Kionee nodded in suspense and pushed aside nibblings of guilt. She yearned to experience that thrill once in her life, and this was her only chance. She allowed him to pull her into his arms and kiss her for what must be the last time. She quivered in the flames that surrounded her as their mouths meshed and their bodies made contact. She followed his lead and let their tongues dance with joy and defiance. The kiss was long and deep and filled with powerful emotion. His embrace was possessive, but gentle. His taste was wonderful. She closed her eyes and permitted blissful sensations to wash over her.
Stalking Wolfs control was strained, but he knew he must not break his promise and seduce her. She was too special to him to be tricked, and to do so would harm their new relationship and make him an dishonorable man. He had needed proof her feelings were as strong as his own, and he had obtained it. She was his match in all ways. She fit into his arms and life to perfection. Somehow and some way, he would win her. He hugged her and ended the kiss with reluctance. He stared into her gaze of wonder and passion. “I love you, Kionee, and I will wait for the moon when we can join, for it will come.”
With daring boldness, she smiled and said, “I love you, Stalking Wolf of the Cheyenne. I pray your words are true, but I fear you are wrong. We must not reveal our feelings to others or trouble will part us too soon.”
Safe in the sheltered canyon, they slept peacefully that night, with Maja resting between them.
They reached the Red Fork River and traveled its banks without encountering trouble. When it flowed into the Middle Fork, they located another sheltered canyon to make a safe and hidden camp for the night. It had been three days since they had kissed and embraced. They had laughed, talked, and enjoyed each other’s company more than ever in their new closeness and with their shared secrets. They had exchanged tender gazes and light touches. They had refused to speak of the obstacles between them; more accurately, against them. But desires were building within them, enormous hungers craving to be fed.
The moon was full and romantic, and it cast a soft glow over them as they lay on their mats beneath it. Maja was off hunting and roaming, so nothing separated them. They were vulnerable to surrender, and both were aware of that temptation.
Stalking Wolf turned his head to look at Kionee, to find her watching him. Their gazes locked and searched and spoke forbidden messages. He extended his hand and she grasped it.
“In a few suns, we will be on the Crow trail and on alert again,” he said.
Kionee knew their brief time alone would soon end. Did she dare yield to love, to passion, to him? Was it a risk worth taking this one time? If she did not, she would never experience the full joy of being a woman, of being in love, of having Stalking Wolf. Yet, could she endure the shame and punishment if discovered? How would her family survive without her?
Kionee told herself she had lived an existence of sacrifice to others for over twenty cycles of the seasons and would do so for the rest of her life after this one moment of weakness and defiance. For tonight, it was her turn to grasp happiness. “I will return soon,” she said as she left her mat and took a parfleche and blanket with her to the river.
Kionee removed her garments and bathed. She scrubbed the mask from her face. She dried herself with the blanket, then loosened her braids to brush her hair. She would go to the man she loved as a female, not as a tiva. She would seize this wondrous event before the chance was lost forever.
Do not punish my family and people for this deed, Atah, for I must have him. I must know love this one time. If it is Your will, I will return to my duty when I reach my camp. If he is my destiny, guide us and protect us as we seek Your path to each other.
As Kionee turned, Stalking Wolf approached. He had feared she left camp to sleep elsewhere to avoid temptation. He had come to tell her he would not press her to surrender to him if she returned to her mat near him. The sight of moonglow splashing over her naked body, unbound hair, and lovely face was breath-stealing. He halted, stared, and the words caught in his throat.
“I will be yours for this moon, Stalking Wolf, but that is all I have to offer you. Unless Atah changes my destiny once more. Until He does, I must remain a tiva. Do you accept those terms and honor my vow?”
Stalking Wolf hurried to her and said, “It will be as you say, my love, but I will convince the Great Spirit and your people to let us join.”
“You must say nothing to my people about joining with me, for I live as a man and you must not reveal you know the truth. Swear it.”
“I swear it, but the Great Spirit will help us.”
