Special Note: A related story: "Crying Loon's Seduction" describes events
taking place with the boy, Crying Loon after what you've read
in part 3 of the "Big Horn's Path into the Mahyee-na" series.
That account helps explain events taking place in this story.
I'm still working on an appendix for the entire "Willow Bird"
collection of stories. It will contain descriptions for all the
events, places, people and Indian terms used throughout the
series. Background information never revealed in the stories
will also be included. When completed, I'll post it with the
Nifty Archive (www.Nifty.Org/) as the file: APPENDIX.TXT
All my stories are available on the Internet for free. If you're
accessing my works on a site other than the Nifty Archive, could
you please let me know? Just curious... Vince_Water@HotMail.Com
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BIGHORN4.TXT "Big Horn's Path into the Mahyee-na"
A pre-Willow Bird story! (part 4) Copyright 2000 by Vince Water
******************************************************************************
* 9/2000 *
* "Big Horn's Path into the Mahyee-na" *
- part 4 -
When Big Horn reached the other side of the river, a group of boys hooted
at him as they ran past, fingers pointing. The young man felt embarrassed. He
knew that he'd be enduring the curious stares of his tribesmen for having his
butt bared. Quick strides were made along the bank to put the tipis behind
him. The brave decided to hide out for a while. He couldn't return to Coyote
Thief's tipi and the rite that awaited him until tomorrow evening.
Big Horn passed the stand of tall grass that Willow Bird fetched each day
for the tribe's horses. He wondered who'd been performing that task when the
youth was lying ill in the shaman's lodge. Probably Song Bird, he thought.
That boy was the chief's son but he was expected to work like the others. A
pang of jealousy squeezed the man's heart for what those boys shared. He knew
that it was more than a friendship. Could an eleven-year-old boy understand
Mahyee-na love? The brave didn't know but he'd seen that emotion reflected in
Willow Bird's eyes for Song Bird when they had embraced each other in the
river.
"I love you too, Willow Bird!" Big Horn muttered to himself. He quickly
looked around to see if anyone had heard his admission. The wind blew through
the tall grass around him. It felt soothing, bringing an unaccustomed coolness
to his rear end that was still wet from the river. He felt the round stone
being clasped by his hole: a Spear-bearing People's fetish guarding him from
being taken like a squaw until tomorrow night.
Big Horn lowered his head, feeling the pain from a torn heart. He also
loved Coyote Thief and realized that that warrior would soon bind them as
lovers. He wanted this! But when Willow Bird was named a man next summer,
he'd be prevented from loving him... No! That dear boy would always have a
place in his heart even if he were unable to express it.
Willow Bird may not follow the Mahyee-na path when named a brave. Boys
practiced sex with their friends in the cat tails and enjoyed male relief.
Big Horn didn't think that many men did. They mated with squaws, bringing
children to their tipis. It saddened the brave that his path of joining with
another man couldn't give them a child.
Mud sucked at the brave's feet. The cat tails began to crowd around him
in his stalk along the river bank. He kept his eyes out for Crying Loon,
hoping that the boy wouldn't be found. The tree tops were also scanned. He
knew that As-a-crow was often perched there like a spying black bird.
Big Horn wondered if As-a-crow has told anyone about catching him making
love with Coyote Thief. It was the kind of rumor that would spread quickly
through the tribe and bring shame upon him. The chief had learned what was in
his heart for that enemy warrior. Song Bird actually witnessed it. He hoped
they would keep their silence. Would As-a-crow keep what he'd seen to himself?
Perhaps he should talk with that warrior. Explain himself...
So intent was Big Horn in his thoughts that he nearly ran over a small
boy crouched in the weeds. His left foot struck the youth, causing a sharp
gasp of surprise that made the brave stumble. The man landed on him hard.
"Eiiii!" cried Wolf Pawing. He was thrown onto his back in the thick mud,
arms flung out from his sides. A crushing warmth fell on his waist.
Big Horn was momentarily stunned. He felt the small form under him
squirming to get free. When he tried getting off, his right hand was slow to
pull from the thick mud. He managed to get onto his knees over the boy's
kicking legs. He heard Wolf Pawing's wailing.
"I didn't see you!" Big Horn explained. He felt terrible for having hurt
the little boy. Wolf Pawing made loud sobs under him. Tears flowed like two
streams across his cheeks. The back of his head was pressed into the mud along
with the rest of his body. He didn't even try getting up.
Big Horn pivoted on his right knee to get off the boy. His hands reached
into the mud and scooped Wolf Pawing out. He brought the crying youth to sit
over his thigh. His arms wrapped protectively around him.
"Shh... shhhh." The man tried soothing Wolf Pawing from his pain. The
boy's eyes continued to rain tears but there were no more sobs coming from his
mouth. His small body felt limp in the brave's hands, his thin arms dropped
to the mud like a grass doll's lifeless limbs.
That concerned Big Horn. "Are you injured?" he asked. Wolf Pawing was
slow to shake his head. Tears ran down to his chin and dropped to the man's
chest like a steady rain: drip... drip. The brave held him even closer.
Wolf Pawing was known to carry on like a girl. Whenever he didn't get his
way, he would scream and that made his friends run away in dismay. Big Horn
knew that he was at fault for having fallen on him. What could he do to lift
the boy from his sad display?
A sigh came from Big Horn. He gently shook Wolf Pawing, noticing for the
first time that the youth was naked. His two small flaps were laid over a
patch of dry moss, out of reach. The brave looked the boy over for injuries.
He remembered striking the boy with his foot and falling on him. He hoped
there won't be any bruising to his body. The youth's skin wasn't broken, he
noticed. Mud covered his entire back but not his front.
Big Horn peered down at the boy's loins. To his surprise, he saw that
Wolf Pawing was erected. Only a fleshy male stick but it explained what the
youth had been performing on his knees in the cat tails. He knew that Crying
Loon had taught him that boy's game.
Wolf Pawing continued to cry in Big Horn's arms. He didn't want to
respond to the man's urgings for him to end his weak display. The youth's
eyes were tightly shut while his mouth opened with quick panting. He stuck his
pink tongue out like a snake. That gave the brave an idea.
Big Horn lowered his mouth to the boy's. Not to kiss him but to touch
tongues. It was a very tickly sensation when they met. Wolf Pawing popped his
eyes open. He watched the man sticking their tongues together again. It caused
the boy to giggle.
Relief filled the brave. "Has the pain gone away?" he asked. Wolf Pawing
made a shy grin that turned naughty when he lifted his mouth to touch tongues
with Big Horn again.
"I like!" exclaimed Wolf Pawing. He stuck his pink tongue deep into the
man's mouth to find his.
Big Horn laughed nervously. He pulled back since he didn't want the boy's
game to turn into something serious like kissing. His left hand was grabbed
and taken down to the Wolf Pawing's groin. He felt the boy's erection coming
against his fingers. A deep longing filled the youth's face. His silent plea
for him to...
The man smiled. He closed his fingers around Wolf Pawing's hard pole. A
gentle pulling was made of its moist warm shaft that made the boy's eyes
shine. His lungs filled with a deep breath. Big Horn continued to masturbate
the youth while their eyes peered deeply into one another's.
Big Horn had to close his eyes to deny the deep feelings he was
experiencing for this little boy. 'This isn't right,' he told himself again
and again. Yet the man continued to handle the youth's erection to pleasure
him. It was also thrilling to touch Wolf Pawing down there.
The youth's belly trembled against Big Horn's arm when he couldn't hold a
breath any longer. It rushed out of his mouth to be followed by a sharp
inhale. The man kept pulling over the boy's silky foreskin, its rosy knob
popping in and out. The brown little dick felt like it was stiffening in the
brave's hand.
Big Horn heard the boy's high-pitched cry. He opened his eyes. Wolf
Pawing panted against his left arm and his eyes fluttered from enjoying
climax. Nothing came out of his pole, the man noticed. Their eyes met. A deep
longing filled the boy's face for the man to continue. Big Horn lowered his
fingers around the small sac of balls. He palmed the stiff boy pole with a
steady rhythm. The man knew that he could bring the youth to greater thrills
without ending. He felt his hard cock throbbing within his breechclout but
knew that he had to deny himself.
Wolf Pawing noticed. He curiously reached under the front cloth for the
man's bulge. His little hand wrapped around Big Horn's cock. It felt huge!
Warm. There was a wetness coming from its tip that felt sticky in the boy's
fingers. He pulled over the man's thick skin, noticing how the shaft had a
slight inwards curve.
Big Horn enjoyed feeling the small hand clutching him but he remembered
Coyote Thief's words to abstain from sex. Gently, he pulled the boy's hand
from his breechclout and led it back to his own erection.
Wolf Pawing didn't understand the man's rejection but he eagerly clutched
his foreskin. Pulling on it came easily because of the wetness he'd taken from
the man's cock. His thrills built up towards that wonderful 'lightning belly'
feeling. The man's fingers tickled over his balls.
The brave closed his eyes again. He felt their growing bond that he
couldn't deny anymore. It was like the protective feeling a father felt for
his son. His right arm wrapped around the youth's chest. He buried his face
into the boy's soft neck, breathing him in.
"Oh, Big Horn!" the boy cried out. He sucked in another breath and held
it. His muddy bottom flexed over Big Horn's thigh when slipping his erection
back into the man's sweaty palm. It became a frantic game of holding breaths,
making stabs and crying out. He won himself many dry climaxes.
There was a wet spot on the brave's breechclout coming from his cock. So
much sexual oozing... Big Horn was pained by how much he lusted for boys. He
wanted to be a good man; protect children from danger than to use them for
pleasure. Being initiated Mahyee-na would set him on the right path, he hoped.
Big Horn had to look away, try calming himself from the excitement of
what this boy shared with him. He wished that he could return to his youth at
this moment to embrace Wolf Pawing as he wanted it. A boy's lack of concern
for responsibilities or to question what was right - only to do because it
felt good.
