Most of the day goes by pretty quietly. Sayen manages to take inventory and restock the shelves without to much interruption, which she enjoys. Especially setting up a new display for some products they had just gotten in. While she was busy setting up the display and stocking it. Sayen didn’t hear the approach of some guys behind her.

“Well, well, fellows who do we have here, on her hands and knee’s? The white chick that thinks she is an Indian.” As, a tall long black hair fellow with a scar running down the left side of his face glances at Sayen.

Sayen looks up at the fellow and the other two guys standing behind him.

“Well, isn’t it he-who-is-chicken and his followers. What brings trash like you into a place like this?”

“At least I’m a pure bloodied Indian, Sayen. You are pretending to be of one of us. I bet you don’t have an ounce of Indian blood in you. You’re just some poor abandoned kid that old goat Red Father found on the side of the road.” Jake just glares down at Sayen.

Sayen stands up fast and steps in close to Jake “You can talk trash about me all you want Jake, but you will not talk badly about your elders. John Red Feather is your elder and you will show him the respect he desires. Cause if you don’t, I can always give you another matching scar on the other side of your face. I’ve already proven to you, Edward and Terry there, that I can protect myself from sneak attacks like you like to do.”

“You better watch yourself. Nobody tells me how I’m suppose to act or to respect. One of these days, your going to push the wrong buttons and something bad is going to happen to you.” He gives Sayen a shove sending her falling backwards into a display.

Sayen tries to stop herself from falling backwards, but there was nothing close for her hands to grab onto. She falls backwards into a nearby display. She feels a sharp metal object poke in her back, just under her right shoulder blade. She hits her head on a metal shelf and knocks herself out.

Sayen’s boss and some of the customers in the store heard the crash and come running over to help her. Jake and his two companions hall tail out of the store as fast as they can. Sayen’s boss calls the paramedics and then Sayen’s father.

Sayen has a vision while she is knocked out, of a woman similar to her, except younger. Around the age she would have been when Sayen was born. She is dress in some sort of flowery dress and wearing a ring of flowers in her hair, which is shorter then Sayen’s. She seemed to be traveling in some sort of van or car. The area around the woman is cover in a light cloud of smoke. Sayen could smell the smoke surrounding this woman. She has smelled it before. She remembers some of her friends in high school smoking the substance. The vehicle seems to be weaving all over the highway. Sayen knows this Highway, it wasn’t far from where John Red Feather found her when she was just a baby. Then there’s the sound of a tire blowing out and the vehicle starts skidding off the road and the next thing Sayen hears is the scream of the woman whom she resembles and the screams of several others around her as the vehicle goes off a cliff face next to the bridge you have to cross.

Sayen sits straight up in bed with tears running down her face “MOTHER!” the vision fades from her sight.

“I’m right her baby.” Marilyn, Sayen’s adopted mother wraps her loving arms around Sayen’s trembling body.

Sayen looks into her adopted mother’s eyes with tears streaming down from her own.

“I saw her Mother. I saw my birth mother. She died in a car accident.” Sayen buries her face against her mother’s shoulder and cries.

Marilyn rubs Sayen’s back, while holding her close and cooing to her. She hated seeing her daughter like this. Marilyn knows her daughter has gifts. It all started when Sayen turned ten years old. That was when her gifts first started surfacing. The first gift that had surface, was when she approached a rattle snake and it didn’t strike her. It let her, pick it up and hold it like it was a cherished pet. No one else could get near to Sayen while she was holding the snake. Even, when Sayen would approach an animal that was mean spirited or feral. They would always let her near them, and pet them, like they were her pets. The second gift surfaced a few months later. That gift shook Sayen up really badly. They we’re visiting the burial grounds where her grandmother was buried, and Sayen was reliving what the spirits of the dead that were still there had gone through. She saw what or who killed them and felt what they felt. If it wasn’t for Grandfather placing a spirit talisman on Sayen, to block the visions and protect her. She would have gone insane.

