Secrets: The Truth is Slowly Revealed

On Monday, I planned to finish my research about the Navajo before Devin arrived, and this time I learned about the Navajo Code Talkers.  They’d played a very significant role during World War II and helped to defeat the Japanese in the Pacific Ocean.  It seemed the Japanese were unable to interpret the Navajo language, since they had nothing to compare it with, and not only that, but some of the code had been devised specifically for this purpose. 

Since the Navajo didn’t have words for modern military terms, they would use a word they could roughly associate with an equivalent military term.  Thus, the Navajo word for turtle came to mean tank, the Navajo words for iron and fish stood for a submarine, the Navajo word for chicken hawk indicated a dive bomber, and the Navajo word for hummingbird was translated to mean a fighter plane.  The Navajo code talkers also developed an alphabet by using the first letter of the English translation of a Navajo word, so there were often multiple words that could be used to signify the same letter. 

The Navajo also developed words and phrases to stand for different military units, such as words to represent a squad, platoon, company, battalion, regiment, and division.  They also had different words and phrases to identify the ranks of various officers, the names of different countries, and to identify the various months. 

They also developed different words and phrases to identify specific types of airplanes and ships so those receiving the messages could figure out what the Japanese might be up to or what the Navajos thought was needed to combat them.  They even had different words and phrases to allow them to pass along other messages, such as orders and commands, and they had other words to signify distances.  The dictionary of the Navajo language that was used during the war included more that 400 words and phrases, and in the end it was the only military code that was never broken by the enemy.  The Navajo code talkers have been revered as national heroes ever since.

By the time I finished my research, Devin still hadn’t arrived, so I checked once more to see if our grades had been posted.  They hadn’t, so I spent the rest of the time wondering what Devin had planned for us to do once we got to the cabin.  I remembered he’d said there were things he wanted to show me before we went to New Mexico, but exactly what that would entail had me puzzled.  What could he possibly teach me about being a skinwalker before I’d actually had a chance to make my first attempt at transitioning?  However, I was intrigued and couldn’t wait until he showed up so he could explain it to me. 

I also packed a duffle with the things I thought I’d need while I was on the reservation, although if my experience was like what Grandpa Isaac had gone through, I guess I’ll be naked most of the time.  I still packed a bunch of things just in case, because I would need to wear clothes on the way there and during the ride back, as well as if we did anything with others while we were there. 

He finally showed up just before noon and I raced out to greet him.  I gave him a big hug and a kiss, and then I dragged him into the house and up to my room so we could end our temporary abstinence.  It had been over a week since we had last been able to make love, and I was certain he was just as horny as I was. 

After we both hurriedly undressed, we began to make out and spent the next hour engaged in foreplay, and then we took turns making love to each other.  I let him go first and the experience was not only enjoyable, but it was also cathartic and helped to relieve the mental anguish I’d suffered while we’d been apart. 

After we showered and got dressed, we talked about what each of us had done while Devin had been with his family, and then he asked a question. 

“Have you checked to see if your grades were posted yet?”

“Yes, I’ve checked, including just before you got here, and they weren’t posted yet.  We could check again, if you want.” 

“Yeah, let’s do that.  They might have been posted since you last checked.”

I got my laptop and started it up, and then I signed in to my account.  I was chagrined to discover my grades still weren’t there. 

“Maybe they’ll be up before we leave for New Mexico,” I offered. 

“Then we’ll have to go into town to find out, seeing we can’t access the internet from the cabin.” 

“Ok, we should be able to do that before we leave.”

Just as we were finishing talking, my parents arrived home from work, so we went downstairs to greet them.  After he said hello to my mom and dad, Devin surprised us with an announcement. 

“I want all of you to get ready, because I’m taking you out for supper tonight.”

“Devin, you don’t have to do that,” my mom immediately responded.

“I know I don’t have to, but I want to.  My dad even gave me some money that I could use to do it after I told him about all of the things you did for me while I was here and what I wanted to do for you.”

“That’s very nice of both of you,” she relented. 

“I felt it was the least I could do.  If you don’t mind, though, I’d like to go to the same restaurant that you and my parents used to take us to when we were younger and that we went to when my parents and I were here for the Fourth of July.”

“That’s not a problem, because we like going there as well,” my dad agreed. 

