Sawanay and Suguji

Chapter Six

Sawanay screamed and rushed towards the man. He turned and as Sawanay toppled over him, he dropped Suguji and the dog was carried downstream in the icy water. Sawanay stood up and ran towards Suguji, who was drifting downstream. The man chased after her, and Sawanay's heart thumped.

He was gaining on her, but she had to save Sugiji! She had to.... she had too!

Before she knew what she was doing, Sawanay jumped into the river.

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Sawanay never thought she was a brave girl. She was always hidden in the corner, dreaming of doing things that she would never do. She never thought she would jump in an icy river, risking her life... especially for a dog.

She could've killed herself, and she knew that. Everything seemed to be in slow motion as she dove under, her arms extended, grabbing at nothing. The coldness was more cold then she could have ever emangined. It stung, bit, and throbbed at her skin. It penetrated through her whole body and she seemed to go numb.

Suguji was so close, just a breath away. She could almost feel the wet fur brush against her finer tips, but not before everything went black.

Sawanay awoke, wrapped in a blanket and lying in front of the campfire. The four Eskimos were looking down over her.

Sawanay jerked her head up but the men held her down, and spoke . . . real words . . . what Sawanay longed to hear.

"You . . . rest," he said, his voice gruff and deep.

Sawanay stared. "Where's Suguji?" She cried.

The man tilted his head in confusion.

"The husky!" she cried.

The man didn't respond at first, but after a while, he finally spoke, "We . . . are leaving. And you . . . are coming. We bring you home."

Sawanay stared. What did they mean "We bring you home"? Did they mean he was going to be taken back home?

Sawanay jumped up in excitement, smiling from ear to ear. The Eskimos packed their supplies in the canoe and they and Sawanay settled into the seats, ready to row their way through the river back to Sawanay's home.

Sawanay was sitting on the wooden seats, bundled in blankets, when she suddenly remembered Suguji.

"Suguji!" she cried, "I have to bring him with me. He's only a puppy and he doesn't have a mother. He won't survive in the cold! Please, please, please!" She was high with hope.

The Eskimos looked at her silently, until one of them climbed into the swaying boat and spoke.

"You may bring the dog," he said. "We know he is precious to you. We believe that you shall take him with you, but his home is here." The man turned around and scooped something out of a dear skin bag, and holding it in his gloved hands, turned back towards Sawanay.

He held jewelry. At first, Sawanay was confused, until the man placed the jewelry in her hands.

There were earrings, and dangling from them were something, shriveled, soft, and grey. There was a necklace, and there was a jewel dangling from the string . . . but no, it was not a jewel. It was an eye.

There was also a bracelet, and dangling from that was a paw. Sawanay screamed and dropped the necklace.

She knew what had happened.

The Eskimos had killed Suguji and made his body parts into jewelry so she could bring him with her.

Sawanay grabbed the jewelry and threw it over the edge of the canoe, and it floated away in the current. Her eyes filled with tears.

For the rest of the canoe ride, she sat in silence, not bearing a word. She gazed last the river and watched the ice caps drift by.

Days and nights passed. They traveled in the fiver and spent the nights on the shore next to the river. A week passed with the Eskimos, and Sawanay never bared a word. Finally, after a long time, the Eskimos reached the forest right near Sawanay's house. They took her into the forest and told her to gather wood. As she did so, the Eskimos got into their canoe and left.

The second Sawanay knew what they had done, she dropped the pile of wood and ran through the forest to her home. Her house came in view, and a happiness warmed her heart like nothing ever had.

She cried for joy, and as she ran through the forest, her feet pounding the soil, her hair fluttering in the breeze, she could almost hear Suguji running through the forest after her.

The End