Chapter 29: Festival

Fighting Hawk stayed another day with Thundering Buffalo and Silent Wind. He used the time to eat and rest. He watched his spirit friends fade and slip back into the spirit world. He could only hear them now when he concentrated on them. Their ghostly images were seen most easily at night and inside, away from the sun. He felt a little better when they faded. He knew that he would have no trouble staying grounded in the real world, and he didn't intend to spend any more time in the spirit world, unless he had no choice in the matter.

With the sun of a new day Fighting Hawk headed out to his house in the southern valley. On his way he stopped at Gray Eagle's lodge. Gray Eagle was happy to see him. From the look on his face it was plain that Thundering Buffalo had told him something of his spirit journey. Gray Eagle held him tightly until Water Lilly looked at him strangely. After a comment he quickly stepped back and blushed. Fighting Hawk laughed and hugged him again, as they all laughed.

His reception at the house was very different than the one at Gray Eagles lodge. Here the women saw him coming for a distance and were all waiting on the porch. As he neared each woman had her own level of excitement and until one of them peaked, it was all very controlled. When Little Mule screamed and took off, it suddenly became a race to see who could reach him first. Fighting Hawk considered running, but knew that it probably wouldn't do any good in the long run. He even considered lying down before they could reach him, but also figured it wouldn't really make any difference.

Little Mule was the first to reach him. He was prepared and even had the time to spin her around once before the other women slammed into her back and knocked the breath out of her. He smiled down at her knowing what she was feeling. After the third impact he lost his balance and they all went down to the ground. Moon Flower was the last to get there because of her waddling, but it turned out for the best because she didn't end up on the ground with the rest of them. She contented herself with laughing at the pile of bodies.

Little Mule was not as happy as she was. Once she got her breath back she was yelling at the others to get off of her. Fighting Hawk was laughing so hard he couldn't get up.

Once they were all on their feet Fighting Hawk hugged each woman. He was happy to see that Raven now had a dress on, even if Pretty Storm was still naked with a rope hanging from her neck. After kissing all of them he started for the house again, and in his hand was the rope of Pretty Storm. She had a dreamy and dazed appearance. He just shook his head and led the way back home.

After a few days his women settled down and he was once again able to come and go without being mobbed. He was amused that the bed had been taken apart and that the floor covered with sleeping furs. He had to admit that it was an improvement, at least in his own mind.

The people working in the valley were excited to see Fighting Hawk once again strolling around the valley and talking to all of the people there. Each of the widows looked longingly at him as he passed, and jealously at his women, but he saw none of it. His women saw it and were proud of their man.

Fighting Hawk returned to sitting on the porch steps thinking. He reached a decision and headed off to see Running Deer. When he got there Running Deer was sweating over his forge and banging a piece of iron. He had learned to make steel, but it still wasn't of high enough quality that he would make anything out of it yet. Fighting Hawk leaned against the wall and waited for Running Deer to notice him.

"Fighting Hawk what are you doing loafing here?" Running Deer smiled at him and even went to him to hug him in his vice like grip. Fighting Hawk remembered the time that Running Deer had started to slow down and even considered himself too old to be of any more use to the village. Now his back and arms were as strong as the iron he worked. Fighting Hawk could see the same young warriors that used to look at him contemptuously, now they stood respectfully waiting for his notice. Fighting Hawk saw in his eyes that he was well aware of their presence, and smiled at him.

"So, what does the great Spirit Walker need of me now?" Fighting Hawk blushed as he fished the gold coin from his pocket. He dropped it into the hand of Running Deer and said, "I need some gold squares that weigh the same amount as this. I don't want it to be bigger than the coin, just square. It will be thicker, but not much. How many can you make?" Running Deer scoffed and said, "A lot more than you can carry. Now how much do you want?"

Fighting Hawk thought for only a moment. "I want Black Otter to make me some boxes, very strong boxes with rope handles. I want them filled with the gold. But two men still have to be able to carry it, so it won't be a big box. I will just need more of them."

Running Deer thought about it for a while before he said, "How soon do you need them?" Fighting Hawk shrugged and shook his head, "Take your time. I won't need it very soon, and I have many other things that I need to do."

Running Deer smiled, "Good. That means that I will have time to do a good job." Fighting Hawk smiled at him. He had never known him to do anything else. Fighting Hawk smiled and slapped him lightly on the shoulder before he left.

It was three days later that he called for all of the wagons to be made ready. He sent word that wagons would be available to take everyone that wanted to go to the summer festival. Everybody showed up in their best clothes. The old men sitting beside the young boys looked just as excited. Everyone had worked hard and were proud that they supported the village. There were no charity cases on these wagons. Every head was held high. Even old Pony Walk shuffled up to the wagon. He had to have help getting in, but nobody looked down on him because of that. Everyone here had a feeling of family.

As Fighting Hawk looked around at the festival he commented to Gray Eagle that it looked like the best turn out that he had ever seen at a summer festival. Gray Eagle softly said, "That is because everyone here can hold his head up with pride. It has been many years since Pony Walk appeared at a summer festival. We also have many visitors from the other villages. There are also many young maidens looking to marry into the village. Most are hoping to catch the eye of Fighting Hawk I hear" Gray Eagle had an amused grin on his face. Fighting Hawk was not amused and quickly let his father know that even jokes like that would get him a visit from his women. Gray Eagle lost his smile very quickly. Fighting Hawk may not have known what had happened to one young warrior, but Gray Eagle did.

