Way of the Heron

The Way Of The Heron

By C. T. Creekmur

Chapter Six

Lost-In-The-Snow

Author's warning: This story depicts men performing sexual acts upon one another that immature people might find shocking. If graphic depictions of sex between men upsets you, or if you are under 21 years of age, then DO NOT READ THIS! - go read something else!

Please understand that this is a work of fantasy and fiction, set in a time when safe sex was unheard of. It is not intended to provoke or promote promiscuity or abandonment of common sense where sex is concerned. Especially in this day and age.

Though historical personages are mentioned, none of the principal characters are based on real individuals and any similarity to such is coincidental. This story is copyrighted (c) by the author and may not be reproduced in any form without the specific written permission of the author.

Historical Note: This chapter happens between January and March of 1868. It is set mostly in the far northern reaches of the valley of the heron.

And now, on with the story!

LOST-IN-THE-SNOW...

Caleb Havre had gone out into the frozen wilderness to rid himself of his pain and despair, to do a desperate act...

...but, unknown to him, the benevolent spirits of the Elxa had been watching him and knew his wounded man-loving heart. They sent one of their mortal brothers to intercept him, before it was too late...

...and so was revealed an incredible alternate reality to Caleb, one that offered all men of his nature more than they might ever imagine, as he was guided onto a new path, following in the footsteps of other gentle men like himself, along a trail of wonders, helping others who had also gone astray as he journeyed, no longer...

LOST-IN-THE-SNOW

Caleb Havre moved through the nightdark forest, only the sounds of his boots crunching softly in the snow breaking the silence of the frozen wilderness. The prospector carried his rifle, but was not looking for game. The hollow pain that ached in his chest and the blurriness that afflicted his eyes, making him blink often to keep them clear, would have made it difficult to concentrate their sight on anything, let alone for the purpose of hunting.

"Bern... " he sighed, sending a gust of white vapor out to immediately congeal and coat the ginger hairs growing around his mouth with ice, "why, Bern, why?"

It hurt to think of Bern Cruzet, Caleb's prospecting partner. But the man could not help it. As he trudged towards his goal, he reviewed his life since meeting Bern.

It was during the war, when two different companies from Ohio had been merged, due to battle losses. Caleb and Bern had ended up sharing the same tent. That first night spent together, spooning for warmth, like most soldiers did, had led to them learning they shared other things as well.

Bern was a no nonsense, take charge kind of guy, and he quickly became the dominant force in Caleb's life. They shared everything, even, or so Caleb had believed until recently, a primal desire for mansex. Just like the one that had burned in Caleb for as long as he could remember.

Since their chance meeting, Caleb had followed Bern devotedly, falling in with all his plans. When Bern decided to go west, Caleb went too, because he genuinely thought he had found a man who would love him for life, and would do anything to stay with him. But after hearing Bern's latest scheme, Caleb had balked, his illusions about the man cruelly shattered.

"Bern, Bern... Why can't you love me, just me, like I do you?" Caleb asked as he passed a clump of firs. With their boughs weighed down by snow, the trees seemed to bend closer to the man, as if they were trying to catch his quietly spoken words.

Unlike so many other fortune hunters who had gone west after the war, the veterans had found a portion of the riches that the wilderness was fabled to abound in. The pair had spent the past year working an unusual pocket of ore they had discovered. It was an almost unreal looking outcrop of rock crystal, the pellucid mass shot through with yellow, spidery veins of metallic gold.

Their fabulous find lay in a narrow canyon, lost somewhere in the southern Cascades, cut off from the world. While they mined the pocket, crushing the crystal into shining shards and harvesting the wiry bits of precious metal it contained, the pair had shared a rude cabin and rough living. But for Caleb it had felt like time spent in paradise.

Especially the evenings. Despite the bone weariness of a hard day's work, the men would still find the energy to hold and pleasure one another. Caleb relived those tender moments and blinked his eyes again, fighting back the tears.

The pocket of ore had run out, there was no more now to mine. And Bern, as he carefully weighed and split the fruit of their labor, tiny nuggets and sparkling dust, had shocked Caleb with his talk as he worked. Talk of returning to Ohio, of buying a farm, courting and marrying a wife, and raising a family.

"I wonder if Susie Mitchell is still unmarried. She always was sweet on me. And," Bern had added, too intent on his work to notice the way Caleb winced at his words, "I always was partial to red hair... "

Between dealing with the gold and outlining his plans for the future. Bern was too distracted to notice his partner's discomfort, and Caleb struggled to keep himself under control as he heard the man he loved basically telling him he had no place in that future. At least no place Caleb wanted, when he heard Bern's proposal.

"I know you ain't the marryin' kind, Caleb, but I like you a lot, and I know you like me. Why not stay with me, help me run the farm and raise my family? Whenever my wife's pregnant or has a headache, I could sleep with you. I know I'm man enough to keep two people happy. Whatcha say?"

"Lemme sleep on it," Caleb responded in a neutral manner. He was pretending to be concentrating on building up the fire for the night. But inwardly he could feel his whole world falling apart.

"Don't know about that," snorted Bern in a way that told Caleb his partner was in a playful mood. "I'm feelin' real good tonight, buddy. I might keep you awake for quite awhile!"

And he had. Caleb could still feel a residual tingling deep within his guts, an echo of the expert fuck Bern had thrown into him. The man had not just been boasting when he said he knew how to satisfy his partners. Bern had seen to it that Caleb got off too, then held his old army comrade close, spooning into Caleb's back warmly, Bern's hot breath tickling Caleb's ear as the exhausted man muttered wearily before falling asleep.

"Stay with me buddy... I'll have to have a woman for kids, but I'll need my best friend for real companionship and love... "

Once Bern's soft snores told Caleb he was dead to the world, he freed himself from the sleeping man's embrace, got up and dressed. He sat at the table and by candlelight wrote out all his feelings of pain and betrayal... and love too. Despite what Bern was planning, he had still given Caleb years of the sort of companionship Caleb had always dreamed of and hungered for, made him feel happy and wanted. Caleb acknowledged that in his letter.

When he was done writing, Caleb went to the rough board that did the service of a mantel above the fireplace to retrieve his one prized possession, a small, leather-bound, dogeared book of poetry he had carried with him all through the war. He opened it and looked fondly at the engraving of the author, a cocky-looking, bearded man. Until he had met Bern, Caleb had projected his ideal of a male lover on that image, imagining that strong and rugged poet's gentle hands on him, caressing and comforting him...

Caleb shook himself. He could not go back to empty dreaming, not after the fulfilling love he had felt with Bern, the love Bern had killed... He pocketed the book and looked for the only other thing he needed, his gun. The Winchester was leaning beside the door, next to Bern's rifle, and Caleb's fingers could not help but brush against it as they grasped his firearm.

As he hefted the rifle, Caleb turned towards the bed and bent to kiss Bern's forehead in a final farewell. His erstwhile lover responded, muttering in what sounded like distress. Caleb listened closer and caught Bern softly exclaiming against an animal, a bear, that he seemed to be wrestling with in his sleep.

"Stop, you black bear... I don't care how big you are... You can't take him away from me... What'll I do without him... " Bern moaned the broken phrases softly.

Fighting the urge to wake Bern from his nightmare, to hold and comfort him, Caleb forced himself to turn his back on Bern and leave the cabin. He knew he could never live as Bern's 'extra' lover, taking scraps when another would be getting the main course, so to speak. And if he could not have Bern, Caleb had come to the conclusion that his life just would not be worth living.

Caleb raised a hand to touch the folded paper in his shirt pocket, with 'For Bern Cruzet' scrawled on it as he continued on through the forest. Bern would find the testament later, Caleb's sorrowful lament that Bern did not love him alone, mingled with an acknowledgement that Bern had made him happier than he had ever been and leaving his share of the gold to his partner in return for the time they had spent together. It was only fair...

"Oh, Bern, why... "

The heartbroken man reached his goal at last. He stopped and looked at a curious sight. On a base formed by a flat patch of barren rock, now lightly covered with snow, stood a circular arrangement of standing stones. They were mottled with varicolored growths of rock lichens, showing that the stones had been placed there with care by some unknown hand, long ago. Caleb reached up and traced the odd symbols carved in one of the stelae, wondering about them again.

When Bern and he first stumbled onto the strange construct, the prospectors had been afraid that they had found a marker of some sort, claiming the land they were mining for someone else. But as time went by and no one ever came around, they came to the conclusion that it was some sort of abandoned native sacred site. It was like no Indian ruin either man had ever seen before though, and Bern gave it a wide berth thereafter.

Caleb on the other hand was drawn to the unusual landmark again and again, strangely fascinated by it. He wondered who had set up the ring of standing stones as he touched their lichen covered surfaces, grouped around a massive slab of granite, also carved with mysterious looking glyphs, and what the builders had used it for. He could not believe, as Bern did, that people had been sacrificed there, as they say the Aztecs did in old Mexico, long ago. Fleetingly, he wondered about it again as he entered the circle and sighed. He knew then that he would never know the solution to the mystery and would soon be beyond caring about it or anything else.

Caleb brushed the snow off the angular, somewhat squarish rock that Bern had imagined was a sacrificial altar, baring its rough, flattened surface. The broken hearted prospector was shivering as he worked. The temperature outside was far below zero and had the man not been so distracted by his sorrow and his purpose for being outside, Caleb would have noticed the impending signs of hypothermia in himself long before then.

When the altar was clean, Caleb laid himself out on it. He was beginning to feel very cold as he positioned himself on the rock carefully. Then he reached for the rifle he had leaned against the stone.

With trembling hands, shaking as much from emotion as from cold, he laid the Winchester on his belly. Caleb tilted his head back and pulled the long barrel up under his thick ginger beard. He felt the frigid iron muzzle burn like a brand when it pierced his whiskers and touched the bared skin beneath his chin.

By then Caleb was so cold that it was getting hard to control his movements. He was shivering violently. Caleb forced his stiff fingers to curl around the frigid gun, working by feel as he tried to figure a way to fire his rifle from that unfamiliar position. By the time he realized that he would have to use his thumb on the trigger, he no longer had any feeling in his hands.

Caleb tried. He tried harder than he had ever tried to do anything. But his fingers refused to respond.

His frustration lasted only a little while. The same numbness that had effectively disconnected his hands from his brain was creeping slowly and inexorably through his limbs, up the arms and legs, settling in his belly, enveloping his chest, slowing his heart. His mind was oddly clear though, as if it were a detached observer, watching as the body slowly froze.

'Well,' Caleb thought, 'at least I won't be a gory mess when Bern finds me, with the top of my skull blown off, brains and blood sprayed all over the place. I wonder if he'll realize why I came here, so I could leave my body on this altar as a sacrifice to unrequited love. Yes, I'll look just like I did when Bern last saw me, last made love to me. Will Bern miss me, I wonder? What will he put on my grave marker? Will he remember the ending of one of my favorite poems?'

...comes before me the unknown soldier's grave, comes the inscription rude in Virginia's woods: Bold, Cautious, True, And My Loving Comrade...

'Will Bern cry when he digs my grave, or shed a tear when he stands over it for the last time, before he leaves with his gold to go back to Ohio to marry his sweetheart? On his way there, I wonder if he'll manage to find another red headed dope of a guy to con into thinkin' he loves him, get him to be his hired hand, and suck Bern's dick on the side when his wife has a headache!'

Caleb's mental ramblings were disrupted at that point by a soft, rhythmic noise. The man frowned as he listened to it. His ginger whiskers were by then fused together by his frozen breath and refused to move with the skin they were attached to. As Caleb attended to the crunching sound, which seemed to be growing gradually louder, he suddenly realized what it was: footfalls in the snow!

Someone or something was approaching the circle! Had Bern woken up and followed his trail? Caleb's eyes snapped open, his eyelids seemingly the only part of him that still worked.

Caleb saw an alarming sight out of the corner of one eye, moving towards him. Whatever it was, it was large and covered with fur. Visions of being eaten alive by some mountain dwelling predator, prowling the frozen land for any food it could find during the cold season, suddenly filled the man's panicked mind.

His old soldiering reflexes, the ones that had served him so well during the war, kicked in. Caleb tried to move, turn towards the intruder and bring his rifle to bear on it, all in one smooth motion, like he had done countless times before in battle. But his benumbed body gave just a slight jerk, a useless response to his brain's warning of danger.

Caleb felt the irony as the unknown came closer. He had come out there to kill himself, to end the pain of Bern's betrayal, but had been unable to do it to himself. But now that another form of death seemed to be poised to take his life, he wanted to stop it.

Now the shaggy thing was beside the altar stone. Caleb managed to turn his head, expecting to look death in the eyes, to see the animal whose life would be sustained by his death. But it was not what the veteran thought.

A strange sight filled his eyes as a fur clad being bent over the prospector, so wrapped up in animal skin garments that no part of him was visible. Caleb felt a gloved hand carefully prying his stiff fingers off his Winchester, taking it away and shouldering it. Then strong arms bent to scoop up Caleb's frigid body, clutched the man easily to a broad, fur covered chest, and started carrying him away.

Caleb was aware of many things as he was borne along on that strange journey. He saw the stars being obscured by scudding clouds, the white mist of breath that floated from the black opening of the furry hood of the one who carried him, the barren skeletons of maples and alders, standing beside firs and pines whose green branches seemed painfully cumbered with snow. And he saw the native lodge, smoke wafting lazily from its sharp top.

As Caleb was brought inside, the warm air soothed his burning lungs while he felt his frozen clothes being stripped from him. His cold body was gently inserted beneath a pile of blankets, some woven of thick wool, others patchworks of plush animal fur, all impregnated with the scent of the man who used them, had slept and pleasured himself in them, a musky, masculine, arousing aroma. Caleb heard the crackle of a fire growing as his rescuer threw more fuel on the central hearth.

Curling tightly into a ball, Caleb shivered violently as the blood started to circulate again. He felt the covers move and suddenly a naked masculine body was spooning into him from behind, filled with vital heat. Big arms encircled his chilled torso, squeezing Caleb back into the comfort of a broad, warm chest, hands gently but firmly rubbing the cold from his skin, ruffling the reddish fur that grew all over his body. Caleb also felt the man's plump cock wedging itself between his buttcheeks, which were still slick with the lube Bern had used on him earlier.

Something, he was not sure what - his near brush with death, perhaps, or the feelings of warmth and life surrounding and penetrating him again - sparked a raging desire within Caleb. He suddenly wanted to feel what he had had with Bern again, that peculiar masculine pleasure. Feel another man holding him, dominating him, taking him...

"Fuck me, please... " he managed through chattering teeth. "Take me, take me hard... "

Caleb thought he felt a light kiss on the back of his neck. He was soon certain he was feeling the man's cock start to grow. Within a minute it was fully hard, and pushing easily into Caleb's slickened rear.

