Chapter 102: The Call of Tayun: Final Trial (2)
The pair were led past all the tribes and into the Sacred Lands none were allowed to enter except for certain times of the moon cycle.
Before their trial could begin Yoa and Vulcan stood before their totems. Vulcan sneered at the Oncari statue in passing before his wings spread wide before his own wooden eagle. The Oncari statue was larger than the others, standing taller and wider, central and shown as more important, revealing the island or the Kairans’ favouritism for the apex predator. Many times a jaguar has taken the place as Tayun’s guardian.
If Vulcan claimed victory today, he would only be the second harpy eagle ever to fly the sacred path. Yoa, while one of many Oncari guardians before him, would be the second youngest ever entrusted with the guardian’s title. In the wild it wasn’t uncommon for the children to grow quick into adulthood. Their survival depended on it, with or without their parents help.
Yoa recently partook in his rite of passage, a trial of another in his tribe for those usually in their sixteenth dances of the sun and moon and onwards to prove they were warriors. Aware of Yoa’s abilities, and those of his daughter’s and friends, Chief Tamuari sent them on their merry way to prove to the rest of the tribe that age means nothing when one has the heart of a warrior. Their celebrations had been longer this time because Aiyana had partaken in the rite and proven her worth at the young age of thirteen.
Once they paid their respects to the totems, Yoa and Vulcan were led down a path that darkened, the cavernous rock blocking out the sunlight, the leaves growing darker and the air chilly. Vulcan glanced behind him at Yoa, who was four dances of the sun and moon younger. The boy had shot up like a tree, since the last time he saw him—lean, already packing on muscle—but his baby features hadn’t yet sharpened with age.
He was almost the same height as Vulcan now. Usually that didn’t mean anything among most giants of the jungle. But Yoa was still so young, and a potential guardian of Tayun. If he was not successful today, Vulcan knew Yoa would not be one to mess with once he grew older and wiser. Though there was a sense of wisdom beyond the young jaguar’s years lurking behind those eyes, and he didn’t like it.