Waiting For His Return

The chief gave the command to his warriors and they reluctantly put down their weapons in surrender. The chief looked at Red Sky with contempt, and had nothing but hate and fury for him. Red Sky looked back passively. As his men collected the weapons, Red Sky turned to Two Bears and said, "Why do you attack us for no reason? We have done nothing to you, yet you attack us. Three times, you have needlessly shed blood of innocent men, women, and children who have done nothing to you."

Two Bears said nothing. Defiance was his answer. He mustered all the strength he could and spat in Red Sky's direction. It fell far short of Red Sky and he smiled at Two Bears, a smile that sent chills through Little Turtle as he held onto the old man. It was a smile that showed no warmth, no tenderness. It was a smile of lunacy, although Red Sky would say he was thinking very lucid thoughts at that moment. He now felt the sting of his injury and noticed the red patch of blood forming on his thigh. It didn't hurt all that much, but he could feel himself becoming a bit weak.

Little Turtle wanted very much to kill the man he held at that time. It was just a matter of pressure and the world would be rid of this monster. But, who would replace him? Someone just as crazy as he, Little Turtle suspected. He waited for Red Sky's command, hoping for a nod or a sign to end his life.

Red Sky was in no hurry to have Two Bears killed. He waited patiently as the weapons were collected, keeping himself focused on the enemy for he knew the Pawnee could not be taken lightly, with or without their weapons. He knew the cut in his leg was more serious than he originally thought. It was becoming stiff and the blood was flowing more freely than before. Red Sky knew he had to get out of there and quickly before he would become useless and unable to defend himself should things go bad. He debated as to kill Two Bears or let him live. Thinking about his own injury, he reasoned it would be better to let the chief live rather than give the Pawnee another reason to retaliate. If they let him live, perhaps the humiliation of being defeated so easily would benefit them more.

After the weapons were taken, Red Sky motioned to Little Turtle to release the chief. Little Turtle was puzzled and angry, but he pushed the old man away and strode to Red Sky's side. Red Sky instructed his men to help the injured back to the forest and looked to see if anyone of his party had been killed. Satisfied that no one had perished, he turned to Two Bears once more.

"We leave you in better shape than you left us a few weeks ago. We allow you to live. Remember, we will always be waiting for you, ready for you no matter how far into the future you wait. You will not be able to run away next time. No one will come back to this village alive. That is a promise I make to you. Leave us in peace and you will have peace. Try to make war with us again, and I assure you, you will regret it."

He turned and strode with his men toward the forest, trying not to limp as he did so. He spread his party into three sections, each buffering the next in case of an attack. He really didn't expect to be followed, but one never knew with the Pawnee. They had taken a dozen horses from the Pawnee, but they were being used to transport the weapons and other goods. Red Sky limped along as best he could, but he was getting weaker and he didn't know how much longer he could keep up. Others were in worse shape than he and he kept that thought in mind. He sent Running Deer to check on the injured ones and there seemed to be only two who were in serious shape. Otter had a knife wound in his side and was bleeding badly, and White Wolf appeared to have a broken arm. Red Sky ordered them to be placed on the horses to ease their discomfort. When Running Deer suggested he should take a horse for himself, Red Sky merely grunted. Some others had superficial wounds or sprained joints and they stayed with everyone. The injured were helped along by the healthy and everyone, more or less, stayed together. They reached their camp within a few hours and the ones left behind rejoiced in their return. The wounds were bound, Red Sky's included, and they rested before they began their long journey home.

She could feel his pain. Somehow, she knew he was injured. She didn't know where or how badly, but she knew, she just knew. She had been washing clothes in the river when she felt a cold sensation going through her. Even though it was a sunny, warm day, she shivered. Worried and sad, she sat on the riverbank and wept.

Snow Bird struggled through the next few days, thinking about her husband and praying fervently for his safe return. She thought back to their last embrace before his departure. She remembered clinging to him, not wanting to let him go. Snow Bird now wondered if that was going to be their last embrace, their last memory. In her private moments, she cried herself to sleep. Everyone was edgy and nervous waiting for their return. They knew it would be soon, but when it would be was anyone's guess. They had been gone almost a week and their return was expected soon, if their journey was a success.

