"We weren't aware that it was sacred ground," Clark quickly explained to the woman.
She looked as if she were considering whether she should believe them or not. She finally decided they were honest. "You need to leave this place at once."
"We will," Clark said. "Can you tell us what these pictures mean? We are very curious about it." He offered his hand in greeting. "My name is Clark and this is Lois."
"My name in your language means narrow channel of water."
"So do we call you narrow channel of water?" Lois asked.
She gave a slight smile. "Narrow is enough. Are you friends of John? He is the one who taught the Kawatche English."
Clark was puzzled until Lois said, "The fur trapper."
"We know him," Clark answered. "He told us a little of your legend. We were hoping your people could tell us more."
"As I told you before you must leave. These pictures have no meaning for you."
Before they could debate the point further, a bolt of lightning crashed down and a heavy tree toppled over the cave. It loosened a bolder, a bolder that was above Narrow. Clark had no choice but to cover her so she wouldn't be crushed.
Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Clark. "Naman," she whispered in an almost reverent tone.
"I knew it!" Lois said, joining them.
Clark helped Narrow up. "What if I am Naman? Does it explain where these powers that I have came from?"
"Come," she said, more to Clark than Lois. "You must meet my grandfather. He can tell you more about it." She started out of the cave without waiting for an answer.
Lois grabbed Clark's wrist before he started following. "Someone else knows your secret now. Do you think we can trust her?"
"She easily accepted my differences. She didn't seem afraid and this is Kansas. Who will she tell and who will believe her?"
"I suppose."
He kissed her cheek. "You were right to want to find out more about this. It must have been a bit of divine inspiration."
"Must have," she replied halfheartedly, not able to rid herself of the bad feeling she had.
The rain had begun to slow and by the time they reached the Indian village, it had altogether stopped. The tribe lived in round earthen lodges. Narrow went inside one of them. Clark and Lois followed.
"This is my grandfather. His name means 'He who causes to become will add'. In other words, the creator will bring blessings." Foreseeing Lois' question this time, she continued, "Add will be enough."
"Narrow said you can tell me more about the legend of Naman? All I know is that he is supposed to come from the sky in a rain of fire, have the strength of ten men, and will be able to start fires with his eyes," Clark said.
"He is Naman," she explained to her grandfather. "I have seen it with my own eyes."
The elderly man's eyes lit up. "It is less of legend and more story of past. Man came from the stars and mix with mother of our people. He leave but promise more of his people come back. We see wolf in sky. One of his eyes was where man come from. When I was young man I see both eyes. Then one of the eyes go away. Home of man is no more. Naman is here and is to protect entire world. He will have great enemy but good and evil will always balance."
Lois and Clark had listened in stunned silence.
"I'm from the stars?" Clark asked Add. The man nodded in confirmation. He turned to Lois. "I'm from the stars."
"So I heard," Lois replied.
"Benjamin Franklin was right and I am one of those beings. I cannot believe it, but it makes such perfect sense. The strange contraption my parents found me in. It was a ship to travel the stars. Why I'm not like other people. I'm made differently. The dissimilar symbols. It's so simple.
Narrow's grandfather smiled and said, "There is more. You and granddaughter are to be together. It says so in the pictures. Your soul and her soul belong before you or she was born. Bracelet given to Kawatche as keepsake to be for wife of Naman. Bracelet now belong to Narrow."
Lois quietly slipped away, tears blocking her vision. She barely had time to sit down on a large tree stump before Clark had joined her.
"I don't care what the legend is or says, Lois. It's not true."
"But the symbol—"
"I do think I came from the stars, but how are they know who I am supposed to be with? I don't believe in destiny. I believe in plans from God, but there is still the free will to reject most of it."
"And you're rejecting God's plan for you?"
"It's not a plan from God."
"What about the bracelet; how can you explain that away? Are you attracted to her? I know she's attracted to you."
"No. I mean she is pretty, but you're prettier and she isn't you. I don't want to be with her." He pulled Lois into a hug. She rested her head on his shoulder looking toward the wooded area. "You are my very life," he said soothingly.
She gave a small sigh of relief. She believed it. She believed him. She opened her eyes wider feeling a bit silly for overreacting. A chill went down her spine as she spied a blue-eyed, white wolf that was startlingly beautiful but clearly dangerous. The wolf acted as if it felt her gaze and quickly retreated into the woods.
TBC