Chapter 36

The fish didn’t seem to be biting, and they continued to sit without speaking. At first, Logan had felt restless, as if he had some great problem that must be addressed immediately, before it tore him apart, but the longer they sat, the more relaxed he became. He watched iridescent green dragonflies skim the pond’s surface and heard small frogs beginning to call to each other. Memories of fishing here with this man when he was a prepubescent boy tumbled through his mind.

Kenu interrupted his thoughts abruptly with, “Tommy Running Deer.”

“What about him?” He’d been one of Logan’s friends in elementary school.

“At the last powwow he performed the sacred bear dance in full regalia. You know we believe we take on the actual spirit of the animal—become it—when we dance. Now this Tommy Running Deer…is he skinwalker?”

“Of course not. That’s ridiculous.”

Kenu looked straight into his eyes. “Is it?”

“He removes the costume, and he’s just plain Tommy Running Deer again.”