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 Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 5:42 am
Teepee link,(please do not post in teepee,unless you pm first,thanks) http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=3128231&page=1 TwoWillows She was racing. Loving the feeling of the wind in her mane blowing it up off her neck ,out and about.Her tail billowing out behind her.The big red mare raced the wind,delighting in the feel of the race.Clearing logs and brush,there was no obstacle to Chaleha.Save the mountains or the wideness of the river.Ah the river she could swim that, mountains she could climb,still she loved racing and was very fast.It was in the moments of pure galloping that she felt her most joy.Indeed she felt her young body still growing and perhaps this caused her to race her shadow,Whatever the reason it made her happy and was a part of her nature.
A flock of little white seabirds flew over head,she raced with them.Of course they won,if there indeed was a finish line,flying out beyond the trees and close grown brush.Calling to her in their bird song,"Come on race us Soquili,come on!"
She paused at the edge of the wood,deciding not to run in there.Turning she raced back to the side of the meadow where she had begun.Halfway there her sensitive nose caught the smell of sour grass.Slowing to a hunting walk with nose down she found the little heart shaped leaves and began to munch the delicacy.Chaleha loved sourgrass.It was what she called it not knowing if it had a name.She loved it and the tall fronds of the sweet grass.In the spring it was best,as the summer heightened it would become tough and bitter,but she did not know that yet.She had only grown into her adult stage recently.
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Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 5:10 am
The following morning she woke to find her human companion.Sometime during the night they had met up and camped together.The season was changing into summer and the blossoms were scenting the little meadow.
After a small breakfast,they made their way to the river.
From somewhere on the wind a strange message came to Chaleha,suddenly she thought of her parents.Where were they.
She often wondered about them.Once she had seen her dad,but he was so impressive and quite intimidating.Then she had seen her brother,though he seemed a bit distant.She shook her mane,there was no sense in being that way on such a nice day.
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Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 12:25 pm
Two dove into the refreshing coolness of the stream.Going under to loosen those tight muscles.Coming up for air to see the startled red mare pacing up and down the bank.Turning to look all around Two saw nothing.Except that once she had resurfaced the mare settled down."Why she must have though I had drowned!" Two smiled and called to Chaleha,"Come on ,the water is fine,wash that dust off of you,and cool down abit!"
Chaleha tested the bottom for footing.If it was solid enough she would enter,there were places in the stream where it was soft on the bottom,but the water was usually still in those places.This water was not frothing or running hard,it was moving.But it was a deep pool.She moved into the water displaceing quite a bit of it,only to have it rush back on her.
Two laughed and splashed at her.Overhead some birds flew by laughing at the Soquili and it's twolegger in the water.
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 11:11 am
The hours sped by as Chaleha and Two played about the sandy beach of the stream,which was really a little river. Off in the distance they could hear the sounds of others across the meadow.Calling to each other,and the sounds of socializing.Two thought about how she and Chaleha seemed destined to be the outcasts,and shrugged.It did not matter,besides they had fun.
She thought of several from the earlier days who she had friended.Wondering where they had gone.Hoping they were alright.Still they had fun,she and the mare.
As the sun began to lower in the sky,Two decided it was time to set up the teepee.As she did so Chaleha wandered close to the forests edge on the meadow side.There she found a good stand of sweet grass to graze and set about doing so.
Two dug the fire pit out in the center of the room.It would be hot in the day,yet cool at night.Besides one did not wish to be without fire in the night.Next she began to bring in the stones for the surround of the pit.She had brought them out of the stream bed earlier.Nice good clean stones for the fire.Then she thought of fish.It would be good to have some pit cooked fish,so she gathered her twine and set out to find a good fishing spot.
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Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 7:56 pm
The last of the coals fizzled and Two watched lazily,being full of fish.And apples.She had found a tree growing not far from where she had been fishing. Chaleha lay over to the side of the fire,with her legs folded under her.Gazing into the fire,it was as if they both were watching an event,the way they were gazing into the fire.And who is to say they were not.Such are the effects of a day in the sun,and water.Fresh fish and fruit.Good company,all made for a brighter outlook.
Two lay beack on her sleeping mat,too tired to go and gather more wood for the fire.It would be daylight soon.They had a long fun day,and dozed off into hopes of yet another.