The man initiated not the hard fucking Caleb had begged for, but slow, deep, languid strokes that thrilled the prospector. It was the gentle kind of lovemaking Caleb desired, but seldom got from Bern. For Bern, sex was an exercise in speed and strength, a firm hold, vigorous, quick strokes and shooting as long and hard and deep as he could, making Caleb fully aware that he was being taken by the superior force of a dominant man.

"Ah, my red haired brother... You give me much pleasure... Much pleasure... "

Caleb heard his unknown rescuer speak for the first time, in a heartfelt sigh that seemed to Caleb to be full of thankfulness, of long suppressed masculine desire being released, of bitter loneliness being swept away and banished by the simple miracle of two men embracing, sharing their touch, their bodies, their love...

A tender rhythm bore the man gently into his bedpartner, again and again. He compressed Caleb with each thrust into the incredibly sensuous softness and warmth of the blankets and fur coverings that enveloped them both. Time seemed to stop, or rather was measured only by the slow, steady pumping of the man, as warmth and life flowed back into Caleb's body.

Responding, Caleb began to rear back into the man in time with his inward strokes, heightening the sensations each was giving the other as they moved deliberately together within their plush, warm, dark cocoon towards the release his rescuer sought. At length, Caleb felt the man's tempo change, become more urgent. Caleb knew his rescuer was on the very edge of pleasure's vast, bottomless abyss.

"I will hold you like this, hold you to me tightly," came a strangled gasp from behind Caleb, "until you are recovered, and can give me your masculine strength as I give you mine, now... "

Caleb felt the man shudder and moan softly as he came. He felt the strong pulsations of the man's cock as it thrust and jerked and spermed deep within him, the burst of inner warmth as the man's hot seed filled him. And as the arms that held him with a tender strength relaxed their grip only a little in the afterglow of love's exertions, Caleb felt the fatigue of his ordeal in the cold overwhelming him as he closed his eyes.

Feeling as if he were floating in a delicious, womblike warmth, Caleb awoke slowly. Gradually, he realized he was alone within the swathing layers of warmth and softness. He burrowed his way out of the protective cocoon and up into the cooler air of the native lodge. Drawing a blanket around his bare shoulders, Caleb sat up and looked around himself. The interior walls of the conical structure were festooned with intriguing native designs and symbols, painted in various colors.

He saw his rescuer, an Indian, sitting barechested beside the fire in the central hearth, his sinewy torso the color of old bronze, his big hands busy as he worked, sewing, on a scrap of red fox fur. He wore buckskin pants, fur lined moccasins and a dark stone pendant engraved with a graceful, curling glyph. His one other garment, if it could be called that, surprised Caleb.

The prospector's eyes narrowed in puzzlement when he saw the strange sort of half mask the native wore. It was a piece of fine, dark fur, from a mink, or so Caleb judged. The covering was held in place by an arrangement of rawhide strings which encircled the man's head. They held the odd mask securely in place, so that it concealed the left side of the native's face.

"Ah. you are awake," the Indian spoke softly. "Do you feel alright? I examined your body while you slept, but did not find any sign of frostbite on you."

"I think I'm okay," Caleb began, inspecting his fingers and wiggling his toes experimentally. "Yeah, my extremities are all still attached."

The man smiled and continued his sewing.

"My name's Caleb, Caleb Havre."

"I am called Wiscoup'a."

Caleb wanted to ask about the mask but did not know how. He certainly did not want to offend the man who had saved his life, though for what reason remained unclear. Unhappy memories rushed back all at once. Caleb's position was unchanged. Bern was not his lover anymore as far as he was concerned, and without Bern in his life, the future looked pretty bleak and lonely to Caleb.

Then he recalled Wiscoup'a's whispered words as he had made gentle and sensuous love to Caleb. The native had said he wanted Caleb to take him in the same way when he was ready. Caleb's cock jerked and started to rise as he studied the man's dark, muscular handsomeness again, thinking maybe he had been too hasty. Maybe there was another man in the world somewhere who could equally return all the love Caleb had to give. And maybe, just maybe, that man was sitting across from Caleb right then, calmly sewing away.

"If you are wondering about this," Wiscoup'a said suddenly, reaching up to touch the mask he wore, as if he had read Caleb's thoughts, "I wear it to spare others the sight of my scars. They are... quite bad."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Caleb fumbled, "I... um... like what I can see... you're a handsome man, as far as I'm concerned."

"I find you handsome too, Yakinoo."

"What did you call me?"

"It is the name my spirit guides called you when they told me about you," Wiscoup'a went on. "In my people's tongue, Yakinoo means 'Lost-in-the-snow'."

"Spirits? Told you about me?"

"I did not find you by chance, Yakinoo. In medicine dreams I was warned by the spirits who guard and guide my tribe that if I did not act, you would die, so I came to the old ritual fane and found you." Wiscoup'a paused in his task to turn his head and fix his one good eye, black and clear and penetrating, on Caleb as he gently asked: "What has happened to make you so sad that you sought to take your own life, my brother?"

"How... how did you know... "

"I could say," the native began as he went back to his sewing, "that I saw the way you were holding your gun, as if you intended to shoot yourself in the head, but the truth is my spirit helpers told me you wished to die, so sad were you. They did not tell me why you were so sad though. Will you?"

Falteringly, Caleb told Wiscoup'a why he had gone to the stone circle to kill himself, of his love for Bern, and Bern's betrayal of that love. The native listened without seeming to, nodding from time to time to let Caleb know he was paying attention. When Caleb finished his story, Wiscoup'a spoke softly.

"Perhaps you will not believe me, Yakinoo, but for a man as handsome as you, there will always be other men who desire you, just you, and will treat you with the respect you deserve, love you with a love of equals. I... I hope you will not leave here and try to take your life again."

"I was thinkin', earlier, something just like that." Caleb began, trying to find the words. "Thanks for givin' me the chance to think about it and realize there are more men in the world than just Bern. As for leavin', well, I... I don't wanna go back to the cabin I shared with Bern... but I have nowhere else to go... "

Wiscoup'a stopped sewing again and looked at Caleb. His single eye shone with emotion.

"You may stay with me as long as you wish, Yakinoo."

"Wiscoup'a," Caleb breathed, reaching out to touch the man's dark shoulder, his fingers caressing the curve between his neck and upper chest. "Are you alone here?"

"Yes."

"May I ask why?"

Caleb felt the native tense a little. But when he spoke again his voice did not betray any anxiousness. Caleb kept his hand where it was, rubbing the smooth, coppery skin gently and deliberately.

"After I was injured, by an enemy of our tribe, I felt I needed to be alone... " Wiscoup'a paused and shook his head. "No, I will not lie to you, Yakinoo. I felt the ugliness of my scars repelled my brothers, so I left them and determined to live apart from them for a time, perhaps forever."

"But... you couldn't help it if you were attacked! And," Caleb went on, feelingly, "your brothers must be blind if they can't see what a gentle, caring man you are. That's true beauty, Wiscoup'a... "

"Do not judge my brothers too harshly, Yakinoo. They do love me, for what is in my heart, not how I look. It is I who doubted that, I know that now. I just needed time alone to reflect upon it."

"It sounds like we both doubted ourselves pretty badly, Wiscoup'a," Caleb said as he moved so he could properly massage the native's shoulders. He continued hopefully, trying to find the right words to express what he was feeling as he stroked the man's dark skin. "Maybe... together... we could find some comfort... maybe find more... there's still a lotta winter left and I don't like the idea of your bein' all alone out here... "

"Nor do you deserve to be lonely, my brother," the native responded softly.

Wiscoup'a then bit off his thread, apparently done sewing. He turned and placed what he had made, a red fox fur hat, on Caleb's head. He smiled at the white man's surprised expression.

"I measured it against your head as you slept. It looks good on you, Yakinoo," he murmured. At the same time Wiscoup'a reached out to gently caress the hair Caleb had allowed to grow long, hanging below the hat. Both were a rich shade of red. "I thought you ought to have a warm hat. You will need it. As you have said, there is much winter left."

"Wiscoup'a... I don't know what to say... Thank you."

The native murmured as he continued to stroke his dark fingers slowly through Caleb's crimson hair, smoothing it evenly across his shoulders and chest, ruffling the slightly darker fur that graced his upper body.

I want to be good to you, my brother, as long as you stay...

be it long as many moons, or brief as a single day...

"What was that?"

"It is our way to sing when our hearts are moved, as your beauty has moved me, Yakinoo," the native almost whispered, allowing his hand to drop downward in a long caress. He smoothed Caleb's long ginger beard, then let dark fingers dip into and comb through the scarlet fur that covered the man's chest, grazing one hidden nipple on the way. Further down he went, to the fiery pubic bush and the rigid member straining upward from there, achingly ready to do its duty. "Do you remember what I told you when we made love earlier, my brother?" he asked as his fingertips tantalized that portion of Caleb's cockhead that had pushed its way out of the man's taut foreskin, wet with precum.

"You wanted me to take you the same way... " Caleb gasped, shaking with pleasure as he felt his most sensitive flesh slowly stroked by Wiscoup'a, who gradually smeared the slimy precum all up and down the hot length of Caleb's manhood.

"Yes," Wiscoup'a responded, before releasing Caleb and standing up to strip off his clothes, an action that took little time.

The naked man's dark cock was heavy with anticipation as he looked for and picked up a plump leather pouch. Caleb watched as Wiscoup'a dipped his fingers into it and pulled them out covered in a dark amber substance that Wiscoup'a applied to his rear, slipping his fingers in and out of his manhole easily. He smiled at Caleb.

"Some of my brothers make this salve for wounds," he explained, "but many of us use it in this fashion also, to make the way easier for our lovers."

"Your brothers sound like my kind of folks," Caleb grinned as he sampled some of the fulvous grease and slathered it on his stiff cock. There was something in the native lube that caused the sensitive flesh of his genitals to tingle in a most singular way and Wiscoup'a chuckled at Caleb's reaction to it.

"The salve has the juices of certain special herbs mixed in it, my brother. Some say those ingredients have the effect of making the act of love last longer... "

"Let's find out if it's true... " Caleb breathed before he grabbed and kissed Wiscoup'a passionately, pulling the unresisting man down into the rumpled pile of furs and blankets.

Stretching languidly, Caleb sleepily reached out for Wiscoup'a, letting the memories of the things they had done to and for each other wash over his returning consciousness like the waves of a rising tide from the sea of love. Caleb had never shared himself with another man like that before, it had been so tender, so sensuous, so deep... His erotic thoughts were at length distracted by the lack of success his hands were having in finding his new friend.

He opened his eyes and saw the native was gone. Disappointed, but not too concerned, Caleb looked for and pulled on his clothes. As he donned his coat, he felt the lump made by his little book of poetry in the pocket.

Caleb smiled as he remembered what Wiscoup'a had told him about his tribe's tradition of composing verses. He determined to recite some of his favorites to Wiscoup'a. Ducking through the entrance flap of the lodge, Caleb went outside.

He was surprised to see the sun, appearing as a dull, round spot shining feebly in a leaden sky. It seemed to be tending towards afternoon and Caleb realized he had no idea how much time had passed since Wiscoup'a had found him. But he figured it was, most likely, the day after he had gone to the stone circle.

There had certainly been a marked change in the weather since then. At least another three feet of snow had fallen, covering everything in powdery, immaculate drifts, and the temperature had risen to about ten or twenty degrees or so, as Caleb judged it. No breath of wind stirred the gelid air.

Feeling the call of nature, Caleb soon located a spot that was a decent distance away from Wiscoup'a's lodge. After relieving himself, he began to follow the tracks left by his friend through the deep drifts. As he went, pushing the fine snow aside easily, he realized Wiscoup'a's trail lay in the hollow of an old path, beaten through successive snowfalls into a well defined rut, with walls rising to the height of a man's hips.

Caleb came to a fork in the rutted trail. It was obvious which path Wiscoup'a had taken, but Caleb paused to look along the untrodden branch. What he saw surprised him.

The second trail ended only a few yards from where the redheaded man stood, before an odd construct. The spindly looking object was hung with small items, colorful feathers and buckskin bags, among others. As Caleb studied the snow covered, carefully wrapped oblong form lying atop the framework, he realized he was looking at a native grave. He formed questions about it as he began following his friend's trail again. Whose grave was it? What connection did it have to Wiscoup'a?

As he followed the course set for him by the trough, it began to snow again, lightly. Caleb found himself moving through a fantasy of large, translucent flakes, their lacey, hexagonal patterns plainly visible as they fell, spinning slowly, straight downward from the dull gray skies. Before he saw where Wiscoup'a's trail led to, Caleb detected an unusual, acrid scent burdening the air.

By the time Caleb had identified the odor as sulfur, the man saw the clouds of steam rising above the trees. Coming around a dense clump of barren alders, he found the source of the vapors. It was a fair sized pool of smoking water, edged with wide, flat stones that looked too convenient to have been naturally formed.

A huge. misshapen boulder squatted to the north of the hot spring, its rough surface riddled with cracks. There was a niche of sorts, wide, deep and sheltered from the weather, which held what looked to be Wiscoup'a's clothing. Then Caleb spotted Wiscoup'a's partly masked face just above the surface of the rippling waters.

"Join me, my friend," he smiled.

"How do we dry off afterwards? We'd be covered in ice if we got out and stayed wet in this weather!"

"I have those."

The native gestured towards the niche, which held several old flour sacks he used as towels. Seeing them, Caleb gave in and stripped, stashing his clothes with Wiscoup'a's. He quickly moved from the gelid air and the snowflakes that pricked like cold pins as they struck his exposed flesh to the hot water.

"I thought you would follow to see where I'd gone," Wiscoup'a smiled, "so I allowed you to go on sleeping. We both needed rest after the strong love we shared, Yakinoo."

"Yeah... " Caleb sighed as he sank into the pool next to his new friend.

It had been months since the last time Caleb had a hot bath. The best he and Bern had managed in their cabin was a sponge bath with water heated over the fire, which they indulged in as often as they could. But that could not compare to being immersed in the hot spring.

Wiscoup'a picked up a bar of soap and worked up a handful of suds to stroke across Caleb's shoulders. Caleb allowed himself to be bathed, standing when Wiscoup'a asked, so his ass and genitals could be washed as well. Later Caleb reclined in the water as Wiscoup'a washed his hair, feeling the heat penetrating and relaxing his body.

"You are such a handsome man, Yakinoo... " purred Wiscoup'a as he worked his dark fingers through the crimson hair and scooped handfuls of water to rinse the soap away. Caleb sat up and thanked him with a kiss before going on.

"Um... Wiscoup'a, I don't mean your spirits any disrespect, but I'd sorta like it better if you called me Caleb."

"Very well, Caleb. I should tell you though, there is a tradition among my brothers, though not all follow it, which says if two men call each other by their birth names, they are telling the rest of the tribe that they are pledged to one another."

