Not allowing herself to even conjure up the possibility of her brother and lover clashing over who possessed whom, Jolena smiled softly and kept her eyes straight ahead. The wind whipped her long black hair back from her shoulders, and her clean, fresh blouse, which she had put on after her brief bath in the river this morning, clung to her breasts as the wind pressed against the cotton fabric.
As the wagons began traveling on a path that had been cut out of a towering forest, the wind was silenced. Everything in the forest was still in the moist heat of mid-morning, as if every leaf of every tree was breathing slowly in the moist air, tasting its fragrance.
Thin shafts of sunlight fell in criss-cross patterns between the gently rising tree-trunks. Some trees were gigantic. Some were small. Some were round and smooth, others gnarled and coarse, some rotting and ready to drop.
It was living so intensely, this forest, that Jolena felt as though she dared not breathe loudly or give signs of her animal restlessness. All around her, saplings, shrubs, flowers, and grasses rushed to close the hole that had been torn in the fabric of the forest roof. Slender growths stretched upward. The soil burst with irrepressible vegetation, and masses of parasitic foliage were entwined with the glorious blossoms of creepers, laced and bound and interwoven with interminable tangles of vines.
The air hummed with flying creatures, with birds as bright as butterflies, startling Jolena into thinking that finally she was going to find the elusive, rare butterfly.
She watched more intensely for any signs of butterflies as the sunlight streamed through many tints of green overhead onto the black masses of moldering wood and leaves beneath the trees.
But still there were no signs of butterflies, and when this stretch of forest was left behind and they were traveling over a more rocky terrain, where neither trees nor grass grew, Jolena settled down, sighing resolutely, now worrying more about the sun that was beating down upon her, scorching her as if a heated iron were being held only inches away from her flesh. She fanned herself with one of her hands, while with the other she gripped the seat of the wagon, the journey having become slow and rough as the wheels of the wagon rolled and bumped over the rocks.
Out of the corner of her eye, Jolena saw Spotted Eagle dismount, then begin traveling on foot, his horse's reins held limply in his fingers as his steed fell back away from him at a much slower gait.
Jolena shifted her gaze and watched Spotted Eagle as he walked tall and proud beside the wagon, so close she could reach out and touch him if she wished to.
But she dared not touch him, for it might start a chain reaction of feelings tumbling through herfeelings she could not act on until privacy was once again granted to her and her handsome warrior lover.
She smiled to herself, finding it hard to believe that her life had changed so drastically since she left Saint Louis. She had hoped for many things as she traveled up the long stretch of the Missouri, but never had she imagined that she would find love, and that she would be taught the true meaning of being a woman while locked within her lover's powerful embrace.
Her midnight dream had come true, she thought. Now if only the other thing that she had prayed upon the stars for each night would happenthen she would feel fulfilled. She would be whole. As long as she never knew her true father and people, she was only half a person.
It was not fair, having been cheated of a lifetime of being with her people and being loved by her true father.
But now she had hopes that even this would soon change. If she could find the courage to ask Spotted Eagle the important questions that were burning within her heart, perhaps then she would not have to search any further for answers!
As Spotted Eagle walked quietly beside the wagon where his woman was so close he could reach out and touch her if he so desired, he was lost in memories of the moments he had spent alone with her. Soon he would tell her many things that would thrill her heart. He was proud that he would be the one to put back together the pieces of her life that had been wrenched apart all those years ago when the white people had taken her from her beloved mother. Once he revealed this truth to Jolena, she would be Blackfoot instead of living the pretense of being white.
His heart leapt when, up ahead, a fox emerged from the forest. When the fox crossed Spotted Eagle's path from left to right, Spotted Eagle smiled, knowing that meant good luck.
At this moment in his life, he felt blessed, for of late everything good had been happening for him and the Blackfoot of his village.
The only thing that worried him was his father's failing health. He was suffering a slow descent into a strange, debilitating illness which would quickly take from him the ability to think or remember where he was or who he was.
These episodes had begun to be more frequent, giving his father cause to tell Spotted Eagle that soon he would be chief instead of Chief Gray Bear. Spotted Eagle was saddened over his father's need to give up his title of chief because of the reason it was going to have to be done, yet he knew that it would be necessary if his father's mind ceased to function as a leader's mind must.
Spotted Eagle was ready to lead his people.
He had been an astute student of his father's teachings!
