Greatest Change

Chapter Two

2. Spirit Bears

"Love is not a union merely between two creatures, it is a union between two spirits."

- Frederick William Robertson

          "Clara! Clara, wake up!" Charlie entreated as he shook his older sister. Clara hazily opened her eyes, the sun was shining bright at the edge of their wagon. She looked around to see if there was a problem, but it was something she should feel, not see. The wagon was not moving, and it was already bright outside, so something was wrong. Being on a tight schedule, it would be dangerous to halt.

          She threw the blanket off her, feeling the cold morning breeze on her bare legs, and followed her brother outside their wagon, wanting to investigate the small mystery was why they weren’t moving. Adjusting her eyes, she saw they were in the same exact spot as last night. She peeked her head around the edge of the curved wagon and saw people by the center. They both jumped out and headed there to find a cluster of angry men, especially her father. Colin was a hothead, and it did not take long for his pale head to turn into a giant cherry.

          "Father," she ran over and looked around to see several of the wagon tongues broken in half, "who did this?" Wagon tongues were strong and hard to break, obviously someone wanted to impede the travelers and they knew how to do it.

          "Damn rotten savages that's who!" he threw his hat on the ground and ran his fingers through his brown frustrated hair, probably hoping that getting angry would help (it certainly doesn’t), "If I ever see one, I will shoot it on the spot. Tim! Let's go out hunting before any savages could take those food too!"

          "They stole our food as well?" Clara was shocked. The wagon supplied with all the food was right next to her. Wouldn't she had heard someone ransacking their supply, and the breaking of wood of the wagon tongues? Obviously she did not hear such things, which means either these people were very quiet, or something seemed odd. She had always thought of Indians to be quite loud, screaming their warrior's cry as they attacked their victims, but they didn't seem as stupid as people had told her. From what she was observing now, these so called savages seemed brilliant.

          The thought of them being just a single wagon away thrilled yet scared her. She could have been kidnapped any moment by them if they wanted. She wondered if any of them actually looked inside her wagon, but who would want to steal a pretty white gal anyways?

          "Stole everything to the crumbs," Brad walked over and wrapped an arm around Clara's skinny waist, "'dem Indians want us to starve. They even took our water."

          "Took our water too? Jesus, without water the oxen will never make it Oregon. We should resupply at a river and stay the night until the other wagons will pass us. They may possibly have extra supplies," Charlotte appeared out of nowhere, scaring Clara half to death as her mother's Southern accent broke into the conversation. Brad noticed the small jump of surprise and held her closer, hoping to ease the tension.

          "Clara and I can go find some water," Brad said. Clara widened her eyes, there was no way she would go out somewhere alone with him. Not that she worried what Brad could do to her (he could do a lot of things), but the fact that if there were savages out there; a semi-muscular man with his skinny tree woman would have no match against them. Brad could do something to her, but he was not that kind of man.

          "Good, I'll go grab some men and we can go find some more food," her father nodded and turned to go get ready for his journey.

          Charlie grabbed his father's arm, pleading, "Please father, can I go with you? I promise I will be a good lad and not cause any trouble. Please please?" Charlie seemed to think by added additional begging "pleases" would probably influence his father to his advantage. Charlotte looked at her husband, giving him a look that it was his decision. She knew it was dangerous out there, but Charlie always got what he wanted.