Status: I'm not planning on continuing this one, sorry.
The Search for White Man's Freedom
Chapter One
Perched atop the branches of a large sycamore, Thunder Spirit silently fastened her handmade quiver to her buckskin dress. Her mother, From the Heart, was a legend around her Sioux people for the beautiful things she created out of buffalo hide and any other hide she could get her hands on. Even so, Thunder chose the least conspicuous of her designs for her outings. I am not, thought she, here to be noticed.
In the distance she saw Crazy Bull, a warrior of her tribe and a very respectable hunter. She had seen him walk into the forest a thousand times in the exact same place, without leaving so much as a hint of a trail. She might have been pestered by it, maybe even angered, but she could not help but admire him for it.
Today, she was going to follow him.
Ordinarily she would have let it go, she had her own hunting spots and lounging areas. But Crazy was working his way to the top of Sitting Bull's army, and she was curious if he may be leading secret missions. That was too much for Thunder to pass up with a clear conscience.
On his way out of the village, teeming with people waking up to continue their daily routines, he stopped at several places to exact a trade, smoke a pipe, and even just say hello. A bit of jealousy flared up in Thunder as she watched. She had worked hard to be the great hunter she had become, never taking the opportunity to socialize, and it had taken its toll. She was uncomfortable around people, preferring the company of her horse Iktomi. But here was one of the greatest Sioux warriors she knew, succeeding at being a great warrior, hunter AND conversationalist. The Great Spirit had blessed him far too much, in her opinion.
She swiftly made her way out of the tree and to the ground, never taking her eyes off the target. She followed him through the throngs of her people, their horses and their children without much trouble. A squaw nearby had made a fire and the smoke blurred Thunder's vision of Crazy Bull. She moved slowly so as not to attract suspicion, but as she cleared the smoke, she realized she had lost Crazy already. How had he done that? She turned around a few times and finally decided to go into the forest in hopes of seeing him again. She wanted to remain silent, but, frantic, she ran through foliage and branches without decorum.
Finally, she slowed, slumped her shoulders and admitted defeat. She climbed the nearest tree for a last look around when-- smack! A palm slapped her on the forehead. Surprised, it took her a couple seconds to realize whose hand had hit her.
"Crazy Bull?" she asked, wide-eyed.
He was smiling, now sitting on the branch she had been about to climb up. "Looking for me?" he asked.
"I-- no. I mean, yes." She would have said more, but she was at a loss for words.
He raised his eyebrow and laughed. He lowered his arm and helped her onto the branch beside him.
"How did you know?" she asked.
"When you go on raids," he started, thoughtful. "You learn to be careful of who has his attention on you. Otherwise, you might get yourself scalped." Thunder thought about this and said nothing. Crazy continued with his explanation. "I saw you in the white trees."
"But you never looked at me, not once."
"I used the sides of my eyes." He looked away from Thunder into the distance. "I can see your black as night eyes and hair even as I look at--" He pulled out his bow, strung an arrow and shot. "That squirrel."
Crazy seemed to fall out of the tree, then, as fast as he made his way down to his kill. Thunder Spirit was about to reach out and try to catch him when she realized he hadn't fallen at all. She frowned and followed, unsure of what she felt about him.
Crazy thanked the Great Spirit for the squirrel and placed it in the bag he had with him.
"All our people have eyes and hair like mine," Thunder finally replied.
"Perhaps," Crazy agreed as he walked onward. "But nowhere near as beautiful as yours."
Thunder had meant to follow him, but his words stopped her. An unpleasant feeling welled up in her stomach, and she was sure she would be sick. She was sure his words held a hidden curse with them. How else could she feel such displeasure?
Crazy turned around and watched Thunder stand still. "Have I offended you?" he asked.
Thunder struggled with her innards and finally shook her head. He hadn't offended her.
"Will you follow me, so I might show you what you want to know?"
How she felt so much displeasure yet wanted so much to say yes, she had no idea.
In the distance she saw Crazy Bull, a warrior of her tribe and a very respectable hunter. She had seen him walk into the forest a thousand times in the exact same place, without leaving so much as a hint of a trail. She might have been pestered by it, maybe even angered, but she could not help but admire him for it.
Today, she was going to follow him.
Ordinarily she would have let it go, she had her own hunting spots and lounging areas. But Crazy was working his way to the top of Sitting Bull's army, and she was curious if he may be leading secret missions. That was too much for Thunder to pass up with a clear conscience.
On his way out of the village, teeming with people waking up to continue their daily routines, he stopped at several places to exact a trade, smoke a pipe, and even just say hello. A bit of jealousy flared up in Thunder as she watched. She had worked hard to be the great hunter she had become, never taking the opportunity to socialize, and it had taken its toll. She was uncomfortable around people, preferring the company of her horse Iktomi. But here was one of the greatest Sioux warriors she knew, succeeding at being a great warrior, hunter AND conversationalist. The Great Spirit had blessed him far too much, in her opinion.
She swiftly made her way out of the tree and to the ground, never taking her eyes off the target. She followed him through the throngs of her people, their horses and their children without much trouble. A squaw nearby had made a fire and the smoke blurred Thunder's vision of Crazy Bull. She moved slowly so as not to attract suspicion, but as she cleared the smoke, she realized she had lost Crazy already. How had he done that? She turned around a few times and finally decided to go into the forest in hopes of seeing him again. She wanted to remain silent, but, frantic, she ran through foliage and branches without decorum.
Finally, she slowed, slumped her shoulders and admitted defeat. She climbed the nearest tree for a last look around when-- smack! A palm slapped her on the forehead. Surprised, it took her a couple seconds to realize whose hand had hit her.
"Crazy Bull?" she asked, wide-eyed.
He was smiling, now sitting on the branch she had been about to climb up. "Looking for me?" he asked.
"I-- no. I mean, yes." She would have said more, but she was at a loss for words.
He raised his eyebrow and laughed. He lowered his arm and helped her onto the branch beside him.
"How did you know?" she asked.
"When you go on raids," he started, thoughtful. "You learn to be careful of who has his attention on you. Otherwise, you might get yourself scalped." Thunder thought about this and said nothing. Crazy continued with his explanation. "I saw you in the white trees."
"But you never looked at me, not once."
"I used the sides of my eyes." He looked away from Thunder into the distance. "I can see your black as night eyes and hair even as I look at--" He pulled out his bow, strung an arrow and shot. "That squirrel."
Crazy seemed to fall out of the tree, then, as fast as he made his way down to his kill. Thunder Spirit was about to reach out and try to catch him when she realized he hadn't fallen at all. She frowned and followed, unsure of what she felt about him.
Crazy thanked the Great Spirit for the squirrel and placed it in the bag he had with him.
"All our people have eyes and hair like mine," Thunder finally replied.
"Perhaps," Crazy agreed as he walked onward. "But nowhere near as beautiful as yours."
Thunder had meant to follow him, but his words stopped her. An unpleasant feeling welled up in her stomach, and she was sure she would be sick. She was sure his words held a hidden curse with them. How else could she feel such displeasure?
Crazy turned around and watched Thunder stand still. "Have I offended you?" he asked.
Thunder struggled with her innards and finally shook her head. He hadn't offended her.
"Will you follow me, so I might show you what you want to know?"
How she felt so much displeasure yet wanted so much to say yes, she had no idea.