"You mean lovers?"

"Yes."

"Is Wiscoup'a your birth name?"

"Yes. I was given a tribal name when I joined the Elxa, but like some of my brothers, I prefer to use the name I was born with."

"If you don't mind me usin' it, I don't mind your usin' mine. Besides... ah... " Caleb paused and stroked his long beard nervously before speaking again. "We sorta are lovers, aren't we?"

"Yes, Caleb," Wiscoup'a murmured, thrilling Caleb as he reached to pull the redheaded man into his arms, "I think of us as lovers."

They kissed and Caleb felt himself getting hard again. Wiscoup'a felt it too. He chuckled at Caleb.

"Perhaps you should go on a vision quest and ask the spirits for another name, a name that would reflect how strongly and easily you can be aroused!"

"It's you who makes me this way, Wiscoup'a. You're not complainin' are you?"

"No, not at all... "

They kissed and stroked each other's cocks until they were close. Not wanting to lose their cum in the water, they took turns sitting on the warm stones that edged the pool, their wet skins smoking in the cold and snowy air as each shot his hot load into the other's hungry and eager mouth. Feeling content, for the time being, they settled back into the water, holding one another, as the snow silently fell all around.

"Wiscoup'a, where are your brothers, your tribe - Elxa, did you say?"

"Yes, Caleb. They live here, in this place we call the valley of the heron."

"Bern and I have never seen anyone around here before."

"We are in the northern reaches of my tribe's lands. By common consent, this area is reserved for the animals that sustain us. Usually, only those of the Elxa who seek visions come here."

"I've never heard of the Elxa tribe."

"We are also known as the heron men."

"I've heard that somewhere," Caleb muttered, thinking. "Something about a legend... " The tone of his voice suddenly changed, registering surprise. "Of an Indian tribe entirely made up of man-loving men!" He looked at Wiscoup'a in sheer wonder. "You mean they're real?"

"Yes. Many think we heron men are only wild stories, and we prefer it that way. If the white authorities knew of us... "

"My God! I can imagine the rantin' and ravin' about 'sin and degradation' that would break out then!" Caleb agreed. Then his face fell. "Uh, Wiscoup'a, would your brothers be mad at you for tellin' me about them?"

"Of course not, Caleb, you share our nature. Why would you think you should not know of us?"

"Well, because I'm a white man."

Wiscoup'a grinned.

"Though the Elxa tribe began long ago, as a way for Indians of our nature to gather together from the tribes of their birth and live with others like themselves, and not in loneliness or isolation, we now have many white tribesmen. Indeed, our legends tell us the Elxa have had white members as long as white men have been coming to this continent. Our feelings, the yearnings of our male hearts for the love of other men, are not as different as our outer appearances."

"Huh! So... you think I might have a shot at joinin' the Elxa? I promise I'd try to help and do whatever I could for the tribe, if they'd have me."

"I know that, Caleb. But the Elxa are not like the clubs the whites make among themselves, something you join if you like it. The spirits who guide and protect the Elxa lead men like you to us, men who are ready to be our brothers and share our way of life and love. That is why they told me of you Caleb. I trust their judgement and would be proud to bring you before our shaman, Falling Star, when the seasons change and warmth returns to our lands. He will send you on a vision quest and you will learn our ways."

"What's it like, living only with men who are like us? I can scarcely imagine it!"

"One of my brothers taught me a song by a man who shares our spirit that speaks of something close to how we live here in the valley of the heron. Would you like to hear it?"

"Sure."

Wiscoup'a drew a breath and declaimed quietly.

I dreamed in a dream of a city where all the men were like brothers,

O I saw them tenderly love each other, I often saw them, in numbers walking hand in hand;

I dreamed that was the city of robust friends...

Caleb put a hand upon Wiscoup'a's shoulder, causing the native to fall silent. Then the white man went on, completing the poem.

...nothing was greater than manly love It led the rest,

It was seen every hour in the actions of the men of that city, and in all their looks and words.

"You know the song?" asked Wiscoup'a.

"I have that poet's book," Caleb explained. "I carried it with me all durin' the war. I found a lot of comfort in his words, like he was tellin' me I wasn't alone,,, "

"You never were, Caleb, nor ever will be again, if you stay with us." Wiscoup'a murmured, embracing him close.

"It sounds wonderful. I hope I can fit in."

"You already know a lot about mansex," Wiscoup'a smiled broadly at Caleb. "Perhaps you would like to hear more details about the Elxa. I could tell you of my brothers, now, while we hold each other, if you like."

"Yeah, I'd like that."

Wiscoup'a proceeded to tell Caleb about the tribe. Its history, its customs, its beliefs. And of the trinity of man-loving gods whom the Elxa believed created and protected the valley of the heron.

They were the leading three among many spirits who dwelt there, speaking to their human brothers in sacred dreams, bringing wisdom and warnings. Wiscoup'a spoke of the love freely shared by the members of his tribe, which they believed generated subtle energies that nourished both the good spirits and the land, making it fertile and inviting for all the plants and animals the tribe depended on for food and clothing and medicine. And he described the rituals that lovers could conduct, raising and directing their shared erotic energies in order to heighten the sensations as they coupled, or to send healing to their fellow tribesmen, if that were necessary.

"I'd like to learn how to do that last part, the way to make sex feel better," Caleb grinned wryly as he stroked Wiscoup'a's broad chest. "It's hard though to imagine me feelin' more than you already make me feel!"

"The love you make is very strong, Caleb. Flooding like the streams in springtime, it bursts all bounds," the native sighed as he smoothed Caleb's red beard with a dripping hand. "It would add to our tribe's joy and prosperity, no matter whom you made love with."

"What do you mean?"

"There are many like myself in the tribe who are partial to hairy white men, Caleb," Wiscoup'a confided through a smile. "You will never lack for bedpartners among the Elxa, my handsome brother."

"Huh? You mean we wouldn't... um... stay together?"

"Love is meant to be shared, Caleb. Especially with our brothers. It is our way."

"We... we couldn't be lovers... like this?" Caleb asked, looking troubled as he caressed smooth, dark skin gently. Wiscoup'a kissed him reassuringly.

"If our friendship deepens, Caleb, we could be joined in a tribal ceremony, one that would tell everyone we wish to share our love and our lives, but still, that act would not preclude playful encounters with our brothers. You will understand when you learn our ways." Wiscoup'a paused and looked at Caleb searchingly with his one eye. "But would you truly wish to be joined to a man like myself?"

"What do you mean? Haven't I shown you how you make me feel? How happy I am to be with you?"

"But you have not seen my scars."

"Wiscoup'a, it doesn't make any difference to me what you look like... "

Caleb fell silent as Wiscoup'a slowly raised his hands from the smoking waters. Steam wafted off his arms as he touched the half mask, loosening the rawhide strings that held the dark patch of fur on. Caleb watched as it came off, holding his breath in suspense.

He saw and gasped and immediately hated himself for it. The heron man's scars were frightful, like the marks left by a burn. Wiscoup'a could not close his left eye, for the eyelid was gone. The organ itself was a pale, milky white orb, dead and sightless, yet staring out at Caleb from a patch of mangled flesh in a most unsettling way.

"How... Who did this to you?" Caleb choked.

"An enemy of our tribe, an evil sorcerer."

Wiscoup'a proceeded to tell Caleb the story of what had happened to him. Of the attack by the evil sorcerer named Blood Wind and the actions of Wiscoup'a's friend Xioga that had saved Wiscoup'a's life, but had left Xioga dead and Wiscoup'a hideously scarred. Caleb remembered the Indian grave he had seen on the way to the hot spring and asked about it.

"Yes, I built the sky-cradle for Xioga's body."

"Blood Wind deserves to die for what he's done... I... I'd kill him if I could... " vowed Caleb.

"He is dead," Wiscoup'a informed his companion. "The evil one was defeated and slain by some of my heron brothers soon after his attack on Xioga and myself."

"Can I... would it hurt if I touched... "

"No."

Caleb reached up and traced the left cheekbone, felt the raw looking, uneven, ruined flesh that covered it. As he did so, he felt tears welling hotly in his eyes. Wiscoup'a spoke softly.

"Do you pity me, Caleb?"

"I... I'm sorry for what happened to you," he sniffed. "But I swear it doesn't make any difference as to how I feel, I... "

Caleb gave up trying to say what he felt and embraced Wiscoup'a. He kissed the heron man's wounds, his eyes, his forehead, his mouth, anything he could reach on the native's face with his lips. Indiscriminately, repeatedly, lovingly...

"I love you, Wiscoup'a," he began to vow between kisses, "I love you, I love you... "

Wiscoup'a gave a little sobbing gasp and hugged Caleb back.

"I did not believe it," he said choking back tears, "I did not believe what the spirits told me about you, that a handsome one like you would love me... That your heart or any other could be filled with love for a man as hideous and disfigured as I am... "

"You are beautiful, beautiful... " Caleb choked and began to cry.

They held each other and wept, each knowing they had found a man they could hold onto. They made love again, slowly, without the mask, staring into one another's faces, animated by passionate desire, gasping their love as they brought each other to the height of passion and sank back to earth. At last they arose from the hot spring, dried themselves briskly and redonned their clothes.

Wiscoup'a had saved his mask for last and Caleb watched as Wiscoup'a picked up the scrap of mink pelt and rawhide string. Gently, Caleb laid a hand on the native's, preventing the heron man from replacing his mask. As Wiscoup'a looked at Caleb questioningly, he murmured.

Hark close and still what I now whisper to you,

I love you, O you entirely possess me,

O that you and I escape from the rest and go utterly off, free and lawless,

Two hawks in the air, two fishes swimming in the sea not more lawless than we...

"You already sing like my brothers, Caleb."

"The words aren't mine," he admitted. "They belong to my favorite poet, the same one you quoted before, but I swear I mean every one of them."

Wiscoup'a smiled and embraced Caleb lovingly. They kept ahold of each other tightly as they walked back to Wiscoup'a's lodge, arms firmly holding shoulders together. The men knew as soon as they got inside, their clothing would come right off and they would exercise the next several hours or more in each other's arms. They would spend themselves in frenetic sex play, ignoring hunger or fatigue as their emotional bonding grew deeper and stronger.

They were within only a few steps of the lodge when Wiscoup'a stopped. Caleb perforce stopped also. He shot a questioning look at the heron man.

"Listen," the native murmured.

Caleb strained his ears. At first the prospector thought he was hearing the wind sighing softly through the treetops. Then he realized that could not be. The air was dead calm, the snowflakes around them spinning slowly as they fell in straight trajectories to the ground. Again it came, a soft, distant noise sounding like wind. A wind with a human tongue.

"Caaaaaaaaaaleeeeeeeeeeb!" The long drawn out call wafted faintly through the snowy forest like a gentle breeze. "Caaaaaaaaaaleeeeeeeeeeb!"

"Bern... " Caleb muttered. "Bern's callin' to me... "

"I believe you should go to him, Caleb."

"Why?" he asked, startled by Wiscoup'a's suggestion.

"Do you recall what I spoke of earlier, about my medicine dreams?"

"Yeah, that the spirits spoke to you and guided you to me."

"They spoke to me of other things as well, Caleb. Strange things."

"What things?"

"I do not think you could accept their words, Caleb. Not yet. But based on what they told me, I feel you should go to Bern."

"I don't want to... "

"Do you not wish to at least say goodbye? You told me you loved him deeply, and for a long time."

"It'll be dark soon. By the time I got to our cabin, I'd have to stay the night."

"Perhaps... that would be a good thing," the heron man murmured, thinking of the unusual visions he had been gifted with.

Caleb started to protest, but the native turned from him. He ducked and entered his lodge. Then he just as quickly came back out, with Caleb's rifle, and handed it to the man.

"The stone circle is over that ridge," Wiscoup'a pointed, indicating a thickly wooded rise. Despite being so close to the area Caleb and Bern had lived in, the dense growth of trees had formed an effective barrier between them and Wiscoup'a's camp, concealing it from the miners. "From there you can find your cabin again."

"I... " Caleb wanted to protest against leaving Wiscoup'a, but then gave in to what the heron man apparently wanted. "I'll be back tomorrow morning, my love," he promised. "Nothing'll stop me. But if I'm late... it might mean I'm havin' trouble... "

"Do not be afraid that Bern will try and stop you from returning to me," Wiscoup'a soothed.

"I don't know," muttered Caleb. "Sometimes Bern can be damned stubborn about gettin' his own way about things. If he has his mind set on takin' me back to Ohio with him, well... "

"If you are not here before noon, I will come to you," Wiscoup'a vowed. Then, seeing the worried look on Caleb's face, he added: "And I will bring my rifle with me. But I will not need it. There will be no violence."

"Did the spirits promise that?"

"Yes, Caleb. And if the other things they spoke of come to pass, well, I know we shall be happy men."

"Thanks for tellin' me that. I want to know more, Wiscoup'a, but I trust your judgement. I'll wait until you think I'm ready to hear what the spirits have in mind for us."

"That is good, Caleb. Do not doubt that all men like us, man-loving men, are protected in this place. The spirits who dwell in the valley of the heron are no fairy tale. And there are the mighty ones I have told you of: the Spirit-Wolf and the Ghost-Bear. They have a way of showing up whenever their brothers are in danger. In fact, the Spirit-Wolf visits me often, as if checking to see if I am alright. Perhaps he will come again soon, so he can see you and know you as a brother to be protected as well. So go to Bern, Caleb, and do not fear."

"I'll go, and I'll come back." Caleb reached up and stroked Wiscoup'a's cheek, caressing the ravaged skin gently. Then he turned and started walking, resisting the urge to look back.

He found the stone circle again easily enough. He glanced at the altar and shuddered. Caleb could see himself lying on it with the top of his head blown off, beyond help.

He had almost done it and cut himself off from Wiscoup'a's love and the fellowship of an entire tribe of men who shared his nature, his spirit, as Wiscoup'a would say. Caleb shook his head, dispelling the dark thoughts. It had not happened, and now the future looked to hold amazing promise, where experiences Caleb could only guess at awaited him.

As he started walking again, he grinned at the way his pecker was plumping up in his pants. Caleb knew he wanted to be with Wiscoup'a, now and forever, and at first the idea of 'sharing' him with the other Elxa tribesmen did not sit well. But now that he had a chance to think about it, the prospect of a circle of man-loving friends who were all 'available' did not seem so bad. In fact, it was getting his cock downright hard and dripping just thinking about it.

"Caaaaaaaaaaleeeeeeeeeeb!" came the plaintive call again, louder now.

"Beeeeeeeeeern!" Caleb responded, lifting his hands to his face to channel his call. As he did, his fingertips brushed the fox fur hat Wiscoup'a had given him. "Shit!" he muttered.

