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Nez Perce Nee-Me-Poo 

Great Divide Legend 

By Laurel Marie Sobol  

Characters 

Grizzly Bear
Little Chief
Chief Rolling Thunder Flying High Eagle in the Sky Queen White Flower mother of Little Chief -father of Little Chief
Coyote
Lady Dove
Mr. Dove
Nepchuck Coyote -Butterfly Coyote
Stellar Blue Bird
Stella Blue Bird Mate
Red Robin
Red Robin Mate
Little Sparrow
Little Sparrow Mate
Rogue River People
Chief River Falls
Queen Little White Flower
Prince Sage Brush
Princess Azalea
Scouts 

Little White Buffalo Calf Tania
Miss Grizzly Bear When the earth was young, the Great Spirit, God, made the earth, water, sky, plants and animals. The Great Spirit made the world a beautiful heavenly place with brilliant blue skies, pristine lakes, oceans, and rivers, and the earth was filled with plants and trees, filled with fruits, and vegetables of all kinds. So vast was the bountiful fruits of the earth, that all the world was glorious. 

  Grizzly Bear was the ruler of the land, king of the earth, he was huge, reaching up to nearly 15 feet when standing on his hind legs with out stretched arms reaching towards the sky. Grizzly Bears fear nothing on land or in the water or sky. 

  One Grizzly Bear named Grizzly Bear, was the mightiest and biggest grizzly bear of all time! He was knowledgable about where the finest fish were to be found, the healthiest elk, the finest deer, and the patches of juiciest plumpest berries of all kinds. The finest of the fine were all Grizzly Bear’s and his alone. 

Grizzly Bear patrolled his habitat, every square foot of it, and proudly marked his territory by urinating on the trail here and there, and scratching as high as he could reach on trees every so often. Normally a grizzly bear will do these things to mark their territory, especially males, and other bears will do this too for their territory marking, to establish with other animals, the land they call theirs to hunt and fish and gather berries and herbs, and to raise their young. Deer and cougar, badgers, skunks, and many other animals do this as well, to keep other animals away so that they don’t compete for the same foods and run out. He also rubbed his back and backside on trees to keep his scent fresh and ward off all intruders. 

Grizzly Bear did not have to worry about other bears in his territory and habitat, they all ran away, and lived far away from Grizzly Bear. One look at his old sour face, and they did not want to see that ever again! 

Grizzly Bear had built up quite a reputation for being mean, proud, greedy, and unwilling to share his habitat with any other competition. Grizzly Bear was just finishing his patrol of his habitat and territory for the day. It had taken him six months to walk from the beginning to the end of his lands. He was tired of all the walking and marking of trees and land, and he was extra grumpy. His face was tired, his fur needed grooming, because he had not been able to take out the burs and pine needles, honey drippings, and other plant debris in his long honey colored fur. 

  Grumpy Grizzly Bear was exhausted and extra cranky! Coyote had come to visit Grizzly Bear. Coyote said, “How are you today Grizzly Bear?” 

Grizzly Bear replied, “I’m tired and sore, hungry and beleaguered! It is nice to see you Coyote! How are you?” 

Coyote answered, “I’m great Grizzly Bear. Thank you for asking.” 

Coyote looked a little sheepishly at Grizzly Bear adding, “Grizzly Bear, there is something you should know. Great Spirit, God, is making People!” 

  After saying this to Grizzly Bear, Coyote said, “I must be off into the great wilderness, so good bye for now!” 

  Coyote disappeared into the woods as silently as he had arrived, no trace left behind, other than the look on Grizzly Bear’s face. 

  The sky turned black as night, thunder began to roll, and lightning flashed in a turbulent fury of light and crashing thunder! 

  Grizzly Bear remained frozen in his tracks thinking of what Coyote had just relayed to him about the People! Grizzly Bear’s eyes began to pop out of his face, he tried to think but a haze filled his mind, he tried to move, but his feet were like lead, heavy and unable to move. Rain began to fall, pelting him harder and harder with icy cold rain, in the middle of great weather, winter seemed to set in. 

  Grizzly Bear still didn’t move. The icy rain turned to sleet, and then snow, in a matter of minutes. Grizzly Bear was smart, his intelligence above most of the animals around him, altogether if the animals were added up in their intellectual sum of intelligence, yet, Grizzly Bear was tongue tied, he could not talk out loud or silently to himself, his body began to tremble, not from being cold and subjected to a fluke snow storm in almost summer time of year. No. Grizzly Bear was shaking from emotions, and he was a mess, because his domain and territory were under assault and threat by the People! 

  Grizzly Bear told himself to chill. He said to himself after a considerable time period, “Calm down and breath slow and deep. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.” 

  Two doves were high above Grizzly Bear in their nest, they saw that their friend and neighbor was distressed greatly, and Lady Dove spoke to Grizzly Bear, “Try not to be upset Grizzly Bear, Coyote is just up to trouble, by telling you his story, don’t be upset!” 

  Mr. Dove agreed, “Grizzly Bear, Coyote did not stay long to chat with you, nor to comfort you. Surely he 

knew this would be hard information for you to know. Try to shake off your bad mood. Things will surely be okay in time.” 

  The doves returned to softly cooing snuggled together in their nest blowing heavily in the wind and storm. 

  Grizzly Bear heard the words spoken, but they rushed out the other side of his ear, leaving him feeling as empty as ever. 

  The storm raged on around him, and his feet finally responded to his command to move. He moved toward the woods, to his special burrow beneath giant ancient old growth forest trees, where his home was deep under and among roots that were almost as big around as he was. The trees that must have been over a thousand years old, his trees, his home, his friends. 

  Grizzly Bear stumbled into his lair, and tumbled into a fetal position snuggling into the warmth of the ancient arms of his beloved tree roots... 

  Grizzly Bear found comfort here, and he began to relax his tight jowls, and as he relaxed, he could begin to think like he needed to.    

  Grizzly Bear thought, ‘How can this be, People are going to be made by God, and then they will take away everything I have, and I can’t allow this.’ 

  Grizzly Bear relaxed more, and took comfort in his surroundings. He would not let the People take over his country and universe, no he would keep everything and that would be that! 

  Finally Grizzly Bear fell asleep. 

  The next morning Grizzly Bear awoke and was in a much better mood. The sun was shining, and the previous day of rain had made all the plants perkier. 

  He thought of other things than People, because he knew that the time when that happened, would be very far off in the future. 

Grizzly Bear began to head off in the direction of his favorite berry patches. Every patch of berries had to be grazed every day, by Grizzly Bear, to keep him healthy, Vitamin C at healthy levels, and to be more energetic. 

  The sun shone down on Grizzly Bear’s head as he moved from one luscious berry to the next, patch of berries after patch of berries. Soon Grizzly Bear’s stomach was bursting with berries! 

  Grizzly Bear loved to laze in the summer like sunshine, into the early afternoon. Then when he wanted meat, which was not every day, he would hunt in the evening or early morning

  His favorite meal was salmon and trout. After his nap, with his tummy full of berries, he dreamed of which fishing hole he wanted to catch fish. Or did he want to catch fish as they jumped up the water falls, those were the questions he asked himself. 

  Grizzly Bear decided to make his way from one end of the river closest to him now, and slowly move his way up stream until he found all the salmon he wanted to eat. 

  Grizzly Bear was a formidable figure, moving slowly like a tsunami through the sea, on land he moved and rippled like the tall early summer grasses, a bastion of a ship like animal, king of the world! 

  Grizzly bear got to the river and fished for his food. He found and caught one salmon and trout after the next. He was soon so filled with fish, that he needed to nap again. Now it was early evening, and he was tired and full, so he went to sleep beneath the branches of ancient growth fur trees. The wind singing through the pine needles was like a balm of song to his heart and mind. 

  The trees sang a song to Grizzly Bear as he slept like a baby beneath his good friends, the fir pine trees. The pines whispered to Grizzly Bear, telling him to be brave, good, strong, free, and joyous.
 The whispering pines told Grizzly Bear, “Grizzly Bear we are your loving faithful friends, we love you and we want to shade your body from the harsh elements, and we want to sing love songs to your dear heart.” 

  After Grizzly Bear woke up, he felt extra good, full and happy. He felt like a love permeated his being, his heart was young and hopeful, and his spirit soared with the prospect of life ahead of him. 

  The comforting words of the doves had been heard, and he smiled to himself. 

  When Grizzly Bear saw the doves he said, “Hello Doves, thank you for your kind words yesterday.” 

  The doves peered down at Grizzly and cooed softly. 

  The days rolled by like this for some time. Grizzly Bear grew more relaxed and in charge every day. 

  Summer was well under way and Grizzly Bear was just leaving for his berry patches, to glean and clean the berries all off the branches, he could taste the berries now, and he was only a few yards away. 

  He had tunnel vision for the berries, and he lumbered towards the first bushes laden with ripe raspberries. An object seemed to sprout up out of nowhere, right in front of the berry patch. A People was right there in front of him! 

  A little person was grabbing a handful of the ripest berries, and blocking Grizzly Bear from his portion. 

  Grizzly Bear grew intolerant, his old rage grew up from the pit of his belly, and anger sprinkled his words, “I am Grizzly Bear! How dare you eat berries from my berry patch! I know you are a People! This is my land, my country, my Turtle Island! This all belongs to me from as far as you can see in a full circle, then add to that thousands of miles in every direction outward of that circle! 

  Who are you to eat my plumpest ripest berries? I will have none of this! I am going to eat you up, every last bit of you, nothing of you will be uneaten!” 

  The little People said, “My name is Little Chief, and I am not afraid of you not even one iota! I don’t care If you do eat all of me, or any of me, because I am more than the sum of my body! I am more than my body, because my soul, my spirit is pure and good, and nothing can destroy my spirit, or my unseen heart!” 

  Grizzly Bear reeled around, dust kicking up all around him, and he reared to his full height! He replied, “You Little Chief are not afraid of me? You are not worried that I will end your life and consume every bit of you? No?” 

  Little Chief said, “Grizzly Bear, you are right, I am not afraid of you.” 

  Grizzly Bear could not hide his puzzlement, he did not quite get the words of Little Chief. Slowly, he 

mulled it over in his mind, grasping what it was that Little Chief had said. Grizzly Bear thought, how is it possible? It can’t be possible! Yet Little Chief is here in front of me and he is calm and serene, unafraid to his core and I am amazed! 

  Grizzly Bear said to Little Chief, “You are brave, and I have never met anyone like you. You are not like any other animal I know, or anyone else. Because you are so brave, calm, and good, I will spare your life. I will not eat you. I will be your friend.” 

  Little Chief listened carefully to the words of Grizzly Bear, his mind processed them and reflected on what Grizzly Bear had just said. 

  Little Chief said, “Thank you Grizzly Bear, I will be happy to be your friend.” 

  Grizzly Bear shook the hand of Little Chief, they were now friends and brothers. 

  Grizzly Bear and Little Chief were very happy, they smiled and beamed at one another, they physically relaxed and felt great! 

