Wolf Shadow’s Promise

by Karen Kay

  “I do not completely understand.”

  “You need only to hold these things in your hands.”

  “Yes, yes, I understand that. What I don’t comprehend is why you tell me this? I am not a part of your tribe that I could count coup.”

  “Aa, yes, you are. Have you not saved my life many times? Have you not done many brave things for me and for my people? Many persons will wish to hear of your deeds and will want to honor you.”

  She digested this piece of information in silence. Still she thought to protest, “But Moon Wolf, I know nothing about this. I have never done it and I’m not certain I can do it.”

  “You will do fine. Simply tell the people what you did that was brave and helped to save my life—the life of Makoyi’s, too. But I must caution you, one must always tell the truth without adding or detracting from it. It must be the complete truth. I will go first so you can see what it is that we do.”

  “And you are sure they want to hear this from me?”

  “I am certain. You are a hero to the people. There are many that will look up to you and try to be like you. You must tell it true, for you will set an example that our young people will try to follow. It is an honor, this thing that is being asked of you.”

  “But, Moon Wolf, I don’t even speak your language.”

  “I will translate. You will do fine. I might caution you, however, that if you wish your caves to remain a secret, you should not mention them. It is up to you, for I will not tell of them.”

  She scowled, fretting, “I don’t think I can do this.”

  “Do not worry. If you say something wrong, I will not translate it. Come, all are waiting.”

  The people had gathered around a campfire, in the center of their council lodge, leaving room in the center for their warriors. Ma Clayton and Brother Mark sat with Moon Wolf’s other relatives amongst the crowd.

  One by one, the warriors who were to count coup filed into the lodge. She had discovered also that for tonight only those who had helped the cause of the Wolf Shadow had been selected to speak.

  War drums reverberated in the background. Beneath her dress, Alys’s knees shook. Each of the warriors beside her had stripped down to breechcloth and moccasins, she and Moon Wolf being the only ones in full dress. It didn’t help to calm her nerves. She felt alien. But she kept close to Moon Wolf; she on one side of him, Makoyi, on the other.

  First, to the accompaniment of the drums, Never Laughs stepped forward. Awful scars had been painted on his body, depicting his war injuries. Proudly, he told of his adventures with the Wolf Shadow.

  When he stepped back, several other military scouts stood forward, each one telling of their part in the Wolf Shadow effort.

  At last, it was Moon Wolf’s turn to recount his stories. He did so in English and in Blackfeet, explaining that he would have his wife hear of his adventures from his own mouth, that she might share in his honor.

  How the people shouted and called out their approval to hear of this!

  “Haiya,” he began, “I am going to tell you a story of the Wolf Shadow and how it all began. You do remember it, Society of Braves!”

  “Aa, aa, yes, yes,” came the braves’ response.

  “On a night many moons ago,” he continued, “as I hid in the fort, I discovered a wagon full of kegs of whiskey ready to be shipped to our people. It was guarded by three men. This whiskey is a bad thing for our people. It makes warriors into fools and good people into bad. You know it, Blackfeet women and children.”

  “Aa, aa, yes, yes,” confirmed the women and youngsters gathered there.

  Moon Wolf resumed, “My wolf and I came upon these seizers and because they were more than us, we had to think of a way to misdirect their attention.

  “I threw a stone in one direction, making great noise. One of these seizers went to investigate. Because the white man kills many of our women and children for every warrior of theirs that we kill, I spared that one’s life and knocked him on the head so that he would not help his fellows. This left only two of the seizers. I fought with one of them and Makoyi fought with the other, ripping open his arm.

  “This we did without a shot being fired. And then, because it was late and no other seizers were there, I emptied every barrel full of the whiskey.

  “But soon more seizers came out to fight me. There were many of them and so I ran to a safe spot, covering my tracks as best I could.

  “But Makoyi stayed behind and began howling, so much so that the seizers began to believe that it was a wolf spirit that had attacked them. You do remember it, scouts!”

