Lakota Winds (Zebra Historical Romance) (20 page)

"E'tonwan! Matohata!" She shouted for him to look out because a grizzly was heading his way. "Inahni sni yo. " She warned him not to
run, as that would be considered as a challenge to the giant bear.

"Tokahan hwo?" he called out, asking where it was since his vision
was blurred.

As he rubbed his eyes and shook his head, she realized he was
temporarily blinded by the dirt and was vulnerable to a lethal attack.
"Uyelo; inila yanka yo. " She cautioned him to be quiet because the
creature was advancing on him. "Lecetkiya. "She asked him to come to
her. She hurried into the cave and retrieved her bow and several arrows,
elated she had brought them along. With one shaft nocked and holding
two between her teeth, she rushed outside and made her way to the
right of the entrance.

Chumani glanced at Wind Dancer as the frightened horse shifted
about and kept bumping into him. She wished he had his war mount
with him, as that animal was braver and more nimble-footed than his
daily riding horse. Her gaze darted to the bear with its dark and sleek
hide. She saw the muscular hunch between his powerful shoulders ripple
with its movements. It paused to stand to sniff the air and to see better,
its height and size enormous and intimidating. She knew her injured
husband could not outrun the swift and keen-eyed creature or successfully battle it while hurt, though she was certain he could do so under
different circumstances.

She glanced at Wind Dancer again. He had drawn his knife, but it
was obvious he had not recovered his vision from his gestures. She
shouted to the bear to seize its attention and hopefully to draw it away
from its intended prey until her husband could see. The grizzly halted
and looked at her as she continued to yell at it, wave her arms, and
then throw rocks at it. He growled and made a short bluff charge at
her. She repeated her actions and increased the volume of her shouts.
When Wind Dancer yelled for her to cease her dangerous ploy, she
made them louder and incessant so her voice would drown out his and
keep the ferocious grizzly's focus on her.

Chumani fired an arrow at the bear and struck him in his left shoulder.
The angered beast slapped at the shaft and broke it off near his body. When she pelted him with rocks and danced around on the canyon
floor, he made a charge toward her using another brief burst of speed.
His body jiggled after he made an abrupt halt about ten horse lengths'
beyond her. As the weather worsened rapidly, the creature stared at her,
assessing her strengths and weaknesses. As she watched him extend his
thick neck, flatten his ears, take a stiff-legged stance, and lock his intense
gaze on her, she realized she had succeeded in becoming his new target.
When he shook his body to loosen it and growled again, she knew the
fierce beast would lower its head next and race toward her in an unrelenting attack.

Chumani prayed for skill and courage as she whirled and scrambled
up a nearby incline toward scattered rocks which would delay the
awesome predator's approach and give her a chance to fire her other
two arrows at him, at closer range. She doubted three would slay the
animal, but perhaps they would injure him enough to slow him down
so they could escape or would cause him to loose interest in her and
Wind Dancer.

Leaning against a black rock for balance on the slippery terrain, she
fired a second arrow into him as he reared to his full height to get a
better view of her. She struck what she knew was a vulnerable spot at
the base of his throat, yet, he also snapped off that arrow and kept
advancing as if it were nothing more than a small insect bite, even with
blood seeping down his chest and shoulder. She scooped up several
large rocks and pelted his head with them, hoping to strike his eyes
and damage his keen vision. She jumped as radiant lightning blazed
across the darkened setting and almost ear-splitting thunder boomed
around them and seemingly caused the cliffside and ground to tremble.
Gusting winds blew hair into her face and obstruced her line of vision,
forcing her to use one hand to grasp it and hold it behind her neck.

Suddenly Cetan sent forth many shrill cries and dove for the grizzly's
face, using his talons to slash at its eyes. The bear bellowed in rage,
swiped at the hawk with sharp claws, and stumbled on the precarious
terrain as it did so. Still, Cetan persisted with swoops around the animal's
massive head and cleverly eluded those lethal paws. Chumani fired a third and last arrow into the bear's chest, increasing its pain and rage.
As the creature ignored the hawk and came toward her, she tried to
scramble backward up the slope. She only covered a short distance when
she lost her footing, her rear hit the ground, and she began to slide
toward her fierce attacker's gaping mouth and huge white teeth. Help
us, Great Spirit, she prayed silently, so we may live to honor the sacred
vision quest!

As the grizzly rose on its hind legs, lifted his arms skyward, tossed
back its head, and roared as loud as the thunder, a resplendent lightning
bolt struck it full force in its heart. The blow was so powerful that it
knocked the bear backward and sent it toppling to the canyon floor.
Chumani stared at the scene in amazement; it was as if the Great Spirit
had slain his forest creature to save their lives. She saw Cetan alight on
the fallen beast's chest as if to check it for signs of life. As if finding
none, the hawk flew to a spruce and perched on a large limb while
Chumani made her wobbly descent to the massive heap of deep brown
fur.

Wind Dancer joined her, a bow with a nocked arrow in one hand
and still rubbing his eyes with the other. He nudged the grizzly with
his foot and knew it was dead. His heart still pounded within his chest
from the fear Chumani would be killed or mauled. He had been desperate
to rescue her and had reacted as fast as his disabled condition would
allow. He had never felt so helpless in the face of such great peril, and
he would have been to blame for her death or injury after driving her
from the safety of their camp. His watering and scratchy eyes went to
his wife to make certain she was not injured.

