Chapter Twenty-Two

At one time animals and men were able to understand each other. We can still talk to the animals, just as we do to people, but they now seldom reply, excepting in dreams.

—Walter McClintock, The Old North Trail

 

It was late afternoon by the time the message was brought to Soaring Eagle, as he worked out on the range. His wife and father-in-law were in the Blackfeet encampment, asking for him.

He would go to them at once, although even at a steady pace, it might take him a day or so to get there.

Leaving his cattle herd in the hands of his cousin, Soaring Eagle set out for the village, his pace as fast as he could make it. He only hoped the two of them wouldn’t turn around and leave before they had all been given a chance to talk to one another.

At the thought, Soaring Eagle gave his pony full rein.

 

 

She was gone. She’d left in the middle of the night, leaving her father still in camp, alone; and Soaring Eagle was more than a little desperate for her welfare.

Why had she left? Where had she gone? Was she upset, or did she seek something or someone?

These were the things he meant to discover as soon as he could speak with his father-in-law. Luckily for him, William Wallace was seeking Soaring Eagle’s counsel as well.

It was early evening; time enough to arrange a talk and determine what had happened and what needed to be done.

At present, his father-in-law was staying in Comes Running Bird’s lodge. And it was perhaps a fortuitous event that neither Soaring Eagle’s father nor mother were home. Nor were either one of them due to arrive back home before dark, having gone visiting.

Soaring Eagle paced to the east end of the lodge and, bending, stepped through the entry. A fire burned slowly inside the tepee, making the atmosphere feel as cozy as a midsummer day.

His father-in-law sat to his right, and nodding, Soaring Eagle came around the circle, taking his place directly across from the lodge’s entrance.

He reached for a pipe, filled it and began smoking without a word yet being spoken between the two of them. As was customary, Soaring Eagle said a prayer, then passed the pipe to William.

His father-in-law accepted the pipe readily and smoked it. Soaring Eagle nodded approval. Reaching out, Soaring Eagle next placed a bunch of sweet pine on a rock and lit it, the smoke from the herb curling up toward the top of the tepee poles. Gradually the clean, fresh fragrance of the pine filled the inside of the tepee. Soaring Eagle smudged himself with the smoke, then bending from the waist, he did the same thing for his father-in-law, waving the smoke over his head and shoulders, down his body and back up to his head.

He said, “I am saying a prayer for you, for your daughter and for her safety You may pray, too, if you desire.”

William nodded.

At last Soaring Eagle was ready to talk, and he said, “I learned only a few days ago that my wife and her father came to my village to visit. I did not expect them so soon, and I was out on the range, herding my cattle. Had I known you were coming, I would have been here. I am disappointed to learn that my wife is no longer in the encampment. I have heard that she sneaked out of camp in the middle of the night. Perhaps you can tell me some things about your visit, and together we can determine what happened. Was she upset?”

“Yes and no.”

Soaring Eagle nodded. “Perhaps you had better tell me why you both came here. I was expecting her…alone.”

“She left a message for you.”

“She did? What is it?”

“My daughter left a note saying that something else has come to her attention and that she might not be able to meet you here as promised. She will make every effort, but other circumstances have arisen that she must attend to.”

Soaring Eagle nodded. “What other circumstances?”

“I believe she has gone off to do more research.”

“Then she has returned to Helena?”

“No, no, I don’t think so, although anything is possible. I only know that the previous day—before she left—she was speaking of needing to find Gilda, our former guide.”

“Aa, yes. And where does she expect to find Gilda?”

“I’m not certain, young fellow, but I did hear her talk about needing to get back to a mountaintop. She thinks she may find something there—Gilda or maybe something else. I didn’t understand all she said.”

“I see,” said Soaring Eagle. “Did she take anyone with her on this journey?”

“Just a couple of horses. One to ride, one to carry supplies. Outside of that, I don’t believe anyone is with her. I think this is why she crept away in the middle of the night. She didn’t want me to go with her. I do remember her telling me that she had questions to ask, said she wouldn’t be able to ask them with me in the way.”

Soaring Eagle frowned at that. “Which mountain?”

“What was that, dear boy?”

“What mountain has she has decided to climb?”

William shrugged. “That I wouldn’t be knowing. She didn’t say anything else.”

“Humph,” said Soaring Eagle, pulling his brows together as he sat deep in thought. “Do you know why she has picked a mountain? Do you know why she might think her guide will be there?”

