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When Keme returned, the women had the shelters set up, along with a small private shelter in a low spot only thirty feet from the main one. It looked like a tangle of vines at first glance. They grabbed him and led him over to it, smiling and proud of their gift to him.
“You shouldn’t have gone to the trouble,” Keme said, not really wanting to be alone for the night.
“It wasn’t that much more trouble.” Nina handed him a bowl of berries and nuts. “Now go get some rest.”
“Thank you and sleep well.” Keme crawled in, longing for some sleep. If only the empty bed of straw and blankets looked more appealing. Enola had slept near him for three days looking after him and now the new shelter was smaller, damp and much too lonely.
He considered going to get Sakoya for some company, but instead distracted himself by thinking about the route to the cabin. Keme pulled the blanket back and dozed off until a whispering voice pulled him back to consciousness.
“Keme, it’s Enola,” she said from beyond the deer skin flap covering the entrance.
Keme’s eyes flew open with a flinch, not expecting to hear her voice. “Yes?”
“I forgot to ask. Do you need anything before I get some sleep?”
He found the question ironic. “No, I’m fine. Why aren’t you sleeping?”
“I tried, but I can’t.” She came in and smiled. Her hair was out of the braid and draped over her left shoulder.
Keme wondered how she found the energy. His legs ached, along with his back. Every muscle had to be mentally pushed to move.
“I thought we could talk a little more unless, you’re too tired,” Enola asked.
“I’m not too tired.” Keme would never admit it.
Enola came over and smiled. Her stomach growled loudly. She looked away shyly. Keme turned to the bowl of nuts and berries given to him by the women.
He held it out to her. “Have some.”
The two of them sat down and ate the berries and nuts. As he watched her, he suspected she had come for more than just talk. He couldn’t be with her, not until the doubts about what had happened to Leotie stopped. Yet, he didn’t want to hurt the feelings of the one who’d helped him back to health.
“I like this place. It feels safe,” Enola said. “You don’t have to go get the muskets.”
“How can we forget the others? We’re still not united.”
“Perhaps we should forget our worries tonight.” She touched his hand and stared into his eyes.
Startled, he pulled his hand back.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Enola looked away, embarrassed. “I better go.”
“Enola, wait. You’re very beautiful and smart. We’re able to share many things, but it’s too soon for me. I still mourn for Leotie.”
“Oh I know, it’s just being so tired and lonely. I’m a terrible person.” She looked toward the others. “If only Dena wasn’t keeping me awake with all that snoring.”
He laughed. “Well, you could sleep here. I don’t think I snore.”
“No, you don’t.”
He tossed her a blanket. She curled up across from him.
“Don’t be surprised if others get the wrong idea,” Keme said. “Dena has already said a few things.”
“Really? Then I will mention her snoring in front of everyone.”
Keme chuckled and dozed off. An image of Leotie came to him and he paused. Could she watch from the afterlife? Keme discarded the thought and fell asleep.
Moments later, he awoke to the sound of whimpering. Keme opened his eyes. Enola was across from his sitting with her knees up and crying.
“What’s wrong?”
“I had a horrible dream.” She wiped her eyes. “It was so vivid, I fear it’s going to come true.”
“What did you see?”
“More outlanders coming and forcing other tribes farther and farther away. There were many more deaths. I didn’t even see any Mahasi.”
Keme feared she’d had a vision instead of a dream. It was still pitch dark outside, and neither of them had managed much sleep. He hated to see anyone suffer from nightmares. Especially someone who had worked day and night to save his life. Keme held his arms out. Enola scooted over with the blanket and curled up next to him. He put his arms around her. She rested her head on his chest and shut her eyes. He could feel her heart slowing. Having her near him calmed him as well.
“We’ll find a way to survive,” Keme whispered. He leaned back down and shut his eyes.
****
After running for a day and a night, it amazed Leotie how long and far she could go without resting. In the dark, she went south along the river and lost the scent. Leotie circled around, sniffing, trying to pick it up again. Perhaps they crossed the river here? She swam across, struggling in the current all the way to the other side. Leotie shook off the water and picked up the scent again, going to the west where Anti had indicated.
Leotie reached what appeared to be an abandoned camp. Patches of grass had been flattened where shelters once stood. She sniffed around a pile of used brush. They’d been careful not to leave a trace of their new direction, but her nose picked up their trail moving to the south.
A possum darted in front of her. Her stomach, empty as a cave, refused to be ignored. The craving for meat took over, and she rushed toward the prey. In seconds, it was in her mouth. She sat down and tore into it, savoring the raw meat. It felt good to lie down for a moment.
She stood up, stretched, put her nose to the ground and moved on. As the sun rose, she came to an area of dense forest, heavy with the scent of vegetation. Only a trace of scent remained. She prayed it didn’t rain, as they’d covered their tracks well. Her nose led her to some well-hidden brush shelters in a pocket between three hills. Leotie’s heart raced at finding them. The impulse to call out to them welled up, but she forced it down. They’d only see her as a rogue wolf invading their camp.
Perhaps she could find Keme and talk to him through the brush, warn him of what she looked like before he saw her. She’d tell him not to look at her until she explained.
