The rapid fire pace of the last two weeks continue. Some problems solved. New Problems develop. New Allies discovered, and a nasty villein in the shadows. Oh My.

Many people on the Reserve thought John Strong Bear was a hansom man. Living up to his namesake, John was built like a black bear, being stocky but not stumpy. was just one indication of John’s Mohawk heritage The muscles on his muscles showing the effect of his work as the agricultural manager of the Upper Skaget tribal enterprises. John was not a sit behind the desk manager, he normally used a gregarious slap on the back or a warmly polite thank you if you were a woman. Bear would pitch in when ever needed, he pitched in, to demonstrate or help in any job, including the disgusting dirty ones. Greta hired him away from a local grower who didn’t know just how great a farmer he had working for him. The day came when John reminded his former boss that the ‘At Will’ clause in the state labor law went both ways; his boss’s comment that that is what you get with liberal Communists in the White House.

Every year in the last five years John managed an increased production from the same amount of land. This year’s harvest was the largest yet and all organic. Moving into strictly organic production was a great undertaking but had played well; opening a larger more lucrative market. John thought that rather than being a small fish, produce grower, playing in the big pond of the larger produce growers, where he had to fight to be noticed. He thought he should be competing in a smaller pond of organic produce where he could be seen.

This year, production was not bothering John, it was having enough people to bring the crop in. He was using every bit of local talent he could scrape up, just to bring in the early production. The big push was going to start in about a week, the frost and nippy nights warned that the extended fall could end, any time. This left Strong Bear having to ask for divine intervention through Grandmother Greta.

Greta was the go to matriarch of the Skaget tribal council and what she said was listened to and followed. She was eighty six and did not look a day over fifty five, Greta held such powerful medicine that John thought that his Grand Father, the great Mad Bear Anderson would have deferred to her judgment.

Grand Mother Greta came into the small personal meeting room with a look on her face that reflected amusement, confusion, and mild shock. Pouring herself a cup of black coffee, she started to talk to John as she sat down.

“Sorry, Bear, I had to take that call. I am glad that you are here because it concerns you as well. It would appear that the new woman in Haven, Betty White Owl, has been conned into becoming the Township Manager. She has taken it to heart that it was about time that Havens residents needed to become more neighborly. Louise, the mayor, has OK’d a plan so they are officially offering help with this year’s harvest. . Louise is getting the work crews organized. Betty has people checking out the old jitney train they have to transport the product, to their shipping and processing docks like we used before you were here. “

“Grand Mother what do you know about this White Owl; is she real or a want to be and how much is this neighborly help costing us?”

“Bear: White Owl is real as rain. She is a two spirit woman from Pine Ridge who had a dust up there. So her family shipped her to the outback of Scotland to live with the other side of the family. She has been doing social work helping communities fight big business and organizing township governments to work better. My sources told me she was widowed about seven years ago and has been raising two girls on her own.”

“Answer two Betty only asked for gleaning rights and any surplus or cosmetically damaged produce. They are reopening their canning kitchen. She even apologized for them being hermits; Ann’s death derailed the town until she took over the position about a week ago.”

“If she’s from Pine Ridge, what the coyote’s tail is she doing here? She’s a bit out of her old stomping grounds.”

“Greta laughed You should talk, Mohawk, she can't go home; there is a bounty on her head, so she adapted to living here in Western Washington telling people it is the most like Scotland as she could find.”

“How many people are they offering?”

“We will have about twenty five 15 to 18 year olds for the picking, 8 to 10 strong backs to lift and tote, then about 25 to 30 women to trim process and pack. That and what local talent you already have should cover your needs.”

“More than cover my needs, much more. I can put my experienced pickers with the kids and that will keep that process flowing well. I have about 10 lift and tote men and can you get your hens to throw in with cooking or trimming.”

“Already done; you will have 20 trimmers and packers. Plus the Relief Society Hens have offered to do the cooking of the chili, stew, burgers and the rest. Hell, even that skin flint Robert of the beverage company has pledged water, beverages and ice to pay off his back taxes.”

“Bear started to chuckle; where did the medicine power come from, to cause this? I was praying for relief, like a Burnt bear dancing on cactus. This can’t just be my prayer work?”

“Strong Bear you have such little faith in your honest prayer to help others. It was from your lips to the Creator’s ears. With Mad Bear as your Great Grandfather you must know the power of proper intent”.

