rustedtusks.com

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Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

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Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

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Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

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Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

_________________
Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

_________________
Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

_________________
Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

A funeral parlor in Lockhart

The phone on his desk rings...

"Yes?"

"I see. Thank you."

Hector sets the phone down and turns to his operations manager.

"We have another coffin full of goods coming tomorrow morning. See to it that it arrives safely."

"Si El Heffe"

Hector pulls a cigar from the humidor on his desk.

"I ran across these when I first started this business. They were a gift from a customer."

His manager sat quietly, forcing a smile. "Tu Caron, not this story again..."

"Senor, I must attend to the details of the shipment, please excuse me."

Hector smiles, "It's ok Carlos, I understand. Oh, and we'll need another volunteer to put in the box after we unload it."

Placing his feet on the desk, he leans back and reminices while lighting his cigar. "Fourty years in this business, life is good."

Continued

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Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

El Oso...

Carlos ducks into the bar and waits for his eyes to adjust. Hearing the giggle of women and several rude remarks by a male he knows that Chavo is here.

Walking over to the table Carlos says, "Lose the almejas."

The women knew it was time to leave. One of them still had a slight limp from the last time she hadn't moved fast enough.

"Senior Carlos, how nice to see you. Join me for a drink?"

"We do not have time for such foolishness. You need to find another volunteer for El Heffe."

"Amigo, why are you such a tight ass?"

"Because I am paid to be. And you are being paid to do your job, not chase women and drink."

Carlos rose from the table, walked back to the door and thought to himself. "One of these days, that fool is going to wake up missing pieces."

Continued...

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Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

1978 the cabin...

Runs With Stick tried not to fidget in her chair as she waited for her mother and grandmother.

"Today is very important my daughter. You are no longer a girl, you are a young woman."

Shining Moon Star set the cleaver on the table. "You have learned how this is used to prepare food and turn the indamo leaves into our ceremonial dye. Now it is time for you to learn what else it is used for."

Greets The Morning stood up and explained, "We are prey species, and this has always been so, as it is the wish of our Creator. However, there are times when we are also the predator. What happens why we die Granddaughter?"

Remembering her lessons Runs With Stick answered, "We cross the bridge into heaven Grandmother."

"And what happens if we do not have both feet?"

"We are stuck forever between life and death Grandmother."

Greets The Morning smiled and sat down.

Shining Moon Star lifted the cleaver and spoke to it. "You were my husband's and you were his father's before you. Blessed are the spirits that live within you. Guide us in your proper usage."

She handed the cleaver to Runs With Stick. "Many of us have died at the hands of others." She paused, "Many of those that have hunted us have died by our hands, all of them have been sent on their final journey with their right foot missing."

Greets The Morning stood up again, holding the bag of indamo powder. "The color blue is worn when we face death Granddaughter. We keep it with us at all times as a reminder that Death is always nearby. And how is it used?"

Runs With Stick leaned forward, "It is worn on our cheeks when we face death Grandmother. It is to show we are brave and do not fear the inevitable. After death, it is sprinkled in our mouth so that we may tell death we are on our final journey. It is sprinked in our eyes so that we may see the way to heaven."

Greets The Morning hung the bag of indamo powder around he granddaughter's neck. "May Mother Earth bless you and the Sun guide you in life dearest one."

Continued...

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Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

1980 Outpost Cafe

Runs With Stick looked up over the counter and watched the trucker walk into the cafe. "Mother help me, not this asshole again." She grabbed her order pad and waited for his usual tirade.

Clarence slammed his fist on the counter. "Service, I want service. Can't you snowshoes move any faster than that?"

She just smiled and waited for him.

"Let me see... Coffee, I want some coffee, and none of that crap that's been sitting for three hours."

"The coffee's fresh, it just finished brewing a few minutes ago."

Runs With Stick thought about pouring it in his lap, then reminded herself that this was the only honest job to be had in these parts.

"Grilled fish, that looks simple enough for the likes of you to handle."

"Will there be anything else sir?"

"Yeah, make sure you don't get no hopfoot hair in it. It's bad enough I got hopfoot hair in my grill."

She double checked the grill before putting the fillets on it, "There's no hair on the grill, what's he going on about this time?"

Runs With Stick thought about her friend Silver Two Trees instead of that obnoxious trucker. "I know mother doesn't approve of him, but he makes me feel special."

"About damned time, I could have starved to death in the time it took you to make this."

"Will there be anything else sir?"

"Self control." That's what her grandmother kept telling her. "Don't get mad, get even. We Cunnis are very proud of our history as prey species. Self control is what allows us to turn predator and deal with our enemies effectively."

Clarence wiped his muzzle with the back of his hand, threw some money on the counter and walked out of the cafe laughing. "Hopfoot hair, that's a good one!"

Runs With Stick put the money in the drawer and started her routine of closing up for the night. "Mother help me."

