Puma Son of Mountain Lion

by Dicksion, William Wayne

  There’s something strange about whoever is watching from that knoll, Pat thought. There seems to be only one of them. White men scout alone, but Indians almost never do. Pat moved cautiously, making sure he was not walking into a trap. When he got behind the knoll, he moved into a position, so that he could see who might be hiding.

  Puma was so fascinated by what he was seeing, and he was watching it so intently that he made the mistake of not watching his back.

  Pat saw that the person hiding was only a boy. He was dressed like an Arapaho Indian boy, but he didn’t look like any Indian boy Pat had ever seen. Looking closely, he noticed what was different. This boy was at least half-white. He was well armed, and probably able to use his weapons with great skill. Pat knew Indian boys were accepted as men at the age of 12. There was something unusual about the weapons this boy was carrying. They were made of metal by someone using crude tools, but they were crafted with great care. He looked at the weapons a little closer and then remembered where he had seen weapons like these. He had seen a spear just like the one the boy was carrying in the cave where he and his partner Joe Martin had found Sage.

  Could this possibly be the child who was fathered by Sage when he was a young man living alone in his cave? If this were that child, then his mother would be Evening Star.

  Pat recalled that Michael had told him and Joe of his love for an Arapaho Indian girl called Evening Star, and that she was going to bear his child. The Arapaho chief was threatening to kill both Evening Star and her mother if she didn’t marry the chief’s friend, Black Crow. Pat knew of her desire to bear Michael’s child and had advised Michael to grant the wish of Evening Star and join him and Joe on their journey to Santa Fe.

  Pat decided to take a chance that this boy was Michael’s son. Remaining hidden, he spoke in the Arapaho language and asked, “Are you the son of Evening Star?”

  Puma was startled. How could there be someone close to him that he was not aware of, and that someone was speaking to him in his own language, asking him a question? How could he possibly know his mother’s name? Confused and uncertain about what he should do, he moved lower into the rocks and remained quiet.

  Again, Pat called out in Arapaho, “If your mother’s name is Evening Star, I am your father’s friend. Your Indian father’s name is Black Crow, and the chief of your tribe is called Chief Long Knife. He is called that because he carries a knife just like the one you are carrying, and that knife was made by your father, and given to your mother before you were born.”

  That was just too much for Puma to understand. How could the person calling to him know so much about him?

  Puma called back, “I am Puma Son of Mountain Lion. My mother was Evening Star, the wife of Black Crow, and the daughter of White Bird. I am seeking my father. Show yourself. If you are armed, I will kill you.”

  Pat smiled; he was hearing the courage of a man spoken in the voice of a boy. Pat stepped into the open holding his right hand up with the palm facing forward, a universal sign of peace among Indians.

  Puma saw a big man dressed in leather, with a weather-beaten face and kind eyes. He instantly knew this was a man he could trust. Puma sheathed his knife, lowered the point of his lance, and waited. The big man walked forward and again spoke to him in Arapaho.

  “Don’t be afraid. I am your friend. I’m also a friend of your father’s, and I will take you to him. Come, you must be hungry. We have food and a place for you to rest. No one will harm you. I want to introduce you to the wagon master who is also a friend of your father’s. He is the chief of this wagon train, and he will help me take you to your father. Your father loved your mother, and he will be pleased to see you. He, too, is like a chief in his village. No one calls him chief, but they treat him like one. Don’t worry; everything is going to be all right, and I’m eager to hear how you happen to be out here on the prairie, alone.”

  Puma was reluctant to tell this strange man too much, but he already knew a lot, so he explained: “My village was raided by the Comanche, and all of the people in the village were killed. While she was dying, my mother told me to go to my father. I am searching for him. Can you help me?”

  Pat understood clearly. He, too, had lost his family in a raid. “Yes,” he replied, “I can help you. I, too, grieve for the loss of your mother and family. Come with me.”

  When they turned to walk to the wagon, they saw a group of men from the wagon train coming towards them, carrying guns, prepared to fight.

  Pat called out, “Put your guns away, men. This is a friend, a very important friend.”

  The men, seeing an Indian, hesitated to relax their hold on their guns. Then they saw it was only a boy and came closer to get a better look. Puma was unsure of their intentions. He saw mistrust and hostility in their eyes. These strange men were wearing knives, and they had weapons in the pockets of the belts that they had strapped to their waists.

  Puma asked, “Are these men friends of my father, also?”

  “No, only the wagon master and I know your father, but these men will not harm you. I will see to that.”

  They walked down the hill to the circle of wagons, and the people came out to see him. These people were strange. Most of the men had hair on their faces. Some had hair all over their faces, and others had hair only on their upper lips. Some had blue eyes—others had gray or brown eyes. They wore different kinds of garments. Puma felt insecure and had to resist an impulse to run.

  Pat, seeing the uncertainty on the face of his young friend, whispered, “It’s all right,” as he placed his hand on Puma’s shoulder and walked beside him.

  Upon entering the circle of wagons, the women and girls crowded around. They were eager to look at him. The women seemed to have too many clothes on. Those clothes must be uncomfortable in this heat. Puma thought.

