“Gray Moon?” Runner whispered in surprise. He knew Gray Moon well. He was the son of Runner’s father’s longtime friend, Spotted Feather, who had moved to a neighboring village when he had married one of their lovely maidens. Gray Moon had, on occasion, hunted with Runner. He had come for various celebrations, and even for more quiet times to share talk and laughter with Runner and his family.
It had been awhile since Runner had seen Gray Moon. He had surmised from Gray Moon’s absence that he had taken a wife, giving him responsibilities that kept him closer to home.
But now? This morning? He was arriving in a strange manner, his face solemn as he kept taking glances over his shoulder at the travois.
“Who do you think is on the travois?” Stephanie said, slipping from her saddle as Runner slid from his own.
Runner didn’t take the time to respond. He broke into a run and met Gray Moon’s approach. He questioned Gray Moon with his eyes, seeing too much in his silent concern that his burden must be someone who meant much to him.
Gray Moon drew a tight rein. His eyes met Runner’s briefly as he dismounted and went back to the travois. “I have brought your sister to you,” he said, bending to his knees to start untying the rope that held Pure Blossom in place on the travois.
“Pure Blossom?” Runner said, panic filling his heart. He fell to his knees on the other side of the travois. His fingers trembled as he unfolded a corner of the blanket that held his sister within its warm, protective cocoon. He was too afraid to ask if she was dead. He was afraid, even, to see for himself.
When he uncovered her face and saw the thick droop of her lashes feathered out over her cheeks, her eyes closed, her breath coming in rasps, his insides grew numb and he fought back the urge to emit a loud cry of despair.
“She is not dead,” Gray Moon said, loosening the last of the rope. “But she is quite ill. I came upon her after she had been bitten by a rattlesnake.”
“Rattlesnake?” Runner said, his head spinning, knowing that few lived after an assault from a rattlesnake.
“You can feel somewhat relieved in that the wound was not a deep one,” Gray Moon said, going to kneel down beside Runner as he, too, looked at Pure Blossom’s stillness. “I do not think that much venom got into her veins. I found her when the wound was fresh. I sucked the wound dry. It was then that I discovered that it was only a flesh wound. The rattler must have been a baby and unskilled at attacking victims.”
Stephanie came to the travois with Sage and Leonida, the people of the village circling around them, their eyes wide and questioning. When Leonida saw that it was Pure Blossom, she stifled a cry behind her hands and fell to her knees beside Runner.
Sage knelt by Pure Blossom’s other side and hurriedly swept her into his arms. His eyes heavy with worry, he carried her to her hogan and placed her on her bed.
As Runner and Leonida walked toward Pure Blossom’s hogan, Stephanie followed behind them, her eyes filled with tears. Guilt was plaguing her again. She could not help but again feel responsible, in part, for all that had happened to Runner’s family. She wasn’t sure if she could live with the guilt and still be a part of Runner’s family.
Suddenly, she turned away from them all and ran blindly toward her horse. She felt that it was best for all concerned if she left and never returned. If Pure Blossom survived the snake bite, she might never get over her feelings for Adam. Every time Pure Blossom would look at Stephanie she might be seeing Adam.
Tears flooding her eyes, Stephanie swung herself into her saddle. She rode away at a hard gallop, people scattering to make room for her quick exit.
Runner heard the commotion and turned with a start. His eyes widened and his heart skipped a beat when he caught sight of Stephanie leaving in such a rush, and suspected why.
Leonida stopped and also saw Stephanie riding away. She turned to Runner and placed a hand on his arm. “Go after her, my son,” she murmured. “Your father and I will see to Pure Blossom. A ‘singer’ will be sent for. Pure Blossom will not die.” She gave Gray Moon a quavering smile as he came up and stood beside her. “Because of Gray Moon, your sister will be all right.”
Runner stared down at his mother for a moment, then rushed away from her. In one leap, he was on his horse and riding with breakneck speed after Stephanie. He caught up with her just as she left the village. Edging his horse up close to hers, he grabbed her reins and drew both her horse and his stallion to a shuddering halt.
“You have no reason to leave my village,” Runner said, gazing gently into her eyes. He reached a hand over and smoothed tears from her cheeks. “You have no need to cry.”
“How can I not feel somewhat responsible for what has happened to your sister?” Stephanie said, sniffling. “Adam is my brother.”
“He is your stepbrother, no blood kin whatsoever to you,” Runner said. “So how can you blame yourself?” Stephanie, I love you. My people love you. You must return with me and sit with me during Pure Blossom’s healing ceremony.”
“How can you love, or want me, when Adam has caused you so much pain and misery?” she persisted, finding it hard to shake the feelings that were assailing her.
“My woman, you were not able to choose a brother,” Runner said softly. “He was just there, a forced part of your life. You are not to blame for his evil ways. You are everything sweet and beautiful in this world of ugliness.” He leaned over and brushed a kiss across her lips. “Come. Return with me. Be a part of my family as a ‘singer’ performs a healing ritual for my sister.”
“You truly don’t think your people will resent my presence?” Stephanie asked, wiping tears from her eyes with the back of a hand.
“Never,” Runner said thickly. “You will come with me? You will show your concern for my sister by sitting at my side during the healing ceremony?”
“If you truly want me,” Stephanie said softly.
Runner smiled at her as he handed her reins back. She followed him back to the village. They dismounted and went inside Pure Blossom’s hogan. Runner took her by an elbow and guided her to the back of the hogan, to sit with his family. Gray Moon was also there, his dark eyes leveled on Pure Blossom where she lay on a pallet on the floor in the middle of the hogan.
Stephanie scarcely breathed when an elderly man with long, gray hair in a flowing garment entered the hogan. He was carrying a buckskin satchel, which he placed beside Pure Blossom on the floor.
Stephanie glanced at the door as she heard a medicine drum begin its steady rhythmic beats outside, as well as many people singing, the songs to continue unextinguished until Pure Blossom began showing signs of recovery.