She was about finished when Sam walked in. "Good evening officer, can I get you some fresh coffee?"

"Yes thank you, but you'd better get some for yourself and sit down, I have some bad news for you."

Runs With Stick sat down on a stool next to Sam and waited for him to speak.

"There's been a hit and run out on the highway, I'm pretty sure it's your mother and grandmother. It's just a formality, but you need to identify them."

She dropped her coffee on the floor and just sat there. "Mother help me..."

Continued...

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Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

1980 The Cabin

With the rising of the sun, Runs With Stick went outside to give thanks to Mother Earth and ask the Sun for guidance.

It had been several weeks since the funeral. It had all run together like a bad dream. Identifying them, putting the Indamo power in their eyes and mouth. Sam had told her that they died instantly. Thank Mother that their feet were still attached.

Runs With Stick took out the box she had found in her grandmothers dresser.

Carefully she spread the contents out on the table. She had known about the letters and medals, but she picked up the necklace made with tiny bones.

"Grandmother told me that these are from the feet of our enemies." She ran her fingers over them, some of them were quite old."I will wear this in honor of you Greets The Morning."

Runs With Stick sat there quietly, trying to focus on the diary.She brushed the tears from her eyes and read. "Dearest Granddaughter, I know that if you are reading this, my prayers have been answered, I have not had to see the death of another family member."

The knock at the door brought her back to the present. "Come in, it's open."

Silver Two trees walked in, "I just heard, I came as soon as I found out, is there anything I can do for you?"

Runs With Stick rose slowly and dropped her dress to the floor. It was the first time she had been naked in front of him. "Come to bed with me. I don't want to be alone."

Continued...

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Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

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Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

1980 up near the border

Silver Two Trees motioned for her to stop and get down, then pointed down the hill.

"Do you see those two crouched over there?"

She looked up and answered quietly. "Yes."

"They are Border Patrol, we have always made it a point to avoid them even if it means going around."

Runs With Stick nodded, "Are there others out here?"

"Trust no one. Except for them and the occasional trapper, nobody really has a legitimate reason for being out here."

It was a stark reminder that she was out here on business, and not camping with her father.

"So we go back and wait?"

"Tomorrow we will try going a few miles to the east."

She smiled at him, "I think you did this on purpose so you could spend an extra night with me."

Silver Two Trees laughed quietly, "Now is not the time for that."

Continued...

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Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

1981 up near the border

Runs With Stick sniffed the air, "We are not alone." Moving quietly, she circled around back to where they had eaten breakfast earlier.

Silver Two Trees sat with his hands behind his head staring at the intruder.

"Well well, look what I caught. Lucky for one of us don't ya think?"

He just smiled, having spotted Runs With Stick moving up behind the sheller.

"Pretty relaxed for someone about to become a bootliner aren't you?"

"We are Cunni, Death is always nearby."

She swung the piece of wood and hit the otter across the side of his head.

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine"

"He would have killed you."

Silver Two Trees rolled him over and went though his pockets. "He is just another poacher, nobody will miss him."

"He meant to kill you, I will take care of him."

He knelt down beside the intruder and watched as she took the cleaver and Indamo and sat them on the ground.

Kneeling beside them she said, "You were my Father's and his Father's before him. Blessed are the Spirits that live within you, Guide me in your proper use."

Runs With Stick raised the cleaver above her head, "Mother help me." Then brought it down quickly severing the right foot from the intruder.

She turned and placed a knee across the otter's chest listening to his screams.

"Your screams are in vain, no one is listening to you. You have sought to harm us, and for this you shall pay."

Runs With Stick waited until the last of his life flowed out from his leg.

She sprinkled the Indamo is his mouth, "This is so that you may speak to Death on your eternal journey."

Moving her hand over his face to put the powder in his eyes, "And this is so that you may see that which is denied to you."

Standing up, she touched her Grandmother's necklace, "Another bone to remind others we are Cunni."

They picked up their belongings and headed north. Silver Two Trees spoke after a while.

"The animals will attend to him."

Continued...

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Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

1981 Back at the cabin

Silver Two Trees laid a large sheet of paper out on the table.

"We've done this for a year now, draw the routes and the locations on this piece of paper."

Runs With Stick smiled and started to map their routes. "Testing me?"

"Yes."

After she had finished, he studied the map, noted that everything was as it should be and placed the paper in the fireplace.

As the paper curled, Runs With Stick sprinkled a bit of the Indamo powder on it. After it had been completely consumed, she gathered a bit of the ashes.

As they both rubbed a bit of the ashes in their fur, they spoke in unison, "Sister Moon, help keep this secret with me until my death."

They sat in silence for a moment, then Runs With Stick stood up and dropped her dress to the floor. "Is it time?"

Silver Two Trees laughed and followed her to the bed, dropping his clothing along the way, "It is time."

Continued.

