Taelo: The Golden Feather

By Ron Mueller

Taelo

Taelo lived more than thirty thousand years ago in the US northwest.

The Early Years are stories of Taelo and Golden Hawk in their early years

• Language: English
• Publisher: Around the World Publishing LLC
• Release date: Jun 12, 2023
• ISBN: 9781682232927

Ron Mueller

About the Author Ronald E. Mueller [e-mail] Ron grew up in what is now Flint River State Park in Southeast Iowa. The 170-year-old house Ron lived in is built into a hillside. It faces a 125-foot-high cliff towering over the little Flint River. The house and the land talked to him about; the passing of time, the struggle to conquer the land, the struggles people faced and the wonder of nature. He climbed the cliffs, crawled into the caves, dove from the swimming rock, collected clams from the bottom of the pond, gigged and skinned frogs for their legs. He trapped muskrats for fur, hunted raccoon in the dead of night, and with only a stick hunted rabbits in the dead of winter. His young life was outdoors, and nature tested him. He walked to a one room stone schoolhouse uphill both ways. A stern but warm-hearted teacher, Mrs. Henry was instrumental in shaping his character as she shepherded him from the fourth to the eighth grade. A Montessori before its time. It was a great way to grow up. His experiences inter-twined with snippets of fantasy lend themselves to the adventures he leads the reader through.

Book preview

1

Spring by the Sea

Taelo, Golden Hawk and Burley Bear accompanied the Elk Clan and the Clan of Others back from the first combined and very successful meeting of all the Elk Sub clans and the Clan of Others.

The three were the prime motivators of the cultural change taking place in both peoples. The Elk Clan and all the sub clans now had women on the Council of Elders. This was an adoption from the practice of the Clan of Others where women made up the majority of the membership in their Council of Elders.

Taelo was pleased that both White Swan, his mother and Quiet Pheasant, Golden Hawk’s mother were members of the Council of Elders. His father, Grey Fox Running, the leader of the Elk Clan joked about the fact that he now had to take direction on how to manage the Elk Clan and how to behave in his personal lodge from the same woman.

The bond among the team that had been led by Little Otter on the first Elk Clan mixed gender long hunt continued to strengthen and grow.

They often retreated to the hot water pool at the cave by the top of the cascading water fall that fell several hundred feet into the Valley of Plenty.

The team operated as a unit.

They were bonded by the mutual respect and the experience of looking out for each other during one of the most successful long hunts in the Elk Clan’s memory.

They were to learn they were bonded by language, by principle, by their capabilities and as predicted by Broken Spear, the seer of the Others, by a bond that would carry them through their lives.

Taelo’s and Golden Hawk’s accomplishments and unselfish sharing of the wealth they could have accumulated for themselves was woven into the stories now told by the Elk Clan and the Clan of Others. They openly shared the most prolific honey tree with the entire Elk Clan. They generously shared the shark’s teeth taken from a huge shark they and Burley Bear fought and killed.

The young buffalo bull Taelo rescued became Little Otter’s constant companion and the first draft animal the clan had ever utilized. He was the reason Little Otter’s team was able to pull two thirds of a Mastodon killed during the long hunt back into the Valley of Plenty.

They guided the Clan of Others to a new home and the food they needed to survive the first winter. Burley Bear, a member of the Others, with the looks of and almost as large as the giant brown cave bear, became their best friend, protector, and partner. He was the older brother both Taelo and Golden Hawk looked up to both physically and intellectually.

The past winter the three had made their joint journey into adulthood. Taelo and Golden Hawk were the youngest members of the Elk Clan to be given the honor of being called hunter and warrior.

Their induction to this position was a joint ceremony between the Elk Clan and the Clan of Others. Burley Bear, Golden Hawk and Taelo were inducted by both Clans to the position of hunter and warrior.

The first newborn to the Clan of Others in almost ten winter cycles was named, Scream of the Eagle, in honor of Taelo.

The two clans had speakers that had learned the language of both Clans. Taelo’s team as they were referred to all spoke both languages and were equally welcome and accepted in both Clans.

Taelo, the source of change once again surprised the Clan by rescuing and raising a wolf pup he found wandering lost in the forest. The wolf now almost full size, named Lasher, followed him everywhere. The bond between the two was immediate and mutual.

