Tiopa Ki Lakota Part 9

Everyone turned to look at Anpo.

"The shamans will talk to his spirit and will know who slew him," the warrior continued, her face relaxed though her eyes were hard.

There was a general murmur from the other warriors as this was considered. While the hunting was over, it wasn't official, and no wars or vendettas could be fought until it was. All seemed to find it a good idea except the disputor.

"Hoh! There is no need! A wikoskalaka could never shoot an arrow with enough strength to kill tatanka!"

Anpo's eyes narrowed and she frowned. Around her, a good portion of the warriors from both camps growled, having seen the previous kills she'd made. A whisper of a memory crossed her mind. I will become better than most men.

The warrior refused to back up when the woman stepped forward to glare deeply into his eyes.

In a strong voice, Anpo asked, "Then you are afraid?"

Yatke's back stiffened even more. Pushing his face until it was a mere breath away from her own, he said, "I am not afraid of you or old men."

Undaunted, the young woman said, "Then you will abide by their decision?"

"If they decide against me, they will be wrong." He paused in thought. "But, I will abide by it."

A vision crossed Anpo's mind - the white woman with hair like the sun. "If the shamans decide in your favor, I will give you my best hunting pony. If they decide in my favor, you will give me the strange woman."

A flash of confusion briefly crossed Yatke's eyes. As all awaited his decision, he weighed the options. Up to this point, the pale woman had barely held her own, unable to understand the language or what was demanded of her as his woman and slave. It would be a loss of stature to lose her, no more than that. But, I will not lose.

Yatke smiled. "I agree. Let these wicasa," and he stressed the word, "be witness."

Wagmiza Wagna pointed to the nearest warrior still on his horse. "Go! Tell our shamans I have need of their counsel! And tell the rest of the camp this hunt is complete! Wana!"

The rider shot off at a full gallop, racing towards the camp.

There was some time before the messenger would return. In the meanwhile, warriors picked their way through the killing field, describing to each other the details of their kill.

Nupa remained at his friend's side. He cast sidelong glares at Yatke, who stood alone. "His head is full of feathers," he growled. "Anyone could see that you have the honor here, tanksi .".

Shrugging in feigned disinterest, Anpo looked over the field. "I told you, tiblo . I will have the honor only if it is to be." Her mind saw a head of golden hair, eyes of the deepest blue. Is it to be?

Her friend refused to respond to her skepticism.

Soon, the rider returned, two other ponies with him carrying the wise men of the joined camps. Behind the three could be seen the approaching camp, preparing to slaughter the kill and ready the evening's feast.

Inyan Ceye climbed from his steed. "There is a dispute?" he asked, looking at the young woman.

Before the warrior could respond, Yatke spoke up. "Hau ! There is!" He waved vaguely in Anpo's direction. "This... this... wikoskalaka," he sneered, "thinks the tatanka ska is hers. But she is not strong enough to slay it."

The shaman raised an eyebrow at Anpo who nodded in return. Turning to his comrade, a man about a dozen years senior, Inyan Ceye smiled. "Let's you and I have a look at tatanka ska so that we might ease these warriors' hearts and minds." And the two strode over and bent to their task.

As the women and girls picked over the carca.s.ses, identifying their mens' kills by the decorations on the weapons, the two older men pored over the white buffalo. Soon, they each took out a rattle and other tools of their trade. Nearby stood a gaggle of hoksila , watching the proceedings with avid interest. A pipe was smoked, a chant commenced with much rattling and fanfare as the shamans joined forces to speak with the dead animal's spirit.

Anpo stood tall and proud, keeping her anxiety and anger under control. You are better than most men, Wi Ile Anpo, she thought. Catching movement from the corner of her eye, she watched her opponent pace. And definitely better than this man. She could feel the flow of strength from her friend and her father who stood behind her.

No one stood behind Yatke.

When most of the slaughtering had been done, the two men finished their spiritual quest. Both dusted off their robes and put away their shamanic instruments. There was a low sound of their voices as they conferred. Apparently coming to an agreement, the pair approached the disputing parties.

The elder shaman of Yatke's camp spoke up. "We have come to a decision. Will you abide by it?"

