Terry O'Reilly Walking in Two Worlds

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

Aspen Mountain Press

www.aspenmountainpress.com

First published in 2008, 2008

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Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

CONTENTS

Dedication and Acknowledgement
Walking in Two Worlds
Part Two: The Dakota
Part Three: Traveling South
Part Four: Bethel
Part Five: The Pueblo
About the Author

* * * *

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

Lee Masters is fired from his cattle drive when his sexual

orientation is discovered. Frustrated and angry, he rides to a
mountain lake where he meets Running Buffalo, Tatanka, who
is also exiled from his tribe for refusing to adhere to tribal
custom for braves who prefer men to women.

They strike up a friendship, which readily turns to love.

Their family is completed when a young Indian, Sleeps With
Dogs, insists they take him with them on their search for a
home.

But within each there is an unanswered yearning for

approval among their people. Where can they find the
acceptance they seek? Will they forever find themselves
Walking In Two Worlds?

WARNING

This story contains material that may be objectionable to

some including graphic sex, m/m sexual scenes, violence and
prejudice. Store your e-Books carefully where they cannot be
accessed by underaged readers.

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

Walking

Two Worlds

Terry O'Reilly

Aspen Mountain Press

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

Walking in Two Worlds
Copyright© October 2008 by Terry O'Reilly
This eBook is a work of fiction. While references may be

made to actual places or events, the names, characters,
incidents, and locations within are from the author's
imagination and are not a resemblance to actual living or
dead persons, businesses, or events. Any similarity is
coincidental.

Aspen Mountain Press
PO Box 473543
Aurora CO 80047-3573
www.AspenMountainPress.com
First published by Aspen Mountain Press, October 2008
www.AspenMountainPress.com
This eBook is licensed to the original purchaser only.

Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a
violation of International Copyright Law, subject to criminal
prosecution and upon conviction fines and/r imprisonment.
The eBook cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No
part of this eBook can be shared or reproduced without the
express permission of the publisher.

ISBN: 978-1-60168-140-9
Editor: Loukie Adlem

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

Dedication and Acknowledgement

This story is meant to entertain and enlighten. Therefore,

the author would like to apologize for any inaccuracies in the
portrayal of the lives of the Dakota and Hopi peoples and
their languages. They are held in the utmost respect by the
author. There was no intention to offend.

The author would like to thank Drew Hunt for his

inspiration in the writing of this story. Without his love,
friendship and editorial help the author would never have had
the courage to even try to write a story such as this. Thanks
also go to Tim Mead. His encouragement has been invaluable.

T. O'Reilly October 4, 2008.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

Walking in Two Worlds

Makoce Nupa Umnipi

Part One: The Mountain

"Ho, Ranger, This looks as gooda spot as any."
Lee Masters reined his gray gelding to a halt on the banks

of a small, mountain lake and looked around. The waters
were blue and inviting. The clearing at the edge of the lake
was lush with grass, protected to the north by pines and
cottonwoods.

"Yep, this'll do."
Lee stretched atop his mount to take the kinks out of his

back. It had been a long ride and a long night. He had left the
high pasture camp ... forced to leave by the foreman the
previous day at noon. Embarrassed and frustrated, he had
ridden all day and all night. Now, he and his horse were
bushed. As he sat surveying the lake and the land, he
wondered how he had gotten himself into this mess. It had to
be the whiskey. If only he hadn't gotten drunk. Then he
wouldn't have gotten into it with that kid someplace where
they'd get caught. Well, he wasn't really a kid: just a young
hot and horny cowpoke like himself.

Wonder where he went when they threw us outta camp?

Too bad we went in separate directions; we coulda had some
real fun now there's no fuckin' nosey, Bible thumpin' bastards
to interfere.

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by Terry O'Reilly

Lee shrugged his broad shoulders and dismounted,

stretched once more and began to unsaddle Ranger. He
swung the hefty work saddle to the ground, after extracting
the hobbles from the saddlebags and his rifle from the gun
sleeve. He removed Ranger's bridle, hobbled him and let him
free to drink from the clear, blue waters and wander off to
graze on the lush grass.

The cowboy unstrapped the bedroll from the saddle and

rolled it out on the sandy beach. He stood looking at the
saddlebags with his hands on his slender hips. Other than a
shirt for wearin' on Sunday, a bar of soap and cans of beans,
they were empty.

Might as well wash these, he thought, referring to the

clothes on his back. No one here to object to my body being
out for inspection.

Despite his bravado, Lee was unsettled by being

discovered with the kid and having his sexual proclivities
exposed to his cowpoke buddies.

He got undressed, laid his clothes on the edge of the lake,

put his six-shooter under his saddle with the rifle, grabbed his
bar of lye soap and waded into the water. It was cold, as
mountain lakes are. Despite the hot afternoon sun, he had
goose flesh from his head to his toes, including his ample
cock and huge balls, which snuggled up against his groin for
warmth and protection.

Ignoring the frigid water, Lee dived deep under the

surface, only to come up sputtering and cursing. He quickly
lathered his body, working the soap into the thick matt of
black hair covering his chest, ass and legs. Even though the

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

water was ice cold, he took a few minutes to stroke his cock
to the point of exposing his mushroom head beyond the
foreskin. Then he ducked down under water to rinse the soap
from his wavy black hair and moustache.

He waded out of the water with his cock at half-staff and

shook like a water spaniel.

"Fuck," he said out loud. "No frickin' towel. Guess the sun'll

have ta do it."

He walked to his pile of clothes and shook the sand off his

feet, put on his socks, boots and hat. Naked, except for what
he had donned, he gathered his underwear, jeans, shirt and
bandana and went back to the water's edge. Squatting down,
he worked the lye soap into the material of each piece of
clothing and rubbed them together between his fists. Dunking
the now clean garments in the clear water to rinse them, he
rose and walked to the grassy area to spread them out in the
sun to dry. By this time he was almost dry himself. He walked
to his saddle and bedroll and stretched out to let the sunshine
finish the job.

Lee lay with his eyes closed, feeling the sun on his body,

the breeze caressing his skin. He felt his dick begin to
respond to nature's touch. He began to play with his balls and
his hardening cock with his left hand, while his right made its
way to his hair shrouded nipples. In his mind he saw the
young man who had seduced him at the camp. The young
blond Adonis' image rose above him as he had two nights
earlier. He felt once more the thrill of the boy/man's smooth
ass as it impaled itself on his turgid shaft. He began to

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

contract and release his ass in a fucking motion as his passion
rose and his balls contracted.

"Kenny," he moaned out loud, as his cum rushed to erupt

from the slit at the head of his penis. Five strong volleys shot
into the air and landed on his face, chest, abs and arms. Then
four lesser dribbles cascaded down the shaft and coated his
hand and wrist.

Lee lay for several minutes, holding onto his softening

cock, enjoying the feeling of satisfaction and release. He took
a deep breath and wondered again where Kenny was now.
Then he slowly opened his eyes.

He sat up with a start.
Standing not ten feet away was an Indian. He was at least

six feet tall, slender but well muscled. His prominent brown
nipples stood in high relief to his well developed chest. As
hairy as Lee was, this man was his antithesis, smooth with
not a single strand of hair visible on his beautiful body, except
for the thick, black braids that hung over his shoulders and
onto his chest. The Indian stood with his arms hanging at his
sides. He was holding a bow and a quiver of arrows. He wore
a deerskin breechclout and a pair of leggings. A crooked smile
was on his face. One eyebrow was raised.

In spite of his shock, and his recent release, Lee's cock

began to respond to the vision of savage manhood before
him.

He leaned back on his elbows and said, "Man, you gave me

a start."

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

Then he realized he was covered in cum. He closed his

eyes and slowly shook his head. He could feel himself
blushing.

Lee got to his feet. He pointed to the lake and said, "Um ...

I guess I better get cleaned up here."

The stranger did not respond. He watched as Lee kicked

off his boots, walked to the lake and dove in once more. As
Lee rinsed the cum from his body, he glanced back at the
brave. He was squatting on the sand, watching as Lee
cleaned himself. Lee then emerged from the lake and walked
to his clothes.

Damn, still wet!
He had no choice but to stand naked before his 'guest' and

make small talk.

"Uh ... name's Lee Masters." Lee stuck out his hand.
The Indian smiled and looked at him.
Hmmm, try again. This was really awkward. Here he was,

naked, with a half hard dick, trying to make contact with a
semi-naked Indian whose breechclout was slightly bulging.

Lee slapped himself on the chest. "Lee Masters."
"Hau," the stranger responded, "Enic'yapi Tatanka

iåyaåke."

"Tatanka iåyaåke?" Lee repeated.
The man nodded.
Lee shook his head and held out both palms to indicate he

didn't understand.

The newcomer smiled a brilliant smile. He repeated his

name, placed his thumbs against his temples with his pinky

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

fingers extended and ran around in a circle. Lee got a glimpse
of a rather nice ass as the breechclout flapped in the breeze.

"Running Buffalo? Tatanka iåyaåke?" Lee queried.
"Hau," Running Buffalo responded and nodded his head.

"Run-ing Buff-lo," he added in English.

"Pleased to meet ya, Running Buffalo.... er Tatanka."
"Hau," Tatanka replied, extending his hand. But rather

than grasping Lee's hand he grabbed his wrist and squeezed.
Lee reciprocated.

"Well, now what?" Lee said extending his hands, palms up

away from his body, shrugging his shoulders.

Tatanka laughed, turned and walked to the grassy area

beyond the beach. He sat down cross-legged and pointed to a
spot across from him.

"Iyotanka."
"Iyotanka?" Lee repeated and pointed to the spot the

Indian had indicated. "Sit Down?"

Tatanka smiled again and nodded. "Iyotanka."
Well, I'll be damned, we're gonna learn us how to talk

Injun, Lee thought as he sat, imitating Tatanka's cross-legged
position and rubbed his hands together.

"You speak English?" Lee asked him.
Tatanka shook his head. "Dakoteyhau."
"Dakota?"
"Hau...."
Let's see, thought Lee, how we gonna do this? He pointed

to the sky and the bright orange ball. "Sun."

"Anpa Wupi," Tatanka translated. Tatanka then pointed to

Ranger, grazing peacefully behind them. "Suaktaaka."

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by Terry O'Reilly

"Shit, this is fun," Lee began...
"Shit is fun," repeated Tatanka, pointing again to the

animal.

Lee laughed and shook his head ... "No ... horse."
"Hau ... Horse."
A bird flew by. "Zitkana."
Lee slapped at a fly.
"Honag'inan."
Lee, glancing down at his nakedness, decided to get a bit

more personal. He pointed to his head. "Head."

"Pa."
"Mouth," the cowboy almost whispered and ran his tongue

over his lips.

Tatanka cocked his head and a puzzled look came over his

handsome face.

"I," he said, slowly and repeated Lee's gesture with his

own tongue.

"Hair," Lee offered, pulling on the luxurious rug covering

his chest.

"Hmmm," Tatanka responded with a smile, "hiasma

majtu."

Go for the gold ring, thought Lee. He pointed to his flaccid

cock. "Prick." He wriggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Tatanka's eyes widened. He shifted in a way that

suggested to Lee some discomfort. Then he smiled and
laughed. As if to change the subject, the Indian rubbed his
stomach and said, "Tezi. Wotektehda. Wanna wata."

Lee, now a bit embarrassed at his forwardness, covered

himself with his hand and said, "What da ya mean?"

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

"Wotektehda. Wanna wata," Tatanka repeated and made a

hand gesture as if to put food in his mouth.

"Oh, you're hungry. Time to eat."
"Hau, hong gra, tim to eee." Tatanka tried in English.
"Good," Lee praised the attempt and rose from the ground.

He walked to his saddlebags and pulled out the only food he
had: the beans.

Tatanka furrowed his brow and shook his head. He rose

and trotted off into the woods.

Lee stood for a moment with his mouth open. Now where's

he off to? he thought. Then out loud. "I hope ya come back,"
he shouted after him. Shit, that was dumb. He don't
understand English!

* * * *

Kneeling by the fire, fully dressed now his clothes were

dry, Lee was about to cook his beans. He lamented having
been so bold with sexual innuendo during the language
lesson.

Shit, probably scared the breeches offin' him. Not that it

wouldn't have been a bad idea. In spite of his disappointment
at Tatanka's abrupt exit, he smiled at the thought of what
might have been hidden beneath the deerskin.

He didn't have much hope of the Indian's return, but

nevertheless he checked often in the direction of his
departure. He was about to put the open can on the burning
logs, when he noticed Ranger had raised his head, his ears
forward. He looked in the direction the horse was indicating.

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

Lee's heart leapt into his throat as he saw Tatanka emerge

silently from the trees carrying two rabbits with his bow and
quiver of arrows slung on his back.

"Hou koda," Tatanka called.
Lee jumped up and ran to his new friend and thumped him

on the back.

"Dang, good to have you back, man. Whatcha got?"
Tatanka raised the dead animals in one hand and said,

"Mastiaca." Then added "was'te, was'te." At the same time he
rubbed his stomach followed by "Hmmm."

Lee figured that meant the rabbits were good to eat. He

agreed. A lot better'n beans.

He watched as Tatanka skillfully dressed out the rabbits

and put them on a spit over the fire. Lee placed the beans in
the coals. The two men lounged near by. They smiled at each
other occasionally, but said little. There was an easy comfort
between them. Lee was feeling mighty good about the
situation.

When the rabbits were cooked, they shared the bounty of

the forest. Lee offered the Indian some of his beans. Tatanka
tried some, but did not seem to like them very much.

After eating and cleaning up the leftovers, so scavenging

raccoons and skunks wouldn't be attracted to camp, they
stoked the fire and settled down to watch the day turn to
evening. Lee kinda wished he had some whiskey to top off the
day, but then figured if what he had heard about Injun's and
firewater was true, it was for the best.

As the last vestiges of light left the sky, Tatanka raised his

hands and started to chant.

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Lee caught the word 'Wakantanka'. He recognized it from

somewhere in his past and decided that Tatanka was offering
night prayer to the Great Spirit.

"Damn that's pretty." Lee offered in a subdued tone when

his companion had finished.

As if he understood, Tatanka smiled and said, "Pidamaya."
Gonna guess that means thank you, Lee surmised and

nodded a you're welcome.

They sat in silence as the fire burned low. Before it went

out completely, Tatanka piled more wood on it. Then he
loosened the bands that held his braids in place. His thick
black hair cascaded out around his shoulders. The firelight
illuminated his brown skin and turned it a royal gold. He was
magnificent. Lee felt his desire for the man rising, as the
tension in his groin intensified. He held himself in check. He
didn't want to take a chance on spooking Tatanka again.

He rose from where he had been reclining. Tatanka came

forward, grasped his wrist and said, "Hanghepi was'te, koda."

Not sure what to say, Lee repeated the phrase as best he

could and added in English, "Good night."

"Hau," was the Indian's response.
Lee was confused as to what to do next. He only had one

blanket and wasn't sure he should invite his new friend to
share it. His quandary was solved when Tatanka lay down on
the bare ground next to the fire and turned on his side.

Guess he's used to this, Lee mused. But still, it didn't seem

right to leave him lying on the bare ground with no cover. No
matter how warm it got during the day, nights on the
mountain could be cold.

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Not knowing how to resolve the situation, Lee went to bed.

He used his saddle as a pillow and pulled his warm wool
blanket over him. He turned on his side to face the form of
the man with whom he had shared his day. Good night,
Tatanka, sleep well.

At some point during the night he heard someone calling

his name from what seemed a long way away. Then he felt
something poke him in the chest. He opened his eyes and
looked up. Tatanka was standing over him, shivering with
cold, poking him with his foot.

"Machuwita."
"Man, you must be freezing. Get in here!"
The Indian gratefully accepted the offer of a warm bed and

lay down beside Lee. He spooned himself against the cowboy.
Lee put his arm over the man's quaking body and pulled him
close. His palm pressed against Tatanka's protuberant nipple.
Lee felt a thrill rush through his body.

Don't get hard ... don't get hard, Lee thought over and

over. Shit I might as well be saying don't breathe.

Almost simultaneously, Lee realized two things. First, the

feel and smell of Tatanka's luxurious hair against his face was
the most powerful aphrodisiac he'd ever experienced.

Second ... Tatanka was naked. Lee felt the man's muscular

ass pressing against his dick, pre-cum already oozing from
the tip. He wanted to fuck this man more than he had ever
wanted anything in his life. He took a deep, shuddering
breath.

The next thing he felt was Tatanka reaching back to undo

his jeans. Lee helped with the unbuttoning and pushed them

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down to his knees. Tatanka then gently, but firmly, enclosed
Lee's pre-cum soaked, rock hard cock in his hand and guided
him into his ready rectum.

"Oh, my God," Lee moaned.
Lee thrust himself deeply into the Indian's body. He buried

his face in Tatanka's hair. He breathed his name over and
over. Tatanka reached for Lee's hand, which was still on his
nipple and lowered it until Lee grasped the firm, hard cock. It
was long but not especially thick. At the base of the organ
was a thin fringe of pubic hair. As he synchronized his fucking
rhythm with his hand; he felt the head glide in and out of the
Indian's foreskin. More and more lubricant flowed from the
tip. Lee could feel Tatanka's passion rising. Lee was in
heaven.

Tatanka came first. He held his breath, clamped his ass

muscles down on Lee's dick. Lee could feel the vigorous
throbbing of the man's cock, feel the cum spurting from the
organ and running down his hand. These sensations brought
forth his own orgasm and he released his seed into the deep
recesses of Tatanka's body.

Lee kept his face buried in Tatanka's hair. He was

breathing deeply and his heart was pounding. "I love you," he
breathed into his neck. He had never, never said those words
to another living person: not even his mama. Now, he
wanted, needed, to express what only twenty-four hours ago
would have been unthinkable. He loved this man. And the
man couldn't understand a word Lee was saying.

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As these thoughts and words were going through Lee's

head, he could hear Tatanka breathing deeply and
whispering, "Was'tecidake. Was'tecidake."

Though Lee could not understand it at the time, he would

soon come to know that Tatanka was echoing his declaration
of love.

They fell asleep.

* * * *

Morning on the mountain was spectacular. The sun rose

over the lake and the birds sang. Tatanka and Lee were still
spooned together on the bedroll.

Tatanka stirred and turned to face the cowboy. "Hinhana

was'te, Lee Masters."

"I'm gonna guess that means 'Good Mornin'," Lee

responded. "The same to you, Tatanka iåyaåke."

The Indian smiled and snuggled deeply into Lee's arms,

caressing the thick mat of hair on Lee's chest.

Lee tipped Running Buffalo's chin up to his and began to

kiss him. Tatanka pulled away.

"What?" Lee couldn't understand Tatanka's reaction. "I just

wanna give ya a little kiss."

Tatanka sighed deeply, as if exasperated by his lack of

understanding. "Hiya oka niye," he said, shaking his head.

God, this fuckin' language thing.
"Hiya oka niye?" Lee said. "You don't understand?"
Tatanka nodded.
Lee spoke slowly and demonstrated by kissing the back of

his hand. "I ... just ... want ... to give ... you ... a kiss."

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"Hau ... iputake."
"Yeah, right ... iputake." Lee tried to kiss him again.
Once more Tatanka pulled away. "Hiya," he said, shaking

his head vigorously, causing his waist length hair to cover his
shoulders and chest.

"Why not ... what's wrong?" Lee asked, pleading with his

eyes for the brave to understand.

"Iputake," said Tatanka. He leaned toward Lee and gave

him a kiss on his cheek. "Iputake," he said again and nodded.

"You call that a kiss?" Lee laughed. "Well, hell, maybe it is,

kinda, but that ain't the kiss I'm talkin' about." He rolled his
tongue around his lips, suggestively. He took Tatanka by the
shoulders and gently pulled him toward his waiting mouth.
"Iputake," he said.

Tatanka looked away. He bit his lower lip and sighed

deeply. Then he turned back to Lee. He smiled. He seemed to
have made a decision.

"Ohaa, iputake." He nodded his head.
Tatanka closed his eyes and pursed his lips. Lee pressed

his against the Indian's. He pulled him close. Emotion took
over. Involuntarily, his tongue snaked between Tatanka's lips.
Lee moaned deeply, expressing his love as best he could
without the words to make Tatanka understand.

Tatanka at first resisted, then, evidently overcome with the

emotion he too was feeling, yielded to the invasion and
allowed Lee full access to his mouth. Within minutes, Tatanka
was kissing Lee as fully and fiercely as the cowboy was
kissing him.

Now that's a "iputake," said Lee with a smile.

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They kissed and embraced for several minutes. Lee then

threw the cover off and rolled over on his back. He tried to
raise his legs to allow the Indian access to his asshole. He
wanted Tatanka inside him.

"Hiya," came the response.
Instead, Tatanka straddled Lee, spread his cheeks and

allowed himself to be impaled on Lee's ready member. Lee
didn't resist.

* * * *

The next few days were spent in love making, language

lessons, hunting and frolicking in the lake and on the beach.
Lee had never been happier. Tatanka seemed content. As far
as Lee was concerned they could live here for the rest of their
lives.

Tatanka had taken to kissing like a duck to water. After his

initial reticence, he quickly and thoroughly incorporated the
practice into his love-making repertoire. Being the dominant
partner when it came to fucking was another story. He gently
but firmly refused to penetrate Lee and because of the
limitations in language, there was never an answer to Lee's
queries as to why this was the case.

On the language front, it soon became apparent Tatanka

had the greater propensity to acquire English than Lee had to
learn Dakota. Tatanka picked up vocabulary, grammar and
syntax much more quickly and completely than Lee. Lee was
learning, too, but not with the strides of Running Buffalo.

One night, by the fire, Lee mused, "Tatanka. You're

Tatanka iåyaåke and sometimes I call you Running Buffalo or

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just Tanka. Don'tcha think I oughta have a Dakota name,
too?"

Tatanka thought for a long while. He got up and walked

around him, surveying Lee from head to toe. Lee guessed
getting an Injun name was a big deal. Finally, Tatanka pulled
Lee to his feet and stood in front of him.

"You Lee Masters. He reached out, unbuttoned his shirt

and ran his hands through the thick hair on Lee's chest. Now
you Was'sichu Ahan Hiasma Maku Supa: White Man with
Black Hairy Chest. I call you Hiasma Maku, Hairy Chest. He
smiled and pulled Lee into an embrace and rubbed his smooth
muscular chest against Lee's muscular, hairy one.

