Burning Ground

by D. A. Galloway

  * * *

  Graham had delayed the difficult conversation with Makawee about their future. He had considered talking with her every night since they had left Steamboat Point four days ago. He had plenty of time to rehearse their discussion as they traveled up the Pelican Valley and followed the Lamar River north. He wished he could confide in Rides Alone, but he didn’t want to compromise their relationship after he had earned the warrior’s trust. Yet he needed the Crow guides to accompany him to the Dragon’s Mouth. He was uneasy about traveling solo to the sacred thermal spring. They were in the heart of grizzly country, and recent reports from Fort Ellis indicated some Blackfeet clans were raiding white settlements in the area immediately north of the future park.

  After a hearty meal of elk, biscuits, and boiled potatoes, Graham ambled over to the area where Makawee and Rides Alone had made camp. He was gratified to be welcomed by the warrior. Rides Alone placed a hand under Graham’s elbow while he shook his hand.

  “My stepbrother told me about your courage when the bear attacked,” Makawee said, beaming. “I’m glad neither of you was seriously hurt.”

  Graham nodded and turned to Rides Alone. “How is your arm?” he asked, gesturing to his forearm.

  “I will heal. You stopped bleeding. Makawee has good medicine.”

  The trio sat around the fire equally spaced apart. Graham removed his hat and drew in a deep breath. He had procrastinated long enough. It was time to share his plans with the Crow siblings. He needed to discuss reaching the Dragon’s Mouth by the next full moon and request their assistance. He was certain Makawee would accompany him. His bigger challenge was to persuade Rides Alone to help him without revealing he was a time traveler.

  “Do you remember where I was found when the group was traveling up the Yellowstone River weeks ago?”

  “Near Tó-sál-dàu,” Rides Alone replied immediately.

  “Yes. In English we call that place Dragon’s Mouth. It is a sacred place for the Kiowa.”

  “And for some Crow,” Makawee quickly chimed in.

  “Of course. I was there because I am on a vision quest.” Graham looked at Rides Alone for a reaction, then exchanged glances with Makawee. He hoped she would go along with his story without asking too many questions. Graham needed to tell Rides Alone about the vision quest without sharing too much.

  Rides Alone was silent, but Graham could see he was curious.

  Graham spoke admiringly of Redfield. He explained how his Crow friend from Pennsylvania lent him the eagle–bear claw necklace to enable a successful vision quest. Then his story veered from truth to deception.

  “I was seeking to connect with the spirits at Dragon’s Mouth when I fell asleep. I was awakened when your group rode by the river.”

  Rides Alone’s eyes narrowed. “Why baashchiile on vision quest?”

  “Redfield told me I was part of his vision. He gave me this necklace so I could seek out the spirits and discover my purpose.”

  This part of the story was true.

  “Did you reach spirits?”

  “No. And I need to get back to Tó-sál-dàu to complete my vision quest.”

  He glanced at Makawee. She raised her eyebrows and tilted her head slightly as if to ask, “Are you going to tell him you are from the future?”

  Graham discreetly shook his head in response to her unspoken question.

  “Vision quests are under full moon,” Rides Alone stated.

  Graham breathed a sigh of relief. Apparently, the warrior believed his story. He quickly made the request.

  “Yes. I would like you to help me get back to Tó-sál-dàu at the next full moon. It will appear in five nights.”

  “I protect Makawee. She comes with us.”

  “Yes. I would like her to join us.”

  “Cannot go to soldier fort and get to Tó-sál-dàu in five days.”

  “That’s right,” Graham agreed. “The survey party will be back at Bottler’s Ranch in two days. They no longer need a guide or another hunter. If I persuade Doctor Hayden to release both of you, we will have plenty of time to reach Dragon’s Mouth.”

  Rides Alone crossed his arms and stared into the fire for a minute before responding.

  “Eagle Bear saved my life. I will help you if the white-man leader agrees.”

  “Thank you. I will talk to Doctor Hayden first thing in the morning.”

  Now that Rides Alone committed to assisting him, Graham decided to risk discussing his feelings for Makawee. It was impossible to predict how the Crow warrior would react when he learned a baashchiile was in love with his adopted sister. Graham could keep their relationship a secret. But out of respect for Rides Alone, he felt an obligation to be truthful. He prayed it was the right decision.

  “There is something I need to say,” Graham disclosed hesitantly.

  Rides Alone stared across the fire at Eagle Bear.

  Graham gave Makawee a fleeting look, then focused on Rides Alone while he spoke.

  “I care deeply for Makawee,” he proclaimed, “and would like your approval to spend time with her.”

  Makawee turned toward Graham, her eyes widened with surprise. She wasn’t expecting him to reveal their love for each other to anyone, least of all her stepbrother. She nervously turned to Rides Alone to observe his reaction.

  The Crow warrior’s facial expression did not reveal any emotions. He peered at Graham across the fire for a long moment before speaking. Graham could feel the eyes of Rides Alone penetrate his soul but resolved to hold his gaze and not look away.

  Rides Alone finally broke the silence by addressing his stepsister.

  “Does Makawee care for Eagle Bear?”

