Finding Home

by Ali Spooner

  Nat noticed a bubbling in the sand a few feet away from her and stood to walk over to it. She used her hand to scoop away the sand and found a clam nestled in the wet sand, just as the woman said it would be. She picked up the small shell and inspected it closely.

  “Can’t be a whole lot of meat in there,” she said to Gyp. “It must take a lot of these to make a decent soup,” she said.

  Gyp saw another bubble form and she used her paws to dig away the sand as Nat laughed at her and walked over to pick up the shell Gyp had uncovered.

  “Yours is bigger,” Nat laughed as she took the shell in her hand.

  Nat walked back to retrieve the skin the Indian woman had given her and dropped the two shells into it and filled it partially with water. She and Gyp hunted clams until the moon began to rise and then they walked back up to the cave. Nat lit the campfire after tying the clam bag to a branch. Nat doubted there were any bears in this area, but she would not risk her food to any other predators in the area.

  Nat took a bacon filled biscuit from the bag and handed it to Gyp and then took another for herself. Hardy had wandered back to the campsite and Nat placed a feedbag over his head as they settled in for the evening. As the moon glowed across the rippling water, the three companions shared their first meal at the ocean.

  Nat enjoyed the warmth of the small fire. When the sun had set, the day’s warmth had quickly disappeared and she was glad for the extra warmth. She leaned back against a rock outcropping using her saddle as a pillow and gazed up at the night sky. The night was cloudless and the stars were spread across the sky like a shimmering blanket. Nat picked out the constellations she recognized from her father’s teaching and marveled how beautifully they lit up the night sky. She couldn’t help but wonder if Marissa was watching the same beautiful sky back at home.

  Marissa had seen the night sky, but was busy shuffling around completing her chores and did not take the opportunity to sit down and enjoy it the way Nat was. She carried the last of the split wood she would need for the night inside and closed the door behind her, shutting out the night’s beauty as she did.

  Sitting around the fire staring up at the sky made Nat think back to the many times she and her father had shared while trapping in the deep woods. She remembered one night as they camped while crossing over a wide prairie how they had gazed up at the stars watching a shower of shooting stars until their necks became sore from the awkward position.

  “I miss you, Father,” Nat said as she tossed another piece of wood onto the fire. Often, she would find herself thinking about her father and her hand would go to the bear claw necklace she wore around her neck. She still felt the pain of his loss and wondered if the pain would ever dissipate completely.

  The sound of the waves as they crashed upon the shore began to lull Nat to sleep and when she felt herself begin to nod she picked up her saddle and walked inside the cave. She unrolled her bedroll and fell asleep watching the shadows of the fire flickering on the cave walls. Gyp curled up next to her and was softly snoring as Nat drifted into dreams.

  Hardy stood patiently at the opening of the cave dozing as well. Deep into the early morning hours, Gyp was awakened by his soft huffing sounds and she stood up and stretched beside Nat. When she walked to the mouth of the cave, Gyp saw what Hardy was concerned about and she trotted back inside to stick her cold, wet nose to Nat’s chin to wake her.

  At first, Nat just pushed Gyp away, but the dog was persistent and returned to lick her master’s face until Nat stirred from her sleep.

  “What has gotten into you Gyp?” Nat asked as she petted her neck.

  Gyp let out a soft “woof” and walked to the mouth of the cave and gave a short bark when she turned and saw Nat was not following her.

  “Okay, I get it, you want me up, so just hold on a second,” Nat grumbled as she searched for her boots.

  Nat slipped into her boots and stood stretching her body. It had been a while since she had slept on the hard ground and she winced as her back felt stiff. “I am getting spoiled sleeping in a soft bed every night,” Nat said aloud.

  When she walked to the mouth of the cave, Nat stopped in her tracks when she looked to the sky. No wonder Gyp had wanted her awake. Neither of them had ever seen anything quite so incredible as the sky she was looking into. The Northern Lights had filled the early morning skies with swirls of brilliant green and Nat stood in awe at the most beautiful sight she had ever seen.

  “Oh my word,” Nat said to Gyp. “That is so beautiful.”

  Nat placed fresh wood on the fire and hung her coffee pot to make coffee as she and Gyp sat next to the fire admiring the beauty of the morning sky. When the coffee was ready, she poured herself a cup and sat with her arm around Gyp as they watched the Northern Lights begin to fade as the sun began to creep to the horizon. The brilliant greens were replaced by orange and yellow rays as the sun rose to start the day.

  Nat took the last two biscuits from the food sack and she and Gyp had breakfast. Nat wanted to do some exploring that morning, so after she and Gyp finished eating, she took the rifle from her saddle and they started down the beach.

  Nat didn’t think she would need a rifle for protection, but she took it just in case she ran into trouble. There would be no bears still awake this late in the season, but she would be prepared for other predators. She had no idea what form of wild life would live in this environment, so Nat kept a vigilant eye open as they walked down the shoreline.

