Passion's Series (14 page)

With mounting excitement and expectation, James hurried to New Moon's lodge only to discover that she was not there. He quickly made his way to her secret place, to also find no sign of her there. Uneasiness unfurled like a great snake in the pit of his stomach as he hurried back to the village.

As James reached the village gate he bellowed out his request to enter. He did not wait for the reply. Dashing along the narrow gateway he crossed the village and headed toward Dancing Cloud's lodge.

James found Dancing Cloud sitting before his lodge intently working a large piece of flint with an antler tool. He noticed the sly glance from beneath lowered lashes as he stepped forward.

"Dancing Cloud, do you know where I might find New Moon?"

Dancing Cloud shrugged unconcerned, "She will return soon. Sit with me awhile."

James hunkered down beside his friend, "Do you know where she is?" he asked again, this time not bothering to cover his uneasiness.

Dancing Cloud struck badly and a large piece of flint flew off to strike James across the knee. Both ignored the small drop of blood that rose immediately to the surface of his skin.

The chief looked at the ruined piece and grunted his impatience as he tossed it over his shoulder. "How would I know where she is?" Dancing Cloud shrugged, then he busied himself looking through his pile of flint for another piece that would suit his purpose.

A tiny muscle worked in James' jaw as he watched. "What is it you're not telling me?"

Dancing Cloud refused to look up. "You must wait here until she returns," he finally offered.

James watched the solemn expression he was learning to read. Then, suddenly, he knew as if the words had been screamed into his ears. He jumped to his feet, "Who has taken her? I will not allow this to happen! She is mine." James beat a fist to his chest to emphasize the statement.

Dancing Cloud looked up at Red Panther; none of the pleasure he felt showed on his face; he silently congratulated himself on his meddling. He was very good at it. Red Panther would learn to trust his heart and take more quickly what he wanted.

"You cannot follow. Her suitor came to me and asked permission to take her for a trial."

"What!" James could not believe what he was hearing. You gave permission for another warrior to take her! I can not believe this!" James ran long fingers through his hair and paced back and forth before Dancing Cloud, who had located the perfect piece of flint and calmly resumed his napping.

"I did not give permission," the chief corrected. "A chief leads his people, he does not give permission. He asked me to explain our custom. Because he is your friend and I believe his heart is good, I told him what he wanted to know."

James stopped dead in his tracks, "You mean to tell me that Smythe did this? He was given a mission to complete." James took several deep breaths. "The young fool will face a court martial for this," his voice barely above a whisper. His attention turned back to Dancing Cloud.

"When did they leave? I'm going after them."

Dancing Cloud calmly swung his head from side to side.

"No? You are telling me no? You would not tell that young fool not to take what belongs to another, but you will tell me not to go after them!"

"I do not tell you what you must do, only what you should do. Your young warrior followed what his heart told him. This you should do as well. But I must caution you. You are angry, it is hard to hear what your heart is saying when you are so filled with anger."

"Hell, yes, I'm angry!" James choked.

Dancing Cloud was becoming angry himself at James' rudeness to stand while he, the chief, sat. His new warrior was acting very much like a child, and others were beginning to notice.

Dancing Cloud stood and placed a hand on James' shoulder, "You are a brave and wise man. I know you will want to sit and talk with your chief, to learn all you can about the customs of your new family that has welcomed you so warmly into their village." Dancing Cloud then shoved downward on Red Panther's shoulder, quite effectively pushing him to the ground.

James recognized the gentle speech that the Cherokee used with all children. His friend had quite effectively called him a child! Cloud had intended to shame James for his behavior. It had not worked, but James wisely lowered his head in submission.

"You are concerned about your mission?" Dancing Cloud asked as he joined James on the ground.

"Of course," James answered a bit more restraint in his voice. "A soldier must place his mission above all else. To run away for any reason, and especially for a personal one is treasonous. It could even be thought of as cowardice."

Dancing Cloud seemed to consider what James told him. "What is this word, cowardice?"

James breathed a sigh of relief. Dancing Cloud would understand his anger after he explained. "It means afraid, to run in fear of the enemy. Surly one of your warriors would never turn from a battle because of fear."

Dancing Cloud grunted and then was silent for a long moment before he spoke. "It is no shame for a warrior to turn from a battle if it is in his heart to do so. A warrior must learn to listen to his heart, and to his dreams. Young Smythe, do you think he could have known he would be accused of this word, cowardice?"

"Of course he would know, what I don't understand is why he'd risk his career on such a stupid..."

Dancing Cloud raised a hand to silence Red Panther,

"Tell me about your mission. What is its purpose?"

James took a deep breath as he willed his mind and body to relax. Without a doubt he'd lost another argument with Cloud. He knew it the minute he heard the word dream, "My mission here is to open and maintain effective communications between the nations of the Cherokee and the English."

"Why?"

"Why!"

"What is the purpose of our communications?"

James mentally counted to ten. "The purpose of our communication is to keep peace between our two nations. To prevent needless death and pain through understanding on both sides."

"I see," Dancing Cloud smiled widely, "The health and happiness of both our nations is the purpose of your mission. It is the same with every Cherokee warrior. The health and happiness of our women and our children are all that we live for."

James watched Dancing Cloud closely. Never before had he been at a loss for words, but what the Chief said about a warrior living only for his people was true.

Unlike the civilized nations that conscripted their sons into their armies to fight their wars for protection of their privileged classes, an Indian warrior died protecting his family and his people. He gave his life out of love. All Indians were the same in this.

