Grey Eyes

by Franks Busch

  Little Grey Bear Boy was running out of options. Exhausted, he knew eventually his body would betray him and he would be devoured by the beasts. He hurled himself forward with one last burst of energy, feeling his legs give out from under him.

  “Kitchi Manitou, protect me!” he cried as he came crashing down. His body slid forward on the dirt, coming to rest in front of a slender pair of silver-skinned feet. The feet belonged to a beautiful woman wearing a long white dress. Her hair was as black as the night sky, her skin luminescent, like the moon. Her eyes were a bright grey—unlike anything he had ever seen before.

  The air around him shook with a force he had never known. The coyotes in pursuit stopped abruptly. Her gaze was upon them. Little Grey Bear Boy could see her eyes beginning to glow with a light from within, like the Grandmother Moon. He covered his eyes and felt an intense heat as the four coyotes burst into flames and were destroyed.

  Little Grey Bear Boy did not get up, but remained face down on the ground. He knew from his dreams that she was the White Buffalo Calf Woman of legend.

  “Arise, son of the Bear clan,” said the White Buffalo Calf Woman. Her voice resonated as though many women were speaking at the same time. “You have been chosen for a great purpose.”

  “Nookum,” said Little Grey Bear Boy, getting to his feet but keeping his eyes down. “Whatever you would ask of me, I will do to the best of my ability.”

  “The Nehiyawak are turning away from my teachings. You will restore the balance.”

  “Nookum, I am not worthy of such a task.”

  “It is because you realize it that you have been chosen. I will make you worthy. You will learn the Seven Teachings of the Peace Pipe, and you will carry a peace pipe for the Nehiyawak.”

  “Tapwe, Nookum…”

  “The Nehiyawak have lost the Teaching of the Buffalo. They do not respect one another because they no longer respect themselves.”

  “I do not understand, Nookum…” confessed Little Grey Bear Boy.

  “Their hearts are full of jealousy. They wish to possess that which is needed by their brothers and sisters. They choose only their relations for tasks that would be better carried out by others.”

  “Is that so wrong?”

  There was a white flash of light and Little Grey Bear Boy found himself standing beside White Buffalo Calf Woman in the Great Plains far to the south. A thundering herd of buffalo came directly towards them, shaking Mother Earth. Little Grey Bear Boy was afraid he would be trampled but she was unconcerned. The herd parted around them as Little Grey Bear Boy tried hard to keep his balance. Buffalo grazed as far as he could see in all directions. More buffalo than stars in the night sky. He could feel the love of Grandmother Buffalo filling his heart with her unending generosity to her human children.

  “The Grandmother Buffalo teaches us that you cannot give what you do not have. One must first respect one’s self before one can respect another. To covet the blessings of another is to disdain the blessings given to you by Kitchi Manitou. To deny the gifts and abilities of another for your own gain or for the benefit of your clan alone is an offence against the Grandmother Buffalo. What if she was to keep her gifts to herself or thought only of her own children? The Nehiyawak would starve without the sacrifice she makes of her own blood. The grandmothers of the Spirit World have never asked anything such as this of the human family.”

  “Tapwe, Nookum. I am beginning to learn. How can I make the Nehiyawak understand? I am just a boy and they will not listen to me…”

  “You cannot bring the teachings back to the Nehiyawak simply by talking. You must lead the Nehiyawak by your own example. You must do as you say…”

  “How will this show the Nehiyawak the way?”

  “If you live the Teaching of the Buffalo, she will give you her blessings. The Nehiyawak will recognize that you are blessed and will seek to learn your ways. You will share this knowledge freely so they may also benefit. You must not lead them to believe you are favoured by Kitchi Manitou by virtue of your birth, but by the virtue of your efforts and choices. You will not take credit for these blessings. You will give the glory to the one who has blessed you, Kitchi Manitou.”

  “Nookum?” asked Little Grey Bear Boy. “I would be honoured to carry a pipe for the Nehiyawak. When will I take it up?”

