“I am to protect her. It has been written in the wind. I felt a vision about her before I ever met her. It is meant that I help her. I will seek a vision quest to make sure I do the right thing. Otherwise, I will ask guidance about what I should do.”
Little Bird shrugged. At least he was willing to ask the Great Spirit, Wakan-Tanka to guide him in this. She couldn’t imagine that the Great Spirit would have him helping a white woman, though. Now it seemed like she would be plagued with the white girl even longer. Surely, the chief of the village would not allow it, she soothed herself. She would talk to Plenty Proud’s mother and ask her to convince Plenty Proud to let someone else take the girl back to her home.
Once again they continued their journey together. Plenty Proud felt happy that Firelight would continue to sit snuggly against him on his horse until they reached his village. Little Bird merely fumed inside as she watched Plenty Proud take extra care with the white beguiler, who Little Bird was certain intended on capturing his heart for some reason. She did not like the girl’s dark magic over Plenty Proud, but she did not know how to stop it.
That evening the village came into view. Mackenzie could see numerous tepees situated and spread out not far from the river they had been following. The village was in a large clearing away from the trees to assure that no ambush from enemy tribes could be accomplished without the scouts discovering it first. The members who dwelled in the cone structures had begun building fires within their buffalo hide shelters, and the light glowed through the hides, turning the tepees into giant lanterns which served to illuminate the village. Most of the people in the village seemed to be going about their evening routine with little notice of the two horses arriving, though a couple people waved and called out to greet Plenty Proud, when they recognized him, looking curiously at the woman he had with him on his horse.
As Plenty Proud stopped Fly Away in front of a glowing tepee, and helped Mackenzie from his horse’s back, a young brave approached, waving at him and talking to him in the Sioux language.
“What have you here?” Wabli Ista (wahn-blee Ee-shdah) asked, eyeing Mackenzie. “I thought you had gone to bring your future wife, and here you have a white woman with you as well. Have you taken her captive? Will we expect the white soldiers to be ridding down on us soon, to demand her release? Are you looking to ask a bounty for her?”
“This is not a captive, Eagle Eye,” Plenty Proud smiled. “She has come with me willingly and will be our guest until I can take her to her home.”
“What home? Does she live in a white settlement along with those who cross our land? Is she lost?”
“Her family was buried in a snow-slide during the winter. Now she wishes to go back where she came from, in the land of the white people where all those crossing our land travel from.”
“That is very far from here. We are not allowed to leave our own territory, or the white soldiers will punish us. They will put you in their prison if they see you are not on our land and you have a white woman with you.”
“It is a risk I will have to take,” Plenty Proud mumbled.
Eagle Eye smiled broadly. “She is very beautiful. I see why you wish to take the risk,” he winked, “only what of Little Bird? I thought it was she you had brought here to make your wife.”
“It is my mother’s wish that I take her for my wife. I have not chosen her yet,” Plenty Proud informed him.
Eagle Eye gave a chuckle, looking over at Little Bird and catching her eye. “She has a lovely face. Perhaps she will consider me if I throw woman medicine at her,” he smiled slyly. “Let me help you from your horse,” he offered, turning to Little Bird and bringing her to the ground.
Little Bird looked Eagle Eye over as he helped her slide down from her pony. He was not a bad-looking brave, she thought, only he did not compare to Plenty Proud.
“You honor me with your complement,” she said shyly, lowering her eyes.
Eagle Eye shrugged and then turned his attention back to Plenty Proud, placing his arm over his friend’s shoulder. He had no intention of trying to take the young maiden from his good friend. He was merely trying to tease Plenty Proud. They had grown up together, and unless Plenty Proud rejected Little Bird as a potential wife, he would not create trouble between them.
“You have arrived just in time,” Eagle Eye said to Plenty Proud. “The buffalo songs have been sung to bring the herd close. Now the chief of the hunt has spotted a herd of buffalo not far away. We go on the hunt at first sun!”