He smiled when she looked at him and he said, "Wakantanka did
not wish us to join Him on this sun. He asked Wakinyan to hurl a
lightning lance into the forest warrior's heart to halt his attack. You
challenged a mighty force with great skill and courage, mitawin, as did
Cetan. I wish my eyes had been clear so I could better witness such a
great show of prowess."

Chumani hoped his pride was not bruised by her taking charge of
the perilous situation and by the vulnerability his temporary blindness had caused. "Wakantanka works in mysterious ways, so I do not know
why He chose me and Cetan to fight this battle for us," she said gently.
"Perhaps it was to show you a way to use that dirt trick when we
challenge the Crow in the coming suns."

Wind Dancer was grateful for her words of support. "That is true.
You risked your life to save me, and I thank you."

"Just as you would have endangered yours for me, as you did when
you challenged two Bird warriors in the Brave Heart forest, and I thank
you for saving me that sun. If you had not come when you did, I would
have been slain or captured and they would have ... done great harm
to me. The storm is upon us," she remarked as wind yanked at her
hair and garments, along with the greenery around them. As the lightning
and thunder increased in frequency, she added, "Soon night will blanket
the land. I will take your horse into the cave while you pray for the
bear's spirit and sacrifice. If your eyes still suffer, I will return to help
guide you there."

As he wiped away moisture on his lashes and cheeks, he said, "They
are angry at the attack upon them and send forth water like a slow rain,
but my vision clears slowly. I will join you there soon. There is food,
water, and a sleeping hide on my horse. We will camp in the cave this
moon, for we have much to say to each other and need privacy for our
words."

"Yes, mihigna, there is much to say, for another sun must not rise
before there is peace between us or we will fail in the sacred task before
us.

Chumani used water from the bladder bag to flush any lingering dirt
from her husband's eyes and told him to keep them closed for a time
so they could rest while she built a fire and prepared their food. As she
worked, she allowed her gaze to drift slowly over him from head to feet
as he remained prone on the buffalo hide which she had spread on the
cave floor. She liked his bold features and strong body, and was tempted
to trace her fingers over them to test their magic. She liked the way his
ebony hair shone in the firelight, the gleam in his dark eyes when he
was aroused by her, the feel of his flesh when they touched, and the
stimulating way he had kissed her on other moons. She craved to have
those full lips roving her face and body, to have him within her. Surely
it was time for them to bond together as husband and wife.

Wind Dancer sensed her intense scrutiny of him and found it exciting.
He heard the change in her breathing and how her hands had stilled
their task. He could almost taste the sweetness of her mouth from vivid
memories of past kisses. He longed to trail his fingers over her skin and
longed to possess her fully. If he reached out to her, he wondered,
would she yield or retreat?

Almost enthralled by his potent allure, she asked him the question
which haunted her: "Does your keen mind not tell you Wastemna
desires you and speaks badly of me so she can win you for herself?"
Without waiting for an answer, she reiterated her innocence and honesty. "I am not to blame for the mischief in our tepee and it was my best
friend, Zitkala, a female, I met with in the forest. I would not betray
or shame you."

Wind Dancer sat up and faced her, their gazes fusing. He was convinced it was concern for their relationship which spurred her words,
not feminine jealousy. "Her tricks and lies will fail to dupe and capture
me, Dewdrops, for I have no such feelings for her, or for any other
woman in my camp, only for my wife whose words I believe. I do not
know why the Great Spirit chose us to become mates and visionquest
companions, but we must obey His commands."

His words appeased her worries. "That is true, mihigna. "

Wind Dancer gazed into her eyes before he murmured in a voice
made husky with deep emotion, "I trust you, accept you, and want you
as my wife. I hunger for you as a man hungers for a woman; I have
desired you since the first sun I saw you in the Brave Heart forest and
did not know if you were flesh and bone or spirit come to help me. I
did not wish to force you to lie with me upon my sleeping mat, but I
yearn for you to do so. I wanted you to come to me of your own free
will, not out of duty to the Creator and His vision. Perhaps my restraint
has caused you to believe I do not desire you or desire another in your
place; that is not true. Do you also trust, accept, and want me as your
mate in all ways? Do you also hunger for me as a man, as a husband?"
He almost held his breath as he awaited her reaction and reply.

Chumani was thrilled and relieved by his stirring words. "When we
joined in my camp," she began her reply, "I did not know you and
wished for us to get closer before we mated on the sleeping mat; in the
past nine moons, we have learned much about each other and have
become friends. I also was afraid to lie with you as your wife, for it was
bad with Dull Star on the mat. I feared, if it was the same with you,
it would cause trouble between us; I do not believe that will happen."

Wind Dancer's loins flamed with desire, his heart pounded with joy.
"Do not worry, Dewdrops, for I will not hurt or shame you there. I
hold many strong feelings in my heart for you, and I am certain more
will come in the moons before us, as it should be. I did not feel this way about my first wife, and I feared your powerful pull on me if you
did not feel the same as I do."