The Travelers 1

by Lee Hunnicutt

  The crowd stepped back from Badger to give him room.

  He wheeled his horse around towards the village. The horse reared, kicking its front feet in the air, whinnying. Badger gave a loud cry and kicked his heel sharply into the ribs of the horse. The horse took off to the village at a run. Badger held his lance in the air, the scalps flapped like pennants in the breeze.

  Most of the tribe, whooping and hollering, followed Badger at a run to the village.

  Jack looked back at the dead Crow warriors to see the women, including Falling Moon Woman and her sisters, mutilating and dismembering the bodies. It was one of many images from this day that he didn’t want to remember.

  As he walked back, his feet felt like wood. He thought “Oh great, Beth has just killed and scalped two men. Falling Moon Woman and her sisters are carving up dead bodies and now my feet are frozen. If I’m lucky I’ll just lose my toes and not my feet.”

  All he could do was shake his head as he walked.

  Sonny put his hand on Jack’s shoulder. “Cheer up Jack. Don’t look so down. Two Feathers will give you your knife back.”

  Jack looked at his friend, gave a wry smile and snorted air out his nose.

  “Just another day in Mayberry, eh Sonny? Another Ozzie and Harriet moment, huh?

  When Beth lifted the hair off those guys, I almost hurled and did you see the expression on her face? What’s becoming of us? We’re just twelve-year-old kids. So far, you’ve stabbed a man in the ass. I’ve shot one and kicked the shit out of another and Beth has just brained two Crow.

  And on top of it all I’ll probably lose all of my toes to frost bite.”

  Jack shook his head and stamped his feet.

  “I don’t feel anything from the ankle down.” he complained

  For once, Sonny was serious and said, “I know, Jack, but we did what we had to do. If I hadn’t stabbed Slim and you hadn’t shot Dirty Earl we would probably be dead and Beth raped. If Beth hadn’t brained, as you so eloquently put it, those two Crow, our scalps would probably be hanging from a crow war lance.

  We did what we had to do.”

  “I know Sonny but for some reason it doesn’t seem to make me feel any better.”

  “You’re right, Jack. We shouldn’t feel good about all of this. These are terrible deeds that we have done. On the other hand, we are still alive. A lot of people in our situation, although I can’t imagine anyone in our situation, it’s just too weird. A lot of people in our situation would have just folded and curled up and died.

  I’m proud of us, Jack. We survived and we did what we had to do to survive.

  Don’t lose any sleep over this pal. We’ll get through this.”

  He squeezed Jack’s shoulder and shook him as he let go and said loudly “Snap out of it Jack!”

  Jack still had a hangdog look but said, “I’m all right. I’ll work through this.”

  They crossed the river. When they got to the other side Jack said, “I’m going back to the teepee to thaw my feet out. You comin’?”

  “Naw I’m going to see what’s goin’ on.”

  While Jack headed off to find a fire, Badger was riding around the village holding the scalps high. Every once in while he would gallop his horse through the village. The tribe would line the way on either side of him yipping and hollering.

  The women were collecting wood from every lodge for a large fire. That night there would be a scalp dance.

  When Beth, Sonny, Two Feathers and Falling Moon Woman came back to their teepee, they found Jack wrapped up in a buffalo robe eating pemmican with his feet next to the fire.

  Sonny said genially “How are your feet?”

  “Better.”

  Soon they were all seated around the fire wrapped in robes munching on jerky and pemmican.

  Before Beth sat down, she came over to Jack and kissed him on the cheek. She said, “Thanks, Sonny told me that you were the one who woke everybody up and came after me.”

  Jack looked embarrassed and mumbled “Yeah, well that’s what I do.”

  She put her hand on his hair and ruffed his hair, smiled and said, “Well if it weren’t for you, Two Feathers wouldn’t have been there and my hair would be on a Crow’s belt.”

  She sat down next to him and leaned against him.

  They all sat there munching away when Falling Moon Woman looked at Beth and said, “Well!?”

  “Well, what?” said Beth.