Something sparkling beneath the beating rays of the sun in his path drew Spotted Eagle's eyes. He smiled broadly when he recognized what the object was. It was an I-nis-kima buffalo stone. This was the Blackfoot's strongest medicine. It gave its possessor great power with the buffalo. One who found the stone was regarded as very fortunate.
''Twice in one day I have received good signs," he whispered to himself, stopping to bend and pluck the buffalo stone from the rocky terrain.
Smiling, circling the stone in one of his hands, Spotted Eagle continued on his way, then stopped and gazed guardedly at an approaching horseman. When he recognized the man in the Indian saddle as White Mole, a warrior of Spotted Eagle's neighboring village of Blackfoot, he relaxed his shoulders and awaited his arrival.
White Mole drew tight rein beside Spotted Eagle. He gave Two Ridges, who sat on his horse only a few feet back from Spotted Eagle, a quick, knowing glance.
"What brings you here?" Spotted Eagle said, drawing White Mole's full attention to him. "Do you wish to join the expedition? If so, you are welcome."
"No," White Mole said. "I have come for other reasons."
"Tell me then the true reason," Spotted Eagle said, stiffening as White Mole did not offer a smile, only frowning as if his news was anything but good.
"It is your father," White Mole said, not meeting Spotted Eagle's gaze. "He is ailing. He has asked for you. He wishes you to come to him quickly."
"Father?" Spotted Eagle said, fear rising insi
de him that perhaps his father was more ill than he had thought. "How do you know this?"
"While journeying toward Fort Chance, I came upon a warrior from your village," White Mole said, the lie slipping easily across his lips since it was being paid for with two horses. "This warrior whose name I do not know asked if I would bring the message to you. I saw that he was eager to return to your village, so I said that I would do this deed for you, as a friendly gesture from my village to yours."
"That is most kind," Spotted Eagle said, reaching a hand to White Mole and tightly clasping his hand as it was extended to him. "Somehow I will return the favor."
White Mole smiled smugly, slipped his hand from Spotted Eagle's, gave Two Ridges another quick glance, then wheeled his horse around and rode quickly away.
Spotted Eagle was torn, not wanting to leave Jolena's safety in the hands of anyone but himself, yet knowing that his first loyalties were to his father. He slowly opened his fingers and stared down at the buffalo rock, having only moments ago felt that much luck was his today, especially after having also seen the fox.
Two Ridges rode up and dismounted. He placed a hand on Spotted Eagle's shoulder. "What news did White Mole bring?" he said, pretending concern. "It is in your eyes that something has pained you."
" Ni- nah-ah, my father," Spotted Eagle said, his jaw tight. "I must go to my father. You are now in charge. Keep a sharp eye out for the Cree or any other renegades that might be stalking the expedition."
"It is done, my friend," Two Ridges said, dropping his hand down to his side. His insides glowed warm with glee as he watched Spotted Eagle glance at the copper princess, not realizing that when he returned, she would no longer belong to him!
His ploy was working, Two Ridges gloated to himself. Tonight he would finally have his lusts satisfied beneath the moonlight, as Spotted Eagle had the previous night. Just thinking how soft her skin must feel all over was setting small fires inside Two Ridges' loins.
Spotted Eagle's eyes lingered on Jolena, then he turned his eyes back to the rock. Without further thought, he went with proud shoulders to Jolena.
"I did not hear what the warrior said to you, but the news seems to have disturbed you," Jolena said, before he had a chance to say anything to her. "What is it? What's happened?"
She had watched with intense interest as the strange warrior relayed a message to Spotted Eagle that had sent quick alarm and concern into his dark eyes.
"I must leave you," Spotted Eagle said, his voice drawn. He paused and looked at Kirk, his spine stiffening when he saw that that bit of news made Kirk smile. It took every bit of Spotted Eagle's will power not to lash out at the brother of his woman and tell him that he could feel as smug as he wanted now, but Spotted Eagle would return. He would never allow himself to stay far from his womannot after waiting a lifetime for her!
Jolena was jarred by the news. "You must leave?" she gasped, her eyes widening. "But why? Where are you going?"
"My father is ailing," Spotted Eagle explained. "He beckons me to his bedside. This devoted son responds quickly to his request. I leave now, but as soon as I see that everything is being done for my father, allowing me to leave him again, I shall return and be your humble guide."
