Dancing Waters pushed her way to the front of the crowd that had gathered at the edge of the rock bridge. "My son! My son!"
    Desert Rain turned at the cry of Beaver Tail's worried mother. She knew Dancing Waters had been washing at the creek when her son took his fall. Dancing Waters' husband, Black Beaver, was a tracker and currently tracking elk for the next hunt. Desert Rain's heart went out to the frightened woman. She felt a mother's sorrow at the thought of losing a child. Some day, she hoped to have children of her own. What child could have a better father than Arm Bow, who would risk his life to save another's, she thought to herself as she watched Dancing Waters fall sobbing into Crow Woman's open arms.

    "Do you have the boy?" Cloud Maker yelled down to Arm Bow.
    "Yes, I have him!"
    Cloud Maker turned to the onlookers at the edge of the bridge. "He has the boy! He's safe!"
    A cheer went up from the crowd. Desert Rain's pride in her husband was evident on her face. There would be songs written of Arm Bow's courage. The songs would be sung around the campfires at night. Arm Bow's name would be known by all of The People, it might even be spread abroad to other clans, other tribes, even other nations. She beamed with pride and patted Dancing Waters on the back for comfort.

    Arm Bow struggled up the rocks, still holding Beaver Tail in his arms. "You are a very brave boy, Beaver Tail."
    "Thank you, uncle. My Grandfather gave me strength."
    "Yes, your grandfather was a great warrior. A noble Elder. You are the seed of his loins, that is sure."
    Beaver Tail smiled, but it disappeared quickly as Arm Bow's right foot loosed a stone and the two of them fell hard against the side of the rock bridge. Arm Bow struggled for better footing.
    When his footing was once more established, he addressed Beaver Tail again. "Little warrior, I'm afraid we cannot make the climb in this way. I need for you to help me. I cannot do it on my own."
    "What can I do, uncle?"
    Arm Bow smiled at the boy, trying to alleviate his fears. "You must climb onto my back and hold on with all your strength. Wrap your legs around my waist and hold onto my shoulders. Can you do that?"
    Beaver Tail looked up into Arm Bow's smiling face. It was Arm Bow's calm countenance that gave him courage this time. "Yes, uncle. Yes, I can."
    "You are indeed your grandfather's seed, Beaver Tail. He is very proud of you."

    "Can you see them?" Desert Rain yelled from the edge of the rock bridge.
    Cloud Maker looked once again over the side of the bridge, then turned back to the onlookers. "Not yet! But, I hear them climbing on the rocks just below me!"
    Dancing Waters bit her lower lip to stem her tide of emotion. Beaver Tail was her only son, the spitting image of her husband, Black Beaver. She couldn't bear to lose him. She cast a glance at Desert Rain as if asking her to help her husband bring her son back to her.
    Desert Rain met Dancing Waters' gaze and gave her a wide smile. "Don't worry, my sister, Arm Bow will see that Beaver Tail is safe. I know he will."
    "He is very brave," Dancing Waters said. "I shall never forget his kindness."
    Desert Rain's heart beat with pride for her husband. He was not only kind, he was hers, and she was proud.

    Arm Bow clung to each handhold with all of his strength. Having the boy on his back made the climbing easier, but the energy he was asserting was taking its toll on his stamina. He moved slowly, deliberately, upon the rocks, making sure that every handhold, every foothold, was secure before reaching for another. His breath was coming in short gasps now though, and he was climbing on sheer adrenaline. He had to make it to the top, he just had to. The life of the boy, not to mention his own, depended entirely on him. He could not fail. He climbed on.

    "I see them!" Cloud Maker yelled to the crowd. "They are just below me! It will not be long now!"
    Another cheer went up from the people.
    "Climb, my husband!" Desert Rain yelled, hoping that it would urge her husband on to success. Her voice echoed through the canyon.

    "I'm ... I'm ... climbing, my love. I'm climbing." Arm Bow said weakly as he reached for another handhold and pulled the two of them up the rock wall.
    Beaver Tail clung tightly to Arm Bow's back as he watched each muscle in the warrior's shoulders and arms strain in turn with each pull. They were making progress, but it was slow. Beaver Tail looked up and could see, now and then between the rocks, the face of Cloud Maker looking down from above.
    "I see Cloud Maker. I see him." the young boy said.
    "How far ... up ... is he?"
    "Not far. He's reaching down."
    Arm Bow reached up and pulled hard.

