Chapter 8

So they drove up to the school parking lot and got out of the car. Inside the school, Haskel just happened to glance out the window and saw Peter walking up to the school.

"It's Peter, Martha quickly come look," Haskel said with excitement looking out the window.

"What, he must have been adopted, this is great, that must be his adopted parents," smiled Martha.

"Yeah, he looks good, filled out quite nicely," said Haskel.

"Yeah he does, but he won't be able to hang with us, we live on the reservation and he lives off the reservation," saddened Martha.

"Martha, we can go hang with him as well, that was Mr. Walker, he lives on a ranch, remember he saved us from when there was a fire here at the school, his uncle is Eagle Bear, he will bring Peter to the reservation a lot to introduce him back home, so we will be seeing him quite a bit," said Haskel.

"True, he'll be involved in whatever the elders want of him because he's the last full-blood of our generation, not many of them around anymore, they died of old age, or got off the red road, they got lost from the great circle," said Martha.

"This right, there will be a lot of requirements from him and expectations from him, since his bloodline is a long one of full-bloods and traditions passed down from generation to generation," said Haskel.

They went back to there seats and started on their work. Mrs. Karen and Mr. Walker took Peter to the principal's office to get checked in.

"Morning Mr. Walker," said the principal.

"Here's Peter's paperwork, and this is Peter Wolf," said Mr. Walker.

"Welcome home sonny, we're glad you are here," said the principal.

"Oh, uh thank you," said Peter Wolf.

"Alright you be good, and when we pick you up at the bus stop, I want to hear all about it," said Mrs. Karen.

"Okay mom," smiled Peter.

"We'll see you later," said Mr. Walker.

"Alright, let's take you to your first class," smiled the Principal.

"So who is this kid anyway?" asked Jesse.

"Peter Wolf, he was born here but was taken and now he came home," said Martha.

"Kind of like you Jesse," said Haskel.

"I doubt it," Jesse crossing his arms.

The Principal walked in with Peter.

"Good morning Ms. Sharon, this is Peter Wolf, he will be your new student, and joining your class," said the Principal.

"We are so glad you are here, welcome home kiddo, Please have a seat," said the teacher.

"Peter over here," excited Martha.

Peter smiled and sat in front of Martha and Haskel beside him, Martha reached in front and hugged Peter's neck and Haskel shook Peter's hand.

"Hey Peter it's good to see you again," smiled Haskel.

"It's very good to see you both," said Peter.

"Alright class lets get started shall we, turn to page 307, we are going to learn about our ancestors on how they lived back then to how we live today, and how the language has changed, and how it affects our community," said the teacher.

"Well I do know now that the language back then is still going strong today, the young people here we don't speak it enough or heart it anymore because our grandparents and parents are no longer talking Indian, or they are dying off, or are parents are too drunk to even know we are there half the time. Then some speak it fluently and very well, those generations are almost gone now, and my generation doesn't care to speak the language or they were taught to speak English their whole life," said Martha.

"That's right sis, for example, my sister and I are bilingual, in other words, we can speak English and native because we were still living on the reservation when they took us, so that native language that was spoken to us our whole lives is still alive today, most kids that get taken from here and come back home, they don't know the language or the ways or understand, we have to re-teach them when an elder is talking to them in his native tongue, they do not understand. Here is another good example. Peter. Now we're all Indians right, but Peter comes from a good bloodline of a traditional family. He is more Indian than any of us in this classroom, and he wasn't even raised on the reservation he was born here but not raised. Because any one of us can be related to his family but we are not, we have to have papers showing that we are related, just because we claim to be related to Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, Red Cloud, does not mean we are related to them, we have to have papers saying we are related to there surviving relatives," said Haskel.

"He can't be more Native than me, I was born and raised on the rez," said Jesse.

"Yeah for a little while, but you were taken before he was, so you didn't have to be taught as most kids here, can you speak the language, can you have a conversation in the language and dance in the pow wows, you had to be taught to dance in the pow wow and what your dance means to you or for, we all had to be taught again," said Haskel.

"Whatever," said Jesse.

"See Peter is more Native than all of us, he speaks the language very well and can have a conversation with those that don't speak English, he has a rare gift that we wish we all had, he was taken away from here, but he still gets taught the Indian way," said Haskel.

