For the past sixteen weeks, Author Suzanne Burke, has been offering a photo prompt for flash fiction creation. While I’ve been inspired by several of the prompts, time has been a huge constraint for me as of late. But, this photo demanded that I stop the turning wheels and write something!
If you’d like to know more about her Fiction in a Flash Challenge, you can visit her website for all the details! Join in! You know you want to. 🙂
Aiyana huddled beneath the Buffalo skin and shivered. Mingan drew her closer and snugged the skin around her shoulders.
“Do not worry, my love. The call of the wolf speaks to my soul. Tomorrow’s battle will be successful.”
She turned her dark troubled eyes toward him. “How can you be so sure? I have a heavy heart and dread sits like a rock in the pit of my stomach.”
Mingan stroked her hair. “When I was born, the first sound my father heard was the howl of a mother wolf. He knew at that moment I would carry wolf medicine with me throughout my life. I am one with them. The howling wolf outside our tipi tells me she will be with me as we face our enemies from the east.”
“I want to believe you, my brave warrior, but I also know the power of the enemy you face. They outnumber us and are determined to eradicate all of our people.”
As if listening to their conversation, the wolf howled long and loud.
“Wolf tells me that she and her clan will stand with us. We will not be alone against this great enemy. We have magic they know nothing of. We will be victorious.”
***
Before the sun rose the next morning, Mingan slipped out of the tipi into the cold air. Smoke from the fires that had burned pinon wood through the night tickled his nostrils. The village medicine man, wrapped in a blanket, lit a pipe and motioned to Mingan to join him.
“We must give thanks to the nature spirits that walk and talk with us, young brave,” the old man said.
At the edge of the forest, eyes pierced through the darkness. The wolves were waiting and ready.
As Mingan squatted by the fire and shared the old man’s pipe, the wood popped in the fire, sending spirals of sparks through the air.
“Wahya waits,” the old man said. “They are united with us and this day will be a victory for our people.”
Mingan grunted, stood and stretched. The female alpha wolf stepped out of the shadows and howled.
Fresh snow crunched beneath his moccasins as Mingan walked toward her, hand outstretched. She didn’t move and when he reached her, he laid a hand on her big head. “Thank you, Wahya. I will feed your clan tonight. We will win this battle. You will join us by our fires.”
She lifted her head, sniffed the air, and trotted back to the others that waited patiently.
One by one, braves emerged from their tipis. Weapons were polished and talk was scarce.
If they won this battle, Mingan and his wolf clan would be the new tribe leaders.
Once they’d partaken in a small fare, they painted their faces, said their prayers and mounted their ponies.
Just before the sun slipped above the horizon, they rode full force into the army encampment a few miles away. As predicted, the lazy white men were still asleep, their bellies full of last night’s liquor.
The braves tore through tent after tent, destroying everything in their path. The wolves lunged headlong into the fray, going for the throats of the men, and ripping flesh from their bodies.
In less than an hour, the battle ended. The wolves growled and circled the camp. The braves dismounted and gathered weapons, blankets, food and supplies they desperately needed to get through the hard winter ahead.
The army men that hadn’t been killed escaped with nothing more than the clothes they slept in.
It was over.
Mingan returned to his village victorious, and as he promised, the wolves joined them at their fires and ate heartily of buffalo and venison.
For the moment, they’d ended the threat of eradication of both species.
***
I hope you enjoyed the story. It was definitely inspired. I hope you’ll visit Soooz’s website and read all the entries! I think you’ll find them very entertaining.
Please follow S. Burke here:
And if you have a mind to do so, I’d love it if you’d follow me on my social media outlets!
Wonderful story, Jan. What a great take on the prompt and beautiful tribute to the Native American connection to nature. Happy Labor Day!
Thank you, Diana! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I love this take on the prompt, Jan. An enjoyable tale 🙂
Thank you, Harmony! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
A wonderful story, Jan. I enjoyed it.
Thank you, Karen! I appreciate you stopping by!
That was awesome, Jan! You really captured the time period. I have read so much on the Plains Wars between the white man and Native Americans. I loved this!
Thank you for your lovely comment, Mae. This prompt just really grabbed me and I absolutely had to stop everything and write something!
I loved it, Jan! This was a wonderful tribute to Native Americans, and I loved that you brought in their connection to animals. 🙂
I really enjoyed writing this, Yvette. I didn’t feel as if I had the time to do it, but the prompt tugged at me! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment!
What a great story, Jan. I’ve always been drawn to Native American stories, and in particular, those that include their relationship with nature. This is a powerful use of the prompt. Bravo!
So have I, Gwen. I believe that I have Native American Spirit guides (as do most of us, probably) and I have always been drawn to the Native American way of life, beliefs, and deep spirituality. Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment today! I appreciate you!
I love this Jan. I’m very drawn to native American stories.
As am I, Denise. I never feel like I do them justice. I can put myself there and smell the campfires, but then translating that into words is difficult. Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment!
You did them justice here, I think. But I know what you are saying there is a mystical level.
Jan thanks so much! This is a moving and thoughtful take on the prompt. Such is the stuff of Legends. I thoroughly enjoyed it and have just featured it on the challenge site. I appreciate you taking part. ❤
Thank you, Soooz, for putting up these prompts. I seldom can find the time to participate, but will jump in anytime I can!
Your entries are well worh waiting for, my friend. They are a pleasure both to read and to share. ❤
Super story, Jan. Well done.
Thank you, John!
😁I even read it twice.
I love it, Jan! I’ve often been fascinated by the spiritual connection between Native Americans and nature.
And the smell of pinon wood? Nothing like it. Think I’ll go light a piece of pinon incense. 🙂
Lol, Joan. I love the smell of burning Pinon! As I said above in response to Denise’s comment, I never feel like I do these types of stories justice. But it was fun to jump in and give it a try! Thank you for stopping by!