Little Feather

Chapter 3

The sky shined brightly with light pinks and oranges as the first of morning's light came over the horizon. The birds chirped in the treetops, singing cheerfully, letting everyone know that morning had come. As I awoke, I could already hearing people getting ready for the day outside. I got up from the fur skins that I used as a bed and got ready for the day like everyone else in the village. Everyone early in the morning, were walking around, tending to whatever had to be done before breakfast. As people were up and about, Nek approached me quickly.

"Finally you're up. Hurry and help out with breakfast before the men are done with their chores. Then after breakfast, go to the woods and gather herbs for the wise woman." She said.

"Kupi, Nek." I said and hurried to where some of the woman were making breakfast for the village.

The crisp morning air rushed through me as I walked, a slight chill ran down my spine, making me shiver just a bit, reminding me that winter hadn't left yet. I let out a sigh and I could see a cold mist leave my lips as I did so. I approached the camp fire where some of the women were cooking today's breakfast for the entire village as the smell of the moose meat we had saved during the winter flowed through the air, making my stomach grumble in hunger. I quickly went to help out with preparing it, making sure to carefully watch on how some of the older women did it.

Once the preparations for breakfast were complete, people were called over to begin eating before setting out for the day. Men got food first, since they provided and protect the village from any danger that may befall on us should we need it.

After breakfast, Little Dancer approached me. She was the wife of the village chief and was very kind and nurturing to those around her. She had grey streaks in her hair which were tied in one long braid behind her back.

"Little Feather. May I speak with you for a moment?" She says.

"Kupi. Do you need help with something?" I asked.

"No, I thought to let you know that tomorrow morning the men are leaving for the hunt at sunrise. So you should probably get ready and make sure you have everything you need for the hunt. If you have any questions, please come to me or one of the other women who've been on a hunt before for help." She said with a warm smile.

"Kupi, I will. Thank you."

She looks at me with a small smile one last time before walking off in the opposite direction, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I smiled a little before going back to the wigwam and packing what I thought I needed on the trip. My sister was even nice to help me on what I needed when she could and I was grateful for the help she provided. I thanked her afterwards and tried getting a good night sleep. But it was harder than it sounded. I could hear the crickets chirping and the croaking sound the frogs made down by the lake. I hear a light tap from the plain's winds blow against the wall of the wigwam and the subtle sound of the grass blowing in the wind. It was dark but peaceful.

I decided to go and get some air for a while. It was hard to process my thoughts lying down in the animal skins that I used as a bed to sleep in. As I walked outside and moved inwards on the Great Plains, I couldn't help but admire the stars in the sky. thousands of them shining bright in the sky so clearly that you could reach out and touch one. Some shined brighter than others in the sky almost saying 'Look! I am here! Aren't I beautiful?'

I sighed as I wrapped the shawl I was wearing around my body even tighter due to the cold and wind. As I stood there, looking at the stars, I tried counting them. But there were far too many to count so I gave up. For some unknown reason, those stars comforted me, letting me that everything was going to be alright. Almost as if they wrapping me in blanket of light. A light I won't soon forget.