Confessions of a Cowgirl - Volume III
By Amy Witt
I am falling through this long black hole until suddenly, I am swooped up and land softly like a feather floating to the ground. Landing safely, I am confused and begin to gather my thoughts. I reach down to feel the inside of my boot as relief fills my body. Yote is standing in a small opening where the sun is beating off his coat.
As I stand there looking at Yote, I begin admiring his beauty while the sun lights up his shiny coat. He is large and built, almost as big as that wolf I had an encounter with on one of my hunts. As I look closer at his hip, I think I see something, a brand maybe? But wait…
“Yote, how the hell is there sunlight? Like, where are we? What’s going on? I thought that when we left the rock pile it was dark? Am I conscious?” I ask as I reach up to feel my face.
Yote responds with a smile on his teeth, “Cowgirl...” he laughs, “You are conscious and ready to rock n’ roll on our adventure. Yes, it is dark up on land. But like I said, this is somewhere special!”
Yote walks over and stands right next to me, nudging me in the hip as he walks to the black opening of the cave. I begin to acquire the feeling that there is another presence in our path but continue following.
Pictographs and petroglyphs begin to decorate the walls around us. Animals, people, horses, murals illuminate the darkness. I reach out to let my fingertips touch the petroglyphs.
“NO!” Yote yells, as my hand stops in mid-air. Startled, I snap back, “Whaaat!!!?”
“You are NOT allowed to touch those, actually don’t touch anything,” Yote states.
“Clearly, I own this cave, or whatever it is we are in. Let me also add,” As my voice echoes, “I still have nooo idea where we are going, what we are doing or if I should fear for my life as I have a gun with no bullets.”
Yote continues to walk as I follow him to another little hole we crawl through.
“Why won’t you ans…” I immediately stop in my sentence.
My body begins to feel light and refreshed. A huge wave of energy brings chills across my body as I feel calm and quiet. I look at both sides of the cave’s walls. I don’t even have the words for what I am seeing and feeling.
Turquoise is saturated in every pour of the cave’s wall. The walls are glowing, almost as if twinkle lights were embedded in them. Light trickles out like flakes of glitter falling from the air. Limestone creates a snow-like winter wonderland. A galaxy of tiny lights create a Milky Way of color. Water droplets trickle down giving a rainbow of light and intensity. Fire flies illuminate from the ceiling as magic fills the air.
Continuing through the cave, a huge opening invites light in. As we get to the lighting, a whole new universe comes to life right in front of my eyes. It was as though, the roof of the cave collapsed and a fairy-tale world had invaded, right under my own soil. A thriving lost world and a home to many different creatures.
“Come on, you can take a gander later, I have something else to show you,” Yote says as he walks ahead of me.
We walk for a few miles until we reach a small hill.
“This is our next move,” Yote explains. “We need to climb the top of this hill.”
I nod as we proceed.
We get to the half way mark of the hill - I stop to sit on the grass and admire the scenery. So many things are flooding my mind; so many things I can’t come to terms with. I have so many questions.
As we round the top of the hill, I can see a canyon enclosing a flat.
“We are here, my dear. But, what goes up must come down, so…down the hill we go,” Yote says.
Getting to the bottom of the hill, I start to understand why Yote is taking me to the second location. Chills succumb my body as I feel, yet again, a presence. I say nothing to Yote and continue walking to the bottom.
An arena sits at the bottom of the canyon in the flat. Rocks of turquoise create the arena walls. The arena is perfectly groomed and maintained. The ground is worked and moist.
Plush green grass and beautiful trees adorn the entrance of the arena. A waterfall coming out of the side of the mountain flows crystal clear turquoise water that feeds into a pond. White swans float around lily pads that float underneath willow trees.
While I stand there admiring the beauty that surrounds me, tears fill my eyes. I look up to read a carved wooden sign with turquoise rocks embedded in the wood. The sign reads, The Tulip Ranch - Turquoise Mine Arena.
Yote walks to my side as he begins to talk slowly. “I took you here because your grandpa asked me to. He said it was time for you to know. He said that you are ready for the truth.”
“What truth? What is it time for me to know?” I feel my eyes start to water.
Suddenly, Yote jerks around and says quietly but abruptly, “Quiet! I hear something.”
We stand in silence. The air is crisp and peaceful but I sense something in my gut that gives me an uneasy feeling.
“What is it?” I ask Yote.
“Something bad is happening. We must get to the ranch now! Close your eyes, something weird is about to happen and there is no time for questions!”
Suddenly, I am standing on the soil of my ranch, exactly where I left Moon. It is dawn as the sun begins to rise over the mountains.
“Cinch up Moon and jump on now! We have to go check the Morton Flat.”
Arriving to Morton Flat, it is as if Yote and I walked into a battle zone. Dead calves, cows, deer and coyotes are positioned in various places of the flat.
I look around in distraught.
I sling around to look at Yote as we meet eyes and his body language and tone changes.
We both knew the familiar feeling, the uncomfortable energy and the familiar message.
Wolves.
