Shatomi shook his head as Quitkwa slipped silently through the brush behind him, a packet of dried venison tucked beneath his arm.
"Why do you keep running back to the clan when you should be gathering what you need as you go?" he said angrily. "You know we are far ahead. Didn't you realize we would scout for food?"
"There's no way of knowing if we will find decent game. I thought it would be best if we had something in our stomachs to give us energy to hunt," Quitkwa said meekly. "Besides, we've already found a place to camp for the night."
"What if we find a better place?" Shatomi questioned. "I wouldn't have waited if I knew where you went, but I had to be sure you were safe. Now we may have missed an opportunity to find game. Three hawks came after you left, and the way they've been squawking up there, every animal in the forest knows where we are."
"I thought only crows and jays spooked the animals when people were near," Quitkwa said curiously.
"Hawks too, if they think you're a threat to them," Shatomi said with an air of certainty, though he had never seen this before. "I doubt if a herd of deer or antelope would be worried about a few hawks, but that noise could make them nervous."
"They'll be gone shortly," Quitkwa said. "They'll find a snake or a rabbit and go back to their nests."
"Don't talk about snakes," Shatomi snapped at him. Quitkwa's eyes widened as the beginnings of a smirk appeared on his face. "If you were with us this morning, you wouldn't be smiling about it!" Shatomi said angrily. "At least there will be four of us," he changed the subject. "While you were gone, I kept an eye on the Paccus. They use the same hunting signals that we do."
"I'm glad that you found something useful to do without me around," Quitkwa said, the smirk returning to his face. Shatomi swept his leg under Quitkwa in an attempt to level him, but Quitkwa jumped out of the way, laughing.
"Chief's son or not, one day you will walk in humiliation," Shatomi warned him about his constant teasing. "He who finds himself to be right in everything is the only one who does so."
Quitkwa smiled to himself as he followed him towards the two Paccu scouts. Shatomi was short and heavyset, with a face that always made Quitkwa feel like laughing. His hair was half gray and his shoulders drooped when he wasn't conscious of it. Quitkwa, noticing the sudden changes from time to time as Shatomi would throw his shoulders back, always felt that he was actually not very strong, but was constantly trying to make himself appear so. Quitkwa began harassing him because he appeared to be the weakest warrior other than himself. When he threw his shoulders back, however, Shatomi suddenly looked more powerful than any of the other warriors, except for Mokotak, who was as big as a moose, only more muscular. Quitkwa never became certain as to whether Shatomi was weak or strong, so he generally used his agility to stay out of range of the deceptive warrior when he felt in the mood to goad someone. Sequannah would definitely be weaker than him, but he had a strange way of always leaving the other person to look the fool. Worst of all, it was never anything that Sequannah said, but more or less the manner he had about him.
Ceptke suddenly appeared and grabbed Shatomi by the arm, placing a finger over his lips to signal silence. He then motioned with his hands to suggest the legs of an animal leaping. Shatomi gave him the hand sign for rabbits. Ceptke looked at him, somewhat surprised, and then spread his arms to suggest something larger. Shatomi gave the sign for pronghorn as he looked at him questioningly; antelope seldom ventured from the safety of the prairie where they could easily outrun predators. Ceptke looked pleased that he had guessed the animal as well as been able to communicate. Shatomi indicated that he had seen the droppings of both animals recently and pointed in the directions he thought they were heading. Ceptke nodded that Shatomi had been correct. Quitkwa pointed to the sky and gave the signal for hawks, but Ceptke just waved his hand.
Shatomi removed an arrow from the quiver that hung loosely from his hip and Quitkwa immediately mimicked his actions. The Paccus kept their quivers slung over their shoulders.
Through the brush, they could see the pronged horns of a large buck occasionally showing over the tops of the bushes. Other snaps and crunches indicated there were several does with him as well. Boaka emitted a sharp bark from the other side of the small herd. A buck and four does bolted in the direction of the three waiting hunters. After the initial leap, one of the does caught sight of a sudden movement in front of the herd and bleated loudly while turning simultaneously to the right. The others followed in a like pattern and one of the smaller does exposed herself to the hunters. Ceptke aimed and released with lightning speed, but was amazed to see Quitkwa's arrow stick into the broad side of the doe just as his arrow left the string. A third arrow pierced the heart of the antelope only a moment later. Shatomi's arrow, while slower in release, hit most accurately, dropping the doe as she tried to land on her feet. Ceptke signed the two Minnecou that he believed the fallen doe to be their kill. His expression gave testimony that he was surprised yet respectful to the Minnecous' hunting prowess that had left him second in speed and accuracy. On closer inspection, he found that Quitkwa's arrow had been more accurate then his own as well, although any one of the three would have eventually caused the doe's knees to buckle after a short pursuit.
