style="font-size:15px;"> “Tell him we will head east.”
Iondaee was confused. “East?”
Jesse looked at the moss on the trees and then nodded to his right. “In that direction. Towards the rising sun.”
Iondaee explained what Jesse said to Asitari. Asitari stepped up to Iondaee and embraced him as a brother. “Look after our people, Iondaee. After today, you may be the last warrior of our nation.”
Iondaee nodded sombrely. Asitari went back to the people and sought out a young woman. Her eyes were anxious and uncertain. Asitari embraced her, gently put his forehead against hers, and spoke softly to her for several seconds. Then, with bow in hand, he sprinted down the path and disappeared.
“Who was that?” Jesse asked, looking at the young woman, who was desperately trying to hold back tears.
“That was his wife, Tutayac. They were married only three weeks ago.”
Jesse wanted to say something, but didn't know what words could describe the feelings churning within him. He just watched the bravest man he had ever seen disappear into the woods, rife with swarming enemy, without even a glimmer of fear. He hoped that they could somehow meet again.
Six
Jesse suppressed his human thoughts and allowed his deer instincts to take control of his mind. His ears flickered, seeking out the smallest noises in the forest. He had read that the Iroquois were exceptionally skilled warriors who could move through the forests like ghosts. He wondered whether even he could hear an approaching enemy warrior before it was too late. But he had to try. The thought of his Wendat friends falling into the hands of the enemy was simply too frightening to contemplate.
Several times he heard the faint snap of a twig or the gentle rustle of leaves, noises that his instincts told him were possible sounds of danger. Each time he investigated, he discovered the sounds were the result of a fellow forest creature. Once it had been a distant female deer tearing green leaves from a bush with her teeth. Another time, it had been a chipmunk burying several nuts in the rocky soil for the upcoming winter. Jesse was exhausted. His run to Taenhatenaron had drained him physically. Now, his need to be on the highest alert for danger was wearing him down mentally. Several times he caught himself daydreaming about Taenhatenaron and Ste. Marie. Could a warning possibly help save the village and colony? Was Asitari going to stay at Taenhatenaron and help fight to the death against the Iroquois? Or could Asitari stay alive and somehow return to his wandering village? Jesse tried his best to fight off such thoughts, instead refocusing his mind on listening for danger.
Jesse noticed that he had been climbing uphill for quite a while. A gentle mountain had lifted the travellers above the surrounding forest canopy, and for the first time in days, Jesse saw huge expanses of grey-covered sky. To his left was an ever-steepening cliff that looked back in the direction from which they came. Below them, a quilt of endless green stretched out to the blue horizon of a large, distant lake. The view from the cliff of the unspoiled forest was breathtaking.
A distant explosion echoed from the valley. Jesse stopped and stared, searching out the cause of the unnatural noise. His eyes soon found what he was hoping he would never see. A tiny pillar of smoke rose from the forest. Focusing on the smoke, he could make out the distant rectangular fortress walls of Ste. Marie near the shore of the great lake. One of the longhouses suddenly burst into orange flame. The fire quickly spread to other buildings. The column of smoke grew darker and thicker until the entire settlement disappeared behind the black veil of destruction. The message was clear. Taenhatenaron had fallen to the Iroquois, and the Jesuits were abandoning Ste. Marie. Jesse now knew that history was destined to repeat itself.
He didn't even notice Iondaee step next to him. A hand came to rest on his back. It was the first time Iondaee had touched him. He joined Jesse's gaze at the unspeakable sight. Jesse knew that with the smoke went the dreams, hopes and lives of Iondaee's people. The rest of the village soon gathered round in silence. Even the babies sensed the sadness and stopped crying. Tears fell. A light drizzle began to trickle down from the clouds above.
Finally, Iondaee turned to his people. “There is nothing left for us here. What has been our home for generations is no longer. The future of our village, our people, now rests with us.” He turned to Jesse. “Thank you, Spirit, for not allowing our entire nation to be destroyed or consumed by the Iroquois. We will do our best to carry on the memories and dreams of our brothers and sisters. My people, it is time to move on.”
Iondaee left Jesse's side and took the lead. Reluctantly, the villagers followed. Staying in Iroquois-controlled territory meant certain capture or death. Leaving the land they so loved was now the only way for them to survive as a nation.
Gratefully, they reached the top of the mountain and began the long descent into the next valley. Jesse trotted to catch up to Iondaee, then looked up at the grey sky. He hoped the light rain would end.
“It's getting dark,” commented Jesse.
“I know this area,” answered Iondaee, with quiet reserve. “We will make camp in the valley below. There is a good stream with plenty of fish. We will have to eat it raw, however. Smoke or light from a fire will bring trouble.”
Jesse was amazed by the outward calmness of his friend. Iondaee was now the chief out of circumstance. The future of his people now rested upon his shoulders. He could sense, however, that deep within, there was turmoil. Although inwardly grieving, Jesse knew that Iondaee would become the leader they so desperately needed.
The village people gratefully collapsed along the banks of the stream. Some washed themselves in the cool, clean water while others began to gather the berries and vegetables that would help feed the group of almost 150 people. Iondaee went to each and every person of the village, comforting them and praying with them for lost loved ones. He spent extra time with Asitari's wife, sharing with her stories of her husband and memories of their mutual childhood.
As the final light was leaving the forest, Jesse curled up to rest at the edge of the human herd. The young girl who had taken a shine to him sat silently at his side, occasionally patting his neck or offering him some grass, which he gently refused. His mind was drifting off to sleep, exhausted with the effort of the day.
Suddenly, his ears perked up. There was that sound again. The faintest of snaps. But the second was closer than the first. Another snap, this time coming from a different location. Something was not right.
“Iondaee!” Jesse called out, thankful that only he could hear his voice. “Come here, but quietly!”
Iondaee casually left the young mother and baby. He talked to people briefly as he gradually moved towards Jesse, acting almost as if Jesse had not said a word. At first, Jesse was annoyed that Iondaee did not run to his side. Then he realized what Iondaee was doing. He did not want whoever was in the woods to know that he was alerted to their presence. Jesse was impressed as Iondaee almost unnoticeably picked up his bow and quiver of arrows and hid them against his chest. He finally knelt down as closely as he could to Jesse while looking like he was conversing with the young girl, now fast asleep on the ground beside him.
“What do you see?” he asked.
“I don't see anything, it's getting too dark. But I think I hear something,” explained Jesse. “There is something approaching us from two different directions. One is along the path we took to get here. The other is upstream of the creek. What should we do?”
Iondaee thought for a moment. He then stroked the girl's
