THE WARRIOR OF WISOU Written By Thomas Howe
5455 89th Ave N Pinellas Park, FL 33782 (727)504-3010 tom@pathmade.com
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EXT. WISOU FIELDS - DAY SUPER : THE TRIBE OF WISOU. 9,000 YEARS AGO. High, green fields of einkorn and barley, almost ready for harvest, surround the village of Wisou, a Neolithic community of stacked stone huts with thatched roofs. More than two hundred people work, craft, farm, and tend to children in the summer sun. EXT. GAIA'S HOUSE - DAY MAR, 14, a slender boy, loins girded with hides, hunches in front of one house, sorting herbs. GAIA, 48, an obese woman in a deerskin cloak, sits on a stone, supervising. GAIA Spread them out evenly, stupid, or you'll ruin them. MAR I know, Gaia. I know what I'm doing. Mar!
KAN (O.S.) Mar stands as KAN, 15, a lean, muscled boy approaches with stout female TIA, 20, and equally broad and ugly male FALO, 19. Twenty other male and female WARRIORS built like linebackers follow behind with stone spears and wood shields, loins girded. KAN (CONT'D) We're leaving, Mar. Brog has given us the order. We're going to make them pay for what they did. Mar looks to Gaia. Face set, she shakes her head. He wilts. He locks forearms with Kan, then kisses him. MAR Come back safe, Big Rabbit. I'll cast circle for the party's victorious return. (aside) If it starts to go bad, promise me you'll run-KAN Don't worry, Little Rabbit. I'd miss your face too much. I just came to make my vow. Your parents
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will see justice in the Otherworld. TIA Kan! The morning's getting on. Leave the apprentice to his bones and his old woman. FALO Yes, battle's no place for him. Even his parents thought so. The warriors (except Kan) laugh. MAR (muttering) At least I would not hide when the enemy attacks. Falo rushes toward Mar. FALO What did you say? MAR I heard what you did at the last battle! Your cowardice dishonors this tribe! Falo makes another move, and Kan intercepts, holding him back. FALO (to Kan) Let go! I will teach this dog about 'cowardice'! KAN Save your fire for the enemy, Falo! TIA (moving closer) Come, Falo. Leave him be. Falo looks back at Tia, then slumps. Kan lets him go. FALO Your parents taught me how to be a warrior. It's a shame they didn't do the same for you. Falo spits at Mar's feet. Tia pulls him by the arm.
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TIA Come on, Falo. We have a long journey ahead. The warriors walk away. Mar watches them. Kan looks back, a weak smile on his face. MAR Yes, shame... GAIA Your anger betrays you, boy. It shows your fear. But Kan will return. They'll be victorious. I've foreseen it in the crow and the sand. Mar returns to the herbs, hands shaking, eyes wet. MAR I'm a man now, Grandmother. I should be going with them. It's my parents...your son...who paid-GAIA Your parents put you in my house to learn my ways, you ungrateful beast. Just do your work. Even out those herbs. Mar throws her a look, then goes back to his work, redfaced. INT. GAIA'S HOUSE - NIGHT The house is jammed with clay pots, hanging herbs, and bones. A cooking fire burns in the center. Gaia sleeps on a pallet under furs while Mar sits at an altar, drawing ornate circles in sand on its surface. MAR (quietly) Watch over them, Father. Give them fire, Mother. I don't know why you didn't want me to fight as you did, but I'll take my place when Gaia joins you in the Otherworld. He looks at the loud, snoring mound. MAR (CONT'D) Which I hope will be any day now.
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EXT. GAIA'S HOUSE - DAY Mar approaches from the fields. Gaia sits under shade, her cloak open. GAIA Where have you been, rat? You have more work to do. Mar opens his mouth to respond, but HAYDA, 5, a girl with wild hair and a animal-skin dress, runs to Gaia, out of breath. HAYDA Mother! Gaia! Come! Mother! GAIA What's wrong, child? Something wrong with Apa? Hayda pulls at Gaia's hand. Gaia gets up and goes with her. Mar follows. INT. APA'S HOUSE - DAY Much like Gaia's house without the clutter. Hayda's aunt NETA, 21, stands over a very pregnant APA, 25, laying on a pallet in agony. Gaia kneels over her, touching her forehead. Mar stays at the door. He covers his nose with the back of his hand. NETA She woke up like this. She doesn't hold anything in. No food, only water. Her husband has gone to fight. Gaia whispers a prayer to herself. The patient is delirious, moaning. Gaia offers her a nearby bowl of water, and Apa takes a sip, coughs, and retches. GAIA Boy, fetch my elk bag. I will need to make a medicine. EXT. WISOU CAMP - CONTINUOUS Mar crosses the camp in a hurry, and BROG, 40, a bear of a man in long skins, approaches. He wears a large headdress, his face smeared with markings.