Caleb quickly took the hat off and thrust it into an inside pocket of his coat. He did not want to have to explain to Bern where the new hat had come from. Caleb had already decided not to mention his encounter with Wiscoup'a to Bern.

He was still some distance from the cabin when he spotted Bern, coming to meet him, moving as quickly as he could in the fresh snow. The brawny man's black hair and beard looked uncombed and mussed, which was unusual for Bern, and he looked anxious, tired, and scared. Caleb tried to fight back the tender feelings he still held for Bern, the ones rising in him at that moment, impelling him to run and embrace Bern, hold him tight, kiss him, soothe him, tell him everything was going to be alright...

"Caleb!" Bern gasped as he reached his partner, grabbed him with his big hands and bearhugged him with muscular arms. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Caleb managed, trying to control himself as he responded automatically to the enthusiastic hug. The familiar contours of Bern's body felt so good in his arms...

"Where've you been?"

"I... I needed to go and find a place to sit and think, by myself... " Caleb faltered, trying to spin out a believable story for Bern.

"Out here in the woods? All night in the cold?"

"I found a cave," Caleb lied. "I built a fire. I needed to think... "

"C'mon, let's go home, buddy," urged Bern. "We need to get out of the cold. And you haven't eaten either, have you?"

"No, I haven't... " Caleb realized. He had been so focused on Wiscoup'a, he had ignored other needs, but at the mention of food his stomach began to grumble.

"C'mon and I'll make supper," said Bern as he wrapped a thick arm around Caleb's shoulder in a familiar manner as they started towards the cabin they shared, showing Caleb how much Bern had missed him. Caleb felt his resolve weakening further.

"Sit down," Bern directed after they got inside, "and take it easy. Damn, but you had me scared for awhile, buddy. I woke up alone and had no idea what had happened to you. The new snow covered any tracks I might've followed."

Caleb watched quietly from his seat as Bern continued to chatter away while he rattled around in their supplies and began cooking. Mostly, the brawny man talked about nothing as delicious aromas filled the small cabin, making Caleb's mouth water, and reminding the man that he had not eaten in almost twenty four hours. At last Bern set their supper on the table and Caleb dug in, admitting to himself that Bern had always been a rather good cook.

"Um, Caleb," Bern began, a little nervously, "what were you thinkin' about, out there, by yourself?"

"You know," answered Caleb, trying to sound serious as he munched on a biscuit dipped in excellent gravy. "What you told me yesterday, what you wanted to do, and what you wanted me to do. Well, I was surprised. I thought I was enough for you, like you were always enough for me. I had to think about it."

Bern took a bite of food and watched Caleb as he spoke. His eyes were intent as he chewed his meal slowly. At last he swallowed and sighed.

"You... you don't wanna go with me... do you?"

"Bern, I love you like a brother... no, more than a brother," Caleb began, trying to soften the blow, "but I can't share you with a wife, be part of some kind of weird harem you seem to want!"

They went back to eating in silence for awhile.

"What... if I decided to change my plans?" Bern asked at length, quietly.

"Yesterday, you sounded like a man who'd figured things out and made firm decisions," Caleb responded.

"I should've talked with you first, Caleb, found out what you wanted... "

"Well, I don't want to be your farm hand, work with you all day and then have to watch you go to bed with someone else every night!" Caleb said firmly and a bit more harshly than he meant to.

"Then you won't have to," replied Bern.

They went back to eating. As Caleb chewed, he began to wonder what Bern's last comment meant. He swallowed and looked at his old friend questioningly.

"Are you still plannin' on gettin' married?"

"Caleb, you know I've always liked kids. I have this desire for little ones, sons to cuddle and protect and raise, to make more good men, just like us... "

"Well, you'll need a wife for that. I certainly can't be of any help in that way."

"Wait, Caleb, hear me out," Bern all but pleaded, causing his old friend to look oddly at him. Suddenly it seemed Bern's veneer of unconquerable self-confidence was gone as Caleb heard something in Bern's voice he had never heard before, a sort of fearful uncertainty. "Listen, there's another way I thought of after you left. We could get us a farm together, or a little ranch and try raisin' beef, or find a little town and start a business, something that would give us a real home we could share... "

"Share?"

"Sure," Bern went on quickly. "There are orphanages everywhere, full of boys who need fathers. We could adopt a couple or three, make our own kind of family. If you want, we could try and find boys like us, who like the same things we do, raise them knowin' they ain't bad people 'cause of who they wanna love. They could grow up watchin' us and learn that... "

"Bern, stop! I'm confused. Are you sayin' you've found out you're 'not the marryin' kind' like me? That you don't really like women?"

"I thought I needed a woman to have children. I thought you'd understand that and stick with me, but I know now that's askin' too much. I know I've hurt you, Caleb, hurt you bad, and I'm scared to death of losin' my closest friend." Bern got up and came around to where Caleb was sitting. He embraced Caleb from behind, pillowing his friend's head against his hard belly. "I love you, Caleb, just like I hope you still love me. I don't know what I'd do if you left me... "

Caleb felt sick. The cabin seemed to spin. He concentrated on nothing, trying to force everything that had happened in the last twenty four hours out of his head, before it exploded.

If only Bern had been more thoughtful. If only Caleb had not jumped at conclusions. If only Wiscoup'a were not waiting for him...

Something hit Caleb's ear. He reached to scratch at it and drew back wet fingertips. He looked up and saw tears in Bern's eyes.

"Please, Caleb," he said, obviously making a supreme effort to keep what was left of his composure, "don't leave me. If you don't like my ideas, I'll do whatever you want, anything, anything at all, as long as it keeps us together."

"Bern," Caleb began, struggling for words, "sit down and finish your supper. We can talk about this later."

Bern did as Caleb asked. His manner was subdued as they polished off the simple meal. Needing water to wash up, Caleb left to go to a nearby spring the men had found that never seemed to freeze up, no matter how cold it got.

As he set the bucket down on a patch of icy gravel and watched the trickle of water run from the rock and slowly start to fill it, Caleb felt lost. It seemed that no matter what he did now, someone was going to get hurt. But who?

Bern, the man he had loved for years, and who had at last committed himself totally to Caleb. Or Wiscoup'a, who had saved his life, given his love freely and unstintingly, and revealed the existence of a band of man-loving brothers to Caleb, a group he strongly wanted to join. And there was the fact that Caleb had promised himself to Wiscoup'a, a point of personal honor there seemed no escape from, no way Caleb would consider at least.

"I hope there are some of the Elxa's protective spirits around here now, listenin'," he pleaded softly and earnestly, watching his breath freeze and float slowly away on the cold air, "'cause I need help. And I need it now."

Bern thanked Caleb for the water when he returned and began to clean up. As he did that, Caleb went to the fire and carefully stacked a set of logs. He was good at building a fire that would last all night, so he usually dealt with that task. Both men took their time about their chores, sharing an apprehension about what would be coming afterward.

Bern put away the last of the utensils and glanced at Caleb. His old army buddy was poking halfheartedly at the fire he had built, squeezing in one last piece of wood among the others that were blazing away. When Caleb finally got it where he wanted it, he took a seat at the table, looked at his partner and sighed.

"Bern, I don't know where to start... "

"Caleb," Bern interrupted as he sat also, "you probably already think I'm some sort of damned fool, so hearin' this won't make you think any worse of me, I hope. Last night, I had the weirdest dream in my life."

"A dream?" wondered Caleb, thinking of the things Wiscoup'a had told him.

"Yeah. A big black bear, the biggest I ever saw, came into the cabin and shook me awake. His eyes were strange and at first I thought they were drippin' blood, but it wasn't blood, it was... I don't know what it was, but it burned and smoked and... look here... "

Bern reached up to the wooden shelf above the fireplace. He scooped something off the rough mantel and showed it to his partner. Caleb saw several jagged bits of rock crystal glittering like precious jewels as they nestled in the hollow of Bern's hand.

"What are they?"

"Those were his tears!" Bern exclaimed. "I found them on the bed and all over the floor after I woke up. He told me I'd find proof that I wasn't just havin' a dream, and I did!"

"What did he tell you?" Caleb asked. From what he had learned from Wiscoup'a, Caleb was sure Bern had been visited by Zoraxte, one of the trinity of deities that were most important to the Elxa, the spirit of the great mountain that towered over the valley of the heron.

"He told me that I was an idiot for throwin' your love away, and that you were under his protection now, and that he'd kill me if I tried to stop you from leavin' me and goin' to your true brothers, the other men whom he protected. Do you know what he meant?"

"No," Caleb lied. "Is that all he said?"

"I think that was all he was goin' to say, 'cause he turned like he was goin' to leave. I jumped out of the bed and grabbed him by one of his legs to stop him."

"You did?!"

"I had to, Caleb, I didn't want to lose you... I'd have wrestled a bigger bear than him if that would've kept you with me... "

"I know, Bern," Caleb said gently. "What happened then?"

"The bear stopped and looked at me. He could've crushed me with one of his paws if he'd chosen to, but he didn't. He asked me what I wanted. I told him just what I did you, Caleb, that I loved you and I wouldn't know what to do with my life without you. You know what he said?"

"No, what?"

"That I wasn't a bad man, just a man who was in the habit of gettin' his own way about everything. If I was willin' to change my ways, he'd send one of his brothers to teach me, but I'd have to share you with that man."

"Did... did you agree?" Caleb asked, sure Zoraxte had meant Wiscoup'a to be Bern's teacher.

"I said I'd do anything to keep you close to me, and I meant it." Bern reaffirmed. Then his manner became less sure as he went on. "Caleb, did I treat you badly, all these past years? Did I make you do things you didn't want to do?"

"No, Bern... I've stayed with you of my own free will, followed wherever you led, 'cause I thought you loved me, the way I loved you... "

"Oh God, Caleb, I do love you! Please don't doubt that!"

"Shhh," Caleb soothed, laying a hand on Bern's to calm the man. "I know that now, Bern, but yesterday, when you started talkin' about gettin' married and wantin' me to stick around so you'd never lack for sex, like you wanted the best of both worlds, well, it sorta broke my heart... "

"I swear I didn't meant it to sound like that! I'm sorry, Caleb, so sorry... I'll make it up to you, hell, I'll even share you with another man if that's what it takes... "

"Could you really do that, Bern?"

"I don't know... I'd be a liar if I said I liked the idea, but if the alternative is not havin' you at all, well... "

The men stared silently at each other for a few moments.

"Lemme sleep on it," Caleb said, thinking of Wiscoup'a.

Could the heron man accept an arrangement like that, a triad, all three of them sharing their love equally? Could Wiscoup'a love Bern as well as Caleb? From what he knew of the heron men's ways, the little Wiscoup'a had told him, threesomes did not seem to be a common tribal practice.

On the other hand, the way the Elxa shared their love seemed not to preclude a three way bond like that. As Caleb thought more about it, he considered that all the men who followed The Way of the Heron were 'married' to each other, in a way; the tribe's beliefs suddenly seemed full of unspoken, exciting potential. Caleb concluded that he would have a lot to talk over with Wiscoup'a when he saw the heron man again. Bern smiled wanly at his partner before he spoke again, pulling Caleb out of his reverie.

"Well, I won't trouble you tonight, buddy. You can have the bed to yourself if you want. I can sleep beside the fire."

"No," Caleb responded quietly. "Don't you remember the promise we made each other, long ago?"

Bern looked at Caleb and murmured. "You mean... after... the first time we slept together?"

"Yeah. Squeezed together in that narrow army cot. I couldn't believe how lucky I was when I found you liked the same things I did. And in the morning, we made a deal, remember?"

"Yeah, that we'd always share the same bed." Bern looked down at the rough wooden surface of the table pensively before going on. "I broke that promise, or was plannin' to, when I thought about gettin' married. So I can't hold you to it anymore."

Caleb reached across the space between them. His fingers sank into Bern's thick black beard, found the man's chin and lifted it so their eyes met once more. Then Caleb spoke in a firm voice.

"My best friend will never sleep on a cold floor if I can help it. You'll sleep in my arms, like you have these past few years." The look Bern was giving Caleb as he spoke was full of gratitude, and love. "And I have quite a few things to tell you, Bern. But I'd like to be holdin' you close when I do, so get yourself in our bunk!"

The two men eagerly prepared for bed, stripping off their clothes. Caleb draped his clothing over the back of a chair as he removed them. When he was ready, he went and burrowed into the thick layers of blankets that made up the men's bed, a snug nest somewhat like the one he had shared with Wiscoup'a. Caleb thought again of the love the heron man had showed him, and hoped to have Bern in the same gentle way.

Caleb touched himself in anticipation, wetting his fingers with precum. He turned to see what was keeping Bern and wondered at first what his old comrade was doing as he stood naked by the fire, reading something. As a rush of panic wilted his hardon, Caleb realized what it might be. His suicide note was still in his shirt pocket, or had been. If it had slipped out...

"Bern, don't read that... "

Bern turned and looked at Caleb, his face ashen.

"Oh, Caleb... " Bern threw the paper down and dived into the bed, hugging Caleb to himself, meshing their body fur sensuously as he almost sobbed. "I'm sorry, so sorry... "

"I didn't want you to see that, it doesn't matter now... "

"When you left here last night, you meant to kill yourself, didn't you?"

"I... yes."

"Caleb, Caleb!" Bern moaned, squeezing his lover tighter. "Don't you know what that would've done to me? I probably would've shot myself too, if I had read that note over your dead body... "

"Bern, it didn't happen, and it won't happen."

"What stopped you?"

"That's what I wanted to tell you. Listen..."

"...then we heard you callin' to me. Wiscoup'a told me to go to you, 'cause there were other things the spirits had told him, things that meant I would have to see you again. And now I know why. It's plain to me, Bern. You, me and Wiscoup'a are going to be a team, sharin' our lives and our love, and then there are the other heron men, all waitin' to get to know you and me better."

"You think the heron men would have me, after what I almost made you go and do?"

"It didn't happen, Bern, so it doesn't matter. And besides, Zoraxte himself said he'd send you one of his brothers to teach you, and I'm sure he meant Wiscoup'a."

"Will we meet him soon?"

"We can go to his lodge tomorrow, if you like."

"Yeah, I'd like that. I need to thank him, for savin' your life." Bern crushed Caleb to him in a tight hug. "I promise I'll never hurt you again, Caleb, I'll treat you right, love you and share you with everyone you love, if you'll let me stay with you... "

"I don't have a choice about that, Bern, 'cause I love you. You don't have to worry about me leavin' again... "

Caleb ran his hands across Bern's warm, furry chest. Bern closed his eyes and moaned softly. The words he spoke were almost too faint for his partner to hear.

"You lead tonight, buddy... I'm yours, now and forever... Use me anyway you want... "

Caleb's hand slid down across his man's belly. Bern's breath caught when Caleb fingers brushed against his hard dick. Caleb grinned.

"Hmm. Looks like you've got a situation there that needs handlin', pardner... "

He turned and burrowed down to lay beside Bern with his face in Bern's crotch. He could tell Bern was extra excited because his pecker was dribbling precum like a leaky faucet. Caleb's hand got wet as he wrapped his fingers around the rock hard prong, slid back the foreskin and guided it into his mouth.

"Mmmmmm... " Caleb hummed as he sucked up the sweet juices leaking out of Bern.

Bern moaned and his cock plumped up harder and fatter in Caleb's mouth. Caleb slid his lips down and up Bern's fuckpole as he started sucking. Good, long, wet strokes. Caleb could taste more of Bern's cockjuice leaking into his mouth, and he moaned around the mouthful of hard meat because it tasted so damn good...

Then Caleb felt the heat of Bern's breath and the roughness of his whiskers against the sensitive skin of his ballsac. Bern nuzzled and kissed his way around and into his lover's crotch, and lapped his warm tongue across and under Caleb's balls before he went down on Caleb's rigid shaft. Caleb shifted himself on top of Bern and they energetically pleasured one another for awhile.

Caleb would have been happy to keep going in that position, until they both shot off. He was already feeling the sweet churnings deep in his groin that told him his orgasm was approaching, but Bern stopped. He said something that was muffled by Caleb's genitals. Caleb pulled off Bern.

"What?"

"Caleb, will you fuck me?"

"Sure," managed Caleb. The usually dominate Bern did not ask to be topped very often, and Caleb was not about to question him now as he got into position.

Bern had drooled enough spit on Caleb's cock to lube a bigger tool than his and with one long stroke, it slipped into Bern until the man could feel the fur of Caleb's balls prickling his ass. Bern looked into his lover's eyes and let out a sound neither had heard before, sort of a low growl mixed with a long moan. Bern reached up, took Caleb's face in his hands, pulled him down and gave him a long, deep kiss.

As Caleb opened to that kiss, his cock began to slide in and out of Bern's ass, seemingly of its own accord. Bern moaned again, channeling the sound into Caleb's mouth as the strokes went deeper and came faster. Bern broke the kiss. His head fell back as he gasped.

"Oh, God, Caleb, I'm gonna shoot... "

Bern snorted and panted as his cock erupted, squirting long and hard and hot between the men's furry bellies. The contractions in Bern's ass pushed Caleb off the cliff soon after, and he pounded his load home in a series of short, frantic thrusts. Caleb collapsed on top of Bern, their sweat and Bern's cum mixing and soaking their body fur and squishing messily between their hairy skins.

"Oops," Caleb joked breathlessly, "looks like we're glued together, pardner."

"Good," Bern mumbled, nuzzling his face into Caleb's for a weary kiss. "I wasn't ever plannin' on lettin' you go anyway... "

Holding each other tightly, it wasn't long before their breathing settled into the regular patterns of sleepers.

When Caleb opened his eyes, he was momentarily shocked to see an enormous heron standing beside the bed. But he was at once sure it was the Heron Spirit, another of the Elxa's totems, whom Wiscoup'a had told him about. The bird's eyes were fixed on him, amazing eyes that were balls of livid lavender flame, burning with the energy Wiscoup'a had spoken to Caleb of, the power of the love shared by the man-loving men of the Elxa tribe, and recognizing that, Caleb was not afraid.

"You have done well, my brother," the Heron Spirit almost sang, in a haunting voice that made Caleb think of the music of flutes. "Bring Bern to Wiscoup'a, and love them both."

"I will."

"I have a gift for you."

The Heron Spirit stretched out its dusty blue wings and caressed Caleb's shoulders and back lightly. A strange warmth shot down his spine and suddenly a wondrous pair of shining appendages grew from Caleb's back. He recognized them from the things Wiscoup'a had told him about the heron men.

"My spirit wings!"

"Wiscoup'a will teach you how to use them."

"Thank you... "

Caleb's response faded in his throat as he saw another animal, a great black bear, enter the cabin. He knew who it was, too. Zoraxte's glowing, reddish eyes smoked and dripped liquid rock as the Elxa bear-god ambled to the side of the bed and shook Bern awake with one of his big, rough paws. When Bern opened his eyes and saw what was happening, the man gasped and clutched Caleb to him for security.

"Oh, Lordy! Not you again!"

"Do not fear me, Bern, I too have a gift for you."

Great reddish spirit wings, looking like sheets of flame, shot out from Zoraxte's back and curled around Bern to touch him as the Heron Spirit had Caleb. Caleb watched as Bern's spirit wings unfurled and glittered gayly in the darkened cabin. Bern was too surprised by all the sudden happenings to move or speak, and the bear-god went on.

"My lover and I have something we wish to show you and Caleb," Zoraxte growled in a low, but not unfriendly fashion.

The Heron Spirit gave a little flap of its dusty blue wings and abruptly, everything around them changed. Caleb and Bern found themselves standing beside the Elxa gods on a hill, looking down at another snowbound, rough cabin neither man had ever seen before. The log structure stood beside a pond, nestled in a small valley. Then they looked at their uncanny companions.

"Where are we?" asked Bern.

"Look behind you," Zoraxte rumbled.

When they did, the men could see clearly across the wilderness in an inexplicable way. They saw their cabin and several prominent landmarks which lay between it and the point where they stood. Then the Heron Spirit spoke, urging them around.

"Now look at this cabin."

They both looked at the strange cabin again. This time the men saw something they had missed before. On the snowcapped roof.

It was a raven, the blackest, rattiest, most evil looking bird either man had ever seen, hopping about on the snowy roofridge, as if it were dancing. Just looking at it, they knew it was plotting some sort of trouble. The raven paused and shook itself, raised its head and croaked, a mournful sound that rang across the land.

The Heron Spirit nudged Caleb and Zoraxte did the same to Bern. The men looked in the direction the gods indicated. Afar off, two more vile looking, ebon plumed birds were glancing towards the cabin, attracted by the sound the first had made. Caleb and Bern were both suddenly sure that something awful was going to happen if those other birds came to roost with the first at the cabin.

The Heron Spirit made a noise then, a musical sound that definitely had the quality and melodious tones of a flute to it. The ill-omened raven on the roofridge of the cabin took flight at once, frightened off by the noise the Elxa godling made. In the distance, the two other birds looked away, as if no longer interested in the cabin.

"Remember what you have seen here and tell Wiscoup'a of it," Zoraxte ordered.

"Your brother will tell you what to do next," the Heron Spirit added. "Do not fear, this will be a great blessing, for you, and for the innocents that need your protection and love."

Bern bolted up from the bed as he awoke.

"Caleb!"

"It's okay, Bern," Caleb soothed his excited lover, hugging him.

"Did you... did you see what I did?"

"Yes. We must've had a medicine dream. We'd better do as those spirits wanted and remember it so we can tell Wiscoup'a about it."

"Don't you worry about me forgettin' what just happened, buddy!" Bern said as he calmed down. "Whatever it was, it felt like I was really there! I wouldn't have any trouble findin' or recognizin' that cabin if I had to!" Bern reached out and ran a hand over the outer blankets.

"What... "

Caleb's question died in his throat as Bern lifted another rough crystal from their bed. It glittered prismatically in the light from the fire. They searched together and found several more of Zoraxte's tears, proof that their dream had been real. As Bern placed them carefully on the floor, Caleb glanced at the fire.

"Well, by the way the fire's still goin', I'd say not much time's gone by. Let's try to get some more sleep."

"I don't know if I could... "

Caleb reached down and felt Bern's stiff prick.

"It's the damnedest thing," Bern laughed. "It just won't stay soft when you're around!"

"Well, how do you wanna take care of that 'damn thing'?" grinned Caleb in return. Bern's hands came down to caress the globes of Caleb's ass, gently and meaningfully.

"Okay, Bern," Caleb agreed softly. "But would you do something for me?"

"Anything, buddy!"

"Go slow. I want to feel you inside me for awhile... "

"Okay. A long, slow ride. Because I love you... "

The men kissed. The loving mansex they fell into took them into an alternate world. A shared realm of gentle touches and soft exclamations, gasps and sighs...

The morning broke clear and bright. Bern and Caleb came out of their cabin and paused to admire the new day. Every once in a while, a gust of wind would come along to pick up and throw a burst of powdery snow in the cold air and spin the fine ice away into the trees, making the frozen spindrift sparkle surrealistically in the new sunlight like some sort of magic dust.

Caleb led the way, to the circle of standing stones, then over the thickly wooded ridge that lay beyond it. On purpose, he diverged from the way he knew would take the men to Wiscoup'a's lodge. He grinned at Bern's surprise when his partner spotted the clouds of steam rising above the trees.

"What's that?"

"A hot spring," Caleb returned. "I thought maybe we could wash before meetin' Wiscoup'a."

"I was wonderin' why you brought those old flour sacks," said Bern, shaking his head. "I had no idea something like that would be found around here!"

"Wiscoup'a told me there are hot springs like this one all over the valley of the heron."

"Well, it probably would be a good idea for me to take a bath."

As Bern finished speaking, the men came around the great, misshapen boulder that stood beside the steaming pool of water. The surface was slightly troubled by the upwelling currents within it. Bern knelt and reached over the paving of flat rocks that lined the pool to test the water with his hand. He looked up at Caleb in wonder as he did.

"It feels great!"

"Sure is," Caleb replied as he began to strip.

"Did you bring the soap?" asked Bern as he swiftly followed suit, wasting no time as he stashed his clothing and rifle along with Caleb's within the convenient hollow of the nearby boulder.

"Yep," Caleb answered as he slipped into the steaming water. "Ahhhh... "

"Oh yessss... "

Bern echoed Caleb's sigh of pleasure as he followed him into the pool. They sank into it slowly, feeling the slight sting of the dissolved minerals on their bare skins. Caleb grinned at Bern after they dunked themselves and came up, their long hair plastered to their skulls, their untrimmed beards dripping.

"Lay back buddy, relax," he began, reaching for the soap, "I wanna wash you."

"You keep rubbin' me like that," warned Bern after awhile, "and I'll hafta have my way with you again!"

"I'd like that, Bern, but we don't have time right now," Caleb replied, as he finished on Bern.

"Yeah, I know," sputtered Bern as he dunked himself and came back up. "Wiscoup'a's waitin' for us." Seeing Caleb stroking himself with the soap, Bern objected. "Hey, hold on, buddy. Lemme do you... "

Caleb handed the soap over and Bern ran his hands all over Caleb, just as Caleb had him. When Caleb started making little noises of contentment, Bern smiled. He was glad to know he could still make Caleb feel good.

"You sure we ain't got time to fool around?"

"Well, mebbe a quick one," Caleb replied, grabbing Bern's cock. Bern reciprocated at once and the already excited men did not take long to shoot their wads as they stood in the hot spring and kissed while fisting each other's rods. Their thick loads quickly dissolved in the steaming water and dissipated away.

Feeling sated and clean, they exited the hot spring. The cold air awaiting them prompted the pair not to waste time drying off or getting dressed. Shouldering their rifles, Bern then followed Caleb along a path beaten into the snow, lined by drifts. He glanced curiously at the sky-cradle as they passed by it, thinking of what Caleb had told him. Almost as soon as Bern spotted the native lodge, a man emerged from it and faced the approaching pair.

'Wiscoup'a sure is a handsome man, even with that mask hidin' half his face!' Bern thought as he looked the heron man up and down.

"Wiscoup'a!" Caleb said happily. "I've brought Bern with me... "

"I can see that, and it is good, for my medicine dreams told me this would come to pass. Welcome to you both."

"We've got a lot to tell you, Wiscoup'a."

"I do not doubt it, Caleb. But before we go inside I must ask a favor."

"Anything," vowed Bern. "You saved Caleb's life and I'll always be grateful."

"Give me your rifles."

The pair handed them over at once and Wiscoup'a turned to reenter his lodge, beckoning for them to follow. The heron man went and laid the guns down behind his nestlike bed of blankets and animal furs. It looked a little more puffed up than usual to Caleb. Bern of course saw nothing out of the ordinary as he sat opposite the bed. Caleb sat beside him and Wiscoup'a threw some more fuel on his fire before sitting beside the bed, drawing a blanket from it to cover his lap.

"Tell me what has happened," the heron man asked.

Caleb and Bern took turns relating their stories to Wiscoup'a. The native listened attentively and nodded every so often. Caleb noticed that the Elxa brave's hands seemed to be busy beneath the blanket on his lap as the men spoke to him.

'No,' he thought. 'He couldn't be playin' with himself... could he?'

"It is plain what you must do," Wiscoup'a said when they finished their stories. "You must go, find this cabin and learn why it is important to you." He reached for the men's rifles and handed them back. "You should go now. Delay might bring misfortune."

"But," objected Bern, "it could be a long ways off, several days, mebbe... "

"No, Bern, I recognized the landmarks you described, the ones from your medicine dream. Though I have never seen this cabin, I feel confident that it is less than a day's journey from here."

"Will you come with us?"

"Yes, I will, Caleb, but you two should go on ahead. When I have readied myself for the journey, I will follow. Your trail will guide me."

Agreeing to do as Wiscoup'a said, the pair got up and left. The native listened as the sounds of their boots crunching in the snow grew fainter. As soon as he was sure Caleb and Bern were out of earshot, he sighed.

"Did you hear it all, my brother?"

In answer, the odd lump in Wiscoup'a bed that Caleb had noted earlier moved. A furry muzzle tipped with a cold, pink nose rose from where the Spirit-Wolf had been concealed, resting his head in Wiscoup'a's lap, enjoying the feel of the native's hands stroking his fur. The Spirit-Wolf looked into Wiscoup'a eyes with his own burning orbs and nodded.

"Will you come with us, to find this cabin?" Wiscoup'a asked. Again the wolf nodded.

"It is good. I will warn them that you travel with us, so they do not try and harm you."

The Spirit-Wolf licked Wiscoup'a's face in lieu of a thankful kiss before they arose and prepared to follow Caleb and Bern.

About noon, Bern and Caleb paused to rest beside one of the landmarks they had seen, a wounded tree. It was broken about twelve feet above the ground, the rest of it forming a triangle that pointed north. A small stream burbled past the base of the trunk and the men drank from the icy rivulet.

The partners were about to get going again when they both heard someone approaching. Since the noise was coming from the way they had come, the pair assumed it was Wiscoup'a. A little while later, the heron man appeared to their expectant eyes. He bore his rifle and a small pack of supplies on his back. In addition, he was carrying a furry sack tied up with rawhide string.

"Glad to see you made it," smiled Bern.

"Your trail was not hard to follow," Wiscoup'a smiled back as he placed his rifle next to the men's, all three leaning against the trunk of the broken tree.

"What do you have there?" Caleb asked, indicating the sack.

"I was fortunate enough to shoot a young buck. I have the best cuts of the meat wrapped up in his skin here. It will make us a fine dinner."