“I’m afraid I really don’t know that, young man. Only thing I can tell you is that she said there were spirits there, wherever it is that she’s going.”

“Spirits?” asked Soaring Eagle, his frown deepening. “Has your daughter changed her mind about the existence of spirits?”

“I believe so, son.”

“Humph. Do you know what happened?”

“A picture happened.”

“A picture?”

“Yes. She showed it to me. A very unusual picture. One that was taken at your wedding.”

“There were no pictures taken at our marriage ceremony.”

“Actually, there were. It was from the wedding in your dreams.” William nodded. “I saw it.”

To another man, this news might have been startling. But perhaps not to an Indian. After all, the world was filled with magical moments, magical beings and great mystery.

Soaring Eagle simply nodded. At some length, he looked over to his father-in-law and said, “If she has gone looking for the spirits, then she will most likely seek out the summit of Chief Mountain. She might become lost.”

“Lost? My Kalifornia?” William laughed. “Why, Kalifornia can read a map, scale a mountain or ride a horse better than most men I know. She’ll be fine…I hope.”

“I pray that she will be also,” said Soaring Eagle. “But this is the time of year when grizzlies are out in numbers on the mountains. They look for food in order to fatten themselves before going into their winter sleep. It is not a good time to be trekking through the mountains. Tell me, did she take a gun?”

“Yes, she did. Wouldn’t go anywhere without it.”

Soaring Eagle nodded. “Still, I had better go and find her.”

“Yes,” said William. “That would be best. But before you leave, I have some questions for you.”

Soaring Eagle nodded. “I am listening.”

“Although Kalifornia asked me to accompany her here, I have also come to you as Kalifornia’s father. And I feel compelled to ask you a few things that are important.”

Again Soaring Eagle said, “I am listening.”

“Young man, do you love my daughter?”

“Aa, aa,” said Soaring Eagle. “Yes, I do.”

“And what are your intentions toward my daughter?”

“My intentions?”

“That’s right. What do you intend to do with her now that you have married her? That is, if Kali will remain married.”

Soaring Eagle ignored this last, though he looked away from his father-in-law, his sights coming to rest on the place in the lodge where his mother and father had always slept. He said, “That is an easy question to answer, my father. I will tell you true that I intend to love her every day of my life. I would honor her, help her and do all I can to make her life a happy one. For, do not be deceived, my love for your daughter is great. She is my light. And I am afraid that without her, my life would become a dim, unhappy affair…a mere existence.”

Wallace cleared his throat. “Yes, yes, that’s all very well and fine. However, you must be aware, my good man, that sometimes love is not enough.”

“Not enough?”

“That’s right. See here, what will you live on? Here on a reservation, where there is almost no opportunity?”

It was a hard question; hard because there were still so many things that Soaring Eagle didn’t understand. As though trying to answer the question first to himself, he gazed out upon those things that he loved that surrounded him: the comfortable interior of the lodge, the willow backrest, the brightly colored tepee lining and soft furs and blankets scattered around the floor.

At length, however, he began to speak. “Times are changing, and you are right to ask these questions. This is my answer. While there are still those of us who live off the land, I have seen that this thing that we have done for hundreds of years is becoming harder and harder to do. I myself have been searching for a means to earn a living in this, the white world. Though I do not like to think about it, I also see that it is our future. Toward this end, I have already amassed a herd of horses and cattle. Perhaps I might become a rancher like my white brothers who surround us. But I have also been educated in the white man’s school, and so perhaps I might be able to become a voice for my people, speaking up for our rights, letting others know of the wrongs against us. Your daughter has already said that she would help me do this. It is possible, also, that I could do both.”

William coughed nervously. “I see,” he said. “Yes, I see. Very well, then. There is, however, one more thing.”

“I am listening.”

William narrowed his eyes, and Soaring Eagle, seeing it, stiffened his spine. “Now, young fellow, times are hard and sometimes young people need a little help. Would you be willing to accept my help, if need be, so that you and Kalifornia might start your lives with as few problems as possible?”

Soaring Eagle met his father-in-law’s gaze unflinchingly. He said, “I would be honored to do so. I would only hope that any help would be given without the expectation of dominating either myself or my wife.”

William smiled. “I have no desire to rule your life, young fellow. None at all.”

Soaring Eagle nodded. “I would be proud to accept your help.”

