Savage Ecstasy

by Janelle Taylor

  Just a slave! she cried in hurt and humiliation. I mean nothing more to him than someone to do his chores and relieve his male anxieties! I hate him! He’s mean and cruel! Nothing but a chattel, she scoffed bitterly at herself.

  She paced the smal confines of his teepee in a black, stormy mood. What cut even deeper was the fact he did not return at al that night. When she managed to bring the tempest she was feeling under some kind of control, she lay down and went to sleep. Even if he had ignored her, he’d returned safely. This reality enabled her to relax and sleep after two long, sleepless nights. The warriors had gathered in the lodge to listen to White Arrow as he told about their trip to the vilage of their friends and alies, the Cheyenne, to trade for the peyote buttons. These buttons were used during or before certain events and ceremonies. Tonight, they would be eaten during a ritual, a quest for a vision from the Great Spirit. They hoped to find the answers to how to deal with the wasichus and bluecoats in their lands. The final effect of the drug was sedative, which induced relaxation and deep, peaceful sleep. The ritual lasted far into the night and Gray Eagle did not return to Alisha until the next morning.

  Last night’s rebuff and rejection, as Alisha saw it, brought a renewed caution to her. She placed a watchful guard over her words and actions toward him. Once more, he had shown her what her true position in his life was. He was aware of the withdrawal and change in her, but not the reason behind it. He watched as she and White Arrow drew closer in companionship. Helplessly, he saw and White Arrow drew closer in companionship. Helplessly, he saw her reaching out to his friend and saw his friend accept it. He watched as they communicated with a combination of words and signs she had learned. But most disturbing, he observed the way they both changed in his presence. They became quieter and more subdued with each other. It was as if they sensed he would object to their closeness and behavior, and he did.

  Perhaps they were becoming too close and friendly, he surmised. She is behaving with my koda the way she should be acting to me. Why does she fear being open and honest with me? Is there more than friendship between them? Is her withdrawal from me a turning to my koda? Could it be because of the way he treats her? He gives her what she hungers for and needs— friendship and acceptance. He gives what I cannot. Do not turn to him for more, Lese, he warned, for I wil not alow it. I wil not alow Wanhinkpe Ska to turn your face and heart to him. I cannot alow you to come between him and me, nor wil I alow him to come between us. I must keep a watchful eye and alert ear on this thing. It is far easier to dam and halt a smal stream, than to wait until it becomes a larger, more powerful river…

  Alisha and White Arrow had gone into the forest to gather wood and fetch water from the stream. He was keeping an eye on her today while Gray Eagle was off hunting with other braves. Matu had been busy tanning hides from the last hunt and did not wish to stop, which suited Alisha fine. Near the big tree by the stream, White Arrow had met a friend and had stopped to talk. She quietly gathered her wood in the sling and filed the water skins. She looked back to see the two men stil talking. She stroled along the bank in dreamy thought. She occasionaly leaned over to pick a wildflower which caught her eye. She stopped and played in pick a wildflower which caught her eye. She stopped and played in the water with her fingertips. She picked leaves from low-hanging branches she passed under. She was completely caught up in a world of her own making. She was unaware of how far she was walking.

  She meandered along, her head filed with fantasies and warnings concerning Gray Eagle. White Arrow assumed she was on private business and did not come after her for a long time, almost too late…

  As she leaned over to pluck some black-eyed Susans, a hand clamped over her mouth and a strong arm encircled her chest like a band of steel. Panic seized her heart and mind. She fought like a wildcat, kicking, scratching, and biting at the hand over her mouth. She fearfuly thought she was being captured by some enemy tribe. She went rigid. Her eyes widened in astonishment and disbelief. A voice behind her blurted out, “Why, you little shecat! I’l teach you to bite Ole Smitty! You got some lessons to learn in manners, gurl.”

  English! A white man! her brain screamed. At last, help. Rescue… freedom… no more slavery… no more Wanmdi…

  Because of her lack of struggling, Smitty was able to turn her around to face him. He was instantly shocked at what he saw. He stared incredulously into her beautiful ivory face with wide, frightened green eyes.

  “Wel, I’l be damned! Bless my soul and good luck if’n it ain’t a white gurl. A good looker at that. How’d you git out here, gurl?

