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The Gift

Daniel's Storyline, Chapter 2.3

copyright comidacomida 2018

I glanced at Herne, who had remained fairly quiet during the entire conversation. When he didn't respond to my unspoken question I gave it a voice. "What do YOU think, Herne?"

The Elk said nothing, his green eyes glinting as he turned his head aside, regarding me. "I believe I have already said my piece; you have been able to feed yourself without interference before our arrival... what do YOU think, Daniel?"

It was honestly a good question. On one hand, I had 'guests' of a sort to consider, but on the other, it WAS my decision. Glancing from spirit to spirit I found some wisdom in Kon's proposal and prepared some food I could take to the park to enjoy the day outside; they all waited surprisingly patiently during the entirety of me putting together my sandwich. It was so eerie and peaceful that, by the time I had cut it and put it into a plastic bag I had to ask. "Okay... what's up, exactly?"

Herne's eyes went from Kon to Talapus to Aiden before looking to me. "They are waiting to see if you will make something for one of us."

The explanation made me pause. "Didn't you guys say that spirits don't eat?"

Kon's tail swished back and forth and I saw that he had the same container of popcorn he'd had at the theater. He munched away on it, grinning. "We CAN eat... it just needs to be the right kind of food."

I put the plastic bag into a paper bag and looked around for what I'd done with my single serving chip bags. "Like popcorn?"

The Fox freed his paws; I, once again, had no idea where the popcorn went. "No... that's just spirit essence. It's an accessory, not food."

Talapus, who was sitting at his usual spot on the sofa flexed his toes before sliding moccasins onto one foot paw before the other. "If a Human gives us a gift of food we are able to receive it as an investment of energy, time, and intent. Although we don't eat the food, we can gain sustenance from that."

Thinking that over, the only question that entered my mind was pretty straight-forward. "What does that taste like? Does it have a taste?"

The Coyote responded simply as he stood, patting out his leather leggings. "It tastes like the food you make."

I smirked. "So... if I really suck at cooking then I guess you wouldn't want to taste that energy, huh?"

Herne spoke plainly and directly. "No food, no matter how poorly prepared is turned down by one who is starving."

Aiden was even more open and forthcoming in his contribution to the discussion. "I've never had food before. Is it good?"

Kon snorted. "You have no idea. Humans are amazing in what they can do. They transcend it as a need and turn it into an art form. Soba, tempura, sushi, unagi.... great... now I'm REALLY hungry for food. Thanks, Bat."

Nodding, Aiden took off his shades and slid them into the inner pocket of his jacket. "I've heard of some of those. Tempura and sushi are really popular you know. I think I'd like both of them. And french fries. And burgers. And steak... steak is beef, right? That's cow. They don't eat cow in India. What about you, Talapus? What are some of your favorite foods you've had?"

Smoothing out his fur, the Coyote's response was surprisingly simple. "Cedar smoked salmon with boiled wapato and berries."

Herne raised an eyebrow. "That is surprisingly--"

Talapus cracked a wry grin. "But I had a hamburger and fries in the 1980s... and, yes, it was very memorable."

Having found my chips I added them to the bag during the discussion and was just fishing a bottle of soda pop from the fridge when the Coyote had declared his familiarity with modern food. I glanced over my shoulder. "I thought a Human had to make your food for you in order to be able to eat it."

Suddenly adorned in that same knowing-grin as I'd seen on him so often, Talapus wrapped a leather cord around the end of a feather, affixing it into his mane. "Well, fast food workers are humans too, Daniel, so, yes-- a human made it."

Aiden seemed almost enraptured in the story. "How did you manage to get someone to make you a hamburger?"

The Coyote shrugged casually. "I was with a Seer at the time. His name was Rodney and he wanted to take me out to eat. We got some burgers and fries and two cokes at the drive thru window and we went back to his place to enjoy them."

Kon flicked an ear. "Seers aren't very common in this day and age. You're lucky to find two in a handful of decades."

Talapus' self-confident grin spread wider into a full-grown smirk. "Three. I also spent time with a Human in the 90s."

Aiden's jaw fell open and he stared. "Dayum... lucky much?"

The Coyote walked past the Bat and pulled Aiden's shades out of his coat and put them on himself. "Luck favors the bold."

Kon hopped up from where he was sitting cross-legged on the carpet. He watched Talapus until the Coyote had walked through the front door before speaking up. "Well, it sounds like he gets around a lot. Makes me wonder why he's not still with his Seers."

I was still struck dumb when I took into account that there were others like me, apparently in the modern era. "There's other Seers? You guys made it sound like I was... like... the rarest thing ever."

Aiden looked back at me, approaching even as he glanced at the front door. The Bat pulled another pair of sunglasses out of his inner coat pocket and put them on. "You are, Dan... I know I'VE never seen a Seer before. You think maybe Talapus is just putting on a show? He might be lying, you know... he IS a Trickster spirit after all."

Kon shrugged. "Yeah... it makes sense. There's such a thing as putting on a show, but I don't think he's lying. You noticed how content he is? No rush. No worry. He's been getting his spirit energy somehow."

Herne let out a huff. "You two are talking like housewives over a stone wall. Does his situation matter?"

The Fox looked chastised but Aiden only appeared energized. "Yeah it does! I mean, if he's met other Seers then maybe I've been doing it wrong. I think it'd be amazing getting to meet a Huma-- uh... well... I mean MORE Humans... not just Daniel. You're great too, Daniel... I mean, it just seems like we're kinda steamrolling you. It'd be cool to get some one-on-one time with a Human and really just... mesh. Y'know?"

Something about the Bat's meandering statement almost had me laughing. "Yeah. I get it. Me too."

His smile was full of fangs and his eyes gleamed at my response. Kon was quick to interject. "Well... seeing how Aiden and I are hurting so bad for spirit energy, maybe you should make us a sandwich too so we can join you for lunch!"

Herne snorted. "Looking to gain footing while Talapus isn't around to compete?"

Seeing where the discussion was going already, I--