Chapter 1
The screech of an eagle above her and the pungent smell of pine woke the young woman. She looked up the tall green pine tree she was under, her eyes bright and wide with fear. She tried to scream but no sound came from her wide-open mouth. Should I run? Where would I run? I have no idea where I am or how I came to be lying under this tree. She looked down and saw only an old buffalo robe covered her nakedness.
The young woman looked around, and saw only a forest of tall pine trees beside a rushing river. Suddenly it seemed as if the river had moved to an icy flow of fear down her spine. She pulled the robe a little tighter, to stave off a chill that didn’t come from coldness, the sun was shinning brightly through the trees and gave off its warmth. The last thing I remembers is …is nothing! Her mouth opened again to scream; which rose from deep within. I don’t even know my name. She closed her mouth when she saw a young brave. How do I know he is an Indian brave, when I don’t seem to know anything else?
She watched him as he stopped and looked around as if searching for someone. He approached her and spoke in a language she didn’t understand. He repeated it, she raised her hands palms up and shrugged her shoulders, shook her head to try to tell him she didn’t understand. Why am I not afraid of him? Why should I trust him? These questions raced around her mind one after the other.
He gestured for her to follow him, and offered a hand to help her up. She nodded, reached for his hand and stood, as if hypnotized by – by what she wasn’t sure. She suddenly remembered she had only the buffalo robe for covering and she held it tightly with her other hand.
They walked back the way he came, over a well-used trail, through the thick forest. She noticed the direction of the trail by where the sun was. She had no idea where he is taking her but she wanted to remember how to return to where she was. But why? Returning to where she woke made no sense either. Again the thought rose in her: Why am I not afraid?
They came to an Indian encampment; and went to a beautiful decorated tepee and he jester for her to enter. She hesitated but entered slowly and he followed. A white man dressed in buckskin breeches and decorated shirt, rose from where he had been tending a fire. The young brave spoke to him.
When the man looked at her, she saw he was tall and muscular with long wavy brown hair and eyes the colour of deep blue water.
“Who are you?” he asked in a language she understood. “Where did you come from?”
She was unsure if she could speak but she tried. She cleared her throat, “I, umm, umm, I don’t know. I just woke up where he,” she pointed to the young warrior, “he found me.” The young woman paused and she knew from what the man said he didn’t know her.
He looked at her. “It seems you speak English. This is Bear Claw, my son and I am White Wolf. What do you remember? Your name, anything at all?”
She rubbed her forehead, to relieve a sharp pain that suddenly seared behind her eyes. She shut her eyes tightly, furrowed her brow. There was nothing but the pain, not even her name. “No nothing, nothing at all. I don’t even know how I got to where he found me.” She again pointed to Bear Claw. “I didn’t know how to tell him I understood what he wanted but could not tell him who I was.”
“He understood, that is why he brought you here.”
Bear Claw had been looking at the young woman. “I did not know if you were trying to trick me or if you really did not know. That is why I brought you to my father. I am sorry if I scared you.”
“No, I had no fear of you. I have no idea why since I was so close to screaming from fear a few moments before. You had a calming effect on me. It’s the not knowing that scared me. Who am I? How did I get to the river and why am I dressed this way?”
“Is that buffalo robe is all you have?” White Wolf asked. “There is nothing under it?”
She shook her head. “No there is nothing under the robe. It is all I have.” She pulled it a little tighter around her shoulders. An unknown fear rose within, and she backed away from them. She stammered, “Ww--why, does it mm--mean some …something to you?”
“No, it means nothing to me.” White Wolf answered when he realized she was suddenly frightened of them. “It is not a good skin, though well treated. May I give you something to put on while I inspect it?”
“Yes, please,” she answered, as she held the robe tightly under her arms. “I was chilly but now quite warm. If you find anything on the robe you will tell me?”
