Page 100 of Red Hawk's Woman

Looking there, he saw she had been injured with that shot, but it hadn’t touched her arm. It was merely a graze on her chest, but it had come dangerously close to her heart.

He laid his hand over the injury, inspecting it closely. Yes, she would be all right.

She would be all right, he recited to himself again.

Laughing, crying, he took her in his arms.

So it was that he was unaware of his surroundings, when from behind him came a voice. “Poor Orphan, you have done what most of our people thought was impossible. You have broken the curse.”

Red Hawk knew this particular voice, and, raising himself away from Effie, he said, “Grandfather?”

At last, Red Hawk looked behind him.

“Grandfather, it is you. It is you!”

“So it is. You have done well, my grandson.”

“Grandfather, I welcome you. Grandfather,” said Red Hawk, kneeling toward Effie “This is my wife, Effie. Effie, this is Grandfather.”

All the people from the Yellow Shawl Band had gathered around Effie and Red Hawk. Had they been able, a council would have been held at once. But it was not possible. Though Effie, Red Hawk, Grandfather, the chief of the Yellow Shawl Band and White Claw were all present, all was still not well.

Thunder sounded above them. Lightning struck the ground to the right of them, to the left. Like fast-whirling storms, the black clouds rushed toward them, and in fear, the people retreated into the cavern.

“It is the Thunderer,” said White Claw, the tribal medicine man.

“I know,” said Red Hawk. “He has been following me and making trouble. Now that my people are freed, I will meet him. I will do battle with him. I will have my revenge.”

“No!” cried Effie.

But Red Hawk was steadfast in his belief, and he strode to the cavern’s entrance.

“You might do battle with him,” the medicine man addressed Red Hawk. “It is your right.”

“No.” Effie wiped away the stifling tears she had no intention of shedding. Though her voice shook, she continued, “No. I have had enough fighting for one day. I have not come through this only to lose you, Red Hawk. The artifacts are mine. I found them. And though I may incur your hatred and that of your band, I have decided I will give them to the Thunder Being.”

Red Hawk swung around to face her. Though his face was contorted with anger, all he said was, “I cannot let you do it. He will kill you, as he killed my parents.”

Rising to her feet, Effie paced toward the cavern’s entrance, coming up behind her husband. “And yet I have the right to do with them as I see fit. Do you remember me telling you that?”

Red Hawk turned his face from her. “So you did.” He paused. “But I cannot lose you either.”

“I don’t think you will.” White Claw had stepped up behind them. “Do not confuse the past with the present, my son. Had the Thunderer been inclined to kill you, he would have done so already.”

Red Hawk nodded. “Very well. It shall be done, as you want it to be done. But I would ask that you let me give the artifacts to the Thunder Being, he who is my enemy. I promise you I will do no more than this.”

Effie nodded, and without even a backward thought, she handed him the treasures.

Effie watched as Red Hawk stepped from the cavern, directly into the storm outside. Striding with purpose toward the shoreline of the lagoon, he set the four stones in a row. “Here they are, Thunder Being. Your children are returned to you. Take them, and go in peace.”

Some moments passed, and then came a powerful voice. “You would give them to me without a battle?” It was the Thunderer.

“Aa, I would,” said Red Hawk. “My wife found them. My wife has told me they belong to you. I agree. Take them. Let there be peace between us.”

Nodding once, stepping toward Red Hawk, a gigantic man, half blue, half black, moved before the cave. Bending, he took up the artifacts, handling them as he might a precious child. And in truth, they were children. They were his children.

Effie watched the Thunder Being retreat into the blackened storm clouds and become a bird. As the clouds engulfed him, they retreated from the sky, leaving in their place a beam of light.

A wise observation that Red Hawk had once said to her came back to her: