1- The Glass Room 2- The Spirit Stone -3-bear Hugs-4- Believe

by Beverly Machado

  “You waited for me!”

  “I will always wait for you.” He held her close to his strong, bare chest for a long time. “You will belong to me one day; no one else. I will have you for my own. I always get what I want and I want you.”

  “But I am promised to our Chief’s son. He is a violent man. He will kill you.”

  “Do you want him?”

  “No, my father promised me to him. He wants me to be Chief’s first wife.”

  “You want to be Chief’s first wife?”

  “No, I am afraid of him. He is wicked.”

  “Then I will take you from him.”

  “But everyone is afraid of him.”

  “He needs to be afraid of me. I fear no one.”

  “Hear my words. Do you want me?”

  “I don’t know you, but my heart wants you.”

  “Then come.”

  They laid on the forest floor looking into each other eyes. He reached under her wrap and made her want him.

  “Now do you want me?”

  “Yes,” she said panting.

  There love making was everything she ever dreamed about and more. Yes, she wanted him, but how could she have him when Straight Arrow would not let her go. They stayed laying in each others arms.

  “Don’t worry, Raven. I will take you away from him. I will leave you now, but I will be back next dark moon. I will wait for you. You come when it is quiet.”

  “Yes, I come to you.”

  When she entered the tepee, her father was sitting up waiting for her.

  “Why you leave in night?”

  “I had to relieve myself.”

  “Why you not use night basket?”

  “It is my moon time. I needed to go out.”

  He laid back down and before long, he was snoring.

  Four days passed and the young boy came down from the mountain. He looked haggard, but they all knew not to speak to him until he spoke to the Chief. As he entered his tent, and the Chief saw him, he waved to his squaws to leave. The boy sat crossed-leg in front of him and waited to speak.

  “Now speak to me if you saw a vision.”

  “Yes, a long vision; a clear vision. I saw many people with their skin the color of sand by creek. Some on horses riding back and forth. Watching. Large animals, big like buffalos pulling tepees on tree boxes on big circles. Many, many of them were heading above us thru prairie, our prairie. Some go to mountains, our mountains. They were pushing us off our land. We were sad, but we were leaving. They had long sticks that made noise that hurt ears when fire came out. What does that mean Chief Running Bear? Do you know?”

  “Let me think about it before I speak of it. You go now and eat. You have done well. You will be known now as “Sees Far.” You are now one of my braves. Tell no one of your vision. Tell no one of anything that happened on the mountain top, only me.”

  “Yes, I tell no one.”

  He was so weak from hunger and thirst that he dragged himself to his mother’s tepee. She had a big hip bone used for plate filled with food waiting for him with the bladder of an animal filled with water for she knew of his hunger and thirst.

  Chief Running Bear thought and thought about the vision. I will think of this for several moons before I speak of it.

  All worked hard, young and old alike. Even children had their duties assigned to them. Everything they needed was made from animals that warriors killed and squaws’ cleaned, scraped and chewed. Every part of the animals was used. Bones became dishes or tools. Scraping flesh and hair from buffalo hides and tanning was done by women, young and old alike. They chewed to soften the hides and sewed them together for tepee covers and clothes. Numerous uses for the same article were versatile. Racks made from trees or bones became useful for drying and smoking meat. Everything they needed was made by all in the tribe. Children’s job was to keep dogs away from cooking areas. Clay pots were made for cooking or selective bones were also used. Nothing went to waste.

  While squaws taught younger ones how to do all chores, warriors made weapons while teaching the young. All the tribe members worked from sun up to past sun down, but not everyday. Some days were for gatherings. There was storytelling as they sat around the central fire. Some stories were funny and sent every one laughing. There was a closeness that nestled these people together. They enjoyed their work and they enjoyed their play. Children didn’t have many toys because all tribes traveled to escape the cold of winter going south; or south to north to escape the heat. When animals became scarce, they traveled to find where they were plentiful. Because of their traveling days, toys for children were limited or nonexistent. Games were invented and played with jubilance.

  A simple game of rocks placed in a basket they made and pushed with sticks to see who could get their basket to the drawn line in the dirt first, was fun for all; the players and the watchers. It didn’t take much to entertain these happy people.

  One day a young warrior trying to show his worth to his superiors, traded his beaver kill to trappers he came across in the nearby waters, for a bag of special corn. When they were sitting around the fire he placed some of the corn in a clay pot thinking he did good because he knew his people loved corn. But when the corn started popping out of the pot, it sent them reaching for them and knocking each other over. They laughed so hard they couldn’t catch many.

  “What kind of corn is that?” someone asked.

  “The trappers said it was a special corn.”

  “It was special alright. It should be called catch corn.”

  At all the gatherings, Straight Arrow always sat next to Raven. It won’t be too much longer and she will be mine, he thought.

  Chapter Three

  The moon turned dark; the time Raven waited for. As she neared the forest, she saw him sitting on his horse, so straight, so confident, and so daring. She couldn’t wait to touch him, to feel his arms circling her.