White Wolf went to a peg on one of the tepee poles and took down a beautifully beaded buckskin dress and moccasins. “Put these on.” He looked away as he handed them to her. “We‘ll be outside. Call us when you are finished.”
After White Wolf and Bear Claw left, the young woman held the buckskin dress up and admired its beauty. The precision of the stitching and the colourful beadwork made it look like a ceremonial dress, maybe a wedding dress. She let the robe fall to the floor, and looked at her young naked body for what seemed the first time. She had no idea of her age; but could tell she was not a child. She pulled the dress over her head and it fit her very well. She slipped her feet into the doe skin moccasins, which were soft and comfortable.
“White Wolf, Bear Claw,” she called. “I am dressed. You may come back now.”
They came in and White Wolf avoided looking at the young woman after the first glance. She saw pain deep in his eyes as he reached to pick up the buffalo robe. “I can see no distinguishable marks on it. I will take it to the chief, maybe he can see something I can not.”
White Wolf walked out, without a backward glance at the young woman. While he was gone the young woman looked at Bear Claw and really saw him. He was a strong-bronze coloured young brave with eyes like his father’s but hair as black as a raven’s wing.
She opened her mouth to say something but no word came out, she closed her mouth and looked around the tepee. There was hunting gear and male clothing on pegs on the tent poles. All resemblance of a woman ever being there was gone, except for the dress.
She turned back to Bear Claw and their eyes locked for just a second. A feeling of drowning in the vivid blue filled her and she had to tear her eyes away to keep from drowning, she took a deep breath. Time seemed to stand still waiting for White Wolf to return. Finally after what seemed forever he entered the tepee.
White Wolf did not look at her. The pain could still be seen behind his eyes. “Child, the Chief has heard of a tribe that leaves young white women wrapped only in a buffalo robe. These women were taken as wife/slaves for young warriors.”
She tried to think but there is no memory of being a wife/slave to some warrior; there was only the sharp pain.
White Wolf was still talking so she concentrated on what he is saying. “If the woman makes too much trouble, she is drugged, taken away from the camp and left to die. They do not want to kill her because in a way they admire her courage. This way she is just gone. You must have been very brave and won their admiration even through their anger.” He finally looked at her. His eyes misted over.
“Father, what is it? What’s wrong? Why have you stopped talking? What’s the matter?” Bear Claw asked when the pain behind his father’s eyes register to him.
White Wolf looked away from the young women. “Just remembering your mother, son.” He looked back at the young woman. “Snow Bear was Bear Claw’s mother. That is her dress you are wearing.”
Bear Claw had very little memory of his mother who died when he was very young. “She was very beautiful wasn’t she Father? I wish I remembered more about her.”
“Enough about your mother, this young woman isn’t interested in our past.” White Wolf, dragged his eyes from the young woman, hesitated as if trying to remember what he was saying. “Oh, yes.” He looked at his son and then at the young woman. “The drug they gave you took away your memory. Some memories may return and others may not or none will. Chief Great Bear would like to meet you if you are up to it.”
“Of course,” she shivered, swallowed twice trying to find that courage White Wolf said she had.
“He wants to see for himself if you are a troublemaker and what if anything you remember. If he thinks you are lying, you will be taken back to where Bear Claw found you and left to fend for yourself. You may not return here. Do you understand?”
The young woman nodded, swallowed the rising fear. She was not sure what was about to happen, but knew this would mean life or death to her. “Yes I understand.”
“Try to answer his questions, truthfully and with respect. He will know if you are lying. I will translate between you.”
They went across the encampment to a bigger tepee with a great black bear embroidered on the hide. White Wolf coughed slightly and taped the covering of the opening. She heard a gruff voice answer that must have meant enter.
In the dimness she saw an elderly man sitting cross-legged on a black bear rug. He spoke. “The Chief says to sit and he asked what you are called?” White Wolf said.
She sat on the rugs covering the floor of the tepee and answered, “I have no idea. I remember nothing before I woke by the river.”
