Camp Camel: The Heart of Texas

by Eaton, Rosemary

  Turtle asked, “And you expect these white soldiers to let the Comanche grow strong enough to resist their push into our lands? Why should they not attack us once we are only one tribe weakened fighting our brothers?”

  Sparrow Hawk grinned, “Do you see our blood on the plains where the buzzards eat? No, it is Red Eagle and the white soldiers that have spilled their blood. Who would I be to turn down such a gift? Their blood is used to kill our enemies while we take their women and property. Any man not willing to avenge his brothers death is not a threat. Those that think they can, will try and then we will have our fill of their blood.”

  As if on queue, Raven and Bryan parted the crowd as they planted the pikes with the leaders of Red Eagle’s tribe by the camp fires and threw bags of scalps at Sparrow Hawk’s feet. There was a murmur that ran through the camp. Bryan stepped up and spoke, “My Comanche family, this is the power of the support your war chief has with my Chief. We have laid out Red Eagle’s men for buzzard bate. Our soldiers will enforce the treaty signed with Albert Pike and reward those tribes that move to lands not covered like plague with white people. It is no secret that we have many differences in thought and it may be best for both that there is distance between us. Any brave who’s blood boils for war can join Stand Watie and fight the Blue coated army who has been your enemy for many years. It is their Chief who has gone back on his word with my brothers. We have treatied in faith and kept our word.”

  Itsee spoke up, “What do you understand of the white scribes that you write and break as quick as the ink dries on that paper. Your treaty say no white shall go with us, but you say that is to make them free. Ask the woman who was my mother if she would have chosen to leave her family if not forced by your treaty. Even now she is ready to die with her chosen family. She is not free to choose. She was treated like cattle in your fort guarded by camels and made the subject of men’s bets. Will she eat the lice in her filthy blanket? Will she starve or die of thirst first? How many men gave her names before you Wokwave? How many spit on her and denied her lodging? These things I have seen with my own eyes.”

  Bryan wasn’t expecting that. Did Itsee realize how precarious their situation was and Jenny’s life was at stake? Bryan said, “It was regrettable what happened. But we have moved on to a better understanding of each other my brother’s son. She does value all her Comanche family as do I. I stand with Sparrow Hawk tonight.”

  Itsee didn’t back down. “I do not. I say why should we leave Texas when we have land to live on that belongs to our children. The only difference is they have a piece of paper that says the land is theirs.”

  Bryan said, “There is a chance you may inherit land in Texas when you are older as well as all your brothers. But that is in the future that is not now. You must be patient.”

  Snake asked, “And our families as well? Is Texas gifting them land?”

  Bryan said, “No, it is through Jenny’s family that her sons may inherit land. It is not for sure this will happen. It may or may not.”

  Sparrow Hawk frowned, “May or may not?”

  Itsee frowned, “White man’s treaty is worthless.”

  Sparrow Hawk boomed out, “My word is not worthless. I will not dishonor my tribe by being the one to break it, nor will you.”

  Turtle stepped up, “You threaten my family? I think my new son makes sense. Why move if we can own land?”

  Jenny bit her lip. What was Itsee doing? He was challenging his father using his new father in law to do the dirty work? Maybe he did love Pihi enough to create his own allies to fight for her. He couldn’t ever have her unless Sparrow Hawk died or she had reason to put him aside. God help them and her other children. He was putting her in a situation that to save the boys in front of her, she must condemn Itsee. He was quickly passing the point that Sparrow Hawk could ignore the challenge. Then she knew what she must do.

  Jenny took Wasapi and Peekwi, “We go. Forgive me if this does not go well, I will have failed you.”