Looking down at the small antelope, they realized that while they did have meat, there wouldn't be near enough. Shatomi suggested they bleed the animal and sling it up high in a tree while they search for more. The three hawks landed in nearby treetops, watching silently as Shatomi slit the doe's throat and the four of them drank of the otherwise wasting blood.
"These hawks will wait for us to finish here so they can scavenge the rest of the doe because they know it is a fresh kill. But while it hangs from the tree, they won't be able to get a good foothold and maybe they will give up after a while," Shatomi said to Quitkwa. "While they are quiet over here, I'm going to see if I can flush some rabbits. You can come with me." Quitkwa pointed with his chin, indicating he would pursue the buck.
"I doubt you will catch up with him now, but you can try. Just don't stay away for too long; we have to get back to the clan well before sunset to let them know where to set up their lodges."
Shatomi signaled his intention to go after the rabbits, and to his surprise, Boaka expressed an interest in going with him. Ceptke felt that trailing the buck would most likely prove fruitless, but he acquiesced to go along with Quitkwa now that they had a way to communicate. He also wanted to show him that there were many things that a Paccu hunter could teach him.
Quitkwa led the way, attempting to assert his superiority on the basis of one arrow. Although this was irritating to the seasoned Paccu warrior, Ceptke knew the arrogant young Minnecou would eventually find himself in a situation where he'd have to ask for advice.
They followed the tracks for quite a distance, where they could see the antelope were still running. They had bolted for a considerable span before they stopped in a shallow arroyo to drink from a trickling stream. But here, the buck separated himself from the remaining does. Ceptke indicated that they should go after the three does as there would be a greater chance of getting one of them rather than to follow a solitary animal. Quitkwa felt they were only likely to get one animal in either case, and the buck appeared to be much larger. Ceptke agreed to go along, letting the Minnecou know they were making a mistake.
The two hunters followed the buck's trail up the embankment and across a long level meadow. The trail led up a slowly rising ascent on what appeared to be a long ridge, running from north to south, then descended down a very steep hill and into a rocky valley where a narrow, but gushing river had carved several long gorges through the soft stone of the valley floor. Here, they lost all trace of the trail as it vanished in the broad areas of exposed ledge, effectively leading them well away from the does. Quitkwa searched frantically for a hoof print or a snapped branch along the edges of the exposed limestone, and after long and tedious scrutiny, found the point at which the buck had leapt into a swath of ferns that remained relatively intact, making it difficult to discern that a large animal had passed that way. Ceptke looked surprised that the Minnecou would have found such a clever escape route, but again indicated he would follow, knowing they were never going to catch him. Quitkwa proudly took up the chase, tracing the deep hoof prints through a stretch of soft mud to the edge of another area of exposed rock, even larger than the first.
"This is strange," Quitkwa whispered. "Pronghorn always avoid mud." The Paccu shrugged off the unintelligible muttering.
Quitkwa once again began a thorough search along the perimeter of the ledge. But this area of exposed limestone was criss-crossed with many smaller tributaries and diversions of the main stream that made it difficult to maneuver. The antelope may have walked along the center of any one of these long rivulets without leaving any trace of its passing; they were virtually free of sand or debris that would reveal disturbance. Quitkwa's hopes soon began to fade, and he became increasingly irritated at the Paccu who wouldn't even attempt to help him. Ceptke poked around in the pools and holes of the strange rivulets, totally ignoring the buck.
