FACING SUNRIZE
CHAPTER 2, PAGE 3

Lali Is Happy in the Forest
Please go to: Chapter 3, p1
The Thunderheads were hovering almost above her now. She could see Their Scowling Faces blowing the wind in her direction as it thrashed, fiercely shaking the tree she was under as if to draw her out. But Lali lay quietly. She was so sorry and scaird. She even promised the Great Spirit and her Ancestral Grandmothers she would always be a good girl from now on, and always help Gongi whenever she asked Lali to give her a hand with the chores...If only she and Lokie could get back home to their village again unharmed.
Lali was repeating the counting song over and over again in her mind as she drifted off into a deep sleep. In her dream she was walking down a steep trail and she slipped into an icy dream world, she would not remember.
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Suddenly someone was calling her name. Now she was back under the fir tree, clinging for life. When she heard her name called, she opened her eyes. An old man, strangely familiar, was approaching her. Although she thought she was well hidden, he knew exactly where she was. He was holding Gongi's little beaded purse in his outstretched hand for her to take. When she took the purse, he smiled and nodded his head reassuringly. Then he resumed his journey down the trail, disappearing into the shadows. Lali felt a warm glow as she clutched the purse to her heart. She forgot to shiver, and settled down cozily, resting comfortably until sunrize. While she slept, the Thunderclouds released great sheets of snow, but Lali didn't know because she was dreaming, clutching the little beaded purse. It was the very first snow of the season and the trail that Lokie and Lali made was covered up by the soft falling crystals as they sparkled brilliantly everywhere in heaps. The water from the river rushed and laughed over the rocks. Droplets shone like jewels in the morning sun. The beavers were already at work whittling away at their beams. But soon the sky become gray. The few patches of blue closed up and the water rushed more swiftly as the snow fell harder. The whole countryside lay expectant and eager. The vibration was in the air. The snow soothed the earth, let it sleep, with all it's precious seeds. Sleep until another Spring...but Lali must not sleep until Spring. Why didn't she move?
Lali lay there dreaming. Finally the aching in her limbs and joints made her shift her position again. She reached in her dream for Lokie, but when he saw her, he merrily escaped again. The birds chirped loudly in the boughs above her. Lali sat up. The sun was peaking thru the clouds. The whole forest was dressed in white from bough to root. The sun was bright, the air crisp and clean. If only Lokie would come back. Tears ran down Lali's face. She rubbed her empty stomach and looked around to see if there was something to eat. But there was only snow, deeply piled in banks. Lali scooped a handful of snow and put it in her mouth. It was crunchy and cold. Just then she heard a crunching sound behind her.
Lali held her breath. She tried to look between the pine needles without being seen, She was listening quietly. She smelled the air. "Hmmm. Not a bear" she thought. "I hope it's not a mountain lion" As she was straining to see what she could see, Lokie's big nose pushed it's way thru the low bough under which Lali was hiding.
The giant Thunderheads rumbled and let lightning fly, They were laughing so hard. They were have a good time teaching Lali the lesson of her life. If she didn't change her attitude soon, they were ready to lose patience with her. First they decided to give her a chance to prove her good intentions.
But Lali was in a scowling mood all day just trying to keep Lokie moving. She was still, just as determined as ever to ruin everyone's day if she couldn't have everything her own way. Compromise was not part of her vocabulary yet.
The Great Eyes of the Thunderheads followed her every move. They shook their heads in dismay, and it snowed a deluge on Lali and Lokie as they trudged wearily forward. The Thunderheads made her very uncomfortable with their piercing eyes, but Lali shook off her feelings of dread, as just her imagination tricking her into believing her grandmother's fairy tale.
"Some old clouds don't scare me! You'll be gone soon," she told them pretending to acknowledge them. "This storm is just passing thru. Tomorrow there will be plenty of sun again, and we wont have to look at your sour pusses any more!" She laughed nervously to prove she thought it was just a joke. But the Thunderheads didn't think it was a joke, and they poured more snow on top of her and Lokie, until Lokie could go no further and he lay down in the snow.
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When Gongi got back to her camp, Salanka was there. "Mom" she said,"I heard they didn't find Lali yet. How are you doing" she added, rubbing the old woman's shoulder. Gongi shook her head and went into her teepee. Salanka followed. "Mom," she said gently, "come to my lodge tonight. I made a rabbit stew and it's still hot. Ebi and Shiro are worried for you too. Come stay with us tonight." Gongi just shook her head to say no. "Mom, what did you eat today," Salanka insisted. "You have to eat. You come with me now." She had to pull Gongi's arm to get her out of the teepee. She followed Salanka sadly to the family lodge.
The children were happy to see Grandma, and were jumping over her and each other to get hugs. It sure made Gongi feel better. She sat down on the thick buffalo hide and took the bowl of steaming hot stew that Salanka handed her.
