Yellowstone Legends Read online

  Yellowstone Legends

  Yellowstone Romance Series, Book 8

  Peggy L Henderson

  Copyright © 2018 by Peggy L Henderson

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Contents

  Dear Reader

  Yellowstone Legends

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Epilogue

  Dear Reader

  Wow! I can’t believe Book 8 is finally finished, and with it, the central story line in the Yellowstone Romance Series. Thank you all who have loved this series from the beginning and have stayed with it to the end. Your emails, messages, and posts on social media (and those all-important reviews) have been heartwarming and encouraging.

  I can’t thank you enough for your patience with me. Yellowstone Legends took far longer to write than I anticipated. When an author sets a timeline to write a book, many things are factored in such as the complexity of the story, the length it should be, and the author’s average writing speed. Well, let’s just say that even after factoring in all of those things, life got in the way, and after a full year from when I’d started, I found myself still struggling to complete the final book of the Yellowstone Romance Series.

  Yellowstone Legends was a complicated book to write, and I wanted to take the time to give the story and the series the justice they deserved. This is not a book that can be read as a standalone. The plot is complex and encompasses the entire series, tying all of the stories and characters together. It is my hope that once you’ve read this final book in the series, you will re-read the prior books with a new perspective.

  Because so much of the storyline in Yellowstone Legends falls back on events in prior books in the series, I have created a file for you to download for quick reference of pertinent information, including a list of who’s who in the series, locations, dates, important events, and some insights from me. You can download this pdf file HERE

  If you enjoy the Yellowstone Romance Series and want to read more stories that include trappers and mountain men, the Teton Romance Series and the Wilderness Brides Romance Series are two spin-offs with a lot of character and plot cross-overs. You can download a reading list HERE.

  Another spin-off series is planned for release in 2019, and, as usual, wheels are turning in my head for another spin-off.

  While the final book in the main arc of the Yellowstone Romance Series is complete, I do plan to add a few novellas as time allows and at the request of my readers.

  I hope you enjoy Yellowstone Legends. I am always happy to hear from you. You can interact with me in my reader group on Facebook, or send me an email. I write monthly Aimee’s Journal entries as exclusive content for my Newsletter members.

  * * *

  ~Peggy

  [email protected]

  Yellowstone Legends

  The future of Yellowstone is in their hands . . .

  * * *

  Detective Weda is a woman of today: smart, independent, and able to do anything she sets her mind to. Growing up on the Rez, she’s been taught about the traditions of her ancestors, but all she wants is to live in the modern world and escape the dreams that have haunted her since childhood. Just when she thinks she’s broken free from her past by starting a new life in New York, people close to her die and the dreams return…

  Wo’itsa has always been content with his role as a hunter of the Tukudeka. A confusing vision reveals images of the past as well as an uncertain future, leaving his ordinary life in turmoil. When a mysterious elder of the Sky People approaches him and offers answers, Wo’itsa is more than eager to help pave the way for generations to come. But something doesn’t seem quite right . . .

  When a woman from the twenty-first century and a hunter from the 1700’s are thrown together in the most unlikely circumstance, there is sure to be mistrust, miscommunication, and mistaken identity. Tensions build when their paths repeatedly intersect as they race through time to secure the future of the sacred mountains in what is to become Yellowstone National Park. What will it take for them to let down their guards and see clearly the true enemy that is determined to keep them apart?

  Prologue

  Wind River Indian Reservation, 1985

  * * *

  “Matunaaga has returned. Natu must be ready when the time comes.”

  The old man, a stranger, dressed in plain buckskins and moccasins, held his hands clasped behind his back and stared at the surrounding mountains. For as frail as he appeared, he held his chin up high and proud. It was a cool April evening, and a slight breeze lifted his long, silver hair from the back of his head.

  Kunu, who stood next to the stranger, nodded. His chest heaved in what appeared to be a long sigh. He moved his gaze from the mountains to the old man. Kunu was old, too, but not quite as old and wrinkled as the man standing beside him.

  A thick leather belt held up Kunu’s faded old jeans. His red and blue flannel shirt was tucked in at the waist, revealing the large belt buckle made from elk antler. The contours of a bear and wolf carved into the buckle were easy to see, even from a distance. It was difficult to decide which of the two men looked out of place – the one with his native clothes or the one wearing modern attire.

  Natu peered from around the corner of the little white-washed house that belonged to Kunu. Eavesdropping had not been the intent. Getting away from that group of other children had led Natu here. They were all bigger, but Natu was faster. One of these days, Natu would be bigger and stronger, and then they’d all better watch out.

