Chapter 18

Sky Dancer lay facing away from Laughing Eyes and Stag Chaser that night after they’d all gone to bed. It had been late when she’d come home from Red Sun’s tipi. She’d waited for Dark Horse to come, but he hadn’t by the time she’d left.

She’d met Spider, who’d kept her entertained with his flirting and funny stories, but the whole time her mind had been much on her betrothed. When Dark Horse was in a good mood, his personality was much like Spider’s, but it seemed as though Spider wasn’t as moody as his brother. Finally, when it had become a little later than company usually stayed, Sky Dancer had taken her leave and gone home.

The peepers sang their night song, but it didn’t lull her into slumber. She pressed a hand to her forehead as she saw Dark Horse’s wounded expression as she’d left him in the woods that night. She knew what courage it must’ve taken for him to be about to bare his soul to her. And she’d hurt him.

She’d panicked because she didn’t know how to respond to his declaration when she didn’t love him. How could she accept his heartfelt words when she couldn’t repeat them back to him? What could she have said that wouldn’t have hurt him? No matter which way she’d handled it, the result would have been the same.

Smothering a sigh, Sky Dancer rose and slipped on her moccasins before ducking out of the tipi. Fires burned low and a few people were still up, but the majority of them had gone to their sleeping robes. She wished that she was sharing sleeping robes with Dark Horse right then.

The images that leapt into her mind shocked her as she made her way to the horse surround. As she stood petting a few of the horses, she remembered the countless times when her cravings had been for Badger. It had been his touch she’d desired, his kisses she’d thrilled to. For the past two years, she’d relived their life together over and over, keeping him and Minnow alive in her memory and heart.

She could see her daughter in her mind just as sharply as ever, but Badger’s face seemed to be fading. Closing her eyes tight, she tried to hear his voice, but it was an echo that was growing fainter. But Dark Horse’s voice spoke loudly, and his face was clear to her. His touch and the feel of his body were familiar to her now.

Opening her eyes, Sky Dancer gasped at seeing a man standing not far away from her. She’d never heard him approach. She broke into a smile when she recognized Dark Horse. Had he followed her? Had he been watching for her to leave Laughing Eyes’ tipi?

It didn’t make a difference to her. All that mattered was that she was going to have a chance to apologize to him. He beckoned to her, and she went willingly. She wound her arms around his neck and pulled him down so she could press her lips to his. He put an arm around her waist and pulled her closer.

As soon as she rested her hands on his chest, she knew something was wrong. This was not Dark Horse. She shoved against his chest, and he laughed. He sounded like Dark Horse. Then it dawned on her.

“Spider?”

He stilled immediately. “Sky Dancer?”

They sprang apart.

“Why did you kiss me like that?” Spider demanded.

“I thought you were Dark Horse,” she said at the same time.

Spider put his hands to his head. “I am sorry. Please do not tell Dark Horse. He will kill me! I was waiting for someone else. I thought you were her. There is no moon tonight and you are about her size. Please forgive me.”

Sky Dancer knew that she should’ve been greatly offended, but it was clear that he felt terrible about the mistake. She got the gist of what he’d said and was amused by their mutual confusion.

A giggle escaped her, and she said, “You have sweetheart?”

Spider laughed. “Yes. Sweetheart. Do not tell. It is a secret.”

Sky Dancer said, “Sweetheart had I younger was when I.”

He laughed again at her butchered sentence. “Did you elope?”

“No. Went ... um, out much. Behaved. Kissed, but behaved,” she replied. “I go. You behave, too.”

Spider grinned as she walked away, and he hoped that his sweetheart would show up.

Sky Dancer was helping Red Sun scrape deer hides when Dark Horse showed up at the family’s tipi the next morning.

“I will be gone for a couple of days,” he said. “One of our scouts saw a small Ojibwa hunting party a few miles from here. We must make sure that there are not more of them.”

Red Sun said, “I will pack you some wasna and we have a full water skin.”

“No. My wife will do it,” Dark Horse said with a hard look at Sky Dancer.

Sky Dancer hid her apprehension behind a smile as she rose. “Yes.”

She and Dark Horse entered the tipi, but before she could go to where their wasna was kept, he grabbed her and pulled her roughly against him. Suddenly, the Dark Horse she’d first met stared into her eyes, and she was frightened for a moment.

Then his mouth descended on hers in crushing kiss that both scared and excited her. He abruptly pulled back and smiled cruelly at her.

“I told you that you would welcome my touch one day. Make sure you are ready to be married by the time I return. Then you will be mine every night or whenever I want you. And if you decide to be disobedient, that will only make it all the more exciting,” he said, releasing her. “Now get my supplies while I check my weapons.”

Shaken to the core, Sky Dancer mutely followed his order. Her hands trembled as she put wasna and leftover fry bread in a parfleche. As she completed the task, her shock faded, and her temper rose.

