Grizzly Killer: The Medicine Wheel

by Lane R Warenski

  Grizzly Killer looked up and said, “I took an arrow yesterday, it went clear through my leg and into Ol’ Red. Think I got all the arrow out but it must of tore up the muscle inside purty good. Feels like this here little scrape I was just in got it leakin’ again.”

  With Jimbo by his side Buffalo Heart had surveyed the area. He had heard what Grizzly Killer said and walked up asking, “Grizzly Killer, you took on four Arapaho warriors by yourself on an injured leg?”

  Grizzly Killer just smiled and said, “I weren’t alone, Jimbo was with me.” Buffalo Heart just stood there with a look of astonishment and admiration on his face. Then Running Wolf told him to gather all the horses while he seen to Grizzly Killer’s leg. Zach added, “Don’t take any of their scalps.”

  Buffalo Heart just smiled saying, “They are not mine to take.” Running Wolf didn’t say anything but he looked at Grizzly Killer wondering what he was up to for he knew Grizzly Killer didn’t take scalps for himself.

  After Running Wolf had stopped the bleeding and Buffalo Heart had gathered all of the horses. They moved back down to where Zach had spent the night. Buffalo Heart hobbled all of the horses so they could graze and get to the water. Running Wolf helped Zach get in a position to rest and started a small fire. Afterward, the three of them sat down to plan their next move.

  Zach told them, “It won’t be safe to leave these bodies for the other Arapaho to find. For they will then search until they find our camp.” He figured they should take them all the way to the Seeds-Kee-Dee so the Arapahos would not be searching in the area of Black’s Fork, he wanted to take every precaution so their families would be safe.

  They rested there under the cottonwoods, keeping a small nearly smokeless fire going. They had no fresh meat but they ate the last of the pemmican Sun Flower had given them and made due with just jerky.

  The next morning, Zach was stiff and sore. Running Wolf had found him a good forked stick long enough for a crutch so he made his way around the fire several times getting limbered up. While he was doing that Running Wolf and Buffalo Heart took all the horses back up to the sight of the battle and loaded the bodies of the Arapaho warriors on them and led them back down to Zach.

  Zach had Ol’ Red saddled and ready to go when they returned. He had tied the crutch on the side of the saddle like he would a rifle. Then led Ol’ Red over to a downed log and used it to help him step up into the saddle.

  They left the river heading south east out across the badlands that lay between Black’s Fork and Rendezvous Creek. Zach noticed Running Wolf was quiet as if in deep thought today. Then he figured it was just because of the gruesome task they were undertaking. Buffalo Heart had noticed as well and rode up alongside Grizzly Killer and asked, “What is troubling Running Wolf this day?”

  Zach just shook his head and replied, “When he is ready he will let us know.”

  13 The Medicine Wheel

  Shining Star stood by the side of the stream, her hands on her very large belly feeling the life inside her move and kick. She had made Grizzly Killer a promise that the baby would not come until he returned. She hoped she was going to be able to keep that promise, but the way the baby was kicking this morning she was beginning to wonder if she would wait for Grizzly Killer to return.

  For most of the day before, Luna had just watched the trail leading down Black’s Fork for that was where she had last seen Running Wolf, but today she was facing east up the ridge into the timber. She was virtually ignoring the deer leg Raven Wing had given her. As the sun slowly made its way across the sky, the little white wolf pup was restless and moved her attention further south. None of them in camp had any way of knowing Grizzly Killer, Running Wolf, and Buffalo Heart was thirty miles east of them moving south through the badlands.

  Grizzly Killer led them into the slate grey hills of the badlands. These hills were totally void of plant life. He knew where he was heading though he hadn’t said a word to Running Wolf or Buffalo Heart about just what he had in mind. Jimbo stayed close for he wasn’t sure the route his master wanted to follow through this maze of seemingly lifeless hills.