  Grizzly Bear said, “I am very happy you and I are great friends and brothers now. I want to share all that is mine with you from now on. I want to show you my favorite berry patches, my medicinal herbs, my home beneath the ancient oaks, and much more! 

  I want to take you to the finest fishing holes that belong to me. I will take you across the country, along the ridge of the Great Divide, and into the great Yellowstone plateau, where I have my hunting grounds for buffalo!” 

  Little Chief was excited, he had a new best friend and brother, and Grizzly Bear knew all the best places to hunt and gather food and medicine! Little Chief felt very happy about everything in his life. 

  Unfortunately, Little Chief and Grizzly Bear thought of nothing else but being together. Little Chief’s parents and tribal members, did not know his whereabouts, and could only send out scouts to try to find him. They thought Little Chief may have gone on a vision quest, and that he would be fine. The village Little Chief lived in was known to be thorough in training even it’s youngest members how to find food, roots, berries, to trap small animals to live on, and how to find bird eggs so they would not starve. Children at young ages were taught how to catch fish too. 

  There was not a red alert going on after Little Chief disappeared, because his parents and tribe knew he was not without knowledge on how to survive, how to make a lean to shelter to protect himself against the elements. Little Chief should not have gone off on his own, but now that he had, the tribe and especially his parents, would work on bringing him back home safely.   Albeit it might take a little while or longer to do so. 

  Typically in many villages, the People encouraged vision quests of the youths, and it was not unusual for children as young as eight years old to go on a vision quest. At the early age of 8 to 10 years old, this young age was not considered too young by the Nez Perce Nee-Me-Poo indigenous peoples. Perhaps the Nez Perce Nee-Me-Poo were the people who had the youngest people in the world to go on vision quests. 

  The indigenous Rogue River People, sometimes sent their lady youths with the lady youths of the Nez Perce to have a joint vision quest, but not all the time. The two tribes, one at the bottom of Oregon and the Nez Perce at the top, made getting together a seldom event, a festive time though and pot luck, and dancing, sharing and story telling pow wow. 

  On the vision quest, which did include people of all ages, generally one person at a time, seldom did two people go on a vision quest together. The vision quest was vital to a person for discovery and for purity of the body and mind and soul. On a vision quest, fasting was done, for at least a day, and up to several days. Minimum amounts of food were allowed on vision quests. The important thing was to commune with God, the Great Spirit of all that is, and find out from the Great Spirit, what it was that he wanted of them in life, on a short term, a long term and or a middle term. 

  A first vision quest was essential for every able bodied village member. On the first vision quest it was hoped that the person on the vision quest would get a name. Dreams and visions are important to all people in the world, and especially spiritual people. 

  Through the purification of the vision quest, with the spirit, body and mind in a good place with God, it was possible and is possible, for people of all ages to obtain a blessing from the Great Spirit, who shows people their animal brother and name connected with it. Perhaps it is not an animal, it may be a flower, or something related to nature and energy. It is up to the person on a vision quest to take the knowledge, and visions obtained while on the vision quest, to decipher it’s meaning, and with the help of the village medicine man or woman, to help figure out what the vision means. 

  The name obtained in this way from a vision quest is considered very important for the life of the person who had their vision quest. 

*** 

  Grizzly Bear was talking to Little Chief about his plans to share his wonderful world with him, “You know what Little Chief? I think we will get along famously together. We will travel together so far and high and wide, that you will feel heaven everywhere we go. I feel this way, so I think you will too. You will have to see just what I mean. We shall set off today with nothing but each other. All our food and everything we need will be around us, so we need not worry. There is an abundance of foods and herbs and meats to be had at this time of year, so how about it?” 

  Grizzly Bear eyed Little Chief with a bright twinkle in each eye as he waited for him to respond. 

  Little Chief said, “Let’s go Grizzly Bear, what are we waiting for?” 

  Grizzly Bear laughed out loud, and Little Chief laughed with him. 

  Little Chief said, “Well what are we waiting for Grizzly Bear? Let’s go!” 

  Grizzly Bear said, “Little Chief we have much walking ahead of us for quite some time. You can ride on my shoulders and back, depending on whether or not I am on my four legs or two hind legs, you ride with and on me!” 

  Little Chief thought this was a great idea and responded, “I love you Grizzly Bear, please let me up and let’s go!” 

  Grizzly Bear lay down on the ripening late spring grasses, so that Little Chief could climb up on him easily. 

  Little Chief gingerly and excitedly climbed up the backside of Grizzly Bear, laughing like the bubbling of a brook in spring. Little Chief was full of joy as was his new best friend and companion, and now fellow traveler, Grizzly Bear. 

  As soon as Little Chief adjusted his weight on the top of Grizzly Bear’s shoulders, and snuggled into his thick lush fur, he said, “I’m ready Grizzly Bear, whenever you are!” 

  Grizzly Bear responded, “Let’s go son!”
  With that Grizzly Bear easily got up on his hind legs and began the long journey east. 

  Grizzly Bear had the biggest happiest smile on his face that he ever had since he was born, many moons ago... 

  The two set off in the beautiful day, the sun was moving swiftly toward eventide, and in a few hours it would set. A soft persistent summer breeze blew the high prairie grasses and the grasses and plants and trees they came upon. 

 Grizzly Bear took great pride in walking smoothly and at a good pace. At times he needed to rest and stop for water or berries. Little Chief would welcome these opportunities to stretch out his legs and run about playing hide and seek with Grizzly Bear. 

  Grizzly Bear knew exactly where Little Chief was every time, but pretended to be surprised every time Little Chief found a new hiding place. 

  Grizzly Bear took great pride in his new friendship and brotherhood with Little Chief. Grizzly Bear felt extra important with his job of guiding, sharing, and being with Little Chief. Little Chief would be loved, protected, honored, and valued for his entire life. 

  Grizzly Bear didn’t know it, but that is how Little Chief felt towards Grizzly Bear too. 

  Before long it was time to move along on their adventure, and after drinking thoroughly from a crystal clear and clean spring, that bubbled forth out of the earth, and then consuming as many blue berries as they could hold in their stomach’s, it was time to ramble onward. 

  Little Chief gladly climbed up on Grizzly Bear’s back, and Grizzly Bear lumbered along on all four legs. Grizzly Bear moved like a giant mountain, so smoothly and rapidly, that he appeared to flow like water through the areas he moved, and with Little  Chief riding on his back and shoulders, the two travelers looked like a picture of a charging steed with a gallant knight moving like lightning, and as though they were on a conveyor belt. 

  Grizzly Bear and Little Chief were on an adventure that would change the course of history. They were forming a bond that would endure into the next life, and a legend that would not be forgotten. Grizzly Bear and Little Chief were forging a nation, only they did not know it at the time. For the time being, they were just having the time of their lives, free as the wind, free as the birds, free as the grass growing all around them, and as free as the ancient pines and evergreens that were older than a thousand years old! 

  Night was coming on. Grizzly Bear and Little Chief found a glade of late spring lush grasses amid a gently flowing stream with gentle rapids that sang delicate romantic melodies to all the wildlife and plants around. A big boulder with a vast recess made a perfect cave and protection from the elements, yet they could still peer out at the night sky and watch the gazillion stars and Milky Way spread out across the sky as the night unfolded and gently opened into dawn the next day. 

  Grizzly Bear and Little Chief were happy to have such a nice nest that night, and refreshed themselves at the water’s edge, being careful not to fall in amid the slippery stones on the edge of the brook. The water was pure, clear, and reflected the blue of the evening sky. The water not only refreshed Grizzly Bear and Little Chief, but it also refreshed their spirit’s and heart and minds. 

  The water was like a spiritual force of nature, and they were part of nature, not separate, but one with it. 

The Walla Walla Valley was pristine, the area where Little Chief was born and raised, and where he was still growing up. Little Chief had been foraging for foods, when adventure and imagination drove him further and further away from his family, his village, and his home. Little Chief met up with Grizzly Bear at the area known as east of the Columbia River, in the area where the Salmon River merges the Columbia River. The Salmon River originating in the Saw Tooth Mountains in Idaho, is now the westerly fork of the Columbia River. 

  After a few days spent together, and two nights under the granite rock cave, beside a brook, Grizzly Bear and Little Chief were on the go again moving east by following the river plains and skirting the Salmon River, camping beside little tributaries and brooks, and bigger streams and water falls. 

  Little Chief and Grizzly Bear felt excited and exuberant every morning. First they got up and greeted the day. More and more often, Little Chief found comfort in snuggling next to his big beautiful furry friend, Grizzly Bear, while he slept. 

  There was never an absence of food, the Salmon River, the Columbia River, were so loaded with salmon year round, salmon coming up stream and salmon coming down stream, every day and every night. 

  The stream and traffic of steady flowing fish, meant that the People, and the animals, all were healthy and well fed. 

  The salmon were so vast and so thick that they looked like a road or bridge that spanned the river in every direction of water flow. 

  When the late afternoon came, Grizzly Bear did not have to be the only one who foraged and hunted for food and meats. Little Chief could virtually put his hands into the shallower parts of the Salmon River, and grab a giant salmon that would be dinner for both of them. 

  Little Chief had not known of the vast numbers of fish, because his village and life was more to the north, and in the Walla Walla Valley, and mountains, where the tributaries gave an abundance of trout and salmon, but not in the vast numbers that ran l 

the span of the river particularly the Salmon River, western fork of the Columbia. 

  Little Chief smiled at Grizzly Bear after he woke up, and they both yawned and stretched. They headed to a little pure water tributary to clean up and refresh themselves before they ventured to the nearest well stocked berry bushes. 

  The icy cold pure water felt sensational to the two travelers, who drank long and deep gulps of the pure snow melt water. The zing went to their heads, into their hearts, and throughout their bodies. The water was electrifying in a good way, not a shocking way. Their body was one with nature, one with the pure water, one with the Great Spirit God Almighty. 

  *************************************************

 

  Little Chief and Grizzly Bear were oblivious to the future of the country. They were living a life of blissfulness in the western region of the area now known as America, but always known by indigenous peoples as Turtle Island. 

  Little Chief was proud to hunt for the giant fish and Grizzly Bear helped him haul it to the shore, where they could eat the raw meat, sushi, fresh, pink and filled with Vitamin A and many nutrients and protein, good for bear and boy. 

  Little Chief could light a fire, he carried flint stone and very dry bark powder to help him easily start a fire. Some nights and days, Little Chief preferred to have cooked salmon, but at times, he was too tired to make a fire and wait for the fish to cook to perfection. 

  After Grizzly Bear and Little Chief finished their giant salmon dinner, they saved a little for breakfast and food for the trail. Little Chief took some strips of the salmon fillet, and dried them on some extremely hot river rocks, so they would be able to snack on the trail.    

  The sun dried the fish rapidly, and thoroughly. Then Little Chief wrapped up the salmon in lots of broad ancient oak leaves and rolled them up, and tucked them in his little pouch attached to his belt of buckskin leather, just like his buckskin leather shirt and pants. 

