by Cathy Keeton
Abby was excited as well as apprehensive, she loved her new life, but this long trip would take her farther from her father. She would love for him to meet Shadow Spirit and to know that she was truly happy. He would be so thrilled to know that he was going to be a grandfather. Abby knew that it would be impossible to visit before the baby was born, but as soon as spring came, she was going to insist that her father be brought to her.
They walked for miles over rough terrain as the trail ever so slowly began to start on an upward sweep. They stopped at noon for a meal of dried buffalo and plums the meal was washed down with cool clean water from a nearby spring. Shadow Spirit had been in the lead all morning and had not had time to be with Abby.
“Yellow Dove, will we see our husbands today?”
“Probably not until we stop for the night; it has only been a few hours since you talked to him.”
“I know but last night after I told him about our baby, I fell asleep, and I have never done that while Shadow Spirit was talking to me.”
“Did you see him this morning?” Yellow Dove asked.
“No, he had already left, he had to help the older people take down their lodges, Green Eyes helped.”
“I have talked with my brother and he is very happy that he is to be a father but, I know Shadow Spirit better than anyone and something is bothering him.”
“Do you think that I have done something wrong? I have tried to learn everything that I need to know to be a good Cheyenne wife.”
“I do not believe that he is bothered by anything that you have done, maybe he is just worried that the winter will be a hard one and our people will suffer.”
“I hope that is all that is bothering him. I know that he has a lot of responsibilities with Chief White Feather being ill, but I will try to help him in any way that I can.” Abby replied.
“I have some good news, I was not sick near as long this morning maybe I will live to see my baby born.”
“Oh Yellow Dove you can always make me laugh and feel better.”
“I am glad my morning sickness helped someone to feel better. I see that people are starting to get back on the trail, so we better get moving.”
The rest of the day past a little more quickly than the first half. Abby was very tired when they finally stopped for the night beside a winding, slow moving stream. A large tree reached out across the stream as if it was trying to get to the other side. She was in the process of building a cook fire when she glimpsed Shadow Spirit in the distance. He was so handsome it took her breath away, she knew if she lived to be ninety that the sight of her husband would always affect her in this manner. He stopped several times along the way to talk to someone or to play for a minute with a child. Abby could envision him playing with their child.
“Hello Wife, I see that you have started a fire,” Shadow Spirit said with one arm around Abby and the other behind his back.
“I am so glad to see you,” she said as she kissed him, “What is it you are trying to hide?”
“I have brought our supper,” he said as he handed her a huge rabbit that he had been cleaned ready to roast.
“Thank you, this will taste great after only having pemmican all day.”
“I will see to the horses while you cook the rabbit and then we will eat. I have something that I would like to talk to you about.” Shadow Spirit said as he turned to his task taking the travois loose from the horse.
Abby set about skewering the rabbit over the fire and wondering what Shadow Spirit was going to say to her. She sat by the blazing fire and watched the juices drop and splatter causing a sizzling sound. The aroma wharfing up was amazing, she could almost taste the succulent meat on her tongue as it began to brown. She had hung a pot of wild turnip up beside the roasting rabbit and they had come to a bubbling boil. Abby picked up her bag of dried herbs and threw some in with the turnips. She hoped that Shadow Spirit would be finished by the time the food was ready, she didn’t want to have to wait much longer to find out what was on his mind.
When the meal was over they sat close and he took her in his arms and kissed her passionately. “I want to see if you would like to take a short side trip with me in the morning,” he asked.
“Where are we going,” Abby asked breathing a sigh of relief that nothing was wrong.
“There is a magical place, just off the path, with a pretty waterfall and a crystal clear pool that is warm all the time. I thought that since our time alone was cut short by Lone Raven, that this would be a good time to finish what the white man calls a honeymoon.”
“I would love to be with you and to see this magical place, but won’t we be too far behind to catch back up to everybody else?” Abby asked.
“I will have one of my warriors take our things on with him. We will take only two horses and what supplies that we will need for one night.”
“That is great; I believe that I have the most wonderful husband.”
“I will go and ask Standing Dog to see to our belonging in the morning, I may be gone awhile I am going to check on my parents.”
“Do you want me to go with you?”
“No, I would like you to get some rest. I know this has been a hard day for you and the baby, so go to sleep and dream of me.” Shadow Spirit replied.
The next morning Shadow Spirit and Abby left at sunrise, just as the rest of the group continued their journey. Abby felt guilty for not going on with everyone else instead of going off with her husband.
They traveled a well-worn path that veered to the left and led them into the woods. The trees were alive with sounds, birds sang, squirrels fused about people entering their territory. The wind hummed through the trees blowing the multi colored leaves around and into the air. Abby could hear rushing water in the distance.
“Are we close to the waterfall?”
“Yes. Can you here it, and taste the clean breeze that blows across your face?”
