The vixen sniffed the air and walked along cautiously as her pups ran and tumbled in the tal grass behind her. One pranced and chased a grasshopper before starting to tumble with one of his companions in the grass. She could hear their immature growls and laughed in spite of herself.
The pups discontinued their play and began to nip at their mother’s tail as it swished from side to side. She would nudge them lightly and send them roling in the flowers. She came to the water’s edge not far from them to drink. She watched the three people very carefuly as her pups came to drink, ready to give the warning cry to flee if necessary. Sensing no danger from the humans, the mother turned and led her pups back into the forest and out of sight. Alisha had been totaly captivated by the little drama and had not realized she was the center of attention of both the men. They had both been watching her as beauty and wonder lit her face and had both been watching her as beauty and wonder lit her face and jade eyes with fascination and tenderness. Never had they seen such warmth, depth and innocence radiate from a female before. Her eyes had a way of coming to life with a sparkle and vitality al their own. Without knowing it, she had created stirrings of desire in both men.
Gray Eagle cleared his throat as he gave White Arrow a warning glare at the heated gaze in his eyes which rivaled his own in depth. White Arrow groaned, smiled and nodded understanding. He said, “Pi-Zi Ista has much inner beauty also, my koda. It is rare to find both beauty and gentleness in a woman, and almost impossible among the wasichu. I see why you wished to have her for yourself. It is a shame that she is so much afraid of you, my koda.”
Gray Eagle’s eyes left Alisha’s features to meet White Arrow’s gaze. He answered, “Sha, she is much afraid of me for she has cause to do so. But there is more to her feelings for me than fear. She tries to hide her hunger for me from both of us. When I am gentle with her, she forgets and accepts my touch. She forgives my being her enemy. I have done much to cause this mistrust and fear you see in her.”
White Arrow laughed heartily and jested, “Then you must only be gentle and loving to Pi-Zi Ista. I would think her touch and acceptance would be much more enjoyable than her fear and anger.”
Gray Eagle quickly retorted, “And have my warriors think me weak and wayakayuha to a winyan’s touch? Never! She wil be the one to show weakness and be my wayakayuha. She wil learn to obey my commands. You know our people would view any kindness to her from me in jest and anger. She must earn the right to kindness to her from me in jest and anger. She must earn the right to be treated wel.”
“She is unlike most winyans. She has already earned the right to be shown mercy because of her help to you at her fortress, my koda. I would be careful not to punish her too greatly as you teach her obedience. Perhaps, you might instil too much hate and fear for her to overcome and accept you,” White Arrow chided and warned his friend. “I see her as one who responds to love and gentleness more than strength and hate. She wil give more in-love than by force.”
His tone carried a solemn sound as he continued, “I have spoken to Chela. She is like the mountain lion ready to pounce, teeth bared, claws out and filed with the urge to defend what she cals her own. She does not like the place you have given the ska winyan in your teepee. It would be wise to watch her closely.”
Gray Eagle’s face showed a look of concern and worry for a moment or two. He replied, “Sha … I have seen this also and it angers me greatly, Wanhinkpe Ska. I belong to no winyan and never wil! Chela chalenges me when she pushes me this way and this far. She cannot stand in the shadow of Cinstinna in many ways. She forgets that she is Oglala and behaves as the ska winyans. She wil soon learn that I wil not be forced or told what to do. Her kiss and touch stir nothing in me since I have found and taken Pi-Zi Ista. If she is not careful to guard her tongue and ways, I wil refuse to join with her when the time comes!”
White Arrow stared at him with astonishment and disbelief in his eyes and on his face. “You cannot refuse the ways of our people! You must take Chela to join! Does the white girl so inflame your blood that you turn against your laws and customs? It wil not be accepted, Wanmdi Hota. This wil bring much hate and anger to be accepted, Wanmdi Hota. This wil bring much hate and anger to her and you. They would accept her place in any teepee for life, but not in the life and heart of their leader and greatest warrior, my koda. Think on my words before the act is done and cannot be changed.”