  Even though he was a boy, he had nice deer skin clothing that his mother made for him by hand. His mother’s name was White Flower, and his father’s name was Chief Rolling Thunder Flying High Eagle in the Sky. 

  Little Chief just called them Mama and Papa.  After drying the salmon meat, Little Chief was ready to go with Grizzly Bear. 

  Grizzly Bear asked Little Chief, “Would you like to ride on my shoulders or back Little Chief?” 

  Little Chief replied, “I will ride on your back Grizzly Bear, the work of drying the salmon, wrapping it up, and getting us ready to go has tired me out a bit, so I will hop on your back, and try to sleep there as you walk us to our next destination. You walk so smoothly that I feel like a baby in a cradle, or a ship on the sea in gently waves that don’t make you sea sick.” 

  Grizzly Bear chuckled and a big grin spread from his eyes to his mouth, and his arms went out to give Little Chief a bear hug, because he felt so happy and loved Little Chief so much. 

   Little Chief flowed into Grizzly Bears embrace, and they stayed that way for several moments. Both getting the love and friendship and brotherhood warmth from one to the other, a very wonderful thing. 

  Grizzly Bear said, “Are you ready young man?” Little Chief said, “Let’s go Grizzly Bear!” 

  Grizzly said, “Okay let’s go!” 

  Grizzly Bear lowered his body to the ground and waited for Little Chief to jump on top of his back. 

  Little Chief was up on Grizzly Bear’s back in a flash. 

  Away the two went, Little Chief holding onto the long fur of Grizzly Bear, as he adjusted his form to the shape and back of Grizzly Bear’s back. Little Chief let his face snuggle deep into the fur of Grizzly Bear. The fur was so lush, so thick, and so cozy, that Little Chief fell asleep before he knew it. Little Chief dreamed of sailing on the high plains along the Salmon River, moving like thunder and lightning across the skies, his dreams were so vivid, so clear and so real, he felt like he was really doing all of these things. 

  Grizzly Bear made good speed with the light weight of Little Chief on his back. Grizzly Bear felt very loving toward Little Chief, and that meant protective too. Little Chief was in good hands with Grizzly Bear leading the way. 

  It was hours later, in the afternoon, when Grizzly Bear had to stop for a long refreshing break, so he gently lay down on the golden grasses along the Salmon River, and with the motion stopped, Little Chief got off Grizzly Bears back, so they could both go the the rivers edge and drink of the pure clean icy cold river water. Little Chief splashed his face and arms and feet. Grizzly Bear splashed water on his face and arms too. 

  Grizzly Bear said, “This water is incomparable, it is so delicious.” 

  Little Chief nodded his head in agreement. Little Chief added, “Are you going to rest a while Grizzly Bear? I can go look for some berries for us if you are tired and need to rest.” 

  Grizzly Bear said, “Yes, I need to rest for about an hour, so go ahead and look for some berries, but come right back and don’t go far. I don’t want to lose sight of you from where I will be resting and he pointed to a stand of fir trees making a beautiful shade near by, “I will be in the shade among those fir trees, and I think I saw some nice berry patches just west of here, where we passed a short time ago.” 

  Little Chief said, “Okay Grizzly Bear, you go rest, and I will stay within sight of you, don’t worry.” 

  Grizzly Bear replied, “Alright Little Chief, I’m heading to my nap now, I’ll meet up with you in about an hour more or less.” 

  Little Chief said, “Okay Grizzly Bear, I will see you soon, happy rest to you!” 

  Grizzly Bear smiled broadly as he meandered to the shady trees and comfortably snuggled among the still green foliage at the base of the trees. 

  Little Chief smiled to himself, thinking how fortunate he was to have such a great brother and friend in Grizzly Bear, and he meandered towards the direction Grizzly Bear had told him to go to find the berries he wanted to find. 

  Little Chief saw the berry patch and could smell the delightful ripe berries radiating energy and goodness in the late afternoon sun. He was picking the berries happily and softly humming to himself, thinking how sweet life was here on the high plains moving east along the western fork of the Columbia River, with his best friend. 

  A soft rustling sound came to Little Chief’s ears as he gathered his first fist full of ripened blackberries. Little Chief looked in the direction from which the rustling sounds came from. He peered deep into the berry bushes and a few feet away, were big golden green amber eyes looking deep into his eyes! 

  Little Chief’s eyes enlarged and his face remained calm, just as he had looked calm upon meeting and seeing Grizzly Bear for the first time. 

  Coyote was eying Little Chief speculatively and quizzically. Little Chief was looking back at Coyote just as keenly as he was being observed. Neither Coyote nor Little Chief uttered a word for a while. 

  Coyote came forward a few steps, and looked even closer at Little Chief’s features, saying, “Hello People, I am Coyote, who are you?” 

  Little Chief replied, “I am Little Chief and I am People. I am with my friend Grizzly Bear, who is resting for a short while, but he will be awake soon.” 

  Coyote asked, “How is it you are not an enemy of Grizzly Bear, whom I know well? How did you not get devoured already at your first meeting with Grizzly Bear?” 

  Coyote lowered his head and narrowed his eyes, peering deep into the soul of Little Chief, demanding an answer of Little Chief. 

  Little Chief responded, “Grizzly Bear and I are brothers and best friends, why should you say he would eat me long ago?” 

  Coyote said, “You were Grizzly Bear’s enemy, that’s why!” 

  Little Chief said, “No, Grizzly Bear decided that I was not only worthy of living, but I was worthy of being a friend, his friend in fact, and his brother, and his family, so there Coyote, think about that!” 

  Coyote’s brow wrinkled and his nose wiggled as he drew in the scent of Little Chief, with lots of Grizzly Bear odors on his skin and clothing. 

  Coyote said, “I can read your story with Grizzly Bear, and can tell where you have come and what you have done, because I am a smart Coyote.” 

  Coyote paused to wait for Little Chief to talk. 

  Coyote and Little Chief said nothing, each just looked at one another. 

  Then Little Chief said, “Coyote you are smart, you can read a trail on a person’s body of where they have been and probably where they are going, is that true?” 

  Coyote smiled, “Yes, Little Chief, I am a clever animal and have been around Grizzly Bear my whole life, we are friends too.” 

  Little Chief said, “Coyote, my People need an animal that represents us, in keen intelligence, in brilliance, in aptitude, in being cunning, daring, and well like you.” 

  Coyote blushed, and replied, “Well Little Chief, I didn’t see those compliments coming from you, but now that you said it, I am rather like those things you said I was like!” 

  Little Chief said, “In that case, I am going to say that the People of whom I am and of whom I belong, are now going to be called the Coyote 

  People Nee-Me-Poo! We are like you, we need to be more so like you, cunning in every way, brilliant, intelligent, and able to survive in all adversity and prosperity of what life holds in store for us now and always!” 

  Coyote absorbed the words Little Chief said, and his facial expression changed as the thoughts flowed from the spoken word, to the internal word absorbed by the heart, mind, and body, and flowed to the next dimension to the third eye chakra level of understanding. 

  Coyote went through the processes and tipped his head back and his nose high in the late day sky. His voice sang out in joy and happiness, he sang and laughed at the same time, it sounded like a person making a lot of noise songs at once. 

  Little Chief smiled as he looked at Coyote, and then he joined Coyote in song. Both sang for joy, sang for friendship, sang to the Great Spirit God, and sang to nature. The joy over flowed and brimmed over and soon reached the fir stand where Grizzly Bear had been happily napping. The trees joined in the myth and sang with their pine needles all natural symphonies in full chorus. 

  Grizzly Bear woke upon hearing the music and joy and song all around him. He smiled happily and stretched out, then got up and followed the sound 

of song to where Little Chief and Coyote were singing in full song. 

  Little Chief stopped singing the last note and thought, ‘Oh no! I forgot to get back to may Mama and Papa, and am here!’ 

  Little Chief relaxed and said out loud, “I will tell my family, my village and tribe, that our new name will be The Coyote People! When I return home, whenever that time is!” 

  Little Chief, Coyote and Grizzly Bear laughed out loud and bent over from joy at laughing so hard. 

  Grizzly Bear turned to Coyote adding, “Howdy Coyote, howdy Little Chief! How are you doing and what be you doing in this neck of the woods?” 

  Coyote looked up into Grizzly Bear’s face saying, “I was just in these parts of the forest doing my usual thing, checking out my favorite bunny holes, mice nests, and bird nests for extra little tidbits be it eggs or meats!” 

  Everyone smiled and then Grizzly Bear said, “Would you like to come rest beneath the lovely patch of firs, and let them commune with our souls for a time?” 

  Little Chief and Coyote said, “Indeed we would!” They set off to the fir stand of trees, finding comfortable places to rest in the shade. 

  The three friends remained quiet as the firs sang their love song to God and let the breeze caress their tired but happy faces. 

  Then Grizzly Bear turned toward Coyote saying, “Coyote, would you like to travel with Little Chief and I, we will be traveling for quite some time because I am sharing with Little Chief, all the fruits, joys, and glories of my beautiful world.” 

  Coyote turned to look at Little Chief and say, “Would that be alright with you if I go with you on your adventure with Grizzly Bear?” 

  Little Chief replied, “I’d love you to go with us Coyote! I was also thinking that my family is probably concerned about me, because I was not supposed to be gone from my parents and village for this long, but I am here and don’t want to go back home yet. I am learning things that will be very valuable to all my People, like our new indigenous tribal name The Coyote People!” 

  Little Chief chuckled and then laughed because he loved the name of The Coyote People! 

  Grizzly Bear asked Little Chief, “Are you certain that your parents will be okay with you being with us here and going on a grand and wonderful adventure?” 

  Coyote seconded Grizzly Bear saying, “Yes Little Chief, will that be alright with your family?” 

  Little Chief said, “I know my parents will be worried about me a little bit, but they will know that I am going to return home to them for a good reason when I can!” 

  Coyote and Grizzly Bear were assured by Little Chief’s words. They looked at   Little Chief and smiled happily, then Little Chief smiled so bright that the sun flickered even brighter too. 

  Grizzly Bear asked his friends, “Would you like to take a siesta for a little while, I’m essentially rested from my nap earlier, but I could use a little more rest myself as well?” 

  With those words said, Grizzly Bear gently laid himself down and shut his eyes, purring softly to himself because he was so content. 

  Coyote and Little Chief smiled big at one another, then snuggled up against Grizzly Bear, one on each side of him, and went to sleep. 

  About an hour later the three friends were awake, because a Stellar Jay and a Red Robin bird were having a singing competition between them. 

  Feeling refreshed they got up and meandered down to the stream to get some water. 

  The salmon were moving through the stream at a steady pace, night and day. One group of salmon were moving toward the Bitterroot Mountains, into what is not the heart of the Pike Mountains, following the Salmon River plains all the way up to their birthing places. 

