Maskwa Legend

Geometrical shapes whispered from a dark ceiling above. A soft white blanket started dusting over the terrain. It was only midday; it should have been more well-lit than it was. The crystallized flakes glistened in the light emitted from the house. She pulled her cashmere wrap snugger over her delicate shoulders. November could be unforgiving in the Northern ranges of Manitoba. God’s River is an isolated wilderness, the principal settlement of the Manto Sipi Cree.

She groaned as an icy draft flowed from the glass panel. How could she end up in such a place, to begin with? She didn’t contemplate that falling for a man would do this to her. She missed the pungent stench from vehicle emissions. She longed for the musky odour of the alleyway beside her tiny bachelor apartment. The sounds of traffic passing and people shouting gave her an odd sense of relief. Now she was trapped in this lodging. It was silence occupied and detached from any type of civilization.

Mingan, her beloved-whom she had met at a conference 2 years ago- still hadn’t returned from his hunting trip. Bizarre, she thought to herself as she rotated away from the outside view. It had been a week since he had ventured out with the other men. None of whom returned. She had a tough time getting along with the other women in the area. All of them were Cree. They were beautiful, well-built, women with long smooth, silky black hair. They almost always tied it into perfect tight woven braids that draped elegantly over their shoulders. They all wore the most beautiful handmade clothes filled with exquisite colours. Not her, though. She was pale-skinned and preferred to wear neutral tones. She was born in Kenora, Ontario. Her mother was of Ojibwe culture, and her Father came from Quebec. She grew up with all the latest technologies and consumed the most delicate foods. It wasn’t like that here.

She missed her birthplace, but she loved Mingan, her darling. She was growing worried, he always returned quickly. He completed her existence here. She had to do something else than stay at home. There was one individual she could talk to in the community. Nadie was her husband’s cherished sister. She looked like a Cree woman, yet she was more tech-savvy than the others. She left her people at a young age. Pursuing the path to become a more innovative healer. She obtained a medical degree, coming back to aid the community. Instead of feeling sorry for her present circumstances, she decided to seek out Nadie’s company.

She quickly threw her chestnut, shoulder-length hair up into a messy bun. She changed into her favourite faded black jeans. She felt now coarse, but once soft, pelt brush against her skin. Mingan had given her the coat shortly after they were engaged. She was ready to walk down the narrow footpath to Nadie’s house, remembering something crucial. She forgot she needed to stock the woodstove.

Another thing she detested doing, yet Mingan at least made it easily accessible to her inside the entranceway. She speedily grasped a few logs to put into the flames. The smoke curled out as she opened the door. She tossed the wood in and promptly closed the door again. She missed the convenience of turning the dial on a thermostat.

Nadie could see Noelle making her way up the steps to her house. She distinguished why she would be coming over. It was most undoubtedly because their husbands hadn’t returned. Nadie knew this was a common occurrence, particularly with winter solstice coming. She unlocked the door for her sister-in-law before Noelle had the opportunity to knock.

“Noelle, I am so glad to see you. It has been a few days since you left the house.” Nadie said as she grabbed Noelle into a hug.

“I know, it has just been hard with Mingan gone. I am starting to worry about him.” Noelle said with anxiety behind her eyes.

“I can understand that. I know you aren’t used to all our customs yet. This is your first winter here. I can assure you that the men will return soon.”

“I don’t know, I feel as if something is not right.”

“Come on, I’ll make us some tea. Besides, you are due for a check-up. How long has it been since I checked on that little one growing inside you.”

“Um, well, it has been about a month, and you said I was due around Christmas.”

Both women made their way into the clean, well-kept kitchen. Everything had its place, and it was cozy. Nadie started the water for tea and grabbed her stethoscope. Noelle wasn’t particularly fond of tea but had grown to accept the grassy, floral taste since moving here. She still preferred the bitter taste of coffee. Not tasting any since she found out she was expecting.

The circular metal instrument against Noelle’s belly was cold, sending chills down her spine. Nadie was very gentle as she listened for the little babe’s heartbeat. Sure enough, it was there, and Nadie looked delighted.

“The heartbeat is as strong as ever, the little sweetie is healthy and fine. I cannot wait to meet my little nephew.” Nadie beamed.

“I really just wish Mingan was here right now. It is becoming harder for me to do everyday tasks around the house.” Noelle said.