"How you like?"
"Was'sichu Ahan Supa Hiasma Maku like very much," said

Lee, using his new name, pulling Tatanka down to the
ground, taking full advantage of the arousal brought about by
the naming ceremony.

They spent most of their days without clothes, enjoying

the freedom the privacy of the mountain afforded them. Life
was good.

One afternoon the men were in the lake. They were

wrestling and splashing. Their laughter was loud and they
didn't hear the approach of men on horseback.

Lee came up sputtering and coughing after Tatanka had

dunked him and held him under the water for a long time. As
he gasped for breath, he became aware six Indians on
horseback were standing near the water's edge, observing
them.

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Tatanka rose to the surface and the smile faded from his

face.

Together they waded to the shore to face the intruders.
"Hau ciaye," one of the braves said, addressing Tatanka.
"Hau suaka," Tatanka replied.
Lee strained to follow the conversation. He knew the first

speaker had addressed Tatanka as his older brother. He
caught the words for 'chief's son,' 'home,' 'woman-man,'
'woman's talk' and 'Winkte,' a word he did not understand.
While the discussion got more intense and animated, Lee
walked to the shore and pulled on his jeans. The eyes of
some of the men followed him.

The group had an extra horse. It was apparent to Lee they

expected Tatanka to leave with them. Lee began to worry.

After what seemed like an eternity, filled with angry words

and threats, the leader of the group shook his fist in
Tatanka's direction and reached behind him to a bag hanging
from the carry pack. He extracted a garment, spit on it and
threw it to the ground saying something about a dress and a
white man: was'sichu. They wheeled the horses around and
rode off at a gallop.

Tatanka stood tall and proud: shoulders back and head

high as the party left the lake. Lee came to his side. The
Indian turned to him. "Was'tecidake, I love you."

* * * *

The men sat by the evening fire. Lee waited for Running

Buffalo to open the conversation. He had a dozen questions,
but he would wait until the brave was ready.

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As the sun sank behind the pines and cottonwoods that

defined the border of the forest, Tatanka turned to Lee. With
speech labored and punctuated with many pauses, Tatanka
struggled to explain to Lee what had transpired. "Brother," he
began. "Come to take home, me."

Lee nodded.
"I chief's son. Son one.
"You're the chief's oldest son," Lee clarified.
"Hau, yes."
"Want me home. Chief sick. I next chief."
"Oh." Lee's heart sank.
"But if I wiayaa-wic'asa. I not want be chief."
"Woman-man?"
"Hau, like you. I want man ... not woman. So, they say me

wiayaa-wic'asa, woman-man."

"Your brother called you 'Winkte.' What did he mean?"
Tatanka sighed. "Winkte mean.... "He groped for words.

"Ah ... not same?"

"Different?" Lee offered.
"Hau, different," Tatanka nodded then continued. "Winkte

is man who different. He have power of Great Spirit, he can
see future, can heal with touch. He also man who men come
to for make ... like we do. They believe that give them great
power."

"Make love, have sex? They think that gives them power?"

Lee queried.

"Hau, yes," agreed Tatanka. "Winkte not shaman. He not

medicine man. He Winkte. People of tribe ... ah ...
yuonihaa...?"

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Tatanka seemed to struggle to find a word in English to

describe the feeling the people of the tribe would have for the
Winkte.

"Yuonihaa?" Lee repeated. "They think he is really good,

they respect him, honor him?"

"Yes, yes. Yuonihiaa." Tatanka nodded.
Lee shrugged, "That sounds like a pretty good deal. You

could be the chief or you could be this Winkte thing. Why
wouldn't you want to go back for that?" Having said this, he
cringed inside. Shit I don't want to encourage him to leave
me! Lee thought angrily.

Tatanka answered. "Winkte must live alone, or be wife two

or three to chief or powerful brave. I not want that. I want be
man. Just man. Have man for partner."

"Is that why you left?"
Tatanka nodded. "I no have to leave. I stay if I wear dress

and be like woman and do work of woman. Use woman talk.
Be Winkte. I no want. I man. Want to live like man. Brother
come, say you come home now. You be chief or be Winkte. I
tell him you be chief. I not be Winkte and let men use me for
... fuck or be chief and have to marry woman. If you not let
me be man with man for partner then not be chief. I say him,
I come home, be chief with this man ... you, Lee Masters."

Lee was astonished. "You mean it's all right for you to be

like us as long as you live like a woman and let men screw
you?"

Running Buffalo nodded.
"But it's not all right for us to be together if you are chief

and act like a man."

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by Terry O'Reilly

Tatanka nodded again.
"What did your brother say when you said you'd be chief if

I was your man?" Lee asked.

"Brother say ... 'Here wedding dress. Marry White man but

no be chief. No be Winkte.' He say, 'Hiya makoce nupa
umnipi. You not walk in two worlds and be chief, no be
Winkte.'"

Tatanka smiled. "You want marry me, Lee Masters?"
Lee returned the smile. "You bet I do, but not as a woman,

not in a dress. You're a man and that's what I want you to
be."

Tatanka moved closer to Lee. They embraced and kissed.

Lee wriggled out of his jeans and stretched out on the blanket
by the fire. Tatanka joined him. Lee took the bands from the
brave's braids and ran his fingers through his hair; allowing it
to fall free. They kissed and explored each other's bodies,
each relishing the feel of one so different than their own.

Tatanka tried to roll over on his back to position himself for

Lee's penetration.

"No," Lee said firmly. "Tonight you're the man." He rolled

over on his back and spread his legs to allow Tatanka to be
the dominant partner.

The brave hesitated. "If I do that, then you wiayaa-

wic'asa, woman-man, too."

Lee smiled up at him. "Fuck me."
The Indian positioned himself. Using the copious pre-cum

oozing from both of their erect cocks, he opened Lee and
lubricated himself and pressed against the entrance to his
lover's body.

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Lee breathed deeply, trying to relax. He hadn't been

fucked for many years. Lee was determined to make his
brave's first time the best. He felt the pressure. Then his
sphincter began to relax. There was pain. He resisted the
urge to tighten and grimace.

Continuing to smile into his lover's eyes, he mouthed the

words in Tatanka's native tongue. "Was'tecidake, I love you."

Tatanka entered and filled Lee with his manhood.
The rhythm was set slowly; each man relishing the

newness of the experience. Tatanka snorted through his nose
and gazed intently into the cowboy's eyes. Lee felt the brave
was close to orgasm. He groaned as Tatanka released his
seed into him for the first time.

Lee felt Tatanka's weight on his chest. He smiled and

wrapped his arms and legs around his lover. It was good.

As they rested by the dying fire, wrapped in the wool

blanket, Lee wondered at the similarities of their situations.
Both men left their previous lives because they were men
who preferred men to women. Lee was forced to leave.
Tatanka chose to leave. Now they had forged a life together
here on the mountain. What would come next? With such
unresolved thoughts, Lee drifted off to sleep.

* * * *

Summer was coming to an end. The leaves on the

cottonwoods were yellow and falling. The sun, while still warm
at midday, was not as strong. Nights were cold and the fire
had to be kept going for warmth as there was only one
blanket. Ranger was growing a thick coat of hair. All these

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by Terry O'Reilly

signs made Lee uncomfortable. What would they do as winter
got closer?

Lee came out of the trees with an armload of wood for the

night fire. Tatanka sat cross-legged working on the finishing
touches of a deerskin shirt. This was the second shirt he'd
made. The Indian had insisted the first should be Lee's, but
Lee had adamantly refused. It was getting cold and Tatanka
had no shirt. Lee at least had his cotton shirts. He had offered
his Sunday shirt to Tatanka, but the brave had refused it. Lee
thought it strange. He would take the white man deep within
him and yet would not wear his clothing.

"Here, try on," said Tatanka when he saw Lee coming

toward him. "This keep you warm."

Lee put the logs on the woodpile and took the shirt. It

amazed him how adept the natives were at sustaining
themselves on the bounty of nature. The shirt was tan in
color and the sleeves had a fringe. It had a "V" neck and fit
him perfectly. He turned around slowly in front of his partner;
modeling with his arms outstretched.

"What?" He saw Tatanka was frowning.
"No beads need beads to show you fine man, good man.

Wicasta was'te!"

Lee walked over to him. He put his arms around him and

kissed him deeply.

"This shows me you think I am fine man, good man," he

said. "Wicasta was'te!"

Tatanka smiled, but Lee knew it was not enough. Tatanka

was Dakota. His heritage and traditions were important to
him. Over the weeks, now months, they had lived on the

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mountain, Lee had come to know this about his man. How it
must have torn him apart to leave his people. Yet, his need to
live as a man was stronger.

"Ah, this keep you warm, any ways?" "Or any hows?"

Tatanka still struggled at times with the language, much to
Lee's amusement.

"Don't much matter. You can say it either way."
The cowboy got serious. "Tanka."
"Hau?"
"We gotta talk."
"More lesson?"
"No," Lee smiled at his friend. "No, we gotta decide what

we're gonna do for winter?"

"Winter?"
"Waniyetu."
Tatanka shrugged and turned away and walked to the

lakeshore.

Lee followed him. "It'll be real cold. We got no proper

winter clothes and no real shelter."

Tatanka turned to him and fingered the fringe on the new

deerskin.

"Now, don't get me wrong. This here's great for now. But

man it gets really cold."

"We build tipi. Get robes. Make fuck." Tatanka put his arm

around Lee and smiled. "That make plenty warm."

"Yeah, I know," Lee took Tatanka in his arms, "But not

warm enough. Tanka to build a tipi and get robes we need us
a buffalo or two."

Tatanka brightened. "We hunt. You got gun. We do it."

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by Terry O'Reilly

Lee was not convinced. "What do your people do?"
Tatanka pulled away and walked farther toward the

shoreline.

"Tanka?"
"They follow buffalo. Lee, you want leave here?"
Lee walked up behind the Indian, putting his arms around

him and holding both of his forearms. He nestled his face in
Tatanka's neck.

"No, but winter. Tanka, it's gonna freeze us."
Tatanka considered his response and sighed.
"Ohaa, all right, But where we go?"
"I donno. South. Maybe Kansas, Oklahoma." Then Lee

remembered the conversation about Tatanka being a Winkte:
a powerful, spiritual man who could sometimes see the
future. "Can't you use them Winkte powers to tell us where to
go?"

Tatanka smiled. "I not know if I be Winkte or not. I not do

any things that they can do except this." He leaned in to kiss
Lee.

"I'm thinkin' that's one hell of a good Winkte power," Lee

said smiling.

"I not know where to go but," Tatanka set his jaw,

breathed deeply and nodded, "I go where you go. To be
where you be is caatewas'te ... glad in my heart."

Damn, Lee thought, fighting back tears. He enfolded

Tatanka in his arms.

* * * *

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by Terry O'Reilly

Despite the decision to leave the mountain, neither man

was in a rush to follow through on their agreement.

They continued as they had for most of the summer:

hunting, fishing, loving. The only modification was water
games were no longer on the agenda: the lake was too cold.

At night, they would build a huge fire and snuggle together

under the single blanket for warmth.

Providence intervened, and on one hunting expedition, Lee

brought down a moose while Tatanka killed an elk. There was
rejoicing in the camp that night. The animals provided more
food than they could want and the skins were quickly made
into a shelter and robes to keep out the increasing cold.

Nevertheless, they couldn't stay the advancing seasons. By

the beginning of the fall, they knew they had to make good
on their pact to find warmer climes. This decision was made
clear when they awoke one morning to find themselves
covered with snow.

"Where are your people now?"
"ItokaYata, kuwa tatanka: South, follow buffalo," Tatanka

said with a deep sigh as he packed the robes.

Ranger was already saddled. Lee was pretty sure he could

carry both men and their meager belongings. If necessary
they could take turns walking.

"Didn't you have a horse?"
"Hau."
"Well, why didn't ya bring it? Sure coulda used it now."
The Indian just shrugged.
The men stood side by side, Lee holding Ranger's reins.

They looked at the clearing by the lake, the forest, the place

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by Terry O'Reilly

that had been their world for the past four months. Now they
were to leave. What would the world outside make of a white
man and an Indian? A white man and an Indian who were
lovers?

"Well, let's hit it," said Lee. He mounted the horse and

gave his arm to Running Buffalo, who swung up in the saddle
behind him. Lee turned the horse to follow the lakeshore to
pick up an elk trail that would lead south. He heard Tatanka
snort. He had come to know Indians used that sound to
express many things their culture may frown on expressing in
words and other actions. This time, Lee knew, the snort
suppressed tears.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

Part Two: The Dakota

Once they rounded the lake and found the downward slope

to the valley, the weather was noticeably warmer. The
temptation to just move as the weather dictated was very
strong, but Lee knew they had to keep going. Neither man
had a plan. Neither thought much beyond the day, being
satisfied with the knowledge they were together. Lee trusted
Tatanka's survival skills, and Tatanka trusted Lee.

After about a week's travel, they emerged from the

foothills to the prairies. Before them were the herds. As far as
the eye could see were buffalo.

"Dang! We could get us a buffalo here."
"Hiya."
"No?"
"We have no need. It would be a waste of life. We have

Mastiaca and piaspiaza."

"Rabbits and what?"
"Piaspiaza." Tatanka pointed to an area with mounds and

little critters running around.

"Prairie dogs! You gotta be jokin'"
"Hiya, Not joke, they good to eat."
Lee mumbled under his breath. "Next thing you're gonna

tell me, they taste just like chicken."

Tatanka just laughed.
"Your people around here somewhere's?"
"Hau," said Tatanka surveying the horizon.

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"Hau." Lee knew Tatanka could tell exactly where his

people were.

They pitched camp near a small stream. There was grass

for Ranger and that meant jackrabbits, too. Prairie dogs were
plentiful. They had a good supply of dried meat, so there was
no need to hunt.

When Lee started to lay a fire, Tatanka stopped him.
"Shit, we may be south and off the mountain, but it still

gets cold at night. We're gonna need a fire for sure."

"No, Lee Masters. Fire can see from long way. No."
Lee understood. They were in country that could hold

potential enemies. Not just Tatanka's tribe, but others that
may not regard them as friends. He sighed. They had entered
that other world.

"Hey, where ya goin'?" asked Lee as he awoke to find

Tatanka dressed and picking up his bow and quiver.

"Ihni, hunt."
"Prairie dogs or rabbits?"
"Prairie dog."
"In that case, get back in here," Lee said lifting the buffalo

robe and displaying his morning erection. "We can eat
smoked elk."

Tatanka just laughed and loped off on foot in the direction

of the prairie dog town.

Lee got out of his robes and started getting things taken

care of in camp. I didn't ask him if he wanted a fire. Well,
shit, I ain't gonna eat them things raw!"

There was plenty of dry wood, so Lee was able to lay as

smoke free a fire as he could. He figured if Tatanka didn't

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want the fire visible at night, he sure wouldn't want to send
up any smoke signals.

As he was just about satisfied the fire was ready; he felt

the ground begin to shake.

"Fuck, earthquake?"
Almost at the same time he heard the rumble of thousands

of hooves and the yip and shout of men: a hunting party.

"Tatanka!"
He ran to Ranger. Without bothering with a saddle, he

forced the bit into the horse's mouth and swung himself onto
his back. The months of riding bareback with Tatanka paid
off.

At a dead gallop he rode in the direction of the cloud of

dust and the roar of the hooves. Cresting a rise, to his horror
he saw Tatanka running toward him, barely in front of the
stampeding herd.

"No," he heard himself yell as he kicked Ranger forward

toward all in the world he held dear.

Before he could get close enough to reach his man, he saw

him arch his back and fall to the ground. Lee continued to
press Ranger ahead into the herd of panicked animals. He
reached Tatanka's side and dismounted, shielding him from
the onslaught of hooves with his body and his horse.
Miraculously, the stream of running buffalos separated and
flowed around them like a river around a rock. Lee dropped to
the ground and cradled Tatanka in his arms, covering him
with his body.

"Tatanka, Tatanka," he screamed over and over.

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When the noise and the dust settled, he opened his eyes

and looked at the silent form of his lover. He was covered
with dust and a small stream of blood ran from his mouth.
Lee panicked. He started yelling, "Help! Help!" over and over.
Finally he shook himself, realizing there was no one to help
him.

He checked to see if Tatanka was breathing. He was. He

then tried to find where he was hurt. He discovered an arrow
in his back. The hooves of his namesake hadn't hit him. He
had been shot by one of his own. Lee shook his head in
disbelief.

Lee lifted Tatanka onto Ranger's back and then mounted

behind him, careful not to disturb the embedded arrow. He
had to find help. Riding in the direction from which the herd
had come, he scanned the horizon for signs of the hunting
party who surely would be tending to the day's kill.

"Hang on Tanka, Hang on. Lee's getting you help. Hang

on."

This became Lee's mantra as he continued to ride east.

Finally after what seemed hours, he saw the outline of horses
and men tying slaughtered buffalo to carrying poles for
transport to the village. He rode into their midst.

"Okiciyapi!"
The braves stopped their work and looked up at the white

man who had ridden into their midst, calling for help.

One man, with many eagle feathers in his hair, came

forward. Lee recognized him at once: Tatanka's brother.

"Tatanka iåyaåke!" he yelled. This was followed by a string

of orders that the men immediately followed.

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Tatanka was taken from Lee's arms and carefully loaded

face down on a horse drawn bier. As soon as he was secured,
the horse was lead off. Lee, still on Ranger's back, followed.

After what seemed like an eternity, Lee saw plumes of

smoke in the distance. As they got closer, he saw they came
from tipis.

They entered the village. Women, children and old men

gathered around. Lee could hear them whispering Tatanka's
name.

Suddenly an old woman came from the crowd. "Tatanka

iåyaåke, ciaksi, ciaksi."

This must be Tatanka's mother, thought Lee. She was

calling him her son. Tatanka was taken into a tipi along with
his mother.

Soon after, a tall, older man wearing the unmistakable

garb of a shaman, a necklace of teeth and small animal
skulls, and a wolf hide, arrived. He looked keenly at Lee and
entered the tent. Lee remained standing next to Ranger. He
didn't know what to do. He was surrounded by the people.

They were pointing and talking, but he was too intent on

Tatanka to pay attention.

A young boy came forward and took his horse. Lee stood

for a moment undecided. Then love took over and he boldly
pushed the tent flap aside and entered the tipi. As he did,
Tatanka let out a roar of pain as the shaman extracted the
arrow from his back.

Lee started forward to be at Tatanka's side. The women

attending to the shaman's needs stepped forward and

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stopped him. Tatanka's mother looked over her shoulder and
saw Lee. She motioned him forward.

"Niya wicaste koda, Tatanka iåyaåke?"
"Hau, wicaste koda, Tatanka iåyaåke." "Yes, I am his man

friend."

"Ohkiyakayapi k'u waniya ehaaki, Tatanka iåyaåke."
Lee didn't know what to say when he heard her declaration

that he had saved Tanka's life. In a way he had, but in reality
the buffalo just flowed around them. He hadn't done that
much. It had been like magic. Now he just stared at his
boots.

"Wopida, ciaksi!"
Jesus, Lee thought, she's thanking me and calling me her

son.

The next thing he knew the old woman was hugging him.

She took him by the hands and led him to Tatanka's side.

His lover looked pale and lifeless. He was still breathing.

The shaman was applying herbs and salves to the wound. The
burning of sage and the wafting of the smoke with an eagle
feather and chanting followed this. The smoke made Lee light
headed.

The women, led by Tatanka's mother, were making a

sleeping matt on the floor near Running Buffalo. Lee was
encouraged to lie down next to him. As he moved forward to
the matt, the shaman came and stood before him.

"Dakotayah wogdaka?"
"Hau. Yes, I speak Dakota," Lee replied in the Indian

tongue.

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The shaman went on to tell Lee, in Dakota, the reason

Tatanka's life was spared in the stampede was the spirit in his
name, Running Buffalo, reached out and turned the herd from
him.

Lee nodded.
The shaman continued. Now the spirit of Lee's love for

Tatanka was the magic that could save his life. "Takomni niya
k'u yaye wowasake."

"How do I give him my strength?" Lee asked in Dakota.
The shaman came forward and removed Lee's deerskin

shirt.

There were hushed exclamations of amazement from the

women at the sight of Lee's hairy chest.

Then the shaman started to remove Lee's jeans. At first

Lee protested, but when the man gestured toward his lover
lying as if dead, Lee allowed him to continue.

Again there were intakes of breath at the revealing of Lee's

genitals.

Embarrassed, he covered himself.
The shaman walked around Lee, wafting sage smoke

toward him with the eagle feather.

Lee walked forward and lay down. The shaman positioned

Lee so his heart covered Tatanka's wound on his back.

The women, Tanka's mother and the shaman, formed a

circle around the men and softly chanted. The burning sage
and other herbs were making him drowsy. Lee drifted off to
sleep. Just before he did, Lee reached out across his lover's
shoulder and laid his hand over Tatanka's heart.

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Once more Lee was back in the stampede, surrounded by

buffalo. They were running on all sides. Lee reached down
and raised Tatanka from the ground. He tried to carry his
lover out of the dust, noise and confusion. No matter which
way he turned, his way was blocked. Suddenly there
appeared before him the biggest bull buffalo he had ever
seen. It kneeled and Lee, carrying the lifeless body of the
man he loved, mounted his back. The beast rose in the air,
higher and higher. Somehow Lee understood Tatanka was
being taken to theabove, the destination of spirits of the
departed.

"Hiya dehan nayi iyaye sni, do!" "No it's not time for him

to die!" Lee shouted. "We got too much to do, too much to
say. No! You can't have him!"

The ascent of the huge animal slowed and then stopped

altogether. Then it disappeared. Lee was falling, still holding
Tatanka tightly to his chest. He could see the village below,
getting larger and larger as they hurtled to the ground. The
tipi came into focus. Lee closed his eyes.

Lee woke with a start. He was breathing heavily. He could

feel Tatanka's body spooned against his. He became aware
that the brave had reached up and encircled the cowboy's
hand, which still covered Tatanka's heart, with his, Lee kissed
the back of Tatanka's neck and fell asleep once more.