Quitkwa watched incredulously as Ceptke dove into one of the pools. He couldn't believe he would pick this moment to go swimming. There was still time to pick up the trail of the does! Quitkwa resumed his search, but soon gained a sense that something was wrong. The Paccu had never resurfaced. He ran to the edge of the pool, but there was no sign of him anywhere. The bottom was perfectly clear, yet he couldn't see the Paccu. Maybe Ceptke had seen something and hidden, with no time to warn him. After looking around for some time, he detected nothing of consequence. He laid down on the smoothed ledge and cupped his eyes to get a better look into the pool, when directly beneath him, the Paccu swam right out of the ledge of stone.
Ceptke burst through the surface, gasping for air as he babbled in Paccu. Quitkwa gave him an unintelligible look; the Paccu dove back under and once again disappeared into the side of the ledge. Quitkwa looked over the edge a little further, unable to see where he'd gone. He walked around to the other side of the pool, but could see nothing until the Paccu emerged once again, apparently right out of the stone face of the ledge. Quitkwa dove in and Ceptke swam down to where he pointed out a submerged opening that was as long as a man, but very shallow. It was shaped like a large mouth where it was wide enough to swim through at the center, but became increasingly narrow at the corners.
He followed the Paccu into the cold darkness beyond. He felt his way along the top of the submerged tunnel until he reached an abrupt end where his buoyancy thrust him through the water's surface, to an inner cavern. Ceptke called to him from a short distance away, and he swam in the direction of the voice. Between strokes, he swam face-first into a buttress of rock. As he cursed his sudden pain, he felt the Paccu's strong grip dragging him out of the water. He found himself standing on a ledge of incredible smoothness, untouched for millennium by the relentless forces of ice and sun, but ground flawlessly by the gentle flow of water over countless generations.
His eyes adjusted to the sudden darkness and he perceived several areas around him where the water took on a glow from the outside sun. Ceptke pointed out the different entrances to the newly discovered cavern, all four submerged. Each one faced in almost the exact directions of north, south, east and west, and the rays of underwater sunlight formed a faint cross in the still pool.
Both sensed they were standing in a powerful place. Gazing upon the cross, they instinctively knew that this was the intersection through which all things were meant to pass. They sensed that this was a divine symbol, associated with all wisdom, love, sacrifice, and everything meaningful. It was the pathway to the Creator. Neither wanted to leave the holy place, but they sensed an urgency in finding food and shelter for their people. They had also left their weapons alongside the pool and feared that enemies would find the bows, and quivers of arrows to use against them.
Once outside, the area was deserted, though they sensed they weren't alone. Their weapons in hand and facing downstream, the hunters simultaneously caught sight of the mysterious antelope posed majestically against the backdrop of white and gray limestone cliffs. Neither hunter raised his bow. The antelope had led them here. Quitkwa gave testimony that he would never hunt antelope in this territory again, though the only witness to this didn't understand a word. The Paccu seemed to make some kind of statement directed at the mysterious antelope as well, but both Minnecous and Paccus alike had long standing beliefs that the Creator was witness to all and that no broken promises would ever be forgotten. They would be dealt with according to the situation. No promise, therefore, no matter who it was directed to, was broken without good reason.
By this time, the sun had lowered itself further into the afternoon sky. Their only chance of finding food for the band lay in what game they might encounter on their way back. They had taken a considerable amount of time, and while returning with a heavy burden of meat would excuse their tardiness, to come back late and empty-handed would invite anger and insults. If they went straight back to meet the other two scouts, they would arrive at an acceptable time.
They retraced the route they had taken, but curiously, while they did find minor traces of their own steps, they no longer found any hint of the pronghorn. Even in the mud, the hoof prints had vanished. They took this as a sign that the buck was truly sacred, and were relieved they hadn't raised their bows. However, both hunters kept a keen eye out for other game to hunt in order to justify their absence.
They found several trails of deer along the way, but there was no time for stalking; they would have to run across whatever game they could hunt by chance. They tread silently, listening intently for inadvertent noises, but the first sounds they heard were the voices of Shatomi and Boaka as they held up several fat hares for the returning scouts to admire, while they laughed mercilessly at the empty-handed young hunters.
"Everyone knew you would never catch up with that big buck," Shatomi laughed.
"I found him ... but I no longer hunt pronghorn anywhere north of the encampment at the lake," Quitkwa defended himself.
"You took a full afternoon to track a large buck so that you could say you no longer hunt pronghorn if you missed?" Shatomi needled. "Did you want to join his herd?" he laughed.
