An Awakened Heart
By
Daniel Running Water
Chapter Four
Previously in chapter three:
When Roaring Thunder was close to his village, a great wailing was heard. His heart cried out for his son and also for Kyle. As he approached his lodge, he saw his wife of many winters lying dead and suddenly guilt overcame him.
"If I hadn't surrendered to the lust of the flesh, they'd still be living," he cried out to himself, handing Kyle down to Swift Sparrow.
Suddenly the thundering of many horses' feet exploded into the village and Roaring Thunder turned to see Colonel Parker riding into his village, weapons drawn and heading directly for him with anger raging in his eyes.
Roaring Thunder dismounted and took Kyle into his arms just as Seth stopped his horse beside him.
"Oh God no...not my precious grandson," Seth cried out and dismounted, calling a soldier to him. "Give me my grandson, this is a doctor and he'll tend to him," he said, taking Kyle into his arms. "What happened here...why is my grandson naked and bleeding?"
"Your son-in-law was responsible for this, my friend. He, along with Josh Temple and Black Feather's men, they rode against the Fox Clan."
He went on and told Seth of what happened in the cave and where to find their bodies... Seth stood there in shock, his head shaking with astonishment.
"I am so, so sorry Roaring Thunder, I came as soon as I was alerted to the gunfire," he said, his eyes tearing up as he watched the doctor work on Kyle.
"The wound apparently exited his body and thankfully missed his vital organs, but he's lost much blood," Randy Cooper, the fort's doctor said, sewing up the wound after he had cleansed it, hoping to save the teen.
"My son is also dead, as well as my wife," Roaring Thunder said, and then walked away to kneel down beside his wife's body, wondering where his son's body lay.
Looking into the sky, Roaring Thunder wailed loudly. His voice mixed with those that also mourned. Never would he put the needs of the flesh before his people again. He swore an oath to his Great Spirit to always put them first and his needs last.
"What can I do to help ease your pain, Roaring Thunder," Abe asked, putting his own pain for Strong Bear aside.
"Thank you, but it is Roaring Thunder that must right what he allowed to be made wrong," he said, refusing to look up at Abe.
"You are not responsible for this, it would have happened even if you were here," Abe reasoned with the chief. "Besides, if you had been here, your body may be lying amongst the dead."
"Gah-ween Walking Tall, I was diligent and sought my own needs of the flesh instead of being with my people when the carnage rained down on my village," he said adamantly.
Roaring Thunder looked up and saw the tears that were in Strong Bear's eyes, the slump of his shoulders as he walked toward him, he could not bare his sorrow too...gah-ween, it was just to much for him to bare. His wife and son were dead and now he would have to endure his shame before this proud chief for putting his own flesh's needs ahead of that of his clan.
He could see the anger in Strong Bear's eyes; Roaring Thunder turned his head, ashamed to face the mighty chief.
Now chapter four:
"Do not speak of my shame to me, Strong Bear," he said when Strong Bear stopped and knelt beside him. "I know that I let my need to be with Golden Hawk come first before the needs of my people and now see what it has cost me. My wife and son are dead, as well as many of my people," he lamented, casting his tear filled eyes toward Strong Bear.
"Gah-ween my friend, your son lives," he said and heard the sudden gasp of a breath that came from Roaring Thunder's sudden realization that his son lived. "He still clings to life but your Shaman says that he will live."
"Thanks are to the Great Spirit for sparing my son's life," he prayed and then stood, "please take me to my son."
Together they walked to Yellow Hawk's lodge and when Roaring Thunder stepped inside, he rushed to his son's bed. Kneeling beside his son's body, bandages covering his wound, Roaring Thunder lowered his head and softly kissed Yellow Hawk's brow, tears falling from his eyes.
"Forgive your father his transgressions that have brought death and injury to our people, son," he whispered beside Yellow Hawk's ear.
Unable to bare his shame any longer, Roaring Thunder lowered his head and cried as it rested beside Yellow Hawk.
"Gah-ween my father, there is nothing to forgive," a weak Yellow Hawk whispered, his voice trembling from the pain that still coursed through his young body. "They came so suddenly, that no one had a chance to defend themselves as the evil men rained down their bullets on us."
