Free Daughter of the Eagle by Don Coldsmith Page A

Standing Bird. A circle of people gathered around the exhausted contestants as the Elk-dog leader spoke.
    â€œEagle Woman, you have met the Challenge. You are now ready to be one of us in the Elk-dog Society.”
    The girl nodded, panting heavily, trying to catch her breath. Long Walker struggled toward her, his color pale, sick from his effort but even more from his failure.
    â€œYou have done well, Eagle Woman,” he gasped.
    She looked up and smiled at him. It was a triumphant smile, but friendly—a trifle surprised, perhaps. Long Walker permitted himself a glimmer of optimism. Was there, somewhere beneath the girl’s confident exterior, still a warm spot for him in her heart? The possibility was there, and he would pursue it.
    But later. Just now it seemed to require all his attention merely to breathe in and out. He sank to a sitting position,
heart still pounding and lungs gasping for air. His muscles ached. He wondered for a moment if Eagle Woman could possibly feel this much pain and exhaustion. He looked over at the girl being warmly congratulated by friends and family. The pain of winning, he reflected morosely, is certainly less than that of losing.
    He was breathing more slowly now and managed to struggle to his feet. What would the girl do now, he wondered. Would she seek a vision quest and insist on going on a war party? His old concerns came flooding back into his mind.
    He could protect her, to a degree, in a war party; he could make her safety his primary concern. There was no way, however, that he could help her in the solitary aloneness of the vision quest. It was forbidden for any to follow her.
    Perhaps, he thought, she would stop here. She had won warrior status and might be willing to rest at that point. Even as these thoughts occurred to him, he knew better.
    Eagle Woman was sipping cautiously from a water skin held by her brother, Bobcat. Someone thrust a similar vessel at Long Walker, and he gratefully rinsed his parched mouth, spat on the ground, and sipped again.
    Standing Bird was motioning again to Eagle Woman and Long Walker. The two approached the chief, surrounded by excited onlookers and more serious members of the Elk-dog Society.
    â€œNow, Eagle Woman, how will you be called?”
    â€œI do not understand, my chief.”
    â€œWhat do you wish as your name? You may wait until after your vision quest if you wish.”
    Long Walker had not proceeded this far in his thinking. He had forgotten that it would be the girl’s right as a warrior to change her name to one of her choosing. She might choose to do so now or after her vision quest, or even at a later time to commemorate some important event. Walker was certain that she would choose to honor the events of this day.
    He was correct. Eagle Woman considered only briefly, then spoke to Standing Bird.

    â€œYes, my chief. I will choose now.” She paused a moment, looking long at the flat-topped hill in the distance and all it had symbolized. “I will honor the race, the contest which has made me a warrior. I will be called Running Eagle!”
    Standing Bird nodded. “It is good!”
    He looked around the circle. “Know you all,” he proclaimed solemnly, “that she who has been called Eagle Woman will now be called Running Eagle Woman.”
    â€œNo!” The girl almost shouted at him. “Not ‘woman.’ I will be called Running Eagle.”

15
    The vision quest of Running Eagle was undertaken immediately. Her parents, her brother Bobcat, and her friend Long Walker all spent much time in worry and concern. The danger of her remaining alone in a remote place while she fasted and dreamed was considerable, of course.
    Sweet Grass fretted, and Eagle tried to pretend lack of concern to reassure his wife. Long Walker suffered in solitude, unable to share his worries with anyone. Bobcat came as close as any to a real understanding of the situation.
    â€œShe is all right,”