Grizzly Killer: The Making of a Mountain Man

by Lane R Warenski

  I ran back over to Sun Flower. Raven Wing had cut through the shoulder lacing on her dress and had the wound exposed. She was covered with blood, and I ran to the teepee and brought the wool blankets. Sun Flower was pale and was takin’ short breaths, tryin’ to control the pain. Runnin’ Wolf ran to the river to get more help while Two Feathers and a couple of others rode out, followin’ the Arapahos to make sure they weren’t comin’ back. Runnin’ Wolf brought an old woman he called Grandmother and Shinin’ Star back with him. Grandmother moved Raven Wing out of the way and started givin’ orders. Shinin’ Star ran to a wickiup and returned with several pouches and a leather roll. She unrolled the leather, and there were several tools in it made of bone and some chips of flint used for cuttin’.

  Grandmother was talkin’ as she worked, but I could understand none of it. She moved the arrow slightly, and Sun Flower jumped. She had me and Runnin’ Wolf hold Sun Flower down, and she got a good grip on the arrow shaft and pulled. The flint arrowhead came out with the shaft and a lot of blood. Sun Flower gasped, and her breathin’ became a lot faster. Grandmother poured the powdery contents of one of the pouches over the wound and pressed it into the hole with her hand. I cut several long strips off one of the blankets to use as bandages. When Grandmother slowly moved her hand away, the bleeding was stopped. Shinin’ Star and Raven Wing then started to put the bandage over the wound, tyin’ it as tight as Sun Flower could stand.

  Just then, a wailing started up from the village, and Grandmother, with Runnin’ Wolf, hurried in that direction. I was kneelin’ beside Sun Flower, coverin’ her with a blanket, when Runnin’ Wolf came back and said Spotted Horse had just died from a lance through his side. The only other wound was a bad cut on Weasel’s back, but they thought he would heal. I told Raven Wing and Shinin’ Star we needed to get Sun Flower into the teepee and Raven Wing said no. She said, “Grandmother said if we move her, the bleeding will start again.”

  I asked Runnin’ Wolf if he would get me some long branches that I could make a lean-to with, and in a few minutes, he was back. We lashed together a lean-to, and I covered it with Sun Flower’s buffalo robe to keep the sun off her. She was sleepin’ now, and Jimbo was curled up right next to her. Raven Wing and Shinin’ Star was lyin’ there by her, and I went and got Ol’ Red and the chestnut.

  Me and Runnin’ Wolf spent the next couple of hours draggin’ the dead Arapaho warriors to a wash ’bout five miles from the village. I didn’t understand the takin’ of scalps, but it was part of the Injun way of life. When we were done, there were twelve Arapaho scalps that we brought back.

  We were all tired, but Stands Tall was an old man and didn’t look good. He was sittin’ by himself when we returned. As me and Runnin’ Wolf walked up to give the scalps to him, he tried to stand but started to fall, and I caught him. I felt blood on his sleeve and sat him back down. Runnin’ Wolf ran to get Dove, his wife, who was helpin’ the wives of Spotted Horse prepare his body for burial. I was helpin’ the chief out of his buckskin shirt when Dove and Grandmother came hurryin’ back with Runnin’ Wolf. We carefully got his shirt off and saw he had a broken arrow shaft stickin’ out of his upper arm. We got Stands Tall laid down, and the women went to work on gettin’ the arrow out of his arm. It hadn’t hit the bone, and you could see the point pushin’ against the skin on the other side, so Grandmother picked up a rock and hit the broken shaft, pushin’ it through the skin and out the back of his arm. She then poured some of the powder she’d used on Sun Flower on the wounds and wrapped a piece of soft leather around it. He smiled and thanked her and said he would be fine.