"I should have been here my son, your mother is dead and it's because I chose to be with Golden Hawk and not here at the village."
"Had you been here with us, I would now be mourning your death also. Do not let your guilt destroy the love that you have for Golden Hawk."
"Like you my son, Golden Hawk clings to life, his own father tried to kill him."
Yellow Hawk turned his eyes to the only man that he would love, and saw the pain in Strong Bear's eyes that he felt for Yellow Hawk.
"Do not mourn me my love, for soon you and I shall be married and then we shall spend a lifetime together making love."
"Strong Bear knows that you are strong in spirit, but his heart mourns for those that did not live to see another sunrise. Regardless of the clan which we belong to, Choctaw is Choctaw and are always of one heart, mind and spirit," he said, taking Yellow Hawk's hand in his and gently kissing the palm before holding it to his heart.
"I am very tired and need to sleep," he said, fighting hard to keep his eyes opened.
"Sleep my son, for when you awaken, we shall be here," Roaring Thunder place a soft kiss to his son's brow, stood and walked out of the lodge to give Strong Bear privacy with his son.
"My heart, I shall be but a breath's whisper from you as you sleep," Strong Bear lowered his mouth to Yellow Hawk's mouth and tenderly kissed his sweet lips.
He sat beside him until he heard the even rhythm of his breathing, telling Strong Bear that Yellow Hawk was asleep.
"Why does Walking Tall cry so," Strong Bear asked when he came to stand beside the man, his eyes looking at Abe and then the colonel.
"Caleb is dead...he was killed along with Running Water as they made love beside the river. Apparently the renegades came across them on their way to Roaring Thunder's village," Abe said, lowering his head and crying, not caring who saw him. His heart ached for the boy, even though they had gone their separate ways.
"Running Water is dead... as well as your Caleb?" Shock registered in Strong Bear's face, when he remembered how good a friend and warrior Running Water had been to him.
"Ay-uh, and from what Colonel Parker said, their bodies had been defiled."
"Gah-ween, how someone can kill so cold heartily and then defile the body is beyond my Christian comprehension," he asked, shocked by all that he was hearing.
"Only an evil hearted man could do such a thing. I am still in shock that I was so blind to my son-in-laws ways," Seth said as he came to stand beside the two men, shaking his head, and still wondering how he was going to break the news to his daughter. "I must go my friends; I have much to do before I head back to the fort. If you would draw me a map, directing me to the cave where I can find the bodies of those that have done this," he asked of Roaring Thunder, who had joined them and the chief knelt and drew a map in the sand with his finger.
"Until our eyes meet again my friends, know that my prayers and thoughts are with you," Seth said, mounting his horse and again letting his eyes take in the sorrow that surrounded him.
"Ay-uh my white friend now is the time of mourning for my people," Roaring Thunder said, looking at Kyle as he lay sleeping on a travois behind a soldier's horse, his face so pale.
Roaring Thunder placed his hand on the colonel's knee and looked up into the understanding eyes of the man.
"Please tell Golden Hawk that I shall come to him once my people's time of mourning is done," he said, knowing that when he did, it would be to end their relationship, for he could no longer look at the boy and not feel the shame for not being with his wife and people.
"I shall Roaring Thunder, but know this, what happened today was far beyond anything that you could have done to prevent it. Cal and the others planned it well, why else could they suddenly storm the village without being detected. If you send out a few warriors, I am sure that you shall find the bodies of those warriors that stood guarding your village, having been the first to surrender their life."
Seth nodded down at the chief and the others, waved his hand in the air and together with his men rode away. Realizing that what the colonel had said about his warriors to be true, he sent out three warriors to look for those that had been assigned to guard the village, and when they returned, each was carrying a body.
Three months later...
With the dead buried and the clan's time of mourning finished, the wounded were now healed, life had begun anew for the Fox Clan. No longer was Roaring Thunder the chief of his clan, having allowed his son to merge the two clans under the leadership of Strong Bear and him. With so many of the Fox Clan people killed, Strong Bear and Yellow Hawk saw this as a way to not only strengthen the two clans, but to also help in the Fox Clan's healing of their hearts.