  Falling Moon Woman blew her cheeks out the air escaping over her teeth and lips loudly. She said impatiently “Tell us what happened!”

  She took her foot from under her robe and gave Beth a playful push on the hip.

  Beth gave a brief account of what happened to her that morning. All were quiet until she finished. Then, they all started to talk at once with questions.

  Beth held up her hand and when she had their attention said, “Please no more I’m exhausted. I need sleep.”

  Falling Moon Woman got a cross look on her face, thumped Two Feathers on the upper arm with her hand and said, “Out! Out!” With concern and softness in her voice said, “Of course you need sleep my little one.”

  “Everybody out.” She began to shoo everyone out of the lodge.

  Jack stayed seated by the fire. She popped him on the back of the head with her hand and said, “Out!”

  Jack ducked and held his hand up so that she wouldn’t hit him again and said, “I’m going to sleep too.”

  Falling Moon Woman gave him a gentle, understanding smile and said, “You can stay but only if you are quiet and don’t disturb her.”

  “I promise,” said Jack.

  He crawled over to his bedding, piled an extra robe over himself.

  Beth was already in bed.

  Jack could hardly keep his eyes open. The excitement and strain of the day was just too much for him.

  As he went to sleep, he said, “Beth, can’t you just for once do something that doesn’t scare the Hell out of me?”

  It was too late. She was already asleep.

  He waited for a reply but all he could hear was her slow even breathing. He smiled and rolled over and was asleep in an instant.

  When she awoke the teepee was empty. She could see that it was getting dark outside or was the dawn just breaking? She slowly got to her feet. She yawned and stretched. She had slept so hard and relaxed that her arms and legs felt like rubber.

  She had to take a minute to think about where she was and why she was there. The events of the day came to her in a flash. It hit her like a cold bucket of water. She gave an involuntary gasp as she remembered what had happened. Still disoriented from her deep sleep she thought for a moment that it was all just a nightmare. Then she saw the blood stains on the bodice of her dress.

  It wasn’t a nightmare. She began to shudder but it wasn’t from the cold. She wrapped her arms around herself and said “Get a grip! Get a grip!”

  Falling Moon Woman looked in and saw Beth standing, shaking. She came in and put her arms around her and pulled Beth’s head into her bosom. She made soothing sounds, stroked her and kissed her on the head and face.

  Beth looked up at Falling Moon Woman. There were no tears. She said, “I’ll be all right. I’ll be all right. I was so scared but I’m all right now, Mother. When I go outside, I don’t want the rest to see me like this. I don’t want to shame you. I want you and Father to be proud of me.”

  Falling Moon Woman held her at arm’s length and began to chuckle and then to laugh. She pulled Beth in close, held her tight and rocked her from side to side. She said laughing “Shame us! Shame us!” She had to stop talking she was laughing so hard. She put her hand on Beth’s head and pulled it tightly against her breasts.

  When she had gained control of herself she let Beth’s head go and looked down on Beth’s face and said, “You could never shame us and you should hear your father. He is walking around the village telling anyone who will listen how his daughter is twice the warrior than most men are.

  Even fo
r me, his boasting was too much. He is so proud of you, as am I.

  You should see Tall Boy and Stone Fist. They too are proud of you but they are so jealous of you they are spitting dirt.

  In one day you have counted coup twice. It may be many winters before they even have the opportunity to meet an enemy in battle much less do what you did.”

  Beth gave a nervous laugh, buried her head back into Falling Moon Woman’s chest and trying not to cry said, “I was so scared.”

  Her voice trembled “I didn’t know what to do but I did know that I couldn’t let them surprise the village. I couldn’t let them kill you. I had to do something.

  I didn’t want to kill those two men. I just did what I had to do.”

  She began to sob uncontrollably.

  At first it was hard for Falling Moon Woman to understand why Beth was so upset. Cheyenne boys and girls were raised on stories of great valor. War was a way of life for the Plains Indians. No honor was greater for a Cheyenne than to steal horses and kill your enemies. At first, she thought, “What’s the problem here? There isn’t a Cheyenne man or woman who wouldn’t trade places with her.”

