(Special Thanks to Mystic_Arrival S~(editor) She has put her special touch in this story and taught me how to create a story that is readable. And Thank you Elizabetht (editor),if not for them this story would not be what it is today.)
(The Joining)
The horse's nostrils were flaring open and closed as its head bobbed. The hooves thundered underneath him as he ran with the wind. Its white form and grey mane and tail whipped with its galloping strides. The earth released the clods beneath the pounding hooves and a light trail of dust trailed behind as it sped through a trail in the meadow.
"Taca...Taca," yelled the Indian on the horses back, as he slapped the horses flank. "Taca." Thundering across the meadow, nearing.
Gray Hawk was the young Indian riding like the wind. His lanky frame molded into the horse as he had handfuls of mane and was shouting. His braided hair flapping up and down as he thundered into the village. His tan skin glazed brown in the sun.
The people in the village all came to his call and lined up along their teepees. The young man come galloping into the center of the camp and the horse reared slightly as the command to stop was given by the young brave.
"Taca," he yelled again as he pounced from the horses back and pointed towards where he came from. The chief gripped the mans' arm as if to calm him and looked in the direction from which he came. The chief's nod to the mountains was all it took, the men all gathered themselves and leaped to horse back. A band of Indian braves rode towards the plains, as fast as their horses would run.
Little Dove was an Indian maid, whom had her heart given to Grey Hawk. Her feelings were, "deeper than the blue water at the foot of the mountains," she once told him. She ran to Gray Hawk and handed him a pouch of jerky and a skinned sack sealant of water. He quickly kissed her and mounted his pony riding off after the band that thundered across the meadow. She blushed as she looked around and all the women giggled. That was the first time he had kissed her. She smiled bigger than the majestic mountains as she touched her cheek where he had just laid his lips.
She shyly ran back to her teepee and brushed back the deer hide that covered the entry. Once inside she went back to her sewing of the leather, her gift to her man. With a smile upon her face as she glanced over to the gown she would wear in the new sun, when she would be joined in life with her love, Gray Hawk.
Her fingers and hands wove binds on the outer edge of the two pieces of skin. A sheath for his knife. "He will be so surprised, I'm sure," she thought. Her mind danced of the thoughts of him, with recollections of the time they met at the creek and she thought he was arrogant, boastful: and full of himself. Till his horse faltered in the water and he was dumped into the chilly wetness. They laughed and she knew then his heart was pure. For he didn't anger, he found humor in life which brought her joy.
The time the fire roared from the woods and his first dash, was to see that she was alright. He held her for the first time, rushing her to the river for safety as he ran back to help the elders to safety too. She smiled even more as her busy fingers intertwined in the strips of leather.
A giggle came from her as her thoughts were of when she caught him relieving himself behind the tall pines while she was picking berries and she scolded him and reminded him not to pour his foul yellow water on the berries or she would have to ride him like a pony and break his spirit. His reply was that his spirit was captured by her beauty all ready. Her smile grew even more so.
She heard the yell of the first warrior who had returned with portions of their first trip to bring back pieces of the buffalo, for all to share. She didn't go running for she knew her share was coming too, in time. It would take many trips, before the men were through bringing meat to the women, to fix for a feast this night. For the "Taca," had given them nourishment again.
She only hoped that she would get a hide this time, for the last couple times she did not and she wasn't married yet, so no man had brought her one yet. Her only hide came from her father who had passed many summers ago. She loved it and it brought her warmth, the smell of her father was all over it, but another for her new husband to be, would bring her much joy.
The only two things she could hope for was to be joined with her man Hawk and a new hide from a buffalo. That was wanting a lot, she knew, but she wanted it nonetheless.
As another cry came from the meadow; as another brave brought back meat from the plains. "Perhaps she should go and help the women prepare." She thought as it will be a busy night in the village.
She drew back the hide at the entrance and stepped through the opening and stood erect. She peered at the mountain peaks that were capped with snow and the blue sky that folded around the towering earth. Mother earth has been so kind to us this spring. She heard the cry of a hawk that soared across the sky as she put her hand over her eyes to shade the sun, so she could see the bird, the spirit of her love.