  She thought, but I still do not know him. Only my heart is leading me to him.

  He slid off his horse and held her close to him not wanting to let her go. He again took her hand and led her to their favorite spot in the forest. The fallen leaves were damp with moisture of the night; but they cared not. It was their special place. The dampness meant nothing. He would make her forget about such as that. She was ready for his love making. She had waited thru all cycles of the moon, watching each one. He was here now when the moon grew dark to take her and she let him. It was after lying in each others arms that they sat up together, side by side. The damp leaves now held a warmth from their heated love making. As they were sitting and talking, Night Hawk was pushing the ground between them not thinking of what he was doing; deep in his nearness of her. He loved her. He had never been in love before. Never in his nineteen full circles of seasons had he ever seen such beauty and she is mine. I will take her from Straight Arrow even if I have to kill him. His hand was still pushing the leaves and dirt away, when he felt something under the earth. He then dug until he pulled it out.

  “What do you have, Night Hawk?”

  “It is only one part of a Spirit Stone.”

  “Let me dig and see if I can find the other part.” As she dug just a little deeper, she pulled out another stone.

  “Let me see that, Raven.” He examined it carefully then held it in his hand. “Let me hold your stone.” When he did, he said, “Hold this stone and tell me what you feel.”

  She did and told him it was so cold it felt like falling snow.

  “Now hold this one you found and tell me what you feel.”

  “It is also very cold like yours.”

  “They are two stones that belong together. Look how it fits together.” He put them together and they fit perfectly. “Raven, do you know what we have found?”

  “I’m not sure if this is true, bu
t I have heard stories about a Spirit Stone. I didn’t believe it because the story goes that they are only found by true lovers and so few are on this land. They are the size of a mother deer’s heart. But what color is it. I cannot tell in this dimness?”

  “It is the color of a rain cloud now, but if our spirits fill it, it is the color of fire. Then if one of us dies then it turns back to the color of a rain cloud and the heart beat stops.”

  “Oh, I hope I never feel it like that; but the one that dies waits for the other, right?”

  “Yes, the one that dies waits until the other is mated again.”

  “I have also heard the same stories told as we sat around our fire. This is what I have heard. If the stones are cold, that means the lovers couldn’t find each other in the spirit world. But if they are warm, the lovers are together for always. These stones are telling us the lovers are lost to each other. We can make them ours. Let me show you. Hold your part of the stone and cup it in both of your hands. Wait. I will do mine at the same time.” He cupped his hands around the stone. “Now while holding it to your mouth, blow your warm breath on the stone. I will do that at the same time. We have to blow our breath three times on it. Ready?” She said yes. They together did it.

  “Now let’s hold it close to our hearts.” And they did. “Now look at the stones.”

  “It changed colors. Can you see it now? Both of the stones are the color of fire. Feel its warmth. Is yours warm?”

  “Yes. Now together, let’s put them together, very carefully, where they will fit. “ She did place her part together with his. “A perfect fit,” she said.

  “Now tell me what you feel.”

  “I feel a movement. No, wait, it feels like a heart beat. You feel.”

  “Yes, put one of your hands on my chest and on the stone. Do you feel the same beat?”

  “Yes, now you do that to my heart. Now do you feel the same heart beat?”

  “Yes, it is alive with our spirits together. It is now our Spirit Stone.” He reached over and put his cheek next to hers. “See the tiny holes on each?” He took a strip of rawhide, the size of a pine needle, and said, “Let me have both of them and I will make you a necklace to wear close to your heart. It will keep our spirits together even when we are apart; our own lovers Spirit Stone. Those stories we heard all of our lives are true.” They were both happy as he placed the necklace around her neck.

  As she made her way home, she kept feeling the heat of the stone. It made her feel happy knowing they were both in love. She didn’t know what she would do about her mating with Straight Arrow. She didn’t love him; she never did. She was sure of it now that she knew what love felt like. She also knew that she had to keep the Spirit Stone hidden from everyone, even her mother. She slipped into her sleeping wrap and was glad it went up to her neck. Her mother asked her one day why she hides to dress and because she did not want her to know about her new lover, she had to lie. She said it was because she has seen seventeen full circles of seasons and her body was changing and she was shy.

  When she went swimming, she would hide her Spirit Stone in the toe of her moccasins so her secret stayed hidden.

  Chapter Four

  Night Hawk felt happier than he ever felt before. He had to tell someone so he turned to his closest friend, Long Snake.

  When many of the warriors were making arrowheads he whispered to Long Snake, “I want to speak with you alone.”

  He knodded. He knew not to ask questions to his friend because he thought of him as a wild one, capable of anything. They met right before the sun disappeared and sat far away from the others.

  “I am in love.”

  “You? I never thought you would be satisfied with a mate or even several mates of your own. Do I know her?”

  “No, she is not Comanche. She is Apache; a beautiful Apache.”

  “Are you crazy? They are our enemy. How do you think you can mate an enemy?”