  “The peace pipe is already coming to you, son of the Bear clan. However, you must know this: when it comes to you, you will no longer wish to possess it.”

  “How can that be, Nookum?”

  “That is the way of the pipe carrier!” Another flash of white light and they were again standing in the pine forest.

  “Go now, son of the Bear clan. The people of Nisichawayasihk are in great danger.”

  “Thank you for your teachings, Nookum!” said Little Grey Bear Boy. “We are forever grateful for the blessing you have bestowed upon the Nehiyawak.”

  As White Buffalo Calf Woman walked away, Little Grey Bear Boy kept his head bowed and his eyes down. Finally, he could hold it in no longer. He looked up at her in time to see her transform into a white buffalo calf. The calf trotted away through the trees and rock, disappearing into the very air of the forest.

  Little Grey Bear Boy remained still for a time, deep in prayer. When he had given abundant thanks, he offered the remainder of his tobacco.

  56

  niyānanomitanaw nikotwāsosāp

  Little Grey Bear Boy was in a daze, not sure how to begin his mission. His stomach turned as he remembered that the people of Nisichawayasihk were in danger. There was no time to return to his camp. He must get to the village to rally the warriors to fight off the Red-Eye attack. Though still weary from the chase, he forced himself to continue to the northeast. He found blueberries in the moss as he travelled, picking them on the move and gulping them down as he continued on. In time, his strength returned. Now he knew why blueberries were the Grandmother Bear’s favourite food. He started to be able to move faster and faster.

  Grandfather Sun descended below Mother Earth and the stars of the night sky began to return. Little Grey Bear Boy saw the Mother Bear and her cub in the sky and used them to keep his bearings. He could not see his way in the dark and the branches of the forest clawed at his clothing and his skin. But nothing could stop him from his mission to get to Nisichawayasihk.

  He did not understand why the Red-Eyes wished to attack his village, or what possible purpose they had for the women they captured, if not as wives and mothers. He decided he must do his duty to his clan and to the Nehiyawak and put his faith in Kitchi Manitou. His understanding of the reasons why mattered little.

  He ran, jogged, and walked, pushing himself all through the night and into the morning. His throat hurt and his lips were cracked as the Grandfather Sun returned and shone down on him. It was about midday when Little Grey Bear Boy began to recognize rocks and trees and knew he was near Nisichawayasihk.

  As he neared the village he slowed down. He could hear footsteps. His heart leapt at the thought that his journey and his task were near completion. All he had to do was alert the warrior societies and the men could mount a defence. The camp of Red-Eye warriors would easily be outnumbered by the warriors of Nisichawayasihk, but they may have been counting on their evil magic to even the odds.

  “TANSI! TANSI!” shouted Little Grey Bear Boy through a parched throat.

  The footsteps stopped and he continued in the direction he last heard them. Little Grey Bear Boy was desperate to tell someone, anyone, what was happening. The shape of a standing figure began to emerge through the trees and branches. It was Red Sky Man.

  “You are back,” said Red Sky Man. “Did you get lost? I thought you had gone east. You look terrible…”

  “Uncle! I found a camp of the Red-Eye’s men. They mean to attack the village.”

  Red Sky Man’s eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. “Who have you told of this
?” he asked.

  “You are the first.”

  “That is fortunate,” said Red Sky Man. “There is still time to save the village. You have done well.” Red Sky Man patted Little Grey Bear Boy on the shoulder. Scanning the boy’s eyes, he seemed to be looking there for something other than terror and fatigue. “Listen to me, Little Grey Bear Boy,” he whispered. “Hurry to the Eagle medicine lodge and wait for me. Speak to no one. The Red-Eye may have spies in the village. If they learn that we know, they may attack sooner. We will need time to prepare the men and safeguard the women and children. I will quietly gather the warriors to prepare for battle. You have done well. You will earn your name for this!”

  A sense of relief overtook Little Grey Bear Boy as he made his way to the village. Red Sky Man may not have been his first choice of whom to tell about the danger, but he was still one of the Nehiyawak. Besides, it would take a person like a medicine carrier to rally the warriors. No one would believe a boy who still bore his childhood name.

