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Chapter Eight

"The buffalo have disappeared, and the fate of the buffalo

has almost overtaken the Blackfeet."

George Bird Grinnell

Sutter slipped his buckskin tunic over his torso and entered the bedchamber. Willie-boy was still asleep, but his breathing had changed. It was no longer slow and shallow but robust and unlabored.

He walked to the chair beside the bed Anya had occupied the night before and eased into it.

He looked down at the boy in a new light. He knew the moment he first laid eyes on him the boy belonged to him. Now that Anya had admitted it, feelings he'd never experienced before enveloped him. His blood ran in Willie-boy's veins; the blood of the People, and he wanted his son to know about them. The kid had so much to learn about their customs and beliefs. Sutter rubbed his chin and thought about what any young boy might want to hear. And then it came to him…the stuff of myth and legend, stories passed down for generations, something no one could ever take away from the People. In essence, the heart and soul of the Blackfoot Nation.

While Willie-boy peacefully slept, he began, and hoped that in the recesses of the boy's brain he'd hear and remember the words.

"This story is about the People, your People, and is called 'The Making of the Earth. During the flood, Old Man was sitting on the highest mountain with all the beasts. The flood was caused by the above people, because the baby of the woman who married a star was heedlessly torn in pieces by an Indian child.

Old Man sent the Otter down to get some earth. For a long time he waited, then the Otter came up dead. Old Man examined its feet, but found nothing on them. Next, he sent Beaver down, but after a long time he also came up drowned. Again nothing was found on his feet. He sent Muskrat to dive next. Muskrat also was drowned.

At length he sent the Duck, it was drowned, but in its paw, he held some earth. Old Man saw it, put it in his hand, feigned putting it on the water three times, and at last dropped it. Then the above-people sent rain, and everything grew on the earth.

"One day, you will learn more about Old Man and his importance to the People."

Willie-boy stirred, opened his eyes and met his. A smile spread his lips and he looked to the night table for the pencil and paper. He picked up the pencil and a confused expression crossed his features.

Sutter handed him the paper. "You looking for this?"

With a nod, he took the paper, scribbled down some words and handed it back to Sutter.

Sutter glanced down at the writing: Rid the sickness from his body. Harden the boy's body so he may reach great age. Sutter read the rest of what the boy wrote out loud: You are the voice I heard?

"Yes, I am the one who prayed for you."

Willie-boy reached for the note again and put the pencil to paper: What is your name?

"Sutter, Sutter Sky."

The boy's eyes fell into a heavy droop but he held a hand out for the note. Tell me another story, Sutter Sky. I am very tired, but I will hear you.

"Rest easy, William, I will tell you more and I promise to stay with you."

When the boy visibly relaxed and closed his eyes, overwhelming feelings of unconditional love and protectiveness consumed Sutter. For a moment, he had trouble forcing the words past his tongue.

"This is a story about Old Man and the Great Spirit."

There was once a Great Spirit who was good. He made a man and a woman. Then Old Man came along. No one made Old Man. He always existed.

"The Great Spirit said to him, 'Old Man, have you any power?

"Yes, said Old Man, 'I am very strong.

“Well,' said the Great Spirit, 'suppose you make some mountains.

So Old Man set to work and made the Sweet-Grass Hills. To do this he took a piece of Chief Mountain. He brought Chief Mountain up to its present location, shaped it up, and named it. The other mountains were called Blood Colts.

“Well," said the Great Spirit, “You are strong.

“Now,” said Old Man, “there are four of us: the man and woman, you and I.

The Great Spirit said, “All right. I will make a big cross for you to carry.

Old Man said “No, you make another man so that he can carry it.

The Great Spirit made another man. Old Man carried the cross for a while, but soon got tired and wanted to go. The Great Spirit told him that he could go, but he should go out among the people and the animals and teach them how to live.

Now the other man got tired of carrying the cross. He was a white man. The Great Spirit sent him off as a traveler. So he wandered on alone.

