Yellowstone Legends

by Peggy L Henderson

  She glanced toward the river again, in the same direction that kept drawing his eye, too.

  “I found her not far from here,” Wo'itsa said absently.

  Almost simultaneously, they headed toward the water. His eyes weren’t drawn to a particular stretch along the river, but something pulled him in that direction. The same seemed to be happening to Kendra, as if some invisible spirit was calling to them.

  “Do you feel it, too?” Kendra glanced at him out of the corner of her eye after they’d walked along the banks of the river for some time. “It’s like a magnet pulling me in this direction.” Her hand clasped the pouch hanging around her neck. “I have the same feeling every time I look at the snakehead.”

  Wo'itsa nodded wordlessly, his eyes lingering on the water. The river was shallow in this spot, flowing over exposed rocks. The sound of rushing water, perhaps a waterfall, could be heard a short distance away. He stopped to listen while his eyes roamed along the river’s edge.

  He and Kendra saw it at the same moment.

  “There,” she shouted excitedly, pointing among the rocks, where something red shimmered under the surface. Wo'itsa rushed forward and reached his hand into the water, grabbing the unmistakable shape of a snakehead with red stones for eyes.

  “Are you kidding me? We found it. I can’t believe we found it. The vessel led us right to it.”

  Kendra nearly knocked him off balance as she threw herself at him. The impact sent a twinge of pain through his chest, but he recovered quickly as his arms wound tightly around the woman’s waist. He drew her fully against him, while he gripped the vessel in his hand.

  Kendra’s face lit up in a bright smile, her eyes glowing with happiness and a hint of disbelief.

  “One vessel led us to the other.” The same wonder Kendra felt filled him. The power of his spirit medicine had revealed itself. The blood of his Sky People ancestors flowed through him like the powerful force of the mighty river along whose banks they now stood.

  Kendra had wrapped her arms around his neck and stared into his eyes at that moment, and in the next, she pressed her lips to his. The sensation was almost overpowering. Wo'itsa held her close, bringing his hand up behind her head to hold her to him while their lips taunted and tasted each other.

  “I think you’re right about everything, Wo'itsa,” she mumbled, her breathing fast and shallow. “I feel like there’s nothing I . . . we can’t do . . . together. I thought I was following my own dreams when I ran away from my grandfather, but maybe I’ve finally found what my heart was really searching for.”

  Wo'itsa wrapped his arms more fully around her as his own heart filled with a force much stronger than anything the spirits could produce. He leaned forward slightly and pressed his lips to hers again. This ritual of affection brought them closer together in mind and spirit, and he would never grow tired of it.

  The faint sound of a voice – a woman’s voice – broke them apart. Kendra stared at him, her wide eyes still glazed with passion. Wo’itsa grabbed her hand and dragged her away from the river to find cover behind the dense foliage that grew along the banks. His heart still pounded from his reaction to their kiss, and he cursed the unwelcome interruption.

  Chapter 26

  Kendra stumbled along as Wo'itsa dragged her behind the dense foliage of the willow trees that grew along the stretch of the river. Her heart pounded strong and her legs were like rubber, barely supporting her weight. Adrenaline was the only thing that kept her on her feet.

  Finding the vessel had seemed too easy, but the pull the object had on her and Wo'itsa was a powerful reminder of her identity. No ordinary person could have found the snakehead in the river unless they were meticulously searching for it, and even then, it would have been difficult to spot. Some inner sense had led them right to it. Naatoyita had said part of her lived inside that vessel, and for the first time, she really believed it.

  Wo'itsa’s strong grip on her hand added to the warmth flowing throughout her body. Everything seemed to be happening to her at once, from the fear and dread of having a serious relationship with someone, to the indescribable elation from finding the missing snakehead.

  Wo'itsa was right about forging a new path, a new direction in life. Everything she’d experienced lately had affected her profoundly. The feeling of closeness to the land and her ancestors calling to her became stronger with every breath she took. Nowhere else but with Wo'itsa had she ever felt this kind of acceptance or purpose. New York and the police force seemed to pale in comparison to the job she had to do in ancient Yellowstone.

