-------------------------------------------------------------------------- WILLOW-BIRD-FINDS-HIS-LOVE-5 "Willow Bird Finds His Love" (Part #5 of 8) Copyright 1996 by Vince Water -------------------------------------------------------------------------- My thoughts return to my strange dream. The first sign of it has already come to pass. Our stallion was erected like in my dream. I didn't want to join Song Bird's game of cock playing since that would surely have brought the rest of my dream forward. I hope none of its dark images will unfold! I take in a sharp inward breath. Song Bird's hand has grabbed my erection. He begins a familiar motion around it. His long pole presses against my butt. I'm not needing to release. We've made a lot of love yesterday. I relax over the horse's back and enjoy the boy's handling. We continue our slow ride through the fog. The neat sensations try to build up in my dick but can never reach that ending thrilling part. Perhaps I don't have any sperm left to squirt out! After a while, the boy's hand rests on my thigh. He must have grown tired of pulling on me. "Wasn't I doing it right?" the boy asks. His words make my laugh. "I enjoyed the feel of your hand, Song Bird. It's just that my dick doesn't need to shoot. You've already taken all my sperm yesterday." Song Bird giggles. "I made you come out last night!" My thoughts return to my happier dreaming of Song Bird and the erected stallion he was gifting me with. The strange image had shown the horse sticking his long dong through my butt and out my dick which my friend sucked on. An intense feeling had caused me to wake up. I remember feeling a wetness on my thigh and the smell of cum before returning to sleep. "When did you enter my mother's tipi?" I ask the youth. "It wasn't until late in the night," answers Song Bird. "I snuck out of my father's tipi and crawled into yours. You were asleep. I laid down at your side and went to sleep myself." "I had a lusty dream last night," I suggest to my young friend. "I found the dried result of it on my thigh and groin hairs. What did you do to coax my release?" The boy giggles. "I mouthed over your penis! The ground was hard so I had rested my head over your belly. I saw your front flap pushed up like a tipi in the moonlight. Your mother was facing the tipi while so I dared to handle your erection. Nothing would come out. "I pulled your flap to your stomach and sucked on your dick for a long while. Your breaths turned to moans. I knew you were close to it but was surprised by your sudden release. Most of it spilled to your belly. I swallowed what was in my mouth. Your sperm has a bland salty taste that I don't like!" I chuckle at my friend's words. "Did you handle yourself?" "No," the boy answers. "I grew weary from playing and went back to sleep at your side." I nod my head at the boy's story. My dreaming had formed strange images of what was actually happening to my body. If I were awake, I'd have dared to make love with my friend. Then my penis wouldn't have been the only one empty of sperm. An eerie silence settles around us. The fog swirls at our horse's legs like fire smoke. Song Bird shivers. I pull his body around mine to have him facing me. His arms eagerly wrap around my body for warmth. My arms lovingly hold his small body close to mine. Our chests press together. My heart pounds inside me like a war drum. The love that I'm feeling for my young friend is strong! His tight arms around me are for more than just warmth. I have heard his spoken words of love for me. His actions have further proven it. I'm holding the One that I love and will always love. Why did it have to be a boy instead of a girl? Song Bird rests his head on my chest. His body keeps me warm from the foggy morn. I know that we should be riding on but this moment in my life is very sweet. My heart wants it to last for always! It won't. All things come to an end. I'll always savor the feel of his arms around me, his soft face against my breast, the smell of his hair. Forever. And I will. "I'll love you for always, Little One." My whisper in the boy's ear announces his secret name that I've chosen for him. He lifts up his head. His brown eyes are soft and filled with awe. I see his love shining there. We bind the spirit of our bonding when I reach down to kiss him. The youth turns his head away. My lips brush against the white cloth band around his head. A spear of anguish pierces my heart. Song Bird's rejection? My breath trembles through my open mouth trying to utter a voiceless wail of agony. Why can't he accept my kiss?! Our embrace loosens. The boy's hands drop from around my body. My head buzzes as if struck by a tomahawk. Darkness takes me... A breath on my face. I take it into my starving lungs. My eyes open to the golden light smiling up at me. It's the timid face of my Little One. His