Savage Summer (23 page)

Skyler had thrown love away. Anger etched the stiff plane of Morgan’s jaw. Waste had always made him angry.

In three days’ time, Danielle’s ankle had healed enough so she and Wolfrunner could continue on their journey. Danielle was almost sorry to leave their haven. It was here that she had rested and regained her strength, and it was here that she found out that she was beginning to love this man.

Wolfrunner had cut strips of leather from the flap of his breechcloth and fashioned Danielle a crude pair of sandals.

He had bent down to strap the shoes about her ankle, when she laughed aloud. “I think it would be a good idea if we made it to the village before too long. The way we are using up our clothing, neither of us will have a stitch to our name when we get there.”

Wolfrunner’s dark eyes swept her face. He didn’t smile, but she saw his mouth twitch, and his dark eyes were dancing. He scooped up the baby rabbit and handed it to Danielle. “Test your foot to see if you can walk,” he told her while watching her face for any sign of pain.

Danielle tucked the edge of her skirt into the waistband and placed the baby rabbit in the makeshift pocket. It meant showing more of her legs, but she was past feeling modest by now. Testing her new shoes, she found them to be quite comfortable.

“I do not feel the pain any longer. Your cure worked miracles.”

He nodded. “It is an old cure taught to us by an old medicine woman called She Who Heals. She once cured Joanna from snow blindness with this medicine.”

He picked up his spear and started walking at a fast pace, and she fell into step with him. At first his strides were long, but he soon slowed them to match hers.

Once again they now followed the course of the river. To the south of them the land was blackened by the prairie fire. Danielle thought it would be years before the scars left on the land by the fire would heal.

Just ahead Danielle saw a huge mountain range. Some of the mountains were so high they still had snow on the taller peaks. She knew they must cross these mountains to find the Blackfoot village. She felt dread just looking at the seemingly impregnable wall, wondering how they would ever make it over the top.

The last few days Wolfrunner had become more silent than ever. He seldom spoke to Danielle, and she wondered if he would ever look at her as a woman. She tried in every way she could to please him, but still he seemed indifferent to her.

She found he was always alert to danger, and he could hear and see things that no normal person could. The threat of Scar Face still hung over them. Even though Danielle never saw any sign of Scar Face, she knew he would be following them. Wolfrunner often stopped and tested the wind. He would scan the horizon in every direction before they continued their journey.

They had to rely on small game for their survival. Wolfrunner knew Scar Face was aware of their every move, so
he didn’t bother to hide their tracks. Each night he would make a campfire to cook their food. There was no reason to hide from an enemy who knew where to find you. Danielle knew that he slept very little at night, since he didn’t want Scar Face to come upon them unawares.

The weather had grown hotter, and the sun beat down on them with a punishing force. As they neared the mountains, the terrain became rocky, making it more difficult to walk. Danielle could feel every rock and stone through her thin-soled sandals. She took particular care not to injure her weak ankle, knowing Wolfrunner would not be pleased if they had to stop and allow her to heal again.

When at last they reached the mountains, there was the added burden of climbing very steep cliffs. But now it was much easier to hide from Scar Face, because Wolfrunner was very clever about covering up their tracks on the rocky face of the mountains. There was plenty of food to be found, and water was always abundant.

It was almost nightfall. Danielle stood on the high slope of a mountain and gazed out on the breathtaking countryside. This was a land of imperishable beauty. As she stood in the shadows of tall mountain peaks and deep canyons, she could see the reflections of numerous lakes and streams. Here nature had colored the land with every hue known to man. It was magnificent and spectacular. Somehow Danielle got the feeling that it hadn’t changed since the beginning of time. This was the land of her past—did it also hold her future?

Gazing across a ravine, she saw Wolfrunner standing as still as a statue. He was looking at the same view, and Danielle wondered if he was having similar thoughts. How could he not feel pride in this land that belonged to his people. It was in his blood and a part of his heritage. It was as timeless and beautiful as the Blackfoot people who called it home. This love of the land came to her from out of nowhere, from some
hidden recess in her mind. She thought it strange that she had never loved the land in Philadelphia.