"He does have the face of our ancestors," said the teacher.

"You still don't believe me do you?" asked Haskel.

"No," said Jesse.

Haskell went out and picked up a big empty box, he brought it inside and filled it with heavy objects.

"Alright Miss, may I ask you to step forward and come to the back of the class for safety, people sitting down, please stand up and go to the back with the teacher. Peter stands to the last desk towards the back," said Haskel.

So he got up and stood beside the desk in the back, Haskel walked toward Peter and handed him a knife.

"Now Peter is going to throw this knife towards the box," said Haskel.

"That's easy," said Jesse.

"Come here and show me then," said Haskel.

So Jesse walked over and pushed Peter out of the way, and grabbed the knife from him, and he threw it, but he missed.

"He's more native than you," said Haskel.

Jesse stayed silent.

"Alright Peter, go ahead," said Haskel going to the other side of the room.

So he looked at the target, stepped forward with one foot and threw the knife.

"So how many of you can do that?" asked Haskel.

Nobody raised their hand except Martha.

"So you see he is more native than all of us, now knife throwing is not as easy as Peter makes it, it takes lots of practice, but you can be taught how to throw a knife, an ax, even learn how to shoot a bow," said Haskel.

"Say something in Indian?" asked Haskel.

So Peter spoke the language. Then the bell rang for lunch. They all started down the hallway towards the kitchen and went down the line.

"You can sit with us at the table," said Haskel.

So they sat down at the table and started eating.

"So how do you like it so far?" asked Martha.

"Other than being embarrassed, good so far," said Peter.

"Oh sorry about that, I was trying to make a point to Jesse, he got back not too long ago and thinks he runs this place and knows everything," smiled Haskel.

"Now I'm sure he will try to fight me now, or give me a hard time now," said Peter worried.

"No he won't, he is all talk and no show," said Haskel.

"Are you sure," said Peter.

"Yes," said Haskel.

So they started to eat again, then the bell rang again. They threw all their trash away and went to their lockers to grab their stuff and walked down to the bus stop. When they arrived Peter saw his dad's truck sitting there waiting.

"Hey my dad and mom are here already," said Peter.

"That's cool, hey we'll have to swing by your place someday," said Martha.

"Yeah that would be nice, its huge, lots of stuff to explore," said Peter.

"Cool, see ya, Peter," said Haskel.

"Bye," said Peter running towards the truck.

He jumped in the truck and they were headed down the highway to head home.

"Well, how was school sweetheart?" asked Karen.

"It was good until I got embarrassed," said Peter.

"Oh said," Walker looking back in his rearview mirror.

"Yeah, Haskel, we were learning about Natives and how it affects us today, and Haskel was telling everybody that I was more Indian than any of them, but that is not true, all that stuff I've learned from foster parents that were native themselves, and this one kid Jesse, was getting angry, he just got back on the reservation himself. Haskel asked Jesse if he knew the language and other stuff, then when he told me to show them how Native I was, it made Jesse even madder," said Peter.

"Well just try to keep your distance from him," said Karen.

"What if he wants to start a fight?" asked Peter.

"You just walk away son, just walk away, and if he follows you, just walk into the principal's office and tell the principal what is going on,"

said Walker.

"Okay," said Peter looking out the window.

Peter just smiled when they drove up to the house, he just loved it there so much and he was happy. So they drove up to the house and got out. Peter ran to the house and ran upstairs.

"Whoa, Peter what is the hurry?" asked Eagle Bear.

"Oh nothing," said Peter running up the stairs to put his stuff down, he pulled a hole carrot out of his bag.

Eagle Bear just smiled. Then Peter ran back downstairs and slowed down.

"Where are you going?" asked Eagle Bear.

"Outside to explore some more," smiled Peter.

"Okay, but stay away from that horse, he is dangerous," said Karen.

"Mom, he can't hurt me if I am on the other side of the fence," smiled Peter.

"I know, but still please be very careful," said Karen.

"I will," said Peter walking outside.

He slowly walked up to the fence and the horse was standing in the middle. Peter jumped on the fence and just leaned on it with his arms hanging off.

"Come here boy, I have a treat," Peter had a carrot in his hand. The horse just turned around and was facing Peter, just starring at him.