She dismounted and went to Eagle Wolf, placing a soft hand on his arm. Eagle Wolf looked at her with a question in his eyes.
“Eagle Wolf, a person is much bigger and better if he can find it in his heart to forgive, especially family,” she murmured. “Spirit Wolf is your brother. Please give him a second chance. I know how quickly one can lose family, for always. You, too, could lose your brother in such a way.”
Both Eagle Wolf and Spirit Wolf gazed in wonder at her. Both saw the goodness of her heart.
Of course, Eagle Wolf had already seen it, but this new evidence of it confirmed how right he was to have brought her to his stronghold.
Eagle Wolf nodded. He truly did not want to lose his brother. Spirit Wolf was all that was left of their family.
It would devastate him if he could never see Spirit Wolf again.
He reached out and embraced his brother, holding him tightly. “We must never let anything pull us apa
rt again,” he said thickly. “Our mother and father would not rest in the heavens if we were not good to each other. My brother, do not leave. Stay. We will work things out between us.”
Spirit Wolf choked back a sob and clung to Eagle Wolf.
In Navaho, he told him that he was sorry.
“Truly, my brother, I will never disappoint you again,” Spirit Wolf then said. “Ukehe, thank you.”
They stepped apart.
They both turned to Nicole and smiled at her.
Through all of this, the people of the Owl Clan were silent, looking and listening. Now they were smiling.
Suddenly the onlookers went to Nicole. One by one, they embraced her and welcomed her.
She realized now that by acting to bring the brothers together again, she had made the people see that she was no danger to them.
They were openly letting Eagle Wolf know, without words, that this woman needed protection from the outside world, and they were willing to provide it.
Eagle Wolf nodded to two youths. They came to him and took the horses.
Eagle Wolf took Nicole by the hand and led her to his tepee. When he had the entrance flap closed, he turned and pulled her into his arms.
She twined her arms around his neck and melted as his lips came to hers in a wondrous kiss.
Then she leaned away from him and smiled into his eyes. “Thank you,” she murmured.
“And why do you thank me?” Eagle Wolf asked, his eyes dancing.
“For being you,” she murmured. “Just for…being…you.”
Again he swept her against him and kissed her. The world went on outside the lodge, laughter and voices and sunshine wafting down through the smoke hole overhead.
Suddenly Nicole believed in life again. For a while she had given up hoping that it would ever be worth living again.
Now she had a reason. She had many.
There was Eagle Wolf. There were the Navaho children.
Ah, but she was anxious to see their eyes as she stood before them, teaching them to read and write, and to understand the ways of white people.
This band of Navaho would not be tricked again by false treaties, that was for certain.
She would make it so.