You once told me your family came from a long line of Apache healers. Yara nodded slowly. My grandmother Nema was one of the most respected healers among our people. She taught me what she knew about medicinal plants, just as her own grandmother had taught her. Doc Calder smiled.
That kind of knowledge is worth more than gold. Then his expression grew thoughtful. But I believe Nema left you something else, too, didn't she? Yara's eyes widened. How do you know that?
Doc Calder rested both hands on the walking stick beside him. Because I knew your grandmother years ago. Yara stared at him. She came through Dusty Creek several times back before the distance between our communities grew so wide. He paused.
She spoke about you and she spoke about an old prophecy. The children moved closer. She said that one day her granddaughter would give birth to five children at once. Yara's eyes filled with tears. "She died before they were born," she said quietly.
"But she left me a bundle wrapped in leather." Her voice softened. She made me promise I would never open it until the right moment came. Do you still have it? Doc Calder asked.
Yes. Yara nodded. I carried it with me after we left our people. I just never knew when the right time would be. She went inside.
A few moments later, she returned carrying a bundle about the size of a large book. It was wrapped in old leather and tied with narrow strips of hide. The children gathered around immediately. "What is it, Mama?" Meri asked.
Yara smiled faintly. "I don't know, sweetheart. I was never brave enough to open it." Doc Calder studied the bundle with quiet respect. "I think the time has come."
He looked around at the house. "You have a home now. You're safe. Then he looked back at Yara. You can receive what she meant for you.
Yara's hands trembled as she slowly loosened the straps. The leather wrapping fell away. Inside was an ancient book. But it was unlike any book Ryland had ever seen. Its cover was made from carefully worked hide.
The yellowed pages inside were covered with drawings, maps, and unfamiliar symbols. It's beautiful, Kea whispered. Yara opened the first page with great care. There was a message written in Apache. She read it slowly, translating the meaning into English for the others.
To my granddaughter, Yara, and to her five stars. This knowledge has passed from one generation to the next. For more than a thousand years, within these pages are maps of the night sky. Our ancestors learned to read the stars. They guide us, teach us, and remind us that we belong to something greater than ourselves.