  “Aa, aa, yes, yes!”

  “From then on, the Wolf Shadow went on to destroy many of the shipments of whiskey, always evading the seizers and their guns. Sometimes the scouts of the military covered my tracks, sometimes I did. But always we have worked together.

  “And now Moon Wolf has spoken. Moon Wolf has spoken true. You do remember it, all Pikunis!”

  Throughout his speech, the drums had given him soft accompaniment. But now that he had finished, they started into a wild clamor while the people shouted and cheered, “Aa, aa, yes, yes! Soka’pii! Soka’piiwa! Good, that is good!”

  Suddenly, amidst all the noise, Moon Wolf turned to her. “It is now your turn,” he said, giving her a nod of encouragement. He added, “They will love you. I promise you. You will do fine.”

  She cleared her throat as the roar of the crowd died down. A little timidly, she stepped forward, while the rhythm of the drums settled back down to a hushed accompaniment. She began, “I am Alys Clayton, or, as Moon Wolf calls me, Little Brave Woman.” She paused to let Moon Wolf translate. “Long ago, when we were young, I helped Moon Wolf and his sister escape from my village when others there wished them harm and were searching for them. I befriended them and led them to safety outside the fort, thus allowing them to return to their people.” Another pause as Moon Wolf continued to translate.

  “Soon after, however, I was sent to school in the east but when I returned,” she continued, “I found Moon Wolf injured one night after he had attacked the whiskey wagons. I nursed him back to health as you can see.

  “Lastly, when Moon Wolf had gone down into a herd of buffalo to try to stampede them into the whiskey camp, someone had shot at him. With the wolf’s help, I found him and dragged him to safety, helping again to nurse him to health. That is all.”

  Unlike Moon Wolf’s narrative, there had been no poetic rhyme or rhythm to her tale. Still, how the people did cheer and the drummers throbbed out approval.

  Grinning Alys started to sit down, but Moon Wolf gently touched her arm. He whispered, “There is one more who must speak.”

  Alys glanced down the row of warriors. All here had told of their adventures. Who was left?

  All at once Moon Wolf turned to his pet, calling out, “Makoyi.” The wolf lifted up and set his paws onto Moon Wolf’s shoulders. Moon Wolf, however, turned the wolf around toward the people, still holding it by its forepaws, as he said, “You are about to count your coups, Makoyi, that all may know of your bravery. I am going to turn you around, for you must face them.”

  “Makoyi,” Alys murmured to herself.

  Meanwhile, the wolf whined.

  “My people,” Moon Wolf spoke first in Blackfeet, then in English, “this one is of a tribe foreign to us but he is a warrior true. He will count coups with you, but because you might not understand him, I will translate for him.

  “My name is Makoyi and my master is Moon Wolf. I have gone to war with my man many times and always I protect him. Once when a soldier tried to kill him with a gun, I attacked that man and saved my master. Another time I helped him…” Moon Wolf went on to recount many more such tales. “Recently,” he continued, “when my master was weak and did not know that his wife had gone on the warpath for him, I awakened my master from a sound sleep, thinking that he should protect his wife. I led my master to where the enemy was shooting at his wife and I killed two of the enemy that my ma
n could get his woman and flee. In doing this, I took a bullet into my chest and was sick for many days.”

  Shouts began, but Moon Wolf held up his hand. He said, “The next part I cannot translate for you because I was unconscious. My wife will tell of Makoyi’s next feat of bravery.”

  Moon Wolf turned to Alys.

  Alys found, to her horror, that her voice was hoarse. Something about seeing the wolf count coup had touched her. Still, she came to stand beside the wolf, petting him and putting her arm around him as she proudly began, “My master left me with his wife while he sneaked down to a buffalo herd that stood above the camp of the whiskey traders. His wife became very excited when a shot was heard and I knew that my master was in trouble. The woman told me to take her to her husband because she did not know the way. I did this and we found my man injured.” She paused while Moon Wolf translated.

