Chapter Two
“Hold still or I can’t clean it properly,” Shining Star said, as she worked at doctoring the cut above Red Bear’s eye.

The boy complied and she soon had it taken care of. “Now,” she said, sitting back and looking sternly at the face of her seven year-old son. “Tell me what happened?”

Red Bear looked past her to the young man tending the cook fire. “The other boys said that you were…” he stopped, unable to repeat the terrible lies being spread about his mother.

She followed his gaze and smile sadly. She too had heard the rumors. She knew she should be offended, but she was wise enough to know that saying anything would not make it any better. She turned back to face Red Bear. “Just know they are wrong,” she said. “White Fox and I have done nothing to bring dishonor to our home. Do you really think your father would let us stay if we had?”

Red Bear shook his head. He knew that if his father even thought there was any truth to these lies he would have punished both parties to the fullest extent possible. Red Bear shuddered as he realized the he would most likely be included in that punishment; Lone Wolf would never believe that Red Bear didn’t know.

The boy offered up a quick prayer that his father would never grow to doubt his mother’s commitment. Although he was only seven summers old, he was old enough to know that she only stayed to protect him from his father’s rage; that she didn’t care for the older man. As he watched her join White Fox at the cook fire, he realized that she probably did have feelings for him. It would make sense; they were close to the same age and spent many hours together.

Red Bear sighed as he took up his weapons and made his way to where his father awaited him. He wished he were older; then he could provide for his mother on his own and she wouldn’t have to stay with his father.

White Fox and Shining Star watched him leave. “He’s not stupid,” said White Fox, “he must know that we are drawn to each other.”

Shining Star nodded. “He also knows that we do not act upon that attraction because we both wish to live. I’m sure he realizes that as soon as he is old enough I will leave his father. I’m also sure he won’t be surprised when I give you your freedom when I do so that we can be together.”

“You really think he won’t mind,” asked White Fox.

“I think he will be glad that I am happy. I only hope that he will agree to come with us, so that he can’t be harmed when his father gets angry,” she said. “I don’t think I could stand being the reason he was injured.”

White Fox nodded. “It is only a few more years. We can continue like we have for that long. Especially since Lone Wolf has seemed to loose interest in taking you into his bed. It’s been well over a year since his last attempt”.

Shining Star simply nodded. She did not have the heart to tell White Fox that this had happened once before, and that when he had returned to her bed he would have killed her if she hadn’t been able to stop him. She offered up a prayer that maybe, just maybe, Lone Wolf had accepted the fact that he would have no more children so he wouldn’t want to trouble himself with her anymore.