The Tale of the Butterfly Warrior — J.R. Patrick

Grey Eagle sits on a cloud in the heavens with other babies, children, and young-almost-adults who left the earthly world before their time.He can see his clan below, working the gardens, hunting, and fishing and going about daily tasks.He can see celebrations as well as everyday life.He can also see his mother, Green Willow. She is not the calm and loving person she was when he left the earthly world.He could see that she was in great pain and grieved for her lost son.Listen to me, Mother, screamed Grey Eagle.Angry sparks flew from his fingers and caused fierce lightning bolts to streak across the heavens, only to become gentle fireflies dancing in the wind.Grey Eagle was unable to ease his mother's pain, and he became more and more irritated with the passing of time. His tears of frustration became gentle rain to cool his mother's face. His fists beat into the clouds and caused blinding snowstorms, but they became soft silken snowflakes silently kissing the ground and creating lacy mantles of white covering his mother's raven-black hair.Grey Eagle's pattern of hurt, anger, and deep frustration had been unchanged for many moons. Pleas and requests for help from the Great Spirit are a last resort for Grey Eagle and Green Willow, but will he listen?