The Adventures of Cherokee (12 page)

Cherokee did not answer him, but turned and galloped back toward the herd of mares. He could hear an eagle calling high in the sky and he remembered he had promised to pray to
Asga ya galun Lati
about the killing of the buffalo.

“Oh,
Asga ya galun Lati,
why do men have to kill the animals? Why does Natas have to be so mean and thoughtless? Your world is a beautiful place and we live in peace. But many have come to create trouble in this place. Is there anything that I can do to help you keep it peaceful?” As he said his prayer, he used his inner thoughts to ask the eagle to carry this prayer to the Great Spirit. The eagle answered him, dipping his wings and soaring higher and higher until he was out of sight.

Cherokee did not immediately go back to
Ε tsi
and the other mares. He rested in the trees and watched as the moon came up and flooded the valley with a soft glow. He could see Sunee grazing with the others, resting after their long journey and enjoying the company of the herd.

He was just beginning to doze off when he heard a sound. At first it sounded like the wind in the trees, but it grew louder and he thought he could hear a voice speaking. “What could it be?” he thought. He was not afraid, but wary.

“Cherokee,” the voice whispered. “Cherokee, it is I, Grandfather.”

“Grandfather?” he called quickly. “Oh, Grandfather. I have a need to know things that I did not know to ask you before.”

“Yes, Cherokee, I understand. First, Sunee will be alright. She has been twice blessed and will have two sons for you. You will name one
Too Hool’ Zoout.
Sunee will name the other.”

“What does it mean, Grandfather?”

“To the Nez Perce it means
‘thunder on the mountain’.
This colt will do good things, and he will make a great name for himself far from this place of his birth.”

“Who are the Nez Perce?” asked Cherokee.

“They are another tribe of Indians who live in the west. I have met horses who belonged to the Nez Perce and this name is honorable.”

“I will do as you say, but Grandfather? I have other questions. Why do men kill and what can I do to protect the mares from Natas? Do you know about Natas?” added Cherokee.

“Yes, Cherokee. I know all things. You have no control over men who kill. They kill to eat and to trade for other things that they need. Man does not know that one day he will have killed everything and there will be nothing left. Man surely travels the red path.”

“Father told me of the red path. He said it represents evil or bad things.”

“That’s right, Cherokee. Man walks the red

path.”

“And the others are blue and white. Is that correct, Grandfather?”

“Yes,” said Grandfather. “You have taken the blue path, the path of adventure. Sunee has taken the white path, the path for good.”

“Thank you for reminding me. Now what can I do about Natas?” asked Cherokee.

“I can only tell you this. You and Sunee once spoke of his ‘backward’ thinking. When you speak his name, think of it as ‘backward’ and you will understand that this horse and his words are shadowed and the truth is hidden. He is evil. When the time comes you will know what to do. I will be near when you need me.” Grandfather’s voice was gone.

The next morning Sunee saw Cherokee on a hill overlooking the mares. She was glad to see him and called to him to join the herd. He trotted down the hill, following a well worn path that had obviously been used for many years. They met at a small creek, but before taking a drink, they rubbed noses and just stood quietly for a while.

“I missed you,” whispered the mare.

“I missed you, too,” answered Cherokee. “Let’s get a drink of water and walk for a while. I must tell you what Grandfather said last night.”

They enjoyed a long leisurely drink of cool water, turned and walked quietly, following the creek water as if flowed southward. Neither of them talked for a long while, just enjoying each other’s company, as they had so often in the past.

Finally, Sunee could wait no longer and asked, “Cherokee? What do you mean Grandfather said something to you last night?”

“He talked to me and told me that you have been twice blessed. You will have
ta li,
two sons when your time comes.”

“Ta li!
Oh, Cherokee. I do not know how to raise one son.”

“But you will have my help,” he said, a bit surprised.

“What do you know about raising children?” she asked him. “You can protect us from danger, but what about keeping them out of trouble and teaching them all the things Grandfather taught us? Grandfather is not with us any more.”

