DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. If you are offended by 
sexually explicit material or are under the age of 18, stop reading 
now. This material cannot be reproduced for commercial purposes 
without the consent of the author.



John Carter
By
Lazlo Zalezak
Copyright (C) Lazlo Zalezak, 2003


Part 2: Mantle Of Aries
Chapter 23

It was early morning when a rattlesnake moved across the desert 
floor in front of John. He used his walking stick to keep it away. 
Even Rover gave a wide berth to the snake. Few things lived in the 
desert that Rover wouldn't challenge, but a rattlesnake was one. 
Together they waited until it moved well out of their path.

They were only a few minutes walk from the top of the hill. From 
there, they would be able to see for miles all around them. John 
knew his destination, but didn't really care how long it took him to 
reach it. He was on vacation and had decided to visit Robert White 
Feather's grandfather. 

He looked around for more snakes. He didn't see any so he started 
to climb. Rover walked along beside him. The cat's eyes 
continually scanned the desert for signs of movement. He hunted 
along the way, living primarily off rabbits. The other day, he had 
brought down a white tail deer. John had eaten some of the 
venison, but had gone without food the past three days. With a 
surprising burst of speed the cat bounded into the sagebrush and 
returned with a rabbit. John settled down to wait for Rover to 
finish eating. 

The cat finished the rabbit rather quickly. He'd probably catch 
another one before the day was over. John stood up and moved 
towards the top of the hill. They soon reached it. John knelt down 
and looked around. Below him was a breath taking panorama of 
desert life. Cactuses and sagebrush littered the landscape. The soil 
had a rusty tinge to it that hid the life that abounded there. 

About two miles away someone was watching a flock of grazing 
sheep. He was amazed there was enough food out here to support a 
flock of sheep. Of course, the person probably covered close to ten 
miles a day. He decided that it was best to met the person and let 
him or her know he was out here. This was reservation land and it 
was good to be polite.

He headed down the hill. The two miles could be covered in thirty 
or forty minutes. Still, it made sense to take it easy. One didn't live 
long in a desert by rushing around. Slow and easy was the key to 
survival out here. He took his time. Soon he could tell that it was a 
young boy watching the flock. By now, the young boy was 
watching him. John didn't expect him to move in his direction.

John approached the young man slowly. About ten feet away, he 
squatted letting his thighs support the weight of his body. Rover 
knelt next to him. John stated, "I'm John Carter."

The boy looked at him for a minute, "I know. William Redman is 
waiting for you."

"Thank you for telling me," replied John. He guessed that was the 
name of Robert's grandfather. He handed an open pack of 
cigarettes to the boy. The boy took one and lit it. John took one and 
lit it. He puffed on it like a cigar; he avoided inhaling the smoke. 

The boy studied the cat for a minute. He had heard stories of wise 
ones that traveled with animal spirits in physical form. He hadn't 
quite believed them. He stated, "I'm called Awa Tsireh. It means 
Cattail Bird."

John stated, "The cat's name is Rover."

Awa Tsireh smoked the cigarette blowing the smoke up to the sky 
at times. It was quiet except for the bleating of the sheep and the 
wind blowing across the land. A hawk flew overhead. John 
watched it travel. Awa Tsireh asked, "Are you of our tribe?"

John puffed a couple of times on the cigarette. It was making him 
dizzy. "No. I'm a Druid."

The boy watched the sheep slowly move away. "Never heard of 
that tribe."

John pet Rover for a minute. "We are a small tribe."

The boy nodded and then moved off to follow the sheep. John 
carefully put out the cigarette and waited for the dizziness to pass. 
His stomach felt queasy. He put the butt in his back pocket. He 
took the time to watch the boy follow the sheep across the 
landscape. Feeling a little better he stood and continued on his 
way.

He figured he had another ten miles to travel, but he would rest in 
the heat of the mid-day. He would get there late this afternoon. He 
headed in the approximate direction. Rover followed along with 
him. It was starting to get hot when he finally stopped. After a few 
minutes of effort, his canvas tarp was set up to provide some 
shade. He sat down and took a small sip of water. He poured some 
water in his hand and gave it to Rover. The cat licked it up. He 
settled in for a long wait. 

