The Gathering

by Sharon Sala

  As their gazes met, he pointed at her arms.

  “You are well?”

  She smiled.

  “Almost, my little warrior.”

  He nodded, satisfied with the answer.

  “I have a question. Do you have an answer?” she asked.

  His eyes suddenly narrowed.

  “What is the question?” he asked.

  “How did you know about my baby?”

  He shrugged.

  “They showed me everything in a dream.”

  She frowned.

  “Who are they?”

  “The spirits who know the future. They showed it to me after my mother and father were no more.”

  She brushed the back of her hand against his chin. The skin was still soft and smooth like a child, but he was far from one.

  “Did they tell you why you were chosen?” she asked.

  He thought a moment. “They said I was brave when the rocks rolled down from the mountain. We ran, but the rocks caught my father. After that my mother told me to run and don’t look back, so I did as she asked. When I stopped running there was no one behind me. That night I could not rest. My heart was hurting so the Old Ones came to me and helped me sleep, then showed me the story in a dream.”

  Tyhen’s heart was pounding. She had not even known him at that time and yet he was already becoming a vital part of her life.

  “What did you see in the dream, little warrior?”

  “I saw you holding a baby. You told me her name was Walela and you told me what it meant.”

  Her smile was sudden and pleased. “I told you?”

  He nodded.

  So she had named the baby. He’d just seen her future. It was a small thing, but it made her feel better.

  “What else did you see in the dream?” she asked.

  “You told me I was a brave warrior. You said I faced the wolves and lived. You said that when your daughter was born, I would be her forever guardian, like Yuma is yours. You said that I would protect her with my life and she would love me forever.”

  She was stunned.

  “You saw all that in your dream?”

  “It was what they showed me.”

  “How do you feel about that?” she asked. “Were you angry that you had been given no choices?”

  “No.”

  She frowned. “Why not?”

  “Because I no longer had any family and I was happy that I would be part of yours.”

  Tyhen’s heart melted. She dropped to her knees.

  “I am happy, too,” she whispered as she wrapped her arms around him.

  The shy smile that broke across his face hurt her heart. Like Yuma, he had already lost so much. She made a silent vow to make sure he would never feel abandoned again.

  Lola suddenly called out from a short distance away.

  “Dakotah! We go!”

  Tyhen stood, a little startled that the tribe was already on the move.

  “Go back to Lola now. She loves you very much… so much that she gave up her own people to stay with you.”

  His eyes widened as he turned and looked at the woman who’d been his caretaker for all these months.

  “I did not know,” he said softly, and ran back to her.

  Tyhen saw Lola pull the hood up closer around his face so that the cold would not burn his skin. So two women would love him more than most, and it was good to know his heart would not be empty.

  She glanced behind her, knowing she would never see this many people on the move again. Great masses of people were leaving in all directions, except into the west, because that was the direction from which the Tatanka and the snow would come. The tribes that would have been going in that direction now had to make very wide detours.

  She caught glimpses of familiar faces as one by one the New Ones began looking back—waving—calling out a goodbye one last time to others who were doing the same, while others just covered their eyes and wept.

  It had taken a race through the desert to outrun Firewalker, then more years of living—and some dying—in a time they had never dreamed of, along with a long miserable trek from Naaki Chava to here and this moment just to be separated forever. Today was the end of the New Ones and the beginning of the First Nation.

  Then suddenly she was no longer alone. Yuma was by her side and slipped an arm around her waist.

  “It is done, my little whirlwind. It is done. Come walk with me. We are on the way to the rest of our life.”

  His words made her weep. She was too moved to speak, but then from the look on his face there was no need. She leaned into his kiss as the cold touch of his lips began to warm her. Just as the wind around them began to spin he pulled back and took her by the hand.

  “I will build you a home with strong walls and a roof that shelters you from the rain and the wind. It will have a floor to walk on and a fireplace to keep us warm. But first we have to get there.”

  “I am ready,” she said.

  They took their first steps in unison away from the site of the Gathering and never looked back.

  ***

  Tyhen wasn’t the only one struggling with her feelings. The ache in Suwanee’s chest was so great it was hard to breathe. She wanted to cry but was afraid if she did she might never stop.

  The parting between her and her father had been silent. He had touched her head then her shoulder, gripping it so firmly that for a moment she wondered if he’d changed his mind about letting her go, and then suddenly he dropped his hand and she was free.

  Her heart was pounding as she ran her fingers down the side of his cheek, setting the shape of it into her memory before she turned to her mother.

  Although there was a muscle jerking near Chata’s eye, she stood motionless, holding a bundle in her arms as a gift for her only daughter. Suwanee would not know until later that it contained the few treasured tools they had managed to save from the river that almost swallowed them whole.

