The Calm Before the Storm

Once Ehawee wakes up from her nap, she finds herself wondering if Kohana had the same first vision that she did, so she asks him if they are allowed to talk about their sweat lodge visions. He looks thoughtful. "I guess we should ask the shaman that," he answers.

She smiles slightly. "I take it no one's ever asked that question before?"

"No one has ever been in our position before, Ehawee, so what would it matter if they had?"

"True. I guess I'm still getting used to that." She kisses him. "Can we ask him today?"

"I..." he looks thoughtful. "I don't think I'm ready to talk about it yet, Ehawee, even if the shamans say we can. All right?"

She looks briefly disappointed, but then nods. "All right. But we can still ask, so we know if we can when you're ready, right?"

"That's fine," he answers.

She gives him another kiss and holds him close, troubled that he also appears to have had disturbing visions. Then she busies herself with settling into her new home, unpacking her belongings and arranging things so that it feels more like home to her. She also checks on the condition of Kohana's wounds, which appear to be healing normally. She is quiet for a bit afterwards, still troubled that she could do such a thing without intending to, and worried that it might happen again.

Kohana keeps himself busy as well. Busy enough that he seems to be forgetting about talking to the shaman. Ehawee says nothing about this until after lunch, figuring a full belly might help. Then she reminds him gently, "I won't press you to talk about it even if he says yes, you know. Although I might tell you about mine."

"All right. Come. We will go see the shaman."

Kohana takes Ehawee's hand and leads her to the wolf-shaman's teepee. The shaman is sitting outside and looks up as they approach. They both kneel before him. "We have a question, great shaman," Kohana begins. "Is it permissible to speak to each other of our visions?"

The shaman looks thoughtful. "What one sees in a spirit walk is a very personal thing. Telling others of it might diminish its power. Why do you wish to talk about it?" he asks, addressing the question directly to Ehawee.

Ehawee hesitates as she tries to articulate her reasons. "I saw Kohana in one of my visions, and we spoke to each other after it ended...the vision part, although we were not awake. I wondered if it was possible that we had actually shared the same vision. And what that might mean, if we had."

The shaman shakes his head. "You have already said too much of it, Ehawee. One day your curiosity will be the end of you. I would advise you to look for the answers you seek within your own heart, and no other."

Ehawee looks apologetic. "I am sorry, I could think of no way to explain why I wished to talk about it without saying that much. I hoped that if I did not speak of what happened in the vision, that would be acceptable."

"Go. Pray to the spirits in case you have angered them."

She nods meekly to the shaman, then rises and leaves with Kohana. He follows her for a bit, then he speaks. "Maybe... Maybe, because you are Spirit, the normal rules don't apply to you?"

"Maybe. But how can I know for sure? I do not want to anger the spirits, but...." She shakes her head. "Maybe the shaman was right about my curiosity. Maybe the second vision was a warning about that. But the first one... If we actually shared a vision, then it seems that we should be able to speak of it to each other. But I am not a shaman, and do not have their wisdom about such things."

"I am just a man. I have to obey the shaman."

She nods. "Which I guess resolves my dilemma, since you are the only one I would wish to speak to about my vision." She is quiet for a bit, looking thoughtful, before she speaks again. "If we did share that first vision, I just want you to know that I meant what I said to you at the end of it. It wasn't your fault. That shouldn't break any rules, right?"

"I don't know. But I will say that I have no idea what you are talking about."

She looks relieved. "Then I guess we didn't share my first vision after all." She smiles, her mood lightening now that she knows this.

He smiles to see her smiling again. "Good. Then I can go hunting without worrying about you."

"Can I go with you?" she asks, trying to hide her eagerness.

He laughs. "Don't you think you should stay here and tend to the hides, make jerky, sew or something?"

She smiles back. "Have you accumulated that much sewing since Maka left? And for jerky, I'll need meat, which you are going in search of anyway, right?"

"I'm not going to win this argument, am I?" he asks.

"It isn't an argument, it's a...request of my wonderful and understanding husband." She smiles, then continues more seriously, "But if you really don't want me to come with you, then I won't. It's not good to hunt under such circumstances."

"So long as you don't out-shoot me, I don't care," he says with a grin. "Get your pony ready." And he begins working on his.

Ehawee readies her pony with a huge smile on her face, not quite able to believe her good fortune. She hadn't dared to hope that he might agree to let her go with him the first time she asked, after all. Well, maybe a tiny part of her did....

A short time later, they are riding their ponies over the plains. Ehawee does prove to be a better shot than Kohana, but she only takes advantage of it when she thinks his attention is elsewhere, not wanting to show him up if she can help it. As the afternoon wears on, and they are about to turn back, Ehawee notices some specks against the far off horizon, cresting a hill. She gets Kohana's attention and points to the horizon.

"I don't see anything," Kohana says.

"I do. They're cresting a hill. I can just barely make them out." She continues staring, trying to make out more details, like how many there are, and if they are mounted. After a few moments more of staring, she feels her heart sink. It is a large group of cavalry men, probably around 50 in number. At the pace they are riding, they will be within five miles of the winter camp by nightfall.

Ehawee clutches Kohana's arm. "They are horse soldiers. A lot of them. And they are riding this way. We must go."

Kohana's expression hardens and he nods, spurring his pony quickly away to warn the other warriors. Ehawee digs her heels in on her own pony and races after Kohana, her stomach churning uneasily inside of her. This is the first time she has ever seen a live white man, and the presence of so many does not bode well.

Kohana rides his pony through the center of camp, crying a warning. He rides straight to the chief's teepee and tells him what Ehawee saw. The chief motions Ehawee over. "Say so all can hear," he tells her.

Ehawee takes a deep breath, wishing her stomach would settle, then speaks in what she hopes is a clear voice. "I saw a large group of horse soldiers, riding in this direction. If they do not change their pace, I think they will be a short ride from our camp by nightfall."

"They are not supposed to be here!" Kohana says angrily. "This is our land. We should drive them from it!"

There are answering whoops from the gathering crowd. Ehawee waits for them to die down before adding, "I believe they number as many as all of the men in our camp." Her stomach still churns inside of her, part of her agreeing with Kohana, but part of her very afraid.

"Then stealth will have to be our strongest weapon," the chief answers. He then begins organizing a raiding party, with Kohana in the thick of things.

This is men's business, and Ehawee soon finds herself jostled to the sidelines. She expected this, of course, but she desperately wants to help, and it is that desire that prevents her from leaving entirely. Instead, she remains on the outskirts and listens, hoping for a role that she can fill, an opportunity to offer her assistance...some chance to do something more, even if she isn't quite sure what.

"Deadwood"
Ehawee's Page | Ehawee's Story

All text on this page is © 2001 by Kris Fazzari.

Last modified on May 28, 2001 by Kris Fazzari.