Savage Beloved (14 page)

He looked quickly into Hawk Woman’s eyes and placed his hands on her shoulders. “How long has she been gone, and why did you not alert me to her disappearance before now?” he demanded, trying to control his anger with the woman.

“I have no idea how long she has been gone, and I did not disturb you because you were spending many hours with your uncle,” Hawk Woman said, stunned that Two Eagles would be so upset over Candy’s disappearance.

Panic filled Two Eagles as he ran to his tepee, where he had last seen Candy. When he did not find her there, he went to the tepee where she had been confined upon first arriving in the village.

She was not there either!

He hurried outside to his corral and checked his horses to see if any were missing.

None were.

That meant she had left the village on foot, and if so, surely had not planned to be gone for long.

He turned and found Hawk Woman standing behind him. “Do you have more to say about this?” he asked, searching her eyes.

“I believe Candy was worried about her wolf,” Hawk Woman said.

“And why would you think that?” Two Eagles asked.

“When I left the council house earlier today to see to personal business, I saw her step outside your lodge more than once. The wolf was not with her,” Hawk Woman said. “I saw how Candy gazed into the distance, especially when the wolves there howled.”

Having heard enough, Two Eagles mounted his steed and headed out to search for Candy, even though the sky was already dark and he could not see her tracks.

He rode onward until he realized how far he was from the village, and alone, which was dangerous at night.

The murdering Sioux were always waiting for an opportunity to catch him alone.

He could not make it easy for them!

He wheeled his horse around and headed back for home. As soon as dawn broke, he would take many warriors with him to search for his woman, even if his uncle’s burial must be delayed.

He knew that his uncle had cared deeply for Candy and would want it no other way. Short Robe would want her found and brought home safe.

And Two Eagles would not be able to speak freely over his uncle’s grave while his heart was heavy with worry over his woman!

If he found her, he would marry her and keep her safe from all harm forevermore.

Guilt flooded his heart, for had he not already promised to keep her safe? And now she was . . . gone!

“I will find her,” he whispered harshly to himself.

It was hard to believe she was gone. He knew he could not live without her. He could not believe that just when he had found the love of his life he should lose her.

No.

He would not allow it!

Theirs was a destiny to be shared for always.

As a virtue golden through and through,
Sufficient to vindicate itself
And prove its worth at a moment’s view.
—Robert Browning

A warm nose probing and nudging Candy’s cheek awakened her with a start.

Then her heart felt deep joy when the fire’s glow revealed that Shadow was in the tepee with her, her eyes gazing into Candy’s.

Candy flung her arms around Shadow’s neck and hugged her.

A moment later, she wondered how Shadow had come to be in this tepee that belonged to Spotted Bear. Had the man gone and found Shadow after Candy fell asleep?

“You wonderful wolf,” Candy murmured as she hugged Shadow, so glad that her wolf was unharmed.

Curious, Candy stepped outside with Shadow at her side, then stopped and gasped in dismay.

Spotted Bear was asleep beside the outdoor fire, but not alone. A pack of wolves were sleeping around Spotted Bear, some cuddling close to him.

All had their eyes closed but one.

Candy gazed incredulously at the beautiful white wolf that was gazing back at her with mystical luminous blue eyes. In them was no fear at all from Candy’s presence.

Then as Candy stood rigidly still, the white wolf rose to his feet and came to Shadow. He nudged her side with his nose, which seemed to be a silent command for Shadow to make a choice: the male wolf or Candy.

When Shadow stood her ground beside Candy, the white wolf bared his teeth and let out a small growl. Then he returned to take his position beside the fire with the others.

By now Spotted Bear was awake.

He sat up and smiled at Candy, gazed at the sleeping wolves, then rose and led Candy back inside his tepee.

“Sit,” he said softly, gesturing toward the pelts beside the fire. “I have a story to tell you.”

Intrigued, still in awe of the wolves outside, Candy sat down beside him. As Shadow rested her head on Candy’s lap, she listened to a remarkable story of survival—Spotted Bear’s.

“After I was scalped and left for dead among the others who died that day at the hands of the Sioux, White Wolf and his pack came and dragged me
away,” Spotted Bear said. “I was barely conscious, but I knew the company I was in and was afraid. I had already lost too much blood to fight off the wolves. I expected to be their next meal. Instead, White Wolf and the others took turns cleaning my head wound by licking it. Eventually I fell into a deep sleep. When I awakened, I found a fish awaiting me. Although it was uncooked, I ate it ravenously, then crawled to a bush heavy with berries and ate their nourishment.”

“This is incredible,” Candy said as Spotted Bear paused long enough to slide another log onto the fire.

“After a few days of rest and healing, I was able to start a fire,” Spotted Bear then said. “The wolves brought me slain rabbits, which I cooked over the flames of the fire, happily sharing the cooked meat with my new friends. I realized that all who knew me, my family, my warrior friends, even my chief, would never allow me near them again. I was a scalped man, a walking dead, a Ghost. My only friends now were wolves.”

“And you stayed with them?” Candy said, marveling at the story and touched deeply by it.

She stroked her fingers through her wolf’s fur, so glad that she, too, had been blessed to know the goodness of wolves.

“I stayed with the wolves and in time I was strong enough to build myself a better shelter and eventually this tepee. Eventually I was able to go on a real hunt,” Spotted Bear said. He pointed to his bow and quiver of arrows. “I made these during my many idle hours. They have been good to me. They have
brought down many a buffalo and deer. My knife helped me prepare the animals for food and hides.”

He sighed heavily. “I have been a happy man with my wolf friends, and thus far no one has come near my home,” he said. “Some of the wolves are always close by to protect me and scare away anyone or anything that might prove to be my enemy.”

Candy was stunned by the story.

So much about it and the man was mystical. How fortunate it was that she and Spotted Bear had become friends. She was relieved that he had brought Shadow into his life and treated her as a friend along with the other wolves.

Spotted Bear reached out and stroked Shadow’s fur. “White Wolf led Shadow to this home, and I believe they have since mated,” he said quietly. “So even when you return to my Wichita village with Shadow, do not expect her to stay long. She has followed the call of the wild and found her true place among my wolves. But know that you will be welcome anytime, for White Wolf now realizes that you are a friend and someone very important to Shadow.”

Spotted Bear smiled. “I like the name Shadow,” he said. “It fits this wolf’s personality.” He frowned. “But I cannot understand a name like Candy. Why did your mother and father give you such a name?”

Again Candy found herself explaining her name and wishing it were different.

“Return now to your bed of blankets,” Spotted Bear said. “Sleep some more. Tomorrow I will take you back to your home among the Wichita, but I can
go only so far. I cannot be seen with you. The Wichita might then see you as taboo since you had contact with a Ghost. I will point the way, then return to my own home.”

“I am going to talk to Two Eagles about you and how wrong it is to treat you in such a way,” Candy murmured.

“Thank you, but it would be words wasted. Take my advice—never speak of me to any red man,” he said thickly. “Or you may find yourself shunned, too.”

Candy was stunned that Spotted Bear could not trust Two Eagles enough to go home to his people.

“Two Eagles is now chief,” she blurted out, only now realizing that she hadn’t shared that news with Spotted Bear. “His father died a short while ago. Surely Two Eagles wouldn’t send you away. He would be happy to know that you are still alive.”

“Two Eagles is chief?” Spotted Bear gasped.

“Yes,” Candy said. “So don’t you see? Surely Two Eagles will welcome you home with open arms.”

“It is sad that Two Eagles’s father is dead, but I am glad that he is now chief, for he will be a good leader,” Spotted Bear said.

“Spotted Bear, I don’t think you heard what I said about Two Eagles surely welcoming you home,” Candy persisted. “Because he is chief, you might be welcome now among your people. No man could have a kinder or more understanding heart than Two Eagles.”

