dannydmc

Following the visit of Old One Eye, Sigismund fell into a deep swoon; it seemed to him as if all of the weariness of his life fell upon his shoulders all at once. Unable to keep his eyes open any longer, he collapsed upon the knoll infront fo the Maple Tree and slept very hard.
He awoke to find the gentle fingers of dawn caressing his brow; a thin coat of dew dotted his skin. A great happiness filled his soul for, for the first time since that aweful day he had returned to camp to find his Father and crew slaughtered, he felt as if he had direction once again. The great hatred which had burnt within his heart, charring the edges of his soul, seemed to have been extinguished at long last. So great was his releif that he fell down upon his knees and offered up a prayer to the gods for healing his sickness.
Hearing his words, Dawn smiled gently down upon the Pine Prince and called upon her pets to fetch the man a breakfast, for surely he has hungry after such a long rest. The Robin responded cheerfully and fluttered down, landing upon Sigismund's shoulders and letting out a cheerful chirp to draw his attention. It then flew off to a near by brance and called again for the man to follow it.
Sigismund looked up at the red bird and smiled; he bowed his head in respect and then took chase. The bird repeated its calls, leading the Prince deeper ino the forest until it spied a blackberry bush where is settled down, letting off one more peep.
Seeing the bounty before him, the hero smiled whole heartedly; "Why thank you, little bird, for showing me to my breakfast. I can not repay your kindness, except with a giving of thanks and a promise to never forget this gift". And, with those words, he began to strip the berries from the bush and eat his fill.
As luck would have it, the trail which lead to the beach passed not 5 feet away from this very bush. Having filled his belly with the berries, Sigismund easily found the path and took it down to where he had left his men encamped the night before.
It was only an hour's walk, for Madeline Island is not that large, and he soon saw beneath him the Lumber camp sprawling out in the distance. He let out a happy shout of welcome and began to quicken his pace, as to get to his friends all the sooner.

Now, the Lumbermen, upon seeing the lone figure hiking out of the woods, fell down upon their knees of thanks. Sigismund, coming down the trail, say this odd scene and was puzzled.
"I knew that you would all be happy to see me, as I am you, but don't you find this a little much? Never before have people thanked the heavens when I appear. Unsually, in fact, it seems to be the opposite."
One of the Lumbermen stood to his feet, "How else would you welcome back a man missing for many months nad feared dead? Many here had come to believe we would never see you again! We were discussing what to do should you not return by the end of September, when the Chippewa pull free fro mthis land and return to their winter camps"

At these words, Sigismund grew scared; to his mind he had only been gone for two nights. He looked up at the trees and sky, and they gave witness to the tale the lumberman told; the Sun hung further to the South than it had when he left, and the leaves had already begun to lose the green luster of Summer. His mind even past back to his breakfast; at the time he had not even wondered how ripe Blakc berries could be found in the Summer months!
Rather than tell these fears to his men, Sigismund decided to keep them to himself. "Surely I have been gone a long time, but did I not tell you all that I'd return? The healing of one's heart must take more than a day! Now, tell me, have our friends the Chippewa left this island and returned to the mainland yet?
"Aye, they are still here; though who knows for how much longer", said a lumberman.
"Then take me to them! I have much to discuss with our friend, the Chief; he has promised me weapons with which to slay our enemy, and the time for gift giving grows near!"
At hearing these words, the men let out a mighty cheer; they lifted their captain upon their own back,s hoisting him into the air, and began to carry him towards the camp of the Chippewa.

