by Liza Fox
‘Great,’ he thought. ‘Absolutely perfect.’
He had a quick shower, got dressed then raced downstairs with his backpack to the kitchen. He got the food package that he and mum had prepared the night before out of the fridge, putting it in the backpack, along with dry clothing, compass, sunglasses and cell phone.
“That’s everything.”
Dad appeared from the bedroom. “I’ll drive you up the road, save you having to walk. You’ll be walking enough today anyway.”
“Gee thanks.” Ben grabbed his pack and in a few minutes was embarking outside his friends house, waving goodbye to dad as the car disappeared up the driveway.
Sam and Sally appeared at the front door, backpacks on their backs and dogs at their heels.
“What an awesome day for it,” enthused Sally. They started walking up the driveway to get onto a small track on the right. This, informed Sam, would lead them to the roadway which would lead them to the stone circle.
“This weather is just what we needed. Where do we go when we leave this track?” asked Ben.
“We walk up the hills ahead for a bit,” explained Sam, “then turn onto a narrow roadway that leads high up to near the top of this part of the Mount. People here call it ‘Spirit Mountain’. I suppose it got that name because it’s remote and some people think that all the crystals in the marble emanate some peaceful energy. The stone circle probably helped give it that name. People have stayed at the circle for days on end, doing rebirthing and that sort of thing.”
Sheba and Troll were pulling on their leads as the three friends plodded along the narrow track. They had been walking for about an hour when they came to the top of a hill. As they walked over the ridge of the hill a view of the coast and sea greeted them and the path began to slope downwards again. A bit further on it ended at a rough farm track.
On their right was a gateway, with a gravel road leading up and into native bush that covered the steep landscape. They climbed over the gate and proceeded to follow the road.
It was rough underfoot, with potholes and large rocks and boulders jutting out of the ground. Loose stones gave way under them as the road got steeper.
The sky was clear blue and the occasional twitter of small birds, hidden in the shrubs and trees, could be heard.
Sam began talking. “Dad was telling me that years ago, when the road was first being put over the Mount to get to the other side, quite a lot of people lived here. It was around then that people were discovering some of the caves that are all over the place. There are pictures in the Museum of people with moa bones and other stuff.”
“Yes,” Sally piped in. “There were heaps of things that used to live on the Mount thousands of years ago. Like giant eagles. There’s one cave here called Eagle Cave and sea eagle remains were found in it; but there used to be stuff like kakapo and kiwi and laughing owls. Stuff that’s long gone now. Troll, stop pulling.” She tugged at the dog pulling on the lead, its head and nose close to the ground.
“We can’t let you loose yet, you’ll probably run off. So just calm down!” She tugged again at the lead and Troll stopped pulling. “Some animal smell I suppose. He can smell all sorts of things we can’t. Clever old Troll aren’t you.” They had been walking on the road for about an hour, mostly uphill, when they came across a small flat area.
“This it where we turn off into the bush to get to the Stone Circle,” said Sam. “See that big old cedar tree?”
He pointed to a large twisted tree that towered above the other trees. “The pathway starts at the base of that. Here it is.” He pushed his way into the loose shrubbery that had been hiding a narrow, smooth path leading into the trees.
They pushed their way through branches onto the path, the dogs pulling and panting as they tried to hurry along.
“Stop pulling, you dogs,” shouted Sam as they lunged ahead through the shrubbery. The dogs finally settled down and the five of them managed to walk in line at a reasonable pace.
As they followed the pathway the bushes either side began to get thinner and the trees taller.
It was very quiet. There was no bird song. All that could be heard was the sound of their boots as they tramped along; and the dogs panting. The trees here were tall old beeches, dark, with a soft black fungus covering their trunks and branches.
“That fungus carries the honeydew that bellbirds and tui feed on,” said Sally. “Look at it closely and there are little hair like filaments with drops of honeydew on the tips. They’re sweet just like honey.” She touched some of the tiny filaments with her finger and sucked the honeydew off.
