Thunder Horse – Chapter 11
[67]
Two weeks passed by quickly in the camp, and everything had returned to normal. The storehouse was full, the fields had been planted, the white men had almost disappeared from conversation, and the Utes had made no attempt to strike back, but neither had they agreed to a treaty. It was the hottest part of summer, and Thunder Horse felt that it was a good time to spend some time alone with his wife. He brought up the subject one morning as they sat beneath a low hanging tree, sharing a breakfast of fresh berries.
"I have been thinking about our paradise." He said. "I think it is time that we went back there for a while." Stands froze, her mouth open ready to receive a plump blackberry. A smile spread across her face.
"Really! I would love to see it again. Do you think we could?"
"Yes, I would like to swim in the pool. It would feel very nice on a hot day like today. Don't you think so?"
"Yes! It would be wonderful!" The memory of the last time flickered in her mind and she longed to be there again.
"I'll bet the water is not cold now." She said, blushing at the memory of their last visit.
"It is a long journey from here. We would have to sleep out on the prairie the first night. You won't be afraid will you?" He popped a berry into his mouth and bit down. The juice exploded, sliding out the corner of his mouth and leaving a trail down his chin. Stands rushed in to catch it on her lips. She sucked the sticky sweet juice from the corner of his mouth; then she gently kissed his lips.
"You will be with me. I won't be afraid of anything if you are there." She laid her head on his knee and he smiled down at her.
"We would have to stay four or five days at least, to make it worth the journey. Would that be alright?" He asked, seductively tracing the features of her face with his fingertip.
"Just you and me, alone together? I would be very happy." She promised. He lovingly ran his fingers through her long hair.
"The journey would be very hard. It is hot on the prairie, and there is not much shade like we have here." He indicated the tree that sheltered them from the sun that was already uncomfortably hot.
"Even hotter than working in the vegetable garden all day?" She asked.
"About the same." He caressed her ear lobe.
"If you can find the way in the dark, we could travel at night. It will be cooler then." She suggested.
"I think I can find it in the dark. You are very smart Stands. That is a good idea." Thunder praised her.
"Don't act so surprised." She said, pretending to be offended. He laughed softly.
"I am not surprised. I would not have married you if you had not been as wise as you are beautiful."
"What are you going to do today?" Stands asked.
"Wind in His Hair and I are going to take Smiles a lot, Otter, and Worm to the woods and teach them how to make a bow. They will be braves soon. It is time that they learned."
"And why don't their fathers teach them?" Stands asked.
"Their fathers will teach them how to shoot it. You know my bows are best. They should learn how to make them from me." He explained. She raised an eyebrow at his arrogance.
"Well, since you put it that way…" She laughed.
"And what will you do today?" He asked.
"I will be tanning hides I imagine. Your recent buffalo hunt has left me much work to do."
"Good. It will keep you out of trouble." He teased. She sat up and climbed up in his lap. She tossed her arms around his neck and kissed him hard on the mouth.
"I can think of some trouble that we both could get into." She purred. She felt his lips curl into a smile beneath hers.
"Here? Where everyone can see?" He asked, pointing again towards the three adolescent boys whose eyes were now on her. Stands rolled her eyes and frowned, and then slid off of her husband's lap.
"Do not worry wife. When we get to our paradise, I am going to hide your clothes and we can get into all sorts of trouble together." That made her smile once more.
"I will make an announcement at tribal council tonight, and we will leave in two days. Can you wait until then?" He leaned over to her and kissed her cheek.
"If I must." She sighed. She gathered the empty berry bowl and left her husband sitting under the tree.
[68]
When the sun had dropped below the horizon two days later, Stands and Thunder Horse were preparing to head out. The entire village had come to see them off. Pretty Shield hugged Thunder Horse and told him that she expected him to get them both back home safely. She pulled Stands aside and slipped a packet of herbs into the palm of her hand.
"Make a tea with these herbs and serve it with your evening meal each night while you are away. With any luck, you will leave here as two and come back as three." She whispered in Stands' ear. Stands thanked her and tucked the packet into her bedroll. She mounted her horse and Thunder did the same. Everyone called out their farewells, and wishes for a safe return as they rode off to the west.
