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[Apache Hawk 60642]

"Chiye-Tanka......Chiye Tanka !!! I called out into the woods. I knew "it" was female, could tell by the sweet smell, with a horse near by as well. It's the sweat. I heard a low muffled sound...like the sound of approval. "Grizz, it's alright. "It" is a she, lakota, I think, judging by her responce. "What the...." Grizz said to me, looking unbelieveable. "She spoke to me" "Damn you're hearing Hawk !!! I didn't hear a thing !!" "Dats cuz you whart listenin. Most white men don't know how to listen" And I put my hand on Grizz's shoulder and pointed, "Look there..."

[Grizzly Dave]

Grizz squinted thru the bushes and saw a tall dark haired gal in indian dress. "No you dang fool, that ain't what I saw at all, shoot fire that looks like Deja!"

 

Deja surely was not a Chiye-tanka, Hawk was pulling Grizz's leg yet again. Grizz was familiar with the legend of the Chiye-tanka. They were said to be 'the big man', and almost husband of what the indians thought of as mother earth. They were said to be over 7 feet tall and covered in hair or fur. No, Deja was not Chiye-tanka.

[Grizzly Dave]

Oh, for those reading along, google Chiye-tanka, some interesting stuff. And you thought I was making things up...

[Apache Hawk 60642]

"Grizz, I aint crazy and I aint no fool." I said to him." I was talkin' to dat tall dark man you said you saw. Dats why you feel when you come here dat you're being watched cuz you are. Just go bout you're way and he'll leave ya be. Welcome to da camp Deja. Care to fish wif a breed and a white man ? He's a damn good cook too !"

[Grizzly Dave]

Deja's camp was large enough for all of them, from the looks of things, she'd been there a week or more. "You men folks bring in the food, I'll cook it" she told them. This was after all the place of a woman, hauling water and firewood, cooking and such. Grizz looked at the spear that was leaning up agin a tree admiring the craftsmanship that had gone into it, he didn't need to ask, he knew she'd made it. "You go fish with Hawk, maybe you can teach him how to actually get some fish, I tried, but he's a slow learner" Grizz told her. She protested a little bit for appearances sake and then grabbed her spear and walked off to the lake with Hawk leaving Grizz alone in the camp.

 

Grizz could feel eyes watching him as he unpacked the kit and made a hearty stew from some of the elk meat and some potatoes and spices he'd brought from home. With that on to simmer he made a quick crust of flour, water, and lard and then added in two cans of sweet apples he'd brought from his trading post in town. Lastly he made some biscuits. He still wasn't totally comfortable with the idea of camping here, but with two half breeds along in Hawk and Deja, and since Deja had been here a while, it seemed safe enough. Grizz never got too far away from his rifle though just in case.

 

Grizz almost hoped that Hawk and Deja wouldn't get any fish, for he'd fixed enough food for a party twice their size without needing any fish in addition.

[Whiskey Business]

BTT

[Apache Hawk 60642]

I went fishing with Deja down at the saddle in the river. I was about to tell her my fishing skills when she put a finger to my lips.....and pointed down to the water. I watched as she drew back her spear and threw it into the water. She smiled a drew out a very large trout, which she tossed behind her. I looked puzzled and she made the wait sign with her hands and pointed back to the water. She had another fish lined up and begain to hum...softly.

 

I heard a soft noise from behind me...felt eyes upon me. Deja just smiled. She knew what or who that was and splash...speared another much smaller trout. Again, she put her finger to her lips and sshh sound. We made our way back to her camp.

[Grizzly Dave]

BTT

[Grizzly Dave]

giddy up

[Apache Hawk 60642]

Deja and I went back to camp, where Grizz was working happly away on his meal. Deja walked up to the fire where Grizz is and poured a cup of coffee and gave it to me. Then she sat about cleaning the trout. I took a sip of the hot brew and said, "Damn Grizz, I hate deys trees. Too much cover fer my likein'." I sipped the coffee again and Grizz said, "Aw Hawk you'll get used to it." "Don't think so Grizz. Don't plan on stayin' much longer. I have bussiness to tend to. Sides I need to see Taft...see what he's up to now."

