Night Mountain

Book excerpt: Night Mountain, a young Cheratew man, had his family stolen from him. Ambushed first by a neighboring tribe, then his wife was torn away in a terrible storm, he struggled to rally his clan against these outside forces. It was 1250, and the peaceful Indians of western Alabama have developed a complex society. Their new agrarian skills with corn and other crops allowed them to create ever-expanding permanent communities. They built massive earthen burial mounds that mimicked Mexico's stone pyramids. Itinerant oral historians collected stories and passed on their legends and traditions as they traveled. Their stories recalled the actions of notable ancestors, brave heroes, and retold tales of hardships and successes. "I guide my people to the future by showing them the way they came," says Thunder Rock, Trail Talker. His gentle voice brings to life the stories of Night Mountain's people.