"By my estimation, we still have a couple of hours of daylight left. When it gets dark, you need to ride close by my side." He advised. Even though the sun was not high in the sky, the temperature had dropped only slightly. There was an occasional breeze that helped to cool things down a little.
"It was a really good idea to travel at night." He repeated. Stands felt a sense of pride for having thought of it.
They rode together and made small talk about how wonderful it would be when they reached their destination. They talked about the prairie that stretched out around them in every direction. Soon it grew darker and their perimeter of site grew smaller and smaller, until they could barely see 20 feet in front of them. Fortunately the moon was bright and sufficient to light the path before them.
In preparation of their trip, both of them had slept through the day. They had planned to ride straight through till morning, but after just five hours, Stands was struggling to stay awake. Thunder sensed that she was sleepy. She yawned often, and nodded off several times, lulled by the slow rhythm of her horse's gait. He sang to her, thinking that might help to keep her awake, but it only seemed to make matters worse. He was worried that she would doze off and fall off her horse.
"Do you want to stop for a few hours and sleep?" He asked when she was suddenly jolted from her sleep yet again.
"Are you tired?" She asked, groggily.
"Yes." He lied.
"We could stop for a little while if you think it is alright." She agreed. Thunder began looking for a good place to stop. When he found it, he climbed off his horse, untied his bedroll, and spread it out on the ground. He helped Stands down and the two of them left the horses to graze in the grass. When Stands went to get her own bedroll, Thunder took hold of her hand.
"We will share mine." He said, taking her hand and leading her to bed. They fell asleep right away. Thunder slept lightly, keeping one eye open. He woke Stands up before daybreak and they were back on the trail, refreshed.
[69]
As daylight made it easier to see, Stands noticed that her husband was deep in thought. After a moment, he broke the silence.
"Stands." He continued once he was sure that he had her attention. "When you are out on the prairie, there are dangers that you need to be mindful of. Even though you can see everything all around you, you must never forget that you are not alone out here. The Utes, the Pawnee, the Cherokee and the Blackfoot, and now the white people…all of them are dangerous to meet out here. You must always be alert. You can see far in the distance, but you can also be seen. There are few places to hide out here, and it is hard to know what lies over the next hill."
"I understand. Are you worried?" She asked cautiously looking round.
"No. If anyone were near, I would know it. You are safe here with me now, but never forget. An enemy need not be close to hurt you. An arrow flies far on the prairie." Stands nodded.
"When possible, stick to the tree-line. The woods will provide cover, and there are a lot of places to hide if you sense danger."
"There is much to know to be a warrior." She observed. Stands didn't know why she would ever need to know any of it, but he seemed to need to share it, so she listened. She loved the sound of his voice, and she thought of what a good teacher and father he would make. She hoped that Pretty Shield's special tea worked. Life could not be so cruel as to rob her of her child and leave her barren. She needed to be a mother, and Thunder deserved to be a father.
[70]
They arrived at the base of their mountain around mid-day, just as they were beginning to feel the effects of the sun beating down from above. Instead of dismounting, Thunder circled around and found a place where he could lead the horses up the side of the rocks. Eventually he stopped and dismounted.
"We will have to walk the horses the rest of the way. The path is too narrow and steep for us to ride up and this is the best place to dismount." He helped her down and turned over the reins of her horse. She followed him on the narrow ledge.
"Why don't we leave the horses at the bottom?" She asked.
"Anyone who passed by would see them and know that we were nearby. If they looked for us, they would find us before we even knew they were here. Also, the horses could be stolen or they could wander off. It is a long walk back home." He explained. They walked the horses through the narrow path behind the bushes to the clearing where they turned them loose to graze.
"Come with me." Thunder instructed. Stands followed obediently. They walked back down the path and followed the trail back down the mountain. Thunder scanned the woods until he found a broken branch lying on the ground. He picked it up and reached for Stand's hand, leading her back up the mountain.
"Do you see the tracks that the horses made in the sand?" He pointed at the ground.
"Yes, I see them."