  The salmon returning from the same area high in Idaho, are returning to the sea, the steelhead who return over and over again to their spawning grounds to lay their eggs and fertilizing them. 

  The sockeye salmon were the ones who mainly moved along the streams in this river, either to the sea after they had grown big enough for the journey, or the ones coming back to their birthing place. 

  Little Chief told Grizzly Bear, “I’m going to walk a while by myself, I don’t need a ride now, Grizzly.” Grizzly Bear acknowledged Little Chief by tilting 

his in an appreciative motion, as he smiled and then grinned. 

  The three friends set out and headed east towards what is now Lo Lo Pass, but for now they were heading towards the Bitterroot Mountains. 

  The river glinted like diamonds in the sunshine, it looked like a molten river flowing towards the sea, except it was icy cold not boiling hot. 

  The sun was still very hot on the brows of our traveler friends as they moved easterly. 

  They could see the mountains of the Bitterroots in the distance, getting closer every day. They followed the plains all the way into what is now 

Montana. Breezes blew freely from the west giving the travelers a nice tail wind. 

  Grizzly Bear heard some squawky noises behind them, Coyote picked up the sound, and Little Chief heard the ruckus as well, upon turning around to investigate the disturbance, the three travelers saw Stellar Jay and Red   Robin racing through the sky towards them! 

  Amazement at the view, because one was not chasing the other, but they were flying together towards them! 

  All eyes were wide and wondering, as the birds closed in on the three friends. 

  At the last minute the squawking birds stopped in mid flight right over Grizzly Bear, Coyote and Little Chief, then Stellar Blue Bird landed on Grizzly Bear, and Red Robin landed on Coyote with gentle plop sounds. 

  Grizzly Bear and Coyote looked up to the top of their heads peering at the unusual birds resting on their heads. 

  Still surprised, the birds spoke, Stellar Blue Bird first saying, “I got here first, not you! I won the race!” 

  Red Robin exclaimed, “No, I was here first, not you!” 

  Little Chief said, “You both got here at the same time, so why argue birds?” 

  Stellar Blue Bird and Red Robin replied, “Okay!” 

  Then Coyote and Grizzly Bear said, “What are you birds doing on our heads?” 

  Stellar Blue Bird and Red Robin looked intently at Coyote and Grizzly Bear, then Stellar Blue Bird answered, “We are interested in you, what you are doing and where you are going, that is all.” 

  Red Robin added, “We heard you talking a bit back in the fir trees, and we were curious about you three interesting friends.” 

  Grizzly Bear asked the birds, “Are you saying you are interested in us and curious about what we are doing and where we are going?” 

  Red Robin chirped, “Yes!” 

  Grizzly replied to the birds, “We are on our way to the Bitterroot Mountains, to the plains in Montana, and the super volcano of Yellowstone. 

  Stellar Blue Jay and Red Robin chirped, “We may wish to go with you.” 

  The birds looked at one another quizzically as they searched their heart, about whether or not they wanted to follow the trio or not to their destination. 

  The birds concluded, “We would very much like to go with you, if you will let us go?” 

  Grizzly Bear said, “Excuse me little birds, as I confer with my friends about whether or not this is a good idea, okay?” 

  The birds shook their heads in the affirmative. 

  Grizzly Bear beckoned his two friends to speak in private for a moment. 

  Coyote spoke first in the group, “Grizzly Bear and Little Chief, does the idea of the two birds joining our party east, suit you? I think it is okay myself, if you are agreeable to them coming along.” 

  Little Chief and Coyote replied, “Sure Grizzly Bear, it will be fine.” 

  Grizzly Bear smiled happily with his friends, and the three friends returned to the two birds, then Little Chief said, “Little friends, you are welcome to come with us on our journey, for you are nice and friendly.” 

  Stellar Blue Bird and Red Robin smiled and their eyes danced with joy!     They hopped up and down and flew around the heads of Grizzly Bear, Coyote and Little Chief, enamoring themselves to the hearts and souls of the three original travelers. 

  Grizzly Bear said, “Well now that we have this all settled, how about we continue on our way?” 

  The five set off together, with Stellar Blue Jay and Red Robin flying well ahead, and then circling back around, and then flying well ahead once more. Now and then Stellar Blue Bird and Red Robin landed on the head, shoulder or back of Coyote, Grizzly Bear and Little Chief. 

  The five travelers were precious to behold, winding their way through the plains, following the winding river ever closer to the Bitterroots. 

  They traveled until nightfall, then the five snuggled up next to Grizzly Bear, because he was big and warm, so much so, that he was like a fur blanket for them all, even warming Grizzly Bear as well. 

 They nested beneath some lodge pole pines and some elder berry bushes, camouflaged amid the shrubs and branches around them. 

  The night sky shone brilliantly, the Milky Way moved and danced overhead, magically brilliantly shiny and bright like a golden road to heaven, which it was. 

  Shooting stars darted across the skies through the night as meteorite showers rolled past the earth in the space overhead. 

  That night Little Chief had a vision of a grizzly bear walking into his life, and in his vision and dream, Little Chief was aware that he was on a vision quest. 

  When morning came, the sun came out, the brilliant morning light, pure and unfiltered, made everything around him look dreamy and other worldly.   

  Little Chief took time in his mornings, no matter how wound up and ready for the day he was, to think about his situation, his life, his hopes, dreams, aspirations, goals, not only for the present but the future too. This morning he reflected that in actuality, this journey was his vision quest, not where he was isolated on a mountain top or place in nature, but a living vision quest, a living moving, traveling vision quest, and he was experiencing this in living time as he traveled with his friends east... 

  Little Chief yawned, pulling all the oxygen and ozone he could deep into his chest. The sun was climbing the peaks of the Great Divide, with the Bitterroots gleaming in the brilliant morning light. 

  Grizzly Bear, Coyote, Red Robin, and Stellar Jay were beginning to stir, still asleep. 

  A bird song began, a little sparrow, with golden feathers around his throat and lower legs, he announced that he was guarding his terrain, and notifying all around to stay clear, and that meant the party of travelers were warned off too. 

  Sparrow chirped, “Chirp, Chirp, Chirp, Chirp, Chirp!” 

  Sparrow paused briefly, and repeated his refrain. Sparrow moved to another spot well protected in foliage, and tweeted some more. Sparrow did his tweeting in a full circle range over the next hour. 

  In that hour, all the travelers awoke, listening to the Sparrow, and deciphering what his song meant. 

  The travelers interpreted Sparrow’s song as, “Stay clear, stay clear, this is my habitat and territory.” 

  Grizzly Bear looked in the direction of Sparrow and said, “Little Sparrow how are you this morning? I am Grizzly Bear, and I don’t believe we have met before today.” 

  Little Sparrow said, “Hello Grizzly Bear. Nice meeting you, and I see you have travelers with you. Whom might you all be?” 

  Grizzly Bear said, “This is our party of travelers, meet Little Chief, Coyote, Red Robin, and Stellar Jay.” 

  Little Sparrow tilted his head this way and that, as he acknowledged the entire party, then said, “Nice meeting you all. I am guarding my territory, and I am searching and beckoning for a female sparrow to come to my home. So far this spring I have not found my true love.” 

  Little Chief asked Sparrow, “Perhaps if you join us on our travels, you may find your lady love bird Little Sparrow?” 

  Little Sparrow’s sad expression changed to a joyous one and he replied, “Do you really think so? Do you think I should go with you? Are you inviting me along on your traveling?” 

  Little Chief paused, looking closely at the party of travelers to see if he could discern any opposition to his invitation of Little Sparrow to come join them heading east. Little Chief saw no opposition, and nobody said they did not want Little Sparrow to come along. 

  Little Chief added, “See Little Sparrow, everyone agrees! You can join us! That is if you want to!” 

  Everyone looked at Little Sparrow and enthusiastically proclaimed, “Please do come with us Little Sparrow. Your song is sweet, and you will ward off troublemakers, should they try to impede our journey.” 

  Little Sparrow puffed out his tiny chest and said, “Wonderful! I’m going with you!”
   Everyone laughed and hugged each other, as Red Robin and Stellar Blue Bird rose to the air and circled the bushes upon which Little Sparrow sat with his chest puffed out three times it’s normal size, because he was so proud of accomplishing the mission of being a party along with his new friends and travelers. 

  Little Sparrow rose into the air, and flew in circles around Coyote, Little Chief and Grizzly Bear! Anyone looking on at the travelers may have guessed wrongly that the Coyote, Little Chief and Grizzly Bear were being bombarded by protective 

birds guarding their nests, but no as we well know this was and is not the case! 

  Amid the joy, it was time to get some food into the stomachs of the travelers. They foraged for berries in some near by patches, and ate to their heart’s content. 

  Then they began to move closer to the Bitterroots. The mountains were becoming more distinct. 

  The foothills of the Bitterroot Mountains grew closer and closer. Sometimes Little Chief rode on Grizzly Bears shoulders, and sometimes his back, but not, he mainly liked to walk beside Grizzly Bear, between him and Coyote, as the three birds took on scouting ahead and behind and around duties. 

  The fresh mountain air tingled their lungs, and made their heart happy, as they virtually skipped along. 

  Grizzly Bear said, “You all have come quite a ways now since the onset of our journey. Especially Little Chief, and well, Coyote too because he obviously followed me to where me and Little        Chief were under that stand of fir trees where we happened to meet Red Robin and Stellar Jay too!” 

  Grizzly resumed, “Now we are entering the vast Bitterroot Mountains, the gateway to the Great Divide. We are not too far from the Lo Lo Pass, which is part and parcel of the Great Divide.” 

  Grizzly Bear surmised the group, looking them over with an astute eye.       He asked, “How is everyone holding up now? Anyone too tired to continue or not wish to go on with the group, well, now is as good a time as ever to let me know, and let the group know too, of course.” 

  Everyone looked around at everyone else, wondering if any of the party was going to back out or back down from continuing on the arduous path that Grizzly Bear was leading them all on. 

  Little Chief added, “Don’t worry if you can’t make the rest of the journey, we will collect you when we come back, and we won’t think any less of any one of you who decides to not come along.” 

  The group of travelers found a nice place in the pines to rest, on some soft green grasses with late blooming spring flowers and some dandelion flowers, and green not yet blooming Queen Annes Lace. 

  The tired travelers decided to make this their camp for a few days, so they could gather extra berries and dry them in the sun, fill up on berries and dandelion greens and flowers and roots, and eat other herbs that were healthy, to build up their strength and fortitude for the path ahead. 

  Grizzly Bear asked Coyote to join him fishing for trout and sockeye salmon, “We will catch extra, and 

  I will fillet them with my long 4” plus nails and teeth, so that we can dry them in the blazing summer sun. Then we can take some with us or at least eat until our stomachs are near to bursting!” 

  Coyote said, “Grizzly Bear, isn’t the Salmon River that leads up to the Bitterroot Mountains, filled with fish too?” 

  Grizzly Bear replied, “Yes, it is, but the fish are not easily accessible because of the sharp cliffs in many areas along the route.” 