Roaring Thunder, even though he was but thirty-five winters old, walked around like a man twice his age, guilt still plaguing him.
It was on the day of the hunt, when the warriors would ride out to hunt for meat that would sustain their people for the long months of winter, when the sound of a buggy being draw by two horses alerted the village.
"What brings you to my village," Yellow Hawk asked, for Strong Bear had not returned yet from having bathed in the river.
"We have come to see our son, Abraham, and to bring sad news to Strong Bear," Shane said, his face old and wrinkling, with James sitting proudly beside him.
"Father," a voice screamed out, Shane turned to see Abe running toward him, wearing but a loincloth and Swift Sparrow running beside him also. "What brings you to Wyoming?" he asked, knowing that it must have been a long, arduous trip for them.
"Does a father need a reason to come and see his son," James asked as Abe helped him down from the buggy.
"Gah-ween...I mean no, a father never needs a reason," Abe said, hugging James to him and placing a kiss to his cheek.
Shane came up to him; he too hugged and kissed his son.
"We also bring news of Hawk's passing; he died peaceably in his sleep a few weeks ago."
"Gah-ween, my father is dead?" Strong Bear said, his eyes showing his pain at the news as he came up behind Shane.
"Strong Bear," Shane said turning and warmly hugged the chief tightly to him. "Yes, I am sorry to have to bring such news to you."
Strong Bear turned his eyes to the large casket that was hidden beneath a leather tarp in the back of the wagon.
"Yes Strong Bear, that is your father's body, he wished to be buried in his people's burial ground and close to his son."
"Did my father speak much before his passing?" Strong Bear asked, needing a word that could help him get through his time of sorrow.
"Yes he did, because he somehow knew that his time was short," Shane said, his hands resting on Strong Bear's shoulders. "He had me come to him on the day of the night that he died, to share much talk with me."
"My heart mourns his passing even now, but I long to hear of the words he spoke," Strong Bear said, leading the men to his lodge.
Once they were seated before the fireplace, Shane began his story of Hawk's last words.
"He wanted me to tell you that he is not only proud of you, but that his love for you knew no bounds. The Great Spirit gave him a dream after you left, showing him that it was His intention for you and your people to come to Wyoming instead of going to Arizona."
"Ay-uh, Strong Bear knew that our Great Spirit would give my father peace about the change of direction for my people."
"I have also brought Jumping Elk's remains with us, for he wanted to be buried beside the only man that he loved. We placed his remains in with Hawk so that they could be together."
"He was very good for my father after my father lost his first love, Red Sun. I was concerned for my father and leaving him behind. I was happy that he found love in the arms of Jumping Elk, it made my leaving easier, knowing that he had someone to love him. But we shall separate their bodies and bury them in the way of the Choctaw."
"Father, whatever did you do with your land and house?" Abe asked, concerned that someone my steal the property."
"We have given our plantation to those Choctaw that did not leave with your people," James said, knowing that it would secure their future in Mississippi.
"You did this for my people?" a surprised Strong Bear asked, even though he knew that James and Shane were men with much heart toward his people.
"Yes and now we ask of you, could we spend our last days with you and your people," Shane asked, glancing over at Abe who eyes were filled with tears.
"I shall add on a room to my cabin father, so that you can both live with Swift Sparrow and me."
"Swift Sparrow...but whatever happened to Caleb?" James asked, now noticing that the boy was no where around.
Abe sadly told them of the massacre and how Caleb had been killed in it, sparing them his shame of Caleb betraying his love with another man.
"I am so sorry son," Shane and James both said and jointly hugged him.
"Does my skin color shame my husband to be fathers?" Swift Sparrow asked, his arm wrapped protectively around Abe's waist.
"Shame us, why no son, if you are who our son chooses to marry, then you are now a son to us also," Shane said and hugged the young warrior, giving him a sweet kiss on his lips as did James.
"I told you that my fathers would approve of you, Swift Sparrow," he said, snuggling closer to his lover. "I also know how it feels now to be made love to dad," he whispered to James, causing his father's face to redden.
"My word son, it is not proper to speak of such things in public," he said then those around him began laughing. "What...what is so funny," he asked looking around at the others.