Wolf Pawing cried out again. The brave was brought back to the Now with
his manly responsibilities returning to burden his shoulders. He noticed how
the color was draining from the little boy's face. That concerned him. He
didn't want Wolf Pawing to faint in his arms so the brave rushed to his feet.
He carried the boy towards the river. All the while, he clutched the youth's
balls and throbbing pole.
Mud covered the brave's breechclout. He decided to keep it on when he
half-fell into the river with a splash. Wolf Pawing sputtered for breath. The
man sat in the shallows to wipe away mud from the boy's back and legs. He
carefully brought up water to rinse his shoulder-length hair clean of mud.
Wolf Pawing felt stunned. Only a moment before, he was flying like an
eagle because of his surging dick and now he trembled from the cold. They
were sitting in the river? The boy took in deep breaths to clear his head. He
enjoyed the feel of Big Horn's warm hands rubbing over his skin, cleaning the
mud away.
There was some mud covering the man's chest. Wolf Pawing cupped his right
hand and brought up water to clean Big Horn. He watched a dark streak run down
the brave's body. The brown nipples stiffened. That fascinated the youth who
lifted his cupped hand again to splash against the manly breast. With fingers
open, the boy pressed his hand over the brave's right nipple. He curiously
rubbed over its stiffness with his palm.
Big Horn moaned. The sensation was almost too much for him to bear so he
closed his eyes. He felt his other nipple being palmed by Wolf Pawing. The
small fingers dug into his breast there and clasped.
Wolf Pawing smiled. He saw how his hand was giving Big Horn pleasure.
When he looked down at his flat chest, he saw that his nipples were erect. He
lifted his left hand from the water and palmed his breast as he'd done with
the man's nipples. Goose bumps formed over his arms. The intense thrills made
him gasp with delight. It was almost as good as having his erection handled!
Big Horn grinned at the boy's discovery: he was learning how different
parts of his body could be pleasured. Their eyes met in secret understanding.
The man lowered his eyes from the boy's and asked, "Have you forgiven me?"
"Oh, yes!" Wolf Pawing sighed. He continued to palm their slippery
breasts with both hands. The hard nipples guided his circular rubbing.
Big Horn began feeling uncomfortable. He rose from the water, carrying
Wolf Pawing with him. The boy was dropped to the muddy bank on his feet. He
took a nervous look around for As-a-crow.
"You forgot to remove your breechclout!" said Wolf Pawing with a giggle.
He pointed at Big Horn's dripping cloth that was wrapped around his waist. He
saw how the front end was dropped over the man's cock; nothing covered his
butt. He playfully slapped over the wet cheeks. That's when he noticed how a
small thong was snaked through the man's crack. It seemed strange to the boy.
Big Horn noticed the youth's interest there so he turned away sheepishly.
He took Wolf Pawing's right hand and led him back to the cat tails to find his
deerskin flaps. "Cover yourself or the girls will laugh at you."
Wolf Pawing giggled. "They won't come here," he answered. "If a girl did,
she'd get stuck!" The boy jerked his body forward to get his pole to flop up
against his belly. That made the man laugh.
The youth fell into deep thought. He stared at Big Horn's uncovered butt
and remembered how Crying Loon had sat on his erection to get himself stuck as
if he were a girl. He wondered if this man also did that.
Big Horn saw the boy's face turn serious. His eyes had a distant look in
them while he stared at his rear end. It made the brave uncomfortable for some
reason. He remembered the flaps that his hands held so he tied the boy's thong
belt around his waist, dropping each cloth over it to cover Wolf Pawing's slim
body. The youth looked up at him with curious eyes.
"Do you play a lot with Crying Loon?" asked Wolf Pawing.
Big Horn gleaned the boy's meaning. He swallowed nervously in his throat
before answering. "Some. This is the playing grounds of boys that a man
shouldn't share in..." He dropped his eyes to the ground in shame.
"I won't tell anyone."
Big Horn lifted his eyes to the boy's. "I'm glad, Wolf Pawing. You can
play with Crying Loon but make sure that he doesn't do anything that hurts or
makes you feel bad."
Wolf Pawing nodded his head. He understood what the brave was telling him
but questions filled his head. "I think Crying Loon wants to trick me into
doing things," he stammered. The little boy peered deep into the man's eyes
with the hope that he understood.
"Yes. He does," answered Big Horn. "If you don't want to play one of his
games, tell him so."
Wolf Pawing's face screwed up. "That's not easy. He's bigger than me! Has
he ever tricked you into playing..."
Big Horn nodded. "Do you know the story of the Trickster and the bear?"
he asked. When the youth slowly shook his head, the brave began his telling
of a teaching lesson he'd heard from the shaman in his youth.
"In a forest not far from here there was a bee's nest hidden in a hole in
a tree. It was filled with honeycomb. As everyone knows, bears loves to eat
honey! The Trickster wanted some so he asked the bear to fetch it for them. He
could easily change himself into the guise of a bear but he needed to learn
how a real bear accomplished that feat. He promised to take his turn getting
them honey after the bear returned.
"That young bear carefully climbed the tall tree, covering his nose from
getting stung when he neared the buzzing nest and he returned with his paws
filled with dripping honeycomb. They shared the sweet treat. The Trickster had
learned how to fool the bees so after changing his shape to a bear, he climbed
the tree and stole out some honeycomb. The bear waited anxiously below for his
return but the Trickster turned himself into a huge black crow and flew off to
eat the honey alone."
"That was mean of the Trickster!" the boy exclaimed.
"Yes. The Trickster only wanted to see how a real bear did it so that he
could steal honey." Big Horn smiled for a moment before continuing with his
story. "A moon passed and the Trickster found the bear standing in a stream
filled with salmon. He hungered for fish so he asked the bear to show him how
to catch them, promising to share. The bear remembered being tricked that
first time so he waded to shore and sat down. He waited until the Trickster
left in disappointment before resuming to fish the waters."
Big Horn folded his arms over his chest. "To be fooled once is alright,"
he explained. "Just don't allow yourself to be tricked that same way again."
Wolf Pawing went into deep thought. "Crying Loon isn't a Trickster."
"No. But he can act like one sometimes... We all can." The boy slowly
nodded his head when Big Horn's lesson sunk in.
Wolf Pawing looked down at himself, noticing that his body was covered.
His pole had become soft. The man's right hand grasped his shoulder so he
peered up at him with seeking eyes.
"Mind what I have said," whispered Big Horn. "It's alright to play with
bigger boys where you can have fun and learn things from them."
Wolf Pawing grinned. He understood what the man was trying to tell him.
"You like playing with boys, too!"
Big Horn kept his face plain and he didn't utter a word. His heart pained
him to hear such truth from this boy's lips. To his relief, he watched Wolf
Pawing scurrying away. The troubled brave stood amongst the weeds for a while,
deep in his thoughts. No easy answers came to him. He forced his head to
clear.
A slight breeze blew through the cat tails. He watched their brown heads
dip slightly before straightening up like an erection. It was a mesmerizing
rhythm. This was a fitting place for boys to practice sex, he thought. His
cock was stiff like a swaying cat tail. It was difficult for the horny brave
to keep it standing within his breechclout, unhandled.
Big Horn's troubles continued to plague him. He knew that he loved boys
in the way a man shouldn't. Performing a 'growing up' rite for a youth was
accepted by his People but the other naked things he had shared... Big Horn
angrily shook his head as if to deny all the things he'd done. A warrior was
showing him the path of the Mahyee-na that only men should practice.
Ah... How he longed for Coyote Thief's love! Only a man understood that
performing mating acts was more than feeling good with his dick. That kind of
love fills your heart and your head with deep feelings of bonding. It wasn't
something a young boy could grasp, he thought.
Big Horn reviewed what he'd done with Crying Loon. Though he was older
than Wolf Pawing, that boy only loved with his dick. He sought out the thrills
that came from sex but there didn't seem to be anything in his heart from it.
Worse, the brave had been tricked by Crying Loon into deeper acts of mating
that a boy shouldn't have been shown. It left him feeling used, dishonored and
without real love for that youth. He also risked getting banished for it.
An angry snort came from Big Horn. His hands were clenched into fists at
his sides. He saw how his pent-up lust for other males had lured him to the
cat tails to find relief. It had him doing things with boys that was wrong!
Big Horn lifted his fists to the blue open sky. His eyes sought out
Father Sun and welcomed His blinding Face in punishment. He spoke his oath
unto a greater power, the Great Spirit: "I swear unto You that I will only
mate with another man! Boys are too young to know love..." The brave closed
his eyes when the pain became too great. He thought of adding a dire penalty
to his oath if he should break it but didn't. There was an earlier oath he'd
sworn about keeping his lustful hands from the boys but that had been too
quickly broken. He knew that his heart was weak.
Wolf Pawing's smiling face came before the man's closed eyelids. He was
surprised to be thinking about that youth and felt a stirring in his heart.
He'd felt love for him: to shoo the boy from his crying and to hold him close.
Their tongue touching came to mind. That made Big Horn grin. He tried not
thinking about how he handled the boy's erection but was glad that he'd kept
his cock within his breechclout. Yes. He suspected that a boy could learn love
along with a body's pleasuring. Not Crying Loon. And Wolf Pawing, though he
were a nice boy was too young... Another boy's face filled the man's head. Big
Horn really loved Willow Bird but knew that he'd be prevented from embracing
him after the rite tomorrow night.
Big Horn felt his raised arms growing weary so he lowered them from the
sky. There was a coolness coming from his wet butt that reminded him what
he'd be enduring in camp. An idea came to him. Some mud was fetched from the
ground with his left hand. The brave drew dark lines over his cheeks in the
hope that his People would know that he was enduring a ritual. That should
prevent anyone from asking about his nude appearance.
