The Howling - A Short Story

LeechLake Minnesota 1898. Most Ojibwe have ceded their land to the U.S. Government, in exchange for Reservations in their ancestral homes.

Stone Hand stood on the shore of Leech Lake, now his home. Once all the land was theirs, no one to tell the Ojibwe that they had to stay on the Reservation, a prison for his people. The White lumber companies were encroaching onto the Ojibwe Reservation in search of lumber, taking what the Ojibwe were using to live on. The rations supplied by the Indian Agent were rotten, old and useless, his people were starving. The children crying and asking for food. Winter was coming soon, this would be a terrible time for the Ojibwe. The season of the White Ground was a hard time in this land, even when the Ojibwe had food, supplies and where prepared for it. Now, without food, and shelter they would be lucky to survive this time.

Elders and Chiefs from the Ojibwe tribe had requested that the lumber companies stay off the reservation, had begged for food for the children, all refused by the Indian Agent Tom Williams. Williams living in his big house, getting rich at the suffering of a proud people.

Something must be done. Stone Hand puts his had to his head, the pain was fearsome, his belly ached, his head was like pounding thunder. Hunger was taking it's toll. Stone Hand sat down on the shoreline, splashing water from the lake on his face, trying to clear his thoughts.

In Walker Minnesota, across the lake from Stone Hand, Tom Williams was making another deal, selling the food that was to go to the Ojibwe, to the lumberjacks, making a tidy profit. Taking the cash allowance that was the payment for the Ojibwe lands and pocketing it added more to his account.

Tom pushed back from the supper table, across from him sat Wilbur Johnson, owner of the lumber company. Wilbur hands Tom a thick packet of bills. Wilbur tells Tom that they are doing very well harvesting the hard woods off the Ojibwe Reservation, but feels that the Ojibwe are becoming a problem with their protests. Tom assures Wilbur that he will take care of the ''Indian Problem''. It's Toms intention to withhold what little food he was giving to the Indians until they gave up more land. The money from Wilbur and the lumber company was good, making Tom a rich man, no Goddamn Indian was going to stop that.

Stone Hand knew that today was the day for the food allotment from the Indian Agent. As the people gathered for the meager rations, Tom, standing on the back of his buckboard tells them, no rations, you've been causing trouble with your protests. Until you stop the protests there will be no rations for you. Whirling Girl, a young mother, who's child is near death from lack of food, falls to her knees, no longer able to stand, the baby tumbling from her arms. Whirling Girl lies still, the baby not moving. Whirling Girl and the baby are dead. Tom looks at them with distain and rides away.

Stone Hand comes back to the village later that evening. The people are quiet, sad, starvation is taking it's toll. Stone Hand goes to the Elderes and ask's what should be done. The Elders have nothing to say, the lack of food is slowly killing them. Stone Hand raises to his feet, throws his head back, anger flashing like lighting. Now was the time. No longer will he allow his people to die at the hands of the white man. Greed will be paid back with a vengeance. The power and vengeance of Stone Hand.

Stone Hand leaves the village and heads into the forest, it's dark but he knows the land, this is his land, his fathers land, his fathers fathers land. He is in his element, seeking out the ones that can help his people.

Deep in he forest a silent killer sits on his haunches, eyes searching the night, ears straining to pick up any sound. To his left stands another, he is surrounded by his kind. Senses at high alert, breathing slowly they watch Stone Hand coming towards them. Finally Stone Hand senses that they are all around him. No human, no Indian, no White man could match Stone Hands skill in the forest, only one creature could give him reason to pause, and they were all around him, hidden, but he knew they were there.

The Ghost Wolf know's why Stone Hand is here. It is time forhim to join the pack. They were his protector when he was born on that cold winter night, and he will be part of the pack forever. Ma'iingan howls into the night, a chilling sounds, sending fear into anyone that hears it. He is joined by the others, now all howling. The sound echo's across the lake. Tom is settled into his warm home for the night, but hears the howl. Wilbur, planning to destroy more Ojibwetimber, hears it. Nothing but a pack of wolves, nothing to worry about.

Little did they know that they were listening to their death song. Stone Hand and the Ghost Wolves were now the hunters.

Tom Williams, Indian Agent decided that he would harass the Ojibwe in ways that would seem legal. He started a campaign to arrest Ojibwe on trumped up charges.

Tom worked closely with Wilbur and the lumber company. Pocketing more money and allowing Wilbur to burn parts of the forest and then take the so called ''dead wood''

Stone Hand watched as Ojibwe were arrested and sent to Duluth and Minneapolis on trumped up charges. There they were turned loose, two hundred miles from home with no way to get back except to walk.

Tom's plan was working, the village was getting smaller and smaller, old men, women and children were the majority, and they were starving. The genocideof thePillagerLakeBand of Ojibwe was moving forward, soon none would be left.

Tom and Wilbur met and discussed their plan. Tom said to Wilbur. Wilbur, I'll need more money from you, the Goddamn Indians are soon going to all bedead and you'll have the whole forest to yourself. Wilbur knew that this would make him a rich man and agreed. Laughing at the plight of the Indians, they toasted with a drink to their success.

Stone Hand seeing that the band was getting smaller by the day. Death was taking his warriors who would give their small rations to the women and children slowly starving themselves. Stone Hand would seek help from the Red Lake Band of Ojibwe.

As he was walking along the road, he heard a shout from the U.S. Marshall, ''Hey Indian, where are you going''..Stone Hand looked at the Marshall saying nothing. The Marshall shouted at Stone Hand ''I think that your a thief, that knife isn't yours, to nice for a savage.'' Stone Hand still said nothing. Arrested and dragged to jail in Walker. Stone Hand knew that the time was soon.

Tom paid the Marshall his due for the false arrest and suggested that Stone Hand be put in chains and taken to Duluth some 150 miles away. Now, Tom and Wilbur would be rid of their one big problem, Stone Hand.

Stone Hand was put in chains and walked behind the buckboard, his wrists torn raw from the chains, his feet bleeding, the guard would jerk the chains pulling Stone Hand off his feet and then drag him until he could right himself. This left his arms and legs bloody and raw.

Tracking the guards and Stone Hand weretwo warrior, Hanging Cloud and Yellow Head. The guards stopped the buckboard atIron Creek, to water the horses. As Cpl. Ben Rogers stood up,Hanging Cloudtakes aim, pulling the bow string back the arrow leaves with the hate ofHanging Cloudguiding it. Cpl. Rogers feels a sharp pain and stumbles backward, unbelieving that there is an arrow through his gut, blood spurting out of his body, he drops to the ground.

Yellow Head and Hanging Cloud,charge out of the timber, the guards Pvt. Billy Sherman and Pvt. Jacob Turja reach for their rifles. It's to late as Stone Hand uses the chains imprisoning him as a garrot,loops it around Billy Sherman's neck, pulling the chains taunt, Billy struggles for air. Stone Hand drops the chains and uses his bleeding and bloody hands to strangle Billy to death. Jacob runs for the timber, but again to late asYellow headthrowshis war club, striking Jacob in the neck, crushing the neck bones. Jacob drops to the ground, dead.

They strip the soldier's of there weapons, and take the horses. They arrive back in their village late the next day. The village is dying, hunger is everywhere. Many have died over the past weeks. It's late September and winter is close. The smell of death hangs over the village.

Tom and Wilbur want the U.S. Army to capture Stone Hand and wipe out what's left of the Pillager Band. Stone Hands escape and the killing of the soldiers is a perfect excuse for the Army to kill all the savages.

Two companies of U.S. 3rd Infantry are sent to Walker from Fort Snelling. Stone Hand knows the end is near, he has seen how the U.S. Army kills women and children. Eight years earlier the massacre at Wounded Knee took place. Stone Hand remembers well this great victory by the U.S. Army over old men, women and children. This will not happen again. Stone Hand prepares for war.

Painting their bodies in red and black, the war colors of the Ojibwe, the few warriors left will fight to the death. Better to die a warrior then live as a slave. Stone Hand and his few warriors disappear into the timber surrounding their village.

Across Leech Lake the 3rd Infantry boards the boats to take them to ''Sugar Point'' the village of the Pillager Ojibwe. On arrival they see nothing but desperation, old men, women and children wrapped in old army blankets, more holes then blanket, the children hollow eyed, looking at nothing. Their mothers sobbing silently. The old men trying to defend their village as best they can.