* * * *

For three days Lee remained with Tatanka. He was not

given food, only a strange tasting liquid that made him sleep.
When he did wake, he tried to discern if there was any

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by Terry O'Reilly

change in his lover. He seemed to be breathing regularly and
he appeared to be cooler. Lee also was aware every time he
awoke the women and the shaman seemed to have not
moved at all.

On the morning of the fourth day, Lee opened his eyes to

see the face of his man in front of his.

"Hau, sleepy one."
"Tanka!"
Lee sat up and took Tatanka in his arms. The Indian

winced at the embrace.

"Oh, sorry." Lee pulled back.
Then with a lighter touch, he held him. Lee looked around.

They were alone. He gently kissed him and tears came to his
eyes. He had been repressing the fear he would never again
experience such a moment.

"How do you feel?"
"Weak, tired. You?"
"Hungry," Lee responded.
"Hungry enough to eat prairie dog?"
Lee laughed and kissed Tatanka again. "Yes! Hungry

enough to eat prairie dog."

At that moment two of the women returned. They didn't

react to the display of affection between the two men. They
carried bowls of a warm broth, thin strips of meat and flat
bread.

"Wote oraako codaa." Don't eat fast, the women warned.
It was hard for Lee not to. He felt like he hadn't eaten in

months. Tatanka on the other hand managed only a few
mouthfuls.

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As the men were eating, the tent flap opened once more

and the shaman entered. Tatanka's brother followed him.

The siblings stared at each other without any sign of

emotion. Finally, the shaman picked up Lee's clothes and
handed them to him, gesturing he should put them on.

"Hiahaa hdeska cia niya u." The shaman indicated Tanka's

brother.

Wonder what Spotted Owl wants with me? Lee mused as

he pulled on his pants and shirt. He looked at Tatanka, who
nodded and gestured to the door. Spotted Owl left first and
Lee followed. He was very unsteady from the days of
inactivity and the lack of food.

Twice he staggered and had to steady himself against the

side of a tipi. Spotted Owl made no effort to help him. Along
the way, braves, women and children turned to watch them.
They nodded in deference to Spotted Owl. Lee guessed he
was now chief. They walked toward a tent that was larger
than the others. Spotted Owl entered and motioned for Lee to
follow.

Inside the tipi a fire burned low. There was a bed of animal

skins, on the sides hung bows and quivers of arrows. Spotted
Owl sat and indicated Lee do the same. They sat in silence for
a long time. Lee studied Spotted Owl's face. He resembled
Tatanka. There was no doubt that they were brothers.

"I am chief now," Spotted Owl said in Dakota.
"I figured."
"Tatanka cannot be chief."
Ah, so that was what this was all about.

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"We didn't come off the mountain for that. We were on our

way south." Lee struggled with the Dakota tongue to get his
points across.

"Ah, that is good," said Spotted Owl. "If Tatanka stay here

he will be chief and marry woman. Or he must live as woman-
man, he must become Winkte. You want that, White man?"

Lee felt his anger rising. "I love your brother. He is as

good a man as any. This woman-man stuff is shit for all I
care."

Spotted Owl laughed. "It is the way of our people. But

since you leave it will not be a problem."

"You bet we're leaving as soon as Tanka can travel."
"Was'te. Good. Uapa caaduhupa . All is good between us.

We smoke sacred pipe."

"Yeah, I will smoke your fuckin' peace pipe," Lee

murmured in English. "Hau," he said in Dakota.

Spotted Owl rose and retrieved a pipe from where it hung

on the wall. He filled it from a pouch next to the bed. He lit it
with a faggot from the fire. He took a long draw and handed
the pipe to Lee.

Lee took a long draw as well and inhaled deeply. Almost

immediately he felt his head spin and a feeling of well being
come over him. "Hey, this is good stuff," he mumbled.

The lack of food was definitely affecting his reaction to the

pipe.

Spotted Owl kept encouraging him to smoke. He stood

over Lee and pulled his beaded deerskin shirt off over his
head.

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"Wow, Tanka, you put on a bit of weight. Nice muscles.

Wait, you're not Tanka, you just look like him."

Spotted Owl put the pipe back in Lee's mouth and he took

another deep draft.

Spotted owl raised Lee's arms and removed his shirt. Lee

felt himself responding. It had been so long. He needed Tanka
so bad.

The man standing over him now removed his breech clout

and leggings. His hard penis rose from a thick matting of
black hair.

"Hey, Tanka, your dick is thicker and shorter. And where

did you get all that hair?" Lee slurred drunkenly. He laid back,
pulled his pants down and spread his legs. "Tanka, do it. I
need it."

Spotted Owl laughed as he knelt and forced his dick into

Lee's ass.

"Oh man you're so fuckin' big. When did you get so big ...

man, it feels so good. Tanka, was'tecidake, I love you, man."

Spotted Owl laughed again and thrust deeply into Lee,

harder and faster. At some point Lee arched his back, cried
Tanka's name and shot his cum all over Spotted Owl and
himself. Spotted Owl followed suit and climaxed with a roar of
victory.

"Niya wiayaa-wic'asa, now you woman-man too," roared

Spotted Owl with a derisive laugh. "Niya wiayaa-wic'asa."

"I love you, Tanka," mumbled Lee.

* * * *

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by Terry O'Reilly

When Lee woke up, he didn't know where he was. He

looked for Tatanka, but he wasn't there. He looked around
the tipi. This wasn't right. Then, as if a fog were lifting, he
began to remember. He had come here with Spotted Owl.
They had smoked the sacred pipe and then they had....

"Oh, my God!" Lee roared in anguish. "Holy Jesus! Oh,

shit, shit, damn, shit!" Lee screamed over and over. "What've
I done?"

Lee stood up and tried to walk, but his legs were unsteady.

Something felt odd. He looked down. He was wearing a dress.
He looked frantically around for his clothes.

They were nowhere to be seen.
"Shit!" He screamed again.
He stumbled out of the tipi. His screams had attracted a

crowd of children and women. He almost fell backward into
the tent when he saw them. He had to find Tatanka.

"Ai miye Tatanka. Take me to Tatanka," he said with

downcast eyes. He could feel shame burning his cheeks.

A small boy came forward, the one that had held Ranger

on the day he and Tanka arrived in the village. He took Lee's
hand and led him through the labyrinth of tents. As they
walked, Lee could feel all eyes on him. He tried not to look
up. The boy finally led him to a tipi that he recognized.

"Wopida Hoksi'na, Thank you, Boy," Lee whispered in

gratitude. He entered the tent. He saw Tatanka who was
sitting with the shaman, eating from a bowl. He threw himself
down on the ground before him.

"Lee Masters!" Tatanka said in surprise. "What has

happened?"

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by Terry O'Reilly

Lee crawled toward his lover and curled into a ball at his

feet. Great retching sobs came from his throat.

"I'm sorry, thought it was you, pipe made me think it was

you. I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Tatanka, with some difficulty, pulled Lee into his arms.

"Tell me!"

Lee related how he had gone with Spotted Owl, smoked

the drug and his subsequent seduction, how Spotted Owl's
resemblance to Tatanka had befuddled him. Tears and cries
of remorse punctuated his sentences.

Tatanka rocked Lee back and forth as if trying to soothe a

child. At the same time he translated to the shaman Lee's
story. Without saying a word, the shaman rose and left the
tent.

Lee tried to get control over his emotions. "Tanka, you

gotta believe me. I never woulda done that if I ... Shit ... I
thought it was you." And he started crying again.

Now I deserve this fuckin' dress, I'm cryin' like a girl, Lee

thought. "Niya wiayaa-wic'asa, now I'm a woman-man."

"No," intoned Tatanka. "No. You not do this willingly, you

tricked. Spotted Owl trick you to make you feel shame. He do
this to hurt us both. He must face elder's council."

"But he's the chief," said Lee, confused.
"Chief must have yuonihaa, honor. To do this you is not

honor. He must face council."

The shaman came back into the tent. He had a set of

leggings, breechclout and moccasins. Tatanka's mother
followed with a beaded deerskin shirt. These were given to
Lee with words of apology and shame for her son's actions.

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Tatanka's mother averted her eyes and kept her head bowed.
Her son had not behaved as a chief. He had dishonored her.

Lee quickly changed out of the dress and into the men's

clothing. Tatanka stood, with difficulty, and helped him with
the unfamiliar garments. Lee briefly wondered where his
clothes were. He wondered, for the first time, what had
happened to the gear he had left behind during the
stampede. It seemed his former life had been completely
stripped from him.

* * * *

Over the next few days Tatanka got stronger. The two men

left the tipi for walks in the afternoon when the weather was
warm. As they walked, Tatanka was greeted by almost
everyone they passed. It was evident to Lee that his partner
was well liked ... even respected. Lee thought about this in
light of the fact that Tatanka was a woman-man in the eyes
of his tribe. Lee began to wonder if, when the elder's council
met, they would not be persuaded to make him chief.

On one of their walks, Lee saw some of the tipis were

being taken down. He asked Tatanka about this.

"The buffalo are moving. The people will follow."
The next day, as they sat by the fire in the tipi, the

shaman entered. "Iyehaatu, it is time," he said and motioned
for them to follow him. As they walked, the people, men,
women, children, all the tribe seemed to be lining the way to
the council tent. A brave stood on either side of the entrance
to the tent.

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They arrived at the same time as Spotted Owl, whom Lee

hadn't seen since the day he'd spent in the chief's tipi. As
they met at the door, he flared his eyes at Lee and curled his
lip in a sneer. Tatanka stopped and let his brother enter
before him. Spotted Owl was chief.

The inside of the tipi was dark. A low fire burned in the

central fire pit. Around the sides were about two-dozen men.
They seemed to range in age from that of Tatanka to very
old. The shaman was among them. They all wore eagle
feather headdress. Spotted Owl sat so there was space
between him and the men on either side. This seemed to
highlight his position in the council as chief. Tatanka took a
seat in the circle. He indicated Lee should stand behind him.

For a long time no one spoke and nothing seemed to be

happening. Then a brave standing in the shadow's came
forward with a sacred pipe. Lee involuntarily recoiled.

The pipe was lighted and given to Spotted Owl. He in turn

passed it to the man on his right. When all except Lee had
taken a draw on the pipe, it was returned to the brave.

After another period of silence, one of the oldest men

spoke. Tatanka motioned Lee to kneel behind him so he could
translate. Lee was grateful, as he was having a hard time
keeping up with the rapidly spoken Dakota.

"It has been said," the old man began, "that Spotted Owl

has not kept the pledge of honor as chief. What say you,
Spotted Owl?"

Spotted Owl looked directly at his brother and then at Lee.

With that same sneer he'd had on his face when he entered

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the tipi, he addressed the group. "I invited that man to my
tipi to share a pipe. He is the lover of my brother."

Lee ran his eyes around the council as these words were

translated. There was no reaction.

"I wanted to know him and make him welcome."
That lying scum, Lee reacted.
"When we had smoked and talked we slept. During the

sleep, he revealed himself to be two spirited and tried to
make me so as well."

"That's not.... "Lee began. Tatanka raised his hand to

silence him.

"He overpowered me and forced me to unite with him."
Lee felt the anger rising within him. He looked around the

council. All were silent.

Then the old man who had addressed Spotted Owl turned

to Lee.

"Hiasma Maku," he said addressing him by his Dakota

name, "tell what you will."

Tatanka rose and stood beside Lee.
"I will talk your words. Lee, do not be angry in your voice.

Just tell truth. It is well."

Lee, mustering all the self-control he could manage, told

his side of the story. While Tatanka translated, Lee watched
Spotted Owl, who narrowed his eyes and flared his nostrils.

When Tatanka was finished, he sat down. Lee stood beside

him. There was another long silence. Then the old man once
again spoke: this time to the shaman.

"Tell us what you know of this, Wise Eagle."

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Wise Eagle told of Lee's return to the tipi, his anguish, his

apologies to Tatanka. Then he said, "I went to Spotted Owl.
He told me the same story he has told here. I asked him why
he took the white man's clothes. He said to show he too was
woman-man like his brother."

The shaman sat down in the council circle. The older man

nodded to Lee. Tatanka said, "You must wait outside. The
council will decide."

The council will decide what? Lee thought to himself as he

ducked and left the tipi.

Outside, life seemed to be going on as usual. Tipis were

being taken down in preparation for the trek to follow the
buffalo. Lee wondered where the inhabitants of the
dismantled tipis stayed until the exodus began.

For the time being he paced around outside the council

tent. Finally exhausted, he sat and rested his head on his
knees. He dozed off, only to be awakened by a gentle licking
of his face. A small dog was washing him with his tongue. Lee
opened his eyes and gathered the wriggling puppy into his
arms.

"Hey, s'unka, how are you"?
The small boy, who had led Lee back to the healing tipi

after his encounter with Spotted Owl, sat beside him. Lee
smiled and his smile was returned.

"Taku enic'yapi? What's your name?" Lee asked.
"Istaime s'unka."
"Sleeps With Dog?" Lee responded.
"Hau. Taku enic'yapi?" asked the boy.

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"My name? Enic'yapi Hiasma Maku," said Lee, giving the

boy the name Tatanka had given him: Hairy Chest.

The boy arched his eyebrows as if he couldn't understand.

Lee pulled up his shirt, revealing his matt of curly black hair.
Sleeps With Dog laughed and pulled on the hairs. "Hiasma
Maku, Hiasma Maku," he repeated over and over, giggling.

They sat for a long while. Lee began to doze.
"U wote, ciaksit."
Lee opened his eyes and looked up. Tatanka's mother

stood before them. "Come eat, son," she said again in
Dakota.

Lee didn't want to leave the council tipi, but he had

learned much about the ways of his lover's people. This was
the widow of the former chief. The mother of the present
chief ... no matter which of her sons was chosen. He obeyed.

"Wopida, Ina," Lee said, showing his thanks and

acknowledging the woman was offering him the honor of
being his mother; recognizing his relationship to her son.
"Thank you, Mother."

Lee rose and followed her among the tipis. The boy

followed behind. They came to the tent he surmised the
woman had shared with her husband, and where Tatanka and
Spotted Owl had been raised as children. He bowed low and
entered.

Inside, the light was dim. It took him several seconds to

accustom himself to the lack of light. When he did, he saw a
cooking fire burning low as well as other articles showing the
way of life in the tribe. Something at the side of the entry
caught his eye. There, neatly piled, were his saddle, rifle, the

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by Terry O'Reilly

robes and other items that he had left behind in his haste to
get to Tatanka during the stampede.

Tatanka's mother motioned for him to sit by the fire. She

brought him bowls filled with buffalo meat, and a paste of
some sort, which Lee surmised was made of some kind of
crushed plant. Although he didn't think he was hungry, he ate
with relish once he started.

The woman sat across from him and smiled as he enjoyed

his meal. When he had finished, she nodded and indicated he
could leave. It was as if she knew being near the council tent
was important to him.

Sleeps With Dog and his puppy were waiting outside. They

rose to greet Lee. He wondered where they lived and if they
had had dinner, too. As he started walking back toward the
council tent, they followed him.

Lee, the boy and the puppy took up their post at the

entrance to the tent. The two braves that had been guarding
the entryway from the beginning were still there. As if
something silent and invisible had moved among the tribe,
people began to assemble. They stood quietly, but there was
an air of anticipation. Lee rose and stood with them.

After about fifteen minutes, the braves guarding the tent

reached down and pulled the entry flaps back. One by one the
elders and braves of the council emerged. Some looked
solemnly toward Lee and nodded. Others ignored him.

The brave that had tended the sacred pipe came out

followed by Spotted Owl. Lee suppressed a gasp. Tanka's
brother no longer wore the eagle feather headdress, or the
beaded deerskin shirt. He walked past the assembled people

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with head held high and an expressionless mask on his face.
He did not look in Lee's direction.

Then the shaman, Wise Eagle, and the elder who had led

the inquiry, emerged. They stood on either side of the
entrance. They were followed by Tatanka. He was wearing the
headdress and beaded shirt that had been worn by Spotted
Owl. He stopped and stood upright and proud. The people
responded with murmurs of ascent.

Tatanka iåyaåke was chief. What did that mean for Lee?

* * * *

That night, alone in the tent that had belonged to Spotted

Owl, they made love for the first time since the accident. Lee
had been reluctant at first for several reasons: it was here
that he had been seduced by Tatanka's brother, Tatanka was
now chief, and finally his concern over Tatanka's healing. All
these reservations were swiftly overcome as Lee's need to be
reunited with his man rose to the fore.

Being careful not to disturb the wound on his lover's back,

Lee lay on his side and brought one leg up to his chest.
Tatanka spooned in behind and entered Lee's body. The
Indian reached across Lee's hips and grasped his fully erect
cock. With a rhythm that came from familiarity, the men
reestablished their physical love: their mutual orgasms
attesting to the unity of their souls.

Now, they lay together under a buffalo sleeping robe in the

light of a low fire in the pit. Lee stroked Tatanka's soft hair,
while Running Buffalo entwined his fingers in the hair of Lee's
chest.

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"Tell me what happened," Lee murmured.
Tatanka hadn't said much since emerging from the council

tent. He had led Lee to this place. Before entering, he had
turned to the crowd that had followed them and said in
Dakota, "I am now your chief. I will take my rest and in the
morning I will talk more. Go now and be at peace."

"After you leave," Tatanka began, "the elders talk much

about Spotted Owl and you. Some say you put spell on him.
Most say no. They say he act out of hate. That he dishonor
himself as chief. They vote. He not chief."

"That means..." Lee was hesitant to ask the question, even

though he knew the answer.

"Hau, I am chief," Tatanka said, with a heavy voice.
Lee waited, knowing his friend would go on when he was

ready.

After a time, Tatanka sighed deeply and began. "The

council talk for many hour about me and you. They not sure
that it be good for chief to have man for mate. And if I am
Winkte then I cannot have mate at all even if I not chief.
They say can be woman-man but not have man mate."

"Fuck! That don't even make sense. Seems ta me it'd be

better for you to be a man with a man, than that woman-man
thing."

"That is what I say, too. Wise Eagle say this, too. But ways

of the Dakota run deep."

"Whadda ya gonna do?"
"Tomorrow I gather people together. I tell them I love

them and would be chief but cannot. I tell them find new
chief. I tell them I will go with you."

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Lee sighed and drew Tatanka into a deep embrace.
"You're sure?" Lee whispered. He loved this man with all

his heart, but didn't want to come between him and his
people.

"Makoce nupa umanipi, Was'sichu Ahan Hiasma Maku

Supa. We walk in two worlds, White Man with Black Hairy
Chest. We find a world where we can walk together ... with
pride."

Lee felt the love for Tatanka rise in his chest. He pulled the

brave to him again and kissed him.

* * * *

The next morning, Tatanka stood before his assembled

people. He was holding the headdress and beaded shirt,
insignias of the office he now held, in his hand. He asked Lee
to stand with him.

In a strong, steady voice, he explained to the group he

could not be their chief: that he respected the way of the
people too much to insist on being chief in his way with Lee
by his side. They would now call a council and a new dynasty
would be formed: a new chief would be chosen. There was no
grumbling or protest, just quiet acceptance. This was the way
it was. Tatanka handed the headdress and shirt to Wise
Eagle. Wise Eagle embraced the young brave.

"You take care of my mother," Tanka said to Wise Eagle.
The Shaman nodded.
As Tatanka and Lee left the assembly, Lee asked, "Now

what?"

"We go."

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They went to Tatanka's mother's tipi and gathered their

belongings. Tatanka held his mother for a long time. When he
released her, she turned to Lee. She held out her arms. Lee
stepped into them, struggling not to cry. When she stepped
back there were tears in her eyes.

"Shouldn't we help her with the tipi? The tribe is moving."
"It will be taken care of," Tatanka assured him.
Then they went to the horse line where they found Ranger.

He nickered as he saw them. Lee saddled him, while Tatanka
arranged the gear into a pack to put on the animal's back.

As they were doing this a brave came forward, leading two

horses: an overo paint of good size and bone and a smaller
palomino. He stopped before Tatanka.

In Dakota he spoke, "Your mother says to take these

horses. They are yours by birthright. They will make your
journey easier."

"Hau," responded Tatanka with a nod.
He turned to Lee and smiled. "Now you not be bother have

me on your back."

"I'm gonna have you on my back soon enough," Lee said

with an evil grin.

Everywhere Lee looked, preparations were being made for

the tribe to follow the buffalo.

Tatanka had said they would travel with the people until

their ways parted. They rode out with the tribe. After riding
for several miles, the men continued south while the people
turned more southwest. After a short distance the hills
obscured their view.

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Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

Part Three: Traveling South

They rode in silence. Lee didn't want to intrude on

Tatanka's thoughts.

Then Tatanka asked, "Where we go?"
"Oklahoma Territory."
"You know this place?"
"Nope, never been ... but its south, so it'd be warm."
Tatanka trusted Lee. Lee turned to take one last look back

to see if he could see the tribe. He squinted at the horizon.
There was a small cloud of dust being kicked up by
something. At first he thought it might be a dust devil, but it
kept moving closer and at a fast pace.

"Tanka, whadaya make a that?"
Tatanka turned and looked back. "Rider."
They reined in their horses. The speck got bigger. "Pony,"

said Tatanka.

"Shit, that looks like a kid," Lee added. "Hey, that's Sleeps

With Dog."

The boy on the pony galloped up and came to an abrupt

stop with a big grin on his face.

"What are you doing here?" asked Lee in Dakota, smiling

at the boy.

"I'm coming with you. Tatanka is my chief."
Tatanka smiled and said, "I'm not the chief anymore. You

go back. Your parents will be worried."

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"No parents. Mother died when I was born. Father was

killed in buffalo hunt. You be my father now." Sleeps With
Dog smiled an endearing childish smile.

Life was so simple when you looked at it his way. Just then

his puppy poked his head out of Sleeps With Dog's carry bag
and barked.

Lee and Tatanka stared from the boy to each other and

back again.

That night, they made camp in a grove of trees near a

stream. The men prepared supper, while the boy and the
puppy played near the bank.

"You ready to be a daddy?" asked Lee.
"You ready?"
"I asked you first."
"Tribe travel many miles today. Not know which way after

we leave. Take long time to find."

Lee figured Tatanka was saying he was ready for

fatherhood.

