“And his spirit will wait for me if I do not mate anyone. Now do you know what has me so worried? He was dying. The Spirit Stone told me, but now he lives. I feel his heart beating.”
“Your father would be so angry with you. He hates the Comanches’.”
“But he won’t know, will he?”
“I must go to him. I don’t know how, but I must. He was dying, but now he lives. I must see him. He doesn’t know that we moved or where we moved to.”
“If he loves you so much, don’t you know he will find you no matter where you are?”
“The stone is telling me he is still weak. His heart beat is not strong. If I see him, it will make his heart beat normal. I know it. That’s how much we love each other. Help me, Mother! Help me to go to him!”
“We have moved to this place many times. I also know where the enemy lives and I know the way there. You are a good horseback rider. And you are always on target when you shoot your bow and arrow. I know you would be safe because of your strength and courage. That does not worry me as much as you finding your way. I can draw the way there, here in the dirt. Study it quick because I can not leave it here. This is where we are. This is where he is. This is an animal path that will lead you to water. You must cross the water; then you will see more animal tracks. Follow them. Continue to follow the animal path. You will follow it until you feel the path is dropping down; because it is. Where they live, is in a canyon. Where the paths are flat, the canyon is surrounded by high mountains. You will only see them when you get to the canyon. There you will have to cross a wide river which is on the Comanche land. It is the color of ripe berries. You should know that once you are near the canyon, you will be surrounded by our enemy, the Comanches . Remember that.” She hurried and smeared her hand over the earth until all marking were gone.
“Now we have to think of a reason why no one will be seeing you for many moons. And another thing, you can not leave with your horse. People will notice that your horse is missing. You can not even take mine. You will be traveling with a strange horse.”
“Mother, all the horses know me. I go and feed them sometimes and talk to them. I dry them when they are wet with rain. I take grass and wipe them down making them shine. I brush them with our buffalo cloth. I take them, one at a time and walk them for exercise. I love all of them and they know it.”
“That is good. That will help you. Now let’s think of why no one sees you for many moons.”
They both sat quietly thinking for a while. “Let’s go and help with the meal or everyone will know something is going on. We will speak again.”
While they worked, Raven was thinking; if they are told that I am sick and have to stay away from everyone until I get better, then I can leave. Mother can put up another tepee just for me and a little out from the others. Our Medicine Man will see me today and do his magic and mother can say she will take care of me so he doesn’t have to go in the empty tepee where I am suppose to be sick.
That will work. I will speak with her after we have eaten and cleaned.
When she told her mother the plan, she said it would work. “It is good plan, Raven. We will do that and I will play like I am taking care of you and bring you broth two times a day, only I will drink it in the empty tepee. I have the poles and buffalo skins that are sewed together to make a cover. It is from the one my mother stayed in until she passed on. Continue to play like you are sick for now. You can leave right before first light. Pack what you need when it is time for sleep.”
Chapter Seven
While it was still dark and quiet, she slipped out of the tepee that was put up soon after she told of her plan. She picked out her favorite horse that she knew would not be missed. She left her own horse with the others.
She was now on her way staying in the plains. She remembered the drawings in the dirt of the way to go. Animals always find water and make a path leading to it. That was to be her first way. Later on the same day as she followed the path, she saw the water. She had traveled far enough that they both, she and the horse had to rest. There was short lush grass for Horse that was close to water. She let him go on his own while she got out some of the traveling food. She was also hungry. They both had to eat and drink and rest. When Horse had satisfied his need for food and water, he laid in the shade of a lonely Cottonwood Tree. She also had filled her need and laid with her head on Horse’s neck. They both slept for hours .When they woke she filled her bladder water bag. It would soon be time to travel again. As she crossed the narrow, shallow creek she saw the animal trail and followed it heading south.
As they traveled, she saw buzzards flying low and to the left of the trail ahead of them. Something either is about to die or has just died for buzzards only eat fresh kill. She had to check it out. As they neared, she saw a doe that had just given birth when she died. The doe hadn’t even bit through the umbilical cord to set her fawn free. She got out her knife and was about to cut a fringe hanging from her buckskin dress when one of the buzzards came swooping down. With her bow hanging down her back, and her arrows next to it, it didn’t take her long to fire off an arrow killing the large bird. Then another one flew down, but she was ready for this one and he, too, was killed with the first arrow aimed at him. She didn’t want to kill the buzzards, but she didn’t want them to hurt the newborn. She never liked to kill something she was not going to eat. Fearing more buzzards would come or wolves, or even bears, she then hurried, and tied the buckskin fringe around the cord cutting it with her sharp knife freeing the live fawn that was connected to the dead mother.
She always had several cloths of buffalo skins with her. She wet one in the creek and placed it in the fawn’s mouth. He immediately started sucking for the cool water. She was debating what to do with him. She didn’t have time to cook him or enough salt to preserve him, so she decided she had to let him live.
