The Search for Soaring Hawk

Chapter 2: The Vision Quest-1

Chapter 2: The Vision Quest

“This is the summer of our vision quest,” Fox Cub said to Small Hawk and Young Otter.

Three years had passed since the day the boys had hidden in the trees to spy on Lean Bear. Three years during which Small Hawk had often returned to the clearing, sometimes following Lean Bear and the man or men with him, sometimes alone. Small Hawk did not know why he did this. But when he did, he often pleasured himself, thinking of the things he witnessed in this place. It was here he had first produced seed.

The three friends had been swimming in the river. They were now lying in the warm sun to dry, their breechclouts hanging on a nearby bush.

“When will we learn about the quest?” Young Otter asked.

“Rides the Wind will call us to his lodge. The time is up to him. He will tell us of the quest then,” Small Hawk said.

Young Otter sat up and hugged his knees. “Will we go alone to Rides the Wind’s lodge?”

“Ho, ho,” said Fox Cub as he laughed. “Are you afraid?”

“Yes,” Young Otter replied defensively.

Fox Cub laughed again and threw a small stone at his friend.

“There’s nothing to fear. Our shaman is a wise and good man,” said Small Hawk.

“You can say that, Small Hawk,” said Young Otter, still holding his knees and staring at the river. “You’re the grandson of the chief. You have been with Rides the Wind many times. I’ve never spoken to him.”

“I still say you have nothing to fear. You’ll see; you will like him.”

Young Otter did not look convinced.

“I can hardly wait to receive my new name. I am too old and too big to be called Fox Cub,” he said, standing and flexing his biceps.

“What name will you choose?” asked Young Otter.

“His spirit guide will choose the name,” Small Hawk interjected, rolling over on his stomach and pulling out a few blades of grass.

“Can I not say what name I want?” said Fox Cub, sitting down cross-legged.

“I don’t know. You can ask that of Rides the Wind. I only know my father was given the name River Runs Deep by his spirit guide.”

“What form did his spirit guide take?” asked Young Otter.

“A river monster,” yelled Fox Cub and lunged at the smaller boy, who screamed in surprise. The two wrestled in the grass for a time.

Small Hawk laughed as he watched his two friends roll about. “Come, it’s time we went back to the village.”

He stood up and walked to the bush where their breechclouts hung. The other two followed.

As he unfolded his garment, preparing to put it on, he looked and saw that Young Otter was staring at him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Why is it you have so much more hair down there than we do?”

“Or than most of the men of the village?” Fox Cub added. “And you have hair that grows up to your belly button.”

Small Hawk looked down. He felt himself blush. He did, indeed, have much more pubic hair than the other men of the village. He had a trail of hair growing up to his navel, and even some hair beginning to grow around his n*****s. He had asked his father about this.

“Your mother is white,” he had answered. “White men have much hair on their bodies. Perhaps your white grandfather had the hide of a bear.” River Runs Deep had laughed at this, but Small Hawk did not think it funny. He was not sure how he felt about the prospect of having hair like a bear.

Small Hawk shrugged his shoulders, trying to ignore his embarrassment. “My father says my white grandfather might be hairy like a bear.”

To his relief, the other boys laughed at this. He sheepishly joined in.

“I wager your spirit guide will be a hairy old bear,” Fox Cub said still laughing.

The three donned their breechclouts and made their way to the village. As they approached, three men came toward them. Lean Bear was among them. As they passed the boys, Fox Cub and Young Otter snickered into their hands. Small Hawk, however, did not laugh.