The man and woman who had been created wandered off down toward Mexico where they tried to build a mountain in order to get to the sky to be with their children. But the people got mixed up with others and that is how they came to have many different languages.

Sutter spoke long into the night, telling the boy about the People he knew nothing about. As was expected after his illness and the sacred healing ceremony to rid the Hooki from his body, Willie-boy ventured far into dreamland and sought the sleep his body so desperately needed.

Sutter didn't know how long he'd been drifting in and out of sleep, but he jackknifed up when Anya entered the room. Her skin had regained some of its natural color and her eyes burned clear and bright. Looking into those blue-spoked eyes, the anger in his heart ebbed, like a wave rolling out to sea, growing weaker and weaker on its ocean journey. Memories washed over him. He recalled the many times he thought about having children with her, building a life together. It didn't surprise him to see the way she doted and fretted over her Willie-boy. Anya had always loved fiercely, had asked for nothing in return except the same all-consuming passion she so willingly gave. At times, she was like the wind, wild and free and yet deep in her soul she was pure and true to those she loved. When it came to a child she'd brought into the world, she'd surrender her own life to save his.

Looking into the fathomless depths of her eyes, Sutter's heart reminded him he had loved all those traits about her once, but his brain warred with his heart, told him their time had passed, too much had happened in the ten years they'd been apart to overlook, much less forgive. Yet, now that he knew he had a son, how could he walk away?

Anya graced him with a smile and picked up the paper from the night table. "He asked you to tell him more stories?"

Sutter nodded.

"That's good, right? I mean it's a good sign?"

"I think with rest, he'll be back to normal soon."

She brushed a hand through Willie-boy's hair and whispered, "Thank you, Sutter." Looking away from her son, she met his eyes. "Supper is ready. I was about to call Cobb in from the barn, and I bet you're starved."

"I could eat something."

"Look, I know you don't understand why I didn’t tell you about the baby and married Lewis. And I know you hate me for that. As the years passed, I stopped hoping one day you'd meet your son. It all seemed so remote, so useless. But know this; every day I looked at our son, I took comfort in the fact that I had a little piece of you with me. You were always there through Willie-boy."

Sutter unfurled his long legs and stood. "I don't hate you, Anya, but think about what you said…you had William and a piece of me every day. I had neither, not you nor my son for ten, long years." Remorse washed over him when tears brimmed in her eyes. "Look, I don't think we should talk about this right now. Not while the Hooki still—"

"Haunts the ranch. All right," she said surrendering a sigh. "You said you were hungry. Let me fetch Cobb and we'll have supper first. Then you can see to your sweat lodge."

He followed her from the room. "The sweat lodge will have to wait. We have other preparations to make. We'll talk about it at supper."

* * *

Anya set down a platter of roasted antelope, prairie turnips and a bowl of service berries and then joined Cobb and Sutter at the kitchen table. "Cobb had success hunting today. Thank you for the antelope."

"I had to do something other than worry about the boy."

Anya looked up from her plate of food and met Sutter's eyes with a grateful smile.

"The healing ceremony worked?" Cobb put down his fork and exchanged glances with Anya and Sutter. "I mean, the ghost is no longer haunting Willie-boy?"

"All the signs point to ridding the Hooki from his body." Something in Sutter's voice held Anya's attention. "His fever has broken. He's no longer pale and is aware of his surroundings now."

"I'm relieved for Willie-boy, but…" Cobb paused and looked between them again. "The ghost has not left. Last night, he made his presence known loud and clear around the bunkhouse, and then moved on to the barn. He's louder now than before and I should not have used the word clear. He screams like a banshee, and howls like a demonic wind."

"What are we to do?" Anya chewed on her bottom lip. "Some days, I think we should pack up and leave. The Hooki can have the ranch."

"No," Sutter said, a little too fast and hard. "There's no guarantee the Hooki won't follow. As time passes, he gains power, strength, is able to gather enough energy to cause even more harm. That's how it works."

