Savage Flames

It was the mischievous, anxious look in their expressions that told him this, yet he did not speak of his feelings and suspicions. He did not want them to think he did not fully trust them.

He watched them turn and run off, go into their mother’s hut, then soon leave again, giggling and running hard toward the thick brush alongside the river.

Wolf Dancer continued to feel uneasy as he saw them disappear into the thicket, their giggles still audible as they spoke anxiously to each other about their adventure.

Wolf Dancer tried to hear the details of the adventure they were discussing, but it was impossible. When he couldn’t hear their voices any longer, he shrugged and told himself the young braves were just happy to be allowed to leave the village for a while. All children their age needed some adventure. Having talked long enough with Joshua, and knowing that the injured man still needed rest in order to regain his full strength, Wolf Dancer walked toward his home.

He only stopped occasionally to stare in thedirection from which he had last seen and heard the young braves.

He wondered again why they had seemed more anxious than usual to go canoeing today. Again he shrugged and went on his own way.

Meanwhile, the young braves had reached the canoe, pushed it out into the water, and climbed aboard.

“Big brother, I have never been so excited as I am now,” Deer Shadow said. He drew his paddle through the water in unison with his brother. “Do you think the plan will work?”

“It should, for we have been careful to make our preparations whenever we were allowed to leave the village,” Running Bear said. He looked over at his brother and smiled broadly. “I am so excited. Today might be the day we see and abduct her.”

Both wore only breechclouts and moccasins, as well as a necklace around each of their necks, with the fangs of a snake hanging from it.

They were proud of their necklaces. Deer Shadow had stood by and watched his brother kill the two snakes from which he had taken the fangs.

Deer Shadow smiled even now as he remembered how his brother had done it.

Running Bear had cut a pine knot from a tree and used it as a club to kill each snake. After cutting off the heads, he’d taken out the fangs and hung them on the necklaces.

Both their father and their chief had applauded their bravery, so they wore their necklaces with much pride every day.

Their long, black hair fluttered in the wind as they paddled down the river away from their village.

“I’m so excited,” Deer Shadow said, his thoughts about their matching necklaces already far from his mind. “We have the tree house ready, but what if she doesn’t come today? She hasn’t for several days now. What if she never goes canoeing again?”

“I have watched her many times, and I can tell that she has the same adventurous nature as we do, little brother,” Running Bear said, smiling. “It is that adventurous nature that attracted us to her. So, if she does not come today, perhaps she will tomorrow, or the day after that. All I know is that we are ready for her. We just have to be patient.”

“I know,” Deer Shadow said, sighing. “But I do not like having to be patient. And I am not certain how many more times our chief will allow us to leave the village. He might already be suspicious of what we are doing.”

“What if our plan brings whites searching for the white girl and causes trouble for our people?” Deer Shadow asked anxiously.

“Stop whining, and stop thinking such things,” Running Bear said, his tone impatient. “We have this planned out carefully. We will not cause trouble for our people.”

“I am not so certain of that,” Deer Shadow said, flinching when his older brother cast him a heavy frown.

“Little brother, we are going to steal away the white girl that we have seen traveling alone in her canoe,” Running Bear said. “We have carefully prepared a place for her to be taken to. In time she will realize that we do not mean to harm her, but only to enjoy being with her for a while, so that she can tell us of her customs. Will that not be exciting, little brother?”

“I do not believe she will be excited, but instead very, very afraid,” Deer Shadow whined. “And then…angry.”

“Little brother, we will show her that there is nothing to be afraid of,” Running Bear said. “And, yes, she will be angry, but surely she will find the experience an adventure. We will tell her that we only want to talk with her for a while and then we will set her free.”

“When we set her free she will go and tell her parents what we did to her. They will want to punish our people,” Deer Shadow still argued.

“You are spoiling this,” Running Bear spat. “Be quiet if all you can do is cast doubt upon our plan. You were just as excited about it as I…until now, when we are so close to succeeding.”

Deer Shadow cast down his eyes, then went quiet and resumed paddling through the marshy water, his eyes now fixed straight ahead, watching for the girl.

He silently prayed to the Great Spirit, the Seminole’s Master of Breath, that she would understand why they were doing this to her!

Chapter Eight

I am the Love that dare not