Chapter Thirteen
"Now that we have decided on the plans for the upcoming season, we can move on to the internal affairs of the village…" the Chief of the Northern Choctaw tribe was saying.
It was at that point Running Wolf shut him out as his mind drifted to a certain red head. Her distressed face and the broken expression in her eyes kept haunting him. He shook his head, trying to drive it out but she kept popping into his mind.
He sighed and adjusted his sitting position. He could not hurt her the way he hurt Fala and their baby. He had to do this. Well, you are already hurting her, a voice said in his head. Did you see her face when you told her she had to leave?
He tilted his head as he thought through it all. His eyes widened as he recalled the flash of terror in her eyes. It had been there for just a moment but he had noticed it. In the heat of the moment, he had chosen not to dwell on it. She was terrified of something out there.
He groaned. Why did he have to do that? For goodness sake, she had washed up on the riverbank for a reason.
Maybe someone was after her? Or it had been an accident?
Or she had tried to end her life? He shuddered at the thought.
She loved Jessica too much. Surely, she would not have tried to…
He sighed. He knew for a fact that people could be pushed so far to the point that they did the unthinkable.
He had no clue what her life beyond the village borders was.
And with the stunt he pulled with her, he doubted he would be finding out any time soon.
How could he think of sending her out there? A nursing mother, alone and scared? How could he even consider letting her go from here. Because she is getting under my skin. She is growing on me and slipping her way into my life without warning, Running Wolf answered his question.
He groaned as he held his head in his hands.
"Running Wolf, is there something you would like to share with us?" the Chief's voice pulled Running Wolf out of his thoughts.
He looked at the Chief, and then his eyes flitted around the chamber. They were all looking at him expectantly. Kahona was smirking.
"Oh crap," Running Wolf muttered under his breath, "Did I say all that aloud?"
"We would all like to know when you plan to leave on your vision quest, Running Wolf," Chito supplied.
Running Wolf smiled gratefully at his friend. Nodding, he said, "Soon, very soon."
"Those are words we have been hearing for a while, Running Wolf. When exactly is this 'soon' you continue to speak of?" The Chief asked firmly.
"Soon is just that, Chief, soon." Running Wolf replied immediately. Before the Chief could continue, he added, "Well, if that is done, perhaps we can move to what's next on the agenda."
"Perhaps the reason the pale face is still here?" Elder Kahona hissed.
Running Wolf looked straight at him and said, "I don't believe I have to remind you about the Chief's decision, Elder. She stays on the outskirts for as long as I deem it suitable or till the Chief deems it unacceptable. You are not the Chief and she is not a threat."
"How dare you?!" Elder Kahona jumped to his feet, fuming.
Running Wolf stared up at him with calm, yet fierce eyes. In a cool tone, he said, "I dare because you have no power to overturn the Chief's ruling, Elder."
"That is enough!" The Chief thundered and silence reigned.
The lines on his brown face had deepened due to his frown.
"I will not tolerate further discussion of the matter.
I trust Running Wolf and so I let the pale face stay for as long as he sees it fit.
And to secure our people's safety, I limited her range of movement.
She is not allowed in these parts. Now, unless you can bring me real proof of her being a threat, or the pale face breaking my ruling and reaching towards our settlement, this is the last we will discuss of the matter. That is my final word."
The elders and warriors present in the meeting bowed. Running Wolf lowered himself more, hiding his triumphant smile.
"Now, let's continue…"
Sometime later, as the men of the Northern Choctaw tribe were leaving out of the tent, the Chief called out,
"Running Wolf, stay behind."
Once the tent was clear of everyone but the Chief and Running Wolf, the Chief tilted his head toward the tent's entrance. Running Wolf immediately headed out of the tent. Once he was done scouting the surroundings for eavesdroppers, he returned to the Chief.
He shook his head and the Chief nodded at the seat to his side. Running Wolf settled into it. The Chief looked closely at Running Wolf, his eyes searching his face. The feathers attached to his headdress twitched as he darted his head around.
Satisfied, the Chief leaned back in his seat and gravely, he said, "You have to be careful with Kahona. He is a far more dangerous man than you think, Running Wolf."
"I know that," Running Wolf said quietly.
"Then why do you try to provoke him?"
