Chapter 21: Homecoming

It was almost a week later that they stood in the valley to the East of the village. Fighting Hawk suggested that they take a deer home with them, and Big Owl nodded his head in agreement. They set off to track a deer. Big Owl found his prey, and he was about to strike when Fighting Hawk stopped him. He pointed out that it was a doe and if they wanted to keep hunting deer they needed to hunt only the bucks in spring. Big Owl nodded his head and quietly left to find another deer.

As they made their way to the village, the presence of William caused a stir. Fighting Hawk knew that it would not be a good idea to have him in the village and asked him to wait at the edge. He nodded his understanding and waited for Fighting Hawk to return. He did shortly leading a horse and provisions. He thanked William for his company on the hunt and said that he could give the horse to Swift Pony and he would make sure that it was returned. William nodded his thanks and gracefully leapt up onto the horses back. He looked down and spoke, "I have learned much about Fighting Hawk as we hunted. I will tell the Colonel that if war comes from Fighting Hawk, it will be deserved. Fighting Hawk is a wise and honorable war chief, and he cares much for his people." Fighting Hawk nodded his acceptance of the kind words and watched as William turned his horse and headed off to the North.

Fighting Hawk and Big Owl carried the deer through the village to the lodge. When Little Mule saw them she yelled into the lodge and ran to greet them. Fighting Hawk was tired and didn't want to have to pick himself up off of the ground. He raised his hand to stop her from knocking them both down. She skidded to a stop and hugged him fiercely. Fighting Hawk felt the air rush out of his body, and hoped that she would release him before he passed out. He was glad when the others arrived, as she let him go and he gasped for breath.

He looked at each of them and saw that Kelly was standing back behind the others. She seemed just as excited, but waited until he allowed her close. He said that the rest could wait until they were at the lodge, and they shouldered the deer on to the lodge.

Once the deer was hanging from the butchering poles he said that it was time for a bath. It has been some time since they had a real bath. He still didn't like bathing with snow, no matter how strong it looked, he felt that it was stupid. Moon Flower quickly got them some clean clothes and they made their way to the river. Once there Fighting Hawk and Big Owl removed their clothes and waded into the water. Fighting Hawk sat down and let the water wash the blood and grime from him. Even in late spring the water was still a little cold and they didn't waste too much time in the water.

Once they were sitting on the bank Fighting Hawk noticed that Sara had grown almost as much in her own way as Paul had in his. Her small breasts had started to mature and her hips had that definite female flare. Even though she wasn't much taller, she had filled out in the right places. He was amused to see that she even had sprouted a small sparse golden bush, and he noticed that she made sure that she positioned herself so that he noticed the changes.

Fighting Hawk turned to Kelly and asked, "Well have you learned the ways of the Cheyenne?" He looked at her and waited for her to speak. She was quick to reply, "Yes my husband. I have disobeyed and dishonored you. You would have been right to kill me, and I thank you for allowing me to live. I will try to be a better wife to you." The sincerity in her voice was obvious, and Fighting Hawk knew that all of the women were waiting to see what he would do. He nodded his head and held out his arms to her. She was in his arms and hugging him tightly while she placed kisses over any place that she could reach. Moon Flower and Little Mule giggled at them and she stuck out her tongue at them. It only made them laugh out loud. Fighting Hawk let them play and enjoyed the fact that he was back.

As Fighting Hawk led the small group back to the lodge he heard Kelly say to Paul, "Well Paul, you sure have grown. You look every bit a man, and you seem to have earned a few scars in the process." Big Owl looked at her and down at himself before he spoke, "Mother, I am now Big Owl. Soon I will be named a Cheyenne warrior. I am a man." He said these things as the facts that they were. He didn't act like a little boy, but a man.