Movement caught the brave's eye. He watched two little boys run towards
the river with their breechclouts in hand. One of the youths bore an erection
that flopped against his belly. Had they been playing together amongst the cat
tails, he wondered? Big Horn felt his cock tingle. He became angry at his
response to naked boys and turned away from them.
With a weary sigh, the brave walked towards camp. He passed through the
tall grass and felt them tickling his arms and legs. A sixth sense warned him
that there was someone about so he crouched low to the ground and listened.
There came soft murmuring to his ears. Big Horn recognized the voice as Song
Bird's. Answering words came from Willow Bird. When he peered through the
stalks, the two boys couldn't be found. It sounded like they were close by.
"... my father told me," whispered Song Bird.
"Will there be a war?" asked Willow Bird with fear in his voice.
Big Horn could barely make out their words. He surmised that the boys
were laying over the ground and that's why he couldn't see them.
"I hope not," answered Song Bird. "Coyote Thief was a warrior of their
People but I know that he's not come as a spy. He really wants to stay with
our tribe. Teach Big Horn how to become a warrior... amongst other things!"
The boy smiled about the secret thing he knew.
"How do you know?" asked Willow Bird. He didn't catch the boy's giggle.
Instead, his concern was for his monedo's safety and he didn't understand why
Big Horn was sleeping in that enemy warrior's tipi every night.
"I just do. My father is told things from his scouts and I hear them too.
I can't tell you everything, Willow Bird!"
A long silence followed. Big Horn strained his ears but no more words
came his way. He felt eyes on him. Fear clutched his heart that As-a-crow was
spying down on him yet there were no trees this close to the bank. The brave
crawled through the grass, away from the two boys. What he'd heard from them
was not unexpected. It made him glad that Song Bird knew how to keep secrets.
When the brave felt that he was far enough away, he stood up. The woods
were at hand so he slipped between the trees and ran. His eyes automatically
fell to the ground. There were fresh elk tracks but he ignored them. On and on
he ran. Big Horn was afraid but didn't understand where it came from. He felt
as if he were being hunted - herded towards an unseen trap to his ill. A
darkness clutched his heart! After a long run, the brave forced himself to a
walk. Heavy breaths blew through his mouth that sounded loud to his ears.
Big Horn looked around uneasily. He was far from the safety of his tribe.
The trees were thick here. Deep shadows crept along the ground at his feet. He
looked up for Father Sun but couldn't find His shining Face. There were no
birds singing. Tiny hairs lifted at the back of his neck in warning...
When Big Horn decided to turn back for camp, he spied movement out of the
corner of his eye. He froze in place. Only a handful of trees away, the brave
saw what looked like a man crouching over a fallen oak. His body was too dark
though. That's when he realized what it was. What had appeared as a man became
an elk bull. The animal's shaggy hide and antlered head proved it was so.
Big Horn admired the animal. There was no thought of hunting this elk
that would seemed strange to the brave afterwards. He simply gazed upon the
fine beast. Its eyes glittered back at him with intelligence. Yet the elk bull
didn't run away. Perhaps his sight was poor from old age. The bull stood over
the fallen oak tree and made bucking motions against it.
The man grinned. He watched the bull's cock rubbing over the moss-covered
bark that reminded him of Running Fire in the corral. Like that horny gelding,
this elk was seeking male relief. It stirred Big Horn's loins with lust. He
was tempted to reach within his breechclout to handle his cock while he
watched the humping animal.
A loud snort startled Big Horn. He was prepared to flee the wrath of the
elk bull (and its sharp antlers) but kept his place when the beast continued
to thrust against the fallen oak tree. It surprised the brave that the animal
couldn't see him. Ah. He realized that the deep shadows were hiding him from
sight. Big Horn was standing next to a pine tree and he kept very still.
The elk bull was deep in its act. The shaggy body strained with power as
he humped the oak tree, his long black dong a contrast to the green moss he
thrusted against. The beast's legs straddled the fallen tree. When he snorted,
the tail lifted to reveal his asshole. Big Horn had a strange desire to stick
his cock into that animal's rear end.
Big Horn's eyes went to the front of the elk bull. He watched the animal
bob his antlered head up and down. It was a rhythm that matched his savage
thrusts. More snorting. The brave knew that the beast would seed soon.
A rustling in the tree tops drew Big Horn's attention upwards. He felt a
slight breeze. A beam of sunlight broke through the leaves and pierced the
shadows below. For a brief moment, the brave saw something strange. The elk
bull changed its shape back into the dark-skinned man he's spied on earlier.
Big Horn blinked his eyes in disbelief. When he looked for the fallen
oak, the elk bull was there. Its tailed butt humped violently when releasing
seed. The animal snorted with male satisfaction. His powerful display ended
with a rest. The brave became alarmed when the animal turned its head towards
him. There was sniffing. The glittering eyes seemed to be looking right at
him! The man's feet were rooted to the ground from his fear of discovery.
With a loud snort, the elk bull lifted his body from mounting the fallen
oak, his front hooves rising and turning from the tree in a direction away
from Big Horn. The beast was soon lost to the deep shadows of the woods. The
brave sighed with relief. He remained behind the pine tree for many heart
beats to ensure that the animal had gone before daring to walk towards the
fallen oak.
Big Horn was drawn to the tree's mossy bark. He found the elk bull's
sperm pooled there. It was white and thick as a man's but surprisingly, there
was only a small amount considering that it had come from a huge beast. He'd
seen the handfuls of seed Coyote Thief could coax from his stallion.
The brave lowered his face to the tree trunk. He curiously sniffed the
animal's cum. It had the sharp smell of male sperm. With a sly grin, Big Horn
stuck out his tongue. He tasted the bull's seed. It was bland tasting like a
man's... He felt lust strike him like a tomahawk blow! His mouth sucked in
more cum that was eagerly swallowed, leaving his throat feeling sticky.
The Split Tribesman stepped away from the pine that had been shielding
him from Father Sun. He grinned with satisfaction. Had Big Horn turned around,
he'd only see shadows. Yet a naked man stood there with his body covered with
fire ash. The red stripes over his butt would prove that he was a Trickster.
The spell had been cast. An unsuspecting brave was nibbling at the
baited trap that if sprung, would grant an evil man power over him.
The man snuck up behind Big Horn. He noticed that the brave's butt was
uncovered, much to his amusement. How easy it would be to rape him! Yet his
lust had already been spilled to the oak tree. That was the trap he'd set. A
whispered suggestion was given in the brave's ear: "Sit over the elk bull's
sperm to have his strength enter you... Spill yours out."
An exciting thought came to Big Horn. He turned around and aimed his
opening cheeks over the tree. With a great sense of excitement, the brave sat
down over the sticky moss. He wanted the beast's male power to enter him.
Big Horn didn't know it but his rear entrance was being protected by
greater power. His stone fetish kept the Trickster's sperm from entering him.
He felt his cock throbbing for attention. As he reached into the front of his
breechclout to clasp it, he remembered Coyote Thief's words. Until the ritual,
he was prevented from having sex. Even with himself. The brave sighed and let
go of his hard cock with much reluctance.
The Trickster was puzzled. He was expecting his captor to grab his cock
and beat it off, proving that he'd fallen completely under his spell. The
evil man sensed Power coming from the brave. He retreated back to the pine
tree and hid himself from sight.
A beam of Father Sun broke through the tree tops. The unexpected Light
dazzled Big Horn and made him stand up as if his bottom had been burned. He
turned around. Looking down at the mossy bark, he was surprised to find that
there was no trace of the elk bull's cum. He reached back for his butt. It
felt wet but not sticky as he expected. The brave felt goose bumps forming
over his arms and chest. He knew that something strange had taken place.
Big Horn kept himself from running through the woods. He made a fast pace
back to the tipis of his tribe. Towards safety. An bow-wielding hunter almost
run into the brave. He was relieved to see that it was his tribesman.
"What's wrong?" asked the warrior. He saw fear in the brave's eyes so he
fit an arrow into his bow for flight.
Big Horn tried to calm himself. He shrugged his shoulders to assure his
tribesman that nothing was amiss. Ringed Tail lowered his bow, the arrow
loosening in his hands. He studied the half-naked brave. The warrior was about
to ask Big Horn about his lack of covering in back when noticing the two dark
lines drawn over his face. That indicated ritual significants.
"I spied on an elk bull," said Big Horn. "If I had my bow with me, he'd
have been an easy mark for me to shoot."
"You didn't see a man?" asked Ring Tail.
Big Horn almost gasped. "No," he lied. "What are you talking about?"
Ring Tail's face turned serious. "I was following bared footprints. For
the most part, they were swept from the ground by a tree branch. They ended
near here by the gnarled hickory. Be on your guard, Big Horn. There may be an
enemy scout about!"
Fear returned to Big Horn's eyes. He thought he'd seen a strange man in
the woods! Ringed Tail read the troubled expression on his face.
"Where is Coyote Thief? He's not with you?"
"No. He's in our tipi preparing for a ritual." Big Horn scolded himself
after saying that but he knew it was wrong to lie to a warrior.
"Hmm. Could you go check on him, Big Horn? He may know about the man I've
been tracking or maybe he was..."
Big Horn interrupted the warrior. "Coyote Thief wears moccasins along
with the rest of the Spear-bearing People. He wouldn't hunt in our forests
without me attending him."
"Yes. That is so," the warrior relented. "Someone was trying to hide
their tracks in our woods. Go check with Coyote Thief. I want to know if he's
been in his tipi all afternoon!"
Big Horn heard the warrior's command. As a brave, he was obligated to
obey him. The warrior expected this. With a nod of his head, Big Horn headed
back to the river. Ringed Tail kept his bow ready in his stalk through the
woods.
'An enemy scout was near?!' wondered Big Horn. If that was so, more of
his tribesmen should be summoned to help find him. Ringed Tail was taking a
chance by running down those tracks alone. When the tipis came into sight, the
brave searched for other warriors. He found Oaken Strength chewing down a
stick of jerking while sitting over his mat outside his tipi.
