Prarie Fire Part 9

"Na hollo ohoyo," Kontonalah began. Even though he knew who Sarah was, he addressed her as a white woman. Sarah had a clan name, but that was highly unusual.

"You come to the clan with a request?" Kontonalah asked, already knowing the answer.

Sarah was frightened beyond reason to be in this room full of the most important men of the Thunderbird clan. She didn't want to give her fear away, however, by looking at Devlin for support. She tried to imagine the clan elders as the men of the Cattleman's a.s.sociation, the men with whom she'd often had showdowns. That thought gave her back a little courage.

"Yes, I do. I wish to be Chahta. I hope to learn and I wish for my children to know the clan way," Sarah said, as Tima had instructed her.

"Sakli," Kontonalah now addressed Sarah by her clan name, "listen to the story of our people."

Sarah watched as Devlin's uncle, Kaylan, stepped forward. The brother of Devlin's adoptive father, Kaylan had been responsible for much of Devlin's training as a warrior within the clan. He carefully unrolled a deer hide. Inside, on the smooth skin, someone had painted many pictures. As Kaylan spoke, Sarah realized the hide was a storybook of sorts.

"Too many snows ago to be counted easily, there were no hatak isht atia, or humans, in this world. Hashtahli lived alone with our brothers, the animals. They were no comfort, as they only wanted to play toli all day long. Hashtahli asked Hus.h.i.+ Ninak Aya, his wife, the moon, why she shone so bright at night.

"'See my children, they play and hunt in the woods at night. They keep me happy.'

"Hashtahli thought about this. Then Hashtahli decided that he should have children, too. First, he built a great mountain. He placed the seeds for the idea of man deep inside the sacred mound. Then Hashtahli sat to await the birth of his children.

"First born were the Creeks. When they came out of the cave, they climbed out of the sacred mound and lay on the warm rocks under Sun Father to dry themselves. They slept for the night but grew cold when Hashtahli's light left them.

"When Hashtahli came again, they said to themselves, 'Let us travel to the land where the Sun Father dwells so we will not be cold.' Therefore, they traveled east.

"Then were born the Chalakki. When they came out into the sun to dry themselves, they found the woods all around them had burned to ash. They lay on the side of the sacred mountain, and when they were finally dry, they could not locate the trail of their Creek brothers. They walked all around the mound.

"Finally someone said, 'Let us leave this place and find a spot to be a family.' They traveled north and there they found the home for their nation.

"The Chiksa emerged from the mountain next. As they lay upon the warm ground, drying in Hashtahli's light, they saw the Chalakki walking away to the north. They followed their brother Cherokee and settled close to the Cherokee nation.

"The Chahta came last from the sacred mound. The Chahta walked all around their mother, the sacred mountain, and finally climbed upon the rocks to dry under Hashtahli. When the Chahta were dry, they gathered into a circle and met together, each man having a voice. When each man had his say, they formed a tribe, then they broke up into smaller clans, thirteen in all. They decided they would not leave their mother alone. They would stay within the mountain's sight where she could watch them and her power would protect them always.

"This is the story of our people as it was told to me by my mos.h.i.+ and how I will tell it to saibaiyi."

Kaylan finished the tale and Sarah had to shake her head slightly to bring herself back to the moment. The storyteller had immersed Sarah so thoroughly in his tale that she believed she had just witnessed the birth of man as the Choctaw saw it.

The silence in the chuka persisted for long moments and Sarah's nerves, combined with the heat from the fire, caused a lone bead of sweat to trickle down the side of her face. No one moved or made a sound as they patiently waited to see if the spirits had granted Sarah's wish.

Once more, Sarah dared not look at Devlin as she waited to see who within the clan had received the calling to adopt her into their family. She worried at first who it would be since she hadn't yet gotten to know many on a personal level. Now as the awkward silence persisted, her heart fell as she realized that no one would come.

Although Sarah's back was to the entrance, she saw a slice of outside light brighten the chuka, and a chill breeze swept through the lodging. Sarah had thought she was the only nervous one, but Devlin's sigh of relief told her she was not alone in her feelings.

Finally, Sarah allowed herself to glance at Devlin. Devlin had looked back to see who the mystery parent was, and she didn't hide the expression of astonishment on her face. Sarah shuddered to think who could cause that reaction. Suddenly, she felt the weight of a hand on her shoulder. When she turned her head, she was sure her expression matched Devlin's.

"I have received the call."

