Comanche Dawn by Mike Blakely Read Free Book Online Page A

runner has seen the dust from his horses in the sky.”
    â€œGood.” Black Horn paused to find more breath. “You will go to my brother tonight.”
    â€œI go with you, my husband. I go to the Shadow Land.” She pointed toward the bluff, now black in shadows, where Broken Bones had followed her old husband.
    â€œNo. Hear me. You will go to Shaggy Hump’s lodge tonight, while River Woman mourns under the moon.”
    Looks Away bowed her head. “When I went to Shaggy Hump’s lodge before—the time River Woman was in the lodge for unclean women—she found out that you had sent me to your brother’s lodge and was very angry at me, though I was only doing what you told me to do.”
    Black Horn would have chuckled, except that he knew it would cause too much pain. “Were you not angry at River Woman when my brother sent her to sleep in my lodge while he was away hunting sheep? It is the way for brothers to share their wives. It is the way for wives to be angry about it at first. But it is a good way, for now you will go to live with a new husband who is no stranger to you. Shaggy Hump and River Woman will remember this day as the day many burdens were lifted from them. Now there are no old ones for them to feed, and so there will be more to eat for their children, Shadow and Mouse. In the days behind us, River Woman worked hard with all the many skins Shaggy Hump brought for her to make into robes. In the days ahead she will have the help of another wife. It will please her in time.”
    Looks Away put her face to the ground, and held Black Horn’s hand with both of her own. “I do not want to be Shaggy Hump’s wife. I want to go with you to the Shadow Land.”
    â€œThe spirits do not care what you want. I have seen this day in dreams. This is the day you go to my brother’s lodge. You will serve and please my brother, and you will take special care with Shadow, and teach him well the ways of the True Humans. He was born on the day the spirits sent First Horse. His medicine will be strong, but he must be taught to use it well. He must be shown how not to offend the spirits.”
    Looks Away remained bowed before Black Horn, silent.
    â€œDo you hear, woman?”
    She raised her head and looked into his eyes. “Yes, my husband.”
    â€œYou will do one more thing. You will teach Shadow the language of the Yutas. The Yutas have many more horses than the True Humans. Shadow may trade with them in times of truce, or steal from them in time of war. A knowledge of their language will serve him well. Do you hear your husband, woman?”
    â€œYes, I hear. I will teach him.”
    Black Horn’s mouth smiled, but the smile turned to a grimace as a wave of pain twisted his insides. He waited for it to pass, then said, “You are a good wife, Looks Away.”

5
    Shaggy Hump sat upon his horse on the rim of Red Canyon. He had read the story of the battle in the stains of blood upon the ground. Now his brother, Black Horn, was wedged in a crevice near Wounded Bear and Broken Bones, sitting upright in his bound buffalo robe, waiting to see the sun rise in the Shadow Land. Shaggy Hump could still remember his brother’s dying words:
    â€œMy brother, I have failed. I scouted ahead for the enemy, but I should have looked a second time, for the Northern Raiders crept to the canyon rim after I first scouted there. This pain of the Fire Stick is meant to punish me. Beware of the Fire Stick, my brother. It has bad medicine.”
    He had slipped into the World of Dreams, then into the World of Spirits, the Land of Shadows.
    Now the Burnt Meat People were moving south again, away from invasion by more Northern Raiders, who were sure to come. Shaggy Hump and his hunters had returned with two butchered buffalo cows to a camp in the grips of insensible sorrow. There were no reasons to stay here longer, and many reasons to leave.
    Beside him, his son,