Canku Ota

(Many Paths)

An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America

May 31, 2003 - Issue 88

Thunderhawk's Great Cross-Country Adventure - Part 11

As Paden and Paddy spoke to Andrew the Apache, the warrior heard Thunderhawk let out a menacing call. He knew that the huge hawk was letting another critter know that it was intruding into his space and that he intended to make big trouble if it didn't honor his warning.

Andrew the Apache looked to his left and saw a raven approaching. It was taking a wide angle that kept it as far away from Thunderhawk as possible in its obvious approach towards the human. The raven landed on the great Apache's shoulder as Thunderhawk glared at it from his roost in a nearby oak tree where he and Blaze were watching over Paden and Paddy. The raven let out a loud cawing sound and Andrew the Apache knew immediately that the raven was bringing him an important message.

Paden shouted, "Hey! Cool!" Andrew the Apache said, "Shhhh! The raven has brought us an important message." Paden said, "Huh? What are you talking about?" Paddy said, "Yeah! What are you talking about?" Andrew the Apache said, "This raven has brought us an important message about your family." Paden said, "What!!!! What do you mean?" Andrew the Apache said, "Please my little friends, give me a moment to find out what the message is." The two little mice were silent as they watched the interaction between Andrew the Apache and the raven. They were a little nervous because Andrew the Apache looked very serious. Finally the raven flew away.

Andrew the Apache stood motionless with a very intense look on his face. Paden and Paddy looked at each other and then back at their human friend. Finally Paden couldn't bare it any longer and blurted out, "Hey! What gives? What did the bird want?"

Andrew the Apache fiercely shouted, "Silent!" Paden looked stunned and tears welled up in his eyes at the sharp response from the human. Paddy just gulped as his eyes bulged out his head. After a long uncomfortable silence Andrew the Apache started to softly speak saying, "The raven brought very bad news." Paden and Paddy looked at each other in fear and then back at their human friend. Andrew the Apache continued saying, "The raven said that Papa O'Malley, Pat Pilgrim, Ian and Sean Jr. had gone looking for you two to see if you were okay. The raven had flown up at that moment and had been asked by Moose Lee and Two Eagles if they knew if you two were okay or not. The raven had traveled through happy valley and knew that there had been a devastating flood that had ravaged much of the valley. Many mice were swept away and many died from the flood waters." Paden and Paddy began shaking from fear. Paddy meekly replied, "What about our homeground?" Andrew the Apache was silent for a long time as he thought carefully about what to say to his two little friends. Finally he said, " I am afraid that your homeground was totally destroyed by the flood waters and many mice were swept away in the raging waters." Paden and Paddy both burst into uncontrollable tears and Paden fell to the ground and began banging his fists on the ground screaming, "No! No! No!" Paddy screamed out, "Mama! Mama! Mama! I love you! I love you! Nooooo!" Andrew the Apache slowly shook his head back and forth in deep, deep sadness.

Both little mice cried and cried and cried. The dogs were visibly upset and tried to comfort the little mice. Thunder howled and then gently laid down next to the mice and made certain that his large body was in a position to protect them both.

It was a long night for all the critters. The next day Andrew the Apache gently woke Paden and Paddy up. They were totally drained emotionally. Andrew the Apache spoke to the little ones. He said, "My dear little friends, my trip up north is very important and I am already far behind my schedule. The problem that I am struggling with is that I really have enjoyed our time together and I can feel your pain. We do not know for sure that your family died. They very well may have escaped the flood and may be fine. We don't know the truth about your family at this point. I am prepared to put my trip to the north country even farther behind and take you two back home to see what we can find out about your loved ones. I have already packed everything up and the dogs are ready to leave right now." Paden meekly said, "Thank you." Then Paddy said the same as he looked at the ground with his shoulders drooped down and his ears doing the same thing. Andrew the Apache picked the little mice up and put them onto their little saddles. Then the group began moving back in the direction of happy valley to try to find out what had happened to Paden and Paddy's family. Thunderhawk and Blaze took to the sky and began slowly circling over them to help keep and eye on the group.