Gray Eagle answered, “I do not turn my heart from my laws or my people, Wanhinkpe Ska. But I wil not alow Chela to show her anger and jealousy at my yuonihansni! No woman wil take my honor and face before my people. The white girl is mine and I wil let no man tel me what I must do with her, nor any woman! If I choose, I wil keep her! I did not mean the white girl would take the place of my chosen one. But if Chela dares me long and hard enough, the chosen one wil not be her.”
As they continued to talk, Alisha stood up and walked to the edge of the brook and knelt to drink. She lifted water to her lips with cupped hands, then patted some onto her warm face. She knew she needed privacy but did not know how to ask for it. She pondered her predicament. She rose and went to kneel before him, her face glowing with embarrassment and discomfort. When he looked at her and asked, “Sha?” she pointed to herself and spoke hesitantly, “Lese .. .”and pointed to the grove of smal trees across the water.
He folowed her gaze to the trees, then looked at her rosy face. “Lese wonahbe .. .” He pointed to her, to the trees and then repeated, “Wonahbe…”
Hoping he understood her request, she got up and walked across the rock-covered stream to the clump of trees on the other side. She turned to see him sitting and calmly talking to the other man. She went behind the trees and excused herself. When her business was complete, she returned to sit by the When her business was complete, she returned to sit by the water, splashing in it with her bare feet. After White Arrow left them, Gray Eagle touched her shoulder and caled, “Ku-wa, Cinstinna.” She stood up and folowed him back to the camp in a mildly relaxed mood and spirit. She forced al her yesterdays far back into the recesses of her mind—at least, for today…
Not too far away at that same moment, Ben was also thinking of cool water and a big, tal, green shade tree. He had been bound spread-eagled on the hard, stony ground in the blazing sun since dawn.
The sun continued to beat down unmercifuly as his upper torso burned and cooked. His eyes hurt from the constant strain of squeezing them tightly shut against the harsh brightness. His mouth felt as if it were filed with cotton and his throat dry and parched. His lips were swolen to the point of cracking and bleeding. He knew from the past experience of finding a man lost for two days in the desert that the sun could be a relentless tormentor and kiler. It slowly and painfuly sapped a man’s life from his body. Sweat poured from his burly body. Salt stung his eyes and lingered on his lips and tongue. A man his size and strength would be very slow dying this way. Of course, they knew and wanted just that very thing for him.
His thoughts wandered back to the smithy shop he had built in Virginia. He recaled how the scouts and returning traders had recruited volunteers for wagon trains West to where land, game and opportunity were abundant and for the taking. They had painted a rosy picture to al the innocent, gulible people who were tired of poverty, injustice or who were just trying to flee pressing problems.
“Land for the taking! That’s a joke! Freedom! That’s a joke, too! Al we found out here is blood-thirsty savages ever’where, too! Al we found out here is blood-thirsty savages ever’where, hoarding the land and game like it al belongs to them alone. Stingy Injuns! Bloody red bastards! There’s enuff land and game for ever’body. Damn selfish bastards! Nobody told us they’d be like this, kiling, raping, scalping and God knows what else they’ve done to others. Hel, they said we wouldn’t have no problems controling them or pushing them out. We’s stupid to think we could fight ‘em and win. There’s too many of’em and they’re too powerful. They took that fortress like it was made of straw and we wa
s using toy grins! Damn them lousy, lying scouts! Damn ‘em!”
Ben shuddered as he recaled the height of the attack, realizing there would be no escape for them. He had kiled his wife and retarded son to prevent their capture. That was how he had been taken alive. He hadn’t seen the Indian come up behind him before he could turn the gun on himself. The Indian hit him on the head with a warclub, rendering him senseless. Upon regaining consciousness, he had found himself a prisoner.
At first, he had assumed he was being tortured for kiling two potential slaves. But when he saw Gray Eagle walk up to him and laugh in his face, he guessed vengeance was the real reason for his stil being alive and a captive. He wants blood payment for that beating, Ben thought.
“This heat’s murder,” he groaned. At least, his family did not have to witness his torture and death, or worse, to be tortured and kiled themselves. Suddenly, the thought came to Ben, only the men who were directly connected with the brave’s capture and beating were taken prisoner. Sure, they had taken a few females captives, but no other men. Did that mean he wanted personal revenge on them? But why had he placed Alisha with them instead of with the female captives? Did he intend to torture and kil her, too? That is, female captives? Did he intend to torture and kil her, too? That is, when he finished with his other ideas first?