“
Ho
, Two Eagles is as no one I have ever known,” he said. “But I would not want to put Two Eagles in
the position of choosing between me and the rest of the tribe. Many would not want me in the village because of how they would see me—as a Ghost.”

“But, Spotted Bear—” Candy said, reaching a hand out toward him. She knew there was no point in going on, for he did not even give her a look before standing and walking away from her.

She hugged Shadow, feeling very anxious to return to Two Eagles’s arms. But at the same time, she would feel sad to leave this kind man behind, all alone, since she had not been able to convince him that he should return to his true home and people.

She remembered, though, that he was not really alone. He had a full pack of wolves to give him love. Because of them, he was alive.

Small in the worth of beauty
from the light retired.
—Edmund Waller

The clouds were heavy when Two Eagles rode from his village in search of Candy. Sitting tall in the saddle on his black stallion, and dressed today in warm buckskin, he looked around at how the clouds had dropped a thick fog over the countryside.

In the village, his people were lighting small fires before their lodges to chase the moist chill from their entranceways.

On mornings such as this, few ventured outside early. People would wait until the sun broke through the fog, and only then set out to work in the garden, or carry water from the river into their homes for the cooking chores that lay ahead.

But neither the fog nor the chill of the morning had stopped Two Eagles and several of his warriors from leaving to look far and wide for Candy. He sent warriors in different directions, to meet again at a designated place after a calculated time of searching.

It was many hours later when the sun finally broke through the clouds and sent its sparkling, warm rays down.

But the loveliness of the day did not help to lift Two Eagles’s spirits. He was exhausted from having searched the long day through and still he did not have Candy with him.

He was beginning to believe that he would never see her again. Discouraged, he had just arrived at the meeting point of his warriors.

He watched as they began coming in from all directions, their faces masks of gloom because they did not carry good news back to their beloved young chief.

As they slowly gathered, Two Eagles still could not accept the fact that he might never see the lovely, sweet white woman again.

It would not be fair to either of them to have found one another and a love so promising, only to lose each other so soon.

He nodded to each warrior as he came and took his place among the others, waiting for them all to arrive before heading back to the village.

Then Two Eagles’s eyes were drawn in a direction where no warrior had gone. Perhaps he was wrong to think that every inch of the land had been covered.

He started to turn his head to send one of his men searching in that direction, but stopped, his heart skipping a beat. He had caught sight of something that made joy fill his whole being.

It was Candy!

She was walking with her wolf at her side. They both had just come from around a bend in the path, where they had been hidden from sight by a thick stand of birch trees.

She seemed to have seen him at the same time he spotted her, for she broke into a hard run, waving at him. Shadow ran alongside her.

His heart thudding inside his chest, Two Eagles sank his heels into the flanks of his steed and rode hard toward her. When he reached her, he drew a tight rein and swept her onto his horse with him.

Tears of pure, sweet happiness swam in Candy’s eyes as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Thank you, thank you,” she whispered as their lips touched in a sweet and wondrous kiss.

Then he framed her face between his hands as their eyes met and held. “Why did you leave?” he asked huskily. “Are you alright? Where did you and your wolf spend the night?”

Candy was uncertain what to answer. She longed to tell him to help Spotted Bear. But remembering Spotted Bear’s warning that Two Eagles might turn away from her if he knew with whom she had spent the night, she kept the secret to herself.

“I was foolish to leave, I know that now, but I was so concerned about Shadow that I just had to go and
look for her,” Candy said softly. “You were immersed in your duties to your uncle. I . . . I . . . just couldn’t ask you to help in my search.”

“But you went on foot, and you seem to have gone very far,” Two Eagles said. “Surely you knew it might be dangerous.”

“Yes, I knew, but I had to go anyway,” she murmured. “When I found Shadow, she was with a pack of other wolves. I thought they might attack, but thank God, they didn’t.”

She felt as though she was getting deeper and deeper into a lie she might not be able to explain away later if she ever got brave enough to mention Spotted Bear.

If Two Eagles knew that she lied this easily, might he lose respect for her?