1- The Glass Room 2- The Spirit Stone -3-bear Hugs-4- Believe (12 page)

When Nurse Alma went to give them their medicine, she realized they had both passed from this world to the next. As she looked out of the window she saw the two red birds flying off together.

THE END

BEVERLY MACHADO

THE SPIRIT STONE
 

Chapter One
 

Serious words were spoken as the Comanche Chief and his warriors gathered around the large council tepee. Chief Buffalo Bull spoke for only his warriors to hear. Plans were made; when, where, why were heard with opened ears and excited hearts; for in the tepee were his bravest and his most darest of all his Comanche warriors.

Three moons ride to their north they would travel on their horses to their enemy territory to steal as many horses as they could.

“You will travel when the moon is half round; enough to see, but not enough to be seen. All of you will ride until your shadows can not be seen. There you will leave your own horses with Little Buffalo. He will keep watch over them. You will go on foot for last part of journey. Quietly. Take as many of their horses and ride with speed until you reach your own horses and bring them to our people. I have spoken.”

All ears heard. All hearts beat fast with excitement for the adventure they craved. They left early on their own horses and arrived on time for the long walk arriving as was planned. All Apaches slept. They reached their enemy’s horses. And while the night was quiet, they were also. They slipped on the backs of their conquest and silently slipped off into the darkness; all but Night Hawk.

Night Hawk was too daring. He wanted water to quench his thirst. He would not wait. As he neared the water he saw a squaw just step out of the cool water. It was a hot night with no wind. Her body was too hot to sleep in the tepee with her mother and father. A cool dip in the water and then she could sleep; only as she stepped to the bank did he appear into a dim light, did she see him; strong, muscular, bronze skin clothed only in his breech cloth; one thick, long braid hanging down his back with one eagle feather woven thru and held straight up in his hair. He held himself straight on a horse he was not familiar with as the horse’s hoofs rocked from one to the other; eager to follow the others.

So surprised, she could not move as she stood there in her nakedness. He looked her up and down; she was unashamed for she knew of the beauty she possessed.

“Your name?”

“Raven.”

“Yours,” she said pointing to him.

“Night Hawk.”

“You mated?”

“Promised.”

He spit on side of the horse saying, “Promised means nothing to me. I will see you again. Meet me here next dark moon,” he said while moving his knees to the horses sides to turn from her to reach the others.

What just happened, she thought. She could still see him in her mind; shiny, bronze, damp skin from the heat of the night. She was also wet, but not from night heat. She had to get back in the dark water to cool. But she couldn’t get the picture of him out of her mind. Strong, daring, but wait, what was he doing here? He was sitting on Sitting Bird’s horse. He was stealing her cousin’s horse. How can I let myself admire him when he was here to steal from us? There was no wind, with heat unbearable; it brought a torrential storm. It wiped all traces of tracts left behind.

She entered the tepee as her parents slept. She could not get the picture of him out of her mind. I am promised. I must not look at another with lust; but I do.

When Night Hawk reached his friends and the captured horses, Long Snake rode up to him, “Why it take you so long to reach us?”

“My mouth was dry. I needed water. I went to creek there.”

“Your orders from Chief Buffalo Bull were to hurry back with the horses.”

“Orders. I take no orders. I make my own orders.”

“Your thinking will get you in trouble yet, my friend. Wait and see.”

“I’ll wait and see,” he said while smiling. Turning his horse to reach his own horse, he then tied the enemy horse with a rope and slid on his own horse, “Flash”.

She woke early the next morning with all the commotion coming from outside. “Half of our horses are gone,” Rising Sun said. “We sleep too hard.”

“It was the storm that blew away the sound. Not sleep too hard.” this came from their chief, Chief Running Bear.

Just then, a squaw came dragging her son by his ear. “Tell them.”

Looking down at the ground, he said. “I don’t think I put tree fence up right. It is my fault horses gone.”

