Spirit Horses

by Alan S Evans

  Tara was still in her room packing when Shane heard another vehicle pull up. A young woman about Tara’s age walked to the front door and knocked. The old man hollered to her in their tribal tongue. Apparently he told her to come in, because she did just that. Tigee introduced them, which prompted a quick nod from her in Shane’s direction, but no eye contact.

  Shane said, “Hello,” and left it at that. He figured that trying to converse with her right now was out of the question. Just then Tara came into the room, and the girl immediately lit up. The two were obviously close friends.

  Tashawa was definitely all Shoshone. She had the typical high cheekbones and dark skin of most of this tribe. She was small in stature, about five foot five and slightly built. Her jeans and T-shirt were clean, but worn—unlike the dirty old Aussie-style hat she wore on her head. While they were in the house, she only spoke to Tara, and then all she said to her was, “It has been too long.”

  Tara replied, “We’ve missed you, too. I see you’ve met Shane.” The girl looked at him for the first time, with a slight grin. Tara commented, “Tashawa doesn’t talk much, so don’t take it personally.”

  “No problem, I’m just glad she is here to help out. Now, is everyone ready to go?”

  Tigee stood up. “Yes, let’s head out.” The horses were loaded on Tigee’s trailer in no time, and the last of the provisions were being put in the pickup when Shane noticed the two wolf dogs, sitting next to the trailer. Tigee remarked, “Looks like they want to go. I think those two could be helpful. They seem to have a quiet way of letting you know when there are strangers around, and they’re also good at staying out of sight.”

  “Yes, sir, now that I think about it, I’d like to take them. I’ll grab some dog food.”

  The old Indian laughed. “You don’t need dog food, they’re half wolf. They can hunt for their meals. You’ve got them spoiled.”

  “Well, sir, maybe that’s why they like me so much.” Shane knew the dogs would hunt, but he hoped the dry food would help keep them close to camp, if for no other reason than to keep the horses safe from any large predators that might be sneaking around at night.

  Both dogs were apprehensive about getting into the bed of the old pickup. Since it was their first ride in a truck, Shane decided to sit back there with them, to make sure they wouldn’t jump out and hurt themselves.

  The spot where they finally stopped to unload was a heavily wooded area. Tigee told Shane they would have about a two-mile ride to a steep drop-off that would lead down to the valley. From there, it was another three miles to the river, and then a few more miles downriver to the cabin they would call home for the next week.

  “Some of the ride will be slow going,” Tara said, “but we should be there before dark.”

  Tashawa said something to Tara in Shoshone and then shook her head.

  Tigee translated, “She couldn’t believe you rode in the back of the truck with the two dogs. She has heard the joke that they believe you’re their mother. Now she knows why people say this.”

  Tashawa tried to reach out and pet Jessie who quickly pinned his ears and slipped away. Shane laughed, “They’re kind of shy, like you, Tashawa.”

  She had no response to Shane’s comment as she continued getting the packhorse ready for the long ride. Tashawa was not happy about the packhorse having to carry the ten-pound bag of dog food Shane had brought along. Tigee told her it was okay, so she reluctantly tied it on. The three were finally mounted and ready to go.

  Tigee gave Shane the radio, along with extra batteries. “You check in with me at eight a.m. and eight p.m., every day, to let me know you’re okay.”

  Tashawa started riding toward the thick woods with Tara behind her, followed by Shane riding Tory and leading the packhorse. Tara told Shane, “The first part of the trip will be the slowest, because there are no trails through this forest.”

  “Do you know the way to Shadow Creek?” he asked.

  “Kind of,” Tara answered. “I could get there on my own, but it would take me a lot longer than Tashawa. She knows every deer trail and hilltop out here by heart. With her in the lead, we’ll get there much quicker and a lot easier.”

  It took a couple of hours to wind their way through the thick, green trees, before finally getting to the drop-off that led down into the valley. They stopped to rest the horses before continuing down the steep trail, which would be the most strenuous part of the trip for the animals. Shane tied Tory to a small tree, then climbed up on a high rock to have a long look at the view. It was a bright, clear day, so he could see a great distance from this vantage point. Tara climbed up and stood next to him. She took a deep breath. “I’ve seen this so many times, but every time I look out there it takes my breath away!”

  Shane pulled his camera out of the case hanging on his shoulder and took some pictures of the view. He couldn’t help but snap one of Tara as she sat on the edge of the rock looking across the valley at the mountains. She looked so much like she belonged to this country! For a moment, Shane found himself intrigued watching this young Indian woman as he thought how much her natural, native beauty blended in with the remarkable scenery around her. Out of the corner of her eye, Tara caught a glimpse of him looking at her. Like a kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar, his face turned a light shade of red. He promptly turned away and gazed back down toward the valley below. Tara merely shifted her eyes out toward the mountains, then smiled at the idea of him looking at her that way.

  A few minutes later, Tashawa, without saying a word, mounted her horse and started riding toward the steep slope that would be their next challenge on this trip.

