CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
The next few days passed as though the sun never set from one day to another. Always it seemed to Sharon as though she had no more than laid her head down to sleep than either Strikes Fast or Rising Bear was awakening her. Then, because an Indian male always washed the "man scent" from his skin every day, as soon as the men had bathed in the frigid stream and she had completed her own bath—consisting of heated water with a few fragrant herbs thrown into it—they would all three breakfast together.
She had once asked Strikes Fast why, if they were so rushed, he and Rising Bear bathed every day? His answer had been enlightening.
"Because," he'd told her in sign, "all life can smell or detect the presence of man. Therefore, hunters must bathe daily. Warriors must bathe daily, also, because Indians, as well as all animals, can detect a human being by his scent."
"This is true?" she had asked. "This enemy who follows us could find us by no more than scent?"
"I fear it is true," he had replied.
And so, this was why every day, while Strikes Fast and the boy were bathing in the freezing water of a nearby stream, she, too, made her bath, though hers was warm and nicely scented.
Nevertheless, if asked, she would have admitted to their morning meal being her favorite time of day. The food was satisfying, regardless of it being little more than dried meat with a few berries added to it. Often at this time, she would meet Strikes Fast's gaze over the fire, and she was well aware of his wistful looks at her. And, although his patience had to be sorely tested—not only by her mistakes in camping, but also by his necessary and constant alertness to the environment—she was fully aware of his indulgence toward her, as well as toward the boy.
Never, over these past few days, had he uttered so much as a harsh word to her or their almost son. Indeed, Sharon's admiration of Strikes Fast expanded and became even more magnified when she discovered her mistakes tended to amuse him.
And, then there was the matter of sleep: he'd had none, and, despite her own and Rising Bear's attempts to stand the watch for him, Strikes Fast had graciously refused them. It was this very topic which brought her to sit at his side on this, the third night of their flight from the Cree.
Rising Bear had long since gone to sleep, having practically fallen into slumber as soon as he'd jumped from the pony. But, though Sharon was concerned about the boy's lack of sleep and his welfare, she was more alarmed about her husband's well-being—he, who seemed to be of the idea that he alone must bear the weight of getting them all to safety.
And, although he was probably correct in this belief, she still wished to help him in some way, though most of her attempts to aid him had backfired upon her and sometimes upon him, too. There was, after all, the time only a few nights ago when she had burned one of their cooked meals into a blackened crisp. Because hot meals were a rarity while they were on the run, Sharon had been overly apologetic.
However, both Strikes Fast and Rising Bear had consumed the meat without comment…except for the one murmured time when Strikes Fast had murmured, "Makes teeth…strong."
At present, Strikes Fast was sitting outside the tiny shelter he and Rising Bear had erected for the night. Earlier, as Sharon had watched them at their work, she had realized these two possessed a wealth of knowledge about this land and about how to survive in it—more than she might ever know. Truly, by the time the two of them had finished erecting the shelter, it had so thoroughly disappeared into the landscape, it looked to her as though it were little more than one of the typical windfalls so common in this forest.
As she came to sit beside Strikes Fast, settling down upon the blanket he had set out over the snow, he glanced at her quickly before returning his gaze to the environment around them. After a time, however, he reached out to take her hand in his and brought it up to his lips where he placed many kisses on her fingers, on her palm and even pressed kisses against her wrist, where even now her heartbeat was fluttering out of control.
Taking his gaze from the environment for a moment, he smiled at her and signed, "Your heartbeat races."
"Of course, it does," she whispered. "If you are going to kiss me in this manner, it causes me to wish to be in your arms."
Merely stating this seemed to affect him pleasantly, and he placed his arm around her shoulders, brought her in even closer to him and, using a single finger, guided her face around until he could bend his head a little and kiss her. It was a long, deep kiss, and when he at last raised his head to stare back out into the environment, Sharon yearned for more of the same.
However, it seemed she could not distract him from his duty for long, and he soon was speaking to her in sign using only his one hand as he cautioned, "When one is escaping a foe and is hiding from the enemy, one speaks only in sign."
She took note of his words, nodded, then signed, "My husband, I wish to take over this watch for you so you might rest a little."
"I know," he replied in sign.
"Does your saying this mean you will let me?"
"No," he signed simply.
"But, my husband, I worry about you. Do not think I am unable to see the disastrous effect this lack of sleep is having on you."
Again he signed simply, "I know."
"Surely I could sit here for a short while so you could get a little rest."
"It will not be," he signed. "A man is made by Sun to do this and more. It is an honor to lead you and the boy to safety. It is also my duty toward you, my wife, and our almost son."
"But, if you are to go into battle with the Cree, wouldn't it be better if you were well rested?"
He shrugged. "If I am to fight all seven of them, it will probably not matter if I am rested. Know this, my wife: I have already come to be at peace with the knowledge that I might not walk away from the fight ahead of me. I will take some of them with me, though."
"But, I am not at peace with the struggle you anticipate."
