That night, a gathering was held in the main esplanade, where Grandmother Spider sat upon a chair at the highest part of the plaza, while soldiers stood guard around the deity.
The Talking God and his brothers stood behind Grandmother Spider’s great seat. All four had their hands behind their backs, and though they no longer shone as they had that morning, they still wore robes of their respective colors covering their bodies.
The whole town had been working to rebuild the houses that had collapsed because of the great quake. Rodrigo and the others had helped as well. So a gathering with food and drink was held in the main square, where a great part of the population had gathered.
That night, buffalo stew was served, a broth prepared with spices and chiles, along with roasted ears of corn and a kind of thick tortilla, similar to the little cakes Tul had cooked, though these were thinner.
The kachina who had survived the attack of the beast began to perform a dance they called the Corn Dance.
To the rhythm of drums and rattles, the men danced, lifting their feet as though marching in unison, while at the same time invoking the descent of rain and snow upon their land.
When the dance ended, Grandmother Spider rose from her seat and thanked the kachina for their performance. They bowed to the goddess and withdrew.
Grandmother Spider then took an ear of corn in her right hand and raised it toward the sky.
“I wish to take this gathering as an opportunity to give thanks to our Father Tawa for this excellent harvest of corn he granted us this year, and to ask his blessing as well for the next,” she said in Tano, the language spoken in Chaco.
The people shouted with joy at the words of their divine leader as they raised their own ears of corn toward the sky.
“Now let us eat and drink to bid farewell to these gods from across the ocean who have come to visit us, and may they depart satisfied by Hisatsinom hospitality,” the old woman cried out with jubilation, and once again everyone shouted with delight.
Anpiel, who had studied a little Tano during his stay, commented that those words referred to them, and the gods rose and greeted the people.
To everyone’s surprise, Anpiel, speaking in Tano, said, “Great Gogyeng Sowuhti, we are deeply grateful for your hospitality and for helping our friend. I wish I could express my appreciation for you and your culture more fully, but I am still limited in this marvelous language of yours.”
The people grew excited and began applauding the words of the angel, who in those five days had learned a little Tano solely to express his gratitude to the city of Chaco.
“Anpiel, you’re incredible,” Epona said, her mouth half open in amazement.
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“That is why he is our diplomat,” Menrva said with great enthusiasm.
“Haashchʼééłtiʼí and his brothers,” Anpiel continued in Tano. “Unfortunately, I was unable to learn Na-Dene in these brief days of hospitality, but I thank you for your effort in saving my friend from the monster that stalked her.”
The Talking God and his brothers, as though they were mirrors of one another, all lowered their heads in acknowledgment of the angel’s words.
Anpiel then raised the roasted ear of corn he held and said once again in Tano, “I toast to the hope that the friendship between this beautiful Hisatsinom people and the Diné people may endure for many centuries to come.”
The people applauded, and the angel sat back down. As he did so, all the other gods greeted the people and sat down as well.
After eating and spending a little time among them, one of the soldiers approached the members of Orniskem and told Anpiel that Grandmother Spider requested their presence. Anpiel informed his companions, and all of them agreed.
They all sat before Grandmother Spider’s seat while she looked at them with concern. The Talking God also stepped closer to the conversation and stood to the left of the Hisatsinom deity.
“I remember that when you introduced yourselves, you said you intended to go to the southern territories, where Coyote lives,” the old woman said.
“My friend and I already tried to enter that desert before, but after walking for a while, we ended up back where we had entered,” Freyja said with a puzzled look.
“Indeed. There is a barrier preventing our people from entering the south, and the nomads of the south from reaching the north, and it is all because Coyote has established his base in that desert,” Grandmother Spider said, making a small amulet appear in her hand.
“Take this. It is a dreamcatcher,” said the Hisatsinom goddess, extending the small amulet into Menrva’s hands. “With this amulet, you will be able to cross the barrier without difficulty.”
The amulet was a circle with woven threads in its center, resembling a spiderweb. White feathers also adorned the lower part of the dreamcatcher.
“It would have been more useful if you had told us this sooner,” Menrva said, somewhat annoyed.
“You departed in too much haste, and I knew you would not be able to cross the barrier, so it was only a matter of time before you returned,” the old woman said.
“Besides, I know your sacred garment was broken and is currently being repaired. You would have had no chance of traveling farther south,” she added, glancing at Freyja.
“Well, that is true,” Freyja replied awkwardly. “I figured it’d fix itself like it does other times.”
“I would still like to persuade you not to continue traveling south,” Grandmother Spider went on, pain visible in her face.
“Do not worry about us, great Gogyeng Sowuhti. I am certain my friends and I shall cross the lands of that demon called Coyote safely,” Anpiel replied, but neither Grandmother Spider nor the Talking God reacted favorably to those words.
“Young ones, I understand that you are eager to cross, but I think you should explore other ways of doing so. If you travel by sea, it would be better, though slower. You do not know what you will face if you cross that desert,” the Talking God finally interjected.
“Who is this Coyote, anyway?” Tania asked, puzzled.
Grandmother Spider and the Talking God looked into each other’s eyes for a moment, then turned back toward the gods of Orniskem.
“A long time ago, when giants still roamed the world of the gods, an evil spirit, an ancient god, came to these lands and brought great harm upon the world, causing floods, chaos, and death wherever he passed. That being is Coyote,” Grandmother Spider said.
“Coyote believes that chaos is the only form of justice. He believes that in moments of pure turmoil, humans and gods reveal their true selves, and that is what he considers justice,” the Talking God continued to explain.
The members of Orniskem still did not understand the monster they wanted to face, the great danger to which they were going to expose themselves.