“Great, because it brought back a lot of great memories for me the last time we were there.”

After we’d all cleaned up and Devin and I had both changed into something a little nicer, my dad drove us over to the restaurant.  Even though it might seem hard to believe, it’s still the same as it was when Devin and I were nine or ten-years-old.  And since it hadn’t changed, it caused us to remember the many times we ate there when we were younger.

“I just don’t understand why all the places we visit look smaller to me now,” Devin stated.  

“It’s because you were younger and smaller back then, so of course it looked bigger to you and that’s what you remember, but this place is pretty much the same.  It still has the same owners, even if there are different people working here now, so other than that it’s basically still the same.  That’s probably why the can keep their prices reasonable.”

“And when we were here for the Fourth of July last year, the food was just as good as I remembered too,” Devin replied. 

“Yes, the owners make certain of that,” my mom concurred.

We were then led to a table and given menus, so we looked them over while the server was filling our water glasses and placing the basket of rolls on the table. 

“Can I get you drinks while you’re deciding what you’d like to order?” she asked.  We all looked at Devin, since he was picking up the tab. 

“Get whatever you want,” he stated.  “If you want an alcoholic drink before dinner, then get that as well, but I think I’ll just have a soda.  What about you, Mac?”

“I’ll have a soda as well.”

“I think we’ll just have coffee,” my dad said after talking it over with my mom. 

When she returned with our drinks, we told her what we wanted.  After she left to place our orders, my mom asked Devin a question.     

“What time are you planning on leaving in the morning?”

“Probably whatever time we wake up.”

“If you get up earlier you can have breakfast with us,” my mom offered.

“I appreciate the offer, but we’ll probably just stop and get something along the way.”

Once our meals were delivered, we dug in, and a few minutes later Devin spoke again.  “The food is just as delicious as it was when I was younger, but now Mac and I get to order from the regular menu, not the kids menu.”

“Yeah, but I miss the special placemat and crayon they always gave us,” I teased.

“You always liked to read the jokes on the placemat and connect the dots on the drawing so you could see what it would turn out to be.”

“Yeah, that was fun,” Devin and I both agreed.

“And it’s still reasonably priced as well,” my dad added.  “That’s why we, and your parents, always liked coming here, because it fit into our budgets better while you boys were growing up.”

“And that’s probably even truer now, since you boys eat a lot more,” my mom added.

“Yeah, it’s a good thing they serve generous portions,” I concurred.

When we finished our meals, Devin tried to talk us into ordering dessert, but we all passed. 

“We can stop at the ice cream shop and get something on the way home,” my dad suggested.

“Ok, but I want to pay for that too,” Devin insisted.  

After Devin paid the bill, my dad drove us over to the ice cream shop and we all made our selections.  When we finished our tasty treats, my dad drove us home. 

“Did you have a good time with your parents while you were home?” my mom asked. 

“Yes, it was great to be with them again and we spent nearly all of the time together.”

“Unfortunately, we couldn’t do the same thing with Mickey, because Mike and I had to work.  We’d put in to take our vacations in August and had planned on taking you boys somewhere at that time.”

“I know, but this opportunity came up and we found it too intriguing to pass up, especially since it was free.”

“Yes, I think I would have had a hard time passing it up as well,” my dad agreed.  “And it will give you a chance to grow closer to the other boys and make life-long friends with them as well.”  

“Yeah, that’s what we’re hoping.”

 

“Are your parents doing well?” my mom followed. 

“Yes, they’re both in good health and my mom is off for the summer, since she works as an aide for the local school district.  My dad even rearranged his appointments with his clients so we could spend the time together.”

We all decided to turn in at that point, but before we did they had a few words of advice for us. 

“Just be careful on your trip,” my mom began, “because we’re looking forward to seeing both of you when you return here before you leave for college.”

“And watch out for the wild animals,” my dad added.  “I’m sure there will be plenty of them where you’re going.”

“Yes, I’m sure there will be,” I agreed, while knowing we weren’t talking about the same thing.    

Once we got to my room, Devin and I decided not to make love tonight, seeing we’d done it earlier.  However, I did manage to ask him what he wanted to show me at the cabin. 

“You’ll see when we get there,” he replied. 

“You’re getting as bad as my dad!” I spat back playfully, because I really wanted to know what we were going to do. 

