The Gathering

by Sharon Sala

  “If we lose Yuma, we lose her, too. This isn’t turning out like I expected,” he muttered.

  “We cannot lose them. We are not done,” Adam said.

  Evan shrugged.

  “Tyhen did what she was supposed to do. She got the New Ones to the Gathering. They know what to do. Maybe she is done.”

  “I cannot believe that,” Adam said.

  Evan was silent for a few moments and then turned to face his brother.

  “I asked Suwanee if she would come with me when we leave this place. She said yes. She also asked if you would be okay. She is very sorry for the discord between us.”

  Adam had regrets, but he’d had a rude awakening today when Suwanee was in danger. He had no skills to help her. In fact he had no skills to save himself should the need arise. He did not belong in this place. If he’d known it sooner, he might have stayed behind in Boomerang. Tyhen’s words were still ringing in his ears. Maybe their destinies would take them in different directions, after all.

  “She should not worry. It will be okay,” Adam said. “We must set up our camp now. If anyone needs us, they will find us.”

  Evan’s shoulders slumped.

  “They are already looking for us. They expect us to give them direction as to what to do next,” he said.

  Adam frowned.

  “Then we should get busy. We need a place to sleep tonight, regardless of what else may happen.”

  Their hearts were heavy as they began setting up camp. Adam was gathering firewood and Evan was putting up the sleeping tent when they began hearing what sounded like distant claps of thunder. When they realized the day was darkening, they stopped what they were doing and looked up, expecting to see gathering storm clouds. Instead, the sky was clear, but when they looked out onto the prairie, they saw a huge dark shadow coming toward them across the tall grass.

  Adam was trying not to panic. He could see a shadow on the land but not what was causing it—not even when he tried to ‘see’ it with his mind.

  “What is that?” he muttered.

  Evan couldn’t get a read on anything either. The sky above was clear, so what was making that ominous shadow?

  Then others began to see the encroaching darkness and chaos ensued. Some began screaming while others were running about looking for children to shelter. Others began praying, crying aloud to the Great Sprit to be saved.

  Behind the shadow came the thunder, rolling above them in one long continuous roar. When they looked up, to their horror, something massive had moved between them and the sun.

  The People at the Gathering were terrified and fell to the ground, certain they were all about to die.

  The New Ones were fearful, but had more life experience and understanding of astrological occurrences. They weren’t sure if what was approaching was something like Firewalker or if they might die. Whatever it was, it was coming straight toward them.

  It wasn’t until the wind began to blow in great rushing torrents that a glimmer of hope returned. For Dakotah, wind meant Tyhen, and he began running.

  “Tyhen! It’s Tyhen!” he cried.

  Then Adam and Evan felt her probing their thoughts and knew Dakotah had been right. Their relief was overwhelming. She was back, but what of the eagle?

  What of Yuma?

  He lives.

  What is this darkness? Is this you?

  It is the Old Ones.

  What do you mean?

  You will see.

  And then they did.

  The eagles became visible when they pulled out of their dive, and when they began soaring high above the Gathering in ever-widening circles and their high-pitched shrieking cries turned into unmistakable words of warning, the People dropped to their knees. The Old Ones’ anger was evident.

  The Dove was our gift to you and you betrayed her.

  She called us from our sleep with great anger in her voice and the Eagle dead and broken in her arms.

  You brought shame to us… to your ancestors.

  She asked us for his life and we gave it back.

  Betray us again and it is you who will suffer.

  Mistreat these people again in any way and it will be your lives that are lost.

  There was a great wailing from the people below as they cried out for mercy, begging for forgiveness, promising anything to be spared from the Thunderbirds’ wrath.

  Then out of their midst came one lone eagle, more massive than anything they had ever seen. It began circling downward, getting closer to the ground with every spiral. Unable to stand against the wind from its passing, people were forced to their knees to watch its descent.

  When the eagle was treetop level, it tilted sideways, one great wing dragging along the grass to unload its passengers.

  ***

  Tyhen was prepared for the landing and held Yuma that much tighter as they slid down the massive wing and into the prairie grass.

  She was flat on her back with Yuma’s body still in her arms when the eagle shot upward, taking the drum beat with him. The other eagles followed, disappearing as abruptly as they had come. She rolled over, easing Yuma down onto his back and then sat up. His heart was beating, his eyelids fluttering. He was alive and she would ask for nothing more.

  She laid a hand upon his chest, taking comfort in the steady rise and fall, and when he groaned and then began to regain consciousness she quickly wiped away her tears.

  ***

  Yuma’s body ached and so did his head. All he could remember was walking into a ring of gold light, and then being pulled back almost as quickly as he’d come. He opened his eyes to find Tyhen gazing down at him.

  “What happened?” he asked.

  She touched his face, his chest, his arms, making certain he was as he’d been before, and choked back a sob.

  She was crying, which made him begin to focus on her. When he realized the dark stains upon her clothing were actually dried blood, he knew something bad had happened, but what?

  “Tyhen?” he said, then winced from the pain.

