By Betty Anne
“Clomp, clomp, clomp” trotted the horse feet.
“Hang on, girls; I see a big bump up ahead!” Lucas shouted to Emily and her mom. The girls grabbed all their stuff tightly and leaned into one another. Emily gasped, squinting her eyes and hiding her face. “Bah!” is the sound the wagon made.
“Phew,” Lucas said in relief. “Wasn't as bad as I thought.”
Anni nodded. “That's for sure.”
Later they saw a family of Indians walking on the side of the trail. Emily tilted her head. “Father?” she asked.
“Yes, my dear?” Lucas responded.
“Those people seem as if they need a ride, and our carriage has extra space. Would it be all right if we invite them on board?” Emily asked.
“Let’s ask if they need a ride first, Emily dear,” Anni replied.
Emily nodded her head. “Okay, mother.”
Lucas stopped the cart. He hopped out in a positive way. A little Indian girl about Emily’s age stared at him. Emily was peeking out of the wagon.
“Do you guys need a cart ride to Oregon? We have much extra space and food,” Lucas asked.
The little girl pulled her little brother away from the man. The mother looked at Lucas. “How do know you don't kill us?” she questioned with broken English.
Lucas paused. “Just trust us,” he responded.
The Indian mother looked at her children. “In Lomasi! In Alo,” the mother commanded. The kids got in along with the mother and the baby on her back. “Thank you,” the mother said smiling.
Emily gathered her stuff and made room for the family. “There you go; make yourself at home,” Emily happily said. The little girl nodded her head, setting her doll and blanket down. “Is that all?” Emily wondered.
“Yes,” the little girl said softly.
“Oh, okay,” Emily said, picking up her doll. “This is Juliet; she is my doll. What's your doll’s name?” asked Emily, while holding up her doll.
“Moana is her name. Moana means ocean,” the girl said, holding her doll tightly.
“That’s cool. I don’t know if Juliet has a meaning,” Emily said, tilting her head. “My name is Emily. And that’s my dad, Lucas, and my mom, Anni.” Emily pointed at her parents.
“Ah, hi Emily. I am Lomasi. This is Alo, my mom is Noya and my sister is Odina,” Lomasi replied with a lively grin.
“Do your names have meanings like your doll?” Emily asked Lomasi swaying back and forth. “Yes, my name means pretty flower, my brother’s name means spiritual guide, mom’s name means beauty of god. And sister’s name means wealth,” Lomasi replied to Emily pointing up into the sunset.
“That’s so cool. Do you know if my name has a meaning?” Emily asked with much wonder.
Losami nodded her head. “Emily is short for aemilia. Aemilia is a Latin name that means striving,” Lomasi said, with a jolly grin.
“Really? That’s super cool!” Emily said, standing up, brushing the dirt off of her dress. “Are you in a tribe?” inquired Emily.
Lomasi smiled. “Yes, Indeed I am. Would you like to know more about it?” Lomasi impatiently asked. Emily nodded her head with glee. Lomasi bit her lip with enthusiasm getting ready to advise Emily about her loyal tribe. “Me and my family are from Wanapam tribe. We built our lives around a river this way,” Lomasi said pointing in the direction they were headed.
“How come you aren’t going the opposite way?” Emily questined with a concerned face.
“Because we are headed back from a meeting with all the tribes. Every full moon we all head on a long journey to the moon stone in a cave underground. There is the one night we all talk about equality for all tribes. And we also bury our loved ones that have passed to the upper world.”
“Why isn’t there equality yet?” Emily buzzed. “Well, I don’t exactly know. I think it has something to do with food, or something.” Lomasi shrugged. Emily starred in awe. “Did I daze you?” Lomasi said with a wide eyed smirk. The girls chuckled with a burst of laughter.
The Next Night
“Hoo, hoo” went the owls. Everyone was deeply sleeping in the carriage. It was almost silent. Rustling in the bushes, two unhealthy pioneers popped out from behind a tree. They tiptoed to the cart and grabbed some clothes, food, water, and medicine. Then they quickly left.
That Morning
The two families woke up in a happy, spiritual way!