  Little Grey Bear Boy snuck through the village, carefully avoiding a young Wolf clan warrior on patrol. People walked around the village doing chores, blissfully unaware of the danger. He concentrated on not being seen and felt the vibration of the Grey-Eye magic making him invisible. He crept quietly into the Eagle medicine lodge without anyone noticing him.

  None of Red Sky Man’s helpers were in the lodge, which was fortunate. Little Grey Bear Boy was exhausted and thirsty. He found a water skin as well as pemmican in a leather pouch. After eating, drinking, and catching his breath, he contemplated all that had happened in the last few days.

  His mind was occupied with the thought of being given a man’s name and receiving a peace pipe. He puzzled over White Buffalo Calf Woman’s meaning when she said he would not want the peace pipe when it came to him. How could someone not want such a great honour? It made little sense to him, but he chose to believe everything would become clear in time.

  He listened closely to the sounds of the village outside the lodge. It all seemed very normal—people talked, laughed, and worked. He wondered if Red Sky Man was rallying the warriors and warning the people of Nisichawayasihk. He expected at any moment to hear people running, men shouting, and women calling for their children, but the everyday sounds continued uninterrupted.

  A familiar voice echoed on the wind. “Can you hear me, Little Grey Bear Boy?”

  “Who is it?” he whispered.

  It came again, though it seemed to come from inside him this time. “Can you hear me, Little Grey Bear Boy?” Water Lily Woman? But, how?

  “Tapwe!” the voice answered, reading his thoughts. “I am speaking to you now.”

  “Can you hear me?” he said inside his own mind.

  “I can,” she answered. “I need you to come to me. Something is very wrong.”

  “Tapwe! I have warned Red Sky Man and he is rallying the warriors. Everything is under control…”

  “Motch, it is not. You must come to me. Things are not as they seem. I am at the place where you met my father...”

  “But I was told to stay in the Eagle medicine lodge.”

  “You have been deceived. All hope of saving the people of Nisichawayasihk will soon be lost. You must come to me now.”

  In a flash, the sense of relief had been replaced with heaviness in his chest and panic. He had been instructed to do something by the one person in the village he did not trust. And now he was being asked to do something by the one person in the village he trusted completely. He chanced a look through the door flaps and could see some of Red Sky Man’s helpers gathered in front. That he had indeed been deceived seemed more possible.

  Little Grey Bear Boy drew out his knife and looked around. He remembered the night Flying Rabbit Boy had been attacked by the Red-Eye’s helper and this gave him an idea. He went to the rear of the lodge. As quietly as possible he began to cut the hide to make an opening.

  He paused for a moment, closed his eyes, and decided he did not want to be seen. When he felt the vibration, he opened his eyes: his legs were gone. He crept quietly into the forest and made his way to the rock where he had seen the aurora with Water Lily Woman. It seemed a little too easy to escape the village and he wondered where all the Wolf clan warriors were, not to mention the Eagle clan warriors who usually assisted them in guarding the village.

  “Little Grey Bear Boy!” Water Lily Woman shouted as she became visible again. “I am so glad you came.” Water Lily Woman ran into Little Grey Bear Boy’s arms and embraced him. “I have been so afraid,” she said.

  “What has happened?”

  “I saw him. I saw Red Sky Man. He was talking to two men who were not from the village. Their eyelids were painted red like the ones my sisters talk about. He told them he would give them a signal and that’s when they should attack!”

  “What?” Little Grey Bear Boy didn’t want to believe what he was hearing. “But that would mean Red Sky Man is helping them.”

  “Tapwe!” Water Lily Woman continued. “Then he told one of them to head east to ‘kill the boy.’ I think he meant you!”

  “It can’t be.”

  “The one he sent east turned into a great coyote and I thought you would be dead by now. I have been hiding out here for two days. I am so worried about my mother!” She burst into tears. “Red Sky Man must be one of the Red-Eye’s followers. He has fooled us all!” Water Lily Woman pulled Little Grey Bear Boy close.