“If it is not the destiny He wants for us. He will not. You must understand and accept that bitter truth. To battle it will bring great trouble and perils to us and my tribe.” To me, certain death. “This has been our way since the beginning when Atah created us; it will not change because we desire it to. When you face a band too large and strong to fight, you do not, for it would be rash and fatal. It is the same with my laws; do not challenge them with the misguided hope you can win me with skills and cunning. It would be as if I asked you to throw away the Sacred Arrows and to forget Sweet Medicine’s prophecy. These are our beliefs and customs; they are as binding and important to me as yours are to you. To betray them by leaving my rank is unforgivable and dangerous. My love for you is great, but I cannot accept it by destroying others.”
“I will retreat when and if the time comes to do so,” Stalking Wolf promised.
“It will come, my love, have no doubt. I live in a trap which I cannot escape without harming others; that would be wrong and cruel, selfish.”
“Then I will share your captivity as long as possible.”
Stalking Wolf removed his shirt and tossed it to the ground. As he continued to undress, Kionee admired his virile body. She saw Sun Dance scars and the Strong Heart symbol on his chest; marks of the grizzly on one arm. His waist was narrow; his stomach, flat and taut. She noticed that his long legs—which had been covered during the winter—were lighter than the brown of his torso and face. As he stripped off his loincloth, she realized the area it concealed was even lighter, almost shaded white when compared to Indian flesh. Dark, curly hair surrounded his manroot, which was already thickened in eagerness to enter her body and seek pleasure there.
That sight did not frighten or discourage her. Her gaze lifted to fuse with Stalking Wolfs, who stood still for her appreciative study. She smiled.
The warrior’s gaze took in her features. “You are beautiful, Kionee, more so than any woman I have seen.” he whispered as he caressed her cheek. “It brings joy and pleasure to gaze upon you without your mask and garments. My spirit soars when I touch you. My body burns to possess yours. I have loved no woman but you.” He cupped her chin and kissed her as his arms banded her body and removed all space between them. Her breasts were warm and titillating against him. His fingers trailed up and down her spine as his mouth feasted on hers.
Kionee’s arms encircled his waist and her palms flattened against his back. She felt her nipples grow erect and was aware of a strange tensing in her woman’s region. She knew she had made the right choice.
Stalking Wolf lowered them to the thick grass and lay half atop her. His left hand brushed over her breast peaks and caused her to quiver. His mouth journeyed her face, pressing kisses everywhere. His fingers stroked her sides before claiming her breast once more. He drifted his mouth down her throat and fastened it to one bud. He heard Kionee gasp, and felt her arch her back a moment at the sensation. His tongue swirled around the nipple as his hand fondled the firm mound.
Kionee’s fingers entwined in his thick hair. She seemed warm and tingly from head to feet. She relished his bare skin next to hers. Her hands danced over his shoulders as she let herself explore his torso. When his hand slipped lower and lower with its caresses, she tensed in anticipation of giving herself to him. She moaned in bliss and parted her thighs to allow him access to all her secrets.
Stalking Wolf kissed her as he arouse
d her with his fingers and skills. He savored the way she sighed and wiggled and stroked his back. His tongue played with hers and he nibbled at her lips. He labored with love and tenderness until he knew she was ready for more. With his mouth capturing hers with heady kisses, he eased atop her and entered. Knowing she was pure in body, he was gentle and unrushed. From her reaction, he had not pained her; even so, he hesitated a moment to relax her.
Kionee had been active all of her life, so the union did not create much discomfort, and that passed quickly in the heat of desire. She was too aroused to feel anything other than love and rapture. She was eager for each thrust and caress and kiss, and responded to all of them.
Stalking Wolf knew he was giving as much pleasure as he was receiving. He was glad he knew how to enflame her and how to sate her. He wanted her to remember this moment always. He wanted it to be as special and satisfying for her as it was for him. He strove to tantalize her beyond thought or control, and accomplished his goal. He realized when she was at the pinnacle of release as she writhed beneath him and her kisses deepened and quickened. He drove with speed and purpose to carry her over that last boundary.
