It's All Or Nothin'
It's All Or Nothin' © Chey
From the very first, Kid had been intrigued by this woman. Her eyes matched his perfectly; this connection had already been observed and remarks about the whole situation were flowing out of Cody’s loose lips. “What made her so amazing?” the Kid thought to himself. It was a combination of everything and at the same time, nothing at all. He loved the way they clicked and he was also enjoying the fact that he never had to walk on eggshells around her. At this point in his life she was exactly what he needed. She knew it, he knew it, they both showed it, and unfortunately everyone was there to witness it, even Lou.
Initially, it appeared that Buck or even Ike would snatch this light-eyed half-breed, but there she was holding on tightly in the arms of her new companion. They danced in the moonlight to the soft songs of the evening wild life.
Well, Great Sky, I made it to Sweetwater. I hope I can find my sister or brother. I’m still worried about leaving home, though. Will Michigan forgive me? Will she understand my choice? Again, I’ve been inspired…
I shall start my search now. I will return to my homeland as soon as I feel I have accomplished my true goal.
Love, Manatawa "Mana"
Manatawa or Mana, came to Sweetwater on a hunch, looking for her family. She sat on a bench outside of the Marshall’s office and closed her journal. A leather bound stack of papers that revealed age and torment. Inscribed lightly on the cover was, “Don’t forget your Homeland!” This journal was a gift from a tribesman, after her father passed away.
Mana moved into a nearby town after her father died. To make the transition from reservation life to the white world easier, the local teacher, Mr. Brown, took her in to teach her some minor skills. She learned how to sew a white-woman’s clothes and even to speak and write English. She worked as a seamstress during the day and Mr. Brown tutored her at night. After a few years out of the reservation, she realized that she needed to find her missing sibling.
It had taken nearly a year to reach Sweetwater, a place she didn’t even know she was headed for. But, there she was. She began her search in Illinois, and all of the signs pointed toward Sweetwater. Manatawa wasn’t exactly sure whom to ask, so she started in the Marshal’s office, which is where she met Teaspoon Hunter. Teaspoon quickly took a liking to the woman. After explaining her long trip of the day, he invited her out to the station for dinner.
“No, I couldn’t impose,” she replied shyly. Although her dress matched that of a town’s woman, Teaspoon could tell that there was some native blood hidden in her. She wasn’t a tall woman, just the opposite actually. Her long light brown hair was braided loosely in the back of her head, with a few small curls falling lightly onto the side of her forehead, accenting her dark complexion.
“Nonsense, Manatawa!”
“Please, call me Mana.”
“Ok, Mana, one more person ain’t nothin’ Mr. Russell, Majors and Waddell can’t handle. Besides, I was never one to pass up a pretty lady,” and with that, it was settled. The blushing woman nodded in acceptance of the offer.
“Well my-oh-my. What do we have here?” Cody asked as he nudged Noah in the gut. They both sat on the porch of the bunkhouse Noah shining his whip and Cody just resting, noticing Teaspoon drive in slowly with a beautiful passenger.
“Now Cody, that is what you call a lucky man,” Noah commented and the two riders shared a slight chuckle. By the time Teaspoon reached the porch, it was filled with the rest of the riders, awaiting the new arrival. However, the buckboard never stopped at the bunkhouse, Teaspoon drove right by, ignoring all of the riders. He led Mana toward the house and guided her through the front door.
Introductions were made quickly in the bunkhouse at dinnertime. All eyes fell upon this beautiful woman. Hands and faces were exceptionally clean and shiny at the dinner table.
Cody made first contact with the new woman, trying to make a good impression. Buck introduced Ike and himself; Noah politely removed his hat and Kid raised her hand gently to his lips and laid a soft kiss upon it. Unfortunately for Jimmy, he was stuck in St. Joe on a special ride for Teaspoon and would not return for two or three more days.
“Nice to meet you,” Lou said sarcastically as she quickly pulled her petite hand out of the grasp of this new acquaintance, and re-crossed her hands in front of her chest. Although the details were not clear, Lou knew that something was challenging about this woman. Maybe it was the blue eyes, or the long hair…but she wasn’t jealous, at least she hoped she wasn’t jealous.
“Likewise,” Mana responded not catching the hint of sarcasm, but realizing how uncomfortably the whole greeting was forced. The dinner continued in this manner. Lou barely glanced at the woman that had stirred her emotions. She watched the way that the boys watched Manatawa. Lou noticed how Manatawa and Kid’s eyes connected, more than once. The tenseness inside her was too strong, so halfway through the meal she excused herself and joined Lightning in the barn.
Later that evening the riders found themselves in a heated game of cards, and, at the same time, intently listening to Mana’s story. Rachel and Teaspoon had both retired for the evening, and Lou was still nowhere to be found, but only one person noticed her absence, and she was in no place to ask questions.
“Teaspoon said you were looking for your family?” Kid commented. He smelled a great story hidden beneath the eyes of the woman in front of them. Mana looked away, and Kid immediately felt guilt set upon his heart. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to pry,” he said as he retreated.
“No, no need to be sorry. Teaspoon is right, I am searching for my
family, a sister, I think. When my mother was only six months old, she was abandoned
in the forest. My uncle, the chief of my tribe, found her and took her in. When
she was 13, she was promised to Wild Fox, the chief’s nephew and they were
married at the age of seventeen. I was born two years later. A fair-skinned,
blue eyed half-breed was accepted as family, but I was still considered an outsider
amongst most
of the tribe. When I was eight, the white army came charging into our village
in hopes to free the white ‘captives’. Many of the men were out on
an extended hunting trip, including my father. My mother and two other white
women were taken, and the remaining men went chasing after the gang. The tribal
members stood no chance against the white army at daylight, so they waited until
nightfall. The white women of the tribe, three in all, were being held in a
small tent just outside of the army’s camp, and when everything was quiet,
the women tried to escape. The massacre lasted no more than four minutes, and
all the men were killed. My mother was the only woman who survived the escape
and miraculously made it back to the village. She died shortly after she returned
to tell her story. I barely remember the actual events, but I have heard the
story so many times, I know it has to be real,” the group took a moment
of silence.
“You said you were looking for your sister?” Buck asked. In the whole story he had heard no mention of another sibling.
“Yes, when my mother was taken, she was with child, and due any day…when she returned, the baby was gone.”