Taelo had spent much of his time bonding with and training Lasher. The two were inseparable. At night Lasher slept next to Taelo. The wolves had previously become familiar, but they always stayed on the periphery of the camp. Now there was one among them.

Golden Hawk and Taelo were walking slowly along the beach. The two friends were on the way to meet the rest of their group for their weekly dinner by the sea.

They and the rest of the team had recounted, retold, and polished their hunting stories more times than they cared to think about. They had contributed their fair share of the work to keep the clan fed and clothed throughout the winter.

The early spring breeze promised warmth and brought the fragrance of flowers from the cliffs above the bay.

Taelo, Golden Hawk and their hunting team friends had endured the winter in the Valley of Plenty and the hot spring cave at the top of the falls. This spring the move to the beach camp was an effort they had spearheaded and led.

They surprised the entire clan by cleaning all the beach side lodges and the main lodge prior to everyone’s arrival.

They had also set up the fish trap in the bay and caught one large fish for every home. These events always caught the clan by surprise because Taelo’s whole team seemed to do as they pleased. They, however, always ended up contributing in some significant way to the clan.

The team had also become more then friends. They had paired off and were young lovers. After a long winter they were all ready for some new adventure. Their long hunting experience had changed all of them. They were more daring, more confident, and restless.

Red Oak and Grey Fox Running, fathers, and uncles to Taelo and Golden Hawk sat in front of the main lodge of the beach summer camp.

Look at those two. They are inseparable. I think they will come up with an excuse to leave us for the season, Grey Fox Running shared his observation with his best friend Red Oak.

I think you are right. Golden Hawk has been restless. Quiet Pheasant has been worried about what the entire hunting group is up to, Red Oak continued.

Grey Fox Running and Red Oak were lifelong friends. Together they had pulled the Elk Clan back from the edge of disaster and ensured the clan had food for the winter. They had brought it from near starvation to become one of the wealthiest clans of the Elk Clan group.

Taelo and Golden Hawk were their sons and were just as close friends as the two of them.

"Look how Taelo’s wolf follows the two everywhere. Taelo has an uncanny way of making animals work for him.

Last fall it was taming the young buffalo calf and putting it to work pulling a travois.

Now he has trained the wolf to hunt with him and obey signals as well as voice commands," Red Oak commented on the strange new feature in the camp.

The two commented that they would help their two young hunters in every way they could.

In another part of the camp, Quiet Pheasant was talking to her older sister, White Swan.

The two had some very different and interesting observations.

Taelo and Golden Hawk are discussing some new journey. This time they will end up taking their friends with them. Have you noticed how tightly the hunting team has bonded, Quiet Pheasant commented?

Yes, and it is clear to me that I have already lost my son to Quiet Rabbit, and you have lost yours to Busy Bee. The four of them are always together. They seem perfectly matched, White Swan said wistfully.

Floating Cloud, grandmother of Quiet Rabbit added, Isn’t the outcome what the two of you worked to arrange? And did it not work out exactly as you planned?

White Swan was quite pleased with the outcome of the match making that she and Quiet Pheasant had arranged.

It turned out just as we planned. So why the sigh, Quiet Pheasant said.

She felt exactly the same way.

The two had maneuvered the young women and ensured their placement on the hunting team. It had all worked out exactly as planned. Now as mothers they were feeling the loss of their young men.

You know the surprise is the bond between Little Otter and Talking Wren. That is the odd couple. I would never have made that match, White Swan said with a chuckle.

Well, I enjoyed the fact the Others assumed they were all matched pairs and immediately added Meadow Flower as another hunting partner. They wanted Burley Bear’s mate to hunt along with the rest of the team, Quiet Pheasant replied.

She too was happy with the outcome.

The Others seemed to have been right in their assessment, White Swan said putting down the blouse she had been decorating as she looked down the beach to where Taelo and Golden Hawk were just joining the rest of their team out on the large tooth boulder.

From above, the small harbor looked like a saber tooth tiger lying on the beach with its mouth slightly open. The head and upper jaw was formed by high rocky cliffs jutting out into the sea. The cliffs were green in their fern and thick moss covering. Blueberry bushes added a smoothing texture to the rocky cliffs. Millions of sea gulls nested on the cliffs to hatch their young.

