“Why did you leave with Mukua after he taunted the bear into chasing Aimee? And why did you come back?”
Her softly whispered questions didn’t register at first. She didn’t move, nor had she pulled her hand away. Wo'itsa released her. He needed to create some distance between them, yet he hadn’t been able to stop himself from moving closer and touching her.
Wo'itsa moved to the table and pulled out a chair. He sat before answering her.
“I only saw Mukua when he came upon my hiding place. I had just seen the woman with the golden hair approach. I heard the bear, and Mukua took me to another time before I could say or do anything.”
Kendra ladled some broth into a bowl from the kettle hanging over the cooking fire, then set it in front of him. The food smelled good, and tasted even better. Wordlessly, Kendra refilled his bowl after he’d eaten the meat and drunk the broth. Finally, she spoke.
“That golden-haired woman you saw is the same one who saved your life.” Her eyes fell to the bandages around his chest. “Mukua harassed the bear because he wanted her dead.” She sat and faced him. “Do you still think he’s such a great elder?”
Wo'itsa mentally shook his head. Certain things Mukua had said and done had already bothered him. The elder was trying to preserve the sacred mountains, but was he going about it the wrong way? There was no one to turn to for answers.
“Do you have the vessel?”
Natukendra’eh’s brows rose. “Of course.”
“I must get back to the time where I left Mukua.”
Wo'itsa stood. What had happened to the woman who had been left behind after the man died in the hot spring? Mukua had said there was nothing he could do to help her. If he could go back to that time, he could make sure she was all right.
Natukendra’eh jumped from her chair. Any tenderness in her eyes was gone as they now blazed at him in anger.
“You want to go back and do what?”
Wo'itsa moved around the table and stood inches from her. She had to understand. “There was a man who died in a hot spring. A woman was left behind. I have to try to find her.”
She scoffed. “Another woman you’re supposed to save? Don’t you understand that Mukua is evil? He’s driven by hate and revenge. Besides, you’re in no condition to go anywhere.”
Anger and frustration rose. Wo'itsa reached for her arm. At that moment, the cabin door opened, and an old man and the old woman who had been at his bedside earlier walked in. Everyone froze. Wo'itsa dropped his hand. He stared at the old man.
It was him. White Wolf, the young man he’d seen several days ago in another time. Next to him stood the woman. His wife? How had things changed because he had married this woman instead of Morning Fawn?
“I tried, but he didn’t want to stay in bed.” Natukendra’eh moved toward the old couple, addressing them. The woman nodded and smiled.
“It was to be expected, considering . . . ” She shook her head and raised her gaze to Wo'itsa. “Years ago, I saved the life of another Tukudeka hunter. He refused to rest so he could recover.” Her sharp eyes appraised him with a look of approval, then her gaze went to Natukendra’eh. “I learned long ago that this is a different time than that of my upbringing. Men are proud and stubborn, and refuse to give in to weakness.”
“How is Summer Rain doing?”
The old woman’s face lit up in a wide smile at Natukendra’eh’s question. “She and her son are doing well. Samuel is a very proud new father.”
While the women talked of things he knew nothing about, Wo'itsa faced the old man. “Dosa Bia’isa,” he greeted, nodding in respect to someone older than he. Mentally, he shook his head. Two days ago, this man had been younger.
White Wolf extended his hand while his sharp eyes assessed him without being obvious. Wo'itsa clasped his wrist. Despite his age, the old man’s grip was strong.
“Wolf, these are the people who saved your life, Daniel and Aimee Osborne.” Natukendra’eh came between them, making the introductions. She glared at him with her next words. “The bear who attacked you and gave you your wounds also attacked Aimee. Luckily, she survived her fall over the cliff. Daniel saved her life, and that’s how they met and eventually married.”
Wo'itsa’s gaze went from Natukendra’eh to the old couple. From the way she spoke, she must have told them about the vessel and about time travel. The name Osborne was familiar. Cameahwait’s white man name was Osborne. Things were becoming more complicated and incomprehensible all the time.