  It was no longer a matter of bringing her grandfather’s and Matt Donovan’s killer to justice. It had become protecting something far greater. The breeze sweeping off the mountains and along the river rustled through the leaves of the willows and caressed her cheeks as if in approval of her new way of thinking.

  Then there were her feelings for the guy who was currently dragging her through the bushes to get further away from the voice they’d heard. She could no longer lie to herself by denying that she was falling in love with Wo'itsa.

  He stopped abruptly, and she nearly collided with him. “Stay here while I find out who is nearby.”

  Kendra shook her head. “Not a chance. Whoever that was spoke English, which means we’re not in your time. Besides, I think we should just stay here and see if the person comes this way.”

  Rather than argue with her, or tell her to do what she was told, Wo'itsa gazed at her with warm eyes that were filled with a strong emotion. It could only be described as love. She’d seen the same kind of look in Cameron Osborne’s eyes when he’d glanced at his wife, and also in their grandson Daniel’s eyes whenever he was near Aimee.

  Kendra blinked. Maybe she was noticing his feelings for the first time because she no longer denied or tried to ignore them. Her heart began to speed up again. She tore her eyes away and directed them toward the area where she’d heard the woman’s voice. Was there more than one person nearby? How likely was it that a lone woman would be traveling through this canyon?

  Aimee was on her own when she was sent to the past.

  This couldn’t be Aimee Donovan again, could it? Kendra craned her neck to peer between the dense foliage. Whoever had spoken earlier was definitely coming closer. Her voice was louder than before.

  “If only you could have understood what they were saying, they might have at least sent you in the right direction.” The words of frustration were followed by a loud sigh. “Face it, Danica Jensen, you are hopelessly lost, and unless those people help you, you might be in big trouble.”

  Danica Jensen? Why did that name sound familiar?

  Kendra raised her head to stare up at Wo'itsa, whose eyes met hers. He pointed in the direction of the voice, a puzzled frown on his face.

  “Another white woman who is lost. Do all the white women in the future have hair the color of autumn grass and wander around lost?”

  Kendra shrugged, then caught a glimpse of someone stopping along the banks of the river. The woman was turned away from them, revealing her long, blonde hair that hung in matted strands down her back. It appeared as if it hadn’t seen a brush in quite some time. Her clothing was dirty and torn in places.

  “She’s definitely not from my future,” Kendra whispered, leaning toward Wo'itsa, who stiffened all of a sudden and looked further upriver. With his hand help up, he signaled for quiet.

  Kendra followed his line of vision. Several hundred yards away, a small group of people was also headed toward them. They appeared to be Indians. She counted seven figures and half a dozen dogs that looked like they were pulling travois.

  “Tukudeka?” she whispered, shooting a hasty glance at Wo'itsa.

  He nodded. “It looks to be a family. They must be separated from the rest of their clan.”

  Kendra eyed the approaching people, then focused on the woman by the river. She stood, also directing her attention in the direction of the group of Indians. She looked exhausted, but there
was an undeniable determination in her eyes as she appeared to be waiting for the Sheepeaters to catch up to her. Why would she be waiting for them?

  She approached them when they came closer. “Doesn’t one of you speak English? Do you know how to get to Virginia City?”

  Kendra remained in a crouched position behind the willows, her legs tingling from lack of circulation.

  Danica Jensen.

  Kendra’s mind still struggled to place the name. If she’d learned anything by now about time traveling, it was that nothing was ever a coincidence. The vessel in the pouch around her neck had clearly brought her and Wo'itsa to this time and place to find the missing snakehead, but what if there was also another reason?

  “My name is Dani Jensen. Please, can anyone help me?” The young woman implored the group of Sheepeaters without being whiny or desperate, although she did seem to be utterly lost, and by her appearance, had been wandering for some time.

