As summer days waned into fall, preparing the stores for winter was on everyones mind. Red Leaf and Mary did their work mostly together while Jessie and Yellow Knife spent their days on hunts. When fresh kill was brought home to be skinned and smoked, it was Mary and Red Leaf’s job to oversee the task of filling up the stores. After the last section of smoked meat was placed in the stores, Mary smiled and said, "Red Leaf, lets grab a comb, a bar of lye soap and a piece of leather chamois and head for the creek this afternoon." Red Leaf agreed. So as soon as the last of the dried meat was placed in an upright position, they closed the door to the store’s cellar and started across the pasture toward the forest. Mary hurried in front of Red Leaf at a steady pace. She shouted to Red Leaf, "You walk like an old woman," goading Red Leaf along. Then the young women held onto each others hands as they walked toward the forest. Finding a good spot on the creek's bank, they began to wash their hair and bodies. Mary started to use the comb they had brought along on her long blond hair as Red Leaf watched the fish darting in and out of the rocks below the water. Looking up at the sun overhead, Red Leaf expressed to Mary that they should be getting back. Mary took the lead on the path toward home. Red Leaf was right behind her. Red Leaf suddenly became aware that they were not alone. Red Leaf grabbed the handle of her knife that was positioned in the back of the waistband of her skirt and continued to look in every direction as both young women followed the path out of the forest. Red Leaf was relieved when they were back in the open valley. Once back in their cabin, Red Leaf looked out a window over the pasture to see if anyone or anything had followed them.
The next morning after chores, Martha agreed to let Red Leaf enjoy the remainder of the day with her horse. Red Leaf took her leather bag and filled it with biscuits from the morning meal then headed to the corral. Hearing her approach, Grey Warrior slowly began moving toward her. When he stood just above her body, he nodded his head up and down in greeting. She pulled out a handful of grain from her pocket and fed it to him. Smoothing his mane and blowing into his nostrils, she let him know that she was just as happy to see him. He snorted softly and butted his head against her hand. Grey Warrior was contented when Red Leaf was near him. "Es-Ton-Ko, my brave friend, I have come to honor you,” Red Leaf whispered in Grey Warrior’s ear and said in Creek. " It is time we ride the wind together. I will take you to my secret place in the forest. This day we will give thanks to Grand Father and to Mother Earth who helped us find each other." Grey Warrior stood still as Red Leaf draped her blanket once again on his back. Grey Warrior followed Red Leaf out of the gate to the corral. Pawing the ground he let her know that he too was excited and happy to go on a journey with her. Closing the corral gate behind her, Red Leaf grabbed the dark grey mane of the horse and flung her legs onto his back. Riding past the cabin, Red Leaf waved good bye to Mary and Martha who stood on the porch watching them leave.
When they had reached the path that led into the forest, Red Leaf slowed Grey Warrior down to a walk. When they neared Red Leaf’s reclusive retreat, she dismounted Grey Warrior and walked along beside him. As soon as they reached the tree she had visited so any times before, she bent down to clear the away the brush from it’s base and seated herself upon a mound of pine needles. She pulled out a hand beaded leather bag, opened the ties and brought out each precious item, carefully placing them on the ground around her. Fondly touching each item with her fingers, she smiled. It brought her such great joy to touch her hair ties and leather dress. Red Leaf put the bundles of sweet grass to her nose and closed her eyes. How it reminded her of how her mother's hair always smelled. Next she picked up a beaded bag she and her mother had beaded together five winters ago. Red Leaf felt great joy when she visited her secret place. She could be a Creek Maiden once again. Grey Warrior intuitively knew that this was something that pleased Red Leaf.
Red Leaf reached in the large leather bag she had brought from home and found the biscuits and grain for her and Grey Warrior to eat. When they were finished with the faire, Red Leaf sat back against the tree as Grey Warrior contented himself with eating a few blades of grass on the ground. They noticed something in the air at the same time. Red Leaf rose to her feet quietly. She listened for the sounds of the forest. She felt uneasy when she realized that the forest had become silent. The horse’s ears were back and he started to nervously paw the ground next to Red Leaf. She noted his apprehension and quickly bent down and tucked the leather bag back into its secluded spot and swiftly covered it over with brush to conceal it once again. That same feeling she had with Mary the day before was back. Red Leaf was certain that they were being watched. Putting her hand into Grey Warrior’s mane she lead him back down the path toward the valley.
They hadn’t walked but a short distance, when both the stallion and Red Leaf stopped. They both clearly heard twigs breaking behind them in the deep underbrush. With lightening speed she pulled herself up on Grey Warrior’s back and squeezed her thighs to signal him to start moving. Half way to the end of their path, they could hear a thunderous growling sound from their rear. Red Leaf looked back over her shoulder toward the direction of the sound and she suddenly saw a huge brown figure standing upright in the heavy brush. Once the bear saw how far ahead they were, he dropped to all fours and ran in full pursuit. Red Leaf could see the great bear moving its head from side to side as it pursued them. She could feel Grey Warrior’s body grow tense beneath both her legs. She knew that the only chance that they had was to keep calm and out run the grizzly. The grizzly sprinted after them at a pace that surprised Red Leaf. " Es-Ton-Ko, my great friend you must run faster," Red Leaf shouted as she pulled on Grey Warrior’s mane with all her strength. Suddenly out of nowhere, one of the low hanging branches knocked Red Leaf from Grey Warrior’s back onto the ground. She was dazed at first by the fall, but quickly came to her senses. The bear was almost upon her. It was at this moment that Red Leaf realized that she had only enough time to sing her death song. It must be Grand Father’s wish that the spirit of great bear was to take her spirit from her that day. With a strong voice she sang out to Grand Father. “Grand Father let me die bravely this day. Take me to my people’s counsel fire. Let my spirit honor this bear."
