She began to laugh, too, intermixed with her tears. But, she was able to whisper, "Sounds silly, but I agree with you and I want this, too. May our arguments always end with us in each other's arms."
"Soka'pii.Or...make love...when...quarrel."
This made her giggle, and she said, "If only we could. But, I fear it might be impossible."
"Not impossible. Remind us...we love...more and better...than say bad words."
She breathed in deeply and was immediately aware of where they were: of the clean, earthy scent of the pines, as well as the butterscotch-like scent of the ponderosa tree bark. Contented, she murmured, "I believe I might always think of you and our love whenever I smell butterscotch candies."
"What is?"
"Butterscotch candy?"
He nodded.
"It is a sweet, like maple sugar. But, my husband, let us make a place where we can love each other through the night, unless you think it best we push on toward the Beartooth Mountain range yet this night."
"It good. We stay here. Tomorrow...night...soon enough...we go back on trail."
She smiled. It was good. They had survived their first disagreement—and, in a way, it was symbolic of how they might settle any future clashes. For this, their first fight, had been fought over major principles, both hers and his.
Moreover, she had become aware that, by renewing their love, all things were possible. And, as the night closed in around them, they set out to show one another that lovemaking was, indeed, one of the most beautiful of God's creations.
****
GRAY FALCON HEARD THEscratch on the buckskin covering of his lodge's entrance. At once, he knew of identity of the caller without even looking.
He said,"Ipii,enter."
When Amelia McIntosh stepped into his lodge, he greeted her with a quick nod and a smile. Indeed, in these last few weeks, he had become used to her many visits; he even looked forward to them. At first, he had considered her a nuisance, but with her continued determination to speak with him, he had become used to her—and considered her to be a friend.
She was a pretty girl in her youthful demeanor. Her brown hair often shone with health, and her facial shape looked more heart-like than round or straight. Her cheeks most often were rosy, and her eyes were gray—the color of his namesake, the gray falcon. But, the color of her eyes was unusual, for it often changed depending on the shade of her clothing.
She was not flirtatious with him when she came to visit, nor was he with her. This made it easy to be friends. Usually, their conversations concerned his friend and her sister, and it was through Amelia that he had learned of Eagle Heart's marriage to the woman his friend calledIkamo'si-niistówa-iitámssin,Steals-my-breath.
"I've come to inform you of what my father is doing," Amelia told him using sign language, for they had neither one learned the other's language.
He nodded and gestured toward the place across the fire opposite to him. It was his way of asking her to be seated.
As she sat down upon the buffalo robe which he had long ago placed there especially for her, she continued, "My father has hired a Crow scout who brags he can track anyone or anything, and he and my father have left the fort to go in search of my sister and your friend. My father has told my mother he intends to catch your friend and my sister together, and he means to kill Eagle Heart and bring Laylah back home." She glanced away from him, and he saw so much sadness within her look he felt compelled to rush to her side and give her comfort. But, she was not his to touch nor to hug, not even as one friend might give aid to another.
"My mother begged him not to do this," continued Amelia, "but, my father is determined. 'No daughter of mine,' he had said, 'is going to leave a perfectly good man at the altar to run off with a savage.' Even now, my mother is in her room, crying. I have come to you to ask if your business at the fort is done and, if it is, if you might be able to track behind my father and the Crow scout. It is in my mind to ask you to prevent my father from killing your friend. If my father really does find them and he murders Eagle Heart, I know my sister will never forgive him. And I would not ever see her again."
He nodded and, by way of gestures, said, "I will do as you ask. The trade I came here to do is finished, and I have been preparing to go on the trail of my friend and join him in his search of his brother. I have only delayed leaving because he is newly married and would not appreciate me interrupting his first days together with his bride. But, now is the right time to go, though only a few weeks have passed."
"You will do this for me, for my sister, too?"
"Áa," he said, then continued in sign, "If your father and a Crow scout are on his trail, I must leave at once. It is good that all my trading is now concluded."
"I want to come with you."
Gray Falcon was taken aback and signed, "You cannot. It is not safe for you to go with me."
"I would, too, be safe. My father would never hurt me."
"It matters not. Bullets can go astray as can arrows. And, there is another reason you cannot go: you must not be alone with me on the trail. You are too young and others will think that we... No, if your father means to kill my friend, where I am going could be very dangerous."
"I know," she signed. "I still want to go with you. After all, I'm alone with you now, and nothing has happened."