chin lifts. My hands reach around to cradle the boy's soft head. His lips reach up for mine... A kiss. Our touching is wonderful; sweet! It's a joining that's too intense to wear the shapes of mere words. The boy trembles or is it me? His nose presses against mine in a kiss of their own. My lips on the boy's lips. This is forever. Song Bird smiles sheepishly. I realize that our faces have moved away. My eyes stare into his with the wonder of this moment. I'm glad that he finally accepted my need for a kiss. Something passes over Song Bird's face. A wripple of emotion that I cannot identify. He blows out a quick breath. Something has stunned the boy. His eyes drop down from mine. Song Bird turns himself over the stallion's back. He takes the reins and urges Pai-alucia to a trot. I hold his small body in my lap. We ride down the forest path in silence. "It's all right..." I whisper into my friend's ear. "Don't be afraid to love me completely." The boy fears many things. Revealing his purest spirit even to me is one of them. "You won't tell anyone about what we do?" Song Bird asks. The boy faces forward as we ride. It must be easier for him to talk about such things when he's not facing me. I sense his fear and assure him, "not even to Big Horn will I speak about our love." "What of your secret rite tonight?" the boy snaps. "Big Horn intends to bind you completely to him! A bond of manhood in the Mahyee-na that I can't yet be a part of." Song Bird's words offer me an understanding of what troubles him. I grip the boy's shoulders before speaking. "It's true that Big Horn will initiate me into the Mahyee-na. I don't know what responsibilities that honor will bear upon me. It doesn't mean that we'll become lovers! I swear unto our Father that my heart is yours for always!" "Big Horn will try to bind your heart to him." Song Bird reveals his greatest fear. It's also mine. As my monedo, I must obey Big Horn in all things until my naming rite. He's been caring for me since my father died. I love that brave as my second father. Yet it's with the boy that the fullest, deepest of loves swells in my heart. I'll do whatever Big Horn asks of me so long as I'm not prevented from loving this boy! We continue to ride into the morning fog. My head tries forming words to assure the boy with but my mouth won't utter them. I've already spoken my heart. Why hasn't Song Bird allowed my words to fill his heart? I tire at the unending battles inside my head. It's difficult to sort through my deepest feelings that I'm having for those of my sex. I'm confused at times. Especially when my heart is torn between two that I love; Big Horn and Song Bird. My flesh has been lovingly joined to their flesh like that of a man to his squaw. What really troubles me is my heart. A love must only be for one? I sigh from the deep weariness in my head. There's no resolution to all my troubling thoughts. No easy answers. I force my head to be clear of it. My eyes focus on the path before us. Big Horn's Geas upon me has to be fulfilled. I'd rather be asleep inside my mother's tipi instead of riding on this cold morning. I'm glad that Song Bird is along to help. This is our first outing together so far from camp. I rest my arms in the boy's lap. My hands have taken hold of Pai-alucia's reins and I kick the horse when he walks too slowly. The trees slowly pass us by. I shake my head at the thought of the long ride still ahead. The Tall Forest is very far away. My thoughts turn deep. Why has Big Horn tasked me to gather the red-capped mushrooms? To eat them is to die. It's poison cannot be used for arrows or in animal traps. Yet I've heard of an evil use. Our enemies have been known to feed it to prisoners. It breaks their spirits before an agonizing death. When the sport of torture fails to dishonor the captured warrior, giving him the red mushroom provides an entertaining death to watch. Our shaman has told me that the red mushroom hides tiny evil spirits. When consumed, the spirits fill your head and fight each other for control. A person becomes driven to wild actions and violence. The ending is terrible and long lasting. Our tribe doesn't submit any human being to such horror so what use has Big Horn planned for a small sackful?! I'm also tasked to find a living green branch from one of those sky-touching trees. That will be difficult. Of what use is such a thing to Big Horn? I feel sure that both items are important to my secret initiation this evening. A smile touches my lips. Big Horn has told me that he'll be testing my readiness to become Mahyee-na. I wonder what will be asked of me? What acts will I be expected to perform? My dick grows from my lusty imaginings. From what I'll learn from the brave, unto Song Bird will I share them. The boy has enjoyed all the love acts we've already performed. My left hand has found its way up the