"Sounds good," Bern responded.

"Caleb, do you remember what I told you about the protective spirits of the Elxa?"

"Sure. I told Bern about them too."

"So you both know about our brother, the Spirit-Wolf."

"Ah, yeah," Bern answered. Despite the medicine dreams he had recently experienced, the man was having a hard time believing that there were spirits who manifested themselves in the real world, as wolves or anything else, for that matter.

"He is here with us, now," Wiscoup'a announced, surprising his white companions. "Stay calm and he will show himself to you."

The native turned and whistled oddly. Soon afterwards, a big wolf with a strangely colored pelt trotted up to Wiscoup'a. As the heron man's fingers sank into the red-brown fur and stroked the animal, the Spirit-Wolf kept his weird eyes fixed on the two white men, who stared back in disbelief. Bern whispered to Caleb.

"Look at its eyes!"

"That ain't no ordinary animal," Caleb agreed.

"This was the last landmark you mentioned," Wiscoup'a said, looking up at the broken tree. "The cabin must be close." The heron man turned to the Spirit-Wolf and asked: "Is there anyone else nearby, my brother?"

The wolf moved slowly past Bern and Caleb, up along the stream a few yards. He held his nose in the air, testing it as he went. Then he gave a sudden snort and looked back at the trio before he fell to scratching in the snow.

"What's the critter doin'?"

As Bern asked that they all went to see. The white men were astounded to see a message written in the snow. Wiscoup'a was not, since he knew the Spirit-Wolf could think and write like a man, but the words the creature had written gave all three men pause.

'I SMELL DEATH'

"From somewhere ahead?" asked Wiscoup'a.

The Spirit-Wolf nodded and scratched again.

'WAIT HERE'

The men watched as the uncanny animal followed the stream until he disappeared from their sight, among some trees. Caleb and Bern looked at Wiscoup'a in something like bewilderment and the native could see his companions were still somewhat in shock over what they had witnessed. He reassured them that the Spirit-Wolf was their brother and would not harm or mislead them.

After a few minutes, the Spirit-Wolf appeared again. He swung his head as if to say 'Come on'. Taking their guns, the men followed the fiery eyed wolf.

They found that the small stream eventually fell over a short cliff, flowing across a fantasy of icy shapes that clung to the uneven stone, and dropped at last into a fair-sized pond that looked to be a dozen yards in diameter. The overflow from the ice-covered body of water disappeared through a narrow gap in another stand of rocks opposite where the group stood, perhaps two hundred or so feet distant. To their left, on the shore of the pond, stood a familiar cabin.

"That's it exactly... " Bern breathed. Caleb nodded silently in agreement.

"We must be cautious," Wiscoup'a began as he carefully scanned the area.

He was not the only one who had noted a thin streamer of smoke rising from the chimney. Around and behind the cabin, the land had been cleared and Bern thought he detected the marks of a plowed field lying fallow beneath the windblown snow. Further back, a small barn had been built up against one of the cliffs that defined the little valley, spreading away to the west in a gradually widening vee shape. The men heard the soft neighing of a horse from within the structure.

Abruptly, the door of the cabin opened. The watching men all flattened themselves, and the Spirit-Wolf too. A short figure appeared with a bucket and proceeded to the edge of the pond.

"Why, he's just a boy!" Bern breathed.

They watched as the black-haired lad busted a hole in the thin ice at the water's edge and scooped up a bucketful. He appeared to be no more than ten at most and Bern noted with concern the ragged clothes he wore. The man wondered how his folks could allow that. When he disappeared back inside the cabin, Caleb spoke.

"Should we go on down and introduce ourselves?"

"I and the Spirit-Wolf will wait here," Wiscoup'a replied. "You two could seem to be hunters who have lost their way, but we two would provoke many questions, if not fear, in one so young."

"Once we find out what goin' on," nodded Caleb, "we'll let you know if it's safe to join us."

"Take the venison with you," Wiscoup'a proposed.

Bern and Caleb found a way to climb down the cliff and walked over to the cabin. They decided on the way to do as Wiscoup'a had suggested and pretend they were lost hunters. There was a window on the side of the cabin facing them and the pair paused to peer inside.

The cabin was basically one big room. A narrow bed stood under the window they were looking in, a stone fireplace was built opposite the front door and in the far corner was another door, beside a big cast iron wood stove. A depleted pile of firewood was stacked between the stove and the fireplace while a battered looking table and four chairs completed the furnishings.

The boy they had seen was standing in front of the stove. He appeared to be trying to get it going. No one else was in sight and the pair looked at each other, silently agreeing to continue on.

Gaining the front porch, Bern knocked at the door. A metallic clatter abruptly sounded, as if something had been dropped, in response. After a few moments, the door opened a crack and the black haired boy eyed the men through it.

"Hello, son," Bern began in his friendliest manner, which Caleb knew few could resist. "My friend and I lost our way while huntin'. May we come in and warm ourselves up?"

"Ah, okay," the boy answered. Both men noted the odd way he looked at Bern, as if he recognized him. He continued to study Bern intently with his bright blue eyes as the prospectors entered and leaned their rifles against the wall inside the door.

"I'm Bern Cruzet and this is my pardner, Caleb Havre."

"I'm Joel Cooke."

"Pleased to meet you, Joel."

As Bern smiled that he held out his hand. While they were shaking, Caleb spotted a dipper lying on the floor and the water spilled from it. He knelt and picked it up.

"I'm sorry if we startled you."

"We don't get many visitors," Joel said, taking the dipper and putting it back in the water bucket. "For a second, I thought my brothers were playin' a prank on me."

"Are they around here?"

"Jed and Jael went huntin' this morning. I was gettin' the stove ready in case they shot something."

"Well, we have some meat with us," Bern offered. "Mebbe we could have supper together."

"That's be great!" Joel said, staring hungrily at the parcel Bern put on the table. "My brothers ain't had much luck huntin', lately," he added.

"Are your folks around?"

"Maw died when I was born. It's just been me, my brothers and paw until... " Both men noted the way Joel suddenly caught himself, as if he were about to say something he knew he should not. "I mean, since then," he finished.

"Where is your father?"

"He went to Maury City to work in the mines for the winter."

"And left his kids here alone?" exclaimed Caleb.

"We're old enough to take care of ourselves, mister," Joel returned defiantly as he went back to the stove and started to light it.

"Mebbe so, but... "

As Caleb began to speak, he saw Bern make a surreptitious gesture. Bern had stepped over to the window and Caleb joined him. Bern pointed and Caleb saw Wiscoup'a at the entrance of the barn, waving to them.

"You go," Bern whispered.

"I need to find a tree," nodded Caleb as he moved towards the door.

"You'll have to go a ways," chuckled Joel. "We helped our paw cut down every tree in this little patch of good dirt he found here."

"So, you get good crops here?" asked Bern, sitting at the table as Caleb left.

"Yeah, paw was a good farmer."

'Was?' puzzled Bern as Joel went to a trap door, opened it and went down under the cabin.

"We got lots of food stored in the root cellar."

Joel's voice was muffled until he reappeared with some potatoes and turnips. Putting them and a pot on the table, Joel started peeling and cutting the vegetables up. Bern pulled out his knife, opened the skin sac and started cutting up the venison, which still oozed brilliant blood.

"Well, looks like we'll have a nice pot of stew for supper, eh Joel?"

"Sure does, paw... "

The pair looked at each other simultaneously, both startled.

"Sorry, Bern," Joel blushed. "It's just that you look so much like my paw... "

"It's okay son," he said gently. "You miss him, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do... "

"Well, I'm sure he's okay. I suppose he'll be comin' back in the spring, to plant his crops, eh?"

As Bern made that offhanded comment he dropped a handful of meat chunks into the pot. When Joel did not reply, Bern glanced at him. The boy was hanging his head, looking into his lap, as tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Joel!" Bern exclaimed, going to the lad at once and hugging him. "What's wrong?"

"He ain't never comin' back!" the boy cried into Bern's embrace.

"Maury City ain't that far, mebbe I could go and find him... "

"It was a lie!" sobbed Joel. "He ain't there... "

"Why... "

"Jed said if we told anyone, we'd be taken away, lose our home!"

"Told anyone what?"

"Our paw's dead, of a fever... "

That was all Joel could get out before he broke down. Bern held the sobbing boy and tried to comfort him. When Joel finally recovered a bit, he looked at Bern and pleaded with him.

"Don't tell nobody, please, Bern," he sniffed. "Jed said we'd all go to an orphanage. I don't wanna leave my home."

"I won't let that happen, Joel, I promise," Bern vowed as he wiped Joel's face with his bandanna.

"You do?" the boy asked, hugging Bern tightly.

"Yes, I promise," he repeated, hugging back.

"Mebbe... mebbe you could... "

"What, Joel?"

"Bern, you look so much like our paw, mebbe you could pretend to be him, fool anyone who'd want to take us away."

"Joel, we need to talk to your brothers... "

"Don't you wanna do it? You're so friendly, like paw was, I thought... "

"I didn't say I didn't want to do it, Joel! It's just that there's more goin' on here than you might think."

"I know!" the lad exclaimed excitedly. "I dreamed something like this was gonna happen!"

"What?" Bern blinked.

"I've been havin' dreams about an Indian who tells me I and my brothers are gonna get a new paw!" he enthused. "When I saw you, I knew it just had to be you!"

"What did this Indian look like?"

Joel proceeded to describe the man who had appeared to him. Bern listened in growing wonder. Joel had obviously seen Wiscoup'a, though without the scars Caleb had told Bern about.

"Joel, get your coat and come with me."

Bern had to see if it were true. When Joel was ready, Bern picked the lad up and carried him out of the cabin and towards the barn. Caleb appeared at the entrance and Joel asked if he could keep the secret too.

"Yes, he can, Joel. And we have another friend with us, whom I want you to meet."

"Who... "

That was all Joel got out before Wiscoup'a came to stand beside Caleb. The boy stared, dumbfounded. Despite the half mask that the heron man wore, he plainly recognized him.

"Is this the man you saw in your dream, Joel?" Bern asked as he stopped in front of Wiscoup'a.

"Yes... " Joel turned to Wiscoup'a. "But... but you weren't wearin' a mask."

"You saw one of my tribe's protective spirits who took my form, young one," Wiscoup'a replied as Bern set him down. "He would not appear to you looking scarred as I am."

"Bern," Caleb whispered, as Joel eagerly began to describe his dreams to Wiscoup'a. "C'mere."

Bern followed his partner deeper into the gloomy interior of the barn. They passed a stall where a horse stood, surveying all the sudden activity in its home with equine calm. The pair's boots sounded hollowly on a stone ledge the barn had been built partly over as Caleb went into the last stall. Bern was not entirely surprised to see a man-sized object wrapped in a sheet, carefully laid out there on a bed of straw. A wooden board had been propped at its head, on which the following was written: 'Jesse Cooke Beloved Father'.

"This is what the Spirit-Wolf smelled," muttered Bern. "The ground was too hard frozen for the boys to bury their paw, so they laid him out here."

"You know?"

"Joel told me."

"Look at this."

Caleb lifted the part of the sheet that covered Jesse Cooke's face. The frozen corpse was perfectly preserved. Bern looked and muttered to himself.

"He could've been my brother!"

"That's why Joel was starin' at you like he was," Caleb said as he replaced the shroud.

"I guess... but there's more, Caleb. Joel dreamed of Wiscoup'a. Or an Elxa spirit who looked like Wiscoup'a."

"He did?" Caleb started. "What about?"

"He says he was promised a new paw."

A grin spread itself slowly across Caleb's face.

"Looks like you might've gotten what you wished for, buddy, and in spades! Three sons!"

"Yeah," answered Bern, looking at Joel, who was still talking with Wiscoup'a. "Let's all go back to the cabin. There's lots to discuss."

Jedidiah Cooke trudged along the trail that led home wearily. The weight of his father's long rifle propped on his shoulder was not the only thing that oppressed him as the ruddy light of sunset gleamed through the still winter forest. Some days, like today, it felt like the twelve year old was carrying the whole world on his back.

Though he had hunted all day, in all the spots his father had taken him while he was alive, Jed had not seen any game. His brother Jael was walking behind him, too cold and tired to talk. Neither of them were looking forward to what was waiting at home.

Another meal of watery potato and turnip stew. And then there were chores to do. Their horse, Ned, had to be looked after and wood had to be chopped, among other things, before they could climb up into the loft and get some sleep.

It was the pleasures Jed got there, holding his brothers to him, feeling them touch him and the touches he gave back, that kept Jed going. Their paw had told him before he died to take care of his little brothers. Jed had taken that sacred trust to heart.

Hearing a faint sob behind him, Jed turned to see Jael wiping his eyes. He stopped, leaned the rifle against a rock, and turned back to give his brother a hug. The eleven year old hugged back hard.

"It's okay, Jael," he soothed. "We'll find some game eventually. We can try again tomorrow... "

"Jed, I can't help but think, mebbe... mebbe us goin' to an orphanage wouldn't be so bad. We'd be warm, we'd get fed... "

"You really wanna leave our home? Forget all the work we did, helpin' our paw make it what it is?"

"No, but... "

"It'll get better, Jael, I promise. All we gotta do is stick together and keep our mouths shut."

"Okay, Jed."

Jael did not sound at all reassured by his elder brother's words. As Jed shouldered the rifle once more and continued along the snowy trail that wound through the barren forest, he thought maybe he would let Jael rest tomorrow and take Joel hunting with him then instead. He could not let Jael crack up too, like he suspected Joel had.

The dreams his youngest brother kept having, about an Indian promising to send the siblings a new father, worried Jed. He knew it was hard going on without their paw, it was hardest on him, but Joel's weird dreams scared Jed. None of them could afford to get lost in fantasies or false hopes. Their survival as a family was on the line.

"Goddammit!" Jed cussed when he came to the edge of the cleared land around their cabin. "There's that damn raven again!"

"Aw, it ain't hurtin' nothing," said Jael as he looked to see the black bird hopping about on top of their home, like it had been for the past several days.

"I just don't like it. Paw always said they were unlucky," muttered Jed, drawing a bead on it with the rifle. "If I wasn't afraid of puttin' a hole in our roof, I'd... "

"Jed!" Jael started, gripping his brother's arm. "Do you smell what I do?"

Jed took a deep breath through his nose. The odor fanned the flames of his hunger. He gasped.

"Someone's cookin' meat!"

Jael took off for the house. With some difficulty, Jed caught up with his brother and stopped him. Jael protested warmly.

"What's the matter? Don't you wanna eat?"

"Think, Jael. How could Joel have come by meat?"

"He couldn't," Jael realized. "He ain't got a gun!"

"Right. Which means we might have visitors."

"Damn!"

"Damn is right. I hope Joel kept his mouth shut."

"What'll we do?"

"Let's have a look in the window first."

