Here's the third chapter Life Happens. I know it's a little boring right
now, but trust me. It gets better.
Life Happens chapter three: Peace in the Meadow
It had been nearly a year when Grey Wolf, with directions from Water, made it out to see Spotted Fawn and Earth. When he arrived at the little meadow, he was stunned. 'She really has done well.' he thought looking at the little lean-to next to the berry bush. "Fawn!" he hollered. She came out holding a bowl of corn mash when she heard her name. She saw him, laid down the bowl, and ran to him. He warmly greeted her, embracing her in his strong arms. "It's so good to see you, Fawn."
"It's been too long, dear friend." She stood back, wiping the tears from her eyes.
"You've done exceptionally well. Out here, by yourself."
"Not so by myself actually." She said leading him over to the lean-to. He crouched down and looked in. There he saw the little baby Water had told him about. Spotted Fawn reached in and picked her up out of the cradle.
"Fawn,..." he smiled. "She's beautiful. Just like her mother. What's her name?"
"Earth." she said handing the child over to her life long friend. "For she is of the earth." She smiled again, a smile hiding thoughts and worries for the child. This was going to be a long ride, but they were going to get through it. Together.
The two set down outside the lean-to. Spotted Fawn offered him water, which he accepted only after learning that there was an immense supply just beyond the trees.
"I have something for the child...for when she gets bigger." He pulled out a small, rolled up bundle of leather and untied the cord around it. A beautiful little dress made of leather unrolled itself.
"She'll love it. Thank you, Wolf. It's been good seeing you. What has happened in almost a years time. I expected you earlier." She said going back to the corn mash. He was content with holding little Earth.
"A lot. We've been having problems with poachers, and the government keeps taking more land. Soon we won't have out hunting grounds."
"How's the chief and your brother doing?"
"Good. My father has reached his prime years. He says if there is a battle to be fought, he will not stand by and not help."
"A true chief."
"You're not upset that he exiled you?" This stunned him.
"No. I was upset at first. This has really helped me to grow up. And I'm not angry that this happened. I wouldn't have her if it hadn't."
The two talked a while longer until he said he needed to get back to the village. Like Water, Wolf had slipped out. They walked to the end of the meadow togther, where he handed Earth back to her.
"Come back soon, Grey Wolf. It is a pleasure to see you." She said hugging the tall, twenty year old.
"I most certainly will. Thought I don't know how often with these problems going on."
"Whenever you can." she said wistfully.
"I was lucky to have tonight. But it was all worth it. Until later, my friend." and he was gone. **************************************************************************** ****
Four years had come and gone before Spotted Fawn had seem either Rippling Water of Grey Wolf. During this time a large fight had broke out between her tribe and a neighboring one. There had been many battles, with loses on both sides. After those had been settled, the government began pounding the Cherokees. By the end, with many battles with white settlers, the Cherokees had lost more land.
During this time, both Rippling Water and Grey Wolf had thought much of Spotted Fawn and Earth. Grey Wolf desperately wanted to get back and see her and the child. Earth would be at least five by now. 'Has it been that long?' he thought. It had, and he was going to make sure he would see them again. His plan was to offer to round up food and be gone all day. With the battles over, they didn't need soldiers. It would work. He planned to actually get food on his way home the next day. With this promise, he mounted his horse and the pack pony, and was gone. Off to the secret meadow in the forest.
When he came to the meadow and the lean-to no one was there. He dismounted and tied the horses to the nearest tree. Walking around, he called out for Spotted Fawn. "Fawn! Fawn! Where are you?!"
"Right here." He heard back. She appeared from the woods near the creek. "Grey Wolf! It's been too long!" She ran and hugged him tightly.
He didn't let go. "I got here and no one was around. I was scared something happened to you and Earth. Where is she?" he asked releasing her. About that time, a spry little five year old came running up dressed in a bright, leather dress. "Earth, do you remember me telling you about my friend Grey Wolf?" She asked her daughter. Earth shook her head of this knowledge. "This is him. Say hi."
"Hi." she said quietly, then became bolder. "Did you make this dress for me?"
"Right after you were born. I brought it the first day I saw you." She left her mother's side and clung to Grey Wolf's leg. He leaned over and she readjusted herself around his neck. "I have another gift for you. This one can grow with you."
"What is it? What is it?" She jumped for joy.
"Close your eyes and stay here. You, too, Fawn." When both had complied, he left then returned quickly. "Okay. Open you eyes."
When Earth opened her eyes, there was a small blue roan pony in front of her. He had a handmade bridle with hawk feathers, and a small handwoven blanket. Spotted Fawn saw this and gasped. Earth ran and hugged her pony, then ran and hugged Grey Wolf, thanking him. She went back and hugged her stallion again. "What's his name?"
"That's up to you, Earth."
"Ravenhold." she smiled. "Mom, can I ride him now?"
"Just be careful, deerling." she smiled to her daughter. She then turned to Grey wolf. "How on Mother Earth...why..."
"She needed something to play with." He smiled, and she hugged him greatly.
"How long can you stay?"
"Until the sun rises. Water asked me to bring these to her as well." He held out the bow and quiver.
While Earth rode around on Ravenhold, Grey Wolf and Spotted Fawn prepared the evening meal. They talked about what had happened in the fours years since their previous meeting. He told her about the struggles with the government and how they had lost more land. When he told her about the battles with neighboring tribes his face grew sad.
"What?" she asked noticing a tear threatening to fall.
"During one of the battles Running Creek was killed." The tears had won their battles and were now running freely. "The last thing he said to me before he died was that it was unfair to you."
"Grey Wolf, I'm so sorry."
"I'm alone now."
"No, you're not, dear friend. I'm here. Earth, though she's young, is here. She already dearly loves you." She laughed and he looked at her funny. "You don't know how many times she's asked when you were coming."
"Really? I didn't think she would remember me after so many years, and at such a young age."
"She says she remembers a man with a warm face." Fawn had instinctively placed her hand on Wolf's face. "And she always asked who made her the dress."
He had covered her hand with his now. "Looks like she'll be needing another sooner than later." That made them both laugh. He peeled her hand from his face and held it in both of his hands. Staring down at them, he was amazed by all those two small hands had accomplished. He gently rubbed patterns onto the backs of those hands. "Thank you." he said mildly soft.
"For what?" she asked, feeling oddly comforted at her hands entrapped in his.
"For making me feel better. You always could growing up."
"I guess I still can." and she obeyed when he pulled her closer. Taking his hand and softly cradling her head, he leaned down and kissed her on the forehead when she looked up to him.
"What was that for?" she asked.
"To thank you." he said releasing her head. Still holding her hand they walked to Fawn's favorite spot by the creek. From under the large root, they watched as Earth rode around on Ravenhold. All was at peace in the little meadow, and Fawn knew that with Wolf behind her, she and Earth would be fine.
End chapter three. Four coming. I promise it gets more interesting as it goes. I started skipping years in this one, and I think I do it a few more times. Later!
Life Happens chapter three: Peace in the Meadow
It had been nearly a year when Grey Wolf, with directions from Water, made it out to see Spotted Fawn and Earth. When he arrived at the little meadow, he was stunned. 'She really has done well.' he thought looking at the little lean-to next to the berry bush. "Fawn!" he hollered. She came out holding a bowl of corn mash when she heard her name. She saw him, laid down the bowl, and ran to him. He warmly greeted her, embracing her in his strong arms. "It's so good to see you, Fawn."
"It's been too long, dear friend." She stood back, wiping the tears from her eyes.
"You've done exceptionally well. Out here, by yourself."
"Not so by myself actually." She said leading him over to the lean-to. He crouched down and looked in. There he saw the little baby Water had told him about. Spotted Fawn reached in and picked her up out of the cradle.
"Fawn,..." he smiled. "She's beautiful. Just like her mother. What's her name?"
"Earth." she said handing the child over to her life long friend. "For she is of the earth." She smiled again, a smile hiding thoughts and worries for the child. This was going to be a long ride, but they were going to get through it. Together.
The two set down outside the lean-to. Spotted Fawn offered him water, which he accepted only after learning that there was an immense supply just beyond the trees.
"I have something for the child...for when she gets bigger." He pulled out a small, rolled up bundle of leather and untied the cord around it. A beautiful little dress made of leather unrolled itself.
"She'll love it. Thank you, Wolf. It's been good seeing you. What has happened in almost a years time. I expected you earlier." She said going back to the corn mash. He was content with holding little Earth.
"A lot. We've been having problems with poachers, and the government keeps taking more land. Soon we won't have out hunting grounds."
"How's the chief and your brother doing?"
"Good. My father has reached his prime years. He says if there is a battle to be fought, he will not stand by and not help."
"A true chief."
"You're not upset that he exiled you?" This stunned him.
"No. I was upset at first. This has really helped me to grow up. And I'm not angry that this happened. I wouldn't have her if it hadn't."
The two talked a while longer until he said he needed to get back to the village. Like Water, Wolf had slipped out. They walked to the end of the meadow togther, where he handed Earth back to her.
"Come back soon, Grey Wolf. It is a pleasure to see you." She said hugging the tall, twenty year old.
"I most certainly will. Thought I don't know how often with these problems going on."