"I don't know," said Lee. "I'm not sure this is a good idea."
"You not want to be father, Lee Masters?"
"I dunno? I never figured I would be since I ain't gonna be

married to no woman."

"I want be father since young man," said Tatanka,

wistfully. "Maybe this be only way."

Lee was hesitant. "Well, if you think we can handle this?"

He looked at the boy. He was so innocent, so accepting.
"Congratulations, Dad," he said and pulled Tatanka into a
bear hug.

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After supper they prepared for bed. Sleeps With Dog was

so tired he dropped right off to sleep on the bed they had
prepared for him on one side of the fire. The puppy was
curled up under his chin. The boy's name fit him. Lee and
Tatanka sat by the fire watching the flames. Each man
seemed lost in his own thoughts.

Well, if Tanka wants to be a dad, then I can do this, Lee

thought. Heck, I thought the kid was real cute back at the
village when he helped me find my way around.

He looked over at Tatanka. Tatanka was facing the boy. He

had a peaceful smile on his face. Maybe this'll work. If Tanka
has a son, then he won't resent us being together later when
he wishes he had one.

They lay down for the night. As soon as they were under

the robes, Tatanka reached for Lee. He pulled him close and
kissed him, fondling his balls and prick. Lee froze.

"What wrong, Lee Masters?"
"The kid's right over there."
Tatanka looked confused. "Hau."
"Well, he might see us."
"How is this bad?"
Lee sighed. "He might see us ... you know ... fuckin'."
"Is that problem?"
"Well, yes!"
"Why, Lee Masters?"
"It just is. Ain't it a problem for you?"
"No, should be?"
Lee was exasperated, "Well, yeah!"
"Lee Masters never see parents make love?"

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"Hell no! Have you?"
Tatanka laughed quietly. "Hau, yes. Much time."
"Didn't that bother you?"
"No, how else you learn? We sleep in same tipi, we know

what they do. It good. Make you know what to do when you
have woman."

"Yeah, but we're two men!"
"That make no difference. Sleeps With Dog find out what

he like when he grow."

Everything for the Indians was so simple, so black and

white. They didn't mess things up by thinking about them too
much. Still, Lee was not sure.

"All right," said his brave, "you come."
Tatanka took the robes and headed off into the trees. He

found a secluded spot and laid the robes out on the ground.
He held up his arms to Lee. With one last look back at the fire
just barely visible through the trees, Lee relented and gave in
to his needs. Kisses were followed by union, followed by the
sharing of their seed. Silently, they made their way back to
the fire to sleep in each other's arms.

* * * *

"Hihana was'te!" shouted Sleeps With Dog as he jumped

onto the sleeping men.

"Jesus!" Lee shouted.
"Good Morning." Sleeps With Dog's greeting was followed

by that of the puppy. Lee's face now wasn't in need of a
morning rinsing.

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"You have fun in the trees last night?" the boy asked in

Dakota.

Tatanka looked at Lee and smiled. Lee smiled back, though

his face was reddening.

As they packed the horses for the day's ride, Lee stooped

to pet the puppy that was now pulling furiously on the ropes
of one of the packs.

"Whatdaya call this thing?" Lee asked in Dakota.
Sleeps With Dog smiled and picked up his puppy, hugging

it. "Ceiyapi S'uakpadaa Cistiana."

"So, his name is Small Puppy," Lee said, scratching the

dog's ears as it fought to free itself from the boy's arms, the
puppy growling as he did. Don't think that's gonna fit fer too
long. He's got some big paws there.

A short time later they were on their way, moving steadily

south, but without much real direction or destination in mind.

"We oughta be teaching that boy some English," Lee said

off handedly to Tatanka as they rode. "Might make it easier
for him down the road."

"Hau," agreed the Indian. Immediately he dropped back to

where the boy was riding and began instruction.

"Well, dang, I didn't mean right this minute," Lee said with

a chuckle. But he too reined back and rode on the opposite
side of Sleeps With Dog.

The combination of Sleeps With Dog's age, intelligence and

the fact Tatanka could translate what Lee said in English,
proved to be a powerful teaching tool. The boy soaked up the
lessons like the desert soil rain after a sudden shower. He
begged for more and more "Lee talk", as he called English.

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Even by the end of the first day he was speaking many
words. When he came to a word or phrase he didn't know, he
would say it in Dakota and look to Tatanka or Lee to translate
and immediately use it in English.

As they moved farther into the Oklahoma territory, they

came across small Indian villages. They often stopped and
although these were not Dakota, they learned through the
common sign language that these people, of many different
tribes, had been relocated by the U. S. government to make
way for the expansion of settlers into the south and central
part of the continent. They met Choctaw, Chickasaw,
Cherokee, Creek and Seminole. Sometimes Lee, Tatanka and
Sleeps With Dog were asked to be guests of the village. At
other times they didn't feel welcome and just moved on. They
were careful to conceal the nature of their relationship.

* * * *

After a month of travel, they came over a rise and saw a

small farm. As they rode toward it, Lee saw a boy run into the
house upon spotting them. When they rode into the yard, the
door of the cabin opened and a man with a rifle stepped out
on the porch.

The party reined up.
"Mornin' friend," Lee said in greeting. "Name's Lee Masters

and this 'ere's ma pardner Runnin' Buffalo and our boy Sleeps
With Dog."

The man didn't respond. He just looked from one of the

intruders to the other with suspicious, narrow eyes.

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"Uh..." Lee stammered. "We was just wonderin' if there's a

town nearby somewheres?"

"Yep."
Lee sighed, "Well, ya mind tellin' us how we might find it?"
"What fer?"
Ah, he can talk, thought Lee.
"Well, we was figurin' to get us a job of some sort and

maybe find us a place to settle down."

"I wouldn't do that if I was you," the man offered.
Lee was about to shoot back an irritated 'Why not?' when

Sleeps With Dog spoke in almost perfect English, "Can your
son come to play? I have puppy named Small Puppy. He is
fun to run with. I see your boy when we ride in."

Lee's mouth dropped open, as did the man with the gun.

Tatanka just sat and beamed with fatherly pride.

"Well, I'll be damned. The little savage can talk English.

Mama! ... Mama you come on out here. You gotta hear this."

Lee was taken aback. The words spoken by Sleeps With

Dog, as if a magical incantation, had changed the atmosphere
completely.

A woman, very pretty, but work worn, came out of the

cabin. She was holding a baby in her arms.

"Mama," the man said again. Listen to this Injun kid. Say it

again for her.... Uh? Whatcher name agin?"

"My name is Sleeps With Dog. I would like play with your

boy, if that alright. Please, pretty lady."

"Don't that beat all! You were right Mama, some of um can

learn to be civil."

Lee and Tatanka exchanged glances, but said nothing.

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The woman turned to the door. "Benjamin. You come on

out here. There's someone here wants to meet ya."

The boy came out of the house. "Howdy," he said with a

smile.

"You all git down off them horses and set a spell," the man

said, "I'm Jethro Johnson and this 'ere's my wife Annie. The
baby is Pearl and you met Ben."

"Jethro, you and Ben show um where to put up their

horses. I'm gonna get us some dinner," Annie said with
enthusiasm. "It's been ages since we had company. I'm so
glad you stopped by."

Still taken aback by the sudden turn of events, Lee kind of

shook his head and dismounted. Tatanka and Sleeps With
Dog followed suit. Jethro and Ben came forward, shook hands
and led them off to the coral where the horses were given
water and hay. Behind the coral was a small barn with a pen
that held a cow, some pigs and chickens. Jethro indicated
they should stow their gear in there.

These chores accomplished, they came back to sit on the

porch. Annie had a pitcher of water and glasses there. The
water had been flavored with fruit of some kind and
sweetened with sugar. The men sat and talked while Ben,
Sleeps With Dog and the puppy played in the yard.

During the course of the afternoon and during the dinner,

which was lovingly prepared and served, they learned much
of the territory. While Lee showed Sleeps With Dog and
Tatanka how to use the White man's silverware, they
discovered the U. S. government had opened the territory to
settlement after they had also designated it as a relocation

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by Terry O'Reilly

site for many Native American tribes. For the most part these
tribes were peaceful and did not cause problems for anyone.
They kept to themselves and were trying to work out new
lives here. Lee and Tatanka had already known this from the
peoples they had met on their trip.

What they were learning now was that further west, the

atmosphere was not as peaceful. The Creek, Comanche, and
Apache were not as amenable to intrusion into their land.
They had caused many problems for the settlers and the
relocated tribes. They had raided villages and burned
homesteads. The settlers were worried because, with rumors
of civil war in the east, they were afraid the troops would be
pulled out. These troops were largely responsible for keeping
the peace and protecting all concerned.

After dinner was finished, the Johnsons encouraged Lee,

Tatanka and Sleeps With Dog to stay the night. The men were
put up in the barn. Sleeps With Dog would bunk with his new
friend in the house.

"Well, that explains why Jethro was so suspicious when we

rode up," Lee mused.

"Hau, now he seem fine with us here."
When they were stretched out and in each other's arms

under their buffalo robes, Lee wondered if it had been wise to
come here after all. Although Jethro seemed alright with them
now, what he had said about the climate of the area with
regards to whites and Indians had Lee worried. Not only were
he and Tatanka of different cultures which could offend both
sides, they were lovers. That could offend everyone.

Lee drifted off.

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

* * * *

The next morning they rose with the sun. They got their

gear ready to load on the horses and walked toward the
house.

"Well, I guess we better be going on," Lee said to Jethro

who was headed for the barn to milk the cow.

"Oh, no, not yet!" came Jethro's reply. "Annie's made you

a big breakfast. Y'all have no idea what your visit's meant to
her. She's been mighty lonely out here."

With no heavy time schedule and no real destination, the

trio was happy to have another good meal and some time to
plan.

The meal was a time of good fellowship and lots of good

food. Half way through the meal, Sleeps With Dog seemed to
be urging Benjamin to speak up.

"Ah, Pa ... Ma," the boy started.
"Yes, son," said Jethro looking at his son.
"Uh ... I was wonderin' if ... Well ... I was just ah

wonderin'...."

Sleeps With Dog, evidently impatient, blurted out, "Want

Benjamin to come with us!"

Annie and Jethro, as well as Tatanka and Lee all stopped

eating. They all started to protest the youngsters' plan.

The boys looked crestfallen.
Tatanka came to the rescue. "We honored that you want

be with us, Benjamin. But right now we not sure where we
go."

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

Both boys started to talk at once. Tatanka held up his

hand. They were silent.

"Maybe, one day, when we have home, like you, you come

and see if you still want be there. Right now your father and
mother have need of you."

"Aw gee," Benjamin said.
Sleeps With Dog said nothing. He still regarded Tatanka as

chief; accepting his word as law.

Annie's eyes told her emotions. She said, 'thank you,' with

them, louder than with her voice.

As the meal wound down, Jethro asked Lee to take a walk

with him outside.

As they strolled around the small farm, the man turned to

Lee and said, "The closest town is Bethel. There's a church
and a store and a saloon and a couple a other places there.
There's a couple a big ranches around there, too."

"Sounds just right," said Lee.
"Well, not so fast. Tell me just what is going on 'tween you

and the Injun."

Lee hesitated. He didn't know what to say. Jethro had

been a friend to this point.

"Well, we're pardners."
"Meanin''?"
"Shit, we're ... well we're...."
"Like me n Annie, only you're men."
"Ah ... yeah." Lee looked down.
"Hey, if that's the way it is, you gotta not be shamed by it

or, man, you're in big trouble. But I gotta warn you, Bethel is

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

... well, Bethel might not be the best place to be if you all're
... together.'"

They walked for a while longer. Lee considered what his

new friend had told him. "Well, if that's the only place around,
I guess we gotta test the waters and see. But thanks."

"Just wanted ya ta know."
They returned to the house. Tatanka and Sleeps With Dog

had saddled up the horses. They all hugged one another as if
they'd been friends for a long time. Annie was especially
grateful for the time they'd spent together. She insisted they
promise to come back soon. Sleeps With Dog and Benjamin
were glad to make that promise.

Good-byes were said and the trio left the farm. Lee rode in

silence, while Tatanka and the boy laughed and talked about
the visit with the Johnsons. He had decided not to tell
Tatanka and Sleeps With Dog what he had learned. Maybe it
would be All right after all. No sense gittin' things all stirred
up fer nothin.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

Part Four: Bethel

The town was not quite a day's ride from the Johnson's

homestead. It was just getting on to sunset when Lee and the
Indians rode up the dusty, rutted road to the top of the hill
overlooking the little town. They could see a couple of
buildings. The church stood out prominently at the end of the
main street.

"Don't look like much," Lee voiced his opinion.
"Uh," was Tatanka's only comment.
They rode down the hill into town. Lee was looking for a

livery where they could board their horses and maybe a
boarding house or hotel where they could spend the night. He
had the pay that the foreman had nearly thrown at him in
disgust when he had left the high pasture camp. He figured
he'd spend it on a night in town, before they found a place to
camp nearby while they decided what to do next.

As they rode down the street, the few citizens that were

out at the dinner hour turned and stared at them. Lee smiled
and nodded as if he knew each and every one. No use gittin'
off on the wrong foot. Tatanka and Sleeps With Dog rode in
expressionless silence.

"Pardon me, friend," Lee said, addressing a man standing

on the wooden sidewalk, "there a livery in this town?"

"Who ya callin' friend? Do I know you?" said the man.
"Well, no, me and my friends just got into town and...."

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

"Ain't no friend if you're hooked up with them murderin',

thievin' devils." And the man spat on the ground in front of
the horses.

Lee fought to stay in control. "Hey, mister ... Look, no call

for you to...."

The man spat again and walked away.
Lee turned to his companions, his face showing his anger.

Tatanka smiled and said in Dakota. "They are afraid. They
have been treated badly by our brothers as Johnson told us.
Do not take offense."

Lee shook his head. "Dang if you ain't got the soul of a

saint."

They continued down the street. As they did, they kept

getting stares and frowns. Finally they found the livery. Lee
dismounted.

"You all stay 'ere." Lee was afraid the presence of the

Indians would garner another negative reaction. He
immediately regretted the need to separate himself from his
lover and their boy. He vowed he wouldn't make that decision
again.

"Ah ... you watch the horses, whiles I go in an' see if

they'll put um up," he added lamely, hoping they hadn't
caught the real reason he left them behind.

The cowboy entered the shop. It was a typical livery. Stalls

lined the walls. Many were empty. At the end was a forge and
behind it a mountain of a man. He had a red beard and wore
a leather apron. Around the fringes of the apron protruded
copious amounts of the same red hair as the beard. When he

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

saw Lee, he stopped his work and came around to meet him.
He had a broad smile on his handsome face.

"What can I do fer ya?"
Relieved by the man's friendly countenance, Lee said, "Me

and my friends just got to town and was wonderin' if you had
room for two horses and a pony. And ... one of the horses
could use a trim."

"Well, shore ... no prob—"
That was as far as the man got. He and Lee heard a

commotion outside the shop and rushed outside.

There they found a small crowd had gathered. They were

muttering and milling around Tatanka and the boy. Tatanka
held Sleeps With Dog against him protectively.

"What's goin' on 'ere!" roared the blacksmith as he and

Lee emerged from the building. At the same time he put his
hand on Lee's arm. He had instinctively reached for his
revolver.

"Caught these two thievin' redskins sneakin' around here.

We were just gonna take care of um for ya," shouted the man
they had talked with earlier in the street.

"Well, thankee, Kalub, but them's customers. So, you can

jist relax and go about your business."

The men exchanged looks and murmurs, but they seemed

to understand the red-bearded giant meant what he said, and
slowly drifted away.

"You two all right?" he asked Tatanka and Sleeps With

Dog, before turning to Lee and asked, "They savvy English?"

"Yes, we talk English," piped up Sleeps With Dog. "You talk

Dakota?"

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

They all laughed.
"Name's Nate Breurer," said the big man, extending his

hand to Lee, Tatanka and the boy in turn. Each of the trio
gave his name as they shook hands.

"And who's this?" Nate picked up the puppy that had crept

out from behind Sleeps With Dog and was cautiously sniffing
the big man's ankles.

"That Small Puppy," said the boy, proudly.
"Yeah, I can see that, "replied Nate, "but what's uh..." He

turned the puppy upside down, "...his name?"

"What I said: Small Puppy!" He added in Dakota,

"S'uakpadaa Cistiana."

"Oh, all right, I git cha. Pleased to mee'cha, Small Puppy."

The puppy licked his face and then began gnawing on his
hand. Nate laughed.

"You bring them horses in 'ere and we'll get 'em settled."
All three equines settled easily into their stalls. They dove

into the hay with relish.

The three men and the boy stood leaning against the

stalls, watching them.

Lee turned to Nate. "There a hotel or boarding house in

this town?"

"Naw, ain't a stage stop or nothing. You guys need a place

to stay, you can bunk with me. Ain't fancy, but comfortable."

"Hey, we been sleeping on the ground for a month, so it

ain't every day we get something else. But we don't wanta
put you out. We just met ya and all."

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

"Ya ain't gonna put me out none. Hell, I'd be glad o' the

company for a change. But" Nate apologized, "I only got two
beds."

"Well, if yer sure ... we'll figure out a way ta make it work,

thanks," Lee responded.

After making sure the horses were settled and the gear

was secured, the men and Sleeps With Dog made their way to
the house. Small Puppy followed behind.

Lee looked around. It was a man's house: nothing frivolous

or fancy. Nate took off his apron, revealing a massive, hairy
chest, put on a shirt and went to work getting together
something to eat. While he was getting dinner started, he set
three glasses on the table and a bottle of whiskey.

Lee smacked his lips. He hadn't had a drink since the night

he had overdone it and wound up losing his job for being
found in the same bunk with Kenny.

Tatanka raised his hand to indicate he didn't want any of

the drink. Lee felt a brief hesitation upon seeing this, but ...
hell ... it had been so long.

Lee and Nate had a drink. Nate fired up the stove and as

soon as it was hot, he began frying up some potatoes and
steaks. The smell of the cooking filled the room.

When the meal was ready, they all gathered at the big

wooden table. Nate poured himself and Lee another drink.
Lee was feeling the buzz from the first glass, but he was sure
with a little food in his stomach he could handle the second.

The blacksmith reached out and took Lee's and the boy's

hands. He indicated Tatanka should join the circle by taking
their other hands as well.

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

"Lord, for what we're 'bout to receive, make us truly

grateful. And, um, thankee for bringin' these friends to me
here. Amen"

Tatanka and Sleeps With Dog just grunted, but Lee said

"Amen" just a bit louder than needed, causing the other men
to look up at him and the boy to giggle.

The food was plentiful, if not fancy. While they ate, Lee

and Tanka explained, without going into too much detail, how
they came to be in Bethel and what they hoped to be able to
do from then on.

"Well, there's two big spreads 'round about here." Nate

poured a third drink for the two who were imbibing. "One's
north, that's Ed Bailey's place. The other's west 'n south:
that's Charlie Birk's. Know that they both need help, but..."
he looked at the Indians apologetically, "don't know that
they'll cotton onta you two, no offense."

"Why's that," said Lee, with just a slight slur in his voice.
"Well, we been having a bit a trouble with the Injuns that

live here abouts. Seems they don't much like the likes of you
and me comin' and takin' their land. Can you blame um?"

"No, tain't fair," Lee offered.
"Then the government moves them tribes from the east in

here, as well as the settlers and we got us a receipt for some
real trouble," Nate continued.

The conversation went on for about an hour more; with

the conclusion being that Lee would try to get work on one of
the ranches and Tatanka and Sleeps With Dog could help
Nate in the livery. They could bunk at Nate's until they
figured out what to do next.

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

Tatanka looked worried and offered that they leave. "If

these men know you have us to stay here, then they may not
want have you do work for them."

Nate brushed off this suggestion. "Both Ed and Charlie

know that I'm the only smith for miles. They ain't gonna do
nothing to me, no matter what they think about you."

Nate and Lee celebrated this decision with a fourth drink.

Nate seemed completely sober. Lee was another story. He
heard himself speaking loudly, laughing often and when he
asked what was making Sleeps With Dog giggle, the boy
responded that he looked funny on his face. When they went
outside to wash up in the water tank for the night and take a
piss, Tatanka had to help Lee with his buttons. Lee didn't
mind this at all and tried to kiss the brave in the process.
Tatanka smiled and tried to refocus his attention on the job at
hand.

Upon returning to the house, Nate suggested Tatanka and

the boy share a bed. Lee could have his bed and he would
sleep on the floor. Lee protested and there was a great deal
of arguing about that plan. In the end, Nate agreed to sleep
with Lee. The thought of sleeping with the big man made Lee
feel tight in the groin. He admonished himself for thinking
this.

Lee watched as Sleeps With Dog had a good time jumping

on the bed, while Small Puppy ran around in circles, barking
until Tatanka settled them down. He walked into the room
and embraced his lover; his mind fuzzy and his words slurred.
"I'm shore gonna miss you tonight," he breathed into the
Indian's ear, while grinding his dick against him; the whiskey

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

making him forget his hesitancy of showing such behavior in
front of the boy. Tatanka responded with a kiss.

Lee returned to the other bedroom, where he undressed

unsteadily and watched Nate strip to his shorts. Lee's cock
rose involuntarily at the sight of the handsome, muscular
man standing before him.

Lee watched as Nate walked forward. "Too bad you already

got yourself a man, cuz I could sure enjoy havin' you fer a
friend."

"Wadaya mean by that?"
Nate smiled and chuckled, "Anyone can see you two is in

love."

Lee blushed, despite the drink. Nate hugged him and gave

him a light kiss.

"Now, let's git to bed and tomorrow I'll see about getting

us some different sleeping arrangements. Don't see as how I
could hold out if we sleep like this every night."

Lee slept in Nate's arms. Both men were fully aroused, but

both knew the value of the commitment Lee had made to
Tatanka.

The next morning, Lee woke to a terrific headache and an

empty bed. He pulled on his pants and walked unsteadily to
the door. As he opened it, he was hit with the smell of bacon
grease and frying eggs. He ran out the back door as fast as
he could on his wobbly legs.

"Lee Masters's sick?" asked Sleeps With Dog.
Tatanka and Nate exchanged glances and smiled. "Yes,

S'unka," Tatanka answered, "Lee Masters sick."