  There were many fires burning inside the circle of wagons. The women cooked food that smelled unusual. Everywhere Puma looked, he saw things he had never seen before. The women brought him food. He had never seen food like this. They gave him tools to eat with. Why do I need tools? My hands work perfectly well. Some of the meat was buffalo meat, but it smelled differently, and he was not sure he wanted to eat it. They insisted, so he gave it a try. It was surprisingly good. He was hungry, so he ate heartily.

  After the people had completed their meals, another strange thing happened. The men helped the women clean up after the meal. What kind of men are these? They do women’s work? Are they weak men? They sure don’t look weak. In fact, the hair on their faces makes them look ferocious, like bears. They are smiling, so they are not angry. Some of the men brought out weapons with many bow strings. Puma wondered if they can shoot many arrows at the same time. They picked at the strings on their weapons and wondrous sounds came from them. He had never heard sounds like these before. The sounds were pleasant and there was a beat to it like the drums in his village when they had celebrations.

  Some people began to dance. This must be a celebration, but what are they celebrating? Something else he had never seen; the women were dancing, also. That would never happen in his village. Only the warriors danced. Could the women be warriors in this tribe? The girls came around trying to get him to dance. He had been through the rite of manhood and was qualified to dance, but he did not want to dance with girls. That would not be manly. The girls were laughing and giggling. The boys looked at him in a strange way. He did not think the boys liked him.

  Pat sat beside him and again said, “Everything is going to be all right, just watch and learn.”

  There was much to learn, because everything was different in the lives of the white men. The dancing continued for a long time. Then the men put away the weapons that made the nice sounds, and all the people went to their wagons.

  Pat knew Puma would not be able to sleep in a wagon, so he showed him a place under his wagon and told him to sleep there. Puma was so tired he fell asleep right away, dreaming of his destroyed village and of his dead mother.

  C
hapter 8

  Lightning

  Puma was awakened by people moving in the wagons. He smelled cooked food; and there was another pleasant aroma. It was coming from a metal container sitting on the fire. One of the men poured a dark liquid from the pot and offered a container of it to Puma. He declined and went to the river to bathe. When he returned, Pat and the wagon master were sitting beside a fire, drinking from containers like the one that had been offered to him. Pat got up and went to his wagon and came back leading a horse.

  “I have something for you,” Pat said and handed him lines that were attached to the most beautiful horse Puma had ever seen, a golden brown mare with flowing black mane and tail. There was a splash of white on her forehead, and each leg was snow white from the knees to her black hooves. A seat made of leather was on her back, with leather bags attached to both sides and strips of leather hanging from the seat. It looked like the leather strips were meant to tie things onto the horse’s back.

  “Do you want me to hold your horse?” Puma asked.

  “No,” Pat replied. “I want you to hold your horse. I am giving her to you. I want you to ride with me this morning. We will be scouting the trail head of the wagons. But first, come have something to eat. This is going to be a long day.”

  Grant was sitting beside the fire and handed a container of food to Puma. Puma didn’t know what the food was, but it smelled good, and he was hungry. He ate, but he couldn’t take his eyes off the horse. There must be something about the gift that he didn’t understand. He had wanted a horse for a long time. But surely, Pat only meant for him to ride the horse. It was the most beautiful horse he had ever seen.

  Pat explained in Arapaho, “This horse was raised on your father’s ranch. She is a cross between a wild mustang mare and an Arabian stallion. There is no better horse. They have the staying power of the mustang and the speed of the Arabian. No Comanche will ever catch you while you are riding this horse.”

  Puma was so excited that he just wolfed down his food and turned to pet the horse.

  “I have named her “Lightning,” Pat said. “See, the streak on her face looks like lightning from the sky.”

  “Yes,” Puma agreed. “It is like a bolt of light from the sky. I will call her “Lightning,” too. That is a good name.”

  “Okay, Lightning it is. Now mount up. We must begin our scouting. We must stay ahead of the wagons. It is our job to find the best trail for the wagons, and we must be on the lookout for danger. It is also our job to provide meat for the people, so let’s go.”

  Puma gathered his weapons and tried to get on his horse, but the seat in the middle was in the way. Pat and Grant both laughed.

  Pat said, “I’m sorry. I forgot. You’ve never used a saddle before. Let me show you how it is done.” Pat demonstrated. “Always mount a horse from the left side. Place your left foot into the stirrup, grab the saddle horn, and throw your right leg over the horse. You will automatically land in the saddle. Now, hold the reins tightly while you are getting on the horse, so that you will always be in control. After a few tries, you’ll get the hang of it.”

  Puma did as he was instructed and swung right up into the seat that Pat was calling a saddle. The saddle felt awkward. Puma would rather be riding bareback. The little mare pranced, eager to go. Puma had never before felt as proud as he was when he and his new friend Pat rode away. They rode beside the river as they traveled upstream.