Kelly looked at him again and she studied him closely, she saw the hard glint to his eyes and the firm resolves in his jaw. She also saw the haunted expression that crept there from time to time. She nodded her head and said to him, "Yes my son, you have become a man, and I am proud that you are my son." He stopped and looked at her and softly spoke, not the Cheyenne language as they been, but in the English language that was the language of his birth. "I am very proud that you are my mother. I have never shown you the respect that you deserve. I never understood the things that you had to do to care for us. I only saw how the people treated you and us, and I hated you for that. My father, Fighting Hawk, has shown me what a man is, and has made me see what I was too blind to see with the eyes of a boy. I always wondered why he would have wanted you, or us, as a man I understand, and I hope that one day I can find a woman as brave and good as you." He had tears in his eyes, and Kelly had tears all the way down her face as he moved and wrapped his strong arms around her. Fighting Hawk led his small group away from them; standing and hugging in the middle of the village. Nobody looked at them twice as they all went about their own business.

Fighting Hawk knew that Sara had heard her brother's words, and he saw the look of pride in her own eyes. He knew that his words had given her something as well. When they reached the lodge, Fighting Hawk asked Moon Flower to cut a piece of the deer for his parents. Moon Flower had Little Mule and Sara busy on the deer as she picked the best cut for Gray Eagle's lodge. Fighting Hawk smiled at her choice and nodded his agreement. When Big Owl arrived Fighting Hawk told him, "Come with me. We are going to see my parents." Big Owl was surprised but quickly got himself ready.

As they sat at the cook fire Fighting Hawk cleared his throat respectfully. He saw Water Lilly peek out the lodge flap and suddenly a little two year old terror flew out the lodge screaming a war cry as he launched himself at Fighting Hawk. Big Owl was stunned, but Fighting Hawk was laughing as he wrestled with the little warrior. Little Eagle was just about to deal a mortal blow with his wooden knife when the sharp voice of Water Lilly cut through the play. Little Eagle looked at her in disgust as he slowly climbed off of his brother, "But momma, I had Fighting Hawk down. I could beat him, and then I would be War Chief of the Cheyenne."

Water Lilly looked at him and scowled, "In this lodge I am the War Chief, and can't you see that Fighting Hawk has brought another warrior to our fire? You have dishonored our lodge, and you will apologize now." She waited with her hands on her hips and Little Eagle shuffled his feet. When she growled something about his father he stuttered a weak apology, and it was obvious that he didn't mean it, but it met the bare minimum that he could get away with. Water Lilly swatted him on the rear as he took off. She then turned to Fighting Hawk and formally welcomed him and his guest to their fire.

She was surprised when he suddenly stood up and kissed her on the cheek and asked about Gray Eagle. He turned just in time to see Gray Eagle come out of the lodge. He was carrying a dish of dried meat and cheese. Fighting Hawk snickered and Water Lilly suddenly grabbed it away from him. She was ashamed that he would do something that was her job, at least in front of a stranger. Gray Eagle looked at her in surprise, but sat at the fire while she offered the food to the warriors at the fire. Fighting Hawk just couldn't keep from laughing, and Gray Eagle and Water Lilly looked at him with some concern on their faces. When he finally managed to get control of himself, he apologized for his bad manners. Once they were all settled at the fire, Fighting Hawk presented the fresh deer to his parents and Water Lilly accepted it with respectful tones and formal words. Fighting Hawk almost lost control again, but quickly managed to regain it just short of embarrassing himself.

Gray Eagle had enough and called a halt to his antics. He was still wiping tears from his face as he introduced Big Owl, "Father, and Mother I have the pleasure of introducing you to Big Owl. He is my son from my white wife Kelly. We have hunted through the winter and he has learned the ways of the Cheyenne warrior. This festival I will present him and his name as my son, just as I am the son of Gray Eagle. My parents, I am afraid that your family has grown again." Gray Eagle looked at Big Owl and smiled warmly as he offered his hand. Big Owl took it warmly and smiled in return.