After the heat of the day ended, John packed up and headed on to 
his destination. The cat left his side to hunt. He knew the cat would 
catch up after it had eaten. John topped a small rise and saw a 
couple of old men gathering dried cactus to make a fire. He knelt 
down to wait for the cat. The cat wouldn't want to interrupt his 
hunting just because John was in a hurry.

The cat was a long time in coming, but it looked satisfied. John 
stood and slowly walked down to the men. The men continued 
working as though they weren't aware that he was there. John 
squatted and waited for them to finish. Rover sat beside him 
watching the activity with interest. 

The men finished and turned to look at John. John examined the 
men. All of them were old, their skin wrinkled from years in the 
sun. John reached into his backpack and pulled out a carton of 
cigarettes. He held them out. One of the men came forward and 
took the carton. He said, "Hello, John Carter."

John waited to answer, "Hello, William Redman."

John pulled out the open pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He 
took one and handed the pack to the old man. The old man took 
one and lit it. John lit his. They smoked for a minute. William 
stated, "We will take a spirit journey tonight."

John accepted the pack from the William and returned it to his 
pocket. John looked at the pile of cactus. "You waited for me."

William looked at the pile and back to John. "You will join us."

It was less a question than a command. John puffed on the 
cigarette. He nodded as he answered, "Yes."

One of the other old men stepped forward. John handed the pack of 
cigarettes to him. He took one and lit it. He took a deep drag off 
the cigarette, "You have fasted?"

John accepted the pack back. He slowly put it back in his pocket. 
"For three days, only water."

The man smiled and nodded to the others. They moved over to the 
fire pit and sat around it. John joined them. He turned his eyes to 
watch the sunset. It was glorious with reds, greens, oranges, and 
purples spread across the sky in broad strokes. He took the curette 
out of his pocket and drew two drops of blood. He threw them to 
the ground, "For the Gods and Goddesses."

The old men watched him perform his sacrifice. William asked, 
"You give blood?"

John put the curette in his pocket. "Only my blood. Great magic 
requires a great price."

The old men looked at each other. One of them said, "We must 
cleanse ourselves."

He stood up and stripped. He walked over to a barrel and removed 
a dipper from it. He used the dipper to pour water over his head, 
filling it three times. The men went to barrel one at a time. John 
waited his turn and then did the same. One of the old men 
remarked about his scars, "Are you sure you are a holy man and 
not a warrior?"

John looked down at himself and smiled. "Great magic requires a 
great price."

William smiled at that. Robert had been right when he had told 
him that John would be interesting to meet. Robert had said that he 
was more Indian then most of the young men in the tribe. He 
definitely had patience and knew how to show respect. He asked, 
"The Medallion is magic?"

John studied William. The question was out of place. He answered 
it anyway, "It is a gift from the Gods and Goddesses. Only they 
can remove it."

One of the old men lit the fire. They sat around staring at the 
flames, waiting for full dark to arrive. The stars came out lighting 
the surroundings in a way that was only possible far from the 
artificial lights of the cities. 

One of the men picked up a drum from the ground beside him. 
Another un-wrapped a tortoise shell rattle. William pulled out a 
hand carved flute. They started playing and chanting. The effect 
was hypnotic. John let himself be carried away by it.

Much later, they passed around a woven bowl that contained 
mushrooms. Each man took a mushroom and ate it. John did 
likewise and handed the bowl to the man who had started it around 
the path. John joined them in chanting.

He stared into the fire. He found himself lying on his back staring 
into the sun. He sat up and blinked his eyes trying to rid them of 
the spots that floated in front of his face. After a few minutes, they 
disappeared and he took time to look around. He was back at the 
meadow. The colors were overly bright, the sounds overly loud, 
and the smells overpowering in the intensity and diversity. He was 
surrounded by flowers. He watched as a bee went from one flower 
to another, spreading pollen and taking nectar as its pay. A 
butterfly landed on the back of his hand. He examined the butterfly 
trying to identify what kind it was. The shape of the wings was like 
that of a swallowtail, but the colors were all wrong. A bird landed 
at his feet. He watched as it listened to the ground and then pulled 
up a worm. 

He sat still watching the magic of the meadow. A naked fat man 
came walking out of the woods towards him. John watched him 
approach. With a crash, the fat man fell to the ground in front of 
him. He rolled over onto his side and held his head in the palm of 
his hand. Parts of his body sagged and settled on the ground under 
him. He smiled at John for a minute before stating, "Strange 
company you are keeping."

