Journey of the Cheyenne Warrior by Kathleen Gibbs

Author:Kathleen Gibbs
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Cheyenne Nation, native americans, Plains Indians, Conflict between whites and Indians, 1800s, historical fiction
Publisher: 4RV Publishing
Published: 2013-06-21T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

Time of Sadness

Brave Eagle and Elk Woman watched their young daughter ride out of sight. She looked so happy, and for the first time Brave Eagle saw that she was beautiful. Sunshine waved to them with the eager anticipation of one about to embark on a new and exciting phase of her life, like young people always do.

“Joe Morgan will give our daughter a good life,” reassured Brave Eagle. “This white man will give Sunshine much better. Joe Morgan cares for Sunshine and will bring her back in the next season.” But speaking these words, Brave Eagle got a cold chill when he remembered Grandfather once telling him, One is always better off to stay with one’s own kind. He shook off this prophecy because he wanted to believe his daughter would be happy with Joe Morgan. My daughter deserves a good life.

But Elk Woman, still apprehensive, told her husband, “I do not share this belief with you that Sunshine will return, and this brings a great heaviness to my heart.”

Each time he rebuked her saying, “Joe Morgan is a good man, a man of his word.”

Silver Fox also agreed with Elk Woman, but Brave Eagle did not listen to him either about this matter.

The next spring when the green grass grew tall, Brave Eagle expected to see his daughter. Every day while Elk Woman worked outside, she watched the hill, but there was no sign of Sunshine and Joe. Time for the winter buffalo hunt came.

“Your white man has not told you the truth,” Elk Woman said one evening to Brave Eagle. “I feel especially sad this night, for I have been thinking much of Sunshine. I know this Joe Morgan does not come back. I will not see my daughter again.” Elk Woman wiped the tears on her cheeks and sat down to sew moccasins. She could not eat tonight.

Silver Fox joined them and sat in silence, thinking, but not giving advice. It was too late for advice.

“I am afraid you are right. I thought the white man told the truth, and now Joe Morgan has, indeed, taken our daughter. I, too, ask myself where has the white man gone with my daughter and why do they not return. If I knew where to go, I would attempt to find Sunshine and bring her back.”

Another winter snow passed. Brave Eagle saw every day the pain and anguish on Elk Woman’s face, saw her body grow smaller from not eating. He could hardly bear to hear her speak of Sunshine. Grandfather’s words came back each night to haunt him while he listened to his wife sobbing into her robes. Gentle Woman and Young Wolf no longer mentioned their sister’s name and grew quiet in the evenings.

Early one morning, when he could not stand to hear Elk Woman’s crying one more night, Brave Eagle slipped out of the tepee and went into the woods to pray alone to the Great Spirit.

He sat on a rock by the stream and

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