"Good morning," she responded shyly.
"Did you sleep well?" He asked with a wickedly sexy smile.
"Y-yes, yes I did, did you?" she challenged.
"Very well." He smiled and walked off.
She watched him go outside to speak to some of the elders of the tribe.
The fact that he hadn't made any ugly insinuations like Liam would have, made her happy.
Her and Black Feather made breakfast and the men came back inside.
Many days passed, and nothing changed. Living in this camp was easy and Hannah learned many things that they taught her. They tanned the hides a bit differently and Hannah tried their way, finding it easier and faster.
They continue to make baskets, and jewelry and one of them presented her with a beautiful turquoise necklace she and her husband had fashioned with precious metals and stones.
It was a prize possession and it was to honor Hannah.
When Lone Wolf saw it he smiled, "You are well thought of here. They would not have given you such a precious thing, otherwise."
"I've never had jewelry before," Hannah smiled then frowned. "Maybe I shouldn't have accepted it. It is too beautiful for a slave to wear."
"They do not know you are a slave, Hannah." He said softly. "Besides, not accepting it would have hurt their feelings. It is a gift. It is lovely. They do not know you are a slave and you should not tell them." He smiled and went back to sharpening his knife. "You must keep it and treasure it always from a people who admire you."
She hadn't received a gift this precious in all her life and she wore the necklace every day after Lone Wolf approved of the gift.
One day she watched one of the maidens working on pottery and asked if she could try it. She loved learning to do new things and learning to make special pieces. She made a special vase with a long neck and gave it to Lone Wolf that evening.
"For me?" He asked.
"Yes, do you like it?"
"It is beautiful. You made it yourself?"
"Yes, today." She smiled. "Matooke showed me how."
"I will treasure it," he smiled at her.
She was happy to please him.
But the weather turned cold and firewood had to be chopped and brought inside. Snow fell, since the tribe lived at the edge of the mountains, snow was more prevalent than in the southern part of the state. The big fires were going all day long now. It was an unusually cold winter for this part of the country. Yet, it was a dry cold and the snow was fluffy.
Hannah tried to split wood, but she made a huge blister on her finger and had to stop.
Lone Wolf came inside and saw her fumbling with her finger.
"You are hurt?" He asked, dropping the firewood and coming to stand beside her.
"Just a blister," she said making a face when he barely touched it.
He took it and put it in his mouth, caressing it with his tongue. The action sent a rivet if sensation through her and she trembled.
"Am I hurting you?" he asked moments later.
"N-no…. I mean… " she stared into his dark eyes, confused by the rush of sensations in her body. How could she ever talk to him about her feelings? She had to start putting her feelings away, it could lead to a lot of trouble.
Her mouth flew open, but nothing came out.