Consequences

Kohana steps forward. He draws his skinning knife from his belt and replaces the wolf shaman before Ehawee. His eyes narrow, and the firelight flashes from his blade.

Ehawee gets to her feet and faces him directly, steeling herself for the pain. Though she wants desperately to close her eyes or look away, she does not, instead meeting Kohana's gaze and hoping that she's showing no fear.

Kohana nods to her and slowly places the knife to her temple. His eyes stay on hers as he draws the knife swiftly down, setting her face on fire and jarring her teeth as the knife dances across the bone. She inhales sharply at the pain and clenches her hands, but manages not to pull away or cry out, although she desperately wants to. She keeps her eyes on Kohana's and waits for the next stroke.

Kohana places the knife an inch below the first cut, but hesitates. There is an uncertainty in his eyes, that quickly fades. He takes the knife away from her and looks to the chief. "I am satisfied," he says loudly, so that all can hear. Then he turns back to Ehawee. "I forgive you," he says quietly. "You are as brave and strong as a warrior. I wish now I had taken you for a wife instead of Maka. I did not see your strength before. If no man will take you, because I have marred your beauty, I will divorce Maka and provide for you as long as I live. I swear this by the Great Spirit."

Ehawee looks stunned. "Thank you," she finally manages. "It is more than I deserve."

"I don't think so. Not anymore." He lowers his gaze and walks away from her. Ehawee can feel the blood, warm and sticky, running down her neck and beneath her dress.

"Go back to your teepee, Ehawee," the Chief says softly. "See that her wound is tended," he says to Ehawee's father.

Ehawee's brothers are suddenly by her side, more concern in their eyes than fear. They each take an arm, and help her back to her father's teepee. Magaskawee shoos them away so she can undress Ehawee to tend her wound and bathe her. Ehawee's face hurts horribly, but Magaskawee is very gentle, and silent. Ehawee is equally quiet at first, trying not to think about how her face must look. Finally she looks up at her sister-in-law. "I'm sorry for all the pain I've caused. We won't be able to hunt this summer because of me."

"Hush," Magaskawee says. "Napayshni will hunt for all of us." She returns to making a paste for Ehawee's face. "I... You were very brave, Ehawee. Everyone saw so." She begins to apply the paste, which stings at first, but then is cool and soothing. Tears well up in Magaskawee's eyes. "Your poor face... I'm sorry!" She bites her lip to make the tears stop and continues applying the cooling salve.

Ehawee bites her lip as well, since she's perilously close to crying herself. "It was only just. I did worse to Kohana. And I had to be brave, since I had already brought so much shame upon us. You would have done the same."

"I would have tried, but I would have failed. I am not so brave as that. You went far in recovering our honor. Your father is so proud of you. I saw it in his eyes."

Ehawee looks relieved. "He was afraid of me earlier. I could see it. That's why I had to be brave. I don't want to be feared."

"Your family is no longer afraid," Magaskawee says.

Magaskawee finishes putting the paste on the cut, then helps Ehawee sit up against folded blankets and skins. The paste slowly extinguishes the fire in her flesh. Magaskawee warms water by the fire and dabs Ehawee's skin lightly, removing the drying blood. Now that the ordeal is finally over, and her face no longer pains her, Ehawee looks tired. "I wonder what will happen now? If I am not a woman, then what is my role?"

"The shaman said you were half woman. The People will accept that," Magaskawee says, as she continues to bathe Ehawee. She also sets some broth by the fire to warm. "You'll have to decide what part you will play. You've showed your strength to the tribe. You could become a warrior if you wanted, but...you wouldn't be able to have children of your own if you chose that path."

Ehawee nods. "I know. I'm not sure what I'll do. I've always wished I could hunt like the men, you know. But to never have children of my own..."

"I couldn't give that up," Magaskawee says. "But I am not as strong as you are. And I love Napayshni," she adds, smiling despite herself. She wraps warm blankets around Ehawee and hands her the bowl. "Here, drink this. You'll need a little extra strength to heal. I'll wash your dress for you while you rest," she says, standing up.

Ehawee takes the bowl and smiles. "Thank you. Napayshni is truly blessed to have such a kind woman as his wife." She begins drinking the broth.

Magaskawee blushes, but leaves the teepee with a satisfied smile. Outside, Ehawee can hear her telling the men folk to let her be so she can rest. Ehawee has never heard her quite so firm before. Magaskawee also appears to be a good cook. The broth is delicious and flavored with sage. Its warmth soothes some of the tenseness from Ehawee's limbs, and she is beginning to feel tired as the adrenaline leaves her. She finishes all of the broth, then puts the bowl down, snuggles into the blankets, and tries to sleep.

