bird was female. As she wondered how she had determined that the great bird descended to the other side of the tree. Makai stretched to see what the hawk was doing, when from the base of the great tree she saw a lady coming toward her. She walked as though she did not touch the ground. As she came closer, Makai could see her face but could not tell how old she was. The lady could have been 20 or 100. Makai could not tell if she was young or old. Her beauty was awesome, not the kind you think of as earthly, but of wisdom, knowledge and things not of this earth.
She wore a cloak around her shoulders that went to her feet, it was made of hawk feathers that were snow white and pale gray, the same as the great bird. Her eyes could see everything all at once. It was like the knowledge of the Great Sprit was coming toward her.
When the lady spoke it was as though a soft breeze whispered, "Makai, I have waited long to come to you. There are many things you must be told, and things you must learn. The things you will learn must never be told to anyone. For you are a chosen one. You have always wondered what your name meant. In the sprit world it means LADY HAWKE..... That is my name also. I am your teacher. When you reach sixteen summers you will be taken to a secret place to finish your training. Until then we will share many talks and adventures together."
"I was sent to earth by the Great Spirit to protect life. That is why you have never been able to eat meat or harm living creatures in any way. You were sent also."
Makai did not speak at any time, she knew that what she was hearing was far too important to interrupt. She listened as the spirit spoke.
"Every five-hundred years a new spirit is sent to earth to protect the earth from it's self. I will have one-hundred years to teach and guide you, and at that time I will be taken to the Great Spirit for my reward. You will be at full maturity and take my place. Your training will begin now. You will stay in the village until you are sixteen summers, then we will go to a place far away. The place is called Halia.
"The sun sinks very low, you must return to the village now. Return tomorrow and I will tell you more." As Makai walked home she thought of the things that had been told to her. So many of her questions had already been answered today. She knew that Lady Hawke had known what was in her mind. She answered the questions without them being asked. She felt bad not being able to share this with her family, she really loved them very much. Especially her father, he was the one who named her.... She wondered if he knew....
Makai went through the nights chores as though she was in a trance. The days discovery had been overwhelming for her young mind. She could not wait for sleep, she knew that she would dream this night....
With her chores done, she sat down to talk with her mother and father, as she did every night. Her mother was busy with a new dress for a ceremony that was to take place on the next new moon. This gave her the chance to speak with her father. She asked, "How did you choose my name father?" He asked "Why? Don't you like your name?" "Oh yes, I think it is wonderful! So different." "Well," he says, "The name came to me in a dream. I thought it so beautiful that when you were born three days later I named you Makai...." 'Then he did not know of Lady Hawke...'
"Father, do you believe strongly in dreams?" "Yes my little one, I do. Most of my life has been guided by dreams. A dream told me of your coming before your mother even knew. In the dream I was told you were to be very special, a server of the people." "Do you know how I am to serve the people Father?" "No that was not revealed. You will know when the times comes. Yes I guess I will…
Makai's father was Pony That Runs, He was very tall, with deep set eyes that looked as though they could see past the mountains. His skin was dark and his arms like the trunk of a great oak. He was a fierce warrior and held in high standing with the chief and tribal elders. He was prone to visions of the future, and a dreamer of dreams. His words carried much weight in the tribe.
"Makai" he said, "the hour is late, it is time to sleep." "Yes father."
Makai could not wait to be done with her chores and go to the river to meet her destiny. As she arrives she sees the great hawk at a far distance, circling the skies. The hawk comes to the great oak and lands on the far side. The Lady Hawke comes toward her with a smile that brightens the already perfect day.
"Today ask what you will and I will answer. You will be more at ease to speak for a while." Makai speaks for the first time and her voice sounds very small. "Do you know what I think?" "Yes my dear, I do. You can sometimes know what I think also. I have guided your thoughts all your life. You are very quick to learn." She took two feathers from her cloak and said, "you will wear these two feathers braded in your hair . This will let you see some of the things that I see. The other will let you hear my voice any time I speak to you." Makai asked? "How much does my father know of my destiny?" "Your father is a great man. He dreams of things that help your people and guides very wisely, but knows nothing of your destiny. The first Lady Hawk was sent to earth by the Great Spirit when man kind was put on the earth and sinned against the spirit. The spirit knew the people could not be trusted to maintain an equal balance of nature. The things we do to the earth, out of greed and want will some day kill the earth. You will live to see a great number of these things come to pass. A great storm will come to this land that you have always known as your home. People from far, far away will travel here to settle. They will have strange ways, they will have a different way of living, and gold will be there god. These things will begin before my time here has ended. These things will not touch your father and mother, but will be a part of your brothers and sisters late life. You will cry many tears, but you will experience a great joy and things of such beauty that will make your heart sing. Tonight you will dream, and be shown some things that will help you to understand some of the things you will need to know. This earth is so large you could not walk around it in a normal lifetime. So your dreams will be the best way to show you certain things. I will show you what this land looks like from above." Lady Hawke placed her hand on Makai's shoulder and she was soaring high above the great oak tree. There was no limit to how far she could see.
Makai was very restless this night. She knew she would dream, if only she could sleep. Thoughts kept running through her mind like a frightened deer going through the woods. Finally she felt herself drifting into the realm of sleep.
She felt herself drifting far from the place she knew so well. It was brightly lit, but not by the sun. She had never seen anything like this before. The colors were vibrant and not like any colors she had ever seen. The trees were not like any in her homeland that she knew so well. They looked as though they reached the heavens. She was alone, but didn't feel alone, she felt a presence, but did not see anyone.. Her heart was racing. She could feel a great adventure ahead.
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