by Rita Hestand
Nakota started to object, but Black Wolf stopped him, "Alright General. The important thing is to stop him before he succeeds."
Nakota didn't like that idea but he kept quiet until they walked outside. "They'll just hang him."
"Yes, I know. But maybe it is best this way."
"Not unless I watch them hang, it isn't." Nakota grit his teeth.
"Unless we kill them at the site."
"Even better," Black Wolf smiled. "When a racoon goes rabid, he must die one way or another no matter who kills him. Right my brother?"
Nakota nodded, "You are right."
The best thing about coming to the fort was that it was warm, and the food was much better. They were given a quarters to sleep in and the next day they headed out with a detail of men. The soldiers were instructed to bring them in as prisoners.
It was a slow ride though as the snows came down heavy again that day.
But there was a clearing where the Snake turned, and the fighting had already begun, when they got there. It was a bloody duel, but Big Knife was there and whooping and hollering up a storm. Red blood spilled everywhere, swords clanged, guns fired, even some bow and arrows flew through the air.
Grunts and groans came from every direction.
Big Knife had succeeded in getting one box load of guns and handed them to his men.
Bullets started flying every which way. Armed now, they gave the Army a fight.
Blood spilled upon the snow heavily that day and half of Big Knife's men were killed, some barely managed to get their bullets in the guns before the Army cut them down. It lasted little more than an hour, and half of Big Knife's men lay dead.
But suddenly there was a war hoop and Big Knife came barreling down on the troops, screaming. "You killed her!"
What was he saying?
Black Wolf glanced around and there in the snow, with her hair in her face, was Naomie. She lay dead, bleeding profusely.
Big Knife charged Nakota, but Nakota dodged him, then he whipped his horse into action and fled the scene.
The Army managed to round up all but three men that escaped with Big Knife. Most of the guns were saved too.
Nakota and Big Wolf tried to follow Big Knife but Nakota's horse went lame and they had to turn back.
They headed back to the fort to report to the General what had happened.
"Well, at least they didn’t get many guns, and he lost half his men. And we have nearly all the others that was with him."
"They'll hang, we can tell you right now."
Nakota and Black Wolf nodded. "And they'll need bullets for those rifles as it doesn't look like they took but one cartridge full."
"I want to thank you men for coming forward. Had you not informed us of this, it could have gone badly."
"Yes sir. And what about Big Knife?"
"We've already got a file on him. A reward will be posted for him and I'll send a detail out to find him as soon as this snow lets up a spell. Do you know where he's been hiding out?"
"He was holed up in a cave in the high mountains. There are many caves up there though. We too will be looking for him sir. His woman died in the battle. He's probably pretty mad, she was pregnant with his child."
"Woman, what was she doing there? In the first place."
"He brought her along. She's the one that killed Chief Walking Bear."
"A woman?"
"Yes sir."
"I see. Well, maybe between us all, we'll catch this renegade. Tell me how was the chief killed?"
"Poisoned."
"My God. Well, she got her justice, then I suppose."
"Yes sir." Black Wolf nodded. "Bullets were going every which way, hard to tell who hit her. Big Knife went berserk when she fell."
"I'm sorry, I don't like killing women and children in battles." The General told them. "I've heard that some of our commanders are not squeamish about it, but I prefer not to involve women in a battle. Custer was known for this kind of thing, but I always refrains from killings of families. "
"Since she was pregnant with Big Knife's child. He'll want to retaliate."
"Yes, I suppose you are right about that. I'm sorry about Walking Bear. He was a good leader and wanted peace. Do you know who will take his place?"
Nakota nodded, "That would be me!"
The General looked him over, "And how do you stand in this?
"My father was a wise man, in years past, we fought but now is a time to make peace, I feel enough have died."
"Then you will be the new Arapaho chief?"
"Yes sir."
"Fine. Well, thank you for all the help. I'll make notes of all of this in my reports. And we'll do some spying ourselves to find the spy here at the fort. Wind River Valley has been one of the most peaceful of reservations. I'd like to keep it that way."
"So would we. My people are happy here, and we do not wish to move."
They nodded and left.
Chapter Nineteen
"I would like to return to the village before we go out again to find Big Knife." Nakota told Black Wolf.
"I agree. He could be trying to recruit more men from our villages." Black Wolf exclaimed. "And perhaps it might be best if we wait until the snow let's up a while."
"Did you see the look in his eyes when Naomie fell?"
"No, not at the time. But when I did see him, he sounded as though his life had been ripped from him." Black Wolf added. "I'm a little surprised he felt so strongly about her."
"I don't know if it was her or the child she carried."
"Yes, you are right about that."
"You must forgive me my brother, but I took pleasure in seeing him this way, although he will now have much hate for us." Nakota added.
"You are probably right about that. Naomie met her fate, and for the child I am sorry, but she was a foolish woman."
"Yes, very foolish." Nakota agreed. "And again, I cannot feel any sorrow for her either. It was bad enough that she killed my father intentionally, but to hurt my sister in so many ways too, I cannot find forgiveness."
"I share your feelings, my brother."