"This is no time for laughter," Quitkwa said. "The buck led us to a holy place. The Washan should be with us so that we could show him. He would know what this place is for. It is a place in a hidden cave where the only ways in are from under the water. From inside, there are four entrances where you can see the sun shine through the water from the north, south, east and west. When we came out, the buck was there, watching us. And when we came back, his tracks had disappeared."
Shatomi noticed a change in Quitkwa's manner. Enough to convince him that he wasn't making excuses or telling stories. Ceptke also seemed different he related his own revelation to Boaka. Shatomi glanced at the sinking sun, slung the string of rabbits over his shoulder, and pointed in the direction of the doe's carcass. "We must save these stories for the clan or they will not have enough time to set up," Shatomi reminded them. "Maybe Ketanka will send out another hunting party at twilight and allow you to return to the holy place." He thought for a moment. "Do the Paccus have a Washan with them?"
"I don't know if Paccus have Washans," Quitkwa responded languidly.
"Maybe the old woman will know," Shatomi suggested. "Go find a couple of carrying poles for the meat while I finish cleaning it. These two will probably look around to find out more about the area to tell their people. On the way back, we'll look around that stream again and make sure that everything is still safe."
Shatomi walked off with the string of rabbits hanging from his neck. Boaka had several more hanging from the drawstring to his breechclout. Boaka signed that he and Ceptke would be looking about the area for a short while, just as Shatomi had suspected. The Minnecou had passed this way many times before, but had never made an overnight stay. Letting the Paccus check it out thoroughly was a good precaution. Both Ceptke and Boaka seemed to be highly capable scouts as well as warriors.
Shatomi lowered the doe from the maple limb and quickly slit the belly of the drained animal with his chert knife. In a few short moments, the doe was cleaned and dressed to travel. The meat will have to be cooked thoroughly after being exposed to this weather, he thought to himself. He remembered the first time he noticed the intense humidity. A vision of the three screeching hawks blinked momentarily through his mind. From the top of the knoll, he glanced around. They hadn't even touched the meat. In the distance, he spotted their large bodies perched on the tops of the highest branches in the midst of a spreading pine grove. They seemed to be surveying the area that he and the others had chosen for the band. Shatomi suddenly felt a sickening feeling for these birds. He didn't want them anywhere around the clan or their territory; even buzzards had never repulsed him in this manner. He caught glimpses of Ceptke and Boaka as they made their way around the site, and felt a desire to kill the irritating hawks as they cocked their heads back and forth, taking in every move of the two Paccu scouts.
Quitkwa noticed the strange look on Shatomi's face as he walked up with the carrying poles. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"Those hawks are watching us. I have never seen hawks act in this manner before. They usually hunt and then go back to their nests until they're hungry again, but these three are acting like crows. Stranger than crows. When animals act strange I want to kill them, just like when a bear keeps ripping into the lodges. After seeing those snakes, I don't think we should take any chances."
"If they bother you that much, why don't we sneak up on them while they're distracted by the Paccus. We'll need some hawk feathers to decorate our braves soon anyway. Those Snake people are sure to come after us after what you and the others did to them this morning," Quitkwa stated. "And our warriors will have many opportunities to prove their bravery."
"We didn't do anything more to them than they did to us," Shatomi defended their actions. "They won't come now."
"Look what they did to the Paccus. I don't think the Paccus did anything to them and they surrounded their village and wiped them out," Quitkwa replied.
"We are not Paccus," Shatomi seemed unconcerned. "We are always moving. The Snake people will find out that the Minnecou are unlike any other people they have come across before."
It seemed strange to Quitkwa that Minnecou were different than any of the other peoples he'd seen in their travels. He knew that other tribes spoke different languages and wore different clothes. They had different customs than the Minnecou, but he'd never thought of the Minnecou as being a whole different race than the local tribes they ran into from time to time. Then he realized that most of these tribes lived in the same little village year after year. And he realized what it meant when they would say whose territory they were on as they headed north or south. Each tribe could always be found in the same area. The Minnecou had year round villages to the south, where many of the traveling Minnecou would stay with relatives during the cold winter months and trade and barter away their season's gathering. He wondered which ones were the real Minnecou; the ones in the villages or the ones on the trail.