Facing White Wolf, he said, “I have seen you before.”
The old man’s brows rose slightly. “I would remember if our paths had crossed.”
“You never saw me, but for you, it would have been many seasons ago. For me, it was only a few days.” He hesitated, then asked, “What happened to Morning Fawn?”
If the old man was surprised at the question, he maintained a passive composure. His face gave away none of his thoughts.
“Morning Fawn drowned,” he answered after several seconds of silence. His eyes went to his wife for a moment, then to Natukendra’eh. “She was a woman my adoptive mother suggested I marry. The day I was going to agree to the match, she fell in the river.”
Dosa Haiwi stepped up to her husband and placed her hand in his. She gazed lovingly into his eyes and smiled. White Wolf returned his wife’s smile. The love between these two people was as clear as the waters of a mountain brook. It was unquestionable that they belonged together.
Wo'itsa looked away. That kind of love between two people happened once in a lifetime, if even then. That’s what his mother, Day Star, had told him after the woman he wanted to marry had left. Day Star hadn’t approved of his choice. She’d once told him that eventually someone would capture his heart like no other, and he’d know for certain when it happened.
Natukendra’eh stood several feet away, but without even looking at her, Wo'itsa felt her presence as if she was touching him. Once again, the draw to this woman was stronger than any other before her, even if it made no sense. Natukendra’eh was the most unlikely female to consider as his potential mate, but his heart was clearly more powerful than his mind.
“I was too late to save Morning Fawn,” White Wolf continued. “I was on my way to speak to her when I saw my Tukudeka mother standing by the edge of the river, calling for help. She said there was nothing she could do when Morning Fawn was swept away by the strong current.”
Natukendra’eh’s eyes were on Wo'itsa. He could feel them before he even turned his head to look at her when she spoke to White Wolf.
“If you had married this girl, then you wouldn’t have met Aimee. She would have probably died.”
Wo'itsa nodded. She was right. He’d already had the same thought, but who had the right to determine which woman – Aimee or Morning Fawn – survived?
Natukendra’eh looked at him with a piercing glare. “How much more proof do you need that Mukua is not the person you think he is? His plan failed to have Daniel marry Morning Fawn, so he traveled further ahead in time, hoping to kill Aimee with that bear attack. What other things has he traveled through time for to alter or stop?”
“Why don’t we all sit and have something to eat? You’ve got to be hungry, Wo'itsa, and you need to regain your strength.” Dosa Haiwi walked to the hearth and filled more bowls. She set them on the table and motioned for everyone to join her.
“What are your plans now? Where do you think you’ll go next?”
Wo'itsa took his seat, then looked up and across the table at the old woman. To his right, Natukendra’eh lowered her spoon.
“I think we need to find Naatoyita. I have some questions for the elder. Then, I have to find the missing vessel and apprehend Mukua. Then I can get back to my normal life.”
The old woman’s smile widened. She and her husband exchanged a conspiratorial glance.
“Back to normal? What does that mean, Kendra? Where do you see yourself that’s normal? You told us you were a child of the Sky People
.” Her gaze went to Wo'itsa.
He stared, absorbing what the healer had just said. Natukendra’eh truly was a child of the Sky People? How was that even possible? His eyes returned to Dosa Haiwi when she continued.
“I think the two of you have a special journey ahead of you. Together.”
Natukendra’eh stood abruptly. She shot a hasty glance at Wo'itsa, then rushed to the door, pulled it open, and stepped outside. Before she closed the door behind her, she glanced over her shoulder. “If you’re not going to rest, I think we need to get going soon.”
White Wolf smiled at his wife. “You said something she didn’t want to hear.” He and his wife both turned their eyes on Wo'itsa. “She is a special woman. It will take some convincing to show her that she’s already where she belongs.”
Wo'itsa stared at the old man. “She sees me as someone she can’t trust.”
“I think it’s a little more complicated than that,” Dosa Haiwi said with a wide smile. “She’s afraid. She doesn’t trust herself when it comes to you.”