  It was near midday when they came out on top and could once again see the majesty of the towering Uintah Mountains just south of them. Between them and the mountains was the broad green valley of Henry’s Fork as it headed east to the Seeds-Kee-Dee. Rendezvous Creek was just east of them and Zach remembered that first Rendezvous that was held there in the summer of 1825. It was at that first Rendezvous that that he had discovered this ancient site where he was now headed.

  While they were stopped there looking at the spectacular views before them, Running Wolf rode up alongside him and stopped. He just sat there for the longest time then while still looking off into the distance said, “My spirit helper came to me in my dreams last night. She led me into these baron hills on the very trail you have followed today. She led me to a spot where the ancient ones worshiped, where they had built a large medicine wheel.”

  Zach then looked at Running Wolf with wonderment in his eyes. For Zach was leading them to an ancient medicine wheel he had found while exploring one day while at the Rendezvous a few years before.

  Running Wolf still staring off into the distance continued, “It was Luna, I know it was Luna in my dream. She was fully grown and beautiful, her pure white fur stood out against these gray hills. She stood in the middle of the medicine wheel and then she disappeared and as I looked around to see where she had gone. There were six headless warriors laying in the medicine wheel. Their heads were floating in the air above their bodies.”

  A shiver ran down Zach’s spine as he looked in disbelief at his brother-in-law. Running Wolf had seen in his dream exactly what he had planned. He remembered well how the severed head of a Blackfoot warrior placed in the trail had spooked the other Blackfeet of the war party on their way home from the Rendezvous at Sweet Lake last year. He planned on doing the same thing now. He remembered the site of this medicine wheel and knew it would hold significant power in the minds of the Arapaho. It was far enough away from their home on Black’s Fork that he felt their families would be safe from any searching enemy warriors. He figured if they left a powerful enough message, the Arapaho would just gather their dead and leave. Going back to their own lands more than two hundred miles to the east.

  Buffalo Heart asked, “What is the meaning of such a dream?”

  Zach then told them both about his plan. He told them that the ancient medicine wheel was just few miles east of them and it was just has Running Wolf had seen in his dream.

  Buffalo Heart had a very worried look on his face as he asked Grizzly Killer, “Will the ancient ones not be upset with us if we disturb their sacred medicine wheel?”

  Zach, knowing the deeply superstitious beliefs of the Indian people, was very cautious with his answer. Buffalo Heart and Running Wolf both listened with extreme interest as Zach spoke, “I believe the ancient ones will know and understand what we are doing and know the reason why. We will be very careful not to disturb their sacred site. We will pray and pay homage to them with the smoke of sweet sage. The ancient ones will know what is in our hearts, they will know we mean only respect. We will ask them to see that these brave enemy warriors find their way to the land beyond but also discourage the other Arapaho from seeking revenge for their fallen warriors.”

  Running Wolf then turned to Buffalo Heart and told him, “The white wolf in my dreams last night, who I believe is Luna, my spirit helper, would not have led me to the medicine wheel if the ancient ones did not approve of Grizzly Killers plan.”

  Buffalo Heart nodded his approval saying, “Then the ancient ones will protect us.”

  Grizzly Killer added, “Yes, they will help protect us but only if we protect ourselves.”

  They continued due east for another couple of hours, the going was slow winding through the steep narrow hills of the badlands. They came out on top of a small rise and only a mile or so in front of them was the plateau that had held the medici
ne wheel since before the times of their grandfathers. They dropped down into a deep wash that was between them and the plateau. In the bottom of they found some scattered sage and one ancient cedar. They stopped and gathered some sage and cedar bark then continued on. When they came up out of the wash and onto the plateau there was a beautiful white wolf standing not more than three hundred yards from them.

  They stopped, all three of them staring in disbelief, then watched as the wolf loped away and disappeared over the eastern edge of the plateau. They slowly moved forward none of them saying a word. They hadn’t traveled far when they could see that where the wolf had been standing was the center of the medicine wheel.

