EAGLE HEART LAID LAYLAHdown on the buckskin robe positioned atop the pine boughs he'd placed over the dirt and snow which gave her bed an extra cushion and barrier against the cold. Ensuring his robe covered her completely, he knelt on one knee at her injured ankle, feeling it this way and that, though, at his touch, she drew in her breath and jumped as a spasm shook her.
He couldn't be certain yet, but it appeared she had not broken her leg or ankle bone. Perhaps a muscle had pulled away from the bone, which could be as painful as a full break. But, it might heal a little quicker. Rising up, he shifted positions and squatted next to her right arm. Again, she squirmed and jumped at his touch. The major bone in her forearm was definitely broken, though the break seemed to be a clean one.
Glancing up toward her face, he signed, "I believe your ankle bone is not broken, but the big bone in your arm is. Both will heal with time, but I will need to wrap them so you do not move them while they heal. I must now look at your back. It may hurt."
She nodded.
He asked, by way of gestures, "If I help to turn you, can you shift onto your left side?"
Again, she nodded and tried to move as he'd asked, but it appeared she couldn't do it. He aided her to move until they had accomplished it, then repositioned her so her back was facing him.
He felt the bones in her spine, from the top of it to the bottom. When done, he sighed with relief. It was not broken. However, several muscles attached to the bones were stiff, which possibly aided the bones in moving out slightly from the spine. No wonder it was so painful.
He would leave her spine untreated for now. Sometimes those muscles healed without interference and, with rest, allowed the bones to go back into position. Not so her ankle and arm. As he'd told her, these would require him to wrap them.
He touched her gently before helping her to again lie on her back. As she turned over, her green eyes—so stunningly pretty—seemed large as she gazed up at him. Raising her free hand, she asked in sign, "What do you think the damage is?"
He responded in the same manner, "I do not believe your spine is broken, but there are bones there that have moved out from where they should be. This could be why there is much pain there. I will need to put the bone in your arm back in place again, and then wrap both your ankle and arm. To do this, I will have to take out my knife so I can cut up one of my robes into strips. Do not be alarmed because of the knife. I mean you no harm."
She nodded. "I know," she said in English, but he didn't understand, and she didn't use sign to communicate her words.
He sat back on his haunches and told her in sign, "My other robe and another buckskin blanket is tied to my pack animal. Also, there are several days of food on my packhorse. I will have to go out into the blizzard to find my animals and get my robes and other supplies. I will also need to lead my horses to safety, see to your pony and guide them all to the grove of cottonwood trees close to the water. Horses love the bark of the cottonwood tree to eat, and this will keep them from starving. But, I could get lost because the wind, blowing the snow in all directions, does not allow me to see or keep my sense of direction. Will you talk to me with your mind?"
"Yes."
"It is good, but I will also leave you a rock and some wood so you can beat them together if you feel I may have lost my way in the blizzard," he signed. "The sound can lead me back here. Can you do this?"
"Yes," she said, nodding.
Using the gesture language again, he signed, "I will look for a good stick that might help you to walk so you can attend to personal matters without my having to stand over you. There is no reason to keep embarrassing you when I can make a cane for you."
"I would like that," she signed.
"But, you must know," he went on to communicate, "that I can never allow you to be alone outside the shelter without me there to guard you. I will turn my back to give you privacy, but I will always have to accompany you."
"But, why?"
"There are dangers on the plains from enemies or animals, even in a snowstorm. Would you have me leave you to danger?"
"No, but I don't want you there, either."
He sighed. "Yet, it must be. Even when my tribe is camped together, the men always guard the women when they are alone at their bath. There can be hidden enemies about, and none of our men dare to take a chance of possible harm coming to our women. So it will be with you, too. I will guard you."
"But—"
"You should know," he signed," that it is considered an act of cowardice, as lowly an act as a dirty dog, to look at women at their bath."
"And so, no man ever looks?" She added a frown along with her signs.
He laughed, but said nothing.
"Are you leaving now?"
"I am. I may be gone for much of the afternoon because I will need to ensure we have a fresh supply of water that is not cold from the snow, for you might wish to bathe. Perhaps I might find a piece of wood wide enough to catch the snow so you might accomplish this. We will need ample wood supplies for fires and for warmth, also. Do not be alarmed if I am long in returning here."
He glanced at her face and saw she was crying again. But, why? He asked, using gestures, "Are you hungry? Is this why you cry?"
"I am hungry," she said aloud, then signed the meaning of her words. "But," she continued, "this is not why I am crying. Do you think I am unaware of the danger you have put yourself in because of me? And, what would I have done if you hadn't come to look for me? I would have perished. I know this is true. In many ways, I don't understand why you have rescued me and why you are taking such good care of me and expecting nothing in return. It causes the words of my grandmother to haunt me."