“How do you know this?”
Dosa Haiwi smiled. “I’ve seen the way she looks at you. I watched the way she sat by your side when you were battling a fever. Her mind is conflicted, and she’d rather run away than face her fears.”
Wo'itsa laughed. “She’s as fierce as a Bakianee warrior. Natukendra’eh doesn’t fear anything.”
Dosa Haiwi looked at her husband. “I think when it comes to matters of the heart, even the fiercest warrior might run in fear. It’s not always easy when two people come from such different worlds, but when it’s meant to be, nothing will stop it.”
Wo'itsa shook his head. “She is a stubborn woman.” He stood, the action sending pain through his chest. “She has lost her connection to the spirits, and I am unsure what my heart tells me about her.”
“You can help her reconnect with her past,” the old woman nudged. “I have a feeling that the two of you have somewhere else in time you need to be, and you need to work out your differences.”
Wo'itsa headed for the closed door. He’d lost one woman because he hadn’t acted to win her back. The reason why seemed clear now. His heart hadn’t spoken as strongly then as it did now. If Natukendra’eh was a child of the Sky People, it might make things even more complicated.
“I thank you for your healing skills, Dosa Haiwi.” Looking at White Wolf, he said, “I thought I was supposed to save Morning Fawn from drowning. Perhaps I was wrong.”
White Wolf nodded and smiled. He walked up to Wo'itsa and offered his hand.
“You may have seen me in my past, Wo'itsa, but I have seen your future. As my brother once told me, don’t be a fool and don’t wait too long to follow your heart.”
The old man nudged him toward the door before Wo'itsa could ask the meaning of his last comment.
Chapter 21
Kendra walked briskly along the banks of the Madison River, putting as much distance as possible between herself and the two larger cabins and the smaller, ancient-looking one that was a lot like Cameron and Riley’s cabin.
She fingered the vessel in the pouch around her neck. Aimee had given it to her to keep the snakehead in a safe place since she didn’t have pockets in the britches she now wore. With her clothes soaked in blood from Wo'itsa’s wounds, Aimee had also insisted she change into a new pair of britches and shirt.
The clothes, crafted of doeskin, certainly made her blend right into this time period. For now, that was probably better than wearing her usual street rags, which made her stand out like a gang member walking down the street of a posh neighborhood in New York. And surprisingly, these leather clothes were extremely comfortable. The moccasins hugged her feet like gloves.
Kendra stopped once she reached the top of a rise and turned to gaze out at the valley. The Madison River meandered lazily through the lush meadow, and the rim of the Yellowstone caldera rose in an almost straight line, creating an obvious mountainous plateau on the other side of the river.
She looked toward the cabins. She was running away again. Not out of anger and frustration at her grandfather this time, but out of fear. Aimee’s comment that she and Wo'itsa had a common destiny had been too much to swallow, especially with the old couple looking at her, and Wo'itsa sitting right beside her at the table. Somehow Aimee’s words affirmed that she was developing some kind of infatuation for the guy, and it was visible to others.
Her attraction to Wo’itsa was one complication she certainly didn’t need. She’d definitely not seen it coming, although it had been brewing under the surface for days. Ever since Wo'itsa had come back to save her from the bear, she’d really fallen off the ledge, so to speak.
Of all the opportunities she’d had to fall for a guy, why did it have to be this one, and under these bizarre circumstances? He wasn’t even her type. Shrugging, she huffed and walked faster. She didn’t have a type. There had never been any one kind of guy who’d caught her eye. Then again, she hadn’t ever been looking.
She wasn’t looking now, either. Even though he had been duped into playing for the wrong team, Wo’itsa’s caring nature had wormed his way into her mind and heart. Unlike other guys she’d grown up with or met on the streets, Wo'itsa had never made a derogatory comment about her mixed heritage. He’d accepted her for who she was, even though he called her “Little Warrior Woman”. His little warrior woman.
