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Throwing his fur cloak around his shoulders, he went from the wigwam shouting orders to his braves. He told several to go and search for Nee-kah down by the river. He told others to go in all directions close to the village, checking to see if she had lost her way in the blinding snow.
He mounted his horse and rode ahead of those on their way to the river, his heart pounding out the fear of not finding her before she froze to death.
He did not get far. He saw the water jug lying partially hidden in the snow. Quickly dismounting, he fell to one knee and grabbed up the jug; then his heart sank when he looked in all directions and could not find any footprints.
Fresh snowfall had covered them.
He looked to the heavens and let out a loud wail of despair, then bowed his head in a silent meditation with the Great Spirit.
When he arose back to his full height, he found himself circled by his braves on horseback.
“She is nowhere near,” one said, this pronouncement agreed on by the others.
“Then we must search until we find her,” Chief Silver Wing said, his jaw tight with determination.
“The blizzard . . . ?” Wise Owl said, gazing up into the swirling snow.
“We will ride until we cannot see to ride any farther.” Chief Silver Wing wheeled his horse around, urging it through the thick, heavy snow. Doubts of ever finding his woman were pressing in on his heart, yet he could not believe that she could have gotten far, unless . . .
His eyes narrowed with hate. “Unless she was abducted!” he cried aloud, alarming the men who rode beside him.
“The Sioux!” he whispered to himself. “If they came on my land and took my woman, they will pay!”
He shook the snow from his shoulder-length hair and snapped his reins, regretting that he could not go faster on his steed.
Time.
Time was his enemy in this weather of life-threatening temperatures.
His Nee-kah.
She could even now be lying beneath a covering of snow.
Or, he thought bitterly, she could be lying beneath her enemy!
Chapter 28
Oh! Who would inhabit
This bleak world alone?
—Moore
The sky was lightening along the horizon. The storm clouds had diffused into something tranquil—into white puffs of clouds floating gently across the sky. Mariah’s fingers were cold and stiff as she clung to the horse’s reins. Her cheeks felt tight from the stinging cold wind.
The ride on horseback from Fort Snelling through the snow and cold, frosty air had been hard, but she had weathered it all and could only grieve to herself that her main complaint was that of being sleepy. Even food did not sound all that good to her. In fact, the thought of it made her feel ill to her stomach. Her main desire now was to stretch out on her pallet of furs beside the fire in Echohawk’s wigwam.
Her eyes were burning with the need of sleep.
She was finding it hard to keep her eyes open....
The aroma of smoke wafting through the air caused Mariah’s eyes to widen and her heart to sing.
Finally! Finally, after a
lmost a full night of riding through the snow, and fighting occasional drifts piled high against the trees, they were near their village.
“No-din, soon you can be warmed by a fire,” Echohawk said, giving her a worried look. “I fear my decision to ride directly to our village was wrong. The night has been long and cold.” He smiled at her. “Yet you did not complain once. My woman, tonight, as so many times before, you proved to me that you can withstand anything. You are a woman of grit—of strength. I am proud of you, No-din. Very proud.”