“Ah, well, that’s good. Very good. I give you all my blessings, son. I had begun to think that Kali would never marry.”

Soaring Eagle smiled. It was the first cheerful gesture he had made so far this afternoon. And he said, “Thank you, my father. This is more than I expected.”

“I guess that puts our talk at an end,” said William, starting to rise. But a thought seemed to take hold of him, for he sat back down at once and said, “Welcome to the family, young man. But there is one more thing I might inquire of you, if you would be so kind.”

“Aa, aa.”

“That picture that my daughter developed?”

“Yes?”

Wallace coughed. “The man who married you. The one in the dream. Who is he?”

“You don’t know?”

“No, my good man, I don’t, though he and I have crossed one another’s path before.”

Soaring Eagle frowned, drew his brows together and fixed a hard stare at Wallace. At last he inquired, “You have met this man before?”

“Why, yes, yes, I have.”

Surprised, Soaring Eagle became guarded in his speech, though at some length he said, “That one in the picture is Sun, or sometimes known as Old Man. And we, the Blackfeet, are his children.”

Wallace cleared his throat loudly, adding a few harrumphs and coughs to the noise. He looked as though he might like to say more, but when he at last spoke, all he said was, “Well, that’s fine, then, isn’t it?”

 

 

Soaring Eagle stepped out from the tepee, having settled his father-in-law in the lodge of the painted sun, moon and stars; the lodge that had been given to Kali and himself. It would be here that Kali’s father would be welcome to stay for as long as he wished. It only remained for Soaring Eagle to ask his grandmother to see to his father-in-law’s needs.

But Soaring Eagle himself could not stay here. Not now. Not with Kali roaming the plains alone.

Coming around to the back of the tepee, Soaring Eagle stared out into the west, gazing at the craggy mountains and the reddish-gold sunset. The last vestiges of the sun’s rays were even now shooting straight up to the clouds, painting the otherwise white, fluffy masses in colors of pink and purple and red. In truth, the entire western sky was awash in deep hues of color, its effect mirrored over the land, covering the prairie in those very same shades as though it were a mirror.

At the sight, a strange feeling of loneliness took hold of him. In some way, the land’s beauty of dark shadows and intense color deepened his sense of solitude.

Odd, he thought, how he missed Kali. For though she had been in his life but a short while, it seemed to him as though he had been with her for a lifetime.

He wanted, he needed her in his life. If anything were to happen to her…

He had not exaggerated his concern for her. This was the time of year when grizzlies were out by day and night, seeking to fatten themselves for the coming winter.

Of course a bear would seldom attack a human unless given reason. But sometimes bears had “reasons” that escaped human understanding. Besides, there could be other dangers: a flooded river, uncertain footing on a ledge, a fall from a horse.

It was never wise to venture out upon the prairie alone, unless a man was seeking a vision. But even then family and friends kept watch over one.

No, Soaring Eagle must find her trail at once, without delay, before Kali had a chance to get too far ahead of him. To this end, he had shouldered his rifle, grabbed his saddle, bridle and a few provisions, and was heading out toward his pony herd.

Curious, he thought as he trudged toward the horses, how Kali had come to the realization that she should seek counsel with Gilda. Hadn’t Soaring Eagle become aware of the same thing himself only a few days earlier?

There was something peculiar about Gilda. Something he couldn’t quite grasp.

It was almost as though the woman had orchestrated Kali’s anger with him. As though it had been planned…

He stilled, and a frown crossed his face as he singled out his black pinto from the other ponies in the herd.

“Oki,” he said to the animal, moving toward it, petting it, rubbing it from head to foot completely before he threw his saddle over its back.

“Are you ready to have an adventure, my friend?” he said. “We go to seek my wife, who is endeavoring to climb to the top of Nina Istukwi, Chief Mountain. It could be a hard ride, for I must hurry.”

The pony snorted, throwing its head back as though to nuzzle its owner.

“Don’t worry, my friend,” said Soaring Eagle, leaning down to breathe into its nostrils. “I will not wear you out, for I’ll take along another pony so that I can change mounts often. Now come, you are the best war pony a man ever had. I know that together we will find her, but we had best leave while there is still a trace of light. Come.”

And with this, he led the pinto and another, an Appaloosa, into the gathering shadows of evening.

 

 

Her first night out, Kali had camped by a lake which the Blackfeet called Many Chiefs Gathered River, but which was more appropriately named Duck Lake. There was good reason for the title, thought Kali, since there were flocks of the birds, both redheads and canvasbacks. In truth, she had dined the previous night on fire-roasted duck.

