Chapter 20

Sky Dancer greeted her friends and relatives when they came into camp, all of them offering condolences and comfort to one another. One of her cousins told her that she’d find She Sings with the children in the hiding place. Sky Dancer hugged and thanked her and hurried away.

Dark Horse fell into step with her. He’d given her privacy with her relatives but had remained where he could see her. “Where are you going?”

“Mother in ... she hides with ... children,” she said in halting Lakota.

Now that he thought about it, he hadn’t seen any small children since they’d arrived. “Where?”

A glimmer of a smile shone in her eyes. “You see.”

He smiled but remained silent as they walked. She led him down along the creek quite a distance before turning off to the right and parting some undergrowth. Dark Horse followed her through the gap into a hidden clearing. They crossed it and headed for a rock wall that he recognized as the foothill of the mountain that their camp bordered.

A path became visible, and he saw very recent footprints leading into a narrow opening. Sky Dancer slipped into the channel, leading him into the mountain. Two Kiowa braves blocked their path until they recognized Sky Dancer. She spoke to them, and they respectfully moved to allow her to pass.

Dark Horse gazed in wonder around the large stone room he found himself in. Torches were affixed to the walls, providing plenty of light. Blankets lined the floor, and a few cornhusk dolls lie about, along with a couple of small bows and arrows that must belong to a few of the boys just learning to shoot.

Sky Dancer enjoyed his reaction to the space but was more interested in finding her mother. She left the antechamber and entered a much larger room where several women entertained the twenty-five or so children who played there.

Sky Dancer spotted She Sings. “Mother!”

She Sings stopped what she was doing and turned quickly at the voice that echoed in the chamber. The two women wove their way through children until they reached each other and fell into each other’s arms.

Tears streamed down Sky Dancer’s face as she hung on to her mother. Her grief was mixed with sympathy for her mother. She knew the heartache of losing a beloved husband, one who had been the center of her life. She’d known that she’d lose her parents one day, but she’d hoped that it would’ve been far in the future.

Mother and daughter cried together, mourning a man who’d been kind, strong, and brave. Sky Dancer’s mind went back to her childhood. Broken Bow had played with her and told her stories. He’d kissed her when she’d been hurt and had been so supportive when she’d lost Badger and Minnow. The man she’d idolized and who had given her unconditional love, was now gone. His loss left behind a chasm of pain that would never be filled.

As their tears abated, She Sings pulled back and cupped her daughter’s face. “He died a hero. Fang was fighting near him and said that he counted much coup. Even though our hearts are broken, we must be proud that he died so bravely. You know he would not have had it any other way.”

Sky Dancer nodded even though her stomach ached with sadness. “I know. I just cannot believe that he is gone. I love him so much and cannot imagine my life without him.”

She Sings’ lips trembled, but she fought back the tears that threatened to break through. “Neither can I, but we must be strong. I know that you have lost so much already, but, just like then, we have to go on. Your father would want that.”

“Yes, he would,” Sky Dancer said. “Mother, what are you going to do for support without him?”

She Sings rubbed her temple. “I do not know. There is no one for me to marry, and I do not want to. Now I know how you felt when your first husband died.”

Dark Horse had wanted to give the women some privacy, but he came over to them now. “She Sings, I am very sorry for your loss. Your husband was a very good man, and I wish I had gotten to know him better.”

She Sings signed back, “Thank you.”

The arrival of Growling Wolf and Soaring Falcon interrupted them.

“Good. You are already here,” Soaring Falcon said. “Growling Wolf has something he wants to show us.”

Growling Wolf signed, “I think you will be very impressed with what you are about to see.”

Sky Dancer and She Sings exchanged a conspiratorial smile, which indicated that they knew about the surprise. Growling Wolf chuckled at them and took down one of the torches from the wall. Then he led the other men through a narrow passageway. It ended at a wooden door, a structure that the Lakota men had only seen on white man’s homes.

Growling Wolf removed one of his necklaces, on which dangled a key. He unlocked the door and swung it open. The space beyond was oval in shape and intricate box work patterns covered the ceiling. Soaring Falcon and Dark Horse felt power in the cavern as they stared in fascination at the natural artwork above them.

Four large wooden crates sat against the far wall. Growling Wolf handed the torch to Dark Horse and motioned for him to follow him. Soaring Falcon followed the other two men, intensely curious about what was in the crates.

The older chief used his knife to pry open the lid of one of them. Reaching in, he pulled out something that stunned the other two men. Growling Wolf handed the fine flintlock musket to Soaring Falcon, who stared at the weapon in wonder.

“Where did you get these? Are those containers full of them?”