The brothers stealthily went up to their home and edged around it to the only window. Taking position on either side of it, they peered inside. They could hardly believe what met their eyes.

Three men, two whites and an Indian with an odd looking mask covering half his face, were sitting at the table and seemed to be talking amongst themselves quietly as they worked. All three were busy sewing and the boys were astounded to see their ragged clothing being mended. The supply of wood they kept indoors had been replenished until there was no room for any more to be stacked up, and there were two big, steaming pots on top of the wood stove, but the most astonishing sight was that of their little brother.

A big, bright fire was burning in the fireplace and Joel, his clothing patched and repaired, was lying in front of it. He seemed to be asleep on what they first thought was a bunched up animal skin. Then it moved and the wide-eyed boys realized with a thrill of horror that their youngest brother was cuddled up with a reddish-brown wolf.

"Jed," Jael whispered.

"What?"

"Look at that man, the black haired one... "

"Damn!" Jed muttered, wondering how he had missed seeing it the first time. "He looks just like paw!"

Suddenly the wolf lifted its head and looked right at the spies with eyes that no natural animal ever possessed, transfixing the pair. The men noticed and looked as well. Jed sighed.

"We're caught, Jael. We might as well go in."

The door opened as they were approaching it. Jed did not point his rifle at the black haired man who looked so much like his father Jesse, but he held it as if he were ready to do so. He challenged the man as forcefully as he could.

"What're you doin' in our house, mister?"

"Jed, don't... " Jael urged.

"C'mon in out of the cold, boys," he smiled. "We can talk about that easier inside, over a hot bowlful of venison stew. Does that sound okay?"

"Yes, sir!" chirped Jael. Jed followed without comment and the black haired man shut the door.

"You must be Jed and Jael," he began. "I'm Bern Cruzet, those are my pardners, Caleb Havre and Wiscoup'a. Sit down and I'll get you some food."

"Did Joel eat?" asked Jed as he pulled up a chair.

"Did he ever!" Bern chuckled as he dished out some stew.

"We thought he was gonna pop, he ate so much stew!" added Caleb with a grin as the hungry boys fell upon their meal.

"And now he sleeps soundly," Wiscoup'a pointed out. "My friend the Spirit-Wolf was kind enough to let Joel use him as a pillow."

"You're friends with a wolf? That's amazin'!" Jael managed through a mouthful of stew.

"Hey, slow down there," warned Bern. "You'll choke yourself, or else it'll come right back up again. Don't worry, there's plenty of food."

"Why're you helpin' us?" Jed asked. "What do you want?"

"Don't mind Jed, he doesn't like strangers... "

"And you know why, Jael, so hush up!"

"Jed," Bern began softly. "We know everything. Joel told us."

"And we saw your father laid out in the barn," added Caleb.

"You ain't takin' us away from here!" Jed said angrily, glaring at the men.

His outburst woke Joel up. The youngest member of the Cooke family stretched and rolled over on top of the remarkably tolerant wolf. When he saw his brothers, he sat up and greeted them through a yawn. Jed was plainly upset with him.

"Joel, I told you not to tell anybody about paw!" he scolded.

"But Jed, he's the one I dreamed about!" began Joel, pointing at Wiscoup'a. "And Bern's gonna be our new paw, so we won't hafta worry about gettin' sent to an orphanage anymore!"

Jed looked at the men, and then back at Joel.

"Joel, I told you, dreams ain't real... "

"But I did see Wiscoup'a... tell him, Bern!"

"Joel, I can't force Jed and Jael to do something they don't wanna do... "

Joel got up and scampered over to climb into Bern's lap, hugging him tightly.

"I want you to be my paw, Bern, even if they don't!"

Jael went over to Bern and showed him his empty bowl.

"May I have some more... paw?"

"Sure... son... " Bern choked a little as Jael hugged him as well. He rubbed his hands up and down the boys' backs as he muttered. "I'll give you anything you need... "

"Well, I can get my own stew," Jed grumped as he went to the stove and ladled himself another bowlful.

"Jed, Joel told me your father asked you to look out for your brothers, and I'd never expect you to stop doin' that," Bern said as he got up to get Jael another bowl of stew. Giving it to Jael, he turned to Jed and put a hand on the boy's shoulder gently. "I'd like to help you do that, if you'll let me."

"And we won't have to leave our home?"

"I'll live with you, if you'll let me."

"What about your pardners?"

"Why they'll help too." Bern looked at Caleb and Wiscoup'a. "We've talked it over, and Caleb's decided to stay with Wiscoup'a for awhile, but in the spring, we'll move Wiscoup'a's lodge here, mebbe build an addition to the cabin... " Bern paused and took a breath. "I think you boys have a right to know this... I love Caleb, and I'll love Wiscoup'a too, if he'll let me... we weren't born brothers, but we feel as if we are, in our hearts... "

"Do you sleep together like we do?" asked Jael. "Do you play like we do with each other's peckers?"

"Jael!" Jed exclaimed, blushing. "You don't talk about stuff like that!"

"It's okay, boys," Caleb said, putting an arm around Wiscoup'a. "You can talk about things like that around us, but just remember, not everyone's as open minded as we are."

"I told you!" Jael turned to Jed. "I told you that grown men did it too!"

"How'd you figure that out?" chuckled Bern.

"It feels so good, who'd wanna stop doin' it?" he asked, provoking the men to laughter. "Our paw told us we'd grow out of it, but I don't wanna!"

"Well, you've got plenty of time to figure out what you're gonna like to do in bed when you grow up, so just enjoy yourself now while you can with your brothers!"

"C'mon, Jed." Joel pleaded.

"Yeah, Jed," added Jael as he scraped the bottom of his bowl for the second time.

"Okay," he sighed. "You can stay with us, Bern. And your pardners too, if they wanna."

Joel and Jael cheered and hugged their older brother. The men went back to sewing while the boys continued to eat. Joel got himself another helping of stew, to the men's surprise. Giving Jed and Jael their clothes that had been mended, the ones they had worn hunting that day were fixed in turn.

Wiscoup'a explained to them that in the spring they would all have to go and meet his people. Joel asked who they were and the native began to tell them stories about the heron men until all the clothing was mended. Soon afterwards, Caleb and Wiscoup'a got up, stretching, and excused themselves. Jed wondered when he saw them pause to take their rifles.

"Where're you goin'?"

"Your father's bed is not big enough for all of us," Wiscoup'a pointed out, causing Joel to giggle. "Caleb and I will sleep in the barn tonight." The native looked at the Spirit-Wolf. "Do you wish to come with us, my brother?"

The creature shook his head and rolled on his back, obviously unwilling to leave his comfortable place by the fire. Bern hugged his companions in parting. Caleb smiled a goodnight at the Cooke brothers before he and Wiscoup'a left.

Bern went over to the stove and glanced in the pots before covering them.

"I'm glad you left us something for breakfast," he smiled.

"That was good stew, Bern... I mean paw," grinned Jael as he washed his bowl in a bucket set beside the stove.

"You're welcome, son," Bern yawned as he sat. Joel promptly climbed into his lap. "Yes, Joel?"

"I just wanted to get a goodnight hug."

"I can do that," Bern smiled, obliging the boy, who used his fingers to push Bern's moustache whiskers aside so he could kiss the man's lips.

As Joel left to climb up the ladder to their sleeping loft, Jael came over too. Bern hugged him and the boy whispered 'Thank you' in the man's ear before kissing him and following Joel. Bern looked at Jed.

"You're not too old for hugs, I hope."

"No... "

Jed came over and Bern wrapped his arms around the boy. Tentatively, Jed hugged back as Bern stroked his hair and his back. Suddenly, Jed gave a soft sob.

"Shhhh, Jed, it's okay... "

"No it's not... it's been so hard... "

"I know, Jed, you had to be the strong one, for your brothers, but you're not alone anymore... "

"Bern... do you really mean it... I couldn't take it if you were foolin' us... "

"Jed, I've always wanted sons.., And you three need a father... I swear to you I'll take care of you all the best I know how if you want me to."

"Yes, Bern... I want a paw again... stay with me... stay with us... "

"I will, Jed," murmured Bern, gathering the unresisting boy into his lap, cradling him in his arms like a much younger child, "I will... "

"Thank you, Bern... paw... " Jed sighed as he got comfortable in the man's embrace, intending to stay there awhile, a prospect both enjoyed. It had been so long, it seemed, since he had been held like that, felt warm and comfortable and completely protected...

"Jed?" Jael called from the loft, interrupting the intimate cuddling, "Are you comin' up, or are you sleepin' with Bern tonight?"

"Hush up, Jael!" Jed growled as he angrily freed himself from Bern's grasp.

"Do Bern like you do me and Joel and he's sure to stay!" laughed Jael.

Jed swarmed up the ladder. Almost immediately the sounds of a struggle ensued. Jael called out.

"Stop it Jed! Bern! Tell him to leave me alone!"

"Mebbe next time you won't tease your brother!" Bern laughed as Jael cried out.

"Jed! Stop! I give!"

"Are you gonna... "

"Yeah! I give... "

"Alright, then... get busy down there... that's right... "

Bern thought he heard sounds that he recognized. Soft, sucking noises. He looked at the Spirit-Wolf, who was also looking up at the entrance to the loft, and grinned.

"Are they doin' what I think they're doin'?"

The animal nodded, and winked at Bern to boot.

"Like father, like sons, I guess."

As he chuckled that Bern started to undress for bed. The man had just laid aside his shirt when he thought of something. He cast a glance at the fireplace and then went to the woodpile. Putting two large pieces of wood on the fire, he stood back and watched as the flames licked hungrily around the new logs.

"Guess it'll be okay until morning," he muttered before looking at the Spirit-Wolf. "If you get cold, you can crawl in with me, boy. I appreciate everything you did for us today."

The wolf nodded and curled up in front of the fire. Bern blew out the lantern and finished undressing before slipping under the blankets. As he relaxed, he looked out the window at the distant stars, pondering his new status as a father and hoping he would be up to the job, until sleep claimed him.

Bern thought he was dreaming when he felt a warm body press itself against his. His arm slid down its back and his hand rested on small, plump buttocks, holding them in place. The body shuddered and shook, a hot spurt of something spread across his thigh, then all was still, but not for long.

The form seemed to curl across his body, seeking, searching... Finding what it sought, a delicious warmth encompassed the man's most sensitive flesh and Bern pushed into the moist suctioning languidly until something in him snapped and pulsed, abating slowly along with his mind, which slipped back into the abyss of unconsciousness it had barely emerged from to feel what it had...

Bern woke up with the aroma of coffee tickling his nose. He looked to see Jed over by the wood stove, naked. The Spirit-Wolf was nowhere to be seen. Then the man realized something felt different.

As he moved, he felt two smaller sources of warmth pressed against either side of him. Bern lifted the blanket and peered beneath it to see Joel and Jael. Joel's head was on Bern's belly and the man could feel the boy's warm breath blowing sensuously across his cock and balls. Knowing what that might lead to, Bern repositioned Joel so that the lad's head lay on his right shoulder, as Jael's did on his left. Jed saw the movement and smiled.

"Yeah, they went and crawled in with you, leavin' me to freeze in the loft!"

"You wanna join us, son?" invited Bern.

Jed did not need to be asked twice. He slipped in, sandwiching Joel between himself and Bern. He sighed in contentment as Bern's arm slid across his back, warming him up.

"Did you used to do this with your paw?"

"Only if it got real cold... Joel wanted to sleep with him all the time, but paw said no, 'cause he wiggles and jerks off too much," Jed said, making Bern grin. "Paw thought me and Jael oughta be company enough for him."

"He was right. This feels good, Jed, and we can do it every now and then, but you have to convince your brothers to stay in their own bed at night... I suppose you can figure out a way to do that, eh?" winked Bern.

"Why?" Joel half yawned, half whined from under the covers.

"'Cause your paw told you so, that's why!" said Jed, pinching Joel for good measure.

"Ouch! Paw! Jed pinched my butt!"

"Now, now, Jed," Bern said in his best parental manner. "There's better things to do with your brother's butt than pinch it!"

Jed blushed. Under the covers, Joel gasped. And Jael burst out laughing, showing he had been awake and listening all the while.

"Jed's shown us how we can fit together, back to front," he giggled, confirming Bern's suspicions about how far the three brothers had gone with each other. "It's really fun... "

"Jael, if you don't hush up, I'll pound you!" raged Jed.

"Settle down, all of you," Bern ordered, squeezing all three of the boys with his big arms to get their undivided attention. "Now, unless you want my pardners to come in here and catch us all nekkid in bed together, I suggest we get dressed and make breakfast for everyone."

Jed had let the Spirit-Wolf out earlier that morning and the creature trotted down to the pond to drink. Lifting his dripping muzzle, he turned his weird eyes towards the barn. Wiscoup'a and Caleb were still asleep, it seemed, for he could hear nothing from that quarter.

Everything seemed peaceful on that still winter morning. The Spirit-Wolf thought about returning to his home. And the one who waited there for him.

He was about to turn and go and cuddle with Wiscoup'a and Caleb until the men awoke and he could tell them of his plans to leave. Then something distracted the Spirit-Wolf at that moment. The faintest of odors floating on the cold morning breeze, a scent that summoned bad memories.

At once, the Spirit-Wolf circled the pond and took off into the snowbound forest that lay to the east, following a faint path. The ground was rockier and rose gradually until a ridge was reached that allowed one to look off into another small valley. As he scanned the area, the Spirit-Wolf saw a sight that raised the hairs on his back in alarm.

Two familiar looking men were climbing towards the ridge where the wolf was standing. Hiding himself, the Spirit-Wolf concentrated his heightened senses on the pair. He could hear their conversation clearly, despite the distance between them.

"...I'm tellin' ya, Cletus, something ain't right. I think something's happened to Jesse, otherwise he woulda shown up to trade with us before now."

"Mebbe so, Billy Bob, but why'd you hafta drag me along fur?"

"'Cause, if something has happened to Jesse, I'll need help dealin' with his sons."

"Them kids?"

"'Them kids' are sittin' on the best piece of land for miles," Billy Bob explained. "and if Jesse's dead... "

"...we could take it!" realized Cletus. "Uh, what'll we do with the kids?"

"We'll give 'em a choice," Billy Bob grinned evilly. "They kin stay and work there as our hands, or we'll send 'em to an orphanage. And after I tell 'em about the stuff that goes on in those places, they'll beg to work for us!"

"What's so bad about the orphanages?"

"Well, for one, I hear that they get doctors to come and circumcise all the boys."

"Circum-what?"

"Damn, yer ignant, Cletus! That's when a doctor takes a knife and cuts the end of your pecker off!"

"Jesus H. Christ!" Cletus exclaimed, grabbing his crotch protectively. "Why in the fuck would anybody do a stupid thing like that fur?!"