  Kunu hadn’t said anything about having a visitor, but it was too late to turn back to find a different hiding place. Natu remained hidden. Better to eavesdrop than get caught by the other kids, and Natu’s name had been mentioned, so that made it excusable.

  Kunu coughed, or was it a laugh disguised as a cough? He smiled at the old stranger, but it wasn’t a happy smile. He made the same kind of face he always did when he wasn’t pleased about something. He shook his head.

  “That little one has proven to be rather difficult.”

  The old man leaned toward Kunu, his eyes blazing with something that could be anger, but could also be fear. “You must see to it that Natu understands what must be done, or there will never be an end.”

  Kunu nodded, and sadness clouded his eyes. “I have grown as fond of the child as I would of my own. It will not be easy when the time comes, but I understand what must be done.”

  Loud laughter and yells from the other children broke off the conversation between the two old men. They both turned their heads in the direction from where the noise was coming. Natu’s head shot around to see the kids running toward
Kunu’s house. This hadn’t been a safe hiding place, after all.

  Darting from around the corner, Natu ran toward Kunu, then stopped. Where was the old man who was dressed in native clothes? Natu frowned and glanced in all directions. He couldn’t have walked away so quickly that he would already be out of sight.

  Kunu walked toward the house, a look of disapproval on his weathered face, which quickly turned into an indulgent smile.

  “What have you been up to again, Natu?”

  “Nothing. They like to chase me and make fun of me. They say I am not one of them.”

  Kunu’s laugh was a quiet cackle. “Of course you’re not one of them, child. You are special.”

  Natu frowned. That was always Kunu’s answer, and it wasn’t helpful.

  “I don’t want to be special. I want to be like them so they leave me alone.” Natu pointed to where the other children came running around the corner of the house. They all stopped when they saw Kunu. The old man raised his hand in greeting and his smile widened as his eyes traveled over the children.

  “I see you’ve all arrived in time for a campfire.”

  Several of the older boys glanced at each other. The girls and several of the younger boys looked relieved, and a few dropped their gazes to the ground, no doubt out of fear that Kunu would send them home and speak to their parents. Not that it would make a difference. They would be back to torment Natu again.

  “Will you tell us another story?” Eli, one of the younger boys, shouted.

  “Sure, if you’d like to hear some stories, I always have good ones to tell.” Kunu patted the boy’s head.

  Natu groaned. No more stories. No doubt they would be about the old days. Natu had heard them all too many times.

  Kunu pointed at a couple of the older boys. Wes and Ron. “Gather the wood and start a fire in the pit.”

  The boys did his bidding without question. They both turned triumphant glares at Natu.

  “Why don’t I have a regular name, like the other kids, Grandfather?” Natu stared up at the old man.

  Kunu smiled in that patient way that was so familiar.

  “I’ve told you, because you’re special.”

  Natu scoffed. “I don’t want to be special.”

  “It is not for you to decide, child. There is nothing you can do about it. You cannot change your birth.” He glanced down one final time, then joined the rest of the children around the fire pit.

  “Don’t think you’re so special, Natu.” Randy walked up and spat out the name. “Your parents didn’t even want you, so you have to live with an old man. That’s how special you really are.”

  Natu ran at the boy, who was much bigger, and grabbed him by the arm, then kicked at his shin. Randy yowled like a dog. A few of the other kids laughed, and Randy’s eyes blazed in anger and embarrassment. He pushed Natu to the ground, then leaned over, and hissed, “You can’t even fight properly. You kick like a little girl.”

  Natu stood, and glanced at the fire that blazed in the fire ring. Kunu looked on with concern in his eyes. Grandfather shook his head slightly, then nodded with his chin as a signal for Natu to join him and the others around the fire. Natu kicked at a stick on the ground, then strode over and sat in the dirt behind the rest of the group. Best to see everyone rather than be seen.

  They’d formed a semicircle around Kunu, whose face came alive from the glow of the fire. The late-afternoon sun was quickly setting over the mountains to the west. Natu shivered. It would be cold soon, but none of the other kids seemed to notice so it was wise not to complain. Then again, they sat closer to the fire. No matter. It was best to sit away from the others.

  “Can you tell us another story about the Sky People, Kunu?”

  Natu’s shoulders slumped. Not the Sky People again!

  “Those are my favorite stories to tell.” Kunu nodded in approval. His eyes rested on Natu, who quickly found interest in a grasshopper that had crawled onto Jessica’s back. Natu shrugged. If she noticed the bug, too bad. That was her problem. No doubt, she would scream and run away in horror. Natu smiled.

  Kunu surveyed his audience with a sweeping gaze. He smiled. “Who can tell us what we know about the Sky People?” His eyes once again lingered on Natu, but then turned to Eli, who was one of the eager kids to answer the question.

