T'on Ma (3 page)

Two Hawks' horse pranced nervously underneath him, sensing the tension in the men. Many Deer sat not too far away on his own mount. Nineteen of the twenty in the party had been on hunts before. There was only one novitiate, Corn Flower's younger brother, Laughing Turtle. Sitting on his pinto, he did his best not to show his nervousness. It would be too shameful, especially in front of some of the best hunters in the entire Kiowa nation.

Broken Man lifted his feathered lance high in the air, as all eyes watched in anticipation. The lance dropped, signaling the hunters to begin their slow ride down the ridge. They rode calmly, approaching as close as they could without spooking their prey. Some had actually made their way into the midst of the large animals when one of the bull buffalo lifted his massive head and snorted his warning. The charge began as a melee of thousands of pounding hooves raised dust almost too thick to see through. Horse and buffalo began the dangerous death dance at breakneck speed.

Riding beside one of the massive beasts, a hunter looked for the spot just above or beside the animal's heart to plunge the long lance deep and stop the buffalo's charge. It took a steady, fearless horse, a steady, fearless rider to do this. Many a warrior had been trampled to death, or gored, leaving them maimed for life. This type of hunting was not for the faint of heart. But the lives of their band depended on their success that day. What was the life of one hunter weighed against the hunger of an entire village?

Laughing Turtle chose a small cow for his first kill. He rode beside it, looking for the best spot for his lance. The animal's movement made it difficult for him to aim. Finally, lifting his arm as high as he could, he plunged the lance into the running buffalo, but it didn't penetrate deeply enough. When the animal turned in mid-step and charged toward him, his horse reared. Laughing Turtle fell backward to the ground, in imminent danger of being trampled. He sprang to his feet, grabbed the buffalo's mane, and jumped on its back while he pulled out his knife. Stabbing the animal's neck repeatedly, he only made it angrier.

Two Hawks saw Laughing Turtle's dilemma and made his way to the young man. Pulling an arrow out of his quiver, he aimed carefully and sent it deep into the buffalo's left eye and brain. The animal dropped underneath Laughing Turtle, who tumbled head-over-heels at the momentum. He jumped quickly to his feet and ran back to the cow to make sure it was dead. Then he lifted his arm above his head and 'ki-yied' above the tumult to Two Hawks. With a wave of his hand, Two Hawks turned his horse around to make his third kill of the day.

After what seemed like hours of intense activity, the herd disappeared over the horizon, and the hunt was over. Warriors stood beside their prey while a call went out to the women who were anxiously waiting not too far away. The women cut through the tough hides, going straight for the livers, which were passed to the hunters' eager hands and eaten raw on the spot. Then the hard, bloody work of butchering began. That night, there would be a feast and a dance to honor the buffalo.

Two Hawks proudly joined the festivities, but not as proudly as Laughing Turtle or his parents. Making his first kill, even with Two Hawks' help, was a big achievement. Hadn't he faced the danger, ridden into the herd, and used his lance? The women in his family sang his praises as Laughing Turtle sat there, beaming.

Corn Flower had heard the entire story of the rescue by Two Hawks from her brother. When she could, she made her way over and knelt beside him.

"Thank you for helping my brother," she said quietly, as she looked down at the ground.

"He didn't need much help," Two Hawks said generously. "He was very brave today."

Corn Flower looked directly into Two Hawks' eyes and smiled her gratitude. She knew without his help, her mother, her sisters, and she would be singing a dirge rather than a victory song that night. Reaching out, she touched the back of his hand and then stood up. With a full heart, he watched her cross the ground toward her friends. Perhaps tonight he would ask her to walk with him by the cottonwood trees. Perhaps tonight he would tell her how he felt about her. Perhaps tonight...

But, as his mind filled with these wishful, love-filled thoughts, another young brave, Iron Crow, walked over to Corn Flower and held his hand out. She took it as she rose to her feet, and the two walked out of the circle of firelight. Scowling, Two Hawks also stood and stomped back to his mother's tipi. He hadn't seen that coming.