  Gyp ran ahead of her chasing the waves as they rushed ashore, running away from the cold water as it approached and chasing it as the water receded. Nat laughed at her antics as they walked toward a small rock lined pool. The outgoing tide had left a bounty of ocean life stranded in the shallow water. “We are going to have a nice dinner,” Nat said to Gyp as she surveyed the variety of fish and shrimp to choose from.

  Nat found a long stick and using her knife carved a point on one end to fashion a spear which she used to impale a large fish, driving the point through its brain killing it instantly. She stuck the other end into the soft sand and removed her boots. She rolled her breeches legs up her calf and waded in the shallow pool filled with cold water as Gyp sat on a rock watching her. Nat corralled a large shrimp and snapped its head off and then another until she had a half dozen to accompany the fish. They would feast well tonight. She impaled the shrimp on her spear and left it behind with her boots as she and Gyp walked further down the beach.

  Nat slipped the barrel of her rifle down the back of her shirt as she and Gyp collected an armful of drift wood to use in the campfire. They stopped to pick up the spear with their dinner, and then walked back toward camp. Nat dropped the firewood next to the pit and took the large fish from her spear and carried it down to the water’s edge to clean it in preparation for cooking, washing the blood from her hands and the carcass in the cold salty water.

  Gyp trotted along behind her as she walked back up to the camp and fashioned a spit from the pieces of driftwood she had collected laying a fire beneath it. Nat stoked the coals with dry grass until the flames began to lick up against the fresh wood. She then placed the fish on the spit and turned to Gyp. “We are going to need more wood,” she said to the dog.

  They collected three armloads of wood and placed it around the fire pit. Nat turned the fish on the spit and then she and Gyp walked back to the water’s edge. They sat just beyond the limit of the advancing water and listened to the relaxing sound of the water’s rushing.

  Gyp lay next to Nat, her head resting on her master’s thigh as Nat’s hand stroked through her thick winter coat. “This is beautiful isn’t it my friend,” she said to her companion.

  Gyp raised her head when she heard a strange noise and she and Nat strained to see across the water. A hundred yards beyond the shore, they watched as a large beast rose to the surface and blew water from its body. As they watched, several more of the strange creatures surfaced, expelling air and water from their bodies. Nat was amazed by the sheer siz
e of the creatures as they surfaced and dove again beneath the water remaining underwater for several minutes after each breath.

  They watched until the creatures disappeared from their sight and Nat stood stretching her stiff muscles. “Let’s go check on dinner,” she said to Gyp who jumped to her feet and trotted alongside her master.

  The smell of the roasting fish met them halfway to the cave and Nat knelt to coat the fish with seasonings as she turned it on the spit. Curiosity seized Nat as she stood and looked into the shadows of the cave. She picked a burning limb from the fire and walked deeper into the cave. It was deeper than she had originally assumed and as she walked deeper she began to see strange drawings on the cave walls. She brought the fire closer and saw images of the creature she had seen earlier painted into the rock of the cave walls. She continued on her search and made a turn into a broad opening.

  The last visitor had left a small stack of wood in the fire pit and Nat used her flame to ignite the dry wood. As she had expected, hunters had used the cave as refuge as evidenced by the large pile of bones illuminated by the fire. Large rib bones, over six feet long were propped against the wall. “These must be from the creatures we saw today,” she said to Gyp who was eyeing the bones curiously. “The hunters must have slain one of the creatures and brought the carcass here for harvesting,” Nat said. She looked at the huge jawbones of the creature and marveled at the flat almost human teeth that graced its ridges. She picked up a tooth that had fallen free from the bone and ran her fingers over its edges. “Not jagged and sharp as you would expect of such a large predator,” she said as she examined it closely. She tucked the tooth into her shirt and moved to explore the rest of the cave.

  The walls were covered with artwork of strange and wondrous creatures, unlike Nat had ever seen in the deep woods. Large fishes and tusked creatures filled the walls as Nat walked around the cave, studying each carefully. “Amazing,” she said as she made the circuit around the cave.

  She watched as the flames from the fire danced upon the walls bringing the creatures shimmering to life. “We shall move in here tonight,” she told Gyp as they walked back toward the mouth of the cave. The fish was cooking well and Nat peeled the hard shells from the shrimp’s bodies and placed them on a skewer which she held above the flames, until the pink flesh roasted to a bright red. Satisfied that the strange meat was done, Nat removed them from the skewer and placed them on her plate to allow them to cool before she and Gyp would feast on them.

  She and Gyp watched the sun as it sunk past the horizon, its last rays casting long shadows across the water as they tasted the shrimp.

  Nat offered one of the shrimp to Gyp and watched as they dog ate it slowly.

  “They are kind of bland aren’t they?” she asked as she bit into the meat. “I bet they would taste much better basted with some honey butter,” she said, as she chewed. “Maybe we should take some home for Marissa to cook. I bet she knows just how to prepare them,” Nat said.

