Chapter 5

Early the next morning, Sky Dancer rose, stretching as she went outside. Her parents still slept, so she quietly gathered some water skins and headed for the creek. She was startled by loud shouting that came from the opposite side of the camp. A sense of foreboding came over her, and, still carrying the empty skins, she walked towards the growing commotion. As she passed her tipi, her parents came out, having been woken by the noise.

Her father, Broken Bow, a tall, thin man said, “Stay here. I will find out what is happening and come tell you.”

She Sings said, “Why? It does not sound like fighting.”

His normally genial countenance was set in hard lines. “Stay here, wife. I will come for you if all is well.” He glanced at Sky Dancer. “Do not follow me.”

They heard someone call out to them and saw Fang approach. The war leader stopped in front of them, his eyes trained on Sky Dancer. “They are here.”

She gasped and her heartbeat jumped into an erratic rhythm. “So soon? Chirping Cricket said they would come in a couple of days.”

Fang said, “He was not far off. Come. The chief waits for you.”

Sky Dancer looked beseechingly at Broken Bow. “Are you sure that there is nothing you can do?”

His expression turned dark. “I tried. He would not listen.”

Sky Dancer looked at the ground as fear and anger swirled in her mind. Closing her eyes, she willed her heart to settle once again and prayed for strength to face what was to come. She wouldn’t cry or beg to be relieved of the sacrifice she was about to make. Thinking of her family and her tribe, she accepted her fate.

As she raised her head and opened her eyes, a light of purpose gleamed in their dark depths. “If this is what Sendeh has willed, so be it.”

Fang nodded approvingly. “Let us go.”

With her chin held high, Sky Dancer walked with her parents and Fang to the central fire area of the camp. As they arrived, she immediately saw the Lakota warriors, whose mode of dress was similar to the Kiowa braves. However, their hair was uncut, unlike the way the Kiowa braves wore their hair, with it cut short over their right ear. This was to prevent it from getting caught in bow strings.

The taller, more muscular Lakota brave wore his hair in twin braids. An eagle feather decorated each braid and turquoise and bone earrings dangled from his earlobes. He wore fine buckskin leggings with red and blue fringes and the front of his breechcloth had been decorated with matching red and blue quills. Resting upon his broad, bronze chest was a simple necklace of what looked like polished wolf teeth. Grudgingly, she admitted that he was a handsome man.

Then her gaze turned to the other brave, who wore his black hair loose. It flowed down over his strong shoulders. On the left side of it, two raven feathers had been woven into the thick strands. Also bare chested, he stood a couple of inches shorter than the other man. His leggings bore no fringes, instead graced with white and red beading down the front. A black horse raced across the front of his breechcloth.

Her gaze clashed with his as she came to stand by Growling Wolf. Instant hate for him blossomed in her chest and she glared brazenly back at him. Anger smoldered in his eyes, and his nostrils flared slightly, indicating his mutual feelings.

Dark Horse held her gaze, silently berating her for her improper behavior. Who was this Kiowa woman to stare at him like that? Her insolence highly irritated him even as he noted her uncommon beauty. Her gleaming black hair lifted in the breeze, a few strands fluttering around her high cheeks and full, sensual mouth. Her dark eyes were framed by long lashes. A red sash tied around the waist of her light tan doeskin dress hinted at lush curves.

The hate and disdain in her eyes set off a similar reaction in Dark Horse and he had a desire to punish her, something he’d never felt towards a woman before. Why did this woman not lower her eyes, as was Lakota etiquette for females? Did all Kiowa women act like that? Looking around, he saw that most of the Kiowa women cast brief glances at him and Rushing Bull.

So, it is not the Kiowa custom for women to stare. Just you. You are lucky that I am not your husband. Why is she not reprimanded?

His musings were interrupted when the old chief stepped forward.

Growling Wolf signed, “Welcome, esteemed war leader. We have been expecting you.”

Dark Horse’s eyebrows rose, and he and Rushing Bull exchanged surprised glances.

“You have?” Rushing Bull signed. “How did you know we were coming?”

Growling Wolf smiled. “Our medicine man, Chirping Cricket, dreamt that you would come here.”

This stunned the warriors, and it took Dark Horse a moment to respond. “You mean the boy who sang when last I was here?”

Growling Wolf nodded. “Yes. He had a vision that he would travel to your camp.” The shock in their eyes amused him. “One of my warriors is bringing him.”

Rushing Bull lifted a brow. “From where? Why does he need to be brought? Why is he not already here?”

Gray Wolf chuckled. “He is often up well into the night and sleeps late.”

As if on cue, the subject of their conversation walked sleepily into the central area, trying to smother a huge yawn. Dark Horse looked him over, finding it hard to believe that the thin boy with rather messy hair was this tribe’s medicine man. He noted that instead of black, Chirping Cricket’s hair was dark brown and slightly wavy. They had a couple of braves with brown hair in Dark Horse’s tribe, but it was straight.

