Written in the Stars Chapter Three

Chapter Three


    The next morning Black Hawk sent for Summer Rain. He wanted to talk to her alone so he suggested they go for a walk together. He waited until they were a few miles outside the village before he spoke. "Howling Moon is very angry about Luna sneaking out to meet you last night," Black Hawk began.
    "Grandfather, why is everyone suddenly so afraid of me? What did I do that was so wrong?" Summer asked.
    "It's not that you did anything wrong. It's just that people don't understand your powers yet. Give them time. They will come around and accept that you are really no different than you were before," the old man reasoned. Summer nodded her head sadly.
    "You know…sometimes I wish I wasn't the Starchild. It's not fair. Why should my life be so different than theirs? I didn't ask for these powers," Summer said.
    "But you do have the power Summer. This is not a curse, but a gift from the spirits. You must learn to control it and then the people will no longer be afraid," Black Hawk reasoned.
    "So how do I do that?"
    Black Hawk walked over to sit on a fallen log. He was stalling because he didn't know the answer to her question. "I think what we will have to do is spend a few hours everyday together, so we can work on developing your powers. I still have much to teach you if you are to be the next Spirit Master," Black Hawk said thoughtfully.
    "Will you teach me to call the herds to our hunters spears?" Summer asked excitedly.
    "That sounds like an excellent place to start. The great hunt is coming up at the next full moon. Together we will call the buffalo that will feed the tribe throughout the long winter months," Black Hawk answered.
    Summer spent the rest of the morning with the Spirit Master talking about the yearly buffalo hunt and the ceremonies that would be preformed by the tribal Spirit Master and the hunters. This was one of the biggest events of the year for the people. Most of the tribe would follow the hunters out to the plains for the hunt. The women would work skinning, butchering and smoking the buffalo meat after the hunt was over. The younger boys would gather firewood and chase the scavenging birds away from the drying meat and the buffaloes that were yet to be butchered. It took the cooperation of all the able-bodied members of the tribe to carry and store the great mounds of meat that would see them through the lean winter months. Only the old, weak and sick would stay behind in the village during the hunt.
    Each hunter would mark his spears and arrows with a special symbol that was recognized by all as his brand. That way he could claim his kills without dispute over hides or meat with other hunters. Many of the men in the village were busy making new weapons and stone points in preparation for the upcoming hunt. Between preparing her weapons and working with the Spirit Master Summer had very little free time left to herself.
    Howling Moon was starting to get over being so angry but he still didn't want Luna to meet Summer alone. Luna convinced Sparrow to go along with her so she could see Summer Rain as often as possible. Sparrow usually left the two girls alone so that they could talk and stood watch for their parents or anyone else who might tell the Chief they were alone together.
    "I was thinking, since Howling Moon has so many daughters to work for him and feed that maybe he might consider allowing you to work at my butchering camp on the hunt," Summer said thoughtfully.
    "I don't know. You know how my parents feel about us spending so much time together."
    "If I were to get his permission, would you want to work with me on the hunt?" Summer asked a bit nervously.
    Luna smiled. "You know I would Summer," she answered. Summer relaxed again and smiled.
    "Then I will ask him," she said.
    Later that evening Summer Rain went to the Chief's hut to talk to him. Summer was a good hunter and by allowing Luna to work at her butchering camp Howling Moon would be paid a portion of the meat and hides that Summer took on the hunt. Regardless of how he might have felt about the Starchild personally, it was a good offer for him. Howling Moon and Soft Cloud had five other daughters and no sons to help him provide for them all. It was really Soft Cloud who was pressuring the Chief to separate the two girls and find Luna a suitable mate. Howling Moon was less inclined to interfere.
    Soft Cloud didn't approve of letting Luna work at Summer's camp but Howling Moon had to think about feeding his family through the winter months. The extra meat and hides would be very helpful in doing that. Howling Moon agreed to Summer Rain's offer and said Luna could work in her butchering camp. Summer also got permission from Sparrow's father for her to join them.
    On the morning when the tribe left for their traditional hunting grounds the village was a buzz of activity. Nearly the whole tribe was assembled in the village circle. Summer Rain had hired four other women to work her camp. These were women who were widowed or simply had no mate to provide for them. Two of the women had small children to feed; their mates had passed into the spirit world. The third was an older woman with no family to care for her. The fourth woman was a few years older than Summer and the other girls. She needed to help provide for her large family of younger brothers and sisters. Each of the six women would receive meat and hides from Summer Rain's kills for their work. Since Stone was a fine hunter that could provide for his wife and son, Summer was able to pay the women well. She did not have a family of her own to care for. This meant that she would end up taking more meat than she could possibly use or trade for the season.