  Her words reminded her of just how much she missed her lover. The ocean had turned out to be a beautiful surprise, but Nat was missing the comfort of Marissa’s arms. “Would you mind if we went home early?” she asked Gyp as her companion looked back at her with loving eyes. “No, I don’t guess you would, you love her as much as I do, I think,” she said.

  Nat took the fish from above the fire and peeled some of the flakey meat to place in Gyp’s bowl and placed a healthy portion on her plate. Hardy walked up to them and Nat stood to place some feed in his bag and slipped it over his head.

  When she returned, she tasted the fish and moaned softly. “This tastes much better,” Nat said as she placed the bowl in front of Gyp. The seasonings had roasted into the meat and it flaked apart lightly as Nat picked it off the bones with her fork. Gyp finished her portion and licked her lips at Nat who chuckled and added another portion into the dog’s bowl.

  They ate the entire fish before walking down to the water to rinse out their dishes as the moon began to rise. Nat and Gyp dug clams until the sack was half full and then walked back to the cave. “Tomorrow we will check the pools for more shrimp and then head for home,” she said to Gyp as she moved her bedroll deeper into the cave.

  Nat put more wood on the fire and stretched out on her bedroll with Gyp tucked closely into her side. She fell asleep with her left hand buried in Gyp’s fur and dreamed of the creatures that danced upon the cave walls.

  PART TEN

  Nat woke up the next morning and put a pot of coffee on after stoking the fire. The Northern Lights were starting to fade when Gyp joined her and stretched before lying down by the fire. There was an extra crispness in the air this morning and Nat felt certain they would encounter rain before they made it home.

  She lifted the sack and carried it down to the rock pools in search of shrimp with Gyp on her heels. Nat removed her boots and waded into the pool where she was rewarded by a bounty of several dozen shrimp that she placed in the sack. She added more water and then tightened the drawstring on the sack. She sat down on a rock as she waited for her feet to dry then put her socks on and slipped back into her boots. They walked back to the cave where Nat hung the sack and took out several slices of the thin jerky for breakfast.

  “I sure could go for one of Marissa’s breakfasts right now,” she said, as she bit down on the chewy meat.

  Gyp held the strip between her paws as she chewed the meat until it was soft enough to swallow. Nat sipped her coffee as the sun crept into the morning sky and then doused the fire with the rest of the coffee. The hot embers hissed and steamed as smoke filled the air. Nat took the remainder of the wood into the cave and laid it next to the fire pit as the previous visitor had done. She rolled up her bedroll and fastened it to the back of her saddle which she carried out and placed on Hardy’s back. She cinched up the girth and placed the bridle on her faithful steed as they prepared to leave for home. Nat slid the rifle back into the holder and slipped the strings of the food sack and the water proofed sack over her saddle horn.

  Nat placed her foot in the stirrup and mounted Hardy. “Let’s go home, my friends,” she said as her heel nudged Hardy into movement. They traveled the path until noon when Nat pulled Hardy to a stop and dismounted. She led him over to a small stream and allowed him to drink his fill of the cold water as she and Gyp shared more of the jerky. Nat knelt down and filled her hands with the cold water and quenched her thirst as Gyp lapped up water beside her.

  After a short break, she mounted Hardy and pulled her hat down over her eyes to block the light rain that had begun to fall. Gyp ran ahead of them chasing wild scents and would disappear into the dense woods and reappear ahead of them down the path and wait for them to catch up. Nat observed an abundance of wild life as she plodded along and would have taken a large buck if she had brought Quincy the mule to carry the carcass. You will only grow bigger, she thought as she watched him bound across the path in front of them.

  The plodding of Hardy’s hooves and the creak of her leather saddle made Nat sleepy and she felt her head begin to nod. A sharp yelp from Gyp made her head jerk up and her hand instinctively moved to the butt of the rifle. She watched as a rabbit bolted from the underbrush and fled quickly down the path with Gyp closely on its heels. Another ten yards and Gyp would have caught the rabbit that veered hard right and disappeared down a hole in the ground. Gyp skidded to a halt and used her front paws to dig at the hole.

  “That rabbit is long gone, Gyp,” Nat said with a chuckle.

  Gyp stopped digging and trotted back onto the path. In another hour, they arrived at the cabin and Nat dismounted and grabbed a water bucket, dropping two dozen of the shrimp into it and covered them with the salty water. She left the bucket on the counter and returned to take up the sack and mount Hardy for the ride into town. Nat planned to drop the sack off to the Indian woman and then meet Marissa at the hotel to walk her home.

  She rode Hardy to the woman’s small house on the edge of town. The Indian woman was sitting on
her porch, peeling one of the apples Nat had brought her.

  “You are back sooner than expected,” she said to Nat when she dismounted.

  “The ocean was beautiful, but it was time to come home,” she said as she took the sack from her saddle horn and walked to the porch. “I have a surprise for you,” she said with a smile.

  The woman watched with anticipation as Nat opened the drawstring on the sack and placed her hand inside fishing around until her fingers came across one of the shrimp. She pulled it out of the sack and the woman cried out in surprise.