There was the occasional outcrop of green ferns on the ground and epiphytes growing over fallen trees, their long, green leaves catching the dappled light. Clumpy patches of dark green mosses grew on rotting wood that littered the ground. Marble boulders, streaked with white and grey and rough with age seemed to grow out of the earth. Thick clumps of almost black moss growing on them added to the strangeness of the place. There was definitely an atmosphere here.
Suddenly a high pitched screech rang through the air, followed by another. Kraaaaaaaaaaah! kraaaaaaaaaaah!
“What’s that?!” cried Sally. They stopped, cold shivers running through them, their heartbeats increasing. A sudden movement above made them look up, in time to see a bird fly from a tree and disappear into the forest ahead.
“Geeze, it was a bird calling. That was a kea. I’m sure it was a kea. Whew, it gave me the creeps when I heard it.” Sam looked at the others with wide eyes.
“It gave us the creeps as well,” said Sally, feeling goosebumps all over her arms and head.
“Yes,” said Ben. “Everything was so quiet and then that call. I thought it was the Taniwha coming to get us,” he joked.
They all started laughing and continued on the pathway, chatting as they went. After about half an hour the path suddenly opened out to a grassy area about the size of a netball court. In this grassy area were marble rocks forming a large circle.
“Well, here it is,” said Sam.
Ben counted 13 rocks, all dark grey, with crevices where water had worn away the softest part of the marble. In the middle of the circle were the remains of long ago fires. It was bare of grass, burnt and black with the ravages of time and weather.
The time had raced by and it was now nearly 11 o’clock. They sat down in the circle and got their food from their packs.
“Wow, this is great,” said Ben. “I’m starving.”
“Yes, tramping sure kicks the appetite in,” said Sam.
The dogs sniffed the food and were given a biscuit each.
“They can go free now for a while,” said Sam. They let go of the leads, leaving them trailing from the collars.
The dogs sat down by the food packets and waited for titbits.
“Here,” said Sally, pouring them some water into a small bowl. “You’ve been real good dogs.”
“It’s amazing here,” said Ben. “Were these stones put here by someone or are they here naturally?”
“No, they’re natural,” replied Sam.
“We have heard,” said Sally, “that when the moon is full the stones give off a shimmering glow and a mist settles on the circle. Just like we see on the stones in your garden, Ben.”
“Maybe it was used for something all those years ago. Who knows; but it’s pretty mysterious in its own way,” Sam said.
Suddenly a shadow enveloped them. They looked up to see a dark cloud overhead, blocking the sun. A chill filled the circle and they all started to feel the hairs on their skin rise.
“Go away cloud,” said Sally. “Gosh, I’ve gone all goose bumpy again.” She pulled a jumper from her pack and put it on.
Both dogs began sniffing the air.
“What is it, you two?” asked Sam, as the dogs began running around the stones. They both had their heads high, sniffing the air, when Sheba began trotting toward the trees at one end of the grassed area. Troll followed.
Then they were go
ne, running off through the trees, barking and dragging their leads.
CHAPTER 5: THE HUT IN THE BUSH
“Oh! no,” shouted Sam, Sally and Ben together.
“Quick, follow them,” cried Sam and grabbing his pack began running after them, with Sally and Ben close behind. They ran, calling the dogs’ names as they raced through the trees following the sound of the barks.
“There they are!” shouted Sam, pointing to the dogs ahead of them, still racing through the trees.
The dogs kept running and they kept following, until suddenly the barking stopped. Tired and out of breath they could see the dogs ahead, running around in circles and sniffing the ground.
It was a small clearing that they entered into when they finally ran out of the trees. The clearing was about 20mts square and had patches of grass, short and stunted. The dogs were sniffing around the clearing then disappeared again at one end.
“Where have they gone now?” Sam was getting annoyed and they all followed the dogs again. They hadn’t gone far, however and were found sniffing the walls of a small, dilapidated hut that was nestled in the trees.
