Sun Boy was
high overhead as Long Walker chose the next challenge. The crowd of spectators had been growing all morning as word spread of the excitement of the contest.
“I choose the hunt!”
Standing Bird nodded in agreement.
“It is good. Both will ride out, and see who makes the first kill.”
He gestured toward the distant prairie, with scattered buffalo dotting the bright green of the grassland.
“What of the rules?” Eagle Woman demanded. “Must it be a buffalo?”
“Did you wish to try for a rabbit, Eagle Woman?” someone called.
The crowd laughed, and Standing Bird held up his hand for silence.
“Buffalo, elk, deer, antelope,” he said seriously. “Any of these.”
“How will it be known who is first? We may be out of sight.”
Again, Standing Bird considered for a moment.
“I will be at this spot,” he indicated. “You will bring me an ear from your kill. The first to return with the ear has won.”
He looked around. The observers were eagerly awaiting this next contest. Wagering was heavy.
“Now, no one is to follow them,” he warned. “Their hunt must not be disturbed.”
Eagle Woman was thinking rapidly as she tightened the girth on the gray mare. There were two contests, almost. The hunt must be successful, but the race back to Standing Bird with the proof would be equally important.
Her kill, then, should be as close to camp as possible. A brief chase, or none at all. Anything to keep the return distance as short as possible, to be the first to arrive.
The two contestants rode out together, side by side, in the direction of the scattered buffalo. They did not speak. Eagle Woman longed to break the uncomfortable silence but was reluctant to do so. It would be pleasant to discuss the hunt, the weather, anything, but Long Walker rode in silence, looking straight ahead. His mouth was set in a determined line which precluded conversation.
How had it happened so suddenly, the girl wondered. Only a few suns ago the two had shared their thoughts, goals, and dreams. Now it was gone. They had come to a parting of the way.
As she pondered these thoughts, Eagle Woman noticed a shifting movement to the left. Changing patterns of light and shadow in a small canyon told of grazing animals. She glanced at Long Walker, but his attention was fixed on the buffalo in the open prairie ahead.
Of course. He would use the lance. He must have an open area for pursuit to make his kill. Eagle Woman, on the other hand, could function well in a more broken area. She could use the bow either in close pursuit or at a distance. She was certain that Long Walker had envisioned this hunt as an all-out charge into the herd, the hunters riding alongside a galloping buffalo to make the kill. But with the bow as her weapon, there were other options. She could approach
quietly, without disturbing the grazing quarry. She could even stalk on foot.
Ah! This thought had not occurred until now. Another glance at the small canyon revealed trees, brush, and rocky, uneven slopes. A perfect place for a stalk. Long Walker was paying no attention to the canyon since it was unsuitable for his purposes. The girl reined her horse aside.
“Good hunting, Walker!”
The young man looked across at her, surprised at the break in the silence.
“Yes,” he stammered finally. “You, also.” He rode straight ahead.
Eagle Woman's gray mare tried for a moment to follow the other horse. The animal had sensed that a hunt was at hand and was becoming excited at the prospect of the chase.
This did not follow the girl's plan. The horse must remain calm. Firmly she drew the rein, and the reluctant Gray Cat turned aside. The animal was still nervous and skittish, and Eagle Woman headed for a small clump of trees, near the mouth of the canyon but out of sight from within.
She swung down, tied the gray to a tree, and, as a precaution, knotted a thong around the mare's nose to prevent the animal from calling out. Taking her bow and two arrows, she slipped quietly toward the broken slope of the canyon's mouth. Long Walker was already out of sight around the shoulder of the hill.
Eagle Woman moved quickly along an obscure game trail which threaded among the dogwood and sumac on the slope. She paused behind a boulder to view the scene and to plan her approach.
There were five animals in sight, two cows with calves and a yearling bull, the latter probably the last season's calf of the nearer cow. Eagle Woman carefully evaluated the possibilities. One cow was lying down, rechewing its food, while the other stood nearby doing likewise. The young bull was standing aimlessly near the others, lazy and a trifle sleepy in appearance. That would be her quarry, the girl decided. The bull would not be quite so wary and experienced.
The breeze was right, from the animals toward her, so they would not catch her scent. A clump of sumac presented excellent concealment within easy bow shot. There would be only a short stalk through open grass to reach the brushy clump. But she must move quickly. Had Long Walker started his run yet? She wondered as she dropped to a crouch and moved forward, gripping her weapon.
It was an easy approach at first. The resting animals appeared relaxed, not noticing the slim figure slipping among the rocks and brush. Quickly, though, came the last cluster of broken rocks. She must begin her crawl across the open.
