Yellow Dawn and Mica

Yellow Dawn
Squanka and Running Branch grew up together. They had played together, as children.
Running Branch's father was the medicine man in the village. It was a place of honor.
Squanka was the daughter of Anka and Blue Cloud. Blue Cloud was a warrior that had died fighting the white men that were killing their buffalo.

Running Branch came to Anka's tepee and asked to make Squanka his wife. Anka nodded, although, she knew Squanka did not want to be his wife, but her wants were not important. Anka had four children to take care of and no husband to help her. If Running Branch was willing to take Squanka, that was good.

Squanka lay with Running Branch in his tepee. The first encounter was painful but Squanka got used to the nightly ritual.
Soon Squanka was with child. Running Branch was so proud and he bragged to all the others in the village. "I am going to have a son!" But when the child was born it was a girl. Running Branch walked out of the tepee and spit on the ground.
Squanka loved her daughter and named her Yellow Dawn. A year later, Squanka had another daughter, Inka.

Running Branch did not come to Squanka's bed any more. He was angry that she could not produce a son.
It was said that he visited other beds in the village.
Squanka did not care. She had her children and her work.

Squanka stood on the plain and watched as her husband and the other men rode away. They were hunting for buffalo. Times were hard!
Squanka's two children were hungry. The white men had killed most of the buffalo on the plains and most of the men were gone now. Squanka grew corn and this was their main source of food. She would make bread and soup and roasted corn.
Squanka would hunt for berries and nuts in the woods to supplement her daughter's diet.
Running Branch and the other men never returned to the village. No one ever knew why. It was guessed the buffalo hunters killed them.
Life went on.

Squanka's mother, Anka, became ill. She lay in her tepee with fevers and sweats. For three days, Squanka tried to take care of her as best she could. She brought her mother corn soup and placed cold wraps on her head. But Anka died in the early morning of the fourth day, as Squanka was preparing another cold wrap. Squanka sank to her knees and wept. She had loved her mother.
Squanka returned to her tepee. She was so tired and she lay down.
Yellow Dawn entered their tepee and called to Inka, "Something is wrong! Come help me!"
Inka ran in. Squanka was laying on the mat floor. Their mother seemed to be unaware of anything.
And then she just stopped breathing.
Yellow Dawn grabbed Inka's hand. "We have to leave this place. If we don't, we will die, too."
The two girls, ages 12 and 11, started to run from the village in which they had spent their whole lives.
"Where are we going?" cried Inka.
"I do not know. We just have to get away!" said Yellow Dawn.
"Why? Why?" cried Inka.
"Because there is death in our village and it take us too, if we do not leave."
Yellow Dawn held Inka's hand and half dragged her through the woods. "Come on!", Yellow Dawn shouted!
After what seemed like hours of running, Inka said, "I can not go on any more, Sister!"
The two girls sat down to rest.
Inka began to cry. Yellow Dawn put her arm around her sister and tried to comfort her. " We will be fine. Quit crying! Indian women do not cry!"
"I do ", said Inka.
Yellow Dawn hugged her sister tighter.
The two young girls fell asleep on the bed of leaves under a big Red Oak tree.

Yellow Dawn became aware that they were not alone. She opened her eyes.
"Ah! What do we have here?" He growled.
There was a very large, white man with a red beard standing over the two girls.
Yellow Dawn grabbed Inka, who quickly woke up, and they tried to use their feet to scoot back. The girls tried to run.
"Ha! Ha! Ha!," the man said as he jerked both of them up. They were like two rag dolls in his hands.
The big, white man grabbed the two girls by their hair and started to drag them through the woods. The girls were screaming. He came to a horse and threw them on. He tied their feet and hands. They could not move. Yellow Dawn looked at Inka...she tried to say with her eyes. "It will be alright. It will be alright!" Although, Yellow Dawn had never been more afraid in her life!
They came to a cabin. Yellow Dawn looked up to see where they were. Inka did not move.
The big, white man took Inka off the horse. She was dead. "Ah, shit" he muttered.
He threw her body on the ground and grabbed Yellow Dawn and took her into the cabin.
That was the first time that he raped her.
In one day, Yellow Dawn had lost her grandmother, her mother and her sister ......and she had been raped. She turned her head to the wall in the cabin. She wanted to cry but no tears would come. She wished that she had died, too.
The rapes became a daily event. Yellow Dawn tried to find ways to escape but the big, white man seemed to thwart all of her efforts.
Yellow Dawn soon realized she was with child.
"No!" she cried!

