An Awakened Heart

An Awakened Heart

By

Daniel Running Water

Chapter Five

Previously in chapter four:

Strong Bear hugged Spotted Wolf goodbye and then returned to the bedroom and found Yellow Hawk no longer crying, only now he held his hunting knife in his hand and was about to plunge it into his stomach.

"Gah-ween...stop," he cried out, rushing toward the bed as fast as his feet would take him.

Now chapter five:

Strong Bear lunged onto the bed, just as Yellow Hawk's arm came down, with the knife striking Strong Bear in the back. Yellow Hawk's eyes grew wide with shock, fear captured his heart when he saw the blood flowing from the wound and he panicked.

"Strong Bear...please forgive me," Yellow Hawk cried out, standing up quickly and dashing from the room as his fear and shame drove him away.

Weak and stumbling from the loss of blood, Strong Bear rushed to Spotted Wolf's lodge, collapsing as he came through the door. Spotted Wolf hurried over to his chief and immediately began working on Strong Bear's back to stop the bleeding and treating his wound with medicinal herbs to help prevent any infections.

Swift Sparrow and Abe, having seen Strong Bear running and his shirt covered with blood, came running into the cabin and found their chief lying on the floor with Spotted Wolf working on him.

"My chief, who has done this to you," Swift Sparrow asked, his eyes showing the anger that he felt toward whoever had tried to kill his chief.

"It was an accident; Yellow Hawk slipped with the knife and got my back by mistake. He is..." but Swift Sparrow interrupted him.

"If this is so my chief, then why was he hurrying away and not assisting you to our Shaman's cabin," he asked bitterly, his anger toward Yellow Hawk strong in his mind.

"He panicked and ran my friend, worried that he may have injured me onto death, go and find him and tell him that I am fine."

"Ay-uh my chief, but where did he go to, for I was more concerned with your life than watching to see where he rode off to?"

"I do not know, but he needs to be found and quickly before he hurts himself because of the shame that he must be feeling."

Both Abe and Swift Sparrow left to go find Yellow Hawk, leaving Spotted Wolf to do his work.

"He did not do this by mistake...did he my chief?" Spotted Wolf asked with concern, knowing the mental state that Yellow Hawk was in when he had left him earlier. "He was trying to take his own life I am sure and you got in the way of his knife," he added.

"Ay-uh, but keep this to yourself, for he has enough shame that he is feeling and I am sure that he did not wish to harm me but only wished to end his own life," Strong Bear told Spotted Wolf.

"Well that is about all that I can do for you, my friend. Now I don't want you going off and looking for Yellow Hawk, let Swift Sparrow and Walking Tall do it. I want you to rest, you have lost much blood and rest is the best thing for you now."

"I must find him Spotted Wolf, I am afraid that he'll succeed at taking his life if he tries it again," Strong Bear worried aloud to Spotted Wolf.

"Then have your other warriors go and find him, because I mean it Strong Bear, you are not to go off on a tangent and hunt for him."

"Ay-uh Spotted Wolf, Strong Bear shall rest," he lied, because in his mind he knew he would go and knew just where to would look.

There was a cave that Yellow Hawk had shown him and he knew that he was there.

"Strong Bear...as our people's Shaman, I have a way to take away Yellow Hawk's shame and make it appear to be a blessing from our Great Spirit. Go, for I know you, my chief, you are going to do just what you please and go to find your husband," he warned shaking his head, and Strong Bear nodded, placing his hand upon Strong Bear's shoulder. "If you go off riding Strong Bear, you could tear open your wound and bleed to death before help could arrive."

"Strong Bear will rest here so that your mind will be at ease," he assured Spotted Wolf, now worried that what Spotted Wolf had said concerning his wound might happen.

Strong Bear called for his most trusted warrior, Brave Heart, for he needed to give him instructions as to where he could find Yellow Hawk.

"What can I do to ease your suffering, my chief," Brave Heart asked kneeling beside the bed that Strong Bear was lying on.

"There is a place in the forest where you shall find a beautiful waterfall. Behind the falling water there is an entrance to a cave, go there and see if Yellow Hawk is hiding there. If he is, assure him that I am fine, tired but fine, and bring him to me," he asked.