The Third gift surfaced when Sayen turned thirteen years of age. She developed the ability to heal both physical and mental illness. It takes a lot out of her and could cost her, her life if she over extends herself with it. Marilyn had found that out, when she took Sayen to work with her.

Somehow Sayen had made it to one of her patient’s rooms that had third degree burns and when she touched the persons body. The skin started regrowing itself over the burn parts. Missing fingers and body parts started regrowing themselves. Marilyn had found Sayen laying on the floor next to the patient’s bed barely breathing, paled and in shock. It took two weeks for Sayen to recover from that experience. Marilyn makes sure that any time her daughter goes to the hospital or clinic that one of the family members is always with her. Cause Sayen can feel the pain or disease that a person is feeling and if there isn’t anyone there to stop her from using her gift, it will kill her.

This other gift of Sayen’s, This isn’t the first time that this gift has manifested itself. Usually, it only manifested itself if Sayen needs to find some thing or someone. Like if she needed to find a family member or a lost object like a set of keys or something like that. It has never just come on like it did.

Marilyn knew that Sayen could find anything or anyone if she concentrated extremely hard. She could even tell you what the person was doing or was saying at the moment when she tires to locate them. As for objects, Sayen could get you within a ten-foot radius if it was an object or person unfamiliar to her. If it was something she held all the time or sometimes, she could lead you straight to it.

Marilyn just holds her youngest daughter and keeps rubbing her back. She has never cared that her adopted daughter wasn’t Native American. If the spirits felt that she needed this family to bring her up, then that was what she would do. She loved Sayen as if she had given birth to her.

“How’s my little girl doing?” Sayen’s father, Jacob Red Feather comes walking into the hospital room. He has a black gym bag with him.

Marilyn looks up at her husband “Sayen’s a little shaken up right now. She just had a vison Jacob.”

“Oh? What was the vision about?” Jacob looks down at Sayen as she clings to her mother.

“Sayen saw her birth mother’s death. She said that she died in a car accident.” Marilyn stops rubbing Sayen’s back and continues to just hold her.

“Well, what did she see? Maybe I can look into it and find out more to confirm it and find out who she is.”

“I don’t know. Sayen is still shaken up over it.”

“How are Sayen’s wounds?” he sits down next to Sayen and holds her hand.

“She has four stitches keeping the wound she got on her head close and the wound on her shoulder is doing all right. We should be able to take her home tonight.”

“How you feeling pumpkin?” Jacob stokes Sayen’s cheek.

Sayen looks up from her mother’s shoulder and looks towards her dad.

Jacob could see that his daughter eyes were red from crying.

“I want to go home, Daddy. I need Grandfather’s help.” Sayen just stares at her father, while still holding onto her mother.

“Okay, sweet heart, but can you tell me who hurt you?” Jacob watches his daughter eyes. He knows that she has never been able to lie to him about any thing.

“It was Jake Crowfeet. He pushed me backwards, after I stood up to him for bad mouthing Grandfather.”

“Why was he bad-mouthing Grandfather fore?”

“Cause. He started bad mouthing me first about not being a true Native American and that I was just pretending to be one. He said that I was just some abandoned kid that old goat found on the side of the road.”

“He said that about Grandfather?” Jacob was remaining calm about the disrespect to his daughter and about the disrespect that was shown to his father as well.

“Yes sir, I stood up to him and told him that he could talk trash about me, all he wanted to, but he should show respect to his elders.”

“No one has the right to talk trash about you sweet heart or about how you came to us either. As far as we are concern, your more Native American then anybody born in this community. You have always done what was right and respected your elders even when you disagreed with them. You have always made us proud, to call you daughter.” Marilyn hugs her daughter.

“Your mother is right Sayen. You have always done what was right. No one has the right to talk down to you or to question your blood. You did a good thing by defending your grandfather and putting Jake in his place. I’ll have a talk with him later about hurting you. Do you want to press charges against him sweetheart?” Jacob, gives Sayen’s hand a little squeeze.

“No sir. I don’t want his father to be embarrassed by his son’s actions, should it get out.”

A smile appears on both Marilyn and Jacob’s face at their daughter’s statement.