  Graham turned toward her and held his breath.

  “Makawee loves Eagle Bear,” she replied without hesitation while looking directly at Graham.

  He exhaled and smiled at her.

  A few seconds later, a wave of shame washed over him. He regretted saying he cared deeply for Makawee. While she was unequivocal in expressing her love, his choice of words didn’t come close to describing his intense, passionate feelings for her.

  Rides Alone interrupted Graham’s thoughts and self-recrimination.

  “Not for me to decide. Long Horse is her father. I will not prevent happiness of Makawee.”

  Graham felt the urge to jump up and hug the Crow warrior but held his emotions in check. Instead, he simply nodded in thanks.

  Rides Alone rose swiftly and announced he would check on the horses. He was obviously giving them time to talk privately.

  “I’m happy Rides Alone has accepted you as a fellow warrior—and as someone I love,” Makawee said joyfully as she stood and moved to sit next to him by the fire.

  Graham was elated. The conversation had gone better than he could have hoped. He had earned the respect of Rides Alone, and Makawee would accompany him to the Dragon’s Mouth. He savored the moment, putting his arm around her shoulders and stroking her braided black hair as she nestled her head against his chest.

  “You promised we would talk about our future,” she prompted him after a minute. “What will happen when we get to Tó-sál-dàu?”

  Graham closed his eyes and cringed. The moment he dreaded had arrived. Just as he had been (mostly) truthful with Rides Alone, now he needed to be honest with Makawee.

  He clutched her shoulders and pushed her gently away, then held her hands and looked into her eyes while he spoke.

  “You know I am from a very different time,” he began. “In many ways you live in a better world than the one that exists a hundred years from now. This place we call Yellowstone will be preserved as a national park. Hundreds of thousands of people will visit every year. But it will never be as spiritual or as pure as it is right now.

  “Makawee, my mother and father haven’t heard from me in many weeks. By now they probably think I’m dead. They lost my brothers and sister earlier, and I’m their only child. They are surely grief-stricken.

  “Yet my heart ach
es when I think about not being with you …”

  Tears trickled down Makawee’s cheeks as she listened. She knew where this story was headed.

  Graham pressed on. If he stopped now, he may not have the courage to continue.

  “I have not completed my vision quest. The spirits brought me to this world—your world. There must be a reason I was transported to this time and place, although I have yet to understand why. Now I must ask the spirits to send me back. And I can do this only at the Dragon’s Mouth under a full moon.”

  She pulled away from him and jumped to her feet. He could hear her quietly sobbing as she shuffled to the other side of the fire. His heart felt as if it were being squeezed in a vise. He had broken the heart of the woman he loved.

  He stood and followed her around the fire, embracing her from behind while he spoke.

  “Makawee, I love you with all my heart and soul. I wish there were another path forward. I considered asking you to travel to the future with me, even though this may not be possible. Even if it were possible, it would not be fair to you. You would be a stranger in a strange time, just like I am here.”

  They stood in silence. Graham held Makawee tightly. He could feel her shaking. After a minute, she wiped her eyes and turned to face him.

  “You know I lost my family as an infant,” she lamented. “I understand your desire to see your mother and father. Others have taken me into their homes. But I always hoped I would have a family of my own. I thought you and I could start a family someday. That’s why what you are telling me hurts so much.”

  Her words pierced his heart. His eyes welled with tears, and he began to weep. He pulled her close, and they tightly held each other as his tears fell onto her shoulders. He looked up at the night sky and wondered how he could feel so jubilant a few minutes ago and feel so distraught now.

  “Oh, Makawee!” he cried in a quivering voice. “I am so sorry. This decision hurts so much! If we were from the same time, I would love to share my life with you. My destiny lies in a world you will never know. I must travel back to my time. I know where I need to be and what to do to be sent home.”

  As he spoke, he recalled Redfield’s instructions on how to solicit the spirits for a return journey:

  “You must ask the spirits to help you return. Go to the Dragon’s Mouth under a full moon while wearing your necklace and repeat the same ritual. If your experience has set you on a path toward achieving an honorable vision, the spirits will bring you back to the present time. If not, you will stay in the spirit world until you are prepared to fulfill your vision.”

  After thinking about these words, it dawned on Graham his return through the time portal was not guaranteed. He had assumed if Redfield’s instructions were followed precisely, he would be transported back to the future. But it wasn’t certain.

  Suddenly his confidence in being able to return home was shaken. It seemed equally possible he would remain in 1871 even if he did everything correctly under a full moon at the Dragon’s Mouth. While this was a disturbing thought, it revealed a way to temporarily salve his lover’s wounded heart.

  “Makawee, listen to me,” he said gently, after taking a step back and wiping his eyes with the back of his hands. “I want to travel back to the future where I belong. But Redfield cautioned me the spirits will determine if I am prepared to achieve an honorable vision. They may not grant my petition to be sent home. I can’t be certain if the time I spent in your world has been honorable. If the spirits reject my request on the night of the full moon, I could be with you much longer. Let’s see what the spirits decide.”

  She looked up at him hopefully. “I trust the spirits to make the right decision for us,” she acknowledged with a faint smile.

