14 14 Sweat Lodge Visions 2

Worried over the shadow Fire Fox told his father and uncle what he had seen. They patrolled around to find nothing unusual just sets of tracks on the spring bank but no scents of any recent animal or unwanted guests nearby. They all thought it was probably a trick of the light and proceeded along their way. Fire Fox was unconvinced. He kept looking down wind still feeling unsettled over the matter. He kept feeling as there were eyes upon him and it made his hair bristle.

This time went his little legs started to hurt he pulled his fathers shirt fringes and asked to be picked up to ride on his back. Uncle was the one to scoop him up this time and father took the satchel. He held onto his uncles back like a baby possum would to his parent. This wasn't so bad. Once they nearly got to his grandfathers place he was let down again. Then he saw it! The shadow again! This time he was determined to prove what he had seen. He would prove to uncle and father that he was a brave little hunter and catch that shadow thing.

Aiming his tiny arrow across his bows notch he let it loose with a thunk sound coming from the string. Following the sound the men turned around and looked in awed silence as the arrow hit something. Rushing to the side of Fire Fox who had a beaming smile on his face they looked over at a line of bushes to see a foot with a tiny arrow above it and a tiny trickle of blood. Walking over cautiously Snow Owl gasped as he saw what was there. A GIRL? What was a lone girl doing here? She scrambled back in fear when she saw the imposing man and tried to tuck into a ball to unsuccessfully try to hide. Fire Fox ambled over, no longer did he have a smile on his face, only worry. He felt bad for shooting an unarmed girl and hurting her, but how could he know the curious shadow tracking them was a girl and not an enemy or beast.

Walking up to her he tapped her on her arm and said, "I'm sorry miss. I didn't know you were a person and something scary. I'm very sorry. My father is a medicine man maybe if you let him he can take my arrow out and fix your foot." Shyly the girl lifted her head and looked at the cute little boy and pointed at her foot with tears rolling down her face. She nodded to respond to allowing Snow Fox to tend to the wound. Even thought she still remained very guarded as he did. Fire Fox then asked her what her name was and why she wasn't speaking to them. She pointed to her throat and they were all shocked to see a long scar on her neck. Snow Owl looked very aggrieved when he saw this. He told his son that someone either wanted to leave her for dead or wished for her to never speak for some reason or both. He began to cry knowing that someone had hurt her and now he hurt her too. Picking up a stick the girl drew three pictures and placed a yellow flower petal on the last one. One was a tall person, then a tiny person, followed by what looked like a squirrel. Pointing to the tiny person then to the squirrel with the stick. Was she drawing her name? Snow Owl asked. She nodded. First to guess was Snow Owl, "Tiny Yellow Squirrel?" She shook her head no. Next was Snow Fox, "Little Flower Squirrel?"Again no. Lastly Fire Fox blurted out, "Little Bright Squirrel?" She scooped him up and spun him around. Apparently this was a yes. Taking the stick again she drew out a picture of what happened to her. After a while it was more or less found out that she had been dumped out on the mountain by someone bad to her and had escaped a mountain lion earning her the scar on her neck. She then wiped away the drawings with her foot.

Thankfully she had gotten away from the lion but after the pain and the healing process of the wound she had never tried to talk again as it had hurt to do so at the time and she feared it still being painful. She had learned that it was better to stay silent while foraging on the mountain for her own safety. But today when she saw the little boy at the side of the spring her heart warmed to him and when she saw the men taking care of him and not leaving him behind her curiosity got the better of her and started following them slowly down wind and hidden. Every time she had seen people on the mountain she had hidden. Once in a while she would sneak a peak at the old one that she had seen on the trail previously.

After being spun around Little Fire Fox had his little foxy ears pop out on his head which made Bright Squirrel jump back before the urge to touch them took over and she smiled at how soft they were. Worried the two men explained that they were from a clan of fox spirit shape-shifters and told her their names. She pointed to herself and before long she shifted into a lovely golden fox and then back again. Agreeing that they could simply not leave her by herself on the trail they had her join them to the mountain summit. It was early afternoon when they reached the top. Surprised the elder welcomed the group. Snow Fox walked a distance away to tell his father what he had learned of the girl with them. He shook his head solemnly, 'How could anyone do this terrible thing on "My" Mountain?'

Walking back he took her hands and greeted her. He then advised her that only the men could go into the sweat lodge. She nodded indicating that she understood. He also asked that she bring water occasionally to the lodge doorway and leave it. Again she nodded. Lastly with a cheese eating grin he asked if she could cook. She lowered her head and shook no but motioned with her hands a little and made a stirring motion. "Soup it is then!", he belly laughed leaving her with a perplexed look on her face. Everyone brought over dried meats, root vegetables, and herbs. Fire Fox brought over a stone pot and water in a gourd. Together they started a fire and placed the stone pot. Once the items were all added in Bright Squirrel was told to tend to it and stir as well as not to let the fire die out. Happily she nodded. Grandfather motioned to Fire Fox to come to him. Whispering he told him to help her and to stay close to the lodge entry. One was to listen to the parts that was about him and second was to bring water in and put it over the hot rocks inside. This was to be his task for the sweat lodge.