Kimani waits, allowing the runners to pass her and she grins. She crawls on all fours towards the river where the canoes wait. Grunting she dares to pop up, hoping that her light-colored hair will not give her away and runs to the edge of the field. Year, after, year, she has participated in this game. Never, until now, had she hoped to be caught, but she will not give in so easily. If he wants to claim her, Ahote will have to use every skill he possesses. She learned quickly that the beads on her dress and moccasins gave away their location. That will be the first thing to go once she reaches the river.
As she breaks free of the field of tall grass near the river, she works her way up to the canoes. Cathedral peak is just on the other side of the Snake River. It rises above her with over twelve thousand feet of sheer cliffs. The runoff from the mountain feeds the large river and provides life for those who know how to live off it.
Giggling girls run past her, and she watches with a grin as they hide beneath the vessels. Others run to the horses, hoping they will hide them. Some run to the trees, climbing as high as they dare. Even more head to the other side of the village, past the tepees to the rock slides to hide amongst the large boulders on the bank. Kimani will hide in plain sight. It always surprised her to find that she could circle back around and move through the village. Under cover of darkness, with music, food, and drink, most will not pay her any mind. Usually, she waits it out in her tepee near the woods.
Careful to go silently, she’s shocked to feel a blow from behind. Pain erupts behind her eyes, and she grabs at her head, falling to the ground. When the ringing stops in her ears, she stares up in shock.
“Ahote, is mine, Sadeema,” Powaka sneers over her.
The back of her head is throbbing, and when she looks at her hand, she is shocked to see blood. A group of four surround her and her stomach drops.
“Dosabite sadeema!” White Dog, they shout as her companions kick her in the ribs. Kimani blocks as best she can. They tear at her buckskin dress and rip the turquoise beads her sister helped sew. Fury erupts, and Kimani grabs two fistfuls of muddy, dirty rocks and tosses them at their eyes.
Screams erupt, and she scrambles to her feet. Kimani throws a swift punch at the closest of them. This time when she runs, it’s for her own safety.
The game is forgotten, she knows what will happen if they catch her again. Her usual hiding place will not be an option, they’re blocking the way back to the village. Splashing along the muddy bank of the river away from the village, she pauses a fraction of a second. When she hears the horn blow, signaling the release of the men the women scream threats at her again.
Disappointment clouds her heart, this is not a game she can win. Tonight, hatred is bigger than hope. A thrown rock catches her cheek, cutting and bruising her and jarring her from her thoughts. “Run, dog!” Powaka screams, and Kimani runs to the one place she knows she will be safe.
Their laughter follows her as she runs away. Kimani runs until she comes to the deepest bend in the river. They were taught to avoid a treacherous swim in the fast-moving rapids. Female laughter sounds out sealing her decision. Kimani rushes into the frigid river. Once, when she was five her mother, Mitema showed her the way. Floating to the center she allows the water to carry her where her feet no longer touch the bottom, then she dives deep, swimming towards the spot where the rocks become warm. The temperature changes, going from ice cold to a subtle warmth. Kimani counts the stones as she was taught. Fifteen stones placed for just this purpose to show her the way. They lead down, until finally starting to rise. Desperate for air, she kicks swiftly rising through the dark abyss and breaking free with a gasp.
Pain erupts as she drags herself from the river into a small grotto. With an arm around her ribs, she drops onto the cold ground, coughing and gasping. “Move, Kimani,” she orders.
The inky, black, darkness doesn’t scare her. She has been here many times with her family, and it’s a shared secret amongst only the Chief and his children. Shivering, she forces herself to feel along the ground until she finds the large boulders. Two, side by side, and tucked between them is the rolled-up hides. Pain ripples through her ribs and she smirks when she thinks of what Dr. Harris Rivers will have to say the next time he sees her. He’s patched her up on more than one occasion. The Rivers family shared the land with the Shoshone and Harris is the only white man they would trust with the health of the tribe members. The last time she spoke to him they fought. She touches her lips thinking of his kiss and remembers the shock on his face and hers when the passion flared between them.
‘How long will you allow them to abuse you?’ Harris demanded.
‘You don’t understand our ways, Harris,’ she snapped while he wrapped her bruised ankle.
‘No, I don’t. We don’t abuse the women in our family,’ he hissed.
‘Don’t you?” She jerks her foot away from him. “I’ve seen what white men do to each other, and the women have no rights. Leave me in peace.’ She grabs the gauze
