CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Amelia did understand why her husband would not allow her to accompany him. She really did. It wasn't true that she wished to throw herself into danger.
But, what he didn't know about her was this: she had a bad feeling about his returning to Fort McKenzie. She wouldn't tell him about it, though. Why add to his worries?
It had started with a dream—a dream about the tiny flashes of lightning that surrounded him. In her dream, these little bits of lightning had assembled into a storm cloud; it had even tried to talk to her. But, its words had been in Blackfeet, and she hadn't understood them.
However, the entire affair had left her with a spooky feeling, one she hadn't been able to shake.
Upon awakening from the dream, she, of course, had realized it was nothing but a nightmare. And, discomforting as the nightmare had been, she kept telling herself it was still only a dream.
Yet, upon learning of Gray Falcon's intention to leave soon, the dream had since haunted her. It was as though it were a vision, as though it were urging her to take action.
Call it a feeling or even a premonition, she knew he needed her. But, how did she go about telling him of her instincts and fears? Perhaps she should simply speak to him about the dream.
No. What if she told him the particulars of the dream and then something bad really did happen? Wouldn't it be as though she might have caused it?
Oh, what should she do? She had only moments ago agreed to try to remain behind, to stay here. And yet, within her was the sense that she would regret not going with him. But, if she were to seek him out now and disrobe again…?
No, she shouldn't do it. It simply wasn't right to deliberately tease him with the promise of more loving, knowing his beliefs wouldn't allow him to go to war after having made love.
Besides, in the long run, it would accomplish nothing for her except some more wonderful moments with him. He would still leave, and he would continue to forbid her to come with him.
Reaching the tiny lodge she shared with him—a lonely lodge now since he was gone—she sat down cross-legged and placed her elbows upon her knees. She frowned. It didn't take long for her to realize it was an uncomfortable way to sit.
She lay down to sleep then, but sleep evaded her. Instead of slumber, all she accomplished was tossing and turning. Still, she reminded herself of her words to him; she had told him she would try to do as he said. And, truly, she should really attempt to be the obedient wife he seemed to hope she could be. She closed her eyes.
She wasn't certain how long it had taken her to doze off, when—
Boom!The loud noise of a lightning strike and the shaking of the earth woke her up. She screamed even while she came up onto her knees.
Quickly, she crawled to the wickiup's entrance and, opening the buckskin flap, gazed out into the night. There was no sound out there. Nothing. No one was about. It was quiet. Perhaps too quiet. Had no one else heard the strike?
And then, without forewarning, she saw little sparks of lightning brightening up a dark cloud—a large cloud that hovered over the ground. Gradually, the haze increased in volume and, as it did so, the little strikes of lightning escaped from it, flying down onto the earth where they danced around the circle of their camp like tiny warriors. Strangely, they left a distinctive odor of salty air and fire. At first, these little lightning strikes made no sound, but then they began to sizzle, reminding her of ribs roasting over a fire, and, as she watched the small, twirling flashes of light, they flew out of the circle and sped toward her.
This is what I saw in my dream.
Frightened, Amelia threw down the wickiup's flap, but it didn't stop the dancing bursts of light from entering her lodge. Like an apparition, the little lights danced through the sticks and branches making up the walls of the wickiup. Sitting in the middle of the lodge, Amelia was half-fascinated by what this was, while the other half of her was rightfully frightened.
The lights came to a stop directly in front of her, though they danced about as though they were tiny Indians come alive. Gazing at the scene before her, she could see it looked exactly like the flashes of light she had witnessed upon Gray Falcon only a few days earlier.
As she watched the odd little Indian dancers, nothing happened right away. The tiny lightning-like warriors simply stood in front of her, dancing, sizzling,
She dared not even breathe. And, then they spoke:
You must go with him. He will not like it, and it will anger him, but you must go. His success depends on you being with him.
Cautiously, Amelia pinched herself.Ouch!Apparently, she was awake.
"Why?" she asked, but she was wondering if this were really happening. Was she actually speaking to tiny dancing light flashes?
I can say no more. In some manner, by some route, you must go with him or follow him if he will not allow it.
No sooner had this been said than the dancers disappeared. Amelia gasped, having been shaken by their sudden appearance, and now by their disappearance.
Indeed, she was trembling, yet she found the courage within her to whisper, "You come and go too quickly, and I don't understand what you are or why you are here. Please come back and explain this to me. My husband has asked me to obey him and has threatened to tie me up if I attempt to follow him, and I even told him I would try to do as he says and stay here."
As suddenly as they had left, the tiny warrior-like lightning strikes reappeared, bringing with them the scent of a lightning storm. They said:
