Desert Tiger - Chapter 1

-"Do not open that..!"

Tinilawejah was always one to do the exact opposite of what she was asked. She was a free spirit of the desert. And although this drove her father crazy, the latter loved her deeply. After all, she was his only daughter, and no father could resist such power. Not even when you are chief of an entire Apache Tribe.

Chief Raging Bull had been leading his people for over 30 years now, and he kept as strong as the day he began. He exercised daily with the tribe warriors and took much care of what he ate; at least that’s how it looked like, although in reality it was his wife, Cocobellawejah, the Tribe Witch-Doctor, who was behind his “healthy” meals.

As she opened the letter, oblivious to her father's demands, Tinilawejah quickly grasped that it was from the Tribe leader across the mountains, Perching Vulture. She was only able to read a few lines before her father snatched the parchment off her hand, but the message was clear: Perching Vulture was asking Chief Raging Bull to help him build a war front against the White Men at the northern fort.

Later on, she would discover the fort patrol had apprehended Perching Vulture’s son and now demanded a ridiculously high payment for his ransom.

- “Go to your room.” Grunted her father. “I must discuss grown-up things with your mother”.

This mainly meant Tinilawejah would head out of the teepee while acting all offended and then sneak around behind the cactus to eavesdrop on her parent's conversation. She had way too much time on her hands.

-“Vulture asks for our warriors. His son has been apprehended by the northern Whitemen. We should alert the Tribe council.”

-“The last time we fought the Whites, we suffered heavy losses”. Reminded him Cocobellawejah in a distraught face. “Can you get out of it? Say your warriors are elsewhere?”

-“He and I are sworn brothers. Besides, his son is to marry Tinilawejah one day. It is what the Moon has showed me”.

“WHAT?!” This was news to Tinilawejah, who was still crouching behind the cactus and was now sucking her thumb as the unexpected information made her lose balance and get pinched. She had never even seen Vulture’s son, didn’t even know what he was called... How could her father do this to her?

-“Tell Coyote to gather the warriors for briefing. We leave tomorrow before sunrise”.

Cocobellawejah nodded and left the teepee. As she walked around to get a drink from the cactus for his husband, she noticed the dust cloud left in the air by someone who had obviously been sneaking into their conversation. Someone with small feet. Cocobellawejah sighed: she would have to talk to her daughter and come clean about her father's intentions later that night.

- “It’s not fair”. Lamented Tinilawejah. - “I’ve only been cleared for horseback-riding on my own, and now they want me to marry some stranger? I have so much to do, so much to see! No matter who he is, I bet he’ll want me at home, cooking and washing diapers. OMG, babies! I’m definitely not ready for this”. She knew that sometimes she gave her father a hard time, but this punishment was way too much blown out of proportion. She would have to run away, escape; there was no other way. 

Her father was leaving before sunrise. It was the perfect opportunity to ride far away, in the opposite direction.

--- End of Chapter 1 ---