"Two Ridges will do just fine in that capacity," Kirk quickly interjected. "So don't worry about how long you are gone. In fact, Spotted Eagle, I'm sure we'll get along just fine without you. I haven't seen any signs of the Cree." He frowned. "Nor of butterflies. I'm beginning to wonder if you invented the story, perhaps to win approval from Ralph McMillen when you reported it." Jolena's heart skipped a beat, and she stared wide-eyed at her brother, who had just insulted Spotted Eagle. This wasn't like her Kirk. In Saint Louis, he had been a kind and gentle young man who never made an enemy.
But it seemed that the minute he had looked into Spotted Eagle's midnight-dark eyes, he had gone on the defensive, just watching and waiting for Spotted Eagle to say or do something that he could pounce on with insulting remarks.
She turned wondering eyes to Spotted Eagle, fearing his reaction, yet proud of him for ignoring the insult as nothing important.
Yet perhaps that was not intentional. The rock that he was holding in his hand, and seemingly studying as he looked intensely down at it, seemed to have drawn his mind away from Kirkand perhaps even from Jolena.
She stared at the rock, seeing nothing special about it, except that it was sleek and brown and picked up the rays of the sun, reflecting a soft light back at her. She was so distracted by all of this that she did not even see a monarch butterfly drifting past overhead.
Suddenly Spotted Eagle thrust the rock toward Jolena, causing her to flinch with the quickness of his motion.
"Keep this for me," he said, thrusting the buffalo stone into her hand. "It will bring me back to you."
Curious, Jolena wondered what the value of the rock was. She started to ask, but just as she opened her mouth with the question, Spotted Eagle was already walking away from her.
In one leap he was in his saddle. He coiled his reins around his fingers and paused to take one last look at Jolena, then turned his eyes ahead and rode away, stirring rocks and clouds of dust into the air and blocking Jolena's further view of him for a moment.
Two Ridges walked his horse to Jolena's wagon. She was studying the stone again, as though mesmerized by it. "Do you wish to know the importance of such a stone?" he asked, ignoring Kirk's icy stare.
"Yes, please," Jolena said.
"It is called I-nis-kim," Two Ridges said softly. "It is a buffalo stone. It is strong in medicine. It gives its possessor great power with buffalo. The person who succeeds in obtaining an I-nis-kim is regarded as very fortunate. It has been said that sometimes a man who is riding along on the prairie will hear a peculiar faint chirp such as a little bird might utter. The sound is made by a buffalo rock. He stops and searches on the ground for the rock, and if he cannot find it, he marks the place and very likely returns next day to look again. If it is found, there is great rejoicing."
"It is so small to be so important," Jolena said, turning the rock from side to side as she studied it again.
"The size does not matter," Two Ridges said, reaching over to stroke the rock with his fingertips. "It is said that if an I-nis-kim is placed in a buckskin pouch and left undisturbed for a long time, it will have young ones. Two small stones similar in shape to the original one will be found in the pouch."
Jolena smiled at the pretty story, careful not to look as though she was poking fun at the lovely Blackfoot myth. "Why is it called a buffalo rock?" she asked softly.
"The one who has found the rock takes it and puts it in his lodge close to the fire, where he can look at it and pray over it and make medicine," Two Ridges said, squaring his shoulders proudly at the opportunity to be the one to teach his cop�
�per princess the ways of his people. "The next day this warrior will find many buffalo!"
"I must return it to Spotted Eagle then," Jolena said, looking into the distance, no longer able to even see dust sprayed up from the ground behind Spotted Eagle's horse. "When he returns, I will be sure that he has it for his next buffalo hunt."
"Isn't that enough talk of rocks and such nonsense as that?" Kirk said suddenly, drawing Jolena's eyes quickly to him. "We're here looking for butterflies, not damn rocks. Two Ridges, you are in charge now. Let's get on our way."
Two Ridges glared at Kirk, then stamped away and quickly mounted his horse.
Once again they made a slow trek over the jutting rocks, breathing in dust. Jolena clung to the buffalo rock with all of her might, feeling as though it was her only link now to the man she loved.
Chapter Eleven
The day had been long for Jolena, the hours seeming to drag by since Spotted Eagle's departure. The sky was now in bloom with the splash of the setting sun, the campfire crackling and popping as the greenest of the wood stacked among the circle of rocks became awash with flames.
Savage Illusions Page 11