Her eyes moved over the man who had come to mean so much to her. How magnificent he was with his dark hair blowing in the wind. The setting sun fell on his skin, turning it to a soft bronze color. He was as much a part of this land as the rocks and trees; he belonged here and she didn’t.

Suddenly she wanted him to pull her into his world. Raising her arms, she held them out to him as if beseeching him to take her unto him. Her heart seemed to skip a beat when he raised his arms to her. Across the distance that divided them, Danielle could feel him pulling at her.

“I love you, Wolfrunner,” she called out, but she knew he couldn’t hear her, since her voice had been carried away with the wind.

She watched him lower his arms and disappear down the steep embankment. She knew she would always remember the moment when the two of them had stood apart and reached out to each other. Would the time ever come when they would reach across the gulf that separated them and their hands would touch? She doubted that he would ever think of her other than as Joanna’s niece. Danielle knew Wolfrunner still didn’t like her as a person, and she doubted that he ever would.

They had been traveling in the mountains for three days. Each day there seemed to be another mountain to climb. The barriers of rock and stone seemed to go on forever, and Danielle wondered if they would ever come to the valley of the Blood Blackfoot.

They had made camp beside a small stream with a magnificent view of a deep craggy canyon that seemed to cut its way into the mountains.

Wolfrunner had disappeared some time ago and Danielle was wondering where he was. They had food left over from the day before, so surely he hadn’t gone hunting.

Gazing up at the sky, she noticed the dark clouds that
were gathering on the horizon. She had never liked storms—for some reason they had always terrified her. She tried not to think of the impending storm. Dipping her hands in the cool mountain stream, she took a deep drink.

Suddenly, Danielle felt something brush up against her leg. Looking down in surprise, she saw a small furry animal curl up beside her. Her laughter rang out as she picked it up and held it in her arms. It was some kind of cat. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if she could take the animal home with her as a companion to Cottontail? she thought.

Danielle sat down and ruffled the animal’s furry coat, which was soft and tawny with brownish spots. “You are just a kitten,” she said, rubbing the animal beneath the chin and feeling delight in the way it cuddled up against her. The cat was making soft purring sounds, and Danielle laughed delightedly as it pawed at her finger playfully.

“How dear you are. I am going to keep you,” she said, holding the kitten up to her face. Cottontail was curled up beside her while the newcomer lapped out its tongue and licked the tiny rabbit. “I can see that the two of you are going to be wonderful friends,” she said, giving each of them an individual pat.

Danielle hadn’t heard Wolfrunner come up beside her, and was startled when he yanked the kitten out of her arms. His eyes blazed dangerously and his jaw was set in anger. “You are a stupid white girl. Do you not know a cougar when you see one? The mother would tear you to pieces if she were to return,” he said angrily.

“I didn’t know,” she said, lowering her eyes and feeling stupid indeed.

“I wonder that you are still alive. Do you know nothing about taking care of yourself?” His voice was deep with anger and his dark eyes were dilated.

She stood up and faced him. “If I am as stupid as you seem to think, why do you bother with me?”

“I wonder the same thing myself. Must I always keep you in my sight to keep you from harm?”

Her eyes flashed. “I did not ask you to look after me. I wish you would just go away. I don’t want you here. You are hateful and mean. Nothing I do seems to please you.”

He gave her a guarded look. “If I left you to yourself, you would not survive the first day.”

“Who appointed you my guardian? I didn’t ask you for anything. I don’t want to be with you.”

“Then leave. You are free to go. I am not holding you here!” Turning his back, he stalked away, carrying the cougar cub by the scruff of the neck.

Suddenly she feared what he would do to the cub. Racing after him, she caught hold of his arm. “You aren’t going to harm this baby, are you? I am warning you, I won’t allow it. Only an animal would mistreat another.”

His dark eyes seemed to become storm centers. “I leave it to your white men to kill animals when it is not necessary. It is not the Indian way. The prairies and plains are dotted with the bleaching bones of slaughtered buffalo, which your people killed only for the hide. Go back to the stream and wait until I return.” He turned away but she heard him mutter under his breath, and his words seemed to cut into her heart. “I grow weary of protecting you from yourself.”