The boy wore plain buckskin clothing with no symbols or decoration denoting his high status. Dark Horse’s curiosity about Chirping Cricket grew as he watched him yawn again.

Growling Wolf enjoyed the look of confusion on the Lakota braves’ faces as they looked at Chirping Cricket. He understood why they were dubious about the young medicine man. Until a few days ago, he had also doubted that Chirping Cricket could serve as a true medicine man.

Catching Chirping Cricket’s gaze, Growling Wolf signed, “Chirping Cricket, this is Rushing Bull and Dark Horse, the braves you dreamt about.”

Chirping Cricket came fully awake as he looked at the two men. “How do you say ‘hello’ in your language?”

His unusual greeting took Dark Horse aback for a moment. “The men say ‘hau’ and the women say ‘han’.”

Chirping Cricket gave them what he hoped was a confident smile. “Hau,” he said, then signed, “It is good to meet you both.” He held out his hand to Dark Horse.

Dark Horse smiled back, instantly liking the youth despite the fact that they came from enemy tribes. He grasped arms with Chirping Cricket. His hand completely encircled the boy’s thin forearm. “How do you say ‘hello’ in your language?”

“We say, ‘Háːcho’.”

“Háːcho,” Dark Horse said, releasing the boy’s arm. “Chirping Cricket, it is good to meet you.”

The greetings were repeated with Rushing Bull. More introductions were made before Growling Wolf brought Sky Dancer to stand beside him.

“This is my granddaughter, Sky Dancer.”

Sky Dancer still stared defiantly at the Lakota men, but especially at Dark Horse.

Rushing Bull noticed the way his friend and Sky Dancer glared at each other and thought that their obvious dislike didn’t bode well. He hoped that the somewhat sharp-tongued, temperamental war leader wouldn’t do anything to offend these people.

With a disarming grin, Rushing Bull signed, “It is good to meet such an esteemed maiden, Sky Dancer.”

A faint smile curved her lips. “I am a widow, not a maiden.”

Growling Wolf noticed the way she openly looked at the men. Leaning closer, he whispered, “Behave as a woman should and do not embarrass your people, granddaughter. There is much at stake here. Do your duty.”

Despite the hot anger that simmered within her, Sky Dancer swallowed the bitter words that she wanted to hurl at Growling Wolf. She gave Dark Horse one last hateful glance and lowered her gaze.

Dark Horse barely resisted a satisfied smile, pretending not to notice the reprimand.

Growling Wolf said, “Come to my tipi. We will eat and discuss why you have come.”

Nodding, Dark Horse replied, “We appreciate your hospitality.”

As they followed the chief and his family to his large tipi, the Lakota braves looked around at the Kiowa camp. It was clean and orderly, as a camp should be, but it was much smaller than their own, no doubt because of the losses they’d suffered over the last few years.

Tension pervaded the air as they walked, flanked by Kiowa braves. The two who’d been introduced to them as Fang and Lightning Strike watched them constantly, ready to kill them at a moment’s notice. While this made Dark Horse and Rushing Bull uneasy, they never showed it.

Dark Horse, an artistic man, liked some of the designs on the tipis they passed, smiling at one rendition of a bison that must have been the handiwork of a child. He hoped that one day, he’d pass along his artistic abilities to at least one of his children.

Turning his gaze forward again, he noticed the way Sky Dancer held herself proudly with her spine straight. The blue-beaded fringes on the bottom of her tunic, which was worn above her skirt, swayed back and forth, clicking softly together.

The rhythmic way the fringes moved led his mind to think about how graceful and shapely her hips must be under the buckskin garments she wore. Abruptly, he reined in those thoughts. Beautiful though she might be, she was Kiowa, and he wanted nothing to do with her.

When they reached Growling Wolf’s tipi, Sleek Doe began preparing a breakfast of leftover rabbit stew from the night before and fry bread with black raspberry dressing. While she did that, Sky Dancer made tea, keeping her gaze averted from their visitors.

The meal was served and eaten in virtual silence. Their business would wait until they were finished. Sky Dancer forced herself to eat even though her stomach threatened to reject the food. She cast glances at the two men and hoped that they would refuse to marry her. Or that if they agreed, Rushing Bull would be the man to claim her. He seemed more genial than Dark Horse.

When the Lakota men indicated that they were done, the women cleared away the bowls and bone plates, taking them outside to be washed.

Growling Wolf signed, “We will go to the council lodge to speak.”

As they followed him to the lodge, Rushing Bull surreptitiously brushed shoulders with Dark Horse and flicked a glance over at Chirping Cricket. Dark Horse looked at the boy, smiling to himself at the proud way he walked beside Lightning Strike. It was obvious that he was trying to look the part of a medicine man.