“Well, you have
Ε tsi
and the others to help you. We will stay here as long as you want. Would that make you feel better?” he asked her.

“Yes,” she said. “I will need the help of the other mares for a long time.”

“Grandfather said something else, too,” he reminded Sunee.

“Oh, yes. What else did he say?” she asked.

“Do you remember when you said Natas had backward thinking?” She nodded her head up and down in response. “Well, we are to think on that and be careful about our friendship with him. Backward is turned around, the last first and the first last. Is that right?” He asked.

“Yes,” she answered him thoughtfully. “But what could that mean?”

“We will have to think about that some more,” thought Cherokee out loud.

“Did Grandfather say anything else?” asked Sunee.

“Yes,” said Cherokee. He said we are to name one of our sons
Too hool’ zoout.”

“Too hool’ zoout?
What does that mean?” she asked.

“He says it means ‘thunder on the mountain’
in Nez Perce. He said that our son will be special some day in a place far from where he is born.”

“Who are the Nez Perce?” she asked.

“When I asked Grandfather, he said they are another tribe of Indians who speak a different language from us. He has met and made friends with some of the horses of those Indians.”

“What do we name the other son?” Sunee wondered out loud.

“Grandfather says that you will have a name for him.”

“I have no names at all, but I will think of one. Perhaps the other mares can help me with an appropriate name. If one son is to be special, perhaps the other will be, too, and he must be named accordingly. You have given me much to think about Cherokee.”

It was a peaceful time for all the horses. Spring rains brought sweet new grass and flowers. Birds sang happy songs while they built nests on leafy tree branches.
De wa,
flying squirrels, chattered happily as they made homes inside the

same trees. Sunee’s birthing time was near.

Very early one sunny morning, Sunee felt uncomfortable and seemed quite unable to walk. She called out to
Tamaga,
the mare who had promised to help her.
“Tamaga?
I don’t think I feel very well. I need
an ni si di,
a place to lie down. What should I do?”

All the mares were excited about new foals coming and wanted to help, but
Tamaga
had already staked her claim in assisting their new friend. She trotted to Sunee’s side and said, “Come, follow me. It is not far that you will have to walk. You can do it.”

“Can we not help?” asked one mare. “She is having
di ni tla wa,
twins. We would like to help.”
Tamaga
just shook her head.

Tamaga
took her to an isolated deer thicket just out of sight from the herd and any possible dangers. Sunee’s head was drooping low to the ground and her belly was beginning to hurt just a little. “I am frightened,” she whispered.

“You will be just fine,” encouraged
Tamaga.

“Do you know how your babies lay in your belly? Do you know how they are protected until they are born? Do you know how they are born?”

“No,” whispered Sunee. “I don’t know any of

that.”

Because
Tamaga
wanted to keep Sunee’s mind occupied on anything other than the contractions, she began to talk to her. “Well, the Great Spirit allows the baby to grow in a protected sack in you belly. It is connected to you by a cord. This is how you feed him so he will grow strong and make eyes and lungs and legs and everything. He gets exercise by moving around in that sack before he is born.”

“How does he get out of the sack when he is born?” asked Sunee.

“Your baby will be born with his head resting on his front feet and his little hooves will break the sack when he is born. The Great Spirit has made all the right plans for your son to be born safely.”

“But I am having
two
sons,” said Sunee.

“And I don’t have a name for the second one!”

“You are being twice blessed, Sunee. The Great Spirit has led you to us so we can help you with your new family. Don’t worry about anything. You will be fine and a name will come when it is time.”

“Wa do, Tamaga.
Thank you. Has anyone told Cherokee that he is soon to be a father?” worried Sunee.

“I am sure that
Ε tsi
has already made him aware of your birthing day,” answered
Tamaga
with a smile.

For a long time they did not talk. Sunee paced back and forth, head low to the ground, swaying right and left for many hours. Soon she began to bend her knees preparing to lay down.