    As the tribe began their march towards the hunting grounds the large gray wolf trotted happily along side of the Starchild. The people of the village were getting use to the animal being around. They no longer feared the wolf would attack them or their children. The women walked together in groups with the others they would be working with, making plans and dreaming of all the fresh meat they would soon have. It was a time of great happiness and hope. If the hunters did well, they would be blessed with an easy winter with plenty to eat. If however, the hunters did not do well, it could mean a long starving winter for the people.
    The women of the tribe carried packs filled with all the tools they would need for skinning and butchering the large buffalo. They also carried most of the tribes needed supplies. This left the hunters free to only carry their weapons and bedrolls. Everyone carried what they could, even the old and the very young had their bundles strapped to their backs as they marched through the woods and out towards the plains. The hunters walked together in groups along the outer edges of the people to protect them from any possible dangers. Summer was walking along beside her father and grandfather on the left side of the trail. Black Hawk was in a cheerful mood but Summer knew he was still thinking about the rituals that they had to perform to call the herds. This was going to be the first time that Summer Rain would be helping the Spirit Master in this ritual.
    The tribe marched on at a steady pace until the sun was high overhead before stopping. The hunters were use to long treks but the others; especially the old and the young were not so they stopped by the river to rest. Summer went to find Luna and the other women and children from her group. She sat with Luna and Sparrow as they ate a light lunch on the grassy bank of the river. Before starting out again Summer told everyone in her group to make sure their water skins were filled. They would be passing through some very dry, hot areas before the reached the watering hole of the hunting grounds.
    When the tribe reached the edge of the forest they were greeted by a sea of tall waving grass that went on for as far as the eye could see. Mothers directed their children towards the center of the group away from the outer edges. The hunters spread out around the group to watch for stalking cats and other predators that made these fields their home.  Luna walked along the outside of the group of women talking to Summer Rain as they continued. The wolf bound through the grass chasing after unseen game before circling back to check in on the Starchild. The people walked until nearly sunset across the plains before they finally reached the site of their traditional hunting grounds. The women busied themselves with setting up their camps while the hunters gathered to talk and prepare for the hunt. Summer Rain stopped to check in on the group of women that would be tending her camp then headed off to meet with Black Hawk.
    The hour was late when she finally returned from talking with the Spirit Master. The children and their mothers were already asleep. Only Luna and the old woman Evening Star were still awake when Summer walked back into her camp. Evening Star handed Summer Rain a plate of food and affectionately patted the younger woman's shoulder. "Good luck on the hunt tomorrow Starchild," she said then retired to her bedroll for the night.
    Luna got up and slowly walked over to sit beside Summer Rain at the fire. "It seems strange to be alone together like this at night," Luna said quietly.
    Summer smirked. "I know what you mean. Normally it feels like half the village is watching us but tonight…tonight there are just the stars," Summer said. The wolf wandered over and laid his head on Summer's knee. Both girls reached out to pet the large animal and their hands touched. Slowly they looked up into each other's eyes. Luna's heart raced in her chest while butterflies fluttered in Summer Rain's stomach. Summer longed to kiss Luna but she knew it was forbidden. Luna had not yet been initiated as an adult of the tribe.
    Summer wrapped her fingers over Luna's in the wolf's thick mane and looked back at the fire. ‘After the next new moon when she is declared a woman of the tribe, then I will go to Howling moon and ask for her hand,’ Summer thought to herself. It was little comfort at the moment but at least it was something to look forward to. "We had better get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a busy day for us all," Summer said. Reluctantly Luna agreed and after saying goodnight went to lie down on her bedroll. Summer sat by the fire for a while longer gazing at the flames as she tried to calm her thoughts. ‘Soon,’ she told herself over and over again until the desire for Luna eased enough to allow her to sleep.
