DAY 12

Too much. I wake this morning with the realization that I have been through too much. So today, I become acting Chief of this Tribe! I wrap my furs around me and stand next to the fire, waiting for Winter Hawk to wake. When he does, I give my speech.

"I am Chief Big Bear, You are Winter Hawk, Indian Brave. Today, we hunt. We take dogs and go into forest. We get meat for fire and bellies"

Winter Hawk just looked at me quizzically and said, "Okay Chief".

Well, it's about time I started getting some respect.

Gearing up, grabbing our spears and taking the dogs, we move into through the woods. Before long, Chancey has caught the scent of something and takes off for it, Petey following close behind as he usually does. I look at Winter Hawk and motion forward with my spear. He shrugs and takes off running after them. I smile now as I walk down the path they have just taken. Oh yes, it is good to be the Chief.

The dogs seemed to have stopped, and I draw closer to where they are. Winter Hawk pulls them back from a tree.

"They corner something up there." He says, pointing up into the dense foliage overhead. They sky is overcast and the surrounding forest just makes it darker. We cannot see clearly up into the heights of the tree branches above us.

"One thing to do, Winter Hawk. Climb the tree, see what is there, kill it and throw it down to me."

Again, he shrugs and with spear in one hand, he begins to navigate the tree, moving quickly up into it's branches and limbs and out of sight. Kid climbs like a monkey. Never seen anything like it.

A few moments pass and I hear no movement from up in the tree. "Winter Hawk, you see what it is?"

"If I saw, I would already say so!" came the snarky reply.

Well, at least he is the one climbing.

I hear movement, and again...And then it stops.

There is a tussle in the tree now as the very trunk begins to shake and move with the sound. The leaves are falling now and as the sound above continues. I cannot see what is going on, so I move closer to the trunk, trying to look up and see if I could spot Winter Hawk. All I see is a black shape falling, and without time to move, it lands on my head.

I believe it would be a good time to explain that within our very diverse ecosystem, Bobcats are indigenous to this region of the country. Normally not overly aggressive towards humans unless cornered...Or dropped on their heads.

As the Bobcat locks on, I grab the Bobcat, which makes it grab on to my head even tighter. I yell loudly as Chancey and Petey start barking, jumping up trying to get at the Bobcat, which only frightens it more, or angers it more, I'm not sure at this point which, but it makes the furry circular saw go into action.

Fur, teeth, claws, barking, running in circles, and screaming at the top of my lungs as Winter Hawk finally drops from the tree. Seeing the fiasco as it unfolds, he rushes forward with a war cry, I turn in time to see him coming, the spear pointed at my head.

Between the pain of the bobcat doing high speed laps around my cranium and the tip of Winter Hawks spear coming at me, I turn in panic to run...And I do...Right into the tree.

I awaked sometime later to the crackling of fire. I feel my head, bandaged up now and sore to the touch.

I'm hoarse, throat parched and dry as Winter Hawk sees me awake now and brings a cup of water over for me to take a drink.

"Ear hurts really bad." I whisper the best I can.

"Hmm. Make sense. Winter Hawk had difficult time finding"

"Finding what?"

"Ear"

"Wait...What do you mean you had a difficult time finding my ear"

He shrugs as he hands me the cup and sits down beside me. "Ear gone. No worry. Winter Hawk find." Pounding his chest proudly.

I feel my ear now. 'What the crap, man!" I cry out hoarsely.

He leans over and lifts the bandage. "I sew ear back on. Use pine needle and strong leaf fiber. no worry, I boil, it clean. First time no good, I sew upside down. Got right next time. It almost even with other ear. Hey, it Winter Hawk first time. not bad first time!" he says smiling.

I would cry right now, but my eyes are starting to swell shut.