The war leader raised his hand in greeting to Big Horn. His cheery face
turned serious when he noticed tension in the brave. He launched to his feet.
"What's wrong?"
"Ah, Ringed Tail has found the fresh tracks of a man in our woods that
were being erased by a tree branch. He thinks an enemy scout may be near."
"Bare footed tracks?" the war leader asked, "or moccasined? Only from
one man?"
"Ringed Tail said he was following the bare footed tracks of a man. His
path ended without a further trace."
"Where!" the war leader commanded.
Big Horn thought a moment. "Near the gnarled hickory. In that direction,"
he indicated with a pointing finger.
"I know of that tree. Go tell our chief, Big Horn, while I rally our
men." A young squaw popped her head from the warrior's tipi. Oaken Strength
slipped past her to fetch his weapons. Her face revealed fear. It was obvious
that she'd heard the troubling news from inside her tipi.
Big Horn turned from the woman to race for the chief's tipi. He announced
his name at the doorway before entering. His uncle was sitting before his fire
pit, sipping at a bowl of soup. His unnamed second wife was pouring out a mug
of water for him. They noticed that something was amiss.
"Tell me what has happened," the chief asked.
Big Horn blurted out the news. At its conclusion, the old man nodded his
head in agreement. He lowered his bowl of soup to the ground and asked that
his robe be fetched. The young squaw helped him put it on.
"Where is Coyote Thief?" asked Chief He-who-walks-beyond-all-others.
"He should be in our tipi preparing for a ritual."
The old man took a moment to study his nephew. He noted Big Horn's lack
of covering for his butt and the dark lines over his cheeks. More revealing,
he saw something familiar in the young brave's face: the nervousness
experienced by a man about to be wed.
"Do as Ringed Tail has asked. Check with Coyote Thief and stay with him."
The wise chief knew that would be an easy command to follow.
Big Horn nodded with understanding. He rushed from the chief's tipi and
entered the river. Behind him, the camp was in turmoil. Warriors and braves
raced to assembled before Oaken Strength with their weapons. There was no
shouting. If an enemy scout was in the woods, they didn't want to alert him.
The river's strong current made for slow progress. When Big Horn neared
the lone tipi, he saw Pai-alucia tied to a post outside. Faint drumming could
be heard. He didn't announce himself when entering their tipi. Coyote Thief
was inside, sitting over his ground mat. Before him were spread many objects
that had come from his sacred bundle. The brave's presence was unexpected.
'Why have you come?' asked the warrior with anger showing in his hand
gesturing. He had dropped his small hand drum to the ground.
Big Horn crouched before Coyote Thief and gestured. 'There an enemy scout
in our woods. One of our warriors has tracked his bare footed steps that were
being obscured by his use of a tree branch. I was asked to come see you...'
Coyote Thief was startled from his anger. He saw the fear in Big Horn's
eyes along with something else that he couldn't identify. 'They think I know
something about that scout.'
Big Horn nodded. 'I don't believe this but Ring Tail has commanded me to
check on you. My chief asked that I stay and guard you.'
'I know nothing about it,' answered Coyote Thief. 'That scout's tracks
were bare footed? My People wear moccasins.'
'I told Ring Tail this!' Big Horn gave his warrior an account of what had
happened in the woods, leaving out what he'd seen of that strange man though
he mentioned spying on an elk bull.
Coyote Thief gasped as if in pain. He peered deep into the brave's eyes
and demanded, 'Tell me everything about that elk you saw!'
Big Horn swallowed nervously in his throat. He didn't want to reveal the
animal's lust rite that he'd witnessed and what he'd done after the elk bull
had left his sperm behind. Coyote Thief's fierce eyes forced him to give the
full account. 'I was running through the woods as if being hunted. An elk
bull was seen when I paused to rest. He was humping a fallen oak, unaware
that I watched him. For a moment, the animal changed into the shape of a
dark-skinned man.
'I'm not sure my eyes saw truly,' Big Horn admitted. 'After the elk bull
seeded, he looked at me as if knowing I was there but went away. I walked to
the fallen tree and... sat over where he had released to take his power into
my body in a rite similar to accepting the male strength of your stallion. My
butt burned me in the sunlight.' The brave reached a hand back to his rear
end as if reliving that pain.
Coyote Thief rushed to his feet. He crouched behind the brave and looked
between his butt cheeks. Relief filled him when he saw that the stone fetish
was still protecting his lover's rear entrance. After giving the brave a fond
pat over his butt, he dropped to his knees.
'That was no scout,' gestured the warrior with concern showing on his
face. 'You had spied on a Trickster!'
'A Trickster?' Big Horn gasped. He felt a revelation from what the warrior
had said. So the children stories were true... 'Are my People in danger?!'
Coyote Thief lowered his eyes to the ground. 'They may be. I think that
the Trickster is hunting us, those of the Mahyee-na. I have Seen this.'
'You are not a shaman.'
'No. I am not, but a man is sometimes gifted a vision from our Father.'
Big Horn reached out for his lover. He saw the anguish in the warrior's
eyes and that made him embrace Coyote Thief as if this man needed his
protection. "What have you Seen?"
Coyote Thief understood the brave's words. He answered with the words of
his People. "When cold tears cover the ground, an elk bull will hunt me unto
death. This Trickster will eat of my life!"
Big Horn couldn't understand what the warrior had said; he heard the fear
and anguish coming from the man so he continued to keep his arms tight around
Coyote Thief so that he wouldn't lose him. After a long embrace, the warrior
pulled from his arms. He tried hiding tears.
'Do as you've been commanded, Big Horn. Guard me. But from outside our
tipi while I continue to prepare for your initiation rite.'
Big Horn followed the warrior's hand gesturing but was concerned by the
way he kept his eyes from his. The brave glanced at the many objects that were
arrayed before Coyote Thief. Sacred things that he didn't think he should be
looking upon. The brave nodded his understanding. He turned from the old man
and left the tipi.
Pai-alucia nickered from his post. Big Horn smiled at the stallion's
greeting, dropping to his knees before the tipi's entrance. He looked across
the river for his tribe. No men could be seen. Only the tipis stood in the
distance like worried sentinels. Drumming began from within the tipi behind
him. He kept guard as his lover had asked. It proved to be a long vigil.
Father Sun began dropping from the height of His sky. Big Horn's body was
sweated, tempting him to go for a swim in the river yet he kept his place
before the tipi's covered door. He spied on a roly-poly creeping over the
dirt. It looked so small and defenseless, easily crushed underfoot. The brave
recalled often doing that for fun in his youth. He resisted the temptation now,
scolding himself for passing a death judgment on a bug that meant him no harm.
He watched its slow progress. When the roly-poly crossed a line of marching
ants, it was attacked. The little bug rolled up into a ball. It took many ants
to carry the roly-poly along with them. Big Horn reached out and plucked the
bug from their grasp, blowing away the few ants that still clung to it. He
dropped the roly-poly far beyond them with a satisfying grin.
Two figures in the distance caught Big Horn's attention. They were making
their way across the river towards him. He recognized that it was Ringed Tail
and Oaken Strength. Both men had their breechclouts lifted from the water. The
brave smiled when he caught a glimpse of Oaken Strength's male bulge. Ringed
Tail turned for a moment to look back at camp. His wet butt was revealed. Big
Horn felt no lust though. He knew that they both had squaws attending them so
there was no chance that either man would be interested in Mahyee-na love.
Big Horn stood up when they drew near. Oaken Strength raised his right
hand in greeting. Worry was clearly seen on the face of the other warrior.
Both were armed with bows and flint knives were tucked in their belts.
Big Horn returned his war leader's greeting. "Did you find that scout?"
"No. There were few clear tracks to be found," explained Ringed Tail.
"He may simply have been a hunter in our woods from another tribe. No cause
for alarm. The tracks of an elk was found mingled with his."
Big Horn felt that he was being lied to. What of that scout's attempt to
cover his tracks with a tree branch? He didn't challenge Ringed Tail's words.
Oaken Strength was looking past him, at the covered doorway of the tipi. Faint
drumming was heard coming from within. He also took notice of Pai-alucia tied
to his post.
"Has Coyote Thief been in his tipi all day?" asked the war leader.
"Since this afternoon," Big Horn answered. "We were riding all morning,
on our side of the river. He doesn't know anything about that man you were
tracking in the woods."
Oaken Strength nodded. "I see that you are both undergoing a ritual," he
said evenly. "Can I speak with Coyote Thief or should I wait until tomorrow?"
Big Horn heard the suppressed tension in the man's voice. He knew that his
war leader didn't want to wait until tomorrow to question Coyote Thief. With
much reservation, he turned for the doorway and announced himself before
entering. Coyote Thief was deep into his drumming. He didn't even notice the
brave's presence until his right shoulder was clasped, startling him from it.
'My war leader is here to speak with you,' explained Big Horn. 'They did
not find that scout in the woods. I told them that you knew nothing about it.'
Coyote Thief lowered his hand drum to the dirt. He was slow to rise from
his folded legs, stiff from having sat for so long. Big Horn steadied him with
an arm coming around the warrior's waist. They both went outside.
Oaken Strength and Ringed Tail raised their right hands in greeting.
Coyote Thief returned their gesture. Big Horn studied his lover's face, seeing
how it had become plain and unreadable before the two men but he could detect
the small lines of tension mixed with fatigue. He kept close to his warrior.
Their stern eyes challenged the Spear-bearing man's. 'You have not been
in our woods across the river this day?' asked Oaken Strength.
Coyote Thief gave a sweeping hand gesture. 'No. I have sworn unto your
chief that I would always be attended by your tribesman when hunting.'
Ringed Tail glanced down at the warrior's covered feet. The deerskin
moccasins looked newly fashioned. Coyote Thief noticed the young warrior's
interest in them.
