This band of Navaho would not be tricked again by false treaties, that was for certain.
She would make it so.
Chapter Twenty-seven
Tired from the long climb on horseback to Eagle Wolf’s stronghold, Nicole was glad to finally be inside the tepee with his arms so warm and wonderful around her.
And the kiss!
She never would have imagined a kiss could stir so many feelings within a woman as his kiss had caused inside her.
Eagle Wolf was still holding her hand as they both turned to go and sit beside a fire that someone had kept burning for Eagle Wolf while he was gone.
Having never been in a tepee before, Nicole marveled at what she saw.
She could tell that the tepee was new. She not only could see the newness, she could smell it. It was a nice, clean smell.
She looked slowly around her at what the tepee held. It was like nothing she had ever seen before. The entire floor of the tepee was covered with colorful bulrush mats, and there were brightly colored blankets rolled up and placed along one wall.
It was a warm, comfortable place, and larger than she’d thought a tepee could be. There was certainly room for a family of Navaho to eat and sleep comfortably.
“And now you see how this chief lives,” Eagle Wolf said, noting how she had taken everything in as she looked slowly around her. “It is not like what you are used to. Will you be comfortable enough?”
Nicole looked quickly at him, blushing. “I am to stay here with you?” she asked, surprised. Then she tried not to act as though she was bothered by the idea, for she truly could not see herself living anywhere else now that they had declared their love for each other.
She was learning about life and how quickly a person’s circumstances could change. Before all of these changes came into her life, she took each day without much thought of tomorrow.
While growing up, she never had reason to fear the future. She had been happy. Her mother had doted on her, and for a long time she had not known about her father’s gambling.
So why would she have a reason to wonder if tomorrow would even come? She always knew that it would.
But now?
Her world had changed.
Nothing was the same as it had been before she’d arrived at Tyler City and seen what hate could do to one’s life. It had been Sam Partain’s hate that had changed everything for Nicole.
But one of those changes had been a good one, for she was with the most wonderful man in the world. Eagle Wolf had brought sunshine back into her life.
He gave her a reason to want to wake up each morning, for she would awaken now, knowing that he would be there for her. He would protect her.
Eagle Wolf was taken aback by Nicole’s question about her staying with him in his lodge.
He had never thought that might be a problem. They had confessed their love for each other, and he had assumed a wedding ceremony would come soon after.
But now? He wondered whether she wanted the same.
“I am certain that all the sudden changes in your life have been difficult for you,” Eagle Wolf said as he reached over and took one of her hands in his. “I want to change your life back to something wonderful and good. If you are uncomfortable about sharing a lodge with me, I will understand.”
He gazed into her eyes and was glad when he did not see anything now but love and peace in their depths.
“I do not want you to think that I was bothered by what you said,” Nicole murmured. She reached up and covered his hand, feeling truly blessed to have met such a man, one who would look out for her best interests, and who loved her.
“I would love to share this tepee with you,” Nicole murmured. “Eagle Wolf, I adore it…I adore you.”
“My love for you is strong,” Eagle Wolf said thickly. “I realize that we have not known each other for long, but love sometimes comes quickly, as it has for us. When it does, one must grasp what is offered from above and protect it. I will protect you and my feelings for you, forever.”
“As I will you,” Nicole murmured.
Her pulse was racing, for she knew that she was moments away from being kissed once again by this man who stirred sensual feelings she had not known existed within her.
No, she had not known passion, not until she gazed into his eyes that first time and saw, even though he was gripped by fever, that he was a man among men.
She had been born to love him.
Eagle Wolf leaned over and slid his arms around Nicole’s waist, drawing her close to him.
His lips were only an inch from hers when a voice spoke from behind the closed entrance flap.
“My brother, I have brought Dancing Snow Feather with me so that she can know Nicole,” Spirit Wolf said.
“I have brought food,” Dancing Snow Feather added, her voice wafting through the entrance flap, sounding to Nicole like a soft, sweet song.
Nicole had not yet seen the woman, but from the sound of her voice, she expected Dancing Snow Feather to be beautiful and sweet.
Nicole and Eagle Wolf quickly parted and rose to their feet.
Nicole stood back from the fire as Eagle Wolf went to draw open the entrance flap, stepping aside so that Spirit Wolf and his wife could enter the tepee.
He was happy that his brother had come to him with his wife, for it proved that Spirit Wolf was again his brother in every way.
Spirit Wolf had always been a kind and caring man. It just seemed that for a while he had lost his way.
He was back again, the brother whom Eagle Wolf had always loved and protected.
Nicole was instantly taken by the pretty young woman who entered the tepee ahead of Spirit Wolf. In her hands was a wooden tray with many delicious-looking offerings of food spread across it.
In one glance, Nicole saw meat, corn on the cob, and other vegetables. She also saw a freshly sliced apple. Apparently, not only vegetables were grown at this stronghold; there must also be apple trees somewhere close by.
Spirit Wolf stepped quickly to Dancing Snow Feather’s side and took the tray from her. He set it down on the floor beside the fire.
All the while, Nicole was still gazing at the lovely, tinywoman, whose snow-white dress, surely of doeskin, contrasted with her copper skin.