“Always thinking of others aren’t you?” Jacob gives Sayen an approving smile.

“Well, I stop by the house and got you a change of clothes. I knew you would be alright with your mother here with you., After all she is your doctor as well.” Jacob gives his wife a loving smile as he sits the gym bag up on the bed.

“I’ll wait outside, while you change clothes.” Jacob gets up off the bed and heads outside of the hospital room while closing the door behind him.

Marilyn gets up off the bed as well and helps Sayen up. She heads over toward the sink and cleans her face up and notices that the paramedics must have cut her bra.

“I hope father remembered to bring me an extra bra, mom.” Sayen turns around and notices that her mother is holding one of her flowery bras for her.

“I told him to bring one when he got the call you were here. Here, let me help you put it on.” Marilyn steps behind Sayen and helps her put the bra on and then her favorite green T-shirt that has a set of coyote pups wrestling around on the front of it.

“Well it looks like you’re ready to go home now.” Marilyn picks up the empty gym bag and opens the door.

Jacob turns around when he feels the door open. The three of them make their way out to the parking lot and over to Jacob’s 4x4 Chevrolet Tahoe tribal police SUV.

“In you go, Sayen” Jacob opens the door of the SUV and helps his daughter into it.

“I’ll meet the two of you back at home in a little while. I still have a shift to finish, before I can leave.” Marilyn gives her husband a kiss and then pat’s Sayen thigh. She then heads, back inside the hospital.

Jacob gets in and starts the SUV up and backs it out and heads towards home.

“Daddy, How am I going to get my Jeep back home?” She turns around in her seat to look at her father.

“Already taken care of, sweetheart. I dropped Grandfather off at your job and he took it home. It seems that he already knew what happened to you. He was waiting for me when I went by the house to get you a change of clothes. ” Jacob glances at his daughter.

“It would seem the spirits have been busy today. Grandfather, always seem to have some knack about what is going on, before anyone tells him. ” Sayen turns back around in her seat and looks out through the front windshield.

Jacob just laughs at his daughter’s statement.

“Your grandfather has always been like that sweetie. Even when I was a child and he wasn’t around to raise me. He seemed to know what I did and when I hurt myself or when I gave your grandmother a hard time. That’s what make him a good medicine man. He sees things better then we do and is able to communicate with the spirits. You’re starting to become a lot like him.”

Sayen just continues to stare straight at the road as they drive.

“Daddy, do you know that Highway that is 30 miles away from where I was found by grandfather?”

“I know which Highway your talking about sweet heart, What about it?” Jacob wonders what his daughter is thinking.

“You know that bridge that crosses over the White River?, That was where my birth mother died at. The vehicle she was riding in, blew a tire and they skidded out of control and over the cliff edge there. They were already high from smoking marijuana. I could smell it in the vehicle she was riding in.”

“You could smell it sweetheart? How was that possible?, you would had to have been there at the time?” Jacob looks at his daughter with a puzzled look on his face.

“I don’t know Daddy, but in the vision, I could feel and hear everything going on with her. It was like she was happy and free. I look a lot like her. Except she had shorter hair and was a little younger than I am now. I would have to say at least fifteen or sixteen years old.” Sayen looks over towards her father.

“Well, I don’t remember there being a police report about any accident around the time grandfather found you, but then again, I was only a patrol man at the time. If you’re up to it tomorrow and IF your mother says it okay. Me, your grandfather and you, will head out tomorrow and check it out.”

“I have to work tomorrow Daddy.”

“Nope! You’re off tomorrow and the next day after that. Tammy said to tell you to take a few days off to recover and then come back to work. She’s afraid of what your mother might do.” Jacob gives his daughter a loving smile.

The ride home was peaceful and quiet. Occasionally, the quietness was disturbed, by the sequel of the police radio. Which didn’t bother Sayen, she was used to it. She had ridden with her father several times when she was younger. Sayen sat quietly thinking about the vision.

