The ride back to the house was quiet. Sayen kept to herself and just stared out at the road and the terrain as they headed back to her parent’s home. She knew no one was going to be home, cause her mother had the morning shift down at the hospital this week. Even if her older sister Kimi came home, it would have been to change clothes and head to work herself. After all, it was still a school day and the weekend was still a day away.

Sayen just closes her eyes and listens to the road underneath them and the feel of the wind, as it rushes past her face. The internal turmoil she was feeling, right now hurt her. Normally, she was at peace with herself and centered, but right now she was angry, sad and felt like she was betrayed by the spirits. Why hadn’t they told her before now, that her birth mother was a thief? Also, why had her birth mother done these things as well? Why had she gone to scared ground and stolen items that didn’t belong to her? You don’t disturb the dead. Even Sayen knew that. The spirits of the people, who had died, were very protective of the items buried with them. The spirits of the dead, don’t like to be disturbed at all. They’ll listen if a loved one or friend comes and speaks to them. Other than that, you don’t disturb them. Sayen breathes in the wind and lets it course inside her. She lets the wind take hold of the bad emotions she is feeling and exhales them out. She needs to cleanse her body and get all these bad emotions and feelings out. She needs to center herself and cleanses her soul so that she can feel better about herself and do as the spirits want her to do now.

After a while, Sayen feels the Jeep turn a corner. She listens to the sound of crushed stones as the tires of the jeep drive over the packed stone driveway that makes up the driveway on her parents’ property. She feels the Jeep come to a stop.

Sam had been watching Sayen out of the corner of his eyes, as they drove back from the cliff edge. He could tell from the emotions she was showing on her face that something was bothering her big time. When she closed her eyes and went completely still, it startled him. He watched her closely and noticed that she had breathed in through her nose and was holding it and then releasing it back out from her mouth.
He had seen many people on the football team do this when they wanted to concentrate on the game and block everything else out. He has done it himself a few times, when he felt his temper starting to rise because of him dealing with an uncooperative person or when things got too much for him to deal with at work. He just watched Sayen for a while and then paid more attention to his driving. He tried to figure out what the old man's words meant. Did the old man see Sayen and him, one day marry each other? True, he had feelings for Sayen, but he didn’t know how Sayen felt about him.

All of sudden, the driveway for the Red feather’s place came up and Sam barely made the turn into the driveway. He notices that Sayen hadn’t moved or noticed at all. As he parked the Jeep, next to John Red Feather’s light blue pick-up.

Sam turns toward Sayen “We’re here.”

Sayen slowly opens her eyes and look at him “I know, I knew the moment you made the turn into the driveway. Would you like to come inside and get something to drink Sam?”

“Sure, thanks.” He climbs out of the driver's side as Sayen gets out on the passenger side of the Jeep.

The two of them head toward the house. He notices the flowers blooming near the front porch and around the house itself. The last time he had come out here, they had just planted them. Sayen and her mother Marilyn had been out here on their hands and knees planting the flowers.

“Looks like the flowers you and your mother planted are doing well, for this time of the year.” Sam stops to admire them.

“They came out better than mom and I had hoped. We thought we were going to lose a few and would have to replant them, but everything grew up nice and strong. Mother Earth, blessed us.” Sayen stops and kneels to pluck some grass out of the flower bed.

Sam just watches Sayen. Sayen seems so peaceful kneeling there and plucking weeds out of the flower bed.

“How are your father and Grandfather’s gardening doing?” Sam looks over past the left-hand side of the house and back toward the backyard.

“It’s doing as well as the flower bed. We should be able to harvest some of the vegetables and corn by this weekend. Mom can’t wait to start bottling and preserving some of them.” Sayen stands up and heads around to the steps that lead up the front porch. She heads inside the house.

Sam stops just outside the front door “You don’t lock your door?”

“Nope, there’s no reason to. When we’re gone Jack or some of the animals around the house you don’t see, guard the place like it is their home.” Sayen stops in the hallway separating the kitchen from the living room.

“Jack? Isn’t Jack, a cat, that looks like its part bobcat and doesn’t like strangers in here?” Sam looks around for the cat. The last time he was here, it jumped him.

“Yelp, that’s Jack. He is very protective of me and this area. Grandfather, thinks it’s because he considers this his territory.” Sayen looks around for Jack as well.

“He might be out hunting or something. He normally stays out during the day and comes home at night and sleeps with me.” Sayen gives up looking for him and heads into the kitchen.

Sam watches as Sayen heads into the kitchen and closes the screen door behind him. He knows the Chief keeps the front door open most of the time to cool the house down. He heads into the kitchen as well and watches as Sayen fills up two tall Iced Tea glasses with tea.

She turns around toward him “Would you like a lemon slice in yours?”

“No, it’s fine, but it’s okay the way it is,” Sam remembers that Sayen and her mother both drunk their tea without lemon in it. It doesn’t matter to him, because he enjoys it either way.

