Page 75 of The Spirit of the Wolf

Not that they would see much of it. For all intents and purposes, they would be asleep inside their hidden shelter.

It would be a well-deserved sleep. They had traveled far through the night, and this continuous skulking over the landscape was becoming wearisome.

They had fled over a midnight prairie as though they were lengthy shadows touching the earth. It had been a pleasing night, but Marietta couldn’t recall ever being more exhausted.

“Tell me, Yellow Swan,” said Marietta as she turned her attention away from Grey Coyote and to her friend. “What happened to you? How did you come to be with the war party?”

Yellow Swan nodded, then began. “When white…friend’s other…husband⁠—”

“Mr. LaCroix was not my husband,” Marietta corrected.

“Oh,” said Yellow Swan, “that right. It hard…for Yellow Swan”—she pointed to herself—“to…understand. But I…try.” She smiled at Marietta. “When white man who act like husband…”

Marietta sighed.

“When him lost…white woman…to him”—Yellow Swan indicated Grey Coyote—“white man took Yellow Swan as wife. Travel far. Go down…Big River. One night…war party come…kill him…take me.”

“That war party that had captured you—they killed LaCroix?”

“Han.” Yellow Swan nodded.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”

“It…bad thing…but…waste…good,” Yellow Swan said. “You go with…this scout.” Yellow Swan inclined her head toward Grey Coyote. “White friend—avoid…bad…men. You go with…white man you be captured…too.”

“That’s true. But tell me, I never did understand exactly why you were traveling south with me, and I never asked. Were you, by any chance, going this way in order to reunite with your tribe?”

“Hiya, no. Yellow Swan…travel south…to find…own husband. Him gone…long time…go south…get ponies. Him gone…too long. I go…look for him.”

“Dear Lord,” uttered Marietta. “I didn’t know this was why you had agreed to make the trip with me.”

Yellow Swan nodded. “I…find him…soon. Be…happy.”

Marietta stared at her friend for several minutes, and though she doubted that Yellow Swan would ever find her husband alive, she kept this opinion to herself. “Then it is good we rescued you. And since we are proceeding south, perhaps we may find your husband along the way.”

“Han,” said Yellow Swan. “Sece, perhaps. White friend…good friend.”

“I try to be. I do try.”

Presently, Grey Coyote approached them both. He appeared to have finished his chore, but it seemed he needed some piece of rock or wood in order to finish what he had started. With several hand signals, Marietta could see he was instructing Yellow Swan to help him in some way. At least it looked this way to Marietta, since Yellow Swan arose and stepped toward the water.

Marietta started to rise and follow in her wake, but Grey Coyote placed his hand over Marietta’s, keeping her seated.

Curious, Marietta asked, “What did you tell her?”

“I asked your friend to get us water.”

“Oh. Not that I’m complaining or anything, but it would be nice if you would speak in English, so I might understand you, as well. Otherwise, I feel rather…left out.”

He nodded. “I will try to correct this, but perhaps also my wife might think to learn the language of sign, for it is the way all tribes talk to one another.”

“Yes. Although…” she cast Grey Coyote a veiled glance, “…since I won’t be in this country very long, there seems little reason to learn it.”

He didn’t comment, but his look at her was long and solemn. “I came to beg a moment alone with you.”

“Oh?”

“Come, I have found something I want to show you.”