Dancing Snow Feather’s black hair hung in one long braid down her back, with beads woven into the strands.
Nicole then noticed that a soft red color had been painted in the part of Dancing Snow Feather’s hair. There was also a touch of red on her cheeks.
All in all, she was breathtakingly beautiful. Nicole was glad that she was someone else’s wife, or she would be afraid of losing the man she loved to this woman.
“Nicole, I am Dancing Snow Feather,” the young woman said in a voice as lovely as herself. “I have brought you food. It is my way to welcome you among us.”
“Thank you,” Nicole murmured. “I truly appreciate it.”
She eyed the food on the tray again. She had not realized that she was so hungry. But now the sight of the food made her stomach growl, drawing a giggle from Dancing Snow Feather.
“My brother, you and your woman are welcome in my lodge,” Eagle Wolf said, embracing Spirit Wolf with a manly hug.
He gently embraced Dancing Snow Feather. “Ukehe. Thank you for the food,” he said. “It is good of you to share with your chief and the woman who now joins our people.”
“My chief, you were gone for so long, I was sure you would be hungry,” Dancing Snow Feather said softly, returning Eagle Wolf’s embrace. “The gift of food is for you both from both of us.”
Eagle Wolf stepped away from her and went to the back of the tepee, where he grabbed up a blanket.
He took it back to where everyone still stood and shook the blanket out, then spread it beside the fire.
With a hand he gestured toward it. “Sit with us and share the food,” he invited, looking from Dancing Snow Feather to his brother.
When Dancing Snow Feather gave Nicole a questioning look,
as if to ask her permission, Nicole smiled at her. “Please stay,” she murmured. “And thank you so much for thinking of us. It has been a while since we ate.”
It seemed so strange to Nicole, yet wonderful, to say “we” when referring to herself and Eagle Wolf. It felt as though they were already married and accepting company into their lodge.
Dancing Snow Feather smiled broadly as she sat down. Nicole sat beside her, while the brothers seated themselves beside each other.
“I did not prepare all of the food by myself,” Dancing Snow Feather admitted reluctantly. She had seen the admiration in Nicole’s eyes and realized that the white woman thought Dancing Snow Feather had cooked everything on the tray.
She hated for Nicole to know that she was not all that skilled with food preparation. She seemed so clumsy. Soiled spots on many of the bulrush mats in her lodge proved it. She was always spilling something or other.
This clumsiness embarrassed her and she was glad that her husband had accepted her failings.
Dancing Snow Feather pointed to the meat. “My friend Tiny Fawn prepared the mutton,” she murmured. “Another friend made this corn.”
Nicole accepted a delicious-looking piece of corn on the cob. She passed the tray on, and soon they all had chosen what they wanted and were eating and talking and smiling.
Nicole felt quite comfortable with everyone and hoped this was something that they would do often. She felt at ease with Eagle Wolf’s brother and wife. In fact, she looked forward to having the beautiful Navaho woman as a good friend.
After all the food was gone, and Nicole was caught yawning by Eagle Wolf, he stood up, reached for the empty wooden tray, and handed it to Dancing Snow Feather.
“It was good sharing with you and my brother,” he said, smiling into her eyes. “We shall do this often.”
Dancing Snow Feather beamed at the suggestion. She glanced up at Eagle Wolf, then smiled at Nicole as she rose to stand beside Eagle Wolf.
The two brothers embraced; then soon Eagle Wolf and Nicole were alone. He caught her yawning again and rubbing her eyes.
He turned to her and drew her into a gentle embrace. “It is time now for you to sleep,” he murmured. “It has been a long day.”
Nicole could not help it. She yawned again, then laughed softly as she gazed into Eagle Wolf’s dark eyes. “I guess I do need a wink or two,” she said, noticing a look of confusion on his face.
She realized that he did not understand what she meant.
“When I say a wink or two, it means a little bit of sleep,” she murmured, loving the fact that she could make him smile as he was smiling at her now.
“You shall have as much sleep as you need, and then tomorrow I will take you all around our stronghold and introduce you to each of my people. I will show you our animals, as well as our garden, which fed us tonight. I think I can already guess your favorite vegetable…corn on the cob,” he said softly.
“Yes, I guess I did make a pig of myself eating more than one piece of corn,” Nicole murmured, then realized that she had said something else that puzzled him.
She immediately knew what it had been. She had said that she’d made a pig of herself, an expression her father had always used after eating too much of his wife’s cooking.
She explained this phrase to Eagle Wolf, too, and they laughed together as they went to the pile of blankets and each chose one to sleep on for the night.
After the blanket was spread for Nicole, she enjoyed one more embrace from Eagle Wolf, then stretched out beside the fire while he made his bed on the other side.
Nicole was soon asleep, yet Eagle Wolf found himself unable to close his eyes so quickly. He could not take his eyes off this woman who he knew would soon be his wife.
He could not believe that he had found a woman to love. Not only someone to bear him children, but to truly have and hold and love.
Ho, his feelings for this woman were very different from those he’d felt for his departed wife. Theirs had been a marriage of convenience, with much admiration for each other, but not the strong love he felt for Nicole.
