Elizabeth
I was excited as I grabbed my gear, ready to let my creative side loose, out in the reservation which few outside of the local residents had access to.
I was an artist, a photographer and a painter. I had sought permission to go and capture the rugged beauty of that unspoiled land for a while now. I had written several letters requesting permission to photograph and paint on the Red Cloud reservation and finally I received word that they would allow me access for one month.
I packed up everything I would need and left a note for my roommate so she wouldn't worry about my absence. She was currently backpacking in Canada and wasn't due back till next week.
I needed to hustle, I was meeting up with a tribal representative at 10.30am. I was informed in the letter not to be late or they wouldn't unlock the gates for me.
I drove down the long open road and left civilization behind me, nothing but big open skies, scrub brush and those majestic red mesas surrounded me. This was exactly what I needed to get my creative juices flowing again. I had been struggling lately to come up with inspiration for a new series and this was bound to do the trick.
I arrived at 10.20am and sat in my truck while I waited for the person to show up. I didn't even see a puff of dirt from any vehicles approaching my location and you could see out for miles. I hoped they hadn't forgotten about my arrival.
About 5 minutes later I saw a woman riding a big paint horse approaching me.
She waved for me to follow her and I drove up slowly till I reached her side. She didn't dismount, instead she reached inside my window to shake my hand.
"Hello my name is Sky Dancer, you must be Elizabeth Parker. Welcome to Red Cloud." I shook her hand and greeted her and she explained to me that I should follow her to where I could leave my truck and set up for my stay.
She took off at a canter and I drove after her down the dirt track.
We stopped some 20 minutes later. I surveyed my surroundings and saw a small hut and a crude corral standing off to one side. There was an old well to the right of the hut and that was it, basic but absolutely perfect for my needs.
She dismounted and tied her horse to the fence post. I was impressed that such a small women could mount such a tall horse without a saddle.
"This was my grandfather's old hunting cabin. You may use it for your visit. You'll find all the basic things you should need in there. I will also mention that we would prefer it if you didn't drive around in your truck too often while you are here because it scares the game away and game is scarce enough to come by as it is. We will provide a horse for you to use instead." She looked at me and scratched her head. "You can ride, can't you?"
"Um, yes but not very well if it's bare back."
She smiled. "I'm sure we can find you a saddle so don't worry. We will also give you a tame horse that's easy to control."
I thanked her for her kindness and started to unload my truck. She got back on her horse, with what looked like very little effort at all. She just leapt up in one graceful movement.
"My brother should be round with your horse pretty soon. If you need anything our settlement is about 15 minutes further up the track we came in on." She waved as she trotted away.
I had just finished unloading all my gear when I heard the sound of hooves approaching. I came out of the hut to see a large, bare chested, man astride a stunning palomino stallion. He was leading a pretty black mare behind him.
I stared at him like a dumbstruck idiot. He was really handsome with sharp, striking facial features and a body like a sculptured masterpiece. His long hair was braided down his back with a leather string.
I made myself close my mouth as he dismounted. He looked at me with piercing grey eyes, almost the colour of wet slate with specks of silver surrounding his pupils. He had the most unusual eyes I'd ever seen.
"My name is Grey Wolf. My sister sent me here to bring you a horse and to ask you if you needed anything." He looked me up and down and his nostrils flared. I sniffed my shirt in confusion. I didn't stink, in fact I still smelled the faint perfume from my favorite soap as I breathed in my scent.
I extended my hand to him but he ignored me as he walked the horses over to the corral and let the mare inside. He proceeded to undo the straps securing the worn saddle she had on her back. After placing the saddle over one of the poles he grabbed a bucket and headed to the well. As he filled the trough he spoke to me.
"There is grain for the horse inside the hut. You can gather some water grass for her to eat too. It grows on the banks of the creek about a quarter mile that way." He pointed out the direction and I made a mental note to remember where to go.
He jumped up onto his horse after he filled the trough and turned to face me. "There are predators in the area so don't stray too far from this place. I wouldn't recommend going out after dark either. There is wood to make a fire behind the hut. My sister will come by tomorrow to show you where it's safest for you to go. Good day Miss Parker."
I waved at him as he rode off but he didn't turn round to see it. I shouted my thanks to him and hoped he could hear me.
I could tell he didn't want me here.