Having taken an early morning start, the sun was barely rising when she had come upon a tract of land so beautiful, she had stopped, dismounted and stared at the scene in front of her, unaware of the passage of time. Before her and straight down was one of the Chief Mountain lakes, its water pure and blue, reflecting the sky, the mountains and a few of the stars still visible in the sky. Close to it and a little above it was the other of the two Chief Mountain lakes. Looking more fairyland than rock and boulder, it was hard to believe that it was real.

It was from these lakes that Chief Mountain rose, its eastern side almost sheer upward rock. Magnificent, inspiring, it was no wonder the Indians looked upon this spot as sacred, a place where the spirits lived and played.

At last she had moved on, winding her way to the western side of Chief Mountain, where the ascent to its summit was worn and easy to climb. She passed several mountain goats on her way up, getting a good look at them, for one passed close by to her.

As Kali wound through a narrow pass, an eagle flew overhead. Glancing up, she smiled. The eagle soared, then circled overhead, its flight graceful, proud. Watching it, she realized that it shared these traits in common with her husband. Perhaps, she thought, her husband was well named.

The day was still new, and at this lower elevation, the dew hung on the mountain grasses, sparkling at her feet as though nature had given each drop a radiant jewel. In the east, the sun was finally beginning its climb, painting the sky and all it touched in shades of silver and pink.

A feeling of well-being came over her. Funny how it felt as though she belonged here. Here, with this land. Here, on this mountain. Here, with her husband.

She felt her face fill with color. Odd how she had come so easily to think of him as hers. Well, if that photograph was to be believed, he was hers. The thought gave her peace and, oddly, a sense of security.

It was most curious, for Kali was becoming more and more certain that there was nothing between Gilda and Soaring Eagle. His explanation that day in her darkroom had come from his heart. Moreover, that same day, as they were making love, she had seen into his heart, and had found him innocent. Besides, he loved her, and more—his was not the sort of love that hurt.

No, his was the kind of heart that gave, that allowed another the right to be, to grow. And it came as a surprise that she realized she didn’t need either Gilda or Soaring Eagle’s grandmother to “prove” his innocence. She trusted him…trusted him…

Strange… She wasn’t sure when it had happened. Perhaps when he’d sought her out in Helena. Or had it been before then? That night when they’d married, or the morning after. He had been kind, considerate, gentle.

Perhaps she’d “known” it then. She just hadn’t realized it yet.

Someday, she thought, she would discover the truth of who had been in his arms. But she felt fairly certain that this someone wouldn’t be Gilda. Perhaps it had been his grandmother…

Glancing up toward the mountain summit, Kali realized she needed to move quickly. Now that she understood the workings of her heart, she couldn’t wait to see Soaring Eagle again. But first there were questions that needed answering. Questions that perhaps only Gilda or the spirits could address.

Urging her horse forward, she reached into one of her packs for a breakfast snack. But instead of food, her fingers came in contact with the picture. She was struck with a sense of intense possessiveness. Now that she had the picture, she doubted she would ever part with it. However, curious to see it once again, she drew it out and stared at it, as though by doing so she could make sense of its mystery.

But it simply was not to be.

No images jumped out at her; no explanations came to mind. She did wonder at a symbol at the top of the photograph, however. It had been the last image to develop in the picture: a dark circle, surrounded by a lighter circle with beams or rays coming out of it, as though it was the sun.

Curious, very curious. Kali had seen the symbol before, knew it was that of an eclipse. But an eclipse? It would have been impossible to capture on film, for there had been no eclipse the evening it was taken. And yet there it was.

What could it possibly have to do with her? With Soaring Eagle? Or, for that matter, with her marriage?

Her eyes clouded with confusion, and she shook her head. There was no point, she thought, none at all in dwelling on it, for the more she thought about it, the more flustered she became.

Besides, that was why she was making this journey, what she hoped to discover. Somehow she felt certain that Gilda would be here, perhaps at the very top of the mountain. But if not, her trip would still not be without value. For it was here that she meant to try to speak to the spirits; here that she might determine, if she could, what it was they wanted from her. And maybe, if she was lucky, it was here that she might be able to disclose the secrets of her heart.

She sighed, returning the picture to the bag. She would find no answers in it. Best to put the photograph aside and think of other things.