  Jenny ran with the boys to the fire light and stepped out into the middle looking up at the heads stuck on the pike. Sparrow Hawk shook his head and cussed. Bryan frowned and moved to her side as she looked at the crowd wide eyed and crazy. Jenny spoke in Comanche pointing to Sparrow Hawk, back to Itsee, to her other sons and even to Bryan and said the word Gage as she pointed to Wasapi and white. She pointed to Peekwi, and said, “White soldier, not Sparrow Hawk’s child. I not free as Comanche to say who I lye with or who I cook for. Treaty say I stay here while husband leave and go home. Treaty say Itsee, Paaka can be white, go to school, own land under new name if my new husband take him in with us. They are Sparrow Hawk’s seed. Why not we buy land like Cherokee in East and live on our land, not reservation? My sons pass for Mexicans, yours can too. Mexicans own land, farm, hunt. You can too if use different names. What is name worth? I have had many. Only thing matter is sons and daughters and their future. What we care if we die if there is nothing that follows. I claim my young sons as white. They are Comanche no more. I will not hold my tongue like Comanche woman. I am white. I am Prick Whacker and I am not sorry for taking Mouse Dog’s prick and putting it in his mouth to chew on his actions!” Well that did it. If the men were divided about their feelings, they weren’t now. She had put the ultimate insult in front of all of them. Something they could agree on whole heartily.

  Jenny swallowed, turned to Bryan and put her sons hands in his, “Go out of this light. Run. You can not stop this. I will try to hold my breath long time.”

  Bryan took a long breath, “No, not leaving. We’re in this together. I didn’t scalp all those men to leave you now.”

  Bryan spoke up, “White women lop of men’s pricks all the time. It is not a crime. A pity, but not a crime. She was white the day she took that scum bag’s prick and I have punished her for insulting my brother’s pride, not for what she did.” Bryan said, “Show them your bruises Jenny.” Jenny bit down on her lip and lifted her buckskin where they could see the dark blue and black of her skin. Bryan added, “She made me proud to have such a brave wife.”

  Bryan picked up Peekwi in his arms and Jenny lifted Wasapi. Bryan said, “Itsee, it seems your birth mother has proposed a course of action, that my white Chief did not think on when this treaty was signed. She brings up a good point. Why should you not buy land and own it with deeds if you are willing to give up warfare with your neighbors. I think we could find a way to have any man who wanted to stay in Texas own land under Mexican names like Juan and Pablo, Jorge, Diego, and many others. Names like Vegas, Campos, Garcia, Rodriguez, Santa Anna, Gomez, and Diaz are all well known and many other surnames could be used to make the deeds. This would be more sure than waiting for your Grandfather to die and waiting to see if Gage had children, which you know he does so they would get to inherit before you unless you kill off all that look like Wasapi, or Peekwi, or even Paaka’s way of grinning. You would kill your brothers?”

  Paaka looked at Itsee and frowned, “Brother? You would have me dead?”

  Itsee looked at Paaka, “I would have us not become white man’s casualties. I would have a chance to do more than kill my brothers when they choose different from the war chief. We are no more free than she is. Why can we not vote like the white man on what we wish or feel we can choose which way we follow without a knife being thrown at our backs. Not every thing white is better, but some things are.”

  Turtle moved back from Itsee. He took his daughter’s hand, “Maybe this not a good marriage. I can not agree with my daughter’s husband. He has not claimed her yet, and he won’t. It is over. I have no objection to warfare. Better than growing old like Red Cedar.”

  Itsee grinned, “I have no problem with Mua’s father changing his mind about marriage. I too do not think it best for her. If I die tonight, why should she suffer. Mua set me aside so there is no questions.”

  Mua looked at her father and Turtle told her, “Set this foolish boy aside before you are forced to walk out or die.”

  Mua
said meekly, “I have no teepee or property yet. I will not lay with you and choose my father’s teepee.”

  Pihi’s eyebrows rose, “I have not laid with Sparrow Hawk. I choose Itsee’s teepee. I will walk out with him.” So it started.

  Paaka said, “I choose my father’s teepee. I will stay with Sparrow Hawk and honor his wishes.”

  Turtle found himself in the odd position of being against Itsee which made him fall into Sparrow Hawk’s side. Turtle said, “I side with Sparrow Hawk. We will respect his treaty and still fight.”

  Snake agreed, “I honor my future son Paaka and side with Sparrow Hawk.”

  Raven said, “I side with Sparrow Hawk.”

  Wolf said, “I side with Sparrow Hawk.”

  Eagle Feather looked over to his sister and shook his head, “The Prick Whacker has contaminated my sister’s thinking. I give her to the misguided boy and side with Sparrow Hawk. She is not worth spilling blood over if she will not honor my word.”

  Sparrow Hawk asked, “Is there any who feels he can take my place better than me? If so, step into the light.”

