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Two months later, Keme walked back to camp after admiring an enormous lake where one couldn’t even see the other side. It provided an abundance of fish. They had no worries about food. At least for the time being. The new land matched the description scouts had reported before the war. Dense forest covered the hill.
He reached the base of the hill and started up the trail. Their wigwams and tree homes blended in so well it was impossible to see them from a distance. There were no outlanders in the area; however, there was another tribe farther to the north called the Potawatomi, but they were friendly and interested in trading and sharing information. They talked to Keme a lot about how to prepare for the harsher winters in the north.
It’d been a month since Leotie had returned with the others. Her mother had told him she promised to watch over them, but not to worry if she didn’t visit too often. She had left quickly with her clan mates to find a home on the hill, deeper in the woods. Enola had told him what she had done to save his life and secure the safety of their people. He wished it didn't have to be, his mind often drifting back to the days before the war, seeing her the way she used to be, a hunter, free and happy. He missed going on adventures with her and all that energy. The only thing he could do was keep the tribe safe so her sacrifice wouldn't be in vain.
He continued with the reflecting time the new chief was supposed to do before the ceremony and made his way over to the new sacred land for the deceased. Only a few had died since the trip to Athen’s Hill. Their bodies were burned and ashes buried together, except for war chiefs or elders, who had separate plots. Chapa’s grave had his bow and an arrow on it with a green and black tail, just the way Chapa always made them. It would stay there for years, so those who visited could remember him – the good and the bad.
Not everyone liked the idea of honoring Chapa, but Wayna had told him Chapa’s last words.
I deserve to die, but can go in peace knowing my people are free.
At least he’d lived long enough to see it. If only Chapa had let go of his hate sooner. In the end he’d saved Enola’s life. No doubt he was content in the spirit world.
Keme approached the camp as they prepared for the chief ceremony. The scent of cooking meat lingered in the air, making him hungry. Everyone wore their feathers, beads and fancy dresses. He hated these sorts of things, but the people wanted it. Meanwhile, Enola waited for him in more than one way. She was very different to Leotie, and over the last few days he admitted to himself that he loved her too. She sat in front of her wigwam organizing her supplies and making medicine. He walked over to her.
Enola hurried out to him, grinning. “Today you officially become our chief.”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m hoping for a quick ritual.”
Enola giggled at him, took his hand and pulled him toward the small hill where everyone was gathering.
Normally, the tribe holy man would be the one to hand over the chief's headdress. However, Takoda's headdress was missing. Keme figured Chapa had taken it at some point and lost it. Anti had told him he wasn’t capable of shifting into human form yet, and found it would be too odd to be in the ceremony as a werewolf.
Instead, the oldest Mahasi would hand it over to him. Canato had been an assistant to his father for many years. He was a wise man, but had grown too old in the past two years to do much of anything. Keme thought it would give some happiness to the old man.
Before he reached the hill, Lusio and Sakoya walked up him, with Bobby between them.
"Keme, look who it is!” Lusio shouted. “We caught him coming out of the woods and walking right toward your wigwam.”
Enola eyes widened at the sight of Bobby. His outlander clothes were torn and dirty.
Keme winced at the smell. “What are you doing here?”
"I request humbly if I can join your tribe.” He looked at Lusio and Sakoya as if they would throw him to the ground.
"Should we believe him?" asked Sakoya. "He could run off and report our location to the outlanders."
"How do we know you won't betray us?" Keme asked.
Bobby looked up with his head still down. "Because you could easily send your werewolf friends after me."
"True. What do you think, Enola?" Keme asked, knowing she was good at knowing truth from lies.
She touched her chin. "Hmm...I’m not sure.”
Keme looked him over for any hidden weapons. “I haven’t forgotten our last conversation.”
Bobby winced. “I had to obey them or face a whip.”
Enola folded her arms. “You could’ve tried to join us a long time ago. Why do you ask after all these years?"
"They treated me better than the other slaves because I could translate, but Keme, you said it yourself. I was still a slave. They called me ‘that Indian boy.’ I have no last name. I’m like a dog to them.” Tears welled up. “I want freedom, but if you send me back, they’ll hang me."