  Before they crossed the outer ring of stones of the medicine wheel they stopped, gathered a hand full of sticks and dry grass and built a hand size fire. That sat around the fire and lit the sage and cedar bark. Running Wolf softly chanted has he waved the sweet smoke over himself then handed the small smoking bundle to Buffalo Heart. Buffalo Heart moved the bundle in the four cardinal directions, Zach watched his lips move as he made his silent prayer to the one above. When the bundle was handed to Zach, in honoring the Indian beliefs, he moved the smoking bundle in the four directions then held it high for the sky above and then set it in the small fire for the earth. He also honored his Christian upbringing and prayed aloud, “Our Father in heaven, we ask you to guide these brave warriors, lead them to their families that have gone before them. We ask you to protect our loved ones and to protect us as we travel back to them. We give thanks for seeing us safely through this battle and our travels. Amen.”

  Buffalo Heart had not been around Grizzly Killer nearly as much as Running Wolf, so he was not as aware of his spiritual beliefs, but he had never respected anyone more. He did not understand all of the white men’s beliefs but he believed in Grizzly Killer and felt honored to be part of his prayer.

  When they had finished Zach asked Buffalo Heart to find 18 poles long enough for tripods four feet high. Buffalo Heart had to ride quite a distance to find some suitable poles and was gone for nearly two hours. While he was gone Zach, with the help of his crutch, helped Running Wolf remove the bodies of the dead warriors from the horses. They laid them on the ground just like a smaller version of the medicine wheel with their feet to the center then went through the gruesome task of cutting each of their heads off.

  When Buffalo Heart returned they set up the tripods over each of the bodies and tied each head to the tripod using the warrior’s own hair so the head was suspended about three feet above their bodies, just as Running Wolf had seen in his dream. Then Grizzly Killer took his knife and cut the outline of a grizzly track in the center of each of their chests. While he was doing that Running Wolf and Buffalo Heart removed the simple Indian bridles and riding straps from the horses and turned them loose. Then they took great care in covering all of their tracks. They left no sign at all that they had been there, they went all the way back to the wash they had crossed to get to the plateau covering each and every track completely.

  No words were spoken between the three of them as they rode away from the terrible scene they had just created. Zach noticed Buffalo Heart stop and look back. He could see a shiver run through the young man’s body and goose bumps form on his arms.

  It was only a couple of hours till sundown but they kept moving south. No words were spoken but when they got to the waters of Henry’s Fork they rode down into the stream and headed west. They were leaving no tracks at all to follow.

  As the sun set it created one of the most spectacular displays Zach had ever seen. Rays of bright yellow and orange light was shooting out from behind red rimmed clouds. Deep purple to light pink colored the clouds clear across the sky. The azure blue of the sky was darkening to a much darker royal blue and even though it was still light the evening star sparkled brightly between the shooting rays of light.

  Buffalo Heart stopped and looked west at this dazzling display of nature. Then smiled, and said, “The one above has surely sent us this sign, he has heard our prayers and granted us a safe return.”

  He Who Talks with the Spirits, the Arapaho holy man, awoke the next morning with a very troubled mind. He had seen things in his dreams that he did not fully understand. He had seen six headless warriors riding through the sky being led by a pure white wolf.

  The Arapaho camp was still at the confluence of Ham’s Fork and Black’s Fork about thirty miles north of the ancient medicine wheel. He Who Talks with the Spirits fasted this morning and rode to a secluded spot maybe four miles downstream of their camp. He built a small fire and as he prayed he added pinches of the sacred powder from his medicine bag which colored the flames into shades of green and purple. He kept this up for over an hour before an overwhelming feeling came over him that they must follow a white wolf.

  He still did not understand the meaning of the headless warriors of his dream but he knew he must find and follow a white wolf. He was worried, he knew the six members of the hunting party were a day past when they said they would return and he had no idea where to find the white wolf.

  He remounted his trusted horse and slowly road back the way he had come. The trail led alongside the river and in spots went in and out of willows. He was in just such a spot, going through a thick stand of willows, when he saw a white wolf standing in the trail before him. He stopped and the wolf didn’t move, their eyes met and He Who Talks with the Spirits knew deep within his sole this was the wolf they must follow.