The Minnecou in the villages were very different, he thought to himself. They would spend a whole spring catching the fish that ran up the river. After the water would empty out of their meadows, they would make small hills over whole fields and fill each hill with seeds and rotted fish. When summer came, there would be corn, pumpkins, gourds and beans growing throughout the village. These people also had a fibrous plant called cotton. They grew four different colors of it that they would weave into patterns on their family looms. At this time of the year, they were just beginning to harvest. Just before this, they spent most of their time watching it grow and keeping the birds and animals away from it. Good thing, Quitkwa thought to himself, it would be too hot to work like they do in the spring and fall.
Quitkwa looked up in time to witness Shatomi's angry expression. He suddenly realized that he'd been dreaming. He'd begun to shuffle his feet as he got caught up in his thoughts; enough to send the three hawks flapping northward. He hung his head in shame. This had never happened to him before.
Shatomi pointed an angry finger back down the trail, and trudged back to fetch the gutted antelope and the string of hares. Shatomi put Quitkwa in front so he'd remember there were eyes watching from behind. They put everything down once they got to the stream and investigated for quicksand, medicinal herbs, beaver dens and the like to make sure it was a worthwhile place to camp for the night. They each sniffed the water to make sure it had not become fouled, and when both were satisfied, they went in search of the two Paccus.
They found them not too far upstream, where they were sampling blueberries. Boaka signed that they had discovered fresh buffalo dung, though they had not seen the herd. If they could get the others here quietly, they might not spook the buffalo. Shatomi indicated that it would be best for them to remain with the meat while he and Quitkwa went back. The Minnecou scouts stealthily headed southward, towards the traveling band that had now narrowed the distance between them.
Quitkwa tensed as he perceived Shamira at the forefront. He prayed that Shatomi would not relate his daydreaming episode to the rest of the band. Washeena strove to keep up with Shamira, clasping tightly to her hand.
The two scouts went directly to the front of the band, their hands held to their mouths, signifying silent travel. Quitkwa could see the cheer in the eyes of the first people he passed as they anticipated fresh game ahead. As the Wolf brothers' families, Petawahin's and his own family gathered around them, Quitkwa whispered that there were buffalo not too far ahead. The smile on Shamira's face and the look of admiration was all he needed. His shoulders went back as he began to strut in his search for Ketanka. Shatomi happened to glance back and looked Quitkwa up and down.
"Are you awake now?"
Quitkwa's face burned in sudden anger, but he dared not defend himself for fear of releasing even more details. Shatomi muttered his insult so silently that no else heard it. Quitkwa was certain that everyone was listening and that Shatomi had purposely made a fool of him.
"Why don't you stay here and let the people know what's ahead so they will move a little quicker. When you get close to the stream, make sure they remain as silent. I'll find Ketanka and let him know we've found a safe place to camp," Shatomi said.
"I will keep them on the other side of the flat land while I go ahead into the valley and make sure there are no buffalo to spook," Quitkwa said with an air of importance.
Shatomi slapped him lightly on the shoulder, indicating that it was a good plan, and Quitkwa strutted back to the front of the procession with an enthusiasm that was sure to get the band moving with a quicker and lighter step.
"We must move quickly! We may be going on a hunt before we set up camp," he ordered as he approached the group. "When we get to a flat area at the top of the second climb, I will go ahead and make sure we don't scare the buffalo." He maneuvered himself to walk alongside Shamira. Then he bent down and scooped up Washeena, throwing her into the air and catching her as she descended with a scream and then laughter. Quitkwa put his fingers to his lips. "Shhh! We don't want to scare the buffalo do we?" The young girl shook her head in such a serious manner that Shamira was inclined to laugh, but in the back of her mind, she was irritated that men always seemed to play with the children in a manner that would make them scream and then tell them that they were supposed to remain quiet as if it was the child's fault for making too much noise. Quitkwa's coddling of the child, however, caused her to smile and he took this as a sign that she welcomed his company.
"There is a stream of clear water and many berries growing along its banks where we will spend the night. We found the trails of deer and we have already gotten a doe antelope and rabbits. The two Paccu scouts are watching over them now while they wait for the rest of the band to catch up," Quitkwa confided in her as if she should be the first to know. "There is also a very holy place nearby. Me and one of the Paccus discovered it while we were trailing a buck."