Keeho's voice rang loud and clear through the chuka. If Devlin and Sarah were amazed that the oftentimes cantankerous medicine man came forward as Sarah's Chahta parent, the elders were equally surprised.

A strong-looking man jumped from his seated position. Sarah recognized him as Nitus.h.i.+abi, or Young Bear Killer. He was the youngest Miko in the circle. His expression was angry and he pointed a finger at Keeho.

"I will not say I do not believe you, Alikchi, but are you certain that the spirits speak to you with a vision?"

"Do you question a holy man's vision?" Kontonalah asked.

"I do not accuse, I only ask. Is Keeho certain that he felt the calling or was it simply a wish to make his clan go strong?"

Devlin listened to the surprising exchange. She had never expected Keeho to become Sarah's Chahta parent, but she never antic.i.p.ated there would be outrage or debate over it. Her fists clenched and unclenched as she tried to bite down her anger at Nitus.h.i.+abi.

Young Bear was in the hunter clan of their village. The clan included everyone within this tribe of Chahta. Young Bear's family had always been successful hunters. Because of this, they were a strong clan and had much say in the way the elders ran the village.

Keeho came from a clan of healers and medicine men. They were also very powerful within the clan structure. Devlin understood what drove Nitus.h.i.+abi to speak. Gossip had obviously spread about Sarah's possible gift as a medicine woman. Devlin was certain that Nitus.h.i.+abi feared that since Keeho was a powerful shaman, adopting Sarah and bringing her to his iksita would s.h.i.+ft the balance of power to Keeho's clan.

Devlin knew Keeho to be a man of few words, and this moment was no exception. Keeho snorted at Nitus.h.i.+abi's comments. "Do you accuse me?" he asked impatiently.

Young Bear found himself standing alone. If he made further trouble, it would border on an accusation. In the eyes of the other elders, a Chahta holy man was not the person to offend. Nitus.h.i.+abi might find himself without allies or honor after the confrontation. He weighed his options and chose to take his seat.

The elders bent their heads together briefly, whispering among themselves. Finally, it was Kontonalah, as the chief spokesperson, who looked at Sarah and said, "Achukma hoke."

Sarah looked up. Devlin was already standing. Devlin motioned Sarah to exit the chuka.

"Yakoke," Sarah hastily offered to the elders.

Once they were outside, Sarah turned to Devlin. "That's it?"

Devlin smiled. "I told you not to worry, didn't I? Besides, it will be the tests of your conviction to become Chahta that will be difficult, not this part."

"Keeho? All this time I thought he couldn't stand me."

"I just think he's not used to being around women much, along with the fact that most medicine men aren't fond of the natural power that women possess."

"Still...I guess I expected it to be a little harder than that."

"It will be," Devlin said ominously.

Chapter 9.

The next morning found the first frost of the season on the ground. Sarah s.h.i.+vered, even with a heavy horsehair blanket and Devlin's arms wrapped around her. Sarah wore a deerskin wrap as she prepared to enter the prayer lodge. Keeho and the other elders had gone in before her wearing only their breechclouts. The heat would be intense and the lack of clothes necessary, but Sarah still felt naked with only the hide wrapped about her.

"I sent Talako down to the ranch with a message for Hank," Devlin whispered to Sarah. "Just so Mattie and the kids would know where we are and that we're okay."

Talako, Gray Eagle, was Devlin's childhood friend and was happy for the opportunity to do a little trading. Devlin wasn't sure why she brought this up now. Perhaps it was something to say. Devlin felt weak and inadequate at that moment. She was not familiar with the ways of medicine men and women and she could offer little in the way of protection for Sarah.

Sarah had spent the previous evening, and most of the time she should have been sleeping, listening and learning from Tima. Tima taught Sarah what she knew of the prayer lodge and the cleansing sweat ritual, but she admitted that she had only experienced the ceremony with women. The Chahta men believed that a woman's natural power became too intense during the sweat ritual for the men and the women to share the same s.p.a.ce. Even the women of the clan refused to let a menstruating woman join them for fear of her power at that time of the moon. Keeho had promised he would teach Sarah, as well as let her experience the ceremony.

"In a way, I'm kind of jealous of you," Devlin whispered into Sarah's ear. "I've always wanted to see what they do in there."

"Okay," Sarah said nervously, "you go in there and I'll go home."

Devlin squeezed Sarah tighter. "You'll be fine, sachu-kash. Keeho won't let anything happen to you." Sarah noticed that her lover's expression wasn't as confident as her words.