  Sun Flower was mighty pale and was covered with now-dried blood. Raven Wing was lyin’ by her side and had fallen asleep while Shinin’ Star was sittin’ on the other side of her, holdin’ her hand. I went and got our cookin’ pot and built a small fire by the lean-to. I filled the pot with water and set it on the fire to warm. Then I got the coffee pot and started a pot of coffee. When the water was warm, I took a piece of the blanket with the hot water and started to very gently clean the dried blood off Sun Flower, but Shinin’ Star took the cloth from me and continued. Sun Flower opened her eyes and tried to smile, but she was weak and in pain. I was ready to pour a cup of coffee, when Grandmother came by, and when she saw my cup, she took it from me and dipped it in the warm water and poured the contents of another pouch in the water and stirred it with a stick. Raven Wing was up now, helpin’ Shinin’ Star, and they were cuttin’ the rest of the lacing off Sun Flower’s dress. It was soaked with blood, and they were takin’ it off her. Grandmother said something and handed Shinin’ Star the cup. Raven Wing lifted Sun Flower’s head just enough for Shinin’ Star to get the cup to her lips, and with Raven Wing tellin’ Sun Flower to drink, she managed to take in a few sips. Grandmother said something else and walked away. Raven Wing looked at me and said she needed to drink all this.

  I thought back to the day I buried Pa and how helpless I’d felt not bein’ able to help him. I had the same helpless feelin’ now. But now I wasn’t alone, and Grandmother was a healer and she knew what to do. I walked a little away from the village and asked God to save Sun Flower. I couldn’t remember the last time I had prayed, and I hoped God remembered me. I felt a little better when I walked back to the others.

  It was evenin’ when the boys came runnin’ into the village, shoutin’ that Two Feathers and the others where comin’ back. A few minutes later, they came ridin’ in. Two Feathers went right to his father as the rest of us gathered around. I could see the concern on Two Feathers’s face when he saw the bandaged arm and paleness of Stands Tall’s face, but Stands Tall stood up and greeted his son. I could understand enough of what was said to know they followed the Arapaho warriors a long ways, and Two Feathers was sure they wouldn’t be back. Runnin’ Wolf told me they had followed them ’bout halfway to the Seeds-Kee-Dee, and two of them had been wounded and were bleeding.

  There was meat roastin’ on fires all around the village, and the smell made me realize none of us had eaten all day. Raven Wing had meat boilin’ in the pot, and she made up a pan of biscuits. Shinin’ Star and Jimbo had not left Sun Flower’s side all day. Shinin’ Star smiled as I walked up. She was still wearin’ the white dress from last night and had the ribbons and white fur in her hair. She also had dark circles under her eyes from no sleep. Raven Wing got a cup of broth from the pot, and Shinin’ Star put more of the ground powder that Grandmother had left her in the broth and woke Sun Flower to get her to drink it. It took a little while for her to wake up, and with Raven Wing holdin’ her head again, she was able to drink most of the cup. I kissed her check, and she smiled at me then drifted off to sleep again. Raven Wing told me the powder would help her with pain and sleep.

  After we ate, I got the grizzly robe and other blankets to make a bed for me next to Sun Flower. But Raven Wing and Shinin’ Star took them and were makin’ up a bed, when Stands Tall, with Two Feathers helpin’ him, walked up to us, followed by most of the village. Stands Tall said in his slow and deliberate speech that everyone in the village owed their life to Grizzly Killer and his Great Medicine Dog. I called Jimbo, and he slowly came out from under the lean-to and stood by me. Dove came forward with the whole shoulder of a deer and laid it on the ground in front of Jimbo, and when he picked it up and wagged his, tail the whole village cheered. Two Feathers asked if the children could touch the big dog, and Jimbo acted like he loved the attention of the line of children walkin’ by and rubbin’ his head, then Weasel came, and even through the pain of the cut down his back, he dropped to his knees and rubbed Jimbo’s ears. He said, “The dog saved us all, but me he saved twice. The Arapaho that he killed was the one that cut my back open, and he would now be in the land beyond if the dog would not have attacked when he did.”

  Stands Tall asked Shinin’ Star how Sun Flower was doin’, and she answered, “Resting but not good.” He then looked at me and told me that both Sun Flower and Raven Wing fought as great warriors to save the village.
He said, “Grandmother is a great healer and has treated wounds for longer than most of us have lived. Everything that we can do for her will be done, and if we need anything, just ask. Gray Horse will be close by to serve you for anything you might need.”

  Just before we all turned in for the night, Grandmother brought another pouch of herbs and gave Shinin’ Star instructions to boil them in water and make Sun Flower drink the tea every little while. We slept with me lyin’ next to Sun Flower on one side and Shinin’ Star next to her on the other and the grizzly robe over us all. Shinin’ Star would wake me ’bout every two hours, and while I would gently hold Sun Flower’s head, Shinin’ Star would get her to swallow as much of the tea as she could. The tea looked like it had several different tree barks in it, including the white bark of quakies, different flower petals, and powders that had been ground fine that I had no idea what they might be.

