“The catfish in this part of the river are huge,” Wolf Hawk said, watching the water. “My people tell stories of them, and some of my warriors claim to have seen fish as big as a man.”
“Truly?” Mia gasped, turning to gaze at Wolf Hawk in wonder.
Just as she said that, she felt a jerk on her line, and then a harder one. She gasped when the pole snapped in two and she watched the line moving quickly away in the water, with the fish at the other end.
Wolf Hawk suddenly dove into the water. He swam hard toward the line that was still being dragged through the water behind the fish, then grabbed it.
As he treaded water, he pulled on the line until finally the fish was in sight on the far end of it.
“There it is!” Mia squealed.
Wolf Hawk saw it, too, as it came closer and closer. Finally the fish was within touching distance.
He reached out, grabbed it, then holding it by the line, swam quickly back to the canoe and threw the fish into it. Mia clutched the line to stop the fish from flopping over the other side, into the water again.
She always avoided the eyes of the fish she caught, for she was so softhearted, she knew that if her eyes and the fish’s eyes met, she would not have the heart to keep it out of the water any longer.
“Food is survival,” Wolf Hawk said, pulling himself into the canoe when he saw Mia’s expression. “Do not ever feel guilty for having brought food to our lodge, be it fish, or deer. Be proud, especially today, the first day you are learning the ways of our people. This is only one lesson. There will be many more.”
“I never want to disappoint you, so I will not let myself feel guilty at taking such a large fish from the water. Instead, I will feel very, very proud,” Mia murmured.
She watched Wolf Hawk remove the line, then hold the fish out toward her again.
“Hold it and feel its weight,” Wolf Hawk said. “I have never caught one so big, myself. Lady Hawk, you have made your husband very proud.”
Mia beamed as she held the fish in her arms once again. But when she realized where the canoe had drifted, she turned pale.
She recognized this stretch of the river. Just around the bend was the old fort.
She and Wolf Hawk exchanged quick glances just as the canoe drifted past the bend.
“The…the…fort and the ground on which it was built are gone!” Mia gasped out, actually feeling the color drain from her face. “Gone!”
She looked quickly where she had last knelt beside her father’s grave, and
sighed with relief when she saw it was still there.
Then she looked at Wolf Hawk again. “How…?” she murmured.
“The earthquake weakened the land, as you remember, and the tide must have finished the destruction,” he said thickly. “It is now gone. All of it. And as my grandfather planned, the trappers have been removed from our land for always.”
“The young braves shall now rest in peace,” Mia murmured.
“Ho, in peace,” Wolf Hawk said, reaching for one of her hands.” Let us go ashore so that you can speak to your father and tell him how happy you are in your new life. He will have cause to smile at you from the heavens.”
“Yes, I would love that, and then I want to go home,” Mia murmured. “Our home, husband. I want to cook you some fish!”
Wolf Hawk smiled at her, then took up the paddle and guided the canoe to shore.
He helped Mia from the boat and held her hand as he led her to the mound of earth. He stood with Mia as she gazed down at the grave. He could feel her pain as she spoke to her father, of how she missed him so much, and then her pride as she talked of her marriage and her happiness.
“Papa, I am now called Lady Hawk,” she said, lifting her chin proudly as she gazed up at Wolf Hawk. “I never knew I could be so happy, Papa. But I am. Rest assured that I am.”
Wolf Hawk placed his arm around her waist and drew her near to him.
He then took his turn speaking to her father.
“Your daughter, my Lady Hawk, will never want for a thing,” he vowed. “I will see to her needs…all of them. She will be a happy woman. She is already as one with my people. She is beloved.”