Dawn's Rising

Chapter 17; A New Friend

"Ciibehbiiwoohu," the youth's soft words were again whispered out tenderly, filled with an acute longing that this little girl's pain filled tears would cease. With greatest caution he slowly raised up his hand as if Kristina were the most timid of woodland creatures. Lightly, he wiped away the glistening tears which still clung to her pale cheeks and then smiled warmly down at her.

Suddenly Kristina recalled what she had just a moment before asked her Heavenly Father for; a new friend! Abruptly a smile spread across her face and erased all traces of sorrow from her eyes. Filled with joy that God had answered her prayer so quickly, Kristina cast herself into the youth's arms.

Startled by this unexpected reaction, all Raven Wing could do at first was to stare down at the strange fire colored head pressed to his chest. But then a seemingly unfathomable affection for this little girl began to well up in his heart from deep inside his being. He wrapped his lean arms, which were just now showing the promising curves of developing muscles, around the alien girl which clung to him.

"God sent you to be my new friend, didn't He?" Kristina said, finally looked up into the kind face over her. How beautiful her new friend was!

Not comprehending the flame haired girl's words Raven Wing only shook his head and smiled down at her. He was pleased though that he had succeeded in turning her heart wrenching sobs into such a bright smile. How strange she was, with eyes the color of the spring time sky and hair as bright as a sunset.

"What's your name?" Kristina asked in English, thinking that he would understand her better in that language. He only shook his head again and shrugged his shoulders slightly.

Kristina sighed deeply in frustration, but then had an idea. She pointed to herself and said, "Kristina," and then pointed to him.

The young man nodded with a smile of comprehension and then pointed to himself and said, "Woxuuxoneihii Hithe'."

It took Kristina a few tries to pronounce the strange sounding name correctly but Raven Wing patiently helped her through it by pronouncing each syllable slowly and clearly for her until she managed to say his name in its complete form.

Suddenly, from the corner of her eye Kristina saw a movement in the shadows behind them. She looked over with a gasp as she made out the outline of a sturdy little horse standing there patiently.

"Is that your horse," Kristina said as she got up to her feet and took her friend's hand, leading him towards it. "Please show me it. Is it a boy or a girl?"

When they reached the horse's side, Kristina stretched out her hand towards his velvet muzzle and whispered reassuring words to him as she stroked his flank with her other hand. Raven Wing went around to his trusted mount's other side and spoke a few comforting words into his ear as he ran his hand along the gathering muscles of his strong neck. Kristina couldn't figure out if the stout horse was reddish brown with white spots or white with reddish brown spots, but anyways, an oval shaped patch of white surrounded his left eye in an otherwise reddish brown face.

"What is his name," Kristina asked automatically, forgetting their differences in speech.

At Raven Wing's shaking head Kristina smiled sheepishly and pointed to Raven Wing again and said his name in his own language, "Woxuuxoneihii Hithe'," and then pointed expectantly towards the horse.

"Hiinoonoet Hooxebio," Raven Wing carefully pronounced Cloud Face's name for Kristina.

"Hiinoonoet Hooxebio," Kristina repeated slowly. "Wow, your people sure make up some long names." Raven Wing only smiled in answer.