Do your job, then get home, and you can forget all about him.
Why did he have to be such a noble guy? If he was more like Mukua, it would be easy to dismiss any romantic thoughts about him; but no, he had to be as nice in character as he was nice to look at.
Taking turns to watch over him while he battled a fever from his wounds the last couple of days and taking part in the daily lives of Aimee and Daniel Osborne had added to the warm and fuzzy feelings she’d been having. The birth of Samuel’s son definitely didn’t help matters.
Kendra had never been around babies, much less held one. Her hormones must have been kicked into high gear when Aimee had asked her to hold her newest grandson, Josh, who’d been born the day before, just before dawn. Since then, she hadn’t been able to shake those sappy female thoughts she’d been having.
“My daughter and her family are going to be surprised when they come home from visiting our friends to the south in the Tetons. Sarah and the girls wanted to be here when Summer Rain had the baby, and they should be home any day now. Little Josh had other ideas, though. He wasn’t going to wait for anyone.”
Aimee had smiled with pure joy as she’d held and showed off her newest grandson. Daniel had shaken Samuel’s hand, congratulating him on becoming a father. The more Kendra had observed the family, the more she’d felt empty inside.
The Osbornes were everything she’d never had in a family, and until now, she’d never realized how much she’d wanted to be part of something like that.
She shook her head. It was a silly notion. All her life, she’d been on guard and kept her distance from people. That’s how it should stay. Her job in New York put her in danger on a daily basis. There was no time for a family.
“Natukendra’eh.”
Kendra spun around at the sound of her name, her heart leaping out of control under her ribcage.
“Why are you following me, Wolf? You should be in bed, resting, or we’re not going to be able to leave this time period anytime soon.”
Ignoring her comment completely, Wo'itsa didn’t stop until he was a few feet from her. Kendra stood her ground, although every nerve in her body screamed to take a step or two back to keep some distance between them.
Why did he look taller and broader all of a sudden? She’d always thought of him as a good-looking guy, but for some reason, he looked even more attractive now. And why did that look of admiration in his eyes seem to be growing more intense?
His chest was still bare, except for the bandage that was wrapped around him to cover the lacerations. Kendra blinked and raked her fingers through her hair. The slight
breeze that swept across the valley did little to cool the perspiration on her forehead. What the heck was happening to her?
“I am ready now to leave this time period. I must try to get back to the last place and time I was with Mukua.”
Kendra raised her chin to focus on Wo'itsa’s eyes. She shook her head.
“Didn’t you hear anything I said earlier?” She pointed in the direction of the cabins. “Daniel was never supposed to marry that woman who drowned, because he and Aimee were meant to be together. Mukua tried to prevent that from happening by telling you to save her. It makes him look like the good guy, but in reality, it would change the natural timeline. When is it going to get into your thick head that your elder is bad news?”
Her voice rose with each word she spoke, as her frustration with Wo'itsa – or maybe it was her frustration with herself for her attraction to him – mounted.
Wo'itsa didn’t say anything for a few seconds. He just stood and stared at her. Finally, he gazed out across the valley. “I must think on these things. What Mukua has told me makes much sense. He wants to prevent change from coming to the sacred mountains.” He paused for a moment, then added, “I don’t know what to believe anymore.”
Kendra latched on to that final comment. “I think you need to talk to Naatoyita, and maybe hear his version. Then you can decide whose side you want to be on.”
Her feet finally cooperated, and she moved away from him. Retracing her steps along the river, she headed back toward the cabins. Wo'itsa fell in step beside her, but he kept a respectable distance between them. Not that it made a difference to the racing of her heart. The tranquil gurgling sound of water as it flowed along and the gentle breeze blowing through the valley didn’t help much, either.
After some time, Wo'itsa was the first to break the silence between them. “The visions I’ve received have shown me that the bear and the wolf must be enemies. Mukua has told me the same thing, yet that is not what I feel.” He cast a glance in her direction, his eyes filled with something that could only be defined as hope and longing.
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