the LEGEND of She-Cat

Chapter Twenty Six

"Will they come?"

"I do not know. It depends on what Blue Elk and Spotted Bear say when they tell the elders of what they saw."

"I found the body of the man and his horse, but I did not bury him," Dun-Can reminded me.

"Did he really look like you?"

"He was in rough shape when I found him," he explained again. "Those that knew him say he did."

Nodding silently, I exhaled softly. There was nothing to do about that now. All we could do was face what was on the path ahead.

We were riding slowly northwest, our course taking us into the high aspen slopes of the mountains. Summer was behind us now at this elevation, and I shivered a little, knowing we needed to have a home before winter came. It had been two weeks since Dun-Can had returned, and both of us had been driven to find out what had happened to each other during our long separation. I spent that time teaching him to speak. His use of my language was greatly improved, our communication easy and mostly understood.

Dun-Can had assured me he was no ghost risen from the dead, explaining about the white man he had found, saying that even the men of the town had mistaken him for the dead man. He'd also told me about the trouble he'd faced in the village of the white men, and how he'd come to be injured. To my surprise, he added the fact that a white woman had offered herself to him, wanting him to stay with her. Dun-Can had smiled when he'd admitted to being tempted, explaining why he'd refused. 'She was too tame, She-Cat. I got used to a woman having claws.'

It made me laugh, for I knew he was teasing, but at the same time I was relieved. In revealing this much, I knew I could trust that Dun-Can would never lie to me. In return, I told him everything that had happened with the Sotaeo'o, about deceiving them into thinking I was a Coyote Spirit, seeing my children again, and what led to the confrontation with Walking Arrow. Hesitantly, I also spoke of meeting Stands Bravely, and what had happened between us, and what I had said to the warrior. To my relief, there had been no hint of anger or jealousy in Dun-Can's reply.

"Do you think he told them about you?"

"Yes, and I believe he is convinced I was truly a vision of his first wife. Perhaps when what happened to Walking Arrow becomes known among the nations, he will remember, and we will have no trouble with my people."

"So, I have some kind of spirit woman as wife?"

"In the eyes of the native peoples, yes. The Coyote Spirit."

"Huh," his grunt had been thoughtful. "No woman of flesh and blood ever felt that good."

My cheeks had flushed and he'd laughed, pleased by my reaction. Riding through a forest of birch and aspen, the bark a snowy white, leaves brilliantly yellow and orange, I thought of that first time together, all the times that had followed, and felt my face warm. Dun-Can happened to glance back and noticed. His eyes twinkled.

"What is She-Cat thinking of that makes her blush?"

"You." Meeting his eye boldly, I smiled. "Only you."

Kneeing the gelding around, he reached out with his left arm and pulled me from the mare, settling me to his lap. Though his right arm was healing, it was still bound, but that did not slow him down much. His kiss was gentle but full of an aching desire that made my heart pound even though there had been no restraint between us. It did not matter how often he touched me, it still left me breathless and shaking. Putting my hands on his shoulders I pushed free, trying to deny him with a smile.

"If we delay again, we will never find a home before winter."

"Do not fear the cold," urging me closer, his teeth nipped my jaw. "I will keep you warm."