It all was so simple when you looked at life that way.

James knew he would never be able to explain the interdisciplinary society he was bound by oath to serve. He did not believe he even wanted to try.

"I see nothing that goes against that purpose in what he young warrior did," Dancing Cloud continued. "He was very brave to follow his heart and go against the white man's custom.

He was very careful to do this according to our custom. You have done the same. If New Moon does not accept him, he will bring her back. Then you may kidnap her if you like," he looked hard at James, "But she will marry who she chooses. Her heart is her own.

"You must shed this cloak of anger from your heart, my friend," Dancing Cloud said as he rose to his feet. "Only then will you be able to hear what your heart is telling you." Dancing Cloud walked away before Red Panther could respond. James stood and kicked the dirt in his frustration. Damn Smythe! Damnation to a mission that required him to follow the way of the Indian!

James massaged the back of his neck. He'd never been a man to lie to himself. It had not been dictated to him to embrace the Indian way of life any more that it had been forced on him to become a blood brother or to fall in love with New Moon. He'd made his own choices fit snugly inside the framework of the mission. So why did he feel so out of control?

James stood still and looked about him with a strange sense of detachment. Everyone in the village went about his business, the women were weaving their baskets or shaping clay pots, others scraping hides or chasing after children.

The men with their long scalp locks and tattooed bodies that struck such fear in the hearts of the colonists gathered in little circles before this lodge or that. Some were playing and gently teasing the children, some knapping flint, some just smoking and talking quietly.

The sounds of the village faded into a quiet hum as he thought about his destiny unfolding around him and all he could do was wait…wait for the birth of a child who held the power to affect the outcome of his life.

At that moment James saw the village's old Beloved Woman, lead by
Akachee
, hurrying in the direction of his lodge. His feelings of displacement fled as the sweet face of Gentle Rain racked with pain loomed before his mind's eye.

He shook himself and tore off in a dead run. Soon he passed the women who called out frantically for him to stop.

Dancing Cloud stepped from his lodge, Thomas close on his heels. The shrill screeching of the women shattered the tranquility of the village. Half the warriors were running after Red Panther who was about to break one of their most sacred taboos, while the other half made quick bets on his likelihood of succeeding.

The children were whooping and jumping around like water frogs while the camp dogs ran in all directions barking and chasing anyone that caught their attention.

For the most part the villagers were having a wonderful time.

Thomas laughed joyfully and Cloud turned his attention to him. "I see why Spotted Dove is so pleased by your return. You are truly a man with a happy heart."

"That I am, Chief, that I am, 'specially right now. Ever notice how proud that newest member of your tribe is? Ever seen him struttin' like a game rooster? Well, he's 'bout to run head long into a bevy of old biddies." Thomas screwed up his face in excitement like a young one about to receive a gift. "I can hardly wait."

Cloud smiled in spite of himself. "I see Deer is catching up with him. Do you still think Red Panther will be able to reach the birthing lodge?"

"You can bet on it, Chief."

James heard Gentle Rain's wail of pain and pushed his legs harder, stretching the distance between him and the warriors. A warrior darted into the path but James roughly shouldered him out of the way. Silent Deer
stumbled over the sprawled body and was slammed into by Gray Fox, who was close on his heels. They both went down.

Before Deer could push himself up, he felt a brisk crack to his skull by the cane carried by the old Beloved Woman. She had no time to wait for him to move out of her way and so trod over him like he was so much dirt beneath her feet.

James dashed through the doorway and paused to let his eyes adjust to the dim interior before stumbling to the cane platform where Gentle Rain strained and withered in her agony.

"Gentle Rain, my little darlin'. It's goin' ta be just fine. You'll see," he cooed gently and took one small hand into his two larger ones. "I'll take good care of ya, and the wee one too. You have not a thin' ta worry about."

Gentle Rain looked into his face and he was shocked to see the fear reflected in her eyes. Hastily she withdrew her hand and shied away from him.

"Red Panther!"

James turned to see
Akachee
standing in the doorway with a large wooden spoon in her raised hand, the very one he'd carved for her and shown her how to use. She advanced on him rapidly and made use of it in a way he'd never intended.

The mighty warrior scrambled on hand and knees toward the door while trying in vain to protect his head from the sudden and vicious attack. Once he'd stumbled through the doorway, he was quickly snatched up by one arm and found himself half-dragged, half-carried toward the creek.

"You should know that it is bad medicine to see a woman at childbirth," Silent Deer hissed angrily.

A loud wail rent the air and James again reacted with fierce struggles which Silent Deer soon put a stop to as he bounced the butt side of his tomahawk off Red Panther's head.

James woke to cold water splashing on to his face. He spit and sputtered and then grabbed the shattering pieces of his head. James looked over at Silent Deer who was obviously irritated.

"Did you not hear me tell you it is bad medicine to look upon a woman in childbirth?"

"With my people the medicine man is there to help women give birth. With my people I am also a medicine man."

"You are not with your people. You are with mine. It is not necessary for a medicine man to help a woman do what is natural for her. There is no place in it for a man, even a medicine man."

Silent Deer turned his head toward James. "You will never be a medicine man with my people. Warriors are not medicine men," he added peevishly.

James squinted his eyes and looked hard at Silent Deer who quickly looked the other way.

"What happened to you?" James asked as he roughly poked at a rapidly swelling lump on the shaved side of Silent Deer's head.