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BROG Mar, where's Gaia? Vala is sick! MAR (bows slightly) Chief. I'm helping her tend to Apa right now. Is your wife losing her food? BROG Yes. She won't eat anything. MAR I will tell her. Go back and see if she'll drink some water. INT. APA'S HOUSE - DAY GAIA Hurry up, rat! She snatches the bag from Mar and adds herbs to a bowl. She stirs in water and brings it to Apa's lips. She takes a sip and falls back. LISKA, a thin female with long hair, 25, runs in the house. LISKA Gaia, my husband! Come quick! MAR (to Gaia) But I told Brog you would come to his house next. His wife is sick too! Gaia stares at Mar, lost. INT. GAIA'S HOUSE - NIGHT Gaia kneels at the altar, placing bones on the sand in elaborate patterns, muttering. Mar is carefully measuring out bowls of herbs. GAIA (looking up) Six dead, including Apa and her unborn child. Twenty more sick. Why? What have we done to anger you? I honor you every day. I present you my best gifts.
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MAR They're ready, Gaia. GAIA You didn't overfill them again, did you? MAR No, Grandmother. Shall I take them? She stands up from the altar and approaches Mar. GAIA No. You get to bed. You have a new task early, before the sun rises. MAR What can I-GAIA You must go after the warriors and bring them back. We need their fire. We need to close the circle and honor the Otherworld, all of us together. MAR But...how will I find them? GAIA Don't be stupid with me. You know the way. You've slithered to the other camp like a snake before to see the enemy, your mother and father's killers. Mar opens his mouth to speak. He knows he's caught and stops, reddens. GAIA (CONT'D) Leave at first light. Catch up to them before they can make their war. We need every warrior back in the circle. MAR Yes, Gaia. First light. EXT. WILDERNESS - DAY The sun is just over the horizon. Mar follows a faded footpath, bag over his shoulder, stone knife tied to his
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waist. There's a WHISTLE. He stops and brandishes the knife. MAR (smiling) Who is it? A little bird? KAN (O.S.) No bird. It's your Big Rabbit! Mar races toward the voice, finds Kan laying against a tree trunk, spear in hand, one foot propped on a rock. Mar drops in front of him, kissing him. MAR What happened? KAN Ach! I turned my foot on a log. They left me here to wait for their return. Mar looks at Kan's swollen ankle, goes into his bag and pulls out strips of hide. MAR (binding the ankle) That's not like you, Kan. You really are a rabbit in the woods. KAN (wincing) I wasn't watching my steps. I was angry. They...they were still mocking you. MAR You know if it was up to me... Kan puts a hand on Mar's arm. KAN I know, Little Rabbit. You honor your mother and father. As well as your old elk bag of a grandmother. And I love you for it. MAR (finishing) There. Will you wait here while I fetch the others? KAN Something wrong?
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MAR Everyone in Wisou's getting sick. More than a hundred, now. Sixteen dead. Gaia sent me to get you all back, to bring the fire back to the tribe. KAN (shaking his head) They're in battle by now. We planned to attack them first light. MAR Well, I have to try! Gaia says-KAN Little Rabbit. You bring them back, what then? Will they get sick as well? Mar hesitates with a look that he hadn't considered that. MAR Maybe you're right, my wise rabbit. You may end up being Chief one day after all! Mar helps Kan to his feet; Kan leans on him. MAR (CONT'D) Gaia may send me to the Otherworld for this, but we'll go back to Wisou. (beat) Let's follow the river. You must be thirsty. EXT. RIVER BANK - DAY Kan walks on one foot, his arm resting over Mar's shoulders. They approach a tree and Kan sits down. MAR Wait here. A large dead ox lies across the river, its bloated carcass blocking some of the current. Mar pulls a bowl from his bag and dips it in the current, downstream from the animal. MAR (CONT'D) (to Kan) Here, Big Rabbit.