The snow was deep, and it took nearly twice the time to get back to camp.
But when they arrived, Nakota went straight to his tepee and Black Wolf to the tepee where Sasha waited for his return.
As Black Wolf entered, he stared at Sasha who was cooking a meal. His eyes went from the top of her head to her feet covered in fur boots.
He could not drink her in enough as he stood watching her. His loins ached to reclaim her, but he waited for her to spot him.
She finally turned and saw him.
Her mouth opened in a slight gasp. She stared, taking him in too. The look in her eyes was smoldering.
She didn't say anything, just slowly walked toward him. He watched her closely, a slow burning smile to his lips.
"You are home, safely." she whispered softly.
"Yes my sweet, I am home." He answered.
When she said no more, but stared so hard at him, he reached to touch her soft cheek with his hand, stroking her cheek softly with one thumb.
She leaned her cheek into his hand, enjoying that stroking.
"Is everything alright here?" he asked, studying her expression.
"It is now, yes!" she said even more softly.
"It is good to look at you once more," he said, throatily.
Then she suddenly jumped into his arms, her legs going around him to hold him to her pressing her body into him, as she smothered him with sweet kisses. Her lips devoured him, as she moaned the sweetness of the moment. He pulled her dress over her head and she stared into his hungry eyes.
His arms wrapped around her, as he took her lips in a rapture of kisses.
"I cannot get enough of you," he whispered as his lips went all over her face, from her forehead, to her eyelids, to the tip of her nose to the waiting lips that melted from his touch.
His needs announced itself against her as his hands went all over her
, and he quickly discarded his breechcloth, he entered her boldly holding her with his strong arms. She swooned with unbridled passion at his urgent need of her. Her moan of pleasure welcomed him.
For long moments they stood locked together as she moved eagerly to his every thrust. Throwing back her head, her hair cascaded down her shoulders and back.
"I have missed you," she whispered as the climax came so swiftly and powerfully. The sweetness flowing between them made them gasp with such divine pleasure.
He lifted his head to stare into her passion ridden face, as the orgasm sent wild sensations through her. "You are so beautiful when we come together. My seed spreads through you like a storm, my love."
Her mouth opened just a bit, as her eyes closed, and he continued to thrust himself inside her. His bold thrusts made her quake and tremble. "Oh," she gasp, "It is heaven being in your arms again." She met his thrusts with equal fervor. "I feel beautiful when we come together," she murmured against his ear as the sensation began to ebb.
"You are so wonderful to come home to," he said then took her lips and smothered her with a kiss that made her moan the pleasure.
"I love making love with you and I love your kisses. I do not think I could live without you now."
"No matter what life brings us, we have our love."
"Yes," she cried as he was swept away with her hot, kisses. She melted into him now, absorbing the love he offered, and giving herself freely to him. She smelled so sweet, and her eagerness to be one with him delighted him.
When he finally let her slide down his body, she was weak, and he picked her up in his arms and carried her to the blanket.
"You are a powerful lover," she whispered, as he laid her in his arms on the blanket His eyes going over her slowly, taking in every part of her. His hands were never still, touching, feeling, massaging her body with his bold hands.
"Did I hurt you?"
A smile curled her lips, "I was too busy to notice. I love how you love me." She cried. "My husband is strong and takes me like a whirlwind." She smiled.
With that admission he swept the sweet tips of her breasts into his mouth and pulled gently, teasingly, then lower to the valley of her belly, to the sweet mound where he mated with her, she was so lovely. Then his eyes traveled over her legs.
She was in his lap, but he laid her down on the blanket, his hands and lips were everywhere as though he could not get enough of her. Sasha did not mind if he was rough or tender, their eagerness was relentless.
He leaned over her, his lips taking one breast into his mouth, his tongue delighting the tips of her breast into hard nubs. The way his tongue swirled over her sent new sensations down her body, as his tongue laved her nipples into hard little knots, then his hand reached to ready her for his lovemaking.
His fingers entered her, gently, as she moaned the pleasure he created.
But she was already hot and wet, and it pleased him. She moved toward him, her lips capturing his nipple and kissing it, pulling his nipple to a hard nub. Then suddenly he rolled her over and his lips made a long trail down her body to the firm buttocks as his hand squeezed her there. His hands went up and down her body. "You have a lovely body, my sweet."
He kneaded her butt and pulled her against him so he could enter her once more. She was more than ready for him. She was so on fire for him that he slipped into her sweetness easily. The sweat between them felt like rubbing against silk.
When the orgasm came, she moaned aloud and wrapped her arms around him tight.
"You are such a bold lover." She declared. "I have dreamed about being with you again."
"Have I hurt you?" he asked looking into her love drugged face.
"You have never hurt me, and the way you take me, thrills me. I look at you and I feel myself melting into you."
"It is as it should be Sasha my sweet."
"Is it wrong to want you so much?" she asked.
He chuckled, "I would be disappointed if you were any other way. I love you my Sasha."
"And I love you!" she declared, "My husband."