  Makawee pulled him down to sit with her by the fire.

  “Just hold me,” she implored.

  They sat in silence for a moment with their arms around each other. Graham’s heart was aching from the emotional strain of the evening, and his head was swirling with the possibilities of two different futures a century apart. Makawee leaned away and surprised him by inquiring about her people’s future.

  “After all the things you shared with me about the future, I have a question,” she said in a serious tone.

  “Sure. What would you like to know?”

  “What will happen to our people?”

  “You mean the Crow?”

  “Yes.”

  Her question was another example of maturity beyond her years. She was concerned not only with her own life, but the future of her people. It was another reason Graham had fallen in love with this woman.

  “Why do you ask?”

  “We have already been forced onto a much smaller land compared with where we lived before the white man arrived. Some Crow leaders think we should be more like our enemies—Sioux, Cheyenne, and Blackfeet. They believe we should fight the white man to keep our lands. Since you know what the future looks like, what is our best path?”

  Graham knew the sad truth. Over the next few decades, every Native American tribe would continue to be stripped of its ancestral land. Most would be cheated, reviled, humiliated, and treated as an inferior race. Large groups would be massacred. Ultimately, these proud, independent people would be confined to reservations and forced to abandon their cultural heritages for the white man’s way of life.

  How could he foretell such a bleak future? It made the prospect of leaving Makawee behind even more painful. He decided to remain vague but candid.

  “More and more white settlers will move onto your land in the coming years. There will be more bloodshed between Indians and whites. In the future, the Crow and your enemies will live in small, designated areas. Sadly, the white man will eventually overwhelm all tribes—those who resist and those who do not.”

  “This means Plenty Coups is right,” she realized.

  “Who is Plenty Coups?”

  Plenty Coups was born into the Crow tribe in 1848. He was named a chief of the Crow at age 28. As a young man and chief, he was a fierce and well-respected warrior. Tribal leaders often sought his guidance on their interaction with the United States government. When he died in 1932 at age 84, he was considered by his people to be the last of the great chiefs. Plenty Coups was able to preserve Crow land and culture better than most other Native American tribes.

  “He is a brave warrior who is a few years older than I am. He recently had a vision and insists what he saw gives our people a guide to the future.”

  “What was his vision?” Graham was intrigued.

  “Plenty Coups saw many buffalo coming out of a hole. They spread over the plains, then disappeared. Strange buffalo with peculiar tails and spots came out of the hole and spread over the plains. He also saw a forest where strong winds had knocked down all but one of the trees.

  “Our tribal elders interpreted his vision to mean the white man with many cattle would take over Indian lands and our way of life. The lone standing tree represented the Crow tribe, which would be spared if they could learn how to work with the white man. But there are those today who question if they should follow this advice.”

  Graham marveled at the prophetic vision of Plenty Coups. The Crow people would still be relegated to a reservation dramatically smaller than their ancestral lands. On the other hand, they would be treated better than most of their enemies in part because they cooperated with the government.

  “How well do you know Plenty Coups?”

  “We have met. He knows my adoptive father, Long Horse.”

  “Will he listen if you speak with him?”

  “Yes. He is very fair-minded. Some think he will become a chief. Even as a young man, he is a respected leader.”

  “Here’s my advice. Encourage him to speak with conviction to his people. He has indeed envisioned the future! Reassure him to proclaim his message. Perhaps you can tell him you had a similar dream? Your people will certainly avoid unnecessary pain and hardship if they listen to Plenty Coups.”

&nbs
p; “Thank you, Graham. I will speak with Plenty Coups about his vision.”

  Graham grabbed his hat and stood.

  “I should get back to our camp. We will be leaving early tomorrow for the terraced hot springs. I will speak with Doctor Hayden about having you and Rides Alone released from the survey team.”

  He pulled Makawee to him, and they shared a long kiss before embracing.

  “I want to spend as much time with you as I can before the full moon arrives. If the spirits send me back to my own time on that night, we have only a few more days together. But if they decide to keep me here, I would love to share my life with you!”

  They embraced once more before Graham donned his hat and turned away. As he sauntered back to camp, he peered at the waxing gibbous moon hanging low in the evening sky. While most of the moon was illuminated, a crescent-shaped shadow fell on the lunar surface.

  The time traveler’s immediate plans were clear—he would travel to the Dragon’s Mouth with Makawee. But the uncertainty of whether he would be successful in returning home cast a shadow of doubt on his future.

  Chapter 27

  August 26, 1871

  Waxing gibbous moon: 4 nights until the next full moon

  Graham arose before dawn. He wanted to catch Dr. Hayden before they broke camp and headed north. He positioned himself within view of the survey leader’s camp and watched for signs of activity. While waiting, he ate a biscuit and gulped water from his canteen, then gnawed on a piece of bacon.

  Hayden emerged from his tent at sunrise wearing only a long-sleeved cotton shirt, drawers, and boots. He placed his hands on his hips while arching his back, then added small twigs to the white coals. He got onto his hands and knees and blew lightly into the coals, gradually coaxing the fire to ignite. Within a few minutes, the dormant fire had been revived.