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Chapa raised up the musket with one arm and shouted, “The Great Spirit knew about this evil thing and that’s why he didn’t help us! Keme is the one who contaminated us!”
Keme’s heart raced and anger rippled through his veins. “That has nothing do with it.”
His father limped forward. “What is that still doing here? I told you to throw it in the river.”
Keme paused. His father was going to hate him all over again. “I didn’t think it wise to get rid of it.”
Father grimaced with uncertainty.
“He has brought evil into our tribe,” Chapa said. “We must not be contaminated by the outlanders. They have no respect for anything.”
Several murmured in agreement.
“If we fear the things of the outlanders, they’ll continue to defeat us.” Keme resolved that he would not back down on this issue. Too many lives had been lost.
An unsettling murmur went through the crowd. Some said Keme was right, while others believed Chapa, especially the older people. His father stood staring, making it difficult to read his face.
Dena stepped forward and looked at Chapa and Fala. “Keme is the one who saved most of the people at the camp. What have you done to save anyone?”
Keme smiled a little and realized Leotie had got her outspokenness from her mother.
Chapa pointed at Keme. “I can only think that he reached the camp first because he ran from the battle as usual, in fear for his own life.”
Enola’s gaze burned into him. Chapa was right. Keme still was the same person – the same coward, but he wasn’t about to admit it.
“My son is not a coward!” Paytah raised his voice. “He only left the battle at the point the enemy broke through and were heading for the camp. I will not tolerate your accusations again.”
Keme sighed in relief at having his father’s support.
The scowl on Chapa’s face deepened. “If Izrah was here, she would say that faith means trusting the Great Spirit to help us. Trying to learn their weapons is a sign of doubt. This is why we lost.”
Enola raised her voice. “Our mistake was expecting the Great Spirit to help us. He is a God of peace and is for healing, not war, as Anti warned.” She glanced at Keme with a slight frown.
Keme figured she wasn’t defending him, but simply stating her beliefs.
Chapa’s eyes burned. “So we were just supposed to let them take our land?”
“At least more of us would be alive,” Paytah said. “We as leaders have failed, and we should step down.”
A hush came over the crowd. Keme felt shock, never thinking he would hear those words.
Chapa marched up to Paytah and got in his face. “So your son can become chief? Is that your idea?”
“Do not try to distract from the fact that we are the ones responsible for so many deaths. To continue would be irresponsible.”
“No, no, Keme is responsible for bringing that thing into our camp.”
Everyone started to argue. Half of the people sided with Chapa. All the while, Takoda stared into the distance.
Chapa yelled above the crowd. “The fact remains that Keme disobeyed our laws. He needs to be punished.”
Chapa and Fala looked at Takoda, who had sat hunched on a log, rocking and staring.
“Chief, you well know our laws,” Chapa insisted.
Takoda blinked as if coming out of trance. “What?”
“I said,” Chapa raised his voice, “our law is to vote on this matter. If Keme is judged to be responsible, he must be cast out.”
Enola raised up her hand. “No! He is one of the few healers left. Will you take him away from the wounded and leave me to do all the work? Haven’t we all suffered enough?”
“The alternative is staying in disfavor of the Great Spirit,” Chapa said.
Enola stomped her foot. “No, you’re wrong. You know nothing of the Great Spirit!” She turned around and marched back to the shelter.
Another outburst of shouting broke out on both sides. Many said they must keep to the tribe laws and vote. Others said Keme should be chief. The mention of it terrified him. He glanced back to the shelter. She’s right. It would be foolish to cast out a healer. Perhaps she is defending me a little.
The chief held up a gnarled hand for everyone to be quiet and stood up. “It’s time to vote. All those who think....”
“Go on.” Chapa nudged Takoda.
“What was his name again?” Takoda asked, softly.
“Keme,” Chapa whispered.
Keme couldn’t hear this, but he could read their lips.
Takoda continued, “All those who think Keme has to leave the camp, raise your hands.”
Out of the remaining council members, Takoda, Chapa, Fala all raised their hands in favor of Keme leaving.
Paytah glared at Takoda. “I’ve known you for years, and yet you vote against my son? Perhaps even you want to hold on to being chief with your last breath.”
“Careful, Paytah.” Chapa touched the knife on his belt. “It’s a high offense to insult our chief.”
Father stared at Chapa, but kept his mouth shut.
Takoda squinted his already beady eyes and lifted his hand, slowly pointing. His crooked finger stopped at Keme. “You may have saved some, but you deliberately broke our laws and caused many deaths through your disobedience. If we let one outlander thing into our tribe, soon more will follow. We will no longer be the Mahasi. You must leave.” Takoda slumped down, exhausted.
Keme clenched his fists and stared at Chapa, who happened to have ten warriors standing behind him.
Keme’s mother, Hatha stepped forward. “You’re bitter and worried about your position. That’s why you all have conspired against my son...”
