In her body Ziibi felt the rush of nature rising to the warmth of promised spring. Beneath the thin crust of snow, the seeds and roots were beginning their journey toward becoming fruitful. She felt her spirit growing toward this same fruitfulness. Her life was beginning, her journey was about to be mapped out to her. This feeling was not something she could explain, but something she knew deep inside. The time of childhood was behind her and she was ready to be an adult. All winter she had fought the reality of who she was becoming, this morning she laid down the struggle. The plants beneath the soil whispered to her of their healing and nourishing properties. The evergreens of pine, and cedar and spruce told the wind that moved around her that they were filled with good and healing medicines. Under her father’s teachings she had learned about remedies. What was happing now was not learning, but a conversation with life itself, her own life and all of life.

The white pine bark she had brought to the sugar camp had been needed when they arrived. They had not been the first family to come as the sisters had supposed. Their elder brother, Agongos was there. He was a small fat man with a very big smile. Mitigomin had told her later that he was their father’s first woman’s son. They did not have the same mother.

Agongos’ youngest daughter who was around seven winters old, had a wound on her left hand that would not heal. Her father did not know what had scratched the girl, but Ziibi knew. It was the scratch of a rabbit claw. She had looked into the girl’s eyes and known she had gotten the scratch from freeing a rabbit from a trap. This was the first time a wound had spoken its truth to her. She wondered if this would happen again.

To heal the wound, she had pounded the bark into a pulpy mash and boiled it, then she had put the mash on the wound and wrapped it in clean suede strips. After two days the wound began to heal. It was the first case she had ever treated on her own. So far it looked like it might be her first cure too.

From the lodge came the voices of the women and children. The sugar lodge was big, long and rectangular. It was covered in birch bark with a cedar plank roof. Beside it was the small house that stored the tools for sugar making. Agongos’ little daughter, Waabigwan*, called Ziibi to the lodge. Ziibi had left her to care for the crane. The little girl loved animals too much. Her love was misguided. Animals were to be honored and revered but they were a provision bestowed by the Great Mystery to the people. If an animal wandered into a trap, it was intended to be food to nourish and strengthen the people. It was not destined to be rescued. Ziibi could only wonder what had become of the mean spirited rabbit that had scratched Waabigwan.

The little girl’s voice called out again. Reluctantly Ziibi went to the lodge.She did her best to be patient with this child. In some ways she reminded Ziibi ofherself. She was very independent and had a mind of her own. Both got her into trouble sometimes. As soon as she rounded the maple brush, Waabigwan saw her. The child ran to her. In an exasperated whisper she said, “The aunts won’t let me bringBibiwan into the lodge.”

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Ziibi did not like that she had named the crane. To name an animal meant to wish to possess it. This crane needed to return to his own people. She said, “Of course they do not want him in the lodge he will get feathers in the sugar.”

“I think they are mean.”

Ziibi did not verbally concur, but she, at times felt the same way about them. She asked, “Where is the crane now?”

“He is in his basket. He is tired of me. He tried to nip me. I was not showing him proper respect. Still it is cold and he wants to be warm.”

“No, he is fine, you just want to be warm and you want him with you.”

The child did not hesitate when she said, “True.” All at once Waabigwan’s eyes lit up. She darted around Ziibi and shouted, “Waabooz!” A young male voice answered, “Waabigwan!”

Ziibi turned. What she saw made her heart leap and flop inside of her.

A young man dressed in fine elk skins and a beaver robe caught Waabigwan up into his arms. He asked her, “How is my little flower?”

“I am good.”

The young man’s eyes traveled from the child to Ziibi. He put the girl down and asked, “So, who is this?”

Ziibi felt her face flush. His eyes seemed to take possession of her. They were not black, but a soft muddy brown that had hints of gold in them.

Waabigwan told, “This is Ziibi. She helps the aunts. She is Midewiwin.”

The young man flashed a smile at Ziibi revealing beautiful teeth. He was the most perfect creature she had ever seen. She stood staring, knowing her mouth had dropped open in awe, but utterly incapable of closing her mouth or speaking.

The young man teased, “So, you like what you see?”

Stupidly, Ziibi nodded. Never before had any male affected her the way this one did. Her heart was pounding in her ears like a huge drum.

He laughed, but his laughter did not make her feel foolish. It seemed to wrap around her and invite her into his world. She closed her mouth and smiled shyly. From behind her Mitgokaa called, “It is about time you got here, your mother has been worried.”

He looked beyond Ziibi. “I was hunting.”

“For a woman no doubt,” teased his aunt.

He shook his head, then his eyes returned to Ziibi. They seemed to pull at her core in some mysterious way. It was an unfamiliar feeling and one she did not understand. Ziibi dropped her eyes, instantly aware of this young man’s cunning and her own danger due to his experience. As he passed by her, he lightly brushed his hand against hers. A spark crackled between them. In a low voice he asked, “Did you feel that?”

Ziibi could not lie. “Yes.” She listened to his steps as he made his way into the lodge. Waabigwan said, “Waabooz likes you. I can tell. Would you like to be his woman?”

Embarrassed by such a question. Ziibi did not answer. He would never choose her. He might only play with her. If she was beautiful like her sister, then she might have a chance. But, Ziibi knew she was not a good catch. She was not ugly, but she was also not beautiful enough to match the beauty of Waabooz. Her noko had warned her about cunning young men. She must be careful.