Running Fire, Dancing Raino1
The girl sat on the ground in front of a weaving. Her tongue stuck through her two lips in deep concentration. Women around her worked hard on their chores. A boy, the girl's age, ran through the people. He dodged warriors and finally skidded to a stop beside the girl. He panted.
"Hello Little Crow." The girl greeted him calmly, not looking up from her work.
"Running Fire, what are you doing? I thought we were gonna ride up to the overlook today." Little Crow asked.
"Uh-uh." Running Fire shook her magnifecent head no. "I making something for Chief Eagle Feathers."
"Why?" Little Crow asked her in exasperation. "It's not a special occasion...is it?"
"No. But Grandma Many Horses told me that it would be a nice gestuer."
"And this has nothing to do with the fact that you got in trouble yesterday?" He cocked an eyebrow.
"We...We got in trouble yesterday. But you were forgiven because 'he will be a great warrior one day'." She snuffed.
"I will!" Little Crow said indignantly.
"Uh-huh." She said continuing to weave slowly. She threw her arm out and knocked Little Crow's leg out from under him. He fell in a heap beside her. "Great warrior, huh?" She said before laughing loudly, some women gave her disapproving looks.
"You caught me off guard." He said unhappily. "You're a slow weaver."
"Slower and less mistakes." She said. Little Crow looked at her work. There were holes and rips all through the weaving. He pointed them out to her, brushing her hand as he did so. He pulled back quickly.
"What about those?" He asked. Running Fire threw up her hands in defeat.
"Fine! Show me how it's done, O! Master of Weavery!" She smiled to herself as he corrected her mistakes easily and quickly. "And how does the great warrior Little Crow know how to weave?"
He blushed. "How did you learn how to hunt?"
"By watching you...Oho! You have been watching me Little Crow...or should I say Big Weasel?" She laughed heartily. "Tonight, when the moon is at its highest peak I'll be at the overlook." She winked before getting up and skipping away.
"Little Crow!" A voice called. Little Crow ran over to his father and brother.
The moon was at its highest peak in the night sky. Little Crow looked around him. The moon was full, and he could see everything. Sneaking out of the tepee had been easy, he clutched his bow tighter and stole silently into the woods. When he got to the overlook there was already a slight figure there. He whistled and she turned around.
"Little Crow!" Running Fire whispered happily. He sat next to her on the rock that was their seat. "Why'd you bring your bow and arrows?" He shrugged. "Is wittle Crow afwaid of the big ol' Pawnees?
"Shut up.." He said pushing her slightly. She tumbled off of the rock before springinh up and tickling him. He started tickling her too. He didn't notice when she stopped suddenly.
"Stop..No stop." She said. He stopped and looked at her. Running Fire's beautiful slanted eyes were wide with fear. "Listen." They listened.
"I don't hear anything.." He said heatedly.
"Believe me, it's not deer." She looked up at him. "Get off."
"What?" He asked.
"Get off of me."
"Oh." Little Crow clambered off of her, he had forgotten he had tackled and straddled her in their fight.
Suddenly he heard what she had wanted him to. Twigs snapping under unfamilar moccansins. The creaking of a bow as it was pulled back. He looked at Running Fire from where he was standing. She was leaning on her elbows and her silky black hair was in disarray. He suddenly realized that no matter what happened to him she could not get hurt.
"Run! Run back to the village!" Running Fire yelled at him, now on her feet.
"What?" He asked her as two Pawnee came out of the trees, their bows drawn.
"Run Little Crow! Warn the others!" She cried. She had grabbed Little Crow's bow and an arrow and was taking aim.
"No." He grabbed her arm, the Pawnees were getting closer. "You run. You run and save yourself. Please." Running Fire's face showed shock then she nodded.
"I'll run, but you warn the village." She pushed him down and he tumbled down the grassy hill on the other side of the overlook. She ran straight into the two Pawnees. They followed her as she ran through the woods away from the village. Another two came out of the woods in front of her. She turned and saw she was surrounded by the enemy. She sank to the forest floor in defeat. Two roughly grabbed her and tied her up, dragging her away as their hostage.
Meanwhile Little Crow had stopped rolling and was racing around the hill as fast as he could. He stopped him in the center of the village and yelled with all his might; "Help! Pawnee have captured Running Fire!" Running Fire heard his yell from the woods as they dragged her away. She smiled to herself before something hit her and everything faded away.