"Those given me of Big Horn," spoke Coyote Thief with words the men
could understand. He saw that they were impressed. When he turned to the
brave, he saw embarrassment on Big Horn's face. Ringed Tail showed disgust.
"You can speak our tongue?" asked Oaken Strength.
"A little."
Ringed Tail became stern. 'You know nothing about that scout we were
tracking in our woods?' he gestured. His face revealed a trace of loathing
that he was trying to hide.
Again, Coyote Thief gave the warriors a sweeping hand gesture. Oaken
Strength seemed to accept his answer but Ringed Tail looked skeptical.
Big Horn became angry. "I know what you think of Coyote Thief; what's
been said in camp about him being an enemy warrior who has come to do our
tribe harm. I've even heard the rumor that he intends to take my scalp and
laugh all the way back to his tribe! It is not so. I have been staying with
him these past moons to learn his warrior ways. He has a peaceful heart."
"You risk your life to defend him, Big Horn." Ringed Tail grinned
wickedly. "He may prove himself to be false."
"Yes. But I know he won't," answered Big Horn. He turned to Coyote Thief
and quickly gestured what had been said. The old warrior sighed with
frustration. His anger could be seen by the way his hands formed tight fists.
Oaken Strength saw the situation becoming tense. He noted that the enemy
warrior bore no weapons; neither did Big Horn. Yet they were two against two
if it came to a struggle. He quickly gestured, 'We have come at a bad moment.
Big Horn has said that you are undergoing a ritual.'
Coyote Thief nodded.
'We will leave you in peace,' gestured Oaken Strength with the raising of
both his hands. Ringed Tail was slow to follow his war leader back to the
river. Not until they were halfway across would Coyote Thief lower his guard.
His tense body relaxed. Big Horn saw the man's face reveal his great fatigue
and the worry he was feeling. It touched the brave that his lover was willing
to reveal his innermost feelings in front of him.
'I told them nothing about the Trickster,' Big Horn gestured. 'It would
only have confused the situation. Ringed Tail told me that they found his
tracks mingled with an elk bull. The warrior said that he thinks that man was
only a hunter from another tribe.'
Coyote Thief's eyes turned hard. 'You don't believe what he had said.'
Big Horn gave a sweeping hand gesture that revealed his anger. 'Why would
a hunter try hiding his footprints in our woods? It would make for a difficult
stalking of his prey.'
'Did you reveal to Ringed Tail that he had lied to you?'
Big Horn shook his head. 'I feel that I've lost a measure of trust from
my tribesmen. They are afraid to tell me everything.'
'Because of you staying with me,' answered Coyote Thief. 'Did you see the
disgust in Ringed Tail's face? He is a young warrior that I could easily read.
I think that he knows about our love. That tree-perched warrior who spied on
our naked embrace at the river may have told him.'
Big Horn swallowed nervously in his throat. What Coyote Thief had said
made sense. If it was true, he knew that his People would look down on him.
Worse rumors than what had already been spoken against him would spring forth.
A difficult thing for an unproven man to endure! A strong hand came to the
brave's right shoulder.
'I have been in my tipi all day. You have guarded from without and are
sweated. Let's find relief from the hot day with a swim in the river.'
Big Horn nodded enthusiastically. He watched Coyote Thief loosen his
thong belt, dropping his lengthy cloth to the ground at their feet. His eyes
drank in the man's unabashed nakedness. When he started to untie his own
belt, the warrior gave him a sharp gesture to only pull away his cloth. The
brave understood. His thong belt held the tied stone fetish over his butt hole.
Coyote Thief led his brave into the river. They didn't dive in but slowly
surrendered themselves to the cold muddy water. Big Horn squatted to relieve
his bowels (after pulling the round stone away) and sand was brought up from
the bottom to clean the sweat from his body. The warrior was doing the same.
His teeth began to chatter. Big Horn smiled to himself, remembering how this
Spear-bearing warrior from the plains was unaccustomed to the cold.
To warm the man, Big Horn hugged his warrior from behind. Coyote Thief
welcomed the brave's arms around him. Their sharing of warmth was a tender
moment for them both. The brave closed his eyes and sighed with deep love.
His cock felt the warrior's slippery butt against it and grew hard.
They didn't embrace long. Big Horn led his warrior out of the river, his
eyes often gazing over the man's lean form. Coyote Thief's cock was limp. He
stared at his nicely rounded butt that drew the brave's hand for a fond slap.
The cheeks were of lighter color to the rest of the man's deeply tanned body.
Many battle scars could be seen though blending into his dark skin. An ugly
knife injury (many years old) was seen above the warrior's left shoulder
blade. He curiously touched it.
'That given me when I a brave of about your age,' explained Coyote Thief.
He paused a moment in deep thought as if to decide about something. 'I earned
it from my first battle. A warrior of your Split Tribe stuck his knife into me
when my back was turned. Very dishonorable of him! More shameful, he also..
stuck his cock in me.'
Big Horn's eyes widened at the admission. He saw that Coyote Thief had
something more to say but he held back. The brave grasped the man's shoulder
and remained patient. He enjoyed the warm Hand of Father Sun over their
bodies, drying them.
Coyote Thief continued gesturing. 'I feigned death... A hope that he
would not bring his blade across my neck after he was done mounting me. My
blood was spilling out while he enjoyed spilling his seed into me. I've not
told anyone how I was shamed, only that I had survived my first attack by
playing dead.'
Big Horn peered into the warrior's shy eyes, seeing that yet something
else was being held back. A terrible secret! He didn't press the man to
gesture anything more. To do so would cause his lover pain and much shame.
Unbidden tears filled the brave's eyes because of his suspicions. He grew
angry with himself for his weak display until a hand reached up to his eyes to
brush them away.
"I see your love," spoke Coyote Thief. When Big Horn released a loud sob,
the old warrior brought him to his chest in a fierce hug. No sound came from
the brave's mouth but his chest heaved for a few heart beats. Coyote Thief
tried shooing him from crying.
Anger returned to Big Horn for his weakness. He pushed the warrior away,
quickly wiping an arm across his wet face. He tried to appear brave.
Coyote Thief nodded with understanding. 'It is alright for a man to cry
when he is alone in his tipi or in the arms of a lover.'
Tears swam in Big Horn's eyes that he allowed to fall down his cheeks. He
blinked them away and saw that Coyote Thief also bore a wet face. A strong
hand came to the brave's right shoulder to comfort him. A secret understanding
passed between them.
'I tell you something more about my knife attack and shaming,' gestured
Coyote Thief while tears dripped down from his chin. 'A thing I never thought
to admit to another human being.' He paused from gesturing further when Big
Horn's hand touched his face. Not to wipe away his tears, the warrior
realized. The brave's hand had covered his mouth.
'Do not tell me if it will lessen you as a man in my eyes,' asked Big
Horn.
Coyote Thief didn't lower his gaze from the brave's as much as he felt
the need to. He brought up his hands for gesturing. 'It will explain how I
felt as a young man, unguided and feeling wretched like you felt on that day
we met in the plains.'
Big Horn knew what the old warrior would be admitting to him. He grabbed
hold of the man's hands to prevent him from gesturing. They stood facing each
other for a long moment. Their eyes blinked to fight against the tears that
wouldn't end. With his right hand, the brave kept hold of both of Coyote
Thief's hands. He gestured clumsily with his left.
'Tomorrow night, we join our male bodies in a way that pleasures us both
from the front (pointing down at his semi-erect cock) and from behind...'
Coyote Thief's eyes widened. He lowered his hands so that the brave could use
both of his to continue gesturing. 'Your path of the Mahyee-na will become my
path. It is a good one, without shame for my manhood. I am learning from you
that there is no shame for giving another man his pleasure by taking my butt.'
Coyote Thief nodded. His eyes fell from the brave's when he gestured.
'This old warrior is not worthy for your love, Big Horn.'
Big Horn gave the man a sweeping hand gesture. 'You are worthy!'
Pai-alucia released a loud whinny that startled the two men. Big Horn
looked about for danger while Coyote Thief went to his horse. He was straining
to reach for more grass that was out of reach. The warrior spoke to his horse
with laughter in his voice. The long post was pulled from the dirt, his arm
muscles bulging that drew the brave's eyes. It was a very attractive thing to
see in a man. Boys had weak, thin arms. The warrior walked a few paces before
driving it back into the ground. The stallion eagerly reached down to pull at
the fresh grass with his teeth.
'You know your horse well,' Big Horn commented. He had thought that
Pai-alucia was signaling danger while his master knew that it was only a
hunger complaint.
'When a horse your only companion, you get to know him well.'
Big Horn smiled. He recalled when they'd first met on the plains that
Coyote Thief had admitted that his horse was his 'loving' companion.
Coyote Thief reached down for their breechclouts. Not to don them, the
warrior carried them towards the tipi much to Big Horn's surprise. He glanced
across the river for his tribesmen. The few figures that he saw on the far
bank were too far away to spy on their nakedness.
'Dry yourself in the sun while I collect my sacred objects in the tipi.'
Big Horn nodded his understanding. He went to Pai-alucia and rubbed his
big nose. The stallion nudged him hard in the ribs, upset that his feeding was
being interrupted. The man roamed his hands along the horse's neck. Making
his way slowly towards the rear, the brave pulled out tangles from his hide.
He reached the animal's rear legs. Curiously, he peered down at the stallion's
dark sheath. His left hand reached inside to cop of feel of his knob. It felt
warm and moist. Something hard brushed against his fingers so Big Horn plucked
it out. He examined the dark urine stone in his palm. It was light in weight.
Passing it to his other hand, he reached in for any remaining stones.
Coyote Thief whistled from the doorway to get Big Horn's attention. After
a fond slap was given to the horse's rump, the brave entered their tipi. He
showed the warrior what was being held in his right hand.