Danielle was blinded by tears. She wanted to strike out at Wolfrunner for causing her pain. If he thought she was such a burden, she would just remove herself. No man had ever dared treat her with such disrespect. She had no intention of staying with him any longer.

Watching him disappear up the face of the mountain toward a high ledge, she turned around and ran in the opposite direction. She ran and ran, until she dropped from fatigue. Sitting down on the ground, she pulled the baby rabbit out of its hiding place in the folds of her gown, holding it to her face. After she had rested, she got to her feet and ran some more.

Danielle was wise enough to move in the direction of the Blackfoot village. She didn’t know how to get there, and she
knew it was still several weeks’ walk, but that didn’t matter. The only thing she cared about was getting as far away from Wolfrunner as she could.

How could she ever have thought she had any tender feelings for that hateful man? All he wanted to do was boss and bully her while pointing out her shortcomings. How could he expect her to know all the things that an Indian maiden grew up knowing about? What had been the harm in her playing with the adorable little kitten?

It was almost dark when the first drops of rain began to fall. Danielle saw the lightning streak across the sky and heard the thunder rumble down the mountain side.

She pressed her body tightly against a huge boulder and covered her ears. Fear deeper than when she had been abducted and more powerful than when she had been caught in the prairie fire, filled her being. A wild scream escaped her throat as a jagged streak of lightning split across the sky and struck a nearby bush, causing it to burst into flames.

It seemed as if the sky had opened up and rain fell to the earth in torrents. Danielle dropped to her knees, crying hysterically. She did have enough wits about her to try and shelter the baby rabbit from the rain. Finding where two rocks came together, she placed the ball of fur back as far as she could reach.

Danielle knew by now she was hopelessly lost. This time Wolfrunner could not save her, because he would never find her in this rainstorm. Her tracks would be washed away by the heavy rainfall.

She huddled against the boulder; clinging to it as if it were her lifeline. Since she had been a small child, every time there had been a thunderstorm Danielle had been haunted by nightmares—nightmares more terrifying than any reality she had yet faced.

Just when she thought she couldn’t stand it a moment longer, someone reached out to her and drew her into his
arms. She threw her arms around Wolfrunner and pressed her body against him, trembling with terror.

“I was afraid you wouldn’t find me,” she sobbed.

He held her tightly, trying to still her shaking body. “I will always find you, little one,” he whispered near her ear. “Do not fear the storm, I will protect you.”

Danielle raised her face and looked at him as another streak of lightning flashed across the sky. For just a fraction of a second, his dark eyes reflected the lightning bolt. In that moment it seemed they were both suspended in time, drawn together not by the electricity of the storm, but by the electricity that came from within themselves.

For days they had been pulling against the force that tried to bring them together. Now, neither of them resisted.

Danielle’s lips parted as Wolfrunner lowered his head. When his lips touched hers, she melted to his body.

Suddenly, the storm no longer mattered. It was pushed to the back of Danielle’s mind to make room for a deeper and more meaningful emotion.

“I have wanted to touch you from the first time I saw you,” he whispered in her ear. In a rush of feelings, almost as if a dam broke and pent-up emotions broke free in a flood of agony, he clasped her slight body to him. “Danielle!” He spoke her name as if it was ripped from his throat. “I cannot help myself for this weakness that burns within me.”

Danielle felt her heart take wings. As he lowered her onto the ground, she held her arms up to him. “Hold me, Wolfrunner,” she said softly. “Hold me very tightly.”

“Danielle, I dare not,” he said in a moment of sanity. “If I hold you now, it will not stop there. I desire you as a woman.”

The rain was pelting her in the face but it didn’t matter. She raised her arms to him once more. “Take me as a woman, Wolfrunner,” she said, feeling a deep need for him to touch her.

He hesitated for but a moment before he scooped her up in his arms. She didn’t know where he was taking her, and
she didn’t care. All that mattered was that she was in his arms and he wanted her.