Read Online A Shelter of Hope by Tracie Peterson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Tracie Peterson
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“My help is in the mountains where I take myself to heal the earthly wounds that people give to me.” Naniko believed healing came from the elements. The earth. The winds. The waters. Simone thought of how the Psalms and the Ute message shared a common interest. The mountains seemed to represent a fortress of strength. A haven from harm. The psalmist, however, knew his strength came from the One who made the mountains, while the Ute legend looked to the mountain itself. But these mountains seemed anything but helpful to Simone. In fact, she feared they might be her undoing.
The horse whinnied from where she’d staked him out. He pawed at the ground, as if impatient for them to be on their way. No doubt he was just as hungry as Simone. Gathering up her things, Simone resaddled the animal and led him to the water’s edge. She tried not to be discouraged by the fact that the sun had gone back under the blanket of clouds. The gloomy gray better fit her disposition anyway.
By the time Simone mounted her horse, a light snow had started to fall and the wind had picked up. It seemed futile to complain or even to shake a fist at the sky. Her surroundings wouldn’t heed her even if she pleaded her case, and neither would God. Shrugging down under her blanket, Simone urged the horse forward.
They headed downriver, seeking to put the mountains behind them. Simone believed that if she could get to flat ground, she would more easily be able to discern directions and other signs of life. She noticed the slightest warming of the temperature as the horse picked his way down the trail. The farther they traveled from the higher altitude of the snow-capped mountains, the more signs of spring emerged. Surely they weren’t far from a trading post or town.
When they came through a clearing of trees, Simone was shocked to realize they had come to the edge of a rocky drop. The horse nervously pranced and backed a few feet, sending bits of rock tumbling over the ledge. They could clearly go no farther. The ledge revealed no path that might allow Simone to navigate the steep incline. The view down below, however, held her attention in greater capacity than the obstacle of the ledge. Far in the distance, nearly beyond her field of vision, Simone made out the lazy rise of smoke. The snow had stopped, and now, looking out across the open valley, Simone possessed hope for the first time since leaving home. Smoke could only mean some manner of civilization.
She glanced around, trying to figure out how they might conquer the drop. It appeared that if she made her way back to the river and crossed over to the other side, they would have an easier path down into the valley. Of course, that meant getting wet, and Simone had no idea how deep the river might be. She could easily risk her life and that of her mount. But it was either that or waste time exploring in the opposite direction. Her reasoning told her the river would be a better way, and without giving it another thought, Simone urged the horse to retrace their steps.
She navigated the river with little difficulty. The place where they came back out of the woods revealed a shallow bank and water that only came up to the horse’s hocks. Simone nudged the horse with her heels and set out into the icy stream. The mare protested by nickering softly, but in a matter of minutes the obstacle lay behind them and no longer concerned the horse. Simone rubbed her stomach as it once again gave off a growl. She’d been existing on buried roots and pine—and very little else. It hardly satisfied her need, and weakness gradually overtook her.
“Just a little farther,” she encouraged the horse. She knew she was really encouraging herself, but it seemed completely proper to issue the words.
She tried to imagine what the town would be like. She wondered if it held very many people, and whether those people would think her queer for making a trek down from the mountains. Then it dawned on her that
The horse whinnied from where she’d staked him out. He pawed at the ground, as if impatient for them to be on their way. No doubt he was just as hungry as Simone. Gathering up her things, Simone resaddled the animal and led him to the water’s edge. She tried not to be discouraged by the fact that the sun had gone back under the blanket of clouds. The gloomy gray better fit her disposition anyway.
By the time Simone mounted her horse, a light snow had started to fall and the wind had picked up. It seemed futile to complain or even to shake a fist at the sky. Her surroundings wouldn’t heed her even if she pleaded her case, and neither would God. Shrugging down under her blanket, Simone urged the horse forward.
They headed downriver, seeking to put the mountains behind them. Simone believed that if she could get to flat ground, she would more easily be able to discern directions and other signs of life. She noticed the slightest warming of the temperature as the horse picked his way down the trail. The farther they traveled from the higher altitude of the snow-capped mountains, the more signs of spring emerged. Surely they weren’t far from a trading post or town.
When they came through a clearing of trees, Simone was shocked to realize they had come to the edge of a rocky drop. The horse nervously pranced and backed a few feet, sending bits of rock tumbling over the ledge. They could clearly go no farther. The ledge revealed no path that might allow Simone to navigate the steep incline. The view down below, however, held her attention in greater capacity than the obstacle of the ledge. Far in the distance, nearly beyond her field of vision, Simone made out the lazy rise of smoke. The snow had stopped, and now, looking out across the open valley, Simone possessed hope for the first time since leaving home. Smoke could only mean some manner of civilization.
She glanced around, trying to figure out how they might conquer the drop. It appeared that if she made her way back to the river and crossed over to the other side, they would have an easier path down into the valley. Of course, that meant getting wet, and Simone had no idea how deep the river might be. She could easily risk her life and that of her mount. But it was either that or waste time exploring in the opposite direction. Her reasoning told her the river would be a better way, and without giving it another thought, Simone urged the horse to retrace their steps.
She navigated the river with little difficulty. The place where they came back out of the woods revealed a shallow bank and water that only came up to the horse’s hocks. Simone nudged the horse with her heels and set out into the icy stream. The mare protested by nickering softly, but in a matter of minutes the obstacle lay behind them and no longer concerned the horse. Simone rubbed her stomach as it once again gave off a growl. She’d been existing on buried roots and pine—and very little else. It hardly satisfied her need, and weakness gradually overtook her.
“Just a little farther,” she encouraged the horse. She knew she was really encouraging herself, but it seemed completely proper to issue the words.
She tried to imagine what the town would be like. She wondered if it held very many people, and whether those people would think her queer for making a trek down from the mountains. Then it dawned on her that
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