“Yes I can, it feels wonderful,” she said as they rounded a bend in the path. There spilling down the side of a mountain, was a waterfall, a pool of sparkling clear water glimmered at the base. The pool was surrounded on one side by large boulders and a weeping willow tree stood guard on the other side.
“Do you like the spot I picked for our special time alone?”
“I like it very much it’s the most glorious place I have ever seen.”
Shadow Spirit gently helped her down from her mount and held her for a moment.
“I will see to the horse and then I wish to show you another amazing place.”
Abby waited for Shadow Spirit to join her on the robe that she spread on the ground. She put the dried peaches and pemmican out for a mid-morning snack, if she continued to be as hungry as she had been for the last few days; she would be as big as a buffalo before the baby was born.
“Are you hungry again?” Shadow Spirit asked as he sat down beside Abby.
“I am very hungry I think this baby is going to be a great warrior with a good appetite. Will you mind if I become fat and ungainly while I carry your child?”
“I will love you even more even if you do become fat, but I do not think that you will.” He took a piece of peach and held it up to her mouth. “Eat and I will show you where the water is as warm as sunshine.”
“Let’s go I will eat this on the way, I have already had some pemmican.”
They walked a short distance to where a small pool shimmered in the sun, and a light fog rose from the water. There were strange plants growing around the edges of the water, they were green, and had long stems with leaves forming a fan like shape. Rocks lay in all different sizes and shapes in and around the water, some were as if they had been carved to make seats.
Shadow Spirit took her hand and led her to the edge of the water. Abby felt the warm steam on her face as he took her in his arms, and kissed her with a passion that made her tremble with desire. He trailed kisses down her neck as his fingers ever so slowly unlaced the front of her doeskin dress. Shadow Spirit gently
teased the nipple of her left breast until it was pebble hard, he then took it between his teeth and lavished it with his tongue, all the while paying homage to her other breast with his hand. He slid the dress off Abby’s shoulders and let it fall in a heap at her feet. She stood boldly naked in front of her husband. He removed his clothing with the same insanely slow speed that he had removed hers. She watched as little by little he became as naked as she was. He picked her up and carried her into the water, and sat her on one of smooth rocks in the middle of the pool; he then began to toy with the flesh on her inner thigh, he would nip lightly with his teeth then move up a few inches and repeat, until he reached the center of her womanhood. He brought her to the edge of oblivion over and over until she could take no more.
“Please Shadow Spirit, I can’t stand it, I need you.”
He entered her swiftly, fully burying his shaft in her softness. He kissed her deeply as he thrust in and out bringing them both to the ultimate culmination. They had slipped into the shallow water sometime ago, and lay there holding on to each other and enjoying the heavenly warmth that surrounded them.
“I love you, and I can’t wait to hold our child in my arms knowing that he was made from our love.” Abby spoke quietly.
“I love you also my lovely wife. I am now hungry, I have worked up an appetite,” he teased.
They had lunch in front of the waterfall and talked of what life would be like at the winter camp. “There may be days at a time when we will be snowed in and cannot leave our lodge, but I will see that we have plenty of food and warmth. I have seen some winters when we had snow on the ground for much of the winter and other times when we would only have a few weeks of really bad weather.”
“I know a good way to keep warm this winter.”
“You do, and what would that be?” Shadow Spirit asked as he began to nibble at her ear.
“I see you don’t need me to explain how to keep warm,” she laughed, “but I am not cold now.
They made love, and played in the water all afternoon. While Shadow Spirit built a fire so that Abby could cook their evening meal, she decided to take a bath in the hot springs.
“I will be back in a little while.”
“Be careful, yell if you need me to wash your back.”
“If I let you come near me I won’t get a bath, and you know it.”
She could hear Shadow Spirit still laughing when she reached the pool. The water was wonderfully warm; she washed her hair and then took a leisurely bath with the soap that Green Eyes had given her. Just as she was stepping on to the bank she heard a rustle in the leaves, she turned in time to see Lone Raven coming toward her with a long knife, poised for an attack. Abby screamed as loud as she could, hoping Shadow Spirit would hear. Lone Raven knocked her to the ground and would have sliced her throat if she had not heard Shadow Spirit coming.
“Do not think that we are finished, I will find a way to kill you, whore.” Lone Raven hissed as she ran for her life.
“Abby, what is wrong. Are you hurt?” Shadow Spirit asked breathlessly.
“Lone Raven…. Catch her before she gets away, she went through the trees.”
He took his knife from its sheath and handed it to Abby. “Keep this in your hand until I return, in case she comes back this way.”
“No, you will need your knife if you find her”
“I can handle Lone Raven with-out a knife.”
He disappeared into the trees. Abby sat there shaking; wrapped in the dress she had removed in order to bathe. She silently praying that he would find Lone Raven and make her pay.
Shadow Spirit must have been gone for over an hour. Abby had to do something she couldn’t just sit there and wait. What if Lone Raven had sneaked up on him from behind and driven that knife into his back, he could be laying there dying. Abby got to her feet and pulled the dress on just as he came into view.