All her skill in crawling close to the earth was called into use. As quickly as was practical, the girl slithered forward, using each sparse clump of real-grass for concealment. The distance she must crawl was no more than fifty paces, yet three times she saw the wary old cows become restless and start to swing their heads curiously. Each time she froze, motionless, until the animals resumed their chewing. The last time she stopped Eagle Woman thought the buffalo would never quiet. One cow paced restlessly, stopping frequently to gaze in the direction of the stalker.
The girl had been caught in an extremely awkward posture, one knee forward and at a cramped angle. She braced herself with suffering muscles, afraid to do more than blink an eye. An ant crawled slowly up a grass blade not a hand's span in front of her eyes. It felt as though another was doing the same across her left ankle. Carefully Eagle Woman disciplined her actions. If the insect decided to bite, she must not jump or move involuntarily. She knew that the buffalo's vision was poor and that if she only remained motionless, she would not likely be seen.
At last the suspicious cow appeared to accept that nothing was amiss. Sleepily the animal returned to chewing.
Eagle Woman slid forward, now in the concealment of the sumac clump. She peered between the stems, fitting an arrow to her bowstring. The young bull stood broadside, chewing contentedly.
She must place her arrow carefully. An animal pierced
through the heart might panic and run wildly as it died. She would try for the lungs. The bull faced slightly away from her, exposing the left flank. Eagle Woman drew her arrow to the head and smoothly released the string.
For a moment it appeared that she had missed. There was only a slight flinch, and the bull swung his tail as he might at the bite of a fly. Slowly the animal's knees buckled, and he began to sag ponderously to the ground, bloody froth spewing from the nostrils.
Eagle Woman sprang from concealment, sprinting forward while she fumbled at her waist for her flint knife. She did not find it immediately and glanced down as she halted near the dying buffalo and reached for the ear.
Panic seized her as the truth finally sank home. The knife was gone, lost somewhere in the tall grass as she had crept forward on her belly. Frantically she turned to search for it, but she quickly realized the futility. Time was critical. She might still be searching when Long Walker had returned with his trophy.
Be calm, she told herself. Think, reason, decide what to do. There must be some way to sever the ear. She glanced around for a sharp stone, knowing that there would be none. Her eyes fell upon her bow and the remaining arrow, where she had laid the weapon on the grass. Of course!
Hardly had the thought formed before she had seized the arrow and was using the point as a knife, sawing through skin and cartilage. She finished the cut, jerked the ear free, and sprinted toward her horse.
The girl jerked the thong loose, untied the mare, and started to swing up, but she was hampered. Her left hand held her bow and arrows, the right the precious ear which symbolized the contest. She seemed not to have enough hands. Without hesitation she grasped the hairy trophy in her teeth and vaulted to the horse's back, drumming heels into the mare's sides.
They shot from the clump of trees, and the mare sprinted toward the camp. The girl was dimly aware of hooves drumming behind her but did not even look back. She brought
the mare to a sliding stop before the knot of cheering onlookers. Standing Bird stood smiling and extended his hand to receive the symbol of proof.
Eagle Woman spat out the furry ear and handed it to the Elk-dog chief, just as Long Walker's horse slid to a stop behind her.
“Eagle Woman,” chuckled Standing Bird, “there is blood on your face.”
It was near
day's end, and Long Elk announced that no further contest would start. The Challenge would resume in the morning, with Eagle Woman choosing the contest.
Meanwhile both hunters returned to the scene of their kills to guide the butchering parties. There would be little time to salvage the meat before darkness fell. By morning, coyotes and other predators of the night would have left little of use.
Eagle Woman would retrieve the arrow which had made such an all-important kill. In addition, she wished to search for her knife.
Carefully, time after time, she retraced the path of her stalk, looking for any sign, but without success. Shadows were growing long, and the others were straggling back to camp, laden with meat, before the girl conceded that the knife was gone. She regretted the loss, but weapons were sometimes lost or broken. It could be replaced. Her main regret was an irritation with herself for her carelessness.
Eagle Woman had already stated that tomorrow's contest would be a race. A horse race, a match between the two
contestants to show their ability in handling the Elk-dog. The girl counted on the speed and agility of Gray Cat against the more ponderous strength of Long Walker's big bay. In addition, she counted some advantage in the fact that her own weight was much less for a horse to carry than that of Long Walker.
Eagle Woman found it difficult to sleep that night, even in her state of physical exhaustion. There was far too much excitement in the air. The People were enjoying the contest of the Challenge immensely. There had not been such a time of interest since the Sun Dance and the Big Council. The stories of the contested events of the day were being told and retold over the evening fires. Interest in tomorrow's race was high, and the stakes in the wagering were becoming heavy. Bobcat had returned to the lodge to relate that one man had wagered his best buffalo horse against his friend's bow and a new buckskin shirt with extraordinarily fine quill work.
