Gray Skies

Chapter Twenty-Three: A Gift

Chapter Twenty-Three: A Gift

                Deniah’s stomach churned with nervous fear as she rode atop the black gelding with Gray Skies’ arm wrapped tight around her waist. They had been riding hard for nearly twelve full hours and Deniah was amazed at the stamina of the two horses that Eagle Feather had brought along with him. She only prayed that they would make it to Big Sky in time and knew that if they did not it would be her fault.

                Eagle Feather and Gray Skies could have become birds and made it to the chief in only a few hours. It was because they had Deniah that they had to travel so much more slowly by horseback.

                Deniah could feel the tension in Gray Skies’ body. He hadn’t spoken more than two words since Eagle Feather had told them Big Sky was dying. Deniah wished that she knew what he was thinking but she did not. She knew that he could read her easily enough and always had been able to but reading Gray Skies was impossible. The man knew how to hide his emotions and thoughts and he was doing so now.

                She hated that this was happening to him. While Gray Skies hadn’t gone into detail about each person in his tribe while teaching her their customs, any time that Big Sky’s name had been mentioned, Gray Skies’ voice had been full of respect and fondness. It wasn’t fair that he was going to lose someone he cared for so deeply after just losing his brother not even a full month before.  

                Gray Skies’ tugged on his horse’s mane and the creature came to a stop. Deniah looked around the forest surrounding them and frowned. “Why did we stop?”

                “We are almost there.” Gray Skies replied simply. “We will continue on foot and allow the horses to rest now.”  Gray Skies slid from the horse and left Deniah sitting atop it as he turned his back and moved away. She frowned and looked at the ground so far away. Her legs were aching from so many hours gripping the horse’s sides and her thighs were raw and burning. How was she going to get down without falling?

                Then Eagle Feather was beside her. He gripped her waist and she smiled gratefully as she held onto his shoulders and he lifted her down. “Running Deer will be angry that we rode the horses so hard to get here after I rode them so hard to find you. It would be best to be on foot when he sees us.” Eagle Feather explained as he sat her on her feet and stepped back.

                Deniah nodded but her thoughts were not on Running Deer or the horses, her thoughts and attention were focused on Gray Skies. She had never seen him this way. He was pacing back and forth and his fists were clenched at his sides. It was clear from the drawn expression on his face that his mind was racing and she wished desperately that there was something she could do to calm him.

                She knew that there was not and truth be told she was equally as distraught and on edge as he was. All this time that she had spent with Gray Skies, she had thought that going back to his people was what she wanted. She’d been learning his ways, his culture and his beliefs in the hope that her skin color could be overlooked and she may be accepted among them. But now…? Now she was scared, frightened, terrified!