The playful voices of the tribal children page 2

Page 2.

The playful voices of the tribal children playing near the waters edge echoed throughout a narrow canyon that lead to a slow moving river. Enapay watched as some of the woman constructed a drying rack made from long birch branches and then ran to help his sister fill their basket with a very large fish.  A large glistening salmon flopped back and forth and nearly out of the basket until it reached the cleaning station and then Kangee ran for another while Enapay scanned the horizon for any signs of wild horses. The entire day was very successful for the tribe with racks of fresh salmon drying in the sun and Enapay volunteered to guard their prized catch from any predators overnight looking for a quick meal. As the sun began to set the young brave started a fire and listened to the slow moving river while salmon fed on insects that floated passed deep holes of still water. The light of Enapay’s fire danced across the surface of the river making strange faces and shadows changing only when Enapay placed more wood on the fire. Coyote’s began to serenade the night skies as they readied for an evening hunt causing Enapay to count his arrows just in case of trouble.

Enapay rested his back against a large rounded rock now heated by his fire and drifted off into sleep dreaming of the White Spirit until he felt someone touch his shoulder. It was Kangee who brought some dried buffalo and cooked salmon and stayed with him until morning. Enapay stretched while he opened his eyes the following day as the woman had begun to set up for that days catch while several men placed their fish traps further down the river. Kangee was already knee deep in the water struggling with another salmon when suddenly the thundering sound of hoof beats roared across the canyon. Enapay looked up just in time to see a flash of brilliant white and then a scream from a white horse who appeared angry with it’s nostrils flared and its ears flattened back. Was it the White Spirit, Enapay thought to himself as the entire group stopped and watched as the white horse lead a herd of fifty horses to the rivers edge for water. A huge cloud of reddish dust drifted across most of the herd but when it settled down out emerged the White Spirit and he whinnied to the herd to drink.

He was more magnificent when Enapay had ever imagined and he stood as a guardian over the herd full aware of the tribes present. It’s as if he knows he’s invincible Enapay said out loud will the others stood spellbound. Some of the younger horses kicked and splashed in the water until the White Spirit snorted no and then they were off just as quickly as they had arrived and everyone present just watched as the herd disappeared deep into a endless canyon with only a line veil of dust trailing behind them. That evening all the elder members of the tribe gathered and the village pulsed with excitement over the sighting of the White Spirit. The men planned to pursue the herd the following morning in hopes of catching much needed horses but they also knew the dangers that they would face and every man prepared himself for that moment. Enapay wondered if he would be chosen to go on the great round up but so far no word had come.