    In the morning Summer Rain and Black Hawk went off alone to the sacred cliffs. It was from here that they would call the buffalo with their prayers, chants and songs. Since before the beginning of the people's memory, it had been the sacred duty of the Spirit Master to call the herds to the hunter's spears. There on the cliffs, were numerous paintings depicting animals of all kinds offering themselves up to hunters. Now Black Hawk and Summer would add a new painting to show the spirits what they asked for. Together, working side by side, they mixed the paints and began to work. They chanted and sang to the great spirit of the buffalo as they painted. Together they painted a giant herd of buffalo, more numerous than the stars in the sky. Then they painted the hunters killing the buffalo and next a scene of the women butchering the fallen animals. Finally they painted the people celebrating and thanking the buffalo for giving up their lives so the people could live. Black Hawk thought they were done but Summer added one last picture. She told the Spirit Master that she had seen the Great Spirit buffalo in her dreams the night before, offering it's self up to the people. She felt the need to paint what she had seen.
    When she stepped back there on the sacred cliffs was a picture of a giant white buffalo, proud and majestic. The beast offered himself up to a hunter of the people. When Black Hawk looked closer he could see the hunter was a woman. He was shocked and amazed. No one had ever dared to consider killing the Great Spirit buffalo. Very few had ever even seen the beast but it was said that he was as old as the world it's self and an extremely powerful spirit. A hunter would have to possess great strength not just of body but also in spirit to kill such a creature. Wordlessly, Summer and Black Hawk returned to camp.
    While the other hunters were busy testing their weapons and getting ready to head out Summer Rain was off alone painting the symbols of power on her arms and chest like she had seen in the dream. Her face was painted, making her appear scary and somehow larger. The men who had been at the purification camp with her the month before recognized the look of power in her eyes. This was no longer Summer Rain. She was the Starchild, powerful, fierce and awe-inspiring. Some believed that she might even have been a spirit herself.
    The hunters headed out to begin the hunt. They made their way up over the hilltop to peer down at the ravine where the buffalo were grazing. They divided into two groups and fanned out on both sides of the ravine their weapons at the ready. The hunters waited in tense silence for Howling Moon to blow the horn that would begin the hunt. The women and children watched from on top of the ridge as the horn sounded and the hunt began. The herd startled by the strange sound of the horn began to move and the hunt was on. Hunters hurled their spears into the fast moving pack of animals with deadly force. One by one the beasts began to drop as the hunters found their marks. Spears and arrows filled the sky as the herd ran by.
    Once the herd had passed, the hunters had cast all their spears and shot all their arrows, it was time for the real work to begin. Cautiously the men made their way down into the ravine. They carefully moved from one fallen beast to the next, cutting their throats to make sure the animals were dead before the women came down. It was while doing this that the Great Spirit buffalo appeared. He was nearly twice the size of any of the rest of the herd. He calmly walked out of the cloud of dust like a ghost from the mist. His eyes were like flames and the earth shook as he pawed the ground in preparation to charge.
    Summer pulled one of her spears from a nearby kill and stood ready to face down the mighty beast. She had a look of madness in her eyes as she glared at the great white buffalo. "Come on, your death awaits you at the end of my spear!" she yelled in challenge. The buffalo swung his massive head from side to side and snorted in anger before charging Summer Rain. To Summer, everything appeared to be moving in slow motion as she stood her ground, watching the huge animal charge towards her. At the last moment she turned out of the way and hurled her spear deep into the chest of the great beast. The buffalo fell forward and skidded along the grass for several yards before coming to a stop. He tried to stand up again but he could not. Summer Rain drew her knife and walked over to the fallen beast. In one quick merciful stroke she slit the animals throat. Turtle handed her a bowl to catch the buffalo's blood as it spilled from the gapping gash along its neck.
    The tribe watched as the Starchild lifted the bowl of blood towards the sky then drank deeply, taking the animal's spirit and strength into herself. Blood covered her chin, arms and clothes. Summer looked up towards the ridge and her eyes met Luna's. For the first time in her life Luna felt afraid of the power she sensed inside the Starchild. Summer looked fierce, covered in blood and paint. Luna thought she must be a powerful Spirit Master indeed to have been able to kill the Great Spirit buffalo. For the first time, she truly understood who Summer Rain was destined to become, a great mystic warrior.
    The women and children started down into the ravine and began the backbreaking work of skinning and butchering the slain buffalo. It had been a good hunt and there was more than enough work for everyone. Evening Star was the oldest woman that was working for Summer Rain. Since Summer had no mate Evening Star was in charge of the women in her group. Evening Star pointed off towards her right and told the others to go start on those buffalo before she approached Summer. A group of men had gathered around the white buffalo to admire the animal up close. Evening Star asked Summer if she wanted the women to skin and butcher the spirit buffalo as well, or if Summer wanted to do that herself. "The men and I will take care of this one. There are plenty others that will need your attention," Summer answered tiredly.