"Your face sweetheart, its redder than a `mater in the hot Mississippi sun," Shane said and then placed a soft kiss to his lips.
Shane and James spoke about the other things that Hawk had said to them concerning his son, and then went to Abe's cabin to rest.
"It is good to see your fathers again," Strong Bear said, walking with his arm around Yellow Hawk's waist as they talked with Abe, who was in the possessive embrace of Swift Sparrow.
"Yes it is, but I can see how tired and aged that they have become. They were so young when I came to live with them as a baby, but now they look ancient."
"Man does not live forever, Walking Tall, and that is why we live in the now, for the future is not a promise to us from our Great Spirit." Strong Bear said, clasping his strong hand on Abe's shoulder. "Now I must leave you, for my man is still in need of rest."
"I am most fine and quite healed," Yellow Hawk stated adamantly, and then yawned as tiredness overcame him. "Well maybe a nap wouldn't be too bad," he said chuckling.
Two months later, and fully recovered, Strong Bear and Yellow Hawk stood facing each other, for this was the day that they would be married. Holding his head high and proud, his arms crossed against his muscular chest, Strong Bear gazed lovingly into Yellow Hawk's eyes. Both were dressed in white buckskin breeches and shirts, both outfits were decorated beautifully with colored beads.
The village's Shaman came forth and stood before Strong Bear and Yellow Hawk, his hands raised in worship to the Great Spirit, praying a blessing on them.
"Have you got your offering of gifts," he asked Strong Bear.
"Ay-uh," he said, turned to a young brave and placed at Yellow Hawk's feet, the gifts that he was holding into his hands.
The Shaman smiled and nodded his approval, causing Strong Bear to turn toward Yellow Hawk.
"I offer you freely, these gifts, hoping that you'll accept it," Strong Bear said, his voice thick with his love.
"I accept these gifts freely," Yellow Hawk said, taking the meat from Strong Bear, pulled two pieces from it, and ate one before offering the other to Strong Bear.
"Having accepted freely the gifts that Chief Strong Bear has offered to you Chief Yellow Hawk, you are now married in the eyes of the Choctaw and also the Great Spirit."
Placing his arm about Yellow Hawk's waist, Strong Bear led his husband to their lodge, as their people cheered and applauded. Once inside, the aroma of a venison stew filled the room from a kettle that was left simmering beside the fire.
The soft glow of the fire lit up Yellow Hawk's face with a warm glow, further exciting Strong Bear as he took his husband into his arms. With gentle lips, Strong Bear kissed Yellow Hawk, filling his insides with fiery warmth and leaving his knees weak.
Yellow Hawk's gasped excitedly, when Strong Bear's hand crept beneath the waistband of his buckskin breeches and began to massage his ass heatedly, his finger finding and penetrating his heat.
"You are setting me on fire with your hands my husband," Yellow Hawk whispered against his husband's lips.
"No more than your body is setting me aflame," Strong Bear whispered back and took his husband's mouth captive, thrusting his tongue into his mouth.
A sensual bliss sent Yellow Hawk reeling when both hands inched his breeches down along his muscular thighs and letting them puddle about his ankles. Lowering himself to his knees, Strong Bear further removed the breeches and then gazed up lovingly at his mate, his heart brimming with anticipation.
Strong Bear lowered his mouth to his lover's manhood and engulfed it fully as his hand began massaging that womanly area that he'd been gifted with also, inserting his finger and causing Yellow Hawk to gasp out in delight.
Never had anyone touched him there, for he considered himself a man and did not even think of this area as part of him. But now he knew that great pleasure could be had there, because his husband was eliciting a sensuous heat there.
"My husband, you have awoken a part of me that I thought useless before," he gasped, his head reeling with such feelings that only Strong Bear could make.
"Strong Bear loves all of you, not only your manhood but this also," he said and then returned to sucking his cock.
"I am close...so very close, I do not want to enter paradise without you husband."
Standing, Strong Bear raised Yellow Hawk's shirt up and over his head, and then lowered his mouth down to suckle his tender nipples.
