R1+Group+5

Introduction: - Shasta looking down from a hill onto the cowboys - cowboys talking the little girl

Main Paragraph(s): - flashbacks - goes back to teepee and his horse - emotion: frustrated because he doesn't think he will be able to come back (has flashbacks about his dad yelling at him and his sister getting taken away) - soliliquy about his plan to rescue his sister - he goes to rescue his sister, but gets scared and tries to leave. He is scared that one of the cowboys might have seen him. - tries to go back to the camp to talk to his dad, but the tribe shuns him. - his granmother helps him secretly (granmother says wise things to him to encourage him) - he attempts to save his sister again and gets caught by the Bill the cowboy - WHile with thee cowboys his grandmother kepes coming to his tepee and looking, she gets worried and then she goes and tell his dad -The whole tribe comes and attacks the cowboys His gift is his family to support him, he is lucky that they care about him. It is his turn to lead them (his tribe). Ending Paragraph - The chief dies from a bullet that was going to hit his son -This tells boy his dad still loves him -get baby back, live happily ever after

[|Click here to listen to story audio]

The Gift

=
I looked down onto the Cowboy's campsite, wondering how I could ever do this. I sat down feeling nauseous from the pressure my family had thrown on me. It all happened so fast and I am not sure why it happened to begin with. All I remember are the sobs from my mother and the angry yells of my father. Then the gallop of horses away from our tribe's camp. I jerked myself out of my memories and started to trudge back to my small teepee that had been my home for the past week. Then I heard it, a sharp scream like a baby's, and then it hit me. It was a baby's scream, and that baby was my younger sister.  I sprinted back to the edge of the cliff and peered back down onto the Cowboy's camp. I noticed a large cowboy with a face as tan and worn as the leather on a horse's saddle. He entered one of the tents and came back out holding something...a package...no, a baby...yes, a baby, my sister. ======

=
She was wrapped up in her blanket hand woven by the ladies of our tribe, her olive face streaked with tears. I saw the cowboy scowl as she released another scream. I noticed the anger and frustration boiling up on his face, and I knew I had to act fast before he boiled over and something dreadful happened to my sister. I know that if I let this happen my tribe will never forgive me. ======

=
I trudged back to my teepee, trying to devise a plan to get my little sister back. My teepee was full of unsucessful plans that I had thrown to waste. The sun was slowly setting over the desert as I made my way out of my teepee. I was going to find food from the only stream in this vast wasteland. As I approached the stream, there was a figure standing on the shore of the stream. I crouched behind a cactus, trying to figure out whether it was a cowboy or a member of my family. I noticed the person was hunchbacked, and that could only be one person. I started to approach the river keeping my eye on the individual. As I leaned down to get water, I looked to my left and I knew it was her. ======

=
<span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">I panicked and ran, not wanting to tell her of my failure, not wanting to face the truth. I arrived back at my tepee, with the moonlight as my guide.I was almost asleep when I heard someone whisper my name."Shasta" the voice said, I knew it was her again, and this time there was nowhere to run. I waited for her to call my name one more time before I responded. I wanted to somehow go back in time and make all of this not happen, I wanted my life the way it was before my sister got kidnapped. ======

=
<span style="COLOR: rgb(11,10,10); FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">I sighed in defeat, knowing I could not change the past and whispered back, "Grandma?" ======

=
<span style="COLOR: rgb(11,10,10); FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">"Yes it is me, I saw you behind me at the stream." ======

=
<span style="COLOR: rgb(11,10,10); FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">"I'm sorry, I should have said something..." I mumbled. ======

=
<span style="COLOR: rgb(11,10,10); FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">"Shasta, I know you are afraid, but I believe in you." Her soft voice replied. ======

=
<span style="COLOR: rgb(11,10,10); FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">"But I don't know what to do, I am not brave nor strong." "There is no way I can defeat a cowboy." I contridicted. ======

=
<span style="COLOR: rgb(11,10,10); FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">"That may be true, but you are a very smart boy." "Look inside yourself to find your gift." She instisted. ======

=
<span style="COLOR: rgb(11,10,10); FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">"What gift Grandma?" I asked. ======

=
<span style="COLOR: rgb(11,10,10); FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">"The one that is all around you, that helps you every day. That gift will help you get your sister back." She murmered. ======