"You found a holy place?" Shamira questioned. "How do you know it's a holy place?"
Quitkwa went on to describe everything he'd seen in the cavern and the mysterious events involving the antelope. Shamira's eyes widened in wonder as he related the strange details, but by the time he'd finished, the whole front of the procession had stopped moving, and he was standing in the middle of a crowd, anxiously awaiting his every word. He walked rapidly away towards the north, hoping that Shatomi would not see that the band had stopped.
"We cannot afford to slow down now," he yelled out as he carried Washeena at a rapid pace, Shamira at his side. "With all the buffalo that lie ahead, we have much more to do than just set up camp for the night." The crowd stared at him, many with pursed lips. "Besides, I'm getting hungry," he laughed. Some turned into smiles, but many lips became tighter. The Paccus gathered around Wanachan, trying to find out what he'd said, while they simultaneously labored to keep up with the quickened pace.
Most of the clan were relieved there was only a little further to go, after pressing northward at twice their normal pace since sunrise. They were already more than halfway to their northernmost hunting area, but the Paccus, unaccustomed to this type of rigorous travel, were beginning to lose pace with the sturdy Minnecou. Most of the clan had gotten little sleep; the Paccus had gone without. While buffalo hunts were usually exciting for both tribes, most would have preferred to rest for the night. But, when there were buffalo in the area, the hunt could not be put off because there was no way of knowing what the herd would do. Both the Minnecou and the Paccus knew from experience that to miss an opportunity like this could prove disastrous. Both tribes had spent as much as a whole season without a glimpse of the sometimes elusive herds.
The Paccus remained further north throughout the year than any other tribe the Minnecou had ever encountered, but they were already north of their normal summer territory and considerably north of their wintering grounds.
Every break in the forest was cloaked in yellow blossoms of goldenrod. With the last full moon, the crickets had already begun their ceaseless chorus of chirping throughout the day and night that would last until the frosts of fall. The terrain was half forested, while the rest remained open in vast meadows of late summer blossoms. Most of the grass and weeds had browned on the surface, remaining green closer to the earth. The early summer flowers had disappeared, and the asters and goldenrod reigned over the meadows until they too would whither in the chilling frosts to come. The waning daylight had become suddenly apparent, and every living creature scrambled in preparation for another cold winter.
While it was still humid and as hot this far north as any other place in the Paccus' territory, the cold returned much more quickly here. They sensed that as soon as this particular wave of hot and sticky air was violently ushered out, drier, crystal blue skies would bring the first hints of autumn's chill, while further south, the warmer air would linger for a brief time. Blossoms of fireweed dressed the dark corners of meadow edges with white and purple flowers, while rose-red heather blossoms stood out in the sunlight, indicating where the ground remained wet. Dark brown cattails were sprinkled in amongst the heather and became much more dense around the perimeters, where their own greenery smothered out all else. The band of Paccus and Minnecou skirted these wetlands as they wound their way northward, but took careful note of herbs, berries, and fur-bearing animals whose skins would provide protection from the icy winter winds. Every Minnecou clan had been stranded for an entire winter at one time or another by sudden snowstorms that could blow up even as the leaves were changing.
The forefront of the procession soon found themselves approaching a large flat meadow and the occasional sound of shuffling feet could be heard, but only amongst those walking alongside. The field was empty. Nevertheless, the band waited at its edge while Quitkwa went ahead. Ceptke and Boaka appeared and indicated to Quitkwa that all was safe. They had not seen any buffalo, but the band was to proceed as quietly as possible until they had scouted out their location. Quitkwa waved the band ahead with one hand, while the other was held close to his mouth, signaling silence.
Quitkwa and the two Paccus scouts waited for Shatomi, while the first of the weary travelers began to quietly remove the heavy loads of food, clothing and belongings, placing them on the ground around the scouts. There was still a measure of daylight left, barely enough time for a hunt, and Quitkwa became anxious for Shatomi to return with news of whether they would scout again tonight or not.
He was surprised to see the Wolf brothers appear on the far side of the meadow, and watched with envy as Mahkawan's three boys held them captive behind a clump of bushes, while Shamira ran to greet them. Then he inadvertently overheard the Wolf brothers' wives as they plotted to rid themselves of the young woman. He didn't like their plan to use Ceptke, however, and became increasingly annoyed at this development when he spotted the large Paccu following her movements as well.