She was trying to figure out, why out of the blue she had the vision of her birth mother. What meaning did it hold and why now? She had visited the place John Red Feather had found her and hadn’t received a vision from there. What were the spirits trying to tell her now? They never did anything without a reason. She had resigned herself of never knowing who her real mother was or why she had been left her on that picnic table. Something just didn’t feel right about this vision.

During the whole ride home, Jacob watched his daughter. He knew the look on her face when she was thinking about something. It was a look he was familiar with. He suspected that, the vision she had must have upset her or meant something. What, he didn’t know himself, he just knew from experience of watching his daughter and the visions she had, that the spirits were trying to tell her something.

Sayen didn’t even notice they had arrived home, till her dad turned the Tahoe off.

“We’re home, sweetie.” Jacob begins to open his door.

“Oh, I’m sorry, father. My mind was somewhere else.” Sayen opens her door and gets out of the SUV.

As she is walking up to the front door, she notices her Jeep is parked in its normal spot. The exact same spot, she always parks it at. As soon as both her and her father walks through the door, the aroma of fresh cooked beef stew hit their nose and their mouths start to water. Sayen’s mother makes a good beef stew, but grandfathers, has hers beat by a mile.

“Is that Grandfather’s special beef stew I smell?” Sayen sticks her head into the kitchen.

John Red Feather turns around when he hears his granddaughter ask her question. He notices her standing there at the kitchen door.

“You look better. How’s your head?”

“It’s okay. Mom said it was only a little cut.” Sayen looks at her grandfather’s eyes and notice that he had been examining her himself.

“We will talk after dinner Sayen.” He turns back around and goes back to stirring his stew.

Sayen stands there dumb founded. She hadn’t even said anything, and he already knew what she was going to say.

“If I didn’t know any better Grandfather, I would say you’re telepathic.” Sayen turns around and heads for her bedroom.

A smile appears on John Red Feather’s face.

Sayen heads to the bathroom to freshen up for dinner. After washing her face and drying it off, she looks into the mirror and stares at the reflection of herself.

“What are you trying to tell me?”

Her reflection changes from herself to that of her birth mother wearing some sort of necklace. She can tell it’s of Native American design by the bead work in it and the artwork of the precious metals and stones in its design. The image switches to a tomahawk, which Sayen recognizes of being of ancient design. She had seen tomahawks that were newer than this one in museums. Then the images disappear.

“What do they mean?” Sayen turns on the facets and splashes some water onto her face. She doesn’t understand why the spirits are telling her about the necklace and tomahawk now.

Sayen heads out of the bathroom and into her bedroom. She sits down at her desk and opens up her laptop and begins doing a web search about missing Native American artifacts or legends about them. She does search after search on the internet looking for anything that might give her a clue to the items she has seen so far.

She checks nearby towns and far away towns and cities, as well to see if anyone or thing pops up. Nothing unusual shows up from the internet, or from the spirits either.

She leans back in her chair and look out the bedroom window in front of her at the old Oak tree that is growing about 100ft.away from the house right in front of her window. She watches as the cloud’s past behind it and as the little birds that live in it twitter about in the upper limbs of it.

Sayen feels something soft and purring, rub against her legs.

“Jack, what are you up too?” Sayen reaches down and picks up a big ole gray and black tom cat. She holds him in front of him and examines him. His head is about the size of softball and he has a scar near his right eye. His fur is dusty from being outside chasing some animal or leaf.

Jack just blinks his kitty cat eyes at Sayen and his purring becomes louder. It sounds like a herd of horses running, when it comes from deep inside him. Sayen puts him down on her lap, strokes his dusty soft fur and enjoys his purring.

Jack was the first stray, that her mother let stay with her. Most of the other ones, either left on their own accorded or her mother found good homes for them. Jack is a unique kind of cat. He is bigger in size then most house cats. Sayen and her grandfather, thinks that Jack’s father might have been a bobcat or lynx. He also, likes to be able to come and go as he pleases, but always comes home to sleep on Sayen’s bed at night. He always seems to know when things are bothering her and gets along with the other strays that find Sayen as well. If nothing else, he normally brings them home for her to take care of or help get back on their feet.