Sarah pushed the negative thoughts from her mind. Tima had told her that it would be a mistake to enter the prayer lodge with anything but positive thoughts. If Sarah went into the lodge believing she didn't belong there, the spirits wouldn't come.

They watched the fire keeper tending the great fire pit outside of the lodge. The fire was at the end of a pathway that led from the lodge to the pit. The fire keeper had filled the pit with large stones, each about the size of a head. Tima had explained that when Keeho called for a round to begin, the fire keeper would cart a load of hot rocks into the buffalo hide-covered structure and place them into a pit in the center of the lodge.

Keeho came to the entrance and indicated that it was time for Sarah to enter. Devlin kissed Sarah's forehead and took the blanket. Keeho looked up as two red-tailed hawks floated in a lazy circle in the sky, high above the lodge.

"A good sign," he said.

Sarah entered the lodge and narrowed her eyes in an attempt to see. The prayer lodge was already hot from the fire in the pit. She was depending on Keeho to tell her all she would need to know to complete the ceremony. Tima had told Sarah not to ask questions, to listen to all Keeho said. She said there would be time enough for questions later. Sarah wished that she'd had more time to prepare, but this was an emergency in a way. Since Taano's prophecy was too cryptic for Keeho to solve alone, the elders thought they needed Sarah's power. She still didn't know how to tell these people that she felt as powerless as a baby.

Keeho positioned the hide flap to the entrance so that it spared Sarah enough light to see. She knew that once the lodge was sealed, the slight illumination would disappear. Keeho stood directly behind Sarah as she entered. True to his word, he instructed Sarah with each step.

"When you enter the prayer lodge, always move with the arc of the sun," Keeho said. "You see how the lodge is shaped like brother Turtle on the outside. Always remember not to step over Turtle's neck." Sarah realized that he meant she should move in a clockwise direction, always to her left.

"Did Tima teach you the proper words of respect?"

Without answering, since Tima had told her not to speak if she could help it, Sarah demonstrated. She went to her knees, touching her forehead to the ground. "Akanohmi moma," she said aloud. Tima had loosely translated the words to mean "to all my relations." The words were not only an acknowledgment that all living things-plants, rocks, water-were her brothers and sisters, but also to honor the materials that would be drawn upon for this ceremony.

"Sit here," Keeho instructed. "Beside me, Sakli."

Sarah sat on the bare ground. The gra.s.s had worn away to the dirt. The earth felt cool when she sat, in complete contrast to the heat of her skin. She watched as the fire keeper brought in two large earthen bowls filled with water. He placed one beside the center pit and the other beside Keeho.

Sarah thought it odd the way her mind trailed off. The ladle in the bowl mesmerized her. It was a long piece of river cane, and the cup looked to be woven gra.s.s. It made her think that she would someday like to learn how the women here worked their art of basket weaving.

Keeho ordered the fire keeper to bring in eight rocks for the fire pit. As the fire keeper performed the task, Keeho explained to Sarah what was happening.

"There will be four folotas, or endurances, for our prayers today. After the fire keeper brings the stones in, we will begin with the smudging ceremony and the prayer stick will go around the circle. Once those ceremonies are complete, I will call for the end of the folota. If the experience overcomes you, you must wait until I end the endurance to leave the sacred lodge. If you leave the lodge, you must wait for the start of the next folota to enter again."

Keeho pointed to the fire keeper. "Shanafila is the fire keeper. It is an honored position. He is strong and will do much work to carry in the hot stones."

Sarah watched as the man known as Blue Hawk brought in the rocks one at a time. He carried them in a many-layered hide sling to keep the glowing rocks from burning his hands or body. When he pa.s.sed Sarah the first time, she could feel the heat flow from the large stone.

"The holy number of the Chahta is ushta, four," Keeho told Sarah. "The most sacred of things comes in fours: the family-mother, father, brother, sister. There are four elements to our physical world-earth, water, sky, and all living things. There are four seasons and the four directions to which we offer our prayers. Because of this number, I tell Shanafila to bring in stones four at a time."

Aside from Keeho's voice, the only audible sounds were Shanafila's grunts and heavy breathing as he carried out the laborious task of bringing in the heated stones.

"That is the last stone Shanafila will bring in for now. When he leaves, he will seal the door. The women outside will sprinkle cornmeal all around the prayer lodge. This will help to keep the bad spirits away."