  Pat said, “Puma, I want you to ride with me, so I can help you adjust to your new surroundings and learn the language. You’ll need to speak and understand English. You have much to learn, if you’re going to live in the white man’s world. Everything is different. By blood, you are a part of two worlds. There’s going to be a tendency for both Indians and white men to mistrust you. You’re going to have to decide where you stand on many issues. The first thing you must learn is the language. I can help you with that. In fact, I’m the only person with the wagon train who can help you. I speak both languages. When I lived among the Arapaho I had to learn your language, so I know what you need to do to learn the white man’s language. As we ride, I’ll teach you ten expressions in English each day, and you must use them every chance you get.”

  Puma said, “Tell me what I need to learn, and I will learn it.”

  Pat taught Puma expressions like, “Good morning, good night, good day, thank you, and please.” Pat urged Puma to make friends with the other boys and girls so he could learn from them, also.

  Puma was quick to learn and in only a few days was able to communicate in a limited fashion with the members of the wagon train. The boys and girls were eager to be friends. They wanted to learn about Indians, and there was much Puma could tell them. The boys wanted to learn to use the bow and arrows that Puma carried. Puma was a capable and willing instructor and made friends quickly.

  These were exciting times. His young, eager mind soaked up information about everything around him. He loved to scout with his new friend, Pat. He managed to find time to be alone so he could continue practicing with his weapons. Pat taught him to use a rifle and a six-shooter, and was astonished at how quickly Puma learned to use the guns. He was amazed at the skills Puma had attained in the use of his knife, lance, and ax. He was still not as good as his father, but he was learning fast, and by the time he is as old as his father was when he and Joe met him, Pat thought Puma would be just as good. Puma had his father’s strength and courage—he was going to be a fine man.

  Most of the people in the wagon train were Christians, and they observed what they called the Sabbath. They used that day to rest, but some did emergency repairs. The children played games and swam in the river. Most of the boys were good swimmers, but the girls swam with limited ability.

  Puma had learned to swim in the stream that ran near his village, and he was a strong swimmer. It had been several days since it had rained, and the river was running clean and clear. The children swam in an eddy where the water was calm.

  One of the girls, about ten years old, got too close to the current and was swept away in the fast-running water. She called for help. Puma and one of the older boys swam after her. The current carried the girl toward the center of the river where it was running even faster. The other boy grew tired and was forced to swim to the bank of the river to prevent being swept away.

  Puma continued after the panic-stricken girl. He overtook her and held her head above water. Puma knew that to fight the current was futile, so he allowed it to carry him and the girl downstream while he slowly worked his way to the bank.

  The other children had gone to alert the men. The girl’s father and another man rode their horses downstream at a run, in an attempt to overtake the girl. When the men saw the two children, Puma was just pulling the frightened girl up the bank of the river onto a sandbar. The men quickly gathered the girl onto one of the horses and hurried back to the wagon.

  Pat was returning from taking a look around when the horsemen arrived with the girl. After Pat determined that the girl was okay, he asked, “Where is Puma, her rescuer?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. I guess he’s still down by the river where we left him,” the man replied.

  “Was he all right?”

  “How am I supposed to know? He’s just an Indian kid. He’s of no concern to me.”

  “He has just saved your daughter’s life and because he’s just an Indian kid, he’s of no concern to you? Mister, what were you doing while he was saving your daughter’s life?”

  “I was reading my Bible, if you must know.”

  “Then I suggest you go read it some more and see if you can obtain an understanding of the teachings of Jesus. I further suggest that you stay out of my sight. I’m going to see if that boy is all right, and if he’s not, I’ll return and give you the beating you so richly deserve!”

  When Pat found Puma, he was by the river playing with the other children. They were all praising him for saving the girl’s life. Pat could see that Puma was doing just fine, and tha
t he was learning the language of the white children as well as learning their customs. Pat decided it was best to just leave them alone. He returned to the wagon master’s wagon and had a chat with Grant.

  * * *

  The wagon train was still about a month’s traveling time out of Santa Fe. They were entering an area in which there was a greater chance of being raided by Indians. Their most likely attackers would be either Comanche or Kiowa but at times the Apaches still raided this far north. The Indians were becoming aware of the rich bounty to be had by raiding wagon trains. They wanted the pots, pans, and iron tools the settlers were bringing with them. The Indians were taking greater interest in capturing white women to use for sport and pleasure. Many times the Indians left the women mutilated and dead along the trail. In some instances, they took them back to their villages and made slaves of them. They also used them for breeding purposes to increase the size of their tribe. They found that the children born of white women made strong warriors.

  The white women were aware of the probable consequences of being taken captive and chose to take their own lives rather than submit to their captors. In the event of an attack, the women were urged to remain hidden in the wagons.

  The Indians usually scouted the wagon trains before they attacked. They knew how many women were in the train and how many fighting men they would encounter. Usually, they would not attack unless they had the men in the wagon train far outnumbered. They planned their attack and tried to eliminate as many men as they could in a surprise attack. If their attack were successful, they would then rush in, overwhelm the remainder of the defenders, burn and pillage the wagon, and then make off with the women and children and whatever else they wanted.

  These savage practices left the white people with a deep hatred and fear of the Indians. Many white men looked upon the Indians as they would any other pestilence and advocated their complete annihilation, by whatever means necessary.