  Everyone settled down, found comfortable places to sit, sleep, and eat. They discussed the trail ahead, but not too much, because Grizzly Bear wanted it to be a surprise for them all. 

  The birds perched together facing different directions so that they could properly guard the party of travelers. Red Robin, Stellar Blue Bird, and gentle Little Sparrow. 

  Occasionally the birds swept into the sky to get a better view of any intruders that may be approaching the travelers. 

  A peacefulness settled over the group, a calm and happiness, a glee, and joy that was not spoken but felt and seen in everyone’s eyes, and felt in their heart. 

  That night the sky was crystal clear and the Milky Way shone as bright as ever! Little Chief nestled in 

the glade next to Grizzly Bear, and   

 Coyote slept on Little Chief’s other side. Red Robin nested on the shoulder of Little Chief, while Stellar Blue Jay slept on the shoulder of    

 Coyote, and Little Sparrow slept on the hump of Grizzly Bear. It was not easy to rest when the sky above and around them glowed in rainbow colors of the stars above. 

  As the night wore on, Northern Lights shone in vast curtains that spanned the sky right up to the Milky Way, red, blue, purple, green and yellow, so amazing, and the sound of the electromagnetic skies radiated with a humming of nature.
  In the morning, it felt like a dream, as the night before melded into the bright morning of sunshine, leaving the mystery of the night skies far behind. 

  The miracles of life filled the travelers, and helped make their days ahead extra joyful and harmonious. 

  A few days of rest made the travelers ready to strive for Lo Lo Pass. Nobody declined to stay behind, everyone wanted to go together on the grand and wonderful adventure. 

  The night skies grew more lovely with every passing night. 

  Finally it was time to hit the trail again, and with glee they all did. Little Chief had regained his energy, as did everyone else, they were ready for the road ahead. 

  Grizzly Bear asked the group, “Has everyone eaten enough food this morning, and are you all ready to proceed on our walk?” 

  Everyone nodded their heads in the affirmative, so Grizzly Bear said, “Now let’s go!” 

  The party headed out, first making sure they left no trace of their camping behind. 

  Lo Lo Pass was approaching as the day neared it’s end. The pass was almost level, and stretched for as far as the eye could see. Great big pines lined the path Grizzly Bear led them on, and it was almost level, it was like heaven, the blue skies, the high white drifting clouds, faint in the sky above, the scent of pines and pine needles and pine cones filled their senses. 

  The traveling birds rejoiced, making loop de loops around the other travelers, singing to their full extent. 

  The resident birds were singing to one another and to the traveling birds and company. Robins and canaries and blue birds and black capped chickadees sang at full throttle! 

  The resident birds peeked behind long pine frond needles to look at the travelers. A young Robin lady bird came to look closer at the travelers, noting the Red Robin male among them, and she caught the eye of Red Robin, and they sang together. 

   

Stellar Blue bird sang his joy at the friendship that was developing between the Robins, when a lovely Stellar Blue bird lady hopped out from behind a pine tree near the travelers and sought out the company of Stellar Blue Jay, so she could introduce herself to him. 

  Stellar Blue Bird Lady said, “Hi Blue Bird, I’m Stella, it’s nice to see you in my forest. What is your name?” 

  Stellar Blue Bird replied to Lady Blue Bird, “Hi lovely lady bird, my name is Stellar Blue Bird, and it is a pleasure to meet you here today!” 

  While the robins and jays were chatting comfortably together, a sweet little sparrow was darting here and there among the ancient oaks that snuggled among the pines, and she sang softly so that Little Sparrow could hear her. 

  Little Sparrow perked up his ears, tilted his head this way and that, and peered deep into the woods, until his eyes locked on an adorable little sparrow. 

  Little Sparrow, launched into the air, sped swiftly towards the little lady sparrow and perched a few feet away from her, as he began his serenade song for her, “Tweet tweet tweet tweet tweet! Hi little sparrow, I’m Little Sparrow. What is your name?” 

  The lady sparrow was a little shy now that Little Sparrow was next to her. Little lady sparrow said, “Hi it’s nice to know you. My name is Lady Sparrow. I would like to be your friend!” 

  Little Sparrow said, “I would be grateful to be your friend Lady Sparrow! I have been looking for you my whole short life!” 

  The sparrows hopped onto the same branch and began to converse in soft chirping and tweeting love talk, as the others peeked toward their direction as discreetly as possible so as to know what was going on, but pretending to not notice the love going on all around them. 

  Love was in the air, and it was hitting them all, almost, except for Grizzly Bear, Coyote, and Little Chief. They had no intention of falling in love with anyone because they were on an adventure that was taking up their time and thoughts. 

  Little Chief said, “All this love in the air, I will try to make a camp fire to roast some sockeye salmon. He took a little flint stone arrowhead shiny black rock from his pouch, and some very dried out cedar bark, and he sheltered an area for his little camp fire with rounded stones he found near the river. He made a circle of the stones, and gathered some old dried out pine cones, brought them and some little old branches to his camp fire staging area. 

  Then he went back under the trees, and found some old branches that were very dried out and brittle. 

  He gathered the wood and brought it to his campfire area and gently laid them down. Little Chief did not have to ask Grizzly Bear to get some fresh salmon so that he could cook it over the camp fire. 

  The day was perfect to make this campfire so Little Chief continued to work, he lay all the wood just right in the campfire pit he made, took out his flint stone, and found another stone that was going to be good for causing friction, and hopefully a fire 

would be made with the sun shining so hot and brilliantly upon the fire pit. 

Little Chief worked hard to light the fire, he tried and tried and tried, but nothing happened. He almost had a successful fire numerous times.
  Finally the breeze died down sufficiently for Little Chief to get his fire started! He had smoke first, and he gently blew on the dried cedar chips and dried out moss he had added, the smoke increased, and his fire was born! 

  Grizzly Bear was standing quietly next to Little Chief, hoping that the fire would get going. He was eager to try cooked salmon, it would be the very first time he had tried salmon cooked in his whole life. 

  The fire got going and Little Chief added more kindling, the little pieces of branches and dried mosses perfect for making a new fire. 

  Grizzly Bear showed Little Chief and Coyote the two giant salmon he had caught. He lay the salmon down next to the fire, not too close, upon additional round rocks Little Chief had put there between times of trying to start his little camp fire. The fire was going well for about an hour, enough time for lots of hot embers and red hot wood to be glowing under the fire.   Then Little Chief set the salmon, one at a time, over the embers, above more rocks he had laid down so the salmon did not have to get dirt and ashes all over it. 

  The salmon cooked slowly, and it cooked well, the smell of fresh hot camp fire roasted salmon made everyone’s mouth water, including the birds! 

  The salmon skin acted like a protective barrier to the camp fire smudge and blackened ashes, and the sockeye meat cooked to perfection. 

  The first salmon was ready to eat. Little Chief called to all his friends to come get some of the sacred red orange meat, so that they may try it. 

  He served up a nice portion for everyone. The scenery was dreamy, great friends sitting by the camp fire, enjoying a sockeye salmon meal, freshly cooked over their campfire. 

  The salmon melted into their mouths, the steam coming off the just cooked meat, swirled around their heads, into their noses, and upon their tastebuds! Yummy yummy meat! 

  Exclamations of awes and oh’s filled the air from everyone enjoying the delicacy of the salmon! 

  After everyone was full of salmon, Little Chief put the second salmon on the fire to cook for another few hours. 

  Just before bed, the salmon had finished cooking. Little Chief decided to add wood to the fire so that it would burn all night and into the morning. He kept a mellow slow burning fire going that gave the friends the warmth of the fire throughout the night. 

  Through the night everyone had the gentle warmth of the campfire to keep them warm, it was a warm of the heart more than a warm for the body, and it was exciting and refreshing, with the warm summer breeze that sailed by and around them throughout the night. 

  This was a healing time for everyone. The Milky Way lit up the night and the sun lit up the day. 

  The day arrived quickly, too fast, for the family of friends felt like the night could go on and on and on, it was so incredibly beautiful, stunning rather! 

  The foraging for the plumpest berries was in full swing, everyone had a free for all, and all for the picking! Raspberries, black berries, salmon berries, blue berries! 

  They danced around the bushes, searching for the ripest ones, and letting the sweet berries melt in their mouths. 

  Coyote was almost full of berries, and he was skipping to another berry bush, full stern ahead.
  He reached for the berries, put them in his mouth, and gulped! Golden yellow eyes were locked on his every  move. Coyote jumped straight up into the sky, six feet high! He came down with a thud, and looked again at the eyes of the one starring at him, 

but there was nobody in sight, not a sound could be heard, not a rustle of grass. Coyote yelled out loud, “Yeowee!” Then he rushed head long into the tall grasses around the berry bushes, snout to the ground, ears cocked, eyes penetrating into the yonder, seeing the unseen, using his premonition, using his keen psychic abilities that had saved his life on many an occasion. 

  Coyote got on his belly, and did his army crawl, smelling the zone for a hint of what had been eying him so intently. 

  Coyotes nose found a trail, his stance changed, a familiar yet unfamiliar scent met his nose. Could it be, he asked himself, no it could not be. Yet he questioned in his mind whether his nose was accurate or failing him now. 

  Coyote rounded a rock formation near berry bushes and he stopped in his tracks, the eyes that had penetrated his being, were looking at him piercingly. 

  Coyote spoke first, “You are fast! I am Coyote, what is your name?” 

  The lady coyote looked at Coyote and averted her eyes, she looked back behind her into the thick forest trees, then said, “I am Nepchuck Coyote, I move like a butterfly, so I am named Butterfly Coyote.” 

  Coyote said, “I am glad to make your acquaintance. I am traveling with my friends through this area, we are moving east now into the depths and heights of the Great Divide.” 

  Nepchuck Coyote said, “I have been watching you and your party for miles and miles. You seem like a very nice coyote, and I would like to get to know you better.” 

  Coyote said, “I am about to leave on my adventure, if you would like to join me, you are welcome! First I better make sure you would be welcome with my friends that I’m traveling with.” 

  Coyote began jumping in place, he did not quite understand his body, he was trying to control his body, but his heart was racing with excitement and joy, and his body was dancing and he could not stop himself. He wondered, could it be I am falling in love with this smart, stunning, beautiful coyote lady? 

  Coyote tried to stand still, but his feet betrayed his emotions. 

  Coyote tried to smile, then he laughed out loud for joy, saying, “Nepchuck Coyote, I love your name, I love your smooth silent moves through the tall grasses, and I think you are beautiful. I hope you like me too.” 

  Nepchuck replied, “I like you very much. I have not been able to take my eyes off you. You are absolutely brilliant! I think I already fell in love with you days ago!” 

  Nepchuck Coyote and Coyote both laughed out loud together, danced lightly with their feet in unison, and they knew, that they had indeed fallen in love! 