"Same question," Anya interjected. "What do we do?"

Sutter turned to Cobb. "Do you still have that necklace of bear claws you used to wear?"

Cobb nodded. "Tucked away under my bunk."

"Good. How many would you say are on there?"

Cobb put a finger to his lip while the wheels turned in his head. "I'd say twenty. Got too heavy for me to wear."

"When we're done eating, remove the claws from the rope and stick them in the ground around the perimeters of the property. The antelope, what did you do with the bones?"

"Buried them behind the barn."

"Dig them up. We'll place the head and rib cage over the door outside."

One of Cobb's brows shot up. "You're serious?"

"Yes, Hookis fear all animal bones but mostly the bear’s. They remember what a fierce opponent he was in life. If a bear or any part of a bear is in their territory, they see it as a bad omen, a deterrent to what they covet."

"Covet?" Anya leaned forward in the chair and stared at Sutter. "You sound as if the ghost wants something and that's why he won't leave."

"He's here for a reason and I need to find out why. Cobb said he's louder and angrier than before." Sutter paused. "And he got to Lewis and Willie-boy."

"I don't understand." Anya's voice trembled. "He hasn't entered the house. Why not, and how or where did he get to Lewis and my," she shot a wary look Cobb's way. "Our son?"

Cobb sat straight up in the chair and flicked his eyes first at Sutter and then Anya. "Our son?" With a slow shake of his head, he continued. "I guess I always suspected because of the way Lewis treated you once the boy was born, and, well, one would have to be blind not to notice the resemblance to Sutter."

"There." Head down, Anya placed her hands in her lap, her voice a whisper. "It's out and now everyone knows the truth. Lewis knew the boy wasn't his, hounded me night and day to admit it. I was terrified if he heard the words from my mouth, he'd do something to Willie-boy."

The words spewed from Cobb's tongue. "You should have told me. I could have protected you from Lewis. I knew about the abuse, saw his love affair with the jug, but a man doesn't interfere in a marriage." He fixed Anya with a hard stare when her head came up. "You never said anything, never asked me for help."

"I'm sorry, Cobb." She heaved a sigh. "Seems like all I'm saying these days is “I'm sorry.” My only thought was to protect Willie-boy from his wrath."

"Still—"

"Cobb, let it go." The hard tone in Sutter's voice caught Cobb's attention. "What's done is done and we have bigger problems to deal with." He softened his tone and directed his words to Anya. "You asked why he hasn't entered the house. My guess, and it's only a guess at this point, is that he doesn't have the power…yet. He must have gotten to Lewis outside, perhaps in the barn, and the same with Willie-boy. Remember, Cobb found the boy in the barn where Lewis . . . ."

Anya picked up the conversation. "So Cobb will deal with the bear claws and antelope bones, you plan to go into the sweat lodge and," she rolled her eyes, 'pray for a vision'. What do I do, sit here and twiddle my thumbs, hope he doesn't become more violent, gain the power to enter the house?"

"Your job is to gather as much white sage, sweet grass and cedar as possible. Burn them in bowls in every window and throughout the house. Sage and sweet grass are repugnant to ghosts."

Anya shook her head. "This is so unreal. Do you think this will stop the Hooki from entering the house?"

Sutter spoke with conviction. "We can hope. When all this is done, I'll enter the sweat lodge." He directed his words to Anya. "I told you before our ways are not like yours, and I've seen the doubt in your eyes. If you have a better plan, speak up."

"I'm scared," Sutter, "and as you said, dragged out. No, I don't have a better plan." She exchanged glances with Cobb. "We'll do as you say."

“Agreed,” said Cobb.

Sutter pushed back from the chair and came to his feet. "It will be dark soon, so let's be about our business and Cobb, keep a keen eye out."

Cobb answered with a nod.

They entered the yard and looked toward the setting sun in the west. They knew they had little time to accomplish their goals, but determined to keep the Hooki from entering the house they split up and hustled off to do Sutter's bidding.

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