Cat nods.
“My vision quest took place in a brutal South Dakota winter. I only had the clothes on my back and my knife. Technically, I was supposed to go without any weapons, but my father insisted I needed protection against wildlife. My mother agreed, and off I went.
“I made a shelter. Found wood for a fire. Melted snow for water. And for three days, I waited. For three days, I was disappointed. I had nothing but my thoughts to keep me company. I kept thinking about my life. I was thirteen and scrawny. I thought the spirits were telling me I wasn’t cut out to be in either tribe. That’s why they remained silent. Then, everything changed.
“The next thing I know, I’m walking through the snow with two men. At first, I thought I was dreaming. Then, the burn of the snow against my bare feet got through to my brain. The men looked similar to people in my community, but not quite. You know what I mean?”
“You recognized them but couldn’t name them?” Cat raised her eyebrows.
“Exactly. I didn’t sense danger from them, but I reached for my weapon anyway. One of the men laughed and produced my knife, throwing it over his shoulder back to the campsite we had just left.
“I don’t know how long we walked. I hadn’t eaten in days. I was moments from dehydration. Then, we stopped in a clearing. A perfect circle in the snow. It was warm. I felt blades of grass under my feet. The air smelled sweet and mouth-watering.
“When we stepped to the center of the circle, a table appeared. It contained all of my favorite foods. There were piles of it. The table was so full. I thought the legs would collapse. My stomach rumbled, and the first man, the one who took my knife, told me to feast away.
“The second man simply stared at me. Studying me. I felt like a bug under a magnifying glass on a sunny day. He waited to see if I would take his friend’s offer of a feast. I knew in my soul that this would be the end of my vision quest. I’d be labeled as weak.”
“You were thirteen!”
“I was a warrior. Even if I didn’t look like it, I knew it. Passing up that food was tough, but I shook my head no.
“‘Your belly tells me you’re hungry, little Ryker,’ the first one said to me.
“‘I’m a warrior. I’ll see worse than this. So, no, thank you,’ I responded.
“He tried one more time to tempt me, but I politely declined. After the third time, his companion clapped his hands. Thunder rumbled through the clearing. The table disappeared.
“‘You think you’re a warrior?’ the first man asked me.
“I was a punk kid who knew nothing of the world. I wasn’t smart enough to be worried about these two. I jutted out my bony chin and told them I would be the most formidable warrior in the history of warriors. I could already track and kill any animal before it knew what was happening. I said my family came from a long line of warriors, but I wouldn’t take that for granted. I knew I had to prove my worth.
“The second guy, the one who had been silent up until now, smiled at me. His grin stretched wide, and I could see pointed teeth and fangs. I refused to show any fear, even though my very soul was shaking.
“‘You’re right about proving your worth, my friend. You’ll be tested. Many times. But we will be there to guide you in your warrior journey.’
“He then pulled out a long, slightly curved sword and cut me on my left chest. After slicing me open, he dropped the sword and transformed into a jaguar that bounded off into the forest.
“I was stunned. I knew at that moment that the second man was Tezcatlipoca. The god of Death. The first man pressed his hand to my wound. His touch was so hot it seared the cut, sealing it with a scar,” I draw her hand over the scar on my left chest.
“I’ve never noticed that before,” Cat leans in for a closer look.
I wink at her. “How many times did you get a good look?”
She swats my chest. “Whatever. You better finish this story, Ryker, because I’m on the edge of my seat. Don’t you dare give me a cliffhanger!”
I chuckle. “The first man, who I then knew was Huitzilopochtli - the Sun god, a warrior god - told me that I was chosen for great things. But those great things came at a price. I would make many sacrifices before I reached my destination.”
“And what is that destination? Babysitting a Saber sister?” Cat begins to laugh, but the look on my face stops her cold.
“In a manner of speaking.”
She squints at me.
“Huitzilopochtli leaned in and whispered my new name in my ear, then transformed into an eagle and flew away. When I woke up, I was home. My knife on the bedside table. I thought it was all a dream until I ran to the bathroom to see the scar burned into my skin.”
Cat blows out a breath. “What name did he give you?”
I raise my eyebrow. “Akecheta. It means…”