Sleep comes very easily. When Ehawee opens her eyes again, the walls of the teepee are dark. The fire is burning unbanked and her grandmother sits and sews beside her. There is a dull ache in the left side of her face, and memories of her ordeal wash over her. Her eyes tear up as the enormity of everything that has happened hits her, although she makes a mighty effort not to cry. She carefully feels the back of her right hand with her left, wondering if the spikes are still there. Much to her relief, they are gone.

"Let yourself cry, little Angeni," her grandmother says. "It clears your body of foul humors." She pours Ehawee another bowl of broth and sets it next to her. Then she begins singing a song about Little Bear and how he learns to catch his first fish. It was one of Ehawee's favorite songs as a child.

The tears well up as Ehawee listens, and this time she doesn't stop them. She just rests her forehead on her knees and lets them fall, until she has no more left. Then she looks back up at her grandmother and sniffles. "Everyone thinks I was brave. Why don't I feel that way?"

"Brave is not a feeling, Ehawee. Brave is an action. Drink your broth. I will get Magaskawee to tend your wound." Her grandmother gets slowly to her feet.

Ehawee hastily wipes her eyes, then picks up the bowl and drinks the broth. Magaskawee returns in about ten minutes, looking sleepy. She smiles when she sees Ehawee. "It's good to see you awake again, little sister. How are you feeling this morning?"

Ehawee looks startled. "I did not realize I had slept for so long. I am feeling better. My face aches a bit, but that is all." One hand strays briefly towards her face but then stops.

"Only a day and a half," Magaskawee answers, setting a gourd down that smells of medicine. "Your wound did not look dirty, so I did not want to wake you. Oh, but so much has happened!" she says as she dips some grass into the water and begins to dab at Ehawee's face. "Kohana has given your father back all of his horses! Maka has divorced him for it. At least that is the real reason. She says it is because he is ugly now and she can't stand looking at him. Maka should have her toes freeze and fall off next winter," Magaskawee says bitterly.

Ehawee looks pained. "So now Kohana has no wife, and none that will want him because of what I did." She shakes her head. "Not that he isn't better off rid of Maka. He deserves better." She looks down at the ground, embarrassed. "He offered to marry me, you know. If no one else would have me."

Magaskawee looks surprised. "Kohana is very changed since the lodge meeting. He is no longer full of himself. Would you... Never mind. It is none of my business. Look up again, I need to keep cleaning your face."

Ehawee does so. "Would I what? You are my sister, you may ask."

Magaskawee looks thoughtful before asking, "Would you consider taking him as a husband? I...I wouldn't ask, but yesterday, while Maka was removing her things from the teepee and yelling at him, I saw him looking over here, often. He apologized to your father for marring your beauty. I...I wasn't supposed to say, but he gave his best pony to you."

Ehawee looks like she might cry at that. "He shouldn't have done that. I wronged him, not the other way around. And he has more than just one scar."

"That doesn't seem to matter to him."

"Maka was a fool." Ehawee suddenly looks rather shy. "I've thought about it, you know. After he offered to marry me. But I couldn't imagine forcing him to divorce Maka. I dislike her, but this wasn't her fault, either."

"Well, since she divorced him, you don't have to worry about that."

"I know." Ehawee giggles nervously. "Wouldn't that be a strange turn of events?"

"Stranger things have happened," Magaskawee says. "And since Kohana's mother is dead, and he has no sisters, he has no one to cook for him."

Ehawee frowns. "I really have destroyed his home. But I am not sure I would make a very good wife for anyone. Maka was certainly right about my washing skills."

"That's because washing is boring. When you're washing for someone you love, well, then it's not so boring." Magaskawee finishes dabbing at Ehawee's face. "You are healing very fast. Maybe the scar will fade fast too."

Ehawee looks hopeful. "Do you think? Even though it was so deep?" Then her face falls. "I should be hoping that Kohana's face heals. He has several scars to my one."

"If he were still mad at you, he wouldn't have given you his best pony. Would it help to talk to him?"

"Maybe. I should say thank you, at least. And I've certainly spent enough time resting. Do you think it's OK for me to go outside? I don't want to make this," she indicates her face, "worse if I can help it."

"I think that if you feel up to it, the fresh air would do you good. You might want to wait until the sun comes up, though," she says with a smile.

Ehawee giggles. "I suppose that would be wise. I am sorry to have dragged you out of your warm bed so early."

"That's all right. If Napayshni is to have a son, I will have to get used to it. Rest until first light, and if you still feel well, go out. Drink as much of that broth as you can."

Ehawee giggles again, and picks up the broth. "I will drink every last drop of it, if it is as delicious as the broth you made before."

"Good. I will see you later." Magaskawee lifts the flap and leaves, leaving Ehawee alone in the teepee.

"Deadwood"
Ehawee's Page | Ehawee's Story

All text on this page is © 2000 by Kris Fazzari.

Last modified on November 12, 2000 by Kris Fazzari.