She hadn’t done anything bad to him. In fact, she tried to help the devil. He wondered if the brave was keeping her as his slave because she did try to help him. Could it be he likes her? Or could it be he plans to let her be an example for al the other white women? Ben trembled in anger and fear at thoughts of her position. He wondered where she was now and what was happening to her. Maybe I was wrong to suggest she be nice to him and do whatever he says, he thought with regret. Could only make him madder. Hel! How kin you ever tel what they’s thinking or what they’l do? I guess she’s learned by now, the hard way, we told her the truth about them savages. I bet she wishes now that she had let us kil the devil.
His emotions and thoughts ran one way and then another. The sun climbed higher into the azure sky and grew hotter. He felt as if his very brain would cook and his head split open. Blisters began to appear on his torso and face. “I’d give anything for a sip of water and a little shade,” he sighed in misery and pain. He drifted in and out of semi-consciousness. He experienced crazy halucinations, realistic mirages and weird dreams. Stil, the heat and torment continued. He knew the heat could drive a man mad if no succor came. And none would, he realized, not this time. Once, he dreamed the brave stood over him, taunting and mocking him. “So, the wasichu is now a red man, too. Your arms can no longer hold a whip, ista ska, nor your tongue cry insults and curses to me and my people. You wil suffer and die as al other ista skas who steal our lands, kil our game on the great plains and forests, as those who desecrate our sacred burial grounds and rape our women and girls. We would have shared our game and land our women and girls. We would have shared our game and land with kodas, but your greed made you hunger and take more and more. You leave behind only death and destruction. You kil the hehoka, mato, capa, suntokoa and our brothers the buffalo. We must stop you before there are no lands, forests and game left for the Oglala and his brothers. Your name and face are known to us as a kiler of our people. The winyan Alisha wil also taste of my vengeance for her deceit,” he taunted to further torment Ben. With a few swift kicks in Ben’s ribs, he spit on him and said,
“I curse you and spit on you, sunka ska! You wil pay with your life and blood for the lives of Chenhula and Okiliea as the other two did. If Wi does not take your life, Hehoka Sapa wil with his knife. Okiliea was to be his winyan.” As the sun finaly began to sink in the far horizon, Ben was only vaguely aware of being untied and taken back to camp. He was retied to the same post once more. To his surprise, he was given water, but only enough to keep him alive for a little longer, not enough to quench his great thirst. Water was then thrown into his face and onto his bare chest.
Reviving him only made him more aware of the intense, fiery pains on his face, mouth, chest, arms and his left side. Pains shot through his mid-section with each breath. Ben questioned, my left side? Why should it hurt like hel? Memory flooded his foggy brain and he knew he had not imagined the Indian’s visit this afternoon. He knows our tongue! he realized. He knew ever’thing we said to him and about him at our fortress! No wonder he’s so damn mean. That explains what he did to Horace. Ben tried to recal al they had said to him and about him, looking for some clue to his fate. If he hears and knows al we said, he reflected, then he knows what Miss Alisha did. Damn him to treat her like that knowing al along she saved him! That sorry son of a bitch! He knows she along she saved him! That sorry son of a bitch! He knows she helped and he don’t give a damn! She ain’t got no idea what a fix she’s in. He’l know ever word she says to him. He’l go to punishing her right and left and she’l never know the why of it al, poor girl. I gotta find a way to warn her afore he uses that evil agin her. But how? I kin hardly move or swalow, much less yel loud enough for her to hear me. “Gawd, help me this one time,” he prayed. “Give me the way and voice to warn that innocent girl. She don’t deserve none of this hel and punishment.”
His opportunity would present itself very soon. Alisha had been left in the care of the old woman while Gray Eagle had gone hunting. She was to teach the new kaskapi part of her new duties, such as how to cook the Indian way, where to fetch water and where to gather wood. The old woman showed her how to prepare the meat for roasting and the aguyapi for cooking on the hot, flat rocks in the edge of the fire. They had gone to the stream to fil the skins with mni and to the forest to gather can in a sort of back sling made of leather.