It finally got to the point where Red Sky was having trouble keeping up. His injured leg continued to bleed through the dressing, no matter how tightly it was bound. Pain overwhelmed his stubbornness and he finally consented to ride on one of the horses for the remainder of the trip. He ate and drank whenever it was feasible, but he remained tired and wished to be home and in the care of Snow Bird.

Although he was happy for their victory, he could not rejoice. He gave thanks to Meneto for His blessing many times over and except for himself, only Otter was severely injured. Running Deer confided in him his fears that Otter would not survive and Red Sky concurred with his belief. Red Sky felt enormous sadness and responsibility for Otter's injury, but he certainly could not have expected to return from battle without casualties. All in all, he was extremely grateful for their good fortune.

Minutes went by...hours went by. Slowly plodding toward home, Red Sky fell asleep numerous times on the horse, lulled by it's gentle gait. He lost track of the time and at times wasn't sure what day it was nor the hour. He could only look at the position of the sun to synchronize his bearings. He left the leadership to Running Deer, whom he trusted as a friend and a warrior. They continued to be wary of the Pawnee, although they both figured an attack was unlikely. Nonetheless, they continually guarded their rear flank as they slowly made their way home.

The sun was high in the sky when Snow Bird heard the excitement from the village. Her heart leapt with joy and anticipation as she raced out of her tent and strained her eyes to see her husband in the distance. Several of the men had rode ahead of the rest when they neared and embraced their loved ones after they leaped off of their horses.

The rest of the group arrived shortly thereafter. When Snow Bird saw Red Sky, her heart sank. He was slumped over, his head resting on the horse's neck, limp like a doll. Running Deer and Little Turtle helped him down and carried him to his tent with Snow Bird falling close behind.

"Is he all right?" she asked, looking down at the reddish-brown stain on his leggings.

"He has a bad wound to his leg. He might be getting sick from it," Running Deer explained.

Just then, a scream could be heard from outside, a mournful cry of distress that meant only one thing to Snow Bird.

"Who?" she asked simply.

"Otter," Little Turtle replied grimly, "this morning."

"Are there any others?"

"No," was his curt response.

Tall Elk, the medicine man of the village was summoned, and he administered a special balm made from leaves, sap, and bark to help draw out the infection that had invaded Red Sky's leg and body. His leg was an ugly fiery red color and he was hot with fever. With no time to think about herself, Snow Bird wetted blankets with water, as instructed by Tall Elk, and put them over him to help him cool down. She looked at Tall Elk occasionally, her eyes pleading with him to make Red Sky better.

He smiled reassuringly at her. "I have seen worse, young one. You will be under the blankets with him in no time." Snow Bird blushed at the reference and thanked him for his help. Before he left, Tall Elk gave her instructions for Red Sky's care. Little Turtle and Running Deer had already left to be with their families, so now she was finally alone with her husband. With all of the excitement and the flurry of events, she had forgotten to ask about the battle. She guessed she would ask later. She only wanted to be next to her husband and wanted to be at his side when he woke.

Red Sky woke hot and sweating the next morning. His fever broke and he was thirsty. He glanced over to his right and saw his Snow Bird curled in a ball, sleeping, her head resting against his shoulder. He tried to wriggle away from her, but he was too weak and he sighed loudly. Instantly, Snow Bird's eyes flew open and saw her husband awake.

"You're awake," she cried, trying to stave off tears. He nodded. Snow Bird bent forward from her kneeling position and kissed him gently on his parched lips. "I missed you so much," she said, taking his hand.

"Water, please," he managed to croak, his throat sore.

In a flash, Snow Bird hurried away and brought him a deep gourd of cool water. Struggling to sit up, Red Sky relied on his small wife to help support him while he sipped.

"Slow, not too fast," she instructed him before he gave it back to her. He collapsed back to the earthen floor with a thud, groaning in spite of himself.

"Does it hurt bad?"

"Not bad," he answered, "just a bit stiff. I can't move it very much." He sighed before he settled into a fitful sleep once more.