“You got a good point, Greta, I still have the strangest feeling since the last full moon something has shifted, Shshomie refuses to tell me anything, other than it’s women’s medicine, and nothing her husband needs to know about.”

“Your wife is wise, John, let us women handle the moon medicine work. You go home; it’s time for your dinner and for the first time in a month you can eat with out a worried stomach. Now scoot; I have work to do.”

When the room emptied Greta refilled her coffee and sat in her contemplative chair. Her grand kids made a cute sign misspelled like in Winnie the Pooh declaring it ‘Pooh’s thinking spot’. Gathering her note book Greta did some quick review of the notes from the last Black Lodge meeting.

Everyone was confused and felt the same thing that the gathering storm clouds had been unexpectedly blunted like the shield wall on the border was working again. So this month’s attack was not as powerful as originally foreseen. There was something cutting the dark tendrils away from the stricken town of Haven.

Then there was the white spirit owl that has been killing mice in the area that had string tied about them in odd ways. Greta did not miss the fact the spirit owl had to be this Betty's familiar. Greta was aware there were Unseen living in and around Haven and Blessing, but for the most part they invisibly blended in and have always done well by Grandmothers people. Greta never worked with an Unseen who was Native blood as well; this should be more interesting than waltzing with a Sasquatch.

Betty had just popped up unannounced out of no where. No one picked her up coming or when she arrived. As suddenly as a mountain thunderstorm this person went from nothing, to single highhanded fighting off a concerted attack against Haven’s protective shield. From Greta’s position there was no telling how many were involved in the effort but the best guess it was at least eight maybe more. For one person to hold that tattered barrier together was beyond Greta’s imagination Betty White Owl was someone to watch and someone if possible, to become friends with.

Then there was the reappearance of the big black wolf and two snow white companions. All three of them have been prowling about watching and protecting Haven closely. The black wolf was familiar to Greta as it was Ann’s protector spirit guardian; he arrived soon after Betty. There is something unprecedented and big happening in Haven. Meaning something big was coming to her people as well. Most of her people did not know that Haven was their shield against a lot of bad things on the other side of that shield. Many will disagree with Greta but if Haven is opening the door, Greta may need to pay them a visit. But with Strong Bear as back up; Greta is daring not stupid.

Lilly

My comfort level went way up working with James. My father, trusts him explicitly, now working with him, so do I. The barrier bulging in would have stymied almost every one else, James took it all in a flash; he then formed a plan to look for a solution. Running opposite directions we scouted the extent the parasitic disruption covered.

I went in the southerly direction, the way the wolf runs, for about one mile. With the exception of the original contact site the stones were only thinly piled up for about one half of a mile then diminished to nothing in the remaining one half mile. Returning to our original location I noticed James had already returned and in his human form was up a tree trying to see the source of these rocks. I was at the base of the tree looking up when my sense of humor got the better of me. Using wolf speak I called up to him,

“Little Kitty. Little Kitty. please come down to play. I am a lonely vegetarian wolf so I won’t eat you.”

That got a guffaw from James. Smiling and looking down at me.

“Lassie, your dad told me you have a wee sense of humor. I told him someone as proper as you couldn’t tell a joke. Now you prove me wrong, so now I owe the king a beer. Vegetarian wolf you say, that’s an oxymoron if I ever heard one.”

James came down as I shifted to my human form, and then filled him in on what I had found.

“Aye, I noticed the same thing, this is the focal point of the disruption. The source of these stones is a level mine shaft poking out of the hill yonder. I be needing to go back to me Keep to gather some material to do a patch before this breaks down the barrier here. You stay and keep a watch on things until I get back.”

“James, shouldn’t I go and tell Betty about this so she can help?”

“Nay, Lassie this is my responsibility to lance this boil. Betty is in the middle of another battle, with the local county Government for the town’s license to be a town. She knows that arena very well and nay needs any distractions from her labors. This here is my specialty within the team that is forming here. Watch and learn little Sprangling. Now I needs to be off see you tomorrow morning.”

James hit a nerve that I could not allow to show. Both Melissa and myself are Spranglings, a word we used to describe those under five years of turning.
Inexperienced and still adapting to our selves we have a lot to prove in a short period of time. So my father apprenticed Mel and myself to James. I need to keep my mind on my responsibilities. What I need now is some food then a dry place to sleep. Staying calm and focused was important because others depend on me to protect them; it’s what our species does.