  Together they made their way back to camp, and Coyote introduced  Nepchuck Coyote to all of his friends, “Please meet my new friend Nepchuck Coyote. She has been following us for some time now, and she knows we are on a journey. I’m hoping you all will let her come with us, if it is okay with you all.” 

  Coyote added, “While you think about it, let me introduce you all to Nepchuck. Nepchuck, this is Grizzly Bear, and this is Little Chief, the birds are Stellar Blue Bird, Red Robin, and Little Sparrow, and their new girl friends respectively.” 

  Everyone said, “How do you do! It’s nice to meet you.” 

  The party spoke together among themselves, figuring out if they should allow Nepchuck Coyote to come along on the trail. 

  Grizzly Bear heard them all out, then said, “We have an answer for you Coyote. Nepchuck is 

welcome to come along with us. She will be an asset to our party, and we will be honored to have her along. Since she is a friend of yours, she is a friend of ours!” 

  Everyone clapped, skipped for joy, and the birds flitted happily in the air around the party. 

  That night that Coyote met his lady love, he was so happy he had to sing his love song to the world!
The moon rose orange and golden, and his heart erupted in glory, his nose went upwards, his song burst forth! He sang and crooned his joy out loud to the entire world around them... 

  The rest of the travelers smiled, and were happy for Coyote’s new love, and they smiled thinking of the love Red Robin, and Sparrow had found as well.   Everything in the world felt just right, all in balance, all wonderful and joyful. It’s amazing what love can do and how it can make your life richer and happier. 

  In the wee hours of the night, Coyote settled down and nestled close to his new girlfriend. Little Chief took his position between Grizzly Bear and   

 Coyote, with Nepchuck Coyote on his other side. The three sets of love birds nestled in the arms of Little Chief, who fell asleep as soon as Grizzly Bear’s paw touched his hand, and he became comforted and fell fast asleep beneath the glimmering and beautiful Milky Way and moon lit skies... 

  A soft dew graced all the plants when the travelers arose the next morning. Little Chief was still happy and sleep had restored his resolution to plow forth through the Lo Lo Pass, with new excitement and fervor! 

  As the party looked around themselves, they appreciated the mountains, the trees, the river, it’s tributaries, the animals and plants around and abounding the area they traveled on. 

  Further to the south of our traveling friends, on a vision quest with Little Chief, a party of Rogue River indigenous people moved north on the Pacific Rim Trail, moving east after that, and following in the footsteps of our travelers. 

  The Rogue River native peoples, followed the path of Grizzly Bear and his friends, and closed in the gap between the two different parties. 

  The Rogue River people, had a family in their midst, the chief of the tribe was among the group, and his wife and two children were among the party of about ten people, their belongings for long distance travel, their bedding and housing materials, and food, were among the things they traveled with. 

  The chief of the travelers, was named River Falls, his wife’s name was Little White Flower, their son was twelve years old and named Sage Brush, and their daughter whose name is Princess Azalea. 

  A few warriors helped to move the travel gear, and scouts, as well as hunters for fresh meat to eat on the journey. 

  The group was peaceable and friendly. They had a mission, to see beyond the hills and Cascades, and venture as far as possible, before returning to what is now southern Oregon western region of America. 

  Princess Azalea was looking at the nature abounding around her, she was in a dream like stance, mesmerized by the beauty and new scenery around her and her party of travelers. She looked and listened to the trees talking to her heart and soul, she listened to the birds, the Robins, the Jays, the sparrows and other birds, and her heart leapt with joy. 

  At night, the skies lit up with the brilliant Milky Way, and the northern lights danced in a rainbow of colors as the Rogue River natives, adored the views and sacred earth that the Great Spirit God made. 

  In the morning the party filled up on the fresh berries gracing the plants in an assorted array of bountiful foods made by God. 

  Chief River Falls hunted for salmon on the banks of the Columbia River south fork, just as Grizzly Bear and Little Chief had a short while before them. 

  Two of the scouts came back into camp before they party set out for the day. The scouts reported to the Chief, that they had seen the curious group of travelers not too far ahead in the

Bitterroot Mountains, moving east.  

  

 

  A youth, a grizzly bear, some birds, and coyotes were traveling together in a band. The scouts said that their own party would reach the grizzly bear’s party any time this day. 

  Sage Brush and Princess Azalea were excited to meet the group ahead of them, and they tried to hurry their own group along to reach them sooner. 

  The Rogue River people finished eating, fed the scouts, and began to move east closing in on Little Chief’s group of travelers. 

  The afternoon went very pleasantly, the birds were happy and chirping good natured songs, and the trees were whispering their happiness at a beautiful day opening up for them as well. 

  The sun rose higher and higher in the sky, the gap between the two parties decreased to almost nothing, as the Rogue River Indians moved ever closer to Little Chief’s party. 

  About 6 pm that night, the Rogue River party, was spotted by the Grizzly Bear’s scout birds, with Sparrow spying them first. 

  Sparrow spoke silently to his bird compadres, who zoomed at a distance around the Rogue River people, as silently and swiftly as possible. Sparrow and the five other birds swiftly came back to report to Grizzly Bear, the coyotes, and Little Chief saying, “There are people approaching swiftly!” 

  Grizzly Bear’s face was disturbed, thoughts raced through his mind and heart, and he said, aloud, “What is this upon us? Little Chief, you will be needed to help communicate with these people.” 

  Little Chief replied, “I will speak to these people.” Little Chief smiled at the group, turned around and began walking towards the Rogue River peoples. 

  Little Chief raised his right hand in greeting, several feet away from the band of people. 

  Chief River Falls stepped out of his crowd, raised his right hand towards   Little Chief and his party, saying, “Hello, I come in peace. Who are you?” 

  Little Chief had sized up the party of scouts, Chief, the wife of the Chief, and two children about his own age range. His eyes returned to the young lady, by her dress he knew she must be the Chief’s daughter, and he could not take his eyes off of her because she was so exquisite to behold. 

  Little Chief replied, “Hi, I am Little Chief of the Coyote People. I am on a vision quest with my friends here.” 

  Little Chief introduced his party and the Rogue River people introduced themselves. 

  Little Chief asked River Falls, “Would you like to rest here a while, perhaps eat with us and share company?” 

  River Falls said, “I will be happy to take you up on your offer. My wife and family, and scouts, would love to. We can also help to prepare the meals.” 

  Grizzly Bear was content to let Little Chief be the party’s spokesperson. Coyote and his lady love were keeping to themselves and snuggling up close to one another. The birds were happy chirping softly, doing periodic flights to check the premisses, and then returning to snuggle up to their mates and coo softly to one another as stories were shared about the lives they had lived before meeting each other. 

  Little Chief gravitated to the youths, the children of River Falls and Little White Flower, the scouts were the brothers of Chief River Falls and Little White Flower. 

  Azalea said to Little Chief, “What are you doing here in the Bitterroot Mountains Little Chief?” 

  Little Chief answered, “I am here with my animal friends, they are also my spirit friends, and I am on a vision quest and a quest to learn about our world.” 

  Sage Brush asked, “Do you know where you are going?” 

  Little Chief said, “No, I only know that my brother and friend Grizzly Bear is sharing with me his world and that we are having an adventure together.” 

  Little Azalea said, “We think that is a good thing. Right Sage Brush?” 

  Sage Brush said, “Yes, for sure!” 

  Little Chief felt something new in his heart as he gazed towards Princess Azalea. His heart was growing bigger with love, hope, adoration, and kindness, beyond what he had ever experienced before towards a girl before especially! 

  Little Azalea seemed to be extra attentive to Little Chief, she seemed to cling to every word he said, like it held a vast deal of importance, even more so by far than her brother was attentive to Little Chief. 

  The three youths were forming the birth of a long and lasting friendship, one in fact that would last forever, though they didn’t realize it this day. 

  Before long Little Chief was sharing about his daily life back in his village, with the lives shared of Sage Brush and Azalea. 

  Sage Brush said, “It would be nice if we could come with you, but, I think we must proceed in a different direction, because we actually have to head back towards the west. We hope to stop by your village too, then we can tell them we saw you and that you are well.” 

  Chief River Falls and Little White Flower smiled at one another, they were at peace with one another 

and happy, resting near the camp fire, with their children nearby talking with Little Chief. 

  Little White Flower said to Chief River Falls, “There is something special in the relationship of our children and Little Chief, do you sense it too, dear husband?” 

  Chief River Falls looked at his wife and nodded his head in agreement, then continued to smile softly. 

Little Chief said, “Sage Brush and Azalea, do you like to play tag, and hide and seek?” 

  Both youths shook their heads yes.
Sage Brush asked, “Would you like to play now?” Azalea said, “Yes, let’s play!”
  Little Chief agreed, “Now!”
  The youths played hide and seek and tag throughout the morning, taking time to replenish their energy with ripened berries now and again. 

  The young people had a great time, they bonded and grew close together, before long it was as though they had known one another for ages and perhaps since the beginning of time itself. 

  After noon, Chief River Falls caught some salmon with Grizzly Bear. They silently fished, easily for the fish, and brought three nice sized salmon to the campsite, and the fish were filleted by the three scouts, one fish each. Little White Flower prepared the coals on the fire, and placed the fish near the 

coals to cook but not too fast. She wanted the fish to not burn too close to the flames. 

  On the day of their arrival upon meeting up with Grizzly Bear and Little   Chief’s party, the scouts had put up the tipi that the Rogue River indigenous peoples had brought with them, and carried by using long lodgepole pines, dragging them behind the party as they traveled. 

  The tipi was magnificent, and it was warm in winter and cool in summer. 

     

  The youths were bonding, they were forming a band, a long lasting relationship, appreciated by everyone around them. Love was also in the air, it seemed that everyone could tell that Little Chief and Azalea were becoming extra special friends, and Sage Brush loved his new brother very much. 

Certainly, nobody was wrong about how Little Chief and Azalea were growing fonder of one another by the day. 

  It was a special time at the camp, the scouts were busy helping out where needed around the camp. 

  A week went by as the group grew to know one another better and appreciate each other too. 

  Then it was time for each group to leave on their separate journeys. Sage Brush wanted to continue on with Little Chief, but his parents did not wish that, they needed him with them to head west towards Little Chief’s people in the Walla Walla Valley. 

  Everyone said their well wishes, and continued upon their trails. 

  As the parties parted, hearts of Little Chief and Azalea held extra tender fondness for one another, but they knew that everything was in the hands of the Great Spirit, God. They did not worry about seeing each other, because they sensed that they would somehow find a way to do just that. A 

friendship of very important value had transpired upon their meeting and growing to know one another, just as an important bond happened with Sage Brush and Little Chief, and the three youths altogether, friends for life perhaps, certainly. 

  The adults were part of the equation of course, and helped to make the friendship enduring, by keeping the campsite together, and bonding, animals and people too. 

  Soon the Rogue River people were well out of site, and Little Chief said to Grizzly Bear, Coyotes, and birds, “The Rogue River people are very nice, I think I have grown to love them all, and the youths have so much in common with me, and Azalea is sure beautiful!” 

