They questioned each other on their intentions for some time and finally Juan invited him into the village. He offered the man a seat next to the fire and gave him a wooden mug filled with hot cocoa (a gift from Enoch). The man was pleased and drank his mug quickly, ignoring the temperature of the beverage. Juan offered him another which he accepted.
He introduced himself as Kosati and answered that this was his land (he called the land Tanasqui).
“How long have your people lived here?” Juan asked.
“We have been here for three generations. My ancestors lived further south and long ago, my grandfather’s father met a group of fierce warriors called Calusa. The Calusa spoke of a river to the north and of spirits that lived as men.
“My grandfather was told this story and came to this land. This village was already here but he was afraid to enter. Our people settled further downriver.”
His village was Cvtonunga (which he pronounced Chatonunga). He explained the name meant dwelling place under the rock and to emphasize, he pointed at the large mountain that shadowed the valley.
Several springs went by and Juan began thinking of the village of the Nephilim; he was unsure if the village still even stood. He decided he would wait until after the spring thaw and then visit the village.
The journey west along the Snake River took several weeks but he finally came to the site where the village had been located. He found the buildings rotted and collapsed; only decaying posts sunk into the mounds remained.
Among the rubble were very few clues about how the ethereal men spent their time on earth. He walked through the site looking for anything that would shed more light on who they were as a people but the village did little to accomplish that goal.
He spent a few days in the village before deciding to return to his valley. He gave the site one more walk through and discovered something he had missed previously: on one of the rotting posts was etched a single word – Elioud.
The following decades saw many British and French move into the valley to establish colonies – colonies that infringed on tribal lands. Where there had been decades of peace, those tribes fought back and massacres occurred on both sides.
The level of fighting erupted when Dragging Canoe came to the valley. Juan met with him and found him to be angry but reasonable. Dragging Canoe, Juan learned, felt strongly about the intruding settlers and had left his own home lands when his people would not take action against the settlers. He came to the valley to make an impression.
After month in the valley, Dragging Canoe made his first attack on a British settlement. His success persuaded numerous tribes to band with him and under the leadership of Dragging Canoe, they assaulted other British villages.
As new warriors came to the valley, the promise of blood became louder by Dragging Canoe. “We will drive them back to their own lands. If they do not go, we will drink their blood over their dead bodies and burn their villages to ashes.”
The British responded with five thousand soldiers. They came peacefully but were armed for much more. They called for a meeting with Dragging Canoe and the leaders of the tribes. A meeting was held and conditions were offered; despite Dragging Canoe’s refusal to submit, the other leaders overruled him and secured a treaty.
Dragging Canoe was furious and left the valley with three hundred warriors, vowing to continue uniting tribes against the invaders.
Juan was thankful for the treaty as the army marched out of the valley into the eastern horizon. That evening, however, a regiment of fifty men on horseback returned, riding straight to his village.
Juan watched the regiment approach and the commander arrive at the earthen doorway of the village. He dismounted his horse and offered in English, “I am Colonel John Briggs. Might I have a word with you?”
Juan nodded and gestured towards the fire outside of his lodge. The commander entered the village alone while the remainder of the regiment waited just outside of the wall. Briggs looked around the village, taking in its defenses and capabilities. “You are not native to this land?” he asked as more of a formality.
“Are any of us?” Juan answered. “I am Spanish but I have lived in this land for many years.”
“Ah, Spanish. I thought as much. And yet you speak English well.” Briggs’ eyes continued the observation. “This village was here when you arrived?”
“Aye,” Juan answered. He knew how this conversation would end. It was obvious the army looked to establish a fort within the valley to keep an eye on Dragging Canoe.
“Do you mind if my men stay here for the evening, in your village?” Briggs asked the expected question. “We have been ordered to remain in the valley to keep an eye on Dragging Canoe, to see if he will break the new treaty.”
Juan did not answer immediately. He knew that Briggs and his men would stay in the village whether Juan agreed or not. He had met many men like Briggs before.
He rose to his feet and Briggs joined him. “You knew the answer before you entered,” Juan challenged, “and that answer is you’re not welcome here.”
Briggs smiled. “I thought that might be your answer. Very well.”
He whistled loudly and his men dismounted their horses and came into the village with swords drawn and muskets aimed. “Are you sure you won’t reconsider?” he asked amused.
Juan did not answer. Briggs looked at him and expected to see fear in Juan’s eyes. Instead, he saw a man whose eyes were old beyond their years and that had seen much death; he saw a man who was not only unafraid but confident.