  “I guess that’s our cue,” Shane said, as he and Tara scrambled down the rock. They quickly mounted their own horses and soon caught up with her. The ride down this part of the ridge was much more difficult than the area where he had ridden in with Hawk and JB. Had it not been for Tashawa, knowing exactly where to go and how to zigzag her way from point to point, they would have found themselves in a precarious situation. Now Shane understood why she was so concerned about the packhorse having to carry the extra ten pounds of dog food.

  The dogs had made their way to the top of the ridge on their own while staying out of sight. Shane knew from past experience that they liked to follow him in the shadows. He figured it was only natural for them to lurk hidden on the outskirts of the trail because they were half wolf. The two dogs did not know Tashawa at all or Tara very well. This made them even more cautious. For some reason, during this part of the trip, which involved some very narrow steep trails, the dogs decided to show themselves and stick close to Shane and the packhorse. He was glad he had brought them along. Shane understood that he was in their world now. Knowing he could count on them gave him some added peace of mind.

  About three-quarters of the way down the ridge, the ride became less dangerous and the trail began to level out. Shane looked down to check on Butch and Jessie, only to realize the two had once again vanished. Tashawa had also noticed the dogs, sneaking in and out of sight, so suddenly she turned back toward Tara. “You tell your boyfriend to keep those two away from me! Leave it up to a Tahotay to make friends with those strange creatures!” Tashawa, calling him this, took Shane by surprise.

  Tara chuckled at this comment. “He’s not my boyfriend, and he can hear you just fine.”

  When they finally reached the valley, Tashawa climbed off her horse and sat next to a large oak. Shane appreciated the woman’s consideration for the horses. It had been a slow, strenuous ride down the ridge, and it was still a three-mile ride from here to the river. Shane knew the horses and dogs would be ready for a drink when they got there. For now, they were resting at the edge of a forest near one of the many grassy meadows that were scattered all over this part of the valley.

  The thought of a place like this being congested with oil wells made Shane cringe. For reasons he could not explain, he was feeling a growing need to try to keep this from happening. He knew if there was oi
l in the valley, the Shoshone should be the ones to gain from it. He felt certain they would not rape the land and the scenery to get to it. Shane could only hope there would be a way for this wilderness to coexist with any profit that could be made here. The one thing he was sure of is the control must be left in the hands of the people who would see the greater value in this land as it was now.

  Shane had called home before leaving on this trip, and had received the news from Terry that much of the property around his farm in Tennessee had been sold to a developer. The hills and fields he’d spent many years riding his young horses through would soon be disappearing for all time. Maybe finding this out had something to do with his growing desire to try to help keep this place from changing. Perhaps it was also the need to feel responsible for something more than just himself. After all, it wasn’t long ago when he was consumed with a sense of duty to the other people in his life. He decided it was probably a combination of things that had him focusing so much on this new purpose. Whatever the reasons, this intention now went beyond his promise to his son to set Sloppy free.

  He and the women sat on the edge of the grassy field not speaking a word. It was easy to see how content these two natives were out here in their ancient homeland.

  The Shoshone, who had lived and died here since before Columbus, were a vital part of this unique country. Without them still here, this valley would certainly be like a puzzle without all its pieces.

  Shane noticed some motion a short way up the tree line. It was Butch and Jessie, crouched down, stalking a rabbit. Using their instinctive, coordinated hunting skills, they made short work of killing and devouring it. Watching the two dogs eat, Shane was reminded that as beautiful as this country was, it was also a harsh, survival-of- the-fittest environment. He knew and accepted this as the way things are supposed to be. Without this balance of nature, life would cease to exist in this wilderness.

  Finally, Tashawa stood up and stretched her back like she usually did before mounting her horse. Shane and Tara followed, and the three rode on with the packhorse in tow. When they arrived at the river’s edge, Tashawa made it a point to direct everyone over to a particular spot where they could let the horses drink. “Why is she so worried about where the horses get their water?” Shane asked Tara.

  “My grandfather doesn’t want us to leave any tracks around the river. This place has hard rocky ground so we won’t leave any obvious signs. The herd sometimes comes over to this area. As you know, Tigee doesn’t want anyone who may be tracking them, including our own tribe members, to know we’re out here. The herd rarely goes as far as Shadow Creek where we will be staying. So, we won’t have to worry about leaving tracks there.”

  As they rode along the wooded tree line toward the cabin, the river remained in plain view. Tara pointed ahead to a moose that was swimming across the river.

  “I’ll be damned!” Shane exclaimed as he stopped to take a picture. During the remainder of the ride they saw some mule deer, antelope, and even a small herd of mountain goats.

  It was five p.m. when they finally reached the Shadow Creek cabin. It had been a long, tiresome ride.

  Shane didn’t get his first glimpse of the camp until they were only several yards away. It was well concealed behind a thick patch of trees, between a couple of high rock ledges, which made a natural corral on two sides. The rest of the corral was made of log fences that appeared to be in fairly good shape.

  The dwelling was small with only two rooms and a fireplace. The rooms were barely separated by a five-foot-high wall, open at the top, to let the heat from the fireplace circulate freely through the building. There were two old fold-up cots in each room. Someone had sure gone to a lot of trouble to pack this bedding so far back into this isolated country, he thought.

