White Fire’s jaw tightened. “All my life I was taunted as a ’breed, while all along I did not deserve such a degrading title!” he said, his teeth clenched. “I was Indian, through and through!”
He clasped his hands to his father’s shoulders. “Father, I am proud to say that I am part Miami, and part Chippewa. I am proud to be your son.”
Gray Feather slid White Fire’s hands from his shoulders. He then embraced him long and hard. “My ningwis, son,” he said, a sob lodging in his throat.
Then he held White Fire away from him and grinned widely. “And that means that I also have a go-shee-shay, grandson!” he said, his voice lifting in pitch in his excitement. “Your son, Michael, is my grandson.”
White’ Fire returned his broad grin. “Ay-uh, that is so,” he said, chuckling. “Today your family has grown in leaps and bounds.”
“My heart is filled with so much joy I cannot even express it. It runs so deep and wonderful inside me,” Gray Feather said, wiping tears from his eyes.
“I have talked of Mother to you today and shown less than respect for her in my explanations of her, but I can say that I am thankful that she finally found the courage to be truthful with me about my birthright,” White Fire said, swallowing hard.
“What prompted her to tell you now, when in the past she has kept it all locked up inside her heart?” Gray Feather asked, forking an eyebrow.
“You or I may have never known the truth except for the panic that my mother must have felt upon reading my last letter to her,” White Fire said. “In my letter I spoke of you and your daughter’s interest in me. Fearing that I might marry your daughter, who was, in truth, my very own sister, my mother had no choice but to open up truths to her son that she wished never to tell anyone. She could not allow my marriage to my very own sister.”
White Fire’s heart skipped a beat. “My sister,” he said, his voice breaking. “I had a sister and did not even know it. Things could have been so different. Had I but known that Song Sparrow was my sister, she would have never foolishly fallen in love with me. She would have never had cause to take her—”
Suddenly Gray Feather slid a hand over White Fire’s mouth, silencing him. “Do not say the words that are a torment to us both,” he said thickly. “Let us put it behind us, for nothing will change it. The past is the past. Let it rest there.”
“Ay-uh, let it rest there,” White Fire said. He sighed heavily. “The future, Father, is so bright for us all. It is a future we shall now share as father and son!”
As Flame lifted the entrance flap and she saw Chief Gray Feather and White Fire embrace, she stifled a sob of happiness behind a hand, for the sight was such a beautiful one to witness!
“Grandfather!” Dancing Star cried as she ran on past Flame. “You are as happy to see White Fire as I am.”
Michael ran after Dancing Star and sat down beside his father and Gray Feather.
Gray Feather turned to Michael seeing him for the first time as his grandson. His hand trembled as he reached over and placed it on Michael’s face and slowly moved his fingers over his features.
“My grandson,” he said, his voice filled with pride. He then looked over at White Fire. “My son,” he said, his eyes filling with joyful tears.
Chapter 44
Thou art my own, my darling, and my wife;
And when we pass into another life,
Still thou art mine.
All this which now we see
Is but the childhood of Eternity.
—Arthur Joseph Mundby
Three years later—
Father Sun was at the centermost part of the sky, sending his rays down upon a great celebration that was in progress.
The Chippewa women had been cooking for days for the feast that was now spread out on platforms. Dancers dressed in fancy attire swayed in rhythm around a huge, outdoor fire as the drums beat their cadence.
Dressed in a buckskin dress and moccasins, and with flowers woven into the strands of her hair, Flame sat on a pelt-strewn platform with her husband. She was proud to be a part of the celebration of the Chippewas’ lives.
Especially today she was exceedingly proud, for Michael was being adopted into the tribe, as one with them.
Today’s celebration was just a small part of Michael’s initiation ceremony. He had even chosen a name by which he would be called from this day forward-Black Shield. The name had been chosen for the black shield that his Chippewa grandfather had given to him early this morning, just prior to the start of the day’s celebration.