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Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2006 4:37 am
She awoke to the sound of Chaleha munching grass.Smiling she rolled lazily over.There was no real hurry to be up and about.As soon as it got warm enough she would go play in the river.Maybe fish some and gather more of the apples.As she lay there she remebered the patch of grass with it's huge seed tops.That would make for some good feed during the winter.The tall grass was easitest to gather with it's seed tops.Realizing she would need maize.That would mean returning to the cave to search along the cliffs for the eagles and any dropped feathers.Then she remebered there were several in the village who wanted owl feathers.Not ordinary brown ones,they wanted the feathers of the white spotted owls.And Two knew just where to go gather those also.Yes,a couple handfuls of those feathers,and they would have maize for the winter.Nothing was better than hot maize cakes with honey on them.Even Chaleha would like those.She smiled as she lay in the comfort of the teepee,listening to the munching going on.It seemed as if a long time ago since the day Two had found the basket.Placed in her path.
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Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2006 9:34 am
The cliff was very windy,blowing with a hot summer breeze.Two clung to the rope and the rocks. Down below in the mountain meadow she could see Chaleha shining like a copper bowl in the sun.Pausing to take the scene in,there stood the big red mare amongst the green bright green graases and the violets.Casting her gaze a little beyond she discovered a stand of sunflowers.Smiling she decided once the eagle feathers were gathered she would go see if the seed top were ready there.Now it was berry picking time,and she wanted to gather alot of those.But for now she had to make her way along the cliff to just under the eries of the eagles.
Then she would go look for the hawk and spotted owl feathers.This would serve to insure her maize supply.Slowly she grasped each hand hold and found each foot hold.She had been here before.Tying the ropes in certain places to protect her in case she slipped,it was a very long way to the bottom.
Down below Chaleha began to move towards the cliff.She was upset to see Two on the cliff,but she did not understand the reason for it.So Two moving swiftly soon found what she had come for,the feathers.
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Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2006 2:22 pm
The climb back down from the cliffs was frightening.However she had been here before,so it was not so bad.Once she reached the ledge under the nests,she found ample feathers.The grown eagles were out hunting so she did not have to worry about attack.But she needed to be quick,because they could be back in any given moment.She did not want to be battling and eagle in such a precarious spot.Once she reached the hilltop where Chaleha grazed she was fine.Removing her ropes,and coiling them up.She carefully poured the feathers out onto the ground,where she had a hide laid out flat for the feathers.Here she place them in a vertical row and folded one time,then she placed a second vertical row,and so on until she had the feathers safely packed into the hide.They would be less likely to break in the pack,that way.
Their cave was a good way to the west.She wavered on what to do.
Then she decided to set up the teepee next to the cliff.She liked the idea of something huge and looming at her back.More protection,looking out to the east she smelled rain.
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Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2006 5:49 pm
The rain pelted the outside of the teepee hides.A small fire in the center pit cackled occasionally.Both the girl and the Soquili were rested after their full day of activities.
Chaleha thought of the girl on the cliff,hanging there.The meaning of it all was not very clear,but she knew the eagles had given a gift ,if the two legger dared to retrieve it. And she had,folded it away for what purpose,Chaleha did not know,but one thing was certain,there were few boring times around this twolegger.The mare snorted her content.
Two thought of the day,and the eagle feathers.Tomorrow they would travel to the deep wood,there to where the spotted owls made their roost.
It would be easy pickings under the trees she hoped.And from there to the desert side of the forest for the hawk feathers. By the time she had gathered the feathers,the berries should be very ripe and juicy.the sunflowers would be ready,too.
She smiled about knowing so many ways to get corn,and if possible some moccasins,of a good make.Looking over at her worn ones,that were beginning to be too small,she smiled.One thought went to her parents,and then she dozed off.
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Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 8:38 am
The interior of the wood was dark.A certain twinge to whatever light came into the forest floor gave it an errie feeling.
Chalee hung close to Two.There seemed to be no let up in the darkness of the forest.Strange mists rose up on either side of the path.If it could be called that.It was a path,though rarely used.And no wonder,it was a spooky place.
Soon they heard the sound of tumbling water and passed a light spot in the otherwise dark world.The falls had carved out a clearing ,and fresh cool water pooled under them.Here Chaleha and two jumped into the poll of water.On the otherside a spillway allowed the stream to continue on down through the forest.
Wading through the water they came to the otherside of the pool.It was very deep under the falls,but shallow along the shore.Until you got to the spillway.A deep trench about twelve feet went through there,but if you were careful it could be hopped over.it was deep but not wide,being about three feet.
It was on the otherside at the beach they decided to camp.
Two began to set up the teepee.Here they would base camp it was not far to the owls,now.