She hands the glass to Sam “I was thinking about sitting outside on the porch, you want to join me?”

“Sure!” Sam gets up out of his chair and follows Sayen outside.

Sayen heads out to the porch and sits down on the porch swing.

Sam takes a seat in one of the old wooden chairs near the swing.

“So, how did you learn about where your birth mother was?” Sam takes a sip of his iced tea.

“The spirits showed me, Sam.” Sayen watches Sam’s face.

“I don’t know if I believe you or don’t believe you.” He takes a sip of his tea.

“It doesn’t matter if you do or don’t. The spirits know, I listen to them and do as they ask me. If it wasn’t for them, I would have died either with my birth mother or out in the desert by the elements.” Sayen looks over toward Sam with a puzzled look on her face.

“For someone that is from a long line of warriors, why do you, find it hard to believe that there are spirits? Especially, since you are directly descended from Red Cloud himself?”

Sam quickly looks at her “who says? I’m directly descended from Chief Red Cloud himself?”

“He does, he said that you’re his great, great, great, great Grandson. There are few more, Great’s that need to be put in there, but I figure four was enough. He speaks to me every so often. His accent is kind of heavy, but his words carry power. I like him. He’s a gentle spirit. He feels protective of his people and his land. He and the others, which have gone before us, come back sometimes to check on their families and people. He said that I should give you time to find yourself. He said that like me, you’re still discovering who you are. That you love your people as much as he does and that you one day will realize that the old ways aren’t a bunch of hocus, pocus.” Sayen sips her tea.

Sam just stares at Sayen. He had heard stories, that his family was related to Chief Red Cloud, but not that they, we’re directly related to him. He watched Sayen carefully, sure she knew how he felt, but her words struck deep into how he felt. He never told anyone that he believes that the old ways were hocus pocus or that they were dead either.

Sayen notices how Sam was examining her with his eyes. Parts of her were excited and giddy, that he was paying attention to her, but the other part of her. He wanted him to know that, she knew, and the spirits knew he didn’t believe in them. For her, anyone she gets involved with must know that the spirits will always come first to her. She was chosen by them to do their business here on the mortal plane.

“What’s wrong Sam Bald Eagle? Did you think the spirits wouldn’t know how you felt about them or your disbelief? Just because you may never have told anyone, doesn’t mean that they don’t or can’t tell how you feel inside of you.”

“How do you know what I’m thinking? Do you, possess some sort of telepathic ability?” He glares at Sayen.

He didn’t like the fact that she was trying to make him believe in things that couldn’t possibly exist. Part of him was resisting the idea that in the 20th century that spirits existed, and that certain people could communicate with them. It was impossible, still the other half him, the part that made him such a good cop. Had a notice that Sayen and her grandfather have always been kind of unusual? That they always knew things that other people around them didn’t know. Some things just seem to fall into place for them.

Sayen could sense that Sam was getting angry with her. She watched the lines on his face and the way his eyes would narrow. She knew that to make him believe in the spirits, it would take something extraordinary to prove to him they existed.

“Sam, come and walk with me please.” Sayen stands up off the porch swing and put her glass on the little sun bleach wooden table.

Sam looks at her “Where are we going?”

“Just for a walk. There’s something I want to show you.” She holds out her hand for him to take.

Sam reaches for Sayen’s hand and closes around her small delicate hand. He gets up out of the chair he was sitting, leaving his glass of iced tea sitting next to hers on the same small round table. Sayen leads Sam down the steps from the porch, past the back of the house and the garden her father and grandfather grew. She keeps leading him further back onto the property, past the modern-looking sweat lodge. Sayen keeps heading deeper into her parent’s property. She leads Sam past the stables and down a very old dirt path.

Sam lets Sayen lead him deeper onto her family’s property. Most of the area back here he knows. Sam and her brother use to go horseback riding and hunting all the time when she was little. However, when they come to a dirt path he didn’t know about, he wonders where she was taking him on it.

“Where are you taking me Sayen?” as he continues to hold her hand.

“You’ll see when we get there.” Sayen continues to lead Sam by the hand deeper onto the property.

They passed some deer grazing nearby and into a heavily wooded area. Sam could hear a creek nearby. Sayen leads him to the creek. Once they reach the creek, she continues to lead him upstream of it. They have been walking for about an hour when Sam stops Sayen.

“Where are you taking me, Sayen? I know about this creek and the pass up ahead.” He looks at her.

“True, you do know those areas. The place I’m taking you too is where only me and my grandfather go. No one else in our family knows about this spot. You want proof that the spirits exist, then I’m going to prove to you that they do.” Sayen stands there looking at Sam with determination in her eyes.

“Wait a minute., I never asked you to prove anything to me. If you and your grandfather say they exist, then?” Sam stares pass Sayen’s shoulder as a woman dress all in white buckskins and has long flowing black hair, comes walking towards them.

