| When she awoke, she was laying on a blanket, and there was another covering her. She could feel a cool cloth on her forehead. She opened her eyes slowly and saw a man looking at her. He had dark hair and no shirt. His pants were made of buckskin. In his hair was a feather. His face was thin and he had the color of a person not well. His eyes were dark and in them she could see concern and pain. She knew it was Fox Eyes. She tried to sit up and the pain in her forehead hit her with a sharp jab. She heard him say, "sleep my little White Bird. I will be here." Then she saw only blackness again. When she awoke again it was just getting daylight. She knew she had been there a long time. But just how long she did not know. The pain in her forehead was just a dull ache now. She saw Fox Eyes laying on the blanket next to her. Even in this almost light, she could see his color was not good. His breathing was labored. He was asleep, but it was not a restful sleep. This time when she sat up the pain in her head did not hit her hard. Quietly she got up and went to the jar of cool water. She got herself a drink. She knew Fox Eyes was still sleeping. She also knew something else. She knew she was White Bird. How she was White Bird and yet still Marcy she did not know. But she knew it was so. Because she was White Bird, she also knew when Fox Eyes became ill. She knew all his symptoms as well. But because she was also Marcy, she also knew what was wrong with him and most of all, she knew what he needed to get well. She went back to Fox Eyes and covered him with another blanket. She softly kissed his cheek and whispered that she would be right back. Then she quickly left the room, remembering to duck this time. Down the path to the beach she went. The canoe was not the one that she had arrived in, or at least it was not the one Marcy had arrived in. But it was a good canoe. Long and slim. Her head was hurting and her stomach was not in good shape either. But she knew she had to hurry and find what was needed for Fox Eyes. She set out to find the herbs she must have. Out to the big river and upstream she went. It was hard to paddle, but she knew she must go upstream. Up to the base of the big waterfall. She could hear it long before she came to it. Her arms ached, her stomach was queasy, her head was starting to throb. But she went on. She knew where she must go ashore. She tied off the canoe, and walked along the bank farther upstream, to where the spray of the big waterfall kept the plants on the bank constantly wet. She found what she was looking for. A plant that only grew in this wet place. As she gathered all she needed, she realized for the first time that she was wearing a buckskin dress. Funny she had not noticed before. She shrugged and stuffed the plants into her medicine bag. Then she went back to the canoe, and headed back downstream. It was easier going downstream, and she was glad. By the time she reached the sandy beach, she knew she was getting quite ill herself. Near the beach she gathered some berries to add to the herb plant she had just gotten upstream. Back in the room, she made a strong tea using the new herb and some of the berries. When it had cooled slightly, she took some to Fox Eyes. It took some doing to wake him enough to drink the tea. But she did manage to get some into him. She also drank some herself. It tasted bad, but she knew it would make them well. Using the sun and moon as a clock, she gave Fox Eyes some of the tea every few hours for several days. She was well now, and Fox Eyes was getting better each day. After a week, Fox Eyes was eating and getting stronger. White Bird spent as little time away from him as possible. Only leaving him when she had to get more food or water or firewood. They talked and laughed and slept in each others arms. One day he reached under the blanket and pulled out a lovely necklace. It was made of shells and bright colored stones. In the center was one stone larger and different then the rest. It had small circles within the stone. The circles looked like shells that had become stone. It was lovely. He gave it to White Bird and told her he had meant to give it to her as a surprise before he became ill. Just then there was a loud crack of thunder. White Bird said she had to hurry and get some things she had left on the beach. She jumped up and headed toward the path. But she forgot to duck. She felt a sharp pain on her forehead and then blackness. |
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| music: Tonia |