The bear stopped in his tracks appearing somewhat confused by her singing. Then with lightening speed, the grizzly continued toward her. The snarling monstrosity reached Red Leaf and stood towering above her small body. He stood upon his rear legs above her head and poised himself to swipe her with his huge clawed paws. Red Leaf was close enough to smell the grizzly’s hot breath above her head. Closing her eyes she continued singing her death song. She now prepared herself for what would come next. Red Leaf opened her eyes just in time to see Grey Warrior charge toward the grizzly, angering the grizzly even further. The grizzly lost interest in Red Leaf and backed away from her. Grey Warrior stood up on his back legs, rushing forward toward the bear, kicking out at the bear with his front hooves. The bear retreated from Grey Warrior’s attacks. Grey Warrior dropped on all fours and turned his hindquarters toward the aggressive grizzly kicking out with his rear hooves. The bear suddenly stopped swiping at the grey horse and got down on all fours and ran into the forest under brush. Red Leaf ran to Grey Warrior with tears running down both her cheeks. “Es-Ton-Ko, my brave warrior, thank you for honoring my life this day." Red Leaf buried her head in Grey Warrior’s mane as they stood close together in silence. Red Leaf knew that Grey Warrior was willing to give his life for her. She put her arms around his neck and whispered her grateful words into his ear. Grey Warrior responded to Red Leaf’s words with a soft whinny and his leg pawing at the ground.
When they returned to the cabin that day, Red Leaf proudly led Grey Warrior into his corral. She took the blanket from his back and hung it over the corral’s railing. After she made sure he had everything that he needed for the night, she walked up to Grey Warrior and put both of her arms around his neck once again. Pulling Grey Warrior’s head down to where she could reach his ear she said in Creek, "Es-Ton-Ko, I will never forget what you have done this day. I will honor you all your life." With that said Red Leaf left her horse contentedly eating in his corral.
Inside the cabin door Red Leaf noticed that Yellow Knife and Jessie were back from their trip. Yellow Knife was first to speak, " glad your back girl. We just got a warning bout a rogue grizzly in the valley. He’s a killer. Killed some settlers up the Big Sandy." Red Leaf sat down at the table with the two men while Martha and Mary quietly listened in. " I know about great bear, Yellow Knife," Red Leaf began, "The great bear wanted my spirit. Grey Warrior not let him. He fight for my life so my spirit stay here with him. The great bear spirit is still close by." Red Leaf looked away from the astonished family and pointed toward the forest.
Yellow Knife picked up his hunting rifle and said to Jessie in a sharp voice, "Looks as if this dern bear is closer to home that I thought. Let’s go Jessie. We gotta find this killer." Jessie got up from the table and followed his father out the cabin door. Martha put her arm around Red Leaf’s shoulders and closed her eyes while saying a prayer. " Thank you heavenly Father that you didn’t take my daughter this day.”
"I happy Grey Warrior with me," Red Leaf quickly said. "He brave this day. I sing my death song, but Grey Warrior would not let me go."
"Grey Warrior is the name you picked for the grey stallion, Red Leaf?” Mary asked.
"Yes, Grey Warrior now his name." Red Leaf responded with a proud expression.
Before Jessie and Yellow Knife rode out to join the men in the valley, he told the three women to stay close to the cabin while he and Jessie were gone. Red Leaf felt confidence in both Jessie and Yellow Knife’s tracking and hunting ability. But she also understood the spirit of this great bear and knew he would not be easy to find. Grand Father gave supreme strength to the spirit of the great bear unlike other four-legged animals.
The next morning was filled with doing chores. Cows were milked and the buckets were brought into the cabin. The butter churn was brought out to churn the butter. "Red Leaf, go to the barn and take care of the stock like you did last night. We must lock up all the stock for their safety. Mary will help you when she is done with puttin’ the butter in the butter keeper." Red Leaf headed toward the barn. She took Grey Warrior from his corral and put him in the stall next to the cow and older mare. Red Leaf put down bundles of hay that she took from the hay bin and feed all the hoofed animals. Mary entered a short time later with grain and scraps for the pig and chickens. Mary suggested that they get back to the cabin and stay close to each other, like Pa told them to do. Red Leaf nodded at Mary to let her know she would soon follow. Red Leaf wanted to smooth Grey Warrior’s mane one more time before returning to the cabin. Mary watched from the cabin as Red Leaf took the bundle of sweet grass that she had kept in her leather bag at her secret place and sprinkling it on the ground in front of the barn, she said a prayer to Grand Father. Asking that he help them be brave and fight the great bear that was coming for them. Then she ran to the cabin door and joined Mary. "Red Leaf,” Mary excitedly asked, “what’s wrong?” as she slammed the cabin door behind them. Martha could see by her daughter’s expression that something was wrong. Red Leaf walked to the front cabin window and pulled back the curtain. "In wind I feel something again watching. I know great bear spirit is not far. He know we here. We must put wood over door and window keep great bear out." When Red Leaf stopped talking, Martha turned pale and reached for a chair to sit down in. "There no time to sit," Red Leaf said. “You work fast. Great bear here soon. We be ready." Red Leaf turned her attention back to the window. She knew she must stand watch.