"I know of this waterfall, but did not know that there was a cave behind its water, I shall go immediately, my chief."

Brave Heart quickly left the lodge and when he had saddled his horse, rode off to the falls, in search of Yellow Hawk.

"What have I done to you Strong Bear," Yellow Hawk whispered as he sat in the cave. "If you lived, surely you shall divorce and then banish me from our people," he added as he covered his face with his hands and cried.

The cave was large and the entrance well hidden, for unless if you knew that the opening to it was behind the waterfall, it was unknown to all. Yellow Hawk had started a fire within the deepest reaches of the cave, with the smoke rising out the cracks above.

Opposite from the fire and from where Yellow Hawk was sitting, a small pool of warm water sat, fed by hot springs. It added to the warmth of the cave and also allowed one to bathe.

Yellow Hawk sat with his knees drawn to his chest and his arms wrapped firmly about them as he gazed into the fire. He had a bow and arrows, left from when he was a young brave sitting beside him. Although they were no good for hunting large game, it allowed him to hunt smaller ones like rabbits.

"This is another shame that I have brought to me, for what husband would stay married to someone that not only tried to take their own life, but also nearly killed him."

Rocking slowly back and forth, he contemplated his options, and from where he sat, they were few.

Brave Heart rode slowly through the forest, watching the tracks that surely Yellow Hawk had made, He heard the sound of water crashing and knew that he was near the waterfall, so he slid off his horse, tethered the reins to a limb and then stealthily crept toward the waterfall, hoping to see Yellow Hawk.

"Smoke," he said when he noticed the grey drift of smoke as it rose from cracks in the rocks. "How foolish of you to have a fire when you wish to not be found," he said smiling.

Inside the cave, Yellow Hawk was placing another log on the fire and did not see Brave Heart as he quietly entered the cave; Yellow Hawk's back was to the entrance and his mind was centered on his shame.

"My chief's husband is not wise and makes a fire whose smoke tells of your whereabouts," Brave Heart said, causing Yellow Hawk to jump and turn, facing the warrior, Yellow Hawk froze for a moment and then fell to his knees in shame.

"I am so sorry for having killed Strong Bear," he cried as he threw himself at the warrior's feet and crying profusely.

"Why do you shame yourself and cry as a woman, come, and your husband is alive and wanting to see you."

Brave Heart reached down and helped Yellow Hawk gently to his feet, watching the saddened young man as he wiped away his tears with the back of his hand.

Together, Yellow Hawk and Brave Heart rode in silence back to the village, and once there, Brave Heart delivered Yellow Hawk to the Shaman's lodge, where Yellow Hawk was stunned to see Strong Bear waiting for him and smiling.

"Why does my husband look at me so?" Yellow Hawk asked, his head hung in shame and unable to meet Strong Bear's eyes with his own.

"You are the most handsome man of all, my heart," he said to Yellow Hawk, knowing that his words had to be chosen carefully, because Yellow Hawk was still volatile and he wanted to reassure him that he would be alright and still loved him. "I love you so much Yellow Hawk, that it nearly killed me to see you about to take your life," he said.

"Ay-uh my love, but this shame was great because that I shall be showing soon that I am with child, it was more than I could accept. I am a man that was chief of my people, and look at me, I am but a woman now."

"Gah-ween my love, we shall return to our cabin and together we shall proudly show the product of our love, for I am chief and my word is law," he affirmed Yellow Hawk.

"You would do this for me...bare my shame along with me?"

"Ay-uh my heart, together you shall see that what you consider shame in not shame but a blessing," he said, trusting Spotted Wolf to make true what he had told him. "Now come, together we shall go back to our lodge and you shall see that all is well."

Strong Bear again trusted that Spotted Wolf would not let him down and make right what Yellow Hawk saw as wrong and shameful. Swift Sparrow and Abe, once they had returned, carried Strong Bear back to his cabin to recover.

Roaring Thunder stood beside the river, his heart heavy while his mind thought of Kyle. He could not set aside his guilt and shame, for in his heart he still blamed himself for not only his wife and people's deaths, but also for not being able to protect his Golden Hawk. He was not aware of the sudden presence of another; his guilt was too heavy on his heart to pay attention to his surroundings.