As they traveled through a stand of cedars Andrew the Apache raised his right hand and the dogs all stopped. Paden and Paddy looked around to see what was happening. They saw the great warrior staring intently into the opening up ahead. As the little mice looked they saw a small group of humans heading in their general direction.

Andrew the Apache raised his right arm and seemed to be waving it to get the other humans attention. It was obvious that they saw him immediately and began moving directly toward them. There were a couple of women and a couple of men in the group. As they got closer Andrew the Apache smiled broadly. There were very friendly greetings exchanged from all of the humans. Andrew the Apache brought them over to where the dogs and the mice were. The dogs were wagging their tails like crazy as they looked at the approaching group. A beautiful young girl came over and picked Paden up. She was smiling and looking directly into his eyes. His heart was pounding as he was very nervous. Andrew the Apache said, "My little friends, this is my cousin. She is from the far away place I told you about called California. Her name is Jamie." The little mice noticed that she was extraordinarily beautiful and they smiled and said hello to her. Then Andrew the Apache introduced the little mice to Jamie's mom who was named Sue. Sue smiled at the little mice and nodded her head in a greeting. Paden and Paddy waved to her and smiled back.

Andrew the Apache went with Sue to talk to the other adults while Jamie spent time playing with Paden and Paddy. They really liked her and they had a great time. It was wonderful because it helped them forget about their worries about their family for a little while.

When Andrew the Apache came back over to where the little mice were playing and laughing with Jamie he asked them if they would like for Jamie to come along on the trip back to happy valley. They both started jumping up and down and shouting, "Yes!" Jamie looked at her mom who said, "It's up to you." Paden and Paddy started shouting, "Yes! Please go! Please go!" Jamie smiled and shook her head up and down. Paden and Paddy jumped and down for joy and shouted, "Yeah!"

Sue said, "Jamie, we will meet you in happy valley in two weeks. Please be careful and help your cousin as much as you can. The little mice are going to see if their family is okay after a terrible flood hit their home." Jamie said, "Oh, you poor little things! Well…we're going to have a great time so you can forget about your worrying! We'll get there soon enough and maybe everything will be fine. That is possible, isn't it?" Paden and Paddy looked at each other and Paddy said, "You're right. Maybe everything is okay! That would be so great."

Then the humans exchanged farewells and they headed off in different directions. Jamie had taken Paden and Paddy out of their saddles and put them up on her shoulder. The two little mice were smiling broadly. They really liked their new friend.

As they moved into the field it was getting late in the day and Andrew the Apache asked Jamie if she wanted to stop and set up camp, or continue traveling through the night for the sake of getting the little mice back to happy valley as soon as possible. She thought for a moment and said that she would like to keep going. Paden and Paddy looked at each other and smiled. Paddy said, "Thank you so much. We would like to get there as soon as possible and I know that it is more dangerous to travel all night. Paden and I truly are very grateful." Jamie smiled at the little mice and said, "You two can sleep while we keep traveling. It is very important that you rest." Paden and Paddy looked at each other and smiled and then lay down across Jamie's shoulders and fell asleep.

The End - Part 11

© 2003 Geoff Hampton

Geoff Hampton is an internationally known author, speaker, motivator and business consultant. Hampton is also a regular columnist for the wellness/fitness Website www.fitcommerce.com and Canku Ota and can be reached by E-mail at GEOFFLHAMPTON@aol.com. His national anti-obesity/diabetes campaign, The Wellness Wakeup Challenge can be reviewed at www.fitcommerce.com/wellness

Canku Ota is a copyright © 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 of Vicki Lockard and Paul Barry.

The "Canku Ota - A Newsletter Celebrating Native America" web site and its design is the

Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 of Paul C. Barry.

All Rights Reserved.