The water and wood were placed in Gray Eagle’s teepee and the cooking lessons were being given in the old woman’s teepee. Alisha suspected that she might be watched, so she did as she was told and made no attempts to escape or disobey. She had made a few attempts to converse with the old woman, but was rudely and coldly ignored and silenced. That is, except for the old woman teling her how to say the words for wood, water, bread, food, no and be silent. There were a few other words and signs she could not say or understand, like “witkowin.” It was a word the old woman used frequently when she did something wrong or too slow. Alisha thought how lonely life would be in a world of icy commands and silence. When the lessons were finaly over, the old commands and silence. When the lessons were finaly over, the old woman took her by the wrist and said coldly, “Ku-wa, witkowin!”
and led her toward Gray Eagle’s teepee. Alisha mutely folowed. As they were passing the center of camp, a scratchy voice caled low, “A… li… sha…”
She jerked her head up to see who caled her name for she had not recognized the hoarse voice as Ben’s. Her eyes widened as she took in his condition and appearance. What had they done to him? He looked terrible and was obviously in great pain. He looked like he had been burned. His skin was blood red and covered with numerous tiny blisters. His eyes were swolen nearly shut and his mouth was cracked and bleeding.
“Ben!” she screamed his name in alarm and pity.
She tried to pul her wrist from the old woman’s grip and run to him. The old woman yanked her back. “Hiya! Ku-wa, witkowin!” she ordered.
Alisha could not pul free from the woman’s grasp. She was amazed at the old woman’s strength and the tightness of her grip.
“I must go to him! Sha!” she pleaded, using her other hand to try to free the imprisoned one. “What have you done to him?
Ben…”
Seeing Alisha could not get free to come to him and knowing his only chance could be lost soon, he waited no longer. He began to stammer low,” A … li… sha …the…brave…he can… he can…”
Without warning, a yelow-tipped arrow was imbedded deeply into his throat. Al she heard was a swift “swish,” a heavy thud and a bubbly, gurgling noise as blood and air gushed out. Alisha screamed in horror and fought to pul free and go to him. She gaped at the calous murder as she wa
tched Ben’s blood flow down gaped at the calous murder as she watched Ben’s blood flow down his neck and spread over his bare chest. She watched the torment fil his eyes, but he never cried out.
She whirled to trace the flight of the deadly arrow. She should have known who she would see standing there before she turned. Glaring at her with eyes narrowed in fury was Gray Eagle. She felt suspended in time, between reality and ilusion, of knowing what she had just witnessed and not wanting to believe it. Her lips were parted in an unspoken curse. Before her stood the very person responsible for al the torment, pain and mental anguish she had been forced to see and endure. There stood the man who had kiled her people, friends and uncle, the man who had destroyed her hopes, dreams and life, the man who had reduced her to a mere slave and chattel, and now this ….
She watched as he walked toward her, his eyes never releasing their hold on her. Those unfathomable jet eyes blazed with fury and that stern, stoical face was taut with rage. She trembled visibly as fear raced throughout her body and mind. He grabbed her by the arm and began to forcefuly drag her toward his teepee. “Hiya! Ku-wa! Ya teepee.” His tone was cold and ominous.
She stumbled along beside him until they reached the entrance to his teepee. Suddenly, it was al too much for her. She dissolved into near hysterics. She jerked back on her arm and screamed at him in a shril voice. “You murdered him! You’re just as coldblooded and savage as they said you were! I hate you! I hate you!
If you ever touch me again, I’l kil you. Murder…”
She raised her hands to slap and claw at his face as she continued to scream at him. Instantly, he had both her hands caught behind her back and imprisoned there with one of his. With his free behind her back and imprisoned there with one of his. With his free hand, he slapped her several times as he demanded, “Iyasni! Hiya!”
But she refused to stop or be silent.
“I hate you … I hate you .. .” she cried out over and over. Her head rolicked from side to side from the force of the blows. Livid red prints appeared on her ashen cheeks and blood began to flow from the corner of her mouth. He shook her roughly by the shoulders and warned, “Lese! Hiya!”
Savage Ecstasy Page 14