Leotie sneaked down, weaved her way around two shelters and peeked inside. Men were in the first one and women in the second. She recognized her mother and Tala’s sister, Nina. Her mother lay with her eyes shut, her hands folded and whispering a prayer over and over again.
Great Spirit, please bring my Leotie back to me. Please save her life. I miss her so much it’s hard to go on.
Leotie wanted to rush into the shelter and hug her mother, but as a wolf it was impossible. The urge to let out a long howl welled up, forcing her to back away and get herself under control.
However, Keme wasn’t among them. After several minutes of sniffing around, Leotie discovered another shelter several feet from the large one. It was a mess of deer hides, brush and sticks. She circled around it and kept poking her nose into the brush until finally she found a weak spot, managing to peek inside. She could only make out some dark forms and strained, pushing her vision to bring in the detail. Her heart jumped, overwhelmed with relief to see Keme alive and sleeping peacefully.
The next moment her heart dropped out of her at seeing another woman sleeping curled up next to him with her head on his chest. Leotie focused hard on the woman’s face. Enola? How could he be with someone already? Unable to believe her eyes, she looked again, but it was true. Keme and Enola were sleeping alone in the same shelter.
How could he do this? How? After I’ve come so far and fought so hard to be with him again. Here he is already with Enola?
Keme had taken a life bond with her and thrown it away as if it meant nothing. Anger welled up, pulsing through every vein and pounding in her head. She pictured herself biting their necks. No, no...no good will come of that.
Leotie looked again, anger surging as the two slept soundly. They lay there warm and content while her legs and back ached. She tried to walk away, but it wasn’t fair that they get away with it.
She turned around, jumped on top of the shelter and dug in with her teeth, ripping it apart. It collapsed and she landed right on Enola. She screamed, her eyes wide, and she clutched a blanket over herself. Leotie leaned into Enola’s face, growling with teeth bared and eyes narrowed.
Keme, wearing only a breech cloth, scooted back, looked around and grabbed his bow. Before he could lift it, Leotie jumped on him, bit the bow in half and tossed the pieces in all directions.
“Enola, run!” Keme reached with his other hand and grabbed a knife, pointing it at her.
Enola scrambled backwards, got to her feet and ran.
Leotie charged for him and dodged the knife as he swung it, knocking it out of his hand. Keme fell backwards. She leaned over and barked in his face. Keme shouted and pushed at her, trying to get her off, but to her he felt weak.
Keme’s fear filled eyes looked at her as if she was a wild animal. This only made her feel worse. She didn’t want to look at him anymore. The others heard all the noise and hurried over, including her mother. Leotie leaped into the woods and ran with no thought to where she was going.
****
Keme watched the white wolf run into the woods. He’d only seen one once before when he was very young. Several others ran out of the main shelter and over to them. He rushed over to Enola and helped her up. Enola wrapped the blanket around herself in a hurry to cover up before the others arrived. The group looked between Keme and Enola, some raising an eyebrow.
Nina put hands on her hips, glanced at the two and gave Enola a knowing smirk.
“What happened to your shelter?” Sakoya put his knife back in his belt.
“A white wolf knocked it down,” Keme said. “But she ran off.”
“A white wolf? Were you bit anywhere?” Nina asked, with concerned eyes.
“No, and I don’t think the wolf was rabid.”
“But what sort of wolf does this?” Enola motioned to the broken shelter.
Dena pushed through the group, took one look and her eyes hardened at Keme. Her lips tightened and face tensed. “Who cares about the wolf? I can see what has happened here. You dishonor what’s left of my family!”
“No, no, we didn’t do anything,” Keme said. “We were only sleeping.”
“Yeah, sure!” Dena shouted.
Enola frowned. “I couldn’t sleep because of your snoring and only looked for a quiet spot.”
Several of them laughed.
Dena scowled and turned to Enola. “Oh really, I see the way you look at him. You can’t hide it from me. Your lack of honor has brought on this attack. It’s a bad sign. A sign we’re on the wrong path in stealing those muskets.”
Keme grumbled, not believing in any sort of signs.
“Wait, I noticed it was a female wolf,” Enola said. “The logical reason is that we’re in her territory and she has pups nearby.”
“That makes sense. Maybe the wolves haven’t seen people in these parts,” Keme said. Perhaps this was an area where the white wolf was common. He sighed in relief as the sun rose. “We have a good spot here, but we also have to think of the future. We can’t forget the others and what must be done to reunite us. Having more muskets and learning how to use them is in our best interests.” He imagined what a great ambush he could arrange with the advantage of muskets.
“Hey I know,” Sakoya said. “Let’s call our new home White Wolf Forest.”
“I like it,” Nina agreed along with everyone else.
Everyone looked to him for the final approval.
Keme smiled. “Sure, we might as well.”
Dena threw her hands up. “That’s just great, but what if the white wolf comes back?”
Keme cringed. He didn’t need to have anyone doubting what they had to do. “We can’t let a random incident stop us. If you want me as chief, you have to trust my decisions.”
Everyone went silent and stared with their mouths open, except for Dena who gave Enola one last sneer. Keme motioned for them to work, and the group scrambled away from him.