Bobcat was amused, but Eagle Woman had mixed feelings. It was flattering to have people express confidence in her, but also irritating that they would argue and make bets over the turning points in her life.
Her basic feeling, however, as she lay in her robes waiting for sleep to come, was one of confidence. Of the three contests so far, she had won two. If she could win the race tomorrow, Long Walker would probably concede, and her admission to the Elk-dog Society would be accepted. From her present winning position it was becoming easier to forgive Walker for the Challenge. Possibly their relationship could be restored after all. Having proved herself, she would be ready to forgive and forget, and surely Long Walker would do the same. With this pleasant fantasy skipping playfully through her mind, she finally fell asleep.
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It seemed only a moment later that she awoke. The rising sun streamed through the doorway of the lodge, and she heard the busy noises of the camp as the People came awake to begin the day. Children called out, dogs barked, a horse whinnied beside its owner's lodge.
At the sound of the horse, Eagle Woman was wide awake. This was the day of the race, the deciding event of the Challenge. Quickly she rose, pulled the hunting shirt over her head, and stepped into her leggings.
There was meat at the fire, and though she did not feel hungry, she ate a little. She would need strength today. Her parents wished her well, and they all emerged from the lodge to face the day and the contest.
Eagle Woman went to bring her horse, and led at a walk toward the area Standing Bird had designated. A crowd had already gathered, and there was a happy air of excitement as the People discussed, argued, wagered, or called to latecomers to hurry.
Long Walker was already present, his big bay stallion dancing excitedly, recognizing a race or hunt of some sort. The gray mare, too, was prancing and side-stepping in anticipation.
Eagle Woman had decided not to use the bulky grass-filled saddle pad for the race. She had tied a simple rawhide girth around the animal's chest and withers. This would suffice to hold to, and for practical purposes she would be riding bareback and unencumbered.
Standing Bird was pointing out the course. “You will ride around the tree at the top of the hill, across to the two together there at the edge of the meadow, and back here.”
The riders nodded, mentally studying the terrain. It was good, Eagle Woman saw. The first leg of the course was slightly uphill, the turn fairly level. The two trees at the meadow's edge presented no problem, but the final stretch of the race would be along the low-lying flat next to the stream. That area, she recalled, had several spots that were soft and boggy. It would be necessary to avoid places with poor footing.
Now Standing Bird was holding a stone at arm's length. “Are you ready?”
Both riders nodded, and almost immediately the stone dropped.
Gray Cat leaped forward, true to her name, and had taken
a lead before the larger horse gathered himself to spring. Eagle Woman clung to the rawhide girth and urged the mare forward with her heels.
Behind her came the shouts of the spectators and the drumming of hooves. She could hear Long Walker's big bay gaining, drawing closer. Then the stallion's head came into the corner of her vision, beside her right knee.
The animal's nostrils were flared, ears flattened, and with every stride the bay drew forward. Now even, now ahead, and Eagle Woman was looking at the massive driving muscles of the stallion's hind quarters.
The first tree loomed ahead, and the bay stallion swung wide around it, Long Walker fighting to turn the animal. This was what Eagle Woman had hoped for. Quickly she kneed the gray mare close to the tree, turning sharply, pivoting inside the arc of the larger animal's turn.
The girl drummed heels into the mare's flanks and sprinted toward the second turn, the two trees. Again the bay stallion came from behind with his longer stride, passing the gray to reach the turning point first. Long Walker had better control now, and the stallion did not lose so much ground on the turn. The two started to press for the final stretch at almost the same instant, neck and neck.
Eagle Woman's heart sank as the bay started to pull ahead. She saw no way her smaller mare could make up the lost distance.
Then the big stallion began to strike the heavy going in the low area near the stream. Great chunks of mud flew high in the air as the animal lunged forward, fighting the sticky soil with every stride. Eagle Woman had the advantage of seeing where the other horse had struck soft footing, and now she pulled slightly to the left, away from the stream. As the stallion floundered and struggled in the uneven turf, the gray swept past and into the lead.
To Long Walker's credit, he did assess the situation rapidly and correct his course, but it was too late. There was no way in which he could now overtake the sprinting Gray
Cat. The animals swept across the finish line only a stride apart, and Eagle Woman had won.
The crowd was cheering wildly, and the girl turned her sweating horse to trot back toward where Standing Bird waited. Surely, now, the Challenge was over. She had won at three of the four contests. Walker would concede, and they would be friends again.
Smiling, she faced the young man as the two drew up before the Elk-dog leader. To her surprise, Long Walker's face was dark with anger. His expression said clearly that he was not ready to quit.
“The next contest,” Walker snapped irritably, “is
mine!”