=
<span style="COLOR: rgb(11,10,10); FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">And with that she exited my tent, leaving me to ponder her words in the still night. I tried for hours to look inside my heart, and to brainstorm my gifts. I finally fell into a fitful sleep. ======

=
<span style="COLOR: rgb(11,10,10); FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">When I awoke the next morning I was still clueless. <span style="COLOR: rgb(11,10,10); FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">My gift, what was it? Was it the fact that I could hunt,or my ability to set traps for animals? Neither of these so called gifts would help me, a small boy, rescue my sister. This made everything worse. I knew my grandmother was right, but how could I rescue my sister if I couldn't find my gift. This question continued to haunt me while I was gathering my food for the day. The desert sun was beating down as I looked for edible plants in the clearing. I spotted a jack rabbit out of the corner of my eye. It hit me, that was my talent. This was how I was going to save my sister. I decided to head over to my hideout overlooking the cowboy's campsite. I decided this was it, this was my time to prove I am worthy of following my father's footsteps. I collected my materials to set the trap. I had always caught more animals than the other Indian kids did. I had gotten praised for my ability to set traps. I realized this is what my grandmother was talking about. This was my gift. ======

=
<span style="COLOR: rgb(11,10,10); FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">As the sun was beginning to set over the sands of the desert, I began to make my way toward the Cowboy's campsite. I hoped to reach the campsite under the cover of darkness, this way I had time to plan my trap. I could see the cowboys sitting around a campfire. As a breeze blew the fire, the light illuminated a small basket behind the campfire. In this basket I could faintly see my sisters small face peeeking out from the blankets she was wrapped in. I started to creep through the brush that was growing on the slope end of the hill that seperated me from the cowboys. I tripped over a rotten log that broke into two pieces, making a loud cracking noise. My body froze with fear.Did the cowboys hear me? Had they seen me? I was hoping not, but I knew they had heard me when Bill, the cowboy, moved my sister into the biggest tent. I panicked and sneaked into the camp. ======

=
<span style="COLOR: rgb(11,10,10); FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">I was too caught up in my own fear to notice the large shadow hovering over me. I could feel hot breath on my neck. I got a shiver down my spine. I slowly turned around and saw blood shot eyes staring at me. I realized it was a cownoy from the camp. He grabbed me by the ear and started to drag me towards the biggest tent, that I knew my sister was in. Now I was not only scared for her life but also for mine. As I stumbled along behind the cowboy, a sharp pain began spreading up my ear where the cowboy was pinching it between his fat fingers. The cowboy pushed me into the tent, and I fell against the canvas wall then, everything went black. I woke up to crying, a baby's cry. Was I home? Did I rescue my sister? My eyes fluttered open and I stared out, I didn't know where I was. ======

=
<span style="COLOR: rgb(11,10,10); FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">All I knew was that my sister was crying and my ear was in great pain. Then he walked in and I remebered, it was the cowboy from last night.Last night was a nightmare that I only wished was a dream. He looked at me then he looked at my sister.He didnt speak he just stared. I was frozen with fear and I felt so stupid. How did I get caught? That was the only thought going through my head. I had failed my tribe, my sister, and I had failed the only person who belevied in me, my grandmother. The cowboy walked to me and looked down. His breath smelled like rancid meat as he laughed then said "Is this the best those indians can do." "They send a puny good for nothing boy over to rescue their precious baby." "well that plan failed, 'cause now look were that boy is..." "he's sittin' on the floor of MY tent. as helpless as a bug in a spider's web. " "Ha, those indians will probably give in soon." "and when they do their leather will be all mine." With that he spat on the ground and strode out of the tent, with an air of succes all around him. ======

=
<span style="COLOR: rgb(11,10,10); FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">This infuriated me. I knew my tribes most prized possesion was our leather. It was the finest leather in all of the west. After the discovery of the cowboys awful motive I was determined not  <span style="COLOR: rgb(11,10,10); FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> to give up, yet raced with anger. I tried to stand up, but I was jerked backwards. I swiveled around and saw that my hands were bound to a stake in. Those cowboys had no right to do this, why couldn't they trade with my tribe like all the civilized poeple. I could not let them do this. My head hit the ground. I was completely helpless, without my hands I would have no hope of escaping much less saving my sister. I wanted to cry I was so frustrated, so I tried to look on the bright side, atleast my sister was in my sight, that way I atleast knew she was safe. My only hope now was some sort of miracle and now, as the sun began to set on my second day of imprisonment at the cowboy's camp that chance seemed highly unlikely. ======

When I awoke the next morning I immediatly began thinking of how I was to escape right away. Plan after plan, scheme after scheme, none of them seemed like they would work. Without my hands, my sister and I were dead. Should I give up? I didn't know the answer to that so I let it settle inside of me. No I wasn't going to quit, this was just a minor setback from where I wanted to be. I would make it. My sister would make it, but we needed a miracle.