  Tara looked around, with a reminiscing glimmer in her eye. “Tashawa and I have a lot of good memories of times spent here with my brothers and our grandfathers.”

  Shane could see that they had made the place homey and surprisingly comfortable.

  After a quick inspection and some minor repairs on the corral log fences, Shane and the women fetched some water for the horses and fed them. The canned stew they ate for dinner was a welcome meal after the long day on horseback. The two dogs showed up when they smelled the stew cooking on the fire, so Shane gave them a good helping of the dry food he’d brought.

  Tara and Tashawa told Shane about a clear pool around a bend only seventy-five yards downstream. The two women grabbed some clean towels and a bar of soap and Tashawa took her rifle. “When we get back, you can go clean up,” Tara remarked. “No offense, but you look kind of cruddy.”

  “You ladies look a little dusty, yourselves. You sure you don’t want some help?”

  Tara smiled at his joke, but Tashawa gave him a dirty look and commanded, “You stay here!”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he chuckled.

  When the two women returned, Shane walked down to the pool with the dogs following at a distance. He cleaned up and then lay there, letting the cool water soak on his tired body. After a few minutes, he told Butch and Jessie it was time to head back to the cabin.

  Tomorrow they would ride over to the north border to try to spot the oil crew’s base camp. Hopefully, Tashawa would be able to find it early in the day. Then, it would just be a matter of watching their activity to see what they were up to.

  At eight p.m., Shane made a radio call to Tigee to let him know they were at the cabin.

  “Did you have a good ride in?” he asked.

  “Yes sir,” Shane answered. “The weather was perfect and the scenery incredible. We are all pretty beat, and ready to turn in. I’ll check in with you at eight a.m., over. Oh, sir—”

  “Go ahead,” the old man replied.

  “Tommy’s going to be riding the two colts out on the trail this week by himself. I would appreciate it if you’d check to see that he makes it home in one piece every day, over.”

  The old man’s voice came back over the radio, “Yes, Tommy has already told me. I’ll be waiting for your morning call.”

  Before collapsing on his cot for the night Shane cracked his window open and the sound of the nearby creek soon lulled him to sleep.

  He woke in the morning to the sounds of the bubbling stream, and the smell of fresh, clean mountain air. He walked down to the creek, splashed some water on his face, and sat to watch the sunrise. As he relaxed while admiring the peaceful surroundings, his mind slowly drifted to a recollection of Jen.

  It was an old memory from before the kids were born and just the two of them had gone on a camping trip up in the mountains, not too far from their home in Tennessee. It was this same time of the summer, but some twelve years ago. He remembered they’d had their first real argument the afternoon before. Shane couldn’t even remember what it was about. They had gone to bed still upset with each other.

  Shane remembered waking early the next morning, going down to the lake, and sitting in an old camp chair. He felt badly about the fight and knew he’d overreacted. Now, he recalled the warm feeling that came over him when he felt Jen’s hand on his shoulder while whispering in his ear, “I love you so much, and I never want to argue like that again.” Then she moved around, sat in his lap, and the two stayed there a while, with their arms around each other, not saying a word.

  Interrupting his memories, he heard a voice behind him, “Good morning. Did you sleep well?”

  He looked up to see Tara standing near. “Yeah, I did.”

  As she sat next to him, Shane couldn’t help but notice how fresh and beautiful she looked.

  “What were you thinking about?” she asked. Shane just shrugged his shoulders. They sat for a minute longer not talking, then Tara continued, “I’ve seen you before in this place you drift away to. You seem to be caught up in a strange combination of happy and sad. Mostly, you seem sad. I can’t help but wonder why those old memories haunt you the way they do.”

  “You have no idea,” Shane replied, as he f
orced a smile and stood.

  Tara also stood and looked at him with her deep blue eyes, cocked her head to one side, and told him in a quiet voice, “I would never ask you what it is that bothers you so much, but if you ever want to talk, I’m a pretty good listener.” Shane glanced down at the creek for a moment before slowly lifting his head to face her. He reached in his pocket, pulled out his wallet, and handed her a picture. In the photo, Shane was holding Tina in his left arm with his right arm around Jen while Jacob stood in front of them. The picture had been taken in front of a Christmas tree, with all of them smiling from ear to ear.

  Tara didn’t know what to say at first, then after a few seconds, asked, “You have a family?”

  Shane looked down at the water again before he took a deep breath to help him keep his composure. During this awkward moment of silence, he assumed she was thinking he had broken up with his wife and was having trouble dealing with it.

  “They’re beautiful kids,” she said. “Where are they now?”

  Shane took another breath and swallowed the lump in his throat. “It was a car accident. One moment, we were a close, happy family on top of the world; the next minute, they were gone.” He pointed at each of them, in the picture. “That’s my little girl, Tina; my son, Jacob; and my wife, Jen. I lost them a couple years ago. I’m okay now, and I’ve learned to accept it, but sometimes I still miss them real bad.”

  Tara’s hand began to tremble, so she quickly gave him back the irreplaceable photo for fear she might drop it in the creek. Then, she raised both her hands up to her quivering mouth as her eyes swelled with a surge of emotions. “I didn’t have any idea, Shane. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have pried.”