I spent my first night huddled by the wood stove in the little hut. It was rather cold here at night despite the long hot day. I moved the rickety old cot as close to the stove as I dared and went to sleep. I was used to a large, soft bed and I found sleeping in the cot rather restrictive. I also wasn't used to turning in so early but the long day and the fresh air had left me yawning by around 8pm and I was in bed by 9. After spending a couple of hours tossing about I finally fell asleep.
Around 2am I was roused from my sleep by the sound of howling wolves. They were pretty close to the hut from what I could tell and I got up to latch the door.
I found it strange to hear wolves around here, I expected coyotes and foxes but this wasn't wolf territory. I got back into bed and tried to go back to sleep. The wolf song finally fell quiet and I closed my eyes in relief.
I was woken early the following morning by the sound of the mare snorting and whinnying outside. She obviously wanted breakfast so I pulled on my coat and grabbed a jug full of grain to feed her.
She was a little weary of me at first but when she smelled the food she trotted up towards me to be fed. I stroked her silky black mane as she ate. She really was a pretty horse and obviously very well taken care of. I was looking forward to going out for a ride when Sky Dancer arrived later today. I would have to ask her about the horse's name too as Grey Wolf had not mentioned it. I wondered why he seemed so displeased with my being here. I hadn't come here to be a burden on the tribe. I hoped to make friends with some of them while I was here so there was a chance I could return to Red Cloud another time.
I decided to take a walk to the creek to pick some grass for the horse. I grabbed an old grain sack and headed out into the crisp morning air. The sun hadn't made it over the Mesas ahead of me yet and the horizon was starting to glow, covering the area in a myriad of pinks, oranges and yellows as the sun rose higher in the sky. It really was a beautiful morning. I loved being out in the wilderness with no one in sight and the only sounds being the morning chatter of the birds and the wind rustling through the shrubs and grasses. I drew in a deep breath of fresh air and sighed contently.
The creek was narrow and rocky and the river bank wasn't too steep so I could reach the water with relative ease. The brisk walk had left me rather thirsty so I dipped my hand in the cold, clear water and brought it up to my lips for a drink. It was cool and sweet and I went in for another handful after the first. The water that you got out of the taps in towns and cities never tasted this good. The chemicals that were added to it in order to pass all the health and safety regulations always left behind that telltale chlorine flavour and smell. This water was pure, unadulterated and untainted just like the land itself.
There was an abundance of river grass so I had the bag filled in no time.
I was heading back down to the hut when I spotted what appeared to be a large wolf in the distance. I stopped and strained my eyes to get a better look but it had disappeared into the brush and rocky outcrops. I would have to ask Sky Dancer about this because it made me rather uncomfortable that these animals appeared to be comfortable enough to venture so close to human habitation.
The horse picked up her head and snickered as she saw me return. I'm sure she could smell the grass because she trotted up to me as soon as I reached the corral. I emptied out my bag and she went to work devouring the lush, sweet grass I picked for her.
Now that the horse was content I set to work to feed myself. I got the coffee pot boiling on the wood stove and I warmed up a couple of pastries and sliced up some melon for my breakfast. I ate my meal outside, looking out at the beautiful morning sky.
Grey Wolf
"I don't care if she's paying us! She shouldn't be here it's too dangerous for us to risk it." I ran my hands through my hair and glared at the other tribal council members.
"I could barely control myself around her. Damnit, she smells like sex on a stick! If I find it hard to deal with, imagine the younger wolves. She needs to go and soon before they pick up her scent and it drives them crazy with lust."
"Grey we can make this work. We could use the money to be frank, we rarely get an opportunity like this. We will give her a 2 mile perimeter that she will need to remain within. If she wants to go out further she will need to go with one of us as a guide. I'd suggest Sky Dancer or one of the other women act as her guide and liaison. I will personally take the younger members of the pack out on hunting and scouting missions far away from here."
"Fine, Black claw, but this is on you if it ends badly. If she finds out about us we cannot let her leave and the last thing we need is her people filing a missing persons report and sending the authorities our way." I sat down, my hands bunched into fists as I tried to erase her from my mind. I had never been so close to losing control around a woman. I never reacted like this and towards a human woman, no less.
"Make sure you keep the younger wolves far away from her. In fact keep all unmated males away. Make sure they understand what punishment lies in store for those that disobey me."