The Hawk was in a full dive, with the speed of a gale wind, wings folded and falling faster than a rock tossed from a cliff. She watched the hawk in his dive till she saw the dove that was darting across the meadow. "Oh no," she gasped. As the Hawk hit the dove in mid flight and the dove fell to the ground. The hawk swooped upon its prey and took its capture in talon and began to secure its meal.
Such is life, "but a hawk and a dove don't fall in love," she recalled her mother saying. Mother didn't approve of her joining. But she was old enough to speak for herself. She wanted this man that was called Hawk and that is different she spat back to her mother, moons ago.
"The spirit of the hawk is in the man, the spirit of the dove is in you," she recalled her mother saying.
She walked to the fire that was being built as women were pitching their own standing poled frames to cook meat upon. Her mother smiled from a distance. Little Dove looked around the village and all where in good spirits now, for a feast was beginning to unravel, the meat of the buffalo was trickling into the camp more and more .
She heard the familiar rebel cry as she darted to her feet and turned her head around. She saw Hawk galloping into the village. He tossed one handful of meat wrapped in a small skin to his family's teepee, and his sister caught it and unwrapped it, as fast as her fingers could. Hawk never missed a beat and continued straight to her.
The horse never really stopped as it got to Little Dove. Hawk just jumped from its back as he landed and slowed his steps the best he could, as he fell into Dove and their embrace. Their eyes met and he just laid his lips upon hers until she became flushed, as a flower red as he stepped back and looked at her.
"What?" He questioned as he saw the look on Doves face. "We will be joined tomorrow. I wish to taste my wife now."
"You will taste her tomorrow as is proper." Dove said shyly and embarrassed. She looked around to see who might have witnessed such a thing and the whole village was gazing on her. She was so embarrassed she darted into her work to keep her mind from thinking of the act. Hawk handed her the wrapped skin that enclosed the bounty of buffalo. She looked at him and smiled as she whisked off.
He stood there part confused and partially full of joy. His blood pumped wildly this day. He smiled at the thought of the lips he had just savored. Then ran to his family to help with the preparation.
The night had fallen and the camp was busy, many were feeding and many were stretching hides, before they became stiff. The fire was roaring in the center of the village as little fires flickered scattered out. The main fire was where the elders and the children sat. Smiling Bear was telling his usual stories. Dove sat with her meat in hand listening to the fables of truth and myths of mysteries. It was her favorite time of the feast.
She felt his hand on her shoulder as Hawk sat next to her with his meal and smiled. Then he was quiet for the story teller. They both scooted close to each other and smiled as Smiling Bear was telling his tales.
"...The Sun journeyed every day, across the skies in search of a lake of magical powers. This lake will grant any wish if you drink of it. Now the Sun's wish is that he can find his love that comes to him in the darkest night of the month...she'll slide beside him...and love him like no other...." Smiling Bear smiled.
A giggle went through the crowd of listeners, they were hushed by their peers and encouraged Smiling Bear to continue.
Smiling Bear continued for a moment. "His heart waits anxiously every month for her sweet loving...but it disturbs him that he knows her not."
Bear stopped a moment as many said their "Awwwws'"
"After many years of this romance he figures out a plan...and on her next visit he will try it...so when the darkest night of the month came and she slid next to him and loved him like no other...he put his hand in the dying fires ambers and filled his fingers with ash...and brushed his loves face as they made love..." Smiling Bear paused.
Again the giggles came from the young children listening in awe.
"The next morning she was gone...this shy one had left him again so Sun got up and went out into his day and searched for the lake as well as his love. The day was long and he found neither his heart sank as he fell to the other side of the earth. Then in the distant twilight he caught a glimpse of Moon. A lovely women who kept to herself and rarely seen by Sun. As he fell to the other side, he spotted the smudge marks on Moons face as he caught his last glimpse of her as night took over. Sun then knew who his love was and cursed that they lived so far away from each other. He was storming around for days.
Realizing they will never be together...unless he looks for the magical lake. That he can drink from it and ask for his wish to be with Moon always. Not just once a month when you see them both in the twilight. If you look real good she still wears the smudge marks as a reminder that she belongs to Sun."
Bear pointed up at the full moon that shined brightly and the smudges that showed on the moons surface were very apparent this night.
The children snickered as the lovers in camp cuddled closer. "More Bear more...another," the Children pleaded.