“Hey, look at this,” exclaimed Sam, who was first there. They all stood looking at the hut, not really knowing what to think about it.
“I wonder if someone lives in it.” Ben started looking through the small window on the left of an old door. The door had been painted green at one time but the paint had worn over the years and now hung in slivers from the exposed wood. The flat roof was corrugated iron, rusted along the edges. The walls also were corrugated iron, which at one time had been painted dark red. As with the door and windowsills the paint had worn with age and was peeling off, in thin paper like shreds.
There were two windows, either side of the door. The glass in these was reasonably clean and the inside of the hut could be seen clearly.
“It looks like someone uses it,” observed Sally. “Look, there are cups and things and a bed and some kind of table.” There was a round brass knob in the center of the door, patina’d dark bronze through many years of exposure to the elements. Sally pulled on it and the old hinges creaked as the door opened slowly and stiffly.
“We shouldn’t go in,” said Ben. “Someone must live here. I wouldn’t want strangers coming into my place, even if it is only an old hut.”
“Yes, you’re right,” agreed Sally, pushing the door shut again.
“Where are those dogs? Sheba, Troll,” called Sam. The dogs had got bored with the hut and were again sniffing around the base of trees edging the area.
Suddenly they started barking again and began running towards Sam.
“Hey, what’s up then?” Sam said, picking up their leads. He looked round and saw a figure standing beside a large beech tree opposite the hut. Sally and Ben turned around and the three stood and stared at the stranger.
“Hello,” the stranger said.
CHAPTER 6: MEETING TOKA
“Sorry, is this your place?” asked Sam. “We were chasing after our dogs and they came here. We saw the hut. Is it yours?”
“Yes, this little abode is where I spend some of my time. You are most welcome here. I do not get visitors very often.” The stranger looked at them with dark, piercing eyes. He looked to be native, with dark features, the colour of dull bronze and a dark scraggy beard. Long, curly, dark brown hair hung over his shoulders. He was wearing a brown scivvy type top with long sleeves and baggy, dark brown trousers. His head and feet were bare and he carried a tattered grey duffle bag, hanging from his right shoulder. In his left hand he held a long stick. He was very tall, looking to be well over 6’.
He spoke again.
“My name is Toka. To whom do I owe this pleasure?” he asked, looking from one to the other in turn.
“Yes, sorry,” Ben stuttered. “I’m Ben, this is Sam and Sally. We came to see the stone circle and the dogs took off and we ended up here.”
“We weren’t being nosy,” said Sam. “We just saw the hut and had a look. I hope you don’t think we were trying to take anything.”
Toka walked towards the hut and opened the creaking door.
“Come in,” he invited. He disappeared into the interior, bending low to enter.
The three followed with the dogs pushing in ahead of them.
“Take a seat,” said Toka, pointing to a dilapidated sofa against the back wall.
They all filed into the small room and found available seating. The dogs settled happily on an old, worn mat that covered part of the earth floor and lay there panting, looking up at Toka.
“How long have you lived here?” asked Sam. “We haven’t seen you around before.”
“Oh, I have lived in these parts for many, many years. I live here and in many other places on this Mountain. My ancestors lived here. I was born here.” Toka placed his staff on the floor and sat down on a wooden chair by the window. “I was born when moa roamed these hills. When eagles flew in the sky and fished the sea and kakapo boomed in the grasslands. I was born before the pakeha settled these lands; before Te Rauparaha sent fear across the sands of the bays. Yes, I have lived here for a long time.”
The three stared at each other, mouths open.
“How could you have been here for that long?” asked Sally, disbelievingly. “We’ve been learning about the Mountain at school. Moa and eagles and kakapo were here hundreds of years ago. You can’t possibly be that old!”
“Is that so,” replied Toka. “And why do you think that I can’t be that old?”
“Well, because humans just don’t live that long,” Sally said indignantly. Sam and Ben agreed.