  “In order to get my man to safety,” Alys continued, “I allowed the woman to tie a rope around me and push it up over my master’s horse, where I pulled on the rope to raise our man up onto his mount. Then, because his woman did not know where to take my master, I led them to a wood by a stream where my master might recover. While she nursed him, I hunted for them that they would not go hungry. This I did because I love my master. There,” she concluded, Moon Wolf quickly translating, “I have said it.”

  Oh, how the people did roar and roar! How the drums did beat! While drums whanged out a cadence that did not let up for several minutes, chants of all sorts joined the throb of excitement, trilling, “Makoyi! Makoyi, Makoyi!”

  Makoyi seemed to perceive what was happening, too, for he ran, alternatingly chasing and then wagging his tail. He jumped up onto Moon Wolf, placing his paws on his shoulders, and tried to lick his face. Moon Wolf laughed and petted the animal.

  A dance soon followed the ceremony, with Moon Wolf, Alys, and Makoyi the honored guests. Ma Clayton reclined next to her daughter, the reverend next to Moon Wolf.

  As they sat on the sidelines, watching the others, Moon Wolf put his arm around Alys and, as he took her into his arms, he whispered, “Though you have never seen an ‘I saw’ dance before tonight, you did it very well. I knew that you would. I am proud and honored to know that you are my wife.”

  She smiled leisurely and put her head into the crook of his shoulder. “And how wonderful that you had Makoyi count coup, for he is a true warrior, no matter that he is not human.”

  “Aa, yes, he is a warrior true.”

  She sent Makoyi a loving glance. The wolf, however, appeared to be somewhat distressed. Off in the distance could be heard the melancholy serenade of the wolves, and Makoyi lifted his ears, stirring uneasily.

  “His kind are calling to him again,” Moon Wolf nodded toward his pet. “I will tell him to stay here, but he might go to them. And I will not stop him.”

  “Nor will I,” she said, and, laughing, melted into the arms of her husband.

  “Nor will I prevent this reverend, Kind Heart, from marrying us.”

  This statement was uttered so matter-of-factly, that it took her several minutes to respond. “What?” she asked.

  But Moon Wolf did not glance at her, sat perfectly erect and showed her only one side of his profile as he said, “I think that Kind Heart should marry us so that both your people and mine will know that we are now one.”

  “Marry us?”

  “I think that we should have the white man’s certificate. Is it not this that you wish?”

  “Well, yes, but I didn’t mean to imply that I am anything else but married to you already.”

  “Still,” he said, at last grinning down at her, “I think this is something I would like to do.”

  “Why, I can’t believe it. I…” She leaned over Moon Wolf so that she could address the reverend. “Is it true? Are you here to marry us, Brother Mark?”

  “Yes, I am,” came the deeply resonant voice of the reverend. “I was fetched by this young man to do exactly that. This party was really the start of the ceremony, I believe. But your mother and this young man here wanted you to be surprised.”

  “Yes, well, that I am.” She turned to her mother. “Then you’ve known all along?”

  “Of course, dear.”

  “But tell me, Brother Mark, I have been searching and searching this town for a clergyman who would marry us, and I have found none that would do it. You do not mind, then, that Moon Wolf and I are not of the same…” She left the rest unsaid.

  “My child, I am only happy that the two of you have chosen to do the right thing and are seeking to have His blessing upon you. I assure you that the Lord cares not whether your skin color is white or red. I only wish the other settlers in the territory had a heart so open. It would certainly be easier to help the tribes of Indians if the moral quality of white immigrants improved. But I would ask something of you before we go any further.”

  “What is that, Reverend?”

  “Do you love this man?”

  Alys grinned wholeheartedly. “That I do, Reverend. That I do.”

  “Then,” he suggested, “I think we should have that wedding.”

  “Especially,” volunteered Moon Wolf, “since I have found the deed that both mother and daughter have been seeking so desperately.”

