Everyone stood and clapped and stamped their feet! “Hoorah!”
Lord of the Caves Part 14
Oh-see-rah shot to his feet with everyone else, clapping and stomping his feet in time with the drum, his heart beating in time, too. The High Priestess looked familiar though he couldn’t see past her flowing arms and hands.
Her moonflower necklace shifted—she looked familiar. He stared, trying to view her face. She picked up a set of turtle-shell shakers, exposing her face as she kept time with the drum. He grinned.
Ee-shee-nah! he wanted to scream, but that would hinder her ceremony. Tears came to his eyes. The proudest moment of his life—Ee-shee-nah the High Priestess!
“Join with me,” said the High Priestess. She danced in a circle, everyone following her as she chanted:
Hail Lady Moon!
Hail Mystery Moon!
Smile upon us, shine upon us,
Gaze down upon us, keep us safe,
Shield us from harm, bless us all.
Thy glory has come, thy belly is full,
Thy time has come, wait no more,
A litter of stars ready to burst out.
We sing to thee, dance to thee,
We pray to thee, bow to thee.
We need thee, we love thee.
Hail Mother Moon!
Hail Lady Moon!
Hail Mystery Moon!
Letting the turtle-shell shakers go silent, she halted and raised her arms.
Everyone stopped. Even the drum. Even the flute. No one breathed, not even the little ones, not even the cave itself.
She held perfectly still. It seemed as if the fire died down, afraid to throw off flames.
Then she shook the turtle-shell shakers, slowly increasing the tempo, nodding to the drum and flute. They joined in.
Lowering her arms as the beat picked up, she began dancing again. “Everybody, join in the chant and the dance.”
Everyone followed her again, all clapping and joining in the chant.
Hail Mother Moon!
Hail Lady Moon!
Hail Mystery Moon!
Smile upon us, shine upon us,
Gaze down upon us, keep us safe,
Shield us from harm, bless us all.
Thy glory has come, thy belly is full,
Thy time has come, wait no more,
A litter of stars ready to burst out.
We sing to thee, dance to thee,
We pray to thee, bow to thee.
We need thee, we love thee.
Hail Mother Moon!
Hail Lady Moon!
Hail Mystery Moon!
The High Priestess stopped. Everyone halted, hands still.
She leapt onto a large flat rock. “Kneel.”
Everyone knelt, even the drummer and flute player, even Oh-see-rah.
The High Priestess tossed pebbles into the fire. Flames of every hue imaginable shot toward the ceiling.
“Bow! Eyes on the floor!” the High Priestess commanded.
Everyone held their heads down, even the smallest of the little ones. Oh-see-rah hadn’t participated in a ceremony like this since he was a little lad barely past weaning.
“The Elders have spoken to me.” The High Priestess paused.
Oh-see-rah hadn’t heard about the Elders since he was that little lad.
The High Priestess continued, “The Elders have chosen a new Lord of the Caves. Listen with both ears!”
Who? wondered Oh-see-rah.
TO BE CONTINUED
Copyright 2021 Charles Suddeth
C. T. Suddeth 
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