 

Grizz served up some of his grub and then tryed to fry the trout. But Deja swatted him away. "I'll show you how it's done Grizzs", she said as if she was angery at something. She put a large spoon of bear grease in the cast iron frying pan and when it was smoking, she gently dropped the fish in. In just a few moments, the fish was cooked. She put them on our plates, steped back and looked at both of us and said, "MEN !" And then she stormed away, only to return a few minutes later, with our horses saddled and said, "Leave me in peace. Go...NOW !" Grizz and I looked at each other, in shock !!! "What the hell did I do ?" ask Grizz. "Don't know, but I sure as hell aint gonna turn my back to her !" I said as I reined my horse and started to ride out.

[Grizzly Dave]

Grizz looked at Hawk starting to ride out, then to the dinner he'd made ready to eat. "You go if you want, I'm gonna eat." Deja gave him a look when he took her a plate with stew, biscuits and apple cobbler. He was half afraid she would throw it back in his face, but instead she sniffed it suspiciously, and then tried a little of each thing on her fingertip. "Suit yourself" Grizz said as he tore into his own plateful.

[Grizzly Dave]

Hawk wandered back into the camp in short order seeing that Deja was busy eating. He picked up the plate the had been dished up for him and ate, keeping an eye out all around.

 

"Hawk, mama Taft gonna skin you alive if'n you go take EE away agin" Grizz said between mouthfuls of the cobbler.

 

"mmmffff, eh, mmm" was all Hawk could muster with his mouthful. Dat Grizz shore could cook, and the trout Deja had fixed was the best he'd even eaten.

[Grizzly Dave]

moved for continuity.

[Apache Hawk 60642]

I ate what was offered me. Man, that Grizz sure nuff can cook. Just the way I remember him cooking. But I sure didn't like all these trees..not knowing who or for that matter "what" was lurking behind them. I felt like a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. I ate but kept my eyes moving all the time. I felt my muscles tense up, expecting the unexpexted is what kept me alive for so long. In this country, you don't git old by being dumb.

Deja got her own plate then sat down with us. She looked me up and down, eyes searching for something. "I expected more from a half breed like myself, Hawk. You disapoint me." "I didn't mean too Deja. We have a man like this down in New Mexico. When I was young , I went hunting jackrabbits wif Blue Dog. We stopped and rested on a rock when we heard this growl. I looked at Blue Dog, he looking at me, we slowly started walking to the village, just 2 miles distance. Then we saw "it". We ran for our lives and "it" was gaining on us. I was running flat out when Blue Dog tripped and fell. I was not gonna leave him to die, so I stood my ground, drew a arrow, and shot i

 

"it". "It screamed in pain. I knew my life was over and I closed my eyes. When I opened'em again, Blue Dog was tryin to stand and "it" was gone !! I back tracked "it's" prints and 20 feet from us, dey just disappered.The Holy Man in our village said he was" Kiou-ta ka, (Knee-o tea-kia). A fallen warrior wif no eyes, forced the wander between the four winds forever."

 

Deja finished her apple cobbler and said, "Well, there may be hope for you after all. Grizz, I just don't know......."

[Grizzly Dave]

Grizz cleaned up the dishes putting the leftovers in Deja's skillit and packed the kit back in the pack saddle. When they'd arrived it was good to see Deja again and had just made themselves at home in her camp not asking if it was alright with her, with many of his friends there was never a need to ask, so Grizz hadn't even thought about it. But with Deja, up here and now, it was different. She'd gone to some trouble to get there and apparently wanted to be alone, and they'd tromped on in like they owned the place.

 

Hawk grabbed the lead rope for the pack horse and headed down the trail, Grizz puased as he passed Deja and tipped his hat "we wuz wrong to come bargin in on your camp, I am sorry." Deja raised her head just a bit and nodded. As he rode out he called back over his shoulder "next time you show me how to cook fish."

 

As Grizz rode off he wondered if he should go back and warn Deja about Rufus, 'naw' he thought 'if she can make peace with cheya tanka, then ol rufus ain't gonna bother her none.' Besides, Grizz hadn't seen Rufus since they'd dropped into that high bowl Maybe the big cat had more sense than he did Grizz mused.

