The Fire Arrow by Richard S. Wheeler

Author:Richard S. Wheeler
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates
Published: 2011-02-07T05:00:00+00:00

twenty-seven

So the day had begun badly but it was to grow worse. Later that morning the young men who had been on their vision quest returned a day early. They should have stayed four days, fasting and praying to the Above Ones and the spirits in all the directions of the winds for their vision.

It was unusual for them to seek their vision in winter, unusual to go together though nothing forbade it. They had been boyhood friends and were warrior-brothers now, bonded by vows to defend each other. So they had headed up to the sacred bluff in the Pryor Mountains, through which the Big Horn River passed in a deep canyon, there to fast and thirst and beseech their helpers until they should receive that which came out of the mists.

And now Badger Tail and Wolf limped into the village, each carrying the heavy robe that was their sole comfort in the mountains. And even as they entered, a wail rose, for the youths were injured. Both had been bitten around the face, and Badger Tail on his calf and forearm as well.

Skye followed the crowd as it collected around the young men, back early from the sacred mission.

They looked frightened and desolated. Already the women had surmised what had happened, and began a quiet moaning. The men stood silently, absorbing the tooth marks and blood that covered those youths.

Little Horse, powerful and sinewy, approached his son.

“The time of pleading has not passed,” he said

“Father, a wolf came. We thought he was our spirit helper.”

“A wolf came so close?”

“He came right up to me and was not afraid. I saw madness in him, but then it was too late. He was not a spirit helper, but a wolf with the madness. Foam and spittle dribbled from his jaws. And then he shook his head back and forth and pounced, biting my cheeks, my jaw, my nose, and for a moment I did nothing for fear of angering him, for this might be a dream and I was waiting for the vision.”

Skye listened sadly. Hydrophobia. Rabies. A rabid wolf had bitten the boys, and he was staring at two doomed youths, barely reaching their manhood.

The women keened. Badger Tail’s mother rushed to him with a sopping deerskin rag and washed her son’s blood away. The tooth marks, especially those of the fangs, remained clear upon his gray flesh.

Wolf, the other boy, seemed less bitten, but bore the marks of his fate as well. Both youths stood there, knowing their fate, frightened and yet brave, their gazes almost defiant. What terrible thoughts were running through their minds now? They had sought manhood and a name and protector, and found only doom.

Skye puzzled over it. Hydrophobic animals usually showed up in the summer, not winter. But no matter. If these lads had been bitten by a rabid wolf, they would perish in the midst of excruciating pain and thirst. It would take the disease only a short while, a few days, because of the head wounds.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.