Blake’s back suddenly stiffened and a pained expression came over his face. In a steady voice he explained, “I have heard of a girl named Carolyn who works for the vet, she is a member of P.E.T.A.” Billy’s expression changed from happiness to confusion. “Billy, P.E.T.A., stands for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. They are the ones who say our tribe is cruel to horses because we race them in the Suicide Race. They are trying to get the race shut down forever!”
CHAPTER 6
For years the P.E.T.A. followers had come to protest the race. They believed that it put the horses in extreme danger. In Billy’s mind their fears were unfounded. The horses and riders had to pass three tests to demonstrate their ability to run the race safely. The state appointed veterinarian checked the horses’ health before and after the race. The horses were subjected to a swim test as well as a hill test before the race. This was done in order to see if they could perform those tasks successfully. Horses that were weak swimmers or those who balked at the edge of the cliff were not allowed to race.
Billy also knew how much horses were cherished and revered by his tribe’s members. The Colville tribe viewed the horses and race as a spiritual journey. It was the ultimate test for a young brave and his horse. Many riders chose to pray in sweat lodges before the race. Others adorned their horses with feathers. The race was the high point of the year for most of Billy’s people. In Billy’s mind, and in the minds of most of the local people, they knew and cared more about their horses’ safety than the people of P.E.T.A. did.
The more Billy thought about it, the more he became consumed by anger. What did she, a non-Indian, know about his life? How could she understand the rules by which he lived? How could she comprehend the rules that dictated his heritage? The anger that had been such a part of his life for the last few years began to boil. He decided that the best thing to do would be to confront Carolyn about what his uncle had told him.
The next day he drove back to her house. This time the ride was not nearly as joyful. His brain was consumed in turmoil about the obvious fact; just when he thought he had his life getting back into some sense of stability, once again he was betrayed by another trusted person. He grimaced as he remembered how his dad had betrayed him in the race and by his alcoholism and neglect. His mother’s death was also a brutal blow to his young ego. Finally a girl he had let himself like, and even trust, stood against all that was important to him.
As the old truck eased into the driveway, Billy noticed that Carolyn was standing outside. She was facing away from him and engrossed in conversation with a young man Billy had never seen before. As he pulled closer, two things became very clear. First Carolyn was holding hands with the man, and second, the back of her jacket had large letters that clearly spelled out P.E.T.A.
CHAPTER 7
The sight of Carolyn with another man ripped at his heart. He angrily circled the truck around in a swirl of dust and sped back onto the main road. As he drove back into town he turned at Blake’s driveway and pulled up to his house. Friendly dogs barking at his arrival told him that his uncle had returned from his camp, but he had no time for them. He burst into Blake’s house. His uncle was seated at the kitchen table reading an outdoor magazine. Blake looked up at the pained face of his nephew and knew at once that something was very wrong. Saying nothing, Blake poured a fresh cup of coffee into a mug with the U.S. Marine logo on it and passed it to Billy. Billy nodded thankfully while they both sat in silence. When Billy finished the coffee, he slowly began to tell his uncle the entire story. Blake listened silently. Billy finally finished with an apology. “Uncle Blake, I am sorry I doubted your word about Carolyn, please forgive me.”
Blake just chuckled and said, “Now you know why I stayed single. The United States Marine Corps was the only wife I needed for twenty years. After that, no lady would have me.” he said thoughtfully.
Billy stared down into his empty cup “Uncle Blake” he finally said, “You know it’s always been my dream to become a Marine like you were. Now would be the perfect time for me to enlist. I have no job and nothing in my future, but I just can’t do it. It would just seem to everybody like I am once again just running away from my problems.
This town, my teachers, and now Carolyn have never believed in me. I’ve been thinking about a way to prove my worth to all of those doubters. I’m going to work with Samson this winter and spring, then in the summer I’ll race him in the Suicide Race!”
Blake at once stood up and angrily said, “Billy, you are talking nonsense! For starters the worst thing you could do to our family is bring up old grudges against us by participating in that damn race! Next you don’t own Samson, I do. Finally Samson is a healed horse physically, but he is still crippled mentally. He would not have the heart to participate in training for such a dangerous race. The race itself is a tremendously risky thing. Billy, trained horses have been killed in this race. Riders too have been crippled and sometimes killed. This is not some paleface game. This is a race that is very sacred to our people. By participating in it you would need the right mindset. Doing it because you have a grudge against a girl and a town doesn’t count!”
Billy waited until Blake sat down. He decided to tell his uncle what was in his heart. “Uncle Blake, I have nothing but the deepest respect for you and our elders. I know you think I want to be in this race for revenge. That is only a small part of it. My name, your name, and the names of our ancestors have been shamed since my father participated in the race. What I am asking of you is what any true warrior would ask; I want not only a chance to redeem myself, but most importantly, a chance to redeem our family’s honor. Uncle Blake, give me that chance. It will be the last chance to erase the persecution against our family and to truly break this family’s curse. I promise you that I will work hard all winter and spring with Samson. I won’t enter the race if either he or I are not one hundred percent ready physically and mentally. If this whole thing works out, then after the race I’ll be in great shape and ready to join the Marines.”
For several minutes Blake stared wordlessly into his empty coffee cup. Billy obediently waited for his uncle’s final word on the subject. Finally Blake looked up at Billy and said, “Is that what you think you want, or is that what you really want?”
Billy nodded, “I have thought about this a lot and it is what I truly want.”
“All right,” Blake said shaking his head. “This will be the toughest thing you’ve ever done but if you want to do it right, I’ll mentor you. Although I’ve never participated in the race, I know many of the tricks your father used to get the most out of his pony. I also know a place where you and Samson can train all winter long without any distractions.” Billy knew that the word “Carolyn” could be inserted instead of distractions, but he said nothing. Blake continued, “The Johnstones have a ranch up near Republic and they are going to be gone all winter. They asked me to be the caretaker for their ranch all winter long. I wasn’t interested but I’ll bet they would hire you. I’ll put in the good word for you. For now, go home and pack up all of your stuff. You’ll need all of your warm gear. I’ll rustle you up some tack. Meet me here tomorrow morning at six. If all goes well, we’ll head up to Republic at dawn.”
Billy was ecstatic when he reached his father’s trailer, but that soon turned to concern when he entered the trailer. His father was nowhere to be found and the place stunk of burned leather. The reason soon became obvious. Two blackened leather gloves lay on the floor next to the woodstove. From the looks of things his father had tried to dry out the gloves by laying them on the stove. More than likely he had forgotten about them until they began to smolder and stink. His father had finally realized what was happening and knocked them off the stove. Billy opened up all the windows and glumly thought how this never would have happened before his father started drinking.
After a sleepless night, Billy heard his father stumble in at about 2 a.m. the next morning. Just about the time all the bars have closed thought Billy
. He managed to get a couple of hours sleep before the alarm went off at 5 a.m. Billy decided against waking his father and telling him of the plan. He’d find out sooner or later.
It was a tight fit to get all of his gear into the well-used green duffel bag that had the letters USMC boldly stenciled on the side. It had been a present from uncle to nephew. It was a cherished item, and Billy hoped to get his own from the Marines soon.
Blake had crowded almost all of the needed gear in his old Ford pickup. The rest of the gear along with Samson went in the extra truck and trailer Billy drove. “Well, boy I found you a place to hole up during the winter and you’ll be paid for it. What do you say to your old uncle about that?”
Billy’s wide grin was rewarding enough for Blake. He knew Billy would work hard at his duties on the ranch. He knew the Johnstones had made a good choice with Billy. Although everything seemed good now, if Billy could have looked into the future, he never would have left Omak.
CHAPTER 8
The ride up was very pleasant. It had been a while since either of them had been out this way. If anything the hills and rolling terrain were even more beautiful than Billy remembered. Blake’s old Ford, which was leading the way, finally turned off the blacktop and started up a gravel road that followed a narrow creek. The road followed the winding creek upward through golden patches of aspens and emerald stands of pine trees. Finally the creek peeled off to the left and disappeared into a steep gorge. The road veered to the right and entered a beautiful open valley. Billy could see a house and correctly guessed that it was the Johnstone’s. He also noticed the cattle troughs and miles of fences. His job would be to care for the cattle that would soon be brought here to their winter grounds.