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

After breakfast, which Lee skipped, they all went down to

the livery. Tatanka and Sleeps With Dog had cleaned up the
meal and were eager to learn what they would be doing for
Nate to help him with his business.

The horses were fed, watered and their stalls cleaned.

Fresh straw was spread, while the men and Sleeps With Dog
made plans for the day.

"I would suggest Charlie Birk first," Nate was saying. "Ed

has that fucker, Kalub O'Brian working for him. He's the guy
that was leading the charge in here last night. He's such a
shit. Don't want to go anywhere near him, if you can help it."

Lee accepted the advice. So, after the morning chores

were done, he mounted Ranger and headed south, following
the directions Nate gave him. As he rode along in the late
October sun, he thought about their first day in Bethel. They
had been challenged, accosted and befriended. But even in
the befriending, there had been difficulties. He had felt a
surge of desire for Nate, that, if not for Nate's integrity, Lee
would have given in to.

He knew Tatanka would have understood. The brave had

been raised to believe if you gave yourself to a man in need
of release, it was not wrong. However, if you satisfied your
needs with a man other than your lover ... "Well, that jist
ain't gonna happen." Lee expressed his thought out loud,
causing Ranger to rotate his ears toward Lee, as if wondering
if he was requesting some response from him.

After riding south for the time Nate had indicated, Lee saw

the cross-bar gate with the name of the spread attached to
the beam at the top ... 'CB'.

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

"C Bar B."
As he turned in the lane he took a deep breath and said a

prayer, both to God and the Great Spirit, whom he suspected
was the same entity anyway. He prayed that his reputation
from up north had not preceded him. He reached down and
patted Ranger on the neck. "Keep them hooves crossed."

The lane was long and winding. On either side were vast

pasturelands, now dry and brown with the approaching
change in season. Lee didn't see any cattle, but figured as
winter would be coming on, they might already be herded
into the winter range where they could be fed as needed.

Around a curve he saw a large barn, several out buildings,

including a bunkhouse and the main house. He didn't see any
people, but was greeted by a bevy of large dogs, all barking,
announcing his arrival.

Their racket caused the door to the house to open and a

large, pleasant woman to appear on the sweeping front
porch. "Can I help you?" she asked.

"Howdy, ma'am," Lee replied, taking off his hat and

dismounting. "I'm Lee Masters. Nathan Breurer figured you all
might be needing some help this winter."

"How is Nathan?" the plump woman replied with a smile,

which put Lee at ease.

"Jist fine, ma'am, jist fine."
"He's such a nice man: so kind and honest. We just are so

glad to have him here in Bethel."

"Yes, ma'am."
"Well, Mr. Masters. I'm Martha Birk. Mr. Birk is down in the

west pasture supervising the winter set-up. You can find him

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

down that lane about a mile from here." She indicated the
direction Lee should take.

"Thank you, Missus Birk. Pleased to make your

acquaintance."

Hope that ole man Birk is as nice as that lady, thought Lee

as he rode off.

After riding about the mile, Lee heard animal sounds.
"That ain't cattle, Ranger," Lee said to his horse. "That's

sheep."

Lee came over a small rise and there before him, as far as

he could see, were sheep: thousands of sheep. Around and
among them were men on horses, men on foot and dogs. The
dogs were nothing like he had ever seen before. They seemed
to know exactly what to do to keep the sheep together. They
focused on the sheep like they were magnetized.

Lee reined Ranger to a halt at the top of the rise and

leaned on the saddle horn. He pushed his hat back on his
head and whistled through his teeth. "Sheep!"

Being a born and bred cattleman, he didn't cotton much to

sheep. As far as he was concerned they were smelly and
stupid. They grazed the grass right down to the roots and left
it to die, ruining the range for cattle and horses.

As he sat there, he saw one of the men had noticed him.

The man called something to another rider, turned his horse
toward Lee and cantered up the hill.

"Howdy, cowboy," the man said as he reined up beside

Lee. "Can I do somethin' fer ya?" He smiled. He was young
and good looking. Blond curly hair peeked out from under his
Stetson.

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

Lee's dick twitched. "Howdy," Lee replied. "Lookin' fer Mr.

Birk."

"I'm Birk," the man said, still smiling.
Lee was surprised. He hadn't expected the man to be

young. The lady he'd met back at the ranch looked like she
could be his mother.

"Somethin' wrong?" the handsome cowboy asked.
"No ... I ... well, I thought Mr. Birk would be...."
The man laughed. "Yeah, he is older. Older is what you

was gonna say, right?"

Lee nodded. He felt the warmth at his neck that meant he

was going to blush.

"Then that's ma dad you're looking' fer. Whadaya lookin'

fer him fer? Job?"

"Yes, sir."
The cowboy laughed softly. "Ain't no need to call me sir."

The smile deepened. "I'm Teddy, Teddy Birk." He rode up
beside Lee and extended his hand.

Lee returned the smile and the handshake. "Lee Masters."

He had that familiar tightness in his groin he always felt
whenever he was near a handsome man. He and Tanka had
to get some time together and soon!

"Nice to meet ya, Lee. Come on, I'll take ya ta ma dad."
Lee rode down the trail with Ted. He was a little behind the

man and admired the easy way he sat in the saddle. As they
came around a bend in the road, they came up with the main
flock and the ranch hands herding them. Right out there in
the thick of things was the senior Birk, directing, involved,
obviously in charge.

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

Teddy rode out to where the older man worked the sheep.

He pointed back at Lee, who smiled and nodded his head.

The two men rode back toward him. "Dad, this is Lee

Masters. He's lookin' for a job."

"Masters," the older Birk acknowledged Lee. "Where you

from, son?"

"Wyoming territory was where I was born. Was working in

the Dakotas before I come south for the winter."

"You ever worked with sheep?"
"No sir."
"What do ya think of um?"
Lee paused. He tried to think of something positive. It was

hard for a cattleman to be complimentary when it came to
sheep.

Mr. Birk senior chuckled. "That's what I figured. You

cowboys don't much like our muttonheads. But at least you
didn't make up some fool thing." He laughed again." If you
can't say nothin' nice, don't say nothin' at all. That's what my
father used to teach me."

Lee smiled a bit, embarrassed. He knew he had been

trying to think of some fool thing to say.

"Don't much matter. Most of them young cusses out

there," he indicated the boys working the sheep, "didn't know
shit about sheep before they got here and hired on. You willin'
to learn?"

"Yes, sir."
"All right then, you got yourself a job. We'll talk pay and

other matters at the end of the day. We got us some sheep
work to do."

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

Birk turned to his son. "Teddy, you show 'im what we're

trying to do here." With that, he rode off back to the flock.

"Welcome to the C Bar B," Ted said with a smile. "Follow

me. Oh, and don't worry ... you'll get used to the smell of
sheep soon enough. Most of you cowboys do.

Lee blushed a bit to think his reaction to sheep smell had

been so obvious.

Both men laughed.
The rest of the day was spent herding the sheep into flocks

for the winter. Lee learned pretty quickly that sheep didn't
herd like cattle. They were more timid. They tried not to go
where you wanted them to. If you pressed too close, they all
either bunched and looked at you, or scattered. Then when
one decided to take a chance and move, they all tried to do
the same thing at the same time.

The plan was to separate the market lambs from the

breeding ewes. Then pick some good breeding stock from the
market flock and separate them. Drive the mature ewes to
the rams to be fucked for spring lambing.

The work went on all day. At noon, a wagon arrived from

the farm with a meal. The men gathered round and Lee was
introduced. On the whole Lee thought the group was pretty
typical of any bunch of cowboys, except for the smell. Sheep
had a smell that made a cowman wrinkle his nose. He
guessed he'd get used to that. He felt comfortable. Being that
he had missed breakfast, he dove into the noon meal with
relish.

Late in the afternoon, as the sun was setting, the elder

Birk called an end to the day. All the hands rode off back to

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by Terry O'Reilly

the ranch, except the crew that was to stay the night and
protect the sheep. Lee thought about the nights he and Kenny
had spent guarding the cattle. He remembered how he and
the kid had found ways of passing the time. He wondered
how many of these guys would be doin' the same that night.
He hoped he and Tatanka would be for sure.

Lee rode with Teddy. They talked about the sheep and the

differences between them and cattle. Mr. Birk caught up with
them. "How did you like your first day as a herder, Mr.
Masters?" he asked.

"It was fine, sir," responded Lee, "a lot different in some

ways than cows."

Birk continued. "I watched you out there. You learn quick

and work hard. I think you'll work out jist fine."

Lee smiled and nodded his thanks.
"Pay's five dollars a week. Can go up to as high as ten if

you do a good job." Before even waiting for Lee to assent to
that amount, he went on. "Teddy here will show you the
bunkhouse. I don't allow no drinking on the ranch. That gets
saved for the weekend if you go to town, although I'd just a
soon you didn't drink at all."

Lee tried to take in the information and respond in an

appropriate manner. "Uh ... Mr. Birk, sir, I won't be needin' to
stay in the bunkhouse. Me and uh ... Me and my family is
staying with Nate Beurer in town."

Charlie Birk looked a bit surprised. "A married man, huh?

Well, that's good, good. Been our experience that married
men are steadier on the job and are usually God fearing and
reverent."

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Lee wasn't sure what reverent meant, but he was sure he

didn't know how he was going to explain that Tatanka was
not his wife, but his lover. He was brought back to the
conversation when the senior Birk asked, "Do you and the
Mrs. have children?"

Oh shit, Lee thought. This's gittin' worse and worse.
"Ah ... one ... a boy."
"A son!" Mr. Birk beamed at Teddy. "It's grand to have a

son to carry on the name. Is he a Jr. like Teddy here?"

Ted interjected, "I'm Charles Theodore Birk. They call me

Teddy so's to not get Dad and me mixed up."

Lee didn't much see how that could happen, cuz it seemed

like everyone, including Mrs. Birk, called the older man Mr.
Birk or, in Teddy's case, Dad.

Mr. Birk was looking like he was expecting to have Lee

give him his son's name. Lee thought fast. He wasn't about to
blow the situation with blurting out 'Sleeps With Dog.' Nate
had warned them about the townsfolk's feelings about Injuns.

"Um ... no he ain't a Jr., his name's ... uh ... Sam."
"Ah, Samuel, a very Biblical name, very nice. You must be

church goin' folk."

"Well, we ain't been in a proper church in long time." Lee

couldn't recall that he'd ever been in a 'proper' church. "We
been travelin' awhile. But we say our prayers every night."

The last part was true. Tatanka never missed a night

saying his prayer to Wakantanka, the Great Spirit.

"Well, Mrs. Birk and I will be happy to get you settled in

our little church here in Bethel.

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"And," Mr. Birk looked pleased as an idea seemed to strike

him, "I know Mrs. Birk and Teddy's wife Lu Ann will be happy
to meet your family. You'll jist have to bring them out one
day when you come to work. The ladies can get to know each
other and the boy can see what his daddy does." Birk smiled
a self-satisfied smile.

He rode off. Teddy looked at Lee.
"You really impressed my dad. He usually jist hires a guy

and lets me take care of the rest."

Lee didn't know what to say so he just nodded.
"You say you come from the Dakotas?"
"Yea," Lee replied.
"Ever had any run-ins with the Injuns up that way?"
Lee took a deep breath. "Yeah, some."
"Good, ya know how ta handle um then."
Lee smiled to himself. Yes, he knew how to handle an

Injun.

As he rode back to Nate's, he thought about his day. He

had gotten a good job and met some nice people.

* * * *

Lee got back to the livery, just as the last light of the day

was fading from the sky. He dismounted outside the heavy
wooden doors and smiled. He could see light sneaking
through the cracks. He could hear the voices of Nate and
Tatanka on the inside. They were laughing. He pulled the door
open and entered.

"Hiasma Maku," called Sleeps With Dog, throwing himself

into Lee's arms. Lee picked him up and hugged him.

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"What's a Hiasma Maku?" Nate asked.
Lee smiled. "That's my injun name."
"Mean, Hairy Chest," said the boy.
"Hmm. I know where that come from," said Nate with a

wink.

Lee knew he was thinking of the previous night, as he had

slept spooned against Lee with his fingers entwined in Lee's
luxurious rug.

Tatanka came forward. The two men looked into each

other's eyes. Both took deep breaths and hugged for a good
long time.

"You have luck?" Tatanka inquired.
"Yep, I did. Charlie Birk hired me. Nate, you didn't tell me

that he was a sheep man."

"Well," Nate replied, "Didn't want you to take a chance on

going to Ed's with that bastard Kalub O'Brian up there.
Figured you being a cattle man, you'd take a chance and you
mighta got yourself in trouble."

"That mean you sheepboy, not cowboy anymore?" Sleeps

With Dog asked.

Nate sniggered. Lee shot him a look. Nate looked away

and covered his mouth.

"No, squirt, I'm still a cowboy. Found out that sheep ain't

that bad. I figure I'll get used to the smell." Lee smiled. "That
Charlie Birk and his crew are a pretty damn nice bunch. But I
may be in trouble anyways."

"How's that?" Nate pressed.

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"Well, seems like I gived him the impression that I was

married and..." Here Lee put his hand on the back of
Tatanka's neck. "...and this 'ere's my wife."

Everyone exchanged looks.
"Let's git done out 'ere and I'll tell ya all about it."
An hour later they were all seated around the big table in

Nate's kitchen. Nate had fixed a Mulligan stew. Small Puppy
was under the table gnawing on a bone.

"So, that's about it." Lee was finishing up his tale of how

the day went and his dinner at the same time. "I think I'm
gonna like working for Birk, but I don't know what to do 'bout
lettin' him think I was married and all." Here Lee looked over
at Tatanka and smiled sheepishly.

"Well, ya are married sorta," Nate proclaimed as he rose

from the table and started clearing dishes. Sleeps With Dog
got up to help. "But Tatanka sure ain't Birk's idée of the
perfect little woman."

Nate's deep rumbly laugh lightened the mood.
"Well," Lee laughed, "not the way he thinks."
"May not come to nothin' in the long run," Nate continued

as he walked back and forth to the table, dragging Small
Puppy, who had attached himself to the cuff of the big man's
overalls, and was growling and pulling furiously.

Lee looked over at Tatanka and raised his brows, silently

asking for the Indian's opinion.

Tatanka said nothing.
That night Lee lay, his body pressed against Tatanka's

back. They were still joined together after the long awaited
lovemaking. They had gone to bed silently, but intensely

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sought out each other's mouths, cocks and bodies. It had
been so long. They had been quiet, as Sleeps With Dog was
on a mat on the floor at the other side of the room. Lee had
put aside his reluctance to indulge his desperate physical and
emotional need for his lover with the boy present. Now they
lay united. Their immediate, intense need sated, they could
lie joined together and let the love peacefully flow between
them.

Lee pressed his lips into the long, silky, black hair that

covered Tatanka's neck and upper back. He breathed in the
intoxicating scent of the man he loved. He was still hard and
knew he could come again if he wanted to. Somehow that
knowledge made the need less urgent and he just lay there
enjoying the moment.

"You awake?" he asked quietly.
"Hau."
"You still ain't told me what you think a all this." Lee

sensed Tatanka's smile.

"I leave my people for not be a woman-man. And you

bring me to your people and now I the ... how Nate say? The
little woman?" Tatanka laughed softly.

"Hey, now, I ain't never said you was my lit..."
Tatanka tensed the muscles of his butt, sending thrills up

Lee's hard cock which was still buried deep inside.

After Lee finished his second climax, he slid out of the

brave, who turned to face him.

"I sure am sorry that I just didn't tell Birk the truth right

off. But I just wanted to make sure I had the fuckin' job."

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"No matter," Tatanka replied. "Taku okini toks'ta do.

Iyowaaoeo s'ni."

"Whadaya mean by that?" Lee said, puzzled.
"What happens, will happen. We cannot be concerned. It

only brings darkness to the spirit."

"You sure have a strange way a thinkin' about what might

get us in a heap of trouble just when we got here."

"Iyowaaoeo s'ni, what happens, will happen." Tatanka said

again. "Now show you I not 'Little Woman.'"

With that Tatanka flipped Lee over on his chest, pulled him

up so that he was kneeling, his head resting on the rough
mattress, and mounted him. Lee grunted in submission, a big
smile on his face.

* * * *

The first two weeks working for the Birks went well. Lee

learned the job quickly and even learned to tolerate the smell
of sheep. He and Teddy were becoming good friends. Lee was
tempted to tell him the truth about his situation with Tatanka.

The thought nagged at him. Lee worried constantly about

what would happen when the truth came out. He knew it was
bound to, sooner or later. The elder Birk had not mentioned
his bringing his "wife" and son out to the ranch; three
Sundays had gone by without any pressure to get Lee and his
family established at the local church, but Lee felt it was only
a matter of time.

Teddy and Lee had talked about a wide range of topics and

Lee's take on the man was that he was fair-minded. He felt

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maybe he could tell him about Tatanka, and if he reacted
well, Teddy could give him some advice.

The opportunity arose one Saturday afternoon. The men

were riding fence on the winter range and had stopped to fix
a place where the wire had come down. As they worked,
Teddy began talking about his wife, Lu Ann, and how they
had hoped to have a baby, but so far had had no luck in
conceiving one.

"How long it take you to get a baby goin'?" Teddy asked.
"Uh ... well, we adopted Sleep ... ah, Sam," Lee replied.
"Man, that is real good ... real good. I admire you fer that.

Ya started to say something about 'sleep'. What was that
about?"

Lee took a deep breath. Here was a chance to at least

come clean with some of his story.

"Uh ... well, Sam's an Injun, a Dakota. S'real name's

Sleeps With Dog. He didn't have no folks so me and Tatanka
sorta took him in."

Lee pretended to look hard at one of the strands of wire

that he was working to fix. He breathed deeply again.

Teddy seemed to be considering this latest news. "From

the sound a the name, seems like your wife's an Injun, too?"

Lee nodded without looking up.
"Well, I'll be," said Teddy. "That takes a lot a courage out

here. Gotta take ma hat off to ya, yes sir."

Lee didn't respond. He just raised his head and looked at

Ted and smiled. Ted nodded and smiled back. So far so good,
Lee thought.

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His mind somewhat relieved, Lee finished tying off the

wire. The men remounted their horses and continued their
search of the fence line for breaks and weaknesses.

"Tatanka," mused Teddy as they rode along side by side.

"That means buffalo don't it?"

"Yep." Lee braced himself.
"Sorta a funny name for a woman? Aren't they usually

named ... ah ... Singing Bird ... or White Dove ... or somethin'
like that?"

At first Lee thought he'd just agree and say something

about how Injuns had strange ways of naming their kids. But
he found himself saying something entirely different.

He reined up, looked Teddy square in the eye and said,

"Tatanka is a man's name. Tatanka is a man."

Teddy looked at Lee for a long time. Or what seemed to

Lee as a long time.

"You tellin' me, yer married to a ... man?"
"Yes, sir," Lee responded sitting up straight and tall in the

saddle, ready to defend himself.

He continued to hold Ted's gaze and squared his

shoulders.

"Son of a bitch!" Teddy laughed. "You really got guts then

my friend. Son of a bitch. Married to a Injun man with an
Injun son to boot. Son of a bitch. Don't that beat all."

Lee laughed, too, out of sheer relief. He had kept the truth

inside for the whole two weeks he had worked for the Birks
and now it felt good to have it out in the open, at least to one
person. The consequences may be dire, but at least he was
being real.

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"You gonna fire me?" he asked.
"Hell no. Shit, half the guys in the bunkhouse carry on with

men. That's about all they got out here with one gal to every
ten guys. The other half use the sheep, for God's sake. Hell, I
ain't gonna fire you fer that. 'Sides, you turned out ta be one
of the best hands we got."

"What about your dad? He made a big deal outta me bein'

married and God fearin' and all. I felt real bad to lie to 'im."

"Well, I can't say he's gonna be all smiles, but he knows

you're a good worker and so he'll let it go. Just don't expect
no invite to Sunday dinner." Teddy laughed again and Lee
joined in.

"Come on, it's getting cold and might snow. Let's get the

last couple miles a fence checked and get on home." Teddy
looked at Lee and smiled. "Son of a bitch." Teddy clapped Lee
on the shoulder and rode off.

* * * *

Lee heard voices from inside the house as he put up

Ranger in the livery. At first he thought they were just having
fun, but as he approached the door and the voices became
more distinct, it became clear to him something was wrong.
Sleeps With Dog was bellowing like a bull elk in rut and he
could hear Tatanka and Nate trying to calm him down.

"No, I will no go to school with that lady!" Lee heard the

boy yell as he walked in the back door to the warmth of the
kitchen. Sleeps With Dog turned to see him come in and ran
to his side. "Lee Masters you help me. Lady come tell me I

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must go to school. I not want that. I stay here learn from Ate
and Nate. You tell them."

If it hadn't been for the apparent seriousness of the

situation before him, Lee would have been pleased to hear
Sleeps With Dog refer to Tatanka as 'Ate,' Father.

"What's goin' on?" Lee asked, looking from the boy to

Tatanka and Nate.

"Woman come to livery in morning," Tatanka began. "She

say she from church."

"Mrs. Wallace, Priscilla Wallace," clarified Nate.
"Hau, Missy Wallace," Tatanka continued.
"She have face like prune," chimed in Sleeps With Dog.

"And nose like beak of hawk!"

"Here, now," corrected Lee, "None of that ... show

respect." But a feeling of apprehension flooded him. "What'd
she want?"

"She say she hear that orfang live here."
"A what?" Lee furrowed his brow.
"Orphan," Nate said.
"Hau, yes, 'orphan,'" Tatanka corrected himself. "She tell

us that she come to take Sleeps With Dog to safe place."

"What!" Lee's earlier feelings of apprehension were

realized.

"Easy there," Nate said in a calm voice. "We set'er

straight. We told her Tanka was the boy's daddy, that he
weren't no orphan. She kind o' thinks Tanka here is his
natural dad."

"She still want to take me to church school!" Sleeps With

Dog moaned.

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Lee looked at him with compassion. He remembered how

he hated school as a boy and how he had spent more energy
getting out of going than he would if he had just gone.

"Why does he have ta go ta school?" asked Lee.
"He don't," continued Nate, "but Mrs. Wallace can be a

trouble maker and I figured better to butter her up than pour
salt in a wound. 'Sides, she didn't make no big deal outta his
bein' an Injun. That's a real surprise ta me. Maybe she's
gettin' soft in her old age."

