Throughout the trade, Two Hawks and Lana exchanged several glances, though neither spoke to the other. As the Kiowa rode away, Two Hawks glanced over his shoulder. When Lana saw him looking, she held her hand up in a gesture of goodbye. Two Hawks raised his in return, nodding once to her, and then turned back.
"What are you doing, Two Hawks?" Crying Fox asked after they had been riding for a few minutes.
"What do you mean?" Two Hawks looked puzzled.
"Waving to Water Woman."
"Nothing. Just waving."
"Are you sure it's nothing?"
"Of course I'm sure," he protested.
"So, if someone like, say, Corn Flower were here, you'd still wave to Water Woman?"
Two Hawks scowled at that.
"That's what I thought," Crying Fox laughed, his point made.
Chapter 4 - Fire!
Late September found the weather finally cooling down. No hint of fall tinged the air - not yet - but it was coming. Lana could feel it in her bones as she walked alone, carrying a basket and her rifle, far away from the house, through rain-starved prairie grass and brush. That day, she hunted for chicory, sage, wild onions, and anything else edible that her family could use. Cherubic, contented clouds filled the azure sky. The weather suited her mood. She hummed to herself when, from behind, a stag ran past her, unafraid of her presence.
That's odd, she thought as she watched the white tail disappear into the brush. A few minutes later, two coyotes loped past her. Curiosity made her stop and turn around. Her eyes filled with horror at what she saw. One huge, roiling cloud of bitter, furious smoke filled the entire sky. The blackness raced closer at an alarming rate. She continued to stare, motionless, while she struggled to understand. Then, on the horizon, wicked yellow, orange and red flames shot skyward.
"Prairie fire!" she exclaimed as she twisted around in indecision. What should she do? The fire lay between her and home. Could she outrun it? But run where? The river!
She hoped she could make it to the river in time. Dropping the basket, but still clutching the gun, she hiked up her skirt and ran as fast as she could through the brush and tall grass. The brambles tore at her dress, scratched her legs, but she ran on. Soon, she could hear the crackling flames behind her. A light wind fanned them higher, faster. Her side began to ache, but she could feel the heat on her back now, so she kept running. At last - at long last - she saw the twisting river a short distance away. She was almost there when she tripped - on what, she wasn't sure - but she fell hard, hitting her head on a rock, and passed out.
* * *
Two Hawks was hunting alone when he saw the fire. He knew to go to the river and hurried his horse toward it. Walking his horse chest-deep into the water, he sat there to wait out the fire while he tried to calm the nervous animal. To his amazement, he saw Lana running toward the water, and he wondered why she was so far away from her house. When he saw her fall and not get back up, he jumped into the water and, holding the reins, hurried to her. Grabbing her by her shoulders, he pulled her down the small embankment into the river. He could see blood on her left temple. Letting her body float, he took her and his horse to the deep part of the river and held Lana steady while he waited for her to regain consciousness. After a moment, she moaned.
"Be careful," he told her. "You're hurt."
Confused and dazed, Lana thrashed against the water and against whoever held her. Her efforts only made her choke from breathing water as her head plunged beneath the surface. While she struggled to stand on the riverbed, she steadied herself by holding Two Hawks' arm with one hand while she held her head with the other.
Looking back from where she had just fled, she could see the prairie engulfed in flames and smoke. Animals of all types crossed the river, running for their lives. Finally realizing what had happened, she looked up at Two Hawks with wide, fearful eyes.
"Centas Yi?"
"T'on Ma." He gestured that she needed to lower herself into the river until only her head showed. The fierce heat from the fire made the air hard to breathe. Pieces of grass floated on the wind, some soot-blackened and some still burning, sticking in their hair. It looked like hell had come to earth.
Glancing over her shoulder, Lana saw that the fire, picked up by the wind, had jumped the river and had been carried across the narrowest part, where it continued on its path of destruction. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the flames died down around them; there simply was no more grass to burn. Only a charred, twisted nightmare remained.