Sayen scratches behind his ears, where his favorite spot is. His purring, rumbling in his chest increase in volume more loudly and you can hear it echo in the room. Sayen just sits there petting Jack and thinking about the images of the items she saw. She wants to know what all of this means and why now, did the spirits decide to reveal where her birth mother had died at? What purpose did it serve now and Why now of all times?

Also, what did the necklace and Tomahawk have to do with this as well? We’re they meant for her or we’re they meant for someone else or were they stolen, and the spirits want them, return to where they came from? Just from the image of the Tomahawk, it wasn’t of Lakota or Cheyenne design. She knew that much. Her Grandfather and father had weapons passed down through the years from their ancestors preserve in her father’s study. Her mother had a few items as well preserve in there with fathers’ and Grandfather’s. She sits there and pets Jack and thinks about everything. Sayen closes her eyes and recalls the images and such, that was given to her by the spirits.

Grandfather taught her how to store the memories and how to bring them back to the surface to reexamine them. She slowly remembers each memory she has had so far and examines everything in the image of it. What time of day it is, what is happening with the people in the image? She looks for clues that she may have overlooked when she first received the image.

Sayen concentrates on the image of her birth mother. She sees the dress her birth mother has on and the necklace around her throat.

Her eyes open all of sudden “The dress and the necklace!”

Sayen starts tapping away on her laptop looking for Indian dresses of that time frame and dresses like it. Also, she checks for Native American-made jewelry of that time period as well.

“I found it! I found it!” Sayen stands up fast, knocking Jack to the floor. He was asleep on her lap when she stood up.

He looks up at her with a disgust look on his face.

Sayen looks down and notices his look “I’m sorry Jack.” She kneels and picks him and holds him in her arms.

“Grandfather!” She rushes out of her bedroom and down toward the kitchen, excited and holding Jack.

Just as she is walking into the kitchen, she notices her grandfather hanging up the phone and her father setting the table for dinner.

Jacob hears his daughter’s excited voice, when she calls out for his father and then when he sees her. He can tell she is excited about something. He also notices that Jack, isn’t too happy about whatever it is.

“What’s got you so excited?” Jacob watches his daughter’s face and body language.

“I just figured out a piece of the puzzle. I’ve been given about my birth mother.” A big smile appears on her face.

“Well, what is it?” Jacob looks mystified at his daughter.

“The dress and necklace my birth mother is wearing in my vision, is of Cherokee design. It’s a tear dress that was made in 1991. I found one on the web for sale by an Ebay seller. She said that she brought it in Cherokee, North Carolina at a Pow wow there.”

Both men look at Sayen “There was a big Pow wow the day before Grandfather found you Sayen. I should know. I was working security during it. Making sure everything went fine. Chief Running Creek assigned about twenty of us to watch over the Pow Wow. Your mother was there as well, along with your sister and brother. It was their first-time taking part in it.”

“Well, if my birth mother was there, then why did she leave me on the picnic table for Grandfather to find me? Also, according to the vision, my birth mother was a little younger than me.” Sayen looks toward her father for an answer.

“Maybe she appeared younger to you, Sayen, maybe she was older and might have been around your age or a little bit older. You don’t exactly show your true age either, baby. Most people who don’t know you think you’re younger than you appear. You have that youthful petite look about you. You may be 17 years old, but you look like you’re in your early-teens sweetie. You could easily past for being thirteen or fourteen years old yourself.”

“So, your saying, father that my birth mother might be the same like me? That when I saw the vision, I was seeing what people see me as?” Sayen watches her father’s eyes. He taught her how to spot a lie doing that, but on her father, she has never been able to catch him in one.

“I’m saying that you resemble your birth mother. You have inherited her features and uniqueness. She might have had your gifts as well. Telling her that you we’re going to be safe that night and decided to leave you. Then again, she might have found being a mother too much for her or some other reason we don’t know.” Jacob walks over to Sayen and pulls her tight to him.