boy's thigh and cups his balls. I tickle their rounded softness. My erection presses against the youth's backside. He giggles in reply. I lift his fleshy growth in my fingers and massage it to full length. It springs to his belly in only a few heartbeats. I gently pleasure my young friend. I press my face into Song Bird's neck. My lips roam over his soft skin, loving him. I'm attracted to his sweaty lime smell. It makes me lust-filled! I point my dick under him. My thrusts go through his small butt cheeks. A wonderfully tight feeling! My moans begin. Intense feelings build up in my erection. My hand pulls over Song Bird's stiff pole for his pleasure. It excites me to handle another male's need towards release. Especially when that boy is the one I love. Song Bird holds breaths. His butt flexes in time to my hand around his long dick. He makes quick stabs in my fingers. I know that he'll cum soon. My own dick is ready to explode! My teeth find the boy's neck and bite him like the stallion who bites the mare when mounting her. The youth cries out in his high-pitched voice. A warm liquid fills my hand. I stab into his butt and cum. Heavy squirts of lusty pleasure. At its ending, my breath rushes out of me as a low moan. The sound of a thundering storm fills my ears. I feel light-headed. It surprises me that love making is so stunning to the flesh. A weariness drags my limbs down over the horse's back. I'm reminded of Big Horn's weakness. When we first made love, I had to hold the brave's weight onto me while he recovered. It also seemed that his head had felt pain. His eyes. They had shut tight as if he were in battle with a demon inside him. Song Bird squirms in my lap. I loosen my hold of the boy's penis and bring my sperm filled hand to my face and drink it up. It's sweet in my mouth. I smile at our accomplishment. Yet another dear moment of having made love with my Little One. The thought is very pleasing. I give the boy a tight hug. It's wonderful to be in love! The thundering in my ears grows louder. It alarms me. I turn my head to look back at the trail behind us. My hands take hold of Pai-alucia's reins while I decide what we're to do. Song Bird shouts. "Get off the path!" he warns. "It must be the braves going to their hunt. They'll ride us over!" I turn Pai-alucia sharply to the right. We pass between the trees and wait. I hold the frightened youth close to me. A long moment passes before the braves of our tribe thunder past us. I count eleven riders. A twelve rider stops nearby. He turns into our hiding place. It's Iron Bow who discovers us. Is that Willow Bird I see on the horse?" asks Iron Bow. "And who is with you?" "I'm with Song Bird," I answer him. We ride out to greet the warrior. His keen eyes look over our huddling nakedness for many heartbeats. The boy becomes tense in my arms. I break the uneasy silence. "Big Horn loaned me this horse so that I can perform some tasks for him in the Tall Forest." Iron Bow chuckles. "Lost your breechclouts, eh?" (The warrior stares into Willow Bird's unflinching eyes. He's revealing no lack of modesty. Yet nervousness is seen from Song Bird. The youth squirms against his naked friend.) I become afraid. Has Iron Bow discovered our secret?! The humor in his dark eyes offers me hope. An understanding. Would he betray us to the others? I don't know what to say. "So... it's true that Big Horn has chosen you, Willow Bird. Have you touched butts with your young friend as well?" Finding my voice again, I reply, "I have. Big Horn initiated me first but my love is for Song Bird!" Since we're discovered, I decide to tell the warrior everything. "Will you keep my words and what your eyes have seen to yourself, I beg you?" "I will do that," answers Iron Bow, "and not because Song Bird's father is chief!" I nod my head to the warrior in gratitude. Quick thoughts flash in my head. Iron Bow knew about the secret male rite of touching butts. Is he also Mahyee-na? The warrior comes along side of our horse. He glances down at our bodies, naked and wet from our recent love making. Song Bird trembles in my arms. When the warrior tries looking into my young friend's eyes, the youth casts them down and away as if shamed. "I once had a boy who loved me," explains Iron Bow. "Though I couldn't return what he offered me in like kind we remained very dear friends." "Who is he?" I find myself asking out loud. "I will not speak his name. My friend fell in battle many summers ago. His body is dust while his scalp is on display in our enemy's tipi!" (Iron Bow's face becomes lined with anger. The memory is a very bitter one for him. When he sees fear on Willow Bird's face from his words, the warrior tries to smile.) "So I understand more than you think and I will keep silent." "I thank you, Iron Bow. We owe you a debt." I smile at the warrior with relief. "You can pay me this