Shirleen bent to her knees and took her daughter into her arms. “The nightmare is now truly over,” she murmured into Megan’s ear. “My micinski, you can sleep well at night now, and you can run and play free of worry that your father may suddenly appear to abduct you. My darling daughter, we have both been freed of a demon.”
As Blue Thunder stood there smiling, he watched mother and daughter embracing lovingly.
He was glad he had been able to stop Earl Mingus in time today, or all would have been lost, not only for Shirleen and Speckled Fawn, but also for himself.
He would not be able to live through the death of another wife!
Epilogue
We’ll live our whole young life away
In the joys of a living love.
—Wilcox
Several Years Later
Blue Thunder’s Wind Band of Assiniboine had been forced to move from their homeland as more land was grabbed up by the white government.
Blue Thunder had vowed never to put his mark on any papers that were offered to him by whites. He had learned that most treaties weren’t honored.
He had chosen to take his people high into the mountains of Montana, where no whites dared to venture, although winters were worse there.
At the Assiniboine village, located near a beautiful waterfall that splashed far down into a river, there were enough warriors to provide their people with food, firewood, and clothes. Chief Gray Eyes had brought his people, with their powerful warriors, to join forces with Blue Thunder’s people for the protection of both tribes.
Gray Eyes and Blue Thunder shared the duties of chieftain and felt doubly powerful against the white-eyed pony soldiers.
Although Speckled Fawn was somewhat older than Gray Eyes, he had taken her as his mitawin, his wife. They were content, but childless. Speckled Fawn could bear no children but they shared Blue Thunder’s and Shirleen’s children, which now numbered six.
One more daughter had been born to them, then three sons.
The daughter’s name was Sweet Wind, their sons’ names were Night Moon, Swift Fox, and White Wolf.
Megan had become quite a tomboy, who challenged her brothers in every way possible, while Little Bee was delicate and very ladylike.
Blue Thunder and his people’s happiness had been lessened when Aunt Bright Sun had suddenly died two winters ago; her heart had just given out.
Little Bee now lived in the same tepee as her parents, brothers, and sisters. Happiness overflowed within the lodge of the great chief Blue Thunder and his wife Shirleen, who was now called Tiny Flames by all who knew her!