CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The sun was high in the sky and the wind was calm, meekly carrying the scent of sage in the air when Stands Strong and Czanna set out upon the trail back to camp. As the sun shone down its warmth upon them, Czanna couldn't remember a time when she had ever felt as happy as she did now. And, although she and Stands Strong weren't riding the same horse—as they had done on the previous evening—in some ways, it was almost as good as it might have been had she been sitting so closely to him. Because custom, as well as safety, demanded she ride behind Stands Strong, she was presented with the handsome image of Stands Strong as he rode out ahead of her.
Tall in his seat, his shoulders were broad, his back straight, showing off his weapons of many arrows as well as his bow, all of which were stored in what he called the skin of theáámmóniisí,the otter. He had strapped his rifle over one of his shoulders, and upon his other shoulder he carried his shield. She had seen his shield hung from one of the posts in the war lodge the previous evening, but she hadn't thought too much about it, her attention at the time on other matters.
Because his breechcloth was moving up and down as well as swinging with the wind as he rode his pony, she could see the wide band of this clothing upon his waist. On this belt and upon his right side, he had hung a knife, encased in a beautifully beaded sheath. And, on the left side of his belt was a tomahawk with astone head at one end of it, which looked to be a large stone, chiseled until it had formed a sharp point. The weapon was decorated with beadwork on its handle, as well as feathers attached to it that fluttered with his movements.
His long loose hair fell down his back over his quiver and reached almost to his waist. But, what Czanna was finding so fascinating about him at this present moment was the manner by which his leggings and breechcloth accentuated the upper part of his thighs and the outline of his buttocks, since his leggings and his breechcloth were only hung together by rawhide strings.
Why she was only now noticing these little nuances of his figure and clothing was probably due to his habit of wearing his long shirt almost continually, and since it hung down to about his mid-thigh, it completely covered this area of his body. But, not so now.
His shirt was now placed within a bag she had seen him tie to his pony, thus leaving his upper chest bare, and she was thus presented with a good view of the extent of his handsome figure. It brought back, indeed, many delightful memories of the previous night.
However, she was only allowed a moment to reflect upon their time together because, looking ahead, she could see they were quickly coming in close to Sacagawea Springs. A wave of disappointment swept over her; she wished very much to keep this man near to her for a few more days.
But, it was not to be.
Earlier in the day and before they had set out upon the trail, he had told her about their families joining the main Pikuni tribe who were on their way to trade at Fort Benton. He had said, "The entirety of my tribe is only a half-day's ride from the springs."
"How do you know this?" she had asked.
He had gone on to explain, saying only, "The scout told it to me this morning."
"There was a scout here? This morning?"
He had grinned at her. "Did you not see him on the hill, there to the north of us?" He had pointed toward the place. "He saw us when we came out from the woods, and, gaining my attention, he waved his blanket so I would know the location of our people. He charged me with the duty to relay this message to our families so we all might join them by evening."
Czanna had stared at him with what must have been amazement, as well as a little doubt. "He said all that—and with only a blanket?"
"Of course. Did you not see me answer him by holding up my arm and waving to him?"
"No," she had answered, "I did not."
He had grinned at her. "It will be my pleasure, I think, to instruct you on many of our customs, including…" He had left the rest unsaid as he had leered at her, scanning her form from the top of her head to the very bottom of her feet.
She had giggled, his suggestion unspoken, but understood. She had responded back to him, however, saying, "I wish we could have a little more time with each other before we have to join the others."
"I, too, wish this. But, even though we have only recently become united, I have a duty to report what I have observed to my family. But, do not fear. There will be time enough to again come to know one another intimately…and soon. I will ensure it."
She had smiled then and had nodded. "Do you promise?"
"I do," he had responded at once. "Now, I will tell you before we return to our family what you might expect. Perhaps it will help a little to ease you into this life you might, at first, find strange."
"I would, indeed, like this very much."
He had squeezed her hand then and had kissed her deeply with a kiss that would have to substitute for additional lovemaking, though it made her ache for more.
And then, with a long hug, they had started out upon their journey back to the springs.
****
A warm wind from the west pushed strands of hair into her face. Reaching up, Czanna brushed the dark wisps away and looked forward as, enchanted, she looked on with awe at the brilliant colors set out before her: blue sky with green-dotted brown and gray bluffs, green prairie stretching out in all directions, the blue-green pool of Sacagawea Springs and the vivid and rainbow colors of the painted tepees surrounding it. Combined, it did help to take her attention off so short a honeymoon.
She looked carefully at each lodge, noticing they all had positioned their entrances to face east. Why? Was it a custom? Or perhaps a necessity, since the west winds in this land could be strong? She would have to ask Stands Strong about it.
But, for now, she was captivated by their beauty. Indeed, these lodges appeared to decorate instead of mar the landscape around them, appearing to not only be in harmony with and a part of God's natural environment, but more.
Looking outward at them, she sighed. Over to the east was a lodge painted with circles of orange and blue, a little distance away was another tepee painted with both blue and white triangles at its bottom edge, another displayed the image of a buffalo painted upon the lodge's white hide. A few more of the conical tepees were decorated in colors of red and white stripes, another with blue circles on the bottom edge of the tepee, and one was painted completely in a light blue.