  “Josh Osborne will find a white woman, heavy with child and lost in the wilderness, who will become his wife. The woman will live among the Tukudeka until she and Josh cross paths. Her name is Danica. Without her, the Osborne line remaining in the sacred mountains will end with Josh.”

  Kendra recited the stories that Naatoyita had told her the other day about the future of the Osbornes. Her hand gripped the pouch around her neck. It appeared as if the vessel had once again brought them to the right time and place to make sure everything happened according to the timeline.

  She stared at the woman trying to communicate with the group of Sheepeaters. They continued walking past her without so much as a glance.

  “We have to help her,” Kendra whispered. “It’s really important that the woman stays with those Tukudeka.”

  Wo'itsa’s brows rose. “Why would she remain with them? They appear to be a poor family with few possessions. Taking in another mouth to feed is not in their best interest. We could help her find her way back to her own people.”

  Kendra shook her head. “No, I really think she needs to stay with this group, or else she won’t meet Josh Osborne.” She paused, looking up into Wo'itsa’s perplexed face. “Do you remember the child born to Aimee’s son while we were with them?”

  Wo'itsa hesitated, then nodded.

  “He will grow up to become a protector of the park – of the sacred mountains. This woman will be his wife, and their children will continue their father’s work in helping to protect the area. I have a feeling they won’t meet unless she’s with this group of Sheepeaters, since Josh is part Tukudeka himself.”

  Wo'itsa stared at her, his eyes roaming her face. He looked as if he was torn about what to do.

  “Change is coming to the sacred mountains. Mukua has been trying to stop it.”

  Kendra gripped his hand. Clearly there was still some part of him that believed Mukua was doing the right thing. She smiled. “Yes. Naatoyita says there is change coming, too, but there is nothing anyone can do to stop it. Mukua’s way isn’t the right way. Even with all the changes, it is our job to make sure there will always be someone in the area to protect it.”

  Wo'itsa glanced in the direction of the group. They were already moving on. An old woman paused momentarily and gave Danica a small pouch, then waved a hand at her in a gesture that clearly meant she needed to leave.

  “You need to talk to them. Convince them that Danica needs to be under their protection.”

  Their eyes met. Wo'itsa studied her with a piercing gaze. By her estimation they were at least a couple of decades further into the future than when they’d met Daniel and Aimee. By that time, most of the tribes that frequented Yellowstone would have been put on reservations by the government.

  Apparently, this family of Sheepeaters had eluded the army, and it would explain why they were such a rag-tag group. If Danica Jensen was going to meet Josh Osborne in the wilderness at some point, her odds of survival would be greater if she was with a group of people – even this impoverished family – than on her own, especially if she was pregnant.

  Kendra smiled. “I think it’s time we pulled the Sky People card. Since I’m a bit rusty with the language, you need to do all the talking.”

  Wo'itsa didn’t seem quite convinced, but finally nodded when the group of Sheepeaters moved further down the river.

  “You will remain here. I will talk to them.”

  Kendra’s smile widened. She almost leapt forward to throw her arms around his neck and kiss him, but held back to keep them from being discovered. In order to persuade the group to take Danica with them, Wo'itsa would need to convince them that it was the wish of the Sky People. No one would believe that he was one of the Sky People if he was found smooching in the bushes.

  Wo'itsa headed for the group, still concealed by the willows and thick undergrowth. He revealed himself in such a way that it appeared as if he’d come out of nowhere. The group was clearly startled, but none of them pulled any sort of weapon.

  Distance prevented Kendra from being able to follow the back and forth discussion that included hand gestures and words too faint to hear. She smiled, and something fluttered inside her chest. Wo'itsa stood out among this small group of people. Her Wolf looked like a confident and self-assured leader as he stood conversing with them.

  Finally, the old woman who had waved Danica off earlier reached her hand up and placed her palm on Wo'itsa’s chest. She nodded as if something had been decided. Almost in unison, the group turned and headed back in the direction where they’d left Danica Jensen.