“What makes you think that I am human?” Toka looked from one to the other. Sally felt a shiver run through her.
“Well, you sure look human,” she said, laughing nervously. “You’re just kidding us.”
“If that is what you think then that is what is to you,” replied Toka, smiling at them.
“Where else do you live on the Mount?” asked Ben, trying to cover his nervousness.
“I have many homes across this land. I see everything. You are interested in the stone circle, are you not? I was born from the circle. I am a part of it and it is part of me. You see, my mother was a Taniwha. She gave birth to me in a cave and sent me above ground through the circle. The circle holds the energy of the underworld. The stones are its link to the world above.”
“Well,” said Sam “it all sounds pretty weird to me. I think you’re telling tales to scare us. We’d better go now.”
A soft white mist had settled outside and was now wafting through the open doorway.
Toka picked up his staff and stood up.
“I shall accompany you back to the circle. The mist will go and the way will be clear.”
Sam and Sally picked up the dogs leads, following Toka while Ben closed the creaking door. Toka strode ahead and they all followed, in silence, until they were back at the stone circle again. Walking to the centre of the ring of stones he beckoned them.
“You do not believe me?” he said, looking at the three with eyes like black pools in the beech forest. “That is fine.”
He stood in the centre of the circle, placing his staff vertically hard into the ground. Suddenly the stones began to emanate a hazy glow. The three watched, speechless, as a soft orange mist rose from the ground, swirling upward and enclosing Toka in a halo of shimmering orange light.
The whole circle was glowing golden orange. The mist rose slowly from the earth, creeping into the trees that surrounded the circle. Toka stood in the center, mist whirling around him, pulsating as it did so. He stood, shrouded in the soft orange glow, while Ben, Sally and Sam stared in disbelief.
Toka suddenly removed the staff from the ground and the mist began to lessen. It left the trees and Toka, shrinking back into the rocks and earth from where it had risen. Toka stood, silent, as the last of the whirling mist made its way down his form and back into the earth.
The three stood, paralyzed, staring, not sure e
xactly what they had just seen.
Toka was still standing there looking down at them.
“Now, do you believe me? You know your destiny is here. I called the ‘Chosen Ones’ and you came. You must know that I am in desperate need of your help.”
“What are you talking about?” Sam burst out. “What’s this chosen stuff? Chosen for what? And how can WE help you? Who are you?”
“Yes,” Ben and Sally both said. “Who are you and what are you talking about?”
Toka sat down again, placing his staff on the ground in front of him. The dogs fidgeted but settled again to snooze in the afternoon sun.
“How come you’re human, if your mum was a Taniwha?” asked Ben, who now wanted the story to continue.
Yes,” agreed Sally. “I’d like to hear more before we go and we’d like to know what you mean by “chosen ones.”
CHAPTER 7: TOA AND ATANGA
Toka smiled and began talking in a soft voice..
“My mother was a good Taniwha. She looked after the plants and creatures that lived on the land. Before she was turned into a Taniwha she had been human and carrying me. The story began hundreds of years ago, when native tribes lived on the land. There was a tribe that lived in the valley below. They fished the sea and grew kumara on the land. They were a peaceful people. My mother, whose name was Atanga, was a young wahini, married to Toa, a handsome young hunter; but up on the mountain Taniwha watched. He watched from underground through the many tomos that entered into his realm from the world above. He was fascinated with Atanga. Obsessed with her beauty, he wanted to possess her for himself; but he could not leave. Only two ways are there whereby Taniwha can leave the underworld, with its endless black caves and tunnels.”
Toka stared hard at the three faces staring at him.
“Only two ways,” he repeated. “One was to take over the form of a human. For this Taniwha needed to find a human in his realm. In his caves in the blackness of the underworld? An unlikely thing to happen. If he did manage this, the spell would last only 24 hours and he would have to return to his former self and the world to which he belonged, the underworld.”