Fighting Hawk quickly realized that Gray Eagle was right. Most of the visiting maidens made a special point to talk to him and flirt. It didn't take long for Fighting Hawk's women to pull the young maidens aside and explain the situation to them, in very clear terms. Most of them left shaky, but made a special point to stay well away from Fighting Hawk. The few adventurous ones that didn't take advice well met Little Mule and Raven at some point in the festivities. They might have been small, but they apparently made their presence felt quite clearly.

Fighting Hawk had demanded that Pretty Storm wear a dress at the festival. He relented that she could still wear her rope, but he wanted her covered before the visiting warriors. Pretty Storm was both pleased and disappointed in his decision.

When the time came to name the young warriors, Fighting Hawk started the ball rolling by naming Big Owl. There was one warrior from a neighboring village that challenged. Most of the warriors were shocked, and waited for the fun to begin.

He was a cocky young warrior with a very big opinion of himself that made it clear that when he was finished with the little boy that he would be challenging Fighting Hawk. There were gasps all around the festival fire. Fighting Hawk smiled and said that he would welcome a challenge, if the young warrior was still able after Big Owl was finished with him. The young warrior grinned and stood up and took off his vest and prepared for the event.

Fighting Hawk looked at Big Owl and he noticed that he was quickly sizing up his opponent. Big Cloud, in the ceremonial head-dress given to him by Fighting Hawk, appeared with the wooden knives. The challenger selected first, and then big Owl was given the remaining knife. Fighting Hawk noticed that Big Owl took the knife with his left hand. He hefted it, slashed a few times and even tossed it a couple of times to judge its weight, all with his left hand. Fighting Hawk smiled, he was sure that one of these young men would soon have a great respect for the other.

Big Owl's deep voice rumbled across the clearing, "Okay little boy, let's see what you think that you have." The young warrior turned with a snarl and rushed at Big Owl. Fighting Hawk flinched at the stupid mistake and slightly turned his head, but he wasn't going to miss a moment of the fight. He watched as Big Owl stood patiently and waited for the charging warrior to come to him.

Fast as a serpent, and just as limber, Big Owl ducked and twisted from the attack. But he went the opposite way that the young warrior was prepared for. He had watched as Big Owl had prepared and expected him to dodge right and use his left hand to attack. He wasn't prepared when Big Owl dodged left and the knife in his right hand cut across the young warrior's stomach.

At this point the fight should have been called, as it was a killing slash, but the young warrior took one look and screamed his rage and charged again. Big Owl grinned and threw his whole body into the charging warrior. They both went down in a heap. There was a short struggle and Big Owl quickly rolled off of the young warrior and up to his feet. He quickly got into a guard position.

Fighting Hawk noticed a cut on Big Owl's leg, but when he looked at the young warrior he was amazed to see not only two new cuts on his stomach, but one on his right side from his hip up to his armpit. There was also a bruise forming on the left side of his face and another on his left ribs. He was sure that this young warrior was going to be moving slow tomorrow.

He got back to his feet, maybe not as quickly as he should have, but he did make it back up. Big Owl was grinning, "So want to quit yet? I have killed you twice now. Want to make it three times?" The young warrior grinned back stood up straight and dropped the knife. Big Owl dropped his own and they smiled at each other and shook hands.

Big Owl led the young warrior to Fighting Hawk. They sat down and Fighting Hawk started applying the salve over their cuts. He looked at the young warrior and said, "This will help the cuts, but I'm afraid that it won't do anything for the bruises."

The young warrior smiled and rubbed his chin and grinned. "It really doesn't matter anyway." Fighting Hawk studied the young man again. He wasn't the same brash and reckless young warrior that had challenged Big Owl.

Fighting Hawk smiled at him and asked, "So I guess that you won't be challenging me after all?"

The young warrior grinned even wider. "I never planned to challenge you, not unless I had to. I got what I wanted, and even came out better than I had hoped." Fighting Hawk looked a little confused as the young warrior got up and moved back to the place that he dropped his vest. Fighting Hawk grinned as well when he noticed that there were three maidens waiting for him, and he watched as they made a production of checking out his wounds. Fighting Hawk realized that this young warrior was a shrewd young man, as he saw his plan. It was brilliant.

Fighting Hawk nodded to the young warrior and Big Owl grinned at him too. Big Owl laughed and said quietly, "A pretty good plan. It really didn't matter if he won or lost. Either way he still gets the girls attention." Fighting Hawk nodded his head.

When Fighting Hawk turned back to Big Owl he quietly said, "Be very careful yourself tonight. He isn't the only one that the girls are after. Three of them are waiting for him, and he lost. Think of how many are sharpening their claws for the winner."

Big Owl grinned and softly replied, "If I want any more all I have to do is let Wood Sparrow know. She will make sure that only the best get through to me. She saw some things in the lodge of Fighting Hawk, that she has been doing some serious thinking about. I think that she might let a couple get to me."