debt by catching three large rabbits," Iron Bow asks. "Deliver them to my fire spit in the days ahead. Now get your breechclouts back on so that the others of our tribe won't see you uncovered. They may not understand your act as I do." (Iron Bow turns his horse back to the path and tries catching up with the racing braves. He forgets what his eyes have seen of the two boys.) (Song Bird removes the two breechclouts from a sack and hands Willow Bird's his with eyes that won't look at him. They tie the cloths to their waists, clothed again.) When the sound of Iron Bow's horse fades in the distance, I turn to my silent friend and ask, "are you all right?" I fear that my young friend may be taking our discovery badly. "You told him everything!" Song Bird shouts. His eyes on Willow Bird are an accusation of unforgivable measure. "He saw us hiding here together; naked. He knows too of Big Horn and myself. What did I in voice not say that his own eyes and thoughts already knew?" "You didn't have to shame me by saying that you loved me!" I turn from Song Bird as if struck by a tomahawk. He was ashamed! I shamed him for daring to love him. No!! That thought should never have been born. My young friend was embarrassed that I announced our secret to another. It made him feel shame to hear my true words. My heart cries out in terrible pain. I kick Pai-alucia in anger. We leave behind us this place of gloom. To the forest path and into fog willingly we are consumed. I'm feeling very hurt. When Song Bird scoots out of my lap, anger replaces my pain. I raise up both of my legs and bring them down savagely over Pai-alucia's sides. I shout for the stallion to run! We race down the foggy path. Song Bird lays over the horse's neck and holds onto its mane for dear life. I feel my body losing its balance over the stallion's back. Terror grips my heart from what my anger has done. (Upon sighting the fallen tree his masters haven't, Pai-alucia jumps. He lands well beyond it with a thud. The taller boy falls off. His hands reach out in front of him in the air. Instinctively, Willow Bird tucks his head in. The hard ground comes up fast with the boy rolling over it.) (Silence. After enduring a painful moment, Willow Bird carefully rises from the path. Only his muscles and parts of his body bruised from the fall cry out to him. Nothing is broken. The boy straightens up in the good fortune of not having suffered more harm. A terrifying thought strikes him. Where is his young friend? The boy's heart fills with dread.) "Are you all right?" announces a boy's high-pitched voice. Song Bird's words fill me with great relief! I find the youth sitting over the stallion's back. He gives me a frown. Both horse and boy seem unharmed. I walk over to them. "What's wrong with you!" Song Bird shouts in anger. "Why did you make Pai-alucia gallop when you knew that the fog would be covering up fallen trees like that?" I knew why. It was a stupid thing that I had done from anger. The boy doesn't truly understand me it seems. His hurt to me is now that much greater. I mount the stallion's back without answering him. I head towards the Tall Forest making like Song Bird isn't even with me. "Why won't you talk to me?" Song Bird asks in a small voice. (The youth doesn't understand Willow Bird's behavior. It causes him to become afraid. With all the bad things happening this morning, the boy begins to regret having come along.) (The long silent miles pass. Father Sun rises in His sky. His heated hand melts the fog away. Willow Bird looks for a good place along the path to stop for lunch.) My stomach rumbles with hunger. I'll be glad to get off this horse to stretch my legs and to eat. My head has found some answers during the long ride. My heart lightens from what I now know to be the truth. I realize that Song Bird is still a young boy. He would never do anything to really cause me grief. Those hurtful words of his belied a different truth. Song Bird was ashamed by how he felt; he too must feel confused by male love. The warrior's piercing eyes had caused the boy embarrassment. My words brought up his hidden feelings for others to see. We approach the path that will rise into the Tall Forest. I draw the horse up and speak to Song Bird. "We'll stop for lunch here. Pai-alucia also needs to rest." The boy turns to me with a smile. I dismount and tie up the stallion's reins to a tree. While I see to watering Pai-alucia, Song Bird grabs the food and water pouches from off its back. He sits nearby and waits for me. I sit at the boy's feet and eat. Our brief meal is in silence though we look at each other in guarded glances. He seems to be wanting to ask something. I remain patient and wait for my young friend to speak first. "Willow Bird... would you still love me if I were a girl?" Song Bird's strange question leaves me speechless. I look into