Soon after, Ketanka and Shatomi strolled onto the flat meadow, quietly discussing as they crossed the open stretch. When they reached the site for the overnight camp, they walked off to the side and continued their conversation. As they were about to return, the Wolf brothers walked over and the conversation resumed once again. Quitkwa looked at the two Paccus who had the same look of impatience on their faces as he felt himself. Not being able to restrain himself any longer, he strode over to find out what was going on.
As soon as Quitkwa reached them, Ketanka immediately began to question him.
"How far to this holy place?" Ketanka asked.
"We could get there and back before dark," Quitkwa said with certainty.
"You are sure you remember where it is?" Ketanka asked. Quitkwa nodded, visibly offended.
"I've heard stories of such a place. But everyone who went there had a difficult time trying to find it again and I don't want anyone out there stumbling around in the dark. There is no one here who does not need rest tonight," Ketanka warned him.
"I know exactly where it is and so does Ceptke," Quitkwa stated.
"Good," Ketanka was satisfied. "You and Ceptke will bring Kwoita. He knows what to look for to tell the Washan. Shatomi will take Boaka with him to scout for the buffalo, and we will hunt them at dawn. It is too late to skin them and carry all the meat back here before darkness. The Wolf brothers, here, will take some of the Paccus back down the trail we have just traveled and make sure that none of the Snake warriors are following. When they get back, they will sleep while we hunt the buffalo and everyone prepares the meat."
"The women and old ones prepare the meat," Quitkwa protested.
"There will be no honoring ceremony after the hunt and no all day feast," Ketanka stated with resolution, ignoring Quitkwa's protests. "We will eat quickly and prepare the rest of the food for travel. By that time, the Wolf brothers and the Paccus who go with them tonight will be rested and ready to move as well." Quitkwa hung his head.
"Go!" Ketanka bellowed impatiently at his son. "I want you back here before dark."
Quitkwa retreated hastily in search of Kwoita and Ceptke to get out of his father's way while he was in a demanding mood. The band relaxed and the chatter and laughter began to increase as word spread that the hunt would be delayed till daybreak, providing the scouts came back with good news. He found Kwoita at the end of the procession.
"You are to come with me and Ceptke," Quitkwa addressed the old Minnecou. "We have found a very sacred place and Ketanka wants us to take you there."
"You have found a sacred place?" Kwoita almost laughed. "Stranger things have happened," he said, shaking his head. "What makes you think this is a holy place?" Kwoita asked before he found himself hiking all night in search of something as common as grass in a meadow. Most often, only the Washan could pick out where a holy place was located by the way the clouds would always be in the same formation, the moss on the trees would face out from a central point instead of all being on the north side, or an infinity of other indications that would only be apparent to an extremely scrutinous observer.
Quitkwa went on to describe everything he'd seen, starting with their trailing of the antelope and ending where they found only their own tracks as they returned. Kwoita seemed quite impressed and Quitkwa became very proud of his discovery when he noticed Kwoita's enthusiasm in getting started to the sacred cavern.
"I'm sure we will find many more strange things about this place once we start looking. The Washan knows how to use most of these things or at least what they are for. Did you notice anything strange about the buck?" he questioned. "Any unusual markings or maybe something strange about his horns?"
"No, he looked the same as any other to me." A vision of the pronghorn suddenly appeared in his mind. "There was nothing strange about the horns," he admitted, "but there were no dark patches...and I'm certain it had a short mane!"
"Then what you saw was a doe," Kwoita corrected him.
"No!" Quitkwa denied. "Too big for a doe. And the horns were longer. Pronged!" Kwoita shook his head questioningly.
"There was something else," Quitkwa muttered and then turned his eyes to the ground. Kwoita waited, but Quitkwa remained silent.
"Speak!" he said impatiently
"It wasn't anything that was different in the way he looked but in the way we felt about hunting him," he went on. "As soon as we saw him, both of us turned our arrows away. I was grateful for this animal. I promised that I would never hunt pronghorn in this area again, and the Paccu made a promise, too, because he talked at the buck in the same way." Kwoita could contain himself no longer.
