RIVER SONG 5

Xetal closed her eyes to savor the sensation of water flowing through her splayed fingers. Water connected her to the past and sometimes to the future. As the cool wetness glided across her palm, Xetal recalled the stories of her grandmother recounting the lives of their ancestors. The old woman’s favorite story to tell was that of her great-great grandmother’s expedition to Grizzly Claw. Grizzly Claw was a waterfall deep in the mountains, over a moon’s travel from their village. The path was full of obstacles and so very few embarked on the dangerous journey. But when great-great-great grandmother had been merely sixteen years old, she had set out on her own.