The Adventures of Cherokee by Nancy Johnson Read Free Book Online

take us. Talk to us often and keep us safe. Guide our steps.”
    The two young horses finished their prayers and talked softly together. They decided that leaving with snow on the ground was not wise; they knew the sun would soon warm the air and this first snow would not stay. On the day that it melted, they would run away. In the meantime they would exercise by playing games that would keep them strengthened for jumping and running.
    They talked with Flying Hawk once more, and he agreed that waiting for the snow to melt was a good idea. He also agreed that Cherokee should apologize to his mother for his badbehavior.
    Two nights later, Sunee spoke with her mother for the last time.
    “Mother,” she said. “I have decided to go with Cherokee. We leave tonight before the moon comes up to light the way for Man. We do not want them to see where we are going.”
    “I will miss you, Daughter.” With a warm touch of muzzle to muzzle, Unaca sadly said, “May you be warmed by the sun, rocked by the winds and sheltered by the trees.”
    Sunee’s sister, Yellow Bird, peeked out from under her mother’s neck, and whispered shyly, “Good bye Sunee, I will miss you, too.”
    Flying Hawk said nothing more to his son. He knew that the young stallion was taking on the unknown. Not even he knew what existed beyond the boundaries of this ranch. In fact, he had not even been as far as this ranch. He could only ask the Great Spirit to guide and protect the two young horses in whatever adventures they encountered. He said, “Stay on the white path,
    my son.”
    “The white path, Father?” repeated Cherokee.
    “Yes. The white path. The white path represents good things. The blue path represents adventure and the red path is bad.”
    “Thank you for telling me. I did not know that. I will try to stay on the white path and perhaps Sunee and I will enjoy the blue path also.”
    The daylight hours turned into late afternoon. By the time darkness began to close around the horses, Cherokee and Sunee were almost ready. Since the horses were in corrals or paddocks, none of the men stood guard over them. After supper the cowboys usually retired to the bunkhouse to play cards, write letters or play the harmonica or guitar.
    When the lights went out in the bunkhouse, Cherokee began to pace, his head bobbing up and down with each step. When the only sounds he could hear were bird sounds and coyote howls and the bark of the fox, he whispered to Sunee, “It’s time!”
    Sunee followed Cherokee to the near side of the corral.
    “I’m ready!” she said. Both horses tensed their muscles and broke into a dead run straight at the far end of the five foot corral. Front legs stretched high, hind legs tucked up, they cleared the top pole in unison.
    They headed west at a fast gallop, through a meadow, around a stand of hickory trees, across a narrow stream. They continued over small and large rock formations until reaching what appeared to be a great bowl in the earth. After traveling for many hours, it seemed a likely place to hide and rest. They found a way into the bowl. There was grass to eat and overhanging rock ledges to hide beneath. They were very tired.
    Morning came. The cowboys had wakened, dressed, and stepped outside to shave and wash their hands and faces before breakfast. While waiting his turn, Monty was looking over the corrals.
    “Hey, J.D!” he shouted. “Unless somebody moved ‘em, the two year olds are missing! Somebody check the gate!”
    Two cowboys already finished at the wash bowl, ran toward the corral Cherokee and Sunee had been in. They discovered the gate still carefully shut, but sure enough, the horses were gone!
    “Gate’s shut, J.D. Tracks show they leaped the fence some time last night.”
    Just then Cookie rang the bell for breakfast and nobody was late for breakfast! While eating a familiar breakfast of bacon, sausage, eggs, potatoes, biscuits and coffee, they broke a cardinal rule and talked, discussing the