"Because I am more dangerous than he is, Chief. He is incapable of hunting me down."
"Do you not think you are being overly confident?"
"It is better to have less thunder in the mouth and more lightning in the hand," Running Wolf said calmly.
The Chief tapped his chin thoughtfully, "The Apache Tribe's parable. You think Elder Kahona is barking like a toothless bulldog?"
"All he does for now is bark. He is probably in doubt, and keeping still waiting for the right moment to strike. Nonetheless, whenever he is ready to make his move, I will be there to show him the lightning in my hand."
"You have to be careful, Running Wolf."
"Same to you, Chief. You are not young anymore. You do know this, right?"
The Chief let a small smile show, "Then I shall go and become equals with all the ones who have left before us, like your father, my dearest friend."
Running Wolf slightly bowed in respect, "I shall leave now Chief."
"Is it because of the pale face you refuse to leave? For your vision quest?" The Chief asked as Running Wolf got to the tent's opening.
He froze for a moment before he turned around. Clearing his throat, he said, "What could you possibly mean, Chief?"
"When she was with child, you were already reluctant to leave. Now that she has had her child, you will be even more resistant towards going on your vision quest."
"You… know about her childbirth?" Running Wolf scratched his head and smiled sheepishly.
"I am the Chief of the Northern Choctaw tribe, Running Wolf. Nothing happens in this parts that I do not know about. I know all," the Chief announced with a smirk.
Running Wolf chuckled. He shook his head and said, "Chito told you."
"Yes he did," the Chief nodded. "How is the mother and baby?"
Running Wolf smiled affectionately as he said, "They are both well, Chief, very well."
"I see… you seem quite happy about it."
"What?" Running Wolf who had been engrossed in the thought of Jessica and Elaina looked up in surprise.
"Oh nothing," the chief smiled mischievously. His smile fell and he said, "Chito also told me about your guilt. The dead do not blame you for anything, Running Wolf."
"How can you be so sure? Did the Great Spirit tell you that?"
The Chief smiled and he said, "Listen to me, Running Wolf.
This is what I can tell you. Hold on to what is good, even if it's a handful of earth.
Hold on to what you believe, even if it's a tree that stands by itself.
Hold on to what you must do, even if it's a long way from here.
Hold on to your life, even if it's easier to let go.
Those are the words of Crowfoot, the Blackfoot warrior.
Dwell on them, and decide what they mean to you. "
Running Wolf nodded tiredly. He was already exhausted and confused and now he had a parable to dwell on.
Of course he would not dare express his feelings to the Chief.
Not because he was the Chief but because the man was pretty much his second father.
He had been close friends with his father and Running Wolf had spent a good part of his youth training under the Chief.
And even now after his father's death, the Chief was still a father figure in his life.
When he first rose to the role of head warrior, there had been rumors of favoritism.
Elder Kahona had led the group. Unfortunately for the village but fortunately for Running Wolf, war had broken out and he has risen to the task effortlessly.
He had defended and protected their village and people.
He had proven his capabilities. That was all he had done to crush the rumors.
Now, Elder Kahona, he was someone that had several problems with Running Wolf that started even before then.
He was already used to the man's madness.
Nonetheless, he knew he needed to be careful.
"Are you not considering remarriage? I could…" the Chief started but Running Wolf was quick to say,
"That will not be necessary, Chief."
The Chief chuckled, "Why? Do you have your eyes on a certain pale face?"
"What on earth do you mean?" Running Wolf gasped.
The Chief waved his question away, "Never mind."
Running Wolf stared at him in confusion for a moment. Then he said, "I have no plans of remarrying. I can't hurt someone else."
The Chief nodded thoughtfully, "Okay. Think of my words, Running Wolf. And remember that there is a huge responsibility that will soon be thrust upon your shoulders.”
"What do you mean by…" Running Wolf was confused again but as before the Chief waved him away,
"Go on. You may leave. And stop by more often. Dyani and I get quite lonely here."
Running Wolf smiled and he nodded. Dyani was the Chief's wife. The Chief patted Running Wolf's back and he took his leave.
Hold on to what is good… he was thinking when someone jumped in front of him. He looked up to see it was Chito.
"Chito, I see you are still here."
Chito shrugged, "I was curious to find out what you both discussed."