She rolled him over and straddled him and danced her body into an erotic waltz as her muscles pulled him ever deeper inside her. She threw back her head, her full head of black hair cascaded down her shoulders now, her mouth slightly open, her eyes closed as the orgasm built into an inferno. He raised his hands to her hair and threaded his fingers through it.
"Oh my love," she cried when she saw the gleam in his eyes, all for her. "The way you look at me sometimes… "
"It is good between us Sasha. I am so glad."
"I have missed you so much."
He smiled and held her close now.
When the climax came, they rode the tide a long lingering moments, suspended in time. Her breast stood at his attention as the moment swept over her, and he finally pulled her down to him and kissed her hotly on the lips.
She curled herself into his arms and sighed with a smile on her face. "You are a strong lover, my husband. I will be pregnant before the month is out." She cried as her lips kissed his neck.
"I hope so my love," he whispered.
"Will you still love me when I am big with child?"
He stared at her now, "A woman is more beautiful with child than any other time in her life."
"You think so?" She looked a bit surprised.
His hand went to rub her tummy and he smiled.
"Yes, it will be a proud time in our lives my sweet. I promise you."
"I love you, Wolf."
He smiled, and kissed her on the head, "And I you, my sweet."
They slept for an hour or so, then when he began to move, she woke and cuddled him to her. "So tell me, how did it go?" She placed a hand on his chest, her cheek beside his.
He cradled her against him and sighed his hands still busy at her breasts. "Not as well as I wanted, but it will be settled by spring."
"What do you mean?" she asked looking up at him.
"We caught Big Knife trying to steal the blue coats guns shipment. The General had sent some of his men with us to capture him."
"Did you?"
"No, he got away, I'm afraid. The moment Naomie died, he went wild with fury, killing two soldiers as he escaped with three of his men."
Sasha sighed. "Was there a battle?"
"Oh yes, half his men died, the others the soldiers took back to the fort, all but three went with Big Knife."
"Do you think that will stop him?"
"No, but your brother and I will go after him once more when the snow begins to thaw." He rested his hand on her breasts and fondled her while he spoke.
She squirmed restlessly at his touch. "I'm sorry."
"Naomie was killed!" he told her.
She raised up, "Killed?"
"Yes, she was there, fighting with them. No one knew it until Big Knife tried to kill Nakota. He came charging up, whooping and hollering, and I couldn't make out what was wrong until I looked around and saw Naomie in the snow, her hair in her face, her body bleeding."
Sasha sat up, "She's dead?"
"Yes, she is."
"I am sorry for the child."
Black Wolf nodded, "I suppose if she'd stayed here, that wouldn't have happened. But she did kill your father."
"Yes, and she met her fate. I am not sorry for her death, only the child."
"Yes, you are right."
"So did you bring anyone back?"
"No, the soldiers took them to the fort to hang."
"But not Big Knife?"
"No, not Big Knife."
"I wish they would have got him and be done with it."
"The General wants to catch him and hang him. Your brother wants to bring him back to his tribe to face his actions. The General put out a wanted poster on him."
"Yes, I can understand that. But either way he will die, Wolf, as he should." Sasha told him.
"You will not be sorry?"
"No, not after all he's done. I just wish it was over. As long as he lives, there wi
ll be trouble."
"So do I, my sweet."
"But my brother must be sworn into the tribe as chief and life must go on." She said kissing him on the arm that a held her. "You won't leave until the spring?"
"That's our plan, yes. I am glad that you have no more feelings for Big Knife." Wolf said softly.
She sat up and stared into Wolf's eyes, "That was a childish kind of love I had for him. Now I am truly a woman and I only have love for you… I will never betray you."
His smile spread over his face and he bent to kiss her lips. "It pleases me that you say this."
"I am your woman, your wife, and your love." She declared.
He kissed her again, this time with a new urgency, but he pulled away with a smile.
"I must eat, so I will have energy to make love with you tonight." He told her with a big smile.
"I am sorry, you must be exhausted."
"Tired yes, but too much in love to acknowledge it." He smiled at her.
She blushed. "I never knew I could love a man so much, nor miss you so badly. I welcome your love. I will make you a fine meal, then." She smiled and got up.
They ate, talked and went to bed where they made love well into the night. She slept wrapped in his big arms, so content.
Chapter Twenty
The winter was long and harsh, but the first thing to happen was the ceremony for claiming Nakota as the new chief of the Arapaho's. The ceremony was a celebration of peace and harmony, even though Big Knife lurked in the minds of both Nakota and Black Wolf.
Drums and flutes played. Women danced and Sasha danced with them, her eyes on Wolf all the time.
After a huge meal was prepared by the village women, and dancing went on for the day, Nakota was given the chief headdress by the elders of the tribe and proclaimed as their chief. They smoked from the peace pipe and the men talked of the peace that Walking Bear had wanted. They also spoke of the deed of Big Knife and how they planned to catch him when the snow melted.
Black Wolf congratulated him. "It is good that you are chief. Now we can plan our crops and hunting trips together and how we can make things better for our people. We can concentrate on doing so much good for our people. Hunting is good here, and fishing. Our crops will grow well, and peace will be with us."