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Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 8:32 pm
During the night,the calls of the owls kept two and Chaleha awake. Then close to dawn they quit calling.At sunrise Two rose to make the morning meal.This morning she made a mint tea.Both she and the mare drank some.Sweetened with honey it made a nice hot beverage.Chaleha's tea actually went into a bowl with her feed.Making a warm mash.this hot food was simple and very filling.It made a good supply of energy.Two ate berries and an apple.
Today she would be climbing high into the tree canopy.Up into the thick tops,but just out of the sun,where the spotted owls had their nests.Not all the nests were in hollowed trees,but all were high.
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Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 7:47 am
Sure there were feathers on the ground,but there were cleaner ones hanging in the brances of the trees.And the cleantest of those were on the trees ajacent to the occupied trees.So she hung from the branches dangling around to find those.Then when she was having to come down,the next supply being just out of her reach,she began to gather them from the forest floor.There she found several armfuls and took them back to the little clearing and the falls.There she found Chelah graxing the little patch of grss there.
She began to wash the featers,laying them down on the big boulders laying about the pond shore.They were all perfect for sitting on.Just the right height,and so she sat as she straightened the feathers,smoothing them out before allowing them to dry.Some were beyond repair,while others were just perfect.
When she had finished her chores she jumped in the pool to cool off and clean up.It had been a good day. As she floated about the pool she thought of the next step,the hawk feathers.Now that would be another hot and dry time,on the outskirts of the desert.Hanging off some more cliffs.But those were the best of the feathers,and some had colors to them.
She sighed and floated awhile longer at the thought of the hot desert,and no water to speak of.
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Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 12:28 am
The evening fire was a central point in their lives.Both the girl and the mare enjoyed it tremendously.No matter the weather hot or cold,it was always there in the evening. Both Chaleha and Two looked forward to it every evening.Chaleha could not remember an evening without one.Two could,but she did not chose to.Little by little with the help of Chaleha and the daily chores,she put the evil nights alone,just after she realized her parents were way overdue back from the village.Having no idea what could have happened,Two was left with many an anxious night.
Since the finding of the basket,and the eventual arrival of the filly,and her growth into her now proud red self,Two had found little time to sorrow over them.Chaleha seemed a kindred spirit,and indeed she was.Since her thoughts often went to her parents,also.
Her father she had seen and even spoke to once,if not very briefly.Her mother was never around.This caused Chaleha to wonder,but since the day the twolegger had been placed in her care,she was finding little time to worry over her parents.
It was a good relationship between the young girl with the long dark braids,and the big red mare.She suddenly thought of the summer squash and decided to try for some of that when she took the feathers in. Off in the distance they heard the call of the owls and it lulled them to sleep.
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Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 11:10 am
The desert was a different type of place all together.Even though they had not gone into the desert,it was still very hot.The tree growths were stunted.Great rocky crags hung over the the stunted trees. It was dry and it was hot.
Two set up the teepee,and that made a little shade,but it was hot in the teepee.So Chaleha stood on the shady side of the shelter,to watch Two.She wondered why they were there,unable to imagine what could possibly be in such a place.
Two sat on the shaded side of the teepee,gazing at the cliffs.It was a sure sign the hawks were not there.She thought it over quickly.If she hurried and got up there under the nests,suspended from the tree tops on the clifftops,she could leave and go back to the falls.That idea got her up,though she gathered some wood for a fire,just in case.The main rule in a life of the wild and free is always have your wood gathered.And here there was some prime deadfall.It took her only a few minutes to have enough dry wood for a fire.
She took one of the water skins and poured a little of the water on her head.It helped to cool her,then she took a good drink.it ws time to scale the cliffs,and gather what feathers were there in the offering.
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Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 10:05 pm
Two was dangling off the cliff,looking down she saw Chaleha standing in the shade of the teepee.She wondered what the mare was thinking.Suddenly she wished they could talk. Grabbing the side rope she pulled herself off to another spot on the cliffs. the large black plumes would lodge in the crags of the cliff,and you could not see them from the ground.She would not know about feather gathering,except for her parents and the trips they she could remeber of them coming to this and the other places.
The feathers had allowed her to retain her independance.They were her livelyhood.Every falle she would recieve a supply of maize,squash,and some new moccasins. Since she did not hunt she recieved a new tunic and britches,from the soft and supple buckskin.She needed the village,though she doubted they really needed her.The braves would gather their own feathers.She wondered what the ladies did with the ones they got from her.
She saw the sun move around to the left and decided she had enough of the hawk feathers.It was incredibly hot,and the thought of the cool falls and their pool drove her on to the ropes and down to the bottom of the gorge.
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