  Even though Beth’s remorse puzzled her, Falling Moon Woman did what all mothers do when their children are distressed. She cooed, held Beth, stroked Beth’s head and kissed her.

  When Beth was all cried out, she pushed away from Falling Moon Woman, brushed the tears from her eyes and said, “I’m better now. I don’t want anyone to see me like this. Please don’t tell anybody about me crying.”

  She gave Falling Moon Woman a smile and said, “I want to be a good Cheyenne woman Mother. I want to be like you. I want your strength. I want your bravery. I don’t want to ever cry like this again.”

  What she said touched Falling Moon Woman. Now it was her turn to cry. She pulled Beth to her and kissed her fiercely on the forehead. She held her at arms length, bent over, picked up a buffalo robe and wrapped it around Beth. She smiled and said, “Stand tall and go out and show them all what Cheyenne women are made of.”

  She shook herself as if shrugging off a bad memory. She stood up straight, and when she stepped out of the teepee she was erect, her head held high. To all that beheld her, she epitomized Cheyenne womanhood, strong, brave, proud.

  She and Falling Moon Woman walked to the center of the village where there was a large fire. It was dark now and the whole village was waiting for her.

  Beth and Falling Moon Woman took their places next to the boys and Two Feathers and sat down.

  Hopping Bear stood up. He gave a speech about vanquishing the Crow and of the valor of Bear Spirit Woman, Two Feathers and the Cheyenne in general. At the end of his talk he made a gesture at Beth and sat down.

  Beth knew the drill. She got to her feet and stood tall and erect. She turned slowly so that she could look at the whole tribe. She had watched the best of her tribes’ storytellers and knew that timing was everything. Her slow turning gave drama and suspense to the tale she was about to tell.

  She told of how the voices from the two Crow warriors had awakened her and how she knew that she had to warn the tribe that the Crow were coming. After she had picked up the stones, she began to run down the mountain but she told her audience that it felt more like she was flying down the mountain. Even though she had not had a vision that night, as she flew down the mountain, she felt that the Great Spirit was with her.

  The crowd was spellbound and was completely quiet. As Beth told the tale, as she vocalized her thoughts, her tale turned into an epiphany for her. She believed that the Great Spirit was indeed with her in her flight down the mountain.

  When she came to the part of her encounter with the first Crow warrior, she told of how she had a feeling of invincibility and how the Great Spirit had guided her hand. She said that when she passed the first warrior, she took his war club from his dead hand but at the time did not realize that she had done so. The Great Spirit had once again guided her to do the right thing.

  All through the telling of her tale, there wasn’t a sound from the tribe. Normally, when a warrior told of killing an enemy or told of an incident of valor, there were yips and yelling from members of the tribe. All that could be heard was Beth’s voice and the popping and crackling of the fire.

  Beth began to worry that she was telling the story poorly. Was she boring them?

  When she ended the story with her shattering Red Wing’s medicine stick, she sat down.

  It was as if the whole tribe had been holding their breath. She heard a collective exhaling and intake of air from the tribe and then silence.

  After a few seconds, embarrassing seconds for Beth, Spotted Horse leapt to his feet and gave out an ear splitting yell. As one, the entire tribe rose to their feet and began to cheer.

  Jack put his arm around Beth and said, “What a great story! Wow!!!”

  He then jumped to his feet and joined the celebration.

  Beth gave a nervous smile.

  The celebrating went on for several minutes then Hopping Bear stood up and signaled for silence. He then indicated that Sonny and Jack tell their tales.

  Sonny and Jack told their stories, both boys embellishing on Two Feathers’ acts of bravery. Both boys told in great detail of Two Feathers’ incredible bowshot.

  When the boys finished, Two Feathers stood up and through reenactment and storytelling, told of how he killed the three warriors.

  Through all three accounts of Two Feathers’ exploits cries and yips from the tribe punctuated acts of valor.