    "You are not far, my brother. I see the boy's head." Cloud Maker said, trying to encourage his friend.
    Arm Bow heard Cloud Maker's call, but was too weak to answer. He had to save his strength for climbing. He was getting weaker. He could feel the strength leaving his body with each pull of his arms, each push of his legs.

    "I see them! I see them!" Cloud Maker yelled. "Arm Bow, you are not far from the top now."
    Arm Bow looked about him at the rocky outcropping. He may not have been far from the summit, but he was in a tricky situation. A sharp overhang was between him and his goal. He desperately sought a way around it. "Beaver Tail, ... can you ... see over ... the rocks? Can you ... see Cloud Maker?"
    Beaver Tail looked skyward. "Yes, I can see him."
    "Can you ... reach him?"
    Beaver Tail examined the situation for a moment before answering. "No, I don't think I can."
    "If you ... stood ... stood on my shoulders ... could you reach him?"
    "I don't think so, uncle. Not yet."
    Arm Bow glanced above him, looking for a way to gain a little more height. If he could just get a little higher, if Beaver Tail could just reach Cloud Maker's arms, if he could just get Beaver Tail off his back, he felt sure he could make it. "Cloud Maker!"
    "I'm here, my brother."
    "Cloud Maker ... reach for the boy. I'm going ... to try ... to hand him ... up to you."
    Cloud Maker turned toward the crowd of onlookers. "I need some men over here! Quickly!"
    Before Cloud Maker had finished speaking, three young warriors raced to his side.
    "Form a human chain. One of you hold my ankles. I'm going to reach for the boy."
    The three men did as they were told. Laying flat on the ground, each man grabbed hold of the ankles of the man in front of him, beginning with Cloud Maker's ankles as he stretched over the side of the rock bridge.
    "Arm Bow, hand the boy up to me!" Cloud Maker shouted over the rocks.
    Arm Bow, placed his right foot on a large rock he had spotted. He would have to push himself up with this one foot in order to grab a handhold above him. He felt sure if he could reach that handhold, he could pull him and the boy high enough for Cloud Maker to reach Beaver Tail's hand. He tensed the muscles in his right leg and pushed.
    His hand barely got a grip on the handhold, as the rock beneath his right foot gave up its hold on the rocky ledge. Suddenly all of his weight, and the weight of the boy, fell full on his left arm.
    Beaver Tail heard Arm Bow grunt loudly and felt every muscle tighten in the warrior's arm as he sought desperately to hang on.
    Arm Bow's feet scrambled for a foothold, but it was futile. The rocks were too lose, the footing unsure, he swung to his right and reached up. His right fingertips found a small rock and gripped it tightly. "Climb, Beaver Tail ... climb up my back!"
    The frightened boy had no time to think. He looked up at Cloud Maker, hanging over the edge of the rock bridge, and began to climb Arm Bow's back. It was not easy, but he managed to get to his knees on the warrior's shoulders.
    "Grab the rocks ... stand up!" Arm Bow instructed, panic in his voice. He felt not only that his strength was ebbing, but worse yet, the rock under his right hand was giving way. He knew he didn't have long.
    Beaver Tail, reached for the rocks overhead, placed his right foot on Arm Bow's right shoulder and pushed. He stood up.
    Cloud Maker reached to his full length. "I can't reach him! I can't reach him! I have to slide further out over the edge." he shouted to the warrior holding his ankles.
    Arm Bow's arms began to twitch violently and the rock shifted suddenly beneath his right hand. "Hurry! Hurry, Cloud Maker!"
    Cloud Maker shifted further over the edge. "Reach for my hand, Beaver Tail! Reach up, higher!"
    Beaver Tail stretched, the tips of his fingers meeting with the tips of Cloud Maker's. He felt Arm Bow's body shift beneath him. Fear struck him like lightning and he suddenly leaped upward. Cloud Maker grasped the boy by both forearms and held on tightly.
    The force of the boy's leap was enough to pry the rock under Arm Bow's right hand from its perch. Arm Bow's full weight once again transferred to his left arm, which gave up its strength immediately.
    Cloud Maker screamed in terror. "No! No!"
    As Arm Bow's body cleared the side of the bridge and plummeted toward the valley below, one word escaped from his lips, one word hung on the wind, "Rainnnnnnn!"

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