Plenty Proud raised his eyebrows, glancing at Mackenzie, realizing he would not be able to make arrangements to take her anywhere until after the hunt. The hunt was important and nothing could prevent it except a raid from an enemy tribe, and every available hunter would be expected to join, or lose face. Besides, he needed the excitement of the hunt to distract him from his thoughts concerning Firelight and Little Bird.
Only it could take several days, and then afterwards, the meat would have to be tended to by all the women of the tribe, and then there would be hides to scrape and cure, along with so many other chores related to the hunt. Little Bird would be expected to help, and his mother would have her hands full as well. His vision quest and asking permission to take the girl back to her people would just have to wait.
“It is good to see you again, my friend,” Plenty Proud smiled. “I will look forward to hunting at your side. We kill plenty buffalo together!”
“What will you do with your guest?” Eagle Eye wondered.
“I will turn her over to my mother to care for while I join the hunt. Later I will talk to Chief Black Crow to get permission to take Firelight down the river in my canoe.”
“Perhaps I should go with you so you will not have to travel back alone.”
Plenty Proud nodded. It would be nice to have his friend along, even though he would rather have Firelight to himself. “After the hunt we will speak of it,” he replied.
Little Bird was listening, and it occurred to her that maybe she could talk Eagle Eye into taking the white girl back to her own people instead of Plenty Proud doing it. He could find another friend to accompany him down the river, with the girl which would leave Plenty Proud free to tend to his own future in the tribe. If anyone could talk Plenty Proud out of taking the white girl home, it would be Plenty Proud’s childhood friend. When they returned from the hunt, she would approach him about it, she decided. She would also talk to Plenty Proud’s mother, and between the two of them persuading Plenty Proud out of his plans, she was sure the outcome would be in her favor.
The Flap of the Tepee was pushed aside, and Ska Hupahu (Skah Ghue-pah-hue) was putting her head out of the opening. When she saw her son, her eyes lit up, but then they widened when she saw a white woman was with him. She gave Little Bird a welcoming smile, and after a short hesitation, she rushed through the opening and threw her arms around Plenty Proud’s neck.
“Welcome home, my young brave,” White Wing said. Then she turned to Little Bird and hugged her as well. Next she met the eyes of the strange girl standing before her, looking uncertain. “Who is this woman?” she asked, trying to keep disdain for the white man out of her voice.
Eagle Eye stood at a distance with his arms folded over his chest, interested to discover how Plenty Proud’s mother would take the news of his friend’s intent on taking the girl back to her people.
“I call her Firelight,” Plenty Proud told his mother. “She has lost her family in a snow-slide. I have promised her my protection, and to take her back to her people in the East.”
“Why are you to protect a white woman?” White Wing questioned. “Why do not her own people take her to the East?”
“She was hiding from one of her own, a trapper, who was mistreating her and would have forced her to remain with him. She intended to escape, but she could not travel down the river without a canoe. If she went on her own, she could face danger. She tried to get a trapper traveling down the river to stop and take her with him, but she was dres
sed in our clothing which she got at the trading post. He did not trust her and wouldn’t stop. Therefore, it is my duty to take her safely home to where she calls Missouri.”
“Missouri is where the trappers take their furs. Many white people dwell there. They would capture you if they saw you with a white woman. Sometimes trappers bring their Indian wives to the white man’s world, but that is different. She is not your wife, and the white people do not like our braves handling their women.”
Plenty Proud shrugged. He knew his mother would not be happy about his decision. “I must go on the hunt at sunrise.” He said, changing the subject, “when I return, I will speak to Chief Black Crow about what I should do. Until then, you must watch over my guest.”
“How can I do that? We will be busy making racks for the meat to dry on, and then slicing the meat and scraping the hides. Little Bird will be expected to follow the hunt with the other able-bodied young women to help skin the buffalo. Your guest will have to go with her. It will be good for her to learn the way our people survive. Then she can tell the white leaders how important the buffalo are to us and how hard it is to find the buffalo when we are not permitted to follow the herds beyond the territory they allot us.”