  The wolf loped off the trail to let He Who Talks with the Spirits pass but stayed within sight as he rode back to camp. Once back in camp he called a council where he told the others of his dream. The sight of six warriors riding without their heads troubled them all. There was much talk about what this could mean, were the hunters lost to them forever. It was decided only three of them would follow the white wolf, the rest would stay to protect the camp and women and children of whatever it was that might be out there.

  He Who Talks with the Spirits led Gray Cloud and Sees Like the Hawk, two of their fiercest and most experienced warriors, toward the top of a small rise just south of camp. He was looking all around for the white wolf when they all heard the howl of a wolf further to the south. They had gone less than a quarter mile when the white wolf appeared from the brush in front of them and set a steady pace to the south.

  They rode at an easy lope mile after mile heading straight south stopping only when the horses needed rest. By midafternoon they were entering the badlands. They would hear the wolf howl always further to the south so they continued into the baron hills of the badlands. They hadn’t seen the wolf only heard the distant howl since they had first left and He Who Talks with the Spirits was getting worried they had lost their way. They stopped to get their bearings when they heard the lonesome howl just up over a rise to the south west of where they had stopped.

  It was a steep climb to the top of the rise. Gray Cloud reached the top just before the others. He was stopped looking across the plateau as He Who Talks with the Spirits and Sees Like the Hawk rode up beside him. There in front of them, less than a quarter mile away, was the medicine wheel with their six lost headless hunters. As they very slowly started forward again they saw what they thought was the white wolf disappear over the edge of the plateau.

  They stopped at the outside edge of the medicine wheel afraid to cross the row of stones making up the outer ring. Gray Cloud and Sees Like the Hawk looked to their holy man for guidance. It was Gray Cloud that asked, “Who would do such a thing?”

  But the holy man had no answers. Then Gray Cloud saw the bear tracks cut deeply in the bare chest of each of the warriors. They looked at one another, then He Who Talks with the Spirits said, “Our hunters entered the lands of Grizzly Killer and it cost all of them their lives.”

  “No one man could do this to these six men and leave no sign of a battle.” Sees Like the Hawk commented.

  But their holy man replied, “We have all heard of the powerful medicine of t
he great white warrior called Grizzly Killer, now we know it is true.” They walked around the medicine wheel still afraid to cross the outer row of stones. To their bewilderment and dismay they found no tracks at all.

  They walked around it again and again but they saw nothing. They moved farther out and circled the medicine ring again and still they found no tracks. He Who Talks with the Spirits stopped and sat down just outside the medicine wheel. He opened up his sacred pouch and offered pinches of the sacred powder to the breeze. He chanted his prayer seeking guidance. The sun was very nearly down when he finally stood and told Gray Cloud and Sees Like the Hawk that the hunters had violated the will of the spirits. That the spirits were protecting Grizzly Killer and had given him his powerful medicine. It was the spirits that had brought them to this sacred place and from here their spirits would follow the white wolf across the trail in the sky to where all of their grandfathers live. He told them it would make the spirits angry if they disturbed this sacred place and if they did they would meet the same fate as the hunters.

  They left the six undisturbed and rode through the night reaching their camp just as the sun was appearing over the eastern horizon. When the story of their journey was told around the council fire the decision was made. They would mourn the loss of their six warriors once they reached their own lands. The spirits had cursed this place and they must leave at once back to their own sacred lands. He Who Talks with the Spirits told them all that when they return to their own lands the buffalo will have returned. There will be no need to travel this far and risk entering the lands of Grizzly Killer to find the meat they need to survive.

  14 A Long Ways Home

  Zach, leading the way, stayed in the stream mile after mile until all light was gone and it became too dangerous to continue. Then he guided Ol’ Red out of the stream to the east away from the trails leading back toward their home. They were now in dense forest and the going was very slow. They moved no more than half a mile when Zach stopped for the night. Very little light from the stars made its way through the dense pines and with no fresh meat there was no need for a fire. They ate a piece jerky and gave one to Jimbo, but the horses would have to wait until they found a meadow with grass tomorrow.