Yellow Hawk held Strong Bear to his nipple with one hand, while the other reached for and found his husband's hardness. He gently rubbed it through his breeches, causing Strong Bear to elicit a heated groan. When it began throbbing and swelling, Yellow Hawk knew that his husband was close to that point of pure bliss, so he removed his hand and lowered Strong Bear's breeches down his thighs until he had them totally freed. With much speed, he removed Strong Bear's shirt and once naked, they stood back and gaze with much love at each other's body.
While the people of their village sang outside around the fire, Strong Bear lowered Yellow Hawk down to their bed and covered his body with his.
"As the stars foretold before we were born, my love for you is as endless as their very existence."
"I knew the instant that our eyes met, that one day this very day would happen for us, husband."
Their mouths met in an all consuming kiss and as they kissed, Strong Bear inched his way into that part of Yellow Hawk that the Great Spirit had made him as a woman. Yellow Hawk gasped out in pain, when the fullness of Strong Bear's length impaled him.
"Shall I stop my love...is the pain to great?" Strong Bear asked, worrying if he should not have placed his manhood there.
"Gah-ween husband, for the pain has passed and now my senses are filling with such sensuous feeling. Make love to me husband and let us sore to the stars together," he wrapped his arms around Strong Bear's neck and pulled his mouth down to his.
Strong Bear's tongue was warm and soft and flicked against Yellow Hawk's tongue.
"You are my heart...my soul...my very being Yellow Hawk," Strong Bear whispered against the hollow of Yellow Hawk's neck, as he kissed his way down to his taut nipples.
Making slow, rhythmic thrusts within Yellow Hawk, Strong Bear nibbled and sucked gently on his lover's nipples, causing the young man to gasp and his head to toss left to right and back again. Never had Yellow Hawk felt such an intense pleasure as Strong Bear's manhood was now giving him.
Wrapping his arms tightly around Yellow Hawk's waist, Strong Bear rolled them over, his body now underneath Yellow Hawk's. Yellow Hawk knew what his husband wanted; he sat up with his legs straddling along side his husband's hips. Slowly at first and then more urgent, Yellow Hawk rode his lover's cock.
"I cannot get enough of your hardness in me...Yellow Hawk needs more," he gasped, his body riding up and down and grinding against his man, as Strong Bear's thrusts grew more urgent upward.
Suddenly a sense of pure ecstasy enveloped Yellow Hawk, as his climax exploded forth, spewing his seed across the hard, muscular chest of his husband. His head was tossed back and his eyes closed tightly as his ass lifted furiously up and down on Strong Bear's hardness, causing Strong Bear's cock to erupt with great power, spewing his seed into the heat of Yellow Hawk.
Spent and exhausted, Yellow Hawk rose up and collapsed onto Strong Bear's chest, his seed gluing them together.
"Did my husband enjoy this part of my body," a worried Yellow Hawk whispered against Strong Bear's ear.
"Ay-uh...its pleasure was nothing like Strong Bear has ever experienced. Tell me husband, was it pleasurable for you also?"
"Ay-uh...ay-uh very pleasurable, for it caused my seed to spill forth without touching my hardness," he said, their breath ragged and their hearts pounding in their chest against each other.
Walking beside the river, Abe and Swift Sparrow had left the celebration to seek out a private place to make love, not wishing to disturb Abe's fathers.
"I hope you don't mind my fathers staying with us, they are old and both knew that the trip back would kill them."
"Your fathers are welcomed in our home Walking Tall, for it was them that raised you into the man that you are. Even though your skin is white, your heart is Choctaw, Walking Tall."
Abe loved Swift Sparrow, he loved him deeper and with more intensity than he had ever loved Caleb. When they came to a small inlet of the river where much lush grass grew, Swift Sparrow kissed Abe as he laid him down on the softness of the grass.
Abe watched as Swift Sparrow removed his loincloth and moccasins, his heart was pounding with excitement and also with anticipation of their lovemaking.
The sounds of the night only added to the ambiance of the setting, while the moon spilled is silvery beams upon the water, casting a soft light about the lovers.
Swift Sparrow knelt beside Abe; his hands busy removing Abe's loincloth and then his moccasins. Their bodies moved together softly as if of one mind...one heart and one soul. Having lifted Abe's legs to wrap them about his waist, Swift Sparrow thrust his cock deep into Abe's sheath, pulled out and then thrust even harder and deeper back in again, causing Abe to moan in ecstasy.
