from Chapter 9 --
The
green-grass season passed peacefully enough and as the brown-grass
season began, Pine Leaf was finally inducted into the young
Hammer Owner society. She outran nearly all of the young boys
and shot her arrows as accurately as the best. She outraced
her competitors when she rode Thunder and was quickly selected
by any team conducting a mock battle or counting coup on small
game animals. Because she was not as strong as the older boys,
and could not wrestle competitively with them, she relied
upon her agile mind. The war club became her favorite weapon
and she practiced relentlessly.
from Chapter 20 --
After the Sparrow Hawks crossed branches of the Little Bighorn, they moved southeast toward the Tongue. Here Pine
Leaf took a side trip to her sacred rock pillar to tell the
spirit of Cracked-Ice about her new war weapons. 
"Now, my brother," she said, "I will be more capable of my
promise to slay one hundred of our enemies to avenge your
death. I have remained a virgin in your honor and I do not
intend to ever marry. I will carry your spirit with me as
I continue to live the life of a Sparrow Hawk brave. It is
my desire to become the greatest warrior our people have ever
seen." After several hours of prayer and conversation with
the spirit of Cracked-Ice, Pine Leaf rode hard to catch up
with her moving people.
The Sparrow Hawks headed east to the Powder then ascended
Spotted Horse Creek to the head of Horse Creek; after descending
the Little Powder they established a base camp. Scouts soon
returned to the newly established village to report that they
had seen buffalo on the grasslands to the east. Camp police
held the excited people in check as the chief and council
designed a plan for the hunt. They also developed a defense
plan for the village, since they were outside their home grounds
of Absaroka.
"We are now close to the sacred hills of
the Teton Sioux and their allies, the Cheyenne," said Chief
Rotten Belly, "so our hunters must remain vigilant." The hunters
were excited to get going, but they also understood the gravity
of the situation.
"Pine Leaf," he said, "you will take fifty Big Dogs to act
as scouts and defenders of the buffalo surround. Yellow Belly,
you will lead the actual surround. Grizzly Bear, you will
be in charge of defending our camp. Good hunting!"
Text excerpts from Woman War Chief
© by Jerry A. Matney
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