Star of Daylight (Book Two of the Viking Series)

CHAPTER THREE - Running Deer

My wife had been gone for an entire moon already, and I was sorely missing her. I had not realized how much I had come to depend on her for everything, until she was not there beside me. I was beginning to forget the feel of her skin, of her warmth beside me on a cold night. The boys were at my mother’s this turn, and the silence grated on my nerves.

Even Night Moon, who always had a smile for me, had come to avoid me. When I sought her out to ask her why, she had blatantly told me that I was a surly bear without my Star of Daylight. She was right, of course. I was worrying all the time about the baby, although more about the woman who carried it. My wife became my reason for living from the first moment I saw her enter the village, three season’s turn before, in her odd attire with golden hair flowing down her back. I thought I was looking at the sun, so taken with her beauty as I was.

I wanted so much to go and visit her in Walking Cloud’s village, but I did not want to interrupt her work, and I had my duties here. If truth be told, I was also afraid she would get mad at me, or laugh at me, because I could not get through even one moon without her. In many ways, she was a very private person. I did not know much of her life before she came to us. I knew only that she had family, far away in a place called Iceland. It was there that she had trained to become a warrior. She did speak often of her father, but would never talk about her brother, and I learned not to press her. She would get upset if I asked, so I stopped doing so.

I wondered what she was doing with her days. I knew nothing about being a shaman, except what everyone else in the tribes did, and she did not share any special knowledge with me. I understood that it was sacred, and she would not be allowed to discuss things of a spiritual nature, but I wished that I did not have to be apart from her like that.

 After another night of no sleep, I resolved that I would have to alter my behavior towards my people. I realized that as their future chief, it was important for me to treat them with the respect they deserved and with that thought, I rose from my lonely sleeping hollow and rekindled the fire I had let go out. I put on some tea, and went next door to wake Raging Bear. We would go on a hunt and I would reconnect with my men. First, though, I needed to make things right with him.

I could hear someone stirring inside the wigwam, so I called out. Night Moon’s voice spoke from within, “Enter,” and I pulled back the flap. Her eyes widened in surprise at my appearance, but she said nothing. It must have been pretty bad, if even she was afraid to speak her mind. Raging Bear was just rising, and the baby let out a cry. Night Moon went to hush him, and as my best friend looked at me, I simply jerked my head in the direction of my own wigwam, and he nodded.

I exited their home and returned to mine. Raging Bear followed soon after, and sat down by the fire. I handed him a cup of cranberry tea, and settled down with mine cupped in my hands. Summer was ending, fishing season would soon begin, and the mornings had become slightly chill. We sat in an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes, until I could not stand it anymore. “I am sorry, Raging Bear.”

He glanced my way, and smirked. “It is easy to forgive, when you understand the reason, Running Deer.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, my friend, I do believe I would act the same way as you if I did not have Night Moon by my side for an entire moon. Have you heard anything about when Sister will return?” He sipped his tea, which I had sweetened with honey, and sighed in pleasure. Just like that, all traces of hostility between us disappeared. I only hoped it would be as easy with the men.

“I have no idea, Raging Bear. The last message I had from her was over a week ago. She was going on a vision quest with Walking Clouds. Apparently, she has been plagued with sightings of something from her past, and Walking Clouds is determined to get to the bottom of it. I wish I knew what it was, but whatever it is, it is becoming worse, and he is concerned. It is interfering with her training, and slowing things down.” I suspected that she had been through some traumatic things in her life simply by the scars she bore all over her body, but she would never discuss them.