“Where is your camp, Mose?” I ask.
“T’ree forks,” he replies. Mighty purty theah.”
“Where there is a fork in a tree ?”
“Naw, t’ree not tree.”
“Tree.”
“Naw, one, two, t’ree.”
“Oh. Three.”
Mose nods. “Like ah said. T’ree rivers dat come togethah at da same place.”
“Awesome.”
As we head down the draw to the three forks, or T’ree Forks, I see something move in the trees.
“You see that?” I ask.
“Shaz,” says Mose.
“Shaz?”
“Shaz mean bear, Annie,” says Wolf.
“I don’t think it was no bear.”
“Naw,” says Mose. “Shaz my partner, she raised by bears. So we call her Shaz. Kinda shy, she is.”
Wolf laughs and says, “Shy.”
He looks over at Mose and asks, “You talk to Shaz yet?”
“Shore,” says Mose. “I talk plenty. She ain’t much fer replies. We git along fine.”
We ride on down the draw and come out of the trees into a grassy park with three good size streams converging at the lower end. We cross over and head toward the base of a hill. There are two teepees set up with the usual camp conveniences scattered around, drying racks, a fire glowing, a hitching post and a pole corral.
We ride right past the teepees over to the hillside, where there is a cave entrance. We dismount and ground tie the horses. Mose leads us into the cave.
“This my year ‘round home, it warm in winter, cool in summer,” he says.
“What is the teepees outside used fer?” I ask.
“Thet’s whea me an’ Shaz make our foofaraw. If’n she like ya, she’ll show ya,” says Mose. “More light in deah fer workin’ on thangs than in the cave, too. We both use it of a daytime. Y’awl can sleep in da udder one.”
“Shaz like Wolf,” says Wolf.
“You kin tell?” asks Mose.
“Shaz smile at Wolf from tree. Love at first sight, like all women. She see Wolf is fine specimen of Injinkind.”
“Yikes,” I comment.
Wolf smiles brightly.
“Okay, thet’s da tour. I gotta unload,” says Mose.
He heads out to catch up the pack string, which has started to spread out and graze.
We help unload and carry all the panniers into the cave, where Mose sets about unpacking and stowing his winter necessities.
While Mose works, we get our camp gear arranged around the things in the other teepee. There are two possibles bags, and a set of deer hide saddlebags all beaded and fringed in fabulous colors. Portrayals of deer, cricks, a bear. It is beautiful, and time consuming work.
“Wolf,” I say. “Mose and Shaz do this work?”
“Yes. Long winter trapping, have summer for tanning and working hides. Beading. Mose take things they make to town. Trade for grubstake of supplies, food. Get setup for another season. Good life.”
“Wow. Quiet, peaceful, no neighbors to bitch at ya.”
Yes, only one crazy woman raised by bears.”
“She really raised by bears?”
“Wolf not know, only that she plenty wild. Never taught human ways. Only Mose her friend.”
15 Just Fishin’
Cowgirl Thrillers Page 67
