Harvest Flower

The Search

Running Wolf didn't sleep. He kept watch over Harvest Flower while she slept. The sun was rising slowly and he could still hear the cries of the women outside his lodge. Sun Dove's name will never be spoken aloud again. This pained him, to lose his grandmother so soon.

The women of the village have already removed her body and dressed her for her final journey to the Great Spirit. His eyes narrowed at the thought of Standing Elk. When he caught Standing Elk again he would make him pay. This time he would make sure his rotting body would no longer walk the earth.

Standing Elk lay in the shadows of a small cliff. His body weak from the loss of blood and the first stages of poisoning setting in. The sun rise lessened his protection for watching eyes. He held his side, blood slowly clotting in the open wound. Soon it would be horribly infected and slow him more. He gritted his teeth and slid farther down the steep trail. Horses at the bottom moved around nervously. If he fell, he would be trampled. His eyes blurred and he wobbled on the narrow ledge. He kept going slowly planning his next move. He would survive, he had to if only long enough to kill Running Wolf and his bride.

The sun now rising put the village in action. Running Wolf left Harvest Flower in Singing Fox's care, as he sent scouts out in search of Standing Elk. The others started preparing Sun Dove's burial scaffold. Her last resting place on earth. Harvest Flower refused to stay in the lodge, and demanded to attend the last walk.

Her injuries were not bad, so Running Wolf had agreed to let her walk with the other women. Singing Fox promised to stay by her side. Harvest Flower blamed herself for Sun Dove's death, and she felt like an outcast now. She let Singing Fox brush her long gold hair.

Drums started beating at a slow tempo outside. Harvest Flower's heart sank with each beat. She flinched when Running Wolf walked in. His muscles gleamed with sweat from the heat.

His voice deepened with sadness, "Come. It is time."

Singing Fox hurriedly put the brush away, and pulled Harvest Flower out behind her. Running Wolf already taking the lead with the warriors carrying Sun Dove's body on a bed of bark, between two long poles. The hide that wrapped around the underside of the bed stretched tight with the weight.

Harvest Flower felt the sadness around her. All the women including herself wore the markings of loss. Red and black rings painted around wrists and ankles along with painted black and red feather hung low in their hair or arm bands. Each woman took turns with a loud wailing, growing quite again as another started.

The walk was short and just to the far side of the mesa. The empty platform waited just beyond the two tall poles at the entrance. Bright paints and colored feathers marked each pole and scaffold. This ground is sacred and only the beginning of the departed soul's journey into the spirit world.

Sun Dove's body was placed on the platform and each warrior placed more bark on top of the body. Everyone was silently watching now. Running Wolf placed a handful of grass in the bark, and a young brave ran over with a torch.

Running Wolf pointed the fire in each direction saying a prayer over his grandmother. The shaman chanted in the sing-song voice beside him. The shaman stopped and Running Wolf lit the grass throwing the torch onto the scaffold. After the fire caught the villagers left leaving Sun Dove to make her journey alone.

Running Wolf silently followed nodding to Harvest Flower who walked back slowly with Singing Fox at her side. The village would soon return to the normal activities of daily life, and only a few paint marks proof of the loss.

A small boy fell into step with Running Wolf. He tried to look as tall as possible and match Running Wolf's steps. Harvest Flower giggled and tapped Singing Fox's shoulder.

"Who is that little boy?" Harvest Flower asked. Her giggles increased when Running Wolf stopped suddenly, causing the boy to crash into his legs.

Singing Fox smiled, "That is Cloud Runner, a cousin of Running Wolf's." They laughed when the boy fell to the ground. "The shaman says the boy will be a great war chief someday."

Harvest Flower smiled and placed a hand over her stomach. "Maybe one day I'll have a little boy of my own. One who will follow his father's footsteps with pride."

Singing Fox's eyes lit up with happiness, "Maybe one grows inside now. You will just have to wait and see."

They giggled again and set out to fetch water from the spring fed pool. Running Wolf watching them from the corner of his eye. Pride swelled in his chest at her bright smile. The brave at his feet slowly dusting off his back side.

"Cloud Runner, to be a great warrior you must be alert and quick of mind." Running Wolf said with humor filling his voice.

Cloud Runner looked up with a determined frown, "I will try harder."

Running Wolf nodded and silently walked to Grey Eagle's side. Their eyes watching for any movement. That of returning scouts or Standing Elk himself. Blue Wing was one of those scouts. He now rode swiftly up the trail. His horse quickly bringing him to the top.

Blue Wing jumped from the horse's back and jogged over to Running Wolf.

"A horse from the canyon is missing. One Ear follows." Blue Wing announces quickly.

A brave led Blue Wing's horse away. Running Wolf placed his hand on Blue Wing's shoulder, "You have done well, now rest."

Grey Eagle nodded and quickly whistled for his horse to be readied. Young braves hurried to the back corral to catch the horses. No extra call was needed for them to ready the Chief's horse as well.

It didn't take them long to have horses ready for Running Wolf and Grey Eagle, even a few extra warriors sat mounted and ready waiting. Pride once again filled Running Wolf's heart for his people. He wanted to tell Harvest Flower he would return soon, but she was not close by. He wanted to catch Standing Elk, before he disappeared in the mountains.

He mounted his horse and with a wave of his hand, his war party cantered out of the village, and down the steep trail to the canyons below.