"Not really."

The smile grew bigger. "It doesn't bother you that they travel a 
different path?"

John tilted his head to his right side. He answered, "Different paths 
often cross."

The fat man laughed. It was a high pitched laugh, almost like that 
of a woman. He stated, "Well said, John Carter. Well said, indeed."

John watched as a fox approached. "What will we talk about 
now?"

The fat man really laughed at that. He retorted, "We could talk 
about how well you've learned to use your strength. I was most 
impressed when you took down so many criminals in one day. You 
did it with compassion as well."

"I thank you for the complement."

The fat man grew serious. "You are a puzzlement to me."

"Why?"

"You have a male mate that came here to challenge us to provide 
greater protection for you."

"Yes, I was pleased that you choose to let him survive."

The fat man made a gesture with his hand, as if he were waving off 
a fly. "He proved that he was worthy."

John winced as he wondered how Ed had proven himself worthy. 
"You gave him a great gift."

"Others are coming here to protect you, some invited and some 
not." The fat man stared at John. "Were you aware that tonight is 
midsummer's night?"

John nodded as he answered, "yes. But who are these others that 
you talk about."

The fat man laughed, "That you will find out in due course!"

"If that is what you want, then who am I to argue?" replied John. 

"Who are you to argue?" retorted the fat man. Suddenly the man 
changed into a fat woman. Her huge breasts sagged to the ground. 
She stated, "What are we to do with you? You command such 
allegiance from those around you."

John answered, "Allow me to serve the Gods and Goddesses to the 
best of my abilities. I have never asked for more than that."

She reached out and fondled his medallion. "That is true. You've 
never asked for more than that."

The medallion fell from his neck. John stared at it for a full minute. 
He looked up as he asked, "Did I ask for too much?"

The fat woman replied, "Not at all. I'll see you Midwinter's day."

John woke and found himself on his back staring up at the sun. 
William was seated on the ground next to him. He pointed to 
John's chest. "Your medallion came off last night."

John nodded as he remembered it coming off in the hand of the 
Two-sided One. He stated, "I met the Two-sided One on my 
journey. He removed it from me."

There was a long moment of silence. William finally stated, "We 
saw that you walked a different path. We walked the desert with 
the animal spirits guiding us. You crossed the rocks alone and 
headed into the woods." 

"I am a Druid. We often walk alone."

"Your cat left when the medallion fell."

John felt a pang of loneliness, as he knew deep in his heart that 
Rover was gone for good. He had become used to having the cat 
around all the time. The other cats would be gone as well. He was 
hurt that he didn't get a chance to say goodbye to the cat. He 
looked at William. Sadly, he stated, "Great magic requires a great 
price."

The old man watched him for a minute as he realized there was 
more truth in that statement than he had first given credence. John 
had paid a great price for his spirit journey last night. He wondered 
what magic had actually been performed. He stated, "you must be 
hungry. Get dressed and then let us go eat."

John got up and stretched. As he stretched, he could feel all of the 
scar tissue tighten up. He took a moment to offer his blood 
sacrifice and noticed the look given him by William. He retrieved 
his clothes and dressed. He put the medallion in his pocket after 
looking at it. He put on his backpack, enjoying the feel of it as it 
settled into place. He picked up his walking stick and adjusted the 
cloak. He was travel ready now, but hoped the walk would not be 
more than several miles. He turned to William and, with a gesture 
of this hand, said, "Lead the way."

William walked down the hill a little way to an ancient pickup 
truck. It was still gasoline powered. John was surprised that the 
man had driven out here. He was even more surprised that he had 
not noticed that the truck was there. He climbed in the passenger 
seat and waited as William settled into the drivers seat. They were 
soon driving down a bumpy trail until they reached a highway. 
William turned to the right and headed into town. He parked in 
front of a small café.

They got out and walked into the café. John still paused at the door 
as though he was waiting for Rover. He knew it would take him a 
long time to get out of that habit. If the old man noticed, he didn't 
say a word. 

They sat at a booth. Other Indians greeted William with great 
respect, but treated John with a certain reserve. Many of them 
considered him an Indian wanna-be like most whites that came in 
with long hair and beards. William noticed and said something to 
the others in his native tongue. The looks in his direction changed 
in a subtle way.