Anpo bowed her head in agreement. "I will abide by your decision, wicahcala. And I will keep my part of the wager."

"And I," the other warrior spouted, stepping forward with irritation that the woman had spoken first.

Nodding, the older of the shamans stepped back, gesturing towards Inyan Ceye.

"We have walked the land of the spirits and spoken to many who witnessed this hunt," the younger shaman intoned, eyes closed. "We have found the spirit of tatanka ska and asked him his opinion of this matter between two of our best hunters." Inyan Ceye opened his eyes and they snagged the attention of all who surrounded them. "Tatanka ska knows that the warrior in the yellow shirt slew him."

There was a moment of silence as his statement sunk in. And then Nupa whooped and pounded his friend on the back, nearly knocking her over in excitement. Anpo's knees felt watery and it was all she could do to keep her feet as relief washed over her. And something else coursed through her blood - a trickle of fear.

Hehaka Yatke stood frozen, a look of disbelief on his face.

His chief, Mani, approached and studied the man for long seconds. "I am witness," he said softly, bringing the warrior back to the present and reminding him of his wager. "When you lose, do not lose the lesson."

Kathleen wiped her sweaty forehead on her shoulder, about the only part of her anatomy that wasn't currently covered in gore. She was blood to the elbows and smears of the red liquid were on her dress and moccasins. Butcherin's hard work, she thought in tired amazement. I've always wondered why Adam was so exhausted when he was done with the venison. The blonde hurriedly returned to skinning the animal she was working on when the old grandmother began an angry tirade.

That morning there'd been a huge party at the main fires. There had been a lot of ceremonies and dancing, though the blonde had been surprised that it hadn't lasted too long. Not as long as their suppers, anyway. And then most of the men had ridden out of camp as if all the hounds of h.e.l.l had been upon them. Kathleen had sensed quite a bit of excitement from everyone in the camp and was all out curious. But her command of the language was still minimal and impeded her eavesdropping on the women she lived with.

At mid morning, a lone rider had returned. The clatter of hooves had drawn all the natives close and Kathleen trailed behind, holding the boy child. She watched as the rider hurled himself from his saddle and pelted towards the huge tent in the center of camp. Others were obviously puzzled by his behavior because a low buzz of conversation arose and a few frowns could be seen. Within moments, however, the rider had stepped back out of the tent, a large smile gracing his face. He spoke up, loud and clear, and the people cheered before suddenly becoming very industrious.

Kathleen found herself divested of the child she was carrying and herded back towards the tent she lived in. From there, the two women gathered several utensils and pushed some of them into her hands. She was surprised to find herself holding an obsidian knife. Do they trust me with weapons now? she wondered. Further thought wasn't allowed, however, as she was pulled and prodded away from the camp.

It was then that she noticed all the other members of the camp doing the same, a ma.s.s migration to the south. Within a few minutes, the group arrived at a low plain. Scattered all across it were dead animals.

That's what was happenin'! Kathleen's blue eyes grew wide as she made the connection. T'were huntin' for game! And then she found herself being pulled along until they came to an animal. The women with her began the slaughtering, urging her close and mimicking which way she should use her own knife to cut the thick hide.

Nearby, a cl.u.s.ter of the men had gathered and the blonde had looked up from her work when she'd heard angry voices. She was surprised to find that one of them was the man with the yellow shirt, the one who'd been watching her intently for the few days the camps had been joined. The other was the man she was living with. He must really be mad about somethin', Kathleen thought fearfully. Memories of an abusive savage came to her, flashes of pain from her many violations, and she shuddered.

And then the two old men that Kathleen thought were priests of some sort began singing over the body of an unusual colored carca.s.s. Several men stood nearby and watched. Unable to fathom what they were about, the blonde returned her attention to her task. If he's mad already, I don't want ta give him cause ta beat me, she reasoned, slicing through the muscle of a leg to render the meat into smaller sizes. That he hadn't beat her before didn't cross her mind.

The words of his chief echoed in his head. "When you lose, do not lose the lesson." Yatke remained still, fighting the fury within at being bested by a wikoskalaka. But, what is the lesson?