Enola tilted her head, studying him. "I believe him.”
Bobby could teach them a lot about the outlanders, especially their language. He was a gift, if they could trust him.
Keme smiled. "You may stay, but you’ll need to prove your loyalty over the next few months.”
Lusio and Sakoya released him but stayed near, watching him with caution.
"Lusio, get some scouts and make sure he wasn’t followed. Sakoya, take him for some food and water." Keme nudged his head toward the women at the camp fire. “The ceremony will have to wait for you to get back.”
With a nod they hurried off, leaving him with only Enola next to him. He sent a boy off to tell them the ceremony would be delayed.
Enola grabbed his hand. “Come, I want to show you the leaves of some different trees I found in this area.”
Keme followed along, glad for the delay. He followed her inside to where she had a bunch of leaves spread out. He wasn’t in the mood to study leaves, but let her go on for several minutes as he pretended to listen. Instead, he tried to figure out how to ask her if she wanted to be with him.
She held up a leave that had turned orange. “Now this one could be used for...”
Lusio would be back with the scouts any minute. Keme gave up trying to find the words. He took her hand and leaned closer.
She backed up just before he kissed her on the mouth. “What are you doing?”
He straightened. “I, um, I have feelings for you, and I thought...”
“Are you sure?” She cut him off. “Because as much as I love you, I deserve a man who loves me the same way. I can’t share that love with another woman.”
Keme agreed, but found it made him nervous. Still, he forced himself to explain. “It was hard for me accept, but only my friendship with Leotie remains. I love only you, but...” He paused, feeling so foolish. “Perhaps you no longer feel the same?”
Enola chuckled, stepped over and kissed him on the mouth, touching the back of his head. He rested his hand on the first back button of her dress. It was ever so attempting to undo it, yet perhaps it was too soon.
Before he could decide, Lusio called to him. “The area is clear, and it’s time for the ceremony.”
He sighed. Enola giggled. The two walked outside. He took her hand as they went toward the hill. As he looked out before the crowd, he wished all the shifters could be there, but the ugly truth remained that they were owned by Markus – a twisted and unpredictable supernatural being. They weren’t the only ones who had to keep Markus happy. He too had to keep his mouth shut.
He walked up the hill and the people started chanting “Chief.” There was a lot of smiling and laughing.
He raised his hands up. "I will be your chief, but I’ll be very different. You have decided to trust my judgment. I will seek wisdom every day because the truth is, one day the outlanders will come again. We must be prepared. Our goal is to live in peace and learn about all kinds of people. This includes outlanders.” He motioned to Bobby. “We have a guest, and I want him treated well. As for our shifter friends, they’ll watch over us. If they visit, we’ll always treat them with respect and kindness. It’s our law that we’ll never speak about them to anyone outside our tribe.”
Keme paused, wondering if he’d missed anything. Keme looked beyond the crowd, hoping to see Leotie out there somewhere, but there was nothing. He’d hoped she would see him become chief, but no, not today. Enola nudged her chin toward him. He motioned for Canato. The old man slowly stood up with the new headdress and made his way over. Keme lowered his head and allowed him to put it on. Then he stood up straight. Everyone cheered.
“Let’s eat!” Keme hurried back to Enola, took her hand and everyone went off to the camp fire.
After dinner, Enola hinted for him to come back to her wigwam for the night.
“I’ll be right there.” He hurried off to put away his new headdress in his own wigwam. Upon entering, he found Takoda’s headdress sitting on his mat.
Keme gasped and looked side to side. The only one who could’ve put it there was Leotie. She had been watching after all.
Wear it with honor, Keme.
Her voice echoed around him. He wanted to know how she’d found it and bolted outside, around to the back of his wigwam. Looking toward the woods he saw her standing about four hundred feet away from him, right at the edge of the woods. She was in human form, wearing her father’s headdress and smiling.
He waved to her, but didn’t try to chase. Leotie raised up her bow and smiled, her feathers blowing in the wind.
