[2014] Wildwood Shadows

by Scott McElhaney

  I took her hands and allowed myself to be a kid again as these two were so willing to. We jumped and bounced on the bed, knocking the pillows to the floor in the process. White Owl screed his high pitch battle cry again, gesturing for me to join in.

  “Ay, ay, ay, ay, ay!” I cried.

  This brought on a significant amount of laughter from the two of them. I took this to mean that mine wasn’t as terrifying as White Owl’s. I tried it again, this time at a higher pitch. This one hurt my dry throat, causing me to break out into a painful cough. As they laughed at me, I dropped to my butt and bounced to the edge of the bed amidst the turbulence of their gymnastics.

  I was parched and needed something to drink. I left them to their battle cries and laughter as I wandered to the kitchen. I located a glass in the cabinet and then took my mother’s pitcher of iced tea from the refrigerator. I poured myself a glass, wishing for some ice cubes to give it a little bit of chill.

  I took a long drink from the glass as I turned to discover both of my chaperones in the hall watching me. I lowered the glass which Wildwood then took from my hand and inspected.

  “Clear pottery?” she said, tapping it with her fingernail, “You were drinking dirty water? Or is this herbal spearmint water?”

  “It’s tea with sugar,” I said, “I can pour you a glass if you’d like.”

  No sooner had I finished saying that before she took a cautious drink from my glass. Her furrowed brow disappeared behind an expression of pleasant surprise. She handed the glass to White Owl who also appeared very intrigued by the clear pottery.

  “We can take some glasses back with us if you want to. We call the clear pottery glass,” I said.

  He took a sip of the tea and then another. He handed me the glass with a smile of approval.

  “That’s good,” he said.

  Although I found it unsanitary to share a glass with people I didn’t know, I also couldn’t afford to insult the only two people in this world who I now knew as my friends. I took another drink and then offered them the rest. They gladly accepted.

  We decided it was finally time to grab the bags of food and head back to the village. Although they had been intrigued at the concept of clear pottery, neither counted it as a real improvement on their current wares, so we agreed not to bring any glasses back with us.

  I threw the backpack over my shoulders and gave the gym bag to White Owl, leaving the trash bag for Wildwood. We then began our journey into the woods at a time I figured to be early evening.

  “What would Robert do if you asked to stay among our tribe instead of going back to your world?” Wildwood asked.

  “Well, let me tell you a little embarrassing fact about the world I come from,” I said, following White Owl’s lead, “I was always raised in such a way that I really don’t believe I could survive in this world you live in. I guess you could say that everything was provided for me. I never hunted for food or grew my own vegetables. I never skinned an animal for its hide so I could keep warm. I’ve never even started my own fire with only a stack of wood.”

  “Really? Were you the son of a mighty chief?” White Owl asked, “I heard sometimes they are doted upon in other tribes.”

  “No, most of the people in my world on the other end of the river of time are this way. There are those who farm the food and butcher the animals, but most of us just pay-” I wondered suddenly if they had any concept of money, “Most of us just trade small things for the food grown by others.”

  “Yes, I’ve heard of tribes like that as well. There is a tribe far up the river that make the finest arrows and tomahawks. Besides hunting elk, I think that’s all they do. They sometimes come around harvest time and trade for our corn, squash, and peas,” White Owl said.

  “Robert wasn’t in the best shape when we took him in. He was barely dressed and nearly starved,” Wildwood said, bumping into me with her shoulder, “I would take responsibility for you since you don’t know how to survive here.”

  I turned to her and the sight of the beautiful woman made my heart flutter. It was like the feeling of those nervous butterflies, except these ones were in my chest instead of in my stomach area. She wasn’t shy in the slightest and her smile said as much. White Owl turned to us and stopped in his tracks.

  “You would take responsibility for this man and then Rain Walker would kill him,” White Owl said, following it up with a dozen words I didn’t understand.

  She turned to him and spat a reply that could only be considered a harsh expletive. She followed it up with a few more foreign sentences spoken in a more controlled tone. Both of them shot flaming glares of hatred at each other, revealing all the more how closely related the two were.

  “I don’t want to get in the middle of any family or tribal dispute,” I interjected, “And while I appreciate the gesture and even the concept of being forever in your care, I don’t think it would go very well with your people.”

  I also didn’t really think I wanted to live my life in such a primitive world. Granted, she was more beautiful than any woman I’d ever seen, but I didn’t think a man such as I could take care of her in this world. She turned to me and placed a hand on the side of my face. Then she leaned in and pressed her lips to mine. It wasn’t quite a kiss, but I imagine it still counted as one.

  My response startled me because I didn’t see it coming. I took her face in both of my hands and then kissed her more deeply – the same way Kaitlyn Adams had unknowingly taught me after the tenth grade Homecoming dance. I wasn’t satisfied with merely touching her lips to mine and instead, I wanted to fully taste her, beginning with her lips. And I did so, tenderly and gently. I could feel a shuddering breath escape her as I reluctantly pulled away.