  “The Sky People were the spiritual guides of the Tukudeka,” Eli said eagerly.

  Kunu nodded. “Yes, they frequently lived among the Tukudeka, or at least visited them often to offer guidance, but they preferred to make their homes in the high mountains where they were closest to the invisible spirits, and where their spirit powers were strongest and had the greatest effect on the physical world. Even other tribes revered them for their powers to communicate with the spiritual world.”

  Several kids murmured. Kunu raised his hand for silence.

  “Where did we leave off the last time?” The old man’s voice was strong as his eyes drifted over the group. He sat taller, and he didn’t look quite so old all of a sudden.

  “When the people from the Wolf Clan decided to wage war against the people of the Bear Clan,” Eli called.

  Kunu nodded. He shook his head and in dramatic fashion, his lips turned down to make a sad face.

  “Yes, there was some dispute between the two clans one day about protecting the sacred mountains, an area that is known today as the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. This argument led to a full-scale war. In order to protect the Tukudeka from any of the fighting, the Sky People retreated to the high mountains for good.”

  The old man paused. He waited for complete silence before he spoke again.

  “It was a bad time for both clans. The Bear Clan wanted peace, yet the warriors of the Wolf Clan were determined to fight. In order to defend their families, the Bear Clan had no choice but to fight back.”

  “But who won the war?” Jessica asked. Sadly, the grasshopper had decided the ground was a better place to be. Natu’s eyes followed it as it hopped away and disappeared into the shrubs.

  “The people on both sides fought bravely,” Kunu continued, leaning forward and emphasizing certain words for greater effect. He held up his hand, and waved it in front of his face.

  “Until one day, when all seemed lost, the chieftain of the Bear Clan gathered his people and the elders.” Natu mockingly mouthed the words in silence while Kunu spoke them in a loud voice.

  “What did he decide to do?” Eli asked. His eyes were wide as a bug’s.

  “He and his shaman sought the advice of the three wisest elders of the clan, Naatosi, Naatoyita, and Mukua. They were three brothers with the strongest puha – our spirit medicine. They all joined together and held council. They knew that, if something wasn’t done, all the Sky People would be wiped out, not only the Bear Clan.”

  Kunu stopped for dramatic effect. His eyes moved slowly from one child to the next, until they rested on Natu. “The chieftain and the shaman both had wives who had recently given birth. They feared for the lives of their newborns, and wanted them to be protected. They came up with a plan, something that had never been attempted before, using ancient medicine that was so strong, its secret could never be revealed. They were not even sure it would work.”

  “But you know the secret, don’t you, Kunu?” someone else asked eagerly. “Are you going to tell us?”

  Kunu smiled, his eyes once again looking at each member of his audience. And once again, his gaze lingered on Natu, who boldly stared back. Grandfather’s attempts to intimidate were not going to work.

  “While they were holding council and talking about their plan, the shaman of the Wolf Clan joined them and said that she did not approve of what her clan was doing. She, too, wanted to find a way to stop the fighting, but the Wolf Clan leader would not be swayed into peace. She agreed with the elders and their plan to save the newborns. They hoped that someday the children would reunite the clans and continue the task of guarding the sacred mountains.”

  “Where did the children go?
” Eli interrupted. “And what about the other people? Did those nasty Wolf Clan people get defeated by the Bear Clan?”

  Kunu pointed at Randy to add more wood to the fire before he continued. This time, the old man did not smile. He shook his head. “No, the clans fought until no one was left. No one, except the three wise brothers.”

  “And the children,” Eli added enthusiastically. “What happened to them?”

  Kunu raised his hand and nodded, his gesture to request patience.

  “The three brothers, with the help of the shamans, had used all the power they were given by the spirits and created a vessel that would send the children to a different time where they would be safe from the war waged by their people.”

  “A different time?” Several kids said in unison. Some gasped, and murmurs broke out among them. Natu picked at some pieces of grass on the ground, bored and uninterested in the story.

  “There was a problem, however.” Kunu spoke the words in a loud and commanding tone, and everyone quieted immediately. Once he had everyone’s full attention again, he continued.

  “Mukua, one of the brothers, wanted his wife to be protected in the same manner. Agwai Puhagand, shaman of the Bear Clan, argued that only the infants would be sent to safety, and that the adults were needed to defend the clan. Mukua became enraged and left the Bear Clan. His brothers didn’t know that Mukua had secretly forged his own vessel to send his wife to safety, but when he returned for her, she was already dead. His mind became clouded by grief, and he swore revenge on the leaders of the Bear Clan and their children.”