The woman continues to come closer to them. As she approaches, the air around them takes on a cooler temperature. Sam notices that her white buckskin outfit is highly decorated in the old way of his people. It has bright color porcupine quills all over it. Her facial features make her appeared to be the most beautiful woman around. She stops a few feet behind Sayen.

“Sam Bald Eagle, I would like to introduce Pte Ska Win.” Sayen steps aside so Sam could get a full view of her.

Sam Bald Eagle looks into the face of this beautiful woman. He notices that her eyes watch him with gentleness and care. He remembers the stories that his grandmother told him about the White buffalo calf woman and how she had come and gave their people the scared pipe and rituals to follow. He never once figures she would appear before him.

A smile appears on her face “It would seem Sayen Red Feather that your young warrior companion is speechless.”

Sayen smiles “Which is unusual for him, Mother. Normally, he has a reply to everything I say.”
Sam looks towards Sayen when she says mother “Are you her daughter?”

“Yes, and no, Sam Bald Eagle. We’re all children of the creator. Pte Ska Win has taken a special interest in me and has always been there when I have felt lonely, hated or even shun by my school mates or people on the reservation. It was her that caused grandfather’s truck to act up and it was her that sent the coyote to him. She even looked over me when I nearly died from overusing one of my gifts.” Sayen gives Pte Ska Win a daughterly hug.

She returns the hug and looks down towards Sayen “Your path will become more difficult little butterfly, know that you have started on this path of self-discovery. There will be many obstacles and heartaches along the way, and at times it will feel that it is too much to deal with. However, remember this. You will always have support should you need it and the love of a good man by your side.”

Pte Ska Win turns her gaze towards Sam Bald Eagle. “Watch over her, be supportive and always be truthful to her. Cause, in the coming months. Sayen will need your strength and support for the challenges she must face.”

Sam looks at Pte Ska Win and then towards Sayen. He hadn’t even told Sayen how he felt about her.

“I promise.” Sam gives Sayen a loving smile.

Sayen's cheeks blush beet red from Sam’s smile.

Pte Ska Win turns towards Sayen and gently caress Sayen’s cheek.

“You be careful and return to me, my little butterfly.” with those words said. Pte Ska Win turns and walks back in the direction she came and disappear.

Sam looks towards Sayen “You never said that Pte Ska Win herself looks after you.”

“No one was to know about it except grandfather. My mother doesn’t even know. So now that you know, you need to keep it secret. Pte Ska Win still looks after the Lakota people.” Sayen spots an Eagle feather laying on the ground where Pte Ska Win had been standing.

She kneels and picks up the Eagle feather and gives it Sam.

“I believe she wanted you to have this.” Sayen places the feather in his hand and then turns and heads back the way they came.

Sam looks the feather over and then hurries to catch up with Sayen. They walk back not saying anything but thinking about the words that were said.

When Sayen and Sam got back to the front of the house. John Red Feather was sitting on the porch in his favorite chair. He looks up when they emerge from behind the house.

“Did the two of you enjoy your walk?” he looks towards Sayen with a gleam in his eyes.

Sayen just smiles at her grandfather’s teasing.

“Yes, we did grandfather. It was very helpful. Wasn’t it, Sam?” Sayen looks towards Sam for his answer.

Sam looks at John Red Feather and then back towards Sayen “I have to agree with your granddaughter Mr. Red feather. It was very helpful.”

Sayen stops and bends down to pick up a rattlesnake that had slider out from under the porch.

“So that’s where you been hiding.” She stands back up with him in her hands.

Sam steps a couple of steps back as the rattlesnake looks towards him.

“You know, it’s creepy when you do things like that.” He watches Sayen stroke the rattlesnakes head.

“What, he’s just a critter of nature and doesn’t like to be bothered.” She smiles towards Sam, while still holding the rattlesnake.

He starts to rattle his tail some, not in a threatening manner, but to let her know he wants to be placed back on the ground.

Sayen places him on the ground “You be good and catch those mice that have been sneaking into Running Winds house, okay?”

She watches as the rattlesnake sliders off away from them.

“They understand you?” Sam looks towards Sayen.

“Yep! They understand what I ask them.” Sayen just smiles and heads up to the porch to sit in the chair next to her grandfather.

Sam just stands there and watches as the rattlesnake heads off into the field away from the house. He knew that Running Winds house wasn’t too far from the Red Feather’s home and property. They had been living near each other for a long time and had even intermarried with one another.

“Since your grandfather is home, Sayen. I’ll go ahead and head home.” Sam turns to leave.

“Why don’t you come over for dinner tomorrow, Sam?” Sayen figures she should fix something special for him.

“Alright, I’ll come over after my shift has ended. Will that be okay?” Sam turns to look at Sayen up on the porch.

“That will be fine.” A smile appears on Sayen’s face.