"Oh. I will hurry, then."
He nodded, but didn't release her until he had run his hands over her back, up and down, then farther down, bringing her hips in close to his. It was as though with his hands he were laying claim to her, and she thrilled to the idea of becoming his woman. His words were slightly blurred when he said in Blackfeet, "Do hurry. My need is great. And, I would be on the trail."
****
ABEAUTIFUL, CLOUDLESSday threatened the blackness of night as the rising sun loomed on the eastern horizon. So inspiring was it to see the faint light in the sky, it seemed to Laylah as if the environment around her were paying tribute to both her and Eagle Heart. Although her new husband had sped the ponies over the prairie in the hours of the early morning—seeming to take as much advantage of the blackness and shadows as possible—Laylah was not at all tired. Indeed, she felt energized.
She could tell their direction was headed mostly south, since the colors of the sun were on her left. In the distance loomed several buttes and cliffs with steep purple and snow-capped mountains rising up behind them. As she looked ahead, it was in Laylah's thoughts that Eagle Heart was pushing onward toward those buttes.
The sun was already beginning its journey into the sky by the time they reached the first butte. As the beginning rays of the sun painted the sky in a luminous silver hue, Laylah knew daylight would soon follow.
It seemed to her they were blessed with a bit of luck because they reached the nearest butte before the sun began to color the sky with pinks, reds, oranges, blues and even purples. According to Eagle Heart, their path would be to keep close to the river he called theOtahkoika,the Yellowstone, though she hadn't even caught a glimpse of it yet.
True to his word, Eagle Heart had shared his seat with her on his pony. At first, she had sat side-saddle in front of him, his arms around her. But, soon they had changed positions, and she was now situated in back of him, her arms around his waist and her legs spread apart. His quiver full of arrows lay against his hips, within his easy reach, and his bow hung over his shoulder. His gun was sheathed in a rifle-shaped buckskin object made specifically for this. His shield and a great deal of buckskin rope hung from a loop on his pony's side and in his right hand was his lance.
It did make her wonder who had made all these beautiful clothes and objects for him. He'd said he had two sisters. Had they created these things for him? Even his weapons? Or had he made these himself?
When he had changed positions with her and had placed her in back of him, he'd explained it was necessary for him to be in front in case they encountered trouble. In this position, with her sitting in back of him, he could more easily face an enemy and muster a defense against him.
"Soon...we...stop. Must...good place...find." He spoke in English.
"What is a good place?"
"Humph!" he grumbled in his throat. "Be...easy...hide. Coulee, no. High. Go...high...up. See...plains...all around." As their ponies stood on the floor of the prairie, he pointed up, meaning they were about to climb the butte. "High...safe...more."
"Oh," she responded in English, against the softly tanned hide of his shirt. "I must learn your language. You know mine better than I know yours. Maybe you can teach me."
"Áa!"The sound of the word was more of a rumble coming from his throat. "Áa...but...trouble."
"Oh! It will not be any trouble."
He looked at her from over his shoulder and grinned.
"Oh, you! You're teasing me."
"What...mean...’teasing’?"
"It means," she explained in English, "joking with me...perhaps even flirting with me."
"'Flirting'?"
"Flirting means to talk to another in an arousing, sexual manner," she signed. "Like a man and his woman might do when they are trying to cause the other to want to make love."
"I?" He actually pointed to himself. "Try...make you...want love...from me?"
"Yes, this is what it means."
He laughed. "I like...word. You...want?"
"Yes, I do. So, you needn't tease me."
"Woman...should know...me, husband...tease heap...much. So...love...make...often."
She laughed.
"We...walk...up high...now. Find...good place...camp. You off...get...now.
"What? You're not going to dismount first and help me down?"