"Sweep them away with a branch like this until it looks like the ground is undisturbed. Walk backwards and sweep away your own tracks." Stands took the branch from him and swept the path with it as he had demonstrated.
"Like this?" She asked
"Yes, that is good." When they were back on the path that passed through the rocks, Thunder took the stick from her.
"I don't know about you, but I'm ready for a dip in the cool water." He suggested.
"Me too! It is so hot!" She fanned herself with her hand. "Should we unpack the horses first?" She asked.
"I'll do it, but first things first." Thunder grabbed Stands and pressed her back up against the rock wall. He kissed her passionately, taking her breath away. His lips tasted her neck as he slowly began to undress her.
"I have thought of nothing but this for days." He admitted. Her tunic fell to the ground around her feet.
"Never in my life have I ever wanted anything the way that I want you." She loved the way he talked to her when they were alone together like this. His words thrilled her every bit as much has his touch.
"Every day, my need for you is stronger. You are a part of my soul, like a river that runs through me." She clung to him as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her body against him. "Like a fire that burns from within." He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her to the edge of the water. He sat her gently on her feet and she silently helped him remove his clothes. With his back to the water he looked at her and smiled, then spread his arms and fell backwards into the pool. He disappeared beneath the surface for a moment and then resurfaced with a huge grin on his face. Stands followed his lead and jumped in, splashing water in his face as she broke the surface. When she emerged, they made their way to the middle and to each other.
"Thank you for bringing me back here." Stands said, as he pulled her into his arms.
"I don't know where life will take us," He said, "But I will always remember you here…without your clothes…soaking wet…smiling." They kissed. "I will never know anything more beautiful than that."
"I love you. My heart is so full." She mumbled, trying not to cry. She clung to him in a moment of seriousness which quickly turned to playfulness as she tried to dunk him under the water, and he retaliated by doing the same. Their laughter filled the air. They were having so much fun together that they had forgotten about everything else. Suddenly they were reminded when the horses wandered over to the water's edge for a drink. Noticing that they were still loaded down with their supplies, Thunder reluctantly swam to the edge and began to climb out. Stands followed.
"No, I will get this. You stay here. Enjoy your swim. I'll be back soon." Stands admired her husband's physique as he walked over to the horses, and began unpacking them.
"What are you looking at?" He asked.
"Hmmm?" She asked. He smiled.
"You are staring." He pointed out.
"Well do you know how handsome you are?" She asked. "Or how I feel knowing that you are mine?" Thunder laughed at the way she turned his own words back on him. Stands let him get his work done. She moved to the waterfall. The water showered down on her head, gently massaging her scalp. She worked her fingers through her hair from the scalp to the ends. She ran her hands over her body, making sure to get all the crevices, under her arms, beneath her breasts, between her legs. She didn't hear him slip up behind her. She didn't know that he had been watching her with growing interest. She felt his hands on her hips first.
"Me next." He yelled to be heard over the roar of the waterfall. She turned in his arms and looked at him.
"I can see you are quite dirty." She ran her hands over his skin.
"I meant that it was my turn to wash you, but this is good too." He grinned. By the time they had finished their shower, Thunder had that look in his eyes. It was a look that Stands knew well. When they made love, sometimes is romantic and tender. Other times it was playful, but then there were the times like this when her husband's desire was so great that it could not be denied. Those times were wild and passionate. He did not hurt her, but he was not gentle. The look in his eyes excited her.
"You are going to take me, aren't you?" She asked him. He grinned deviously and nodded. Stands jumped in the water and swam to the bank. He was right behind her. She squealed and playfully tried to run, but he caught her easily and pulled her to the ground. The grass was soft and it tickled her back. He did glorious things to her as he feasted on her breasts. Her own passion grew until she could not restrain herself. She placed her hands on his shoulders and gently pushed him lower. He knew what she wanted, and quickly positioned his body to comply. She draped her long legs over his shoulders, and coiled her fingers through his hair. Her boldness magnified his need. He sucked her clit into his mouth, and lovingly assaulted her with his tongue, causing a most intense pleasure to radiate through her.
