Thunder Horse – Chapter 12
[74]
Stands With A Fist stood in water almost waist deep. The same water that flowed over the mountain and into their swimming hole emptied into the riverbed where she was now stalking her prey. She held the spear in the ready position, waiting to strike.
"Be careful, don't stab your foot." Her husband coached from the bank. She looked back at him and rolled her eyes. She thought he looked very smug. He was stretched out on the ground under a shade tree, his back propped against the trunk, and his arms folded behind his head.
"Stand still! You'll scare the fish away." He advised.
"You come and do it." She complained. He hopped up and walked out to her.
"Here, let me show you how it is done." He offered, refusing to take the spear that she offered to him. Instead, he stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her.
"First, you've got to hold the spear down a little closer to the water. You have it way too high." He rubbed up against her, driving her to distraction. He added his hands to the spear.
"You have to be very still so that the fish will not swim away from you. Now wait, and watch carefully." Suddenly he jabbed the spear into the water between her feet, snapping her out of her amorous thoughts. He pulled the spear out of the water, revealing a small fish.
"See! It is easy!" She looked at his satisfied grin and smiled back at him.
"Is that big enough to feed both of us?" She asked.
"Oh no, this one is mine. A true fisherman catches his own fish." He flung the spear, sending his fish flying up on the bank, then handed the spear back to her and walked away.
"Do it just like I showed you." He instructed, trying not to laugh.
"You can be very mean, do you know that?" She asked.
"Sssh! You'll scare the fish away with all that yelling." He teased. Once on the bank, he picked up his fish and prepared it for cooking. Stands focused on fishing. She was determined now to show him she could catch a fish, especially when she smelled his fish frying. Suddenly a large fish slipped between her ankles and she took a deep breath before plunging the spear down into the water. She squealed as she raised the pole to reveal a fish that was three times as large as Thunder's fish.
"I did it!" She called. Thunder looked up from his small fish and frowned. Stands joined him beside the fire and began cleaning her fish.
"I am a very good teacher." He bragged. "I think yours is big enough to share."
"Oh no! A true fisherman catches his own fish." She reminded.
"Now who is being mean?" He asked. It was Stand's turn to laugh.
Stands cooked her fish, as Thunder ate his. She could not stand the envious look in his eyes as he watched her.
"You have to admit, this is a BIG fish!" She boasted.
"Yes, it is so big that you really couldn't miss it." He sulked.
"Here." She said. "You know that I can never deny you anything." She divided her fish and slid half of it onto his plate. He smiled.
"It really is a big fish! Good job sweetheart. Maybe you should be the provider from now on." He suggested.
"Oh, you would like that wouldn't you? If I took over that job, what would be left for you do?" She asked.
"There is still hunting. No one is better at hunting than I am." He confessed.
"That is just because I haven't tried it yet." She tried to out-boast him. He laughed.
"Tomorrow I will teach you how to shoot a bow." He promised.
"It doesn't look too hard, just pull back the string and let it go." She teased.
"It is not as easy as it looks." He pretended to be offended. "Remember, your target is moving. Besides, you are a woman."
"What does that have to do with it?" She asked, pretending to be offended.
"You know…your woman parts will get in the way." He gestured on his own chest to indicate breasts."
"Do you think so? Maybe that is why the men are the hunters." She suggested.
"Of course. What other reason would there be?"
"Men are the ones who always want to kill things. Not women."
"Even so, it is a good skill to have. You never know when you might need to fend for yourself."
"You are such a good provider, husband. Why would I ever need to do that?" Thunder smiled proudly.
"When we get home, I will teach you how to make a doll out of corn husk." Stands offered. The expression that he gave her made her laugh.
"You never know when you might need to entertain a child." She explained.
"You are so good at taking care of children, why would I ever need to do that?" He teased. Stands was suddenly very serious. He understood what was on her mind before she said it.
"Thunder, I want to have a baby." She sat her empty plate on the ground and crawled into his arms.
"I would like to a baby too." He admitted, pulling her close.
"What if I can't?" She asked seriously. "What if the fall damaged me in some way so that I can't get pregnant anymore? "
"We will deal with it." He comforted her.
"You could take another wife who could give you a child." She suggested.
"No! I don't want or need another wife."
"You are the last of your family. Who will carry on your line if you don't have a child?" She asked.
"Rainbow has two children, maybe more since I last saw her." He said. Stands nodded.
"Just in case, why don't you brew us some of that nasty tea?" Thunder suggested. Stands would have laughed if she were not so desperate for an answer to her prayers. She was willing to try anything. She made the tea while Thunder rinsed off their plates. They quickly gulped down the bitter tea and then climbed into their bed, where they made love, hoping for a miracle.
[75]
The next day, Thunder hauled logs up the mountain from the woods below, and he stripped the bark off of them. He worked on them throughout the day and into the night. Stands knew what he was doing, but she didn't understand why he was going to the trouble. He would erect the frame for the tipi, but they still had no walls to put up. Stands practiced playing the flute until she could actually produce tones that resembled music. In the evening, she surprised her husband by catching more fish for their dinner, and then before bed, he taught her to play a simple tune on the flute.