Both trucks pulled up to the front of the rustic log house that Billy would call home for the next several months. An elderly couple came to the porch. Blake introduced Billy to the Johnstones, Ted and Angela.
With two Border Collies following obediently at their heels, the Johnstones welcomed Billy by showing him around the house and the grounds. The longer he walked the more he realized the huge amount of work that went on at a working cow ranch. In spite of the fact that his task seemed overwhelming, Billy felt he’d be up to the challenge.
After his tour of the ranch Billy dropped his stuff off in an empty upstairs room. He quickly headed downstairs to the dining room for dinner. During the meal Angela said “There’s plenty of beef in the freezer. You’ll also find venison there too from a deer Ted shot. We’ve got enough canned food in here to feed a hungry cowboy for a long time. You can cook can’t you Billy?”
Billy nodded and pointed with his fork to the last of the peach pie on his plate, “I can, but not nearly as good as you Mrs. Johnstone!”
Angela beamed as she cleared up the dinner dishes. “You’ll get along here just fine,” she said as she smiled at Billy.
Later that night as they sat around the fireplace Ted told Billy and Blake about a few important things. “Billy, there is not much on this ranch that can get you in trouble if you stay on your toes. The cattle are mostly tame. Our more aggressive bulls are on another ranch. The steers, cows, and calves, are very passive. Get them their feed and water and they’ll follow you anywhere. We have a few problems with coyotes and the occasional cougar. Since hunters can’t chase the cougars with hounds anymore, they are becoming more common around here. You can shoot can’t you?” Billy silently nodded. Ted pointed to the corner of the room. “My ranch rifle is always there and it is always loaded. Its caliber is .223 which will handle anything you may run into around here. Shoot at any coyote you see harassing these cattle. Billy, many people say that there are wolves around here too.” He turned towards Blake “I know of your people’s reverence towards the wolf, but I have never seen one myself. I have seen tracks that were way too big to be a coyote. Like I said before, just be aware of anything that doesn’t seem right and you’ll do just fine. We’ll be leaving the day after tomorrow for Phoenix. My old bones just don’t take to winter like they used to. We’ll spend tomorrow packing, and then she’s all yours.”
Billy nodded eagerly, and said, “You won’t be disappointed in me.”
Ted nodded towards Blake, “You came with a great recommendation.”
The next day was a flurry of activity as Blake and the Johnstones labored at showing Billy the workings of the ranch. His main job was to ensure the welfare of the eighty head of cattle on the ranch. They had to be watered and fed every day. There were miles of fences that would need to be checked for breaks. In the spring calves would need to be attended to. The town’s veterinarian owned the ranch in the next valley. Billy could go to him for advice in the case of an emergency. Mostly though, Billy would be on his own. The enormous amount of responsibility invigorated Billy. He loved a challenge, and running this ranch certainly was just that. He realized that the daily operation of the ranch would consume most of his time. Samson’s training would have to come with whatever spare time was left.
The next morning the Johnstones and Blake each said their goodbyes to him and headed out. As Billy stood on the front porch watching them go, he shivered. He wasn’t sure if he was shivering from the morning chill, or because of the enormous responsibility he had just inherited.
CHAPTER 9
Every day in the next month was full of hard work and new experiences for Billy. His day always started at five in the morning and often lasted until ten at night. His daily routine rarely varied. He’d awake, shower, gather the eggs from Angela’s three hens and then have breakfast. A few eggs, a breakfast steak, and toast were his usual choice. He always drank strong black coffee with his breakfast and kept the pot warm throughout the day. At first light he would be out on foot checking the cattle. They had to be fed and watered which meant breaking the ice in their troughs and then spreading out bales of alfalfa for the hungry cows. The feed came in bales that had to be wrestled down from the barn into a wagon that was then hitched to an ATV. He would then drive the four-wheeler and wagon into the field and spread the hay out into the pasture.
The cows were always hungry and many times he thought for sure he would be knocked down by the many pushy black heads, but they always gave him just enough room to get the job done.
After feeding was done, he’d have to ride around the pasture and check the fences for breaks or weak spots. This was always a cold and dreary job but it had to be done.
