Knowing this made Shoshana feel a sudden close bond to her husband’s sister.
Storm came to them and hugged them both. “My big sister, my wife,” he said softly. “It is good to see that you two are becoming friends.”
He held them away from him and looked at them one at a time, then smiled. “I believe you are going to be even more than friends,” he said, then took Shoshana’s hand. “Come, my wife. We must get you in your bed of blankets so that you can rest. Tomorrow is another day, and one that will be especially trying for you.”
“Do go ahead and rest,” Dancing Willow said, coming once again to embrace Shoshana. “I shall sit vigil at your mother’s side. I shall be here until you come to prepare her for burial. Then, too, I shall be here for you. I shall help you.”
“Thank you, Dancing Willow,” Shoshana said, flinging herself into her sister-in-law’s arms. “It is so good to know this wondrously generous side of you.”
“Soon you will know all of my sides,” Dancing Willow said, laughing softly. She stepped away from Shoshana. “Little brother, see to my sister, will you?” she said, smiling at him.
Shoshana felt the closeness of having been called Dancing Willow’s “sister” like a warm embrace. She smiled a thank you to her over her shoulder as Storm whisked her away.
Shoshana took one last look at her mother before going outside with her husband.
“It will be so hard tomorrow,” she said, tears again shining in her eyes.
“Saying a final good-bye is always hard,” Storm said, taking her into their lodge. “But remember this, Shoshana: your mother died happy.”
Shoshana moved into his arms. She clung to him as she began to cry again. She would get the tears shed today so that tomorrow she could be brave and strong in Storm’s people’s eyes as she went through a day that surely would tear at her heart.
She knew this to be true, for she had already buried one mother. It would be no easier burying the other. She would cling to her memories of both, all of which were precious.
Chapter Thirty-one
Farewell to one now silenced quiet,
Sent out of hearing, out of sight.
—Alice Meynell
The procession to the burial place of Shoshana’s mother was slow and solemn.
Once there, Shoshana found that Storm had come before her and had prepared the earth.
The burial grounds of this Apache band were not as vast as the one that Storm had taken Shoshana to, where he had placed his mother’s hair among his ancestors. It was obvious that this burial place had only been established after Storm and his people had been forced from their other home along the Piñaleno River.
The grave markings were there, made from stones. No names appeared, for it was the Apache custom that the name of the deceased would never again be spoken among the living.
Storm had explained to Shoshana that many, many years ago, it was even considered wrong to go near the burial site. But that was before the Apache felt a need to establish a place where they could go and visit their dead.
The superstitious fear of the older generation, that the spirit of the dead might return to haunt and harm them, was long ago forgotten.
Back then, when lives were governed by such beliefs, the nearer the relationship that bound one to the deceased, the more terrible this dread seemed to be. Even if a relative kept anything that had belonged to the departed, he would fear that the ghost of the dead would come back to claim it.
Shoshana was glad that her people did not follow the rules of those long-ago ancestors, so that she could visit her mother’s grave often before the Piñaleno River Band moved on to Canada.
It was the custom of whites to place flowers on the graves of loved ones, and even to sit and speak to the dead whenever they wished.
Shoshana needed these special moments with her mother, for she had not had enough time with Fawn since she had found her.
Carrying Fawn’s beautifully wrapped body, enclosed in the whitest doeskin, Storm and several other warriors walked solemnly, with Shoshana following behind them. Dancing Willow gave her comfort as she walked hand in hand with her.
The soft songs being sung seemed to beautifully harmonize with the bird song that filled the air this early morning.
And when a huge golden eagle swept suddenly from the sky, Shoshana’s breath was momentarily stolen. Its huge shadow fell over the body of her mother.
Shoshana felt the mystery of this moment when the eagle swept lower, its huge golden talons open, drawing gasps from everyone. For a moment Shoshana felt that the bird was going to sweep up her mother’s body and carry it away as she had seen it do so often in her dreams. Yet she was wrong. It hovered for a moment longer, turned its huge golden eyes to Shoshana, then flew away. It soared above them for a moment, then soon was lost in the shadows of the mountain peak.