Copyright 2002 - 2003 by Nicholas6996@hotmail.com The author retains all rights to this story and requests that you do not alter or post this story in any form without his permission. The following is a work of fiction.

This story will contain gifts of love and caring between a man and a boy. If you don't like love, then stop reading now. If love and caring between unrelated men and boys is illegal where you are, then I'm sorry for you. If you aren't old enough to legally read this story, then I hope someone loves you enough to read it to you. If you know of a Finding Place and have stories about it, please give me a gift and share.

My deepest thanks to Rod, I name him friend and what he's given me helps make this story sing.

To Ganymede and Teglin I thank you for the beauty you have shared and hope this reflects a fraction of the light you shine so brightly.

Namaste!

Part Two - Coyote Running and Running Deer

It was just breaking dawn, around 5:30, when I pulled into Sterling, CO. I needed to shake some of the kinks out of my leg and a pot of coffee sounded real good. I took the thermos in and the waitress filled it while I filled the Montero. I was doing all right on time, still a long ways to go, though.

Just thinking about how slow time moved when you wanted it to hurry had me smiling again about being seven and on the range with Grandfather for the first time.

As I hit the road I let the memories flow.

---

Grandfather had followed me back down to the stream at a sedate pace, but I was tearing around from one rock to the next flipping them over, looking intently and then running to another rock and doing it all over again. "I can't find it!" I said in a disgusted voice.

"Find what?" Grandfather innocently asked.

"The treasure!" I huffed in my best 'How could you forget already' tone.

"Oh," he said, "Have you tried over there?" and pointed to the other side of the stream.

"Not yet, I think it's here!" I told him and pointed to this side.

"Well, I looked and looked for years before I found mine," he advised.

"I'm a better finder, remember? I found that knife you lost in the barn last winter," my chest puffed up with pride. "I bet it won't take me so long."

"Okay, just come back to the camp at supper time."

"Okay," I yelled as I went off turning rocks willy nilly. I think about it now and I bet I must have turned the same rocks over a dozen times that day.

Grandfather found me asleep under the cottonwoods when he came looking at supper time. I'd carried a big pile of rocks toward the trees and then just kind of laid down to rest. Now the sun was going down and I was getting chilly. Grandfather had my jeans and a t-shirt with him and he used the shirt to rub me all over and warm me up. It felt so good to be rubbed warm, my little penis stood up in thanks.

"Here, get these on now," he said. "Straighthorn has a great dinner cooking."

"Thanks Grandfather. I didn't find it," I said dejectedly.

"Well there will be a lot more times to look," he said. "Besides, tomorrow Coyote Running will be here, maybe he will have some ideas."

"Great," I said, "I'm hungry, let's eat!" and I lead him off across the prairie to the camp.

Next morning I stumbled out of bed and remembered Grandfather's request yesterday, I wandered over to the scrub oak for my morning pee. As I peed and stretched, I slowly awoke to the beauty of the plains in the morning light. I could hear meadow larks and woodpeckers down in the cottonwoods, and the breeze rustling the tall grasses made a swishing sound like I imagine the ocean waves must make. I turned back to the shack, but stopped dead when I saw an older Indian sitting on the porch.

"Hau, shunghila cik'ala," he said.

I didn't know much Lakota, but Grandfather had taught me that shunghila meant fox and that Kit was a baby fox, so I guessed maybe he was saying hi. If this was Grandfather's friend I wanted to make Grandfather proud, so I looked at him, then walked up with my hand out and said, "Hello, Grandfather Coyote."

He raised his eyebrows and took my hand in a firm shake and said, "Lila washte."

Again, I knew washte, that meant good, so maybe I was doing okay. I shook his hand back and said, "Should I get Grandfather?"

Now he really surprised me, because he laughed and said, "No, he already knows I'm here."

"You speak American?!" I blurted out. Then I turned red and said, "I'm sorry, I just thought maybe..."

"It's okay, Little Fox, I confused you by speaking Lakota first."

"Not really, " I stammered, "I know you called me Little Fox and said good, but I guess I didn't know what you might say next. I don't know very much Lakota."

"Let's go inside, Loyachin hwo?"

"Yeah, I'm starved!" I said, then gasped, "Did that mean 'Am I hungry?'"

'Hau, hokshila. Yes, boy. I bet you learn fast."

"Grandfather," I shouted. "Grandfather Coyote is teaching me Lakota!" and I ran into the room and jumped into his arms.

"Lila washte, iyokiph," he replied and hugged me tight before setting me at the table in front of another big plate of Straighthorn's bacon and eggs. I didn't have time for more words. My mouth was already full to overflowing with eggs.