“Oh I am so glad to see you. Did you find her?”
“No, I tracked her for a while but the trail ended. There were hoof prints where hers ended, so she was not acting alone.”
“Black Heart,” Abby cried.
“I did not see anyone, maybe she left the horse there as a way to get away, but from the prints I believe that it was carrying two people.”
“She is never going to give up until I am dead and neither is Black Heart”
“Come we will eat and you can get some sleep, I will watch out for those two to return”
“I don’t think that I can sleep if you aren’t beside me.”
“I will be beside you all night, I will know if they are close.”
Abby slept fitfully waking up twice screaming. Shadow Spirit held her all night, never closing his eyes. When they arrived at the winter camp, he would take some warriors and hunt down the ones who wished to harm his wife.
Chapter Fifteen
They rejoined the rest of the people at dusk the next day. There was great joy when they rode into the camp, everyone was glad to see the son of their ailing chief return.
Green Eyes came rushing up to embrace her son and his wife. "I am so happy to see both of you, a group of warriors spotted Black Heart not far from where we left you. The warriors were hunting and did not know that you two had left the group. They did not return until midday today,” she finished.
“We have seen Lone Raven and suspect that Black Heart was close. Lone Raven attacked Abby with a knife late yesterday,” Shadow Spirit stated.
“Oh my dear, did she hurt you?”
“She didn’t, but only because she heard Shadow Spirit approaching, she was ready to kill me.”
“Please come and have something to eat, I know you both must be tired, you most likely did not sleep much.”
Green Eyes led them to a private little section of the camp where Yellow Dove and the chief were eating there evening meal. Abby noticed that the chief looked weaker than the last time she had seen him, his eyes seemed to have sunk further back into his head and his skin was visible ashen. He looked up from his pallet and smiled feebly.
“It is good to see you my son.” Chief White Feather whispered faintly, he was having difficulty breathing.
“I am happy to see you also Father. How are you?”
“I am as well as I can be, but I wish to talk with you while I have the strength.”
“I am here Father, what do you need to talk about?”
“A scout from another band of Cheyenne rode by as we traveled today; he said that there was an attack on a small village to the east of here, two suns ago,” he took a quick breath and continued. “He said that there were maybe a dozen white men and several renegade Cheyenne, they butchered and killed all the people, even the children.”
“Was it a Cheyenne village Father?”
“The scout did not know, he said that it might have been Arapaho, he did not actually see the destruction he only heard about it, we must be on the lookout.”
“Do you believe that they would dare to enter the Black Hill knowing that there are hundreds Cheyenne and Arapaho that winter there?”
“Our people will be safe once we reach our camp, it is well hidden for no white man has ever found it and never will. It is our brothers that camp more in the southern part of these mountains that I worry about,” the old chief fell back on his pallet, breathless.
Shadow Spirit motioned for his mother and Abby to walk a short distance away before he spoke. “I have never seen Father as weak as he is today.”
“I believe that he will rally as he has done before and if not I do not know how to go on without him,” Green Eyes cried as Shadow Spirit took her in his arms.
Abby watched as mother and son gave each other strength. She knew how Green Eyes must feel, she could not imagine her own life without Shadow Spirit, and they had only known each other a short while, his parents had lived side by side for twenty-five years.
Green Eyes swayed and almost feel to the ground when Shadow Spirit released her. “Mother you have to rest. When the new sun com
es up you will ride on a travois with father. It is only two more days until we reach our winter camp, let us take care of you.”
“I will help you Green Eyes, between Yellow Dove and myself we can see to it that you rest,” Abby said.
“I know that you will be there for me, but you are both pregnant.”
“Yes we’re pregnant, but we’re sick, well at least I’m not and Yellow Dove is getting over her morning sickness.”
They ate a quick meal and went to bed close to where Shadow Spirit parents slept. They talked about the new camp, and about how strong Green Eyes was. They never brought up the subject of the village that had been raided or the fact that white men had been involved. Abby knew she was welcomed by all in this village and she believed that they had accepted her even though she was white.
She wept for the chief, and for his family. The next few weeks would be hard on them; she hoped that their faith would help them through. Most white people that Abby had known thought that the red man had no faith and were heartless heathens. They should see the people that she had come to love, their hearts broke and they grieved just like the whites do. She tried to hold back the sobs, but a small one escaped.
“Abby my love, why do you cry so?” Shadow Spirit asked as he gathered her in his arms.
“I am sad for Green Eyes for she knows that her husband is dying. I can’t envision me without you. I know that what is to come will be hard on all of the people, but she will lose the most.”
“I believe that my mother is strong enough to with stand this heartache. I only wish that a miracle could happen and he would live to see his grandchildren born, but sadly that will not be.”
“I know that he will not live to see our child born and that makes my heart ache. I also know that my father doesn’t even know that he is going to be a grandfather. I don’t suppose that there is any way to get a message to him, is there?”