After we’d gone through our nightly ritual, we returned to my room and merely cuddled together on the bed, and then we fell asleep. 

I woke up first in the morning when I heard my parents leaving to go to work, and Devin woke up a short time after that.  I thought we’d be getting ready to leave as well, but Devin decided we should make love first. 

“It was a long dry spell after I went back to the cabin, and it was even worse than it was during finals week, because we weren’t sleeping together either,” Devin stated.  “And who knows what we’ll be able to do once we get to New Mexico.  I’m not even sure if the shaman will allow me to see you while you’re in training.”

“I know, and I’m wondering how I’ll be able to take care of my own needs, if I’m always with the shaman.”

“You may have to do it when you’re on the toilet or in the shower.”

“Do they even have showers and toilets there?”

“I’m not sure about the showers, but they’ve got to have some kind of toilets.  We’ve all got to shit, don’t we?”

“Yes, but I’m wondering how private they’ll be.  We might have our own toilet, but if we’re near the rest of the tribe, each sex might have to use a group toilet instead.  Not only that, but the toilets may be lined up next to one another with no partitions in between, kind of like the Romans used to do with the toilets at the baths.”

“I guess that’s possible, but I just don’t know.”

The discussion had taken our focus away from what we had been planning to do, so Devin made sure to remind me that we were going to make love, and this time he let me go first.  It was just as wonderful as the day before, and as soon as we finished we showered and got dressed.  We then, we decided to look once more to see if our grades had been posted, but they hadn’t.  We were both disappointed, but I put it aside and went to get the duffle bag with the things I’d packed for the trip, and then I loaded it into Devin’s SUV and we drove away from my house.   

After stopping to get something to eat before we left Jamesville, we hit the road and headed to the cabin. 

“What are you planning to have me do before we leave for New Mexico?”

“There are a bunch of things I want to show you, because I think it will help to make it easier for you when you’re going through the training.  It might even shorten the time you’ll have to be there.”

“It will be great if that’s what it does, so what will it include?”

“I want to show you things about the animals that you’ll most likely transition into, and that will include bears, wolves, and mountain lions.  I also want to demonstrate how those animals walk, trot, and gallop, because that will be the most difficult thing for you to get used to, since you’re used to walking on two legs, not four.”

“Ok, I guess those things will be good to know, especially if it means I won’t have to stay at the reservation for as long.”

When we reached the cabin, Mrs. McCaskill came out on the porch to greet us before we even got out of the SUV. 

“Mac, it’s so good to see you again,” she gushed, “but I’m sorry that Aaron’s not here.  He had to go into his office so he could go over some business records with one of his clients.”

“That’s ok, and my parents had to work while I was home too.  I only got to spend time with them on the weekends and at night, but then they did a lot with me to make up for it.” 

“That’s good, and I’m sure they did as much as they could while you were there.  Devin told us about the things they did with you boys on the weekend he was there with you.”

“Yeah, and I’m sorry he got home later than you expected, but my parents knew I’d enjoy doing those things more if Devin was there with me.”

“It was fine, and from what Devin told us, he enjoyed doing those things with you as well.”

“Mom, I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to take Mac out in the woods so I can show him a few things.  I just have to change first.”

“Ok, I understand.  You boys probably have a lot to catch up on, so I’ll just keep him company until you return.”

Devin then went up to his room, and when he came down again he was only wearing a pair of athletic shorts and his flip-flops, and he was carrying a backpack. 

“I just want to put a couple of bottles of water and something to snack on in here first, and then we can leave,” he stated while directing his comment at me. 

“Ok.  You’re in charge today.”

After he had those things, we headed out on the trail, and once we were away from the cabin I asked him a question.  “Why are you dressed like that?”

“You’ll see, as soon as we get out on one of the side trails.”

When we reached the location he intended, he explained what he was going to do before we got started.  “While you’re here at the cabin, I’m going to transition into different animals and I want you to examine them for two things that might throw you off when you start transitioning.  First, I want you to feel the animal’s fur and explore the various textures, and then I want you to look closely at its feet.  When you’ve had sufficient time to do those things, I’ll ask you to tell me what you discovered, and then I’ll explain what I wanted you to get from the exercise, if you don’t happen to notice those things on your own.”