The warrior smiled. He snatched the urine stones and placed them in a
scrap of deerskin. 'These are good medicine for certain rites,' he explained
with a sly grin on his face. The small piece of hide was folded and placed
within his sacred bundle.
Big Horn noticed that Coyote Thief hadn't put on his breechclout. He
looked around for his to cover his body.
'Let us go without until the morning,' the man begged. 'We are kept from
having sex until your rite but I want to enjoy looking upon your beauty.'
Big Horn blushed. 'I also like to look upon your uncovered manliness as
well but I fear that I may carry your exciting image into my dreams and my
cock will explode in the middle of the night.'
'Try not to, Big Horn. I want you to be at full 'strength' for your
ritual tomorrow night.'
Big Horn laughed. He felt another hunger so his eyes looked down at the
fire pit, disappointed that the embers had long since been extinguished. There
were no cooking vessels to be seen.
'We are fasting in more ways than one,' reminded Coyote Thief. He'd heard
the brave's stomach rumble.
'I'm not kept from dreaming about eating an elk!' exclaimed Big Horn. He
laid down over his ground mat to rest. Coyote Thief was slow to take his place
over his mat. The brave noticed the concern in his eyes.
'I worried about the Trickster,' gestured Coyote Thief. 'It was good that
you didn't speak of him to your warriors but your shaman should be warned.'
Big Horn saw the difficulties in this. 'If I tell my shaman what we know,
he will warn the chief and that will make me look bad for having withheld such
important news from my war leader.'
Coyote Thief thought for a moment before answering. 'You could tell your
shaman that you'd seen the Trickster in your dreams posing as an elk bull. If
he's a wise man, he'll counter that evil with rituals of protection for the
People.'
'My shaman is a wise old man... He may See through my small deception.'
'Yes. It is hard to fool a shaman and wrong to do so but he would
understand your plight. The result would still be the same.'
Big Horn pondered on the warrior's advice. Yes. He could warn the shaman
to the Trickster's presence without making him look bad. Other thoughts
intruded on the brave. He rolled onto his back, staring up through the tipi's
smoke hole for the fading sunlight. Coyote Thief had already closed his eyes
to sleep.
The brave tossed and turned over his mat. He was feeling too restless.
Coyote Thief snored. Big Horn rolled his eyes when remembering his uncle's
loud snores that had kept him from sleep.
Big Horn's stomach rumbled. It was difficult to ignore his hunger but he
scolded himself to endure it. He'd gone without food for four days during his
fasting at the sacred cliffs where he'd sought out his animal helper. He could
endure these two days of fasting. Tomorrow night, they would become Mahyee-na
brothers and also join their bodies as lovers. That brought a smile to the
brave's lips.
Sadness came to Big Horn when he thought of what Coyote Thief had to
endure as a young brave. Falling in battle was humiliating enough though he'd
survived the encounter. Getting his butt raped was worse so it didn't surprise
Big Horn that no one from his tribe had learned of it. He felt privileged that
the warrior could confide in him. The terrible secret that was left unspoken
by Coyote Thief was that he had enjoyed getting stuck by another man.
Big Horn thought back to what he'd done with Crying Loon. After enjoying
himself in that boy's butt, he had to endure getting his stuck into. It had
been shameful - a mere boy conquering him! The brave shook his head as if to
deny that it'd happened. He glanced at the warrior's sleeping form, following
the sensual curving of his body against the ground mat. To butt fuck was the
greatest pleasure for a man if he's the one on top. Tomorrow night, he would
mount the warrior's rear entrance and in return he'd play the role of squaw to
be seeded as the bottom. Instead of feeling shame, the brave looked forward to
giving his warrior that pleasure. It would be done with love and that made all
the difference.
The brave noticed an erection laying against his belly because of his
lusty thoughts. His heart was full of love for Coyote Thief and his troubled
spirit had been put at ease by following the path of the Mahyee-na. He could
love another man!
Similar thoughts went around in Big Horn's head. He didn't notice the
moment his eyes finally closed in sleep.
That same evening, Crying Loon was taken to the shaman by his concerned
mother. Bending Arrow was away guarding their camp. The boy couldn't hide his
growing pain that came from his bladder so he was rushed to the healing lodge.
The old man bid them enter. He was told of what ailed the youth.
As Little Fawned watched, the shaman pressed his fingers against her
son's lower belly. The boy gasped with pain. The man asked if there were any
other parts of his body that troubled him. The youth glanced at his mother
with embarrassment showing in his eyes. The old man understood.
After asking the woman to leave, the shaman untied the boy's thong belt.
Crying Loon watched his two flaps fall to the ground with dread. He wasn't
ashamed to be naked in front of the old man but feared that he may learn what
had happened to him a few nights before.
"Does you pole hurt?" the shaman asked.
Crying Loon nodded. "Only sometimes, after pissing. The greater pain
comes from my bladder!"
"How long has it been hurting? Do you recall drinking foul water or have
you done something unusual with your pole that could have brought something
harmful into your body?"
Crying Loon shook his head. "I haven't! I've been hurting for a handful
of days now..."
The shaman read truth in the boy's words. Yet something nagged at him so
the old man turned the youth's body around in his hands. He gently opened the
boy's trembling cheeks and peered in. The small hole revealed stretch marks -
that troubled the shaman. Crying Loon stepped out of his reach with much
embarrassment showing on his face.
"Have you been violated?" the shaman asked. He kept his voice even so as
to not shame the boy further. Truth was needed now.
Tears sprang from Crying Loon's eyes. He blurted out all that he could
recall from being lost in the woods. No. The youth didn't know what had
brought him there at night. Much of that day had been a blur. It was difficult
for him to admit that he'd found sperm leaking from his aching hole but swore
that he didn't know who had put it there. He begged the old man not to tell
his parents about it.
The shaman nodded. Had the boy been younger, he'd have been obligated to
inform Bending Arrow. A wooden mug was fetched. From a sealed flask, a portion
of white powder was mixed with water for the boy to drink. He knew that it
would help ease his pain. The youth's body was strong and would rid the evil
spirits from his body in time.
A greater concern had to be addressed. The old man asked Crying Loon to
spend the night in his lodge while he conducted a Seeking ritual. The shaman
was concerned that something evil had seduced the boy. His sacred rattle was
taken in hand and all night, the man asked for guidance from the Great Spirit.
Mostly Darkness obscured the shaman's inner eye. He knew that something
powerful and of evil was near; it threatened the People. Only when the
moonlight made its way past the clouds and came down the lodge's smoke hole
could the old man glimpse shadowy features. They frightened him.
Whispered words from long ago filled the shaman's head. Deep-roots-that-
whisper of the Moss-bowl Tribe had told him about a terrible Darkness that
sought an end to all life. That wise shaman had suspected that this Evil stuck
His fingers into the bodies of willing men to do His bidding. The stories
about Tricksters was not only a ploy used by parents to scare their children
into obedience but a real danger. The shaman of the Kalinlipi was beginning to
believe this himself.
The youth laid over the ground and endured the shaman's rattling. It kept
him from sleeping. At least his pain had eased. He was also assured that no
one else would learn the shame of his rape. The boy closed his eyes and he
managed to go to sleep.
The next morning, Big Horn announced himself at the shaman's doorway. He
wanted to tell the old man about his 'dream' to warn him that a Trickster was
about. When the brave entered, he was startled to find Crying Loon sleeping
over the ground. His heart squeezed with concern for the boy but he feared
more that the shaman had learned about their lustful encounters.
"Ah, Big Horn. What brings you to my lodge this morning?" He noted the
dark lines covering the brave's face and that his butt was left uncovered.
The brave found his voice. After tearing his eyes from the naked boy, he
spoke. "I was troubled by a dream last night."
The old man gestured for them to sit away from Crying Loon so that his
sleep wouldn't be disturbed. Big Horn was troubled. Before he told the shaman
about his 'dream', he inquired about the boy.
"His bladder hurts him," said the shaman with an even voice. "I've given
him the powder ground from willow's bark for the pain." Relief showed on the
brave's face along with another dark emotion. That caused the old man to
study Big Horn intently.
"Did you know that he'd been lost in the woods for a night?" the shaman
asked. "The same place where our warriors were tracking that elusive scout."
He didn't suspect Big Horn of anything but felt in his bones that the young
man knew something about the boy's troubles.
"No. I've not heard about that," answered Big Horn. "Staying with Coyote
Thief prevents me from hearing news about my tribe."
"Ha! It's almost as if you are starting a tribe of your own over there."
Big Horn was startled until he heard the old man's gruff laughter. He
nodded his head at the joke.
"So tell me about your dream."
The brave saw how intently his shaman was studying him. He didn't wrap
his arms around his chest as was his usual listening stance. His old eyes were
searching for signs on his face and from his body language that could give
himself away. He hated that only half-truths were going to be given to the
tribe's most respected man. Guilt squeezed his heart. The young man decided
that he couldn't lie after all.
"On the day that an enemy scout's tracks were found, I felt myself being
chased into the woods by an unseen danger. It was like herding deer towards a
trap. A long time I ran because of my fear. When I stopped to catch my breath,
I glimpsed a dark-skinned man crouched over a fallen oak. He changed into an
elk bull. The beast humped over the fallen tree and seemed to know that I was
watching him.
"A beam from Father Sun broke through the tree tops and I saw that
strange man again. When I blinked my eyes in disbelief, he became that elk
bull releasing its seed. The animal retreated into the shadows. I sat over
where he released to empower my body with his male strength. That's when
Father Sun struck me and burned my bottom..."
The old man gasped. "Your dream has revealed a Trickster to you."
"Shaman, this was no dream."
"What was that?" the shaman asked in confusion.
Big Horn dropped his eyes with shame. "I felt that it would be better to
say it was a dream but... what I've told you happened."
"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" scolded the old man. "Our warriors
thought they were tracking an enemy scout but from what you've told me, they
were after something much more dangerous!"