“Silence woman!” Chapa snapped. “Thanks to your son, the Great Spirit wasn’t with us in battle. We need him with us so we can get our land back. There are other ways to do it, rather than using the weapons of the enemy.”
“Ha!” Paytah blurted out.
Chapa gritted his teeth and continued, “They’re vulnerable to sneak attacks. We can be ready to attack their wagons, and make it impossible for them to hunt and move around. Above all, I want the head of Jason Clawson.”
About half the crowd cheered and raised their bows.
Keme clenched his fists. “That’ll only make Clawson’s troops come after us again and again.”
Paytah patted Keme on the shoulder and nodded.
Chapa paced between Takoda and Paytah. He spun around and pointed. “His opinion doesn’t matter here. The Great Spirit will be with us again only if Keme is gone. You must leave now.”
“Right, right.” Keme waved his hand at him and walked away. He braced for someone to grab him, but nothing happened.
“Where are you going?” Chapa demanded.
Keme was tempted to go look for Leotie, unable to shake the feeling that she was still alive. Tomorrow he would leave to try and find her. He would tell no one.
“I asked you a question. Where are you going?”
Keme spun around. “To tend to the wounded who happen to need me.”
Chapa started toward Keme, but a line of people blocked him. He shouted at them, but they remained still. The rest of the crowd grumbled and broke up. Chapa rushed up to Chief Takoda, demanding that he do something.
Takoda shrugged. “I have grown tired. We’ll discuss it tomorrow.” He slowly moved toward his wigwam.
Keme smiled at the way Chapa stood there scowling. Would the chief even remember it tomorrow? What did it matter. He had to find Leotie, even if he just found her body. At least then he would know for sure what really happened to her.
****
Enola walked back to the shelter, straining to stop the tears. She passed by a large group of women huddled together crying, some of them loudly, for those lost. It was the most distressing sound ever. She didn’t have the heart to tell them to stop, but it was making her even more nervous. Part of her wanted to join them, if not for the wounded. Enola fought against the loneliness that threatened to spill over. She wrung her hands, furious at Keme, but dreading to be without his help.
Several of the wounded begged for her help. No longer could she pray for her parents to return. Perhaps they would see her hard work and approve of her in the afterlife. If only she wasn’t almost out of medicine and supplies. Her friend Nina came inside and hurried up to her. From her distressed expression, it didn’t look like good news about her sister.
“What is it?” Enola asked.
“I found out Tala stayed at the camp, waiting for Jolan. It seems the two were seeing each other despite my father’s opinion.”
“Oh no. How could she be so foolish?” Enola asked.
“Tala was a stubborn one. Talk about foolishness.” Nina wrapped her arms around herself. “Have you heard about your parents?”
Enola’s eyes welled up with tears. “They’re dead.”
“Oh, Enola, I am so sorry.” Nina held out her arms, and the two hugged in the middle of the shelter.
Enola sniffed. “Keme knew, but he let me think there was hope.”
“Try not to be too mad at him. He’s probably overwhelmed with the loss of Leotie and tends to be nervous. Not sure how he could be chief.”
Enola let out a sarcastic chuckle. “I can’t imagine it either.” She hurried to the exit, trying to figure out what she would do if they forced Keme to leave.
Two more wounded men were brought over and set down on the ground in the shade. At least the heat had let off, and there was no sign of rain. The crowd in the center of the camp was breaking up, and a man was walking toward her. As he came closer, she recognized Keme and sighed in relief, figuring they voted for him to stay.
Enola came back inside and went over to Nina. "I hate to ask at such a time, but could you help me. I’m out of supplies.”
“Of course, what do you need?” Nina asked.
Enola rattled off a list of plants and supplies she needed. Nina ran off to get them. Out of habit, she looked one last time at the edge of the camp, and stopped. Her parents weren’t coming back. They’d been training Keme secretly, as his father didn’t approve, but even her parents saw his natural ability. At this point Paytah seemed to know the truth – his son was a healer.
Keme came into the shelter and looked at her like a puppy. “Sorry.”
She came over and sighed, some anger still lingering. “Don’t lie to me ever again.”
“I won’t.”
“So I guess they voted for you to stay?”
“No.”
“You mean they voted you out?” she asked, horrified.
“Of course. All the men left on council are friends of Chapa’s, and he controls the chief. Yet, nobody stopped me when I refused to leave. What’s left of the council is nothing but a joke now, and everyone knows it.” He looked at the wounded. “I didn’t just leave your parents. We were all running when there was a blast of musket fire. They were hit, but somehow I wasn’t. Then I played dead while the soldiers past. I know that isn’t very honorable, but I’d be dead right now any other way.”
“I believe you,” Enola said, “but always keep in mind it’s never good to spare others from the truth because they’ll find out soon enough anyway.”
“You’re a lot like your parents, and with all their teachings I should have known better.” Keme paused, looking troubled over something. “Who will teach me now?”
“We need to survive first.” Enola stared out at all the ones needing help.
The two hurried off to treat the wounded.
