Chapter Seventeen
A little more spring in his step than earlier in the morning, Running Wolf skipped along to his home.
He was feeling like the happiest man alive by the time he arrived at his tepee.
He looked around his surroundings and he knew that someone was there.
He was pretty sure it was Chito. Ignoring his friend's presence, Running Wolf settled into the grass that was next to the entrance of his tepee and stared into the distance.
A smile played on his lips as he remembered the beautiful memories he made with Elaina.
Just that morning, he had been trying to hold back how he felt for her, and now, he could actually show her how he really felt.
He ran a hand through his long black hair and sighed thoughtfully.
He missed her already. He missed her soft touch and her taste.
Running Wolf groaned. Tomorrow could not come fast enough.
He thought of her, probably cuddling little Jessica right then and his smile was back in full force.
He hoped they were getting some rest. They needed it.
It had been a very long day. His little family.
Running Wolf’s eyes widened. His family? Where on earth had thought come from? Before he had the chance to actually analyze his thoughts, someone cleared his throat.
“Why do you have that silly smile on your face, Running Wolf?” Chito asked as he emerged from the forest that surrounded Running Wolf’s tepee.
Running Wolf sighed and leaned his back against a small tree that stood behind him, “Nice to see you too, Chito.”
Chito sneered as he settled next to Running Wolf, “You still have not answered my question, friend. And where have you been? I have been waiting here for a while. Imagine my surprise when I came to visit my good friend and he was nowhere to be found. I searched the vicinity with no success.”
“Oh you did?” Running Wolf nodded slowly. “Soo… is it just my place you searched? Nowhere else?”
“Of course. Where else would I have searched? Should I have gone into the stream? Is that where you were?”
“Uh...”
Before he could respond, Chito narrowed his eyes, “You were with that woman, weren’t you?”
Running Wolf frowned, “You say it like it is a crime to spend time with her. She might be a pale face, but she is a good person, Chito and that is all that matters in my opinion and I’m pretty good at knowing people.
So what if she is a pale face? So what if we do not know where she is from?
She has a good heart and that is all that matters, Chito.
I really hope you come to this understanding too. ”
“Fine, fine,” Chito raised his hands, “I never knew you appointed yourself as her chief caretaker. Anyway, it’s fine. I will keep my mouth shut and let you do as you please, Running Wolf. What happens from this point is up to you.”
“Thank you very much,” Running Wolf said sarcastically.
Chito chuckled, “Aren’t you going to welcome me?”
Running Wolf rolled his eyes, “Like you haven’t already made yourself at home.”
“Oh, my friend, you know you can be as quiet as a lamb, and then as fierce as a lion. In you, the Great Spirit put a mix of both characters.”
Running Wolf frowned, “I am never quiet. For you to say that, then you certainly do not know me. When have I ever been quiet?” Running Wolf scoffed. “You are imagining things and situations, definitely. You must be confusing me with someone else.”
Chito slapped Running Wolf’s back and whispered, “You forget, Running Wolf, that I have seen you when you are with Elaina. You must not have noticed it yourself. Whenever you are with her, my friend, then, you become as quiet as a lamb. Now, I am beginning to think that a lamb is not as quiet as you are.”
Running Wolf shoved his friend away, “You... must be go… ing crazy. I have never been as quiet as a lamb, with her or with anyone.”
“Sure, that is fine. You are free to deny the truth. I mean, if that is what you think, you can do that.”
Chito leaned closer to his friend and Running Wolf avoided his face.
He was hiding a smile. He was very different when he was with Elaina, he knew that.
With her, he let everything go and his eyes were only on her.
With her, he would bet that he was quiet as a lamb.
But he could not let his friend know that he agreed with him, neither could he let Chito’s opinion become to being the truth.
That would only make Chito suspicious of her.
That was the last thing he needed, that suspicion.
It was not because of him but because of Elaina.
He could not let her be at risk in any way.
He trusted his friend but Chito was known to not be the best secret keeper.
Also, his friend was loyal to the tribe.
