punished and kept away from him.”
Hanmani also glanced around to assure herself of privacy as Macha had done before her rush of words. “I was careful and swift, so no one saw me speak with him,” she whispered. “He is lonely and uncertain and he seeks a friend, so he might tell me many secrets he would not share with others. Perhaps I will be the one to learn if he is good or bad, if he is to be a curse or a blessing to us. Surely there is some powerful reason why he was sent to us at this dangerous time for our people, be it by the Great Spirit or an Evil One. You are my best and most trusted friend, so you will not betray my actions.” She repeated her talk with Cloud Chaser and watched Macha’s gaze widen with the same astonishment which had filled her.
“How can a man dream about a woman far away?” Macha unknowingly almost echoed Chase’s query to himself.
“I do not know, my friend, but I believe he spoke the truth.”
“Why did he reveal such a secret to you? Perhaps it is a trick,” Macha suggested, though she hoped that was not so, as such a falsehood would get him killed, or at least banishedforever. From a place deep within her, she wanted him to stay. For some inexplicable and irresistible reason she was drawn to him, had been drawn to him even when they were children.
“Perhaps he trusts me fully, Dawn. Or perhaps his gnawing hunger to learn your name was too painful to resist,” she added.
“You tease me, Hanmani; that is unlike you.”
“I do not mean to act badly, my friend. I am just ensnared by this mystery. Is it not exciting to be part of a sacred vision-dream?”
“If that is what Cloud Chaser had,” Macha replied with a frown.
“If it is true, my friend, what do you think it means?”
“I do not know, Hanmani, and that ignorance is frightening.”
“Do not be afraid, my friend, for the Great Spirit will protect you. Do you not remember how He protected Dewdrops when Wastemna tried to either slay or force her to leave after she joined to my brother? Wastemna was exposed and banished and was fortunate she was not slain for her evil.”
“She was caught because you and Wind Dancer guessed her evil and exposed it. Will you help protect me if evil strikes at me through Cloud Chaser or the man who claims to be him?”
“I will stay alert and will help you if danger comes, but I am sure if any evil strikes at you, it will not come from my brother who has returned to us. The man you must fear and avoid is my cousin. I do not know why, but I sense Two Feathers has a wicked and cruel streak. I am certain you have captured his eye as a good mate, and that worries me. He has made his hatred and rejection of Cloud Chaser clear to me and others. He challenged my brother to a death fight with knives before War Eagle and Swift Otter on the past sun. Father ordered him to stay away from my brother.”
Panicked by that dark news, Macha asked in a quavering voice, “Do you think Two Feathers will obey our chief’s command?”
“He must, Dawn, or he will be punished, perhaps banished forever. That action would sadden my father, my cousin’s parents,and my brothers. It would bring great shame and dishonor to my cousin and his family.”
“Such risks did not halt Wastemna from trying to harm Dewdrops, and her cruel deceit almost succeeded. If our past war chief’s daughter had obtained her dark victory, our people would have lost a great female warrior in Dewdrops, a true Vision Woman, one who rode with Wind Dancer on the sacred and dangerous Vision Journey which saved our people from much harm and gained us peace until the treaty was broken by all who signed it.”
Hanmani nodded, but added, “Wastemna was daring and foolish, for she was blinded by love and desire for Wind Dancer.”
“Is not Two Feathers blinded by hatred and fear of Cloud Chaser and a fierce desire to have him dead or gone?” Macha reasoned.
Hanmani frowned. “That is true, my friend, but I hope he
Hanmani also glanced around to assure herself of privacy as Macha had done before her rush of words. “I was careful and swift, so no one saw me speak with him,” she whispered. “He is lonely and uncertain and he seeks a friend, so he might tell me many secrets he would not share with others. Perhaps I will be the one to learn if he is good or bad, if he is to be a curse or a blessing to us. Surely there is some powerful reason why he was sent to us at this dangerous time for our people, be it by the Great Spirit or an Evil One. You are my best and most trusted friend, so you will not betray my actions.” She repeated her talk with Cloud Chaser and watched Macha’s gaze widen with the same astonishment which had filled her.
“How can a man dream about a woman far away?” Macha unknowingly almost echoed Chase’s query to himself.
“I do not know, my friend, but I believe he spoke the truth.”
“Why did he reveal such a secret to you? Perhaps it is a trick,” Macha suggested, though she hoped that was not so, as such a falsehood would get him killed, or at least banishedforever. From a place deep within her, she wanted him to stay. For some inexplicable and irresistible reason she was drawn to him, had been drawn to him even when they were children.
“Perhaps he trusts me fully, Dawn. Or perhaps his gnawing hunger to learn your name was too painful to resist,” she added.
“You tease me, Hanmani; that is unlike you.”
“I do not mean to act badly, my friend. I am just ensnared by this mystery. Is it not exciting to be part of a sacred vision-dream?”
“If that is what Cloud Chaser had,” Macha replied with a frown.
“If it is true, my friend, what do you think it means?”
“I do not know, Hanmani, and that ignorance is frightening.”
“Do not be afraid, my friend, for the Great Spirit will protect you. Do you not remember how He protected Dewdrops when Wastemna tried to either slay or force her to leave after she joined to my brother? Wastemna was exposed and banished and was fortunate she was not slain for her evil.”
“She was caught because you and Wind Dancer guessed her evil and exposed it. Will you help protect me if evil strikes at me through Cloud Chaser or the man who claims to be him?”
“I will stay alert and will help you if danger comes, but I am sure if any evil strikes at you, it will not come from my brother who has returned to us. The man you must fear and avoid is my cousin. I do not know why, but I sense Two Feathers has a wicked and cruel streak. I am certain you have captured his eye as a good mate, and that worries me. He has made his hatred and rejection of Cloud Chaser clear to me and others. He challenged my brother to a death fight with knives before War Eagle and Swift Otter on the past sun. Father ordered him to stay away from my brother.”
Panicked by that dark news, Macha asked in a quavering voice, “Do you think Two Feathers will obey our chief’s command?”
“He must, Dawn, or he will be punished, perhaps banished forever. That action would sadden my father, my cousin’s parents,and my brothers. It would bring great shame and dishonor to my cousin and his family.”
“Such risks did not halt Wastemna from trying to harm Dewdrops, and her cruel deceit almost succeeded. If our past war chief’s daughter had obtained her dark victory, our people would have lost a great female warrior in Dewdrops, a true Vision Woman, one who rode with Wind Dancer on the sacred and dangerous Vision Journey which saved our people from much harm and gained us peace until the treaty was broken by all who signed it.”
Hanmani nodded, but added, “Wastemna was daring and foolish, for she was blinded by love and desire for Wind Dancer.”
“Is not Two Feathers blinded by hatred and fear of Cloud Chaser and a fierce desire to have him dead or gone?” Macha reasoned.
Hanmani frowned. “That is true, my friend, but I hope he
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