  Come mornin’, Sun Flower opened her eyes and smiled at me. But she was still mighty pale. Shinin’ Star moved to get up to brew some more of the tea, and Sun Flower held her hand and wanted her to stay. So I got the tea brewin’ in the small coffee pot. When I moved to the fire, Shinin’ Star put her ear down by Sun Flower’s mouth, and I could see Sun Flower was tellin’ her somethin. Shinin’ Star smiled at her and kissed her on the forehead. Just as the tea was startin’ to boil, Grandmother came by. She felt Sun Flower’s head and neck, and then with Shinin’ Star’s help, they took the bandage off.

  The wound was a fearsome-lookin’ thing. The skin was almost white around it, but it was lined with red. It looked like it was startin’ to close up but was oozin’ a clear liquid from the part that was still open. Grandmother gently probed around it with her fingers. It made Sun Flower jump, and I could tell it hurt. Then she got right close and smelled it, then she asked for one of the cups. She poured several different powders in the cup and then just enough water to make a paste. When she had it all mixed up, she used her finger and spread the paste over the wound. I cut a clean strip off the cut-up blanket, and Shinin’ Star and Raven Wing bandaged the wound again.

  I was almighty worried. Sun Flower’s color was kind of a slate gray, and her skin was always cold. Before Grandmother left, I had Runnin’ Wolf ask her ’bout the color and feel of Sun Flower’s skin, and she said it was from the loss of blood. She said the more Sun Flower could drink, the faster she would make more blood, but if she was too weak to make more blood, she would die. I must have figured all along that Sun Flower dyin’ was possible, but I hadn’t let myself think of it, but now it was said right out loud, I was mighty scared.

  The next two days were spent without me or Shinin’ Star leavin’ Sun Flower’s side. We would help her drink the tea Grandmother provided and help Grandmother change the poultice twice a day. The weather was very warm and sunny durin’ the day, and we would roll the heavy robe off her, but at night, it would get right cool, and we would pull the grizzly robe up over us all.

  The third mornin’ when we woke, I noticed her cheeks had a little pink in them, and her hand felt warmer. When she looked at me, those beautiful dark eyes had some of the sparkle back in them. She drank a whole cup of the tea and, a little while later, a cup of broth. After that, she had to get up to go to the bushes. She was a small woman and had lost a lot of weight. When I picked her up, she felt like a child in my arms. When Grandmother came by to change the poultice, even she had a smile on her face when she saw Sun Flower sittin’ upright by the fire. Raven Wing and Shinin’ Star took down the lean-to and made the bed up in the teepee while Sun Flower was sittin’ by the fire.

  She gained a little more strength each day and, within another three days, was walkin’ without support and spendin’ most of the days outside the teepee. The camp was runnin’ low on meat again, and Two Feathers came and asked if Runnin’ Wolf and I would go on a hunt with him. The other braves would stay with the village, and they would go out when we returned. Sun Flower told me to go, that Shinin’ Star and Raven Wing were there if she needed help with anything.

  Ol’ Red and Jimbo seemed as willin’ to go as I did. We each took two pack horses and headed up the mountain to the west of Rock Creek. The game was plentiful, and it was easy to see why the Utes picked this area to spend the summers. There were currents and chokecherries along the creek and what they called buffalo berries that I was not familiar with. We’d seen wild raspberries and strawberries, and there were sego lilies on the dry hills and camas growin’ in the marshy areas. This was truly a bountiful land.

  By the time we made camp, we were up near timberline on the banks of a clear alpine lake. There was a large herd of elk grazin’ ’bout a mile from us on the other side. Jimbo came in with a snowshoe rabbit that was brown this time of the year, which he ate for his dinner while we ate jerky from a cold camp so’s not to spook the elk.

  By noon the next day, we had five elk down and were gettin’ the pack horses loaded. It was early evenin’ when we rode back into camp, and the women all started in on the meat, and before dark, it was all on racks to dry or over fires roastin’. I sat down next to Sun Flower by the fire in front of the teepee, and Runnin’ Wolf took care of Ol’ Red and the horses. Shinin’ Star brought me and Sun Flower a bowl of stew then got one for herself and sat next to me, and the three of us ate.

