Chapter Four
Ike slept through the night for the first time in weeks. As the early morning sounds of the village began to filter into his brain, Ike sat up with a start. He glanced around at his surroundings trying to remember what had brought him here. When he saw Sky Chaser, the events from the previous evening returned to him. He smiled at her. *How is Running Buck?* he asked as he started to sit.

He stopped moving when he realized that he didn’t have on any clothing. He readjusted the buffalo skin blanket around him.

*He is resting,* Sky Chaser answered. She handed him some of her father’s clothing. *These should fit; yours needed cleaning.*

Ike took them and nodded.

*I will meet you outside and take you to him once you’ve eaten,* Sky Chaser told Ike. * I know he will want to see you.*

Ike once more nodded. He smiled at her as she turned to leave. *Thank you.*

As he dressed, it dawned on Ike that he needed to get word back to Teaspoon about what had happened. He didn’t want a search party to be sent out and have the Kiowa end up being in trouble because of something they had nothing to do with. He decided that if Buck was really doing better, he would see about making a quick trip back to Rock Creek.

He quickly finished dressing and went to find Sky Chaser so he could eat and check on Buck. He found her waiting outside the teepee. She met him with a smile that made him wonder exactly who had removed his clothing the evening before.

She indicated that he should sit. He did so. When Sky Chaser brought him his food, she let him know that her father would be joining him soon. *My uncle is better,* she said.
*Father will be here soon to eat, and then the two of you can go back to check on him.*

*Thank you, * Ike said as he accepted the food.

Sky Chaser simply smiled at him and went back to the task of preparing the meal for the rest of the men in the village. Ike kept his eyes averted as he ate; he once more felt the unease of being in the village where he’d almost died. He offered up a prayer of protection and that Buck would heal quickly. He wasn’t sure how long he could make himself stay here.

Ike had just about decided that he was going to try and locate the place where Buck was being kept, when Red Bear came to sit next to him. He waited quietly until Sky Chaser brought him his food. As soon as his daughter left them, he faced Ike. *Running Buck is stronger,* he signed, *He will need to rest a few more days.* He paused to take a few bites of food.

Ike took this opportunity to explain the need to let Teaspoon know what had happened. *He will be worried, * he said. *He is like…* he paused; he wasn’t sure how to explain the relationship Teaspoon had with them.

Red Bear nodded. *He is the older man who is like the father of Running Buck’s white family.* He once more paused, *Would you like to go tell him what happened and then return, or would you rather send a message with one of the braves?*

Ike sat quietly thinking over both options. He didn’t wish to abandon Buck, but at the same time he wasn’t happy being here. He couldn’t get the memories of what had happened to him before out of his mind.

*I would like to talk to Running Buck first, * he finally replied. * I need to know if he is alright with me leaving for a few days.*

Red Bear nodded and quickly finished his meal. “*Let me get something for Running Buck to eat,* he said, *then we can go visit with him.*

Ike nodded. He watched the older man as he went to where the women were working. He smiled as he watched Sky Chaser hand her father a small bowl. He quickly lowered his gaze when she glanced his way. He felt his cheeks grow warm as he once more thought about the beginning of this day and the fact that she had known he was without clothing; he again wondered exactly who it was that had removed his dirty ones. He quickly chased the thoughts of it being her away as Red Bear once more made his way to where Ike sat.