Lakota Flower Read Online Free PDF

and opened her eyes to a now familiar sight, War Eagle’s arresting face. He knelt beside her and spoke to her in a mellow tone.
    “We ride soon. Eat. Drink. Leja.”
    Caroline sat up and rubbed heavy lids. She could hardlybelieve she had gone to sleep and slept so deeply. The sun was rising in an untroubled blue sky and birds were singing in the trees and bushes along the riverbank. A pleasant breeze wafted across her. She concluded it was going to be a lovely, but hot, day, one filled with unknown things. After he returned to his friend’s side for his morning meal, she knelt by the river to bathe her face and hands, doing the task slowly since she dreaded joining the intimidating strangers.
    As she reached for the hem of her dress to dry her hands she heard a terrifying noise to her right and froze in alarm. Without turning her head, she glanced in that direction and saw a large snake atop a nearby log. Its fat body, triangularshaped head, a pit on each side, and evil-looking eyes told her it was poisonous; the multiple rattles on its tail exposed that fact. Within easy striking distance of her, it seemed to stare menacingly at her as its forked tongue flickered in and out of its mouth. She knew the snake detected her presence, perhaps viewed her as a threat, and would strike if she moved to escape or to attack it.
    Suddenly an arrow thudded into the viper’s head, pierced both sides, and pinned it to the log. That action caused its body to thrash about wildly in a futile attempt to free itself, Caroline’s wide gaze retraced the shaft’s path and she saw her captor standing about fifteen feet away as he lowered a bow, then walked toward the imprisoned snake. She watched him cut off the viper’s head and rattles, the latter of which he kept.
    “You hurt?” War Eagle asked.
    Caroline shook her head, still too frightened and shaky to speak. She saw him nod understanding and rejoin his friend. She remained there for few minutes as she calmed herself, wondering if he had been spying on her or simply had heard the snake’s warning sounds. As she settled her frayed nerves, she refused to glance at the bloody creature. Unable to avoid the inevitable any longer, she joined the men and thankedher captor for saving her life. He kept silent and only nodded again.
    When War Eagle gave her more of the same food she had eaten the night before, she consumed it without delay while he recovered his sleeping hide and readied his horse for departure.
    Then the final leg of their journey began.
    After a couple of hours of riding, Caroline saw an encampment looming ahead, countless tepees with poles jutting skyward from each of them. Even at that distance, she saw many people—women, men, and children of various ages. She trembled and tightened her grasp around War Eagle’s waist as if seeking protection and courage.
    War Eagle felt and heard her reaction to the sight beyond them. Before he realized what he was doing and could halt himself, he placed one hand over her interlocked fingers, stroked them, and whispered over his shoulder, “You not fear; we not slay or harm enemy women and children.”
    Relieved, Caroline laid her cheek against his back, took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and murmured, “Thank you, War Eagle, but I’m still afraid of what’s to come.”
    “Fear good; make you obey and no be punished.”
    His tone of voice had altered from compassionate to almost stern as they reached the sprawling village. The two warriors—amidst the stares of their people—wound their way between tepees to a large clearing. During their passing, all work and play ceased. Caroline saw some women and men whispering to nearby companions. A few motioned toward them as they talked in low voices. Some ran past tepees, no doubt to spread the news of their arrival to others who had not yet seen them. Dread caused her heart to beat faster as she realized she was totally surrounded by, and at the mercy of, The Enemy.
    A buckskin-clad