"Whenever you can." she said wistfully.
"I was lucky to have tonight. But it was all worth it. Until later, my friend." and he was gone. **************************************************************************** ****
Four years had come and gone before Spotted Fawn had seem either Rippling Water of Grey Wolf. During this time a large fight had broke out between her tribe and a neighboring one. There had been many battles, with loses on both sides. After those had been settled, the government began pounding the Cherokees. By the end, with many battles with white settlers, the Cherokees had lost more land.
During this time, both Rippling Water and Grey Wolf had thought much of Spotted Fawn and Earth. Grey Wolf desperately wanted to get back and see her and the child. Earth would be at least five by now. 'Has it been that long?' he thought. It had, and he was going to make sure he would see them again. His plan was to offer to round up food and be gone all day. With the battles over, they didn't need soldiers. It would work. He planned to actually get food on his way home the next day. With this promise, he mounted his horse and the pack pony, and was gone. Off to the secret meadow in the forest.
When he came to the meadow and the lean-to no one was there. He dismounted and tied the horses to the nearest tree. Walking around, he called out for Spotted Fawn. "Fawn! Fawn! Where are you?!"
"Right here." He heard back. She appeared from the woods near the creek. "Grey Wolf! It's been too long!" She ran and hugged him tightly.
He didn't let go. "I got here and no one was around. I was scared something happened to you and Earth. Where is she?" he asked releasing her. About that time, a spry little five year old came running up dressed in a bright, leather dress. "Earth, do you remember me telling you about my friend Grey Wolf?" She asked her daughter. Earth shook her head of this knowledge. "This is him. Say hi."
"Hi." she said quietly, then became bolder. "Did you make this dress for me?"
"Right after you were born. I brought it the first day I saw you." She left her mother's side and clung to Grey Wolf's leg. He leaned over and she readjusted herself around his neck. "I have another gift for you. This one can grow with you."
"What is it? What is it?" She jumped for joy.
"Close your eyes and stay here. You, too, Fawn." When both had complied, he left then returned quickly. "Okay. Open you eyes."
When Earth opened her eyes, there was a small blue roan pony in front of her. He had a handmade bridle with hawk feathers, and a small handwoven blanket. Spotted Fawn saw this and gasped. Earth ran and hugged her pony, then ran and hugged Grey Wolf, thanking him. She went back and hugged her stallion again. "What's his name?"
"That's up to you, Earth."
"Ravenhold." she smiled. "Mom, can I ride him now?"
"Just be careful, deerling." she smiled to her daughter. She then turned to Grey wolf. "How on Mother Earth...why..."
"She needed something to play with." He smiled, and she hugged him greatly.
"How long can you stay?"
"Until the sun rises. Water asked me to bring these to her as well." He held out the bow and quiver.
While Earth rode around on Ravenhold, Grey Wolf and Spotted Fawn prepared the evening meal. They talked about what had happened in the fours years since their previous meeting. He told her about the struggles with the government and how they had lost more land. When he told her about the battles with neighboring tribes his face grew sad.
"What?" she asked noticing a tear threatening to fall.
"During one of the battles Running Creek was killed." The tears had won their battles and were now running freely. "The last thing he said to me before he died was that it was unfair to you."
"Grey Wolf, I'm so sorry."
"I'm alone now."
"No, you're not, dear friend. I'm here. Earth, though she's young, is here. She already dearly loves you." She laughed and he looked at her funny. "You don't know how many times she's asked when you were coming."
"Really? I didn't think she would remember me after so many years, and at such a young age."
"She says she remembers a man with a warm face." Fawn had instinctively placed her hand on Wolf's face. "And she always asked who made her the dress."
He had covered her hand with his now. "Looks like she'll be needing another sooner than later." That made them both laugh. He peeled her hand from his face and held it in both of his hands. Staring down at them, he was amazed by all those two small hands had accomplished. He gently rubbed patterns onto the backs of those hands. "Thank you." he said mildly soft.
"For what?" she asked, feeling oddly comforted at her hands entrapped in his.
"For making me feel better. You always could growing up."
"I guess I still can." and she obeyed when he pulled her closer. Taking his hand and softly cradling her head, he leaned down and kissed her on the forehead when she looked up to him.
"What was that for?" she asked.
"To thank you." he said releasing her head. Still holding her hand they walked to Fawn's favorite spot by the creek. From under the large root, they watched as Earth rode around on Ravenhold. All was at peace in the little meadow, and Fawn knew that with Wolf behind her, she and Earth would be fine.
End chapter three. Four coming. I promise it gets more interesting as it goes. I started skipping years in this one, and I think I do it a few more times. Later!