“Who wants breakfast?” Anni asked.
“Me, me!” Emily raised her hand. “Raisin bread for me please.”
“Oh, uh, me too,” Lomasi said. “And some for Alo!”
“Okay, coming right up,” Anni said, giving raisin bread to Alo and Emily. “One moment, Lomasi dear. I need to grab another piece.”
Lomasi nodded her head. “Yes, of course, mama Anni.”
Anni reached into the food basket and felt almost nothing. “Hmm, I was sure we had more bread,” Anni questioned herself.
“It’s okay, Mom. I'll split my piece with Lomasi,” Emily said, ripping the bread into halves.
Lomasi smiled. “God bless Emily.”
Emily smiled. “Eat up.”
***
After everyone was done eating, Lomasi reached into her small bag. She pulled out a weaved bracelet and handed it to Emily. “Here, for you.”
“Well, thank you, Lomasi,” Emily said, putting the bracelet on. “This is great!”
***
Meanwhile, Anni was looking to see what happened to that bread. Where could it be? she thought. She had already looked in the basket, under the basket, around the basket, in other bags and luggage and could not find it. Anni gasped.
“What mom?” asked Emily.
“Much of our food, water, and clothes are gone!” Anni screeched. “We must have been robbed last night!”
Lucas replied in a shocked manner.
“Oh, don't worry,” Lomasi said calmly.
“Yeah, don’t worry,” Noya said while pointing to the forest.
“But our food is GONE!” Lucas shrieked.
“It was probably some unhealthy voyagers. They needed the food to survive,” Alo stated.
“But we need food, water, and clothes to survive, too!” Emily loudly whispered.
“Well, then we can just go pick some berries, fruits, and go to the stream not too far from here,” Lomasi said, pointing toward the stream.
“What about poison berries?” Anni asked.
“Lomasi and I know which berries are safe to eat. And we know our way to the stream,” Noya said, smiling and nodding her head.
“Really?” Lucas asked. The family nodded their heads.
“Then what are we waiting for?” Emily said with a great grin.
“Let’s go!” said Lomasi, hopping out of the wagon and heading toward some elderberry bushes.
“Yeah!” replied Emily, tumbling out of the wagon. Alo giggled, sliding out of the cart along with the others.
***
“Well, that was awesome!” Emily said while eating a couple elderberries.
“Yeah, for sure, but what about clothes? It’s getting late and what if it’s cold?” asked Anni.
“Oh, one moment, guys,” said Lomasi while grabbing Alo and pulling him out of the wagon. “You know what to do,” said Lomasi.
Alo nodded his head. “Of course I do.” He said as he pulled some leaves and twigs of trees and bushes. Lomasi winked at him. She grasped a big clump of leaves, vines, twigs, etc. She and Alo headed back to the wagon, setting all the stuff down. Alo winked at Noya. Noya slid out of the wagon, quickly taking a handful of mud.
“Give us three minutes!” Alo said with delight. Emily, Anni, and Lucas looked at each other in confusion. Emily popped a few elderberries in her mouth while watching the family get to work.
“And……..DONE!” said Lomasi and Alo at the same time.
“For you, Emily,” said Noya, giving Emily a full-on outfit.
“And for you, Lucas,” said Alo, handing Lucas an outfit as well.
“And last but not least, Anni. Here is your dress made out of nature,” Lomasi said, smiling and gently setting down the dress.
A Few Months Later
Noya smiled. “Great trip, everyone.”
“I agree. Everyone did wonderful,” Lomasi said, walking to the bonfire, handing everyone some elderberries and raisin bread. “Enjoy.”
Emily smiled. “Thanks, Lomasi. My favorite, thanks to you guys!”
“And my favorite, raisin bread. Thanks to you guys!” Lomasi said, filling her face with the perfectly baked raisin stuffed bread.
“Thank you for everything,” said Noya.
“Yeah, we would still be traveling if it wasn't for you people,” Alo said, eating a few elderberries.
“And without you guys, we would be dead,” laughed Lucas.
“It’s true,” Anni said, ripping a piece of raisin bread for herself.
Everyone smiled.
The End!!