The Savage

Twenty Four

I felt Wind Runner's fingers on my lower back, pressing into the muscles, urging me closer against him. It became hard to breathe, my heart pounding against my ribs. I wanted to lose myself to this, to surrender to the heavy onslaught of desire building inside me.

"Come with me," he whispered against my lips. "I will show you a world you have forgotten, a world where you will be at peace."

"How can that be?" I countered quietly. "I know the ways of our people are in the past, that even great chieftains have surrendered and moved to reservations."

Leaning in close, Wind Runner put his forehead to mine, looking deeply into my eyes.

"I will never live on hand outs of the white men! I live free, my village lives free, and so can you."

It was tempting, the allure of the past calling to me. I wanted so badly to believe him, so be assured that the warm, treasured memories I'd carried since childhood could still be mine.

"Come..." backing away, tugging on my hand, he smiled. "Let us go, come with me."

I let him lead me, lost in the full smile of the brave, handsome warrior who had won my heart. Each footstep seemed lighter than the last until I was floating above the grass, held only by the warm grip of Wind Runner's hand on mine. His pony was only a few dozen yard away, standing three legged in the shade of an aged sycamore tree. I was lifted to the dusky gray's back, then Wind Runner was up behind me, his arms wrapped around me as he took the rope hackamore. With a sure flip, he headed the horse away from the yard, away from the ranch, leaving my family home behind me.

Leaning back against his chest, I tilted my face skyward closing my eyes as the wind whispered against my cheeks. It felt like a dream, a wild, wonderful fantasy that I held on tightly to. I was going home, once more I would be among my people-

Tingling started in my stomach, then washed cold shivers down my back as my eyes snapped fully open, focusing in sharply on an object in the distance. It made my heart lurch as warning bells rang in my mind.

There was an eternal instant when all the horrors of my dream came rushing to the surface. With a wailing scream I used all my strength to shove Wind Runner forcefully off the horse as the heavy clap of a rifle shattered the stillness. White hot pain hit me with the force of a charging buffalo and I spun wildly from the pony. Long dry grass crunched beneath my cheek as I heavily struck the ground, a low moan bubbling from between my lips as everything went black.

For a moment I surfaced from the cloaked world of unconsciousness. A shadow passed over my face, gentle, calloused fingers on my cheek. From a great distance I heard screams- my mother's voice? There were drums beating beneath my ear then a strong hand closed briefly on my shoulder before I was lifted from the ground. Not wanting to die, I nevertheless felt my life draining away, the hot blood staining my blouse making it stick to my skin.

"Ah'day-wa-yea kee, meesh'ay-hay kee-ksue'yea nee-yea. (Father, I remember you)..." It did not sound like my voice, but the vibration in my throat told me I spoke aloud. "Remember your daughter now..."

"Kimimela-"

"Papa...papa..."

"Jaynie!" the high pitched shriek came from beyond the darkness, a world away. "Jaynie – no!" Then my world vanished.

"Kimimela." His voice called to me, commanding, insistent. "Kimimela."

"Who is it?" my cry echoed. "Who calls to me?"

"Come!"

From a great distance I heard the soft rattling of empty shells, bones jingling merrily against one another, a light musical sound that teased my senses from darkness. Blinking, I looked around uncertain of where I was. The prairie was all around me, the long golden grass swaying in the breeze, the jangling of shells in the background. From somewhere along the vast horizon I heard the light tapping of skin drums. Sunlight was pale and warm on my face and arms as I looked around me. In the waving grass I saw the silhouette of a tepee with a finger of smoke trailing up to the sky. Chanting was coming from the lodge, a faint murmur of sound that sounded like a song. Curious, I headed that way.