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Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

1981 Pleasing one another

The run had been uneventful. Except for the nature of their business, it would have been just another vacation in the wilderness.

Runs With Stick turned to Silver Two Trees, "Are you pleased with me?"

"I am pleased with everything about you."

She felt her cheeks warming a bit. "You know, you're rather pleasing yourself."

He thought about that bit where she placed her hands behind her head and held onto the tree lifting her legs. Now it was his turn to feel his cheeks warming. "What possessed you to get into that position?"

She laughed, "It was time and there were too many rocks on the ground."

They walked on in silence.

Finally Silver Two Trees spoke again, "I have some business to attend to when we get back."

"Does it involve me?"

"In way, it does. But I must attend to it myself."

Runs With Stick nodded, everyone has secrets, even from themselves. "I understand, will you be gone long?"

"I doubt it will be for more than a week."

"So I will have an entire week to think of new ways to please you?"

They both laughed at that and increased their pace the last mile back down to the cabin.

Continued.

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Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

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Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

1982 A truck stop in East Arikara

Runs With Stick sat in the darkness at the truck stop. "Mother help me."

She thought about that night two years ago in the diner as she rubbed a bit of Indamo into her cheek fur.

It had taken her a couple of days to walk and hitch hike to this place, and another day of waiting for that bastard trucker. Now he was inside stuffing his face.

Runs With Stick slowly felt the tires on the passenger side of the truck. Pausing at the one with the retread she smiled, "This will do." as she cut into the sidewall.

She walked back into the darkness and waited.

Runs With Stick slipped out next to the highway and ran after the truck as it headed west.

Clarence swore loudly as the tread separated from the casing, "Damn lazy bastards, I should have known they'd sell me a rotten tire back there."

He eased the truck over to the shoulder to see which tire came apart this time.

He was struggling to remove the tire when Runs With Stick came up behind him.

"Need a hand Mister?"

"Yeah, lazy bastards sold me a piece of crap tire, son of a bitch blew on me...push on that handle there so I can get my hand under this."

She knelt down working the jack handle to raise it, "Like this?"

Clarence grabbed the tire from the top and bottom to rock it off of the studs.

Runs With Stick released the jack so that his hand was pinned to the dirt below it.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing? Get this damn tire off of me!"

She stepped back a bit, "We need to talk first."

"Who the hell are you?"

"I am Runs With Stick, I work at the Outpost Cafe."

"What's that got to do with anything, get this fucking tire off of me."

"That was my Mother and Grandmother you ran down on the highway."

His tone changed immediately, "That was an accident, I swear it, I thought they were coyotes."

"Do not lie to me, you were laughing about hopfoot hair in your grill."

Anger had shifted to panic, "What do you want? Money? I have money."

Runs With Stick set the cleaver and Indamo on the ground.

Kneeling beside them she said, "You were my Father's and his Father's before him. Blessed are the Spirits that live within you, Guide me in your proper use."

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Runs With Stick raised the cleaver above her head, "Mother help me." Then brought it down quickly severing the right foot from the trucker.

She turned and placed a knee across the his chest listening to his screams.

"Your screams are in vain, no one is listening to you. You have killed my Mother and Grandmother, and for this you shall pay."

Runs With Stick waited as his screams grew fainter then stopped altogether.

She sprinkled the Indamo is his mouth, "This is so that you may speak to Death on your eternal journey."

Moving her hand over his face to put the powder in his eyes, "And this is so that you may see that which is denied to you."

Standing up, she touched her Grandmother's necklace, "We are Cunni, my family can rest now."

Continued.

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Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

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Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

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Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

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Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

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Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

1962 The cabin

Greets The Morning walked out of the cabin and approached Running Blue Water, "My son, you have a baby daughter."

"Can I?"

"Yes, everything is fine now."

Running Blue Water rushed inside and stood next to the bed looking down at his wife and daughter.

"You don't mind?"

"How could I mind, she is ours."

Shining Moon Star looked at her husband, "I knew you wanted a boy."

"Worry not beloved Wife, the Creator has deemed to bless us with a daughter, and so this is how it shall be."

"What shall we name her?"

He thought for a moment and said, "She shall be known as Runs With Stick."

Greets The Morning touched her son on the shoulder.

"Please forgive me Mother, all fathers want sons, as do all mothers want daughters. Do you think she'll have my eyes?"

"It is too soon to tell, but I suspect she has your eyes, the same as your Father's."

Running Blue Water smiled and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Son, I will sleep in the chair next to the fire, you can have my bed, your wife is tired and needs to sleep now."

The next morning he joined his mother outside to greet the sun, "Mother Earth, than you for our continued well being. And may the Sun give us guidance."

"Go now, I know you want to run down to the cafe and tell your friend Black Shadow Bear. I will care for your wife."

Continued.

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Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

_________________
Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

_________________
Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

_________________
Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

_________________
Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.