Nine Killer gave her a suspicious squint. “When did you gain such insights about men and women? You’re not even …” But then he noticed just how fully budded her breasts were, and now that he thought about it, her hips had begun to round. Within the year, she would be visiting the Women’s House for her first menstruation.
“I’ve survived fifteen winters, Uncle.” She arched a slim eyebrow. “Adults never want to believe a child is as old as she is. Why is that? Why do you want us to stay little for all of our lives?”
“And why do you want to grow up so quickly?” he countered,.
She shrugged. “Who wants to be treated like a child forever? I want to be a woman and take on my responsibilities.” “I wouldn’t get in a big rush, White Otter. You might think that you take responsibility. It’s more like it takes you. Once you have it, you can’t get rid of it again.”
“Most of my friends have grown into women.” She had always been a precocious girl, and Rosebud had remarked more than once that her friends were all older.
“That’s one of the things I came to talk about. That morning that Red Knot died. How well do you remember it?”
“Very well.” She gave him a sober gaze, unsettling him with her big brown eyes. “I hadn’t slept well. I should have been dead tired, but my stomach bothered me. I think I ate too much and then danced too hard.”
“When did your mother send you out, just after dawn?” She hesitated and glanced down at the soft threads in her delicate brown hands. “Yes, Uncle.”
Nine Killer’s brow lifted. “What’s this? Come, girl, look at me.”
She raised her pretty face, expression subdued.
“Don’t be coy with me, White Otter. This is your uncle. Remember him? I always told you to come to me if you had a problem.”
She pursed her lips, saying nothing.
“Ah, let me guess. You had just barely come in, hadn’t you? You were out with your friends, perhaps? Maybe you went in, rolled out in your bed, and then sneaked back out?”
He could read the truth in her guilty eyes. “I see.”
“Uncle, I didn’t… I mean …”
He sighed, then chuckled. “I was young once, too. Besides, you are almost a woman—but not quite!”
She’d lowered her head again, so he raised her chin with his fingers to look into her eyes.
“My father said it was all right.” Her eyes pleaded.
“Your father isn’t responsible for your behavior. As your mother’s brother, I am. Are we understood?”
She nodded.
“I can tell White Star’s children anything I want, but their discipline is up to Half Moon. He’s responsible for raising them, and I’m responsible for raising you. That’s how we do it. We’re not like some of those people out west where responsibility for the family lies with the father.” “Sometimes I think that would make more sense.”
Nine Killer quirked his lips. “They’re barbarians. Our ways were given to us by First Woman, who bore the children. Responsibility lies with the clan. In your case, that means your mother and me.” “I know, Uncle. But Red Knot was leaving, and we just… Well, I wanted to be with my friends is all. My time is coming soon. I just wanted to be out, hear what people were saying. I didn’t do anything wrong, I just—”
“You were supposed to be in bed.” He smiled then. “Let’s make a bargain, you and I agree, you are almost a woman, but, until the day when you walk out of the menstrual house, you still answer to me. Understood?”
“Yes.” She squared her shoulders. “What bargain?”
“In the future, if you want to spend time with your friends, you come to me. Unless I have a very good reason, I’ll let you stay out.” He paused. “Provided you can still attend to your responsibilities the next day.”
She gave him the old familiar smile. “Thank you, Uncle.” “Now, let’s get back to the problem. You were out, and then sneaked back in before everyone awakened.”
“That’s right.” “What did you see?”
She glanced around and leaned close. “It was just before dawn. Still dark, but the bonfire hadn’t burned down. It cast enough light that I could see the plaza. I was walking back to the long house when I saw the Great Tayac. He was talking to someone by the palisade gate. I couldn’t see who it was, but I know it was a young warrior.”
“One of his?”
She shook her head. “One of ours. I could tell by the way he dressed, and his hair. The Great Tayac’s warriors have taken to wearing their hair like he wears his. This man had his hair wrapped in a bun and pinned on the left side of his head.”