the LEGEND of She-Cat

Chapter Three

On the run, fleeing back toward the northeast, I had little hope of finding my people again. My only wish was to live long enough to see my homeland once more. The desert heat was unmerciful, making my skin dry and cracked, parching my lips. My eyes were red and dry from the glare of the sun, stomach empty, head aching dully. Time and again I fell, and each time I forced myself back to my feet, knowing that to stop was to die. I lost track of time and direction, wandering as one blind, memories floating up through the sand.

Neeheeoeewootis had taken me along on a small hunt with a handful of warriors. Our children were left behind at the village, too young to be brought along. Intent on the herd of antelope, we did not realize the enemy was upon us until it was too late. The blood of the men soaked into the ground, and I was made to watch as the enemy butchered them, mutilating the bodies of their foes to prevent them from prevailing in the spirit world. This enemy, a strange, fierce people I had never seen, again spared my life for reasons I could not name.

Taken from my children, far from the places I had lived, we traveled into the southern lands of desert and sand. This was Itza-chu's people, who called themselves Inde, the People. I would come to learn that others called them Mescalero.

Again I was a slave, kept for whatever desire spoke in their ears. I was spared nothing. For two years I endured, begging the spirits to take me, but my pleas went unanswered. Then one night, in the throes of despair I began to sing softly, trembling, trying to block out everything I had suffered, the waking nightmare that my life had become.

Itza-chu had overheard me and was intrigued. The next night he took me as his wife, and he kept me for two long winters in his lodge. In the spring of my fourth year with the Inde, I saw an opportunity to escape and took it. Lost and wandering the desert, by accident I stumbled upon my chance at life.

The bright yellow fire of sun had begun to settle low in the western sky, shadows appearing over the land, revealing dips and knolls in the desert sand. One shadow was moving and puzzled I stopped, swaying. It did not look right, and I frowned, shaking my head, rubbing dusty hands across tired eyes. I looked again but the shadow only grew more perplexing, eventually breaking into two disfigured shapes. Staring stupidly, my mind so fixated on them I didn't realize what I was seeing until they dropped out of sight over the slight ridge of a wash, heading away.

A rider, with a second horse! Hope blazed bright within me, lending strength to my failing muscles, spurring my tired body into action. With great effort I got my feet moving once more as I began limping after the rider.

Not sure who it could be in Inde country and trusting no one I tried to move with caution, though I knew my movements were clumsy. By the time I reached the crest of the wash the rider was already a mile off, moving at a steady but slow pace. Knowing nightfall would force him to make camp, I determined only to keep him in sight and slowly followed after, ready to drop to the sand at a moment's notice if the rider should happen to glance behind him.

By the time the sun had dipped below the horizon, throwing the desert into darkness, the man I followed had gotten to the small spring I needed so desperately to reach. I lay nestled deep into the sand shivering slightly, the gritty powder quickly losing warmth. Though the heat of the day was nearly unbearable, desert nights were very cold, all the warmth of the day vanishing from the air. I watched as he watered his horses and filled his canteens then drank himself, scooping water into his hand and my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth.

I craved water so badly it was all I could do not to scream in frustration at having to wait. I observed from the corner of my eye as he moved back from the water, building his fire and preparing his meal. The horses were picketed close by him on a small patch of green grass growing from the spring.