The Last Sundancer Read Online Free

the planting from one patch of ground to another so that they would not deplete the soil of the gift of life.  Children were born to the people and they did not die, they remained strong.  Life came back into the world from the scattered seeds sown by one great warrior as a gift to the Sunflower maiden.” Denoa shifted and she waited patiently as her son returned his gaze to hers. 
    She saw the dreams in his eyes and she knew that he had already considered the ending to her story long before she could speak the conclusion. 
    “This is why we have the Sunflower festival each season.  So that we can remember those that walked the land before us.  It is said that the world has lived and died twice since the time of the great warrior.  Who can say?  But the time of change will come in our lifetime.  You will see it.  Your brother will see it.  We must be ready, we must prepare.”
    Kaichen opened his eyes and stared out over the land that rolled and swelled before him.  He could almost see his mother exactly as she had been so long ago.  Her back was not bowed low and her eyes were bright with the promise of what was yet to come. 
    Ten seasons had passed while Kaichen grew and trained to become a man that his mother would be proud to call son.  He often felt the grief of loss over Siada.  His mother had been wrong.  Siada did not live long enough to see the changes that were yet to come.
    He had decided long ago that he would live for himself as well as his brother.  Siada was not lost to him, though he no longer lived. 
    Kaichen remembered his brother’s courageous spirit.  He remembered his will to live and it was from this source that Kaichen drew his strength. 
    “Kaichen.” The gravelly voice of Azin broke into Kaichen’s thoughts. 
    He looked up to find the old man watching him.  Azin had waited patiently as Kaichen learned to trust him and he did not seem to mind that his actions were weighed in the balance.
    “Uncle.” Kaichen did not hesitate to call Azin by the honorary title , though they were not related by blood ties.
    “We must go.” Azin hated to break Kaichen’s solitary meditation. 
    The young man showed all the signs of becoming that which others expected of him.  Azin knew that Kaichen did not fully understand his own potential. He knew the ways of power and understood the need for balance.
    Denoa had been right to bring the boy to him so many seasons ago.  The journey itself had almost broken the woman , just as it had with Cohtzen.
    Everyone knew that the people of the canyons gathered their power from the mounds of rock and treasured sand.  Each step away from their home sucked at their strength.  Only K aichen had remained unaffected.  In truth, he grew stronger with each passing day.
    Cohtzen on the other hand was bent with grief that he could not return with Kaichen, as expected.  It would be foolhardy for the older man to push his body any further.  Cohtzen grew stronger after several days of rest but he would not return to his people at Kaichen’s side, Azin would not allow it.
    Azin did not like to remember the boy that had come to him br oken and shattered by the cruel actions of his grandfather.  Azin had known Narin from times long past. Yet, even he had difficultly believing that Narin had taken Siada’s life so cruelly. 
    Cohtzen had been changed by the death of Narin, even though he had killed the man to prevent him from harming Kaichen.  From times long lasting until now it was believed that if you took a life, you lost a part of yourself, never to be returned.   How much had Cohtzen lost with the death of Narin? 
    The time had come for Kaichen to return to his own people.  Azin had taught the youn g man everything that he could and the only thing that he did not teach him was how to walk as his father had walked.  Kaichen refused to practice the dance as given to him by his father.  Though Azin assured him that it was his birthright and his