"Ouch!" He said. "I'd like to have some hair left when we get through." Stands hadn't realized that she had been pulling his hair and quickly released her grip.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She gasped, burying her fingers in the grass instead, but he had already continued and she was instantly delirious.
"I love you! This feels so good!" She cried out as he greedily devoured her.
"I can't!" She cried. "Please!" In one seamless move he lunged forward and buried himself deep inside her with great force. Their bodies collided repeatedly, each impact pushing them closer to the edge, until they could not hold on any longer. He collapsed on top of her, panting. They held tightly to each other as the heat from the afternoon sun warmed their skin.
[71]
"Where should we sleep tonight?" Stands asked, shaking out a buffalo hide.
"Under the willow tree will be perfect I think. I will start working on a tipi tomorrow." Thunder announced.
"We didn't bring one." She reminded him.
"I will go into the woods below and find wood for the poles." He explained.
"Will you also kill the animals and tan their hides to make the canopy?" She teased.
"No, but next time, the poles will be here and you can just pack a canopy." Stands was happy that he was already planning for the next time. She spread the buffalo skin on the ground under the willow tree, then opened their bedrolls and laid them out side-by-side on top of it. Thunder sat a few feet away, whittling on a long straight branch that he cut from one of the trees in the clearing.
"What are you making?" Stands asked.
"I am making a spear." He demonstrated by jabbing the end in the air. "Come sit with me and I will show you how."
"I should fix your dinner. Are you not hungry?"
"Yes, a little, but we can do that in a minute." Stands walked over and sat beside him on the ground.
"All you need to make a spear is a long straight stick and a knife. You can leave the bark on, or take it off, but it needs to be sharp on one end. Always aim the knife away from you like this." He demonstrated how to shave the wood away, leaving a sharp point on one end.
"What will you use this spear for?" She asked.
"In the morning, I am going to teach you to fish." He took the spear he had been working on and handed it to Stands, along with his knife. She whittled away at the end as he demonstrated.
"Next thing you'll be teaching me how to make a bow like I was a young brave." She teased.
"I have to save something for the day after tomorrow." Thunder grinned and then pushed himself up off the ground and went to pick up some sticks to make a fire.
[72]
"How is this?" Stands asked. Thunder Horse paused to look at the tip of the spear that Stands was holding up.
"That is good!" He took his knife back from her and slid it into its sheath on his hip.
"Put it over by the tree." He pointed. When she returned, he had a small fire started, and she reached for another log to help build it up.
"Not too big. You don't want anyone to see the smoke." Stands left the fire to her husband and instead walked to the water's edge where she scooped up a pot full of water. She sat it in the fire to heat, and then retrieved their food and Pretty Shield's tea from their luggage.
[73]
"What is that?" Thunder asked, when she handed him the cup to drink.
"It is tea." Thunder sniffed it cautiously and wrinkled his nose.
"It doesn't smell very good." He sipped it and spit it out. "And it tastes worse! Where did you get this?"
"Pretty Shield. She said it would help us to have a baby."
"And you believed her?" He questioned. Stands shrugged her shoulders.
"What harm could it do to try?" She reasoned. Thunder shrugged his shoulders, and downed the tea in one big gulp. Stands followed suit. They finished their dinner and retired to their pallet under the willow tree. The waterfall made a calming noise that was now accompanied by crickets and a lone bullfrog. Thunder felt the need to join in their symphony, so he pulled out his flute. Stands was happy to listen to him play.
"Will you teach me to play your flute?" She asked eagerly.
"If you like." He agreed. He explained the general idea to her and then gave it to her to try. The sound that came out of the instrument sounded little like the beautiful music that he made.
"I can't do it." She admitted, handing it back to him.
"Of course you can. It takes practice. You should have heard me when I first started to play."
"Were you bad?"
"Worse than you even. I sounded like a cat in heat." Stands laughed at the image.
"Will you play for me now?" She asked.
"Yes. Lay down and close your eyes. I will play you to sleep." Stands kissed him gently on the lips and then stretched out and closed her eyes. It had been a long, exciting day, and Stands was exhausted. She was softly snoring before he finished his second song. Thunder put his flute away. He rolled over on his side and molded his body around his wife's, then closed his eyes and slept.