His dark eyes regarded the young woman before him. Despite the p.r.o.nouncement from the shamans, she did not smile, did not gloat at him for his loss. She was tall and strong, taller than most of the men around her. In fact, had Yatke not known that she was wikoskalaka , he would have a.s.sumed she was koskalaka . The woman before him was a warrior and proud, though not vain or ill spirited. She is a fine example of a warrior.

That thought surprised him and his anger seemed to drain away. Yatke looked around the killing field, locating his family. The woman in question was helping to slaughter one of his kills. She has been wounded deep inside by the others, the people who had her before. She will never willingly accept my bed or bear my children. Glancing down at the carca.s.s of the white buffalo, he continued his train of thought. It is only fitting that the winyan jiji be given to the warrior who has slain tatanka ska.

With a nod to his chief, Yatke turned and left the group of men. He approached his family, receiving a hug from his son and listening to his young daughter chatter. A few words were spoken to his woman and his mother before he gestured at the blonde.

Kathleen, upon hearing the voice of the man she lived with, stopped her cutting and rose with the others. Unable to understand the language well, she watched blankly as he spoke to the other women. And then he waved her closer. The blonde recognized the word for 'come' in his chatter and approached with a wariness. Now, what? Is he still angry, then? Am I ta be beaten for somethin'? Does it start again? But a look into his eyes showed none of the flashing emotion.

She flinched just a bit when he grasped her upper arm and pulled her away from the others. Obediently, she came along, her brow furrowed in confusion. And then she was standing in front of the man with the yellow shirt.

Yatke literally handed the strange woman to the wikoskalaka. "I do not give this woman to you to pay a wager. I freely give her to honor your skill as a hunter and warrior of our people." He released the woman's arm and grinned. "Ask me anything to pay the wager due you."

Surprised at his change of heart, Anpo stared at him. Considering the bet, she said, "I will accept a pony so that the woman can ride."

He nodded and stepped back. "It shall be as you say. A pony for the wager." And then he turned to walked away.

It took a few moments for Kathleen to understand what exactly was going on. But, when she did, an icy hand gripped her heart and her blood pounded in her ears. He gave me away! she thought with horror. Oh, G.o.d! Now what will happen ta me!? Her ears picked up the conversation between the two men but she was frozen in fear. What if this one's like the last!? I don't think I can survive it again! Visions of her previous rapist filled her mind.

"Wait!" When he turned around, Anpo asked, "Does she have a name?"

Yatke shrugged. "I do not know. She was unable to tell us. We have used Jiji until she could speak to us." As the young woman was apparently satisfied with the response, he nodded and left.

"Your vision has come true, tanksi," Nupa grinned at his friend. "You have the honor of tatanka ska and the pale woman with hair like the sun!" He peered over her shoulder to look at the stranger. "Does this mean you will not move in with your cuwe's family when she marries?"

The pale woman's arm trembled beneath her grip and Anpo ignored her friend's joking. She is as scared as I! she marveled. But, why? Does she know of our destiny? The stranger's fear bolstered her own courage.

Kathleen stared at her filthy moccasins, blinking back tears. She heard the man speaking, but wasn't able to understand. And then, fingers were under her chin, bringing her face up to look at him. She peered into deep brown eyes that were full of curiosity, wonder and something else, something she couldn't quite define. The blonde's terror seemed to fade under the warrior's gaze, despite the b.l.o.o.d.y streaks that had been painted on his cheeks.

Eyes the blue of a deep lake. The world seemed to recede as their eyes locked. Anpo could hear her friend speaking, but couldn't hear the words. She also heard her father responding and the presence of them dissipated as they left the two women alone. "What is your name?" she asked.

There was a flash of confusion and, for the first time in weeks, Kathleen actually spoke up. "I don't know what ye want of me. I don't know yer words."

The musical tone of the woman's voice and language, despite its rustiness from lack of use, set Anpo back. A smile teased her lips. Her voice sounds like the birds and the wind playing through the trees.