It would be a couple of days before Red Sky had the strength to venture out into the village. He limped about badly, unable to put much weight upon his healing leg. Snow Bird was doing an excellent job nursing him back to health and tending to his every need. He met with Blue River and they discussed at length the battle and the casualties. Deeply saddened by Otter's death, Red Sky continued to blame himself for somehow letting down his people. Blue River tried to reassure him, stating that losing only one life was a remarkable accomplishment and he should be proud of himself, because he would never hesitate to send him on another mission.

"You are quiet," she said that evening. "Did everything go well with your meeting with Blue River?"

"They went fine," he sighed, staring into the fire. "He said he was proud of me, that I did well. How could I have done well when Otter died? I know I should not have expected to come away without someone dying, but he was a good man." Red Sky stared off into space once more.

Snow Bird sat down next to him and placed her head against his shoulder. "Good men die, too," she said quietly, thinking about her brother.

"Yes, they do," he agreed. He reached over and brushed her hair away from her eyes, smiling as he did so. She was getting prettier as the years went along. Snow Bird was losing her girlish looks and was looking more and more like a woman. He could see the change in her almost daily and he knew how lucky he was to have such a fine woman as a wife. He loved her before she started to blossom, almost like a love a brother has for his sister. She could be joking and playful or shy and demure. But, it was her gentleness and the way she looked at him that caught his eye. Red Sky knew in his heart it would not have mattered if she became beautiful or stayed chubby and plain. It was her inner being, her soul that he loved. And from that moment on during his fourteenth year, he had eyes for no one except Snow Bird. Most of his friends thought he was crazy, that Red Sky could have had his pick of any young woman in the village. Why was he wasting his time on an overweight girl whom everyone made fun of? When she did begin to blossom into the pretty young woman she was to become, they marveled at Red Sky's wisdom for one so young and wished they had paid more attention to her and not made fun of her. Then, perhaps, they would have had a chance to be her partner.

"I missed you so much," she said as she kissed him tenderly on his cheek "I was so scared when I saw you come back. I was afraid you were dead."

"I could not die without saying good-bye to you. You are my life." He moved down to the floor and pulled her next to him. His leg was starting to ache from all of the walking he had done during the day. They continued to kiss and Snow Bird began to get more passionate with her kisses. Sweet sensations were starting to go through her and she could sense that she was becoming moist between her heated thighs.

Red Sky noticed the change in her breathing and smiled inside. Her kisses were becoming more heated, more urgent, and he knew it was her way of telling him she wanted to try and make a baby that night. But, he didn't know if he had the strength to undergo such a task. He missed her terribly and especially missed being joined with her. It had been one of the most wonderful times in his life when they were naked together for the first time and each time with her since then was just as special.

Red Sky broke their kiss and looked into his wife's eyes. He took her face in his hands and massaged her cheekbones with his thumbs. "I don't know if I have the strength tonight," he said softly. "It is sore."

Snow Bird was silent, a small smile peeking from the corners of her mouth. The smile was demure, innocent, but soon turned playful and lusty. "I will help you," she whispered.

"I thought about you often when I was away," he continued, his hand falling to the outline of her breasts. "I would have much rather been in here under the blankets with you than sitting in the rain."

"I would hope so," she giggled. If you preferred solitary rain over me under warm blankets, I would think something was terribly wrong with you." Snow Bird sighed from his touch.

His hands continued to trace her breasts and he could feel the faint indentation of her nipples through the coarse cloth. He gave them a gentle squeeze and Snow Bird moaned softly. Her hands moved down and deftly untied the leather laces that bound his leggings to his waist. She pulled them down gently, being careful to avoid disturbing his wound and dressing. She looked at the pole of flesh between his muscular legs, semi-erect and twitching from excitement. A shiver of exhilaration and lust went through her. It had been such a long time since they coupled and she missed it terribly.