She inhaled deeply, looking out upon her path.

She remembered this section of the trail. Ah, the thought was a pleasant one. Perhaps, she thought, she wouldn’t get lost after all.

 

 

The sun had climbed to its greatest height by the time she approached the mountain’s crest. She had left her two mounts in a meadow only a few hours ago, while she had gone on to climb the rest of the way to the top.

One last foothold on a piece of rock, and she at last pulled herself up to the camping spot where she, her father and Gilda had spent that first night. It seemed so long ago.

Unfortunately, Gilda wasn’t here, but the place held other treasures…other memories. Over there, she had slept; over there, they had pitched a fire; and over there, up another steep climb, was the place where she had left camp that night.

She made her way there now, down a gully and up again, noticing how, in the light of day, the shadows that had seemed so dark that night and had loomed over her so terrifyingly were no more than rock and boulder, as she had thought they were. She trudged onward, upward, her objective the small, level ledge where she had first seen Soaring Eagle.

Ah, there directly in front of her was the spot. She approached it now, noticing that her pulse was picking up speed. A pleasant sensation washed through her.

This was it. This was where it had all started, where she had first seen him, where she had first heard his song. As she stepped onto the ledge, a gentle wind blew toward her, pushing her hair back from her face. She gazed forward into the breeze, a brief smile crossing her lips.

What had he been looking at that night? At the time, she had not come back to investigate.

Gingerly, she peeked over the edge of the ledge and caught her breath. The view from here was spectacular…beautiful! For from this spot, one could see for miles and miles, practically in all directions. No wonder Soaring Eagle had chosen this location for his vision quest. Even now, as she gazed around her, Kali felt her heart become light. Ah, it felt good. In truth, her thoughts, particularly those that were the most disturbing, seemed to recede from her, as though here in this spot, they had no power to thwart her.

She sighed, content. She really had no further plans, since she hadn’t found Gilda, and she wasn’t entirely certain how to go about talking to a spirit.

At last, however, she decided to start, and with arms outstretched, she said, “Hear me, o spirit. I think there has been a mistake. I don’t know why you have taken an interest in me, for I am only Kali Wallace, a simple American girl. Please tell me what is it you want from me?”

There came no answer.

But Kali wasn’t giving up so easily. Again with outstretched arms, she said, “I fear that you have confused me with someone else. Tell me, do you wish me to find this person you seek, perhaps the Star Bride?”

And when there was still no answer, she asked, “Or do you wish me to simply write a book that exposes the crimes which are being committed against your people?”

The wind whistled around a corner, and it seemed to Kali as if it spoke, but what was being said was beyond her. She admitted, “I didn’t understand.”

She waited.

An eagle flew overhead, joined by another midflight. Kali watched the birds’ aerial ballet for a moment before attempting another communication. At last, however, she said, “I’m sorry that I doubted the marriage ceremony. But these matters are out of my experience. Please understand.”

Again, she waited.

“I will be staying here for a while. I thought you’d like to know that. What Soaring Eagle has told me is true. And I’m thinking that if I help him, we can expose the crimes being committed here. It’s a big job and one filled with danger, perhaps, but it’s what I want to do.”

The eagles dipped down to her, coming within feet of her, as though in grand acknowledgement, and Kali was so caught up in the beauty of them that she didn’t immediately sense the danger. Not until she heard a growl behind her did she think to remember that she had come here with nothing more than a simple revolver.

What was behind her? Calmly, making as little movement as she could, she looked over her shoulder.

Her stomach dropped.

There stood a bear. A big, brown grizzly bear.

Her heart stopped, then began beating as though to make up for the lapse. Could she kill the animal?

Suddenly, she felt foolish. How could she have come here so ill-prepared? Little good a revolver was going to do her against a bear, especially a grizzly. Yes, she might be able to get in a shot or two, but she knew enough about bears to know that one, two, even three or more shots wouldn’t stop a bear.

Was it a mother? And if it was a mother, did she have cubs? Please, Lord, Kali prayed, don’t let it be female.

She watched as the bear took a clumsy step forward, and Kali swallowed the scream that rose up in her throat.

Bears don’t see well, she told herself. Pretend you are no more than a rock.

But suddenly she remembered that their sense of smell was acute.

Kali gulped.

The bear paced another step forward, and Kali did the only thing she could think to do, the only thing that for one reason or another made sense. She began to sing…