Grey Eyes by Frank Christopher Busch

from the cold. He handed Painted Turtle Man the pouch of tobacco, then hugged him quickly. “ Hiy, hiy ,” he said.
    â€œ Ekosi ,” replied Painted Turtle Man, patting the big man’s back.
    Young warriors pulling the clan matriarchs on toboggans began to arrive. Normally, they would have travelled by dog sled, but dogs were not allowed on ceremony grounds, which had to be kept clean. The young women arrived next, some pulled on toboggan by warriors trying to make a good impression. The Turtle clan arrived, and young men rushed over to help the women carrying water for the ceremony. One of the boys from the Deer clan offered assistance and was rejected by a particularly beautiful, older girl. Though his friends teased him, he showed no shame. Perhaps he would to try again another day, if she had still not chosen a husband.
    Soaring Star Woman, matriarch of the Eagle clan and leader of the Circle of Clan Mothers, arrived, accompanied by the Eagle twins and Walking Moon Woman, matriarch of the Bear clan. Elevated by the Grey-Eyed magic, the four women glided rather than walked, landing just before the Holy Ground. Walking Moon Woman was not accustomed to flying in this manner, though she laughed easily as she set down clumsily beside the more practiced twins.
    When all assembled had offered their tobacco to the fire, Brown Shield Man approached the matriarchs. “The grandfathers are almost ready,” he said.
    â€œGive our thanks to the warriors of the Wolf clan,” answered Walking Moon Woman. “Here comes my grandson now.”
    Blue Elk Man, his leg fully healed, pulled a toboggan carrying his wife and her sister, who held the baby in her arms. Brown Shield Man handed the large shoulder bone he had been using to tend the fire to one of his younger Wolf clan brothers and went to assist his wife and nephew. White Willow Woman, still moving slowly, was wearing a new dress and coat made from the gifted deer hides. The people of Nisichawayasihk cleared a narrow path for the Bear clan but tried to catch a glimpse of the new baby, who was sleeping peacefully.
    The preparations had been made and all of the people of Nisichawayasihk had gathered. The sweat lodge ceremony to find the name of the newborn child was about to begin. As Painted Turtle Man took one last look around, the memory of the strung-up owl rushed to his mind. When he had informed Soaring Star Woman of what the Martens had found, she assured him the village would be safe. Not wanting his own doubts and fears to affect the proceedings, he forced the image away. The Red-Eye were not present in body. It would not be him who would invite them in, in spirit.

10 mitātaht

    â€œT he grandfathers are almost ready,” announced Brown Shield Man.
    Those who would be entering the lodge began to undress. The men stood around the fire wearing only a short wrap around their middles. They shivered now and then but would say nothing of the cold. The women wore plain doe hide dresses covering their bodies from just under their arms to just above their knees.
    The small dome-shaped building was ready; the floor was covered with pine boughs for insulation and those were covered with soft, tanned hides. Inside, coloured strips of hide hung from the willow frame ribs, marking the four cardinal directions: red in the east, yellow in the south, black in the west, white in the north, and blue, the colour of spirit, in the centre. A shallow pit had been dug in the centre to hold the rocks.
    â€œHave you filled the pipe?” Painted Turtle Man asked Soaring Spear Man.
    â€œNot yet, Moosum ,” the helper replied. This task should have been done by now, but Painted Turtle Man knew his helpers were still learning.
    â€œIt is time,” said Painted Turtle Man. After some frantic searching and fidgeting with the ropes, Soaring Spear Man dropped to his knees and assembled the pipe.
    Painted Turtle Man joined him, placing a hand on his shoulder.