  Sparrow Hawk’s eyes were on Itsee, cold and calculating what this boy might do after such outrageous talk. Perhaps he had poisoned him already or planned to finish what Tatsinuupi failed to do. There was always a time in a war chief’s life if he lived long enough that the oldest son would try, but he had hoped it would not be like this. A full grown man against so young a boy.”

  Itsee stepped out. “I do. I will fight you father for the right to be my own man.”

  Sparrow Hawk gritted his teeth, “Then choose your weapon.”

  Itsee said, “I choose knowledge. I will show you how to turn a curse into a blessing. Let Red Cedar judge which of us wins. If you win I will walk out. If I win, you will honor your treaty and allow me and my brothers to live with Bryan.”

  Bryan spoke, “Sounds fair to me.” Jenny’s eyes rolled up as she dropped Bryan’s hand. He looked at her, “What? I thought you wanted them?”

  Sparrow Hawk grinned, “You think you win what you want either way?” Itsee had never seen what happens when the chief’s family walks out thanks to Sparrow Hawk’s strength, there hadn’t been any challenges that went that far. There was a snicker from Wolf, “Your son has grown wise like his father?”

  Sparrow Hawk said, “I accept. You first.”

  Itsee looked at Jenny, then pulled out a piece of Spanish Gold and put it into the flames. As it melted he said, “I will buy land using my name Juan Diaz with gold that once was cursed by melting it into chunks of ore so that the white men think I have gold dug from rocks, not the Conquistador’s gold. I will take our revenge for our ancestors against these men in helmets who brought illness like the measles that plagues us now. I change this gold from a curse to a means to give my people deeded land the white man can not tell us to leave or change their rules and push us off. Those that do not wish to stay and move on with my father can carry your share of this ore and use it to buy many horses and cattle to feed the women and children you take with you.”

  Red Cedar nodded, “And you Sparrow Hawk, how would you turn a curse into a blessing.”

  Sparrow Hawk was thinking hard. His son had covered both those who agreed with him and his own desires for a larger stronger nation and how one might achieve feeding so many new faces. Sparrow Hawk said, “I would send the Prick Whacker away. She is not welcome as my guest. She was a curse to me. My first wife became bitter because of this woman that I stole. I should have let her bleed to death or beat her to death the many times she fought me, but I saw her courage and wanted her sons. This is what she gave me, a son who fights with knowledge instead of a warrior’s proper weapon. This man Bryan has her now. That is a blessing for me and Paaka who remains loyal to his father. Every time I see his grin, it will remind me of the blessing of being rid of her.”

  Bryan smirked. He was trying hard not to laugh. It was going to be interesting to see which way Red Cedar chose to go.

  Jenny kicked Bryan hard in the shins, “That’s not funny. He has shamed me in front of my sons!” Jenny held her head up high and said, “You are lucky I do not have my prick whacker in hand.” Bryan wasn’t smiling, “Back to that, I see. Well. I think I heard enough, haven’t you Red Cedar?”

  Red Cedar nodded, “Yes Wokwave. You are correct. I have heard enough of her insults to men and it pains me she will not suffer more, but I’m afraid you will. I choose Sparrow Hawk as the winner. If any disagree, say so.”

  Not one person said a word, not even Itsee disagreed as he said, “He has won. I can not beat that. I will walk out. Pihi, we travel light, quickly go remove his wedding dress and take one of your own dresses and I will pay for it.” Itsee gave Turtle a chunk of gold, “So that there may be no bad feelings father that was. You were wise to have her put me aside.”

  Jenny took a bucket of water and doused herself in water and handed the dipper to Bryan. She leaned in and whispered, “Fire, wet your closes husband. They may burn less and make you harder to hold down.”

  Itsee took another piece and handed it to Eagle Feather, “For your daughter and the clothes she wears. I shall marry when we are older. If she changes her mind, I will treat her as a sister until she finds a husband.”

  Bryan quickly splashed water over himself as he whispered back, “Are they going to try to burn us?”

  Sparrow Hawk was grinning at Bryan from ear to ear as he picked up an arrow and dipped it in tar, then lit the end looking at Bryan as Itsee moved to the next person. “Jenny said, “Maybe, maybe not but Itsee destroyed curse in fire, he may try to do the same to us. Not wait to find out. When they say walk, you run.”