The saber tooth was a large, long boulder jutting up from the beach pointing toward the upper jaw formed by the rocky cliffs.

The combination provided a perfect shield against the large waves crashing against it on the ocean side. The inner harbor side was the favorite swimming hole for all the youngsters and the source of an endless supply of fish.

What a contrast. The waves on the right crash against the rock on the seaside. The pool on the left of the rock is smooth and quiet. Out in front are the green covered cliffs. They provide us a bounty of bird’s eggs in the spring and our summer blueberries. The harbor itself is the magnet for fish, Taelo spoke quietly as he joined the rest of his friends.

At the moment he was enjoying the beauty and pleasant atmosphere of the bay.

He was thinking ahead to the next adventure but had yet to break the subject with his friends.

Lasher walked along the edge of the rock and seemed to follow the fish swimming around below. He looked around at the humans around him and quietly settled down near Taelo.

Yes, it is beautiful and serene, Quiet Rabbit said as she sat down next to Taelo.

She was the only one allowed to sit so close to Taelo without getting a growl from Lasher.

The team met once a week on the rock to sit, enjoy the sunset and share their evening meal. The meal was usually simple but each week the responsibility to feed the team rotated to another team member. A small contest on who could serve the most unique dish became the norm. Today was Taelo’s turn, and it appeared to the team that he was showing up empty handed.

Well, I wonder if we are going to get any dinner tonight," Burley Bear loudly asked Meadow Flower.

Yes, it appears someone forgot his turn, Talking Wren spoke up.

She was looking around to see how Taelo was going to get out of this situation. She figured something was up. It was not Taelo’s nature to forget anything.

Whose turn is it anyway, Taelo played along as he started the fire under a giant clay pot and emptied a small bag of spices into the water.

He put one lone polished stone into the pot.

"The stone is all I have to put in the pot.

Well, I hope whoever is supposed to bring us food will do so by the time the water heats up.

Meanwhile, I think I will sit and enjoy the last rays of the sun with a drink of honey wine," Taelo said as he pulled out two large bags.

He gave one to Burley Bear. He passed his bag to Quiet Rabbit and soon everyone was enjoying the drink.

When steam began rising from the water, Taelo walked over to a long crack in the rock where four sticks were wedged.

Well look what I have found, Taelo said as he pulled up a bag with three rabbits. He made a point of displaying each rabbit as he cut and dropped the pieces into the water.

There seems to be more here, he said as he pulled up a bag of eggs and expertly cracked and dropped the eggs into the water he was stirring. He tossed one to Lasher who caught it in his mouth and seemed to swallow it.

You spoil that wolf, Golden Hawk said as he watched Lasher run his tongue around the edges of his mouth.

Well, I don’t know who left all this here but look at this salmon, Taelo said as he removed the large salmon and showed it to everyone before cutting it into sections and dropping it into the stew.

Next Taelo pulled up a bag full of wet seed sprouts.

The next cord had several large birds each skewered to a Y shaped split end stick.

Well, it looks as if someone left all of us another great treat, Taelo commented as he gave a stick with a bird to each person.

And look they even have two for Little Otter and Burley Bear, Taelo joked as he handed the two their second birds.

The birds had been pre-grilled and only needed warming.

Each of you will need to warm your grilled bird. When they are ready you will be offered a bowl of soup, Taelo instructed as he finished handing out the skewered birds.

He pulled the last line up with the soup bowls, and spoons. Each bowl was lined with flat bread. The bowls were a new addition to the team’s experience. Taelo and Golden Hawk had carved the bowls out of oak. The grain of the wood was beautifully displayed.

By this time, the soup was beginning to steam. Everyone had gathered around the fire. They were slowly turning their birds to warm them.

The bowls of soup with fish and rabbit was served and all sat around enjoying the best meal served out on the rock to date.

Taelo looked across the tooth rock to see his parents and his aunt and uncle walking casually toward the team.

Silent Pheasant commented that the four of them were following their noses and wondered what smelled so good.

Well, I hope Taelo hasn’t given too much of this food to his wolf friend and that there is still enough for us, White Swan said as they arrived.

Well, it all depends on Little Otter and Burley Bear. They usually take care of any extra, Golden Hawk joked.

He then refilled his soup bowl and offered it to his parents.

