Goal - A scene in a story with Cherokee main characters, on the banks of the river Tennessee.
(Why this - I have good memories tubing down the river at Chattanooga, Tennessee in my student days in the States and was intrigued by the Cherokees who settled all along this great river in the past.)
Unetlanvhi (oo-net-la-nuh-hee): the Cherokee word for God or “Great Spirit,” is Unetlanvhi is considered to be a divine spirit with no human form.
The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the bustling Cherokee village nestled along the banks of the Unetlanvhi (Tennessee River.) I, Adawehi, stood at the edge of the council house, my heart pounding in my chest as I watched Tsul'kalu, the man I loved, engaged in a heated argument with Uksahi, the most respected elder of our tribe. The stakes were high; the future of our village and people hung in the balance.
Tsul'kalu's goal was clear - to convince Uksahi and the elders of the impending crisis and rally them to action. My goal, however, was more personal. I needed to find the courage to stand by Tsul'kalu, to support him in his mission, and in doing so, prove the strength of our love.
"The river is changing, and we cannot ignore it any longer!" Tsul'kalu's voice echoed through the council house, his words carrying the weight of the impending crisis. Uksahi, a stern man with a grey beard, looked at Tsul'kalu with a mix of concern and disbelief.
"You ask us to trust in your observations, Tsul'kalu, but what proof do you have?" Uksahi challenged, his voice echoing the skepticism of the other elders.
Tsul'kalu took a deep breath, his gaze steady. "The signs are all around us, Uksahi. The changing patterns of the river, the unusual weather, the shifts in the soil. I have studied these signs, and I cannot ignore what they foretell."
Uksahi scoffed, his eyes narrowing. "And what is it that they foretell, Tsul'kalu? A catastrophe? A flood? You would have us disrupt our lives, our traditions, based on your interpretations?"
Tsul'kalu stood his ground, his voice unwavering. "Yes, Uksahi. I would. Because I believe in the power of preparation and adaptation. I believe in the resilience of our people. And I believe that it is better to act now than to regret later."
I could see the tension building, the elders murmuring amongst themselves. I clutched my pottery closer, my fingers trembling. The pottery that was once a symbol of our prosperity now felt like a fragile reminder of the life we knew, a life threatened by the whims of the Unetlanvhi.
In the midst of the chaos, our eyes met. A silent understanding passed between us, a promise that echoed louder than the arguments around us. We would face this, together.
I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what I was about to do. I stepped forward, my pottery clattering to the ground as I moved towards Tsul'kalu. "I stand with Tsul'kalu," I declared, my voice steady despite the fear coursing through me. "We cannot ignore the signs any longer."
The council house fell silent, the elders' eyes turning towards me. I could see the surprise in Tsul'kalu's eyes, but also a spark of pride. I had made my choice, and in doing so, I had changed our situation. We were no longer bystanders, but active participants in the fight for our village's future.
Uksahi's gaze hardened as he looked at me, then at Tsul'kalu. "Your insistence on this matter, Tsul'kalu, is admirable. But it is also disruptive. The council has decided to relieve you of your duties as our herd’s chief buffalo hunter."
The council erupted in murmurs, but Tsul'kalu remained silent, his gaze fixed on Uksahi. I could see the pain in his eyes, but also a spark of determination. He had lost his position, but he had not lost his resolve.
In that moment, our love story was not a tale of stolen glances or whispered words. It was a testament to our resilience, a vow to weather the storm that loomed over our village. The Unetlanvhi river, once a symbol of our thriving civilization, now served as the backdrop for our love story, a story that was as intricate and enduring as the village we called home.
As I stood there, amidst the rising tension and fear, I knew that our love, like the ancient Unetlanvhi, would prove to be a force of nature, capable of weathering any storm. And as I watched Tsul'kalu, the man I loved, stand up against the tide of disbelief, I felt a surge of pride.
Our love story would not be one of surrender, but of endurance.
BEHIND THE SCENE
Notes -
What I used for inspiration:
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