Since he was chief, he knew the importance of having sons, and so he had married. But his wife had been taken from him before she could have even one child.
Eagle Wolf knew that Nicole would be the mother of his children. Even better, she would bring joy to his heart because of the deep love they shared for each other.
He smiled and stretched out on his back, watching the stars blinking back at him through the smoke hole overhead.
“Daltso-hozhoni. Ho, daltso-hozhoni, all is beautiful in the world now that I have found the woman who was sent to me from the Great Spirit above,” he whispered to himself.
Chapter Twenty-eight
Nicole was so glad to have finally gotten a good night’s rest, in a place where she felt safe, and loved.
It was early morning now and she had been given a basin of water for bathing. While she had washed herself, Eagle Wolf had gone down to the river where he had bathed with several of his warriors, and talked over the upcoming day’s activities.
But Eagle Wolf had returned now to his tepee, his long, black hair sleekly wet down his bare copper back. All that he had on was a breechclout that covered only what was necessary for modesty’s sake.
As Nicole sat there before the lodge fire, she felt especially pretty today. She was wearing one of several dresses that had been brought to Eagle Wolf’s lodge by the women of the village. They were gifts for the newcomer.
Today’s was a soft, white doeskin, embellished with various shells and beads along the hem of the skirt.
The neckline swept down low, leaving Nicole a little self-conscious because the upper swells of her breasts were exposed.
As Eagle Wolf stood across the fire from where she sat, using a cloth to dry his long, black hair, Nicole caught his occasional admiring glance at that part of her body she rarely had shown to anyone.
She self-consciously swept a hand up over her breasts, eliciting a soft chuckle from Eagle Wolf as he caught her blushing.
“My woman, if you knew just how beautiful you look sitting there beside my lodge fire, with the glow of the fire on not only your cheeks, but also your breasts, you would not think to cover any of it from the view of this man who loves you,” Eagle Wolf said, glad when his words brought a smile to her face.
“I do find the dress so pretty,” Nicole said as she slowly moved her hand from her breasts. “And it is so soft. That was what I was doing. I was feeling the softness of the dress.”
She smiled and shook her head, knowing she wasn’t being completely honest.
“Oh, well, yes, I must admit that I was feeling a bit shy a moment ago,” she said, now laughing softly as she gazed into his dark eyes.
“And now?” he asked, tossing the cloth aside. “You are no longer shy? You are comfortable?”
“Yes, very,” Nicole said, again smiling. “And it is so generous of the women of your village to give me these beautiful dresses.”
She gazed down at the beads and shells on the skirt of the dress. She ran a hand slowly over them. “The shells and beads are so beautiful and delicate,” she murmured, then gazed up at him. “I love them. I love everything about all of the dresses.”
“You look beautiful in them,” Eagle Wolf said, then went and knelt beside her, his back to her. “Would you braid my hair for me?”
Surprised by his request, yet glad to have the opportunity to touch his beautiful hair, and to be so near him, Nicole nodded. “I would love to,” she murmured.
Then she said something that seemed to come from nowhere. “Will you braid mine after I finish yours?” she blurted out.
She had never worn her hair in braids. But now it seemed the natural thing to do after seeing so many of the Navaho women with braids.
“I can do yours first,” Eagle Wolf said, glancing at her over his shoulder.
“No, I want to do yours first,” Nicole murmured, already separating his hai
r so that she could braid it. “I have noticed that several warriors wear their hair in one braid, yet I have seen some wear two. Which do you prefer?”
“You braid it as you would wish to see it,” Eagle Wolf said, feeling more and more attached to this woman. They were united in every way a man and woman could be.
Except for making love. He would not initiate that until he knew she was absolutely ready.
He didn’t need to ask whether or not she was a virgin. He knew this already. She was not the sort of woman to give herself to a man until wedding vows would soon be spoken between her and the man she chose to love.
“One long braid fascinates me,” Nicole murmured.
“That is my favorite, too, so braid mine that way and then I will braid yours,” Eagle Wolf said, feeling her tugging on his hair as she carefully made each twist and turn.
“It has just begun to rain,” Nicole murmured, hearing the drops fall softly against the outside buckskin of the tepee. “I love softly falling rain. Do you?”
“Yes, I always have,” Eagle Wolf said, gazing upward through the smoke hole. The sky was not very dark, so he thought that this might be a brief rain.
He could smell its sweetness.
He recalled as a child how he’d enjoyed this sort of rain. He would run through it with his friends, splashing their bare feet in the puddles. They would play outside until all the mothers made their children come inside their lodges. This would happen instantly if a clap of thunder reminded them that there could be danger from lightning.
He and his friends would then scatter in all directions until they had gotten safely into their lodges with their mothers and fathers.
Eagle Wolf had always been especially proud to be with his parents, for his father was the chief of their people, a proud, stately man, the kind of leader Eagle Wolf aspired to be.
His mother had always been just as special to him, but in different ways. No one could have been as sweet and caring as his mother.
He could even now remember the warmth of her arms as she would embrace and comfort him when an extra-loud crash of thunder shook the floor of their tepee.
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