When it was safe, they both stood up. Lana shook uncontrollably from the shock and injury. She turned toward Two Hawks and saw the same look in his eyes that she knew was in her own.
"Oh, Centas Yi!" she cried as she threw her arms around his neck. "You saved me! We're alive!"
The astonished, young Kiowa stood still for a second and then, feeling her trembling against his chest, put his arms around her, glad to have someone to hold at that moment, as well. When she raised her head up to look at him, he carefully touched her wounded temple. It didn't look too bad, he decided.
As he held her, he looked into her eyes, her beautiful, blue, bewitching eyes. His expression changed as he slowly dropped his arms from her and took one step back. He wasn't supposed to feel like this. He wanted Corn Flower. Didn't he?
"I ought to get home," Lana said after a moment, and then began slogging her way through the river, weighed down by her wet skirt and petticoat. She walked over to the river's edge where she had tripped, and searched for the rifle. Most of it remained, though the stock was charred and still too hot to pick up.
Two Hawks realized that she was determined to go home at once and followed her to the riverbank. Touching her shoulder, he pointed in the direction of her house and shook his head 'no'. "The earth is still too hot to walk on."
She frowned, not understanding. He took her hand and put it, palm down, on the ground for a second. She quickly jerked it back. "Ouch. That's hot!" she complained.
Making the motion with his index and middle finger for walking, he shook his head 'no' again and, this time, he saw understanding in her eyes.
"Oh, I see. We need to wait." Her shoulders slumped in frustration. "Ma and Pa are going to be worried sick about me."
Two Hawks gathered up his horse's reins, got on, and then motioned for her to do the same. Her heavy, wet clothes made it difficult, but, with his help, she managed. They began working their way slowly down the meandering river, letting the horse find its footing as it went.
Lana slid her hands around the brave's waist, holding tightly to him. She had never ridden bareback before and had trouble keeping her balance. Every time the horse stumbled on a submerged rock, she grasped Two Hawks even tighter. He began to enjoy himself. Fifteen minutes passed when he felt her lay her head on the back of his shoulder and heard her sigh. Maybe she was enjoying herself, too. He wondered.
It was dark when the two young people arrived at her home. On one side of the river, the earth was scorched. On the other, the homestead remained untouched by flames. Lana knew that her family had had a narrow escape.
Stopping at the riverbank, not willing to go close to her house, Two Hawks slid off the horse and helped her down. She took his hand and started to lead him up the slope when he stopped her, shaking his head. Her family wasn't the only one worried that night. He needed to get home, too, but he didn't know how to tell her that. All she knew was that he wouldn't come in to be properly thanked.
"All right, Centas Yi," she sighed. "I can't make you come in." She looked over her shoulder in the direction of the house and then turned back to him. "I wish we could understand each other. I want you to know how much I owe you. Thank you for saving me back there."
As he stood in the dim light, he watched her while she talked. He liked her voice, even though he had no idea what she was telling him.
"At least let me do this," she continued talking. To his surprise, she reached up and kissed him quickly on his cheek.
"That was a kiss," she explained. "Kiss," she said again, pointing to her lips and then to him.
"Kiss?" he repeated and then shook his head 'no'. If Lana had been a Kiowa maiden, he wouldn't have done this so soon after meeting her. But she wasn't, and he was intrigued. Taking her in his arms, he leaned down and kissed her long and sweet, taking his time, enjoying himself.
Lana had never been kissed before and wasn't quite sure what to do. After a moment, she relaxed and put her hands on his arms. Unconsciously, she slid her hands across his chest and around his neck as she molded her body to his.
Two Hawks felt the change in her, and what had started out as a lark to the young man now became something different, something hungry. Holding her tighter, he kissed her again, but now with real emotion. Finally, he let her go and stepped back, looking thoughtfully at her.
"Kiss," he said softly as he touched the curls that lay against her cheek. Looking up at him, she took his hand and kissed his palm, overwhelmed by what she felt. He leaned down and kissed her once more, then grinned and jumped back on his horse, hurrying home.
