He paused, uncertain for a moment of how to respond. At last, however, he opted for the truth, and he said in mind-speak, "And I, you. Look for me when the sun is ending its journey across the sky."
"I will," she answered. "Know this, too, me soon-to-be-husband. I have and always will always love thee."
Again First Rider was uncertain of what to say. Had he always loved her? As a friend and an almost-sister, yes. But, in his youth, his undying love for Tsistsaki had been so strong, if he had ever felt anything more than admiration and friendship for Otahki, it had been hidden from him.
"Thou needn't answer," came Otahki's response to the ramblings of his mind, he having forgotten to mask his thoughts from her. She continued and said in mind-speak, "Me own self knows how much thou loved Tsistsaki. No man who has not a great love for his wife would be spendin' four years of his life in search of her."
"True," he answered. "But, it means not that I love you less." He paused momentarily before continuing, and he said, "You have always been in my heart, but as you know, in the past I had believed you to be a friend and almost-sister. Perhaps I was blind."
She didn't respond, causing him to say, "Look for me toward the end of sun's path. We can speak more of this then."
"I will," she responded.
The communication dropped.
*****
Although First Rider didn't know all the particulars of Otahki's dream, during their mind-speak he had sensed enough about her vision to know she feared he could be facing some kind of peril. And, of course, she had reason to think this was so.
Although a scout rarely put himself into grave danger, there were times when it was impossible to control every aspect of the trail, especially when he and his friends would have to sneak in and out of Stuart's camp in order to taunt, confuse and allow nature to work her "charm" on the lawless man, bringing Stuart to his knees.
But, if Stuart should discover he was being followed, it was possible First Rider and his friends could become the hunted instead of the hunters. Only when they had disarmed the man and nature had worked her way with him would they dare to show themselves to the man and lead him back to Fort Benton…and to his shame.
It didn't necessarily follow that, should they be discovered, he and his friends would fail. But, it was safer and easier to stalk a man when he didn't know that the weapons and tools going missing in his camp were the work of a pursuer, as opposed to himself misplacing the objects.
First Rider and his friends were scouts, and he and Stands Strong were also medicine men. As scouts, they wereaccustomed to trailing an enemy and knew how to use the environment as a weapon to bring an enemy to his knees. For a scout, it was an art form, as well as a means to serve justice.
Otahki, of course, knew nothing about this, and she could unthinkingly give away their cover. But, it little mattered. If she were coming here instead of remaining at the fort and recovering, he and his friends would simply have to be extra cautious.
He was glad she had thought to tell him—even if she didn't know he could "hear" her—about her plans to join him. Otherwise, he might have continued scouting and following Stuart's trail, unaware of her actions…perhaps endangering her. She, a white woman, alone upon the prairie, was prey to predators—to animals as well as to enemy war parties.
Reaching out to her again, he said in mind-speak, "Rest whenever you or your pony need to. I will still find you. If you leave the trail because of your injuries or for some other reason, pick a spot within the pines where there is grass for your horse. Enemy scouts can see far and they haunt high buttes and hills, looking for an enemy or other quarry. Pass through the places where there are hills or buttes with care. Or do not go past them at all until evening comes."
She didn't answer at once, but when she did, she asked, "But, will thou not have to go by these hills and buttes, too?"
"Áa," he answered. "But, I know how to discover the enemy and avoid him seeing me. If you see a butte in the distance and you must go past it, reach out to me so I can discover if there is an enemy in hiding there."
"All right," she replied in the mind-to-mind speak. "I will. Would thou rather I find a place where there are many pine trees and stay there, letting thee come to me?"
"Áa," he answered. "This is a good idea. As soon as you locate a place where you can remain for some time, reach out tome so I can look around it and discover if there is danger there for you."
"All right," she said. "I will."
