Red West III.

Chapter twenty eight - Constraint

Nayati stiffened, his expression somewhat slackened and then he pulled back so quickly as if Kame had become poisonous to him.

Only then both of them noticed someone else joined them at the small camp in the middle of the woods. A tall figure was standing between the two trees. With a great effort, Kame raised himself up, afraid to believe his own eyes.

"Liwan..." he breathed out shocked and with great relief at the same time.

His Indian friend did not reply, though similar feelings were written all over his face. Then he focused on Nayati, who straightened up somewhat stiffly.

"You. Leave," Liwan hissed, apparently angry.

Suddenly somewhat ashamed, Kame realized that his blood brother had to witness the whole scene. He looked up to the other Indian anxiously. Nayati took a breath and seemed to hesitate, but then he turned and left without a word.

Kame stared after his leaving back, his veins still filled up with adrenaline, remaining unsure what to think about the taciturn Indian.

"Thank Manitou..." Liwan rushed to him and pulled out a knife to cut his ropes. "My heart is overwhelmed to see my brother," he said then with such an apparent joy, that Kame could not help but raise his freed hands to hug him.

"I'm happy to see you too, Liwan," he breathed out.

*

"How did you find me?" Kame asked as they sat by the fire. He would love to set off right away, but apart from the fact that it was deep night, it was apparent that Liwan desperately needed rest.

"Father sent me here. He knew you need help."

"Cloud Dancing knew?" Kame repeated, not really surprised. It was not the first time the old shaman was aware of things nobody else could even imagine. "I owe him then. Again."

Liwan eyed him seriously. "My brother owe Nayati as well?"

Kame sighed: "Yes. He saved me. I wouldn't have made it without him, but..."

"Liwan know what he wanted to do. His eyes told."

"I don't understand him at all..." Kame murmured, wrapping himself into the blanket.

The young shaman replied only after a moment of thoughtful silence: "Nayati looking for himself."

Kame frowned, once again confused. "What do you mean?"

"Nayati need someone..." Liwan hesitated, searching for right words. "To push his insecurities onto."

"So... He wanted to take it out on me?"

"That can be said."

Liwan did not mean to tell his dear blood brother that Nayati's attitude towards him was probably a way more complicated. He felt it from him – the Crow Indian hated Kame, as he hated all Palefaces, but at the same time he was curious and felt strongly attracted to the brave man who stood up for Indians. It was very difficult for him to handle these feelings.

"How can you tell?" Kame wondered.

The Indian avoided his look. "I... could connect with Nayati. In certain way."

"What do you...?" suddenly, Kame realized what his blood brother probably meant and it shut his next words down.

Liwan took a breath and locked his eyes with Kame. "Liwan think my brother knows, but maybe it is time to let my mouth say it aloud. There was time when my heart would do anything to have you just as Akanishi had."

Kame returned his shining look speechless, aching somewhere in his chest.

"If Nayati did what he wanted, Liwan would kill him," his blood brother stated seriously.

"Liwan... I don't know what to say," he breathed out hesitantly.

"No need for more words. It was said, my brother heard. And... it is in past," the young shaman added quietly.

"Because you've got Migisi now, right?" offered Kame, a bit eager to change the topic.

"Not truly. Partially – yes. But Migisi nothing like you to me."

Suddenly understanding, Kame knew how to react: "You are very important for me too, my brother," he stated seriously. "You must know you will always have a special place in my heart."

A faint smile brightened up Liwan's face. "Liwan grateful to have Kame as friend and blood brother."

His words were sincere and finally made Kame's anxiety disappear.

"What my brother want to do now?" the Indian asked then.

"I must go back to Jin," replied Kame almost immediately.

Liwan frowned a little: "Why my brother so desperate?"

Kame hunched over, staring to the flames. "He thinks I'm dead..."

His blood brother nodded: "Liwan understand. We leave when the sun rise."