  A shocked instant followed those carefully chosen words until mother and daughter blurted out all at once, “You what?”

  “I found this paper long ago when I was exploring the caves,” explained Moon Wolf. “Remember, Little Brave Woman, when I was telling you to observe the small things? That sometimes this could save your life?”

  She nodded.

  “This paper was hidden behind a rock that looked like it might have been part of the wall. But one rock was of granite, the other of schist. I became curious about this and looked behind the rock. This is what I found.” He produced the document.

  Neither woman could speak for several moments.

  At last it was Alys who found her voice. “But this is wonderful,” she said, her voice barely over a whisper. “I will go to the General Land Office tomorrow and register this claim.”

  “That is good,” he said, “that is very good. Perhaps this land”—he waved at the document—“is that special place we had hoped to find. Perhaps, too, this will be the start of our two worlds coming together, for, have you noticed one other thing?”

  Alys could do little more than shrug her shoulders.

  “This property is on the land that has been ceded to my people. They will be our neighbors.”

  Alys stared at him for a moment before she suddenly broke out into laughter.

  “It is wonderful,” she said, “it is truly simply wonderful, my love.”

  A breeze flew down through the ears of the tepee and up into the entryway of the council lodge. It lifted her white veil, which her mother had brought for her, away from her face. She grinned slightly, not paying any attention to the words that Reverend Mark spoke. She sneaked a peek to her side, however, and caught Moon Wolf’s glance back at her. She bestowed upon him a shy smile.

  He readily returned the gesture and reached down to hold her hand. No matter that she wore white lace gloves—the feel of his firm grip upon her sent shivers racing up and down her spine.

  Not a single space remained in the council lodge, as all within the encampment crowded in to witness the joining of these, their two heroes.

  She had dressed quickly in Butterfly Woman’s lodge, her mother and the other female relatives only too happy to help clothe her in the white satin gown she had brought with her. The dress, trimmed with Valenciennes lace, was one she had started making while still visiting in the east, although she had finished the garment at home. Though it was not specifically made to be a wedding dress, she was certain that when she looked back upon this day, that wouldn’t make the slightest difference.

  She closed her eyes as a feeling of well-being swept over her.

  Although she knew Brother Mark by reputation only, it was clear that he was a ma
n of integrity and honesty, the name given to him by the Blackfeet, “Kind Heart,” summing it up better than she could have.

  “Do you, Moon Wolf,” the reverend was saying, “take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love, honor and trust her, to have and to hold her, in sickness and in health, and for richer or poorer, so long as you both shall live?”

  Moon Wolf’s voice rang out with clarity as he said, “Waanisttsi, I do.”

  At last the reverend turned to her. “And do you, Alys, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love, honor and trust him, to have and to hold him, in sickness and in health, and for richer or poorer, so long as you both shall live?”

  She smiled. “I do.”

  “Then by the power invested in me by the Lord, our God, I now pronounce you husband and wife.” He turned to Moon Wolf. “You may kiss the bride.”

  Grinning down at her, Moon Wolf raised the veil away and, placing a finger under her chin, lifted her head toward his, bringing his lips to hers so softly, so tenderly, that she whimpered, tears of happiness streaming from the corners of her eyes. He whispered, “Kitsikakomimmo,” as the crowd around them began to sing and shout.

  But the two lovers didn’t even hear. Gazing down at her, he wiped away her tears with the tip of his finger, rubbing the moisture so very carefully on his own cheek. He whispered, “And now, as it has been in the past, a part of you is a part of me—always…”

  Recognizing these as the same words he had once spoken so very long ago, she threw herself into his arms, crying, “For always and always…”

  Epilogue

  They stood alone on the hill overlooking the river that flowed steadily through their land. Clear, clean water rushed beneath them, as though endowed with a life of its own. The sun, high in the sky, beat down upon them, and in the distance loomed the hills and snow-capped mountains they loved so much. A hawk, flying high overhead, squawked, and in the distance a wolf howled.