Running Wolf scowled as he leaned with his back against a tree, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. He watched the women tanning hides, listening to their endless prattle. He did not like what he was hearing.
"You should be proud, Many Colors," Little Tree said. She was Silver Tree's eldest daugher. "Between Little Skunk and Big Heart you have the most meat and the largest hides."
Many Colors smiled softly. "I am." She said continuing to scrape the hide she was currently working on. After this one she had two more to do.
"What will you do with that one?" She asked, sitting up for a moment to stretch her back.
"Mmmm," Many Colors tilted her head. "I think I will make britches for Big Heart. His army pants are becoming thread bare and I do not like the color." To this day that deep blue gave her the chills.
Little Tree smiled brightly. "Will you bead them?" Many Colors had gotten quite the reputation for beading. It was, after all, the reason they called her Many Colors to begin with. She was an expert at trading for beads, making beads from bone and antler, and she had more beads in more colors than all the women of the tribe put together. All of her own dresses had beads and whenever someone of the tribe needed beading done, they would come to her, usually trading pelts or other useful items for her work.
"Of course," she said with that little smile again. She had worked out a beautiful pattern just the other night and had set out the beads for them already. "I will begin as soon as these are scraped and drying."
"What colors will you use?" Little Tree was truely interested. She was not one much for beading although she loved the way it looked.
"White, red, black, yellow, and a little blue," she returned. "It will have a medicine wheel pattern."
Little Tree sat up and looked at her friend. "Medicine wheel?"
"Yes," she said not looking up, but moving to another section of the hide. "To bring him luck. Keep him safe."
"You worry about him." Little Tree stated.
Many Colors shrugged one shoulder. "He is my brother."
Little Tree laughed. "He is more to you than brother."
Many Colors looked up sharply. "What do you mean?"
"Oh please," Little Tree rolled her eyes. "Are you the only one who cannot see it?"
"See what?" Many Colors asked as she finally straightened up herself.
Little Tree rolled her eyes. "The way you look at each other, the way you speak to each other, the things you do for each other. Really Many Colors, it is so obvious!"
"Don't be silly," she said as she returned to her work. "He is my brother."
Little Tree shook her head and bent to her own work once again. There was silence between the two women for a time. Then: "You are not of the same clan."
"So?" Many Colors looked up at her.
"You are not blood relation, only adopted." Little Tree's lips curled in a half smile as she glanced up at her friend.
"So?" What exactly was she getting at here?
"You are both white." Little Tree said as if it were a great revelation.
Many Colors sighed. "So?"
"He is a great hunter." Little Tree could hardly keep herself from laughing out loud.
Many Colors put down her scraping tool and straightened up. She put her hands on her hips. "What are you saying Little Tree?"
Little Tree grinned. "I'm saying that there are no boundries between you. If you were to fall in lo--"
Many Colors held up her hand, stopping Little Tree in mid-sentance. "He is my brother."
Little Tree sighed, but said nothing more. She could see her friends mind working as she scraped with more enthusiasm though. This caused her to smile softly to herself.
"Will you dance behind him at the Sun Dance?" Little Tree asked after a while. Many Colors had gotten up to stretch one of the other hides.
"If he asks me," she returned. "Otherwise I will dance behind Father as usual."
Little Tree got up to help her with the stretching. One beautiful thing about the People, they never let another work alone unless that was wished. It was a way of sharing. No one person would carry a burden by themselves.
"He will ask you," Little Tree predicted confidently.
"What makes you say that?" Many Colors asked.
Little Tree let out a little giggle. "Because here he comes now."
Many Colors turned around quickly. Sure enough here he came, walking toward her confidently, smiling. Slowly she stood to greet him.
"You work quickly Many Colors," he said as he approached. He smiled handsomly and his eyes shown.
"You bring me big hides," she smiled back. She couldn't help it. "I would not want them to spoil."
He frowned a little. "I do not mean to make more work for you."
She shook her head. "I don't mind." Her voice was soft as she glanced down at the hides. She looked up at him again and seemed to get lost in the light of his eyes. There was silence for a time.
"Uh..." He shook himself out of his revery. "I have something for you." He brought his hands around from behind his back. "A new loom. I made it. Yours seemed a bit worn." He paused to watch her smile brighten her face as she took it from him. "And you do so much work with them. I thought ...."
