"Anpo, Nupa," Mani spoke up, drawing the crowd's attention. "You both have very handsome families."

"Thank you, wicahcala ," Nupa smiled. He gently rubbed his woman's belly. "And it will be growing soon."

Hca Wanahca blushed a little but smiled at the general murmur of amus.e.m.e.nt.

Grinning and nodding in agreement, Mani took a puff off his pipe. "The two of you have parents in Wagna's camp?"

"Ohan ," Anpo answered.

Again, the chief nodded, though this time his face had turned thoughtful. A comfortable silence reigned about the fire as the rest of Mani's people kept their counsel and waited for him to speak again. "I am going north when the Sun Dance is complete," the chief announced. "I am going to see this white trader they speak of. I would like the two of you and your families to join me."

Anpo blinked at the young chief. "You would have me join you?" she asked, her tone not quite one of surprise.

"Hau, Anpo. And Nupa, too."

The woman looked to her friend, seeing a sparkle of excitement in his dark eyes. Behind her, she could feel the comforting weight of Kathleen leaning against her, hear the sounds of Teca as he suckled his way to slumber.

Sensing her hesitation, Mani leaned forward and tapped the ashes of his pipe out. "Anpo, you are a fine warrior and hunter. I witnessed you slaying tatanka ska ! The spirits have honored you with a winucha and a cinksi." He paused and peered into her eyes. "I would have you come with me."

Dark eyes narrowed. He states the obvious and he tries to sway me with his pleasing tongue. "You speak sweet words, wicahcala. But even honey cannot sweeten rotten meat. What do you mean to say?"

A tension seemed to fill the air, directed at the visitors. The rest of her family bristled in defense, even Teca fussing a bit at the subtle clues from his ina . Anpo refused to look away from the chief, keeping her eyes locked on his. Her father's words ehoed in her head, Be strong.

Mani stared back, dark eyes as flinty as the steel knife that had been shown him days earlier. And then a slow grin washed across his face. The heavy atmosphere lessened and the rest of the people responded to his smile. And, as he began to chuckle, so did they.

"Nothing gets past you, Anpo!" he exclaimed. "You have a pleasant nature and appear as soft as the wikoskalaka you are!" His voice lowered and his tone became serious. "But deep inside beats the heart of a warrior, and that is why I would have you join me!"

Despite her relief at the young chief's response, Anpo continued to stare at him without an answering smile. Behind her, Kathleen could feel the muscle along the broad back, tight and ready.

"Your words are still honey, wicahcala . Speak your heart."

Mani's smile turned rueful and he cast a sly eye at his people gathered around. "You know my heart, Anpo." He jutted a chin at the blonde woman sitting behind the warrior. "I would have your winuhca be with us as we speak to the white trader. It is said that Topeya's people had great difficulty making themselves understood."

Nodding slowly in acceptance of his statement, Anpo considered her next words carefully. "Tonight we are feasting at your fire, wicahcala, as invited guests. You have honored me with your invitation." A pause as she glanced behind her to see dark blue eyes looking back. They spoke of love and acceptance and trust. "I will think on your words, Mani. I will not answer you this night."

"That is good, wikoskalaka ," the chief agreed. He leaned back, a respectful look on his face. "You do not act or speak without thought. You will be wise counsel in the future."

The subject was then dropped and the feast continued until there was no food left. As the next morning was the beginning of the four days of Sun Dance rituals, the reveling ceased early. Eventually, the visitors said their good nights and drifted off to their own camp.

"What do you think your decision will be, tanksi?" Nupa asked as the warriors trailed behind their women.

"I do not know, tiblo," the woman shrugged. "I am curious. But it is Ketlin that Mani wants there. If she does not wish it, we will not go."

Her friend nodded, dark eyes searching the distant horizon of thought. "I believe that I will go. I wish a knife of that strange stone." Pulling his own obsidian blade and peering at it, he said, "Topeya said it does not chip or break as fast. And only two wolf skins."

"That is very good for something so valuable," Anpo murmured.

"Hau . It is."

Arriving at their respective lodges, the familles separated and settled in for the night. Soon, Teca was sleeping in his robes within easy reach of his parents. Anpo and Kathleen cuddled together, enjoying their privacy before the toddler woke in the night and joined them in their own robes.

"Do you wish to see the white trader, winuhcala ?" Anpo asked, lying comfortably on her back with her woman draped across her.

Kathleen's general feeling of nostalgia warred with her common sense. "Ohan, Anpo. But do not think I can speak his words just because he is white." The blonde snuggled closer, a contented sigh escaping her as warm hands moved along her spine. "It is like the Lakota and the Hahatunwan - two different people though your skin is brown."

The warrior nodded. "You speak truly." One hand reached up to finger yellow hair.

"And do not think that this white trader is as honorable as your people, Anpo," the blonde warned with gentle insistence.

"What?" Anpo frowned down at her woman, brows furrowed. "I do not understand."

Kathleen squeezed the dark woman in a hug. "I know you do not understand. That is why you need to know." She inhaled deeply. "The white men can be very mean, very hurtful. To their own kind as well as others."