Plenty Proud glanced at Little Bird. Eagle Eye smiled to himself when he saw the look on Little Bird’s face. He realized Little Bird did not like the white girl, and it was no wonder. The woman had a stunning beauty that could not be ignored. He could tell his friend was already besotted when it came to the girl with all that red hair.
“Will you keep her by your side while I attend to the hunt?” Plenty Proud asked Little Bird hopefully.
Little Bird shrugged. The hunt could be dangerous. Perhaps she would not even have to worry about Plenty Proud taking the girl home if something happened to her during the hunt.
“If you wish it,” Little Bird said quietly, deciding that maybe fate would take this girl into its hands and get rid of her without any help on her part.
“Good. Then it is settled,” he said to his mother. “I will see you at sunrise,” he called to Eagle Eye, waving at him before entering the Tepee of his family, bringing Little Bird and Firelight inside with him.
Mackenzie ducked into the opening behind Plenty Proud, his mother and Little Bird. The warmth of the circular space about fourteen feet in diameter, greeted her more welcomingly than she had expected. She could smell dried herbs and pine needles, and the remaining odor of something that had been cooked for their dinner, she assumed. A fire in the center of the tepee filtered its smoke up and out of the opening at the top. The movement of warm air caused decorative feathers, hanging from strips of rawhide suspended from some of the supporting poles, to waver as though they were in a dance. She could see large bundles situated around the edge of the rawhide wall, which she supposed contained clothes or costumes, blankets, and other belongings. A round dreamcatcher caught her eye, dangling from a string, and she admired the handy-work of whoever had created it. It looked to her like a spider web, decorated with beads and feathers in appealing colors and design. There were spears, war clubs, quivers of arrows along with bows and other weapons, in a pile beside the doorway, ready to grab up in case of an emergency. Then, placed around the outer edge of the space, circling the fire, were soft buffalo hides, made up into several beds, one on which sat a man, with the robe wrapped up around his waist but the rest of his torso was bare. His long, gray-streaked hair hung over his shoulders. Mackenzie assumed it must be Plenty Proud’s father, sitting and eyeing her when she entered.
She looked about her, trying to take in everything at once, but in spite of the limited space, she felt small and insignificant. The man sitting on the buffalo robes smiled at her as though she was a welcomed friend.
“We have a guest,” he said, nodding to her. “I see you choose to wear the dress of our tribe, toiled over by the capable fingers of our women.”
“Yes, it is very beautiful. I especially like the beadwork on the front. I got it at the trading post. I am Mackenzie,” she mumbled. “Plenty Proud found me and is helping me. He promises to take me to my home in Missouri.”
The eyes of the man glanced over to his son, but he said nothing. He knew his son would approach him about it when needed, so he merely smiled at the girl with flaming hair.
“You are welcome here and may stay as long as you wish. We must rest now. Early, Plenty Proud and Little Bird must follow the buffalo.”
“She will be joining Little Bird,” Plenty Proud offered. “I call her Petaile because of her red hair,” he told his father.
“I am called Wiwila mni, (Wee-wee-lah mnee) which means Springwater,” he introduced himself. Then he rolled over, unceremoniously, and covered himself with the buffalo robe.
It must have been the signal that everyone else was expected to go to bed, and Mackenzie stood watching as Plenty Proud’s mother began to remove her dress, and then crawl under the robe with her husband. Plenty Proud was also removing his buckskin clothing. Little Bird removed her dress, and the two found separate robes to crawl under. Only no one had prepared a buffalo robe bed for her because they had not expected her to be there.
Mackenzie stood, hesitantly, feeling out of place and somewhat embarrassed, since she realized they all were expected to sleep in the nude. Only she did not have a place to sleep, she realized.
“You can share Little Bird’s buffalo robes,” Plenty Proud offered.