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Kan takes a big drink. Mar brings it up to his lips. He is about to drink when Kan grabs his stomach. He cries out, then vomits onto the ground. MAR (CONT'D) What is it? KAN I...don't know. After the water, my guts... Mar sniffs at the bowl, looks back at the ox. MAR This water. It flows beside Wisou, doesn't it? KAN (nodding) Yes. It runs alongside the fields for watering crops. The farmers-Mar jumps up. MAR Kan! The ox! It's the ox! KAN I don't understand. Mar dumps out the water and runs back to the river. He fills the bowl upstream from the ox. He sniffs at it, then takes a large drink. KAN (CONT'D) No, Mar! You'll-Mar smiles, takes another drink. He dips the bowl again. MAR (to Kan) Drink, Big Rabbit. It's safe. Kan takes a small sip, pauses. He takes a bigger one then gingerly hands the bowl back. He smiles. KAN Mar, what magic is this? Did Gaia teach you-MAR No magic, Kan! It's the ox that made you sick. The ox is poisoning the water! We have to get rid of
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it. Mar grabs Kan's hand, pulling him away from the tree. Let's go!
MAR (CONT'D)
EXT. GAIA'S HOUSE - DAY Kan sits, his injured foot propped on a log. Gaia, pale, leans against the house. Mar stands in front of her. GAIA You stupid, worthless snake! Three more have gone to the Otherworld since you left this morning! Why are you so stubborn? If you were not the son of my son, I would-MAR I'm sorry! The battle already started, Gaia. But it's okay! GAIA Okay? Okay! He says it's okay. MAR I found what is causing the sickness! An ox is in the river, and-GAIA Ox? What ox? KAN It's dead, Gaia. It's making everyone sick. GAIA Oh, you two...have you learned nothing? Oxen are food! We eat them, for Ancestor's sake! We use them to tend the fields! An ox gives life, not-She staggers, out of breath. Mar catches her, holds her up. MAR It's struck you too, hasn't it? Gaia pulls away.
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GAIA Where...where is this ox? KAN Halfway to the other camp. Gaia looks at Kan then back to Mar. the wall and sits on the ground.
She slowly slides down
GAIA You're saying that one ox that far away is taking people to the Otherworld? Is that what you're saying? Mar stares at Gaia. He looks at Kan, then looks back. MAR (defiant) Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying. Kan fails to hide a smile. BROG (O.S.) What's going on here? Brog approaches the three. Kan and Gaia bow their heads, but Mar does not. BROG (CONT'D) Where are the warriors? Gaia, you said we need to close the circle, and I only see Kan here... MAR I've found the illness, my chief-GAIA Ignore the rat, Brog. He's new to the ways, and he's ignorant... Gaia runs out of breath. BROG You're not well, Gaia. I told you, you need rest. (to Mar) Mar, I led you through the rite of men because Gaia said you were ready. You're to take her place one day, to be the healer of Wisou, my left hand. You must learn what Gaia teaches. You must
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listen! MAR Yes, my chief. But-BROG My wife, Mar. She has gone on to the Otherworld, as the gods willed. The gods willed. Do you understand? MAR I'm sorry, Chief. I didn't know. Just then, CHEERS rise up from the edge of the village. They see the warriors returning, some covered in blood. People have come outside to greet them. TIA Victory! We've made them pay for the deaths they've caused! FALO They'll think again before attacking us in the middle of harvest! CHEERS from the crowd. The warriors approach the Chief. BROG (smiling) You have returned the fire! FALO We sent many to the Otherworld, Chief, while only losing one of our own. Tonn went bravely. TIA Well, if you don't count Kan and his clumsiness. Laughter from the crowd. Kan lifts his hand in a dismissive wave, a sheepish smile on his face. MAR Tonn? Apa's husband? TIA Forgive me, Gaia, but you don't look well... Gaia waves Tia off, mimicking Kan.
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MAR (to the warriors) Listen! There's a shadow over your happy news. Little Hayda's father is not the only one gone on to the Otherworld. Nineteen have been defeated without one knife raised. Many are sick from poison. GAIA We will be fine. The gods will save us now. Now that the warriors have returned, our circle can be closed, the fire complete. MAR Yes. I mean, no! I must ask you all to help save Wisou again today. There's an ox-GAIA Dog! Don't speak for me! You aren't the healer yet-MAR There's an ox in the river, poisoning us. Help me remove it, and we can celebrate your happy return. FALO You should listen to your old woman, apprentice. Oxen is food, not poison. Even a stupid warrior like me knows that. (to crowd) In fact, let's slaughter one tonight to celebrate our victory! Another CHEER. KAN You should listen to Mar, Falo. I was there. I tasted the poison with my own lips. GAIA The gods have already spoken! The fire has returned, the circle is-Gaia attempts to stand as she speaks, and falls. Mar and Tia approach her to help her up.
