Blood Brothers

The closer you are to the light, the greater your shadow becomes.

Prologue

Birds chirped their greetings as the two boys crept silently into the thickening layer of trees. They were best friends and all each other had as far as family. Alert brown eyes surveyed the area as both boys crouched down low behind a small bush. He parted the branches with steady hands as he peered through the opening.

"They don't even know we're gone yet" the half-Kiowa said. He turned toward his friend "You sure you wanna do this, Ike?"

His silent friend nodded with certainty in his green eyes, and a smile on his face, stretching out his right hand, palm up. The young Kiowa smiled at his friend's eagerness to be a part of something special. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small flint stone he had shaped into an arrowhead. He wished he had his knife but the nuns at the Mission school had taken it when he had arrived there. The sharpened piece of flint would work nicely. He slowly ran the sharpened end across his palm, and then repeated the gesture on Ike's palm. They both watched as blood slowly began to push its way to the surface.

"Now we shake hands" the boy said smiling as Ike placed his right hand in his friend's hand. They shook hands, both with a smile on their face. "Now we're blood brothers. Da-ni-ta-ga." he said proudly in his native language. The words sounded good on his tongue. He knew Ike couldn't say the words so he placed two fingers over his heart and then touched his forehead and said "Blood brothers" As Ike copied the sign.

The moment was interrupted by there names being called from the outside of the woods "Buck. Ike. You boys better not be hunting for frogs again. Now get out here with the others." Sister Mary Elizabeth called out.

Ike rolled his eyes and signed "Sure took them long enough to notice we were gone."

Buck nodded and answered "We should try to find a frog on the way out, We could put it in her bed." Buck said with a laugh. He knew exactly where to look for the biggest, ugliest frog there was. As they approached the edge of the woods, Ike kicked an old log over on its side and Buck knelt down and scooped the frog up into his hands. He held it up in front of his face and smiled as it spit out its little tongue at him. "Perfect" he said hiding it in his pocket. They tried to hold back their laughter as they made their way out of the woods.

Shadows stretched across the wall as the two boys snuck into the dark room; both with mischievous grins on their faces. Ike put a finger to his lips as he pulled the blankets back on the head mistresses bed. Trying to control his laughter, Buck sat the frog on the mattress and watched as it hopped deeper into the darkness of the covers. Ike was laughing silently as he laid the blankets back down neatly. The two boys tiptoed out of the room and ran back down the hallway to their room.

That night as the other boys in the over crowded room, slept in their beds. Buck and Ike lay in the floor between their beds. Buck lay on his back with his arms crossed under his head, staring up at the ceiling. Ike lay on his stomach with his elbows bent and his head propped on his hands, his imaginative mind soaking up all the stories that his brother told. Tonight's story was about two young warriors who had become blood brothers as young boys and as they got older one young brave was missing in a snow storm and the other had to rescue his brother.

Buck spoke where only Ike could hear the story and would turn to look at him during parts of the story to see big green eyes staring at him wanting more. Buck smiled as he continued the adventure. Ike could close his eyes and see the wondrous adventure's Buck spoke of and wished they could go on great adventures. He laid his head down on his crossed arms and soon drifted off to sleep, to only dream of great adventures.

A/N: Hope you all enjoy. Let me now. Please read and review.