"Let's go now," he dragged Quitkwa by the arm, "before it gets dark!" They raced across the meadow . Ceptke got to his feet as he saw them approaching at a rapid pace. Some of the other Paccus had been huddled around Ceptke, and were prepared to follow. But Kwoita signaled them to stay. They ignored him and picked up their provisions, ready to follow no matter what the old Minnecou had to say. Kwoita held up three fingers and pointed to Quitkwa, Ceptke, and himself, and then gave them a hand sign that Quitkwa had never seen before. They all shook their heads; Kwoita held no authority over them.
Just then, Wanachan walked over to find out what was going on. Ketanka was already approaching from the small camp his family was setting up.
"Tell them that only three of us may go," Kwoita demanded of Wanachan. "If we go in confusion, than confusion is all we will find," he said. Kwoita showed neither anger nor emotion as Wanachan translated. The Paccus looked upon Kwoita and decided the old Minnecou could be right.
Shamira hurriedly placed her sleeping robes and helped Tumaris and Wanashta put their food and cooking utensils away. Along with Meequaw, the four of them set up a large frame and covered it with hides to shelter them for the night. Shamira immediately noticed the change in the Wolf brothers' wives as they sought to shun and belittle her as soon as the two warriors left. They deliberately set the frame in a place that would leave her sleeping on the outside edge of the temporary shelter. Other than her quickened pace, though, the two jealous wives could find no indication that she'd even noticed their rudeness.
"You'll have to sleep over here. We'll need most of the room in this tiny shelter for the children and our husbands," Wanashta said gruffly as she pointed to an open edge of the canopy where Shamira would serve as a windbreak. Shamira knew that the Wolf brothers would not be returning until dawn. She looked up at Meequaw and noticed her obvious anger, then betrayed a faint smile and a barely perceptible wink.
"Oh no," Shamira declined. "I cannot make your families uncomfortable for my sake. My grandmother, though, does need shelter to keep the dampness off of her swollen joints. I would prefer to sleep under the stars tonight while the air is still warm. I always sleep outside when we travel, as long as it is warm enough."
Meequaw turned her back so they wouldn't see her smile. The two women glanced worriedly at each other. When the Wolf brothers returned and found Shamira sleeping outside of the shelter, they would be angry at them for not making her feel completely welcome in whatever they had to share. Worse, the men would seek to comfort her, and admire her willingness to sacrifice so that others would have more.
"Shamira," Tumaris sought to undo the damage. "You know that the children adore you and before they tire out, you will be sleeping among them as well."
"I think the boys are getting a little too old for that now. If they wish to join me, they could always sleep out here as well," she said stubbornly.
"If you enjoy sleeping outside, then we will respect your wishes as long as you know that you are perfectly welcome to sleep with us," Wanashta said in a voice loud enough for several of the surrounding groups to hear. She looked at Tumaris and smiled as she knew that now they wouldn't appear rude or ungracious to anyone. "My children will sleep inside tonight. It looks like it will rain."
"It won't rain till tomorrow," Shamira said with certainty. "Besides, we should all sleep out in the rain from time to time, it helps us to appreciate what we have. Isn't that what you always said, grandmother?" Meequaw nodded, though that's not what she meant by her use of this expression.
"I find little to appreciate in sickness, and there is enough to worry about with my children healthy," Wanashta said as pleasantly as possible while the people around could still overhear. "But if it should rain too hard, you get yourself in here," she said as she stooped into the low shelter, making it appear as though Shamira was the cause of any friction.
"I'm going to look around," Shamira said, trying to escape Wanashta's manipulation.
"Be careful and don't get lost," Wanashta yelled from inside of the shelter, "Sleeping out in the rain is enough worry to give your poor old grandmother for one day."
"My granddaughter is as capable and has more sense than many of the warriors. I never have to worry about that one," Meequaw smiled.
Wanashta's expression flashed anger as she turned to Tumaris. Tumaris looked away, not wanting to get involved any further. "Sleeping out in the rain shows a lot of sense," Wanashta muttered.
Shamira had picked up her weapons and was already beyond hearing when Wanashta muttered her barely audible insult. Her confidence soared as she walked away, remembering only her grandmother's words of praise.