Lana stood there for a few moments, watching him ride away while she composed herself. Then, sighing once, she turned toward the house.
"Ma, I'm here," Lana announced as she opened the door.
"Lord be praised!" May exclaimed as she jumped up from her chair.
"Girl, we thought you were dead! Your brothers and I went looking for you until it got too dark." Her father walked over and hugged her. Even her youngest brother, Jake, hugged her. Lana sat at the table and recounted the day.
When she got to the part about being rescued by Two Hawks, her father stopped her. "Who's Centas Yi?"
"He's the one that grabbed my face the first time they came to trade. He calls me T'on Ma, which means Water Woman. And his name in English means Two Hawks."
"You didn't leave him outside, did you?" Joshua looked toward the door.
"No, Pa. He wouldn't stay." Her mother inspected her head and began to dab it with iodine. "And, Pa, I'm sorry about the rifle. I tried to save it. I really did!"
"That's all right, Lana," he reassured her, though losing the gun was costly.
"I can show you where it is and maybe you can get another stock for it later," she offered.
"Maybe we'll do that," he agreed. "But for now, I'm just grateful you're alive."
Chapter 5 - Water Buckets
Two Hawks made it back to his village a few hours after dark. Turning his horse loose with the herd, he trotted toward his mother's tipi, knowing his family would be worried about him. His mother was sitting outside by the supper fire when he approached.
"I'm here."
"Where have you been?" His mother, Gray Dove, looked up from her cooking, relief clear in her eyes.
"I was caught in the prairie fire."
"We saw the smoke. Are you all right?" she asked as she handed him a bowl of venison stew.
"Yes. I'm fine. The fire didn't reach here, I see."
"No."
Hearing his son's voice, Many Deer stepped outside and sat beside him. He watched Two Hawks eat for a minute and then commented, "The fire was some time ago, son."
Two Hawks nodded as he swallowed. "I had to rescue Water Woman from the fire. I saw her running, but she fell and was knocked out, so I dragged her to the river." He took another bite of food before he continued. "Since she was hurt, I took her home. Then I came back."
"Did you speak to her people?"
"No. I didn't go into their house. I didn't see anyone."
"So there's no trouble with them?" Many Deer wanted to be clear on this point.
"No. No trouble at all. Water Woman seemed very grateful for my help."
Corn Flower walked by their fire for the fifth time that evening, worried about Two Hawks, wanting to know if he was home yet. Seeing him, she smiled. He nodded once briefly at her, and then resumed eating.
His lack of interest bothered her. Usually, he would have done or said something to tease her. But not this time. She might as well have been one of the camp dogs for all of the attention he paid her. Turning on her heel, she tossed her head and flounced away. Two Hawks barely noticed, but his mother watched the whole thing with great interest.
"She likes you, you know," Gray Dove teased her son.
"She likes Iron Crow," he retorted as he handed his empty bowl back to her.
"That's not what her mother tells me." Expecting to get an eager response to that, Gray Dove was surprised when Two Hawks simply shrugged his shoulders and announced that he was turning in for the night.
When he had gone, she turned to her husband, looking worried. "That's not right," she said. "He's been pining for Corn Flower for a long time. Why would he suddenly lose interest?"
Many Deer shook his head. He wished he had no idea, but a suggestion of a reason nagged the back of his mind. It was so preposterous, though, that he dismissed it before it ever became a full thought.
* * *
As he lay on his buffalo robes, Two Hawks looked up through the smokehole, where the moon had gotten snagged on top of the lodge poles. He put his hands behind his head and let his thoughts drift back to the fire, back to the river. Closing his eyes, he could feel T'on Ma's hands around his waist, holding on for dear life as she rode behind him.
He smiled at that, but the smile faded as he recalled her - what had she called it? Oh, yes, her kiss. And then his kiss. And then their kiss. He rolled on his side, trying to shake the memory of her body pressed against his, of how she felt in his arms. But it didn't work. Sleep eluded him until the dark, early morning hours.