"It is beautiful," she said looking to him again. It was true. He had obviously spent a great deal of time on it. "Thank you. I will use it well."
Big Heart nodded with a small smile. "Also," he said clearing his throat. "I wanted to ask you something."
She set the loom down near the hides and looked up at him quizzically. Would he ask her now? She hoped with all her heart.
This little interraction was more than Running Wolf could stand, however. He pushed himself off the tree, grabbed the bundle at his feet and strode over to the gathering.
Big Heart had taken her hand. "Many Colors, would you honor me by--"
"Many Colors," Running Wolf said harshly as he approached, interrupting Big Hearts words. She looked to the sound of his voice and her face fell.
"Running Wolf," she said. He threw the bundle at her feet. It came open.
"You will tan these hides for me." It was an order, not a request.
"My sister has enough to do," Big Heart stated with more than a little malace in his voice. "Ask Willow Fawn or Speckled Deer."
"I will have hides tanned by Many Colors," Running Wolf spat, pointing to the bundle. "And she will dance behind me at the Sun Dance."
Many Colors' eyebrows rose. "I will?" She didn't mean it to sound like such a surprise, but then again, she didn't mean to speak out loud either. Everyone knew Running Wolf had gall, but he had not even properly asked.
Running Wolf's eyes narrowed as if he were daring her to defy his wishes. "You will."
Suddenly a feeling of dread coursed through her body. "I...." she started.
"Many Colors cannot dance behind you, Running Wolf," Big Heart stepped up beside her protectively. She could tell by the way his body moved that there would be no hesitation should Running Wolf make any untoward move. Big Heart would be more than happy to kill him.
That almost made her smile.
"Why not?" Running Wolf demanded, his voice sounding like that of a petulant child.
"Because," Big Heart stated cupping her elbow in his strong hand. "She has already agreed to dance behind me." He looked down at her. "Isn't that right Many Colors." His hand squeezed her elbow.
"Umm..yes. Yes. That is right." She said through a dry mouth. Suddenly she was dizzy. She wasn't sure if she was dizzy because of Big Hearts touch or if she was dizzy because of Running Wolfs brazeness. She leaned closer to Big Heart, not aware that she had done it.
"You lie," Running Wolf growled accusingly. His whole body tenced as if he were ready to attack.
Now Many Colors was offended. If he had not so rudely interrupted Big Heart would have asked and she would have said yes. Thus Big Heart's words were not a lie, they were a not-yet-spoken truth.
Lying was, by definition, a serious offence among the People and it was not tolerated any more than stealing or murder. There was just no cause to do these things.
Big Heart glared at Running Wolf but instead of challenging him or exchanging more words he turned to Many Colors. He took both her hands in his. "Then I will ask again, so that all is clear." He stated. "Many Colors, will you honor me by dancing behind me at the Sun Dance?"
She relaxed some. Big Heart was not only brave and strong, but wise also. Running Wolf could not refute a truth heard by his own ears.
"Again," she said before Running Wolf could interrupt again. "I say yes." She rewarded Big Heart with a smile not only of gratitude but also of relief.
Big Heart nodded with a return smile of his own then turned to Running Wolf. "You have heard, Running Wolf. Now take your hides to another and leave us alone."
Running Wolf was so angry he had no words. He bent to pick up the hides but Many Colors pushed them away with her foot.
"No," she said feeling much more confident although she didn't let go of Big Heart's hand. "I can tan the hides. They are small."
That added insult to injury. The small comment jibed at his inablity to hunt big game, that she agreed to tan them served to show him that she held no malace. "Being kind to your enemy is like putting hot coals upon their heads"--a passage from a book obtained by long ago teachings that still resided in a box by her pallet.
"I will expect no flaw," Running Wolf stated, then turned on his heal and stomped away.
Many Colors and Big Heart watched him go and when he was out of sight, Many Colors sighed and leaned against him heavily.
"He worries me," she said softly into Big Hearts shoulder. He lifted her chin with his fingers.
"Worry not," he said cupping her cheek. "I'll not let anything happen to you."
She should have kissed him then. But her heart was so full of conflicting emotions she couldn't do anything more than smile gratefully and nod her head. He returned her smile and then simply walked away. She watched after him, not failing to notice he turned back to look at her twice before he reached his destination--Silver Tree's wigwam.
She knelt, glancing up at Little Tree who was working and listening the whole time. Little Tree just shook her head and smiled as if to say "I told you so."