[Apache Hawk 60642]

When back at Grizz's saloon, I helped him unpack the pack horse and put things away. Then I reached into my own saddle bag, "Grizz", I said to him, "Let's have a drink or three. I'm buyin'." He said "ok" with a smile and said, " Cee-gar ?" "Well now, don't mind ifin I do ! What cha think got Deja's dander all up. We've always been welcome in her camp, just like wes family, you know. Just can' figger it, ya know ?"

[Grizzly Dave]

"Hawk, she done went to alot of trouble to get up there on her own. She's had a rough go and being a breed woman neither white man or red will treat her good. She can out fish, out hunt out ride, and maybe out fight most men I know, white or red." Grizz paused to take a drink, he wasn't used to stringing together so many words in on sitting "I think she just needs time to get her spirit right."

 

Hawk looked at Grizz wide eyed, he'd never heard his friend say so much in one day, much less in one sitting, and it was all deep thoughts too, usually Grizz just wanted to know when the next meal was. "She was wrong about one thing though.." Hawk said. "Oh yeah? Whats that?" Grizz asked. "She said she didn't know if there was any hope for ya."

 

Grizz started to chuckle, and it slowly built into a full fledged belly laugh that shook the table. "She might just right about that."

[Apache Hawk 60642]

I poured us another drink and said, "Well Grizz, what cha think ? Wanta go wif me down to Old Mexico fer a spell ? Who knows, might even be some finage benifits along da way !!" Grizz said, "Hawk I just don't know. Got this feeling in my bones. An speaking of bones these old bones don't move like they used too."

"Ya got to git away from dis cold Grizz, it aint doin' no good." I said, knowing full well he'd say no to that idea. "Guess I'd just go on by my self" I thought.

[Grizzly Dave]

"dagnabbit Hawk, it jus don make no sense. By the time you pay your hombres and make the trip you'd wind up better panning for gold for a week and buyin what cows ya need" Grizz sent his barmaid Flora back to the kitchen for a couple of steaks and then continued "maybe I've been in town running a business too long, it just don't make no sense. Heck fire, panning sounds good don it? I know just the spot too..."

[Apache Hawk 60642]

"Well, I guess I'll be off to Old Mexico come mornin' den", I said to Grizz. "I thank ya fer yur kindness and da trouble wif Deja. I'll eat this here steak, and den off to my bedroll. Gonna be ridin' out for sunup."

I look up at Grizz and he just sat there, not saying a word. I would have headed for Taft's place but by the time I got there, collected Taft and back to Mexico, them boys would have mored a long way. I eat my steak, paid for it with a double eagle and went out to my bedroll.

[Grizzly Dave]

Grizz sat and thought and drank a while after Hawk left. There was a time when all Hawk would have had to say is "lets go" and Grizz would have gone riding off not even knowing where they were going. But that time was past now. Part of him somewhere deep inside felt bad for not going along to help a friend, but this sure seemed like a fools errand with not much incentive for going. Before long Grizz got to thinking about what he'd told Hawk about gold... he'd filed a claim on the area up around where they'd just gone fishing, and he'd seen some sign in the pool at the bottom of the narrows. Maybe it was time to go up there and put in some work, maybe Deja would enjoy some gold panning as well after she'd gotten through whatever it was she was going through. Lets see, Grizz thought, I'll need a rocker box and, No, wait, dang it Hawk, no, I'm not going, well, at least I'll go out and offer to provide him with some supplies for his journey.

[Apache Hawk 60642]

I had gotten up very early that morning and just finished saddlein' my horse when the sun was coming up on the eastern sky. Went into Grizz's saloon ordered steak and eggs fer breakfast, cathead buscuits, honey on the busciuts and cowboy coffee. I heard the batwing doors open real slow.....last time I heard that happened was with Black Jack's men....I pulled my fightin' knife out and layed it on the table. It was Grizz.

"When you finish eating, come on over to my tradin post. I'll saddle you a pack horse and a kit." I shook my head no. "Don't need it Grizz. I'm a Mescalero half breed Apache". I looked up and saw folks starin all round me when I said that. "I came here lookin' fer you wif out one, I'll go back wif out one. I can and do live off Mother Earth. By da way, a lady dat is rather fond of you sends her regards. Won't mind see ya gain. I told her I wood rely da message. Don't worry Grizz, I'll be fine, but I"m going to Old Mexico." I took a lond slip from my coffee, as if I was waiting for a responce....................