Her black, glossy hair was loose and untied after she pulled her dress over her head. Red Sky marveled at her naked body in the same way he did on their wedding night. He felt he would never get tired of seeing her small, rounded breasts, her slim hips, her round bottom, and the patch of hair that covered her sex. He was, indeed, a very lucky man. Even through her thick pile of pubic hair, Red Sky could tell she was very moist and excited between her legs. This was normal for her when they had gone more than a week without trying to make a baby. He reached for her, his hand playfully touching her in her moistness. She smiled as a shiver went through her, an angelic smile that Red Sky never tired of seeing.

Slowly, she straddled him and eased herself down. Boldly, she grasped him and guided him to her opening. Slowly and carefully, she eased herself down and let him invade her like he had done so many times before. He stretched her to her limit, but she was overjoyed at having him inside her. It always made her feel whole and complete to be one in the flesh with him. Red Sky bent forward and kissed her nipples and breasts as she leaned forward to make it easier for him. When he finished, they kissed each other softly and gently before Snow Bird began to rock slowly and tenderly. She didn't care if her shivers exploded that night, she only wanted Red Sky to send his seed inside her.

She kept up her slow, easy rhythm, being mindful of his leg and not wanting to jostle it too much. Maybe it was because she missed him so much or that he came home injured, but the shivers inside her were stronger than she could ever remember and she knew before long that it was near. Red Sky was tiring, but he, too, knew that he was close. He tried to help by moving his pelvis upward, but his leg hurt too much, and he had to stop. Soon, though, he felt the familiar stirring in his testicles and Snow Bird could feel him seemingly getting bigger inside her. Within seconds, she could feel him pulsing inside her as he spilled his seed. She ground herself against him and accepted everything he could give her.

Grunting as quietly as he could, Red Sky gritted his teeth and held onto Snow Bird's bare bottom with his hands. It was not long afterward when Snow Bird could feel the stirring between her legs as the shivers settled there and began to send contractions through her.

"Aaaieeya, aaaieeya....," she squealed over and over as the spasms racked her body. Her face was a mixture of joy and pain as it seemed as if they would never end. When they did subside, sweating and exhausted, Snow Bird leaned forward and laid her head on his chest and cried. She cried from joy and she cried from the gratefulness of having her husband back with her. Red Sky ran his hands through her hair and over her back, trying to comfort her and reassure her of his undying love.

A few minutes later, she eased herself off of him and pulled a blanket over the top of them. Without another word, they drifted off to sleep in each other's arms as a soft rain came down to cleanse the earth.

By the time the great snows came, it was apparent that many wives had been trying to make babies during the time after the war. Fully a dozen warriors who were with Red Sky were about to become fathers, including Red Sky himself. Snow Bird had no bad dreams or premonitions about her baby and by her sixth month, it was apparent her new arrival was a lively and energetic baby, constantly moving and kicking about inside her stomach.

In the spring of the year, Snow Bird, with her swollen stomach giving her discomfort, asked Red Sky to go for her mother. It was time. Rain-In-Her-Face came quickly and shooed Red Sky out of the wigwam and instructed him not to return until she called for him. He waited as patiently as possible outside, but after two hours went by, he left to be on his own. He went to the high ground and sat with the sun in his face. Red Sky wished he had brought a pipe with him. It would have soothed his nerves at that moment. Placing himself in a light trance, he softly chanted to The Great Spirit thanking him for his good fortune and for His blessings. He prayed for the safety of Snow Bird and the baby and for all of the expectant mothers and the newly born. Within the past week, two babies had already been brought into their world.

Cross legged, Red Sky came out of his trance and stared out to the rolling hills of the area surrounding the village. The wind picked up slightly and Red Sky turned to face it, feeling the chilliness against his cheek and nose. Planting season had already begun and he could sense a rain coming. He could smell it and in the distance, gray clouds were slowly moving in. Behind him, he heard footsteps and he turned to face his visitor.

"Rain-In-Her-Face asks for you to return," Night Hawk said as he emerged from the brush. "You are a father."

Red Sky nodded and hurried back to his home. He had funny feelings inside his stomach as he came to the wigwam, much like he felt before a battle. He slowly pulled aside the flap and stepped into the tent. Snow Bird was laying under blankets and skins, looking small, white, and pale. Rain-In-Her-Face was in the far corner holding a small bundle.