Some of the soldiers can't look, starving children will haunt them. Others start burning the homes and beating the old men.

One old man, Thunder Water the father of Stone Hand stands to face a soldier who spits on him. Thunder Water throws back the blanket covering him and with his remaining strength swings the hidden bagamaagan (war club) at the soldier, the massive club crashes into the soldiers head, crushing his skull, he falls mortally wounded.

Shots ring out, arrows fill the air, soldiers fall, wounded and screaming to the ground. They form a defensive line and return fire, but there is nothing to shoot at, no warriors are seen, the women, children and old men are no longer there.

The First Sargent shouts to his commander ''Where the hell are they, they can't vanish, Goddamn Indians''..He swings around to rally his men, there in front of him is Stone Hand. War Paint covering his body, hate in his eyes, hand gripping his bagamagan. Where the hell did he come from, he wasn't there a minute ago. The First Sargent fires point blank at Stone Hand, nothing, others fire at him, still he is standing there. Suddenly a War Cry erupts from his lips, swinging his bagamagan he delvers a crushing blow to the Sargents head, splitting it open, killing him instantly.

The battle rages through the day. Soldiers dying and Indians, seemingly ghosts, none have been killed. . Major Tolls shouts to his men to ''charge the savages, kill them all''..the men are fearful, these Indians seem like ghosts. Major Tolls starts to move forward, then an arrow pierces his throat. He longer will he return to his family, he has suffered the fate that he has delivered to so many savages. The Infantry is in confusion, retreating back to the boat is there only escape. Lt. Whelen tries to steady his man for a fighting retreat.

Moving back to the boat, the shooting has stopped, the air is silent. Lt. Whelen is worried, this isn't right, the Indians should be attacking. He and his men turn to towards the boat.

Oh my God, screams one of his men. There between the retreating men and the boat are the Ghost Wolves, yellow eyes searching for a victim. Lips drawn back and the ugly deadly fangs snapping at the air. Soldiers trying to get away jump into the lake, but the wolves have chosen their victims. Few survive to tell the story.

The battlefield is silent, death clouds the air. Ojibwe warriors appear, seemingly out of thin air. The old men and women start picking up the weapons of the fallen soldiers.

They are preparing for more blood letting. They know the Army will be back.

Stone Hand looks at his few warriors, only 19, plus the elders, women and children. They had defeated a force of 80 U.S. Infantrymen, killing many and wounding many more. He was proud of his people, they had lost no Warriors.

Stone Hand stands before his father, Thunder Water. Stone Hand speaks to his father: Father we have defeated the Chimookamonnug (Long Knives). Yes my son, but they will return more, there is no end to the Zhaagnaash (white people), we will go into the deepest part of our land, they will come for us but will pay dearly. We will die a proud people, willing to give our lives for our freedom.

As the Pillagers moved silently into the forest, the women now caring weapons of the dead soldiers, they too would fight. The Elders, armed with bow and arrow, knives and war clubs would fight until they were cut down. The U.S. Army had no mercy on savages.

Word had spread of the Pillager victory at Sugar Point. The Red Lake Ojibwe began arming themselves. The White Earth, Cass Lake, Mille Lacs, Cass Lake, andBois Forte Ojbwe were also arming themselves, ready for war. Other small bands from Warroad andGrand Rapids joined the larger bands. Over 3,000 Warriors all ready to die for their freedom.

Panic was spreading in the towns, Bemidji, Cass Lake, Deer River, Grand Rapids and Walker. Additional federal troops were sent from Fort Snelling. The Minnesota National Guard mobilized. Local settler organized impromptu militias.

Tom Williams and Wilbur Johnson were sure that now the Ojibwe would be wiped out and they would control the land and it's timber. Each, seeing the money they would get from the death of the Ojibwe, but no Indian attacks came.

A few days later an old Indian, Thunder Water walked into the town of Cass Lake, no weapons, only a piece of paper in his hand. Panic spread through the town. All watching Thunder Water slowly walk down the street, paper in hand.

