Chapter 42

The gymnasium of the activity center was empty except for a long table at which the tribal elders of all the local tribes were seated.

All eyes were watching the door at the far end of the room for their visitor. The tension in the room was high. Most of them expected their visitor to argue with them about their conservative stance and they were not looking forward to it. They were sure that they would lose this argument with this particular visitor.

Looking around the room, Robert White Feather felt that he needed to defend his invitation. He said, "He's a member of this tribe. We have to hear him out."

"There have been too many changes of late. We have to protect the tribe," Johnny Whitetail, the oldest man on the tribal council, replied. He snorted and said, "Just lock him out."

Shaking his head, Awa Tsireh said, "We said that he would be welcome at any gathering of tribal elders. Just because he is coming to tell us things that we'd rather not hear is no reason to send him away."

"We tremble like old women just hearing that he is coming to talk with us," Robert White Feather said angrily. Tensions had been high in the tribe for a long time and it was beginning to affect the council.

"You know he's going to tell us to do what all the young men and women are saying. They want us to stop holding them back."

"He's young. His word carries a little more weight than that of most, but he can't force us to do what we think is wrong," Johnny Whitetail said crossing his arms.

Sam Martin, the newest member of the council, said, "He's Talks with Animals. He lifted the curse that has held us back. He was the first voice of the White Buffalo. If he adds his voice to the others, we have to back down."

The door opened at the far end of the room and a brave entered. He said, "Kotyit and Talks with Animals have come to address the council of elders."

The news that William was coming with Kotyit was doubly bad.

Robert White Feather looked down the table at the unhappy expressions on the faces of the men and women gathered there.

With Kotyit backing William, they would not be able to argue that it was youth speaking. He sighed and said, "Let them enter."

William entered the gym behind Kotyit, giving the older man the honor of leading the way to the council members. He carried a carton of cigarettes in one hand and moved with an easy step.

There was a twinkle in his eye as he looked over the tense men and women at the table. It was obvious that they had been arguing.

When Kotyit stopped, William continued to the table and placed the carton of cigarettes in front of Robert White Feather. Kotyit said, "We have come to address the council of elders. I see that elders from nearby tribes have come here as well."

Watching William walk back to stand beside Kotyit, Robert White Feather said, "All tribes are interested in what you have to say to us."

William smiled at the diplomatic answer. William had suggested that Kotyit talk last so that he could temper the message of the young. Kotyit smiled and said, "I will allow the younger of us to speak first."

"What have you come to tell us?"

"I have come to discuss the increased tension between the younger members of the tribe and the elders," William answered. The men and women at the table shifted uncomfortably. William continued,

"Our tribe is not the only one that suffers from such tensions."

"That is true."

"We all know that this is not good."

Receiving glares from the other council members, Robert White Feather nodded his head and said, "You are correct in saying that it is not good for our tribe."

"As the council of elders for the tribe, it falls upon you to resolve the tension," William said.

"You want us to give into their demands," charged Johnny Whitetail.

"Not at all. New found freedoms are easily lost through the foolish actions of well meaning people. If anyone must be strong, it is the council," William answered with a gesture to include all of the men and women at the table.

The stunned silence in the room spoke volumes. Johnny Whitetail stared at William as if he had just declared that the moon was made of cheese. Kotyit, who hadn't been fully aware of what William was going to say, turned and looked at his companion in surprise. The first to recover was Awa Tsireh. He asked, "What are you recommending?"

"I'm recommending that rather than trying to stop the younger members of the tribe from being foolish that you direct them in a more beneficial direction. We can not have individuals of the tribe over extend their resources. They will lose all that they hope to gain if that is allowed," William said.

Robert White Feather sat back in his chair and studied William carefully. He had known the young man his whole life and William was still able to surprise him. He said, "You support our goals, but not how we are attempting to achieve them. Am I correct?"

"Yes," William answered.

"We did not expect to hear that from you," Johnny Whitetail said.

It was a trait of the young that if they didn't like how they were being treated to argue against the goals that motivated the treatment. He decided that William was not as young as he looked.

"Neither did I," Kotyit admitted. Despite the fact that William had assured him that all would work out alright, he had been worried.

For one, he wasn't comfortable with how quickly things were changing and was afraid that he'd have to disagree with William on this matter.

Leaning forward, Robert White Feather asked, "What are you suggesting that we do?"

"Stop trying to keep the younger members of the tribe from being foolish and direct them in a more beneficial direction," William answered knowing that his answer was going to irritate them.

"Just how should we do that?"

"I don't know. You are the tribal elders. You know the people far better than I. It is not my place to lead them. It is up to you,"

William answered throwing his arms out to his sides in a gesture of helplessness. He looked from one person to the next and then added, "There is almost two thousand years of experience in dealing with people gathered in this room. If a means to reduce the tensions in the tribe is to be found, then it is to be found here."

"You have not told us anything that we did not know."

"But I did," William said.

"What?"

"I told you that I support your goals. I'm sure that there were doubts about that before I came here," William answered. From the expressions on their faces, he knew that he had stated the truth.

It was an important thing to know and the entire council knew it.

They knew that soon the younger members of the tribe would have turned to William to have him speak for them. Nodding to the council, William started to turn away. He paused and said, "I will leave you to your discussions."

The council watched William leave the room. Kotyit chuckled at the thought that arguing with William was a lot like trying to put an arm lock on a snake. Once William had left the room, he turned to the council with a smile on his face. In a matter of fact voice, he said, "He was a difficult student."

Outside, William sat down on the bench on one of the picnic tables that were scattered around in front of the activity center. Danny White Feather, his cousin, was seated across the table from him.

He was guarding the door of the activity center, but that didn't require him to stand in front of it. With a grin, Danny said, "You stirred up a hornet's nest. You can hear them arguing from here.

Maybe they will ease up a little. They've been treating a lot of the tribal members like children."

Rather than reply, William dug into his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He took one and handed the pack to Danny.

After lighting a cigarette, William asked, "Do you remember that time you fought your father and tried to hit him?"

"Yeah. He knocked me flat on my ass," Danny answered while taking a cigarette out of the pack. He handed the pack to William and shook his head at the memory.

"How was he able to do that?" William asked looking at his cousin out of the corner of his eye.

"He was bigger and stronger than I was," Danny answered. He bent down and lit the cigarette using a wooden match. The flame of his match lit the features of his face. The light from the match reflected off his tribal police badge. After blowing out the match, he put the box of matches in the pocket of his uniform.

"He was also more experienced."

"True."

William asked, "Why did you fight him?"

"To make him respect me and start treating me like an equal, I guess," Danny answered wondering what William's point was.

"Did it work?"

"No."

"It seems to me that you've gained your father's respect. Now that you're working with him, he's given you tribal responsibilities,"

William said.

"I've worked my ass off to do it," Danny answered with a little pride. He had been very proud the day he had been sworn into office.

"There's a lesson to be learned there," William said. He took a drag off his cigarette and exhaled into the night sky. He searched the night sky for the big dipper, finding it without much difficulty.