Chief Cloud spent one of his worst nights, awake and in mental anguish, that night. He knew that Rabbit was terrible at knots and that he could loosen them at any time. Yet he refused. He knelt, knees splayed, arms stretched above him, enduring the physical pain, and waited. He could do nothing less. He was ridden with guilt at the worry and fear he had brought to his partner, this carefree, light, and loving soul he had sworn to protect. He held himself in check as he listened to Rabbit weep alone in the bedding, each sob breaking his heart. His stimulated body had long since returned to normal, yet he knew that to go to him, just to offer solace would not help. His Two-Spirit person needed to control this situation, and he owed him that.
He found himself offering his own prayers to the gods begging for forgiveness. He had not stopped to think of how his words might be taken and he was suddenly afraid himself. Would a punishment be extracted, bringing more hurt and sadness to the one person he adored above all others?. So he did not test his bonds, nor did he shift the uncomfortable position he was in. But worse than that, he forced himself to listen. It was more painful than anything that night, denying himself and Rabbit the very thing that would bring them comfort. Rabbit was not the only man in the teepee who wept the night away.
A little after dawn, Rabbit stirred and moaned. He sat up, holding his head and looked around. His dull grey eyes widened and he stumbled toward Cloud Chief, who crouched with an ashamed and downcast face, unable to look at his husband. He rushed toward him, and slowly lowered the rope, and the warrior's arms fell limply in front of him.
"My love, my love. I am so sorry. How could I have been so cruel?"
Cloud Chief looked at him finally. "Not cruel. Right. I took too much of a chance. I endangered us. I needed correction." His look was full of love and regret. "Rabbit was right in demanding penance from me."
Rabbit grabbed a woven blanket and laid Cloud Chief down. He untied the ribbon and released the wrists. "You could have slipped all of these knots you know."
"Could not. Needed to do what you told me. Needed to make amends."
Rabbit began to massage the cramped arms and legs, his white teeth savaging his bottom lip as he did. Tears stood in his large eyes, and he blinked rapidly. One ran down his cheek and then another. Cloud Chief reached up and wiped it away.
"You cried enough last night. No more. "
Rabbit covered his mouth with his lips. The kiss, returned with hesitation and regret was sweet, laden with apology and amends.
"I am so sorry. I was suddenly filled with foreboding, heavy and dark and I thought, " 'Show them now, that he regrets this. Show them immediately, before their anger grows.' I know how livid they were at my sin in creating the Yin Tiger Talley. Even though my intentions were good, it ended up causing such misery. I was a long time, paying that Karma back." He shuddered at the memory.
"Then do the same tonight. For as long as you need. Rabbit must become more at ease no matter what that takes." The golden eyes looked at Rabbit beseechingly. "I cannot bear that I did this to you."
Rabbit felt tears begin again. "No, not again. I will never put you through that again, It is too hard."
Cloud Chief sat up and drew his husband into a tight embrace., rubbing his back and soothing him until he felt him begin to relax into him. The dull pewter was returning to silver, despite Rabbit's strained and exhausted countenance. He whispered. "Can we lie down a while? Just lie still and hold one another?"
"Mhn. What ever you want. Rabbit looks very tired."
" So do you. Maybe a short nap before we joined the others?"
They snuggled in and latched on. After one long kiss that soothed their souls, they fell soundly asleep, where not even the gods were allowed to find them.
Winter Owl and Soaring Hawk also slept in. Their night had also been busy. They had made many flights into the night sky, each time culminating in lovemaking, devouring one another as if they had been starving for a hundred lifetimes. And they had been.
Winter Owl's time in hell had been a long one, followed by many lives apart as part of her penance. The time in the Steppes, as a warrior for hire, cost her dearly. Defending one's homeland and loved ones was one thing, leading mercenaries for hire was not. The gods had relented this time, since Soaring Hawk was now free to live his own lives and begin to reach for eternity once more. but her debt was not quite erased as yet. There would be more separation for them and her love would have to spend a while after this life, without her
His sorrow at the news hurt him deeply and she wept beside him.
"You must keep going my husband. Live each life well. Love again, raise families. But let us live this life together fully. The grace they are showing me this time must be spent well, and thankfully. One day my atonement will be completed and we can come back together as many times as needed. But you must live the others when I am not there, gracefully as well. Promise me?"
Soaring Hawk smiled and wiped his tears away. "Then let's marry right away. Count tonight as our courtship and wed. Can Kills Like A Bear let you join us?"
"I have already told him that if our reunion went the way I hoped, then I would never leave your side in this lifetime. He agrees."
"How did you know I was here?"
"I begged for a long time after I found out that you were free to live lifetimes on your own terms again. "Just once. Just one. He deserves just one time so he can move on.' Then one agreed and swayed the others and my boon was granted. I remember one Powwow when I was four and I was knocked over during a ball game. I sat in the dust crying, unnoticed and this boy of eight ran over. He scooped me up and ran me to a soft patch of grass and sat me down. He had the softest brown eyes and the kindest smile in the world and I instantly recognized you. So tall and strong, compassionate as always. You checked me for injuries and held me in your lap and sang me a song and my heart broke open with love. Like a beaver dam, long abandoned, and succumbing to an irresistible spring flood, I knew you, knew I would seek you out after I grew up and that we would be together. I am still very persistent when I want something." She grinned widely and he could not stand it. He pounced on his bird of prey once again.
While the four stayed sequestered in their teepees and Red Arrows ran the camp, the day passed in peace and the people felt happy and safe. They were unaware, and blissfully ignorant of a discovery made many miles away. One that glittered in the bottom of a pan, held by a miner, breaking the treaty set with the white government in Washington. Gold had been found, and where there was gold, there was no safe land for the People.
And a man with long hair, the color of that coveted metal, who desired the title of President above all of the native life on the continent, set his eyes on their annihilation, as the pathway to attain ultimate power. His name was Custer, and his plans meant death to an entire culture.