A local resident, Wayne Nelson raised his gun, others hollered: Kill the damn Indian. Thunder Water did not stop, he kept walking toward them. Wayne's wife grabs his arm, no, don't you dare shoot him, he's an old man, we have taken their land and I know what the Indian Agent Williams is doing to them, let him be. At that moment their young son, Joshua, around 10 years of age, broke loose from his mothers grip and ran to the Indian. His father aimed at the Indian ready to shoot, but the boy simply asked Thunder Water, did you come to kill us. Thunder Water looked at the boy. No, I have come in peace to deliver this to the town newspaper. Handing the paper to Joshua, he turned and walked back into the timber.

The boy took the paper to the newspaper, The Cass County Pioneer. Ben Owens, the editor of the paper read the note, shocked, he re-read it. How could savages know how to write, many Whites didn't know how.

''We, the undersigned chiefs and headmen of the Pillager band of Ojibwe Indians of Minnesota...respectfully represent that our people are caring a heavy burden, and in order that they may not be crushed by it, we humbly petition you to send a commission, consisting of men who are honest and cannot be controlled by lumbermen, to investigate the existing troubles here...We now have only the pine lands of our reservation for our future subsistence and support, bu the manner in which we are being defrauded out of these has alarmed us. The lands are now, as heretofore, being underestimated by the appraiser, the pine thereon is being destroyed by fires in order to create the class of timber known as dead or down timber, so as to enable others to cut all sell for their own benefit.''

Ben knew that this was an important paper and set about publishing it. Later that day the letter from the Ojibwe appear in the Cass Country Pioneer. The settlers read it, not sure what to make of it. Tom Williams and Wilbur Johnson read it and were furious. Damn Indians, they all need to be killed said Tom.

Several days later US Commissioner of Indian Affairs, William Jones negotiated with the Pillager leaders in a council at Leech Lake Reservation. The council concluded, Commissioner Jones critized local and state officials of the ''frequent arrests of Indians on trivial causes, often for no cause at all, taking them down to Duluth and Minneapolis for trial, two hundred miles away, and then turning them adrift without means to return home."

Jones later said in a report to the Secretary of the Interior: ''The Indians were prompted to their outbreak by the wrongs committed against them and chafed under unfair treatment. They now will go back to their homes and live peaceably if the whites treat them fairly, which is very likely, as the white were thoroughly impressed with the stand taken by the Indians. In this respect the outbreak has taught them a lesson.''

The Pillager returned to their home on Sugar Point. At least for now there was peace. Tom and Wilbur were not to give up their evil ways just yet.

A few days later Tom and Wilbur met in the Timber Saloon for drink, food, and to figure another way to get more of the Ojibwe timber, not caring if it meant killing more of the Ojibwe. Talking and planning late into the night, they now knew what they must do. Full from food and drink, pleased with their new plan they walked out into the night. It was now late October, the nights in Northern Minnesota were cold, the leaves falling from the trees, both men pulled their heavy coats around them and mounted their horses.

Heading down the road into the forest, the night was bright, the moon casting flickering shadows as they road. Tom though that he heard a strange sound. He said to Wilbur: Wilbur did you hear that sound! Wilbur replied, no Tom, didn't hear anything. Again in the distance the sound found it's way to them. Damn Wilbur it's the Indians beating on drums, damn fools. Laughing Tom and Wilbur continued down the road, knowing that soon they would control the timber.

Stone Hand stood in the shadows, hidden from Tom and Wilbur's view. Suddenly both horses stopped, they spurred their horses, but they wouldn't move. What the hell said Tom, starting to get off his horse. Wilbur sees a movement in the darkness. Tom, there is something out there. Tom looks around and tells Wilbur, you've had to much to drink.

Then the sound, the chilling sound of a wolfs howl. Close, to close, then another and another. Each more terrifying then the last. Tom and Wilbur were panicked, spurring their horses who would not move. Closer, now the howling was next to them. Tom tried to pull out his rifle, but it was to late. The yellow eyes and slashing fangs cut through the night. Savagely they were pulled from their horses, the wolves ripping their flesh. Tom and Wilbur were in their death dance, the Ghost Wolves their partners.

Stone Hand watched their death dance, eyes never moving from the attack. Now he turned his back to them, and moved into the forest, his home. The death howl of the Ghost Wolves, mixed with the beating of the drums, made a macabre sound.

The Ghost Wolves, his brothers had extracted their revenge. Tom and Wilbur had paid for their greed with their lives.

Vengeance of the Ghost Wolves was complete.

Kavika 2013. All rights reserved, do not use without permission.