The Legend of Black Wolf - Sully's Journey Home

Chapter Thirty Nine

  "...He made his way back to his sleeping place solemnly, but watched the stars dance overhead as he waited for the sun to lighten the sky.  He prayed to Abigail to help him do the right thing.

        Even as he did, though, the vision of the other woman came back and haunted him..."

 

           In the haze of fitful sleep, her voice came to him, as sweet and low as the voice of a lover from across a feather down pillow.

           “Sully?”  

           And, with a start, Sully jerked himself awake, sure to see her face just inches from his own…so clear and near had the tone seemed to his ear.  But as the morning scene of the camp came to view, he realized he had been dreaming.  And what a lovely dream…

           The dream had taken him back in time, it seemed.  There before him was the sweet little homestead he had built for his darling, Abigail.  He had been at the chopping block near the barn, feeling the hot summer sun on his bare back as he finished splitting a tree that had fallen in a recent storm.  It felt good to stack the new logs in the pile so they could cure for the fall.  But as he straightened, he felt the beads against his chest and thought it odd he would be wearing a necklace.  Abigail had never made him such a gift.

           Looking up at the path which lead to the road, he saw her approach on horseback.  That honey hair dancing in the sunlight hearkened back to the vision he had in the snow.  Mesmerized, he felt the axe fall out of his hand as he watched her.  When he heard her speak his name, the spell had broken, and he had woken up.  

           His back protested the awkward position that he’d slept in, and with a groan, he stretched and rubbed his face, trying to rid himself of the feeling of longing that lingered.  Though the dream itself had faded into the early morning mist, the sound of her voice haunted him like the chill air that seemed to shroud the teepee’s around him.  Lurching to his feet, Sully began the morning chores that were waiting.  Many in the tribe were already awake and a lot of activity was soon underway.  Preparations went on for the fallen brave all that day.

           Sully was pressed into the service of gathering and chopping wood to create a large enough fire to accommodate all who were working to prepare things for the ceremony.  Food was being made for Tall Rock to take on his journey to the spirit world.  Pigments were trying to be found and created so the braves could paint their faces and bodies.  The body was carefully wrapped in the finest blanket from among all the women of the tribe.  A group, directed by Cloud Dancing, went and selected the saplings that would form the scaffold on which Tall Rock's body would rest.  Sully didn’t understand all that was going on, but as he was pushed from chore to chore, he picked up what was being done to honor their fallen brother.  The details were lost to him, as well as the reason why, but he could see that they felt his sacrifice had been honorable.

           As Sully worked, a chill wrapped itself around him that would not let go.  His rags weren’t enough to keep him sufficiently warm unless he kept close to the fire.  His thoughts were consumed with the funeral preparations.  He wondered what would happen at the end of his life.  Would any of these Cheyenne bother to commemorate his life in nearly the same way?

           A time or two, some of the dog soldiers had crossed his path, but none would care to look at him.  He wondered how long the burial rites would last.  It was clear that the fallen brave was much more important than the bartering Hook Nose had spoken to him about.  Sully went over the late night conversation in his mind.  He remembered Cloud Dancing translating that Hook Nose would barter today for his release.  But the daylight was quickly fading from the sky.