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GAIA (CONT'D) (to Mar) Get away from me, stupid rat! Tia helps Gaia up onto a log seat. Mar turns back to the group. Most of the village (well and sick) are crowded in front of the house now. MAR (loud) She's right. I'm not the healer. Yet. But my parents, who many of you knew as wise and brave, asked Gaia to teach me her ways. And I have learned. She's a miserable old bag... A few laughs from the back of the crowd. MAR (CONT'D) ...but she has taught me many things. The most important of those was to use my eyes, use my voice, use my head. And that's what I'm doing here today. Fire and crows and sand and circles do nothing if we don't think for ourselves and understand the world around us. GAIA Don't listen to the snake! He's twisting what I taught him! I didn't teach him to turn his back on the circle! MAR No, Gaia, I understand now. It's the tribe. We survive because we stick together. That's the circle. Even Falo knows that many warriors working together is better than one by himself, no matter how brave he may be. (to Falo) True? Falo stares a moment, then nods. True.
FALO MAR There are many things we learn
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every day, things we see and understand that are new and unknown before. My mother and father pledged me to be your healer. I've done my best to honor them, even though it's never been what I've wanted. This ox, I understand now, is poison, just as Gaia has taught that the red mushrooms after the snow are poison. What do we lose, doing as I ask? What can we gain if I'm right? The crowd is silent. Mar looks at Kan, who wears a smile. BROG Gods forgive, but I don't understand why it would be their will to take my wife. She left too soon. Gaia has done everything she knows to do, and I'm grateful. She honors Wisou. Brog places his hand on Mar's shoulder. BROG (CONT'D) But Gaia also agreed with Mar's parents--great warriors, both of them--to fulfill the will of the gods: that Mar be our next healer. So we must also honor Mar. Falo, take a few of your warriors and remove the ox. Bury it far away. FALO But, my chief! I don't understand how-BROG I know. But Mar does, and we must honor that. FALO Gaia? Is this your wish? GAIA Falo, you empty-headed sack. Don't look at me. Do as your chief commands. Falo throws Mar a dirty look, but signals the warriors behind him to follow. They exit.
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INT. GAIA'S HOUSE - NIGHT Mar kneels over Gaia, who lays under her furs. He holds a bowl of water. MAR You have to drink, you sick cow. Gaia shakes her head. MAR (CONT'D) Yes! It's clean now. Falo and his group cleared away the ox. I told everyone to throw away their old water, replace it with the new. Some are already feeling better. GAIA I see it, boy. I see the Otherworld. I see your father, your mother...my husband, who I lost many harvests ago. He's waiting for me, believe it or not. He never had a kind word for me when he was here, but he's waiting for me now. Mar's eyes begin to tear. MAR I'm not ready, Grandmother. GAIA Oh, but you are, son of my son. You are a man. And the smartest man I've ever known. You have taught me as I taught you. You were right, I was wrong. The circle is closing. She gently places a hand on Mar's cheek, then gives him a feeble, yet firm, smack. GAIA (CONT'D) You love these people as I have. I heard that today. You'll protect them as best you can, just as I have. Learn from them, just like I learned from you. Take care of Kan...your Big Rabbit, your warrior. He's a good one, and he loves you. Gaia closes her eyes. Mar tucks her in, then goes to the
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altar. She snores unevenly as Mar murmurs and draws circles in the sand with a bone. The snoring slows, then stops. Mar hangs his head. MAR (softly) Good-bye, old bag. He cries. EXT. WISOU FIELDS - DAY Dead stalks in the fields rustle as the wind blows. The trees around the village are reds, oranges, yellows. EXT. WISOU CAMP - CONTINUOUS In the center of camp, the whole tribe is gathered. Mar and Kan stand before Brog. All three wear festive headdresses and beads. Hayda has wrapped herself around Mar's leg. BROG I join these two, warrior and healer. They will make their house together until it is time to make their house in the Otherworld. Now welcome this family to Wisou! A CHEER from the crowd. DRUMS begin. Mar and Kan kiss. Kan takes Hayda in his arms. Both grooms kiss her cheeks. MAR What do you think, Littlest Rabbit? Time to eat? Hayda nods and the crowd disperses to large tables of food.