Hey, don’t put us on the spot, Little Otter exclaimed as he handed his extra bird to Grey Fox Running.

Burley Bear followed suit and gave his second bird to Red Oak.

There was plenty of rabbit and salmon soup.

After a few moments it was obvious the group of young people were being quiet and respectful to their elders.

Quiet Pheasant spoke up, Well Red Oak, we were on a beach walk. I think we should finish our walk and relax at our own lodge.

With that both couples thanked the group and went walking on down the beach.

The talk of the team turned to what they were going to do for the spring and throughout the summer. Both Taelo and Golden Hawk were unusually silent.

Taelo was crouching by Lasher giving him a bowl of the soup and some cooked rabbit.

OK, what are the two of you not telling us, Burley Bear finally spoke up.

Just then an eagle and a hawk flew across the cove. The eagle let out a long cry.

Back in the camp and along the beach all eyes turned to the sky.

The eagle and hawk flew out toward the sunset and in unison gracefully turned and headed back across the cove. The eagle let out another cry.

Lasher let out a small howl.

Whatever the two have planned, the eagle and hawk have just verified it. I am sure the two of them will be going on some challenging adventure, White Swan said as she shielded her eyes and followed the eagle’s flight until it disappeared above the cliffs.

Out on the rock all eyes turned to Taelo and Golden Hawk.

Yes, what is it the two of you are holding back and the eagle and hawk have blessed, Busy Bee spoke up.

Taelo looked at Golden Hawk and gave him a nod. For some time, the two had been discussing a journey of discovery. Golden Hawk had dubbed it a journey of the heart because it really had no other purpose than satisfying what the two were wishing for.

We have been discussing a trip south. A trip of discovery, a journey of the heart, Golden Hawk replied.

Taelo then explained that the journey would be to the south and would most likely last more than twelve cycles of the moon.

Who would be going with you, Burley Bear inquired?

Taelo sat down next to Quiet Rabbit and said that anyone wishing to go would be welcome.

Quiet Rabbit smiled and stated that with both Golden Hawk’s and Taelo’s signaling that the adventure was being watched by the ancients all of them should go.

Busy Bee had energy in her voice as she pointed out that they had all been wondering what the team should do for their next adventure.

The silence from the team caused Golden Hawk concern. Maybe it had not been such a good idea.

How far south, Burley Bear asked?

We are not sure. Until we can’t go any farther or we decide we have gone far enough, Golden Hawk replied.

I would love to take such a trek, Talking Wren volunteered as she gave Little Otter a neck massage.

How about the rest of you, Busy Bee asked?

The question that comes to mind is, will the Elk Clan leadership let all of us leave at this time, Little Otter asked?

If all of us are interested, I will discuss this with my mother and ask her advice on how to present this to the leadership, Taelo volunteered.

If she agrees and decides to help us, we should also plan to visit my Clan and talk to Broken Spear, Burley Bear suggested.

He was very interested and knew Broken Spear would have good advice about this journey.

Well, it sounds as if we all want to go. Once we have agreement, we will plan our next steps, Golden Hawk said.

Taelo, Quiet Rabbit, Golden Hawk and Busy Bee walked along the beach back toward the camp. They were a common foursome often joined by Burley Bear, Meadow Flower, Little Otter, and Talking Wren.

This evening the talk was about their upcoming adventure and how they should prepare for the trek.

Later that evening Taelo approached White Swan.

Taelo was quietly talking to White Swan as they sat in front of their lodge looking at the sunset behind the spit on the far side of the bay.

Lasher sat quietly between the two.

As White Swan slowly scratched Lasher on the head, she listened as Taelo described the trek he and Golden Hawk were planning. She had seen and heard their totems and knew that this trek was going to happen. She knew Taelo was engaging her to ensure it would be approved by the clan council.

She asked who was going and was not surprised when Taelo said it was the entire team. She felt good that they were all going together. There was something to be said about taking care of each other.

The length of time Taelo planned on being gone surprised her. Twelve moons was a long time.

So, you think the clan leadership will let all of us go, Taelo pressed his inquiry.

"Well, they will balk at having such a large number of their young people traversing across the country but in the end you will all go with their acceptance.

The Valley of Plenty will easily support us without any major hunting parties needing to go out. So, they will have no reason to keep you. How far do you plan to go?" White Swan asked.

