Native Outlaw

Chapter XVI

We sit in the council hogan reserved for the leaders of the tribe, and any business they have with other people. The air is filled with joy as Chief Eagle man who is my uncle and also the chief of all of the people and the things that happen here, Chief Gaagii (raven) the second in command of the braves, Chief Niyol Shiye (wind brohter) the medicne man, and Chief Tahoma (water's edge) the war chief talk and ask Chavez and I questions. After my uncle gives the other leaders the knowledge that I am the latest child of the long line of Navajo Chiefs and what exactly happened, I am met with three curious eyes. All of them are very handsome. Their black hair long but not as long as Chavez's, frame their bronze faces. Their onyx eyes as they stare with curiosity should feel  intimidating, but I can't get over the beauty that makes up this strong band of leaders. 

"Haash yinilyé?" Tahoma asks me with great interest, but he also asks it with delicacy as he thinks to himself of what a great honor it is to be in the presence of the product of many great Navajo Chiefs. 

I remember the phrase and I try to think of the words in Navajo to answer him of my name. 

" Shí éí ... yinishyé..Jane." 'my name is jane',  I get out with great pronunciation this time, but I did struggle with remembering the correct words. He notices this, then asks my uncle something. 

"No, she sp-...speaks English" 'No sheh specks inglis' is what it comes out as, as my uncle answers his question in English for my sake. I smile. Tahoma and the rest of the leaders turn their attention back to me. Gaagii looks to Chavez and says something. Chavez answers him without telling me what he said, I sigh out loud at how frustrating the language barrier is. They all look at me and chuckle, then Gaagii gestures to Chavez to tell him to tell me what they said. 

"He was asking if I spoke Navajo, and if I was just a translator or If I had some connection to you. I said yes that I do speak Navajo and that I am not just a translator." Chavez says with an amused smile on his face. I nod my head in understanding. Not just a translator, huh?

"Would you like me to tell them how we met?" Chavez asks as the leaders wait in anticipation. I am sure they can pick out a few words and are anxiously waiting to hear the story. So I nod my head with a slight chuckle. Chavez soon gets into it and as the story progresses I watch the leaders and their reactions. At times their eyes get wide, and I wonder if it is out of judgement of the shootings etc, or out of excitement from an exciting story. Their faces go a little sad for a few seconds and then wide eyes again. After awhile I can tell that Chavez is nearing the end of the story, but his tone is angry. I wonder if he is talking about Billy's betrayal. Then  a little while longer and his story comes to an end, probably telling about our long journey to here. 

Chavez's p.o.v 

As I bring my story to a close, I realize that all of these men were here the night Jane and I arrived. They are all just about as tall as I am, with very built statures. As I told the story, they never interrupted once, but they responded with facial expressions. When I told about the bounty hunter, their eyes got wide with excitement and they hung at my every word. When I told them about Billy's betrayal to Jane and I, their expressions turned to that of disgusted. I know that it was more for the betrayal of Jane, she seems to be their source of sun lately. 

"So brother, that is quite the story. We don't know quite how to respond." Chief Niyol Shiye says to me in Navajo. Their eyes continue to stay wide as they soak in the story and look from Jane and I. From the corner of my eye I can tell that Jane is becoming slightly impatient, but you can tell she is trying to be polite. I fight a smile. 

"I wonder why she," Chief Tahoma nods to Jane, "would want to live in the way of a white outlaw." He ponders the question out loud but I can tell it is simply curiosity that drives the question, he would never dishonor her with his judgement.  I nod to show that I understand.