“Ok, but I figured that I’d only have to picture whatever I wanted to transition into in my mind and it would all come out correct.”

“It would come out as a decent facsimile, but it wouldn’t pass muster if anyone looked closely, especially if you transitioned into an animal and are around other animals of the same kind at the time.  They’d know you were a phony and probably attack you immediately.”

“I certainly don’t want that to happen, so I’ll do whatever you suggest.”

At this point, Devin slipped out of his flip-flops and took off his shorts and underwear.  Now that he was naked, he transitioned into a black bear, but I already knew that all black bears didn’t necessarily have to have black fur.  The color of a black bears’ fur might be jet black, chocolate brown, light brown, cinnamon, blonde, or even white.  I’d learned this after reading a few articles about black bears, and I also discovered their fur might also be a silvery-gray in color.  Some of the bears with black fur might even have a bluish tint to it, so he isn’t going to catch me on any of those things. 

I not only studied the bear’s fur and examined its feet with my eyes, but I also studied those areas with my hands as well.  After checking every square inch of the bear in front of me, I thought I had all of the answers to the questions Devin was going to ask me, so I let him know I was done. 

After he transitioned back, he didn’t put on his shorts yet, so I thought this meant he was going to transition again in order to point out the things I missed. 

“So what did you notice?” he asked. 

“I know the color of a black bears fur can vary greatly, so I focused on its size.  The bear you transitioned into stood about three feet (91 cm) high from its shoulders to the pads on its paws, and it was about 6 feet (183 cm) in length.  When I was running my hands through its fur, I noticed there are two types of hairs.  The under layer is very soft, while the outer fur is coarse and quite stiff.”

“Very good, grasshopper, as Grandpa Isaac likes to say.  Black bears have a soft and very dense underfur, as well as longer, coarser, and thicker guard hairs that make up the outermost layer.  That’s very important and it makes the black bear’s fur one of the most effective insulators in the animal world.  In fact, bears have the warmest coats of any wild animals, and that’s why humans like to use the bear’s pelt as blankets or to make into coats.   You’re also right about the bear’s size as well, because males are generally around 6 feet (183 cm) in length, while the females are closer to 4 feet (122 cm) from nose to tail.  There are, however, exceptions to those rules.”

Devin then transitioned again, and he kept changing until he’d shown me all of the various color fur a black bear might have.  When he finished, I asked a question. 

“If the black bear can have fur that is any of those colors, then how can you tell them from the other types of bears?”

“Good question and this is the answer.  First of all, a black bear doesn’t have a shoulder hump like the brown bear or the grizzly,” and then he transitioned into those bears to show me the shoulder hump he was talking about. 

“Then what’s the difference between a brown bear and a grizzly?” 

“They’re actually the same species and the difference is merely where they live.  Their geographic location also influences what they eat, how they behave, and how big they get.  In general, a grizzly will be smaller than a typical brown bear, but more aggressive.  This is due to the lack of food where they live and that they have to protect what they have more fiercely.”

“Ok, I guess I understand.”

“And the blonde and white black bears aren’t nearly as large as a polar bear, which also has a unique shape compared to the other types of bears.”   He then transitioned into a polar bear to show me what he was referring to.  

“Did you notice anything about the black bear’s feet?”  

“Yes, it had five toes and a claw on each toe, and the claws didn’t appear to be retractable.”

“Very good and you’re correct again.  A bear has five toes on each foot and each toe has a non-retractable claw.  They are not only used when fighting, but the claws also make it possible for the bear to be able to climb trees.  A black bear will generally climb a tree to escape a problem if they can, rather than fight, but grizzlies aren’t as adept at climbing trees.  However, there’ve been reports of grizzlies climbing up after a person that had climbed a tree to escape.”

“Is a bear smart?”

“Yes, bears have very large brains and I’ve heard it said that they’re one of the smartest animals in North America.”

“And how fast can they run.”

“Most bears can run up to 31 mph (50 kph), so don’t try to outrun one.  They’re also very good swimmers and can swim up to 1.5 miles (2.4 km) without stopping, so you probably won’t get away from them that way either.”

“Damn, they really are formidable adversaries.”

“Yes, and knowing these things should give you a head start when you begin your training.  I’m only going over the black bear in detail, since they’re the most common type of bear and the species you might encounter.  Brown bears and grizzlies generally live in some northern states and Canada, so you won’t see any in Colorado or New Mexico.”

