Watching in the Wind

Chapter 15

-Tala-

It's time for the hunt. We need to head out to find him before winter comes. Winter months will prove difficult to track. A true tracker knows that winter can either show you exact tracts or will be covered up by the snow. With the cold, it is also not safe. So before winter comes we take this hunt. Every day this week has spent for preparation for this hunt for Cusa. Day's I sit in my Chief's office and watch the warriors go over the map and how to approach. It must be calculated and precise. Nights are reserved for Aiyana. To comfort and reassure her of my return to her.  

We are at the tribe dinner and we will be heading out for our hunt tomorrow. Aiyana sits between myself and her father. We sit and listen to the drums and the singing. The pow wow drum is such a distinct sound and the people who sit in the drum circle, pounding the drum to match the heartbeat of mother earth.  The dancers move to the music and match their movements. The colors of their clothes are vibrant and bold. We celebrate the warriors and prayers for their safe return. When everyone finishes dinner, I take Aiyana's hand and turn her to me. 

"How about a walk in the garden?" I ask.  She smiles and nods her head. "Chief, we would like to be excused to go for a walk in the garden before we head home," 

He nods and waves us off. I pull her with me as we quickly make it to the garden. It is a bit barer since the fall has come upon us. The winter flowers are still beautiful but when spring comes it will again be magic. We walk around hand in hand and I watch her other hand graze the top of the flowers. Aiyana has never been one for words, even as children. We get to where her favorite spot in the garden is and she looks up at me. 

"Lets lay," I say and she happily nods. Again it is whatever she wants. I take off my jacket and place it on the ground for her to lay on. When she is situated I lay next to her and take her hand in mine bringing it up to my lips before I rest it on my chest. The sky is clear and the stars are bright. When she was gone I understood why she would lay here. The crickets and bullfrogs fill the silence and the picture of the universe is above us. 

"You promise to come home to me?" She says worriedly. Every night she has asked this question.  I understand her fear, it is mine as well. She was right, we have lost so much time together and I don't want to lose anymore. 

"I promise, the devil himself can't keep me away," I say. I look over to her and her eyes are closed and she is playing the words over in her head. I give her hand a light squeeze and she looks over to me. The bright blue of her eyes holds her fear. "First day of spring, will you marry me? Marry me here in the garden?" I ask.

A smile creeps up one side of her lips and I smile towards her. I wait in anticipation of her answer. "First day of spring?" She asks. 

I nod my head, "Yes," I continue. "When mother earth gives back to us with renewed life. Our child will be born soon after."

"The first day of spring," she says again and looks up at the stars. "The first day of spring it is than here in the garden."

Even knowing she would say yes I still worried. She has become a new woman and I sometimes fear that she needs a more powerful leader. Yet at night I get to see the real Aiyana. The one who lets me see the vulnerable side of her. Her smile tonight I will carry with me this week. 

"Tell me what flowers will you plant for spring?" I ask. A bigger smile crosses her face and she tells me all about the different colors that will be here. Aiyana breaks into a whole conversation and I am surprised that she hasn't taken a breath. The different flowers and colors that will grow here. Where she wants the flowers to be. I casually ask about the wedding what she would like and again she talks without taking a breath. I close my eyes and picture everything she is saying. This small distraction for her actually is for me.  I am internally panicking. She has been home just a couple of weeks and it doesn't feel like enough time but yet it has been her and me since the beginning. I am lost in thought of our child running the same creeks and lakes. Climbing the trees and causing all sorts of chaos as we did. We played tag and hide and seek. Skinned knees and bruised egos, ok I had the bruised ego. I turn back to her and watch her talk about what she wants and I focus on her perfect lips. They speak volumes and hold the key for leading our tribe. She is the prophecy to bring peace but this moment she is the peace. She is key to everything.