  Where’d you come frum? What’s yore name anyhows?”

  He rapidly fired many questions at her numbed brain in his great excitement. She only stared at the trapper blankfaced and dumbfounded. He was filthy and smeled foul. He was wearing dumbfounded. He was filthy and smeled foul. He was wearing fringed buckskins and a beaver hat. From his odor and appearance, he had not bathed in months, perhaps even a year. She noticed his long, shaggy, dul hair; bushy eyebrows; unkempt, wiry beard; and rotting, yelowish-brown teeth.

  She nearly fainted from the stench of his breath and body odor. He shook her and asked again, “I asked kin you speak English, gurl?”

  Stil unable to force any words from her mouth, she nodded her head yes. He questioned, “Can’t you talk? You look as’o you never see’d a white man afore. Whatcha doing out here alone?

  How long you been with them Sioux?”

  She finaly managed a soft whisper, “A few weeks or months… I’m not realy sure…”

  At the softness in her tone and the view of her delicate beauty, Smitty was reminded of the painful urgings of baser needs which had prompted him in the first place to attack what he assumed was an Indian girl.

  Atta boy, Smitty. This gurl is some’emelse. His dul, slaty eyes filed with increasing lust as he eyed the smal, fragile creature before him. He glanced around and inquired as to how and why she was so far from camp alone.

  She hastily looked around, realizing she was in unfamiliar surroundings. “I just wandered off. I better get back before he comes looking for me.”

  Alisha instinctively sensed danger from this man. She was alarmed to find herself alone and defenseless with him. She was becoming more frightened as time passed. She was troubled at the leering way his eyes engulfed her entire being.

  A lewd gleam flickered in his eyes and he licked dry lips in A lewd gleam flickered in his eyes and he licked dry lips in anticipation. His eyebrows lifted as he questioned, “He? So, you be an Injun squaw. Don’t matter none to Ole Smitty. Should’ve guessed it from yore looks. Even an Injun wouldn’t pass up a gal like you. That’l make it al the easier and better. Won’t have to hurt you none. We’l jest git ourselves a little ways off frum here. We don’t want them Injuns disturbing us just when things are gittin good. If’n you knows what I mean…” He flashed her a licentious grin as he laughed wickedly.

  The stark reality of her situation and his intentions was as clear as water. She was petrified. She instantly broke into a run, screaming loudly. He immediately came after her, cursing and yeling for her to shut up. He caught up with her and snatched her backwards by her hair. They struggled for a few minutes before he threw her roughly to the ground. He quickly fel on top of her and began to madly rip at her clothes.

  He puled at her dress, trying to push it up. She fought with al her strength, praying for help. He managed to undo the laces at her neckline. He savagely bit into her soft shoulder. He cruely squeezed her breast and silenced her pleas and yels with a slobbery, bruising kiss. She nearly retched.

  He forcefuly tugged at the bottom of her dress, finaly succeeding in getting it up to her hips. He painfuly parted her slender thighs with bruising, insistent fingers. She fought with renewed urgency and terror. She could feel his hardened manhood rubbing against her inner thigh. His hand touched her there as he yanked on the breechcloth. Her hands puled desperately at his hair and pushed at his towering face. She bit into his lip as
he tried to kiss her again. He jerked his head back in a black rage. His arm came down across her throat, cutting off her air and His arm came down across her throat, cutting off her air and voice. She shoved at his arm, twisting her head to one side. He grabbed her hair and puled her face back to his, covering her mouth with his. Tears of disgust, pain and fear slid from her eyes and ran down into her hair. She vowed she would fight him to the death before she would submit to this.

  A concerned voice caled out, “Pi-Zi Ista, ku-wa!”

  Smitty’s head jerked up for a look around. That was al the time Alisha needed to scream out at the top of her lungs. He quickly slapped a hand over her mouth. “You stupid bitch! You wanna git us kiled? I kin help you git away from them Injuns. Al I wants is a little piece fur me services and trouble. You dun caled out to him. Hel, you acts as tho ya prefer him to yore own kind! Guess I’l have’ta kil him afore I takes care of you.”