his young face and see that my next words will weigh heavily in his thoughts. Would I still love him? How do I answer such a difficult question? My long pause causes the boy to look down at the ground in disappointment. My saying nothing has answered for me! I want to voice some reply to explain our special friendship. I take hold of his small shoulders. His brown eyes peer timidly into mine. "I love you in many different ways," I explain. "You've been my best friend for as long as I can remember. I've come to know your spirit and I like what I've seen. We can talk about anything and I know that you'll listen and care about my words. If you were a girl, I would still love you. But our love wouldn't go any further than that of a deep friendship we shared before our river embrace." "Why wouldn't you make love to me if I were a girl?" I pause again to consider the boy's question. He's asking me about things that I've been struggling to answer for myself. "My dick only grows in excitement for boys or for men," I explain. "This isn't something that I've decided. I was born with these feelings. As far as I can remember, I've always liked boys instead of girls when it came to playing naked games or thinking about sex. Big Horn showed me that such feelings are all right to have and natural for Mahyee-na men." "Are we able to become real men," Song Bird asks, "or are we really women inside?" "I'm going to be named a man on summer's eve! I enjoy hunting and I'll strive to become a great warrior. Are these not your own goals, Song Bird?" "Yes! Though I must wait a few more summers before I'm named a brave." The youth pauses to think. He tries to identify what's really troubling him. "Why are we different? Is it bad to be so?" "I can't give you an answer for why we're different from other boys. We're not the only ones. Broken Bow of the Moss-bowl tribe enjoyed touching me. Big Horn and Coyote Thief made love. I enjoy touching you in love and see nothing wrong with it." Song Bird raises his head to peer into Willow Bird's eyes. "You won't talk to others about what we do?" he asks. "No. I agree that we must keep our love a secret. Iron Bow discovered us making love so I spoke after he already knew what his eyes had seen. It would have been wrong to lie to a warrior! I don't think that there are many others in the tribe who are like us." "Big Horn is the only other," says Song Bird. "I don't want to make love to him!" I nod my head with understanding. Yet it's strange that I'm making love to both Big Horn and Song Bird. They are two different people! My feelings change when I'm in the man's arms versus the boy's. I have the same lust for their bodies. What changes is how I feel. Big Horn is my mentor. The boy is my dear friend and lover. I wonder if I'll be able to keep both in my heart without exploding! "What are you thinking about?" My friend's question takes me from my thoughts. I've already tried explaining to him my different feelings towards them both. I only shrug my shoulders in reply. "You are often inside your head, Willow Bird, especially these past two days." I grin at the boy and nod my head. There has been a lot that I've been thinking about lately. The questions swirling inside my head have grown more numerous with few answers to appease them. I've been feeling a little lost. I'm startled by a quick movement. Song Bird has sprung to his legs and he begins high-pitched chanting. He dances the 'steps of the hunter' around were I'm sitting. It's a familiar rite. The braves and warriors perform it each Spring to call on the animals they will hunt. I grin at Song Bird's erotic dance. Instead of hitting a weapon in hand as the men do, the boy slaps his butt. He also thrusts his body forward with each step. I see his penis in the brief instant when his front cloth flies from his body. I clap in time to his dancing steps. The boy's brazen display is exciting to look upon. His half-naked beauty in motion fills me with awe. A dance for my eyes alone. His hips wiggle, butt humps, his feet stomp and his erection thrusts in beat to the clapping of my hands. Keeping his flaps on accents the boy's nudity than if he were to dance without them. My eyes enjoy the brief peeks. There's more to our love than the pleasure from our joining bodies. My heart feels very strongly for Song Bird. It's the noblest kind of love. There's a depth to it that binds us close together. There isn't anything that I wouldn't do for him! I love him very much. When I think back to my anger, I'm surprised by how I could have forgotten that. I had acted like a young stupid boy. I'm to be given a man's name soon so I must try acting like one. The 'hunting dance' ends. I rise to embrace my dear friend. His erection under the front flap presses against me. The boy is in need. I pull our cloths away. My excitement is obvious and for him. We