She wrapped his two front legs with a buffalo cloth and tied it with a piece of rawhide she always kept in her traveling pouch, repeating the same way on his two back legs. She did this to protect the horse from the fawn’s hoofs. She threw a blanket over Horse and wet the buffalo cloth again from the creek and placed it back in the fawn’s mouth. As she held him on her lap while riding, he slept the whole time.
They stopped the next night by a Juniper Tree that stood alone. There was a low, shallow puddle of water. It was enough for Horse to drink and to wet the cloth for the fawn. She poured water from her animal bladder water bag for herself to drink. After Horse and Raven ate and drank, they slept close together. The fawn was cuddled close to her and sucking water from the buffalo cloth.
It was when the sun was bright that they traveled and she suddenly noticed the ground declining. It was then that she saw the canyon surrounded by tall, breathtaking mountains. She didn’t see anyone watching, but felt that several eyes were following her. In a way it made her feel safe. She would be seeing Night Hawk soon. As she was nearing low scrubs, she startled a Comanche woman and a pale-skin woman. They were digging up roots. The Comanche pulled out her knife and was about to jump out at Raven when she put her hands out to show that she had no weapons. She slid off her horse, still holding the fawn. She was handing the fawn to the Comanche woman saying, “A gift for you. You take.” The woman realized she was not in harm and took the fawn from Raven.
As she crossed the wide, berry colored river that was running thru the canyon, two Comanche’s was heading her way.
Neither one knew all the words of their language, but enough to communicate.
Two of the warriors that were watching, approached the Apache Squaw.
‘What you want? Why you here?”
“I come to see Night Hawk. I am Raven.”
“Raven, I am Long Snake. He is my friend. He is hurt very bad. You come, I take.” To himself he was thinking, she is beautiful just like my friend said. It is no wonder he loves her.
&
nbsp; She followed him to their village.
“Wait,” he said putting his hand up. When he told Night Hawk that Raven was here, he was so surprised that he forgot about his injuries and hurried and got up.
“No, I bring her to you. Stay.”
“You didn’t tell me she is that beautiful. I go and get her.”
When she entered his tepee and saw him, she was so happy, but also worried.
“Oh, Raven. Come to me, my love. I missed you so, but I could not ride my horse and I could not walk that far. I was cut up on the inside; not just a little on the outside. That is why it is taking so long for me to heal. If it wasn’t for Long Snake, I would have died. But you are here with me now. You came alone my brave one?”
“For so long I thought you were dead. Your part of our Spirit Stone was changing to colors of rain cloud and I could barely feel your heart beat. I was so happy when I looked at it again and saw the fire color. Your heart beat is stronger, but still not enough. I had to see you. I had to come alone. But I thought if you saw me you would heal faster.” She laid down on his mat in his tepee. She was very careful not to touch that area of his wound. It was wrapped with soft cloth. She was glad of that. “Does it hurt you? Are you in great pain?”
“I do not worry about pain. I can handle pain. But I can’t handle being away from you. I miss you so. Let’s look at our Spirit Stone again.”
She reached on the inside of her buckskin dress to the pouch and withdrew the stone. “See, it is fire color. I want to place the two pieces together and feel your heartbeat. It is stronger than the last time I felt it. Feel.”
“Yes, it is strong. That is because you are with me. You make my heart strong. Stay here with me forever.”
“I can’t. I gave my word to my mother that I would come back. She knows of our love. She is telling everyone I am sick so they won’t know that I am gone. But I can only stay two moons. Then I must leave you. We moved more to the south. All game was gone in our area; no berries or roots. We had to move to survive. But I will draw you the way to travel on the dirt so you will know where I am at. Do not come until you are completely healed. I couldn’t bear to see your part of our stone rain cloud color. Please do not come too soon. I couldn’t bear to loose you. I love you with love so great that it takes my breath away when I think of loosing you.”
“No Comanche needs to be shown where the Apaches’ are. We know. Don’t worry, Raven. When I am healed I have a score to settle with Straight Arrow.”
“No, please. I don’t want you hurt again. I know of your strength, but I also know of his wickedness. He is like all bad spirits live in him. He is evil.”
“You will stay here with me the whole time you are here. This is my tepee. I live alone. Now you live with me.”
“No one will think bad of me if I do?”
“No one will. Everyone knows of my great love for you. I have told every one of you, Raven.”
“Does your mother and father still walk this earth?”
“Yes, and you will meet them soon. They already know of you. Now come and let me feel your nearness, my love.”
She did. She happily cuddled up with him, but being careful not to hurt him.
“Can I do something for you; any cooking or washing or sewing, anything? Let me bath you. It will make you feel better.”
“Do I need to be bathed?”
“No, I just want to do something for you.”
“Then stay close to me. That is what I need you to do for me.”
“Yes, you can do something for me. Go and find Long Snake for me.”
“I go now.”
She saw him as soon as she walked out of the tepee. He came to her.
“You need something, Raven?”
