Ch.5

      Bird feels herself coming back from a deep tunnel with what feels like an anvil on her head. The smell of White Sage and Red Cedar. Is very strong, she hasn't sensed this smell since leaving the Reservation. Is she home?..

      She feels at her side for her child, finding only soft blanket and hard earth. The faint sound of Chanting, the shaking of Turtle Rattlers and a sense of floating is pleasing to her.

      Opening her eyes, she looks into a wrinkled face with kind eyes. Has she gone over to the other side? Is this the face of Creator? She slips back into the tunnel she has come up from.

      Her next awareness is the smell of a cooking fire. Then she hears a baby crying. Managing to raise herself onto her elbow, she sees she is on a pallet inside a dwelling with Native Rugs on the floor. Indian words are being spoken but she understands only a few.

      Through the doorway comes a short stocky woman with jet black hair pulled back into a tight bun at the nape of her neck. Yellow blouse and a purple skirt, with many strands of stone around her neck, Silver rings on her fingers, she is has several teeth missing "Do you speak Shoshone?"

      Bird, replies "No I am Serrano from the Colorado River". Bird, asks to see Gray Wolf. The woman laughs. "Oh he is so fat we call him Gourd-Boy." She brings the bundled child and indeed he is so fat his eyes are but slits. He settles next to her side nuzzling for her small breast.

      The woman brings broth with ground maize for Bird to sip. She says it had been hard to stop the bleeding, Bird has ripped badly with such a large child. She had to pack Bird, inside with healing herbs and use liquid potions to draw the poison from her system. She has made herbal teas to put by the spoonfuls in Birds mouth to help her dream so she will heal or go over to the other side.

      Bird ask, "How do you know my name?" "The man at the filling station told us when we picked you up. She speaks softly. "My name is Beloved, I have been with you for four weeks now and there has been Prayer on the Mountain since you were brought here. You have been rubbed with many stones of the ancients".

      "How far from the filling station am I now?" Bird, asks.An elderly Indian man enters the room at this time, saying "You are many miles in distance and time from where you once were."

      Bird does not understand his meaning. She has much to learn of the culture of those who have saved the life of her and her son. She asks about Wade. The man simply says "The white boy who did not protect you or his son has been taken by the military to the stockade".

      Bird attempt's to defend Wade. The old makes a soft noise and shakes his head NO. Now you must dream many dreams: Get strong in your spirit, for you and your son. "Sleep my child" He smudges the area where she and Gray Wolf are laying, also each corner and the entry.

      As he leaves the room he turns slowly towards her asking "Where did you come from, where are you now on the Medicine Wheel"? Bird, knows what this means where is she on her hoopa of life. She replies meekly, "I am from the Colorado River but not schooled in my direction nor do I know yet my animal guide".

      With that he nod's his head yes, leaving with the smudging shell and feathers still smoldering.

      As Bird drifts slowly round and round she hears one of the 25 songs her own Tribe uses in worship, She tastes ground herb placed on her lips, she sings her own sweet melodic chant.. "hy yo hi yo-hi yo hi hi hi a yaki hiiiiyo..

      She feels she and her son have been delivered from certain death...