  At this point, Suwanee was numb. She had dreamed all night and each dream began with a fear and ended with Evan standing between her and danger, or lying naked beneath him.

  She was sad about leaving her people, and even sadder at leaving her mother and father, but the thought of never seeing Evan again was far worse. She knew their destinies were linked and was accepting of what sacrifices she had to make to stay with him.

  So she took her mother’s gift with tears running down her face, and turned to Evan who was waiting for her to say her goodbyes. She walked toward him with the bundle still in her arms, but his face was a blur. When she stopped before him, he slid an arm across her shoulders and pulled her close. Emotionally exhausted, she leaned into his strength. And when he took her by the hand to lead her away, she matched her stride to his so she would not fall behind. She would remember it always as the death of one life and the birth of another.

  ***

  Adam watched from a distance. He saw her tears and then looked away, but it did no good. He still felt her sadness. He also knew his brother was torn between causing her grief and fulfilling his duty to Tyhen. The way to the Cherokee lands was long. Adam had seen many rivers and many mountains between that land and this, and wondered how many more times their sister would be tested before peace came into her life.

  It seemed like a slap in the face that some of the tribes would have to cross the river of the Gathering before their journey could begin and the Cherokee were among them.

  Once they left the campsite, they moved south along the riverbank until they found a place where the river was very wide and the water not so deep. Without hesitation people began stepping into the thigh-deep water, moving as one through the flow while making sure no one fell or was swept away.

  The Cherokee moved into line behind the others, waiting their turns to ford the river. Once they stepped into
the swiftly moving water, it seeped through their clothing, chilling them all the way to their bones. Some stumbled, others cried out for help when they became too cold to move, but every time that happened, someone would step up to give them a helping hand until finally they were out.

  As soon as the last one stepped onto dry ground they began to run to catch up with the others. With no time to build fires and warm up or dry out, they used the rapid beat of their hearts to heat their bodies from the inside out.

  Tyhen could have easily flown over the river, but she couldn’t fly everyone over and quietly refused Yuma’s urging to go on her own.

  He remembered all too well how cold he’d been after crossing it to get to her. He didn’t want her suffering that.

  “You are the Windwalker’s daughter. You carry our child. No one would expect you to take to the water when you could easily cross in the air.”

  “I am still the Windwalker’s daughter, but today I am walking with the Cherokee.”

  His heart swelled with pride and he said no more.

  As they stepped into water up to their waists, he watched her eyes dilate with shock. The cold and the deadly pull of the undercurrents made it impossible to hurry, and by the time they came out on the other side Tyhen was holding tight to Yuma’s hand.

  “Are you alright?” he asked.

  She was shaking so hard she couldn’t speak, and nodded instead.

  “We run now,” Yuma said. “It will warm us quicker.”

  She turned loose of his hand and willed her feet to move, telling herself that if all the people who’d forded the river ahead of them could do it, then she could, too.

  ***

  Suwanee was small and the water, which was thigh to waist deep on most of them, would have been up to her chin. When they reached the riverbank, she paused and looked down at the beautiful coat Evan had given her. He’d told her it was made from the skins of a spotted cat and she regretted that it was going to get wet.

  “I cannot swim,” she said softly and looked down, shamed that she was already causing trouble.

  Evan felt her shame and fear and quickly took her hands.

  “Look at me,” he said.

  She lifted her head.

  “Do you fear me?” he asked.

  “No.”

  “Then why does your heart beat so fast? Why do you look away from me?”

  “I do not want to shame you.”

  He dropped his backpack and took her in his arms.

  “I am so sorry this is happening. I know you are sad to leave your people, but I am forever grateful you chose to come with me. We are both stumbling through the new times. We know nothing of what is ahead of us, but know I will do everything in my power to make you happy and keep you safe.”

  When he hugged her, she leaned against him. He could feel her trembling. Part of it was because she was afraid of the water, and part of it was because she was in his arms.

  His only option was to carry her across but he needed help, and was grateful he didn’t have to ask. Within moments Adam was with them. He said nothing as he shouldered Evan’s backpack while Evan helped Suwanee tie her bundle into the pack she was carrying on her back. Then he knelt.

  “Climb onto my back, wrap your arms around my neck and your legs around my waist and hold on,” he said.

  She gave Adam a nervous look, but he was already in the water, so she did as Evan asked.

  “Whatever you do, don’t let go of me,” he said, as he stood up, then into the water they went.

  He gasped from the cold and heard Suwanee moan as she pressed her face against the back of his neck. He knew her eyes were closed, and that she trusted him with her life. Despite the current, the water wasn’t quite up to his waist. Being tall had merits and this was one of them. He made the crossing with sure, steady, strides. He wouldn’t let himself think of the cold and thought instead of the heat of the jungle in Naaki Chava, and the playful monkeys in the trees outside Cayetano’s palace.