Betty

The G man and I were on and off the phone several times in the same hour; there were questions about our township plans for the next five years. How diverse of a community we are. What are we doing to grow local business opportunities?

“G man, I just started last Thursday. There will be no need for a business plan if we do not keep our township charter. I need some time to root out the opportunities we have here. It is like Springfield all over again, I just need the time to find the formula that will work here. Springfield was way down the drain, almost totally dead with only 500 full time residents left. But with a little rallying of the local population they turned things around in less than five years.”

“Betty, do you have as much here? Haven is not even on the county maps any more.”

“Who paid for that to be done? The county doesn't just remove a township from the map with out some one proving it is gone. I know that there have been complaints filed with the WASHDOT about road trenching damage, I saw and experienced that, and sign destruction. Can anybody please talk to them to find any records of work done to fix our north access road? Also the south access road has been blocked during several holidays at the bridge just outside of Summer Town. Check with Officer Bruce McMillan; oh crud I don't know which district he works with.”

“No matter, Betty, don't get your knockers in a knot lady; you just gave me something to work with. Just stay calm and let the G man cat out these rats. Stay frosty and hatch that phone, I might need some fast facts.”

“I got you G; I will do just that no matter how uncomfortable sitting on the phone might be.”

“Ha that's the Betty I know and love, stay sweet doll and keep the faith;”

And that is what I did. I continued to sort the paperwork putting all in order. I was now only three years behind from current so that was good progress. For less than one week of work.

Betty

I was going through some historic documents from the time the town was founded under the new name of Haven. I found in a original township ledger from Haven’s first mayor Buster Billingly who was just off the boat from California. He told the story of how the entire holdings of the Washington Minerals and Refining were purchased by Count Armon Shelgrem and given to Ann and “her order of fine women trying to save the earth from itself. “ The letter continued to say that there was free and clear title to the land in Ann's name as the Steward and Thane of the entire holdings. In the case of her death the land’s title reverted to the Sisters of Perpetual Peace based in Glasgow Scotland. The title would be held by the order until a successor could be found. This title was a total duplicate of the title issued by the State and Federal government per the mining law of 1872 to WMR Corporation with all the same privileges and rights.

I stared at those yellowed pages as Buster spoke to me from over a hundred years ago. If he wasn't dead I could kiss him. I now had an armored shield to protect our town and our region I just needed to find out whom in Scotland is still overseeing the affairs of the Sisters of Perpetual Peace. Then like Crystal with a foam bat it hit me; Maggie told me she was of the same order as Ann who makes me OOOOO shit the new Thane?

I am Judge Claudia Bean, and I am County lead Attorney Erma Fredrickson

Attorney

This is a recorded disposition concerning the extension of the township corporate charter of Haven Township.

Judge

Mrs. Louise Franklin you are the mayor and Ms Betty White Owl you are the new Township Manager of Haven Township.
Louise
Yes, your honor’
Betty
Yes sir.

Judge

We agreed to this little video chat so I can give you the chance to expediently convince me to allow your charter to be renewed. I have been briefed on your situation and the need to have this decided before close of business tomorrow. To start I will ask some questions concerning the present situation and condition of your township.

Attorney

Mayor I will need you to please verify your present population size.

Louise

Within our township proper we have three thousand full time residents. In the surrounding countryside we have approximately another two thousand residents who are registered to vote in township elections.

Attorney

Can you tell me why your application for renewal is so tardy?
Louise
We have had several key positions left open by deaths. Our former manager passed away at his desk at home two months ago and we did not know that the paperwork was not filed but missing in a pile of documents in his cluttered home.

Judge

Ms. White Owl how did you come into this situation?

Betty

By my definitions, your Honor, divine intervention. My family and I were looking for affordable housing after being forced to move because our landlord was defrauding the US section 8 housing program. While looking for a new place to live I had stopped in Haven for the night and found a special unique community that could use my years of experience advising people trying to save their homes and towns from being destroyed by corporate greed, and my five plus years of advising townships how to be compliant with the new federal laws and requirements. So when Louise asked me for help I knew it was the right thing to do. We have worked out a compensation package that once reviewed by the section 8 Voucher specialist will provide my family a home. That gives both Haven and me what we need. Haven is a stable and loving community where my children and myself are welcomed. This is a place worth fighting for and that is what I intend to do.

