How long have I been gone, he wondered, that this woman should have blossomed from the child I knew?
He walked toward her with measured care.
“Mouse Road,” he said when he came up to her. “I have missed seeing you.”
She reached out and took his hand in hers. Though her concern for him had not left, her smile returned, and her gaze was filled with only him.
“Mother,” she said over her shoulder. “One Who Flies has come home.”
Then she led him inside.
Acknowledgments
First and foremost, I wish to acknowledge once again the Cheyenne people whose law, legend, and history have been such a continued enlightenment and inspiration. Without them, this book simply would not exist.
This past year has been one of discovery for me. That may be a bit of an understatement, but still, I owe a debt of gratitude to those who eased my journey through it.
For Mike Baker, friend and rock-solid supporter, I can only say that your enthusiasm made all the difference.
I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to Ulali, R. Carlos Nakai, and Hans Zimmer for helping create the proper atmosphere. Thanks also my barristas Pete and Larry at Island Espresso for keeping me properly caffeinated in the mornings. Trust me, guys, it helped.
Lastly but most importantly, for my wife, I must reserve the deepest thanks and say that if not for you, Dear, I would only be able to dream instead of do.
There are only 14 letters in the Cheyenne alphabet. They are used to create small words which can be combined to create some very long words. The language is very descriptive, and often combines several smaller words to construct a longer, more complex concept. The following are simplified examples of this subtle and intricate language, but it will give you some idea of how to pronounce the words in the text.
LETTER PRONUNCIATION
a “a” as in “water”
e short “i” as in “omit”
h “h” as in “home”
k “k” as in “skit”
m “m” as in “mouse”
n “n” as in “not”
o “o” as in “hope”
p “p” as in “poor”
s “s” as in “said”
t “t” as in “stop”
v “v” as in “value”
x “ch” as in “Bach”
‘ glottal stop as in “Uh-oh!”
The three vowels (a, e, o) can be marked for high pitch (á, é, ó) or be voiceless (whispered), as in â, ô, ê.
Also by Kurt R.A. Giambastiani
Dreams of the Desert Wind
Unraveling Time
The Ploughman Chronicles
Ploughman’s Son
Ploughman King
The Year the Cloud Fell
The Spirit of Thunder
The Shadow of the Storm
The Cry of the Wind
Beneath a Wounded Sky
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