  He puled his knife and she was certain he was going to take her life right then. He hesitated as he gazed down into her large, innocent eyes and nearly lost his chance for revenge. Abruptly, he had to jump up to meet White Arrow’s attack. He had seemed to come from nowhere. He bounded forward like a cougar, screaming, “E-ee-eei-ay!”

  They slowly and cautiously circled each other, sizing each other up. Never once did one’s eyes leave the other’s. Smitty knew he was looking into the face of his death. Those stygian eyes burned with hate and fury. His muscles were taut with apparent strength and nimbleness. He moved with the quickness and agility of a mountain lion. There was no trace of fear or doubt in those black eyes. White Arrow’s aura told of his abundant courage and selfconfidence. He reeked of vengeance and power. Smitty realized there was no chance for him in a fair fight. His face paled and he heaved in loud, ragged gulps. He slashed out face paled and he heaved in loud, ragged gulps. He slashed out wildly at White Arrow, who easily maneuvered to stay clear of his knife and attack. White Arrow mockingly circled with him, letting him wear himself down. He lunged at White Arrow and was tripped. He pretended to strike his head on a rock, knocked unconscious. He hoped the brave would turn his attention to his squaw, alowing him to jump him from behind. He would kil that damned Injun and take the girl with him. If his trick failed, then he was finished.

  Smitty had hit the ground with a loud thud and moan, then lay motionless. White Arrow disregarded caution in his concern for Alisha. He turned his back to Smitty and came to her. A few long, easy strides, and he was beside her. He gently lifted her body and carried her to the stream. He knew the trapper had not succeeded in his attack. He noted her disheveled state and tear-streaked face. He saw the red finger marks and spots of blood around her mouth, but no cuts.

  He quickly scanned her for other injuries. She had bruises and scratches on her arms, legs and neck. His eyes darkened in fury when he found the vicious bite on her shoulder. By now, she was crying uncontrolably and shaking violently.

  He examined the redness on her throat where the trapper had tried to choke her into silence and submission. His anger flamed higher and his eyes glinted with the death warning. He glanced up and caught her eyes searching him. He forced a warm smile at her as he took a cloth from his waist and dipped it into the cool water. He washed the tears, dust and blood from her face. He was as gentle with her as a mother to a newborn baby.

  He leaned over to scoop up mud to make a pack for the nasty bite. A shadow fel across her lap. She jerked her head up in time bite. A shadow fel across her lap. She jerked her head up in time to see the trapper coming at White Arrow’s back with his knife held high and threatening.

  She lunged at the man, screaming a warning to White Arrow,

  “No-o-o! Wasicun ku-wa! Wayaketo!”

  White Arrow was instantly aware of danger and was on his feet, braced and ready to face and fight his enemy. Thanks to her attack on the man, his knife was quickly in his hand. The trapper had as easily tossed Alisha aside as if she were merely a feather. He met White Arrow’s fierce attack head-on. They clutched and fought furiously. With one swift, accurate slash, the trapper lay dead at his feet, his throat slit from one side to the other. White Arrow rose and stood over the body of the trapper. He lifted his head toward the heavens and gave an eerie howl like a ghostly wolf in victory.

  Alisha ran to him in relief and fear. She grabbed his arm and turned him to face her. Boldly and fearfuly, her eyes searched his tal, lean frame for any serious injuries. Franticaly, she cried, “Are you hurt, Wanhinkpe Ska? He could have kiled you! It would have been al my fault.” She shuddered in revulsion. “He put his hands on me. He was going to …” She lowered her face into her hands and wept.

  He puled her into his embrace and held her quaking body tightly. His fingers gently caressed her rigid back. His thoughts were in turmoil as to how close this cal of danger was to her. He had only let her out of his sight for a short time, but it had almost cost her her life. He was furious with himself for alowing such a brutal thing to happen. He hungered to kiss her, to make love to her, and to blot out everything that just happened.

  As he comforted her and spoke soothingly to her, he had to As he comforted her and spoke soothingly to her, he had to fight rising, heated emotions, which threatened to engulf him. He lifted her tenderly into his strong arms and carried her back toward camp. As he walked, he murmured reassuringly, “Sh-h-h, Pi-Zi Ista. Kokipi sni. Hiya ceya. Waste cedake.”