“It is alright, sister. You can stay here while we wait for the males to come home. I can promise you they will return. It is more than likely that they just needed to set up camp. Occasionally they need extra time to prepare the meat to bring home.”

“I hope that is the case.” Noelle stared out the window watching as the snowflakes danced.

Later that night, there was a brash pounding noise. Both women rushed into the front entryway. There was an immense dark mass trying to get through the door. Nadie cautiously moved back to the living room, seizing Noelle’s hand to guide her. Nadie didn’t hesitate; she had known what to do from a young age. Her parents trained her on how to shoot if she ever needed to. Usually, the men would deal with occurrences such as this. The creature scraped and bashed repeatedly. A low muffled snarl could be heard. Nadie positioned the smooth, cold butt of her Marlin 1895 against her shoulder. She was poised and ready to shoot should there be a need.

The tall, broad-shouldered men began to enter a narrow lane from the tree line. Their long black hair dancing across their backs. They could see a shadowy, gigantic being moving off in the distance. It was probing at the door of Nadie’s house. Something was not right from the scene unfolding in front of them. Mukitou motioned for the other men to form a circle around the beast. Mukitou was Nadie’s husband and knew his mate would be equipped with her gun. Should the creature try to run, they would be ready to take it down. The men silently crept around the creature.

Katshituashku, that was what the creature was called. It was believed to be a legend. A horrific creature possessing a colossal head and hairless. It possessed erratic movements due to its stiff-jointed legs. Some people called it Misi-Maskwa meaning giant bear in Cree. A gigantic man-eater was the only way to define it. The men took their standpoints around the animal. It had reared on its hind legs in front of the entrance. A loud cracking could be heard as the animal’s large claws came down like a sword towards the door. The creature repeated the action over and over, each time another piece of the door splintered away. It roared loudly into the night as it came close to breaking through the door.

The creature was practically through the entry with its enormous head. Nadie remained unfaltering, not showing any panic, poised and ready to shoot. Noelle respected her bravery. Even though she had previously loathed having to move here, she did it because she loved Mingan. Perhaps this creature was attacking because of all her bitterness. She didn’t know all the stories regarding mythical beasts but had heard enough. Maybe she was the reason for this attack. Perhaps this monster was here to feast upon her flesh for her resentment.

A booming crack sounded, and there was an acrid smell hanging in the air. Nadie had fired without hesitation the moment the beasts mandible penetrated the oak door. The bullet pierced its way through its snout, causing a gaping hole in its wake that swiftly filled with blood and oozed out. In a flurry, more cracking sounds took place from different positions. The beast was being plastered with shots from all aspects. The creature roared with fury as he continued to force his way through the door. Its eyes landing on the two women in the home. It was as if the bullets never pierced the skin as it continued its frenzy. Shots continued to fire until the creature stumbled and finally fell into the pile of blood pooled below it. A few shots continued until the creature no longer moved.

Noelle was convinced that this was her fault, she had to apologize. “I am so sorry, this is all my fault. I was thinking about how much I missed the city. I was feeling horrible about being here. I didn't want to be here” Droplets fell down Noelle’s cheeks as she sobbed uncontrollably.

“It is not your fault, we all believed this beast to be a story our ancestors had dreamt up. We thought it was meant to just frighten us as youngsters.” Nadie tried to comfort her the best she could.

Mingan made his way to his companion’s side. He embraced her heartily, knowing he had worried her. He should have clarified all the traditions of his people in depth. He left her alone, not knowing her true feelings. He should have explained that hunting was sacred to them. At times hunting trips took longer than anticipated and he failed to inform her.

“My dearest wife, I should have prepared you better for a remote wilderness life. For that, I am sorry,” Mingan said.

“I should have taken the time to involve myself more in your culture. I am the one who should be apologizing to the whole community. I have been selfish,” Noelle replied as her sobs began to fade while in Mingan's arms. She vowed to take part in more of the Cree culture. As well as taking time to connect with her own heritage.

That night in God’s River, the fresh deposit of white powder was stained a crimson red. The elders had the fabled creature taken to the lake’s edge. Cistêmâw-tobacco-was offered to Mother Earth, giving thanks that no lives were lost in the battle and laying the creature to rest.

Concealed alongside God’s Lake, in a hidden Cedar grove, Katshituashku would remain. The beast’s legend would continue to be passed down through the coming generations.