“Night Hawk wants to speak with you.”
He followed her to him. “You want to speak to me, my friend?”
“Yes, we only have Raven here for two moons then she must leave. Have the women cook something special and we need to entertain her. Tomorrow have everyone show how good we are riding our horses. Have them race. I only wish I could show off for her, but you do that for me. We will have everyone gather around the big fireplace and we can let her meet everyone. That will be good.”
“Yes, I’ll speak to everyone. They will like that. They like to showoff how good we are at everything including the women cooking. I go now and tell them.”
The whole Comanche tribe made her stay there happy. They are good cooks and cooked a few foods different from the Apaches. They were all so friendly to her and went to great lengths to entertain her. The next day they rode their horses in the most unusual ways that she had never seen before. They were riding while standing on the horses back while going full speed; and leaping from one horse to another while they were riding. They told funny stories to make everyone laugh; her included. These were happy people and she liked all of them especially Night Hawk’s mother and father. He sat around the fire with her. He seemed strong even while healing. The two moons here were so happy to her. She loved it here and wished she could stay. She loved sleeping with him and waking up with him. She loved taking care of him. Oh, how she hated when the time came for her to leave.
“Raven, I want Long Snake to ride part way with you. You will let him?”
“Yes I will let him only to ease your mind. I will be fine. Don’t worry about me. I only have one season and then I am to mate with Straight Arrow. I don’t know how I am going to handle that. I know that if I mate with someone else our spirits will not be together anymore. That is what I am worried about.”
“Do not worry, my love. I have a plan. Just go along with what they want you to do.”
They left and crossed over the wide river running thru the canyon, Long Snake traveled with her until they got to the first water stream. He could not go any further for the Apaches might be near and harm her trying to get to him. He wished her safe travel as he turned his horse and left to return to his own land.
Everything went good on her return. She arrived by her people at night. She slept in her grandmother’s tepee and the next day she came out telling everyone she was feeling better.
Chapter Eight
“He is well, Raven?”
“Yes, Mother. He is healing from a great wound. He will live. I am so happy about that. I would love to live there with him. I like all of his people even his mother and father. And they all like me. It is so beautiful where his people live. The mountains are gorgeous. Have you seen it?”
“No, I only heard of the great beauty there; it would be a good place to raise your children.”
“You wouldn’t mind if I left you?”
“Yes, I would mind, but I would be happy for you. It is a good thing to find your true love, and to spend all your years together.”
“Thank you for understanding. But I don’t know what to do about Straight Arrow. Our mating is only one season away. Night Hawk told me not to worry; that he has a plan. I don’t know what that means, but I will pretend to be happy to mate with the wrong man.”
It was the middle of the last season before her mating with the warrior she did not love and did not even like. It was bitterly cold. As she wrapped the woven blanket around her shoulders, she was looking at the dark moon. She walked around the few trees here in the southern plains. Some movement caught her eye and when she looked again she saw Night Hawk. Her heart skipped a beat. After all this time of forty moons, he was standing waiting for her at her new village. She ran to his opened arms. They held each other not wanting to let go. He was finally here with her. She felt the warmth from his body even as the night grew colder.
“You are healed?” she asked.
“Yes, I am healed on my body and in my heart being here with you.”
“I knew. The Spirit Stone told me of your strong heart beat. I am so hap
py. But in half of the season will be the time for my mating. What am I to do?”
“Do not worry, my love. I have a plan. Now let’s find us a place where we can share our love.”
The world glowed again. The world was warm again. The world belonged to them again. They were both bathed with her warm tear drops of joy and happiness. So long they had waited for each other, but dreading their soon departure.
“I will see you again when the moon is dark or before.
“You seem happy today; any reason?” Still Water, Raven’s mother, said.
“Yes, Mother, He was here last night. He came to see me. We love each other so.”
Raven was worried when the day seemed warm. It is at that time that she would mate with Straight Arrow. It was to be when the warmth returns to the land; when flowers bloom and animals come out from their hiding places. It was a time that she always looked forward to, but not this year. There was no love shared between them. Straight Arrow only wanted her for his mate because of her beauty. He always wanted to be the best in everything. He did not love her, but he wanted to possess her; to own her as he owns the best horse or that he owns the most scalps. He thought more of what he wanted and not what others in his tribe wanted. He would be a bad leader when the time would come. Everyone knew of this and wished for his father, Chief Running Bear, to walk on this earth forever.
Raven and Still Water were decorating her mating dress. They were sewing small beads and tiny shells on it to make it pretty. On the inside, without her mother knowing it, she sewed her pouch that held her Spirit Stone. She felt lost without it. It should have been a happy time for her, but was not.
“Why did Father have to promise me to a warrior that I do not love? He knows of love because you both shared love when you mated and still do. Why did he think I wanted to mate someone where there was no love?”
1- The Glass Room 2- The Spirit Stone -3-bear Hugs-4- Believe Page 12