They filed into the lodge, and the other nine council members were introduced to the visitors. Chirping Cricket prepared a pipe, presenting it to the Four Directions before taking a puff and handing it off to Growling Wolf.

Once all of the men had done the same, Growling Wolf asked, “Why have you come?”

Dark Horse said, “Our chief, Soaring Falcon wishes to speak with Chirping Cricket. He was very impressed with his calling of the bison and wants to thank the man who provided our camp with food and hides.”

Growling Wolf raised an eyebrow. “Has your own medicine man never called bison? Is this something extraordinary?”

Rushing Bull smiled. “Our medicine man has called bison and he is a good healer. He has performed many great acts.”

“Then why do you want ours?” Growling Wolf asked.

Dark Horse frowned. “We do not want to keep him. Our chief simply wants to thank him.”

Growling Wolf grunted. “Why should we trust you? How do we know that you will not kill him so that we are left without a shaman?”

Chirping Cricket looked at the Lakota warriors in alarm. His vision had led him to believe that they wouldn’t kill him on the journey to the enemy camp, but what about once he met their chief? Would they take him captive or kill him? How stupid of me not to consider that possibility. Still, this is what Sendeh wants, so I must go.

Dark Horse said, “We have no reason to keep him or kill him. He is no threat to us. Our medicine man says that Wakan Tanka, the Great Spirit, has brought our tribes into contact for a reason.”

Chirping Cricket sat up a little straighter as a chill of awe went down his spine. “I, too, have thought that. Bison Spirit heard my call and sent his relatives at the right moment to lure you here to our camp.”

Dark Horse nodded. “It would seem so.”

Growling Wolf cut to the chase. “He may go with you, but only if one of you agrees to marry my granddaughter and set up a council with your chief.”

Dark Horse couldn’t believe it. “What? Have you lost your mind?”

Growling Wolf chuckled. “No. If you marry her, we will be family and, unless you are dishonorable people, you will not make war on us. It is a token of trust between us that nothing will happen to Chirping Cricket or Lightning Strike.”

Dark Horse looked at the Kiowa warrior, who stared back with distrust and dislike in his eyes. “He is coming?”

Lightning Strike nodded. “You do not think we would let our medicine man travel alone with you, do you? Or Sky Dancer? Another warrior will also be going with us. They are hunting at the moment, but I will introduce you later.”

With a deepening frown, Dark Horse turned back to Growling Wolf. “So not only are you sending men with us, but you also want one of us to marry your granddaughter? What is wrong with her that you would give her away?”

Rushing Bull almost groaned at Dark Horse’s harsh words. The anger in the chief’s eyes made him jump into the conversation. “What my sometimes-blunt friend means is that he is surprised that you would be willing to give up your own granddaughter. She is a very beautiful woman, who obviously is skilled at keeping a home.”

Growling Wolf’s anger abated a little. “I am bestowing a great honor upon you by offering you the granddaughter of a chief. This is no small thing. It is a sign of respect and a gesture of possible friendship.”

Irritated with himself, Dark Horse remembered his manners. It was important to make a good impression on the chief. “While we appreciate it, this will not be necessary. We would hate to take such a valuable woman from you.”

Growling Wolf sat straighter, and his expression hardened. “Chirping Cricket does not go unless one of you marries Sky Dancer.”

In Lakota, Rushing Bull said, “If those are their terms, we must honor them. I do not want to go back emptyhanded, do you?”

Thinking of their fearsome chief, Dark Horse did indeed not relish the idea of failure. “Of course not, but marriage? I do not want her. She is insolent and rude.”

Rushing Bull smiled. “But she is beautiful. I will marry her.”

Dark Horse gave him a dubious look. “You will?”

Rushing Bull shrugged. “Yes.”

Growling Wolf watched the two braves closely as they discussed the issue. Whereas Dark Horse was displeased, Rushing Bull seemed agreeable.

Dark Horse signed. “It is agreed. Rushing Bull is willing to marry your granddaughter.”

Broken Bow cleared his throat. “She is my daughter, and I would have her marry a high-ranking man. Rushing Bull, do you outrank Dark Horse?”

“No. He is one of our war leaders. I am ranked directly under him, and I have enough coup to be eligible for marriage,” Rushing Bull said.

“Do you have any chiefs or medicine men in your lineage?”

“No.”

Broken Bow looked at Dark Horse. “What is your lineage?”

Dark Horse knew exactly what Broken Bow was up to. As much as he didn’t want to marry this woman, he couldn’t, wouldn’t lie to get out of it. “My great grandfather was a chief and my grandfather was a medicine man. My father had been a war chief, who was killed in battle.”