Judge

“Ms. White Owl the both of us have reviewed your past and recent history. Both I and Ms. Frederickson are impressed by your actions. When did you find the paperwork for this situation? Then what actions did you take?”

Betty

This Sunday afternoon your honor. And we immediately started to check the facts recorded on my predecessor’s work before he died. We corrected the old data to match current levels, then filled in the missing data the manager did not have. I contacted the proper department in county then faxed the paper work to them. I have been informed that our application was very accurate and properly filled out allowing things to progress much faster than normal with in the county system.

Judge

Ms. Frederickson does your department have any thing to say.

Attorney

Only that I wished you gals could teach the rest of these fools how to do what you have just done. I agree, your honor, this is free and clear of any clouding issues my office would be concerned with.

Judge

That is what I have found and my colleagues all concur as well; the both of you need to be commended at keeping your head together. I also believe the two of you working together will solve any outstanding problems your community may have.

I have no legal objections to processing your renewal; it is my decision that you have not received any special treatment in this process and your application has been granted.

With the formalities completed the Skype connection was broken. The two of us sat stunned into silence at what just happened. The both of us just sat there making goofy faces and pantomiming our shock and amazement when as if on cue my fax printer called for attention then started printing out the new township paperwork with all twenty five signatures including the three judges and the Legal Council. There was a signature copy for both of us to wet sign and fax back. Then both of us started crying tears of joy at this our first battle being won. We got up and hugged each other then started jumping up and down like a couple of kids just happy to be alive.

Well that went as well as could be expected your honor.

Oh stop the honorific shit Erma it's just the two of us right now.

Thanks, Claudia, I was getting a little stiff in the face having to be so formal. You know she is going to blow her everlasting stack over this.

“Ha ha Ya I know she's screaming that I got friends, so do we and if we can’t stand the heat in our own kitchen it is time that we retire to Shady Glenn and a rocking chair. I mean to let that pompous nasty piece of work know, we do not work for her, I work for the law. I will not be bought, or threatened. We run this county not that Tory want to be. I know her Uncle he didn't put up with her shit, and sent her packing. I also have the promises of his backing through this.”

“Claudia, truth be told Haven got it all correct there was no legal reason not to grant their application.”

“That's why I made them jump through so many hoops. Every one who signed off on this did so after the strictest interpretation of the civil code. This decision is legally air tight”

“You know that her minion will be informing her Majesty like ten minutes ago.”

“Yay I know that too, she should be throwing a lot of those priceless relics of hers at the wall screaming my name asking the hounds of hell to pee on my roses.”

“You don't look broken up about that.”

“The satisfaction of knowing she is having a really bad day makes any problems I may have all worth while.”

Alease / betty

The sweet smell of our cooking fire beckoned to me from my bed roll. The morning was crisp and sweet making it a boney day for some hard work. Yesterday our family arrived from driving our cattle up from the coast to our summer pasturage in the closest High lands to our winter home. It was a fair journey all up hills, the entire way, requiring 4 to 5 days to travel to the high summer pastures. The reason for this trip was the grasses of the high country fattened up our stock like no other making this trip well worth while.

Our land was full of large stones moved here by the ice from the cold times farther back than our story tellers have lived. Our summer camp is nested inside one of the many clustered piles of stones dotting our land. It was as if the ice like a little kid had played with the rocks then left the stones cast out when it walked away.

Years ago in my mother’s grandmother’s, grandmother’s time one of the piles that already had a small dry cave that hunters had used over the years was carefully enlarged then the floor dug down to create a comfortable home away from home. Close to our stone home a grouping of larger rocks that when the spaces between the larger stones were filled in with the abundant more portable stones fenced in a large spot of good grazing land. When you put in a couple of wooden gates you have a gathering area for our cows. Dad’s big dogs protected the cows from the wolves who come here looking for an easy meal.

We arrived late afternoon yesterday allowing us just enough time to put the cattle in the holding area:; and for my father Ian, brothers Angus and Conan to roll the giant stone away from the entrance to our lair. Mama insisted on cooking a right meal last night so we used the last of last years dried beef and vegetables in making her stew. The winter’s rain had filled the cistern so there was enough water to hold us for the summer. Tomorrow our men will check the rest of the rock fencing on the other larger spaces filling in what the winter removed. My job will be gathering more dry firewood and be finding some meat for our table.. We had a small wood supply in the lair but we only used that when we nay can get other wood.