  Itsee gave Wolf a chunk as well, “For the brothers and sisters I will not know. May your family prosper.”

  Itsee handed a bag to Red Cedar, “For my tribe. Use it as proof, I leave with love in my heart.” Pihi was back dressed to travel quickly.

  Sparrow Hawk looked at Itsee, “It is time. Those who agree with Itsee, can walk out with him. Those that stay will be under my rule. My brother Wokwave is no more you can not come back, you are only white. Tell your white Chief, if you live, that we do not require guests. Too much trouble and we will leave now with no more delay. This curse will be gone from my life.” With that Sparrow Hawk raised his bow and shot the flaming arrow into the sky. Sparrow Hawk expected them to run, but instead his white former brother was making a speech.

  Bryan said, “I understand. We will walk out with Itsee and Pihi. I will take care of him as my own sending him to schools that will enrich his mind. One day you may see the wisdom of his words.”

  Sparrow Hawk looked at his two young sons, “Wasapi and Peekwi are mine. Let there be no doubt in your mind, these sons are mine. No more tricks trying to walk out with my sons.” Sparrow Hawk address Wasapi and Peekwi as one eye kept the burning arrow in front of his gaze, “Your brother says you should have the right to choose. Choose then, Comanche or white?”

  Peekwi looked at Bryan and Jenny and then back to Sparrow Hawk and Paaka and walked to Sparrow Hawk. Wasapi ran to his brother Peekwi.”

  Bryan was ready to start the war of words again as the arrow that gave them time to run was burning down. Bryan said, “May you find the western land suits you well.” Jenny was pulling his hand trying to drag him out as was Itsee. Bryan said as they ran, “I wasn’t done. I had things to say. Where in the hell is Gage. He’s suppose to be waiting.” There were lights in the distance of campfires. Bryan called out, “Who do you think that is?”

  Itsee replied as he jumped a rock, “Red Eagle’s men and women, but we have no time to waist. It is time to run for your life. We can not go north, Huutsuu will tell him where we would have headed if Turtle had won.”

  Jenny said, “Nor the cave, he will look at where I told them not to go as well.”

  Bryan asked, “He’s not following. Are you sure he’s coming?”

  Itsee said, “He can not look weak or another challenge will follow. They w
ill hunt us. He may only kill you, but let’s not find out. His arrow will be dead. Our time is gone.”

  Itsee heard voices. There was a bird whistle. “Itsee stopped.” Bryan looked around, “Now what? I thought you said to run.” Bryan came back puffing.

  Jenny stopped, “They are here? How could they be here so quick?”

  Out of the darkness a half dozen braves surrounded them. Lizard snarled, “You not run fast enough. Look my brothers, he is dead. What is left of Sparrow Hawk’s family runs. Perhaps we take them back and eat with the new war chief. Dog son of my enemy, who is war chief now. Tell me before I slit your her throat.”

  Itsee looked at Pihi and then quickly said, “Snake.” Itsee kept is simple. That would surprise them. He would bet that they thought it would be Turtle.

  Lizard looked upset, “Snake? He beat Turtle?”

  Itsee said, “She challenged him, he died first.”

  Lizard tore at Jenny’s medicine pouch, opening it as he sniffed wokwave bread. He grinned and emptied it into his mouth, “Hum, wokwave bread. It won’t help you tonight. I want you to feel me take you apart piece by piece. Bryan threw sand in his face as Jenny tried to run. Lizard threw the first knife hitting her in thigh as she screamed in pain as she fell. Jenny pulled the knife from her leg and planted it into one of the men’s neck.

  Bryan had taken the weapon from one of the braves as two other braves tried wrestled Bryan to the ground hitting him in the chest with a blow hard enough to crack several ribs. Lizard’s men held the boy with a knife to his throat, “Watch dog. We take Mouse Dog’s revenge against the Prick Whacker.”

  Bryan fought the two determined to skin him alive as two more braves had Jenny on the ground. Lizard covered her quickly pushing up her dress and taking her. Jenny bit his ear and tore it from his head and he just grinned.

  Jenny whispered, “The wokwave helps? But you will be as dead as me before the moon sets. Red Cedar has given me my revenge tonight.”