"Tonight," Gray Cloud said, "I come to enjoy music with my friends." Jason sighed and asked for a story. "There are many nights for stories," the older man said with a tired voice that did not fit this man's soul.
Strumming guitars captured everyone's attention. Charlie's baritone voice began singing Home on the Range and soon Brett joined in with his tenor voice. Megan listened, letting the music warm her soul. Something in the way they played transported her to another place when Wyoming was a territory.
After many fast paced songs, such as Oh! Susannah, Brett slowed it down with Red River Valley. Megan glanced towards Gray Cloud, who stared into the fire never blinking. "He seeks his grandson," she told herself. As she spoke the words, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up, as if someone watched her. She turned and saw nothing but darkness.
After the last note was sung, the kids shuffled to the cabins. With the flames doused, smoke rose into the sky and Gray Cloud's eyes followed the path. When he left, Megan looked into the dark tapestry with twinkling stars that held stories. Did it also hold answers as to when Colby Jackson would return to his family?
Suddenly the cottonwood rustled, sending out a whisper. Megan turned around and stared in amazement at a young, broad-shouldered man. In the dark, she saw no features except dark eyes staring at her. She tried to learn him, but he remained unreadable. As Megan reached towards him, the earth jolted as if awakening with its first heartbeat. Though her body trembled, she reached further to touch him, to make sure he was real. He vanished.
A whistled escaped as she breathed. "We'll chalk this up to Circle M's mysterious ways." She stared into openness and wondered, "Is he a Blackfoot spirit or a real man?"