"I know," replied Gray Falcon as he arose from his sleeping robes and, shoving them under his arm, stepped toward his pony. "My wife spoke to me as I was sleeping. And, I have discovered both she and my sister are not far from us."
"Would you like me to accompany you to your wife and sister?"
"Saa.I would have you stay here in the camp with the others. I will go and meet my wife and my sister alone."
Strikes Fast nodded.
Quickly throwing his blanket upon his pony's back, Gray Falcon tied his rifle onto the flanks of his black-spotted Appaloosa, and, picking up the buckskin rope he used as reins, he jumped up onto his seat, bending down to accept his lance from Strikes Fast. He then sent his Appaloosa into a gallop away from camp, his direction north and west. In this way, it would take him little time to intersect with the two women.
As anticipated, he found the women quickly, aided by spotting the bright-blue dress his wife was wearing. Didn't she know her dress would be able to be seen for many miles and from all directions? Indeed, even the most unaware warrior could not fail to take note of the dress's color…and of her.
Gray Falcon saw that, at present, the two women were traveling within a patch of scattered trees which grew up next to the Missouri River. Deliberately, he appeared before them so they would both know they had been discovered and by whom. Urging his pony into a walk, he came up close to them and, dismounting, trod toward them, catching hold of the ropes of each of their ponies.
Without making any jerking motions or saying a word to them, he led their three ponies—with the women still mounted upon them—to a place within the shadows of the trees. Once he was convinced they were hidden as well as possible, he gestured toward his sister and his wife, instructing them both to dismount.
They did so, and at first he did little more than glare at them both. He didn't speak, nor did they. Indeed, it appeared as though they cowered before him. But, their silent reaction only served to fuel his irritation.
In truth, he didn't trust himself to talk to them. He was too furious, and, aware of the Pikuni tradition of exercising restraint toward a sister, as well as a wife, he was desperately attempting to cool the fire within himself.
Instead of condemning them outright, he paced back and forth before them. So angry was he, little strikes of energy danced within the space around him, these little bits of light and force much resembling specks of lightning. Although he was aware of these tiny streaks that continuously exploded around him, he ignored them.
He stepped around the two of them, walking up and back, over and over, retracing his steps many times. At last, these small traces of energy receded, and he felt himself to be coolheaded enough to speak. He did so at once, using the Blackfoot language. But, wishing his wife to understand his words, he also used the signs of the gesture language.
He said, "I told you both to stay in the Pikuni encampment. I understand my wife appears to be unable to do as I tell her to do, but you, Sister, know well what I asked of you."
Itsiiy-Aakíí didn't say a word back to him. Instead, she stared at the ground.
"I am disappointed in you both. You have been traveling during the day, and, although it should be safe to do this because we are still within Blackfoot territory, you know well, Sister, that it is only prudent to go forth during the daylight hours when there are many warriors to protect you. And look at my wife, your sister-in-law. She is wearing the brightest blue dress I have ever seen. She could be noticed by anyone. Are you aware we are following an enemy who could be close to us and alert to you both? What you and my wife have done is not only foolish, it is dangerous."
Itsiiy-Aakíí didn't speak back to him. Instead, she continued to stare at the ground.
Gray Falcon, however, was too angry to give her quarter, and he continued, "The other warriors are around the bend in the river. I will escort you toward them until they become aware of you. They are not very far away. I would ask you to join them, Sister, because I would talk to my wife alone."
And, to his wife, he ordered simply, "Follow us."
Then, grabbing hold of Itsiiy-Aakíí's pony, he started to escort her to the camp of the other warriors, and, though she trod behind him as quietly as possible, Gray Falcon held back any praise he might have given her because he doubted his ability to speak without uttering more angry words.
At last, the other Pikuni warriors were in sight, which allowed him to send his sister to them, and, once she had walked into their camp, he turned back toward his wife and, ensuring she followed him, retraced his steps toward the shelter of trees.
It didn't take long to return to the private spot. And, without even looking at his wife, he paced away from her and began to trod back and forth—up, down and around her.
There appeared the little strikes of lightning again, charging up the space around him, but once more, Gray Falcon ignored them. Repeating his steps over and over, he tried without success to contain his temper. At length, he said in clipped English, "I told you to stay in the camp."
"I couldn't do it," A'sitápi muttered. "Sharon is my friend. How could I stay there when I must do all I can to find her and help her?"
"I have a better question for you," he countered. "How can you think to help your friend when she has been stolen by a Crow warrior? If you were to discover where she is, he who stole her would steal you, too. Is this what you wish? Do you desire to be taken by him and made to do the work of a Crow slave? Or worse?"
"No. I merely wanted to come with you. But, since you left without me, I had to try to find you."
"You cannot 'come with me,' as you say. This is a war party and a scouting party, and you, who do not know how to go to war or how to scout, may not be part of it. I will take you and my sister back to the Pikuni camp now."
"I will not go back."
He glared at her. "Then, you must have been trained in the skills of warring and scouting recently and without my knowledge. Is this so?"
When she opened her mouth to speak, he held up his hand and said, "I will answer this question. You could not possibly have learned how to go to war or to scout in so short a time. Look at you! You are wearing a bright-blue dress that announces where you are and who you are. There is not an Indian on the plains who could not see you, and he who sees you will also try to steal you. I told you to stay in camp for a good reason. And, now you must go back."
"I will not."
