For several moments, Czanna sat staring at the place where he had left, utterly shocked.
Dear Lord, what have I done? What have I gotten myself and my entire family into? If I or any of my family should dare to act or speak in a manner unsuitable to the men of this tribe, we could be…
Please help me, dear God. Please help me.
She hadn't really meant what she'd said: she wouldn't really try to organize a women's protest against the custom.
But then, why not? This punishment for women was cruel. It went against all the laws of Nature. How could an Indian man say he lived so closely knit with Nature and not know this simple fact?
Did he not realize she was only trying to cause him to consider what it might feel like if there were a similar punishment for a man?
But, she feared her analogy hadn't worked.
She could only wonder if, indeed, she had come all this way and endured all she had in the name of remaining free only to find she now lacked the right to say what she believed, and to say it to whomever she chose, simply because a man might take it into his head to punish her.
She would not back down. She couldn't.
Dear Lord, what am I to do?
****
Are we going for a run? I'm ready when you are!
In the silent world of mind-speak, Stands Strong heard his pony's question and answered in the same manner,No, we are not going scouting or upon the war path today. Be at your ease, Naato Omitaa.
His pony answered with a light nicker and rubbed his head against Stands Strong's chest. And, Stands Strong, in reaction, petted this, his most treasured friend.
Keeping with the typical warrior mode, Stands Strong had tied his favorite buffalo pony next to his lodge. Standing as he was, so close to the animal, he came to be aware of his pony's wish to be loosed and led into the horse herd, there to enjoy the fresh grass of the prairie as well as the company of the other horses.
Knowing the walk away from the encampment to where the horses were grazing would do him good as well, Stands Strong reached toward the ropes where the pony was tied and began to undo the knots. But, before he could complete the task, he was approached by a young lad.
Looking up, Stands Strong said, "Óki napí, Hello, friend."
"Óki napí," returned the youngster. "I have been sent to bring you to council. You are needed again in the council of the chiefs, which is still ongoing in the lodge of the chief of the Small Robes band. I will take you there."
"Soka'pii," said Stands Strong. "I will go with you at once."
"Soka'pii," acknowledged the boy, who then turned away to lead the way to the chief's lodge.
"I am sorry, my friend," Stands Strong said in Blackfeet to his pony. "Perhaps later we will go there."
Naato Omitaa answered with a soft whinny.
And, pushing his own troubles aside temporarily, Stands Strong followed the lad.
Moments later, Stands Strong entered the lodge of the head chief of the Small Robes band of the Blackfoot tribe, and the chief gestured toward a place where Stands Strong should sit. Oddly, it was at the very back of the lodge—a place of honor.
Pacing to the back of the other seated members of the council, Stands Strong came to the place suggested and sat. He said not a word, as was the custom, and he looked neither right nor left, as council manners dictated.
What was this about? He had already given the chiefs his report on what he had seen and what he had discovered while scouting. And, although the urge to ask this very question was deep within him, he asked no questions and waited patiently for the chief to speak, knowing the inquiries would come soon enough.
It couldn't be about his encounter with the whites this very day, could it? Nothing really out of the ordinary had occurred. The scum had made trouble and had been forced to retreat.
Well, he would wait patiently. He would know soon enough.
After the pipe was passed to him and he had smoked it, taking the oath to Sun to speak truly, he waited. And, as soon as the pipe was passed back to the chief, so began the chief's inquiry.
Said the chief, "Almost-son of the medicine man Strikes Fast, and the first and best scout within our nation, we have further questions we wish to ask you; thus, we have bid you to return to our council so we might ask them of you. I will begin."