  “Rain Walker doesn’t desire me like this,” she whispered, “And I already told my father that I would never give him grandchildren if Rain Walker chose me.”

  “Father will never allow this. Never!” White Owl hissed, “Nor do I! A man must be able to protect, defend, and provide for his charge. Maddox clearly admits he cannot.”

  He glared at me in contempt. I was frightened of him at the moment, especially after seeing how well he could aim his weapon earlier. It didn’t matter that he was just a kid and nearly a foot shorter than me.

  “No amount of thunder weaponry will give you an advantage in this world if you lack the skills of a hunter or a warrior,” he said, turning and heading off into the woods at a faster pace.

  Petakine’thi

  “Let him go,” she said, taking my hand in hers, “He is predestined to be a Holy Man when he is old enough. All the hopes of our ancestors ride on the shoulders of the Holy Man. Because of this, he will never be able to see past the rules of the tribe.”

  I slowed down to meet her more casual pace. She truly didn’t seem concerned about her brother’s anger or the fact that he may get her into trouble when he gets back.

  “And the rules say you cannot love a white man?” I asked.

  “No!” she turned to me, “How could such rules exist when we’ve never seen people of such pale flesh? The rules say that I have to love Rain Walker because my father says so. He also said that I have to love Willow Branch back when I was the age of White Owl. Yet, when Willow Branch was found to be the upcoming father to Crooked Eyes’ child that winter, my own father rejected the idea of giving his only daughter to the horrible man.”

  “As he should,” I said, “Listen, Wildwood Shadows…”

  I physically turned her to me and looked at her. Her dark eyes met mine, making me wish suddenly that I was a person from this ancient place. I had never found myself being the love interest of the hottest girl in school, so I was also never prepared for my reaction to such a circumstance. I wasn’t even sure about the current thoughts spinning in my head at the moment.

  “I truly don’t belong here. How could I protect you from a snake or from the horns of an angry bull? How could I feed you when I don’t even know what parts of a deer are edible? Don’t you-
”

  “We will not live alone, Maddox!” she said, “And you will learn such things. I already know these things and I can teach you. If you stay, I will be yours to help you and to teach you what you need to know.”

  “But what about love? How can you love me when you don’t really know me? How can I love you when I don’t even know your favorite color?”

  “Blue – the very color of your eyes. And knowing always comes later. My parents didn’t know everything about each other when they lie together for the first time. Do they love each other now, though? Yes, definitely,” she stated, “Does the idea of lying with me not sound appealing?”

  I gasped, “Oh, it sounds very appealing. I can’t think of anything else right now.”

  “Then it is settled,” she leaned forward, kissing me the way I kissed her earlier.

  In spite of the painful truths I had buried deep inside, I accepted her kiss fully and gave as much in return. Deep down, I knew there was a good chance that I would have to leave. Deep down, I knew the tribe would not accept this relationship. Deep down, I knew that I was merely borrowing her heart with the knowledge that the heart was still hers and hers alone.

  “I will tell my father since he mustn’t know I can speak your language,” she said, “But I’ll wait until after the celebration.”

  “What celebration?” I asked.

  “Don’t you smell the fire yet? We are going to have a feast and some dancing in the honor of Robert finding you,” she said, “But keep in mind that many people believe you two come from the spirit world in spite of Robert’s denial.”

  Indeed, I could smell the wood smoke.

  “Wait a minute… what do you believe?” I asked, “Do you believe me when I tell you that I’m no different than you or your brother?”

  She nodded, “Yes, I believe you are from the world of the grandchildren of our grandchildren. You are from far down the river of time.”

  “Okay, it sounds like you do understand. Except you need to know that I’m from much further than that. Much, much further. A world that exists beyond most people’s comprehension.”

  We returned our attention to the original goal of returning to the village. White Owl was nowhere in the distance as we made our way through the woods. It was steadily getting darker as the sun was nearing the horizon beyond the forest. All the while, my heart was torn and my mind was fighting against it. I could afford to hurt myself, but I refused to hurt the beautiful woman who so innocently offered me her heart.

  Hanikwa

  White Owl was nowhere to be found when we returned to the river. Wildwood had believed he might have waited for us there, but that was not to be the case. The sun had already descended beneath the western tree line and the crickets were already out in full chorus. The cicadas weren’t quite ready to turn the stage over to the crickets yet, so the joint concert was a bit overpowering.

  Across the river and about forty meters to the east, we discovered some changes along the shoreline. It was evident just from the sturdy boardwalk that was now laid out along the shore that the larger water wheel was truly going to be magnificent. The boardwalk was made from logs that had been split in two and then partially buried in the sand and gravel, leaving the flat side facing upward.

  Just then, my father appeared from beyond the trees carrying a coil of gray wire. He waved to us as we made our way over to him.

  “There’s the man of the hour,” Dad said, looking curiously down toward my waist, “The party’s already starting and you’re not even there to warrant such a thing.”

  “You’re ready for the electric wire already?” I asked, suddenly realizing what my father was looking at.

