Savage Autumn (26 page)

Joanna awoke and stared into darkness. She felt like a hot poker had pierced her eyes. Reaching her hand up, she felt someone grab her wrist.

“Do not touch the pads which I have placed over your eyes,” the old woman said.

“Where am I?” Joanna asked.

“You are in the village of the Bloods. I am She Who Heals, the medicine woman. You are very ill.”

“What is wrong with me?” Joanna asked in the Blackfoot language.

“You are suffering from the snow-blindness, and you have burns on your face.”

Joanna’s hand trembled as she reached up to her face, but
as before the old woman grabbed her wrist. “No, do not touch your eyes or your face.”

“I am thirsty,” Joanna told her.

She heard the woman move away, and when she returned, she lifted Joanna’s head for her to drink. The water felt cool and soothing as it went down Joanna’s parched throat. She wondered who the old woman was and what she was doing to her.

It was not yet daylight when Windhawk made his way to She Who Heals’s tipi. Windhawk had not been able to sleep. Several times during the night he had gone to the medicine woman’s tipi to see Joanna. Each time he found her to be sleeping fretfully.

When he entered the tipi, he found Tag sitting beside Joanna. The young boy’s face was careworn and he lifted troubled eyes to Windhawk.

“How could this have happened to my sister?” Tag wanted to know.

Windhawk peered down at the boy. “It was my fault. I was angry with her, and I did not take proper care of her.”

“You were angry because she ran away, weren’t you?”

“Yes. I think you should know that Jo-anna is my wife.”

Tag smiled. “I know that; your sister told me.”

“I could not understand why she wanted to leave me. It was a bad thing I did, little brother. If it were possible I would wish myself in her place.”

“She is going to be well,” Tag said with confidence. “I know she did not survive the raid on the wagon train to die now.” His brow furrowed. “I am worried about her eyesight, though. I would hate for Joanna to be blind. She always saw such beauty in everything, and she taught me to look for that beauty as well.”

“I would give up my sight if it would bring hers back, Tag.” Windhawk looked into the boy’s eyes. “I am to blame for this.”

“You don’t know my sister very well, if you think she will hold you responsible. She has a kind and forgiving nature. She Who Heals said it was not your fault.”

At the moment Windhawk was not ready to face Tag’s forgiveness. His guilt was like an arrow in his heart. “Come, little brother, I think you should have something to eat,” Windhawk said.

“I want to be here in case she wakes up,” Tag replied.

Windhawk took Tag’s hand. “First you will eat, and then you will return to your sister,” he insisted.

Windhawk delivered Tag to his mother’s tipi, and then went to search for Gray Fox. Often when he was deeply troubled about something, he would seek his best friend’s advice.

Gray Fox was sitting in front of his tipi sharpening his hunting knife when Windhawk approached him. He had known his chief would soon come to him. Had they not always turned to each other in times of trouble?

“How is Joanna this morning, Windhawk?”

“I do not think she is much better,” Windhawk replied, sitting down and absent-mindedly testing Gray Fox’s knife for sharpness.

“I am saddened for her, my friend.” Gray Fox looked at Windhawk closely. “Was she in this condition when you found her?”

Windhawk avoided his eyes. “No.”

“I see.”

Windhawk took a deep breath. “I have decided when Joanna is healed, I will take her back to her own people.”

Gray Fox nodded, knowing how much it would cost Windhawk to send the woman he loved away. “Have you thought this through?”

Windhawk stood up. “Yes. I have thought of little else. It was a mistake for me to think Joanna would be happy with me.”

Gray Fox watched as his friend walked away. In the past they had helped each other, but this time Windhawk had to do what he thought was best. His heart was sad that Joanna and Windhawk would be parted. He knew that they loved one another, but sometimes love was not enough.

Tag and Windhawk entered She Who Heals’s tipi. They could tell Joanna was awake because her head turned in their direction.

Tag stood silently for a moment. Joanna’s face was smeared with some kind of white salve, and there was a white cloth tied about her head to protect her eyes.

“Is that you, She Who Heals?” she inquired.

Tag ran to her and dropped to his knees. “Joanna, it’s me!” Tag cried, taking her hand in his.

Joanna turned her head and bit her trembling lips. “Tag?” she said in a disbelieving voice.