Dark Horse was immediately filled with remorse, hating himself for causing the wounded expression on her face. In a gentler tone, he said, “Sky Dancer—”

“No!” Her eyes blazed dark fire. “You say true ... feeling for me! All tricks. You want hurt me.”

“No, it was not a trick,” he signed. “I am sorry. What I feel for you is real, but you would not let me tell you last night.”

She threw the packed parfleche at him and he caught it by reflex.

“You are a liar!” she sent back. “You do not love me. You just wanted to seduce me and then rub my nose in it! To humiliate me.”

He came closer and he loathed himself even more when she backed away. “How would you know? You would not let me speak what is in my heart.”

She looked at him with disdain. “The only thing in your heart for me is hate. I will not be fooled again. Go!”

The distrust in her eyes broke his heart all over again. It was useless to attempt to talk to her now because she wouldn’t believe anything he said. Silently, he took the parfleche and left the tipi.

Sky Dancer held herself together with great effort. She shoved the pain down deep, determined not to look weak in front of these people. Certainly not in front of Dark Horse. She smoothed down her dress and went back outside to help Red Sun.

From the look on Dark Horse’s face when he’d come out of their tipi, Red Sun had garnered that he and Sky Dancer had had an argument. Sky Dancer’s stony expression and silence confirmed her suspicions.

She’d come to care for her daughter-in-law, and she wanted the young couple to be happy. As she and Sky Dancer worked, Red Sun prayed that they would be able to work out their differences.

Rushing Bull was deeply concerned about Dark Horse, but he didn’t voice it as the day wore on. He’d never seen Dark Horse so closed off. Usually, when they were on a mission, they quietly joked around or talked about tribal business. Not so that day.

Dark Horse’s expression was completely blank, his ebony eyes revealing nothing about his internal feelings and that bothered Rushing Bull. Firstly, because he hated seeing his friend in such a bad frame of mind, but secondly, because it could affect his efficiency in the field.

They traveled with five other braves, thoroughly scouting the area for any sign of the enemy. The stretch of woods they entered late that afternoon was eerily quiet. Something felt off to Dark Horse’s group and they fell completely silent, communicating only in sign. They proceeded carefully, all of their senses on alert.

Slither found a long, black hair on a branch and alerted the others. Other Indians had definitely been that way recently and were headed due east. If Dark Horse’s calculations were correct, the other Indians would encounter the Kiowa camp sometime that night. He prayed that the enemy would veer off, but instinct told him that the Ojibwa were after bigger game than deer.

“Slither, go back and bring more warriors,” he said when they’d stopped to look for the trail again. It had been well hidden by their prey; he’d give them that.

Slither stared at him. “Why? They are leaving our area. There is nothing to worry about.”

“Our allies’ camp lies less than a day’s fast ride from here. That is where they are going. I am certain of it. Ride as fast as you can!” Dark Horse ordered.

Slither left without another word.

Rushing Bull said, “I have a very bad feeling about this.”

“As do I,” Dark Horse responded.

The warrior in him rose full force. He’d help the Kiowas because it was in his tribe’s best interests, but he also had selfish reasons for running to the rescue. He liked those of the tribe whom he’d met and looked forward to becoming better friends with them.

But more importantly, maybe if he could thwart the Ojibwas from attacking Sky Dancer’s people, perhaps it would redeem him somewhat in her eyes. Shame squeezed his chest as he thought about the horrible way he’d treated her that morning. Yes, she’d hurt him, but it hadn’t given him the right to be so rough or nasty to her.

He’d never acted like that with a woman, but Sky Dancer brought out his temper like no other female. She tested him and didn’t cower from him. Until that morning. Even though they’d argued a lot, she’d never been afraid of him. Knowing that he’d frightened her and hurt her feelings didn’t ease his own pain any. It only intensified it because he might have ruined any chance he had at winning her heart.

He sighed heavily without realizing he’d done so. At Rushing Bull’s curious look, he said, “I am a very stupid man.”

Rushing Bull grinned. “I know.”

Dark Horse scowled at him, then smiled for the first time that day. “Brother, there is much at stake here.”

“For the tribe or yourself?”

Meeting Rushing Bull’s gaze, Dark Horse said, “Both.”

With an understanding nod, Rushing Bull smiled. “Then we must make sure that we are successful in all ways.”

Steely resolve flowed through Dark Horse as he gazed toward the east. No matter what he had to do in order to accomplish it, he was going to help save their new kin. The Kiowas would fight bravely, but they would be no match for the powerful Ojibwa, who had more guns and braves.

With a malicious smile, he mounted his horse and gave the order to move out. I am looking forward to evening those odds.

Cricket and Moonbeam searched for medicinal plants early the next morning. He’d finally given up trying to make his sister observe proper social conduct and just accepted that she never would where he was concerned. Looking over to where Moonbeam was digging up some tubers, he smiled because she had a smudge of dirt on her face.

Then he turned back to the task of looking for echinacea. He’d just put some in his collecting bag when Moonbeam called to him.

“Chirping Cricket! I found those mushrooms you wanted!”