"How my heart misses you Golden Hawk," he said aloud, throwing a stone into the water.

"As my heart also did you, my love," Kyle said as he came up behind Roaring Thunder, causing the once proud chief to suddenly stand and turn.

"My Golden Hawk...you have returned to Roaring Thunder," he gasped when he turned and the boy rushed into Roaring Thunder's arms. "Are you well?" he asked, taking the boy into his arms, yet holding him away so that he could examine his lover closely.

When he could see that Kyle was well, their mouths met and together they fell to the soft grass, kissing as if they had never been apart. Leaning up and laying over Kyle, Roaring Thunder gazed down into Kyle's eyes, his love for Kyle showed bright and strong.

"I love you so my handsome Golden Hawk," he said with his arms wrapped tightly about Kyle.

"As I love you Roaring Thunder," he whispered and then pressed his mouth hard to the chief's.

Roaring Thunder took Kyle's hand and together they walked along the river until they found a place where they could have privacy. Slowly and seductively, Kyle undressed, his eyes finding and holding those of Roaring Thunder.

Roaring Thunder's eyes drifted down along Kyle's body, his gaze burning Kyle's skin as he revealed it. When he unfastened and let fall to his ankles his breeches, Roaring Thunder gazed long at the boy's throbbing manhood.

Roaring Thunder stepped closer to Kyle, watching Kyle's hands as they worked feverishly to remove Roaring Thunder's clothing.

"Your body is so strong and sensuous Roaring Thunder," Kyle whispered, lowering his mouth to a nipple and after swirling his tongue around it, he gently nibbled it, causing Roaring Thunder to groan.

"How my heart cried out for you Golden Hawk, and how much shame it felt knowing that I let you down. Had I not been with you, my wife and people would now still be alive," he said, turning and placing his back to Kyle.

"Gah-ween Roaring Thunder," Kyle said, placing his hands upon the man's shoulders and turning him around so that their eyes could meet. "Had you and I not been together, then I would still be mourning you, for you would have died also that day."

Roaring Thunder grabbed Kyle and crushed his young body against his and lowered his mouth to his in a crushing kiss. As they kissed, Roaring Thunder gently lowered Kyle to the soft grass and covered the boy's body with his own.

Kyle parted his legs when he felt his lover's knee pushing between them, allowing Roaring Thunder access to his most intimate place. A sudden chill raged through Kyle's body when he felt Roaring Thunder's manhood pressing against his rosebud.

"I love you Roaring Thunder, oh how I have hungered for you to make love to me," he whispered against Roaring Thunder's lips.

"I too have longed for your warm place, but my shame prevented me from coming to see you. I feared more that you did not wish to see me, than I did for my own life."

"Nothing could ever change my love for you sweetheart, you are all that I want and need. Now enough talk my love, make love to me...now," Kyle commanded, entwining his fingers through Roaring Thunder's hair, bringing Roaring Thunder's lips down to his in a heated kiss.

With Kyle's legs wrapped around his lover's waist, Roaring Thunder eased his manhood into Kyle's warmth. Kyle's eyes rolled back and he let out a sudden gasp when Roaring Thunder's cock became fully seated in his ass.

Their bodies rose and fell in unison, as Roaring Thunder made love to Kyle. Kyle's legs were still wrapped about his lover's waist while his fingers pinched his hard nipples.

"Oh how I have missed my man's love," Kyle whispered, his hips rising to meet each thrust that Roaring Thunder rhythmically gave him.

"Are you here to stay my love, or do you have to return to the fort?" Roaring Thunder asked, pausing to prolong his climax.

"If you will have me, I am here to stay as your mate," Kyle assured Roaring Thunder, who kissed him hard and long, resuming his thrusts harder and faster. "When my mother said that she was going to move back to Boston to be with her family, I told her that I did not wish to go. My grandfather knew how much I loved and missed you, so he assured her that I would be safe with him and she reluctantly agreed to let me stay. Now enough talk and more lovemaking," he said and urgently, Roaring Thunder began thrusting, knowing that their climax was but a few strokes away.