Tears were streaming down Tag’s face as he clutched Joanna’s hand, fearing if he hugged her as he wanted to it would hurt her. “It’s me, Joanna. It’s me.”

Joanna reached out a trembling hand and lightly explored his face. Her hand moved up to feel his red-gold curls. “It can’t be. My God, Tag, you are alive!” She sobbed and pulled him to her, cradling his head against her.

Windhawk could see her throat working convulsively and knew she was having a hard time believing her brother was alive. He felt a prickling sensation in his own eyes and slipped quietly out of the tipi.

“I don’t understand, Tag. How can you be alive?” Joanna asked, running her hand up and down his back.

“I was taken prisoner by Running Elk, and Windhawk rescued me. He saved Amanda too.”

“Oh, Tag, I feel as if…I want to…Oh Tag!” she cried, as loud sobs racked her body. For long moments they were locked in each other’s arms, until She Who Heals came in and made Joanna lie down.

Tag sat beside his sister, telling her all that had happened to him since he had been taken captive. He told Joanna about how badly Amanda had been treated by Running Elk, and finally about Windhawk’s daring rescue of them both.

“How did Windhawk know that you had been taken captive by Running Elk?” Joanna wanted to know.

“Gray Fox told me that he found out about it from Farley.” “But how…Farley never told me that you were still alive.” “I don’t know why he kept it from you. He might have thought me the same as dead.”

Joanna lapsed into silence. Windhawk had gone to save her brother, and while he was away, she had left with Farley. No wonder he hated her now. He had risked his life to save Tag, then he had placed himself in danger to save her from the panther. How ungrateful he must think her. She clasped Tag’s hand tightly.

“Stay with me, Tag. Don’t leave me,” she said, closing her eyes.

“I’ll stay right here, Joanna. Sleep now, and when you awake, I’ll still be here.”

Amanda walked beside Morning Song, who was taking her to see Joanna. She was anxious to see Joanna and know she was all right. She thought how differently she was treated now compared to the way Running Elk had abused her. Everyone here in the Blood village had been so kind. Today she was almost happy because she would see Joanna again.

As they neared She Who Heals’s tipi, Amanda saw a handsome young Indian brave whom she had seen watching her on several occasions. He had never spoken to her, but she could tell that he wanted to.

“Who is that, Morning Song?” she asked.

“That is Tall Bear. He is the brother of Gray Fox.”

“He makes me feel uncomfortable.”

Morning Song laughed. “I think he likes you but is afraid to say so.”

Amanda remembered the abuse and degradation she had suffered at Running Elk’s hand, and she wanted nothing to do with another Indian man.

They entered the tipi, and Amanda couldn’t help but gasp when she saw Joanna. Once Joanna had been blessed with extraordinary beauty, but no one would recognize her now as the beautiful, carefree girl she had once been.

Amanda walked slowly, hesitatingly toward her. Tears blinded her eyes when she dropped to her knees beside Joanna.

“Oh, Joanna, what have they done to you?” she cried, touching her arm.

“Amanda, how glad I am to see you,” Joanna told her, clasping her hand. “Although to say I see you is a badly chosen word.”

“Joanna, I am just glad you are alive. Tag and I thought you had been killed.”

“Are you really well, Amanda?”

“I am growing stronger every day. Now that you are here we can all be happy.”

Joanna’s head was aching and she was frightened of the darkness that enclosed her. Could she be happy now? Her face had been hideously damaged, and she was blind. She loved Windhawk so desperately and he despised her. He had not even come to see her. No, she saw no happiness in her future.

As the days passed, Joanna had found that without her sight, her hearing had become more acute. She was now able to tell who had entered the tipi just by the sound of their footsteps. Tag’s footsteps were springy and lively. Sun Woman’s footsteps were slow and careful, and she could tell Amanda’s as well. Sometimes she would hear a silence and would know that someone whose footsteps she had not detected had entered. She didn’t hear him but felt his presence, and she knew it was Windhawk. On these occasions he never spoke to her. He would stand silently for a moment, and then leave. Joanna would want to cover her face, knowing how dreadful she must look, but she never did.

