Taking a deep breath, Czanna felt her spirits relax…at least a little. Obviously, she was worried, wondering how her new relatives might greet her after having run away with Stands Strong last evening. Would they condemn her? Or would they welcome her?
And, although she fretted over it, the beauty of their camp gave her to believe these people might be naturally tolerant. She hoped they would be.
Why hadn't she thought to ask Stands Strong about what his people's attitudes might be toward her? But, would he have answered her without more teasing?
Perhaps it was best she hadn't asked.
However, her nervousness returned forthwith when, riding in closer toward the camp, she saw some of the older boys sitting around the camp in front of the lodges. What would they think of her? Had a few of them seen her and Stands Strong within the pony herd last night?
At the thought, even more questions came to mind: did American Indian women experience the same kind of passion she had known the previous night? And, even if they did, would they have acted as she had, utterly surrendering to her husband?
However, when both she and Stands Strong rode slowly back into camp, no one looked at them oddly nor even expectantly. Indeed, no one appeared to notice them at all. Were these people simply being polite, or was it an everyday occurrence for a woman to run away to marry the man she loved?
Well, perhaps it little mattered. What had happened, and was happening even now between herself and Stands Strong, was not an everyday occurrence. It was love, it was passion, it was all this, but more. Both of them had a great deal to learn about the other, especially since he was marrying a woman from outside his tribe and she was allying herself into a society she had no knowledge of. In truth, she was leaving all she had ever known to become this man's woman.
Surely, this was not an everyday occurrence. Still, she had to admit it felt good to not be gawked at or looked at sternly or even excitedly.
Soon she and Stands Strong dismounted, and, taking hold of each pony's buckskin reins, they led their animals back into thepony herd, and, whisking away the blankets from their mounts' backs, which had served as saddles, they left their precious animal friends within the herd, there to enjoy a meal of the abundant prairie grass. But, before they stepped farther into the encampment, Stands Strong reached out to take her hand, then squeezed it.
He said, "I see you are worried. Do not be. All will be well. There are, within my family, three other white women who have experienced what I think might be the cause of your distress. These women, too, had doubts about becoming a part of a tribe they had no knowledge of and could little understand. I will take you to my almost-mother who will help you. She will love you. You also have two aunties within the tribe who have gone through much the same. They, too, will be of great aid to you."
Czanna nodded, then said, "Yes. Good. But, how did you know I was worried?"
He grinned at her and winked. "We are as one now."
"Yes, true.Still…"
"Come," he said. "There is little to fear."
She nodded once more, then took a deep breath to calm herself as they paced farther into camp. But, looking around, she was even more confused because only a few moments ago all had been quiet and peaceful.
But, now the entire camp was in disarray with everyone in motion; the women and young girls were busily engaged in taking the encampment down. Indeed, there was activity everywhere as, one by one, the rawhide skins of the lodges were taken down and folded, then the lodge poles disassembled and set aside, although some of these were being strapped into place by ropes upon a waiting pony. Even the dogs were being loaded with bags full of each family's possessions.
Czanna turned to Stands Strong and asked, "What is happening here? Where is everybody going? And, so quickly?"
"We are moving camp. As I mentioned earlier, we will join the rest of my people who are going to Fort Benton for trade. You will come, too. You can either drive your wagon or allow one of the older boys to do it for you while you take your place with my almost-mother and almost-aunties."
"But…but how did they know to take down the camp? Didn't you say you were charged with asking them to break camp to join the main procession? I thought when we returned here you would calmly tell the others what the scout had said, and then little by little we would make the journey to join the others."
"I have already told them what the scout related to me. And, the way we break camp might appear to be sudden, but for my people, it is leisurely done," he replied.
"I see…I think. But, we have only now returned to camp. How did you tell them the message so quickly?"
His smile at her was tolerant. "Do you remember," he said, "my telling you our marriage site was not far from my relative's encampment?"
"Well, yes, but I have no memory of seeing you on a hill and waving a blanket, which I am assuming is what you did."
He grinned. "And yet, I did so. I did tell them, and you are right. I did this by using my blanket."
"But…I did not see you do it. And, I have been with you most every moment."
"Áa,again you are right. It was when you had returned briefly to the war lodge, having forgotten your comb, when I sent the message."
"Oh. Yes, that's right. And, are we, too, required to go with them and find the entire troop of your people?"
"Áa.But, not required. We could remain here if we choose."
"We could?"
