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Then he took her face in his hands and stared into her eyes, "I will cut the firewood." He told her.
She nodded but kept staring, searching his expression for some sign.
Ever so slowly, he pulled her unresisting body closer and kissed her, and everything faded but him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hung on. She'd wanted him to kiss her for so many days now and finally he was. She couldn't stop her lips from moving against his, nor the soft moan from her throat from escaping.
When he pulled away slowly, his eyes were ablaze with something she didn't recognize. And he stalked out of the tipi without explanation.
She did not understand his turning away or leaving her after he kissed her. Obviously, he didn't enjoy it, or want her as she did him.
The knowledge hurt, but like all hurts, she hid it well.
She'd angered him with her response to his kiss.
She knew better, why she had responded so readily.
He didn't love her or want her. That was plain enough for her. His actions sent mixed signals to her and she had to stop these feelings, or he might remove her from his tribe. Until now, she'd been accepted. But acting like Luki might anger him so badly he'd throw her out.
She felt tears fall on her cheeks, and suddenly so lost. She had done the wrong thing again, assumed too much. Shame covered her now. She would steal herself from her feelings.
He didn't come back for a long time and she had gone to bed quickly that night without a word to him.
He lay beside her, not touching her.
It was plain to read the message he sent. She felt ashamed and embarrassed. Why had she thought things could be different with him? No man had loved her, wanted her yes, but not loved her. Not even Lone Wolf.
Afraid he would discover her feelings for him, she got up in the middle of the night and ran away.
She had no idea where she was going, how she would survive. All she knew was that she had to get away from him. She'd let herself
feel something for him and he didn't return those feelings. She couldn't bear the embarrassment of his rejection. She was after all, just his slave.
Ashamed of her wanton actions she fled on an old horse that the Indians kept for the children to play on.
She rode blindly away from the camp. It was freezing weather and she hadn't thought to bring a skin to keep her warm. Perhaps it better if she die.
She was shivering like crazy. "Take me away Hammer Head," she told the old horse.
The next morning, she lay across the horse, knowing she couldn't sleep in the snow. She was nearly frozen. Her lips were blue, her body stiff and aching.
It was noon before Lone Wolf tracked her down. Seeing her laying there, he scoffed and took her into his arms. He held her gently all the way back to the camp.
She began to cough, and Lone Wolf sent for the maidens to help him doctor her.
They filled the hut with firewood and made a heavy steam that rose up to the top of the hut. They wrapped her good and she shivered and coughed all night long.
"I can't believe she would run away like that. She seemed quite happy here." Lone Wolf told Deer Runner and Black Feather.
"She does like it here, she told me herself." Black Feather informed him.
"Then why did she run from me?" he asked.
Deer Runner shrugged. "It is hard to understand women. And Hannah isn't like most white women."
"She is quite fond of you, Lone Wolf." Black Feather informed him.
"She is married to a white man, Black Feather. I was wrong to bring her here."
"Were you?" Black Feather asked with a smile.