Lee considered this. He turned to Tatanka. "You feelin' all

right with this?"

"No, but feel Nate know best. He feel it be less trouble for

us to let boy go to school with lady."

"Less trouble for you but more trouble for me!" Sleeps

With Dog moaned again and scooped up Small Puppy and
slumped in a chair.

Nate explained. Mrs. Wallace, it seemed, was the self

appointed guardian of education and Christian morality for
the few children of Bethel. She was the wife of the parson of
the church and had declared herself school marm. She ran a
small school at the church.

She had, on some occasions, brought trouble on families

who she felt were less than adequate influences on their
children. Nate said he felt it would be better for all concerned
not to rile her up, seeing as how Lee and Tatanka had no
legal claim to Sleeps With Dog in the white man's world, and,
more importantly, the nature of Lee's and Tatanka's
relationship.

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Lee's good feelings of earlier, the fleeting confidence he

had garnered from his conversation with Teddy Birk, that he
and Tatanka might be able to blend their two worlds into one,
waned. Anxiety replaced it.

It was Tatanka's decision. Lee had always felt Tatanka

should have the final say regarding the boy. Their blood was
closer. They came from the same place. Tatanka's word was
final. He looked at his partner and asked with his expression
what his partner thought.

Tatanka returned the question out loud. "What you think?"
"I think Nate knows the lay of the land here in Bethel

better'n we do. If he feels that you should send Sleeps With
Dog to Missus Wallace's school, then...."

Sleeps With Dog wailed loudly.
"Then I guess you should do it." Again he shifted the

responsibility for the final decision to Tatanka, where Lee felt
it rightfully belonged. "Maybe what happened at the ranch
today will help you."

Lee told the men and boy of his conversation with Teddy

Birk and how he felt it had been a positive sign. As he related
the details, he regained some of the good feelings he had
carried home.

"Then we do it," declared the brave.
Lee looked at the boy, expecting a renewed outburst, but

with the declaration Sleeps With Dog got up and quietly
started setting the table. Once again Lee marveled at the way
of the Dakota. The chief had spoken. Sleeps With Dog bowed
to his authority. Whether he was happy or not did not matter.

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He would accept Tatanka's word. He would go to school on
Monday.

* * * *

As Lee lay spooned against his partner's warm body, his

dick still semi-hard and still buried deeply inside Tatanka, he
could hear the promised snow softly brushing against the
window. They had made love: slowly, lovingly, completely.
Just the way Lee liked it best. It made him feel whole. It
made him feel that the act was good and right. He sighed and
ran his fingers through Tatanka's thick black hair that
cascaded over his shoulder and onto Lee's chest. He drifted
off to sleep.

Lee was standing on some sort of raised platform.

Standing next to him was Tatanka. The brave was dressed in
the robes he had worn when, for a brief moment, he had
been proclaimed Chief. He wore the eagle feather headdress.
Lee was dressed in a suit, as were the men on either side of
him and Tatanka. Nate stood to Tanka's right, Teddy Birk to
Lee's left.

Two men stood in front of them. One Lee did not know but

he recognized the collar of a clergyman. This man held a
Bible. The other man was Wise Eagle, shaman of Tatanka's
tribe. He held an eagle wing and was wafting smoke over the
assembly from sage burning in a bowl he held in his other
hand.

"And now," intoned the clergyman in a deep mournful

voice, "if no one present has any objections, I pronounce
these two men to be one in body ... soul and—"

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But he never finished his sentence.
"Stop this abomination," a loud strident voice interjected.

Lee turned and was surprised to see a room full of people,
both white and Indian. Down the center aisle of the building
marched a woman dressed in black, with a veil of mourning
over her face, hanging from a wide rimmed black hat. "Stop
this abomination," she shrieked again.

As she came closer Lee could make out her features

through the veil. She had a very wrinkled face and a hawk-
like beak of a nose.

"Hiram Wallace," she screamed, "how can you be

participating in this desecration of the Lord's house? Have you
lost your fear of God? Are you no better than Lot?"

By now everyone had turned to watch the woman mount

the stairs to the dais where the men were standing.

"Now Priscilla," the man dressed in clerical garb began.
"And will you allow this child..." Lee became aware Sleeps

With Dog was standing in front of him and Tatanka with his
back pressed against their legs. "...to be taken to their
bosom. To be nurtured in their perverted ways?"

"Well, I—" began Hiram Wallace.
"Never!" screeched Mrs. Wallace. To Lee it sounded like

the screech of a bird of prey.

With one motion she snatched Sleeps With Dog to her. She

spread her arms which turned into wings, her legs turning
bird-like with huge talons. With these talons she clutched the
boy and rose into the air. The roof of the building
disappeared. The woman-hawk and Sleeps With Dog,

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clutching Small Puppy, who had appeared out of nowhere,
flew up and out of sight.

Lee turned frantically to Tatanka. The brave looked

impassive, as if nothing at all had happened.

"Let us all turn in our hymnals to page 298 and sing Let Us

Gather at the River," said the Reverend Wallace.

Obediently all present opened the song books and began

singing including Nate, Teddy and Tanka.

"Stop," yelled Lee. "Stop, what are you doing? Someone

help! Tanka ... Sleeps With Dog...."

Tatanka sang on.
"Ted! Nate!" No one paid any attention to him. He turned

to look at Wise Eagle. "Can't you do something? Use your
magic!" Lee implored the shaman.

"You walk in two worlds, Lee Masters. What you expect?

Nothing can be done."

Wise Eagle joined in the singing.
Lee ran from person to person begging for help. As he

approached them, they either turned away or looked right
through him as if he weren't there.

Lee looked up to implore Watantanka's intervention.

Falling through the space where the roof had once been was
Small Puppy. Lee reached out and caught him. The dog
wriggled and licked his face.

"Small Puppy," Lee sobbed and pulled the dog to him.
"Lee Masters! Lee Masters! Wake up!"
Tatanka's voice seemed to come from far away. Lee

opened his eyes. He was holding Small Puppy, who had

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100

evidently jumped on him. Tanka was leaning over him,
looking concerned. Lee was crying.

"Oh," Lee grunted. "A dream ... just a dream. Where's

Sleeps With Dog?"

"On sleeping mat." Tatanka pointed to the boy, still asleep

on the mat next to the bed.

"Thank God!"
Lee pulled Tatanka to him, with the puppy nestled securely

between them and dozed off again as the snow pounded
against the window.

* * * *

"What's Mrs. Wallace's husband's name?" Lee asked Nate

as they fed the horses and mucked out the stalls the following
morning.

"Daniel. Why?" replied the burly red-head.
Lee breathed a sigh of relief. "Just wondering."
"Ya wanna meet 'im? We could go to church this mornin'.

That is if we can get through this snow. Man, it must be over
a foot deep by now."

"No, I kin wait."
Tatanka and Sleeps With Dog came from the other side of

the stable. "We all finished," the boy announced.

Lee smiled at the sight of them. The dream still bothered

him, but the fact the Reverend Wallace wasn't named Hiram
put his mind at ease.

"Guess we're all done fer now," Nate announced. "Anybody

else starvin'?"

"Could eat buffalo!" said Sleeps With Dog.

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101

They all went into the kitchen. While Sleeps With Dog and

Nate worked on getting breakfast ready, Tatanka turned to
Lee and asked, "What make you cry in the night, Lee
Masters?"

"Just a dream," Lee responded, not wanting to cause his

man any worry.

"Must be bad dream if you cry like that?" It was more of a

question than a statement. Clearly Tatanka wanted more
information. "Sometimes Wakantanka send dreams to let us
know what may happen."

The fact Tatanka used the word 'may,' not 'will,' heartened

Lee some and he decided to tell him what he had dreamed.

"That's pretty much it." Tatanka looked concerned, so Lee

hastened to add, "Nate says the parson's name is Daniel, not
Hiram..." He let his voice trail off, hoping the inconsistency
would make a difference to Tanka as it had for him.

Tatanka looked thoughtful.
"Well?"
"Hau, wrong name may mean dream not from

Wakantanka"

"Good," said Lee. But there was that 'may' again.

* * * *

It snowed most of Sunday. Monday dawned with a bright

sun blindingly shining off the deep and drifted snow. Sleeps
With Dog stared out the window of the warm, aromatic
kitchen as breakfast cooked on the wood stove. "Look like no
school today," he said.

Lee and Tatanka looked at Nate.

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102

"Well," the big man began as he walked to the window and

looked out on the wintry scene before him. "Well, most of the
kids come in from ranches and homesteads around the town.
I'd bet they can't get here. And I guess you won't be riding
out to Birk's today either." Nate addressed the last remark to
Lee. "Wouldn't be able to see the sheep anyway," he added
with a chuckle. "They'd just blend in with the snow, right,
cowboy?"

"You mean, 'sheepboy'," laughed Sleeps With Dog, ducking

as Lee turned to grab him.

This had been a joke between Lee and the boy ever since

his first day at Birk's.

Nate smiled and continued. "But some of the kids live here

in Bethel and they probably will be at the church. Since this is
Dog's," Nate used his nickname for the boy, "first day and
since Mrs. Wallace is involved, you best be going."

Sleeps With Dog sighed deeply, but made no further

protest.

Lee had hoped this moment could have been avoided, too.

He looked to his partner but, as was the case so often with
the brave, there was no sign of what he was feeling.

* * * *

The blazing sun reflected off the snow and dazzled their

eyes, as the four of them left the stable and headed down the
street for the church. Lee could hear Small Puppy whining and
scratching at the door. Sleeps With Dog's plea to bring the
puppy with them had met a stony stare from Tatanka.

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103

They had to follow the paths left by those who had tried

before them to navigate the deeply drifted mounds. The mood
was subdued and Lee was fighting hard to keep his anxiety
over the dream from rising into a full blown panic. Maybe,
maybe there won't be any school cuz of this snow. When they
reached the white clap-board building that served as both
house of worship and school, he was breathing shallowly and
could feel his heart beating in his temples.

He looked over at Sleeps With Dog and Tatanka. Damn

those Injuns, how can they be so fuckin' calm all the time,
when the whole damn world could fall apart at any minute?

Lee surveyed the scene before him. His heart sank as he

saw there were footprints in the snow leading to the door of
the building. Nate led the way up the few steps to the porch.
As he reached for the door handle, it opened and a young boy
came out with a broom and shovel. He stopped short and
stared openly at the party before him. His eyes locked on
Tatanka and Sleeps With Dog.

"Hey there, Joshua," Nate addressed the boy. "There

gonna be school today?"

"Yes, sir," Joshua replied.
"Can't be too many here with this snow and all?"
"No sir. Just me and Sarah Beth right now."
"Well, this 'ere's..." Nate hesitated and looked at Tatanka

and the boy, apparently wanting to give them the option of a
name for Sleeps With Dog.

"Istaime S'unka," offered Tatanka.
"Ista shu..." attempted Joshua.
Sleeps With Dog giggled. "You call me S'unka."

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104

Joshua smiled. "I can handle that Shunka," he said.
"Hau," replied Sleeps with Dog, "Yes."
"He's gonna be joining your class here," Nate continued.
As the boys smiled at each other, the door reopened and

out stepped Mrs. Wallace.

"Joshua, what is taking you so.... "she began in a stern

voice. "Oh, I see," she said in the same tone as she regarded
the group standing at the foot of the steps. "Come in all of
you."

It was more of a command than an invitation. Lee's heart

hardened and anger rose in his chest. His image of her in his
dream was not too far from the mark.

"Joshua! Do as you were told and clear off the porch."
"Yes,'um," the boy replied, roaching his back in a

submissive bow.

Shit, Lee thought.
As they entered the warm building, Lee saw a small girl

arranging slates on desks set in the space between the rows
of wooden pews and the altar.

"Sarah Beth!" Once more the commanding voice boomed

out. "Come meet your new classmate."

Sarah Beth came timidly across the room.
"Don't be frightened, girl. He won't scalp you." Mrs.

Wallace chuckled, apparently thinking she had made a good
joke. "This is...? What do you call yourself, boy?"

"S'unka," Sleeps with Dog replied.
"S'unka?" Mrs. Wallace pronounced the name with disdain.

"What in God's name does that mean?"

"Dog," said the boy with pride.

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105

Mrs. Wallace didn't say anything at first. She just gave a

short intake of breath and narrowed her eyebrows. Then she
said, "Well, we'll see about that."

With that she turned and led the way into the church

turned schoolroom.

They followed her. Lee was bristling at the way she reacted

to Sleeps With Dog's name. A sharp jab in the ribs from Nate
had been all that had kept him from offering a retort to her
rudeness.

"This will be your desk," she said to Sleeps with Dog,

indicating one in the front row.

The boy nodded and shuffled in place, not moving.
"Well, sit!"
"Just how much English does he understand?" she asked

the assembled group again with that disdainful attitude.

"'Bout as much as you!" Lee blurted out before he could

stop himself.

"And you are?" Mrs. Wallace said with her eyes flashing.
"Lee Masters. I'm the boy's other fa—"
"Friend," Nate hastily intervened. "Works for the Birks."
"Does he now?" Mrs. Wallace could make any situation

seem suspicious with a word.

Just then Joshua returned from clearing off the porch.

Sarah Beth had taken her seat. Joshua hung up his coat and
did the same, taking a seat next to where Sleeps With Dog
had reluctantly sat down. Mrs. Wallace stepped in front of her
diminutive class.

"Well?" she said addressing the men with her eyes.

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"I guess we'll just be goin' now," Nate said. "S'unka, we'll

be seeing you."

Lee didn't trust himself to say anything. His heart went out

to the boy as they made their way to the door. He looked
over his shoulder and saw Sleeps With Dog following them
out with his eyes. Tatanka said nothing and kept his eyes
averted.

"Face forward, boy!" came the stern command.

* * * *

The three men walked home in silence. There were few

people out and about because of the snow. Nate merely
nodded to those who hailed him. Lee stole glances at
Tatanka, but the brave showed no sign of what he felt or
thought.

When they reached the livery, Nate checked on the horses

and then began working on the repair of the equipment that
had been brought to the shop. Lee and Tatanka went inside
the house. Small Puppy raced around their feet and then ran
to the door expectantly.

"He ain't coming home," Lee sighed, stooping down and

picking up the dog. Then with a look at Tatanka, he added
quickly, "till later."

Lee laid a fire in the fireplace and sat down, staring into

the flames, holding Small Puppy on his lap. Tatanka came and
sat on the arm of the chair and put his arm around his
shoulders. Lee looked up.

"Taku iyukcaa niye?"

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"What do I think?" Lee responded. "Taku iyukcaa niye do!"

He switched to Dakota and put the emphasis on 'you'. "I can't
never tell what the hell you're thinkin'."

Tatanka smiled and leaned down to kiss Lee on the

forehead. "I sorry. It is our way to not show on face what is in
mind or heart sometimes."

"Most times, if you ask me," said Lee. But he smiled up at

the Indian and raised his hand to caress his face. "You all
right with this?"

"No. But I trust Nate. He feel it is best not to anger the

white lady. But no, I not feel good about this."

"Me neither. The way she looked at him and made fun of

his name. And the funny look she gave us. I guess Nate knew
what he was doing when he kept me from saying who I was
to the boy. But Hell! Ain't right not to be who you really are."

The brief feeling of well-being Lee had garnered from

confessing to Teddy Birk had given him such pleasure. He
now longed to be able to confess it to the world.

"Maybe some day. Not today. We must be patient: Aje."

Tatanka repeated 'patient' in Dakota once again.

The rest of the day seemed to drag by. Lee watched the

clock. He checked it three or four times to be sure the hands
were moving. Tatanka sat quietly, repairing some leather
reins for Nate. At noon Nate came in for lunch. Lee could
hardly stand it.

Nate's assurances that all would be well did nothing to

quell the anxiety in Lee's mind. He was convinced something
horrible was about to happen.

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At three o'clock Lee said in a loud voice, "Fuck! I can't

stand this no more. Let's go down to the church and meet
Sleeps With Dog. I gotta know he's all right."

Tatanka was on his feet at once, as if he were waiting for

his partner to take such a tack. Nate rose, too, but in a more
casual frame of mind. "Might be a good idea," he said.

They were in the process of putting on their coats when

the door opened and Sleeps With Dog came into the room.
Small Puppy fell all over himself greeting him.

"S'unka! Dog! Istaime s'unka!" all three men yelled at

once.

Sleeps With Dog smiled. "Oh no! Not S'unka, Dog or

Sleeps With Dog no more."

"What? Taku? Huh?" chorused the men once more.
"Whatdaya mean?" Lee repeated.
"School teacher lady say that no good to have sabage

name."

"Sabage?" queried Nate.
"Savage," said Lee. "What happened?"
"Lady say she pick name from good book called bibble."
"Bibble?" queried Lee.
"Bible," said Nate. "What name?"
"Obadiah!" announced Sleeps With Dog.
"Obadiah?" The men's chorus sounded again.
"Hau! Obadiah!"
With that Obadiah scooped Small Puppy into his arms and

walked off. The men stood and looked at each other
dumbfounded.

* * * *

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At dinner that night, more information on what had gone

on at school was gained. Sleeps With Dog or Obadiah, as he
insisted they call him, related how he had learned about white
man's writing, doing sums, the history of Oklahoma and
reading. Lee asked how he had been treated and Sleeps With
Dog said that Mrs. Wallace was not kind or nice, but was not
mean either. He was non-committal with regard to his
feelings about school in general, but he said he really liked his
classmates and was looking forward to meeting the rest of
the class when the snow cleared. He told them that Joshua
had invited him to his house to play.

That night in bed, Lee turned to face Tatanka. "I guess

things went all right for S'unka today. 'Cept I don't rightly like
him wanting to be called by Obadiah."

Tatanka laughed softly. "Istaime S'unka is Dakota. He is

having fun with you Hiasma Maku," the brave smiled, using
Lee's Dakota name. At the same time he reached out and
entwined his fingers in the thick hair on Lee's chest that had
inspired the name. Lee enfolded Tanka in his arms and
succumbed to his desires.

* * * *

Tuesday brought sunshine and warm winds from the

south. The snow began to melt. By Wednesday Lee figured he
ought to get back to work at the Birk's. He was just about to
leave when Sleeps With Dog came out to begin his walk to
school. "How's about a ride to school?" Lee offered as he

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swung his leg over Ranger's back. The church was on his way
out of town.

"Ohaa, all right," the boy replied.
Lee pulled him up on the back of the gray gelding to sit

behind him. They started off down the street. Lee had learned
that there were twelve children in the class: seven girls and
five boys. They had been somewhat surprised by the sight of
an Indian among them, but by the end of the day they had
accepted him with no apparent problems. Mrs. Wallace
continued to be firm but 'not mean.' They rode in comfortable
silence.

He reined Ranger to a stop in front of the church just as

Mrs. Wallace came out of the front door to ring the school
bell. She regarded Lee warily.

"Mornin,' Ma'am," Lee said, deciding to give her the benefit

of the doubt. Sleeps With Dog greeted the teacher, slid off
the gelding's back and ran to meet Joshua, who had just
rounded the corner of the building.

"Ah, Mr. Masters, is it?" she continued before Lee could

confirm her question. "I have been meaning to get in touch
with Obadiah's father. There are some ... ah, let us call them
... adjustments, I would like him to make to help the boy fit
in better and make the transition from heathen to Christian."

Lee considered telling her he was Sleeps With Dog's father,

too and informing her no transition was going to be taking
place as long as he was the boy's parent. Instead, he just
nodded.

"First, I will be cutting the boy's hair today and giving him

some real clothing to wear. That long hair just does not ...

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well it makes him look like a girl." Sleeps With Dog was too
young to have the honor of braids and wore his long black
hair loose with a head band. "And those awful animal hides
are just too hideous," she said of the beautifully crafted deer
and elk skin fur-lined shirt and breeches.

"Hey, just hold on there!" Lee almost shouted.
Mrs. Wallace cut across his outburst. "And I will be

requiring him to come to Sunday School class each Sunday to
begin his lessons leading to his conversion to Christianity.

Lee was off Ranger in a flash. So rapid and powerful was

his dismount, Mrs. Wallace backed off a step or two. Lee
walked right up to her, his face inches from hers. "S'unka is
Dakota. His people are proud and strong. It ain't none of yer
business how he keeps his hair or what he wears. As for this
here Sunday School, they's got their own ways of worshipping
God and from what I seen it's a damn site better'n the way
most white folk go about it. Tatanka is a fine, honorable man
and a good father. He'll raise his son to be the same."

"And if I come back here tonight and find that you did any

a this ... well ... I ... I better not find that you..."

"Are you threatening me, Mr. Masters?" This question was

asked in an almost sweet, coquettish manner that infuriated
Lee even more.

"And," she continued in the same tone, "why would you

have anything to say about the boy?"

Fighting back the urge to grab and shake her, Lee recalled

Nate's warning and held off.

"No ... Ma'am, I ain't threatening you." Lee forced out.

Once more he held back the information that he, Lee Masters,

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Hiasma Maku, was Sleeps With Dogs father as well as
Tatanka.

"But Tatanka's got a say in what's done with the boy and

his upbringing."

"Very well ... for now." Her voice returned to the stern

controlling tenor. "I will inform Mr.... ah ... Obadiah's father
of my plans before I execute them. But mark my words, it will
be better for all concerned if they are carried out and the
sooner the better."

With that she began ringing the large brass bell in her

hand, before turning and walking back into the building.

Lee was torn between marching in after her, yanking

Sleeps With Dog out of there and going back to the livery to
warn Tatanka of the old witch's plan. He chose the latter.

As he headed back up the street, he spotted a buckboard

with Teddy Birk at the reins. He stopped and the handsome
young man looked up. "Hey, quite a storm we had. I'm not
surprised you couldn't ... Hmmm, speaking of storms, looks
like you got one goin' on inside you right now?"

"Damn right!" Lee returned. He dismounted Ranger once

more and explained everything that had happened since the
previous Saturday, which now seemed like it was a month
ago. He was grateful now, more than ever, he had come
clean with Birk about his relationship with Tatanka. Here was
someone who knew the situation with Mrs. Wallace and might
be able to help. He trusted Nate, but the Birks were an
established family here in Bethel.