  Once out of the water, Adam handed over the backpack and they began to run to catch up with the others. Having heavy winter clothing and robes soaking wet made it difficult to move at first, but the longer they ran, the easier it became. By the time the sun was moving toward mid-day, their clothing had begun to dry and their bodies were warm.

  ***

  Dakotah had ridden across the river on Aaron’s shoulders, giving him a better than average view of the masses of people making the crossing with them and wondered how many of them would die like his mother and father had before they could return to their homes.

  He saw Tyhen and Yuma in the distance ahead of them, then saw the twins and the Lakota girl who was going with them. He had not realized the New Ones would be divided up and leaving with other tribes. It made him terribly sad to think of the friends he would no longer see, and then remembered his task. There would be a new Windwalker and she would be his to protect. It gave him purpose and a sense of pride that he would matter in this world after all.

  ***

  Hours later:

  The sun was hiding behind a cold gray sky—a warning of the building storm behind them, but it was the faint line of green rising on the horizon that held their focus. It was forest. And since most of the other trees had lost their leaves, they had to be some kind of evergreens, maybe cedar or pines.

  Chief Small Foot wants to set up camp inside the trees.

  Adam’s voice was so abrupt it startled her, and then Evan added more information.

  But he does not know if there will be room to set up their dwellings. He wants to ask you to help, but doesn’t know how to approach you.

  Thank you, my brothers. Tell him I go now to see what is there so I can answer his question.

  She stopped and began taking off her backpack.

  “What’s wrong?” Yuma asked.

  “The Chief needs to know if there’s room to set up camp within those distant trees. I will be back.”

  Yuma could see her lips moving but did not hear the chant because the sound of the wind spinning around her was already drowning out her words. And when she went straight up into the air and then flew into the East, he ignored the startled gasps of those around him as he picked up her backpack and kept on walking.

  Tyhen knew her destination, but what she had not expected was the sudden difference in temperature as she rose into the sky. The air above was far colder than the ground below and within seconds her eyelashes were tinged with frost and her face was burning. She didn’t know the proper name for what was happening, but she felt truly cold and frozen.

  Faster and faster she flew until she was so close she could see the massive limbs on the tall trees. If it had not been for the cold, it would have made her think of the jungle in which she’d grown up because she could not see an immediate end to the growth.

  As she flew closer, she was startled to see that the entire southern side of the forest looked as if a great beast had leaned down and taken a huge bite out of the trees. But it was the blackened ground without any sign of new growth that told her a fire had happened there, and not so very long ago. While it was unfortunate for the forest, it was good news for the Cherokee. The massive space sheltered on three sides would serve their purpose well.

  After a quick circle of the area, she flew back into the wind, and because of the cold, she flew lower to the ground.

  As she did, she saw two piles of upturned earth and recognized them as what the New Ones called graves. The Mayans had not buried their dead in this way, but according to the teachings of her mother, the white men did. No grass had grown back, so they had to be fairly new and she guessed it was some of the soldiers she had confronted who died from the sickness they had carried. Seeing those graves was a stark reminder that they were traveling a very dangerous road.

  Upon her return, she looked for Chief Small Foot an
d when she saw a man with long gray hair and a black buffalo robe over his shoulders, she knew it was him.

  As she landed, her sudden appearance startled him because he stopped and took a quick step back. Upon second look, she saw a man of stature, both in behavior and height. He made her think of Cayetano and so she gave him the respect deserving of a leader by waiting for him to speak first.

  “What do you have to tell me?” Chief Small Foot asked.

  “I have seen a place inside the trees with room to make camp. Not long ago there was a great fire. Many trees have burned away and others fell over onto the ground. There will be dead wood for your fires and space for the lodges.”

  The chief nodded, obviously pleased with the news.

  “The Cherokee thank the Dove for this news. It is good.”

  “What do you want your people to know and I will tell them,” Tyhen said.

  “Tell them they must lengthen their strides. The snow comes faster. Tell them there is a place inside the woods for us to camp.”

  “It is done,” Tyhen said, and quickly took to the air and relayed the chief’s message.

  It seemed to give the tribe new focus as they picked up the pace. They were all anxious about the snow and relieved to know there was a campsite ahead.

  As she circled the marchers, one warrior let out a loud cry. It was not a word, but a sound… yiyiyiyiyiyi… a cry of celebration and of thanks. Traveling home with the Dove at their side was their talisman.

  By the time she found Yuma and set down beside him, there were ice crystals in her eyelashes and throughout her hair.

  Yuma took one look at her and pulled her into his arms then turned to shelter her so that it was his back that was to the wind.

  “You are too cold,” he said sharply.

  She did not argue.