The warriors all looked at Chief Running Bear and waited for his answer. “You must learn the way of our people. Tonight you are going for your trial to become a new brave. You will go to mountain top. There you stay for days until you get your vision of learning. It will come to you, but only if you are alone without food or water. Your mother will feed you now, but when the sun disappears, you leave and not come back until you can come to me and tell me of your vision. Go. “

The young boy, only twelve circles of seasons looked frightened, but knotted to the chief. He had to obey. He ate well and left to climb the mountain; afraid.

All warriors spread out, still angry, but now knew it was a boys mistake, not enemy’s doing.

Only Raven knew better. She could have spoken up to save the child, but knew his time had come for his trial to have his vision to become a warrior. So she said nothing.

Straight Arrow, her promised one, walked up to her. He was waiting for all full seasons to pass to claim her as his own. He was the only son of Chief Running Bear and will one day become chief of their tribe. He didn’t love her, but wanted to possess her because of her great beauty. All others knew she belonged to him and not to think of claiming her. He was very jealous and possessive and controlling. All others knew not to look at her too long or they would have to deal with his anger.

Chapter Two
 

The moon came dark. When her mother and father started snoring, she quietly lifted the buffalo hide that hung at the opening. She looked and saw no one. When she got to the creek, he was there waiting for her. He slid off his horse and taking her hand led her into the thick forest.

“You waited for me!”

“I will always wait for you.” He held her close to his strong, bare chest for a long time. “You will belong to me one day; no one else. I will have you for my own. I always get what I want and I want you.”

“But I am promised to our Chief’s son. He is a violent man. He will kill you.”

“Do you want him?”

“No, my father promised me to him. He wants me to be Chief’s first wife.”

“You want to be Chief’s first wife?”

“No, I am afraid of him. He is wicked.”

“Then I will take you from him.”

“But everyone is afraid of him.”

“He needs to be afraid of me. I fear no one.”

“Hear my words. Do you want me?”

“I don’t know you, but my heart wants you.”

“Then come.”

They laid on the forest floor looking into each other eyes. He reached under her wrap and made her want him.

“Now do you want me?”

“Yes,” she said panting.

There love making was everything she ever dreamed about and more. Yes, she wanted him, but how could she have him when Straight Arrow would not let her go. They stayed laying in each others arms.

“Don’t worry, Raven. I will take you away from him. I will leave you now, but I will be back next dark moon. I will wait for you. You come when it is quiet.”

“Yes, I come to you.”

When she entered the tepee, her father was sitting up waiting for her.

“Why you leave in night?”

“I had to relieve myself.”

“Why you not use night basket?”

“It is my moon time. I needed to go out.”

He laid back down and before long, he was snoring.

Four days passed and the young boy came down from the mountain. He looked haggard, but they all knew not to speak to him until he spoke to the Chief. As he entered his tent, and the Chief saw him, he waved to his squaws to leave. The boy sat crossed-leg in front of him and waited to speak.

“Now speak to me if you saw a vision.”

“Yes, a long vision; a clear vision. I saw many people with their skin the color of sand by creek. Some on horses riding back and forth. Watching. Large animals, big like buffalos pulling tepees on tree boxes on big circles. Many, many of them were heading above us thru prairie, our prairie. Some go to mountains, our mountains. They were pushing us off our land. We were sad, but we were leaving. They had long sticks that made noise that hurt ears when fire came out. What does that mean Chief Running Bear? Do you know?”

“Let me think about it before I speak of it. You go now and eat. You have done well. You will be known now as “Sees Far.” You are now one of my braves. Tell no one of your vision. Tell no one of anything that happened on the mountain top, only me.”

“Yes, I tell no one.”

He was so weak from hunger and thirst that he dragged himself to his mother’s tepee. She had a big hip bone used for plate filled with food waiting for him with the bladder of an animal filled with water for she knew of his hunger and thirst.

Chief Running Bear thought and thought about the vision. I will think of this for several moons before I speak of it.

