Continuing the AMERICAN INDIAN BOY'S QUEST TO BECOME A MAN, PART THREE.

It was two full moons since Red Deer had left his
family. He had taken to walking in the evenings and
at night, when it was cooler. Pausing momentarily in the moonlight, he gazed at the fullness of the
night sky, he was in awe of it's beauty as it
stretched away into the distant horizon. Although
cooler, it was however more dangerous. He walked
slowly, feeling his way along the path, though still following the river until he came to a clearing, he glanced around feeling slightly uneasy. There were fewer trees now, but the ones that stood near to the river were low. A hanging
branch brushed against his head, causing him to
flinch. He looked at the branch, then continued on
his way.

There was a chill in the air, that made Red Deer
shiver, he spoke to his horse, feeling the security
of his presence.
"We have to find people soon my friend, we need to
get you help."
He had also become weary of travelling, walking and
making camp, it had seemed like a big adventure in
the beginning, but now the novelty had worn off.
As Red Deer continued on his journey North, he
began to notice a change in the terrain, It was
becoming less woodland and more desolate, he was
starting to realise how lucky the people of his
tribe were to have the security of the woods and all they provided, he was missing home so much. He
walked on listening to the sounds of the night, the
crickets chirping, looking for mates, the frogs
croaking. It almost had a musical sound to it, for
a moment it made Red Deer smile. He so desperately
wanted to sleep, but without a fire, it would be a
mistake. There was little in the way of kindling,
which did not help, so he kept on walking, his
enthusiasm diminished with every step, irritation
was taking over through lack of sleep, every sound
became unbearable the further he went.

Dawn was starting to break, he leant against a tree, his body like lead, he could hardly walk another step, his eyes kept wanting to close, he
did not know how much longer he could fight sleep.
He was almost about to drift off, when he saw in
the distance a figure standing in the river, with a spear in its hand. He suddenly felt a new strength come back to him, he was so excited at the
prospect of meeting another human, his pain was
forgotten, but caution stopped him from wanting to
run towards the figure, he remembered his mothers
words.
'Be careful son, not everyone you meet will be
friendly.'
He led his horse to the edge of the river to drink,
then led him back up to the tree, he had been leaning against. He whispered to his horse to be
quiet, Swift As Wind nickered in reply, his ears
went forward and he started to sniff as if he were
hungry.
"No boy, I haven't anything for you to eat, now
you wait here."
Red Deer nervously started to walk towards the figure taking quiet steps and discovered it was a
man, he had his back to Red Deer and did not seem
to hear him approaching, Red Deer noticed he was
engrossed in trying to spear a fish.
"Excuse me, please you help me?" said Red Deer.
The man did not look round, or acknowledge him, so
again he asked.
"My name Red Deer, can you help me?"
Still the man did not look round. Red Deer couldn't
understand, in fact he thought it rude not to be
acknowleged. By now he was annoyed, so he walked
right up and tapped the man on the shoulder. Immediately the man looked around.
"Uh!" The man turned and jumped, he seemed to be in shock, his body shaking. Red Deer didn't know
who was more frightened, him or the man. The stranger dropped his spear and started to run away, still very frightened. Red Deer wondered what
he had done, why the man ran from him. He decided to follow him further down river, he saw him run to
a camp, he was talking to another man and pointing
in Red Deer's direction, Red Deer hid behind a rock, crouching down, he thought to himself.
'Of course I saw buffalo further down river, I should have realised where there is buffalo, there
are normally people near by.'
Poor Red Deer was so exhausted, he decided to go
back and get his horse, he started to turn to walk
away, when a voice said.
"Who are you friend, where you from?"
Red Deer turned, one of the men from the camp was
standing in front of him, his face was broad and his features were prominent, paticularly the wide
friendly mouth. The stranger stood easily before
Red Deer, smiling, waiting for some indication of an answer to his question. Red Deer gave his name
and explained where he was from. He told the stranger that his father had sent him on a quest,
then he told him about his horse and the rattle snake bite.
"Well Red Deer, it seems you come along way, for
such small boy." Said the stranger.
Red Deer stared at the man in annoyance.
"I am not a boy, I am a man."
The stranger extended one of his broad hands, raising it in the air. Red Deer then did the same.
The man smiled, then spoke again.
"My name Two Feathers, you are welcome at our camp."
Red Deer breathed a sigh of relief at those words, then he asked.
"Would it be much trouble to look after horse till I return? He in no condition to ride, I think
I travel easier on foot. All my horse need is grass
and water."
Two Feathers asked Red Deer,
"where is your horse?"
"I left him up by tree over there." Red Deer said
pointing in the direction of the tree.
"Well," said Two Feathers,
"I don't think that a problem, he stay with other
horses. Come let us see this fine horse of yours."
When they reached Swift As Wind, Two Feathers said.
"Why this fine stallion, considering travelling and snake bite, he in good condition."
"Do you know about horses?" Replied Red Deer.
"Oh yes, I learnt from father, he taught me how
to break horses in when I very young boy. What about you boy, do you know about horses?"
"Yes I do know about horses from father too."
replied Red Deer.
"Well you come back to camp with horse, what's his
name again?" said Two Feathers.
"It's Swift As Wind," replied Red Deer.