  “I don’t know, but I will. It is what I want and I will have her. You know I will fight to my death for what I want and I want her. She is beautiful and she wants me, too. She is promised to the Apache Chief’s son, Straight Arrow.”

  “Now I know you are crazy as a coon trapped in a cage for a long time. Everyone knows about Straight Arrow. He is more violent than you. It would take more than you to bring him to his death. If she is promised to him, you better forget her and find another. We have beautiful squaws in our people.”

  “I will have her! Do you hear me? Will you help me if I need you?”

  “Now you want me to die for something that is not worth dieing for.”

  “She is worth dieing for to me.”

  “We will speak of this later.” Long Snake said.

  The Comanche Tribe lived in a beautiful canyon. High mountains surrounded the place they chose to put up their tepees. It was here that all was gathered around the central fireplace. First they ate, then they told stories. When everyone asked him for a story, he thought about the Spirit Stone story, but decided not to speak of it. “I have no story now. I listen now.” The night was filled with laughter at the stories. Some were told with motions of jumping or dancing or singing. When it was time for sleep, Night Hawk was planning his moves. Sleep would not come to him.

  What the Comanche tribe loved the most was doing tricks on their horses. Changing from sitting to standing while their horses ran was exciting to them. They also rode hanging on one side of the horse where they could not be seen. They found this useful when sneaking into battle. Each tried to out do the other with different positions on their fast running horses. It also came in good for when they were hunting, to sneak up on animals. While they were competing with each other, word was spread around that another meeting was to take place in the council tepee. All warriors were to be present to listen to Chief Buffalo Bull. The excitement of riding their horses stopped and the excitement of receiving order from their Chief was waiting for them.

  They all had their same seating. Night Hawk sat to the right of Chief Buffalo Bull just two spaces from him. Next came Long Snake. They waited to hear what was needed to be done by the best Comanche warriors and hunters that they were.

  “Our supplies are running low. One of our lookout riders has seen large herds of buffalos; not just for meat, but for warm clothes and tepee tops and everything they provide us with. You all are my best horsemen and can kill enough while running your horses. Or we might run them over the cliff and kill most all of them. I do not like that way. We don’t want to kill more than we need. They need to breed so we will always have them for our needs. They will be nearing our northern cliffs two moons from now. Be ready. I have spoken.”

  The peace pipe was passed around as a ritual to a good meeting.

  All loved the excitement of chasing and killing the buffalos. They checked their bows and made sure they had plenty arrows and arrowheads. Spears were also made ready. All the squaws were also getting ready for their work was soon beginning. They knew to work fast in preserving everything useful of the great beast. One moon passed with them hearing the pounding of hoofs as they placed their ears to the ground. Excitement was mounting in all. Half way of another moon they mounted their horses. The squaws waited for their cue to go running after the slaughter was over. That’s when their work began. Louder and louder the sounds from the buffalos came, sending the horseback riders getting behind them sending them on the run. Horses running, buffalos running, arrows flying in the air hitting their targets; warriors howling, thumping sounds loud as the animals fell to the ground, dead. Over and Over until they had killed as many as they needed not wanting to wipe out the whole herd.

  Next came the squaws running and went to work as fast as they could before wolves or coyotes or buzzards helped themselves to free kill. Flies multiplied. It sent the women working faster. When the hides were removed, then the beast was butchered an
d hurriedly placed on the travois that the horses would pull back to their village. Covers were fast to be thrown over the meat. But getting them back to their home grounds only began other chores for them. Meat had to be smoked; some dried. Some were salted heavily to protect them from rotting. Some of the inners were removed and boiled; bones separated as to their usage. Bladders and kidneys were to be cleaned for the water containers. Even the sinew was used for thread. Every part of these animals was used. There was nothing left without a use. The liver had been removed first for the warriors to eat raw. That was a ritual that was always observed.

  When all work was finished, they celebrated by reenacting the hunting tactics that they used by pretending they had bow and arrows in their hands and riding on horses, throwing spears. They sang songs of hunting and songs of war as they sat around the large fire pit and enjoyed eating from their kill.

  As the moon was turning dark it sent Night Hawk on his way into the enemy territory. He was happy to be seeing Raven again. He missed her. He arrived a little early and hid so as not to be seen.

  She waited until it was quiet and slipped out of the tepee. She knew he would be there waiting. He was. They rushed into each others arms; so happy to be together again. After they shared their love, they sat in the dark forest, side by side.

  “How is our Spirit Stone doing?” he asked her.

  She turned her buckskin dress inside out to show him. “I have sewed pouches on the inside of all my clothes. I did not want to take a chance of someone seeing it and touching it and breathing on it. “

  “Now that it is alive in our spirits, they could not hurt it to breath on it. The stone will only allow our spirits. It is only when the stone is cold that someone else can use it. But I do think it is a good idea to hide it. It is a lover’s stone also and because you are promised, if Straight Arrow saw it, it would cause you problems. The time will come for us to make battle for you. You do know that don’t you?”