---

The sun was just rising and I had to adjust the truck's visor to try and stop some of the glare. I thought about that summer and how we had visited the line camp a number of times while tending the herds. Always, I had romped and played in the stream naked to the beauty of this same sun. Always, the second morning Coyote Running had been sitting on the porch watching me and we would begin to talk in both languages, my Lakota broken, but improving he said.

In the fall we spent an entire day bringing downed wood from the cottonwood grove to the camp and creating a huge wood pile. I kept asking Grandfather if we were coming back in winter, but he just said he didn't know and we wanted the shack to be ready for anything. I noticed we brought lots of extra cans of food this trip and seemed to fill every corner of the shack with cans or blankets or small kindling wood.

The next summer I thought it was strange that the wood was all gone and the cans were empty but smashed and placed neatly in the trash pit out back. I didn't get to ask Grandfather though, I had to get to the Finding Place and locate the treasure.

For several years the pattern repeated: several trips, the sun on my bare body, Coyote Running gently greeting and teaching me, stacking wood, carrying cans, finding them all used in Spring, and no treasure! I found the circle made of stones going round my treasure space on all sides of the prairie, There were four ancient and barely seen lines of stones leading from the stream out and joining with this circle. Grandfather Coyote would always go with me and we would stand another stick of ribbons among the others there.

The summer I was twelve Grandfather told me that we would be spending a month at the camp. I couldn't believe it. We had usually spent a few days, a week at the most. A whole month! Surely this was my summer to find my treasure!

---

When we got there that night, things were different. Between the shack and the cottonwood grove three tipis were setup. There was a brush corral near the tipis and a fire was burning in a fire pit.

"Ah, they are here," said Grandfather.

"Who? Who are they?" I asked.

"It's Coyote Running and his nephew, Running Deer."

"Cool, can we be friends?" I asked.

"It's what we both hope for," he replied.

Nobody was around as we ate supper. "Where are they?" I asked impatiently.

"You know Coyote," Grandfather answered, "They will be here when it's time."

After supper we sat on the porch and watched the stars for a long time. Neither of us spoke, but I cuddled onto Grandfather's lap and under his arm. At the ranch I was too grown up for cuddling, but here it just seemed the right thing to do. I wiggled around and felt that poking at my thigh. "Settle down," Grandfather whispered into my hair.

"I wish I could live here forever," I sighed adjusting my own penis where it poked my pocket.

"Soon enough, hokshila, soon enough," Grandfather whispered.

Next morning I stumbled my way to the scrub oaks and completed my business. As I turned and stretched, there was Coyote Running, grinning from ear to ear.

"Hau, chinkshi," he smiled. (Hello son.)

"Hau, tunkasila, Tonikhetu he?" I replied. (Hello Grandfather, how are you?)

"Mantanyan na nish?" he answered. (I'm fine, and you?)

"Loyachin!" I said, patting my stomach. (I'm starving!)

"Thima iyaya yo!" he laughed. (Go inside!)

I burst through the door shouting, "Grandfather Coyote's here!" I barreled to the table and as usual Straighthorn's great eggs and bacon were heaped on the platter waiting. I was so excited I jumped up and hugged Straighthorn saying, "Pila'maya ye, misun." (Thank you, brother.)

"Lila ohan," he said and tousled my hair. As he steered me back to the table he gave me a swat on the buns. I was surprised. He didn't usually touch me, and now when he did it was like a shock. It went from my head and my buns directly to my penis. I'd been hard more often lately, but this was the first time I knew it was at someone's touch. Straighthorn had been with us since I was small and I thought of him as old, but I didn't know how old. I must remember to ask Grandfather.

"Where is Grandfather?" I asked Straighthorn.

"He and Grandfather Coyote have business," he replied. "They will be gone for a few days."

"But we are staying?" I asked.

"Yes, we are staying."

"Great!" I said.

I wolfed the eggs and bacon and leaped up; running to the bunk I shucked my jeans and shirt and was stepping out of my underwear when Straighthorn asked, "Can I join you at the Finding Place later?"

"Sure!" I yelled as I ran across the prairie, bare buns flashing in the sunlight.

I splashed around a while, turned over a few stones (again!) and was laying under the cottonwoods enjoying the sun on my body and watching the clouds. I heard a splash and looked up to see a Lakota boy stepping into the stream from the other side. He was about my size, maybe just a little shorter. His skin was beautifully brown and his long hair was braided down his back. He too was naked to the sun and I held my breath as he stepped across the stream towards me.

"Hau, shunghila cik'ala emakiyapi. Táku eniciyapi hwo?" I said. (Hello, Little Fox they call me. What do they call you?)

"Hau, Tháh'ca ínyanka emakiyapi." he replied. (Hello, Deer Running they call me.)

"Waniyetu nitona he?" I asked. (How old are you?)

"Waniyetu a'ke nu'pa." he answered. (I'm twelve years old.)

"Me too!" I laughed. "Do you speak English?"