[Grizzly Dave]

Grizz slapped his hand on his leg. "A lady, one dats fond of me?" Grizz bellowed with laughter "well that beats all. Tell her to come on up here to Colorado, I'll be here."

[Apache Hawk 60642]

I sung up into the saddle, "I'll do that Grizz," I said as I spured my horse out of town at a gallop. Got clear of town and slowed to a rack and started thinking."Grizz aint coming to help her git her cattle back. I told her I thought he would. So now what ? Guess I'm gonna have to go up agasint dem banditos alone. But how ? Hell, got plenty of time to figger it out....mean time, how to stay alive and away from da troopers. To dem a injun is a injun, no matter what tribe dey come from or ifin' dey be a half breed or not."

 

At late night I stopped and made camp, near dis shallow waller made by buffalo. "Glad to be out of dem damn trees" I thought. Built a small fire with buffalo chips I found near by....eat some rattler, jacks and biscuits. Pulled a cork out of a bottle of whiskey and sipped it slowly. Letting my horse roam free, he would'nt leave me alone. I settled in for the night, looking up at the stars and wondering. "What if" I thought..."What If."

[Grizzly Dave]

Grizz watched Hawk gallop out of town. All the time thinking over the last few days, Hawk had come to town with some grand idea of stealing cows and hosses from banditos in old Mexico, and now he was saying some lady who was fond of him had sent her regards. Maybe the two were connected, maybe not. And then there was Deja up at that high mountain lake all alone and not wanting company, and then the stories of Cheya Tanka.

 

Grizz shook his head. He couldn't make sense of any of it. Not much of anything the last few days made any sense, except maybe the idea of working that claim up his up near that high mountain lake where Deja was. And maybe she'd wander down to his camp and show him how to cook trout, that sure was some good trout.

[Apache Hawk 60642]

It was a few months that Hawk was on the trail back down to AZ. All the while we was thinking and planning how he would "Liberate" those cattle and horses, with out killed any one killed.

 

I rode up to my ranch and evey one was happy to see me. Mama Ci-ditia made some nergo free-oh-lays, bacon and some mes-cow to wash it all down. After 3 days at home, I rode cross the border and spyed on the banditos once more. "Lawdy, I wish I had more help. Dis is gonna be tuff !" I thought as I used my spy glass on them. Had more banditos then I thought. Knew some by name and they were tuff banditos too.

 

I rode back to my ranch in the dark that night. Come afternoon, I called my ranch hands to my big house. " Hombres' I said. " Tonight, we cross into Old Mexico and take US cattle back. We have a spy there and is very reliable. The herd has grown alot and der are some mean banditos der...I will not lie to ya, it's gonna be tuff....they got alot of fire power. But we have da element of surprize... we will strike hard and fast. Wif any luck, we'll have da herd back here, hidin' in da boxed canyon, till things settle down a bit. Ok...knock off work and git some rest. NO DRINK'IN !! I want each man sober tonight !!"

[Grizzly Dave]

not quite sure where I want to go with my part of this...

 

Does Grizz have a change of heart and hop a train down to Arizona? Or does he go do some gold panning?

[Whiskey Business]

not quite sure where I want to go with my part of this...

 

Does Grizz have a change of heart and hop a train down to Arizona? Or does he go do some gold panning?

 

 

Well, now what do you think?

[Grizzly Dave]

After Hawk left, Grizz spent a couple of days getting his prospecting gear together and headed back up to the mountains with two pack horses in tow. He stopped just short of the narrows where he and Hawk had taken off up the sidehill to the saddle to drop down into the bowl above. As he set up camp, he thought he caught a whiff of smoke from a camp fire meaning that Deja was probably still up there, he'd give her the space she apparently wanted.

 

He spent a bit more time than usual making camp as he figured to be here a while. He set up a tarped area for cooking that gave him protection from the spring rains, and had an actual tent for sleeping in. 'Dang, I must be getting old and soft' he though, sleeping in a tent and all. He brought Murphy the dog along for company and Rufus the mountain lion had checked in on the second day, but wasn't hanging around much.