"Yes, shaman."
For many heart beats, the old man studied Big Horn with peering eyes. He
saw the brave's discomfort but knew he'd spoken the truth. It reminded him how
Crying Loon felt when speaking about what had happened to him in the woods -
that same fallen oak! The fear squeezing the old man's heart was something
he'd not felt for a very long time.
"Crying Loon was seduced by that Trickster."
Big Horn lifted his eyes in shock to what the shaman had said. He was
pained to learn that the boy had been harmed. Everyone's heard the stories of
how a Trickster likes to rape boys. Why, then was Crying Loon still alive?
"Why did you withhold telling me about it, Big Horn?"
The brave turned to look at the sleeping youth. He didn't feel love for
the boy but guilt filled his heart for some reason. He blurted out, "Coyote
Thief heard my account that day and told me it was a Trickster. When Oaken
Strength and Ringed Tail came across the river to question him, I saw their
suspicions and feared for him. That's why I remained silent about what I've
seen - would they have believed me? More likely, they would point fingers at
an enemy warrior than believe it was a Trickster."
Big Horn caught his breath before continuing. "Coyote Thief told me that
I should warn you about the Trickster's presence so that you could perform
rites to protect the People. I answered that it would be difficult because of
my having kept silent about that evil spirit to my war leader and Ringed Tail.
My tardy admission would be suspect. Coyote Thief suggested that I go to you
with my news in the guise of a dream but I turned away from that plan by
giving you the full truth."
"As you should have!" the shaman scolded. He saw fear in Big Horn's eyes
so he softened his composure with a smile.
"Hmm. You are much taken by Coyote Thief."
"Yes. I'll be undergoing a rite with him tonight..."
"The chief has told me. It will bind that enemy warrior to you and our
tribe. A good thing." Shock filled the brave's face. The old man smiled.
"I have seen many things, Big Horn and the ways people act don't surprise me
anymore so don't judge me so harshly!"
Big Horn bowed his head in shame. His thoughts returned to the Trickster.
"What can you do to protect the People from that evil spirit?"
The shaman released a weary sigh. "A protective circle must be made
around our tipis. We will chant unto the Great Spirit to bring His protective
Hand around the People. Drumming and dancing may scare the Trickster away."
"How can I help?" asked Big Horn.
"Your body must be cleaned of evil along with Crying Loon's," said the
shaman. "After that is done, I will meet with the chief so that we can rally
the People against the Trickster."
Big Horn nodded. The old man went to Crying Loon and awakened him, seeing
that his bladder was paining him again. More white powder was given the boy to
drink. To the brave's surprise, he didn't see anything in the boy's eyes for
him; no special recognition. He didn't feel hurt exactly but the man was left
with an odd sensation.
The shaman fetched a jug of sun water. After lifting it towards the Light
for a blessing, he gestured for Big Horn to remove his breechclout. The brave
did so reluctantly, keeping his thong belt tied so that the stone fetish would
remain deep in his butt. Crying Loon curiously peeked at the man's nakedness
as if for the first time.
Again, Big Horn was struck by the boy's unusual behavior. It was almost
as if another boy in the tribe was looking at him without the knowledge of
what they'd shared in the cat tails.
The shaman asked them both to stand close together under the lodge's
smoke hole. Morning's light fell upon their nakedness. A circle was drawn with
his feet that protected the man and boy within. He poured out sun water into
his hand and splashed them with it. Big Horn noted its pleasant fragrance that
reminded him of summer flowers.
Crying Loon had to rub his eyes. He endured the splashing water that was
followed by violent rattling. The old man circled around them with his buffalo
scrotum rattle being directed at them like a weapon. Its rhythm was very angry
compared to what he'd heard from last night. His harsh voice spoke threatening
words that the boy couldn't understand.
Big Horn knew that the shaman's rattling and shouting was being directed
at evil spirits. He stood close behind Crying Loon, gripping both of the boy's
slim shoulders that shook with fear.
Crying Loon wasn't all that scared. He'd witnessed the shaman performing
rituals before but what made him tremble was excitement. The brave's warmth
could be felt against his back and sometimes their bodies bumped. The boy was
thrilled by Big Horn's cock whispering against his butt. His head flashed with
half-seen images of them being together: thin-reed boys with dark brown heads
standing around them in a protective circle while giving them sly grins.
Big Horn felt the blood rush into his cock. As much as he tried to stand
a part from Crying Loon, the boy stuck his rear end against him. It was a
thrilling sensation but dangerous for them both. He feared that the shaman
would glean what they've been doing together in the cat tails.
Crying Loon felt the man's cock lifting against his butt. Its oozing knob
stiffened, tickled between his cheeks and stood up strong. He glanced down at
himself with an expectation. His dick was erected and stood against his belly.
The boy wasn't surprised by his own reaction but Big Horn was a man, past that
time when he needed to practice sex with boyhood friends. He felt attracted to
the brave. The man was also showing his excitement for him.
The shaman's rattling ended. He sank to his ground mat for a brief rest.
Last night's lengthy ritual over Crying Loon and this one had left the old man
exhausted. He gestured that the brave and his boy could go cover themselves up.
Big Horn eagerly reached down for his lengthy cloth. He glanced at Crying
Loon who was fetching his deerskin flaps from where they'd been dropped at the
door last night. Their eyes caught the other peeking at each other's
nakedness. The boy's pole stood up hard against his belly and the man's cock
was also stiff. Breechclouts quickly covered their embarrassing display.
The shaman had his eyes closed. He swayed on his knees like a tree in the
wind. Big Horn leaned down to Crying Loon's ear with an urgent whisper. What
the boy heard startled him.
"Did you tell him about us?"
Crying Loon turned sharply to the man. His eyes showed puzzlement. "What
are you talking about, Big Horn?"
It was the brave's turn to be startled. He read utter truth in the boy's
words and his eyes matched what he'd asked. The tiny hairs on Big Horn's neck
lifted in warning. He knew that something very strange was going on.
Big Horn saw that Crying Loon was expecting an answer. He simply looked
down at his covered manhood and gestured at the boy's erection pushing away
his front flap. Embarrassment showed on both their faces. He hoped that would
satisfy the youth.
Crying Loon stared at the man's covered bulge, remembering how huge his
cock was. There was a slight inwards curve that had drawn his hand for a lusty
feel but he'd resisted that urge. Their bodies were clothed. The moment had
been lost.
When Big Horn kneeled beside the ailing shaman, Crying Loon noticed the
slim thong between his butt cheeks. He saw an object covering the man's hole.
He recalled the mud lines drawn over the brave's face and heard that he was
undergoing a ritual of some kind. Was that why he kept his butt bared?
"A mug from that flask, please!" the shaman begged. Big Horn went to pour
out sun water for the old man to drink. Strength soon filled his limbs.
Big Horn helped the shaman to stand. He faced Crying Loon. "You may go
now. If your bladder pains you, return and I'll give you more ground willow's
bark to drink. Keep to yourself what's been said in my lodge!" He also glared
at the brave with his warning.
"Take me to the chief's tipi, Big Horn." Crying Loon sprinted out the
door before them, watching them a moment before making his way back to his
parent's tipi. He would keep his mouth shut but he'd have a lot of thinking
to do before he understood all that had happened this morning.
Chief He-who-walks-beyond-all-others welcomed his unexpected morning
guests. His happy mood quickly turned grim when he learned of the Trickster's
evil presence. The shaman gave a full account to his chief and asked him to
keep Crying Loon's shame and Big Horn's tardy admission in confidence. The
Kalinlepi leader agreed that a tribal rite would have to be performed. Drums
were beat to summon men from their hunting in the forests and for those
guarding camp to return.
That afternoon, the chief stood with the tribe's spiritual leader when he
addressed the gathering crowd. The shaman told them about the evil Trickster.
Children clutched their parents' hands in fear. Some of the women covered
their faces. Surprise could be seen from the men who stared at their shaman
with disbelief. The chief stood at his side, adding his words to strengthen
the shaman's.
"The stories that you've heard as a child are true!" announced the chief.
"A Trickster is near. Had not Ringed Tail tracked what he thought was an enemy
scout in our woods? Those obscured footprints became the prints of an elk
bull. Big Horn had actually seen this animal change into a dark-skinned man
when Father Sun revealed him as a Trickster."
Ringed Tail turned to Oaken Strength with concern. The war leader shook
his head, proving that he'd not heard Big Horn's admission either. Doubt could
still be seen on many faces of the men. Their chief continued speaking in the
hope of convincing his People to the danger.
"Another member of our tribe managed to escape his clutches," the chief
whispered. "Crying Loon returned home alive but suffers his evil taint." The
shaman at his side cringed. He hoped that the chief wouldn't reveal the boy's
shameful involvement but saw that it was necessary to sway the men.
"Must we wait until one of our children is murdered?" the chief cried.
"Our shaman has read the signs of his presence and he has Seen the evil
threatening us! Our camp must be protected from this Trickster and he must be
scared away."
"How?!" some of the People shouted. The chief raised his right hand to
quiet them before the shaman explained what had to be done. It would involve
all of the People. Some of the warriors still doubted; they were used to
facing real enemies that could be seen and struck down with their weapons.
Their shaman spoke of an evil that hid in shadows, could change into animals
and who lusted for their children. War leader Oaken Strength reluctantly came
forward. He had been far from the tribe when he'd heard the summoning drums so
he didn't have the chance to speak privately with his chief first. He acted
from loyalty.
"I will do as my chief and the shaman have asked. Let us make this
protection circle and beat our drums to scare this Trickster away!" His words
drew cheers from all his warriors.
The shaman turned to his chief. He was relieved that the People had been
harkened to what they'd said. Too long have they been lax to the dangers
around them, of flesh and ethereal.
