Chapter Ten
As Ike stood waist deep in the cold water of the river, he was thankful for two things – one that the water was cold and deep, two that Buck seemed to be responding to whatever it was Sky Chaser was doing to him. When Buck opened his eyes and looked at Ike, he smiled. “You made it back,” he said.

Ike simply nodded, unable to say anything because he was holding Buck as he floated in the water.

“You were inside?” Buck asked.

Another nod.

Buck looked away. “How much did you see?”

Ike shrugged to indicate that he couldn’t talk. Sky Chaser noticed and moved to take Buck’s shoulders from him. She smiled up at Ike. “Talk,” she said hesitantly in English.

Ike nodded his thanks. He moved to stand beside Buck and did his best to keep his eyes on Buck’s face instead of Sky Chaser’s bare chest. He had definitely not been expecting her to be naked as they worked, but she had seemed so unconcerned that he’d done his best not to react.

Buck sensed Ike’s unease and spoke quietly to his niece in Kiowa. She simply nodded and began to move him towards the bank.

Ike glanced at them in confusion.

“I asked her to take me to shore,” Buck explained. “I figure I’ll have a better chance of having a real conversation with you if she’s not distracting you.” He laughed softly as Ike blushed. “Besides,” he added, “I’m a bit chilled.”

Ike smiled and assisted Sky Chaser in her task. When they reached the river bank, Sky Chaser climbed out and quickly set up an area of buffalo skins to place Buck on. After helping Ike settle her uncle in, she quickly dried off and dressed. *I’ll go back and help with the meal,* she said. *Do not take too long, or Father may come looking.*

Ike nodded and turned to face Buck. *I don’t know how long you were in there before I arrived,* he explained, *but I don’t think you showed them anything until I got here.*

Buck nodded. “Where did we stop?” he asked concern etching his face.

*Right after we left the mission,* Ike said. He paused before asking, *Why did you start fighting it again? You were doing so well, and there isn’t anything that has happened to you since we’ve been together that is near as bad as some of the things that…* he stopped as the vision of Buck being mistreated once more played in front of his eyes.

Buck sighed. “You remember what happened the first night we were away from the mission?”

Ike nodded. *So?*

Buck closed his eyes. “I don’t want to share that with anyone,” he said. “It was special, and personal.” He opened his eyes and looked at Ike. “Besides,” he added, “I’m fairly certain they’ll misunderstand.”

Ike reached down and moved Buck’s hair and tucked it behind his ear. *What do you mean?* he asked.

“They’ll think we’re together,” Buck said. “They already suspect that we’re lovers, but if I share that night…” he paused as he saw the pained look on Ike’s face. He reached up and stroked Ike’s cheek. “You know I love you,” he said, “but do you really want that to be all you have a chance at?”

Ike’s expression changed from one of hurt to confusion. *What do you mean?*

Buck sighed. “I know you want a family,” he said. “You haven’t been happy or had a really good night’s sleep since Emily died.” He decided to forge on, “I’ve seen the way Sky Chaser looks at you; I’ve heard the way she speaks of you; I’ve seen the way you look at her; I’ve watched your face when you speak of her.”

Ike nodded as he began to understand what Buck was saying.

Buck smiled as he realized Ike understood. “I don’t want to get in the way of that possibility.”

Confusion once more clouded Ike’s face.

“If I show them that memory,” Buck explained, “They’ll think of us as they do Little Fox and Stands Tall. There is no way the daughter of the war chief will be allowed to become involved with…”

Ike’s eyes flew open as it dawned on him what Buck was really suggesting. *You mean I could possibly ‘court’ her?*

Buck nodded. “You are considered a warrior; that’s why Red Bear had her give you a new name – one befitting a Kiowa warrior.” He took a deep breath and added, “You are more respected by some of the people in the village than I am.”

*I’m sorry,* Ike said. *I never meant to…*

Buck reached up and captured his hands. “Don’t,” he said. “Don’t be sorry for something that isn’t your fault. You earned the respect of them all by bringing me here; very few of them would have had the courage to seek treatment from a white town.”

Ike nodded. *So,* he asked, *what do we do to keep that memory from showing?*

Buck shrugged. “Maybe I could explain to White Buffalo.”

There was a slight rustle in the bushes near them and they looked up to see Little Fawn. “Sky Chaser sent me to warn you that Red Bear will be coming to get you both soon. She thought that you might not want him to…” she simply let the statement drop as she let her gaze wander over Buck’s form.

Ike noticed her gaze and the smile that played at her lips. He also noticed that Buck had moved to cover himself as soon as he’d realized who it was that had entered their space.
He nodded. *Thank you,* he said. *We’ll be there soon.*

Ike moved to pick up Buck and then followed Little Fawn back to the sweat lodge. She managed to slip back into the area in such a manner that it wasn’t obvious she had been with the men.

“Sorry we took so long,” Buck said as Ike set him on the ground in front of White Buffalo. “I needed to rest a bit before moving again.”

The older man nodded. He motioned to the two women to bring the food. “We will eat and then return to the lodge,” he said. “I wish to finish this journey tonight.”

Red Bear settled in between White Buffalo and Buck. “You are looking better, my brother,” he said.

Buck nodded. “I feel better,” he said. He waited until the girls had gone back to the cooking area before moving to a sitting position and adjusting the robes he was wrapped in.

White Buffalo handed him some food. “Eat,” he instructed. “You will need your strength.”

As Ike moved to join them, White Buffalo shook his head. *You will need to change your clothes first,* he said. *It would not do well for you to take sick.*

*I have no others,* Ike said.

*Then do without,* said Red Bear.

Ike simply nodded and move to an area off to the side where he could remove his pants. He quickly went to join Buck and was pleased when his friend shared the robes with him.

As they ate, Buck thought about how to handle the situation. He knew he needed to talk to White Buffalo before they went back inside; he wouldn’t be able to fight the vision off this next time.

Finally, he just decided to address the issue head on. He put aside his meal and turned to face the medicine man. “I need to talk to you alone before we go back in,” he said. “I need to explain why I am behaving as I am with the vision.”

“Finish your meal,” he said. “We will visit at the other prepare the lodge.”