"Well, let's get us over to Breurer's and talk this out. The

supplies can wait," Teddy said.

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Grateful for the show of support, Lee remounted his horse

and led the way back to the livery. The two men entered the
building and let their eyes adjust to the dim light after the
bright glare of the sun on the melting snow. Nate was
standing over the forge and Tatanka was working the bellows.

"What is wrong, Lee Masters?" Tatanka came out from

behind the machinery.

Nate stopped his hammering and came around, too.

"Teddy." Nate stuck out his hand and shook the young Mr.
Birk's. "What's going on?"

"Uh, Ted, this here's Tatanka, my uh ... partner." Lee

hoped he didn't blush as he said this. The heat from the forge
on his face kept him from being sure

"Good ta meet ya," said Teddy.
"Hau." They shook hands and Tatanka turned to Lee.

"Now, what is wrong?"

The men sat round the kitchen table. Lee told his tale of

his encounter with Priscilla Wallace that morning. Nate fumed
and Tatanka's eyes narrowed. He turned to Teddy Birk. "Can
she do this? Can she force Sleeps With Dog to do this?"

"Not if you are the legal parent she can't. By the way, it's

good that you didn't let on that you're his daddy, too," Ted
said, looking at Lee. "Thinking Tatanka is the natural dad
keeps her from looking at legal issues, but if she thought you
were adopting him or something...."

Lee got the idea.
"And if it got to her that you were partners ... well, you'd

be wadin' in cow shit. I'm surprised she's toleratin' the fact

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he's an Injun. If she thought there was more to it than that, I
am pretty sure she would be makin' a mighty pile of trouble.

These words, while not a surprise to Lee, again

emphasized the gulf between his partner, himself and the
outside world. "All right, what do we do?"

"My father and me are elders on the church board. I think

I'll pay Mrs. Wallace a visit this afternoon and let her know
how we would feel about too much meddling in the affairs of
the families at her school. I might jist remind her that
renewal of her husband's appointment to this church comes
up just after the first of the year," Teddy smiled.

And so it was. After that day, no more mention was made

of transitioning Sleeps with Dog to Christianity, cutting off his
hair, or changing his clothing. Although Obadiah still
remained his school name, it was only there that it was used.
Lee hoped there would be some way to repay Ted for going
out on a limb for him and Tatanka.

Sleeps With Dog made some friends at school. He had

them over to the livery. He went and played at their homes.
Things were going well and the winter passed peacefully
enough. Lee's only discomfort was he and Tatanka had to
pretend not to be who they were, or risk all that had been
accomplished falling apart.

* * * *

Spring is lambing time on a sheep ranch. Ewes bred in the

fall, give birth in March. The CB was no different. The lambs
were coming in fast and furious. Lee and all the hands on the
ranch were busy with lambing. So busy in fact, that many of

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Lee's days stretched far into the evenings, and he was forced
to stay the night at the bunkhouse. Neither he nor Tatanka
liked this very much. But Lee knew it was necessary.

At the ranch, Lee and Ted were working together one late

afternoon, tying off the tails of the new lambs. Sheep are
born with long tails and they are removed by tying off the
blood supply when they are young. "You sure this don't hurt
um none?" asked Lee as he tightened the knot on one of the
frisky little guys.

"Well, can't say as I know for sure," replied Ted, "since I

ain't never had it done to me."

They both chuckled.
"But it don't seem to be too hard on um."
They released the small sheep and it ran back to its

momma, who had been standing nearby, bleating during the
procedure.

Ted continued, "Wait'll you see what we do to the rams

when we separate those that're gonna be market stock and
those that're gonna be daddies some day."

Lee knew what was done to bull calves to make them into

steers. He figured the same was done in this case.

"Don't ya just cut um like we do steers?"
"Hell no, we do just like we're doing with these 'ere tails.

Tie um off."

Lee's grimace and involuntary grabbing of his crotch

brought a laugh from Ted.

"You're joshin'"
"No sir. You'll see soon enough."

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The men worked on a few more lambs and then the

younger Mr. Birk decided it was time to call it a day. Lee
checked the horizon. The sun was already down. Looked like
another night in the bunkhouse.

As they rode back to the ranch, other pairs of cowboys

joined them as they came in from different parts of the range.
They talked of the upcoming shearing and the driving of the
herds to summer pasture. Lee felt good in such easy
company. The lazy clop-clop of the horses' hooves, the slight
sway as the animals placed each of their feet on the firm
earth was relaxing after a hard day's work. Only the coming
darkness prevented Lee from making the ride to Bethel, his
family and total contentment.

"Only about four to six more weeks now I reckon," Lee

heard Ted say to him.

Ted had given Lee the news just after Christmas that Lu

Ann, his wife, was expecting in the spring.

"That's great!" Lee responded. "Got the names picked

out?"

"We don't have much choice if it's a boy," said Ted,

grinning. "Dad will want a Charles Theodore Birk the Third."

"Gonna have to come up with another name, then so the

three Birks won't get mixed up," Lee mused. "Your dad's
Charlie, you're Teddy..."

"Lu Ann says 'Theo'."
They arrived at the ranch. Lee headed for the bunkhouse

where he washed up, ate dinner at the long wooden table
with the men and found an empty bunk. He was tired, but
couldn't fall right to sleep. He missed Tatanka. He rolled on

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his side and began massaging his hardening cock as he let
memories of their times together fill his mind and heart.

"Hank, Hank, you asleep?"
Lee was just drifting off when the whispered voice brought

him back from the brink of slumber.

"No, want somethin'?"
"You bet, come on, let's go out in back"
Lee smiled to himself, as he heard the squeak of bed

springs, the sound of two sets of bare feet tip-toeing across
the floor, and the quiet creak of the bunkhouse door being
opened and closed.

* * * *

Lee was roused from sleep by someone shaking him on the

shoulder.

"Lee, Lee, wake up!"
Lee opened his eyes. It was still dark. What was Nate

doing here?

He sat up, instinctively knowing something was wrong.

Teddy Birk was standing next to the bunk with his arm
around Sleeps With Dog. Nate was sitting on the edge, his
huge hand still on his shoulder.

"What's wrong? Why is S'unka here?"
It was Nate who spoke. "Tatanka has been arrested. The

sheriff's got 'im in the jail house."

Lee fought his way to his feet.
"Easy, easy. He's safe fer now. Sheriff Bidwell's a decent

man. He ain't gonna let nothin' happen to 'im."

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Lee was in a panic. Nothin' happen to 'im! What did that

mean?

"Tell me what happened!" h yelled at Nate.
It was Sleeps with Dog who spoke. "It all my ... Wanuakta

s'ni!" he sobbed, reverting to Dakota when English words
failed him.

"What didn't you mean to do?" Lee demanded.
Once more Nate put his arm on his shoulder and said, "Go

easy."

Lee took a deep breath and tried to relax. He took Sleeps

With Dog in his arms and hushed him. "It's all right. Tell me."

"Ate tell me not to go to town to meet Joshua. Ate say he

see mean man there when he go to store for Nate."

"Kalub O'Brian. I sent Tanka to town for some supplies,"

interjected Nate.

"But I no listen. I sneak out. When I get to town, mean

man coming out of bar place. He see me and laugh. He say
'come here', call me name and grab me. I try to get away. He
laugh more. Joshua come. He see me and yell at man. I yell
to get my father and Nate. Man pull me behind bar place. He
try to take pants off me. He take his pants down.

Sleeps With Dog muffled a sob with his hands.
"That dirty son of a bitchin' bastard! I'll kill 'im!" Lee

wailed.

"Easy, Lee," Nate said. "Tanka and me, we got there in

time. Dog was just running out of the alley. We went back in
and O'Brian was rolling on the ground, with his pants around
his ankles, holding his nuts. Dog got him good. Kicked the

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shit out of them balls. He ain't gonna be messin' with no one
for a long time."

"But then why...?" Lee began.
"Well, Tanka kinda went outta his mind. He beat the fuck

outta' Kalub and I had to pull him offin' him, or he woulda
been killed and saved you the trouble."

"So, why is he in jail?"
"Cuz Tatanka's an Injun," Nate continued. "We left the rat

faced fucker there in the alley and went home. 'Bout an hour
later the sheriff shows up with Kalub. You shoulda seen him
all black and blue, nose all puffed up and two eyes blackened,
one swelled shut. The sheriff said he had to 'rest Tatanka for
beatin' up O'Brian."

"Didn't you tell 'im what happened?" Lee asked, shaking

again.

"Well, shore we did. But we never seed it, only had the

boy's word to what that scum tried to do to 'im. Kalub says he
made it up cuz he's a lying red devil kid. So, the sheriff had to
take Tanka in."

"That's shit," Lee bellowed.
"They're Injuns," said Nate.
"Ah," Lee screamed and lunged at Nate, knocking him

backwards.

Nate wrapped his arms around the wounded man. Tears

came to Lee's eyes.

"Easy, man, easy. Not what I think. What they think.

Easy."

Lee slumped into Nate's strong embrace and took a deep

breath, trying to clear his head and think rationally.

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"We need to get to Bethel," Ted spoke for the first time.

"I'll get Dad."

They went outside into the gathering dawn. Lee ran to the

paddock and whistled for Ranger. The gray gelding raised his
head and came to him without hesitation. Lee led him out of
the enclosure and to the hitching post. There he threw his
saddle over his back and inserted the bit into his mouth,
blessing him for his obedience.

At the same time Teddy and Birk Sr. emerged from the

house. "You go on," yelled Ted, we'll be right behind you."

Lee turned to Sleeps With Dog. "You stay here. I need you

to be safe in case there is trouble."

Sleeps With Dog began to protest. Mrs. Birk came out of

the house followed by Lu Ann, Ted's pregnant wife.

Mrs. Birk came down the steps and put her arms around

the boy. "Come, child," she said in a motherly voice. "Let
them go."

Sleeps With Dog made no further protest, but raised his

hand and shook it. He gave the cry of a Dakota warrior.

Lee swung himself up in the saddle. With one final look

back at his son, he and Nate galloped off toward the town.

* * * *

They arrived in Bethel later that morning. They went

directly up the street toward the sheriff's office. There was a
crowd in the street. Several were on horseback. One carried a
noose. Sheriff Bidwell and his deputy, Sam, stood on the
boardwalk in front of the office with rifles in hand.

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"No one's gonna do nothing to nobody, unless you're

gonna gun me down to do it."

These words of Bidwell's chilled Lee to the bone. He looked

at Nate with a silent admonition to restrain himself. He
obeyed.

They rode through the crowd.
"That's his pardner. Get 'im!" cried a man with a bruised

face; Kalub O'Brian.

The crowd surged toward Lee. Nate spurred his horse

between the crowd and Ranger. Bidwell fired his rifle into the
air. The men fell back. "No one's gonna do nothing to
nobody!" Bidwell shouted again. "Now just simmer down.

Lee and Nate dismounted and climbed the stairs to stand

with the sheriff and Sam. The crowd murmured and shifted
restlessly. Just then Ted and the elder Birk rode up. To Lee's
dismay they had Sleeps With Dog with them. They
dismounted and took their places next to the men already
assembled on the boardwalk in front of the office.

"You taken their side are ya, Birk? I mighta knowed it,

sheep man!" Kalub cried out.

The other men in the crowd murmured their assent.
"Hold your tongue, O'Brian," said Charlie Birk in a strong

firm voice.

There was authority in that voice. The crowd seemed to

respect it. Kalub shut his mouth, but breathed deeply through
flaring nostrils.

"Now, ya'll just back off and get a hold on yourselves. I got

some information for the sheriff that is gonna clear this mess
up. Owen, come inside with me and the boy."

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The sheriff turned to enter the building. Birk, Sr. put his

hand on Sleeps With Dog's shoulder and steered him into the
building. Lee started to follow, but Ted restrained him.

"Let Dad take care o' this. Jist hang on."
Lee watched as the two men and the boy entered the

building. As soon as they left, the crowd got restless again.
Ted and Nate walked to the edge of the boardwalk and stood
as a barrier to the office door.

In just a few minutes the sheriff came out. "Kalub get

yourself in here, now!"

"Wa fer?" Kalub replied in a surly voice.
"Get that ugly ass o' yers in here and stop asking

questions, damn it!"

Kalub looked around. Lee saw some apprehension on the

man's face as he pushed past him and into the office.

Another length of time passed. This one was longer and

Lee felt anxiety rise in his chest.

After what seemed like forever, the door opened. The

sheriff came out, followed by Birk and Kalub. Then came
Sleep With Dog and Tatanka. Nate put his arm on Lee's to
keep him from moving to the brave's side and embracing him.

"You can all go home now, or go on about your business.

Show's over," the sheriff said with a wave of his hand.

There were murmurs of "What's that all about," and

"Kalub, what does he mean?"

Bidwell looked at Kalub. The man just shrugged and said,

"Go on. It's over. Fuckin' Injun lovers won out."

He walked off the porch with slumped shoulders and was

swallowed by the crowd.

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Lee looked around bewildered.
"Let's go home," said Nate.

* * * *

Lee, Nate, Ted, Tatanka and the senior Birk sat around the

kitchen table at the livery. Sleeps With Dog played on the
floor with Small Puppy.

"So, when we got that information from the boy, we knew

we had the bastard," Ted Birk was saying before finishing off
the shot of whiskey Nate had served them.

The senior Birk had filled Lee and Nate in on what had

transpired inside. After Nate and Lee had taken off for town,
Charlie Birk had asked Sleeps with Dog to tell him exactly
what had happened. When Sleeps with Dog related that when
O'Brien pulled his pants down, his 'wic'as'a hu' looked like a
snake. Further questioning led to the conclusion that the son
of a bitch had some sort of snake tattoo on his dick. Armed
with that knowledge, the Birks had ridden to town, bringing
Sleeps With Dog along.

Once inside the office, the sheriff had been told what the

boy had seen tattooed on O'Brian's cock. He then brought
O'Brian in to confront the boy.

"He call me liar and say I was making all this up," said

Sleeps With Dog.

"So, the sheriff says there was an easy way to prove it,"

went on Mr. Birk, Sr. "He tells O'Brian to take down his
drawers and show us his business. At first, Kalub would have
nothing to do with that and tried to get out of the building.

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But the sheriff blocked his way and pointed his rifle at him.
Guess that convinced him to produce the evidence."

Almost everyone smiled or chuckled.
"Well, Kalub fumbled around in his pants and finally pulls

out his dick. Sure enough, there as clear as you please, was
this green snaked tattooed right on the top of it. That
convinced the sheriff the boy was telling the truth and his
daddy here," Birk nodded toward Tatanka, "had the right to
defend his son."

"How come he didn't throw the filthy scum in jail?" Lee

spat out his eyes narrowed.

"No law against what he done."
"Well, there oughta be," declared Lee with vehemence.
"Probably should," the elder Birk agreed, "and maybe

someday there will be, but right now there isn't one."

The group talked for a bit longer, then Ted and his father

excused themselves and left.

"That's twice they've bailed us out," said Lee, "shore wish

there was someway to repay them."

"Hmmm," Tatanka said in agreement.

* * * *

If Lee thought the events of the past week had proved to

be a turning point for the better, he was mistaken. If
anything, things got worse. Although the residents of Bethel
would whole heartedly agree Kalub O'Brian's assault on
Sleeps With Dog was wrong; it seemed they held in equal
contempt that an Indian had beaten a white man and had
gotten off.

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Both Lee and Tatanka were skirted and avoided on the

streets of the town. Sleeps With Dog's new friends could no
longer come to play at the livery and he was not invited to
their homes. When patrons came to the livery, they watched
Tatanka warily. Nate said it would pass, but Lee wasn't so
sure.

Life on the ranch reflected the tension from town. The

cowboys of the CB couldn't help but get the story from other
wranglers in town, bringing the biases and prejudgments
back to the ranch. It seemed to Lee many of the guys who
had been friends were now cold toward him. Only the Birks
continued to relate to him as if nothing had happened. For
that he was grateful.

One bright, spring morning Lee and Teddy Birk were

working together out on the range. Lee looked up to see a
cloud of dust headed their way. Out of the cloud there soon
emerged the form of a rider on horseback and a muffled voice
shouting something. As the rider came closer, the voice
sounded shrill and urgent.

"Mr. Birk, Mr. Birk!" It was one of the younger hands. "Mr.

Birk, you gotta come quick. It's the baby comin' but
somethin's wrong! Your mama says to get home fast."

Ted and Lee exchanged looks. Ted had confided in Lee

about the long wait he and Lu Ann had endured to get this
baby on the way. Ted's expression was one of pain and
apprehension. Lee's heart went out to his friend. They
wheeled their horses around and galloped back to the ranch.

When they arrived, Martha Birk was helping Lu Ann into

the carriage. When she saw her son and Lee come around the

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side of the barn, she called to them. Lu Ann raised her pain
filled eyes and tear stained face to her husband and mouthed,
"I'm sorry!"

The men dismounted. Ted threw the reins of his horse at

Lee and ran to the carriage. Lee stood helplessly watching as
Ted and his mother made Lu Ann as comfortable as possible.
Ted jumped into the driver's seat and started off down the
lane toward the road to Bethel.

"Lee," Ted shouted over his shoulder, "Ride ahead and let

Doc Thompson know we're on our way."

Lee remounted Ranger and as he sped past the rig, he saw

Lu Ann slumped against Mrs. Birk's ample breasts. He offered
a plea to Wakantanka as he left the Birks behind.

Riding over the miles separating the Birk's spread and the

town, Lee knew he would get there long before they would.
They would have to go slowly so as not to jostle the pregnant
woman.

Lee rode down the main street of Bethel at top speed. He

dismounted before Ranger had fully stopped and ran to the
door of the doctor's office and clinic. On the door he read the
hours of operation. Bethel: Monday and Wednesday Dawn
to Dusk. Ortonville: Tuesday and Thursday Dawn to
Dusk. Friday and Saturday: By Previous Arrangement.

"Shit! Today's Tuesday!" Lee yelled and slapped his knee

with his hat. He turned to remount Ranger and ran right into
Sheriff Bidwell who had walked up behind him. Lee's size and
the speed of his turn almost knocked the man off his feet.

"Hold on there, man, what's the emergency!"

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Lee quickly told the sheriff the situation. "I'm gonna head

um off and maybe they can make it to Ortonville!"

"Son," said Bidwell kindly, with a restraining arm on his

shoulder, "Ortonville is further North from here. They have to
come through Bethel to get there."

Lee was in a panic. What was he gonna do? He looked

imploringly into the older man's eyes.

"I'll send my deputy to Ortonville for the doc. I'm gonna

ride out to meet the Birk's. You go to the church house. Tell
the Wallaces what's happening." The sheriff's strong
authoritarian voice reassured Lee and he nodded in
agreement. "Let the Reverend and the Mrs. know I am going
to bring Lu Ann there until Sam can bring the Doc." Lee
nodded again. "Can I take your horse? It'll save time if I don't
have to saddle mine." A third time Lee nodded.

The sheriff swung himself up on Ranger's back. The

gelding pawed the ground at the feel of an unfamiliar rider,
but made no further protest. As Lee started toward the
church and rectory, he saw Bidwell stopping in front of his
office and calling for the deputy, Sam.

Sam came out, looked down the street to Lee and then

back to the sheriff. Lee saw him nod and go back in the
building. The sheriff turned Ranger and was off. As Lee
jogged past the sheriff's office, he heard Sam yell "Git" from
somewhere in back and heard the sound of a horse taking off
in full gallop.

As it was afternoon in the middle of the week, the main

street of the town was almost deserted. However, the few
townsfolk who were out and about, looked questioningly at

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Lee as he hurriedly made his way to the church. Lee felt like
shouting 'What'cha starin' at!' These were some of the same
people who had been avoiding looking at him since Tatanka's
encounter with Kalub. Now they showed an interest.

When Lee reached the church he saw it must be recess

time. The children and Mrs. Wallace were in the yard at the
side of the building, where two swings had been hung in the
branches of a big oak and a slide had been constructed.
Sleeps With Dog saw Lee and ran out to meet him.

"Obadiah! Just where do you think you are going?"

shouted Mrs. Wallace. Then she added, "Oh, it's you," as she
spotted Lee.

"Mrs. Wallace," Lee began.
"What do you want?" the woman replied coldly.
"It's Lu Ann Birk. The baby's comin' and there's trouble."
"Oh dear Lord!" cried Mrs. Wallace.
Lee finished telling her the story and watched as she ran to

the house, holding her skirts up above her ankles so she
wouldn't trip. Lee and Sleeps With Dog walked back over to
the other children who drew back at the sight of Lee. The
cowboy and the boy walked to the steps of the church. Lee
sat with his elbows on his knees, holding his hat in his hands,
his head bowed. Sleeps With Dog sat close, his arm through
Lee's and his head on his shoulder.

"It be alright. Owasia ohaa," the boy said in both English

and Dakota, "It be alright. Owasia ohaa."

As time passed, Lee got restless. Where could they be?

Had things gone bad on the road?

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Mrs. Wallace came back out of the church house. She

looked up the street in the direction the Birks would be
coming. Seeing nothing, she turned to the church yard where
the children were still playing. She dismissed them, saying
that they should go home and pray for Mrs. Birk and the
baby. If they were waiting for their parents they should go to
the church and pray there. As she finished with these
instructions, her husband emerged from the house. Mrs.
Wallace followed the children who were making their way to
the church and stood before Lee and Sleeps With Dog.

"Obadiah, you and Mr. Masters go home. There's no need

for you to stay."

Lee stood, acutely aware she had avoided addressing him.

"Ted Birk's my friend and—"

"Oh, is he now?" Mrs. Wallace raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, he is!" said Lee more forcefully than he had

intended. "And I am going to stay right here until I know
everything is alright."

"And what do you intend to do to help the situation?"
"I can pray as good as anybody, better maybe than some!"
"I seriously doubt that. So I would just as soon that you

and Obadiah—"

"That will do, Priscilla." Reverend Wallace had come up to

the steps. "The man has good intentions and those are
honored by God no matter by whom they are offered."

"But Daniel," Mrs. Wallace persisted.
"I said that will do," the minister said again. This time with

a bit more power behind his words. "Now is not the time."

