“Please, Running Buck, don’t go. I’m afraid of what will happen if you do.”
“ Little Bird, I have to go. If I don’t go this time, I won’t get a second chance. You know that the others will make sure I don’t get to try again. If I don’t do this now, I’ll never get to be a hunter.”
Little Bird hung her head. She wished she could shake this feeling of doom that was hanging over her. She couldn’t explain it, but she knew that it was somehow connected to the upcoming hunt. She could never remember the dream, but she always awoke from it with a start and in a cold sweat.
Running Buck knelt beside her. “It will be fine,” he tried to reassure her. He knew his words held no comfort for her. He knew that whatever her dream held would most likely come true. She had proven her ability to him on too many occasions for him to doubt her now. He sighed. “I wish I could stay, but I can’t.”
She smiled at him. “I know,” she said. “I just wish I could remember the dream. Maybe then I could make this feeling go away.” She stood and gathered the water containers she had been sent to fill.
Running Buck stood also. He took one of the containers from her so that he could take her hand in his. He felt so alive when he was with her. It was important that he do well on this hunt. If he did, the council would let them marry. They had been given conditional approval. If Running Buck could prove that he would be able to provide for them, they would be allowed to marry in two years. That is why he had to go in the morning despite her fears. If he didn’t, he’d lose her; she would be given to another.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The next morning dawned clear and crisp. Little Bird stood with Shining Star as Red Bear, Lone Wolf, and Running Buck joined the hunting party. She did her best to not let Running Buck see her fear. She too knew how important it was that Running Buck do well on this hunt. She did not want to be given to anyone else. She wanted only to be able to be with him and live a long and happy life together.
She watched as the party cleared the small rise on the horizon. She began to turn back toward the village when a movement to the side caught her eye. The panic she felt as the small dust cloud turned into four men on horseback caught the words in her throat. She couldn’t make a sound. She wanted to scream at the hunting party to come back. She now knew what the dream was trying to tell her – the village was in danger. White men were coming!
She turned back toward the village once more, but the terror she felt as the riders approached froze her where she stood. She vaguely remembered this overwhelming feeling of fear from before – from when she lived amongst the whites. A scream from the village brought her back to the present.
“ Little Bird, run! Save yourself!” Shining Star yelled as one of the riders used his rifle to knock her to the ground. As he raised the weapon to shoot, Little Bird came to her senses. “No,” she hollered as she ran toward where the older woman’s crumpled body lay.
“ Well, well, well. Looky here,” laughed one of the riders as he grabbed hold of Little Bird and hoisted her into the air. “We got us a white girl.” He dropped her across his saddle.
“ Be careful with her,” his companion snapped. “She may be worth something.”
Little Bird struggled to get free, but the man was too strong and soon she was being carried away from her home once more.
As they traveled, she struggled to remember the words from before. She needed to remember them if she was to survive this latest change. She needed to control her fear; she must remain calm.
When they made camp, she carefully approached the man who appeared to be in charge. Before she spoke she offered up a quick prayer that these were the right words. She stood head down before the man and waited.
“ What you want, Girl?” the man asked.
“ Please,” Little Bird said. “Please, take me home.”
“ And where would that be?” the man asked with a grin.
Little Bird gazed over his shoulder to the dying glow left by the burning village. The fear of his possible reaction caused her to pause. She silently promised herself that one day she would return; she would once more find her intended and make things right.
She forced herself to look away from the burning village and into his eyes. “Springfield,” she said.
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