  At the end of his story, Two Feathers said in a loud voice full of pride “You all saw today the bravery of my daughter. You all saw today that no one shoots a rifle better than she. Two of the scalps taken today are hers. If it weren’t for her brave deeds, the Crow would be carrying our scalps on their lances.”

  He then sat down and once again the tribe was on their feet cheering and yelling.

  Whistling Elk stood up and signaled for quiet.

  In his right hand he held the top half of Red Wing’s medicine pole with the medicine pouch still attached.

  He said, “This is the Crow medicine man Red Wing’s medicine stick and medicine pouch. Our Medicine is too strong for the Crow. This is what I think of Crow medicine.” And he threw the stick and pouch into the fire. Normally, a prize like this would have been kept as a trophy and as a reminder to the Crow of how they were humiliated in battle. By throwing it into the fire it showed what contempt Whistling Elk held for the Crow and for their medicine.

  When the medicine stick hit the fire the tribe went wild and were on their feet celebrating.

  Badger jumped into the center of the circle and stood near the fire waving the scalps on the war lance high above his head. The tribe settled down immediately and began to form up into a hollow square around Badger and the fire.

  Sonny, Jack and Beth wondered what was going on.

  Falling Moon Woman saw the confusion on their faces and said, “Scalp Dance”

  She took Beth by the hand and led her to the side of the square that had older girls and unmarried women. She said to Beth, “Stay here.”

  She went back to the boys and took them to the opposite side of the square where the older boys and unmarried men stood.

  She then took her place on the side of the square that had old men, mature women and married women.

  Across from Falling Moon Woman’s side of the square were the mature and married men and singers with drums.

  The first dance was a sweethearts dance where the young men crossed the square for an arm in arm dance with the young women. This was a short dance and when it was over the young men and young women went back to their sides of the square.

  Badger and the mature and married women began dancing in front of the drummers. As Badger danced, he waved the scalps in the air.

  Next, Badger began to pair up the young people into dance partners. He took Tall Boy over to Beth and Jack and Sonny over to two young girls about their same age.

 
Sonny thought “Scalp brandisher and matchmaker too, does this man’s talents never cease?”

  After the young people danced for a while, the rest of the tribe joined the dancing. As the night progressed, the dancing became wilder. People would drop out, rest then rejoin the dancing and so it went until the dawn.

  Two days later the three were bundled up in buffalo robes sitting on the bank of the river. This was their first morning meeting since the scalp dance. Jack was the first to speak.

  “I’ve been thinking.” He waited for a smart ass remark from Beth or Sonny. When they said nothing he continued.

  “Frank sandbagged us. He sucked us into this. He’s been planning this all along. He’s been training us for this for years. How many six year olds do you know of who were being trained with pistols and rifles? Granted they were only twenty-two caliber rifles and pistols but when we were ten we graduated to what kind of pistol and what kind of rifle? We graduated to Smith & Wesson 1866 44s, Colt Peacemakers and Winchesters.

  We just thought it was cool to be shooting vintage firearms from the Old West. It wasn’t cool, he was training us.” Jack’s voice was bitter.

  “All of those years he took us to the bush. He taught us everything, survival skills, martial arts. The worst part, he taught us to eat anything edible no matter how disgusting.”

  Sonny said, “You know those roaches weren’t so bad. The only thing I didn’t like was when you put them in your mouth they would crawl around on your tongue. It made it hard to swallow them. They always tried to swim upstream.”

  Beth made a face and said, “Yuck!” and shuddered at the memory of a meal of worms and beetles. “Shut…Up, Sonny. It still gives me the creeps.”

  Sonny said, “I have several things to add. One, Jack you might be right. He probably did train us for this. Two, he taught us well. We’re still alive. He made us tough. We’re hard to kill. Three, did it ever occur to any of us that when he told us to sleep the night we saw the big Indian, that he meant just that? He meant for us to go to bed and not to follow him the next morning.

  Maybe someday he was going to show us the cave and take us, as our guide, to someplace in time. Frank always looked out for us. He watched us like a hawk. He was always good to us. I don’t think he meant for us to find this time portal or whatever you want to call it in the manner that we did.