He shrugged,

"Guess not," I mumbled. "Well, YOU'RE IT!" I shouted as I jumped up, tapped him on the shoulder and sprinted up the stream.

"Wínyeya manke shni." he yelled. (I'm not ready!) But he laughed and chased me right up the middle of the stream.

I turned to see how close he was and slipped on one of my treasure rocks. He pounced! Suddenly we were wrestling and tickling in water up to our waists. I had his arms pinned fast, but then he twisted under my left arm and suddenly I was on the stream bottom. Before I could do anything his hands were locked around my waist and he lifted me clear of the water, but he wasn't wrestling. He set me down on my feet and sunk to his knees.

"Chante' shice," he sobbed. (I'm sorry)

"Ohan, ohan, to'ka he?" I asked. (OK, OK, What's wrong?)

"Mni! (Water)" He said and moved his hands below the surface near the bottom. "Chikte!" (I kill you.) he cried.

He thought he had drowned me! "Hiya, chinuwan! (No, I swim!)" I laughed and I dove in a shallow dive and swam up stream some twenty yards. I popped up and let the current take me back to where he still knelt with the water up to his chest.

"Washte! (Good!)" he said and then jumped up tagged me and ran off downstream.

"Hey, I wasn't ready!" I laughed and sprinted after him. We ended up on the stream bank this time. Wrestling and rolling in the sand 'til suddenly we were both out of breath. Without a word a mutual truce was declared and we lay there in each others arms. Running Deer was on top of me and I realized my penis was stiff and poking at his hips. I was just about to roll over with embarrassment when I felt his was hard too and poking me back. He seemed to realize it at the same time and started to pull away, but I gently held him still and then pushed his shoulders up just a little so we could both look down between ourselves. As he raised a little we could see our stiff rods either side of each other poking up towards our nipples. I couldn't help myself, I laughed and pointed at his. He laughed and pointed back and then collapsed back on my chest. We both wiggled around and the sensations I felt were great. His must have been as good for he let out a little moan. I whispered to him, "Settle down" and we both lay still feeling things we had never felt before.

After a while we felt the pressure subsiding as our penises lost their hardness, Running Deer rolled to the side and we both sat up cross legged looking at our softening members.

"Tóshkhe Lakhotiya eyapi he?" (What do they call it in Lakota?) I asked.

"Che," he said. Then pointing at his balls he said, "Susu."

Pointing to my own penis I said first, "Che," then, "Susu," as I touched my balls. I didn't expect it, but just that touch caused my penis to stiffen again and point at Running Deer.

He laughed and said, "Iyokiphi!" (He is pleased!)

"Hau, lila! (Yes, very!)" I giggled and began to rub my hard rod.

Running Deer reached between his own legs and began rubbing his too. Soon we both had raging hard-ons. Mine felt wonderful at first, but then some sand must have been there because it started to hurt a little. I stopped rubbing and got up to wade in the stream. I heard Running Deer follow me and as we entered the deeper water I turned to see him. He was closer than I expected, so I just reached out and put my arms around his neck and hugged him close. He reached around my chest and the electricity hit us both as our penises made contact one to the other. Once again we just stood there slowly wiggling our hips together; penis to penis, feeling new and wonderful sensations.

After a while we went to the cottonwoods and lay down looking at the clouds.

"Mashtincala mah'piya (Rabbit cloud)," he pointed.

"Hau." I said. We watched clouds for a long time seeing birds, coyotes and dog and even one buffalo float by. Sometime we must have drifted off to sleep, because I didn't hear him come, but when I opened my eyes Straighthorn had joined us on the stream bank.

As I sat up Running Deer must have awakened at the same time. He too sat up and then stunned me by greeting Straighthorn, "Hau waphiye wichasha. (Hello Medicine Man)"

"Hau chinkshi (Hello son)" Straighthorn replied.

"Medicine Man?" I said as I touched Running Deer's shoulder, "No, he's our ranch hand, Straighthorn!"

Running Deer gave me the blank look of incomprehension and Straighthorn chuckled, "Aye, Little Fox, a man can be many things to many people. Are you not son to Grandfather and yet friend to Running Deer?"

"Well, yes," I admitted, "Are you really a Medicine Man?"

"Do not my bacon and eggs cure your hunger?" he laughed.

I giggled, "Yes I guess they do. And you know what? I'm starving now!" Touching Running Deer's thigh I laughed as much as said, "Loyachin!"

"Hau!" he hooted and we were both up and dragging Straighthorn over the prairie towards the camp and dinner.

Straighthorn howled with laughter, then scooped us up one under each arm and ran back to the camp. As he deposited first Running Deer and then me in chairs before huge bowls of stew, he whispered in my ear, "Looks like the Finding Place found you a friend to share your appetite!"

"Hau!" I shouted as we demolished two bowls of stew apiece.