His biggest assets were the two cow dogs Pete and Max. They kept him company while he was alone, but more importantly they allowed him to work with the cattle without any other helpers. The dogs’ entire lives seemed to evolve around the cows. They loved their work, and it never ceased to amaze Billy how good they were at it.
When he was done with the cattle the rest of the day would be spent on what Billy called chores. Wood had to be chopped, the other farm animals had to be tended to, and various pieces of farm machinery had to be kept up. Those things and a million others always kept him busy. If he was able to completely finish the chores by dark, he would use that time to work with Samson.
About every third or fourth day Billy would find all of his chores done. That was when he got to devote a bigger chunk of his day to Samson. It was an inexact routine but it certainly seemed to work. Carolyn had advised Billy to take it slow with Samson’s exercising. Leg wounds on horses healed slowly and could be tricky. Luckily Samson adapted easily to Billy’s busy schedule.
When the two did get time to train, they did so enthusiastically. Samson was a born runner, but Billy kept him from going all out until he could be sure that his leg would take the strain. So he kept Samson to an easy regiment of exploring all of the trails, draws, and canyons the ranch had to offer.
One winter afternoon, Billy finished his day’s work early and saddled Samson for an evening ride. As he stroked the powerful horse’s back Billy thought proudly of how far the horse had come in his rehabilitation. If anything, Samson was stronger than ever. He showed no signs of his previous limp,
and loved to run, which Billy had finally allowed him to do.
They started the ride on a trail that would take them out to the farthest corner of the ranch. Both the horse and the young man were completely in-sync with each other, so after an hour’s ride when Samson suddenly stopped and would go no further, Billy knew something was wrong. Samson stood completely still with his head held alertly up and his ears pointing towards a thicket of trees. The mighty horse’s nostrils flared as he strained to catch an unknown scent. As Billy slipped from the saddle he prudently took the old rifle from the scabbard and cautiously advanced forward. In the fresh snow his eyes made out a set of tracks. As he eased forward to study them, his eyes widened in shock. The prints were easily as big as his fist with five claw marks at the outside of the track. “Manitatanka” Billy said aloud. “Brother Wolf!”
CHAPTER 10
Billy grinned as he studied the track. Although he had never seen a wolf track or a wolf before, it was easy for him to identify what he was now looking at. Many times he had listened to stories about the wolves that used to live in Washington State. The last one was thought to have been killed in the 1940s. A few though, like this one, had been coming down from Canada and making their way back into their old hunting grounds. This no doubt, was one of those nomads. Billy watched his horse intently. Samson seemed much calmer now and had gone to pawing through the snow looking for any sign of suitable food on which to graze. Billy carefully placed the rifle back in the scabbard. He could no more shoot this wolf than shoot Samson. He was worried however about the cattle. Wolves, being carnivores, eat meat. Nothing was tastier to a wolf than fresh beef.
Trusting Samson’s keen hearing and sense of smell, Billy decided to follow the tracks to see where they were headed. He felt just as excited as he was curious, and he couldn’t wait to report his findings back to Blake. The tracks remained clear and easy to follow in the fresh snow. They could not possibly be the tracks of a big cougar Billy mused, because he could see the toenail imprints in the snow. A cat, he knew, retracted its claws when it walked. Eventually he came to an open slope where the timber turned to sagebrush. Samson’s ears pointed downward toward it. Billy suspected that the wolf must be hidden in the draw. He scanned the snow and saw no tracks exiting into the sagebrush. He was sure now that the track maker was in the draw. That was all Billy needed to know. The wolf had gone nowhere near the cattle and showed no intention of doing so. He pulled on the reins to turn Samson away from the draw and back on the trail towards home. The horse however seemed very tense and agitated. Perhaps the wind had increased the wolf’s scent and it had become extremely strong to the horse. All Billy knew was that one minute he was in the saddle thinking about getting back to the cabin. The next minute he was several feet in the air and Samson was bucking for all he was worth! Billy came down on a snow covered sage brush that cushioned his fall. He watched helplessly as his horse quickly disappeared into the trees obviously heading back towards the ranch. Billy dusted the snow off himself disgustedly. It was probably his fault that he had ridden so close to the wolf. He knew now that Samson, like his ancestors from years ago, had a strong aversion to wolves.