The Kiowa elders decided to live in peace with the Coopers as long as the Coopers lived in peace with them. They based part of their decision on the possibility that Lana was a medicine woman.

Broken Man, Crying Fox and Two Hawks went to trade with the Coopers again a few weeks later. This time, they took fresh venison to barter for coffee, beads and two axe handles. Joshua hadn't had time to do much hunting, so the fresh meat was gladly welcomed. Also, he wanted to try out his new smokehouse, and this gave him the perfect opportunity.

Throughout the trade, Two Hawks and Lana exchanged several glances, though neither spoke to the other. As the Kiowa rode away, Two Hawks glanced over his shoulder. When Lana saw him looking, she held her hand up in a gesture of goodbye. Two Hawks raised his in return, nodding once to her, and then turned back.

"What are you doing, Two Hawks?" Crying Fox asked after they had been riding for a few minutes.

"What do you mean?" Two Hawks looked puzzled.

"Waving to Water Woman."

"Nothing. Just waving."

"Are you sure it's nothing?"

"Of course I'm sure," he protested.

"So, if someone like, say, Corn Flower were here, you'd still wave to Water Woman?"

Two Hawks scowled at that.

"That's what I thought," Crying Fox laughed, his point made.

Late September found the weather finally cooling down. No hint of fall tinged the air - not yet - but it was coming. Lana could feel it in her bones as she walked alone, carrying a basket and her rifle, far away from the house, through rain-starved prairie grass and brush. That day, she hunted for chicory, sage, wild onions, and anything else edible that her family could use. Cherubic, contented clouds filled the azure sky. The weather suited her mood. She hummed to herself when, from behind, a stag ran past her, unafraid of her presence.

That's odd,
she thought as she watched the white tail disappear into the brush. A few minutes later, two coyotes loped past her. Curiosity made her stop and turn around. Her eyes filled with horror at what she saw. One huge, roiling cloud of bitter, furious smoke filled the entire sky. The blackness raced closer at an alarming rate. She continued to stare, motionless, while she struggled to understand. Then, on the horizon, wicked yellow, orange and red flames shot skyward.

"Prairie fire!" she exclaimed as she twisted around in indecision. What should she do? The fire lay between her and home. Could she outrun it? But run where? The river!

She hoped she could make it to the river in time. Dropping the basket, but still clutching the gun, she hiked up her skirt and ran as fast as she could through the brush and tall grass. The brambles tore at her dress, scratched her legs, but she ran on. Soon, she could hear the crackling flames behind her. A light wind fanned them higher, faster. Her side began to ache, but she could feel the heat on her back now, so she kept running. At last - at long last - she saw the twisting river a short distance away. She was almost there when she tripped - on what, she wasn't sure - but she fell hard, hitting her head on a rock, and passed out.

Two Hawks was hunting alone when he saw the fire. He knew to go to the river and hurried his horse toward it. Walking his horse chest-deep into the water, he sat there to wait out the fire while he tried to calm the nervous animal. To his amazement, he saw Lana running toward the water, and he wondered why she was so far away from her house. When he saw her fall and not get back up, he jumped into the water and, holding the reins, hurried to her. Grabbing her by her shoulders, he pulled her down the small embankment into the river. He could see blood on her left temple. Letting her body float, he took her and his horse to the deep part of the river and held Lana steady while he waited for her to regain consciousness. After a moment, she moaned.

"Be careful,"
he told her.
"You're hurt."

Confused and dazed, Lana thrashed against the water and against whoever held her. Her efforts only made her choke from breathing water as her head plunged beneath the surface. While she struggled to stand on the riverbed, she steadied herself by holding Two Hawks' arm with one hand while she held her head with the other.

Looking back from where she had just fled, she could see the prairie engulfed in flames and smoke. Animals of all types crossed the river, running for their lives. Finally realizing what had happened, she looked up at Two Hawks with wide, fearful eyes.

"Centas Yi?"

"T'on Ma." He gestured that she needed to lower herself into the river until only her head showed. The fierce heat from the fire made the air hard to breathe. Pieces of grass floated on the wind, some soot-blackened and some still burning, sticking in their hair. It looked like hell had come to earth.