Little Bird looked as though she did not like the idea, but thought it better than the girl sharing Plenty Proud’s robes. Slowly, Mackenzie removed her fringed dress, and laid it aside. She covered herself with the robe, lying down next to Little Bird, on the side closest to Plenty Proud. She would miss not having his arms around her at night, she thought. She was surprised, though, when he reached under her robe and grabbed her hand. Mackenzie turned her head and smiled at him.
In the shimmer of the firelight, his features were softened. His face looked inviting and kind. A feeling of connection passed through her hand to his, as he gave her hand a squeeze. She was surprised that she did not feel frightened about being in an Indian village. In fact, it felt comforting, especially with Plenty Proud’s large, strong hand clasping hers so reassuringly.
When she woke in the morning, everyone else was already up and dressed. She was alone in the tepee, and feared they had all left her there alone and went off on the buffalo hunt without her. She did not look forward to going on a buffalo hunt, but she knew there was no way she could get out of it.
“Do not lie there!” Little Bird called as she poked her head through to opening of the tepee. “We have already bathed, and you still sleep. I believe you are a lazy white girl and will not be any help on the hunt!”
Up until now, Little Bird had not spoken much to Mackenzie, only, now that Plenty Proud was not around, she discovered that Little Bird did not hesitate to speak her mind. She wondered what Little Bird had against her. After all it was Little Bird who would become the wife of Plenty Proud, once he returned Mackenzie to Missouri. However, the look on Little Bird’s face told her plainly that the Indian maiden didn’t like Mackenzie, and probably resented having to babysit her during the hunt.
Mackenzie pulled herself out from under the warm buffalo robes. She could still feel a tingle in her hand from Plenty Proud holding it during the night. She smiled satisfactorily to herself. She wished she didn’t have to go on the hunt, but at least, she would be able to watch Plenty Proud hunt, and that would be interesting, she thought.
“Hurry,” Little Bird was prodding, “they are about to leave and we cannot lag behind! Plenty Proud has prepared one of his horses for you.”
Little Bird felt disgruntled. The horse that Plenty Proud had assigned Firelight to ride was one of his finest, a sleek, black pony with flaring tail and mane. It stood impatiently throwing its head, catching the excitement, as the braves got ready to depart on the hunt. It knew what was about to happen and was eager to join all the other strong horses carrying their
riders to the buffalo herd.
Mackenzie pushed the flap aside. She too could feel the excitement in the air. No one had even taken time to eat, and there was a bustle of movement as everyone in the tribe prepared for the event. Not merely the hunters, but all the women and even children were eagerly going about preparing for their separate tasks the hunt would create for them all.
All the braves were gathered on their ponies, which were painted and ready to carry them safely to the buffalo. The buffalo was their life blood for survival, and much of their spiritual beliefs were centered on the buffalo because of it. The markings on the ponies each had a purpose, symbolically stating their meaning. Lightning bolts gave the horse speed, circles around their eye, helped them have good eyesight. Hoof symbols made them surefooted. Though other symbols were painted on a war pony, which all had different meanings, these ponies were being prepared for the hunt. Their tails were tied up in a knot to keep them out of the way, and no saddles would be put on the pony, in order to give them the ability to run faster and swifter, with as little weight as possible. Even the braves only wore breechcloths so no added weight would hinder the horse’s speed, or the brave’s movements.
Each brave had a quiver of arrows on his back and a bow in one hand. Their ponies were stomping and dancing in place, eager to be on the hunt as much as the braves, who rode them, were. Both Little Bird and Mackenzie mounted their ponies. Little Bird looked over at Mackenzie, mounted on the sleek black horse. She envied the girl’s position. She was thinking of all the ways that the white girl could fall from her horse and be trampled by the buffalo, as she eyed her. Their ponies wore saddles since they were merely to follow the hunt and be ready to start skinning the buffalo as soon as the beasts started falling when the hunters found the mark with their arrows that would bring the huge beasts to their knees.
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