Tiopa Ki Lakota (28 page)

Sighing, Kathleen responded, “Perhaps, Anpo. I do not know. It is not my place.”

“I love you,
winuhcala
. But I do not like your God.”

A ghost of a smile crossed the blonde’s lips. “I love you, also,
winuhcala
. Let us not talk of God or spirits any more.”

The warrior nodded. “No more talk of God or spirits.”

Very close by, the sound of flute music could be heard and Kathleen turned towards it. “That is not at the council fire. Who could it be?”

Thankful for the change of topic, Anpo smiled. “That is Nupa. He is wooing my
cuwe
.”

“He is?”
By serenading her! How sweet!

“
Ohan
. She will go to him and they will talk long into the night together.” A smirk crossed the dark face. “Among other things.”

A blush tinted Kathleen’s fair skin. “And what ‘other things’ would there be, warrior?” she asked, setting the leather and rawhide to one side.

Reaching out a hand, Anpo pulled the woman and guided her to sit close. Wrapping long arms around her, she whispered, “Things like this.” And their lips met in a long kiss, their hearts reaching for one another in the evening light.

“
Hau

, Anpo.”

The warrior looked up from the arrow she was painting to see the shaman moving closer. Setting the weapon down, she rose with a smile and waved him closer. “
Han

,
wicahcala
. Come sit by my fire.”

Inyan Ceye nodded and stepped forward to settle down on the warrior’s left. He accepted a waterskin that was handed to him and he looked around the
ti ikceya
idly. “Where is your
winyan

,
wikoskalaka

?”

“She has taken Teca to the river to play. Would you have something to eat?” and she held out some
wansi

.

“Thank you, Anpo.”

The pair were silent for a moment, as the shaman ate and drank. Anpo pulled out her pipe and prepared it, lighting it with an ember from the fire before them. After she’d taken a puff, she handed it stem first to Inyan.

The shaman accepted the pipe and smoked. Around them the camp continued on its daily routines. It was afternoon and hot. Most of the women and children were at the river nearby, taking the opportunity to cool off. The elders were most likely seated in the shade of the council lodge, discussing the winter camps.

“I have sought a vision for you,
wikoskalaka
,” Inyan finally said, tapping the pipe into the firepit and handed it back to her.

Anpo nodded, taking her pipe and putting it away. “Did the spirits speak to you?”

“
Hau

, they did.” He frowned as he considered. “I saw the
igmu
pacing round and round in a cave. And then she rose on her hind feet and tried to walk like a
wicasa

, but she was unable. It was awkward and she fell to her paws four times. Then, another
igmu

came into the cave, one with a lighter coloring and blue eyes. The two animals circled each other for a very long time.” Inyan shook his head. “But soon they relaxed with each other and lay down together.”

There was a pause. When no further words were forthcoming, Anpo asked, “But what does the vision mean,
wicahcala
? Do you know?”

“You have spent your entire life doing men’s work, you even have your own
winyan
and
wakanyeja

. But you are not
koskalaka

and there are things that you cannot do.” Aged eyes peered into hers. “I believe that the vision means you must find your own path, Anpo.”

The warrior frowned at the elder. “Find my own path?”

“
Hau

,
wikoskalaka
. You love Ketlin and she loves you. I cannot tell you how to become more intimate; only the two of you can do this.” Inyan sighed and spread out his hands. “Do what is in your nature, Anpo, not what is in the nature of
wicasa
.”

The dark woman nodded slowly in thought. Finally, she looked to her guest, a small smile playing across her face. “Thank you,
wicahcala
, for your wisdom in this matter.”

“My heart is glad to give it, Anpo.”

Kathleen returned from the river with a cheery and very wet baby. She saw the shaman speaking seriously with her warrior.
I wonder what that’s about?
It was very rare to see Inyan at their fire. Not wishing to disturb them, the blonde tried to duck into the
ti

ikceya

but Teca would have none of it. Upon seeing his favorite warrior, he started babbling and holding out his arms.

Anpo looked over her shoulder to see her family behind her. Her face creased in a smile. “
Han
,
winuhcala

!
Han
,
cinksi
!” She patted the robe beside her. “Bring Teca to me!”

“He is still very wet,” Kathleen warned with a grin. She stepped forward and settled the squirming baby down.

Teca immediately began working on getting into his
inanup’s
lap, grunting with the effort. He rolled to his stomach from sitting and crawled unsteadily forward until he was draped across her tanned thigh. Unable to get much further, he started to get angry and squalled.

Laughing, the warrior picked him up and tucked him into the crook of her arm. “You were right,
wicahcala
, when you said he was stubborn!” she exclaimed. “When Teca decides he wants something, he will do whatever he needs to get it!”

“A very strong young
hoksila

,” Inyan answered, a smile on his face. He peered down at the baby, solemn dark eyes returning his gaze. The shaman looked to the blonde woman. “He looks very much like his
ina
.”

Tinting a little, Kathleen returned his smile with a shy one. “
And
his
inanup

,” she insisted, kneeling down beside her warrior and touching her shoulder. She was rewarded with a smile from Anpo.

“I must go now.” Inyan gathered himself and rose to his feet, the small family doing the same.

With the baby on one arm, Anpo used the other to reach out and grasp the elder’s forearm. “Thank you again,
wicahcala
.”

The shaman returned the grasp, using his free hand to pat Anpo’s. “Remember,
wikoskalaka

. Be happy.”

“I will.” And the warrior glanced over her shoulder to her woman standing curiously behind her. “Ketlin and I
both
will.”

