People of the Fire(4)

Resting the Wolf Bundle on the protective hide, Two Smokes dipped his hands in the steaming water pouch, now full of tea. "This is the way my people have taught me. The phlox tea soothes the flesh."

Hands dripping, he began to massage her heavy belly. At Two Smokes' nod, Sage Root copied his motions, working down. Dancing Doe bit off a cry as another contraction pressed through her.

"Easy now," Two Smokes cautioned, his fingers probing the woman's shuddering body. "The pressure must be just so. Too much and the insides can tear. Bleeding can't always be stopped."

"We tried massage," Chokecherry added. "It didn't seem to work."

Two Smokes nodded, eyes going to the Wolf Bundle. "Perhaps this will." With that, he reached for the Bundle and touched it to Dancing Doe's navel where it protruded like a knob.

Dancing Doe cried out, another contraction wrenching her.

"There." Chokecherry nodded, crawling to get between Dancing Doe's legs. She positioned herself. "We've got fluid. A little bit of blood."

Two Smokes held the Bundle in place, eyes closed, still singing in his lilting tone.

"Child's coming," Chokecherry added.

Craning his head to see, Little Dancer didn't hear the soft steps. He jerked as the flap lifted and Heavy Beaver ducked in, caught sight of Two Smokes and the Wolf Bundle, and stopped dead.

Shock registered for only a moment before a dull rage filled his black eyes and rearranged the planes of his flat face.

"So, this is what's happening?"

Sage Root shot a look over her shoulder, a flickering of fright in her eyes. "The baby is coming."

Two Smokes didn't break stride in his chant.

"A little more," Chokecherry coaxed, hands placed.

Where he crouched outside, the blackness twirled with the Power. Heavy Beaver! He could feel it, a subtle whiff of anger and hatred. The effect stung him like a sulfur breeze on a green meadow, grasses and flowers wilting and smothering. The Wolf Bundle remained a powerful brilliance in the miasma.

"Ah-ha! Bear down!" Chokecherry cried, reaching where Little Dancer couldn't see. "That's it."

Dancing Doe shuddered as her belly flattened and Chokecherry lifted the infant, streaked and wet in her hands. The squalling cry of new life filled the lodge.

Two Smokes inhaled deeply and dropped his head, pulling the Wolf Bundle back to his breast, stroking it reverently as he whispered a prayer of thanks under his breath.

"It's a girl," Sage Root whispered, looking furtively toward Heavy Beaver.

"Why am I not surprised?" Heavy Beaver loomed, crouched under the low spread of the shelter. The look in his eyes tickled a cold shiver down Little Dancer's spine.

"Another girl? And born under the influence of malignant Spirit Power?" Heavy Beaver crossed his arms. "A wondrous gift to the People."

Dancing Doe worked her mouth dryly, too spent to do anything but stare with fright-wide eyes at the Spirit Dreamer.

In his accented speech, Two Smokes said softly, "The Wolf Bundle isn't evil. It's—"

"Just what I'd expect from Anit'ah—and from something the likes of you. What are you? A woman in a man's body like you claim? Surely a curse if I've ever heard one. And yet you'd pollute the birthing lodge?"

Two Smokes closed his eyes, expression pained.

"Leave him alone." Sage Root turned where she rested on her heels. "The Wolf Bundle freed the child."

"Another girl. A mouth to feed while men go hungry."

"So you say!" Sage Root colored. "You can't keep blaming starvation on women. We're the People! Why have you turned your hatred against us? What's your purpose? To drive the People apart? Then you're succeeding! We're not animals."

"Oh? And you think the Wise One Above hasn't—"

"I think your Dreams are false. "

Stunned silence filled the lodge as Sage Root realized what she'd said.

Where he crouched in the night, Little Dancer started, gasping. Immediately eyes went his direction.

"Who?" Heavy Beaver wondered, "Another pollution?" He reached for the flap, and in that instant, Little Dancer jumped to his feet, vaulted the sage, and sped into the darkness.

Heart pounding, he crept around a lodge, hearing old Two Elks snoring softly. On silent feet, he circled, drawing near as Heavy Beaver reentered the lodge.

"Someone fast—or some thing. Tell me now that this Wolf Bundle isn't evil." The words carried as Little Dancer dropped on his belly to wiggle up next to a cottonwood bole. The flap hadn't fallen back in place so he could see inside.

"It's not evil. It's the soul of—" Two Smokes stopped lamely.

"The Anit'ah?" Heavy Beaver probed, looming over the berdache.