Our breakfast was oat porridge and a piece of dried fish. We had to gather what we could for the coming winter but most of that was my Mama’s job. I was allowed to gather berries and things like bitter bulb grass and blue yampas, but my grandmother had years to train me mom, better than I have been able to learn yet. So mom gathers the rest, like mushrooms, medicine plants, and special things she powders found in places only mother knew.

This morning I warmed up finding a pile of winter killed dried wood from the heather and heath bushes. Then when my scent was covered by the foliage I took my bow and went to our family’s prayer circle. We never took anything from the land with out asking permission and giving thanks to the goddess of gathering and the god of the hunt. The rest of the morning I wandered slowly renewing my connection with the land and its emotions, walking in reverence and love. This was my favorite place in our world. I loved the wee smells and sights along my way savoring each like my mothers stew.

I found that I had wandered into a glade marked by ancient standing stones inscribed with markings I nay could figure what they were speaking of. My instincts were to leave well enough alone and move away from what I thought was a sacred site of the ancient ones who lived here long before my people, I nay have any interest to run afoul of any forces I nay could comprehend.

As I moved away a short but respectful distance from the ancient spot I heard a rustle then a snapping twig in the brush ahead. The wind was blowing from the sound to me bringing me the odor of a male deer I slipped behind a large rock and readied my bow selecting two stone tipped arrows. I saved my steel tipped ones for killing Romans, or marauders. Notching my first arrow I waited for my food to come nearer to me. First I saw a muzzle then I saw the male deer come out of hiding cautiously sniffing the air. A few more steps he turned offering me the perfect side on target.

The kill was clean directly through the heart dropping a medium sized male deer where it stood. There was no pain or struggle; he was just dead, but he would live on in our families bodies from sustaining us for another summer into winter, I thanked the goddess and god of the hunt I thanked the deer; I then smelled bear then I saw bear running at me looking to take my deer. Running away was not something that had a good ending, so I prayed for the best shot and charged the bear back causing the bear to stop short and rise up onto its hind feet showing me his size. I was going into battle for my life so I evoked the name Morrigain took aim for the right eye then everything became slow motion, he started to drop forward I released the arrow then he fell and slid to my feet dead. My legs gave out and I sat down on my knees hard. I was at the bear’s eye level. I now did not see a monster I saw another who shared with me this wonderful land, I was just faster, smarter, and had an arrow guided by the goddess of sovereignty. I thanked my brother bear for feeding my family giving us warm clothing and what ever else my family can find a use for from this sacrifice of a noble life.

A few moments later a couple of unarmored Vikings came out of the brush in front of me. Their hunting tools out, they had actually been hunting the bear. I pulled two more steel tipped arrows this time and prepared to stand my ground; like the bear you nay run from the Norse. I was loaded and pulled to shoot when I heard my dad greet them in their language. He traded with some of the scattered few who sailed here during the warmer weather.

The exchange was friendly my father offered to share some of the bear with them for help in butchering the bear and the deer. The older of the two spoke some of our language and asked my father should he not ask this daughter of Freyja this young Valkyrie for permission, My father turned to me and with eyes full of admiration asking me if this deal was agreeable. I said in the only word I knew in their language, yes.

My brothers came to where we were, looking for my father and seeing my bear and deer spoke to me with pride asking me to return to camp and to let mother know of our good fortune. Conan came with me to bring back the big horse and wagon. His praise warmed me from my heart out telling me how special I was because the Goddess protected me.

When we got back to the lair and the story retold my mother fussed over me like a returning hero. She cooked me some of her broth to warm me as I had started to shake uncontrollably. The sweet taste of dried duck in the broth filled me with warmth the taste was a bit different but pleasant. We were talking when sleepiness stilled my mind and my shaking stopped. I nay remember being put into my sleeping spot.

But when I awoke I was in my bed with Crystal and Anna poaching space in my bed with me. Then it hit me that I had been living in a dream of the past. I came home elated but very tired so we ate and went to bed early. Then that dream so real I could still smell the heather on my hands. It was especially hard to shake this as the body memory remained long after the children were off to school. I was in two places and times simultaneously totally assume, but weird.

Remember your comments are the Tiermisu in a writers life our egos need to know how we are doing so please leave a comment.