“Your father is right, my little vixen. All the spirit said that night, was that you were special and that you we’re left by those who are related to you by blood. That the spirits wanted me to bring you home and raise you as if you were of my blood and teach you our ways and to help you learn who you are. I have never regretted bringing you home and seeing you mature into the woman you are now. We all know how special you are. Now it’s time to learn who you are. I think that’s why you are having these visions now. The spirits want you to learn who you are. It has become very important now. If you are to become the next medicine woman of our people, you need to know who you are. Some of the chiefs of the different clans of our people. That don’t know you, questioning the decision of those that do know you and me as well about me training you to be my replacement in the clan? They want to know about your linage and if you do have any Indian blood running through your veins.” John looks at his granddaughter and his son.

“So that’s what the phone call was about? Thunder Fist was calling you to inform you about what happened at the Chief meeting and what some of them said about training Sayen as your replacement in the tribe?”

“Yes, half of them have no problem with me training Sayen to be my replacement. They all know her and know what she can do. They recognize her as of our people, even though, she has that fire on top of her head.” John just gives his granddaughter a teasing smile.

“Hey! I like my red hair. Mom, told me never be ashamed of it.” Sayen pouts a little bit. She knows, she can always get what she wants from grandfather with her puppy face.

“I know, Little Vixen. But the other half of the council, thinks it will look bad for someone that doesn’t Look Native American or have Native American blood in their veins to be a medicine person of our people. So, what we must do now is, learn about your past Sayen and bring the evidence before the council. We have to show them that you are as Native American as everyone here on the reservations. Even if we find out that you don’t have any Native American blood in you, I would still train you to be my replacement. The spirits and the animals have chosen you. You have their favor and their blessing.” Jacob looks at Jack still in Sayen’s arms.

“Isn’t that right little brother?”

Jack looks directly toward John Red Feather and blink his eyes at him.

John just laughs “well-said, my brother?”

Sayen looks at her grandfather with a puzzled look on her face “Do I even want to know what just happened between you and Jack?”

“He’ll let you know, when the time is right.” And with that John turns around and heads over toward the stove and start putting the stew in a large bowl for the table and pulls some fresh made bread out of the oven as well.

“Father?” Sayen looks toward her father.

Jacob just smiles and goes about finishing setting the table. Jack jumps out of Sayen’s arms and heads outside, just as the door opens and Sayen’s mother walks in.

“Hi, Mom” Sayen starts grabbing six glasses down from the cabinet, when she notices that the able is only set for four people.

“Isn’t Amitola and Kimi eating with us tonight?” Sayen looks over at her grandfather, since he has been home all day.

“Nope, your brother is working late in the garage tonight, trying to get Rebecca Little Deer’s car fix. Your sister is out on a date with Albert Two Moon.” Jacob answers for his father.

“Oh, hasn’t Albert Two Moon been courting Kimi for some months now?” looks toward her mother. As, she goes about setting the glasses on the table.

“Yes!” a warm smile appears on Marilyn’s face.

“Do you think their relationship is getting serious? I mean this is like their third date or something like that.”

“Maybe, it’s too early to tell. Have you had any visions about their pending marriage or anything like that?” Marilyn looks toward Sayen.

“Mom, you know I don’t have vision’s like that. Maybe, Grandfather does, but I never do.”

“Just checking with you, Sayen.” Marilyn comes over and sits down in her seat next to her husband.

Sayen brings the plate of fresh baked bread and places it on the table, while taking her seat next to her Grandfather across from her mother.

Everyone starts eating, after filling their bowls with stew. Sayen watches as her grandfather, grabs a few slices of the fresh bread and dips it into the stew, and then eats it afterwards.

Sayen looks over toward her mother “Mom, can I go with father and grandfather climbing tomorrow, to check something out please?”

“Absolutely not, young Lady. You had a piece of metal pushed through your skin, under your collar bone. You’re lucky it didn’t hit any bone or a major artery.

“It’s important, mom. It has to do with me and where I came from.” Sayen watches her mother’s facial reaction.

“What do you mean who you are and where you came from?” Marilyn lets her spoon rest in the bowl of her stew.

“Remember that vision I had at the hospital?”

“Yes!”