Yellow Dawn was in labor and it was difficult! The white man was not there.
The 13 year old, Indian girl screamed and cried! She had never felt such pain!
The white man returned to the cabin to find his woman giving birth.
He cut the cord and cradled the baby to his chest.
Yellow Dawn was bleeding profusely and did not wake up.
The big, white man did not care. He had a son.
"I think I will name him Mica".

Mica

The farm was cold in the winter time. There was snow on the ground and even the well had ice in it.
Mica was alone in the cabin. He put another log in the fireplace and he wrapped a blanket around his shoulders.
His Dad had gone to town to buy provisions. Dad had asked if he wanted to go but Mica had a new puppy and did not want to leave her alone.
Lady snuggled into the blanket with Mica and licked his face. Mica giggled and started to tickle Lady on her tummy. The boy and the pup wrestled together under the blanket.
And then Mica heard his Dad's wagon. Lady barked and they both went to the door to see what his Dad had brought.
"Burrrrr!" his said. "It is as colder than a witch's titty out there !"
Mica's Dad was a large man with a red beard.
Mica did not remember his Mom and his Dad never spoke of her.
His Dad brought in the supplies. ....There were potatoes and cans of beans and coffee....there was bacon and beef jerky and then....
Mica's Dad said,"You probably won't like this but I got it anyway," as he threw a bag of licorice to Mica.
Mica grinned as he stuck one the long, slim, black pieces of candy into his mouth. His Dad had even bought a bone for Lady.
Mica loved his father.

And then there was the night of the fire.
Mica awoke out of a sound sleep and there was fire everywhere! The house was ablaze!
Mica tried to go into his Dad's bedroom but it was so hot and smoky and a burning beam fell right in front of him!
Mica grabbed Lady and ran from the house. He watched as the house burned. No one lived around them. There was nowhere to run for help.
Mica sat in the woods, cradling Lady in his lap and watched his whole world burn to the ground.
In the morning, Mica tried to wade through the simmering embers. He found his Dad. Mica cried as he never had before.

Mica was nine years old now....almost a man. What was he going to do?
Mica and Lady began walking. Mica thought he was going toward town but he found himself deeper and deeper in the woods. He was hungry. Lady started eating the bark off the trees.
They fell asleep in the woods, snuggled up together to keep warm.
Mica awoke to find an Indian standing over him.
Mica had never been more scared! Lady did not even bark! Mica was shaking. He did not know if it was from the cold or fear.
"Why are you here, young man?" the Indian said.
You...you speak English!" stammered Mica.
The Indian let out a hardy laugh! "Yes, and I see you do, too"
And it all came tumbling out, " My Dad, my Dad...there was a fire...I don't know where I am...I am so hungry...I don't know what to do......Lady is hungry.... and we are cold....."
The Indian kneeled before Mica, "Would you like to come to my village with me?" he said softly.
"Yes, please," stammered Mica. "You won't hurt me, will you?"
The Indian smiled, "No, I will not hurt you, son."

Mica lived the rest of his life in that Indian village. He grew up, married an Indian woman, Shauna, and they had two beautiful sons.

It was the village of Squanka, Running Branch, Yellow Dawn, Inka, Blue Cloud and Anka.......but that had been a long time ago and Mica never knew any of it.

Mica lived to see his sons married and have children of their own. It was a good life.