[76]
On the fourth day, Thunder pulled out his bow and set up some logs for target practice. He taught Stands how to hold the bow and line up the target in her sights. Her aim was off though, and she only hit the target twice out of a dozen tries. Thunder even offered to hold her breasts out of the way for her, but it didn't help her aim at all. The only thing that came from it was a quick roll in the grass. Thunder had the frame of the tipi up by dinnertime. They finished off the last of the tea and went for a moonlight dip in the pool before going to bed.
After making love, they lay together looking up at the stars in the clear night sky.
"I told everyone that we would be back in 4 or 5 days. Tomorrow is the fifth day." Thunder said.
"I wish we could stay here forever, but I also miss our home, and the people." Stands admitted. Thunder nodded in agreement.
"We will leave here when the sun goes down tomorrow evening." He announced.
"I love you. Thank you for bringing me here." She hugged him tightly.
"I love you too." He kissed her. "Thank you for finding this place."
They lay there silently until they both fell asleep.
[77]
The next morning, when they were both awake, Thunder re-rolled their bed rolls and piled them together in preparations for their departure. They packed up all of their belongings, and then spent the morning swimming, and saying goodbye to their paradise. When the time came to pack up the horses, they did so together. When they led the horses through the opening in the rock, Thunder turned back and pulled a large tree limb in front of it.
"What are you doing that for?" Stands asked.
"No one will be able to come through here without disturbing this limb. When we come back, we will be able to tell if these branches are broken, or if it is moved."
"You are so smart. You know so many things that I would never think of." She complimented.
"But you are learning." He smiled and they continued down the mountain, being careful to cover their tracks.
[78]
When they returned home the next morning, they learned that there had been trouble on two fronts. Both the Ute and the Pawnee had raided the camp. They were able to hold their own against the Pawnee, but the Utes had hit them hard. Red Elk was dead, and several others were injured. At tribal council the night before, the decision had been made to wage war against the Utes again. This time, they would show no mercy. Stands was suddenly fearful that Thunder would be chosen to go. She hoped that they would allow him to stay since he had already been riding the prairie all night. Her hope disappeared when Thunder came home and she saw the look on his face.
"No! Thunder, we just got home!" She protested.
"I know."
"You haven't even been to sleep."
"We are riding out in the morning. I can sleep tonight."
"Why do you have to go this time? You went last time."
"Stands, sweetheart, it will be alright."
"I miss you when you go away." She cried. He pulled her into his arms and held her tenderly.
"When you miss me, think of our time in paradise. Remember everything we did, and everything we said. I will be thinking of you there. It will be alright. Please do not be afraid." He comforted her, and felt her acceptance as she exhaled and relaxed in his arms.
"Promise that you won't be gone so long this time."
"I have to do what is best for the tribe, Stands. I don't think I will be gone that long, but I cannot promise you that."
"Okay. Fine." She gave in.
"We have tonight." He suggested.
"I can't." Stands said, stepping back from him. She threw her hands up in the air and let them fall before turning away from him.
"What? Why not?" He demanded.
"I'm bleeding." She admitted sadly. He could feel her disappointment.
"I am so sorry Stands." He said.
"Don't…It is fine." She tried to shake off her disappointment.
"I can still hold you can't I?" He pleaded. She nodded; her back still to him so that he could not see the tears in her eyes. She felt his arms encircle her waist and she leaned back against him.
"I love you so much Stands. No matter what else life throws our way, never forget that. Promise me."
"I won't forget it. I love you." She turned in his arms and embraced him; then Thunder picked up his wife and carried her to bed.
[79]
Thunder could not sleep. He lay in bed listening to his wife's sound sleeping. Before daybreak he heard the quiet commotion of the other warriors preparing to leave. He slipped out of bed, careful not to wake Stands. He built a small fire for light as he washed up and got dressed. He pulled out his war paint and sat down to put it on his body.
"You weren't going to leave without saying goodbye were you?" Stands asked. He turned to look at her. She sat up.
"No, of course not, but I wanted to let you sleep as long as possible." Stands climbed out of bed and went to him.
"Let me do that for you." She took the paint and applied it to his face, chest and arms.
"Will you braid my hair?" He asked. Stands did not reply, but stepped behind him and began working his long hair into a single braid down his back. When she was finished, she fastened in some feathers. Her husband looked very fierce. She rested her head on his back and hugged him.
"Everything is going to be just fine." He whispered, squeezing her hands gently. "Come and help me get my horse ready for battle."
"Wait!" Stands walked across to the other side of the tipi and came back with a braid of sage. She lit it in the fire and Thunder Horse let her chant prayers of protection over him as he used his hands to waft the smoke over his head. When Stands was satisfied, she put the sage away and Thunder nodded at her. They walked silently to where the other riders were gathering. Thunder whistled and his pony left the herd and walked toward him. Stands and Thunder painted the horse's hide with markings that represented power and swiftness. They both knew when the time had arrived. Thunder took her in his arms and kissed her.
"Remember paradise." He whispered into her ear. "You will find me there waiting for you." She nodded.
"Be safe, and hurry home. I'll be waiting here for you." She promised. Thunder mounted his horse and cast one last look in her direction before he turned and rode away with the others.