 

Over the next several weeks, he panned and set up a small sluice box and was seeing a good amount of gold. Most days he'd be up with the sun and work slowly, but steadily until early afternoon. After breaking for something to eat, often a biscuit from the night before and some jerky, he'd nap in the sun or go fishing. Some days he'd even keep after the sluice box.

 

One afternoon he stretched out for his afternoon nap and drifted off to sleep in the sunshine and cool mountain breeze with the smell of wildflowers wafting to his nose. But Grizz's sleep was far less pleasant than the warm afternoon, he had dreams of dark storm clouds, clouds of dust, cattle stampeding, gunfire, and Hawk screaming an Apache war cry charging into darkness.

 

Grizz woke drenched with sweat and with Murphy standing over him barking. The dog calmed down quickly with some attention from his master, and Grizz went down to the river and washed his face. The cold water and warm sunshine taking away the darkness of the dream. Grizz had never put too much stock into dreams, he mostly chalked them up to too much whiskey or bad beans. But there had been a few times in his life where the events in his dreams had come to pass, or had shown him the path he should take. This was especially true when things somehow involved his indian friends.

 

<< I'm not done with this chapter yet, but gotta go get some lunch and run to the bank, stay tuned....>>

[Grizzly Dave]

Grizz spent the afternoon working a new spot up closer to the waterfall where big water in years gone by had made a pool and uncut the bank. Each bucket of dirt he ran thru the sluice produced more gold than the previous one, and the pieces of gold were getting bigger. This only served to make Grizz work harder and faster. By late afternoon he'd found twice as much gold as he had in the first couple of weeks. As best he could me made things look as undisturbed as possible in that spot and took his tools and sluice back down where he'd been before, and then went back to camp carrying two big bags of gold, with two more slung over Murphy's back.

 

Back in camp he hid the gold in the brush covered hole he'd stashed the rest of the gold he'd found. Grizz had never seen another white man up in these parts, but you could never be too careful when it came to gold, gold did strange things to some men. Tired, he started a fire and sat down to rest before making something to eat.

 

He sat soaking in the warmth of the fire as the sun set and the night chill started to settle in. Murphy laid on the other side of the fire, watching Grizz and out into the darkness. Grizz had dozed off a bit when 'whomp' Murphy's tail smacked down onto the dirt. Grizz opened his eyes to see the dog looking intently up the hill. Without getting up he reached over and grabbed his Winchester and tried to force his eyes to see what had gotten the dogs attention when he heard horses hooves walking slowly down the hill towards the camp. Grizz chuckled silently 'sho nuff' he thought 'soon as I find some gold peoples comes to call.'

 

<<still not done, but I gotta do some work now, more later...>>

[Grizzly Dave]

Before the horse and ride came into view, a voice called out, it was Deja "don't shoot Grizzies, it's me Deja" and then she laughed and rode on it. It was a laugh more like the old Deja, she was always laughing back then, perhaps she'd shed herself of whatever demons she was fighting up at the lake. Yet, there was still an edge in her voice and even her laughs, perhaps the demons weren't totally gone yet.

 

As she got into the circle of light cast by the fire, Grizz noted that her horse was saddled and her bedroll and pack were on it. If this was just a social call, she'd have been riding bareback as she only ever used a saddle when she was on a long journey, never when just out for a ride.

 

Deja reined up and slid off the horse and pulled a string of nice trout from the saddle horn. She was greeted by Murphy wagging his tail and wanting attention, and one of the trout if he could get away with it. She laughed and told him "maybe later" as she held the fish a little higher with one hand and ruffled his head with the other.

 

They talked and laughed as Deja prepared and cooked the trout, Grizz making mental notes as to how she did it. She indeed had been up at the lake to get away from all things human and Hawk and Grizz has disturbed her peace and solitude. But that was done and gone now, and they talked of lighter things. As they finished eating, Rufus came waltzing into camp, Grizz was about to explain the story of Rufus when Deja let out a low whistle and the big cat ran up and laid down at her feet. "Well, I guess you've met Rufus" he told her. She grinned and laughed and tossed some scraps of fish to him. "Oh yes, he is my buddy, though I didn't know his name was Rufus." Grizz told the story of how he'd wound up raising the cat and she laughed some more.