They found Cheif Buffalo, that kind and great man, sitting around the fire in council with his advisors. Upon seeing them approach, the Cheif smiled broadly. "So, the Lumber Cheiftan returns to my camp", he said, "nothing else could make me happier. Come! Sit by my fire so may share council one last time before the storms come."
Sigismund bowed his head, "I thank you for a place by your fire. It is true that we have much to discuss. Before I left you promised me weapons with which I might fight the Demon Dancer which haunts our home."
The Chief nodded; "Yes. I did just that.", he said and looked over at a young man who stood by his side. "Go to my cabin and you will find two locked trucks; you'll know the ones when you see them. Go and bring them here, they hold what our friend is looking for."
The young man did as he told and, within a few minutes, returned with the two chests, which he gave to the Chief. Cheif Buffalo opened the two chests and brought forth several items which he handed over to Sigismund.
"Here are the boons that I promised you; but I beg you to use them wisely, for there is a great power in both of them which is not healthy for any individual of a pure heart. The first which you have there is a cloak, tanned from the hide of a Wendigo which was killed several centuries again. It was given to me by my Grandfather, and given to him by his. I give it to you now, because its hide is thick and will blunt the edge of any blade or claw which rakes against its side. But, once again, I warn you; do not lay it upon your shoulders until such time as you give battle against the beast. It still contains much of the character of the Wendigo from which it was made, and it can infest the heart of anyone who wears it too often."
"Now, the second gift I give you is this: two hatchets. They have been carved from the bones of the same Wendigo which supplied the cloak and will be able to hew the hide of that demon. Once again, however, do not brandish them until the time has come to give battle, for they too possess some of the malice of their former owner. They are poison, and I give them to you know, only so that they might poison the beast whch haunts these woods, and not you."
Sigismund turned the hatchets over in his hand, they seemed to throb with power, much like the beating of a heart. Each was carved from bone, but the blades had been encased in the finest copper of the Northern lands which burt like the sun. The stoacks of each were also wrapped in Sumac. He felt his hands wrap around each with gusto, before remebering the words of his bennefactor. Sigismund threw them back into the chest as if he had been bitten by a snake.
The Cheif smiled sadly, "Ah, you feel the power of them, then."
"It is not a pleasent feeling", Sigismund said, suppressing a shudder.
"Oh no", the Cheif replied, "It is a very pleasent feeling. That's what makes them so dangerous, would you not agree."
"Where is your Daughter, Winona", Sigismund asked, "Has she traveled with you to this island? I wish to see her again before I give battle."
"My daughter is one with the trees and rivers; island life holds little draw to her. She still walks the paths of the North woods, as she does all year long."
Sigismund let out a deep sigh
"Do not worry, my friend. Do not worry, for I will tell you how to find her. When your canoes touch the sands of the Southern beaches, wander strait South until you see an Albino hind. It is her messenger. When you see it, give chase and it will lead you to her. I know well that she also wishes to see you before you go to fight the Wendigo."
The Cheif looked up at the sky, "And now, I fear, the night grows late and it is time to retire. I'm sure you also have duties to perform at your camp so that you may depart soon. So, let me bid you a good night and wish you luck on your journey; after you have killed the Wendigo, I am sure we will be seeing much more of one another."
With those words, the Cheif retired from the fires. Sigismund took the two trunks and returned with his men to their camp. That night he slept as peacefully as does a young child.

The Lumbermen had pulled down their camp and were prepared to set off within the week. They bid a fond farewell to their friends, the Chippewa, who had taken them in and sheltered them when no one else would. There were few dry eyes among the loggers as they pushed the canoes into the deep waters of Gitchi-Gumi and made their way back to shore.
What occured next takes no great explanation. The Lumbermen followed the advice of the chief, and headed due South. However, they wandered aimless, not knowing where to find their prey, and not knowing of Sigismund's desire to see the fair maid Winona one final time. For three weeks they crossed up and down the Northern wood, while their leader grew more and more impatient.
It was one morning, while the campers were cooking breakfast, when a great white buck, with a rack of 30 points, lept into camp. The men turned to look at it in suprise and fright, but Sigismund, roused from his sleep suddenly, saw the creature and let out a great whoop of excitement. Without having wiped the sleep-sand from his eyes, he gave chase to the deer which bounded into the woods.
He chased the vision for half an hour, never losing strength or breath, until it finally broke from his sight and lept over an outcropping of brush. Sigismund charged forward and threw himself through the bushes, losing his balance, he fell face forward into the mud of a small creek bed.

"It isn't often", a voice sang, "that a man falls face down and bows before a woman. What would your friends think if they saw you like this?"
"They would think", Sigismund said as he pulled himself up and wiped the mud from his face, "that I was a young fool in love, and they would understand."
"Mayhap", Winona said, her voice more beautiful than the signing of the spring birds in the morning. "Perhaps all men are as foolish in their youth. Some just hide it better than others."
Sigismund smiled and looked up at the vision of beauty before him, it seemed as if his heart would burst from his chest. "Any man, entranced by your beauty, would be made dumb; it was an honor to fal lbefore you. My pride means nothing to me around you."
"Which is all well and good; you seem to have little left", she said and laughed. Suddenly the merriment fell from her face and she looked gravely at her beau, a cloud fell across the face of the sun. "Do you still persue the Wendigo", she asked.

"Yes", he replied immediately, "but no longer to avenge the deah of my Father. I have spoken to him in the blackness of night, and he cast off my fears and anger. Now I give chase to prevent the beast from bleeding these woods white; from devouring all that I hold dear and cherish."
She frowned, "And yet I still see darkness in our future."
"Life", he said, "is darkness. Misery and pain are constants. The best I man can do is serve those that he loves, and wring out as many moments of joy as is possible. Winona, I am yours, to do with as you wish. I love you more than life itself, which is why I shall go out and fight. I do not ask for you ot understand, only to accept it and give me your blessing; for, without that, I am nothing at all."
A faint smile touched the nymph's lips again. "Oh, Sigismund, I love you the same, as you well know. I would not dream of withholding the blessing I promised. I only ask that you be careful and take your Father's words to heart. Hatred will destroy us all, if you are not careful."
Taking a small vile which hung from a leather string around her neck, she lifted it off and placed it upon the shoulders of her beloved. "Take that flask. Ride three days South West from here and you will come to a large mountain. You will know it when you see it. When the time is right, smash that vial and call out of a challange to the Wendigo. It will come and the battle will be joined."
Sigismund bowed his head in respect and love, "Winona, I thank you. Know this; I will return and we will be wed if you so wish."
"Oh that", she said with a sigh, "I have no doubt at all."

To be Continued.......again