“Well, I had another one here at the house. It showed me an old Tomahawk and a necklace. Both items weren’t of Lakota design. Also, I reexamine the vision, I saw an image of my birth mother the day she died. She was wearing a tear dress and necklace that were of Cherokee design. I found an identical dress on the web at Ebay. The seller said she got it from a Cherokee vendor at a Pow Wow. The vision told me where my birth mother died at. The place is about 30 miles from where, Grandfather found me. The vehicle she was in, blew a tire and went skidding out of control and over the cliff edge near the bridge. I told father and grandfather before you got home.” Sayen just watches her mother.

“You didn’t tell us about the Tomahawk or necklace, Sayen.” Jacob looks toward his daughter.

“Oops! Sorry father, and grandfather. I was so excited about the dress that I forgot.” Sayen’s cheeks turn red from embarrassment.

Marilyn looks at her daughter for a second before speaking. She has been wondering why her daughter has been so interested now about finding her true mother.

“Are you unhappy here, Sayen?” Marilyn searches her daughter’s face for an answer.

“No, ma’am, I love living here and being your daughter. You’re the only mother and family I have. I was confused about why all of suddenly I was having these visions about my birth mother. Why, the spirits decided now to reveal this information to me.” Tears swell up in her eyes. She loves her mother very much.

John looks at his granddaughter and his daughter -in-law “She has no choice in this Marilyn, you know how the spirits are, when, they want Sayen to know something that is important. They give her the visions, so she can do their bidding. It’s important now, because a few members of the tribal council are challenging Sayen’s position of being my apprentice. They think she isn’t Indian enough to be the next medicine woman of our people.”

Marilyn looks toward John “How can they say that? They know, what gifts Sayen possess. There’s no one else here on the reservation other then you that can talk to the spirits the way she can and the animals. She almost died, helping to save Running Crow’s son from a head injury he received from falling off his horse. I didn’t want her to even try, considering what happened the first time her gift showed up and how it almost killed her then.”

“I know, but Sayen needs to learn who she is and bring that information before the council. The spirits feel that the time has come for her to learn who she is. Just like I was told that night to do when they gave her to us. Sayen can take what she learns about herself and show the council. If they still won’t let her be the next medicine woman of our people, I will keep on training her. The spirits have made it clear, that Sayen is to be their representative among our people.” John gives his granddaughter a loving smile.

Marilyn just shakes her head. She knows that some of the men on the council, can be hardheaded and unreasonable. They shouldn’t even question Sayen’s talents, much less question, Grandfather’s judgement about her being his replacement.

Marilyn looks toward her daughter again “The answer is still no. You can’t do any climbing, but you can help them bring up anything they find from the wreckage.”

“I wonder how the council would feel, if I walked into the meeting with a bunch of rattlesnakes and sidewinders in my arms and crawling over my neck and such.” A mischievous smile appears on her face.

“I don’t recommend doing that Sayen. They might react badly to that. I agree with your mother though, tomorrow you can help us, but no climbing unless one of us, have hurt ourselves.” Sayen’s grandfather gives her a stern look.

“You, two better not let her do any climbing either, unless you have a broken limb or something. I don’t want that wound of hers to reopen.” Marilyn shakes a finger at both her husband and her Grandfather-in-law.

The rest of dinner goes by quietly. Sayen, clear’s the table when everyone is done. She also washes the dishes and put away the leftovers. Her mother and father retire to the living room to speak for a while. Grandfather heads outside to the front porch to sit and smoke his pipe, while he stares into the darkness near the house. Sayen heads to the bathroom and strips out of her clothes and takes a nice relaxing bath. She has her hair up in a bun so not to get it wet. She sits there enjoying the heat of the tub and relaxes. Her eyes are close, and her body is relaxed. The scent of the bath beads she used in the water fills the bathroom with their scent. Making the whole bathroom, smell like a flower garden in bloom.

Sayen stays in the tub for about an hour or so. As soon as the water starts to get cold, she gets out and dry’s off her body. She slips on her favorite night shirt and heads to bed. She gives the bedroom, a scan before crawling into bed and falls asleep.