She tried eating it when it cooled a bit, but every time she took some to her mouth, she had to hold back the sobs. So she put the bowl down and stroked her grandsons and laid them down to sleep. She sat staring abstractedly into the fire as Salanka prepared a place for Gongi to sleep.
"You have to sleep here tonight Mom. Just rest. The stew is right here when you get hungry." She kissed her Mom's head tenderly. "Cover up with this tonight. It'll keep you warm" she said giving Gongi a nice buffalo blanket. Then she went to her bed. Soon Red Horse came in from outside. He'd been clearing snow away from around the teepee after dinner. Now he came in and was tired from a full day of chopping wood and shoveling snow. He went straight to his bed where Salanka was already sound asleep. Gongi heard Red Horse come in, but she didn't move and pretended to be asleep.
Gongi's eyes were full of tears as she lay in the dark trying to sleep. She was thinking of so many things. She wiped the tears away and dried her cheeks with the back of her hands. She was thinking of Lali and Lokie alone in the snowy night. Her spirit went to them and covered them with her love. Then she was able to sleep til sunrize.
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Lali loved her grandma, but she didn't appreciate her sternness. She fought against it tooth and nail. On the other hand, Gongi too had forgotten her youthful self that was spontaneous, like a fountain, once. Gongi crumbled when Chin Honaw and then Flying Eagle left her in this world. She no longer wanted to be spontaneous and happy, and this created a huge chasm between her and Lali whose very youth demanded she explore possibilities and discover the meaning of it all. Gongi couldn't work as hard as she had before and needed Lali's help. To Gongi, to live meant to work. But Lali was not concerned with all that.
When Sittingjing-gongala was young and she and Chin Honaw lived together even the coldest nights were warm and cheery when their love filled the lodge. Those were such wonderful years to remember. She remembered the sound of his voice, and could still hear it in the wind,in the stream, in her heart, letting her know he was still with her, looking out for her as always. He'd been such a good friend all their years together. She missed him so. In dreams they still journeyed together. Chin Honaw had been a powerful man. A man like a bear. His will was like a mountain. His mind was strong. He always used his power wisely and was gentle in a sensitive way, and yet, discipled their children with an authority they all trembled before.
"Bring her home safely Papa," was the last thought she would remember in the morning, for that is when she tumbled into a warm hopeful sleep, and happy dreams let her forget the anxiety of the day past, and of that to come.
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So Lali began to tell the story: "I was very cold the first night out, and all alone because Lokie had run away when I was swimming at the waterfall," she began. "I thought I was going to die Grandma. It was so cold. I had been singing the little song you taught me about the Bear in the Moon, but then I think I went to sleep. Someone called my name, and that's when I woke up to see an old man coming up the trail. He had your little beaded purse in his hand...and he gave it to me." "It turned out to be a dream though," she continued explaining, "cuz when I woke up at Sunrize, it was gone. I thought for sure he had given it to me! But it was here all along in your sewing basket. I dreamed of it all night long Grandma, and from the moment the old man gave me your purse, I felt warm again..and I slept well from then on." Gongi was listening intently to the story. "Then what happened" she asked. The fire sent a burst of sparks up in anticipation. Lali continued:
"From the very moment the old man gave me the purse, I felt warm, and I wasn't afraid anymore. It was so strange." "What did the old man say to you?" asked Gongi hopefully. "He never said a word Grandma," Lali explained. "He just gave me the purse, and looked me in the eye and nodded his head lovingly. It was like he knew me...or I knew him. But I don't know from where." Gongi listened closely. A tear formed in her eye."He was just smiling at me," Lali went on. "After that, he just kept going down the trail until I couldn't see him anymore. Then I was so tired, I fell asleep and didn't wake up 'til morning. That's when Lokie came back. Then we trudged through the snow all day until night, until Lokie couldn't go any farther, and laid down. I thought he was going to die! I had to keep him alive, so I slept close to him all night."Lali gave a big yawn and laid her head on Gongi's breast. "I'm tired Grandma." Gongi was off into her own thoughts as tears filled her eyes. She knew Chin-Honaw had heard her prayers and gone to Lali and saved her life.
"Don't cry Grandma," consoled Lali. "What's wrong Grandma?" she pleaded. "Wrong?" answered Gongi distractedly. "Nothing is wrong dear. Everything is right...I'm crying for joy dear. For joy!" replied Gongi. "You see," she went on, "when you were freezing to death in the cold night, I could feel it. I called to your Grandfather Chin-Honaw. It was your Grandpa you saw. It was he that gave you the little beaded purse in your dream." She looked at it now. It was tattered and old. She touched it to her heart. "It's so old now," said Gongi wistfully, "but the love we shared so long ago, is still as fresh and alive as it ever was. It is his love for us that keeps us warm, and keeps us going every day dear one. Do you see that now?" she added hugging Lali tightly under the buffalo skin blanket. Lali kissed the tears that fell from Gongi's face tenderly. They hugged as the fire cast deep shadows inside the teepee. The firelight made rainbows come out from Gongi's eyelashes. Tumby's ears perked up as she peered into the shadowWas someone standing by watching them? "Oh it's only the old man again," she thought, and laid her head down on Lali's backside again Tumby was glad he was there too, cuz she wasn't scaird when he was around. He took care of all the bad spirits that stopped by and tried to linger and cause mischief. Mischief was her job, and she didn't like competition.