Sarah watched as Shanafila left the lodge and sealed the entrance. They were plunged into an inky blackness. The sounds of breathing, the popping of the glowing embers from what was left of the fire, and the hiss of the heated rocks were the only sounds. The combination of oppressive heat and complete darkness felt a hundred times more claustrophobic than Sarah could have imagined. She concentrated on the feel of her own hands running along her legs in an attempt to fight down her rising panic. Suddenly, she could hear her own anxious breathing echo loudly within the confines of the lodge. She was one heartbeat away from bolting when she felt comforting hands on her shoulders.

"Do not be afraid, Sakli."

Keeho's voice came from close behind her. In her fright, Sarah's first instinct was to shake off the man's grasp.

"Close your eyes, Sakli."

Sarah wanted to laugh aloud. Why should she close her eyes when it was blacker than pitch already?

"Relax, Sakli, close your eyes."

I can do this. I'm stronger than this, d.a.m.n it! Sarah screamed in her head. She closed her eyes tightly.

"What do you see?" Keeho asked.

"Dark."

"Dark is a state. Tell me what you see."

"I...well, I see nothing. There's nothing to see."

"Now open your eyes." Keeho's grip on her shoulders had loosened slightly. "Tell me what you see now."

"I don't see any more than I did with my eyes closed. I see nothing."

"Then why do you fear nothing, little one?"

Keeho's voice was so low that Sarah barely heard it, but she was embarra.s.sed at her own frailties. She smiled in the dark.

"This is the beginning, Sakli. This is Mother Earth's womb, a source of power for all women. You lived here for nine moons before you saw the outside world. You were not afraid then and you will not be afraid now."

She thought about his words. The dark, close quarters could indeed subst.i.tute for a mother's belly. The sweat that dripped from her body fell onto the ground, making the earth around her warm and damp. With a little thought, a mother's womb was exactly what Sarah could imagine.

She felt the hands leave her shoulders and saw the shadow of Keeho's body walk before the fire. She briefly saw a flame appear by the fire pit and again recognized Keeho's form. She thought she saw a bowl in his hands. After a moment, Keeho's voice came to Sarah from the opposite side of the lodge.

"My bowl holds the leaf of the sage. The first step is to cleanse and purify."

The sound of Keeho's voice moved within the circle. Sarah pictured the smudging ceremony as she had seen the man perform it previously. Finally, he paused before Sarah. She imagined him gently waving his feather over the smoking earthenware bowl, the smoldering herb wafting in her direction. The sweetly intense odor of white sage blew across her face and she invited it in to her senses with a deep breath.

"I use a feather from brother Hawk today. He will help us to see visions, to gather inspiration." Keeho's movement stopped. "We have now entered sacred time. This is a time for your mind to open and be still."

Sarah felt Keeho move away from her, but she couldn't tell whether her eyes were open or closed. She thought to raise her hand and touch her eyelids just to be sure, but felt as if she were floating in the blackness. Her brain couldn't give the command to her arm. She couldn't move. She was simply there, floating.

More odors filled the lodge. Keeho sprinkled sage, cedar, and sweetgra.s.s on top of the glowing hot rocks. Sarah recognized each in turn. She listened as Keeho thanked the rocks for their part in the ceremony.

A loud hissing noise broke the silence, but it didn't startle her. She could hear Keeho's voice inside her head, or was he beside her? For a moment, she thought that perhaps she was only feeling his voice. The hissing grew louder and Sarah could feel the steam spreading into the lodge as Keeho splashed cool water onto the red-hot rocks. The steam billowed in enormous clouds that reminded Sarah of thunderheads over the prairie. She listened to the voice inside her head that she recognized as Keeho's. She heard him call out to the West power, the first of the four directions. She knew that the first folota had begun.

"The West power will open us up to the spirits' world. We name ourselves so the Mighty Ones will know us. I am Keeho Naksika binili." Keeho announced his clan name as He Who Sits Apart.

One by one, the elders declared their full clan names, along with their secret names. Even Sarah felt an odd strength as her turn came and she declared her ident.i.ty. She never paused to wonder how she knew it was her turn in the circle, but suddenly, she no longer feared the dark or the mysteries of the prayer lodge. An unusual peace came over her, and she refused to let her common-sense self fight against it.

Somewhere in her mind, soft like the last waves of a dying echo, Sarah heard the words I am Ankahito...I have always been Ankahito. They reminded her of Taano, the medicine man she had tried to save. She felt similar words grow in her heart.

I am Chahta...I have always been Chahta.

"The prayer stick goes around the circle," Keeho explained to Sarah. "We pray to the guardians of the four directions. We ask their power to infuse us."