"Oh my," she said. "Imagine, a war lodge. How is it used when you go to war?"
"In this way," he answered. "We make these lodges when we come in close to an enemy camp; this is why they are built carefully so they are not readily seen and where all those within it can smoke the pipe, make dried meat and sleep without fear of it being detected. Also, we can leave food in the war lodge in case we lose the dried meat we carry with us. Here, too, we can gather together after the fight or leave messages to each other. Often we store extra weapons in case we lose them in battle. It is good for sleeping, too.
"In hopes of you changing your mind about becoming my woman," he continued, "I wished to make a lodge which is hard for an enemy to perceive and would give us cover well enough so we would have little fear in being disturbed."
Czanna cast this man a curious glance, then asked, "You built this all by yourself? Today?"
"I did. They are easy to make and take little time. This war lodge is smaller around than the ones we usually build, and so it was done easily and quickly."
"Easily? It doesn't look easy to me."
He turned toward her and grinned. "Do you wish to flatter me? It is my duty to ensure we will have a lodge where we can come to know one another without fear."
"I do not flatter you," she said. "I am truly in awe of you having put this together today, and yet you were there when I needed you most."
"As I always hope to be. Now come, let us go inside. Step this way… I fear you will have to come down on hands and knees to enter. Here, follow me and do as I do."
She complied and followed him into the war lodge, crawling behind him and through the long entrance, coming at last to standup behind him, scooting in close to him. Immediately, she smelled the strong scent of pine needles within the lodge, and except the dim starlight filtering in through the very top of the structure, she saw there were no other openings within the lodge. Indeed, it was quite dark within it.
As she glanced around the one room, she came to understand the reason for the strong scent of pine: bows of balsam were scattered over the ground within the lodge. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness within, she saw two blankets to her left neatly set together, as well as a soft robe at the head of the blankets, its use most likely being that of a pillow.
She must have been staring at it intensely, because Stands Strong seemed attuned to her thoughts, and, gesturing toward the blankets, he said, "Our bed."
Oddly, she wasn't embarrassed by the obvious, yet suggestive statement. Indeed, she was thrilled, and, looking more closely at their "bed," a rather wanton excitement washed through her system.
Turning, Stands Strong put his arms around her, and she fell forward, at last gaining a hint of the intimacy she craved. She whispered, "I like it."
Gazing up at him within the softness of the darkened interior, she watched as his head descended toward hers, his lips unerringly finding hers. At the contact, she felt her body melt into his until she doubted even the width of a pin could have been inserted between them. And, as she thought she might at last be near enough to him, she realized it was still not enough.
But, at last it appeared he was ready to do all he could to grant her wish.
Breaking off the kiss, he picked her up and strode toward their bed of soft blankets. He didn't let her go, though; instead, he drew her down onto her knees, he also kneeling before her. Meanwhile his hands were working over her clothing as though her garments were nothing more than an encumbrance. It didn't even occur toher to wonder how he knew how to undress her, since, if she were to have given it better consideration, she would have realized that most Indians were unfamiliar with the layers of clothing a white woman was required to wear.
But, the clothing gave him no reason for hesitation. Still kissing her, his hands worked over the snaps, buttons and other fastenings holding her dress together.
Then, at last, she was kneeling in front of him, completely adorned in nothing more than the manner in which she had come into this world. But, she was to be disappointed momentarily because she soon became aware she was the only one naked. As near as she could tell, he was still wearing his shirt, leggings, breechcloth and moccasins.
She whispered against his lips, "Am I the only one to be undressed, then?"
She felt his lips rise up into a grin. Then he said, "I promise I will disrobe, but in a little while. Let me enjoy the feel of you and the look of you without the need to commit to the act of love. I fear that if I also undress, I would think only of fulfillment. Instead, I would savor this moment."
"Yes," she agreed.
And, then he pressed her backward, enveloping her body within his arms until she was lying down beside him. But, he wasn't reclining. Instead, he was kneeling by her side, and, looking up at him, she saw his gaze was everywhere upon her.
He whispered, "You are more beautiful without your clothing."
And, with no more said, he felt her everywhere, from her head to her chest, downward over her arms to her stomach and lower still toward her femininity, and there he massaged her briefly before he brought his hands down to caress each of her legs, then felt down farther toward her feet, and these he massaged.
Then he came back up over her body, caressing and kissing her everywhere until he reached the top of her head, which he massaged, while she whimpered and groaned.
She whispered, "It feels so good."
He lay down beside her, and then kissed her deeply, his tongue reaching into the recesses of her mouth and toying with hers. Meanwhile, his hands were rubbing her, massaging her everywhere, his hands lingering over her breasts. One of his hands remained where it was over one of her breasts while his other hand journeyed over her body until it reached her core.
"Open your legs," he whispered.
She complied, there being no thought of resistance within her.