 

The night was getting colder fast, so they got bedrolls ready. Grizz offered the tent to Deja but she wanted no part of it, so they both just laid out bedrolls on either side of the fire. They laughed some more telling stories of days and camps and people from days gone by until both were so tired they could not go on. As Grizz pulled his blanket in tight, he said "I shore hope I don't have dreams like this afternoon." He could see Deja's eyes narrow across the fire and the laughter stop in her throat. She almost whispered "dreams of storm clouds, cattle, horses, men shooting guns, and Hawk riding into battle?" Grizz nearly choked on his own spit. "But how...?" he stammered. "I had that dream too, tomorrow we must go." "I reckon so" Grizz said "if we catch the train we ought to get there about the same time as Hawk if he rode all the way." Deja nodded, Murphy barked, and they both laughed. Now that the decision was made the burden had lifted and they both drifted off quickly to sleep.

 

Before dawn they set out, leaving most everything at Grizz's camp except bedrolls and of course the gold. They sent Rufus away before they neared civilization, and left Murphy off with Grizz's friends, the kids were thrilled to have Murphy back to play with for a while.

 

When they got to town they loaded bags with guns and ammo and some dynamite. Grizz had his friend the banker lock up the gold and drew out a fairly large sum of cash against it, and left instructions to tell no one where Grizz had found the gold, or that he'd found gold at all.

 

By noon they were on a train to Arizona.

 

<<ok, hows that? took me a while to get there, hope it was worth the wait...>>

[Grizzly Dave]

Whiskey girl - what do ya think?

[Whiskey Business]

I do like the direction the stories taking.

[Grizzly Dave]

Will Grizz and Deja will meet up with anyone on the train?

 

Did Hawk stop and send a telegraph enlisting more help on his way home?

 

Just who is this mysterious woman who sent her regards to Grizz and whose cattle were stolen?

 

Stay tuned!

[Apache Hawk 60642]

Mean while back at the ranch...............................

 

" Hey Boss, dey's on da move again !" I shallowed hard and replyed, "Not till nightfall, Monoleto." I said said, sharping my fightin' knife. When I finished the fighting knife, I started with the scalping knife. I then checked my Draggoons, and Henry rilfe. Both where ready to go. I then loaded my belly gun,and my 22 pepperbox. Don't really know why, but it felt right. Put 12 rounds in my 45-120, chamblered one. Then I sat and watched the sun set.

Come sunset, I saddled my horse and told my hombres, "Don't want no gun play. We're going in, grab the cattle and horses and getting out. But if it comes, meet it head on and fire straight and fast. We're goin' in, do what we came fer and gittin' da hell out...all in one piece, I hope. Now mount up !" I lead my men across the border near Sasabe into Old Mexico, onto Maximillon's ranch. He was an old bandito who stle cattle from Americans and sold them back to differant Americans. Some where between Nogales and Tubutama was Max's ranch. And when we arrived, he was not there !!! "Dat old snake is in da USA stealin' more cows !!" I thought out loud.

 

I had my hands take a look see around the herd. They said it looked like 600 head of cows and 200 head of horses. I nodded my aproval for the raid. I was near a tree, in the moonlite when I saw one of my men, ride up to a nighthawker and say, "Look there, it's comein !" "Where" the nighthawker said. My man pulled his colt, hand wraped round the cylinder, butt forward and sturck the nighthawker hard on the head. "DER". Nighthawker fall from his saddle, out like a light. My ramrod rode up to me, "Ok Boss, we've gott'em all !" And I replyed "Good, let's drive'em home."

 

We got almost to the border when my Apache scout told me Maximillion was heading our way with 400 head of horses. I said, "Well, we'll just turn our head in wif his and run'em both cross." Then I heard gun fire. A few of Maximilloin's hired guns was after us. "Oh hell, git ready to jump some ditches fellers !" I swang my "stolen" herd into his and took them both cross into the USA. I guess Max's hired guns fired only to show him they put up a fight, cause we where easy targets in the moonlite. "Hombres, run'em into the box canyon wif da gate we put up. We'll deal wif'em later !" As I jumped the last ditch, I let go a WHOOOP !!"