As they walked back to the camp, Two Feathers said.
"You know it take you lot longer to get to Rocky
Mountains on foot."
"I know replied Red Deer at least I only worry
about myself. I wanted to ask you question Two
Feathers."
"What you like to ask me?" Replied Two Feathers.
"The man that was fishing, why he not answer me
when I speak to him?"
Two Feathers smiled and informed Red Deer, that the
man was Floating Cloud.
"He no speak, or hear, he deaf and dumb. You scare
him mighty big."
Red Deer felt a saddness for the man.
"You look real tired, you come back to lodge, eat
and sleep, feel better in morning." Two Feathers
advised.
"I very tired, I walk many days, many nights,
because of horses leg. Two full moons have been and
gone and I welcome chance to rest." Replied Red Deer.

When they reached Two Feathers lodge, Floating
Cloud was stood at the entrance, Red Deer asked
Two Feathers to tell him sorry for frightening him.
"Tell him yourself, he lip read." Said Two Feathers.
Red Deer started to talk very slowly.
"I Red Deer, I sorry if I scare you, I not realise, you not hear or speak."
Floating Cloud looked at Red Deer and made some
hand signals. Two Feathers told Red Deer that
Floating Cloud said not to worry, it just made him
jump, he wasn't expecting to see anyone on the
river. As they walked into the lodge, Red Deer was
impressed at how big and spacious Two Feather's
lodge was compared to his mother and fathers lodge.
"Red Deer this is my wife Amadahy, wife meet Red
Deer, he travel long way with lame horse, we take
horse, look after till Red Deer return. You give
him food, then he rest." Said Two Feathers."
After Two Feathers left the lodge, Amadahy smiled
at Red Deer, then dished up some food for him.
"Where you go for such young boy, why you alone?"
she said.
"My father sent me on quest to find eagle feather," he replied.
"You have to travel North for eagle feather, long
journey, very dangerous." she said.
"I be okay, now that I know horse being looked
after." he replied.
Amadahy looked at Red Deers clothes.
"You need warmer clothes for travelling North, it
get very cold." She was concerned for him.
"I have buffalo hide and blanket to keep me warm."
Said Red Deer.
"That's okay when rest, but walking you need extra
clothing."
Amadahy placed the food in front of Red Deer, then
she said.
"What's wrong with your horse?"
"Oh it's his leg, he got bitten by a rattle snake."
"That too bad, husband good with horses, I make
medicine for his leg, we make better."
Red Deer couldn't believe how kind these people
were. He said thankyou.
"What's your horses name?" Enquired Amadahy.
"His name is Swift As Wind." Said Red Deer.
Amadahy thought that was a nice name. She then went
on to say that she had a friend who made clothes.
"You try sleep now, I go see friend, she have
clothes decent for travelling."
"But I don't have anything to trade for clothes."
said Red Deer.
"You no worry about trading, get sleep. Okay!"
As Amadahy left the lodge, Red Deer finished his
food, then lay down to sleep.

