Chapter 7: The Death of Running Deer

Early one summer evening, Jason was sitting on the back steps of their house, enjoying the evening breeze and the peaceful quiet of the desert landscape. The hikers had long since abandoned the trail below them for the evening. Looking up at the Superstition Mountains, searching for any form of life, he spied none, but he knew that life was there; more than most people realized, you just had to know where to look.

Inside the house, there was plenty of life. His daughters, Jenny and Becky had only recently turned thirteen, full of life and wonder; they were the joy of his life. Maria, Jenny’s mom, was also inside, dealing with the rambunctious teenagers and trying to proof read his journal detailing their search for the Amazonians, the lost tribe.

Just as he was about to get up, intending to go back inside, he spotted her as she headed down the trail out of the mountains. Carlita had made the weekly trip up the trail and to the hidden valley, to see if they needed anything and to especially check on how their sister was doing.

Jason watched as she steadily descended the trail, her regal stature projecting an air of confidence and urgency. When she reached the cutoff that turned up towards their house, Jason could just make out the expression of sadness on her face.

“There’s been another death in the valley.”

“That’s the third in less than a year, who this time?”

Carlita exhaled slowly, “Running Deer, Anna’s grandmother.”

“I’ve got to go to her.” He said as he turned to enter the house.

“Yes, but no just yet. She said she will meet you at the spring pond at midnight tonight.”

“How will she know when it’s midnight?”

“I left her my watch. Come, let’s go inside and tell Maria and then we can make the arrangements to get you there and back.”

Jason was just getting his hiking boots out of the closet, when Maria approached him.

“Jason, for nearly fifteen years we have lived together, loved together, raised two beautiful children together, and you have never made one attempt to escape or contact the outside world or endanger the tribe in any way. I think you have earned the right to make this trip on your own. We will see you in the morning. Give her our love and make sure she knows that if she needs anything, anything at all, all she has to do is ask.”

The darkness was almost absolute. There was no moon, and very little ambient light in the area; only the far off light of countless stars that seemingly filled the night sky lighted the trail. It took about a half hour for him to ascend to the end of the trail and to climb to the far side of the pond, where he sat on a large rock and waited for her.

He waited about a half an hour, and then, she just seemed to appear in front of him. He stood and took in her beauty. At her forehead, a leather strap held her wavy red hair off her face. She wore an animal skin cape to ward off the desert night chill and moccasins on her feet; but other than that she was dressed just as he remembered her.

“Thank you for coming.”

“Did you think I would not be here and give up the chance to see you again? I only wish you could have brought our daughter with you, but I understand why you could not. I’m so sorry for your loss; she was a good woman.”

“Oh Jason,” she cried and fell into his outstretched arms. He held her tightly as the dam broke on her pent up grief. He intuitively understood that because of her status as High Priestess this was probably the first time she had allowed herself to truly grieve for herself and her loss.

When her sobbing finally ceased she stood in front of him and apologized for her weakness.

“Come sit with me,” he said indicating the blanket covered rock where he had been sitting. “There is no need for an apology, and certainly not to me. I grieve for her loss as well and I only barely knew her. She was your grandmother; you’ve known her for more than half your life.”

“It’s more than that. She was my ally on the council; the tie to the past, the calming influence, the wisdom of age; and now she’s gone. Even though in recent years, she and my mother had reconciled their differences and the fact that my relationship with Starry has, more or less, become amicable, there is still the fact that Starry is now the eldest member of the tribe and it is only she and I that remain from the council that you remember. Now we are outnumbered by the three other members from my generation.