"Love me Swift Sparrow...love me hard and deep," Abe whispered against his lover's lips before merging them into a heated kiss.
They were two men that were all man, rouged and tough, for when they loved, they loved with a man's intensity. Clawing and slapping Swift Sparrow's ass as Abe pulled his lover's cock deeper into him, Swift Sparrow bit hard and long on Abe's nipples.
Gasping in shock that his lover would withdraw his length from him, Abe watched as Swift Sparrow bit and kissed as he moved down Abe's muscular body and engulfed his cock with one gulp.
"Aieee... suck me...take my seed from me," Abe howled, the pleasure of Swift Sparrow's mouth on his manhood was overwhelming, he thrust his head back and forth in pure ecstasy as he held his lover's mouth to his groin.
"Mmmmm," Swift Sparrow groaned in pleasure, when he felt his lover's cock swell and then spew its seed into the warmth of his mouth, savoring the salty sweetness of his man.
Drained of his seed, Abe lifted his legs up to allow Swift Sparrow full access to this heat. With an aggressive plunge, Swift Sparrow buried his cock fully into Abe, his thrusts urgent and methodical, as he pounded his ass with fury and aggressiveness, needing to reach that plateau of ecstasy that he had just given his lover.
Relentless in his thrusts, Swift Sparrow slapped the sides of Abe's ass as he bit and sucked feverishly on the man's nipples.
"Give me it...fill me with your seed," Abe ordered, his fingers digging painfully into Swift Sparrow's ass, his cock slamming into Abe's tortured sheath.
Swift Sparrow's eyes closed when he tossed his head back, his balls pulled up and then his seed spewed forth, filling Abe's sheath with warmth that sent a soft glow reeling through both men.
Their bodies rose and fell in perfect harmony as they flew to the stars in sexual bliss. Spent and exhausted, Swift Sparrow lowered his mouth down to Abe's and kissed him hard and violently, both men bathing in their love's sweet afterglow while their fists pulled at each other's hair.
"Damn...damn, I have never made love with such intensity, Swift Sparrow," Abe said, gasping for air and his heart pounding as if it might burst from his chest.
"It's your heat that moves this warrior to the outer limits of his strength and then pushes him further," Swift Sparrow said, removing his shrunken cock and rolling to his back beside Abe. "Now take me to the outer limits of my mind," he gasped, pulling Abe onto him and wrapping his legs tightly around his waist.
He gasped when Abe impaled him with his cock, his eyes rolled back as Abe began his rhythmic thrusts into him.
Three months later, Strong Bear and Yellow Hawk sat beside the fire in their lodge eating. It was then that Strong Bear noticed that Yellow Hawk was gaining weight, especially around his stomach.
"My husband grows fat," he blurted out, causing Yellow Hawk to suddenly cry profusely. "Gah-ween my husband, I did not wish to make you sad."
"It is not that which you said that causes me to cry, it is the shame that I am feeling," he said between sobs.
"What shame has caused you such pain," Strong Bear asked, wrapping his arms around his husband.
"I have not gotten that bleeding that I use to have, and I don't know why," he said, his eyes refusing to meet those of Strong Bear.
Strong Bear sat there staring at his man, wondering just what it did mean. He knew that when a woman missed her weeps, it meant that she was with child. But Yellow Hawk was a man, even though a part of him was a woman, causing Strong Bear to wonder.
"I am going to get our Shaman, Spotted Wolf; he will know what the reason is."
Strong Bear left the lodge and returned shortly with Spotted Wolf in tow. Spotted Wolf looked down at Yellow Hawk as he retched that which he had just eaten.
Once Yellow Hawk had stopped retching, Spotted Wolf knelt beside the young man.
"Lay back and relax while I examine you," he said, pulling out his stethoscope and fastening to his ears.
"What is wrong with me Spotted Wolf, for the last two months I have retched each morning," he said, watching as Spotted Wolf listened to his abdomen.
Smiling from ear to ear, Spotted Wolf put the instrument away and turned his eyes to Strong Bear and Yellow Hawk.
"What is wrong that causes you to smile so," Yellow Hawk nervously asked.