An attractive woman came up to the table to take their order. She 
looked at John as if he was something that she had stepped in by 
accident. She turned to William and smiled in a very friendly 
fashion. "Heard you were out in the desert last night. You want 
your normal next day meal?"

"Yes, Linda."

She turned to John. With a chill in her voice, she asked, "What 
about you?"

"I'll take the same." John smiled at her as he answered.

She snorted. "Do you even know what he's getting, white man?"

John smiled very politely and answered, "No ma'am, but I do know 
that it won't make me sick or give me the runs after a three day 
fast."

William laughed aloud at the exchange. He said, "He's got you 
there, Linda. Better watch out, he's liable to charm you just like he 
did your brother."

She looked at him carefully and guessed, "You're John Carter?"

John nodded, "Yes, ma'am. You must be Robert's sister."

"How did you guess that?"

"I only know three people in your tribe well enough to charm -- 
Robert, your grandfather, and Awa Tsireh. I didn't think that your 
grandfather knew I had meet Awa Tsireh."

William was surprised that John knew Awa Tsiren well enough to 
pronounce his name. He stated, "You say his native name quite 
well."

"Thank you."

Linda, still somewhat bothered, went into the back to place the 
order. William looked at John for a minute and then stated, "You 
came to meet me for a reason and it wasn't to experience what 
happened last night."

John was relieved that the true reason for his visit had finally come 
up. He replied, "That is true."

"So what do you want from an old Indian Medicine Man?"

John smiled as he answered, "I want what most people want from 
an old Indian Medicine Man. I came for advice."

"Truly, you are different from most white men." William was used 
to white men coming to his people and telling them what they 
needed to do. To have a white man request advice was very 
different.

"I am a Druid," stated John as though that explained it all. In his 
mind, it did. John stated, "I have a charity that I run. We have lots 
of money. I want to know how to help your people."

William frowned. He was afraid of what John would try to 
accomplish with that charity. "What do you have in mind?"

"My Gods and Goddesses are of the earth. Your people understand 
the earth spirit. I would like to see your people strengthen their 
practice and regain their culture."

William frowned even more. He was sure that John was going to 
suggest a culture center. Perhaps he had been wrong in his 
assessment of this man. He asked, "How do you see that coming 
about?"

"The last thing you need is another culture center. You can't learn 
about the earth spirit in a building. Maybe you need a fund to help 
people take off from work to go into the desert and learn the 
ancient ways from men like yourself. Or maybe a scholarship fund 
for young men and women that is available for them when they go 
into the desert for a year at the end of high school."

"You come with suggestions far different than I expected," 
answered William. He thought about it. A year at the right time 
would bring the young back to the old ways.

"I didn't want to come with suggestions. It is not for me to make 
decisions for you and your tribe. I want your wisdom to guide how 
it should be done. I place it in your hands."

Linda returned with their breakfasts. John looked with delight at 
the food. It was soft-boiled eggs with toast. He smiled at Linda as 
he stated, "Exactly what I would have ordered after a fast."

The men started to eat. William was silent as he thought about 
what John had requested of him. John had truly surprised him. 
There was much to consider. The solution had to fit in with the 
pressures felt by the young to leave the reservation and yet have 
impact enough that it would be a life long experience.

Linda looked at her grandfather. She noticed his frown and asked 
with concern, "Granddad, are you okay?"

"He has given me a good question to answer. I am trying to think 
of an answer."

John stated, "Good answers take time. I do not expect an answer 
now. Enjoy your breakfast for now. Later, you can discuss my 
problem with the other wise ones of your tribe. When you have an 
answer, tell Robert."

"You are most patient. That is a rare trait today," replied William. 
He put a hand on Linda to get her attention and added, "Linda, you 
could learn things from this man. Maybe you should visit your 
brother sometime."

"Granddad, I'm not looking for a husband!" She rounded on John 
and spat out, "And don't you get any bright ideas about bedding an 
Indian maiden!"

The comment about bedding an Indian maiden reminded him of 
Lily. He knew that now would not be the best time to bring her up. 
John caught her eye. In a very controlled voice, he stated, "Ma'am, 
he means exactly what he says. He wants you to learn something 
from me. I don't know what, but that is his desire. You and Robert 
are invited anytime to visit my home and meet my family."

