Lakota Winds (Zebra Historical Romance) (19 page)

The next morning after returning from an early hunt, Wind Dancer
was looking for Chumani to tell her about the game she needed to
prepare when he encountered Wastemna as she returned to her tepee
from fetching water. He asked the smiling woman if she had seen his
wife. He noticed a strange look on her face as she glanced around as if
to see if anyone was nearby and appeared reluctant to respond. "What
holds your tongue, Wastemna? Have you seen Dewdrops? Has more
trouble struck while I was away? Speak, now," he said in a commanding
tone and with a stern expression. He watched her glance around once
more, then answer just above a whisper.

"Perhaps she sneaked into the forest to meet with the man from her
tribe as she did on the last sun. Perhaps he stayed nearby during the
night so they could see each other again before he returns home."

Astonished by that unexpected reply, Wind Dancer scowled and
asked in a sullen tone, "What do your strange words mean?"

"When I saw her leave camp, I followed her, for I did not think it
was safe for her to be in the forest alone. She looked sad and distracted,
so I feared her guard was down and she would not hear an enemy's
approach. She is the wife of our next chief and the vision-woman, so
she must be protected. I also hoped it would give us time and privacy
to talk so we can become friends; and if I was with her and more
mischief was done, she would know it was not my doing. Before I could
catch up to her, I saw her meet with a man. They embraced many
times and held hands as they spoke, and the hawk knew him. I could
not get close enough to overhear their words, for I feared they would
see me or the hawk would either attack me as a threat or warn them
of an intruder. It was a tall man with a plain face and garments, but
he must have been from her band, for it was clear she knew and loved
him from her smiles and touches. Yet, often she appeared sad and I
saw her wipe tears from her cheeks, and the man placed his arm around her and drew her to his body to comfort her. After their talk, she
returned to camp and he slipped into the forest."

Anger and jealousy washed over Wind Dancer, reactions he struggled
to conceal and to master. Surely, he reasoned, Wastemna would not
speak falsely about a matter he could investigate for himself. He might
believe she was mistaken if his wife had told him about the meeting
and had not behaved so strangely last night. "Are you sure that is what
you saw? Are you sure it was Dewdrops with him?"

"I am sure. I swear it upon my life and honor."

"Why did you not come to me on the last sun and reveal this to
me?"

"I feared you would not believe me and you would hate me. I do
not know how strong her love medicine is over you. I swear it is the
truth."

"Have you told another of what you saw?"

"No, for it is your right and duty to deal with an unfaithful wife.
Please do not hate me because I was the one who was forced to reveal
this matter to you."

"Do not worry, Wastemna, for it is not our way to hate the one
who brings bad news, only hate the words told to him. But I am certain
it must have been a friend, not a lover, you saw with Chumani."

"If that is true, Waci Tate, why did she not tell you about him?"

"I do not know, but I am sure her reason is a good one."

"I pray your words are true so your heart will not be pained again
with the loss of another wife and the Great Spirit is forced to punish
her for dishonoring you and the sacred vision."

Wind Dancer took Chumani for a walk in the forest after her return
to their tepee a short time later, as he did not want others to overhear
his words. "When you joined to me, you did not tell me your heart
and body belong to another man. Is sadness and revenge why you hold
back from me and why you behave badly to Wastemna and other
women here and why you create such mischief in our lives? Do you
hate me and wish to make me unhappy so I will send you away so you can return home to him? Why do you betray me and the sacred vision
for your lost love?"

Chumani was hurt and baffled. "I do not behave badly in your camp
or to your people. I seek no revenge on you with the mischief which
attacks us; it is not my doing. I am a good wife to you in all ways but
one; that was your choice to make and I agreed with it. My heart loves
and my body desires no other man, not my first mate or another from
my camp or in any camp. Why do you think such wicked things about
me? Your words are cruel and untrue."

Her anguished reaction cut into his heart, but he was compelled to
ask, "Who was the man you met with and embraced in the forest on
the last sun? The secret visit you did not reveal to me last night?"

"Do you spy on me?" Chumani asked in shock. "Do you not trust
me?"