embrace each other tightly. Our bellies rub. My hands reach down for his little butt under the cloth that he's kept on. I'm reminded of my similar embrace with Big Horn. His hands took my body in lust's beat until we both released. I truly love that brave as my mentor; my second father who teaches me good things. My love for this boy is like that of second self. I gasp when Song Bird's hands take hold of my butt. I'm very sensitive there. Deep feelings swirl in me. We're embraced like that time in the river. I set the pace of our mating with my hands pulling over the boy's butt cheeks. His hard pole stabs over mine. A wonderfully savage battle between us! My lips find the boy's neck and suck on its soft skin. Breaths hold in me. My loins are enflamed in the arms of my young lover. I need to release all of my sweet love to him. Our bodies become frantic. My hands are savage over the boy's sweaty ass. Quick thrusts. Moans. I hear the crunch of my groin hair against his smooth body. Our chests press together. Warmth. Intense love! It seems that our flesh is trying hard to become one body. My dick stiffens and spits. I cum heavily to the boy's belly. Three wonderful squirts. Pleasure explodes in my head. I release a voiced breath while feeling awed. We've made love yet again. I'm surprised that we keep needing to do it. A weariness comes to my heated body. The boy's butt is still flexing in my hands. His need yet for sexual release. I continue our belly rubbing, wet and slippery towards the youth's elusive climax. I hope that it'll be soon. Our bodies become heated and sweaty from the effort. I listen for the boy's breaths. He blows one out and tries keeping another inside him. It makes his belly tremble. I feel his weight on me. His feet become unsteady. My hands catch him when he falls. "Are you all right, Song Bird?!" His body is covered with sweat. The color of his face has lightened; eyes flicker and close. My young friend has fallen into a deep sleep. I lower him to the ground before running to fetch a water pouch. I'm worried for my young friend. I run back to his limp form over the ground. Splashing water over his face awakens him. He sputters and gasps. I help him to drink. His eyes open slowly and he looks up at me in surprise. "What happened?" I'm relieved to hear my friend's voice! "You fainted, Song Bird. Try to get up." The boy puts on a feigned smile for me. The color of his face is still not right. "I don't know what happened..." I glance over the boy's body. His pole is an angry red color. My sperm wets his belly. "Did it hurt or something?" I ask. Perhaps the youth is too young to be trying all the things Big Horn has shown me. Our loins have been flowing often to each other these two days. "No pain," Song Bird explains. "It felt very intense at the end but nothing squirted from my dick. I tried holding breaths to make it come out. That's probably why I became faint." I help my friend to drink more water. He reaches out to my worried face and holds my nose. I grin at his sillyness. After a few heartbeats, the boy gets up on his own. He walks to our deerskin flaps and puts his on. There's a stern expression on his face. "Put on your front cloth!" Song Bird asks. "I don't want any of the braves to catch us naked." I nod my head at his concern. Quick are my next actions. I dash to where my breechclout lays, pick it up and cover my loins. I turn to the boy asking, "was that fast enough?" Song Bird giggles. He walks up to me and clasps my right shoulder. I cover his hand with my own. Our eyes touch. I feel the strength of his love for me shining through his brown eyes. "We should be leaving," the boy asks with eyes lowered. I untie Pai-alucia from the tree while Song Bird fetches the food and water pouches. My hand checks for the Wah-ha knife on my thong belt. It's secure. We mount up and head for the path that will lead into the Tall Forest. My task is near at hand. It's only a short ride before I find the smaller trail. We dismount. I scout ahead while my friend leads Pai-alucia by his reins. The trail becomes steep. It twists back and forth, slowly rising above the valley. The Tall Trees come into sight. They stand proudly, their redwood trunks stretching up from the earth to great heights. They bear no lower branches. Only on their heads do they wear a crown of green. I cast my eyes downward at the path for signs of passage. No human beings have come this way. There are tracks from four footed animals: an elk and a raccoon. My training from Big Horn is ever in my mind. One must always be on the look out for danger or opportunity, he's always reminding me. Those are good words especially since we're far from camp. Song Bird gives me a bright grin. Pai-alucia appears sleepy. That's a good sign. A horse's nose is keener to the smell of danger than us. We continue to walk upwards. The