Linda was taken aback by the intensity of his stare and the power 
behind his words. She was about to respond when another table of 
customers called her away. She left the table quietly, puzzled by 
John and worried about her grandfather.

John slowly ate his breakfast. It wasn't good to eat fast or too much 
on an empty stomach. He looked up to see William watching him 
with a smile. William asked him, "Are you familiar with fasting?"

John replied, "Not really. This is the first time that I've done it."

"You handle it well." 

"Thank you." John ate a piece of toast and drank some of the fruit 
juice. He felt a lot better and his stomach felt full from the small 
meal. He would stop in about two hours to eat again. He sat quietly 
as he wondered what he should do about the message from the 
Two-sided One. He knew that it was too late to do anything about 
those going to the meadow. He figured everyone would be very 
worried with the disappearance of the cats, possibly deciding that it 
might mean he was dead. There wasn't much choice, he was going 
to have to call home and then return there.

John looked around uncomfortably. He finally stated, "Much has 
happened that I must resolve. It is time for me to leave. Send me 
word and I will act."

William studied him. He could see that John was bothered by 
something. He wondered about the medallion and if it that was the 
main problem. He asked, "The removal of your medallion, is it a 
bad thing?"

John was surprised by the change in subject. He pondered the 
question. He shook his head, "Not really. I was given an invitation 
to visit the Gods and Goddesses to have it forged anew. I am the 
first to have been called twice and now I will be the first to have 
been called thrice."

 William understood. "Great magic requires a great price. You 
always pay that price."

"Yes. One must wonder what the price will be."

"Go. Your family must be worried." 

John stood. He pulled out a five, knowing that it was more than 
enough to cover his meal, but not quite enough to cover both. The 
decision represented an acknowledgement of equality between the 
two men. He set the money on the table and noticed the grin on 
William's face. He reached in his pocket, pulled out the pack of 
cigarettes, and handed them to William. The pack quickly 
disappeared in William's pocket. Grabbing his backpack, he left 
the café. More than one person watched him leave. Linda watched 
with great interest and then returned to her grandfather to learn 
more about John Carter.

His car was parked down the street. He walked along and felt the 
urge to stop. He waited for a minute. His attention was grabbed by 
a man working on a neon sign advertising a used car lot. Suddenly 
there was a large spark as the man touched the wrong wire. He fell 
to the ground with a solid thump and didn't move.

John raced to the man. He had a severe burn on his hand. He had 
stopped breathing and there was no pulse. He started performing 
CPR. A crowd quickly gathered and watched John as he worked at 
saving the man's life. He hadn't done it long before the man started 
breathing on his own. John sat back with a smile on his face. 
"Thank the Gods and the Goddesses."

The man looked around very confused. A shock like that has a 
tendency to leave a person confused. He tried to rise, but John 
gently held him on the ground. John stated, "Stay there. You've 
taken a pretty nasty shock."

John stayed with him until an ambulance arrived. He gave the 
essential facts to the attendant. He touched the shoulder of the man 
as he was being loaded and then stated, "you died, but you're better 
now. Use this second chance."

John walked to his car feeling much better. He may not be wearing 
the medallion, but he could still serve. He got to the jeep and 
settled in. He had a four-hour drive back to the house. He would 
stop halfway home and get a little more to eat. 

Five hours later, he drove up the driveway of the house. He parked 
the jeep in the garage and got out. He noticed that Beth's car was 
not in its normal place. He entered the house with a little 
trepidation. Bill met him at the door and nervously stated, "The 
cats are missing. Ed is out looking for them."

John sat down as he considered the news. He acknowledged the 
news and explained, "The cats are gone for good. All of them are 
gone, even Rover."

"You already knew?"

"About the cats, yes. Where is Beth and Kelly?"

Bill answered, "They are at work."

"Thank you."

Bill breathed a sigh of relief. He was afraid that John was going to 
go ballistic. Ed had nearly gone crazy when the cats disappeared. 
Bill stated, "I will let Ed know that everything is okay."

"I will be in my room."

Bill went into the garage and honked a car horn three times. It was 
the signal to let Ed know that everything had been resolved. Bill 
was sure that Ed would not like the outcome. Ed cared for the cats 
as much as John did.

John went to his room. He was going to take a shower and get 
some rest. He knew Ed would come to his room as soon as he 
talked to Bill. All he would have to do is show him the medallion 
and Ed would understand everything.