"Mary, board up the windows in the back of the cabin and I will board up the windows here in the front part of the cabin. Use the wooden bars to secure them," ordered Martha. Red Leaf knew that the bear could easily enter the cabin if he really wanted to. He was a spirit bear with great power. After the windows were secured and the front door was barred with the heavy log braces, Martha took out her bible and began to read aloud. The two young women moved closer to Martha and held onto each other. As Martha read from passages that she hoped would give strength to the three, it wasn’t long when they heard the animals in the barn crying out. Red Leaf walked over to the front window again. Peaking out a small opening where the boards covered the windows, Red Leaf looked toward the barn. The grizzly was out there. The animals in the barn began to cry out louder as the bear drew closer to them. Red Leaf could hear Grey Warrior and the mare, frightened whinnies as they smelled the bear closing in. As they listened to the distressful cries of the frightened animals in the barn, a crashing sound of wood broke through their cries. A thunderous growl echoed above the commotion and was clearly heard by the three petrified women inside the cabin. "I must go to the barn. I help Grey Warrior and animals." Pushing up the huge log brace on the cabin door, Red Leaf ordered Mary, "close door after me."
Red Leaf ran as quickly as she could to the barn. Arriving in front of what was left of the barn doors, she swallowed hard and entered the barn. Taking her knife out, she carefully walked into the dark place. The animals had become silent. Nothing was moving where the animals once were. Adjusting her eyes in the darkness, she focused her attention to where the stallion had been stalled. Her heart stopped beating when she realized that the wall of the barn where the stall had been was broken through and exposed. Grey Warrior was gone. Red Leaf saw a few dead chickens lying on the barn floor by the huge gapping opening of the barn wall. Lying by the hay bin she also saw the pig mortally bleeding. With a heavy heart, she made her way through the stall and through the huge opening. As she stepped out into the pasture she was relieved to hear Grey Warrior’s whinny. In the open pasture Red Leaf saw Grey Warrior defending the older mare as he had defended her. The grizzly was standing on its hind legs moving back and forth in front of the kicking horse. As the horse and bear were standing off one another, the bear's jaws opened wide, exposing its massive teeth and then he let out bombastic growl from his throat. As if Grey Warrior knew what was coming next, he was standing up above the grizzly kicking out toward the bear with all his force. The bear stood up to meet the horse head on. Swiping at the stallion with his clawed paws, the grizzly walked sideways lunging at Grey Warrior during his attack. Red Leaf tried to distract the great bear by shouting to the bear " Yo Ya Ta Ne, Yo Ya Ta Ne, go back to the forest.” Bending down to the ground, she picked up a good size tree limb. With all her strength, she swung a single blow to the back of the bear’s hindquarters. The grizzly was surprised by Red Leaf’s attack. Lowering itself down on all fours, the bear swiftly swung around to face Red Leaf head on. Grey Warrior screamed out a piercing whinny and ran between the grizzly and Red Leaf keeping the angry bear at bay. Grey Warrior began wildly kicking at the huge bear with his back hooves. The bear beside itself with anger, began to stand once more swinging out his huge claws at any effort of the heroic grey stallion.
Without any warning, several shots rang out behind them. Red Leaf turned toward the direction of where the shots and voices were coming from. There running ahead of the pack of men was Yellow Knife and Jessie. Another volley of shots rang out and the bear dropped on all fours and began to retreat across the open pasture.
Later that night Yellow Knife and Jessie returned home. The grizzly had been killed, but not before hurting several men that were part of the hunting party. Red Leaf felt sad in her heart that many had died crossing paths with the great bear, but she understood that the spirit of the great bear was strong and he fought well to the end. The family sat down at the table grateful that they were all alive. Red Leaf asked Yellow Knife if she could say a prayer to Grand Father in Creek. Yellow Knife agreed and Red Leaf began to pray. " I thank Grand Father for all our lives. I will sing song of battle Grey Warrior gave to great spirit bear. I will sing song to my children. They will sing this song to their children." Everyone felt as Red Leaf had felt. That night the family also agreed that Grey Warrior was no ordinary horse. Many more stories were passed down about Grey Warrior and Red Leaf and told throughout the Ohio Valley in the early 1800's. Red Leaf and Grey Warrior lived together for many, many years. They both knew of the spirit bond they held with each other.
Copyright © 2008 The NW Horse Source, LLC
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