sunlight fades when our path takes us amongst the Tall Trees at last. "We have two things to look for," announces Song Bird. "The red-capped mushrooms should be easy! Finding a live redwood branch the more difficult thing to accomplish." I nod my head in agreement. "Also keep your eyes open for danger!" I remind my friend. The eerie darkness and silence of this place disturbs me. The boy lifts his head at the tall sleeping guardians. I keep my eyes low at the ground to look for tracks and for the mushrooms. Pai-alucia is no longer sleepy. His ears strain for sound while he breathes in the forest air for danger. I know that Coyote Thief has trained his horse well. "Look there!" Song Bird shouts. My eyes follow the boys outstretching hand to where he points to. It fills me with excitement. A golden finger of Father Sun touches upon a redwood tree's branch above our heads. It's only a small distance from the ground. I lift my arms up to Him in thanks. The boy races to the tall redwood with Pai-alucia in hand. He ties the reins into the tree's gnarled roots. I look over its smooth trunk for any footholds towards that low branch. There's a cluster of burs beneath it. I point this out to my young friend. "That would make a good foothold," comments Song Bird. "To reach them burs, we'll have to stand on Pai-alucia's back with you boosting me the final distance." I nod my head. From a sack I fetch some thong to hobble the stallion's legs. I check his reins to be sure they're secure to the tree roots. We climb up on Pai-alucia. Above us is the live branch that Big Horn has tasked me to find. Just below it is a clusters of burs that should allow my friend to take hold. "I'll need the brave's knife," asks Song Bird. I untie the Wah-ha knife from my waist and tuck it in the boy's belt. We stand shakily over the stallion's back. The Tall Tree is before us. Song Bird stretches his hands over the smooth trunk. I take hold of his butt and lift the boy along it. His hands reach for the burs. When he tries pulling himself onto them, I lift him the final way by his feet. He manages to climb onto the tree. The stallion snorts. He moves away from the redwood in protest of my standing over his back. I become unbalanced and drop to the ground. Song Bird is high above my head. I'm glad that Pai-alucia didn't get restless earlier. I can reach the branch!" the boy shouts. (Song Bird cuts at it with the Wah-ha knife, amazed by the metal's sharpness. His feet remain steady over the cluster of burs.) I reach my hands up towards the boy to catch the branch when it falls. The youth handles his knife carefully. His feet tremble over the burs. A few more cuts and my hands are gifted with redwood greenery. Great happiness fills me. Half of Big Horn's Geas upon me is completed! "It's nice up here," Song Bird comments. (The height gives the boy a good view of the forest around him. Father Sun lays His golden hand over the youth, warming him. He regrets having to leave his perch. He watches Willow Bird untie the horse and lead him away.) "How am I supposed to get down?" Song Bird asks. "Fly down!" I answer. I leave Song Bird on his nest. My eyes search the ground for those red-capped mushrooms. They're usually found growing on rotting trees. The boy calls out to me again but I ignore his pleas. It shouldn't take long for me to complete my task. He'll be safe until my return. My search takes me further than I had expected. I begin to circle back towards my friend. Pai-alucia grows nervous. He too must be getting worried about Song Bird. A pungent odor assults my nose. I find the decaying remains of an elk. The stallion snorts and rolls his eyes. He dislikes our discovery as much as I. My eyes search the ground for signs. There are a multitude of animal markings. One set of fresh tracks makes me gasp. They had been made by a large bear! As I'm about to leave, I notice the mushrooms. They're the kind I seek. It fills me with the feeling of bad omens though. I grab a small sack from the stallion's back and quickly fill it. My eyes are ever keeping a look out around me. A scream pierces the dark forest. It's Song Bird crying out in terror! Has he fallen from the tree? Dread fills my heart. I jump over Pai-alucia's back and race to my friend. My heart fills with guilt. I shouldn't have left Song Bird in that tree! My ears strain for the sounds of the forest. Lightning thoughts flash through my head. Has the boy fallen? What could have frightened him? Another high-pitched scream. I close upon them, my eyes taking in a terrible scene! A large black bear crouches over Song Bird. He's struck by the beast's sharp claws over his lower back. The boy faces the dirt and plays dead. I approach the bear from behind in stealth. My hand reaches for the knife at my waist. It's not there! I'm weaponless to help my dear friend! Pai-alucia reaches