Glancing over her shoulder, Lana saw that the fire, picked up by the wind, had jumped the river and had been carried across the narrowest part, where it continued on its path of destruction. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the flames died down around them; there simply was no more grass to burn. Only a charred, twisted nightmare remained.

When it was safe, they both stood up. Lana shook uncontrollably from the shock and injury. She turned toward Two Hawks and saw the same look in his eyes that she knew was in her own.

"Oh, Centas Yi!" she cried as she threw her arms around his neck. "You saved me! We're alive!"

The astonished, young Kiowa stood still for a second and then, feeling her trembling against his chest, put his arms around her, glad to have someone to hold at that moment, as well. When she raised her head up to look at him, he carefully touched her wounded temple. It didn't look too bad, he decided.

As he held her, he looked into her eyes, her beautiful, blue, bewitching eyes. His expression changed as he slowly dropped his arms from her and took one step back. He wasn't supposed to feel like this. He wanted Corn Flower. Didn't he?

"I ought to get home," Lana said after a moment, and then began slogging her way through the river, weighed down by her wet skirt and petticoat. She walked over to the river's edge where she had tripped, and searched for the rifle. Most of it remained, though the stock was charred and still too hot to pick up.

Two Hawks realized that she was determined to go home at once and followed her to the riverbank. Touching her shoulder, he pointed in the direction of her house and shook his head 'no'.
"The earth is still too hot to walk on."

She frowned, not understanding. He took her hand and put it, palm down, on the ground for a second. She quickly jerked it back. "Ouch. That's hot!" she complained.

Making the motion with his index and middle finger for walking, he shook his head 'no' again and, this time, he saw understanding in her eyes.

"Oh, I see. We need to wait." Her shoulders slumped in frustration. "Ma and Pa are going to be worried sick about me."

Two Hawks gathered up his horse's reins, got on, and then motioned for her to do the same. Her heavy, wet clothes made it difficult, but, with his help, she managed. They began working their way slowly down the meandering river, letting the horse find its footing as it went.

Lana slid her hands around the brave's waist, holding tightly to him. She had never ridden bareback before and had trouble keeping her balance. Every time the horse stumbled on a submerged rock, she grasped Two Hawks even tighter. He began to enjoy himself. Fifteen minutes passed when he felt her lay her head on the back of his shoulder and heard her sigh. Maybe she was enjoying herself, too. He wondered.

It was dark when the two young people arrived at her home. On one side of the river, the earth was scorched. On the other, the homestead remained untouched by flames. Lana knew that her family had had a narrow escape.

Stopping at the riverbank, not willing to go close to her house, Two Hawks slid off the horse and helped her down. She took his hand and started to lead him up the slope when he stopped her, shaking his head. Her family wasn't the only one worried that night. He needed to get home, too, but he didn't know how to tell her that. All she knew was that he wouldn't come in to be properly thanked.

"All right, Centas Yi," she sighed. "I can't make you come in." She looked over her shoulder in the direction of the house and then turned back to him. "I wish we could understand each other. I want you to know how much I owe you. Thank you for saving me back there."

As he stood in the dim light, he watched her while she talked. He liked her voice, even though he had no idea what she was telling him.

"At least let me do this," she continued talking. To his surprise, she reached up and kissed him quickly on his cheek.

"That was a kiss," she explained. "Kiss," she said again, pointing to her lips and then to him.

"Kiss?" he repeated and then shook his head 'no'. If Lana had been a Kiowa maiden, he wouldn't have done this so soon after meeting her. But she wasn't, and he was intrigued. Taking her in his arms, he leaned down and kissed her long and sweet, taking his time, enjoying himself.

Lana had never been kissed before and wasn't quite sure what to do. After a moment, she relaxed and put her hands on his arms. Unconsciously, she slid her hands across his chest and around his neck as she molded her body to his.

Two Hawks felt the change in her, and what had started out as a lark to the young man now became something different, something hungry. Holding her tighter, he kissed her again, but now with real emotion. Finally, he let her go and stepped back, looking thoughtfully at her.