"Aiiiiieeeeee," they cried out together, as Roaring Thunder filled the heat of Kyle's love canal with his seed and Kyle spewed his seed between their clinging bodies.

"See Swift Sparrow, I told you that Golden Hawk returned to Roaring Thunder," Abe whispered, watching the two lovers as they made love together.

"Ay-uh my man, now let them have their privacy while we also make love," Swift Sparrow said as he removed Abe's loincloth and knelt down before the man that he hoped to soon marry.

"Oh yes...yes... just like that," Abe moaned as Swift Sparrow eagerly worked his magic on Abe's cock with his mouth, while his fingers prepared Abe's love canal to take Swift Sparrow's manhood.

Later that day, Strong Bear and Yellow Hawk walked together in their village and all of the people ran to great them and many of them affectionately touched Yellow Hawk standing back and looking with awe at Yellow Hawk. Most had already heard Spotted Wolf's vision concerning their chief's mate, while others had heard it from those who heard.

"Why are they looking at me like that," Yellow Hawk whispered to Strong Bear as they walked further into the village and seeing Spotted Wolf waving at them to come to him.

"I do not know...but I suspect that it has much to do with what Spotted Wolf may have told them." Strong Bear said and nodded to his Shaman.

Seeing Strong Bear and Yellow Hawk as they walked about the village, Spotted Wolf motioned to them to come to him and when they had arrived, they joined Spotted Wolf in his lodge.

"You see that your shame is now removed Yellow Hawk, thanks to the vision that I had and shared with our people."

"Vision?" Yellow Hawk questioned, looking from Spotted Wolf to Strong Bear and then back at Spotted Wolf.

"Ay-uh, I told our people that I had a vision sent from our Great Spirit and that in this vision I saw Yellow Hawk birthing our next chief."

"And our people accepted it?" Strong Bear asked, while holding his husband tightly to him about the boy's waist.

"Ay-uh, but I had to share with them that our Great Spirit made you with both man and woman organs, or else I would have never been able to pull it off."

"See my husband, now there is no need to worry about being ashamed of being with child," Strong Bear said, turning Yellow Hawk to face him.

"Ay-uh my husband, but I am still afraid of how I shall give birth to this child."

"When the time has come to give birth, I shall do all that is needed to bring forth the child," Spotted Wolf assured him and stood back as Strong Bear kissed his husband.

"How can we ever thank you Spotted Wolf," Yellow Hawk asked.

"I know a way to thank our Shaman, if my husband is agreeable."

Strong Bear whispered in Yellow Hawk's ear his plan to thank Spotted Wolf and Yellow Hawk agreed.

Strong Bear moved to and embraced Spotted Wolf as Yellow Hawk removed the Shaman's clothing and then watched as Strong Bear removed his own. Taking the Shaman by the hand, Yellow Hawk led him to the bed and after laying Spotted Wolf down, removed his own loincloth.

Strong Bear moved Yellow Hawk to his hand and knees, thrusting his manhood deep into his husband's heat, while Yellow Hawk sucked hard and slow on Spotted Wolf's cock.

Strong Bear thrust his manhood deeper and faster into Yellow Hawk's warm place, holding Yellow Hawk's shoulders with his hands.

Feeling his seed rising, Spotted Wolf clasped his hands around Yellow Hawk's head, pulling it urgently and deeper around his manhood, while Strong Bear rapidly and methodically thrust his cock faster and deeper into his husband's heat.

"I cannot hold back Yellow Hawk...do you wish to take my seed," Spotted Wolf moaned, Yellow Hawk nodded with his Shaman's manhood still in his mouth.

Shooting his seed with rapid, hard bursts into Yellow Hawk's eager mouth, Spotted Wolf cried out as his climax overwhelmed him.

"I too need to shoot my seed," Strong Bear said, spewing his seed deep into Yellow Hawk's heat, pounding harder, deeper and faster.

"Mmmmm," Yellow Hawk moaned, feeling his husband's seed filling him with warmth.

Spent and near exhaustion, Strong Bear withdrew his shrinking manhood from Yellow Hawk and turned his lover over onto his back.