  All eyes looked at Little Chief, they smiled at him, knowing he had fallen in love with Azalea, and as young as he was, he was still head over heels in love with her, puppy love perhaps, perhaps something much more. Only time could tell. 

  The Grizzly Bear party moved on, leaving the memorable campsite behind, never to be forgotten by any of them. 

  The beauty of the early summer day grew more beautiful as Grizzly Bear and company moved deeper into the forests and streams that fed the Salmon River. The mountains were beautiful, the Great Divide opening up before them, foothills to the heavens above. 

  Grizzly Bear led the party bravely on, and eventually he brought them to a high plains, a place known today as Island in the Sky, among great mountains, on a plain vast and wide, a place where buffalo, deer, reindeer and elk enjoyed life in this area at this time of year. The buffalo were not in sight, and Little Chief did not yet see them. 

  The night skies were filled with lights and stars, and the Milky Way was among them, not above them. 

  Little Chief wanted to linger here, in heaven, and wished his new friends of the Rogue River were here with his party, and he also wished his village was here too, so he could share the beauty of the vast monuments and golden structures, the plateaus of ancient volcanos that had left these mammoth areas, like rising canyons into the sky. 

   

  A few ancient pines and plants grew here and there. 

  Grizzly Bear felt like playing, he had seen Little Chief, Sage Brush and Azalea play hide and seek, and tag, and he wanted to play too with his friends, Coyotes, Little Chief and the Birds! 

  The monuments and structures around them were ideal to play both games, so Grizzly Bear asked, “Who would like to play games with me here in this fantastic place at the top of the world?” 

  Little Chief replied, “Let’s play Grizzly Bear, I want to play with you! Do you all want to play?” 

  Everyone said, “Yes!” 

  The games began, and they played and played and played and had the best time ever! The maze and structures around them were perfect for fun. The birds were the hardest to find and tag, but when all was said and done, and they were all tired out from the fun, they found beautiful resting places in the shade of the monuments, and springs from which to drink pure heavenly water. 

  The fun lasted throughout that day, and the group of friends would take breaks between playing, enough time to eat and re-energize so they could play some more. 

  A few days were spent like this, games, rest, meals, and more playtime. Grizzly Bear and Little 

  Chief and everyone else was having a blast, not only were they playing and having fun, they were practicing important survival skills, to hide from predators or unfriendly events. 

  After spending about three days in the great high desert plains, at the top of the world, Island in the Sky on Turtle Island, the friends proceeded along the ridge, and Grizzly Bear guided the party, especially showing Little Chief special little places along the way.   

  Little Chief was always impressed and in awe of all that Grizzly Bear shared with him. 

  They moved along switch back trails used by the animals since the Great Spirit, God, made them. 

  The trails led them to the other side of the Great Divide, and into the plains of Montana and Wyoming, in the Yellowstone super volcano area. 

  Little Chief and Grizzly Bear, Coyotes and birds, came to the Grand Tetons first, on a high plain, and the beauty and power emanating from them was other worldly heavenly! Spires rising up to God himself, kissing the heavens and married to the skies. 

  The group camped a while here along a stream meandering through the area, with some pines, moose and elk, deer and buffalo, many other animals, and insects, and plants thrived here. 

  Grizzly Bear showed the group the hot springs, and warned them to stay away from them because they were acidic and dangerous. 

  Little Chief said, “Grizzly Bear these bison are huge, and there are millions of them, how is it I have not seen them before?” 

  Grizzly Bear said, “The Bison prefer the plains here, and they live here and thrive, and they are food for many animals. These bison are strong, they need to be strong and well fed to survive the harsh cold winter, when food is hard to come by. They like to make mounds in the earth on the prairie, and sleep in them and get protection from the winds that seldom rest here. Bison are important for the plains because their excretement nourishes the prairie, giving it matter good for it.” 

  Little Chief said, “Grizzly Bear you are powerful, smart, and good. I love you!” 

  Grizzly Bear sat back on his haunches and laughed, then reached out to Little Chief for hugs. The two embraced, big happy smiles on their faces. The long trip had been an adventure of a lifetime, and in Little Chief’s case, an adventure and trip that brought him many new experiences, friends, and a special love for Azalea. 

  Little Chief felt love grow in his heart, he felt his heart get bigger as it actually grew in size, he was 

growing up on this vision quest, he was not quite the same youth that had set out on this journey excitedly with   

  Grizzly Bear. Little Chief had matured, and had gained some of the fine characteristics of the party he traveled with and spent time with, including the Rogue River People. 

  Little Chief felt content with his life. He did not feel empty inside, he felt filled up with love, with the goodness and gentleness of nature, and he felt content with his friendships he was part of. 

  He thought of his origins, his mama, and papa, and himself as a very young baby... 

     

  The party found comfortable places to camp, out of the way of the bison, and the other grizzly bears tended to steer clear of Grizzly Bear, seeming to know and understand that he was the king of grizzly bears, they knew instinctively. 

  From their camp, they could view the buffalo moving in vast groups, hundreds at a time, thousands at a time, millions at a time, in the distance...The buffalo were so thick that the prairie was black from the buffalo, a moving mass, a colossal cloud of furry, healthy, happy animals. 

  The bison wintered south of Yellowstone, in the lower parts of the American plains, and circled back in spring and summer to enjoy the lush green grass, and beauty that belonged to them. 

  Little Chief’s amazement never faultered, he was in a near dream state, perfect for his vision quest work, things he needed to develop to be a fine man one day. 

  As a herd of bison were passing by, a small bison calf smelled out the party of Little Chief and his friends. 

  The birds saw the little bison calf first, move towards them. They flew over to the calf and circled her several times, saying, “Hi little buffalo calf. We think you are very pretty. Are you lost from your herd? We will help you if that is okay!” 

  The little bison calf said, “Hi beautiful birds, you are so pretty! I am not lost, not yet anyway. I wanted to see you closer, that is why I am here. My name is Tania. What are your names?” 

  Stellar Blue Bird spoke for everyone saying, “Hi little buffalo Tania! I am Stellar Blue Jay, this is my sweetheart, and here is Red Robin and his sweetheart, and Little Sparrow and his sweetheart! It is nice to meet you. Would you like to meet our other friends who are over there behind those big logs camping out?” 

  Little bison Tania replied, “I would very much like to meet your other friends. Let me tell my mama first.” 

  Little white buffalo calf Tania ran to find her mama near by, saying, “Mama mama! I have met some new friends, is it okay if I go and say hello, and visit with them for a while?” 

  Buffalo calf Tania’s mother, was no ordinary buffalo, she was a sacred white buffalo, the queen of the buffalo herd, and her name was Sacred Buffalo, because she was rare and fine. Sacred Buffalo said, “Little buffalo calf of mine, dear Tania, go and meet your new friends, it is fine with me. I shall not leave this area today, or this week, maybe longer. You can play and have fun with them as long as you like. Just come and check in with me 

every few hours or so. You are still nursing, so don’t stay away too long, my udders begin to hurt if you don’t nurse regularly from them, thank you for being thoughtful little one. I love you very much.” 

  Little buffalo calf Tania replied, “Hugs and kisses mama!” 

  She ran up to her mama and gave her little kisses on mama’s nose, and frolicked in front and around her mama, showing her mother how happy she was to be alive, have a loving family, and making new friends too! 

 __________________

   

  Little buffalo calf scampered over to her new bird friends, and frolicked after them, moving towards Little Chief, the coyotes, and Grizzly Bear! 

  Little Chief, Grizzly Bear, Coyote and his mate could hear the birds and little buffalo calf Tania bearing down on their campsite. 

  Their eyes popped open wide seeing six birds and a young calf racing towards them! 

  Little Chief stepped forward, saying, “Hi! What have we here?” 

  Grizzly Bear came forward a few paces and stopped, because he didn’t want to frighten little buffalo calf Tania. 

  Grizzly Bear’s gentle sensitive side came front center, he said to little buffalo calf Tania, “Hi little miss! How are you? I’m Grizzly Bear, and this is Little Chief, and my other friends Coyote and his mate Nepchuck Coyote, and it looks like you already were introduced to our bird friends.!” 

  Little buffalo calf Tania grew brave, she was not scared of big animals because her mama was very big! She said, “Hello Grizzly Bear, Little Chief, and Coyotes!” 

  Tania began skipping around and hopping like a bunny, she was thrilled to meet so many new friends all at once. 

  A beautiful grizzly bear saw the interaction of Grizzly Bear, and how gentle he was with the various animals and people around him. She felt appreciation and admiration welling up inside her heart, she did not know it, but she was feeling love for Grizzly Bear. 

  Miss Grizzly Bear peeked some more from behind some very large conifer pines, and some twigs snapped, oh no she thought, I’ve been heard! 

  Miss Grizzly Bear hid quickly behind the tree, but not before Grizzly Bear had seen her. His smile still on his face upon greeting little buffalo Tania, remained on his face. He said to the group, “Excuse me, but I must check something out. I’ll be right back!” 

  Grizzly Bear moved like greased lightning when he was of a mind to, and he was of a mind to now. He was at the tree in a flash and peering behind it, for he thought he had seen the sweetest grizzly bear lady that existed in the world. She had a white fur, she was a spirit bear, but she was also real! 

 Grizzly Bears eyes met Miss Grizzly Bears eyes, and he blinked his eyes to accustom them to the darkness under the trees he was now in as he tried to see. 

  Miss Grizzly Bear saw Grizzly Bear, and her heart pounded and thudded, she thought he surely must 

hear her heart beating, because it was rocketing inside her chest right now! Up close, Grizzly Bear was a sight to behold, even more majestic and giant of a bear to behold than he was at a distance! 

  Grizzly Bear spoke first, “Hello I saw you here, I thought you were a mirage or dream, for I have never met anyone so beautiful and rare such as yourself! I’m Grizzly Bear, king of the grizzly bears, at your service ma’am!” 

  Miss Grizzly Bear smiled and bowed her head in acknowledgment of the king of bears, then she replied, “I’m mighty proud to meet you Grizzly Bear. My name is Miss Grizzly Bear!” 

  They continued to make small talk, but it was very important small talk. They got to know one another, and before they knew it, they were very content to be in each other’s company. 

  Tania, the birds, the coyotes and Little Chief gravitated toward the two absorbed grizzly bears chatting happily together, and talked softly among themselves. Finally Grizzly Bear and Miss Grizzly Bear looked around themselves, and saw that they were at the center of attention and attentiveness of Grizzly Bear’s party! 

  Grizzly Bear said, “Let me introduce you Miss Grizzly Bear to my friends and party here.” 

  Grizzly introduced everyone to Miss Grizzly Bear, and she replied, “It is a pleasure to meet you. If you are friends of Grizzly Bear, you are friends of mine, I’m so happy to meet you all!” 

  Miss Grizzly Bear meandered back to the campsite not too far away, moving softly and very gently for one so big as a grizzly bear. 