As the passion uncurled within her, Kionee clung to Stalking Wolf. Her womanhood seemed to quiver with delight as ecstasy consumed her. She had believed the experience would be enjoyable, but it was magnificent. She was fulfilled at last. She had won the man of her heart; she belonged to him in all but one way. She now knew what she had been missing and what she would miss later. But she had this joyous memory and would not regret it. She would love and desire Stalking Wolf until she left Mother Earth for the stars. If Atah was kind and generous, He would make her dreams come true.
Stalking Wolf moaned and tensed as his climactic moment arrived. He cherished every sensation to the fullest, and the woman who provided them. His heart brimmed with love and happiness. Kionee was his, at least for tonight and until they reached the joint encampment. But she would remain his forever if he could find any way to free her from her rank.
“You are my love, Kionee. My heart swells like a flooding river. I have never known such joy, pleasure, and peace.”
She gazed into his eyes and knew he spoke the truth. Her fingers placed his long hair behind his ears so she could see his face better in the light of the brilliant full moon. “You are my love, Stalking Wolf. My heart overflows with happiness. The pleasure was large, and your skills on the mat are many. My heart sings just to look upon you, to hear your voice, to feel your touch. We are as one this moon.”
The Cheyenne lowered his head and kissed her in gratitude. He thanked the Great Spirit for bringing them together long ago and tonight. He cherished her as he held her in his embrace. “Yes, my love, we are as one this moon.”
A short distance away, Maja rose and returned to camp. He sensed a strong bond had been made between his companion and the warrior. Kionee had someone now who was closer to her than he was. He lifted his head and howled at a loss he could not understand.
Kionee heard the odd-sounding wail which seemed filled with sadness and longing. “Maja has no mate, as is the way of the lone wolf when his pack has died or been slain. Others will not accept him. He lives as I do, apart from others and without fulfillment,” she observed sadly. “Now we must bathe and return.”
“Will you leave off your mask until the sun rises so I can look upon you longer?” the warrior entreated.
Kionee smiled and nodded, elated that he found her appearance pleasing. She took his hand and was helped to her feet. After rinsing in the cool river and drying off with the damp trade blanket, she gathered her things and followed him to their camp. She saw Maja lift his head, look at her, then lower it to his front paws again. She sat down and stroked the jealous creature. “Do not fear, Maja; you will always be my friend and companion. I also love you.” She hugged the animal, and he nestled close after she lay down on her mat.
“If I could be that near you all the time, I would ask Maheoo to change me into a wolf,” Stalking Wolf jested.
Kionee laughed. “Do not, for I like you as you are.”
His gaze roamed her face as he smiled. “Sleep well.”
“It will be the best sleep I have known.”
“The same is true for me.”
The happy couple journeyed for many days along the riverbank in a tranquil canyon to reach the Powder River basin. There, after checking tracks and signs, they headed eastward to spy on their target, both ever alert and ready to defend each other with their lives if necessary. They were forced to resist their desires to mate again as it was perilous to be that distracted where Crow had passed recently and others could come along at any time.
At night in sites well selected for concealment and defense, the couple snuggled and kissed and whispered, with Maja lying on Kionee’s other side and noticeably resigned to the new situation.
As they lay close together, they told each other about their pasts and their tribes. By the time they reached the edge of the plains and the landscape altered its face, they seemed to know almost everything about each other and the two tribes; and their bond was tighter and closer than ever.
A seemingly endless expanse of gentle knolls and flat terrain stretched out before Kionee and Stalking Wolf. They took care to conceal themselves well as they rode amid the hills and streams. Wildflowers were plentiful, but a variety of short and tall grasses now outnumbered them. Hawks, falcons, and eagles soared overhead as they hunted prey with their keen eyes. Ground squirrels, voles, rabbits, mice, and sometimes a weasel darted about; and many of them used deserted or stolen prairie dog burrows for homes, as did rattlesnakes.