"Please my chief, allow me," Spotted Wolf said, knowing that the boy had not yet come. "Please let me bring Yellow Hawk to climax," he asked and when Strong Bear nodded his approval, Spotted Wolf's mouth engulfed Yellow Hawk's cock.

With Spotted Wolf's nose buried in the boy's dark, curly hair that surrounded his manhood, Yellow Hawk spewed his seed into the Shaman's mouth.

Three men exhausted from making love...lay on the bed side by side, as love's sweet afterglow enveloped them.

"If all my patients paid me thusly, I would be a very satisfied man," Spotted Wolf gasped out, still struggling to regain normal breathing.

Seven months later...

Yellow Hawk was no longer concerned about his appearance, as he bathed in the coolness of the river's water. His stomach was large with child and his breasts, rich with milk to soon feed the child, had grown large.

"Even large with child Yellow Hawk, you are the most handsome of all men to this proud chief," Strong Bear said, gazing warmly at the boy's body.

Together, they marveled when the baby kicked inside; Yellow Hawk placed Strong Bear's hand over where he had felt it, causing Strong Bear to smile when he felt the child's kick. The pregnancy had been long and tiring for Yellow Hawk, and he wished daily that it would be the day when their child would be born.

As he walked from the river with Strong Bear by his side, Yellow Hawk grabbed his stomach as a sharp pain came to him, causing alarm for Strong Bear.

"Husband...what is it that causes you to look at me with pain in your eyes." Strong Bear asked with a concerned look on his face.

"I do not know Strong Bear, but I am wondering if I am close to having this child."

"Hurry my heart; I shall take you to Spotted Wolf so that he can examine you."

Lying on Spotted Wolf's bed, the pains were coming every minute or less as Spotted Wolf examined Yellow Hawk, noticing how he was not dilating as a woman about to birth would have. Strong Bear could see the concern in Spotted Wolf's eyes as he sat beside his husband holding his hand.

"My Shaman's eyes say what his mouth does not," Strong Bear said, holding Spotted Wolf's eyes with his own.

"I've got to do a caesarian section if we are to safely see this child into the world, because Yellow Hawk is not able to give birth the conventional way, so I shall need the help of our people's midwife."

"I shall go and get Sighing Willow; she will eagerly attend Yellow Hawk." Strong Bear said and rushed from the lodge and within moments, he had returned with Sighing Willow.

Sighing Willow ushered Strong Bear out of the lodge and then went back to assist Spotted Wolf. Spotted Wolf poured a strong smelling liquid on a doeskin cloth and placed it over Yellow Hawk's nose and mouth, telling him to breath in the scent. Yellow Hawk deeply inhaled and slowly fluttered his eyelids close as the chloroform did its work. Sighing Willow shuddered when she saw Spotted Wolf draw a cut across Yellow Hawk's swollen abdomen with a strange looking knife. Her eyes widen in awe when she saw the...babies which lay in the sac waiting to be born.

"Sighing Willow sees two babies," she said in awe, looking and watching as Spotted Wolf cut the sac and reached in, pulling out the first baby which was already in the birth canal.

Cutting the umbilical chord, he quickly handed the boy to Sighing Willow, who lightly slapped the child and made it cry. Spotted Wolf reached in and extracted the second child...another boy. He repeated the cutting of the chord and as he was handing the child to Sighing Willow, the baby began to cry on his own.

"Do I hear two babies crying," Abe asked Strong Bear, who was in shock, himself having heard the cries of two babies.

Before he could answer Abe, Sighing Willow came out and presented Strong Bear with his sons.

"You have two sons my chief, this one was born first," she told him as she handed him the first born, which had a colored ribbon tied about his wrist, and then the second born.

"Two sons...my Yellow Hawk has made this chief very happy," he said looking from one baby to the other. "How is my Yellow Hawk," he asked and Sighing Willow lowered her eyes, remaining silent and afraid to meet her chief's eyes.

Back at Fort Powell, Colonel Parker stood waiting to greet a contingent of soldiers as they rode into the fort, another colonel leading the way.

"Colonel Parker," the man asked before he dismounted and stepped onto the porch where Seth stood waiting. "I'm Colonel Marc Hampton...your replacement," he announced, complete shock struck Seth, having not been notified that he was being replaced.

