“Ah,” my father chuckles, “so there are three of us who agree. You and me and your belly.” He holds up a hand and I grasp his wrist. We stand there for a moment, grasping each other’s wrists. And as we do so it comes to me that my life has changed. I am ready to learn whatever my father wishes to teach me. From this point on, wherever he leads, his path will be mine.

“Osdadu?” he says.

“Osdadu,” I agree. It is fine.

And then, side by side, we walk together.

CHAPTER 14

Leaves That Talk

Just as my father promised, the pot of stew is waiting when we reach the cabin. But not the ramps. Nor are Sally Guess and Ahyokah there. They must still be gathering those spring greens. The only one waiting for us in the cabin is Wesa, Sally’s gray cat. It wraps itself around my legs as if I was its best friend.

Although I miss having those ramps, I am glad that my stepmother and sister are not here. Whatever my father wants to share with me will be told differently. If I am the only one listening, he’ll be telling it just for me.

First, though, we eat. Then the two of us, our stomachs full, go out onto the porch and sit side by side. Wesa comes out to leap into my lap, curl up, and purr contentedly. I have always been liked by cats. They are another creature brought by the Aniyonega that we Tsalagi have taken into our lives. And in return those cats keep our houses and barns and granaries free of mice and rats.

My father takes out his pipe, carefully fills it, lights it, and lets out a long puff of smoke. He watches that smoke drift away on the breeze toward the sunset land, the same direction he traveled when he left us.

“Edoda,” I say, “what is it like in Arkansas?”

My father nods. “Ah,” he says. “In some ways, it is very good. The land by the river is good for planting. Hills there are rolling and covered with trees. It was easy to find logs to build a cabin, not like here where the best trees have all been cut. And all the animals have not yet been killed or driven away by the white men. There are big herds of deer, great flocks of geese on the lakes. And there are bears in those rolling hills. And there is plenty of room for everyone.”