“Is it really necessary for me to know all of this stuff?  I mean, I doubt others will be that observant if I have to transition into a bear.”

“Some will, such as game wardens, wildlife experts, and some hunters, but other bears will notice the differences as well, so if you don’t want them turning on you then you’d better get this correct.”

“Oh, ok.”

Devin decided that we’d done enough for today, seeing we only had a half-day to do this after driving here from Jamesville.  After he put on his shorts, underwear, and flip-flops again, we headed back to the cabin to see if his dad was home.  Judging from the time, his mom might have supper ready as well. 

When we reached the cabin, we discovered that both possibilities were correct.  Devin’s dad was home and we could smell the food his mom was fixing for supper, and it might even be done.  After saying hello to Mr. McCaskill, he suggested that we wash up quickly and then sit down at the table to eat, and then we could talk while we were chowing down.

“What have you boys been up to?” he asked afer we’d all started eating.

“I was showing Mac some things he should probably know before he starts his training.”

“Oh, that’s right.  You guys have talked Mac into becoming one of you as well,” Mrs. McCaskill spat out, not sounding pleased about the idea. 

“They didn’t talk me into it.  I was the one that asked Grandpa Isaac to see if I could do this, because I want to live as long as I can with Devin.  Does that bother you?”

“I guess it shouldn’t, but you were the only other person like me who wasn’t a skinwalker.  I was able talk to you about that, but now I’ll be all alone again.  You were probably smart to do this, though, so you won’t have to go through the same things that I went through.  It’s not easy watching yourself grow older when your husband doesn’t age the same way you do.  He only makes it appear as if he’s aging, but I know he isn’t aging the same way I am.”

“Yes, I know that has to be really hard and it’s something I wanted to avoid.  I want us to grow old together for however long we can make it last.  I didn’t want to die before him, if it was possible to prevent that from happening.” 

“That’s probably a very wise decision on your part.  Do you know when you’ll be leaving to do this?” 

I looked at Devin and he shrugged his shoulders, so I looked at Mr. McCaskill. 

“I believe they’ll be leaving on Saturday,” he told his wife.  “That will allow them to spend a few more days here, and then they’ll have a day or day and a half to get to New Mexico.”

“I’m sorry if it upsets you, but I can’t wait to do this,” I told Devin’s mom. 

“I know, honey, and I’m glad this will make you happy.  Don’t worry about me, because I’ll get used to it.”

I hesitated before speaking again, but eventually I gave in and asked Devin’s dad a question.  “When will Grandpa Isaac and Grandpa Jacob be coming here?”

“They probably won’t show up until either Friday night after supper or early Saturday, because they’re busy tying up some loose ends to make it easier for me.  I’ll be in charge of their business while they’re gone.”

“I think Mac and I should head to bed now, because I want to get up early since I have a lot more to show him tomorrow.  I hope that’s ok with both of you.”

“Certainly, and we’ll probably be turning in shortly as well,” his mom answered.  “Sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite.”

I stopped and looked at her, since I didn’t totally understand what she meant.  After thinking about it briefly, I decided to ask her about it.

“I get the part about the bed bugs, but does the part about sleeping tight mean falling into a deep sleep?”

“No, it’s just an old-fashion saying from back when people had to construct their own beds,” she answered.  “Since they didn’t have metal bed frames or box springs, they would hook up ropes to make the support on which they would place their straw mattress.  Sleep tight meant making sure the ropes were tight so they would give adequate support while the person was sleeping.”

“Ah, I never knew that.”

“And now you do,” Devin chimed in, “so let’s go up to my room.” 

I followed him upstairs.  “Aren’t we going to get ready for bed?” I asked. 

“Yeah, but I want us to make love first,” he replied with a grin.

“Aren’t you afraid your parents will hear what we’re doing?”

“I don’t really care if they do.  We’re both adults and they know we’re a couple, so get over your hang-up about that.  Are we going to make love or not?”

“Yes, I just thought you were in a hurry to go to sleep.”

“Doing this will help to tire us out and then we’ll sleep a lot better, so do you want to go first?”

“Ok,” I said as I bent down to kiss him while removing his clothes at the same time.