With a sob of relief, she smiles and leaps into his arms. “I want to be yours, Ahote.” He kisses her hard before turning to pull her to the door.
“Do you wish to take anything with you?” He asks quietly.
“No,” she glances at the balled-up letter on the floor of her tepee, then back at him, “I have all I need.” He grins in approval.
The lovers slip into the woods behind her teepee where they are joined by the Chief and his warriors. They are given horses and ride to the cover of pine trees to the east of the sprawling camp. Chief Sumac waits with the medicine man and closest member of his tribe to witness their marriage.
Ahote takes her hands and nods to the medicine man to begin.
“God in the sky’s above, please protect the ones we love. We honor all you created as we pledge our hearts and lives together.” He joins their hands and covers them with his own.
Ahote smiles at Kimani, “We honor Mother Earth and ask for our marriage to be abundant and grow stronger through the seasons. We honor fire and ask that our union be warm and glowing with love in our hearts.” He pauses waiting for her.
Kimani replies, “We honor wind and ask that we sail through life, safe and calm as in our father’s arms. We honor water to cleanse and soothe our relationship -- that it may never thirst for love.”
Together they continue, “With all the forces of the sky’s you created, we pray for harmony as we grow forever young together.”
Ahote pulls her close and kisses her, while the tribe howls around them.
Kimani laughs as he picks her up and strides to his horse. He lifts her onto the back and leaps up behind her. “Tomorrow is soon enough for worry, tonight we celebrate.”
He rides to the shallowest part of the river where the rock slides occurred. “I’d planned this differently,” Ahote says as he dismounts and lifts her from his horse. A canoe is waiting for them.
“Across the river at the base of the cliff walls is a clearing among the pine trees. We should be able to make it quickly enough.”
Kimani nods and climbs in and watches as he expertly guides the light canoe across the river, guided only by the light of the moon. It is wide and deep with the water moving slowly. After thirty minutes, they make it across, and he leaps into the shallow water, pulling the canoe to shore.
He lifts her from the boat before her feet can get wet. “No longer will you walk alone in this world,” he whispers and takes her mouth, desperate to claim his bride.
Passion overwhelms any thought of where or why. Delicious, unyielding, kisses drug their minds as two bodies ignite. They stumble through trees towards the hidden camp set up by his brothers. Kimani is surprised to see a beautiful teepee, decorated with black wolves.
Inside he closes the flap, sealing them into a world of their own creation. Ahote drops with her to a bearskin rug, tugging and pulling at her dress revealing her porcelain breasts. He grins a feral grin of possession while her hands trail over his lean, muscular body.
“Mine,” he growls, and she nods.
“Yours,” gasping with pleasure she drags him down to her and time stops while two bodies find the rhythm as old as time.
Chapter 3
Kimani rolls over reaching for her new husband only to find empty space. She wraps his red and black blanket around her naked body and trails her fingers over the wolves. His tribe, his wife, her new life. There will be no going back now, and she wouldn’t even if she could. The sun isn’t up yet, they have enough time to get back across the river to greet her father for the morning prayers.
Taking a step from his lodge, she lifts her face to embrace the breeze and sees him walking back towards her through the trees. The beauty of his body takes her breath away. “Ahote?”
He grins at her and picks up the string of fish, “Hungry?”
“Cold,” she smiles back and lets the blanket slip from her shoulder. Hunger fills his eyes and a possession that makes her shiver. Sweet desire ripples through her body, luring him back to her.
“I can fix that, butterfly,” his mouth brushes hers for a soft kiss.
“I was hoping you would say that,” she whispers and opens the blanket for him. Her smile turns into a squeal of laughter when he drops the fish and scoops her up into his arms.
Her joy dims as she glances across the river. “We’ll have to get back soon. What if…”
“All will be well, wife. You are mine now. I will never give you up.” His kiss swallows any objections, fear or worry. Distracted, she savors the taste and feel of her new husband until it is time to return.
“Ahote? What is that?” Kimani points to the shoreline as he slowly rows them back across the river.
His body stiffens the moment he turns. Standing on the shore of the river is her Father and his warriors. Chief Sumac faces them with his own tribe. Eighty-three warriors facing off and standing behind them, hiding in the shadows of the tepees are the women and children.
“Surely, my father will listen to reason, Ahote?” she whispers.
Ahote doesn’t respond as he rows to shore. Two of his tribesmen pull the boat to shore. This can only go one of two ways. He either accepts them or a challenge will be issued. He lifts Kimani and carries her to shore, setting her down next to his father before he turns to face them.
“Kimani return to our tribe,” Chief Nashoba
