I have taken inspiration from Auntioaty's question as to whether Vic is really there or just in Walt's head and am going to provide two possible paths to this story, kind of like a choose your own adventure book. If you want to follow the story line that flows from Walt actually hearing Vic say the words "Be careful Walt" then read the chapters marked with an A. If you want to follow the story line that flows from Walt hearing Vic say the words in his head, then read the chapters marked B. Please let me know how you think this works. If it gets too complicated, I can end In my arms at chapter 14 and make two different stories that head out in different directions on their own.
The sight of the owl perched on the fence stops me in my tracks. As we silently regard one another I know I have never seen one it's equal. It's size alone makes it a special specimen but it's the eyes that make the biggest impression on me. They're an unusual variation. I take pause and contemplate the significance of this anomaly. It takes me back to the time I spent with Henry at his grandmother's home on the reservation when we were growing up. She loved to tell the stories of her people to her grandchildren. Henry and I were nearly inseparable at the time and I was often included in the cultural lessons. I attended the Methodist church with my mother every Sunday morning and Wednesday evening, but my other spiritual training was Indian.
Owls hold great significance to the Cheyenne. Due to their nocturnal behavior they are most closely associated with death and the afterlife. They are often thought to be either messengers sent from the spirits of the dead or the spirits themselves. It's the ear tufts of Great Horned Owls in particular that are the signs of their connection to spiritually powerful beings and the Cheyenne hold them in higher esteem than any other owl. Some tribes believe it's this owl that stands along the star road that leads to Seana, the camp of the dead, allowing some spirits to pass and sentencing others to a life wandering the earth. That is powerful indeed, to be the gatekeeper to eternity. Not a job I'd want to have.
Cheyenne warriors would sometimes attach feathers from owls to their shields and weapons when they went to battle, or wear them to impart the owl's special abilities when hunting. Owls are excellent predators, some attacking and consuming other birds as well as mammals as large as themselves. Their silent wings give them a distinct advantage when hunting because their prey cannot hear them coming. I think about the owl feathers adorning the Cheyenne Rifle of the Dead that had been given to me by Lonnie Little Bird. The rifle seems to make a lot of Cheyenne nervous. Many believe the rifle is looking for people to take back to Seana. I don't know about that, but I know that anyone shot by that rifle isn't going to be on earth for long.
I can't help but keep focus on this owl's eyes. Great Horned Owls have eyes in varying shades of yellow sometimes shifting into orange. But the eyes of this particular owl are so deeply orange they appear almost red. The color red is considered to be spiritually powerful in Cheyenne culture. So what message is this most powerful bird here to impart to me? Did Martha send it? Is she letting me know she's okay or is she sending me a warning? I choose to believe this owl has come to share it's stealth and quickness as I set out to hunt down my own prey. I turn from the owl and walk to my truck. It will be easier to catch Nighthorse if, like the owl, he doesn't hear me coming.
The physical act of driving onto the reservation reminds me of previous times I have entered this land uninvited. It carries the most similarities to when I served a federal warrant and arrested Malachi. That time it was official business and I took Henry with me. This time I go alone and without the backing of my office. Vic's admonition to be careful continues to sound in my head and I audibly answer her, "I'll try Vic, I'll try." I do not pass any other vehicles and manage to make my way to Nighthorse's home unstopped by tribal police. The reservation is quiet, perhaps because many of the people are gathered at the Red Pony to help celebrate Henry's freedom. It appears there is no one home at Jacob's house so I pull to the side and exit the truck. After confirming the doors to the house are locked I sit and place my rifle across my knee, waiting for Jacob to arrive home. I'm a patient man and will wait as long as it takes.
Information for the meaning of the owl in Cheyenne culture came from the article "Concerning Owls" by Jonathan Holmes at www . PowWows . com and from Craig Johnson's A Cold Dish, the first of his Walt Longmire Mysteries. General facts about owls came from the website for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and it's article "All About Birds".