  She did not grasp the meaning of his words of comfort or love, but his tone was comforting. She was so shaky and weak she did not protest his attention and help. She laid her face against his hard chest as she cried his name over and over.

  Gray Eagle was returning to camp just as they left the forest path and headed toward his teepee. He curiously watched the way his friend carried her pressed close to his chest, tenderly and protectively. More alarming was the way her arms tightly encircled his neck and back, and the way her head lay familiarly on his shoulder. His eyes darkened and narrowed in suspicion and alarm. What was the meaning of this bold display?

  He handed the reins of his horse to a young Oglala brave. He quickly covered the distance to his teepee. White Arrow had taken her to the palet and laid her down gently. He was stroking her hair as he spoke to her in his tongue, “Kokipi ikopa, Cante Cinstinna.”

  She held his other hand clasped between her two cold, trembling ones and continued to cry.

  Gray Eagle entered without a sound, but White Arrow was instinctively aware of his presence. He puled his hand free from her grasp, stood up, and came over to him. He met Gray Eagle’s gaze slightly uneasily. He related the events in the forest. He told him al about the trapper’s attempted attack, the fight, and her warning which saved his life.

  Gray Eagle listened in silence, then stressed, “Do not become too protective of ‘my’ winyan, my koda,”

  too protective of ‘my’ winyan, my koda,”

  White Arrow met his steady gaze in guilt and understanding. He replied, “She is yours, Wanmdi Hota. This I wil not forget. Were she not the winyan of my best koda, I would have finished what the wahmunkesa began. When the time comes that you must give her up, I wil trade anything I possess to have her.” He turned and left Gray Eagle staring after him.

  It was distressing to have his friend confirm his suspicions and fears. He did not like his friend’s attraction for Lese. He walked over to her and stood gazing down at her with those dark, unreadable eyes. Sensing his eyes on her, she raised a distraught face to him. She shifted to a kneeling position, then lowered it again. He dropped to one knee before her and placed his hand under her tremulous chin. He raised her head until her jade eyes met his ebon ones. He slowly turned her head from side to side as he checked her injuries.

  His blank expression and cool silence alarmed her. He pushed the neck of her dress over to view the bite White Arrow had spoken about. As he touched it, she winced in pain and began to cry.

  She fought to control the fresh flood of tears. She tried to apologize for the trouble she had
caused. “I’m sorry, Wanmdi Hota. It was al my fault. I walked too far away. He tried to … to

  …” More tears filed her eyes. “Wanhinkpe Ska might have been kiled. I would have been to blame, just like the other time with my people. I seem to cause trouble wherever I am.”

  Teardrops sparkled in those large, sad eyes and slid down her rosy cheeks. To her surprise, he caressed her cheek with the back of his hand and ran a finger lightly over her bruised lips. He went to get the water skin and came back to wash her face. She sat stil and get the water skin and came back to wash her face. She sat stil and silent under his ministrations. His eyes met and locked with her curious ones. He searched her features for signs of more than White Arrow had told him. But her clear, innocent look verified what he hoped to be true.

  He pushed her down to the skins and closed her eyes with his fingertip. “Istinma, Cinstinna.” She knew he told her to sleep, but the other word she did not know, even thought he had used it many times before. He stood up and left. She began to weep sadly, in need of his comfort and embrace, until sleep finaly came. Things returned to their normal pattern and the incident was presumably forgotten. But Alisha could never forget the leering way the trapper had looked at her, nor the brutal way he had tried to rape her. White men could be as savage as he was…

  White Arrow could not forget how much he had wanted her, nor how hard it had been to stifle his urge to take her himself. He also recaled the way she had clung to him for help and protection. I must have her, he decided, but only after she is mine…

  Gray Eagle had been unable to forget Alisha’s close cal with death and danger. Nor could he dismiss thoughts of the dangerous emotions growing in his friend’s heart for his winyan. What if she had been kiled, taken prisoner by another, or raped? What would he have done? He could not bring himself to think about her death, but the other two thoughts sent him black with rage. How dare anyone try to take or harm what is mine! he raged. I would have tracked him down and slain him!