the bear. The stallion bulks. I leap off its back to the shaggy backside of the great bear. My fists strike him there. It's with a great howl of surprise from my first coup that the bear rises to his feet. I try hanging on. The bear has an overpowering odor of musk. It's a sign of his great strength. Panic tries to overwhelm me. At his feet, my friend lies bleeding. I allow anger to fill me instead. What can I do without a weapon?! I'm shaken from his back and fall to the ground. In my hands are a tangle of his black shaggy hide. He turns to face me. I'm no match for the bear's two claws and sharp teeth! The huge bear faces me with mouth open and his great claws extended. At his feet lies my injured friend. I glance at the boy for signs of life. He remains still. There's a terrible claw wound over his butt. Somehow, I must get the bear away from Song Bird! The bear ambles towards me. Great fear squeezes my heart from his challenge. I'm no match for my brother! I turn and run away. How will I escape his wrath?! The Tall Trees pass by me as I run for my life. I hear the bear's four footed crash close behind. In desperation, I turn for a grandfather redwood. The bear is kept from me by the tree's wide trunk. There's no footholds for me to climb! I run around its base with the bear chasing after me. My ploy only delays his deadly attack. I look around at the forest for another plan of escape. I encircle the tree once more. My ears hear the gurgling of a stream in the distance. It's with great hope in my heart that I break away from my redwood protector and make a run for it. The stupid bear chases around the tree a few more times before realizing that I've gone. I sprint towards the stream. It's still some distance away. I hear the bear growl in fustration and the race is on. Will I reach the churning waters before he catches me? I dare to glance back. His dark form ambles close behind me. A great fear takes my heart. My legs make every step count in this run for my life. I'm nearing the stream. Will I make it? The bear is nearly upon me! His claws reaching over my waist knock me hard to the ground. I tumble forward and into the churning stream. The bank rushes past me. I struggle for breath. The water's chilly spirit sucks out the warmth of my body. I realize that I must get out before exhausting myself and drowning! It does no good to escape one death for another. I paddle through the churning waters to stay afloat. My progress towards the bank is a slow one. In the distance I hear the roar of a waterfall! That's why the stream is so swiftly moving. I'm exhausted, chilled, and if I don't drown I'm going to fall to my death! How can I save my dear friend if I can't even save myself? I manage to grab hold of a bush growing out to the water. The current sucks me under. My hands pull along the thorny branches until I reach the muddy bank. I lift myself onto it with much difficulty. The water spirits have eaten of my body's warmth so I'm slow and weak. I wrap my arms around myself to try warming up. I am safe. My thoughts fly back to my fallen friend and the bear. I lift my eyes upwards in a desperate plea to Wah-Conda, the Great Spirit to beg Him for the boy's life! My body trembles from more than the cold. I rise up naked from the muddy bank. The bear must have pulled away my breechclout. I follow the stream up to where I've dived in. My eyes keep a look out for the bear. I didn't risk drowning myself to come back into his embrace. After a tiring walk, I sight a yellow cloth ahead. It's my breechclout. My head quickly turns in the darkness for the bear. There's no sign of him. Only his deeply clawed prints on the bank. One muddy print has stained my rear flap. I wrap my breechclout around me and find my direction. I'm filled with caution when I scout my way back to Song Bird. My heart fills with fear. Every step towards the boy also brings me more danger. Yet I must find him! The Tall Trees that I pass look down upon me with their green heads. Do they know where the boy lies? I reach the place of battle. The boy is missing! I look around to be sure of it. At my feet is the boy's torn and blood-soaked breechclout. I fear that the bear has come back to eat him! I study the ground for the proving signs of it. After taking in all that the dirt has to offer, my heart lifts with hope. I find the post battle steps of Song Bird! His footsteps are chaotic and blood filled. The bear's tracks follow his. I sprint to find them, uncaring of the danger. I must discover what has happened to my dear friend! The boy's prints end. I gasp with fear. My eyes quickly try to discover why. A horse's tracks! They lead away at a gallop. The boy has found Pai-alucia and he escaped. I eagerly chase after them. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- {End of file: WILLOW-BIRD-FINDS-HIS-LOVE-5 Story continues: -6