It was then that Water Lilly saw what he had been laughing at and slapped him on the side of the head, "You could have said something sooner, and not let me make so much of a fool of myself." That started Fighting Hawk off again and she hit him again. Big Owl looked at Water Lilly and said, "Since you are my father's parents, can I call you grand-mother? I have never had a grandmother before."

Fighting Hawk was laughing so loud now that you almost couldn't hear Water Lilly sputter and choke before she said, "No, you cannot call me grandmother! I am too young to be a grandmother." She turned and swatted Big Owl on the back of the head, and kicked Fighting Hawk in a tender spot, but he could only grunt before the laughing took over again. When Gray Eagle had a hard time suppressing a smile she turned on him, "And don't you dare start. I have always had to put up with a lot from him, but you; I don't have to." She turned and stomped to the lodge, and just as she closed the lodge flap Fighting Hawk saw the smile on her face, and she winked at him.

After the laughter died down they all sat and talked. They learned about each other and grew close as they accepted each other as family. Fighting Hawk rose and told them to stay and talk, he had to visit with his mother, because he didn't want her sneaking up on him in the night with a sharp knife. They laughed and continued with their talk as Fighting Hawk entered the lodge. Water Lilly hugged him, and then they sat at the small cook fire. She spoke softly, "You had a good laugh at my expense." He started to apologize, but she stopped him. "I was not upset. I would ride my cow naked through the village with flowers in my hair to hear you laugh like that again. You do not laugh enough, my son. You have too much responsibility, and not enough fun. Since you came here as a boy you have never laughed, only worked. You will grow old before your time."

Fighting Hawk saw the concern in her eyes and smiled at her. He held her close and whispered, "Mother, it is not good to care too much for me. I live a dangerous life and I am playing a dangerous game. If I live through it I hope to give everything up and just be a simple Cheyenne warrior. Then I will laugh and play." She snorted and spoke a little louder than he thought was wise, "You are going to get killed, if you don't take care of yourself. You talk about being a simple warrior; nothing about you is simple. Most warriors want to be a War Chief, you are a War Chief and you want to be a warrior. You have a lodge full of women, and most warriors can't keep a single woman that isn't tied down for the night. But at least having those women keeps out the ones that would be sneaking in during the night. I wish that you had never come to the Cheyenne. They will kill you as a young man."

Fighting Hawk was stunned at her words. He didn't know what to say for a long time. "If you think that my life was good before I came here you are wrong. My father was like Little Buffalo, he enjoyed hurting people. My mother was a spineless cow that lived to serve him. When they died I didn't even shed a tear. It was like looking at strangers. You and Gray Eagle have been the only parents that I have ever known. Parents love their children, you did that. Since I have come here I have been happy. It was hard at times, but I learned to be a man. And responsibilities are part of being a man. What I do for the Cheyenne, is because I love them, not because I have to do it. I can't stop, because it is the right thing to do. Feeding the widows and orphans was the right thing to do, and teaching the boys that had no fathers how to be a man was also the right thing to do. When something is the right thing, you have to do it, even if it is hard, it must be done. Not doing something that is the right thing, just to do something that I would like to do is the wrong thing to do. That is the way of the white man, and I have seen that life. It is not right, and I don't want to live like that." He looked to see her crying.

She said, "I am sorry for you, that you will not see more happiness in your life, but I thank the Great Spirit that he has sent you to us. If there is anybody that can save the Cheyenne people, then it is you." He was about to tell her that he appreciated her words, but they died in his throat. There was a sound that wasn't right and he instantly sprang to his feet, grabbing Gray Eagles bow and quiver from its place by the lodge flap. He told her to keep Little Eagle inside and stay low before he bolted through the flaps. Gray Eagle had stood and was listening when Fighting Hawk thrust his bow into his hands and took off at a run. Big Owl was only a step behind him. Gray Eagle was a few behind them when Fighting Hawk gave the cry of alarm throughout the village.