Tiopa Ki Lakota (30 page)

Kathleen led a pony, her lodge suspended between two large logs and dragging along after. Beside her was another pony, this one with a pregnant woman upon it.

"Oh, I am so happy the sickness is gone,
stepan

," Hca Wanahca said with a relieved sigh. She smiled down at her friend. "I do not know how you survived it!"

Grinning, the blonde woman scratched a tan shoulder. "I do not think my sickness was as hard as yours, Hca. And I was frightened much of the time - I believe that I did not pay as much attention to it as you."

The dark woman shrugged a little and shook her head dismissively. "Still, Ketlin. Your sickness was hard enough to call the medicine man."

Kathleen nodded, her mind casting back to her own pregnancy. She sent a silent prayer for the old man, He Osni, who had died that following terrible winter. "As was yours,
stepan
."

Hca patted her large belly with a chuckle. "As was mine," she agreed. There was a sudden, breathless pause and her smile turned adoring. "
Stepan
!" she said, waving the blonde closer. "Feel! The baby is kicking!"

Having gone through this many times in the last few months, Kathleen nonetheless put up her hand and let it be guided to the area in question. Feeling the spasms beneath her palm, she rubbed it gently and said, "It is moving very much. I think you will have a strong boy."

"Oh, I hope so!" Hca answered, her eyes showing her excitement. "Nupa would be so happy to have a
cinksi
!" She thought for a moment. "He would be happy with a
cunksi

, too," she allowed.

Laughing, the lighter woman said, "But a
cinksi

would be better."

Hca blushed a little, though her smile was still in place as she nodded. "
Ohan
, it would."

"Well, if you give birth to a girl, you can always make more," Kathleen offered.

"
Ohan

. And we will!"

The pair giggled as they continued on their way. The sound of hoofbeats garnered their attention and the women looked around to see their warriors returning from the rear of the moving camp.

"
Han
,
winuhcala

!" Anpo called as she neared, coming to a halt beside her woman. Beside her, Nupa did the same.

"
Hau
,
ina
!" a small voice piped up.

"
Han

, my two warriors," Kathleen responded, smiling. She pulled her pony to a stop as Hca and Nupa continued on their way. Holding up her arms, she caught their son, Tatanka Teca, as he dived off the back of his
inanup's
horse. "Did you have a good ride,
cinksi
?"

"
Hau
,
ina

!" the toddler nodded, a huge grin on his dark face. He hugged his mother's neck with one arm, waving the other at the warrior who was dismounting. "
inanup

pony
big
!"

"
Very
big," Anpo agreed. She heard their son repeat her words as she bent down for a welcoming kiss. "And we went
very
far," she informed Kathleen with mock seriousness.

"
Very
far," Teca agreed.

Looking from her
winuhca
to Teca, the blonde tsked gently. "You must be hungry,
cinksi
." The solemn nod she received in answer caused her to quirk her mouth. "Come then. We will find you something to eat."

As Kathleen turned to approach the household strapped on her pony's back, the boy tugged at her dress. "Want you."

"
Hiya

, Teca. Later tonight when we make camp. You know I cannot travel with you like that anymore."

Before the toddler could make an issue of it, Anpo scooped him up and tossed him into the air. The child screeched in pleasure. "
You
are very big,
cinksi

!" she proclaimed as she caught him in her arms.

He giggled up at the dark woman and tugged on one of her braids. "I very big!"

"
Ohan
!" the blonde agreed. "You will be a tall and strong warrior, Teca."

"
Big
warrior!"

"Big warrior!" Anpo repeated, swinging the child around as he laughed.

Thankful for the distraction, Kathleen approached her packed lodge and rummaged about in one of the baskets for something to eat. Pulling out some
wansi

and leftover frybread from breakfast, she called her family closer.

The warrior settled Teca onto the household, in a spot designed specifically for him to sit in while they moved. The toddler got comfortable and took the pemmican and bread handed to him. Kathleen found a waterskin and set it close. As they ate, the camp continued to move, passing around them.

"Nupa and I are going to scout to the west," Anpo stated as she chewed her food. "If there is any game, we will hunt and bring it for tonight's feast."

Kathleen nodded. "May the spirits lead you true."

"Want to go!" the toddler demanded, spilling half the wansi from his mouth as he spoke.

The blonde cocked an eye at her woman.
It's all yours....

"
Hiya
, Teca. You will stay with your
ina
." The warrior braced herself for the child's attack.

"Want to
go
!" The tiny face began to screw up in anger and frustration, his food forgotten.

The warrior rolled her dark eyes and sighed. "
Hiya
! You will stay with your
ina

."
He is more than stubborn.
Refusing to show any weariness at fighting with the toddler, Anpo leaned forward. "Do you wish to ride again with me,
cinksi
?"

Not understanding the relevance, Teca blinked at her, his emotional tempest pausing. "
Hau

,
inanup
."

"You stay here with your
ina
. When I return, I will take you riding
again
today."

The child considered this option with some seriousness. Riding with his second mother was always fun. And two times!? "I sleep?" he finally asked, eyes flickering back and forth between his parents.

Kathleen found two pairs of eyes regarding her. With a sigh she shook her head. Such negotiations for only two and a half! "
Hiya

, Teca. You do not have to sleep. Just ride here for awhile while
inanup

is away."

