Savage Tempest

Swimming in the river reminded her so much of swimming in the pond on her father’s farm years ago.

To be assured of privacy, she planned to go farther along the bank than the place where the women bathed.

She would not allow herself to think of the danger, namely Mole.

If he had an ounce of sense inside that grotesque head, he wouldn’t come anywhere near the Pawnee village.

After grabbing up a soft buckskin towel, she paused at the entrance flap, having second thoughts about what she was planning. Was it truly wise to go so far from the village alone?

She set her jaw firmly. Yes, she would go and have that swim; she was no longer a captive. She could come and go as she pleased.

She hoped that by the time she returned to the tepee, High Hawk would be there. She wanted to smell clean and sweet when he arrived, for she was hoping for something more than kisses tonight from the man she loved.

She wanted his lips.

She wanted his arms.

She blushed as she thought of what else she wanted from him, for never in her entire life had she had such sensual thoughts about a man.

And after the rape, she had wondered if she would ever want a man to hold her in his arms, to press his naked flesh against hers.

But High Hawk’s gentleness, his utter handsomeness, his muscles, his long and flowing raven-black hair, had made her forget her doubts about wanting to be with a man. In truth, she actually ached for him.

She shook her head. “What am I thinking?” she whispered to herself as she opened the entrance flap, holding it aside long enough to take a look outside. No one was aware of her scrutiny. They were too busy doing what they did each evening before the moon replaced the sun in the sky.

She was glad to hear the laughter of the children again. It had been hushed for too long after their chief’s death.

He was buried now.

Slowly everything in the village was getting back to normal. Yet on some faces, she still saw the pain of recent loss . . . a husband, a brother, a cousin. . . .

Not wanting to think any more about gloomy things, longing to find joy in her life, not sadness, she stepped out of the tepee. When she began walking in the direction of the river, she noticed some women gazing at her with various expressions on their faces.

Some showed resentment that she was still among them. Those who had befriended her smiled and nodded.

The warriors seemed not to care one way or the other that she was there. They did not even seem to notice the direction in which she was walking.

Their attitude demonstrated that she was a free woman and could do anything she pleased.

High Hawk had told her that she was no longer his captive. She could leave if she wished. But High Hawk now knew that Joylynn had no desire to leave. He knew that she loved him.

She had hoped they could express their love for each other with more than mere words tonight. Perhaps that might still be possible. But first she had to be patient. He had been adamant that there was something else he had to do.

She thought it was to spend time in prayer, for he had said he needed to pray before leaving again to search for Mole.

The shine of the river was visible now as she made a left turn away from the village. She searched for any sign

of High Hawk. She had no idea where he went to pray. She hoped that one day she would know everything about him.

She walked onward beside the pristine river. In the clear water she could see the shadows of brook trout, and dragonflies sometimes dipped down close to the water. She smiled when she saw a wood turtle meandering along the embankment toward the brush a few feet away.

She was reminded of the pet turtle she had kept in a fish bowl when she was twelve years old. She had loved watching it, but she had begun to feel sorry for the turtle being imprisoned in such a way, so she had taken it to the pond and freed it.

She would never forget how quickly it went into the water and was lost to sight. She had understood then that it was wrong to keep anything captive, not even something whose companionship gave her such joy.

As the sun lowered farther in the sky, warning that Joylynn did not have long to enjoy her time in the water, she stopped. She looked over her shoulder to see if anyone was about, but spotted no one.

She looked to her left, at the thick brush that grew up to the forest’s edge. She saw no movement there either.