clears his eyes and cleanses his mind and heart of such evil.” She smiled and changed directions. “What if you are a new Vision Woman like Dewdrops was long ago? She came to Wind Dancer in a sacred vision and he rode to her camp to claim her. They were joined and they did many great tasks for the good of our people. What if Cloud Chaser’s dream is a sacred one, you will join to him, and do greats deeds for us?” the young girl said on a flight of fancy.
“I am not a female warrior as Dewdrops was. What could I do to help our people? I cannot trick and fight our enemies as she did.”
“I have not forgotten how she doubted and resisted Wind Dancer’s vision. It was proven to be a message from Wakantanka and she obeyed it. She and Wind Dancer share great love and happiness, and a son. She is honored and loved by our people. Perhaps that is Cloud Chaser’s destiny.”
“Or perhaps Cloud Chaser learned of that vision and claims he had a sacred dream to trick us,” Macha refuted, but did not believe her words. It was both exhilarating and intimidating to even imagine such a.destiny.
“No one knows of that vision except our people and Dewdrops’,the White Shield Brules. Such a dream is powerful medicine, Dawn. It is a message from the Great Spirit; it cannot be disobeyed. If it is the Creator’s will for your Life-Circle to be entwined with Cloud Chaser’s, you must not resist traveling that path, though it may frighten you at times.”
“We speak of things which might not be real, Hanmani, so we must silence our tongues for now. We must tell no one of his dream.”
“Have you forgotten news of it was spoken by Cloud Chaser and my grandfather on the past sun when he entered our camp?”
“But my appearance in his dream was not revealed.”
“That is true, so we will tell no one what we have learned about it. Do strange and new feelings for him fill your mind, heart, and body?”
“Yes, but I do not understand them and they disquiet me. I must push them away, for they are forbidden and hopeless.”
“Only if Cloud Chaser is rejected by our people. What if he is not?”
“But what if he is, Hanmani? Such feelings can only bring me pain and sadness. I must not yield to them until he is one of us, if that sun rises.”
“Has that sun not already shown its face, my friend?”
“No, Hanmani. He is here now, but will he stay or be allowed to do so? Perhaps he will give up his struggle for acceptance and ride away. Perhaps he will be banished, for many mistrust him. Perhaps some evil force will drive him away so he cannot help us in the way Wakantanka desires.”
“There is no power greater than the Creator’s, my friend.”
“If that is true, Hanmani, why do His people suffer and die at the hands of both White and Indian enemies? Why does He allow our lands and animals, His creations, to be destroyed and misused?”
“Evil does exist, my friend, and it is powerful, but the Great Spirit will conquer it. Has the Great One not always brought us through dark times?”
“Yes, and it is wicked of me to show such doubts and weakness. I do not know what causes my bad behavior on this sun.”
“It is the confusing and wonderful news I revealed to you,” Hanmani suggested, “and the perils Cloud Chaser faces before him. And your hunger for him plays a large part as well.”
“How can I feel such things for him when we are strangers?”
“I do not know, Dawn, for love and desire are unknown to me.”
Love and desire wafted across Macha’s troubled mind as the summer wind blew across the Lakota Plains, bending grasses and wildflowers to its potent will as perhaps those feelings would bend her to the will of Cloud Chaser.
Chase sat cross-legged on his bedroll as he ate the food Hanmani had brought to him this morning. He had been camped there alone for a week, and only his half-sister had approached him to serve him meals and to bring him wood for his fire at night, one to provide light during
“I am not a female warrior as Dewdrops was. What could I do to help our people? I cannot trick and fight our enemies as she did.”
“I have not forgotten how she doubted and resisted Wind Dancer’s vision. It was proven to be a message from Wakantanka and she obeyed it. She and Wind Dancer share great love and happiness, and a son. She is honored and loved by our people. Perhaps that is Cloud Chaser’s destiny.”
“Or perhaps Cloud Chaser learned of that vision and claims he had a sacred dream to trick us,” Macha refuted, but did not believe her words. It was both exhilarating and intimidating to even imagine such a.destiny.
“No one knows of that vision except our people and Dewdrops’,the White Shield Brules. Such a dream is powerful medicine, Dawn. It is a message from the Great Spirit; it cannot be disobeyed. If it is the Creator’s will for your Life-Circle to be entwined with Cloud Chaser’s, you must not resist traveling that path, though it may frighten you at times.”
“We speak of things which might not be real, Hanmani, so we must silence our tongues for now. We must tell no one of his dream.”
“Have you forgotten news of it was spoken by Cloud Chaser and my grandfather on the past sun when he entered our camp?”
“But my appearance in his dream was not revealed.”
“That is true, so we will tell no one what we have learned about it. Do strange and new feelings for him fill your mind, heart, and body?”
“Yes, but I do not understand them and they disquiet me. I must push them away, for they are forbidden and hopeless.”
“Only if Cloud Chaser is rejected by our people. What if he is not?”
“But what if he is, Hanmani? Such feelings can only bring me pain and sadness. I must not yield to them until he is one of us, if that sun rises.”
“Has that sun not already shown its face, my friend?”
“No, Hanmani. He is here now, but will he stay or be allowed to do so? Perhaps he will give up his struggle for acceptance and ride away. Perhaps he will be banished, for many mistrust him. Perhaps some evil force will drive him away so he cannot help us in the way Wakantanka desires.”
“There is no power greater than the Creator’s, my friend.”
“If that is true, Hanmani, why do His people suffer and die at the hands of both White and Indian enemies? Why does He allow our lands and animals, His creations, to be destroyed and misused?”
“Evil does exist, my friend, and it is powerful, but the Great Spirit will conquer it. Has the Great One not always brought us through dark times?”
“Yes, and it is wicked of me to show such doubts and weakness. I do not know what causes my bad behavior on this sun.”
“It is the confusing and wonderful news I revealed to you,” Hanmani suggested, “and the perils Cloud Chaser faces before him. And your hunger for him plays a large part as well.”
“How can I feel such things for him when we are strangers?”
“I do not know, Dawn, for love and desire are unknown to me.”
Love and desire wafted across Macha’s troubled mind as the summer wind blew across the Lakota Plains, bending grasses and wildflowers to its potent will as perhaps those feelings would bend her to the will of Cloud Chaser.
Chase sat cross-legged on his bedroll as he ate the food Hanmani had brought to him this morning. He had been camped there alone for a week, and only his half-sister had approached him to serve him meals and to bring him wood for his fire at night, one to provide light during
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