"Them Bible-thumpers who run the orphanages have it done 'cause they think it'll keep the boys from beatin' off," Billy Bob explained. "Anything to do with sex is a sin to them, you know."

"Shit, if that don't scare 'em, nothing will!" exclaimed Cletus, still feeling his cock through his pants. "I'm probably gonna have nightmares about it myself!"

"Well let's hope that story affects them the same way. We can live again like we did back home in Mississippi, 'fore the war, lettin' our slaves do all the heavy farm work!"

"Too bad Jesse didn't have no girls." Cletus' cock was getting hard as he remembered the nights he used to spend in the slave quarters. "I always did like fuckin' slave pussey."

"Hell, a young boy's as good as a girl when it comes to havin' fun," Billy Bob snorted. "And after we explain how we're gonna save their peckers, them boys'll probably be so grateful they'll let us do anything we want to 'em!"

Thinking fast, the Spirit-Wolf darted over to a patch of snow that lay next to the trail. When the men passed that point, they would not be able to miss seeing it, or the marks the creature was leaving. Finishing his task, the Spirit-Wolf hid and waited.

As the werebeast had planned, Billy Bob spotted the snowbank as soon as he got close. He stopped and stared in disbelief. Cletus, who was still playing with himself as he wondered how it would feel to fuck a boy, almost bumped into his kinsman.

"What's wrong?" he asked. Billy Bob pointed wordlessly to the ground and Cletus saw a message scratched in the snow.

BILLY BOB - CLETUS - THIS LAND BELONGS TO THE ELXA - GO NO FURTHER OR ELSE - THE SPIRIT-WOLF

"What's a 'spirit-wolf'?" muttered Cletus.

"Who's here?" Billy Bob challenged aloud, looking around himself, holding his rifle at the ready. "Show yourself!"

Timing his appearance perfectly, the Spirit-Wolf waited until Billy Bob's back was turned. Then he showed himself to Cletus. He bared his fangs and growled as menacingly as possible.

"Oh my God! It's that wolf!"

"Where?" Billy Bob cried, spinning around. Of course, the Spirit-Wolf had vanished the instant Cletus cried out.

"Over there! It was the wolf that attacked us in the fall! The one with the eyes that burned like hellfire!"

Billy Bob cautiously began to move towards the spot Cletus had pointed out. Then Cletus got a glimpse of something reddish out of the corner of his eye. He turned to the left and saw the wolf disappear behind a rock.

"There it is!" he hollared.

"Goddammit!" cussed Billy Bob, turning on his companion. "No critter can be in two places at once!"

"But I saw it... there!"

Cletus pointed in a new direction, behind Billy Bob. He spun, but just missed seeing the fleet and stealthy wolf. He raged at Cletus.

"Cletus, If you're foolin' me... "

"I saw it! It's here!" he vowed earnestly. "Let's get outta here before it attacks us again!"

"I ain't lettin' no damn varmint run me off!"

Billy Bob's defiance was promptly answered. The Spirit-Wolf was suddenly beside the man, his jaws closing on the stock of the rifle he held. The creature's sharp teeth sank into the hard wood as he yanked it from Billy Bob's grasp. Cletus screamed like a girl when he saw what was happening and jumped away. His companion managed to do the same, though without the high pitched outcry.

Billy Bob pulled out a knife and, belatedly, Cletus did too. The Spirit-Wolf stood over the rifle and growled at the men. It took a step towards them and they stepped back.

"Cletus, you circle around him, draw him away so I kin grab my rifle."

"But... "

"Do it!"

Suddenly the Spirit-Wolf lunged at Billy Bob, barking viciously. The startled man stumbled backward and fell. Hitting his head on a rock, he lost consciousness.

"Please, please don't hurt us!" Cletus pleaded, falling to his knees and shaking like a leaf.

The Spirit-Wolf went and scratched in the snow again. When he was done he glared at Cletus and stamped his paw impatiently. Still trembling, the man crawled closer to see the words written there.

TAKE YOUR FRIEND AND GO - IF I EVER SEE YOU AGAIN NEAR THE COOKE HOMESTEAD OR ANYWHERE ELSE ON ELXA LAND I WILL KILL YOU WITHOUT MERCY OR WARNING - GO!

"How... how will we know if the land we're on is Elxa land or not?" managed Cletus. The wolf scratched again.

ANYWHERE YOU SEE THIS SIGN IS ELXA LAND - STAY AWAY FROM IT!

Under those words, Cletus saw a graceful, circular glyph that sort of looked like a bird's head to him. Cletus nodded and went to Billy Bob as the Spirit-Wolf picked up the gun and carried it away, behind some rocks.

"Billy Bob? Wake up!" urged Cletus, slapping his face.

"Huuunnnn... "

"C'mon! We gotta get outta here!"

"Not... ow!" he began, rubbing the side of his head as he arose unsteadily. "Not without my goddammed gun! I'm not losin' another one!"

As if in response to Billy Bob's wish, the Spirit-Wolf brought the rifle back and laid it at Billy Bob's feet. The man snatched it up and aimed the gun between the oddly colored wolf's glowing eyes. The creature made no move to escape.

"I'm gonna blow yer mutherfuckin' brains out!" he bellowed in anger, pulling the trigger.

The sound of the soft click was deafening. Startled, Billy Bob tried to fire again, but the trigger only clicked uselessly. The Spirit-Wolf scratched at the ground.

"He took my bullets!" Billy Bob gasped, then gasped again as he read the words on the snowy ground.

I OUGHT TO KILL YOU RIGHT NOW, YOU TREACHEROUS SNAKE! LEAVE THE ELXA'S LANDS - OR DIE!

"But... "

The Spirit-Wolf advanced slowly towards the pair, growling low in his throat. Cletus broke and ran back the way they had come. Billy Bob was not long in following him.

The Spirit-Wolf watched them go, not taking his eyes off them even when he heard movement along the trail behind him. Soon a hand came to stroke the wolf's reddish pelt gently. The beast looked up to see Wiscoup'a. The native's eyes were also fixed upon the retreating figures.

"What has happened, my brother?"

The Spirit-Wolf scratched out the story of his encounter with the unsavory characters for Wiscoup'a. The native nodded as he read, remembering the details of Caleb and Bern's medicine dreams. He looked again to make sure the men were gone before he spoke.

"I will come back here soon and carve our tribe's sign into the rocks, so those evil ones will remember and stay away." He smiled at the Spirit-Wolf. "Come, there is hot stew for breakfast."

The creature gave a bark of delight and followed Wiscoup'a back to the cabin, wagging his tail all the way.

Days and weeks passed. As they had planned, Caleb and Wiscoup'a went back to share the native's lodge for the remainder of the winter, while Bern and the Cooke brothers grew close. They visited each other often during the waning of the cold season.

The boys took to the hot spring near Wiscoup'a's lodge like fish, giving Bern the opportunity to scrub them regularly. As they got familiar with the trail, one or more of the boys would go by themselves to visit and listen to Wiscoup'a's stories of the heron men and cuddle warmly with Bern's partners in their plush bed of furs. Whenever he visited Bern, Caleb brought supplies from the cabin he and Bern had shared, both agreeing to abandon it and transfer anything useful to the Cooke homestead.

A wet March wind was blowing down the little valley one day when Wiscoup'a appeared and announced that it was time to go visit his fellow tribesmen. The boys were excited as they got together the supplies they would need for the journey. Bern however was more subdued. Wiscoup'a noticed and asked his partner about it.

"Are you really sure, after what I almost went and made Caleb do, that Falling Star would want me in the tribe?"

"Do not be concerned, my brother. Falling Star will give you a medicine vision and your heart will be eased," Wiscoup'a said, taking Bern's hand familiarly. "Just as you have eased my heart."

Bern remembered the love he and Wiscoup'a had shared occasionally during the past winter and sighed. Like Caleb, he had initially thought a three way bond of love might be hard to maintain, but Wiscoup'a had shown him unstinting affection, just as Caleb had, until Bern could not help but give it back freely, bonding them all closely, as closely as his boys were. Bern was happy when he found his boys were getting close to his partners too, calling Caleb, 'pop' and Wiscoup'a 'dad'. Joel had told Bern he and his brothers were the only boys in the world with three fathers, and the luckiest as well.

The group followed a trail that led roughly south-southwest, passing through pristine wilderness that was readying itself for the return of spring. When they got to Roman Rock, the men in the settlement were busy preparing for some sort of vernal rite. Wiscoup'a explained that it was a fertility ritual, held to ensure good crops. The travelers had already seen the Elxa's fields, plowed and ready for planting.

"Is this an old native ritual they're plannin'?" asked Caleb.

"No, it is a rite that our brother, Big Otter, brought with him from his home in England. He says it is very old, from a time before the Christian religion came into his country, many centuries ago."

"Huh!" Bern sounded impressed as he looked around. "Will we set up camp around here somewhere?"

"Let us talk to Tlaccotan first."

"He's the chief around here, right?"

"Yes, Caleb," Wiscoup'a replied as they began to follow him to a richly decorated lodge. "He sees to the day to day running of the camp."

"Paw?"

"Yes, son?" Bern turned to look at Jed.

"Can we go off and explore?"

"I don't see why not. We'll be here if you need us."

"If you get hungry," Wiscoup'a pointed, "there is a communal kitchen right over there. Someone will feed you if you ask."

"Thanks, dad. C'mon guys."

"Bye pop, bye paw, bye, dad!" Joel and Jael called before following Jed.

The men ducked and entered the lodge. Tlaccotan was inside, along with his lover, a redheaded white man whose tribal name was Tavani, and another black haired and bearded white heron man who introduced himself as Dark Fire. All three greeted the travelers warmly. They talked for awhile, and Dark Fire suggested they stay in his bunkhouse, which they agreed to.

Dark Fire led them to the structure he shared with his lover, Big Otter. As they were setting their equipment inside, Caleb asked about the upcoming ritual. Dark Fire grinned.

"It's a hoot! Wait 'til you see it! My pard's... "

"Paw! Paw!"

Joel burst into the bunkhouse. The men within turned to see what the boy wanted. Bern smiled and reached out to gather his youngest boy into his arms.

"What son?"

"The ceremony's about to start! C'mon!"

Going out to the edge of the newly plowed fields that lay to the west of Roman Rock, they joined a small crowd of heron men who had gathered to watch the ritual. The sun shone brightly on the scene and the rich smell of the exposed earth filled the air. Joel pointed and cried.

"There they are!"

Bern saw four men dressed in green clothing, decorated with new leaves and early wildflowers, emerge from the edge of the nearby forest. They carried branches of new greenery like wands. Garlands of vines connected them to a fifth fantastic figure.

This bizarre apparition looked like a green haystack, dotted with wildflowers and trailing vines. It moved somewhat erratically, as if it were slightly drunk. From time to time the four green men who escorted it had to tug on the garlands to get it to stay with them as they approached the crowd.

"Spring is here! The green men have come!" some of the onlookers shouted.

"Come, pagans all!" One of the green men called. "Come greet the one who makes all the world fertile! Hail, Jack-o-the-green!"

At this, the great heap of vegetation gave a little leap, as if in apprehension, and tried to break away from its escort. The green men shouted and beat the fertility godling playfully with their wands as they guided it with mock force to the edge of the field. Another one called out.

"Give these good men your blessing, Jack-o-the-green! Give them the seed that will grow plentiful crops!"

To Bern's surprise, no less than that of Caleb's, or the boys', another green man reached into Jack-o-the-green's leafy midst and hauled out the biggest cock they had ever seen. Stroking the impressive phallus to full erection, the green men at length coaxed it to erupt and the copious outpouring of sperm was caught in a bowl. Then Jack-o-the-green collapsed to the ground, as if he had died.

Dropping the garlands that bound them to Jack-o-the-green, the green men ceremoniously led the spectators into the field. As they went, they dipped a leafy branch into the bowl and shook it, scattering the fertility godling's seed over the ground. Behind them, a few others started rows of crops, beginning the planting of corn, squash and other vegetables. The green men also chanted an old pagan hymn:

Hoof and horn, Hoof and horn, All that dies Shall be reborn!

Corn and grain, Corn and grain, All that falls Shall rise again!

Coming back to where they had begun, the green men chanted the hymn one last time over the prone fertility godling. With a sudden start, Jack-o-the-green jumped back up and showed his enormous hardon to the onlooking crowd again. The spectators hooted and cheered. The green men shouted.

"He who was dead lives again! He is risen!"

At those words, Jack-o-the-green took off, running back the way he had come. The green men cried out upon him and gave chase, holding their leafy wands as if they intended to give the fertility godling a sound thrashing if they caught him. All disappeared back into the forest and the watching crowd whistled, applauded and cheered the ending of the pagan rite.

"I told you it was a hoot!" Dark Fire told his guests.

"Which one was Big Otter, your pardner?" asked Bern.

"Jack-o-the-green!"

"Huh!?" Caleb started. "That big-dicked guy? How do you... "

"Oh, we get along just fine," winked Dark Fire. "I've had plenty of practice takin' my pard's monster every way you can think of, and we're both happy!"

"You be good for Dark Fire and Big Otter, sons," Bern admonished his boys. He, Caleb and Wiscoup'a were ready to begin the journey to the cave of mysteries and see the Elxa shaman, Falling Star. "We'll be back in a week or so, then we'll go home and get our own crops sowed."

"Don't worry about them, Bern," Big Otter said. The brown haired bear of a man put his big hands on Joel and Jael's shoulders; the pair were rather in awe of the man.

"Yeah, we'll all have lotsa fun," added Dark Fire as he playfully threw a punch at Jed. The lad dodged it before slamming his fist into the black haired cowboy's hard belly.

"Jed!"

"It's okay, Caleb," Dark Fire grinned. "Jed here'll have to grow a bit more before he could hurt me." He looked at Jed. "You're learnin' fast!"

"Mark's gonna teach me how to fight, like the cowboys do in the saloons!"

"Hopefully, it'll be a long time before you see the insides of a saloon, son," chuckled Bern. "Let alone get into a barroom brawl! Just have fun and be good 'til we get back."

"Okay, paw," he agreed as he moved to hug Bern.

The boys hugged their parents goodbye and the three men set off along a trail that paralleled Heron Creek, heading east, towards the sacred mountain Zoraxte. Wiscoup'a had explained to his partners about Falling Star and the vision quests the heron shaman would give them before they could be considered full members of the Elxa. Bern looked forward to his tribal initiation. It would be a confirmation of the brotherhood he already felt with the gentle men who inhabited the valley of the heron.

THE END

of Lost-In-The-Snow

the sixth chapter in the series

'The Way Of The Heron'

by C. T. Creekmur

comments or suggestions are welcome at tcreekmur@hotmail.com

Copyright (c) 2009 by Charles T. Creekmur

"All Rights Reserved"

submitted to www.nifty.org 1/21/2009