Nodding in satisfaction, the old man walked away.

Watching him go, Kathleen moved closer and draped her arm about the warrior’s waist. “Why was he here?” she asked.

“I asked Inyan to seek a vision for us, to help us know what to do.”

“What to do...?” The blonde frowned as she mused. Blue eyes suddenly widened when she made the connection. “You mean.... um.... What to do between
us
?” At the resulting nod, she blushed furiously.
Do these people know how to keep a secret!?

A puzzled smile crossed the warrior’s face as she watched the response. “
Ohan

, Ketlin. I told you I would talk to Inyan on this matter.” The dark brow furrowed despite the smile. “What is wrong?”

“I just... um...” and Kathleen’s voice trailed off as she looked away. She disengaged herself from the warrior and began tidying up the hearth. “It is just.... Among my people we do not discuss such things.”

She is ashamed! Because I spoke with the shaman?
Anpo looked down at their son who was blissfully playing with the bone necklace she wore. “Your people seem very strange to me,
winuhcala
,” the warrior finally said as she settled back down. “How do you get along without the wisdom of your elders?”

Kathleen blew out a breath.
How indeed, lass?

Anpo rode into Wagmiza Wagna’s camp, worried about her failure. This had been one of many scouting attempts since they’d left the summer camp nearly a moon past and there was still no sign of
tatanka

. The food levels hadn’t dropped enough to worry the people yet, which was not necessarily a good thing. The warrior had spread the word to the other
koskalaka
of the elder’s memories, anyway, memories of a time when there was not enough food, when a harsh winter had killed many. And now a handful of those young warriors who believed her headed out every day, looking for the animal that was their life’s blood.

As she neared her woman’s lodge, the warrior located the other two scouts that had gone out that day with her. Both shook their head in silence and she felt her spirits drop just a little more.
We will need at least two more good hunts to make it through the winter.

The sound of Teca’s fussing drifted to her ears as she stopped in front of the
ti ikceya
. She slid from the wooden saddle with a sigh and untied the two rabbits hanging from it. The warrior dropped the carcasses by the fire and ducked into the lodge.

Kathleen looked up at the change of light and shadow inside. Her face reflected her exhaustion and relief. Their son was in her arms, tears in his eyes and his
ina’s
finger gently massaging his tortured gums. “
Han
,
winuhcala
,” she said softly.

“
Han
,
winuhcala

.” Anpo knelt down beside her family, a hand gently rubbing her woman’s shoulder as she peered down at the baby. “His teeth are still hurting him,” she said.

“
Ohan
, Anpo. And they will for awhile.” The blonde sighed and dipped her fingers into a bowl of water that was slightly cooler than the
ti

ikceya

before returning them to Teca’s mouth.

“Have you spoken with the medicine man? Maybe he has something to help.”

Kathleen nodded. “
Ohan

, I have. Hca is with him now. He is going to give me something to help numb the pain and ease his stomach and fever.”

Seeing his
inanup
, Teca mumbled over his mother’s finger and reached out a small, pudgy hand.

Anpo smiled at him, taking his hand and shaking it gently. “
Han
,
cinksi

.” She caressed his head and face. “You are a strong young warrior and brave.”

The baby seemed to agree with her, mumbling further and easing up on his whimpering. Kathleen used the opportunity to wipe his face clean of the tears before replacing her finger in his mouth.

As the warrior watched and rubbed their son’s arm, she said, “I have brought two rabbits to eat. I will skin them a little later.”

“And I will fix them for our meal tonight. Maybe roasted with the
wagmu ohanpi

?”

“That would be good, Ketlin.” The warrior kissed her woman’s temple, returning the gentle smile that was bestowed upon her.

There was a sound of wood on wood as someone knocked against the stick holding the leather covering across the
tiopa
.

“Ketlin? I have what you needed from He,” Hca’s voice called.

With a final squeeze of Kathleen’s shoulder, the dark woman rose and made her way out of the
ti ikceya
. She held the covering aside for her
cuwe
, closing it behind Hca and going to her pony. There, she removed the saddle and halter, sending the horse to the remainder of the herd with a gentle slap on his withers. Anpo then settled down beside the fire to begin skinning the animals.

After a few minutes, Hca and Ketlin both left the lodge, the baby on his
ina’s
hip. The darker woman smiled and waved at Anpo before turning away towards her own mother’s
ti

ikceya

. As the warrior finished with the butchering, her woman neared the fire and set Teca down. The child promptly crawled closer to his
inanup

to see what she was doing.

Taking a moment to wipe her hands, the warrior scooped up the baby and held him high as she peered at him with a grin. “You are looking
much
happier,
cinksi
,” she said.

Teca responded with a giggle and chattered at her. There was an excess of drool coming from his lips, but he appeared to be over the worst of the pain.

“He had an ointment that numbed Teca’s mouth,” Kathleen informed her as she set water to boil. “And he gave me a tea to make that will help with his stomach and fever.”

Anpo settled the baby in her lap and returned to her work, giving him a fine view of the proceedings. “Does the medicine man know how long this will last?”

The blonde turned to watch her two favorite people. “
Hiya

. Sometimes it lasts many moons and other times it is over sooner. There is no way to know.” There was silence for a few moments as the animals were skinned. “Did you find
tatanka
?”

Anpo’s face turned solemn. “
Hiya
, I did not. And the others did not as well.” Brown eyes looked up to the blonde. “I am afraid we will not have enough for the winter.”