Later that night Bill came back into the tent. Like earlier he just stood there and looked at us. I stared back, but this time I wasn't frozen with fear. I asked him "Why would you take a child captive over some leather." He didn't reply he just smiled and kept looking at us. I was growing tired and hungry.I didn't want to fall asleep with this crooked looking cowboy watching me. I couldn't take it anymore I dozed off into the night, and hoped that my miracle was on it's way.Little did I know my grandmother had been looking out for me. I knew she was, I could feel it inside me, she was going to help me.

"Shasta? Shasta?" Grandmother whispered. She had disguised herself as a cowboy to come in the cowboy's campsite to see what she could do to help me. I responded to her with whisper in my shaky voice, "Grandmother I am here, they have captured me. I have failed to the tribe, I am so sorry. Will you forgive me?"

"Shasta, listen to me. You do not be ashamed. We should not have put you in this position, you are a hero. I am going to get you help, I will be back. Let me loosen the ropes on your hands so you can untie your hands when the time comes." She started to walk off as I heard her say silently, never give up hope,never. With those words I felt like I could save the world. I had found my inner gift, I knew what it was. My head hurt, I looked over at my sister's face. She was so serene, her lips were curled into a faint smile as she slept. I yawned and my eyes began to close. I was no longer sure if my grandmother had just been an illusion, or as she had promised, I would be rescued soon. I slowly drifted away into a peaceful sleep. I heard a loud yell, and then the beating of many hooves. I bolted awake, "Bill!" "Wake up Bill." "Those darn Indians are attacking us." "What?" "There's no way." "Yes way, and and it looks like its the whole tribe." "You better get your gun Bill, and get the baby too." As soon as I heard that I desperatly started pulling my hands out of the rope. I finally yanked them out and stood up. I bent down and picked my sister up, she awoke with a start and began to cry. I tried to shush her but to no avail. Bill the cowboy poked his head into the tent then yanked me and my sister out of the tent. He held his pistol onto my head and signaled the other cowboys to his side. I was so afraid, I saw my whole tribe standing infront of me, they had looks of fear on their faces. Bill the cowboy bellowed, "No one move or I'll shoot the baby and the boy!" My tribe froze. I spotted my father and grandmother standing at the head of the tribe. Both of them so regal and brave, my heart fell. I knew I could never be like them. I had failed my tribe, and now put us all in great danger. I had heard the stories of cowboys who had killed whole Indian tribes with their guns. I had always thought that that could never happen to my tribe, but now I was not so sure. Bill squeezed the gun closer to my head and scanned my tribe for even a twitch of movement. Then like a flash my father took a huge step forward, pulled back an arrow on his bow and... "Pow." I wriggled out of the grasp of the cowboy clutching my sister to my chest as I ran to my grandmother's side. My father lay on the ground, a bullet hole in his chest gushing blood. I screamed and ran to his side. "Father!" I said. "Yes son he murmered." his eyelids fluttering. "Don't die." I yelled. "Shasta." he said, "I did what I had to do, now you and your sister are safe." "Yes, but." I stammered. "Shasta, do not doubt yourself." He said. "You are braver than you think, and you have proven yourself to be strong in mind." "Now It is your turn to lead the great tribe of the Moccasin." "And, I love you." he said with a smile in his eyes. "I love you too father." I murmered. And with that he slowly took of his chieftian headress and labouriously reached it out towards me. I took it with a shaking hand and looked away. When I turned back around I knew his spirit had left him. Tears ran down my cheeks as I trudged away from my father's lifeless body. I was no longer Shasta, but chief Shasta, and I knew that now I had more responsibility than ever, but most of all I realized my gift. It was a gift that is often taken for granted, it was the gift of family.