"And I will take you on another ride,
cinksi

," the warrior exclaimed with a smile.

Apparently deciding that it was a good trade off, Teca nodded. "
Hau
,
inanup
." And then he scooped up his pemmican and began to eat again as if nothing had occurred.

Kathleen mentally wiped her brow at another temper tantrum averted.
Was I ever that mule-headed?
She could see the reflection of her relief in her warrior's eyes and they grinned at one another.
She's beautiful.

Most of the camp had passed by the time they finished their meal. Anpo kissed both of them farewell and mounted her pony. Before she left, she firmly told Teca, "I will return and take you for a ride,
cinksi
!" And then she sped off in search of Nupa.

The toddler frowned and fussed a bit, still wanting to go with Anpo. But, he was a smart, if obstinate, child and had made his decision. He sat back with an air of impatience as his mother began walking with the horse again. Soon his eyes drifted closed.

Their arrival at summer camp aroused the same interest as every year. A few dozen warriors and elders took the time to ride out and formally great the incoming people. And, as usual, there were a few
koskalaka

who desired a closer look at the white woman.

Anpo had learned her lesson from that first year, however. She kept herself close to her family, glaring down any young man who got too close. Fortunately, word had spread and no one was willing to challenge.

The warrior remained in the vicinity of her family as the
ti

ikceyas

were set up, helping to distract the boy as well as keep an eye on her
winuhca

. Once she was sure that Kathleen and Teca were safely ensconced at her hearth, she grinned and kissed them both before heading off to the council fire at the center of camp.

Anpo's father, Wanbli Zi, was already at the fire, seated to one side. As she settled down just behind him and beside her
tiblo

, she thought,
Ate is getting old.
A frown crossed her face as she noticed the new wrinkles and whitening hair. An indistinct uneasiness swept over her.
I have never thought of him as old before.

Her musings were broken by words spoken from across the fire.

"
Hiya
. The
wicasa

was
white
."

The
wikoskalaka

's
eyes found the speaker with sharp intensity, a man a bit older than herself and from another encampment.

"What did he look like?" a second man asked, puffing on his pipe in concentration.

The first pursed his lips in thought. "His hair was like ours but curly like the
cana
," and he indicated the area between his legs. "It covered his face. He smiled too much and stank."

A few of the men chuckled at the sentiment. Wicasa Waziya Mani spoke up from his place nearer the woman warrior. "And you say this white man is north?" At the answering nod, the chief continued, "What is he doing there? Has he no hearth? No family?"

The first man shrugged. "He does not. He said his people were to the east and he was a trader." A grin crossed his face as he pulled out a knife, holding it up for all to see. "I traded him two wolf skins for this."

The metal blade caught the afternoon sunlight and reflected it back at them all.

Several days passed as preparations began in earnest for this season's Sun Dance. As each new band arrived, the camp grew to bursting. The people gossiped and worked together, catching up on the news of a winter and preparing for another long absence from one another.

The most well worked information, of course, was that of the white trader to the north. Others of the camp that had met him had stories to regale their eager audience with - tales of sticks that made loud noises, of a liquid that burnt like fire when drunk, of cloth blankets that were thicker than those of their neighbors to the south. The
winyan
were abuzz with the strange metal pots and beads of all sizes and colors.

Kathleen received a lot of attention from the other
winyan

as they asked her about the things they'd heard about. She did her best to inform them of the various items in the white world that were created to make a woman's life easier. And, as she spoke of metal laundry pails, fry pans, scissors and boots, a certain feeling of nostalgia stole over her.

"
Hau

, Nupa!
Hau
, Anpo!" a voice called.

The two warriors looked from their game of throwing spears to see Wicasa Waziya Mani approaching them with a wide smile on his handsome face. Tagging along behind were four of his men.

"
Hau
,
wicahcala

," Anpo responded, turning to the chief. She held out her hand and grasped the offered forearm.

Nupa took the opportunity to throw the spear, hitting the targeted tree with a solid thunk. He, too, turned to the others and grasped forearms with Mani. "
Hau
,
wicahcala
!" Grinning at his friend, he added, "I beat you,
tanksi
!"

With a careful eye, the
wi
koskalaka

studied their target. "You did,
tiblo
. The spear is yours."

Almost chortling in his glee at besting her, the warrior trotted forward to yank the spear from the tree.

Upon Nupa's return, the chief said, "I would ask you and your families to join me at my fire tonight."

A dark brow rose. Anpo looked to her friend who was equally curious. "I . . . would be honored,
wicahcala
," she finally said.

Nupa echoed her agreement.

The chief's smile broadened and he clapped both of them on the shoulder. "Good! I look forward to seeing that fine young
cinksi

of yours, Anpo!"

A grin creased the dark woman's face. "My
winucha
says Teca grows like a weed."

Startled by the unusual comparison, Mani thought for a second before bursting into laughter. "I am sure he does,
wikoskalaka
!" he exclaimed. In parting, he said, "Until tonight."

The friends nodded. "Until tonight," Nupa agreed.

Once the
wicasa

were gone, Nupa turned to the woman. "That was strange."

"
Ohan

." The warrior shrugged and turned away from the retreating forms. "You and I should tell our
winyan