"No one told me that I was being replaced," a bewildered Seth said as Marc came walking up to him.

"It was a sudden decision and there was no way to get in touch with you. You see colonel, our telegraph lines are constantly being cut by the damn Sioux Indians." Marc said, walking inside with Seth. "I have your orders here from General Marshall," Marc handed the orders to Seth, who sat down in his chair behind the desk, tore open the sealed orders and began to read them.

"Why this says that I am to be assigned to a fort in St. Louis and that I am to report as of yesterday," he said.

"It took us a while to get here colonel, so I am sure that your delay there is to be expected."

"I'll need a few days to tie up loose ends before I can catch the next riverboat back to St. Louis."

"I'm afraid that you'll be traveling by horse colonel, for your men shall be accompanying you. As you can see, I have brought my own men with me, seeing how we have been together for some years; they and I are quite accustomed to how we work."

"I see," a stunned and unhappy Seth said, relinquishing his command to the man. "She's all yours Marc,' Seth stood, saluted the new colonel and then left the office, heartbroken to give up his command.

He had spent many years bringing peace to the region, and now he is being thanked by the powers that be, by moving him to a fort in St. Louis.

"What am I to do about Kyle, he will not want to leave Roaring Thunder? I promised my daughter that I would keep him safe...damn what has gotten into General Marshall?" he stormed away to his personal cabin where he looked around, wondering where to do first.

"Step one in my plan to avenge my father's death is in place," Colonel Hampton whispered to himself. "Now to seek out worthless half brother James and along with the Choctaw I shall avenge my father's death. Strong Bear, you and your people's days are numbered," he whispered and smiling smugly.

Marc Hampton was James' half brother and also Jared Thornton's illegitimate son. He grew up hating James and also the people of the Choctaw nation. He had just found where James was living, and when he went to kill him, found out that James had given his plantation to the Choctaw people and move to Wyoming.

"That plantation should have been mine dear brother, for I was the first born of dad's seed," he whispered with pure venom in his voice. "Once I deal with you and Strong Bear, I shall resign my post and take back the plantation from those damn injuns."

Marc had worked an ace in the hole with General Marshall and got himself sent to Fort Powell as Colonel Parker's replacement. As the general's son-in-law, he had told General Marshall that Seth needed a softer post after all his long years of keeping peace between the whites and Indians.

"At last father, your rightful heir shall avenge your death and when I am done, your plantation will be mine again," he whispered and then moved about the office, making it more his now.

"I've got to get word to my grandson," Seth said as he left his private quarters and hurried over to the stables.

Once on his horse, Seth rode hurriedly from the fort with Marc's eyes following his every move from the shadows. Once he was sure that Seth was far enough away not to see him following him, Marc gave his horse a kick and rode off in a gallop.

Although he had just arrived that day at the fort, Marc had actually arrived earlier to the area and scouted out his new surroundings, having found Strong Bear's village. He had even come across on of Strong Bear's warriors as the man was out hunting and killed him. He took the warrior's bow and arrows and then buried the body, planning to use the arrows to incriminate the Choctaw.

"That's it Seth, ride far enough away from the fort so that I can kill you and blame it on Strong Bear and his warriors, giving me a reason to annihilate every damn Indian in the village."

Still riding at a fast, but not urgent pace, Seth's mind was not on his surroundings but on this new development. After a good hour's ride, Seth stopped beside the river to let his horse drink and to also get a drink himself.

Stealthily Marc moved through the shadows of the forest, with the bow before him and an arrow notched and ready to fly. When he stepped from the covering of the trees, Seth turned when he heard a twig snap.

"What is this," he asked in shock, but he never got an answer because the arrow became lodged in his chest.

Dropping to the ground dead, Seth's eyes looked upward in death's stare. Marc knelt beside the fallen colonel, took out his bowie knife and then scalped the man.

"One down and another to go," he said, laughing wickedly to himself, as he wiped his knife clean of the blood before he hurried away, taking Seth's horse with him.

To be continued...

Your comments are appreciated at danielrunningwater@yahoo.com

Thank you my faithful readers for expressing your thoughts with me.

Daniel