  Sun Flower was tuckered out, and I helped her lie down while Shinin’ Star was helpin’ get Runnin’ Wolf and Raven Wing something to eat and get everything cleaned up. I called Jimbo, and we went for a walk down along the creek. It was just gettin’ dark, with the moon risin’ to the east. ’Bout a quarter mile above the village, the creek made a bend and widened out. There was a large flat rock that went out over the water, and I slipped off my moccasins, sat on the rock, and let my feet dangle in the cold water. In just a few minutes, Jimbo let me know someone was comin’, and I picked up the Hawken and waited.

  25 Luckiest Man in the Mountains

  In just a minute, Shinin’ Star came into sight. Jimbo ran up to her, and she dropped to her knees and rubbed his head and ears, then he led her right to me. She’d seen my bare feet and smiled then stepped out on the rock sat next to me with her feet in the water. She took my hand and leaned her head on my shoulder but never said a word. We sat there in silence with just the sound of the water for quite some time, then she stepped off the rock and into knee-deep water. She lifted her dress up over her head and just stood there in front me, naked. She was a mighty beautiful woman. Then with a wicked little smile, she dropped down into the water and splashed that cold mountain stream water all over me. I jumped off the rock into the stream, put my arms ’round her, and just held her tight. We made love on that flat rock till we were both shiverin’. Then I built a small fire, and we warmed each other and made love again.

  It was past midnight when we walked back to the teepee. As I stepped inside and saw Sun Flower, I had a feelin’ of guilt something awful. She moved the robe down for me to lie down, and as I did, Shinin’ Star got in beside me. Now I was lyin’ ’tween two beautiful women, and they both just snuggled up to me and went to sleep. I lay there for the longest time, wonderin’ ’bout this. I wondered what Ma and Pa would think. I even wondered what Emma Potter would think. Then I wondered what Grub Taylor would think. After a while, I decided I didn’t care what anyone would think. I have the love of two beautiful women, and I figured I was ’bout the luckiest man in the mountains.

  Next mornin’ as we were all eatin’ biscuits and drinkin’ coffee, I figured it was time to make our plans for the next month or so. Sun Flower was still weak, and I knew it would still be another week or so ’fore she would be able to ride all day. They all agreed we needed another lodge, and it would take many buffalo for the lodge, winter robes, and warm clothes.

  I figured it was now ’bout the end of July, and it would be the first of August ’fore we were on the trail again. We would have to trail all the horses to have enough to carry the buffalo and all our supplies. Runnin’ Wolf said it would take six or seven suns to reach
the land of the buffalo, and we would need to be very watchful for the Arapaho and Cheyenne, for we would be huntin’ in their country.

  That afternoon, Sun Flower asked to go ridin’, so I saddled Ol’ Red and her roan. I asked Shinin’ Star if she wanted to go, and she smiled at Sun Flower and said she had work to do. As I helped Sun Flower into the saddle, Shinin’ Star brought a blanket and tied it to the back of the saddle and said it was in case she got cold.

  Sun Flower led off, and we followed Rock Creek up to the clearin’ were we had made love and talked a few weeks ago. She rode on through and kept followin’ the creek. When the canyon narrowed, the goin’ got a lot tougher, and I was worried she was pushin’ too hard and said so. She smiled at me and said she wanted to show me she was stronger than I figured. Another couple of miles, and we came to where a very steep rocky draw cut into the side of the canyon on our right, and I told her she had proved her strength, and this was far enough.

  I climbed out of the saddle and walked over to help her out of the saddle, but she tried by herself. Her right arm would not hold her, and she fell on her backside. The look on her face told me she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. I picked her up and held her in my arms. She put her head on my shoulder and started to cry. She said she didn’t want to disappoint me by bein’ a weak woman. At that, I burst out laughin’ and set her down. I got the blanket and spread it out on the side of the creek, and we sat on it. She asked me why I laughed at her. I told her I thought it was funny that she would think I would ever be disappointed in her. I told her she was the bravest, strongest, most beautiful woman I had ever known, and I could never think she was weak or be disappointed in her. She smiled and leaned into me. I held her tight to me, and she said she would ride every day so she would be strong when we left. We watched a mountain lion sneak across a ledge of rock across the creek from us, and several deer came down to the stream to drink. A pair of golden eagles was circlin’ high above the cliffs against a dark-blue sky. We just sat there and watched the water tumble over the rocks and then made love under the afternoon sun.