  His chest was hurting but he couldn’t remember why. Then when he touched it and his hand came away bloody, he remembered the attack and the knife piercing his clothing and going into his chest. He should be dead. Why wasn’t he dead?

  All of a sudden an old memory surfaced—of her cutting her wrists to save his life when he was dying from a curse. What had she done to herself this time?

  He sat up slowly then reached for her wrist. When she didn’t resist, he pushed up the sleeve on her shift. When he saw the gaping wounds that were beginning to close, hair stood up on the back of his neck.

  “What did you do?” he whispered. “What in the name of all that is holy did you do?”

  Her eyes were dark with a weariness he did not understand and she seemed older—almost as if she’d aged years in one day.

  But the expression on her face was one of cold determination, as was the tone of her voice.

  “You were dying. I tried to save you, but you died in my arms so I took you to the Old Ones instead. I made them give you back to me,” she said, then took his hand and laid it against her cheek. When she spoke again, her voice was trembling. “I made them give you back.”

  The sun was in her eyes. The air was cold on her face and she could feel the ground vibrating beneath them from the people who were coming to get them. Their time alone was over.

  “They are coming,” she said, and stood up in the knee-high prairie grass, pulling him with her. Together they turned to face the onslaught of their people.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Hours later, Tyhen and Yuma sat naked beside a ceremonial fire as Johnston Nantay’s wife, Suzy, and his sister, Lola, cleaned the blood from their bodies.

  The wound in Yuma’s chest had ceased bleeding and was almost closed although Myra Begay was applying an
ointment of buffalo fat and crushed healing herbs on it anyway.

  Tyhen’s arms were no longer bleeding and the gashes were nearly healed, but the scars would be a reminder of how far she’d been willing to go to save him.

  When Myra offered to apply some of her ointment onto the gashes, Tyhen pushed it away.

  “Save it for someone who needs it,” she said shortly.

  Yuma frowned. She was so angry. Being rude wasn’t like her. Something else had happened and he didn’t want to wait until they were alone to find out. He sent her a message.

  Your anger is spilling over onto innocent people.

  Tyhen flinched, then looked up. His dark eyes were questioning, but it was the love she saw that pulled her back.

  I am sorry.

  What’s wrong?

  Tears pooled in her eyes and rolled silently down her face.

  Startled, Yuma reached for her hand.

  Whatever it is, we will not speak of it again. Don’t cry. You know the sight of your sadness hurts my heart.

  When she closed her eyes and looked away, he thought she was shutting down. Instead, she clasped his hand tightly as her thoughts began flowing from her to him so fast that some of them ran together.

  I want this over. I want to find a quiet place to live, build a home to keep us warm in this time of cold and frozen, and dry in times of rain. I want to know you will be sleeping beside me every night in the years to come. You died today. It made me realize how easy it is for a mortal to die. I do not want to waste another moment.

  He squeezed her hand in return, explaining what he could remember.

  I saw my father in the light. I heard you screaming but I couldn’t see you. I was so very sad because I thought you were gone, and then I felt your arms around me and the next thing I knew we were in the tall grass.

  Tyhen closed her eyes, unwilling to dwell another moment on the horror. He was alive now and it was all she’d asked for. She heard water sloshing as Lola rinsed her cloth in the bowl of water and felt her touch as she began cleaning the drying blood from her other arm. She was making soft noises of distress as she worked and Tyhen knew the woman was upset and worried, but she was tired of being the one who solved all the problems. Instead, she had one more question for Yuma.

  Where do we go from here?

  She never saw his smile, but it wouldn’t have mattered. Whatever he said would be fine with her. Instead, he threw the question back to her.

  Where do you want to go?

  Answering him was easy.

  Wherever you go, I go.

  Then, when the Cherokee leave the Gathering, we go with them.

  He heard her sigh.

  Is it far to the land of the Cherokee?

  He squeezed her hand again.

  Not as far as it was coming here.

  She thought of the baby in her belly and wanted to welcome her into a home, not a campfire somewhere along the trail.

  When she felt the weight of a buffalo robe settling across her shoulders she finally looked up.

  “Thank you, Myra. I am sorry for my angry words.”

  The little healer smiled as she smoothed away the hair from Tyhen’s forehead.

  “You are like your mother. When she worried, her words were also hot. We have much to be thankful for today. We thought both of you were lost to us, and now you are here. We are grateful.”

  Lola pulled the edge of the buffalo robe across Yuma’s shoulders, too.

  “When you both are warm again, we will help you dress,” she said.

  Yuma looked around the campsite.

  “Where are our clothes?” he asked.

  “They were taken to the river to wash clean. There was much blood.”

  Yuma looked at Tyhen. There was still anger on her face, but when she slid her arm around his shoulder to keep the robe from slipping, he leaned forward and brushed a kiss across her mouth. She smiled. It was all he needed to see. Within a few minutes, he had fallen asleep beside the warmth of the fire.

  Tyhen stretched out beside him, covering both of them with the heavy robe.