By the time Two Feathers returned, Red Deer was
asleep. Two Feathers picked him up and held him in
his arms. He thought to himself.
'This could almost be my dead son.'
As Red Deer slept, he started to have another dream, he was dreaming about being carried by the
brown bear, that he dreamt of before. He lay in the
bears arms, the bear was so big and strong, but
also very gentle. Red Deer noticed he was being
carried through a course of passages, he realised
he was in the cave again. They passed through
chambers, alcoves, niches, until they came to a
chamber that was bigger than all the others. Red
Deer noticed a beautiful pool of water, the water
was trickling down the walls of the chamber and
into the pool. Red Deer also noticed the lichen
growing on the damp wet walls. There was a chill
about this place and Red Deer shivered. The bear
suddenly set Red Deer down by the pool of water,
then the bear looked at Red Deer, it pointed at
the water and said.
"Go on look into the water."
Red Deer got down on his knees and peered into the
water. He saw his own reflection, he saw that he
was naked, there was a ripple in the water, and as
it cleared, Red Deer saw something strange begin to
happen. The skin near his heart started to pulsate,
he could not feel anything, but he could see it in
the reflection. The skin then started to split and
suddenly a small bird flew from the opening, it was
a blue bird. Red Deer looked around the chamber, but there was nothing there, he did not understand.
When he looked at the water again, the small bird
was no longer there, but in its place was a
beautiful giant eagle, it hovered above his head
and then was gone. Red Deer looked up wanting to
ask the bear what was going on, but the bear was
gone. He got to his feet, then suddenly realised he
was alone and lost, he started to walk down a
passage, feeling his way along the wall, he was still naked and cold, he shivered. The passages
seemed to go on and on.
"How am I ever going to get out of here?" He thought. Suddenly in the distance he saw a light, he did not know how long he had been walking, but
his legs became heavey and he winced with every
step. As he reached the light, he fell to his knees, the light was so bright, it was blinding, he
lay his body down and closed his eyes, then he fell
into a deep sleep.

When Red Deer awoke, he felt very strange,
"Why wasn't he in Two Feathers lodge?" He thought.
He sat up quickly looking around, his head started
to spin, he held his head and closed his eyes,
screwing up his face in bewilderment, opening his
eyes, he looked around. He was laying in the middle
of what looked like a canyon, he looked up at the
tall cliff faces and scratched his head, then he
stood up and looked around, feeling very small and
insignificant.
"How did I get here?" He thought to himself.
He shouted "Hello!"
His voice came back as an echo. Red Deer started to
walk around, then from beyond the canyon he saw the
most beautiful site, he dropped to his knees. The
sky was a mass of colours, purple, blue, white,
yellow, gold and there flying amongst the colours,
was the beautiful golden eagle, he had seen in the
cave. He held up his hands in awe of such beauty.
Suddenly coming to his senses, he checked for his
pouch, it was still tied around his waist, he untied the pouch and there inside was his flint and
pyrite, but he didn't have his bow and arrow. He
thought about it some more.
"Did Two Feathers bring me out here, was he really
trying to get rid of me, so he could keep my horse?"
He started to get frightened. He looked around in
confusion, then decided to take a walk. The eagle
had disappeared. He needed to find it again, the
path he took was quite narrow, it led up to some
rocks, which led onto the cliff face. He started to
climb, everywhere he looked was barren, the sky
seemed huge. He carried on climbing, it was hard
going, the cliff face never seemed to end, but for
some reason he knew he had to keep going. He was
getting really close to the top of the cliff, he
dare not look down. Across to his left on a ledge,
he suddenly saw the eagle sitting on its nest. Red
Deer edged his way over to the nest. He wondered
how he was going to get the feather. The bird
suddenly caught site of him and became anxious.
Leaving its nest, it started to fly towards Red
Deer, flapping its wings. Red Deer was holding on
for dear life, he was so frightened, thinking the
bird would attack him, so he just closed his eyes
and held on.
To be continued .........