    Black Hawk walked over to his granddaughter and laid a heavy hand on her shoulder as she knelt on the ground. He, like everyone else was still in shock over the fact that she was actually able to kill the beast. Until now there had only been stories about the white buffalo. Very rarely was anyone granted even a glimpse of the Great Spirit. The animal would have to be carefully skinned and its blood and meat collected.
    The women worked all afternoon and into the evening skinning and butchering large hunks of meat off of the carcasses. Fires were built back in the camp and drying racks set up. Some of the men stood watch as the women continued to work by torch light to collect the meat that would feed them all through the long winter months ahead. Summer had skinned the white buffalo and with the help of her father. A few of the other men had gathered all the meat from its bones. Bowls of the animal's blood were collected and set aside for later use. The meat from the white buffalo was kept separate from the rest of the meat. The people believed that it held special power and was therefore sacred.
    Summer had gone down to the water hole along with her friend Turtle and a couple of her hunt brothers to bathe. They were all covered with blood, sweat and dust from the day's work. Summer waded out into the water and began to scrub away the paint and filth from her body and hair. When she waded back out of the water she looked more like her old self again. Evening Star brought her down a change of clothes and took her soiled buckskins to be cleaned.
    There was great happiness and celebrating that night. The people ate heartily of the fresh meat. Many of the men sat around together, retelling tales of this and past hunts as the women cut hunks of the meat into strips to dry by the fires. Summer Rain found herself feeling strangely out of place. She didn't belong with the women and she was uncomfortable with the looks and comments she received from the men about the white buffalo. Summer motioned for the wolf and walked up to the ridge to sit alone. From there she could hear the laughter and singing of the people and see the campfires burning below. "I think this is always how it will be for me. Sitting on the outskirts looking in. I am not really one of them," she said to the wolf.
    The tribe spent the next two days there butchering and drying meat to take back to their village. Summer decided that on their last evening there that she would share some of the meat from the spirit buffalo with the whole tribe.  She had been granted a vision that told of a great danger to her people, a challenge that they were about to face. She hoped the meat would make her people strong and grant them the power to face what was about to come. She only wished that she knew what that danger was going to be. Summer told no one about her vision, not even the Spirit Master, Black Hawk. She needed time to understand it more fully, before she could share it with others.
    Going back to the village took two whole days, as the people were heavily loaded down with the meat and skins from the hunt. The few who had stayed behind in the village greeted them joyfully as they came into sight. It had been a good hunt and the people would not face another starving winter because of it. The meat and hides were divided up and the women paid for their work in each hunter's camp. Summer was able to give each of the six women that worked for her an entire buffalo hide and a large amount of the meat since she had no family of her own to support. She struck a deal with one woman who was especially talented at sewing and working skins to make the white buffalo hide into a winter robe for her. Summer paid the woman in meat and furs that she could use or trade for what she needed. She also gave the woman a new skinning knife that her father had made.
    For most of the tribe, life returned to normal. The young maidens were looking forward to their initiation into adulthood at the next full moon. The men were busy making plans for the yearly gathering of the tribes. The women were working over time to prepare their baskets and skins, making sure that they were ready to be traded. Children felt the excitement in the air that the time of the gathering always brought. There would be games to play and riches to behold at the trading field. It was a time for celebrating life and renewing old friendships. The young hunters dreamed of contests of skill and the chance to impress the young woman of their choice. Many young women would be searching for husbands at the gathering. The tribal gathering was the last big celebration before the long winter would drive the people in-doors for the season. As for Summer Rain though, there was no joy in her when she thought about the gathering. Besides knowing that she would have to reprove her self once again to the council of Spirit Masters and as a worthy hunter of the people, there was something more bothering her.
    The dreams and visions of danger kept Summer pondering their meanings. She knew something was coming, something very dark and evil but she couldn't figure out what that was. Each day she would head off alone into the woods where she would pray to the spirits to reveal the true meaning of the dreams. Summer told no one of these visions or of the dreams that would wake her trembling in the night. She couldn't explain them to herself so how could she explain them to Howling Moon or even Black Hawk. It was as if something was stealing away the light, leaving only tortured screams in the darkness. What could do such a thing though?

