Kaya Meets Tito

Once upon a time, there was a Native American girl named, Kaya. She had a horse named Stepshigh, which was an Appaloosa mustang.

Kaya was nine years old so she was old enough to work like other Native American kids.  One day when she was sewing bear claws on a buckskin dress, Stepshigh whinnied.  Then, Kaya remembered when her mom got captured by enemy raiders. Now that was really scary. Toeta, her father, was now her only parent.
She liked visiting her grandparents a lot. Her grandmother, Katsa, told great stories. Especially, about her visions.

"Toeta," said Kaya. "Can Stepshigh and I go to New Mexico? I'd like to see my friend Josephina." "OK," said Toeta, "but be sure to pack a tee-pee, food and clothes with you. And bring Stepshigh. He can carry those things. You can carry your violin, your math workbooks and a pencil."  "OK,"said Kaya. "Maybe while I'm there, I'll buy some clothes," she said. "And trade some hides for beads," she added.

So, the very next day, Kaya packed a tee-pee, clothes, luggage, and packed them up on Stepshigh. Before she left, she said "Good-bye" to Toeta, Katsa, and the twins, Sparrow and Wingfeather. Then, she and Stepshigh took off.

Stepshigh ran easily with the load. On Kaya's back was a little green backpack with her violin and workbooks, and extra pencils, and a little mini sharpener, just in case the pencils broke. Around her waist was a basket with blueberries. She could pick more when she got there.

Finally, she reached a hotel. "This would be a nice place to stay." But, beside the hotel was a forest. "I remember, I have a tee-pee" she said. So, instead of going into the hotel for a room, she went into the forest and set up her tee-pee. It was very hard. It kept collapsing. So, she and Stepshigh went in to little cabins that she made out of chopped trees.

A monkey came along. He said, "You seem like you need a little help putting up a tee-pee." "Sure," said Kaya. "I'll pay you back somehow."  So the monkey easily put up the tee-pee. "How did you do that so quickly?" said Kaya. "It's a little secret - I've been taking classes and practicing for years. I can put up a tent, so how much different can a tee-pee be? They both start with "t". And, tee-pees are just tents for Native Americans."

Soon a big clomping noise occurred. "Oh-No, the Sheriff," said the monkey. "You see, I'm a slave, and I work for the McDaolls."  "Don't worry, I'll help you get away," said Kaya.  "You can hide in the trees above my tee-pee.  I'll give you an Yuka root hide. You can cover it over your body.  I'll take my bow and arrows and shoot them at the sheriff. That will pay him back for capturing you as a slave. You're nice. You can live with me instead."  "Thanks," said the monkey, "First, tell me your name."  "My name's Kaya, and this is my horse, Stepshigh, and my dog, Tatlo," said Kaya.  "My name is Tito," said the monkey.   "Great, Tito. Now hide. He's coming closer; I can see his face." she said.

"Wait, that's my dad," said Kaya. "Your dad's the sheriff?" said Tito.  "I'll tell him not to kidnap you," said Kaya.  So Tito was freed and got to live with Kaya as her third pet.

"Thanks again," said Tito.

The End.