full of ice. Somehow Redbird’s favorite buffalo pony had got across before spring breakup and when No Name saw tears in his father’s eyes at its possible loss he plunged in without a word.He swam across, caught the horse, swam back again, steering the horse ahead of him by its tail, calmly braving the driving cakes of ice and all the lashing whirlpools.
Circling Hawk glanced scornfully at No Name’s body; then touched a pair of white sun dance scars on his own chest. “I see you still have the body of a ẇ oman. When will you torment yourself?”
Disdain rose in No Name. Circling Hawk was a crude man. For a brave who dreamed of replacing Redbird as chief of the band, Circling Hawk had little of the reserve and dignity that went with such an office.
“The day waits for me,” No Name said then, and brusquely left Circling Hawk standing alone.
Coming through the horns of the camp, the opening to the east, No Name found the women up and about. All were lighting cooking fires outside their lodges. The various plumes of smoke around the camp circle rose straight up into the windless air, then, at about tree height, flattened off into a vague cloud. The sun was at last fully up, above the mist on the land, illuminating the smoke plumes with a hue as softly purple as the inside of a clam shell. The old women opened up the food parfleches and immediately all the dogs and children crowded in. The slimlegged fierce dogs became so daring the women had to club them away. One yellowish-gray dog, with the flashing green eyes of a wolf, was hit both front and back, and ran hobbling off on only a front paw and a hind leg, yelping pitifully. The old women called up the little girls to get more water for the cooking. Presently the young women returned from their bathing. Some took to combing their hair in the sun, decking their cheeks and the parts in their hair with vermilion. Others got out the master’s spear and shield and medicine pouch and hung them in the sun high out of reach on the tripod. Soon too the old men got up and poked their heads out of the door flaps and looked at the morning sun. A yell from some of the boys told of how they’d been caught stealing meat from a drying rack. At this the oldmen smiled. Stealth learned early made for bold raiders. It would come in handy when they went on horse raids later on.
Looking around, No Name finally spotted Leaf sitting on a high red rock at the edge of the camp circle, combing her hair. Her face was hidden behind a long lash of hair. Her hair glowed with a touch of rust, like a raven’s wings in springtime. He whistled and she looked up. She gave him a wide fulsome smile, then went back to her grooming.
Redbird’s lodge stood opposite the horns of the camp circle, west of the council lodge. In the bright sun the painted emblems on the lodge stood out very clearly. The upper half of it, including the smoke flaps, had been painted a deep black. This signified that Redbird had once been given a vision by the Thunders. The panel to the right of the door featured a running horse. It was done in red ocher, and was so spirited in detail that No Name sometimes had to look twice to make sure it wasn’t their spotted horse Swift As Wind. It signified that Redbird had once dreamed of a horse of a certain swiftness. The imprint of a bloody hand decorated the panel to the left. It signified that Redbird had once killed a man barehanded.
The most decorated tepee in camp belonged to his bachelor uncle Moon Dreamer. It stood next to Redbird’s lodge. Moon Dreamer the holy man had once heard in a revealed vision the White Woman In The Moon singing a majestic song. To commemorate the great event he had painted a rising white ball at the top of his tepee. Thirteen rays shot out from the ball. One of the rays became a long curving line and pointed at a picture of the Sioux bird, the singing meadowlark. Moon Dreamer had also spoken in dream with the Ancient Of Clouds as well as the
Circling Hawk glanced scornfully at No Name’s body; then touched a pair of white sun dance scars on his own chest. “I see you still have the body of a ẇ oman. When will you torment yourself?”
Disdain rose in No Name. Circling Hawk was a crude man. For a brave who dreamed of replacing Redbird as chief of the band, Circling Hawk had little of the reserve and dignity that went with such an office.
“The day waits for me,” No Name said then, and brusquely left Circling Hawk standing alone.
Coming through the horns of the camp, the opening to the east, No Name found the women up and about. All were lighting cooking fires outside their lodges. The various plumes of smoke around the camp circle rose straight up into the windless air, then, at about tree height, flattened off into a vague cloud. The sun was at last fully up, above the mist on the land, illuminating the smoke plumes with a hue as softly purple as the inside of a clam shell. The old women opened up the food parfleches and immediately all the dogs and children crowded in. The slimlegged fierce dogs became so daring the women had to club them away. One yellowish-gray dog, with the flashing green eyes of a wolf, was hit both front and back, and ran hobbling off on only a front paw and a hind leg, yelping pitifully. The old women called up the little girls to get more water for the cooking. Presently the young women returned from their bathing. Some took to combing their hair in the sun, decking their cheeks and the parts in their hair with vermilion. Others got out the master’s spear and shield and medicine pouch and hung them in the sun high out of reach on the tripod. Soon too the old men got up and poked their heads out of the door flaps and looked at the morning sun. A yell from some of the boys told of how they’d been caught stealing meat from a drying rack. At this the oldmen smiled. Stealth learned early made for bold raiders. It would come in handy when they went on horse raids later on.
Looking around, No Name finally spotted Leaf sitting on a high red rock at the edge of the camp circle, combing her hair. Her face was hidden behind a long lash of hair. Her hair glowed with a touch of rust, like a raven’s wings in springtime. He whistled and she looked up. She gave him a wide fulsome smile, then went back to her grooming.
Redbird’s lodge stood opposite the horns of the camp circle, west of the council lodge. In the bright sun the painted emblems on the lodge stood out very clearly. The upper half of it, including the smoke flaps, had been painted a deep black. This signified that Redbird had once been given a vision by the Thunders. The panel to the right of the door featured a running horse. It was done in red ocher, and was so spirited in detail that No Name sometimes had to look twice to make sure it wasn’t their spotted horse Swift As Wind. It signified that Redbird had once dreamed of a horse of a certain swiftness. The imprint of a bloody hand decorated the panel to the left. It signified that Redbird had once killed a man barehanded.
The most decorated tepee in camp belonged to his bachelor uncle Moon Dreamer. It stood next to Redbird’s lodge. Moon Dreamer the holy man had once heard in a revealed vision the White Woman In The Moon singing a majestic song. To commemorate the great event he had painted a rising white ball at the top of his tepee. Thirteen rays shot out from the ball. One of the rays became a long curving line and pointed at a picture of the Sioux bird, the singing meadowlark. Moon Dreamer had also spoken in dream with the Ancient Of Clouds as well as the
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