She glanced quickly around, wanting to share this thought with someone, but no one was there. Most of the warriors and older children had helped the women gather the carca.s.ses and return to camp. Her mother and sister were working on the tatanka ska now that it had been decided the honor was Anpo's. Nearby were a handful of people, the shamans, the chiefs, her father and friend, and Yatke and his family.

Anpo returned her attention to the white woman. "What is your name?" she asked again. This time, she patted her chest and stated, "Anpo." This was followed by her palm pressing into the woman's chest and a raised eyebrow.

My name! He wants ta know my name! Blue eyes lit up in comprehension and joy. None of the others had ever asked before. With an almost shy smile, she said, "Kathleen. I am Kathleen." She patted her own chest while using the name.

The warrior before her nodded. "Ketlin," was repeated, the accent making it sound exotic.

"Yes!"

Anpo sucked in a breath at the brilliant smile and couldn't help but return it. As she still had hold of the woman's arm, she brought her to the tatanka ska. "Ina ," the warrior said, interrupting the women's labors. "Cuwekala . This is Ketlin. She is my woman now and will help you. Teach her what she needs to know."

Hca Wanahca smiled and rose to her feet. "Ohan , mitankala . I will teach her." She held out a bundle of skin that held two livers on it. "When we are finished with tatanka ska I will have Ketlin bring you the last piece." With a welcome gesture, she urged the pale woman towards her. "Come here, Ketlin."

Kathleen saw the strong resemblance between the man and the woman who was waving her closer. Siblings, then? Like me an' Stewart? She heard the word for 'come' followed by her name and approached. Soon she was helping to slaughter the final animal that was left on the field.

Nupa approached his friend with a wry smile on his face. "You look like hehaka just when he realizes he is being hunted, eyes wide and frozen in stillness."

Shaking herself from her reverie, the young woman pushed him with a shoulder. "I look no different from you when you eat at my father's fire," she teased, indicating her sister with her chin.

His eyes narrowed and the smile faded. "Is that the way it is between you and the white woman?" he asked. "Do you feel for her what I feel for Hca?"

Anpo grimaced, the good humor gone for the moment. "I do not know, tiblo. I just know that Ketlin and I have a destiny to share for good or ill."

Deciding to lighten the mood, Nupa laughed and slapped his friend on the back. "You have slain the tatanka ska, tanksi! It will be for good! I know it!!" He pulled her towards the remaining people gathered. "Come! They are nearly finished with their work. There will be a grand feast to celebrate!"

Pushing the confusion and fears away, Anpo joined in his laughter and allowed herself to be led away. But her eyes continued to track the white woman's movements. The vision lives, in reality as well as my heart. What will I do that will cause her to bleed?

After sharing the two livers out with the remaining men, Anpo and the others wandered back to the camp. There, a gathering was already beginning at the main fire, the warriors and their sons and younger brothers and elders. The tales were already being told fast and furious, the smaller children's eyes wide at the descriptions of the hunt that had just concluded.

Upon their arrival, s.p.a.ce was made for the important men of the camp, the chiefs and shamans. Wagmiza Wagna cheerfully cleared the s.p.a.ce to his left and waved the young woman forward. "Here, wikoskalaka! Sit here with me!"

Flushing, Anpo looked to Wicasa Waziya Mani who was being displaced from the honored position.

The younger chief smiled and gestured her closer. "Please, Anpo. It would honor me for you to sit here between us."

A bit nervous, the young woman nodded and settled down. Such honor for one of only sixteen winters. And the woman! I do not know if I am worthy of this. Her uneasiness faded, however, as the normal pattern of things a.s.serted themselves. Pipes were pulled out, tales were spun and around the camp, women and girls were preparing the feast, the boys raced off to re-enact the stories they'd heard.

Anpo's attention was drawn away from one of the speakers when she saw the yellow hair of her woman. My woman. She shook her head at the thought and banished it for the moment, the complications of it too much to deal with for now. Ketlin. I wonder what her name means.

Kathleen had been cleaned up a bit after she and the other women brought the rest of the buffalo back to camp. The girl that was with her - Hca. Her name is Hca. - had put a skin with the liver of the animal they'd slaughtered in her hands. She was then led to the large gathering at the main fire.