  Kendra crouched lower among the willows. It wouldn’t be good to be discovered by the Sheepeaters or the lost woman. The old woman reached for Danica’s hand and smiled at her, then led her away from the river.

  Kendra turned at the soft rustle of the underbrush. Wo'itsa appeared and sought her eyes.

  “These people have lost their hope. They have told me that the Tukudeka as well as all other tribes were chased from the sacred mountains. They are among the last remaining Sheepeaters who have managed to remain. Is this the kind of change you and the elder of the Bear Clan want?”

  He didn’t sound angry, but there was sadness and probably a hint of annoyance in his voice.

  Kendra walked up to him. “I know this is hard, Wo'itsa, but there is no way to stop this. The sacred mountains will be protected. Not in the way the Tukudeka would have wanted, but Naatoyita knows that with the descendants of the Sky People, there will always be someone to watch over the land. Without the Osborne line that Mukua is trying to destroy, there is no telling what might happen.”

  She placed her hand on his chest the way the old woman had done. “You did the right thing today.”

  Wo'itsa covered her hand with his, sending an instant warmth up her arm and around her heart. His features softened slightly. “I gave the people hope, and something to believe in again. They have agreed to watch over the woman and offer their protection.”

  Kendra smiled. “Did you tell them who you are?”

  He nodded. “It is an odd feeling to call myself a son of the Sky People, but I cannot deny who I am.” There was a slight pause, and his hand wrapped fully around hers. “And neither should you.”

  Adrenaline flooded her veins at Wo'itsa’s intense stare. There was so much more meaning to his simple statement.

  “I’m trying,” she whispered.

  The smile on his face erased all traces of disapproval. There was no way to change the part of history that had driven the Sheepeaters from this land; but as she’d told him, they had to make sure someone was in place to act in the best interest of the sacred mountains, and that certainly wasn’t Mukua.

  The best course of action in bringing the elder to justice was not by apprehending him in the future. It was within her and Wo'itsa’s power to make sure Mukua’s plans failed, and stop him whenever he tried to alter the course set by her mother, uncle, and Matt’s father.

  That course includes you and Wo'itsa getting together.

  She didn’t have to ta
ke Naatoyita’s word for it. Day Star had been friends with Kendra’s mother, and she’d said it, too.

  “Are you ready to return to our proper time?”

  Wo'itsa’s question snapped her from her thoughts. She gazed up into his dark eyes. Was he willing to go back to Naatoyita rather than bring the vessel they’d found to Mukua? He could have easily taken both vessels and left her behind. It’s what Mukua would expect him to do.

  Kendra shook her head. “I think we did great things here today. Maybe we should stick around for a little while and you can tell me about my ancestors. It’s what you wanted when we first arrived here.”

  Wo'itsa studied her with an intensity in his eyes that nearly took her breath away. He definitely seemed happy about her response to his question. Wordlessly, he took her hand and led her from the willows and away from the river.

  “Among the trees is a good place to make camp for the night,” he finally said after leading her into a stand of trees that grew along the sheer walls of the canyon.

  The rich aroma of the earth infused the air around them, and Kendra closed her eyes. She lifted her chin into the slight breeze and inhaled deeply. The crisp air with all its scents awakened her senses. Why hadn’t she ever noticed the intense fragrances of the wilderness before? If she had, she definitely hadn’t paid any attention or thought that nature smelled so wonderful.

  Kendra opened her eyes. Wo'itsa stood in front of her, his appreciative gaze greeting her.

  “The forest is more alive than ever,” she whispered. “It’s like something is waking up in me that’s been dormant all my life.” She held back from adding, “The same goes for my feelings for you.”

  “The Sky People were very connected to their surroundings. It’s what made them such great spiritual leaders and advisors to the Tukudeka. The earth speaks to you. Now that you hear it, it means you are finally embracing the life you were born into.” He brought her hand up against his chest. “My heart also calls to you.”