What if he got the crazy idea that these mysterious feelings, he had for Elaina made her a danger to him and then the tribe?
Nah, he could not take the risk. While he desperately wanted to open up to someone, someone who he could talk through his feelings with and understand them, it was a chance that he really could not take at that moment.
And so, he sighed and leaned his head against the tree. He turned to his friend who was looking up at the sky, staring at the stars, “How is Catori and the baby?"
Chito’s eyes lit up at the mention of his wife and child.
Chito’s marriage to Catori had also been an arranged one but Chito had grown to love Catori very deeply.
Months after their marriage, he had already been singing her praises, and as well she praised him.
They had gotten married a few months after Running Wolf did.
And Catori had even gotten pregnant a few months after Fala too.
It was because of the love Chito had for Catori that he had always reassured Running Wolf with conviction that one day, he would love Fala too.
And it was their love that had also reassured Fala that he would also love her as Chito had grown to love his wife.
Unfortunately, that had never happened. Running Wolf had never experienced the love that they all talked about, and he still had not experienced it.
He shook his head. He had no idea what love was.
How would he even know it if he felt it? He turned to his smiling friend.
“They are both doing so well. Whenever I see Ahanu, I feel so much pride, my friend. I am the father of that little one, that little one who laughs all the time, me. It all feels so strange. You know, the sight of him always pleases my heart. Affection bubbles within.”
Running Wolf smiled and patted his friend’s back.
He understood exactly what his friend felt, especially about the happiness.
It was exactly like that with Jessica. He was not her father but he had been there when she was born.
He had held her in his arms and joy and pride had bubbled in his heart.
Whenever he saw her, his heart always bubbled with cheer.
He cared about the little girl very deeply, just like he would his own child.
Even if he was not sure about anything else, he knew that for a fact.
Chito cleared his throat and said, “I am so sorry, my friend. I should have been more careful with my words. I did not mean to pull you into the past.”
“What?” Running Wolf looked over at his friend and saw that the excitement in his eyes had been replaced with sympathy.
He sighed as he realized what had just happened.
Chito had concluded that the reason for his silence was because he was thinking of his dead family. He started, “That’s not what...”
“I really am sorry, friend. I should be more careful with my words and...”
“Stop it, Chito. Not for any reason should you dull your happiness or silent your good news because you feel sorry for me. I am very happy for you, my friend. I lost my family, but you didn’t lose yours. You have every reason to celebrate, to be happy without feeling guilty.”
“But...” Chito started but Running Wolf shook his head and he patted his friend’s shoulder,
“You listen to me, Chito. I am fine. I do not know if I am healing and I certainly have no idea if I am in a better place but you have to believe me on that. I mean, I certainly do not want to give up on life. That is a better start compared to where I was months ago. So really, do not worry about me. Share your joy and tell me all you want to tell me about your child. Be happy and share your joy, my friend. I am truly happy for you.”
“Are you sure?” Chito asked nervously.
“Very sure,” Running Wolf replied honestly. He smiled at his friend and said, “Now, ride on.”
Chito chuckled, “So, you see, Ahanu has this habit of...”
Smiling, Running Wolf crossed his arms and sat back to listen to his friend who was no longer just Warrior Chito and Chito, Catori’s partner. He was now a proud and excited father. His good friend’s happiness made him happy.
*
Yesterday
Atola stormed into her family’s tepee, fists formed and her eyes glowing with anger. Her brother, Tokala raised his head the moment she stormed in. He frowned and crossed his arms,
“I take it from your angry face that it didn’t go well?”
“Do you have to ask?” Atola hissed. She paced, ranting, “He is so rude, you know. You should have heard all the things he said to me. How dare he?”
“Let him have all his fun now. In a little while, when you are married to him, father will ensure that he is under his thumb.”
Atola scoffed, “Running Wolf is too bigheaded to be controlled, Tokala. In my opinion, father’s plan has already gone bad.
Why don’t we just move to another plan? Let’s get rid of him now, since neither yours nor my plan is working.
Look, father does not need to know. We can get it over with by ourselves. ”