"You must give this to Anpo," Hca said, giving the pale woman a gentle shove in her sister's direction.

Hearing the name, Kathleen looked about and found the man in the yellow shirt. She nodded her understanding, though the words weren't making sense. I'm ta give this ta him. With hesitant steps, she moved forward and around the group of men, painfully aware of the many eyes that followed her.

Anpo watched the woman approach, her attention so drawn away from the current speaker that his voice droned on into silence. Is it because of my vision that her presence does this to me? Or is it her power over me? came the concerned thought. And do I have the same power over her?

Eyes downcast, Kathleen knelt down beside the man in the yellow shirt and handed the skin to him. As he took it, she risked a glance at his face. He is handsome, the idle thought pa.s.sed. When she was relieved of her package, she prepared to rise and return to the woman waiting for her.

Taking the liver of tatanka ska, the young warrior found the irony of its delivery amusing. It is only fitting Ketlin be the one to give it to me. But, when the blonde tried to rise, she reached out and grabbed the woman's wrist, forcing her to remain kneeling just behind her and to one side.

The firm hand on her wrist startled her and Kathleen flinched a little. She swallowed the sudden burst of fear in her heart and remained where she was. Is he displeased? she worried. When the man pulled a knife out of a pouch hanging from his neck, she trembled.

Around the pair, the stories had halted, all intent on what was unfolding before them. The wikoskalaka released the pale woman's wrist and brought her attention to the liver of the tatanka ska in her lap. With great care, she sliced off a bit of the organ and turned back to the pale woman.

Kathleen heard her name and peered fearfully up into kind brown eyes. He's not displeased, then, she thought with such a great sense of relief that she was happy to be on her knees and not standing. T'wouldn't do ye good ta faint, la.s.s. Instead, he held a piece of the liver towards her lips, indicating she should eat it. Her stomach roiled a bit at the thought of the raw meat on her tongue coupled with the tension of the morning.

"Ketlin, you should share in the spirit of tatanka ska. It is because of him that you and I are together." Anpo watched the woman's skin go whiter with a vague sense of wonder. Soon she will be the color of tatanka ska himself!

The blonde swallowed her bile and forced herself to take the bit of meat. Even as her tongue cringed from it, the taste of the flesh surprised her. It's.... It's... rather good! she thought with amazement. Her stomach seemed to settle a bit and she finished her treat with a bit more relish.

The surprise in the blue eyes caused Anpo to grin a bit. As the white woman ate the meat, she turned back to the liver and sliced it up into small chunks. Taking one for herself, she handed the skin of meat to Mani beside her. "Let all of us enjoy the strength and spirit of tatanka ska."

Her generosity elicited a murmur of comment from the gathered men and boys. The skin was pa.s.sed around until all had enjoyed a piece of liver from the sacred animal.

Hca touched Kathleen gently on the shoulder, having come up behind her. She smiled down at the fearful woman and beckoned her. "Come, Ketlin. It is time to clean up and prepare the feast."

The blonde woman nodded and rose. She followed the man's sister with a final glance back at the gathering. I wonder if he's always as gentle as this?

The camp had been set up along a river and it was here that Hca Wanahca led the stranger. Most of the women of the camp were already here, swimming and cleaning themselves and their clothing before beginning work on the night's meal and the skins. They chattered and laughed as they worked and played, enjoying the brief respite from their tasks.

Hca began removing her dress, using her hands to indicate that Kathleen was to do the same. Waniyetu Gi was already in the water, talking with her maske nearby.

Blushing, the blonde removed her b.l.o.o.d.y clothing and moccasins, mentally preparing for the onslaught of stares and comments and touches and pinches that usually happened during bathing time with these people. As expected, a hush grew over the group of women, all eyes studying her skin and hair and freckles with curious intensity. She flushed further in her embarra.s.sment and stepped into the cold water.

The young woman with her heard the quiet and looked about with a frown. Seeing the other women's stares, she planted her hands on her bare hips and glared back at them. "Han , you!" she called out, garnering their attention. "Did your mothers raise you to be rude or is it something you learned as adults?" Hca demanded.