    At a village far to the north…

    Quietly in the predawn light the warriors creped towards the sleeping village. Dark Wing glanced over at the face of his brother crouching beside him in the tall grass. Even in the pale moonlight, Dark Wing could see the look of wild excitement in Shadow Stalker's face. Shadow Stalker seemed to grow larger, feeding on the nervous energy of the other warriors around him. Dark Wing knew his brother loved battle in a way few men did.
    Shadow Stalker licked his lips then smiled at his brother. "The men are ready. Order the charge before the sun rises," Shadow Stalker whispered. Dark Wing may have been Chief but it was Shadow Stalker who truly ruled the people.
    Dark Wing raised his spear up over his head moving the point in a circular motion then dropped it forward. The warriors burst out of the tall grass running towards the unprepared village. With blood curdling screams, the warriors began to set fire to the huts to drive their victims out into the open. They lunged with their spears impaling the men as they came out of their huts. The invading tribe had many warriors and the element of surprise to their advantage. They quickly slaughtered most of the men in the village, taking those remaining alive as prisoners.  The women and children were separated from the men and held by the warrior's spear points against a sheer cliff face. The old men and women were tossed back into the flames of their burning huts to die. The screams that came from within were sickening to hear, as the people watched helplessly as the old were burned alive.
    Dark Wing turned to see Shadow Stalker leap at a man from behind. Shadow Stalker pulled his knife across the struggling man's throat. The evil Spirit Master laughed with wild abandon before swinging his victim around to face him. Shadow then snapped back the man's head and closed his mouth over the gushing wound in his neck. Hungrily Shadow drank deeply of his victim's lifeblood. The man fell to his knees but Shadow Stalker did not release his hold. The bloodthirsty Spirit Master continued to drink his victim's blood until the man lay still and lifeless on the ground.
    Dark Wing had seen his brother drain men like this before in battle but it still made him uneasy to watch. Shadow Stalker stood up, blood dripping from his face onto his chest. The Spirit Master wiped the back of his hand across his mouth and casually walked across the burning village towards Dark Wing. "I will need a few men for my sacrifices. Be sure your warriors leave more than just boys and old men to choose from," Shadow said. Dark Wing simply nodded in response.
    Once the killing was over, Dark Wing had the surviving men of the village bound and tied together by a long rope. A group of warriors took the men back to their camp. These men would all be killed; the only question was when and how. It would have been far better for them had they died in the battle. At least then they could have died like men and not like tortured animals.
    Dark Wing glanced around the destroyed village as the sun peeked over the distant mountaintop. He shook his head in disgust as his eyes fell on the man Shadow Stalker had drained. Dark Wing didn't understand why his brother seemed to get so much pleasure out of torturing and killing. Maybe it had something to do with the secrets of being a Spirit Master. Shadow said that the spirits and their great god of fire demanded sacrifices and that in return, they would be made strong and grow in numbers.
    Dark Wing could not argue with success. His people were blessed with wealth and great power. Their numbers grew almost every day, making them too large a tribe for any other to over throw. They had slaves to do all the menial work that kept the people fed, clothed and to tend their camps. There were beautiful young women taken from other tribes to bare them sons. Dark Wing had to admit that the life his people had was a pretty good one. The only exception was his brother's insistence that they continue to raid more villages farther to the south. The Spirit Master's thirst for battle and for blood was never ending. He was constantly searching for new victims to torture and kill, both for his amusement and for his god.

    Back at the village of the Starchild…

    Summer woke up screaming in horror, the scent of burning flesh still strong in her mind. She had seen the attack and subsequent slaughter in her dream. She had heard the cries and felt the heat of the fire around her. As she sat up in her bed furs trembling Spring Flower pushed back the curtain to enter. "Summer what is it? What's wrong?" Spring Flower asked.
    "It was…a dream. I’m sorry if I woke you," Summer said a bit embarrassed.
    Spring Flower knelt down beside her daughter's bed. "You have been having many such dreams lately. Have you spoken to Black Hawk about them?" she asked.
    Even now the memory of the dream was fading so that Summer could not recall the faces of the warriors or the events of the dream. She was left with an overwhelming sense of danger but could not remember why. "No, I have not told my grandfather yet. I will do so today though," Summer told her mother.
    Spring Flower patted her daughter's hand affectionately. "Go bathe in the river to wash this night away. I will have breakfast ready when you return." Summer thanked her mother then gathered her things to go to the river.