All worked hard, young and old alike. Even children had their duties assigned to them. Everything they needed was made from animals that warriors killed and squaws’ cleaned, scraped and chewed. Every part of the animals was used. Bones became dishes or tools. Scraping flesh and hair from buffalo hides and tanning was done by women, young and old alike. They chewed to soften the hides and sewed them together for tepee covers and clothes. Numerous uses for the same article were versatile. Racks made from trees or bones became useful for drying and smoking meat. Everything they needed was made by all in the tribe. Children’s job was to keep dogs away from cooking areas. Clay pots were made for cooking or selective bones were also used. Nothing went to waste.

While squaws taught younger ones how to do all chores, warriors made weapons while teaching the young. All the tribe members worked from sun up to past sun down, but not everyday. Some days were for gatherings. There was storytelling as they sat around the central fire. Some stories were funny and sent every one laughing. There was a closeness that nestled these people together. They enjoyed their work and they enjoyed their play. Children didn’t have many toys because all tribes traveled to escape the cold of winter going south; or south to north to escape the heat. When animals became scarce, they traveled to find where they were plentiful. Because of their traveling days, toys for children were limited or nonexistent. Games were invented and played with jubilance.

A simple game of rocks placed in a basket they made and pushed with sticks to see who could get their basket to the drawn line in the dirt first, was fun for all; the players and the watchers. It didn’t take much to entertain these happy people.

One day a young warrior trying to show his worth to his superiors, traded his beaver kill to trappers he came across in the nearby waters, for a bag of special corn. When they were sitting around the fire he placed some of the corn in a clay pot thinking he did good because he knew his people loved corn. But when the corn started popping out of the pot, it sent them reaching for them and knocking each other over. They laughed so hard they couldn’t catch many.

“What kind of corn is that?” someone asked.

“The trappers said it was a special corn.”

“It was special alright. It should be called catch corn.”

At all the gatherings, Straight Arrow always sat next to Raven. It won’t be too much longer and she will be mine, he thought.

Chapter Three
 

The moon turned dark; the time Raven waited for. As she neared the forest, she saw him sitting on his horse, so straight, so confident, and so daring. She couldn’t wait to touch him, to feel his arms circling her.

She thought, but I still do not know him. Only my heart is leading me to him.

He slid off his horse and held her close to him not wanting to let her go. He again took her hand and led her to their favorite spot in the forest. The fallen leaves were damp with moisture of the night; but they cared not. It was their special place. The dampness meant nothing. He would make her forget about such as that. She was ready for his love making. She had waited thru all cycles of the moon, watching each one. He was here now when the moon grew dark to take her and she let him. It was after lying in each others arms that they sat up together, side by side. The damp leaves now held a warmth from their heated love making. As they were sitting and talking, Night Hawk was pushing the ground between them not thinking of what he was doing; deep in his nearness of her. He loved her. He had never been in love before. Never in his nineteen full circles of seasons had he ever seen such beauty and she is mine. I will take her from Straight Arrow even if I have to kill him. His hand was still pushing the leaves and dirt away, when he felt something under the earth. He then dug until he pulled it out.

“What do you have, Night Hawk?”

“It is only one part of a Spirit Stone.”

“Let me dig and see if I can find the other part.” As she dug just a little deeper, she pulled out another stone.

“Let me see that, Raven.” He examined it carefully then held it in his hand. “Let me hold your stone.” When he did, he said, “Hold this stone and tell me what you feel.”

She did and told him it was so cold it felt like falling snow.

“Now hold this one you found and tell me what you feel.”

“It is also very cold like yours.”

“They are two stones that belong together. Look how it fits together.” He put them together and they fit perfectly. “Raven, do you know what we have found?”

“I’m not sure if this is true, but I have heard stories about a Spirit Stone. I didn’t believe it because the story goes that they are only found by true lovers and so few are on this land. They are the size of a mother deer’s heart. But what color is it. I cannot tell in this dimness?”