"Nothing is wrong with you Yellow Hawk, you are simply with child," he said and both Strong Bear and Yellow Hawk gasped in shock at the news.
"Surely you are mistaken, for as you can see my husband is a man and not a woman," Strong Bear said strongly.
"I can see that Strong Bear, but we both know that he was born with both sex organs," he reminded them. "When you make love to him, where do you put your manhood," he asked, causing an angry glare to fill Strong Bear's eyes and a blush to cover Yellow Hawk's face.
"Why do you ask your chief such a question?" he asked, looking even more angry now.
"I ask this because if you put it in that part of him that is his womanly part, then you most certainly have impregnated him."
"Gah-ween, for me to be with child will make me the shame of the village," Yellow Hawk cried, unable to bare such shame.
"There is nothing to be ashamed of Yellow Hawk; it's just your female side kicking in."
"Gah-ween, I shall move to where no one can see my shame," Yellow Hawk said, rising from the bed and going to his things, packing them into a leather bag.
"You would leave your husband, when we spoke our vows it was forever," Strong Bear asked, pulling his husband into his arms.
"It is not that I do not love you anymore, but what will our warriors and people think to see my stomach growing..." and then another thought came to him. "Will my chest suddenly begin to grow breasts?" he asked as his eyes grew wide with fear.
"I would have to say...yes, because if your female side has caused you to become heavy with child, then your breast will grow to be able to feed the child."
"Gah-ween," he cried and flung himself on the bed, crying profusely again.
"Husband, there is no shame in being with child, for it there is, it shall be mine also."
"That is easy for you to say, you aren't the one that shall be carrying the baby," he cried, looking over at Strong Bear. "Gah-ween, how shall I ever pass the child?" he fearfully asked of Spotted Wolf.
"Like all women do, through the very entrance that got your pregnant for when the time is right, your opening shall widen to allow the child to be born."
"Gah-ween," he cried out and buried his face in his pillow.
"Thank you Spotted Wolf, but I shall take over from here," Strong Bear said, walking the Shaman to the door.
"Good luck Strong Bear," he whispered, looking over at Yellow Hawk. "I won't speak of this to anyone," he assured him.
"Ay-uh, this is good, for I must think about what to do about this. I can see how our people will look at Yellow Hawk and see nothing but fear, they may even think him to be some kind of monster."
"You both are chief, so if they see fear or even shame in this, surely they will keep their thoughts to themselves."
Spotted Wolf took a deep breath, resting his hands on Strong Bear shoulders as if to comfort him.
"When I was in medical school, I came across this very thing. That man also had both organs and became pregnant from his lover, but," he said and again took a deep breath before continuing. "The man died while giving birth to the child. I didn't say earlier because Yellow Hawk is frightened enough and don't need to worry about dying in childbirth."
"Then take the child from him now, I shall be careful not to repeat this again," Strong Bear asked, his eyes silently pleading.
"I cannot Strong Bear; I do not know how to end a pregnancy in the way that you ask. I shall be there to deliver the child and we'll pray that all goes well. Besides, after loosing your sons to the measles on your trip from Mississippi, I would think that you would be ecstatic over this pregnancy."
"If he had been happy, then so would I, but now knowing that I could lose him... that is more than I can bear again."
"I shall not let it happen; if necessary I shall do a cesarean section to remove the baby before it enters into the birth canal."
"Strong Bear does not wish to know what this cesarean thing is that you speak of. All I want is to have my husband beside me until we grow old and our Great Spirit calls us home."
"I shall do my best to ensure that you and Yellow Hawk not only have a healthy child, but that Yellow Hawk lives also." Strong Bear nodded his thanks and with his hand on Spotted Wolf's shoulder, he walked him to the door.
Strong Bear hugged Spotted Wolf goodbye and then returned to the bedroom and found Yellow Hawk no longer crying, only now he held his hunting knife in his hand and was about to plunge into his stomach.
"Gah-ween...stop," he cried out, rushing toward the bed as fast as his feet would take him.
To be continued...
Now that was a twist, wasn't it? Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Remember, your feedback is the only reward I get for my stories, so I do appreciate hearing from you.
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Thank you,
Daniel