"I know. I have become aware of them. I believe they are yet three, perhaps four days behind me. They come on, day after day, despite my cutting our trail and erasing our camps."
"They will not find you, for we will never let them discover you while you are here."
"Auntie, you bring me great honor, but I would not be the cause of bringing evil into this valley. I do not know how my father-in-law and his scout found my trail, except if perhaps this Crow warrior can see over great distances, and this is how he has discovered me. If so, he could come here. This means I must go."
"I do not agree, for we would never let them find you. Yet, I understand. You are so like your father."
Eagle Heart smiled. "Many of my people have also told me this."
Gently, she touched his arm. "I will come to you tomorrow and tell you what our elders have said about your problem. Sleep well,Ohkó, because, since you are determined to leave here, I fear your next several days might be without sleep."
He nodded, and, in an instant, she was gone. If one did not know these people well, one might think she had disappeared as though swallowed up by the air. But, Eagle Heart knew differently; he knew there were entrances scattered here and there within this valley that allowed the Little People to appear above or below the ground.
Indeed, he was honored she had sought him out to speak with him. He would ensure he left many presents for her, for her family and for the others in her clan before he left this valley.
Feeling a little calmer, he crept back into the wiki-up he shared with this beautiful woman whom he loved with all his heart.
****
"HE COMES."
Laylah peeped open one eye to glance up at Eagle Heart. He was awake, was moving about their lodge and looked to be concentrating on the particular, yet difficult, task of attaching an arrowhead to an arrow. Over the last several weeks since they had been in residence here, he had hung many of his weapons, his buckskin bags and different assortments of beaded regalia on the walls of their shelter—always within his reach. She could see he had taken these possessions from the walls and was setting them into a neat pile next to the entrance.
She stretched, placing her arms over her head. What a wonderful dream she'd been having—a dream which included her, Eagle Heart and their five children. But, as she came more fully awake and looked up searchingly at Eagle Heart, she realized he was in no mind to come back to bed: he was fully dressed in leggings, breechcloth, moccasins and his knee-length shirt. Even his hair was braided, instead of being left long and falling down his back. He looked much too handsome for a young girl's heart, but there was an air about him that made him look dangerous this morning, as though he were expecting a fight...and soon.
Perhaps this was because his dress today included his shotgun and several knives, as well as his usual quiver full of arrows and his bow. Beside him, and leaning against their shelter, stood his lance, and still hung upon the wall was his shield. Also, tucked within the belt at his waist were two more guns, and placed diagonally across his breast was a leather sash containing a great deal of ammunition.
"Who comes?" asked Laylah as she sat up and fluffed her hair.
He didn't answer right away, but instead stepped toward her and squatted next to her. In response, she came up onto her knees and placed her arms around this man, gifting him with many kisses upon his face and his lips. Because she was still nude, she could easily feel the butter-like texture of his softly tanned shirt, as well as the hard leather and cold metal of his ammunition sash.
In response to her, he pulled her into his embrace and, reaching forward, caressed first one of her breasts, then the other. She listened as his breath became strained and faster. Yet, he was soon setting her away from him.
She sighed. It appeared she was not going to coerce him back into passion this morning.
He bent down a little, however, and placed his forehead against hers. Then, in English, he answered her question and said, "Father...yours. Comes."
"My father?"
"And...Crow scout."
"I guess this means we will be leaving?"
He nodded. "Áa, Ikimopii aakíí, I fear...this...true."
"Ikimopii aakíí? What does this mean? I've not heard you say these words before now."
"Woman," he signed quickly, "who sits in place of honor. Sits-beside-him-woman." After signing this concept, he looked away from her, his attention seemingly fixed on the knife sheath at his side.
"Oh. I remember you calling me this once before, but in sign language. What is a sits-beside-him-woman? A wife?"
"Áa," he agreed, his concentration still elsewhere. But, he nevertheless explained, "A sits-beside-him-woman...is...first wife, honored wife of...man's heart."
Laylah went suddenly still.First wife?What did this mean? She coughed, then sat back, out of his reach.
Thinking perhaps she hadn't heard him correctly, she asked, "Did you say it means a 'first wife,' as in the idea of a man having a second wife?"
Glancing back at her, he answered in sign, "Or a third or fourth wife. As you probably are aware, a man might have even more wives if he is a chief and if there is too much work for the women in his family. It would be his duty to take more wives, because a man must not overly burden the women he loves." He looked away from her as he continued to sort through his things.
