Up in Smoke

By Donna and Ev

    Since it looked like her services would not be needed anytime really soon, Katherine made good on her offer to take Pascal to the Indian village to meet Coltec.  She showed up with her buggy bright and early in the morning, her baby girl in a basket next to her, along with some items that she wanted to give to the ladies that lived in the camp. Carol, who had just finished feeding her baby, had to come out and show her off as Pascal dashed around, grabbing clothes and stuff to take with him.  If all went as planned, he would be staying at the camp for a few days.

    Carol chuckled as she watched him rushing around.  "He doesn't move that fast too often.  I'm impressed."  She walked closer to see Katherine's little girl.  "Oh, she's beautiful.  I'm betting these two will be getting into mischief together before we know it."  She kissed Fabienne's little hand. 

     "It doesn't take them long. Doireann is already trying to scoot around!" Katherine chuckled as she reached over to tuck the blanket around the sleeping baby.  She was beautiful.  Already she had a head full of wonderful dark curls, and when her eyes were open, they were a deep blue in color.

    Fabienne had her eyes open, taking in everything eagerly.  They were still that nearly colorless watery blue that new babies had and her hair, what there was of it, was pale reddish blonde.  Carol couldn't get enough of looking at her miracle child.  "You know, I thought being a mother was a terrible idea for me, but I think I'm warming up to it pretty well." 

     "You will be a wonderful mother," Katherine assured her as Pascal finally climbed up into the buggy, a bag filled with enough items to last him a month in his hands.  He looked as gleeful as a boy scout getting ready to leave on a long awaited camping trip.

    "I have a lot of help here, and I'm going to need it."  Carol smiled and hugged her baby.  Then she walked up and gave Pascal a kiss on the cheek. "You be good."

    He grinned back at her.  "Oui, mere."  Kissing her on the cheek, he whispered, "I will." 

     Katherine clucked at her patient little mare, and moved her on down the road, quizzing Pascal about the different types of plants, trees and bushes they passed. Some he knew, some he had to frantically look up in his notebook.  When they reached Waneta's farm, Katherine turned off the road. As they came close to the house, Waneta came running out, and after Katherine pulled up, she climbed in the buggy too, her arms full of some items she had made for the baby that Shiloh was expecting.

    Waneta smiled, "Thanks!  I'm so glad to have a lift, with all this to bring along.  Oh!  Can I see the baby?"  She smiled at Katherine for permission and held out a hand to Pascal.  "Hi!  I know I've met you, but I don't remember your name.  I'm sorry." 

     "Of course!" Katherine chuckled, glancing at Waneta, then doing a double take.  As Pascal shook her hand, reintroducing himself, Katherine smiled to herself as she carefully steered the buggy through the woods.  There was a path between the farm and the camp, but it wasn't very wide.

    Waneta ooh'd and aah'd over the baby for a few minutes, then forced herself to let her sleep.  She turned her attention to Pascal, seeing the notebook.  "Are you the one I heard about who is learning from Katherine?" 

    He blushed happily and said that he was, and to Katherine's amusement, Waneta took over the quizzing. Asking him about the plants they were passing, telling him some of the uses that he did not know, like making dye for wool.

    "Do you see the plant there with the long narrow leaves, a little darker green than the rest there near the side of the road?  That is one we have found which can be used like tobacco.  It is not quite the same, they tell me, I don't smoke it myself, but that is what we have here." 

     "Is good!" he said, making a quick sketch.  One thing he really missed in this new world was his cigarettes. But before he could ask how they prepared it, they neared the camp and that diverted his attention from the tobacco type of plant.

    It took all his concentration to do the last of his notes on the "tobacco" plant before getting down from the wagon, but this was something he didn't want to forget.  He looked around with interest.  This was a new place for him. 

    The women all immediately surrounded Katherine and Waneta, pulling them aside, leaving Pascal to the mercies of the men, who all welcomed him whole wholeheartedly to the camp. "You can put your things in my lodge," Coltec told him. "There is much to show you!  But only a little now.  Later, you come back and I will teach you all you need to know."

    Pascal smiled.  "Good.  I have much to learn.  Katherine said you know much about herbs.  I hope I can be good student." 

    Coltec clapped him on the back, almost knocking him off his feet.  "Good man!" he said with a broad smile.  Taking him around the camp, he introduced him to all the men, and then invited Pascal to join them around the fire. Some of them were working on arrows and other weapons and tools, while Archie Grey Owl was showing a little boy how to make a drum.  As soon as he sat down, a rather round little squaw brought by a birch bark platter heaped high with smoked meat and fruit leather.  "Eat," she ordered. "You are too skinny."  Off to the side, the one who Pascal had been told was named Joseph laughed, and as she went by, he slapped her bottom.

    Pascal wasn't quite sure what to make of everything.  He smiled his thanks and tasted the smoked meat.  It was very good!  Not like home cooking, but he doubted he would ever see that again in this place.  "Very good.  Thank you." 

    The rest of the day passed by in a blur.  So much was going on!  By the time the sun had set, it had seemed that the camp population had doubled.  Hudson had come, along with John Clayton and Connor MacLeod.  Maverick from town had managed to find his way to the camp, as well as some of the express riders who had come with Buck.  There were even a few of the forest fae come to join in the celebration!  After a feast that showed Pascal how plentiful the food supply in the wilds really was if one knew where to look, the drums were brought out, and all the women appeared from their lodges with their finest buckskin outfits on.  Coltec gave a welcoming speech to them all, and then smeared some paint on Pascal's cheeks, calling him "Wants to Learn".

    After greeting Pascal with his new name, Waneta and Hudson rose to get everyone's attention.  "We have something to announce to you all."  The two of them hugged and smiled.  "We are going to have a baby."  They held hands and looked around at all their new family, beaming with joy. 

    Katherine smiled up at the happy couple.  "I thought I noticed something different about you today."

    There were cries of joy from all of the camp members, and well wishes from those who were just visiting. "We have now yet another reason to celebrate!" Coltec beamed happily as he hugged the couple.  "Come!  Let us dance!"  And dance they did, until Pascal though his legs were not going to support him for one more lap around the fire!

    Just as Pascal felt he couldn't take another step, the ladies all went into one of the lodges and the men all took seats around the fire, with someone adding another log or two to keep it going.  He sighed with relief and looked around to see what would be next. 

    As they laughed and joked, a pipe was lit, and after Coltec said a short *blessing*, he waved his hands over the gathered men, both red and white.  "All my relatives!" he announced, then took a puff of the pipe before passing it around.

    Pascal knew, the instant he puffed on it, that this was most definitely not tobacco.  Besides the taste being different, it gave him an almost instant odd feeling.  A very pleasant odd feeling.  Soon most of them around the fire were laughing a little more than usual. 

    He was only vaguely aware when several hours later, the party broke up, and the guests wandered off into the night to head to their respective homes, guided by the light of a bright full moon.  But as long as the pipe kept going around, Pascal didn't care.  At one point, he ended up in Ula's teepee, and after she welcomed him in her own special way, he drifted off to sleep, dreaming that he was a bird soaring high above the trees.