* * *
The next day, a small group of young men went hunting, Two Hawks and Laughing Turtle among them. The hours went by with some success. They killed several rabbits and one stag. On their way back home, Laughing Turtle rode beside Two Hawks so they could talk.
"My sister is mad at you," Laughing Turtle grinned, his eyes twinkling.
"Why?" Two Hawks asked.
"Because you didn't talk to her last night."
"If I had, she wouldn't have said anything, anyway. She never does."
"I know. But this time, you didn't even try. And now she's mad." He laughed.
"Why is that so funny?" Two Hawks asked.
"Because she is so sure you'd do anything to get her attention, it's funny to see her wrong. She thinks she knows everything." Laughing Turtle sounded like a typical younger brother.
"Well, I guess she doesn't know everything, then," Two Hawks said quietly.
Something in his tone made Laughing Turtle look over at him. "You still like her, don't you?"
Two Hawks shrugged his shoulders in a noncommittal fashion, refusing to discuss it any further. They rode the rest of the way home in silence.
That evening, after a delicious rabbit supper, Two Hawks sat beside his mother's tipi to enjoy the night air when Corn Flower and Iron Crow walked by. When she saw Two Hawks, Corn Flower deliberately took Iron Crow by the hand and looked adoringly up at him, ignoring Two Hawks as they passed. Two Hawks shook his head at the irony. Now that he wasn't sure that he wanted her, she was doing all she could to make sure he did.
* * *
Three days later, the sun leisurely rose in the east, sending streaks of pink and orange through purple and midnight blues in the western sky. With a bucket in each hand to get the day's water, Lana walked down the slope toward the river. She saw Two Hawks on his horse and, when he saw her, he slid down and walked over to her.
"Good morning, T'on Ma," he smiled.
"Centas Yi!" Lana looked over her shoulder, but no one could see them from the house. "What are you doing here?"
He took the buckets from her and set them on the ground. Then he pulled her close. "Kiss."
"Uh - uh," Lana didn't know what to do.
"Kiss?" he asked sweetly.
She paused for a moment, looking into his handsome brown eyes, and then nodded. "Kiss."
Holding her tight
, he kissed her just like he had imagined at least a thousand times since the last time he saw her. Her soft hands touching him just so. The sweetness of her lips tasting just like that. Her breasts pressing against him.
"LANA! Get in the house this instant!" Joshua's voice boomed angrily down at the young couple.
Lana whipped around, jumping out of Two Hawks' arms. "Oh, Pa!"
"Git!" Joshua strode furiously down the slope, pointing back at the house. "Now!"
Lana gathered up her skirts and ran back to the house as fast as she could, water buckets forgotten.
Joshua stood in front of Two Hawks. "You need to get home, boy!" he ordered, gesturing to Two Hawks' horse. Two Hawks didn't need to know English to understand 'mad father'. He raised his hand up once, palm out, nodded, and then jumped on his horse, splashing through the river on his way home.
Lana burst into the house, engulfed in tears, and flung herself into her astonished mother's arms.
"What happened?" May asked with great concern.
Before Lana could quit crying enough to speak, Joshua stormed inside. He jerked Lana around by her shoulders to face him. "I ought to whip you till you bleed!"
May looked in alarm at her husband. "What happened?" she asked again.
"I caught your daughter kissing that Kiowa boy down by the river."
"What?" May whirled around to look at Lana. "Have you lost all good sense?"
"But, but Ma, it was just a kiss," Lana cried.
"That's not the point!" her father growled. "He's Kiowa. He'd just as soon rape you and leave you for dead!"
"That's not true!" Lana wailed. "He's kind and gentle. He saved me from the fire, didn't he?"
Her lack of understanding of the Kiowa's ruthless reputation scared the life out of Joshua. They took captives and sold them into slavery in Mexico. Their legendary hatred for white settlers resulted in burnt homesteads, stolen horses, mutilated dead. He didn't know how to get her to see the danger. Grabbing her face in his left hand, he leaned in close.
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