Hunter crouched beside the fire, a cup of coffee cradled in his palms, his gaze fixed on the shifting flames. He could see his yellow-hair from the corner of his eye and knew every time she moved, every time she looked at him. Somehow she had managed to stay covered with the fur while she pulled on his shirt and her ruffled breeches.
His brother, Warrior, squatted next to him and began tossing chips of bark onto the coals, watching them ignite. "The must be very poor lovers."
Hunter glanced up, more than a little bewildered by his brother's observation. Warrior was like that, though, the thoughts in his heart darting here and there like autumn leaves caught up in the wind.
"You don't agree?" Warrior pressed.
Warrior's voice and the musical cadence of the Comanche language fell sweetly on Hunter's ears. Talking talk to the yellow-hair had left a dirty taste on his tongue. "The are very poor at everything."
Warrior glanced toward the yellow-hair, squinting as a trail of smoke got in his face. "She still hides beneath the buffalo robe. Your shirt and her ruffles are not enough."
Hunter searched his brother's dark eyes.
"I think the teach their women such foolishness because they are afraid."
"Hm. And what would they be afraid of?"
Warrior grinned. "A woman who isn't well loved will seek solace elsewhere."
Hunter huffed at that idea. "With as many children as their women bear, how can you think they need solace? The trouble with the is that they have no honor. They will call a man friend, then borrow his woman when his back is turned. The many clothes make the wife borrowing a little more tricky, eh?"
A thoughtful frown settled on Warrior's forehead. He dumped the remainder of the wood chips he had collected onto the fire. The flames hissed hungrily and flared brighter. "This is the truth? And what of the females? Don't they spurn the men who try to shame them?"
"The females have no honor, either."
Brushing his hands clean on his leggings, Warrior shot a worried look at the white woman. "You must teach her, eh? If you go down in battle and I have to take her into my lodge circle, I want to know her children are yours."
"She will learn. I will teach her honor if I kill her doing it.
His brother, Warrior, squatted next to him and began tossing chips of bark onto the coals, watching them ignite. "The must be very poor lovers."
Hunter glanced up, more than a little bewildered by his brother's observation. Warrior was like that, though, the thoughts in his heart darting here and there like autumn leaves caught up in the wind.
"You don't agree?" Warrior pressed.
Warrior's voice and the musical cadence of the Comanche language fell sweetly on Hunter's ears. Talking talk to the yellow-hair had left a dirty taste on his tongue. "The are very poor at everything."
Warrior glanced toward the yellow-hair, squinting as a trail of smoke got in his face. "She still hides beneath the buffalo robe. Your shirt and her ruffles are not enough."
Hunter searched his brother's dark eyes.
"I think the teach their women such foolishness because they are afraid."
"Hm. And what would they be afraid of?"
Warrior grinned. "A woman who isn't well loved will seek solace elsewhere."
Hunter huffed at that idea. "With as many children as their women bear, how can you think they need solace? The trouble with the is that they have no honor. They will call a man friend, then borrow his woman when his back is turned. The many clothes make the wife borrowing a little more tricky, eh?"
A thoughtful frown settled on Warrior's forehead. He dumped the remainder of the wood chips he had collected onto the fire. The flames hissed hungrily and flared brighter. "This is the truth? And what of the females? Don't they spurn the men who try to shame them?"
"The females have no honor, either."
Brushing his hands clean on his leggings, Warrior shot a worried look at the white woman. "You must teach her, eh? If you go down in battle and I have to take her into my lodge circle, I want to know her children are yours."
"She will learn. I will teach her honor if I kill her doing it.
( Catherine Anderson )
[ Comanche Moon ]
www.QuoteSweet.com