"Why?"

"I do not know, winuhcala ," Kathleen answered, a sorrowful tone to her voice. "It has always been so. Remember the stories I have told you."

Anpo considered this. There had been many, many evenings that her woman had entertained her with stories of the white people. Battles fought over a simple piece of land that belonged to no one but the spirits. Whole wars that continued on for years because one man was jealous of another. Despite these tales, the warrior had always considered them distant and not necessarily very important. The very real and near white trader brought all of this back to the forefront of her mind.

Her head tucked underneath the warrior's chin, Kathleen traced the pattern of scarring on the dark chest with light fingers. "Not all white wicasa are bad, Anpo. But not all are good."

Running a dark hand along the blonde's forearm, the native said, "Do you think there will be trouble?"

"I do not know, winuhcala. I fear that there could be. The trader is there for a reason - to make himself wealthy. And wealth drives a white man more than any other thought." And you people are all babes in the wood and ripe for the takin', Kathleen thought with furrowed brows, unable to find the right words to explain herself.

"All men wish to make themselves wealthy," Anpo responded, though more to throw in an arguing point to the conversation.

The blonde drew herself up onto her elbow, brushing her hair behind one ear as she peered down at her warrior in earnest. The hand returned to lay palm down on Anpo's chest. "Do not make light of this, winuhca la," she said in a firm tone. "The white wicasa would own everything in the world if he could."

Blinking in consternation, Anpo tilted her head to one side and met the dark blue gaze. "How could a man own the world? The world belongs to the spirits." The alien concept confused her.

A small, sad smile crossed Kathleen's face. Oh, I wish that were true, luv. I hope that your future with my people will be a good one. "Ohan , Anpo. The world belongs to the spirits. But the white wicasa does not know of your spirits."

The warrior considered this. "Perhaps Mani is right. We should go with him this season to the white trader." She covered the hand on her chest with her own. "You know so much about your people that he does not. Even if you cannot speak the trader's words, you will be helpful to Mani with his understanding."

"Then we will go with Mani this season," Kathleen agreed with a slight nod. The smile that greeted her caused her breath to catch. G.o.d, she is more than beautiful!

Anpo pulled her woman down for a lingering kiss, their lips and tongues meeting and sliding together. The hand at her chest moved up to tangle in her dark hair, even as her own met with blonde. She moaned slightly at the feel of Kathleen's body as it leaned back against hers. She feels so good, tastes so good....

The heated kissing went on for some while with lips occasional distracted by ears and necks and faces. Hands roamed along bare skin. It eventually cooled down to gentle caresses until they both relaxed in each others' arms to catch their breath.

As she lay drowsing, Kathleen heard a low rumble from the chest her head was pillowed on.

"I love you, mahasanni ki .".

A sleepy smile graced her features. "And I love you, mahasanni ki."

Anpo squeezed her dark eyes shut at the endearment, feeling it drive into her heart. It felt so every time her woman said this, sounding so much like the vision she'd had many years ago. If I find my own path as Inyan told me, will that be what hurts Ketlin? Despite the foreboding feelings, she sighed deeply and let herself drift to sleep.

The two warriors rode together the following day. One had dark hair that was graying with age while the other was young and vibrant. Regardless of their age difference, they sat their ponies almost identically, lending long familiarity to their presence together.

Coming to a small creek, the elder wicasa pulled up. "You and I will water the ponies here," he stated as he slid from his wooden saddle.

With a bit more s.p.u.n.k, Anpo hopped off her own steed with a nod of agreement. She untied a leather sack from her pony before letting him go to graze nearby.

Wanbli Zi gingerly sat down in the shade of a medium sized boulder, drinking deeply from his waterskin. He handed it up to his cunksi with a smile as she settled beside him.

Trading items, Anpo handed the sack over. "Ketlin made us something to eat before I left."

"She is a good cook," Wanbli commented with a grin, opening the leather bag and pulling out a small, wrapped bundle. As he peeled the leaves aside, he found a roasted game hen within. "A very good cook!"

Anpo chuckled and drank from the skin. She closed it and set it between them, taking the bag from her father and retrieving her own bird.

The pair ate in silence, watching the ponies and tossing the tiny bones into the nearby creek. Once their meal was finished, the pipes came out and they smoked in contentment.

"Ate..." the wikoskalaka began.

"Go, cunksi . Your ina and I will be fine."

Anpo looked at him in startlement. "You know what I was going to ask!? You have learned to read my thoughts!?"

Chuckling, Wanbli shook his head. "Hiya , Anpo. I only know that Nupa is already going with Mani. Where Nupa goes, you go. And where you go, Nupa goes. It has always been so." He puffed in reflection. "And your cuwe has been talking of nothing else."

Relieved and irritated at the same time, the woman stopped just short of grumbling. A hand resting on her shoulder brought her back from her uncharitable thoughts.

"Hca is winyan. It is in her nature to chatter like the birds. Do not make your heart stone towards her for following her nature."

Immediately contrite, Anpo dropped her gaze. "Ohan, ate. Your words are true."