The tribal ritual was begun. Families assembled at the river with a man
leading his group. The shaman sprinkled sun water on each person before they
entered the forming circle around camp. Feet big and small stomped the ground
around their tipis. Unmarried braves beat hand drums. Last to trod the dirt in
the great circle was the shaman and his chief who were joined with people from
behind. Four times they encircled the clearing where their tipis sprung.
A lone warrior looked across the river at the spectacle. He'd heard the
drumming and that had drawn him from his tipi. Pai-alucia whinnied nervously.
A war horse recognized the summoning from drums.
The chief dispersed his People while the shaman assured them that the
great circle they've trodden in the ground would protect them. To frighten
away the evil Trickster, men beat over ceremonial drums that would continue
throughout the night. A few warriors were released from the rite to guard the
camp from more earthly dangers (enemy scouts who might be drawn to the noise).
Big Horn was also allowed to leave the ceremony. He had a rite of his own
to attend to across the river. The shaman handed him the jug of what remained
of the sun water, instructing the brave to encircle their tipi with Coyote
Thief in the hope of lending it a similar protection. He thanked the old man,
ignoring his sly knowing grin.
Coyote Thief spied the brave making his way across the river. The warrior
rushed down the bank and into the shallows to greet him. He saw the serious
expression on Big Horn's face.
'My shaman has acted to protect our tribe,' he announced. The men glanced
back at the People dancing, guided by drumming and loud chanting. 'I've been
given this jug so that we may perform the rite that will protect our tipi.'
Coyote Thief nodded. His hand drum was fetched. At Big Horn's gesture, he
removed his moccasins. The brave sprinkled sun water on them both. They
stomped in a circle around their tipi including where Pai-alucia was tied to
his post. The stallion watched wide-eyed as the men circled around four times.
Big Horn cried out to those across the river at its completion. Some of
the People cheered back. The brave's face beamed with excitement that filled
Coyote Thief with happiness. He acknowledged the acceptance being given them
and their lone tipi from the tribe.
The two men stood before the door of their tipi. Coyote Thief struck his
hand drum in beat to the ceremonial drums in camp. Big Horn held his arm. It
was a special moment in their lives that would not be soon be forgotten.
Father Sun finally laid down His sleepy Head to rest, marking the end of
the day. Coyote Thief stopped drumming. He sat down with Big Horn who fell
wearily at his side. They watched the dancing, drumming and happy chanting
continuing in camp.
'They go into... the night?' asked Coyote Thief. His hands revealed their
weariness from drum beating.
'Yes. My shaman hopes that the People's glad noise will frighten away the
Trickster,' he gestured.
'That is good. My own People have a similar rite though water is poured
in a large circle instead of stomping feet.'
'Evil is a threat to all People,' gestured Big Horn. "It no wonder that
we share similar rites.'
Coyote Thief nodded. 'You have a rite to attend to!'
Big Horn smiled. He was handed the drum and asked to beat over it until
Coyote Thief summoned him. The brave watched the old man slip into their tipi
with an anxious sigh. He turned his eyes back to his People, not regretting at
all that he wasn't there to partake of their celebration.
The brave knew what this night would bring. Not just sex, but a binding
of the two men closer than blood brothers. They would become lovers likened to
a man with his squaw. But they would remain in their roles as proud men;
equals. Coyote Thief would lead him on the path of the Mahyee-na. He wondered
what responsibilities came by joining that secret male society.
The warrior's summons came sooner than expected. Big Horn paused a moment
at the doorway of their tipi before entering to the rite that awaited him. His
eyes smarted from the blazing fire centered within. Before it sat Coyote Thief
wrapped in a feathered elk skin robe.
Big Horn stood on the other side of the fire pit. He waited for direction
from Coyote Thief but the warrior remained silent, studying him. The brave
felt awkward. He wondered if the old man was expecting him to say something
significant or do something to begin the rite.
Coyote Thief lifted his hands for gesturing. 'Do you stand before me
with your intent to enter Mahyee-na, a brotherhood of loving warriors and
braves?'
Big Horn answered, 'I do.'
'To become one of us you must be brave, as yet unmarried and
dispositioned sexually towards men. Are you as I say?'
'I am.' Coyote Thief's tense face broke into a grin. Big Horn felt the
intense heat of the fire warming his chest and legs. He saw fire in the old
warrior's eyes.
Coyote Thief gestured for the brave to sit down with him. 'Listen now to
what it means to be Mahyee-na. Questions may be asked so that you may
understand.'
Big Horn did as he was bid. He glanced at the dancing flames, recalling
how they'd once spoken to him. No hissing whispers filled his ears this time.
His thoughts turned to how his path into the Mahyee-na had begun with a chance
meeting on the plains. Instead of finding death at this man's hands, he was
given a second chance at life.
A long moment of silenced passed. Concern gnawed at Big Horn that the
warrior was waiting for him to show a sign of acceptance or something.
'You are still only a brave,' gestured Coyote Thief. 'Yet strong, wise
and quick to learn my lessons. You were ready to embrace Mahyee-na when you
accepted the touch of my butt with your own. Signal your further readiness by
wearing this paint upon your face.'
Big Horn took the small bowl he was given and stuck two fingers into the
green paint. He marked up his face with lines over the muddy ones he'd drawn
from yesterday. Coyote Thief nodded with approval. Taking back that bowl, the
warrior marked up his face but with circles in green over his cheeks.
'To be Mahyee-na is to still be a man," explained Coyote Thief. 'He
hunts, protects women and children and goes on the warpath at need. We don't
take wives to satisfy the needs of our loins but mount them when we must to
beget sons and daughters. Nothing must be done to cause others in the tribe to
fear us. We keep our ways secret.
'What I will tell and show you is not for others to know. It the secret
of our brotherhood that you must keep close to your heart! Let me hear your
vow that you will keep it so.'
Big Horn was expecting to give an oath. He straightened his back and
spoke while gesturing at the same time. "I swear unto our Great Father Spirit
to keep secret what you'll teach me of being Mahyee-na," he began. "I won't
reveal the ways of our society to others by voice, gesture or actions. I swear
this by Wah-Conda who Sees and Knows All. I hope to die a horrible death, my
spirit wingless to the after life if I should ever break this vow!"
Coyote Thief nodded his head with acceptance. 'Your vow is well spoken
and I know not of any others that you've broken.' The warrior reached for a
bowl hidden under an elk skin. He handed it the brave, gesturing for him to
eat. 'Break your fasting with me, Big Horn. You are now Mahyee-na!'
Big Horn greedily brought the fresh meat to his mouth, noticing that the
venison was seasoned with a bitter herb. Coyote Thief also ate from the bowl.
When they were done, the warrior untied a long pouch from his side. He filled
his pipe with tobacco and allowed the brave to smoke from it first. He managed
not to cough. The warrior was returned his pipe and he drew smoke from it with
a satisfying grin. They shared the pipe until all the tobacco was burned.
The old warrior broke their silence. 'I will test your willingness to be
Mahyee-na. A sexual rite that isn't binding between two men.' When he saw that
Big Horn was disturbed, he added: 'That is how the initiation is done in our
brotherhood. If you seek to bind your heart with mine, we'll conduct that
additional rite. It is something I desire and, I believe, you as well.' He saw
the brave nod.
Coyote Thief began singing. It was in the language of his Spear-bearing
People that Big Horn couldn't understand. Yet the words beat themselves into
the brave's soul. He noticed that the warrior was using his hand drum to keep
the rhythm.
Big Horn felt dizzy. He peered into the flames and Saw something that he
knew would come to pass: a boy was sitting in his place; he occupied the role
of Coyote Thief in another Mahyee-na rite speaking similar words. Willow Bird
was that boy! Before he could tell the warrior about his vision, he felt the
strength from his body fading when he succumbed to sleep.
Coyote Thief's singing came to an end. He smiled, knowing that the dried
mushrooms the brave ate would make him passive and in little pain for this
night's love making. He was also feeling its effects but was used to it. The
old man grimaced from a long-ago memory. Shaman Snarling Bear had seduced him
in this same manner. The ritual circle was finally turning back upon itself.
The jug of sun water Big Horn had brought from his shaman was poured into
a wooden mug. He propped the brave's head up and made him drink. The warrior
also drank. They drew strength from the potion but were still much influenced
by the seasoned deer meat and mushrooms. Coyote Thief unsheathed his Wa-ha
knife to prepared for their bonding rite.
A length of Big Horn's hair was cut along with the warrior's hair. While
the brave rested, Coyote Thief braided the long strands together with mane
from Night Moon to form a 'pa-he-wat-che'. This he would make use of later in
the evening.
Big Horn found himself floating in their tipi. He flew out the smoke hole
with sparks rising from the fire pit. He was dazzled by the night's bright
stars: each one a person's spirit! Yet he was prevent from joining Them in the
Above. A silvery thong tied him back to his body below.
He was drawn to the glowing spirits of his People across the river. Their
celebration was a happy one! Drumming and chanting, they danced as only the
living could. He Saw the protective circle around their tipis. The children
would be able to sleep in peace.
Big Horn flew to the woods as a hunter. He followed shadows that deepened
between the trees and became evil. A darkness was hiding there. Glowing red
eyes were filled with much hatred for the Kalinlepi. The Trickster retreated
from the People's celebration and he knew they would be protected from him.
That displeased his Dark Master.
They sensed a living spirit spying on them. The Darkness raged against
Big Horn's spirit as if he were a feather caught in a storm wind. The brave's
silvery thong strained... He knew that to save himself, he'd have to return to
his body! The Dark Shadow followed him back to his tipi but was stopped by the
protective circle. Only Big Horn was able to enter, body and soul became one.
Coyote Thief noticed that the brave's sleep was disturbed. He brought the
young man closer to his side and continued braiding their pa-he-wat-che with a
smile on his face. He was startled when a gust of wind shook their tipi. It
had felt evil.
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End of file: BIGHORN4.TXT The story continues in: BIGHORN5.TXT