“That’s right, Sunee,” encouraged
Tamaga.
“Lie down and soon your children will be here for you to love.”

Tamaga
was right. In no time, the first pair of feet and a little black nose appeared. The sack was broken just as she said. Sunee stood, swaying and cleaned her son with her tongue, drying him and loving him and talking to him. “Your name will be
Too hool’ zoout,”
she whispered to him. Her strength was almost gone, so again she lay down on the soft grass in the deer thicket.

In just a little while a second set of feet and another little black nose appeared. Sunee called on all her remaining strength and stood. After getting her balance she cleaned and talked to her second son, encouraging him with her voice.

It was not long until both colts tried to stand. Back legs up, front legs down. Front legs up and back legs down. It took great effort just to stand, but they were hungry and tried very hard.
Tamaga
encouraged the two young colts, nudging them with her nose until they finally gained their feet, swaying, blinking their eyes and trying to get used to this new world they had just entered. Finally they were able to take a few steps. Finding their way to Sunee’s under belly, they began to nurse. When he had enough,
Too hool’ zoout,
walked carefully to his mother’s face and nuzzled her. The other colt dropped under her belly and slept.

“Will you tell Cherokee that he has two healthy sons?” asked Sunee.

“Of course,” agreed
Tamaga.
“Do you have a name for the second son?”

“I will call him
Kangi ta,”
she said.

“That is a good name,” said
Tamaga.
“That means ‘raven’ and he is all black with no white on him at all.”

“I call him
Kangi ta
because he reminds me of his father. Cherokee has the mark of the raven on his shoulder.”

“Ahhh. I will go tell him for you.”

It seemed to Cherokee that having a baby took an exceptionally long time.
Ε tsi
told him when Sunee was moved to the thicket, but did not tell him where the thicket was, so he had no way of keeping an eye on her or the place. He did not like that but the mares had told him they were much better with birthing than he was, so he accepted

their superior attitude.

“Cherokee,” called
Ε tsi.
He was grazing as close to the herd as they would allow, and he heard her at once. He raised his head, eyes bright, ears pointed. “Come,” she said. “Meet your sons.”

Cherokee followed
Ε tsi
to the thicket. “Go through there,” she whispered.

He took a slow careful step into the thick branches and vines. Sunee was lying down with their
di ni tla wa,
twins, close beside her. “Sunee,” he said quietly.

“Come and meet your sons, Cherokee,” she invited. “You have two healthy boys. One is called
Too hool’ zoout,
as instructed by Grandfather. I have called the other
Kangi Ta,
for you.”

“Raven?” he asked.

“Yes. Because of the three feathers of the raven on your leg and because it is the sign of growing.”

Cherokee lowered his head to nuzzle his sons, breathing in their baby smell.
“Wa do,
Great Spirit, he prayed, “Thank you for my sons and the

safe keeping of Sunee. Grant me the strength to protect them and the knowledge to teach them to live in balance with the earth.”

-14-
Tso tsi da na wa, The Enemy
 

Natas had a plan. Standing at the highest point he could find, he watched the herd of mares below him. He was well hidden in thick leafy trees, so none of the horses could see him. Most were grazing peacefully, some dozing in the summer sun. Two young colts were sleeping near Sunee. He could see their tails swishing every now and then, as though chasing away flies. Cherokee was nowhere to be seen.

“Now would be a good time to steal the mares. I can race down there and surprise them.
Ε tsi
will not fight me. Only Cherokee would do that and he is not here.” He pawed his right hoof in the dirt several times, snorted, and bobbed his head up and down. Finding a path that had been made and used by deer and other wild creatures, he trotted down the hill toward the mares and colts.

Natas had not gone far when he heard a soft “Whuff.” He stopped short and looked around to see what had made the sound. It was Cherokee.

“What are you doing?” asked Cherokee.

“I am going to claim those mares as mine,” said the red stallion.

“No, you are not,” said Cherokee sternly.

“You can’t stop me,” replied Natas.