Nodding, the elder continued to smoke, idly watching his world of the plains. When the tobacco was gone, he dug a hole in the ground with his heel and tapped the ashes there, covering them with dirt. "You are worried about me, cunksi. Why?"

Anpo dragged the words from within, not wanting to utter them and thereby make them real. "You are getting old, ate . Your hair is changing colors and your bones ache in the winter. I worry about you and ina without any family to take care of you this season."

There was a solemn nod in response as Wanbli mulled her words over. "It is the way I felt when my ate was my age and I was yours, cunksi. I will tell you what he told me."

The wikoskalaka leaned forward just a bit. She'd never met her grandfather who had died before her birth. It was rare that her father spoke of him.

"It is the cycle of the world, to be born, grow old and die, Anpo. Nothing will change it. Whether you stay with Wagna's camp this season or go with Mani and Nupa, we will still grow older. And maybe we will die in your absence, I do not know." Dark eyes, still strong despite his age, peered into those like his own. "But you will not follow the path you were meant to be on by letting your fears rule you."

Anpo searched her father's face, finding nothing but love and pride. "Do you know my path, ate?"

The man gave a slow grin and he nodded. "Hau, Anpo. You are to be a warrior and a hunter, like your father before you. This was seen by Inyan at the moment of your birth. He heard the scream of the igmu in your cries." Wanbli broke the eye contact, looking out over the water. "Tell me, cunksi . Have you ever seen a family of mountain lions together?"

"Ohan , ate. When the female has her cubs."

"And when the cubs are grown?"

Thinking carefully, the warrior considered the question. Her eyes widened. "Hiya, ate.... The igmu are always alone."

"Your path is not with mine, cunksi," Wanbli said seriously. He leaned forward to peer at his youngest child. "At least not now. Go with Mani and be easy in your heart - your ina and I will be strong until you return."

His larger hand patted her leg in rea.s.surance as she slowly nodded. "I will go with Mani this season, ate. But next season, I will be at summer camp and rejoin you."

"You will do what you must, warrior. And you will be brave and strong as I have taught you."

Chapter 9.

Wicasa Ki Ska.

(wee-chah-shah kee skah).

The White Man.

1780.

Wi Ile Anpo pulled her pony up as she crested the small hill. Turning, she looked out over the summer camp. Around her, Mani's camp flowed past, moving north. As these people who were strangers - yet not - pa.s.sed by, the dark woman surveyed the encampment. With ease she spotted her mother's ti ikceya . And the empty void where her own woman's lodge had so recently been.

It felt strange to be leaving her home, leaving her family. I am not yet away and already I feel lost, Anpo mused with serious wonder. How will I feel when I cannot look up and see ate ? When I cannot hear ina's voice as she speaks to Ketlin and Teca?

A hand on her bare calf caught her attention. Dark blue eyes met her gaze. A gentle, understanding smile graced the lips of the woman who stood beside her mount. Mahasanni ki , whispered a voice in her head and Anpo felt a rush of... something fill her. Love, fear, desire, tenderness all frothing together into a heady mix.

"We can stay," Kathleen suggested, knowing it wouldn't happen but feeling it should be voiced.

The offer seemed to give Anpo the freedom to turn it down. "Hiya, winuhcala . We will go with Mani and meet this white trader." Dark eyes looked at summer camp a final time. "My parents will be well in our absence."

The blonde nodded and rubbed the brown skin beneath her fingers. She received a wonderful smile and a caress on her cheek before her warrior pulled away, urging her mount to catch up with her sic'e , Nupa Olowan.

She's nineteen years old, Kathleen considered keeping the yellow shirt of her woman in sight. The same age as I when.... The distant memory of a dying man's scream echoed in her mind and she shook it, her long yellow braids shifting in front of her. The white woman turned away from the sound, searching for something to latch onto, finding her son chatting amiably with Hca Wanahca .

The pair were on the back of her lodge, being pulled by the strong mare she'd received from Anpo. Nearby, a grey colt frisked as it trailed along with its mother. Her stepan had the reins of another pony wrapped around her wrist, another ti ikceya dragging along behind it. They were singing a child's song about animals.

Kathleen's face lost its tenseness and she grinned at them. My family. I will always have Teca and Anpo.

She swooped in from the south, screaming her cry as she attacked tatanka ska with a spear. The warrior's. .h.i.t was solid and the white buffalo was mortally wounded. With sadness and elation, she watched tatanka ska stagger closer to her younger self, blood pouring from its side and its nostrils flaring wide as it panted for breath. It fell to the ground with a solid thump, dust rising about its carca.s.s. The Sun flared again, and she lost the image, turning away from its brightness. The light faded and she looked again, only to find the white buffalo gone.

Anpo was her younger self once again. In the buffalo's place was Ketlin. The woman's hair was long, longer than her own, and a yellow the color of the Sun itself. Her eyes were the blue of a deep lake, still and clear. She wore the standard dress that all Lakota women wore, buckskin and moccasins, her hair flowing freely in the breeze.