When Salmon Loved Raven; Contemporary Gay Romance

When Salmon Loved Raven

Contemporary Gay Romance

By Skye Eagleday

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2017 Skye Eagleday

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When Salmon Loved Raven

Skye Eagleday

Chapter One

Come here, Lake. His grandfather smiled at him. The little boy’s face was streaked with tears and his pale gray eyes were red and puffy. The old man looked at him and gently hugged him. His wife watched them silently. Then she turned back to filleting a salmon. Let me tell you a story, he whispered into the boy’s ear as he held him protectively. He felt the child nod. Do you know what your Kayah is doing?

Lake looked up at his grandmother’s back. "Cutting a fish," he whispered back.

"A salmon. She’s fixing a salmon for our dinner. Why don’t I tell you a story about a salmon? Would you like that?" Lake nodded again and then sat back so he could watch his grandfather’s face. It was a very kind face. Brown and round. Heavily lined, with deep grooves around his eyes because his grandfather laughed so often. His hair had a lot of silver shining through the black. Lake unconsciously touched his own auburn hair. His mother’s hair was the same color.

Long and long ago, when the world was younger, the forms of things were not as fixed as they are today. One shape could become another. The old man watched Lake’s reaction, choosing the words the boy could understand. Like shadows. He held up his hand in front of the light and made shadows on the wall by his grandson, bringing his hand back and forth to change the shadow’s size and shape. Always changing.

Lake laughed and moved his small hand the way he had seen his grandfather do. Animals looked more like humans, and humans looked more like animals. The Salmon Man was quite beautiful in any form he wore. His long hair glistened red and he smiled easily. The old man gently touched his grandson’s hair. One day, Raven flew by and in the manner of ravens today, Salmon Man’s brightness caught his eye and he could not resist his desire. He landed lightly and took the shape of a man.

Lake frowned. Was he beautiful, too? His grandfather was thoughtful.

"Not like Salmon Man. The stories never say that Raven was beautiful. But he was very clever." He took a deep breath. But once you saw Raven, you would never forget what he looked like. That’s not the same as beautiful, but it can be very important.

Now it was Lake’s turn to look thoughtful. His grandfather waited for his attention to return and began again. Raven can be charming and he courted Salmons Man, who had long been alone and was flattered by this attention and the careful words. He offered Raven smoked salmon and he ate to his contentment. He admired Salmon Man’s wonderful hair. Just so, he dipped his sharp silvery fingers into the water of a basket and brushed Raven’s dark head. As he spoke, he gently brushed Lake’s soft hair. When his fingers combed through, Raven’s hair became as red as his own.

Lake’s eyes grew round and he touched his own hair again. Raven grew complacent… he hesitated for a moment. …he took for granted the easy food and grateful company. Raven would admire himself, proud of how striking he looked with his new fineness. He only needed to reach out and there would be smoked or roasted salmon. He ate as much as he wanted and he wanted much. One day he reached to take some smoked salmon and it fell down and into the ashes. Amidst such bounty--such richness-- he didn’t bother to even pick it up, but simply kicked it into the fire. His grandfather stopped. Do you know why that was a very bad thing to do?

Lake nodded quickly and smiled. Because food is sacred. We always have to respect food.

"Yes," his grandfather said proudly. That’s exactly right. But Raven didn’t do that. This lack of respect broke the Salmon Man’s heart. He turned and walked towards the Salish Sea, his own tears joining with the water so they became one. As he moved further into the Salish Sea, his salmon children returned to life and followed him. To Raven’s horror, he watched all of his food disappear and his scalp began to itch. His beautiful red hair fell out and only coarse black feathers remained. It is said the Salmon Man became Mist and he comes near the shore to see if human people treat his children with more respect than Raven.

The old man carefully studied Lake’s face. And then one day he saw a human man who was kind-hearted who respected the salmon and taught others that food is sacred. Although Mist was frightened of being hurt again, he rose from the water and became Salmon Man once more. He spoke to the human man, and gradually they became of one heart. He looked up and found his wife staring at him, her face empty. We don’t always find the right person the first time we go looking. He smiled. I had to look a long time to find your grandmother. She smiled very slightly and then her face flattened out again. He kissed Lake and told him to go outside and play.

The door closed and she watched their grandson chasing the old tom cat that would sometimes come by. That’s not how the story goes, Old Man. You know it was Salmon Woman, not Salmon Man. You know the story just ends with Raven breaking her heart. She never returns to land, but stays Mist Woman.

He nodded. That’s the story I was told. He put his arm around her and joined her in watching Lake. "But I told him the story he needed to hear. You know he’s a Wackla. A Two-Spirit. It won’t always