She Who Heals had told Joanna that she was now well enough to sit up, but the medicine woman would not allow her to get up yet. Joanna was beginning to love the old woman who tended her so faithfully. The love she had once given Franny was now transferred to She Who Heals.

She Who Heals was sought after by all the tribe for her healing powers. At night when she and Joanna were alone, Joanna
would hear her grinding her berries and herbs to make healing potions.

The old woman had never married and lived a solitary life. She had wealth in horses, and plenty of food, for she was well-paid for her healing services. She had told Joanna that Windhawk had given her twenty horses for tending his woman while she was ill.

While Joanna was recuperating, she became better versed in the Blackfoot language. She Who Heals would sit with her for hours, telling her what different words meant.

One night when the camp was quiet, She Who Heals came to Joanna and sat down beside her. She gave Joanna some foul-tasting medicine to take, and then handed her the water to wash it down with.

“What do you look like?” Joanna inquired.

The old woman laughed. “I look like I am old and tired, and have lived too long upon this land.”

“I am very grateful to you for tending me.”

“I was paid to give you the cure,” She Who Heals said in a gruff voice.

Joanna smiled. “That may be, but I thank you all the same.”

She Who Heals gazed at Joanna, whose eyes were bound with a soft doeskin blindfold to keep the sunlight from penetrating them. The skin on her face looked red and angry beneath the pasty white powder the old woman had put on it.

She Who Heals had not once heard the young girl complain, although she knew her to be in pain most of the time. The medicine woman had grown to admire the flaming-haired one, and to look on her as the daughter she had never had.

“She Who Heals…do you think I will ever regain my…eyesight?” Joanna asked hesitantly.

“I cannot yet tell. You must keep the blindfold in place for many moons.”

“Is my face going to be scarred?”

“This I do not know either. Your fate rests with Napi.”

Joanna felt panic rise up from deep inside her. She couldn’t bear to think that she would never again see the bright blue
skies or a field of spring flowers. She would not be able to watch Tag grow to manhood, and she would never look upon Windhawk’s face again.

Perhaps it was best, for she wouldn’t be able to stand the look of horror in his eyes when he looked at her scarred face.

She Who Heals could tell that Joanna was troubled so she tried to distract her. “Tomorrow I will allow you to get up and walk outside for a little while. The
chinook
wind has caused the weather to turn warm.”

“What is the
chinook
wind?” Joanna asked with interest.

“It is a warm wind that sometimes blows down from the mountains to melt the snow. It is a gift from Napi, so the buffalo can graze near the village and our hunters can slay them to replenish the winter meat.”

“I am afraid to go outside and have everyone stare at me. It is unsettling to know that people can see me and I cannot see them.”

“One cannot hide from life, Joanna. It is time that you faced the world again,” She Who Heals said, knowing what Joanna was feeling.

“I am not sure I am quite ready to face the world, She Who Heals.”

“Yes, it is time. You will face what you must.”

Joanna shivered, thinking how everyone would stare at her. Tomorrow would be an ordeal for her to overcome.

Windhawk and Tag raced down the valley. Windhawk’s horse pulled easily into the lead, and he drew back on the reins so Tag could catch him. Tag grinned up at him and Windhawk could see the admiration in the boy’s eyes. He loved this boy and wished that he could have a son just like him. If Joanna had loved him enough to stay with him, he might one day have realized his dream.

“You allowed me to catch you, Windhawk! I bet if I had been riding Fosset, I would have been able to stay even with you.”

“Fosset is Jo-anna’s horse,” Windhawk stated.

“Why can you not say Joanna’s name right, Windhawk?”

Windhawk halted his horse and dismounted before he answered the boy. “You will teach me to say her name correctly.”

Tag slid from his horse and leaped onto a boulder, grinning down at Windhawk. “That’s easy. Say Joanna.”

“Jo-anna,” Windhawk said.

“No, you are saying it as two words. You have to run it together. Joanna.”

“Joann-a.” Windhawk repeated.

Tag laughed so hard he almost fell off the boulder. Windhawk smiled and tried once again. “Joanna, Joann-a, Joanna!”

“You did it! You said it correctly,” Tag beamed.

Suddenly Windhawk became serious. “Little brother, do you want to return to the white world?”

Tag was thoughtful for a time. “I would not want to leave you, but as I told you, there is something I must do.”