They saw coyotes, pronghorns, and deer. Small herds of buffalo roamed the area, their large and dark bodies easily sighted; but the largest herds were farther ahead.
The sky was clear and blue, but storms were frequent and violent and short this time of year. In the vast openness, one could be seen coming for a long way as it built to ominous level. Huge rainbows often followed them. With nothing to block the view, lightning put on dramatic displays.
Days appeared longer on the plains because there was nothing of great height by which to shade the extensive landscape. Distance was deceptive and had to be judged using markers, pace, and past knowledge.
During a rest stop, Kionee said, “Atah created Mother Earth and the animals for people’s use, and they cannot be owned. But the Bird Warriors try to claim them and keep others from those hunting grounds. Each season their number grows and they want to control more land. The canyon of wind where we live in the cold season is a good place to camp. I believe they have cast their greedy eyes upon it. If we do not frighten them away after the buffalo hunt, they will come to claim it and take my tribe captive. My people do not want war and deaths, but they push them upon us. Soon Hanueva will become warriors as often as we are hunters. That is bad. We must increase and hone our fighting skills and stay ready to battle them.”
“Perhaps it is time to leave the canyon of wind and to live near strong allies. Our People will welcome yours and will help protect them.”
“I do not know if my people will agree. Do you seek a path to keep me near you?” she teased.
“It is a clever trick, but that was not my thought. I do not want the Crow to capture any Hanueva; I would track and slay anyone who took you as a slave. Perhaps I will camp with your tribe this winter for defense.”
“You must not. To do so will summon suspicion about us. Atah controls our destinies; He chooses when we live and die. It matters not where we are or who is guarding us when our dark moon rises.”
“Between hunts, Crow will try to raid our camps to count coup. The first ones of the new season are important to their ranks, and they have need of more horses to carry home their meat and hides. If we show them we are too strong and cunning to be defeated, they will seek others to raid.”
Days later at dusk, Kionee and Stalking Wolf left their horses behind a hill and sneaked toward the Crow encampment. They halted t
heir approach and lay on their stomachs on a grassy knoll. In the distance, they counted many colorfully painted tipis. Horses were picketed beside them; weapons’ stands were near the entrances. Women cooked over buffalo chip fires as children raced about playing games. Some men stood in groups talking and planning. Others sat on rush mats and tossed marked bones from a wooden bowl. It was obvious the camp was set up and ready to begin its summer tasks.
“This was a good place,” Stalking Wolf whispered. “Water is in three directions. Trees grow on their banks for wood, and chips are plentiful in the grass. Many buffalo graze in all directions. Other game is nearby. No enemy band can reach them without being sighted in time for defense.”
“How far away is your people’s camp?” Kionee asked.
“Three suns’ ride toward the Medicine Bow forest,” he answered.
“We travel to it after this moon?”
“Yes.”
Their sad gazes locked in understanding; they had only three days of privacy left. Loud hoops and thundering hooves seized their strayed attention. They crouched low for a minute, then—with caution—peered over the knoll toward the enemy camp to assess their peril.
14
KIONEE AND STALKING WOLF saw warriors racing about the village and whooping in exhilaration as they challenged each other to see whose horse was the fastest and which rider was the most skilled.
“We must go, Kionee,” Stalking Wolf commanded. “They could ride this way. They are too many to battle and defeat. If we are captured, we will be slain. I know a safe place to camp.”
Kionee followed him with vigilance to their horses and Maja, who had guarded the animals and their flank against a sneak attack. Both thanked the intelligent and fearless wolf and stroked its head before they mounted. They backtracked a safe distance to where hills would protect them from view, then headed southeast, making certain to conceal their tracks for a lengthy time. They traveled in the great basin of Thunder until near darkness blanketed the grasslands beneath a waning half-moon. They halted for the night in a cluster of trees on a streambank.
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