"No, I do not watch you, but another saw you meet him there and
told me of it this sun. Is he why you were distant with me last night
and do not wish to lie beneath me?"

"The person who told you I met a man was mistaken. It was Zitkala,
niy best friend. She approached me in the forest and we talked for a
long time. She is a female warrior and hunter, as I was before you
claimed me."

"It was not a woman Wastemna sighted with you." He saw Chumani's
gaze narrow and chill at the name he mentioned. He watched her
withdraw the sharp weapon from her waist sheath. He wondered if she
was going to challenge him to a death fight or try to slay him and
escape, and knew she would not be successful with either attempt. She
placed the blade between her teeth and spoke around its edge as she
refuted his words, her dark gaze drilling into his watchful one as she
performed the swearing custom.

"I bite-the-knife, Waci Tate, and swear: I speak the truth. It was
Zitkala, a woman, my best friend since we were but a few circles of the
seasons old. We trained, hunted, rode, and fought together as you do
with Red Feather." Chumani removed the weapon and continued to
speak. "She came to bring me news of my family, friends, and people. Do you not recall she was away from our camp when you came to
claim me? I did not ask her to enter this camp and our tepee; I wished
to speak with her alone. Zitkala has taken no mate, for her face, body,
and ways are more of a man's than a woman's. You can accept or refuse
my words, but I do not speak with a split tongue. I do my best to
follow the commands of my husband, father, Great Spirit, and the
sacred vision. If you do not believe me or you are displeased with me,
speak the parting words before our tepee flap and I will be free to return
to my people." She knew all he had to do was take that position and
announce she was no longer his mate and their joining bond was broken.
Yet, deep inside, she prayed he would not do so.

As Wind Dancer studied her and considered her explanation, Chumani wondered if he was seeking an excuse to get rid of her and to
save face while doing so by making it appear her fault. When he started
to speak, she held up her hand and told him, "Do not speak while your
heart and head are filled with mistrust and anger or while mine are too
filled with them to listen. Think upon what you want to do; then we
will talk. Now I go for a ride to calm myself; I will return before night
comes. Then, this destructive and hurtful matter must be settled between
us for all time."

Wind Dancer thought it was best to let her leave for a while to allow
both of them time to clear their heads and cool their hot feelings. He
also needed to decide how to repair the obvious damage he had done
to their relationship, as he was almost certain she spoke the truth. It
would be too easy for him to check out her story for her to lie to him;
and by doing so, she would be dishonored in her camp and banished
from it. Yet, his fear of loving, trusting, and then losing her kept a tiny
doubt nibbling at his mind.

After Chumani left him standing there, Wind Dancer turned and
sighted his mother and sister nearby in the bushes. He realized the two
women had happened upon the scene by accident and had remained
quiet to prevent disturbing and shaming him as he quarreled with his
wife.

Winona approached him, placed a hand on his forearm, and said, "You must go after her, my son, and make peace with her. Time and
distance can become your enemies and slay all her good feelings for
you. Do you not know Dewdrops has great love in her heart for you
and great pride in being your wife and vision companion? Do you not
know she would not speak false words to you? Do you know the Great
Spirit would not give you a bad wife? Go before you lose her forever
and glorious victory is denied to us."

Wind Dancer knew those words were true, and hearing them sent a
surge of joy and energy throughout his body. He quickly prayed that
he had not destroyed her good feelings for him and driven her away
forever. He smiled, embraced his mother, and hurried to his tepee. He
realized she had taken nothing except her horse and Cetan, which he
considered a favorable sign she planned to return. He gathered his
weapons and other needed supplies before he headed to his horse to
mount and pursue her.

As he loaded his possessions on the animal, Red Feather joined him.
Wind Dancer told his best friend of the misunderstanding and that he
was looking for Chumani.

Red Feather grinned and said, "She rode that way."

Wind Dancer's gaze followed Red Feather's gesture toward the south.
"I go to spend private time with her. I will not return until she is mine.
Guard my family and our camp, and pray I find victory with her."