  My sister, we are so very happy you found a way to save Yuma’s life. You are a strong leader for us all.

  Adam’s words did not ease her anger. She wanted nothing more to do with leading and she didn’t want to talk about herself. Right before Yuma was stabbed, he and Evan had been yelling at each other. There was too much chaos in their lives for brothers to be fighting.

  Are you still angry with Evan?

  No. I was foolish. Feeling emotion is not easy. I am ashamed.

  She sighed.

  What of Suwanee?

  She is Evan’s to love.

  Tyhen was waiting for Evan to speak for himself, but when he was silent she did not hesitate to ask.

  Evan? Are you and Adam okay?

  Yes, my sister, we are okay. What of Yuma?

  He sleeps. He will be well soon.

  Tyhen still wasn’t satisfied.

  What of the girl? Do you love her?

  I do not know what love means and we are strangers to each other, but I accept she is part of my destiny.

  Tyhen wasn’t happy with that answer.

  Will you love her?

  Evan sighed.

  She will become my world.

  Do you go with her, or do you come with Yuma and with me?

  Evan didn’t hesitate.

  I have already told her I go with you. She chooses to come with me.

  Tyhen was relieved and made no attempt to hide it. She was going to grieve the loss of the New Ones and could not face losing her brothers with them.

  Thank you. I did not want to lose both of you again.

  We do not abandon you, Tyhen. Ever.

  The reassurance in Evan’s voice eased her worry, but it did not ease her anger. That was still with her, like hands around her throat that were choking back her joy, and she did not know how to let it go.

  The all-night march they’d made to save the People’s lives seemed like a lifetime time ago. So much had happened since daybreak it was hard to grasp.

  She caught a glimpse of some of the New Ones standing guard around where they were lying. It felt good to let someone else stand in the gap. She had taken care of all of them for a very long time.

  And so she slept, unaware of the divisive line growing between the New Ones and the Gathering. What the three young warriors had done was the worst possible thing that could have occurred. Trust was lost before it had a chance to form.

  ***

  The New Ones had set up a perimeter around their campsite. No one came in unannounced, and no one left the safety of their camp unattended.

  The People at the Gathering understood why the guards were there and were contrite. Many of their own healers came to offer help and medicines. Drummers had gathered around a ceremonial fire and soon the air was alive with the cries of the singers. It was a valiant effort in praying for the Eagle’s healing and asking forgiveness of the Dove.

  ***

  Evan had taken it upon himself to walk through the camp of the New Ones and tell them about the Lakota losing their belongings in a river crossing. Despite their reluctance to interact with them, they knew what it felt like to be cold without proper clothing. They began gathering up what clothing the New Ones were willing to part with. In the process, he found a winter robe for Suwanee’s mother and one for her father, too. After that, a dozen or more of the New Ones gathered up the coats and robes and cured deerskins that were ready to be cut and made into clothing and followed Evan out of their compound and back through the Gathering to Lakota campground.

  Chief Matto was standing outside his lodge talking to some of his warriors when Evan and the New Ones walked up. Once he’d seen the fine coat this warrior had given Suwanee, he had been expect
ing this visit, but not what the warrior brought with him.

  Evan took a deep breath and faced Suwanee’s father.

  “Chief Matto. I am Evan, a warrior with the New Ones. I have come to speak with you.”

  Matto eyed the group accompanying the young warrior.

  “What of these people?” he asked.

  “Your daughter told us what happened in your river crossing. We, too, have lost much on our journey to get here and understand your discomfort. We have extra clothing for cold weather and have come to share it with your people.”

  Matto was at a loss for words as Evan stepped forward and held out a robe for the chief made from cured deerskin. It had a fur-lined hood and made to hang down past a grown man’s knees.

  “For you, Chief Matto.”

  Matto took it with as much ceremony as he could muster and promptly threw it over his shoulders. The weight and warmth of it was welcome.

  “I thank you,” Matto said, then called his wife outside. “Chata! Come!”

  She came hurrying out and was startled to see Evan and the people with him.

  Evan glanced at the chief for permission and when the chief nodded, he gave Chata the winter robe he’d brought for her.

  “For you,” he said, and knew from the sadness in her eyes that Suwanee had already told her she was leaving them. Still, she took the winter robe and like Matto, pulled it over her head.

  “These are for the Lakota,” Matto said. “You and Suwanee will lead them to the people who are in need.”

  “She is at the river,” Chata said. “I will take.” Then she motioned to the New Ones to follow her and led them away.

  Now Evan and Matto were alone and the chief wasn’t making this moment easy.

  “Chief Matto, when we leave the Gathering, I have asked Suwanee to come with me. The Dove is my sister and where she goes, I go.”

  Even though Matto had already seen the fine coat this young warrior had given to Suwanee and he’d understood the man was claiming her as his wife, it hurt Matto’s heart to hear this said aloud. In his mind he’d always imagined Suwanee would take one of the Lakota warriors and was puzzled as to why she and this man, who was a stranger to her, would want to be together.