Nosh?

Chapter Two

“Are you denying my daughter?” A voice nobody had thought they’d ever hear again said and the crowd parted as I ran away from Helushka.

“Nosh!!” I yelled hugging my father. Nosh meant ‘father’ in our language.

“Aponi.” He smiled kissing my head, “You’re all grown up my girl.” He looked around expectantly, “Where’s your momma?”

“You didn’t really think she’d stay on the reservation did you?” Shimasani asked.

“I thought she would for Aponi we both agreed no matter how she felt about the reservation it was the best place for our girl.”

“I stayed here with Shimasani until a couple months ago.” I whispered.

“Then with who?”

“Mom made me move in with her and…”

“And?”

“Parental two.” I whispered

“Parental two?”

“He has two point five kids and an ex-wife and some corporate job.” I said and everybody shuddered. “She’s changed into a whitey.” I whispered.

“You know I don’t like you calling the white people that, Aponi.” He frowned changing the subject like he always had when something upset him.

“I’m sorry, Nosh.” I put my head down but he lifted it.

“You live with me again, Wenonah.” I smiled widely and hugged him again. I was back home. I would be on the tribe and with my father. I was so happy I didn’t catch the change from just Sitsi to Wenonah; from just daughter to firstborn daughter; until it was too late to even ask him about it without sounding like I was slow. Instead I just moved away from him and his eyes let me know that he’d realized something he’d said had upset me but I moved back over to Helushka so the rest of the tribe just thought I was giving my nosh time to do the appropriate task and greet Chief Heammawihio.

“What’s wrong?” Helushka asked.

“I’m no longer Sitsi.” I whispered, “Did you notice that?”

“I did but I was thinking you didn’t since you didn’t ask him about it.” He nodded but there was a question in his voice.

“It was too late when I got over the joy of getting to be back with him and the tribe.”

“It still doesn’t sound like you to leave something like that alone.” He pushed knowing it was something more.

“Can we talk about it after Chief Heammawihio’s speech?” I whispered and he nodded before moving to go to the men. When the Chief gave a speech we went back to tradition our language went back to the native one instead of the unifying one that everybody used now in tribes that was made of all of the tribes words mixed into one language. We’d all unified and now Native Americans were strong and had land and we were growing in numbers again our traditions coming back. We were a separate nation all together from America and they had given us half the land we now had everything west of the Mississippi again and some people had said it was going back to the olden times. We were happy now though and the government had realized it’s mistakes and fixed them giving us ways to grow and prosper and our land was now back to the way it was before they’d destroyed it many centuries ago. Nosh’s hand on my shoulder brought me out of my thoughts and I realized I’d missed the entire speech.

“Are you ready?” he asked and I nodded smiling as for the first time since I’d gotten onto the tribe I realized the difference between the English and Native American language. I never even realized that I’d switched I just did it. It was automatic I got out of the car here and I spoke my language I got out of the car there and I spoke English unless I got mad then I only spoke English.

“Where are we staying?” I whispered as we walked knowing that he knew I had been thinking during the speech.

“With your Shimasani until the tipi is done.” He nodded his eyes hardening at my confirmation that I hadn’t been listening to our welcome back to the tribe.

“Don’t yell at me you’re the one that disappeared.” I snapped and I felt a hard slap across my face then the tears running done my cheeks.

“You might have lived in the English world but you will not speak English or act English around me young lady.” He ordered and pointed to the river, “Purify yourself.”

“After you tell me how many more kids you have.” I snapped knowing the whole tribe was watching as for the first time I showed just how strong Shimasani had taught me to be against men. I would be the next Medicine Woman and that meant I was allowed to stand up to the men even my Nosh and if he didn’t know that then it was his fault. I felt another slap across my face and saw Shimasani running to interrupt. I waved her off though I needed this I needed a way to vent. “How many children do you have now? Tell me the ages of the children you left this time!!” I screamed losing all control and then I just ran not collapsing and it felt good to run. It helped me escape everything but nobody had missed the fact that I’d also grabbed a bow and some arrows as I’d left. The other women would get things ready for fresh meat for dinner because I would bring back enough for the whole tribe.

Reviews

[Trigorin]

Not bad. You presented the setting fairly well and, although I only happened to read just this chapter, you definitely set up a very distinct tone and atmosphere, so kudos to you for that. One note - the font changes size in the last paragraph. Other than that, though, well done.