Then Gongi spoke softly. Her voice was sweet like music. "Chin-Honaw was very good to me and our children. Your mother Leula was his favorite. It was he that brought down the great grizzly bear that we sleep on every night....and this buffalo too, he brought home. He was a great hunter....and he's still providing for us...and protecting us. That is what love does dear. It never stops or goes away, even after one returns to the other world to live with the Great Spirit." She paused for a moment, as if she was listening to a voice far away...deep inside herself. Lali was almost asleep, but wanted to hear what Gongi was saying...
Gongi continued: "Love keeps all things growing on the path of Life," sighed Gongi, trying her best to hide the widow's pain she felt so keenly, still inside her broken lonely heart. The shadows deepened in the teepee as the fire burned way down. But Lali didn't hear what Gongi said now, because she didn't know it, but she had fallen asleep and was dreaming now of childish things, of games she and Tumby would play when the sun came up. Gongi got up and put the last log of the night on the smoldering fire, and quickly got back in bed, closing her eyes happily.
The storm had passed now and the Ancestors were satisfied that Lali was remorseful for her behavior. They moved on gladly and the sky was crisp and clear. A million stars twinkled over the happy little village. Lokie and Jalisco in their little cabana with Cisco observed their beauty. He was so happy to be home again, and munched a bit of hay Uncle Om had put up under the little thatch roof for them.
The moon shone splendidly on the new fallen snow. Outside the teepees, in the deep night, velvet paws sprinted heavily across the crunchy snow on the way back to their lair. Little bunnies were warm and snug in their mother's den, while bear cubs were birthed from their mother's womb. They would cling to her fur and teats, growing stronger with each approaching day. Soon it would be Spring and the snow would melt away again; fat buds would appear on the branches...But on that joyful night of reunion, all the families in the happy little village, slept comfortably dreaming, in the arms of the starry starry night.
It was a lovely day. Gongi and Lali worked together all day and into the night mending and cooking, laughing and talking stories. In the evening, Gongi pulled the great grizzly bearskin closer to the hearth. Lali laid down on it with Tumby. The fire was warm. Tumby rolled over onto her back so Lali could rub her tummy. Grandma threw the big buffaloskin blanket over Lali and scooted Tumby off to the side. But Tumby jumped right back onto the bed and snuggled up close to Lali for protection in case Gongi tried to throw her outside for the night.
Gongi pulled off her buckskin dress and put on her cotton night tunic. Lali got up and began looking through Gongi's woven reed baskets. When she found what she was looking for, she jumped back under the buffalo skin cover.
"What have you got there?" Gongi asked, curious to see what it was Lali was hiding. "Oh, it's just something..." replied Lali mischievously. "Well let's see it!" insisted Gongi. "Not yet!" answered Lali seriously. "Just wait. I want to tell you a story..when you settle down Grandma!" she giggled nervously. Gongi laughed. She didn't expect her grand-daughter to tell her a story. "I always tell you a story" said Gongi playing the game
"Yes," said Lali, "but tonight, I'm telling you a story!" And she laughed like only children laugh, she was so delighted with herself. Even Tumby chuckled. Her tongue hung out of her mouth, as she panted, waiting expectantly for the story to begin.
"Hurry up Grandma, get in bed" urged Lali."Okay, I'm ready" said Gongi happily. She got in bed under the warm buffalo skin next to Lali, and started tickling her, until Lali showed Gongi the little beaded purse she'd taken from her Grandma's basket.
"Hey" scolded Gongi, "what are you doing with my little beaded purse? This is the purse your Grandfather Chin-Honaw gave me when we were young and courting." Gongi was saying this holding the bag up while Lali was wreathing in laughter and giggles. "I thought you were going to tell me a story,"insisted Gongi. "No!" said Lali, holding out defiantly. So Gongi kept tickling her until Lali begged her to stop. Tumby started jumping on top of both of them, and even snapped at the little beaded purse, but Gongi knocked her off the bed with one swoosh of her arm. Tumby just came back for more.
"Grandma stop! Stop hahahahaha!!! No more, no more," she laughed between tears.They were both laughing as hard as they could, with tears streaming down their faces, while Tumby was jumping all over them barking. Finally they'd all had enough and took a break, settling down under the covers now. Tumby jumped up on the thick hairy buffalo blanket so she too could listen to the story that Lali was going to tell. When all was still, Lali began snuggling up closer to Gongi.