Skinwalker Apocalypse

Sacrifice made

"I don't like this. I know we need this money and I am willing to do anything to make Shin Loona better but not at the risk of your life." Alona said shaking her head rigorously.

She wanted Apiatan to know for sure that she was not caving over this issue. How could she let her young brother go on such a dangerous mission and just sit back watching over her aunt and waiting for the younger boy to come back home...

...if he made it back.

Even if Aunt Loona heard about it, she would gladly risk her life to save her son's life, so she would not let him make so big a sacrifice.

Apiatan moved across the bench and closed the distance between himself and his older cousin, "Shin... Think of how much they are offering. We can get Maman treated in one go and still have a little to get us a better house."

Alona shot the male an offended look. "What is wrong with our house now?"

"There is nothing ...wrong with it, but a man should always aim for better. More money means that we can move into society. If Maman is okay and the Wasi'can pays us the money for a successful discovery, we can even live this small town behind and live a good life in the big city."

That was usually any young villager's dream. To be successful and live a rich life in the big city but all that had been quelled by the fear of the Wasi'cans and their treachery.

"Wasi'cans, they are the cause of this problem to begin with. The three brothers needn't have died, the mountains would not have been closed off if not of their meddling." Alona said.

"How can you know to trust them? They are a bunch of thieves all of them. And not they are just looking for some little boy to kill with them on their travels to foolhardihood."

"Let me ask you something, do you know the reason they have approached you out of all the really powerful shamans in the town?"

She continued ranting not giving the boy to say a word. "Because you are the only one unwise and desperate enough to join them on this journey of doom. I would not accept this."

"I would find another way to make the money for Shin Loona, even if it means I sell my soul to the devil" She tapped him on the shoulders before wriggling his head around on his shoulders. "And when we get our head chopped off in the future, it would be together. Okay?"

After saying her piece she went back to tucking the sheets around their unconscious parent figure, not because there was a need but because she needed to keep her trembling hands busy.

She was struggling to not be greedy and just take such an amazing opportunity that had been offered to her but never at the risk of her cousin.

What made her tremble though was the fear that she was never going to make enough money in time to save their aunt.

She hated to disappoint the younger. She also didn't want to lose their aunty but she had to keep a strong front...

..for both their sakes.

Apiatan, on his hand, pouted knowing that he could not go against his guardian's words but still not happy to see such a golden opportunity pass them by like that. "If I had your powers, powerful enough to kill a Skinwalker, would you let me go?" He asked.

Alona let out a sigh and turned in the direction of her cousin. "You would have to be blind." She joked with a small laugh. "I would have to pluck out your eyes since they are the gateway by which Skinwalkers enter one's mind."

Alona gave it a long thought, knowing the boy was being serious about his question and wanted a sincere answer. "No." She said finally. "A Skinwalker is not like a Skinwalker spirit. The latter is much more powerful, especially since they were born from a curse. Regardless, you are still my younger one and you might be a good medicine man and know all of the spells by mind it still remains that you have no powers so I cannot let you go on such a dangerous mission."

Apiatan sighed and nodded his head. He knew how his cousin lived him so he had expected no less an answer. But then something came to his mind.

"What if you came with me, Shin?"

*******

"If she offers to come with him, take the offer immediately. She is not one to play hard to get with." Gamio told Mr Yiska while they waited for the two indigenes discussing their business proposition some rooms down the hall.

"She sounds like a good business woman." Charles Yiska commented.

Gamio sneered at that. "She is a stubborn bitc... witch, is what she is."

Mr Yiska spared the man a look but refrained from talking about man's choice of words instead he chose to ask. "You are sure this woman is a good addition to our team?"

Gamio nodded without hesitation. "I saw her powers with my very own eyes, and so did my men, you can ask anyone of them." He said sweeping his hand in the direction of his men who were talking amongst themselves in the empty hospital hall.

Charles nodded for him to continue talking. "So I needed to find out about her and got directed to her village where I asked around about her and..."

"And?" Charles asked with raised eyebrows.

Gamio leaned in as if he was about to tell a universal secret to the older man. He continued in a whisper. "I heard that she left her village after killing a Skinwalker."

Not a lot surprised Charles so this must be 'not a lot'.

"So why did we not ask of her but her younger brother?"

"Because the weakness of that stubborn wench is her family. She would definitely have turned us down but put her two beloved family on the line and..." Ahem.

Both men jostled and looked up at Alona who was now standing in front of them without their knowledge.

"We talked about your offer, Mr Yiska and I am sorry but my cousin, Apiatan would not be going with you and your men..."

A/N: Hi, it's been a long long time. I am so sorry. How have you all been?