  Grizzly Bear noticed Miss Grizzly Bear’s gentle manners and character, and his heart grew stronger and more in love with her. 

  Little Chief wanted to have a camp fire, where they could all sit around and talk among themselves, not too far from little buffalo calf’s mother. 

  He lit the fire, and the atmosphere grew warmer, and the lingering mosquitos drifted away to less smokey areas. 

  Grizzly Bear had a new look on his face, his eyes looked different too. Most grizzly bears can be aggressive, and come together during baby making time, then leave and live on their own like other bears. Grizzly Bear was a little different, he had more maternal instincts inside of him, he had met Miss Grizzly Bear, and his instincts were to protect and love her, and he hoped to make a family with her as his love and mate. 

  The party looked curiously at Grizzly Bear, they noticed a big change in him, since meeting Miss Grizzly bear. 

  Grizzly Bear had a softness about his character now, his eyes seemed softened, his heart seemed to be on his sleeve, he wanted to be loved and appreciated and friends with Miss Grizzly Bear. He needn’t worry about how Miss Grizzly Bear felt, because she was already in love with Grizzly Bear, though she did not quite realize just how much yet. 

  The happy mood and environment around the campsite was unique, and subtle, and exquisite. 

  Thus the days of summer seemed to go on forever, as the forest animals lived their lives, among the pines, the other plants, the streams and tributaries of glacier snow melt, springing up and pouring forth. 

  Old Faithful put forth a show every so often filling the skies with boiling hot geyser spouts reaching high into the sky for long periods of time. Other geysers blossomed their steam and acidic content throughout the region. 

  The friends continued living in the Yellowstone area, and tuned into nature, the wind song of the trees, the serenade of the streams, rivers, brooks and tributaries, they felt healthy and happy in nature. Summer seemed to fly by. Grizzly Bear and everyone in his party, wanted to stay in the area and 

draw energy from nature and the beauty around them. 

  Grizzly Bear knew in his heart that he must take Little Chief back home soon. They had been gone a long time. Little Chief had grown up so much in the time since he had met him. 

  Sadly Grizzly Bear let Little Chief know that they must return to the west, to let Little Chief return to his family and village. 

  Little Chief told Grizzly Bear, “I know Grizzly Bear, that what you say is true and right. We must return, I have much to share with my people. Perhaps we will be back in time to see our Rogue River People friends too.” 

  The preparations for the return trip were underway. It was decided among the party that everyone who came there would return, and Miss Grizzly Bear was to return with them. Little buffalo calf Tania had to stay in the Yellowstone area with her mother and family of buffalo. They had a little time yet to be altogether, and enjoy each other’s company, but the feeling was known, that they must separate soon. 

Little Chief told little buffalo calf Tania, “Don’t fuss little Tania, we will come back here soon. I’m going to talk with my family about you, and your mother, and the vast herds of buffalo that make black clouds swim on the prairies. You are a sacred buffalo, and my people will respect and love you. They would never hunt you for food. Mostly my people eat salmon, deer, reindeer, elk and other meat.” 

  Little Chief, Grizzly Bear, the Coyotes, and Birds, all consoled Miss Tania, she needn’t worry about not seeing them, because she would! 

  Little Chief said, “I will return here next spring, well before the time you will expect me, and I will have my family and village with me. Grizzly Bear may venture with me and my tribe too. Why even Birds here and Coyotes, may all come along too. Perk up little buffalo calf Tania, don’t worry, time goes by quickly anyway, and before you know it, you will be almost all grown up, much bigger than you are now anyway. Things will be great!” 

  Several more weeks went by, and then it was time to say goodbye. The travelers said goodbye to little buffalo calf Tania and her family, and they left the area with heavy hearts, but at the same time, they rejoiced upon meeting new friends, and having such a great time. It was wonderful that Miss Grizzly Bear could come back west with them. 

  Though it was hard to leave Yellowstone and all it contained, they knew that they would be back, next year, with more people in their party, so things began to look up for the party of travelers. In a little while they were back to their old high spirits, feeling good and happy about life, one another, their adventures so far, the adventures to come, and simply being together. 

  The journey to Yellowstone took a number of weeks, and the return journey seemed to take a little less time. They camped where they had camped on the way east, and they knew their journey was winding up and coming to an end. They asked themselves, was it really coming to an end, or was it just really winding up? In truth, their lives were just really winding up in great ways. New lives, new friendships, new hopes, new dreams, new goals, new mates and friends!   

  Everything was exciting when they took time to think of it. 

  As the party neared Little Chief’s home, he knew that the gifts he had been shown, given, and shared, would be lasting and forever gifts. He held the hand of Grizzly Bear, with ultra care because Grizzly Bear’s claws were huge! 

  Little Chief told his party of friends and travelers, “We are almost there at my village. I’m surprised no scouts have intercepted us yet. Something must be going on at my village. Let’s see what it is.” 

  Little Chief led the party towards his home. About a half mile from his village, scouts appeared and guided the party to his village. The scouts were excited that Little Chief had returned. They were eager to learn about his adventures, but they did not prod him to discuss it with them. They patiently walked with him to his home. Just outside the village, his parents came to greet him. They saw all the party of travelers with Little Chief, and were eager to learn about his story. 

  Behind Little Chief’s parents, Little Chief saw the Rogue River People, and there was Sage Brush and Azalea with them! 

  Chief River Falls and Queen White Flower saw the look in their son’s eyes when he saw the Rogue River People, and especially Azalea! They knew intuitively that Azalea and Little Chief held a special and unique rare youthful love, one that could and would easily endure through the time when they would be old enough to marry. 

  The faces of Chief River Falls and White Flower blossomed even more upon realizing that their son was so much grown up since they had last seen him in late spring. 

  So much had happened and was happening, it was hard to grasp it all. 

  Chief River Falls announced a giant feast to celebrate the return of Little Chief and his friends. The Rogue River People and Nez Perce People 

rejoiced and had a feast of late summer berry tarts, dandelion tea, smoked salmon, dancing and music. 

  After the food, dancing, more food and dancing, the two tribes sat down to listen to Little Chief’s adventures. Grizzly Bear, Miss Grizzly Bear, the Coyotes, the Birds, all gathered around the fire to hear Little Chief speak, with excerpts and additions from other members of their travel party. 

  By the time it was dawn, most of the adventures had been relayed, recorded in the hearts of the listeners, and held dearly and preciously by everyone who heard. 

  Stories and legends were remembered and shared in this way by many tribes of indigenous peoples, who relied on their hearing, their memories, and their heritage, by sharing stories, and listening well. It traditionally was the elders who spoke and shared the stories, and this in time would be true for this story of how Little Chief met Grizzly Bear, and how the lives of the Nee-Me-Poo and other tribes would be forever changed for the better. 

  Little Chief sat close to Azalea during all the story telling, eating and dancing, he was proud to be her friend, and on his other side sat Grizzly Bear, who took turns with Sage Brush, and other people in Little Chief’s village who saw him with new eyes of love, respect, and honor. 

  As the day opened up, the sun rose brightly in the sky, planning for the late spring venue, the trip east following the path Little Chief and his party had taken with Grizzly Bear was in progress. The tribe would be making plans and preparing for the journey throughout the winter months, and during this time the excitement and joy would mount to near unparalleled. 

  The Rogue River People had to return to southern Oregon region, and resume their lives. The Nez Perce Coyote Peolple, yes, they had listened to Little Chief, and decided to adopt his idea, and become the Coyote People! 

  The winter was slow to come upon them, it stayed away long enough for the Rogue River People to return safely to their village. 

  Little Chief knew life was going to be very exciting for him and his tribe of indigenous peoples. He is right! 

  The travel party of Grizzly Bear wintered down with the Nez Perce Coyote People and became part of the village life, each looking out after the other. It was very harmonious. 

  The long winter soon set in after more weeks, and the tribe grew weary of winter, but they knew in time spring would come, and a very important journey east would be coming soon.   

  The village was peaceful and eagerly awaiting the springtime... 

  For more Nez Perce legends, other stories, videos, and journals so pretty you will want to frame the covers, find my works, the most prolific writer, video producer, and journal maker. Thank you. 

  Notes to take about this story, and area for you to extend this story in your own way. Enjoy writing. 

Always be creative... 

Unfortunately, in modern times, the area of the Columbia River, western fork of the Salmon River, are so plugged up with huge dams, that distort the earth beneath and around them, as well as many nuclear power plants, which are toxic from onset to end of the power plant production and existence. Nowhere to put the toxic radiation waste and byproducts, the toxins are presently used to bomb the world populations through chemtrail spraying, with such high technology dispersal that even UFO technology space crafts and rockets are used in the dispersal of not only nuclear power plant waste and byproducts, but many other toxins used in industry and business’s, of which the landfills and dumps will not take it, thus it is bombed on all people, animals, and nature of God’s creation and is used in a global genocide of God’s creation through manmade geo- weather Apocalyptic Star Wars Warfare. 

  The toxins are used in conjunction with space based ISS, NASA, millions of miles of space fencing, HAARP like technology globally, and satellite transmitters and receivers, as well as much more. The pollutants alone are causing vast genocide, and the salmon that lined the rivers, are intaking the bombs chemtrailed over land, sea, agriculture, and in space, and causing great homelessness, death, and demise. The salmon so 

thick, the steelhead so vast, twelve months of the year, have trickled down to nothing. It is said that 18 salmon make it back to their hatching place along brooks, tributaries and river areas, but that number is likely fabricated so that the people operating the salmon fisheries and hatcheries, retain their livelihoods by saying such a low number of salmon return to their homelands to breed and perish, or return to the sea if they are a steelhead. Most of the salmon on the Salmon River are sockeye salmon, and they lay their eggs, males fertilize the eggs in the water, and both male and female parents die after this final life giving act of creation in the salmon life cycle. 

  Speed up time for a moment, way down the road of time, the Spanish and Europeans took over the Americas, and destroyed 99% of the native indigenous peoples who had lived in this area since almost forever. The bison were destroyed 99% and to this day still are fighting to survive, never allowed to roam free in their natural habitat for millions of years.   

  Killed off by various governing bodies, and ranchers in the area who brought disease to the buffalo, now target the buffalo saying the diseases they gave the buffalo are killing their cattle ranging the plateaus and plains. 

  The salmon thick and never ending flows making a bridge you could about walk on, so thick and extensive were the salmon, steelhead and sockeye, that it seemed they would endure and thrive forever. 

  However dam after dam was erected, nuclear power plant after nuclear power plant, toxic from the first brick being built, and toxic for millions of years thereafter, have all but destroyed the last salmon and steelhead. 

  Now, almost no salmon are living, the food, like the bison, that provided food for countless animals and people have all but gone, until the last nuclear power plant and dam is dismantled, and not made again. The dams put pressure not natural on the earth and it’s system, and cause flooding hazards when they break only a short time after being built. 

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Notes and writing... 

Notes and writing... 

Notes and writing…

Notes and writing…

Notes and writing...