The chief spoke again. “Has any memory returned since you woke?”
“No,” She shook her head. With each look from this grizzled, battle scared old chief, she shrunk a little more, until she felt as big as a worm. She started to fidget and then hid her hands behind her back entwining and twisting her fingers. Her eyes welled up with tears, but she forced them to stop. This is no time for tears. I must be brave.How can I trust him to translate truthfully?” Then realized she had said it aloud.
With a smile White wolf reassured her. “Because I am Great Bear’s son-in-law and my son, his grandson is next in line to be Chief. I would not offend him or myself by lying to him. I have said exactly or as close as translation will allow. The meaning is the same. Now I will tell Great Bear what I have said to you and why.”
He told the chief what he and the young woman had been talking about and a big smile appeared on Great Bear’s face. He spoke and his grizzled old face changed into one of compassion.
“Great Bear says we are return to my tent and eat. You will be Bear Claws charge and my daughter unless you do something to prove you are a troublemaker. I would advise you to be on your best behaviour.”
They left Great Bear’s tepee and White Wolf told her who lived in each colourfully painted tepee, each one a little different but with the same theme, a big bear. The women were preparing the morning meal. Warriors tended their horses. The camp looked to be prosperous and busy.
“Stay as far away from Eagle Wing and his followers as you can. If you come in contact with any of them be very submissive. It may save your life. Magic Dove, Eagle Wing’s wife is the medicine woman; she will be very kind to you but do not approach her. Leave it to her to come to you if she wishes. It is for your own good I am telling you this”
“Yes, I will do as you say. I do not want any trouble. Thank you for everything. How long will I live with you and what is going to happen to me? What will I be called? I have no idea of my name.”
White Wolf said, “Bear Claw will name you as he found you. As long as you are here you will be treated as my daughter. You will stay as long as Bear Claw desires. You will be his property but treated as a sister.”
They entered the tepee; Bear Claw followed from where he had tended their horses. “Sister, do you know how to cook? We will find the food and you will cook it.”
“I don’t know, but I am willing to find out. Why did you call me Sister?”
“Because that is what you are now. Is that not right Father?
White Wolf smiled. “Yes, that is right. Is that what you will call her?” He looked at his son and them at the young woman.
Bear Claw looked at her. “Well, for now I will call you either Sister or Pine Cone as I found you under a pine tree.
“No, no, not Pine Cone, please anything but that.” The young woman cringed at the name. “Sister is much better.”
“Okay Sister, it will be,” Bear Claw said. “Welcome to our home, Sister.”
White Wolf said, “Sister, there is meat in the pit, come and I will show you. The food is for our use unless I say differently. Right now everyone has enough to eat. It is only when food is scarce that all is shared equally.”
They entered a mud hut behind the tepee; the floor covered with many different kinds of salted and dried meats. Some she knew and others she didn’t. The odour of deer meat, bear and buffalo meat as well as fish made her stomach growl. She didn’t remember when she last ate.
“Do I decide what to cook or do you?” Sister asked over the growling of her stomach.
If you are cooking, you decide.” White Wolf said. “Grain and fruits are in the cave over there.” He pointed to one of many bear hide coverings in the side of a pine-covered hill behind the encampment as they come outside. “If you do not know something, do not be afraid to ask questions. I would rather show you than waste food.”
“Yes, I will ask.”
It didn’t take long to find out she was a good cook, and knew ways of cooking they do not. Her memory did not return but nightly dreams haunted her, of being a small child, with a mother and a father. Then the dreams turned to nightmares with a wagon train and an Indian attack. Each night she woke screaming in a cold sweat. She was fearful her nightly screams would cause the tribe to want to get rid of her, so she talked to White Wolf. “I don’t know what to do. I am afraid to go to sleep. Can you please help me?”
“I know nothing of dreams. I will ask Magic Dove if she will help you.”