  Warmth rushed through him as he held her. For a moment, he wished they could stay like this forever and ignore all the troubles of the rest of the world. But then he remembered his sister, his cousin, his mother and father, his aunt and uncle, his grandmother, and of course his adopted grandfather. Everyone in the village was in danger and he and Water Lily Woman were the only ones who could help them.

  It took all of his willpower to pull himself away from Water Lily Woman. She squeezed harder, then let him go.

  “It will be okay,” he said. “I will tell my father and he will rally the warriors. We will protect your mother and all the people of Nisichawayasihk.”

  “You do not understand,” she said, trying to get the words out without crying. “The day you left, Red Sky Man told the village he had a vision. He sent all of the men south for the great buffalo hunt. There are only a few men left to guard the village.”

  Little Grey Bear Boy’s eyes had always been soft and kind like his mother’s. For the first time in his life his brows furrowed and the warmth in his eyes turned cold. Red Sky Man’s treachery ran deeper than anything he had been exposed to or could imagine. Little Grey Bear Boy now bore the look of his father.

  “Our people have been greatly deceived,” he said.

  “What will we do?”

  “The only thing we can do,” he said. “We must fight.”

  57

  niyānanomitanaw tīpakohposāp

  Grandfather Sun began to drop towards Mother Earth as evening settled and the two Grey-Eyes approached the village.

  Little Grey Bear Boy entered the Bear lodge pulling Water Lily Woman by the hand behind him. Singing Doe and White Willow Woman looked up, smiling at first. Walking Moon Woman dropped a basket of freshly cooked wild rice when she turned and saw the two Grey-Eyes, hand-in-hand.

  The Bear clan matriarch started. “What—”

  “Nookum, you must listen to me. The Red-Eyes are about to attack the village. They are being helped by Red Sky Man, who I fear is one of them.”

  White Willow Woman gasped. “How can this be?”

  “I don’t know,” answered Little Grey Bear Boy. “I came upon an encampment of the Red-Eye’s warriors on my vision quest. They are only two days’ journey to the southwest.”

  “And two days ago, I saw Red Sky Man speaking to two men who had painted their eyelids red,” added Water Lily Woman.

  Walking Moon Woman stared at the two G
rey-Eyed children for a moment, trying to realize the danger her people faced. “We must act,” she said. “Willow, go and find the children. Doe, go and tell Drifting Butterfly Woman to inform the Nehiyawak. I will go to the Turtle lodge and speak with Green Wing Woman. Carefully, now. We do not want Red Sky Man to know we are aware of his deception. We will rally the Circle of Clan Mothers and confront him. He is only one man right now. There are still enough warriors left in the village to deal with him.”

  “What should we do?” asked Little Grey Bear Boy.

  “Stay here for the time being,” commanded Walking Moon Woman. “Do not let yourselves be seen.”

  “Tapwe, Nookum!” said Little Grey Bear Boy obediently.

  Through the door flaps, Little Grey Bear Boy and Water Lily Woman watched the three women make their way to the other lodges. They saw Red Sky Man returning to the Eagle medicine lodge with his helpers.

  “He will know I escaped, then,” said Little Grey Bear Boy.

  “Then he will also know we are aware of the danger,” said Water Lily Woman.

  “Tapwe.”

  “I wasn’t done playing,” Yellow Hawk Girl whined as her mother dragged her into the lodge.

  “You are back,” said Flying Rabbit Boy upon seeing his cousin. “Where is my bow?”

  “Right here,” said Little Grey Bear Boy, handing over the bow as promised.

  “I am afraid you will need it this night, Flying Rabbit Boy,” said Water Lily Woman.

  “What is happening?” he asked, surprised to see her.

  The two Grey-Eyes looked at each other. Little Grey Bear Boy nodded for her to tell the story, thinking it would be more believable coming from her.

  Flying Rabbit Boy’s face turned red as he realized what she was telling him. He touched the scars on his shoulder. “They will find I am a boy no longer…” he growled.