Napi called Stone Child over and said “Stone Child, let’s take a few minutes, I’m asking for just a bit of your time, because we have to prepare for the change in your home schooling I have long told you would one day come”

The boy sat beside his father with an attentive look

Napi continued: Do you recall our Big Adventure?

The boy’s expression was an immediate warm smile: Of course!

Napi was referring to the time when Stone Child was three years of age and they ha packed the VW camper van and taken off to see the world together. Each night after a day of travel and stops to see things, Napi would ask Stone Child if he was ready to go home or wanted another adventure. On each occasion the boy had opted for another days travel and sightseeing. Napi would bring out the road map, explain what was in reach the next day and ask Stone Child which direction to take

Their course took them throughout the Pacific Northwest, across the Puget Sound on the ferry, to the Oregon Coast for walks on the deserted beach where the surf met the forest and to the Aquarium, to the Sea Lion Caves in California, and then back inland to the Modoc Caves of Captain Jack’s stronghold, over to Crater Lake, north again to Seattle to Pike Street Market, on the Ferry again to Whidbey Island, back to the Olympic National Park, off to the Columbia Gorge… until one evening Napi was still driving and Stone Child had fallen asleep and Napi drove most of the night

Stone Child woke up in his bed at home: as though from a wonderful dream

Napi said “I have given to you your childhood, I never took it away. I have never broken a promise to you. I did not make many promises, but when I had, I kept them. Your life to now has belonged to you, it has been a journey of discovery, whether on our big adventure and travels since, our stays in Indian Country or here in the forest at home. But I have told you many times this freedom would one day change

Stone Child had a serious, but not unfriendly or disappointed look

Napi then said: Tomorrow that freedom mostly goes away, and the little bit of study we have worked on is going to be the main thing we pay attention to for quite a long time

Stone Child answered with a single word: Ok