Princess Pocobowwow

written for a contest for First peoples....

Written using a picture prompt

Pictograph  (13+) Image prompt contest for First Peoples' Tribe #1606922 by Kristi

Soaring Eagle sat in the sweat lodge alone, drops of perspiration ran down his face as he closed his eyes to pray. There was no shame in his heart when he prayed on behalf of his beloved grandson. The boy's mother had died in childbirth. A breech birth and hard labor had taken its toll on both the young Indian princess and her offspring. The young woman now danced in spirit with her ancestors and the boy remained behind to walk this world crippled. The elder knew that Shy Wolf was affected by his close call with death. There was a terrible struggle between the Gods of the spirit world and the Great Mother Earth, both who wanted the boy as their own. They played tug-a-war with his soul and his body now wore the battle scars. The Mother of Earth had won and the boy, however special he might be to the Gods, had a hard time in the world of the living. The other children of the tribe shied away from him, he could not run and play with them, instead Shy Wolf hobbled slowly around camp alone most of the time. The others did not realize yet the unique power that his deformity held. They only saw him as different. The young boy was lonely and cried often; asking his grandfather why he did not have any friends. Finally, the old man retreated to the lodge to plead with the Great Spirit to intervene, to help the young child through his difficult journey into manhood.



Shy Wolf sat by his hearth and watched his wise grandfather enter the prayer room. He had no idea what his elder was doing and he knew it was not his place to ask. He looked over to see his peers running around the camp playing a new game they had made up. No one had asked him to join in; they knew he would not be able to keep up as his legs were bent and crooked and even walking was hard for him.



Shy Wolf had been told about the great struggle between the Gods when he was born, but he did not care. He wished the Earth Mother had lost the battle. He wished he was with his mother in the spirit world. Shy Wolf would not have felt so alone, being with the mother he never knew and all his ancestors who had gone before him. In the spirit world his body would be whole, not twisted and mangled. He put his head down in his hands and cried, feeling the bitterness seep slowly into his heart. Shy Wolf's spirit was beginning to feel the effects of his poisoned thoughts when he felt something slick and wet lick his hands. Startled, scuttling backwards, Sky Wolf stared in disbelief into the eyes of a wolf. Wondering if this was a spirit wolf, coming to take him to his mother, the lad looked around and saw everyone moving about unaware of the wolf who had entered their camp. It must be a spirit! No one else is seeing the wolf! In truth, no one paid much attention to the quiet, sedentary boy. The wolf whimpered and moved closer to the boy. The boy tentatively reached out a hand to feel the course gray hair of the wolf. The wolf gingerly stepped closer when Shy Wolf noted the wolf was just a pup and was injured. The pup's leg seemed to have been pulled out of socket. The canine whined as the boy touched the protruding knob in the pup's leg. This wolf could not from the spirit world if he was injured! Without thinking, the Shy Wolf scooped up the pup in his arms and hobbled as fast as he could to the sweat lodge. He pushed back the heavy animal hide closure and entered the sweltering heat. Spying his grandfather sitting in the corner of the mud hut, he called out in excitement. “Grandfather, look!” A grin spread on the old man’s weathered face. His prayers had been answered.



Soaring Eagle and Shy Wolf exited the sweat lodge in silence. As they walked slowly back to their own camp, the others suddenly noticed the boy and gasped when they saw the predator he held in his arms. They whispered amongst themselves but dared not approach the Elder. Their curiosity was tempered by respect and protocol. No matter how peculiar or strange the situation was, they did not question the reasoning or actions of the great medicine man. They averted their gaze and tried to resume normal activity as the two disappeared into their tent. They had known that the old man had taken refuge into the sweat lodge to pray after he had instructed everyone he was not to be disturbed. His conversations with the Spirit world were always done in total privacy and they did not know how the young crippled child and the wolf had come to join the man in the sweat lodge without their noticing. They were all somewhat frightened, secretly wondering, what the two were doing with a wild carnivore.



“Grandfather, may I keep her?” Shy Wolf asked as the pup licked the boys face. "She is hurt, can you fix her?”



The wise old healer replied, “Yes, my son, I can and will. She may be different, unable to run like her wolf cousins, but she is special, like you. You will be her family now and she will be your friend. The spirits have provided you an unusual, but very suitable companion. You will help her as she will help you. The Great Spirits have shown me the future and you are the first of many who will call wolf, “friend.” I told you you were destined for something great, Sky Wolf."



The boy smiled wide. “I will name her Princess Poca BowWow, after my mother.”



(word count= 976 out of a limit of 1000)