"It will be so, mitakola. "

In the forest, Hanmani murmured, "Love should not bring sadness
and trouble, my mother. Why does it do so for my brother?"

Winona looked at her youngest and only female child whose name
meant To-walk-in-the-night and said, "They are still strangers in many
ways, and they endured great losses long ago which make them wary
of each other and their feelings. They fear to show their love and desire;
they fear the other does not feel the same way; their minds fear to accept
and trust what they know in their hearts to be true. If they listen to
each other with their hearts open wide, all will be good between them
when they return."

"Do you think so, Mother?"

"Yes, my beloved daughter, I am certain of that, for my father, our
wise shaman, saw it in his vision."

Winona's mind added, One sun, you will learn such things for yourself,
my beloved daughter, for I saw it in a dream on the night you left my body
thirteen winters past. When that season comes, you will find great love, but
the trail you must ride toward it will be a difficult and dangerous one, just
as it is with your brother and Dewdrops.

Chumani halted her horse and stared at the ground as her mind
filled with troubling thoughts. She had spoken too quickly and harshly,
for his misconception was normal, whether he or another person witnessed her meeting with Zitkala, especially since she had kept it a secret
from him. By doing so, she had given him just reason to doubt her
and be angry. He had never met her best friend, so he was not familiar
with Zitkala's mannish looks. She should have remained in camp and
settled the matter with him. It was wrong of her to blame him and to
leave.

As she heard Cetan's shrill cries overhead, she glanced upward and
noticed the sky was darkening rapidly and ominously and the force of
the wind was increasing in strength and purpose. Already, limbs shook,
grass swayed, and wildflowers trembled in anticipation of the brewing
storm. She reasoned the Great Spirit was displeased with her and was
trying to warn her to hurry back to his camp. Yet, she had noticed the
signs too late. She knew the conditions would soon make it too dangerous
to be outside and she must seek shelter fast. Recalling she had sighted
an area where caves and rock ledges were located, she headed in that
direction, calling out to Cetan to follow her to seek cover from the
weather's fury.

Wind Dancer tracked and located Chumani, then left the grassy
terrain to ride into the tree-blanketed foothills which swept upward
into the sacred mountains. He assumed she was seeking protective shelter
in one of the Paha Sapa's canyons from the approaching storm and hoped he could catch up to her before it struck. When the trail signs
indicated she had dismounted, he reasoned she could not be far ahead
of him; her destination must be a nearby cave or a position beneath
low and wide overhanging ledges of black rock, he decided. To keep
from frightening her, he shouted her name to make her aware of his
presence.

Chumani entered a cave with a load of wood she had gathered for
a fire. Only minutes later she heard Wind Dancer's call followed by a
peal of thunder which roared across the terrain, a dazzling display of
lightning. Her heart leapt with happiness. She tossed down the wood,
rushed to the cave's mouth, and halted there to look for him. Lightning
flashed in jagged lines and in brilliant multi-branched forks across the
ever-darkening sky, and rumbling thunder chased it at a swift pace as
she sighted him coming out of the treeline on the other side of the
clearing before her. She smiled and waved as she yelled for him to bring
his horse into the cave and to join her there before a deluge began. She
watched him smile and wave in return, causing her heart to beat faster
with excitement and joy.

Then two perils struck like a double-edged knife. Suddenly his horse
snorted and whinnied, reared on its hind legs, and pawed the air with
its forelegs, its eyes wide in panic as it yanked wildly on the tether
clutched in Wind Dancer's left hand. That unexpected action caused
her husband to stumble aside on loose rocks and fall to his knees. As
he hit the ground, a strong wind gusted briskly and blew dirt into his
eyes, causing him to jerk his free hand toward them. Yet, it was the
threat beyond him that almost petrified her into stone, the reason for
the horse's terror: a grizzly had topped the low hill behind them, halted
there, and was eyeing the two targets with great interest. She knew her
horse was safe in the cave, but her husband and his mount were in
terrible danger. Although the massive beast appeared to be slow and
lazy when it ambled along, she knew he could charge with awesome
agility and speed and could slash open its prey with one swipe of those
long and deadly claws.