She was pleased Taelo had come to her. She knew Taelo was not asking permission but asking advice on how to maneuver through the politics of the Clan. She knew he was going. It was just a matter of how to best position such a trek.

She would help and she would make sure the team went well equipped.

Yes, all of the team wants to go, Taelo said as he got up gave his mother a hug and walked down toward the beach.

He knew Quiet Rabbit would be out on her favorite rock with her feet in the water.

Golden Hawk and Busy Bee joined Taelo and Quiet Rabbit.

Well, what did your mother say, Golden Hawk asked.

She says we will get grudging support, but we should plan on going, Taelo shared.

This trek is the event that will separate Taelo and Golden Hawk from the normal Elk Clan progression of leaders, Grey Fox Running said quietly as he sat down next to White Swan.

He was watching Taelo walk down to the bay to the figure sitting out on the rock. Grey Fox Running warmly recalled courting White Swan. He was as madly in love and infatuated with her now as he had been those many years ago. He put his arm around White Swan and gave her a hug.

Yes, I know. There is something pulling Taelo, and he must follow and discover what it is. I have no doubt our ancestors are guiding his moves. I am pleased he and Golden Hawk are doing this together. I am also happy each has found their mate. White Swan replied.

2

Preparation

Afew days later Taelo and Golden Hawk stood at the center of the leadership council. They had just finished explaining their desire to go on the trek south. They identified their team that would go with them.

They then stood by as the discussion or more often the argument between the different leaders transpired. Several of the elders were less than positive but slowly and grudgingly gave into the leaders White Swan had aligned in support. Finally, the council agreed to the team’s request.

We recognize the opportunity the Clan leadership is giving us. We understand this leaves you shorthanded. Perhaps there will be some way those of us on the trek can repay you. Until then, please accept our most sincere thank you, Taelo said as he looked around after the grudging agreement was reached.

The advice of the Others about leading with food would always be in Taelo’s mind.

He had watched a group of negative Elk Clan leaders relax and reach the right decisions about allowing the Others to be part of the clan after eating the most extravagant meal the Others could prepare.

Even as he spoke the rest of his team was delivering food to each of the leader’s homes. The entire team had gone hunting and returned with three elk, two boar and four deer. They had again caught one large salmon for every household. The largest salmon were delivered to each leader’s home along with the choice pieces of the elk, boar, and deer.

The members of the clan were surprised by the team. Their way of saying thank you endeared them to the entire clan.

I certainly am glad that I did not prevail, one of the older clan leaders, who had spoken against the trek, commented to a colleague.

He recognized the support Taelo’s team had created with the approach they had taken in saying thank you. The hunting team was elevated in his estimation.

Red Oak and Grey Fox Running had talked about Taelo’s and Golden Hawk’s trek. They knew their two sons well enough to know they would go. They were enthusiastic in supporting their sons. They had made a similar trek when they were young. Taelo’s and Golden Hawk’s trek was much more ambitious. They were planning on going much farther, for a longer time, with their entire team.

The two sought to support their sons and the team and to make sure the team had thought through the entire trip and the obstacles they might face.

Red Oak made a shark toothed spear for Golden Hawk and Busy Bee.

The long hunt and the change her parents had seen in Busy Bee made them strong supporters of this new adventure. They visited with Quiet Pheasant and quickly understood the strong support that Golden Hawk had from his family.

They were happy with Busy Bee’s choice of Golden Hawk as her mate. Busy Bee’s family had come by to check with Quiet Pheasant and her reaction to the trek. The trek was a concern they had not expected. It took some adjusting for them to become supporters, but the team’s actions had always made them proud.

They came expecting to get support to oppose the trek but left with the realization they needed to strongly support Busy Bee’s decision.

Quiet Rabbit had lost her parents when she was young. Her father died from a wound he got in a hunting accident. Her mother died from a fall while fetching the water for the day.

Her grandmother told the story that the fall only gave her mother an excuse to join the person she loved.

Quiet Rabbit had been raised by her grandmother.

Grandmother, I know this is different than in your day. But I wish to go everywhere Taelo goes, Quite Rabbit said as she hugged her grandmother.

"It is not that different. I ran away with your grandfather when I was told I would