  I had still been holding Wildwood’s hand. I went to release it, but she still held onto mine with a firm grip.

  “Yeah, actually the small wheel is done. I made it out of fan blades and some portions of aluminum siding, but we’ll wait on that until morning. Right now, I’m just getting the wire run,” he said.

  “Oh, cool!” I said, “I can’t wait to see how it works.”

  I started into the woods before my dad interrupted.

  “Oh, and I wouldn’t continue holding hands in front of anyone,” he said almost as an afterthought, “I’m not sure what’s going on and frankly, I don’t need to know. But I do think you might be treading in dangerous waters.”

  “I’m not dangerous,” she replied.

  “Aaaaand you spoke to him in his language,” he said with an exasperated groan.

  We returned to him as he unrolled the cable and placed rocks on it to secure it to the ground.

  “What’s going on?” I asked.

  “White Owl looked pretty mad when he came running past a while ago. Now I see why,” he replied, “In our world, Wildwood Shadows would be considered engaged, Maddox. Not just engaged, but we’re talking about the dress picked out and the reception hall rented. The caterer hired, the deejay booked, and the invitations sent.”

  “Okay, enough. I get it,” I said, turning to Wildwood for a little help, “But it sounds to me like she never actually said she would marry him.”

  “First, this isn’t called marriage here and there is no real ceremony. It becomes a marriage upon intercourse… which is a permanent endeavor between two people. And I hope that Wildwood is still unmarried right now to anyone… no marriage so far as defined by the Indians…”

  “What? Of course!” I sputtered, “I’ve known her all of a few hours!”

  “And yet…” he nodded toward our hands.

  “And yet, she is a beautiful woman who knows how to just be free and silly and to jump on a bed for no reason other than the fact that it’s fun. And you know what? I’d like to get to know her better,” I said.

  She squeezed my hand and set the pantry bag down on the ground. Dad looked up at her after setting the rest of the wire on the boardwalk.

  “Are you ready to fight a whole tribe for this?” he asked her, “Some people… no, most people are going to be mad and probably insist that you don’t know what you’re doing.”

  “Yes. As you probably already know, I despise Rain Walker and Maddox needs me,” she said.

  “Maddox needs you,” he repeated.

  “I’ve fought to be a huntress since I was old enough to walk, Robert. You know I’m not like the others. I don’t like to work the soil and I don’t like to mend clothing or prepare the food,” she firmly stated, “I find your son handsome, exceptionally caring, gentle, and in need of someone who can take care of him until he learns how to be a true Shawnee hunter himself.”

  “My son…” he repeated, shaking his head.

  “I won’t tell anyone about that,” she reassured him as an afterthought.

  He looked at me for a moment and then stared out across the river.

  “Well, then I guess I have no need to finish building the water wheel,” he said.

  That statement startled me. I think my jaw even dropped the moment he said it.

  “But, what-”

  “Exactly,” he said, pointing to me, “If you are going into this, you’d better be prepared to go in all the way. These are real people with real feelings and real lives, kid. There’s no turning back. No divorce in this world.”

  I suddenly felt all shaky inside, hoping she couldn’t feel it through my hand. I didn’t really even know this person, and yet I was willing to do something life-altering.

  “I’m still building it anyway because I’d like to continue my experiments with the radios,” he said, patting me on the shoulder, “But think about it.”

  Hahthapeti

  I don’t think I could have prepared myself for the party the Shawnee had thrown in my honor. My father would later explain to me that such parties weren’t very common and certainly not in honor of a foreigner. But my dad was held in high regard throughout the tribe for the many times he had cured people with his poultices, ointments, and healing potions. And when he identified me as a long lost member of his healing tribe
, they were more than excited to welcome me in. Especially after a fever took over the village last fall, affecting more than half the village by the time it had run its course. Thanks to Robert, no one had died which was considered to be very rare during these annual or biannual epidemics.

  When Wildwood and I arrived, we discovered three good-size bonfires. Two large beasts were being roasted over one of the fires on a stone shelf that had to have come from Dad’s modern influence. It was too neatly constructed and well-chiseled to have come from such an ancient world. While I paused in awe of the sights and smells of sizzling meat mixed with charring wood, an elderly man approached me with painted fingers.

  He was much shorter than me, so he had to look up to me to speak the three words I couldn’t understand. Then the aged man touched those painted fingers to my forehead, then to my cheeks, and then my chin. He said something else to me before pointing to the large bonfire. After that, he walked away.

  “The spirits want to take you away, so he shielded you with a curse against the spirits,” Wildwood whispered, “He then asked you to dance around the fire so the spirits can see the mark he placed on you.”

  “Dance?” I asked.

  “If you don’t believe, what does it matter?” she whispered, “Just dance.”

  I started toward the fire, hoping that Wildwood was going to join me. By now, many others were showing up for the party. The sun had finally settled beyond the horizon and the stars now littered the sky. By the time I got to the large bonfire, Wildwood was no longer at my side. I looked around and saw many Indian faces watching me. I felt more like an enemy at the moment, and as such, I had nothing to lose.