Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
With: Addy & Speed
Time of Day: Morning
It had been a long...well, time, since Addy had had any decent rest...since before leaving Whitefish the day before, but it certainly wasn't the first time she'd had a grueling few days...heck, the War was all about pushing yourself past your limits, and this was something that really couldn't wait, even for a few hours while she slept.
Of course, her companion was in the same boat...he'd been with her in Whitefish, on the trip back when the horses pulling the freight wagon were attack, and then well into the night as they road to town, alerted the law, came back for the wagon and the track the bear, back to town and now...saddled up and heading the couple hour ride to the closest village she knew of where the Flatheads were abiding by the treaties and were 'safe' to approach. They could pass the word along.
"Shouldn't have trouble," she told Speed as she turned Arabesque off the main road onto a much smaller track, "I been out here a time'er two before, they aren't th' most friendly, but we don't go in lookin' like trouble, they should be fine." And the offerings of beans, flour and sugar that they had managed to get hold of, though meager, would give them a chance to be heard.
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
To that Speed chuckled. "Well to my scant knowledge, Indians are notional, and therefor keeping my hair will be a priority with these folks." He responded. "But they do need to know what's out there. Fact might me they will track it. Bear meat is supposed to be real good. Least ways, what I've had of it it was."
The pace was easy, but he was wary of the trail, well, the trees and rocks, though he was sure that the bear was no where near here, not that he could verify that, it was just a hunch, and those are iffy at best. "How much further, Addy?"
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
"Well to my scant knowledge, Indians are notional, and therefor keeping my hair will be a priority with these folks."
"Ain't that always the way of it?"Addy commented with a grin. "Best keep yer hat on, then." Yes, it was a risk going into the village, but there hadn't been any recent conflict, so their chances of having a peaceful meeting were good.
"But they do need to know what's out there. Fact might me they will track it. Bear meat is supposed to be real good. Least ways, what I've had of it it was."
"Right on that," she agreed. "Heck, that bear could like feed them fer a good long while." She glanced at Speed. "Maybe we oughta talk ta Miz Hannah, suggest that...likely won't none'a th' white folk do anything with th' meat but let it rot." Someone might want the hide, but bear meat wasn't a big commodity.
"How much further, Addy?"
"Within th' hour," she commented. "This'd be a good chance fer ya, ta get ta know some of th' locals, they can be of help, if they've a mind." She grinned, then tilted her head slightly. "Smell that? Smoke...should be gettin' there. They move around a bit, fer resources."
A short time later they topped a ridge and found themselves overlooking a camp, active with men, women and children. "All right, then, head up, look steady but confident, we'll do fine."
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Speed looked at Addy and smiled, "Why Ma'am, as a veteran of the wars, and several skirmishes along the way, I believe I can carry that off." As he had said, the red man was notional, and might be friendly one moment and aggressive the next. His experiences had been looking down the barrel of his rifle, or, seeing them from afar, he had never actually parlayed with them. He would leave that to Addy.
The Indians had a right to know about he rouge bear for the protection of their village and their families. "Well, let's get to it." He added, quite sure of their abilities. Not so sure of the Indians reception for the two.
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Despite feeling wary and on edge, Addy sat tall on her sorrel mare as she and Speed rode toward the camp. She kept a sharp eye for any sign of trouble, but all that they saw was what was to be expected...cautious suspicion, the activity stopping, some of the men coming forward, although the women and children were staying in place...a good sign that they weren't hiding.
Stopping just at the implied perimeter, she waited to be approached, sitting steady, watching for any sign that they were about to die!
"Hè ," she greeted, (using Lenape because that's all her writer has to go by) " ashëntès'hatin," 'gifts', " òk kukhus..." 'The owl', bearer of bad news.
The men looked the pair over suspiciously but one finally nodded. At that, Addy swung from the saddle, then glanced at Speed. "Go ahead an' give 'em th' goods we brought, then I'll see if I remember th' word fer 'bear'." This was going to be entertaining, but she had always managed to communicate with the tribes during her occasional interactions with them.
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Speed Smiled, definitely in the jaws, but he'd been there before, and survived, so this was a new challenge for him. he was slow and deliberate in his motions as he reached behind him and pulled the pigeon strings to loose the bundle with the beans, flower, and sugar. Getting a firm grip on it he pulled it around in front of him, then lowered it toward the men.
With a smile he said, "Hope this works and you remember that word. I'd hate to have to try and pantomime what we mean." The smile was for the Indians as Speed was not really comforted by their look. "Up side to all this, they spread the word and help in the hunt, though we're some distance from where it was last seen."
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
The offering of food was greeted eagerly, a few of the men coming forward to claim it, although there were those who hung back, keeping a wary eye on the strangers.
"Good sign, but that don't mean they won't do somethin'," Addy murmured to Speed. They might grab the goods then cause some harm, might not, you never did know from one time to the next. For the most part, though, Addy was confident that there wasn't any real danger.
"Màxkw," she said, bringing her hands up like paws and growling, then gesturing to the trees behind them, " xinkwi màxkw..." At this, she made a gesture meant to be 'big'. "Um... mahchikwi..."
The man was staring at them with a confused expression, and she sighed. Apparently, her 'bear', 'big' and 'bad' weren't so good! Glancing at Speed, she shrugged, then did her bear gesture again, followed by grabbing her horse's neck (gently), then shook and growled. Still no reaction, and, mid-growl, she glanced at Speed.
"Any help here..."
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Speed smiled at her, not at all sure what to do about the impasse on this word. He knew little of Indian languages, when it came to him that most likely sign language was the common cure for language barriers with in the Indian tribes.
"Let's see if this works." He said and slowly Speed crossed his arms on his chest, hands made to represent claws and made the clawing motion twice, the fingers remaining as claws. He looked at the men for their reaction and quickly to Addy, then back.
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
The man who had taken charge of the 'convertation' looked from Addy to Speed, frowning. His expression remained serious as he spoke quietly to the others with him, then approached the pair.
"Màxkw ?" He mimicked Speed's gesture, then pointed to Addy. "Màxkw xkwe, kànkami awèn."
Then he suddenly burst into laughter, quickly followed by his companions. "Come down, join us for a meal, tell us your news in your language." He grinned. "You do not do well in ours!"
"Well, if that don't beat all!" Shaking her head, Addy joined the laughter as she swung out of the saddle and dropped the reins to ground-tie Arabesque.