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Whether Mrs. Wallace agreed with that statement or not,

became a moot point as they all heard the carriage arriving
behind them. They hurried to the Birks. The sheriff and Ted
helped Mrs. Birk, Sr. with Lu Ann. Mrs. Wallace moved ahead
to the door. Ted carried his wife the last few feet and
disappeared through the door. The sheriff and the reverend
followed. Lee and Sleeps With Dog were left alone once more.

The man and boy returned to the steps. The sheriff came

out of the house. A small crowd gathered, mostly made up of
the parents of the children who were being picked up from
school. Lee and S'unka kept quiet and out of the way, letting
the sheriff answer questions. Lee became aware of a light
touch on his shoulder. Tatanka stood beside him. He knew
Tatanka had come to be sure that Sleeps With Dog got home
safely, but he wished he had sent Nate instead. It made him
worry to think his man was walking down a street where he
was viewed with hatred and suspicion.

"Tatanka!" Lee rose and placed one hand on the brave's

shoulder, working hard to restrain the desire he had to hug
the man close.

"Lee Masters, what is happen?"
Lee reiterated the events of the day. As he talked,

Tatanka's eyes shifted from his face to the house and back
again. When Lee finished, the Indian sat down and said
nothing. He merely stared at the front door as if expecting
something to happen. As they sat there, Sam arrived with Dr.
Thompson. The doctor hurried into the house.

Time passed and then the door opened. Ted came out

looking beaten and haggard. He talked to the sheriff, and

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then staggered toward the men and boy on the steps. Lee
rose and Ted fell into his arms, stifling a sob.

"My son," he sobbed, "my son!"
Lee held his friend. After a minute, Ted straightened up

and took a deep breath. "Lu Ann's in bad shape, but..." he
sighed ... "the baby didn't make it."

Tatanka stood up. Lee saw a strange look in his eyes: a

look that he had never seen before. "Take me to your son!"
Tatanka said with a voice of authority and power.

Ted and Lee stared at him. Sleeps With Dog smiled and

nodded.

"Tatanka," Ted said, "It's too late."
"Take me to your son!" Tatanka said again with finality.
Ted and Lee exchanged looks. Lee nodded encouragingly.

They all walked to the house. The Wallaces came out the
front door. They were pale and somber looking. They met Ted
and Tatanka on the front stairs.

"Where do you think you are going?" demanded Mrs.

Wallace.

The group of people on the lawn murmured.
Tatanka did not respond, merely brushed past her and

through the door. Mrs. Wallace also disappeared through the
doorway. Ted followed, but Lee and Sleeps With Dog stayed
behind.

The crowd in front of the house milled about, muttering

things. Lee suspected he would be angered, even enraged, if
he could hear their words.

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A short time later, Tatanka emerged. He walked to Lee and

said softly, "Wakantanka has heard your prayer. He has
offered a way to pay our friend for their kindness to us."

Before Lee could respond, Ted burst from the door. He

came down the stairs two at a time. He threw himself into
Tatanka's arms. Then he held him at arms length. "If I hadn't
seed it with my own two eyes, I never woulda believed it."
The next thing Lee heard was a baby crying.

"Winkte," Sleeps With Dog whispered.

* * * *

There was a knock on the door to the livery. Nate rose

from the table where he, Lee, Tatanka and Dog had just
finished eating supper. The conversation had revolved around
the day's events. Lee was still not sure he understood what
had happened.

Nate opened the door. On the other side stood Dr.

Thompson and the elder Mr. Birk. Birk spoke first. "I came to
thank Tatanka for saving my grandson," he said, with
emotion.

Dr. Thompson continued, "May we come in?"
"Shore," said Nate, standing back to allow the men to

enter.

Dr. Thompson and Charlie Birk walked in and stopped

beside the table. Tatanka, Lee and Sleeps With Dog stood up.

It was Birk who spoke. "We don't mean to interrupt your

dinner, but I just had to come by and tell you how grateful we
all are to you for what you've done for our family."

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At this point he reached out and shook Tatanka's hand and

clasped his shoulder. His eyes were glistening.

Dr. Thompson echoed Birk's sentiments and then added, "I

have heard rumors of medicine men with powers such as
those you showed us today, but I have to admit I would not
have believed it possible if I hadn't witnessed it myself."

Tatanka nodded and smiled. "I am not medicine man. I am

what my people call Winkte. Winkte have power to heal, see
future and," he turned and looked directly at Lee with a smile,
"other things, too."

Lee blushed slightly, and a warm glow spread across his

chest, knowing Tatanka was referring to the fact Winkte
preferred men to women.

"You never told us you were a, a, Wink ... whatever," said

Nate.

"Winkte!" said Sleeps With Dog, giggling at Nate's struggle

with the Dakota word.

"All right, Winkte, then," Nate replied with a smile,

emphasizing the pronunciation.

"I not know myself," said Tatanka. "Told it was so by Wise

Eagle, the shaman of my people. But other than one thing,"
Tatanka smiled again at Lee, "I have not shown any power."

Lee remembered the day Tatanka had been shot and the

buffalo stampede. Of course, it was that power that divided
the buffalo and saved our lives.

"But today," Tatanka was continuing, "when Ted come out

from house I know that I was to do this, that it was not to be
that his son go to the above. I knew then that I had the spirit
of the Winkte."

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"Fascinating, fascinating," said the doctor who was

listening intently. "Maybe you could stop by the office so that
I could learn more about this. Fascinating."

Tatanka nodded.
The men stayed for a while, had a drink and took their

leave with more expressions of gratitude and good will. Soon
after, everyone in the livery headed for bed.

Lee lay next to Tatanka, facing him. He wasn't sure how to

approach him now his power as Winkte had manifested itself.
He was a little in awe, if truth be told.

"I am still Tatanka iåyaåke, Running Buffalo. I have not

changed." He spoke as if he sensed Lee's hesitancy.

"Yeah but ... being able to ... to do what you did ... to be a

Winkte."

Tatanka pulled Lee to him. "Don't forget, Lee Masters,

what we share is part of the power of the Winkte." He kissed
him.

Lee's hesitation evaporated.

* * * *

In the days and weeks that followed; word of what had

happened the day at the Wallace's spread throughout Bethel.
Whenever Lee and Tatanka appeared on the main street,
townsfolk would either nod their greetings, whisper and point
or offer some form of recognition, at times walking right up to
talk. Lee was beginning to feel a sense of acceptance for
Tatanka, although he wondered how far that acceptance
would go if the nature of their relationship were to be known.

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Dr. Thompson had invited Tatanka to his office several

times to discuss manifestations of healing power that he had
witnessed. He even asked Tatanka to be present at some of
his examinations and asked his advice on several more
serious cases. A number of people had appeared at the livery
seeking healing from the brave. Tatanka always referred
them back to the doctor, however, and made no attempts to
heal. Lee was proud of his partner and his newfound status in
the community.

At work, out at the Birk's farm, Lee was treated as

something of a celebrity among the cowpokes. The Birks went
out of their way to let him know how much it meant to have
him as an employee. Ted and Lu Ann, of course, held
gratitude that knew no boundaries and showed it by naming
the baby Charles Theodore Tatanka.

The cowboy and the brave sat at the doorway to the stable

in Bethel one warm night in early summer. "You shore is
gittin' ta be one popular guy," Lee said looking admiringly at
Tatanka.

The brave smiled. "I am glad for us, Lee Masters, that we

are thought of well now. But I have not felt the power of the
Winkte since it came to save Ted's son. I have only listen and
share what little I know with Dr. Thompson."

"Yeah, but that's good too, right."
"Hau, yes. I do not understand this power and do not know

how to summon it. That day it came to me out of extreme
need. I think that is the way it work. I do not know. I wish I
could speak with Wise Eagle...."

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Just then Sleeps with Dog and several of his friends

rounded the corner of the livery. Their laughter and shouts
drowned out any further conversation; another benefit of the
miracle. Lee was pleased the boy had friends again.

Lee sat back and smiled, his hands linked behind his neck.

"Maybe this is gonna work after all. Yes, maybe it will."

* * * *

"Who is Levicus?" asked Sleeps with Dog one Sunday

afternoon. Although Lee and Tatanka were still not attending
church services, they had agreed to let the boy go to Sunday
School. School was out for the summer and Lee and Tatanka
felt it was a way for him to stay in touch with his friends.

"What's that you say?" Nate was roused from his Sunday

post meal nap. He sat himself up in the hammock that was
strung between two trees on the side of the livery.

"Who is Levicus?" Dog repeated.
Lee stirred from his slumped position at the trunk of the

tree, where he sat next to Tatanka.

"I don't know no Levicus," said Nate closing his eyes again.
"Where you hear this man's name?" asked Tatanka.
"This morning in Sunday School," said the boy. "Missy

Wallace read from Bible book. She say that Levicus have rules
and if you break them you go to place where you burn
forever."

Lee shook his head under the hat pulled down over his

eyes. "Same ole crap they tried to force down my throat
when I was a kid."

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Nate opened his eyes and said with a yawn, "You mean,

Leviticus. That's a book in the Jewish part of the Bible."

"What this Leviticus say?" asked Tatanka of Dog.
"He say that you not eat some things, and not wear some

things, not be with no clothes on, not to plant two different
things together in same place and not sleep with man if you
are man. I tell Missy Wallace that silly, cuz you and Lee sleep
in same bed."

Lee's heart froze. He sat up straight, knocking his hat off

his head.

"What did she say?" he demanded, almost shouting.
Sleeps with Dog looked at him, surprised by his outburst.
"She say, 'Thank you for let me know.' Did I say

something bad?"

Nate and Tatanka looked from Lee to the boy. Both had

concerned expressions on their faces. Lee took a deep breath
and said, "I hope not, son. I hope not."

* * * *

Monday morning came and Lee was nervous. "I think I'll

jist hang 'round here today."

Tatanka walked over to him and put both hands on his

shoulders. He smiled. "You worry too much. You go to ranch,
nothing going to change. We are fine."

"But Mrs. Wallace, she's mean. She hates us. She could—"
Tatanka kissed him. "We are fine," he said again.
Lee reluctantly mounted Ranger. He headed out of town. It

was later than usual as he had procrastinated leaving. He was
paranoid over what had transpired with Mrs. Wallace at

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Sunday School. She had not softened her stance with regard
to Tatanka or Lee, despite the change of heart that seemed to
be evident with the rest of the residents of Bethel. Due to his
late departure from the livery, many of the town's citizenry
were already out on the main street.

As he passed Sheriff Bidwell's office, the door opened and

Mrs. Wallace came out. Lee could feel the color rising in his
cheeks, but tipped his hat as he rode by; repressing the
feeling of apprehension and the anger he always felt when he
saw her.

In return she stopped and smiled a smile that was more

like a smirk. With her head tilted to one side and one eyebrow
raised, she nodded in his direction.

Ranger shuffled to a stop as Lee watched Priscilla Wallace

walk back down the main street toward the church. The look
she had given him was unnerving. There was more there than
the thinly veiled dislike that usually emanated from her
greetings.

His first instinct was to go into the office and confront

Bidwell. He tried to reason with himself. Was he being silly?
He couldn't decide what to do. In the end he rode out to the
ranch, trying to put the image of Mrs. Wallace's face out of
his mind. He reminded himself Tatanka wasn't worried. After
all, Tanka was a Winkte. He could see into the future.

* * * *

When he got home that night, he found the livery alive

with activity. Three horses were packed with supplies. Two

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were saddled in addition to the packs. He dismounted and ran
into the house.

Once inside, he found Tatanka, Nate and Sleeps With Dog

in the final stages of packing up their clothes.

"What the hell is going on?" he demanded.
Tatanka walked up to him. "You were right, Lee Masters.

You have more the power of the Winkte than I to see the
future."

Nate looked up from his packing, "Bidwell was here this

afternoon: unofficially."

"He say Missy Wallace going to take me away," said Sleeps

With Dog.

"What!" Lee felt panicky. His mouth went dry.
Nate turned to him. "Bidwell came today. Priscilla had him

file a complaint with the territory, charging that a child was
being raised by sodomites and needed to be taken away for
his own safety. He had no choice but to send Sam to the
territorial seat. Sam will be back in the morning with the
order. He said he would come back tomorrow 'officially' to
carry it out."

"Damn, I thought he was our friend!" Lee moaned,

slumping against the doorjamb.

"He is, Lee. He took a risk coming here today to let us

know what was goin' on. He could have taken Dog today, but
he didn't. He gave you a chance to slip out tonight."

Lee began to help with the final packing. He tried not to

think. He tried to just do what needed to be done. He averted
his eyes from Nate, Tatanka and the boy.

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He carried the packs that were to be secured to Ranger out

into the stable. The others followed him with the remainder of
their belongings.

When the summer night was upon them, they were ready

to leave. They each hugged Nate. Sleeps With Dog held him
the longest and both shed tears openly. Tatanka and the boy
mounted their horses. Small puppy was tucked in a sling just
behind the boy's leg. He had grown so much over the
summer that he nearly didn't fit. Lee walked up to the big
man.

"I wish I was comin' with ya. I shore am gonna miss you."
"Same here ... on both counts," replied Lee.
"Where you goin'? Do you know?"
"Not really. West I guess. Away from people."
They hugged again.
Under the cover of darkness, the trio left Nate standing in

the doorway of what had become their home. They rode
around to the back of the livery and made their way out of
town, secretly, silently. On a hill overlooking Bethel, they
stopped and looked back.

Lee looked from Tatanka to the boy. As he had come to

expect, they were stoic as was the way with their race. Lee
sighed and reined Ranger to the west, leading the pack horse
behind him. The words of Spotted Owl, Tatanka's brother,
came back to him. "Hiya makoce nupa umnipi: You cannot
walk in two worlds."

[Back to Table of Contents]

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Part Five: The Pueblo

Lee led the little party south and west through Texas and

into the New Mexico territory. They kept to themselves, away
from towns and the forts that were usually associated with
them. They camped in secluded places and lived off the land.
Occasionally, Lee would enter a town to get news of what was
happening in the area and replenish the supplies that were
not available to them through natural resources. He still had
most of the money he had made working for the Birks, thanks
to Nate's generosity. His insistence that Tatanka's and Dog's
help in the livery more than made up for any cost they were
to him. Lee knew that the real motive was Nate's joy at
having a family.

These memories often caused Lee to feel depressed and

moody. He wished he had a plan for what was to come.

Tatanka and Sleeps With Dog seemed to be satisfied with

the life they were living. They appeared happy and were
usually in good spirits. They reassured Lee they trusted his
judgment and decisions.

"But Tanka," Lee often argued. "I don't know where the

hell we're goin'. I got no grand idea of what to do."

At these times Tatanka would smile and say, "Wakantanka

ahna niye."

Lee would shake his head. "Well, the Great Spirit better be

with me, cuz I ain't got a clue of my own."

The most prevalent danger to them was from the nomadic

Apache bands that harassed the settlers. This was one of the

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reasons why the military forts were maintained at the end of
the Mexican American war. Several times they came close to
being discovered by the Apache. On two occasions they
watched, hidden from view, as a detail of soldiers from a
nearby fort pursued Indian raiding parties.

They meandered across the territory with no real goal in

mind. They crossed deserts, plains and mountain forests.
Finally they reached the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and
camped in a valley.

Sleeps With Dog and Small Puppy were playing, while

Tatanka and Lee sat by the fire after a meal of jackrabbit and
berries. "Do not feel so bad," said Tatanka, nudging Lee in
the ribs. "We are together, warm, eat good food. Make good
love." He punctuated the last statement by running his hand
down Lee's chest and squeezing his crotch.

Lee sighed, covering Tatanka's hand with his and

encouraging him to sustain the pressure.

"I know, but I wish we had us a place to call home.

Someplace where we could be ourselves and S'unka could
have friends." He placed his free arm around Tatanka's
shoulders and continued. "Someplace where a queer cowboy
and a Winkte Injun would be accepted as ... normal."

Tatanka laughed. Lee chuckled, too. "Guess that's askin' a

lot, ain't it?"

He turned his face toward the brave and pulled him close

to kiss him. "You reckon Sleeps With Dog is gonna be
tuckered out soon?"

"I thought you not have a plan?" Tatanka smiled.

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"Well, I got me some good ideas at least," said Lee as he

kissed Tatanka again.

* * * *

"Who do you s'pose they are?" asked Lee as he, Tatanka

and Sleep With Dog stood mounted on their horses. They
were on a bluff overlooking a valley, where about a dozen or
more Indians were working in a field of corn.

"They not Ciacakiaze Oyate," replied Tatanka, using the

Dakota name for Apache.

"No, I don't reckon them Apache would be plantin' stuff."
"Not men. Ciacakiaze Oyate men do not work in field,"

added Tatanka.

The group below was mostly comprised of men.
"They may be the Anasazi. My people have heard of a

people in a far off place who grow food instead of hunt. Wise
Eagle told me of them. He say he met one once."

At that precise moment, some of the men in the field

below the bluff on which Lee and the Indians stood, spotted
them. There was a flurry of loud words exchanged. All the
men stopped and looked up toward them, pointing. They
moved together as a group. The women crowded behind
them.

"Don't want to spook 'um none," Lee offered. "Think we

should go down and introduce ourselves?"

"Hau, yes. That is good." replied Tatanka.
As they made their way slowly down the side of the bluff,

they made sure to smile and nod, so as not to alarm the
group below. When they came level with them, Lee, Tatanka

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and Sleeps With Dog dismounted and gave the peace greeting
sign of the Dakota.

The men nodded and smiled.
Well, so far so good, Lee thought.
Tatanka pointed to himself and said "Dakota." Then he

pointed to them and said. "Anasazi?"

The men smiled and a murmur of laughter went through

the group. A handsome man in the front of the group replied,
shaking his head, "Hopitun Shi-nu-mu."

Tatanka nodded. "Hopi."
"I am Running Buffalo," he signed. Then he said his name

aloud in Dakota, pointing to himself. He did the same for Lee
and Sleeps with Dog: first the sign, then the name.

The man who had identified the people as Hopi, pointed to

himself and said, "Hania."

"Hau Hania," replied Tatanka, bowing his head.
Tatanka then tried to explain who they were and what

their business was in sign. However, the group gathering
before them looked bewildered and shook their heads.

Hania held out his hands in a gesture that seemed to say

'I'm sorry,' and made hand signs, which Tatanka did not seem
able to understand, either. Tatanka gestured back, using the
same signal Hania had, 'I'm sorry.'

Everyone made noises of frustration, but with smiles and

nods.

The two groups stood awkwardly facing each other. One of

the women came forward and whispered something in Hania's
ear. He smiled and nodded. Turning back to Lee and the

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Indians he made the universal sign for food and gestured,
come.

Tatanka nodded. He, Lee and Sleeps With Dog walked

forward as the group of Hopi parted. Hania and the woman
who had spoken led the way toward the edge of the valley.

Lee noticed they were not dressed in animal skins as were

many of the tribes with whom he had been accustomed.
Hania wore a fabric loincloth, fringed with a white cotton
sash, deerskin moccasins, and short leggings. The woman
wore a woven dress, fastened over the right shoulder,
footless stockings, and was barefoot. They both had jewelry
of turquoise blue and silver.

As they walked, Hania turned to Lee and Tatanka. Pointing

to the woman, he said, "Chosoui." The woman looked back
and smiled. Then Hania put his arm around her shoulder and
took her hand in his. He smiled proudly.

"They must be married," Lee said to Tatanka.
"Hau," the brave replied. Before Lee could stop him,

Tatanka repeated the Hania's gesture with Lee.

Lee froze in step. The two Hopi halted and looked at each

other. Lee's heart almost stopped beating. Then the Hania
and Chosoui smiled and came toward them, excitedly saying
"Looyo Angeni, Looyo Angeni."

"What're they sayin'?" Lee cried, throwing Tatanka's arm

off and backing Ranger up.

"I not know," replied the brave, looking confused.
Meanwhile Hania and Chosoui were enthusiastically bowing

and clapping their hands together, smiling at each other and

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Lee and Tatanka. They gestured for them to follow more
quickly.

The group picked up the pace and walked to the rim of the

valley. As they crossed the ridge below them, they saw the
Hopi village: a pueblo, strange to the eyes of the men and
boy. The buildings, which looked like a stack of children's
blocks made of stone and mud—with ladders connecting one
level with the next, stood against the side of a mountain. As
they made their way into the village, they saw in front of the
buildings were what appeared to be common areas where
men, women and older children were gathered in groups,
working on various tasks: weaving, food preparation, making
clothes and small dolls which were dressed in ornate clothing
and decorated with silver and feathers.

Their guides approached the village, calling "Looyo Angeni"

over and over. They also said "Makya, Makya."

A crowd gathered around Lee, Tatanka, Sleeps With Dog

and the horses. The latter were objects of much interest, as
was Small Puppy. He ran around wagging his tail furiously,
causing the children to laugh and smile. There was much
nodding and smiling and again the words "Looyo Angeni"
were heard.

Two young men and Hania broke from the group and ran

toward the buildings calling, "Makya, Makya."

In a short time they returned, leading an old man toward

them. The crowd parted and the man came to stand before
the visitors.

"You are Dakota?" he asked, speaking haltingly in

Tatanka's tongue.

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"Hau, Uakaana," Tatanka said, respectfully addressing the

man as grandfather.

Lee was relieved some level of communication could now

be established.

"You are men of nuapa niya?"
"What did he call us?" asked Lee.
"Men of two spirits," whispered the brave.
"Holy shit. Tatanka, be careful."
Tatanka ignored Lee and addressed the old man again.

"Yes, grandfather, we are of two spirits. I believe I am
Winkte."

Lee had a quick intake of breath. What was Tanka thinkin'?
The old man's eyes widened. "Come," he said and turned

to the buildings. Tatanka started forward. Lee and Sleeps
With Dog hung back. "Come all of you," the old man said
again. "We will talk."

* * * *

The crowd of people parted; the old man leading the way

to one of the buildings. Three men had followed and took
charge of the four horses as the party entered through a
blanket hanging on the doorway. Inside, it was cool and dim.
As his eyes adjusted to the dark, Lee saw there were shelves
lined with bowls and tools. Pegs were driven into the walls, on
which hung clothing and blankets, but no furniture. Blankets
were also spread on the floor.

The old man sat on the blankets and indicated Lee,

Tatanka and Dog should do the same.

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When they had settled themselves, he spoke again in

halting Dakota. "I am Makya, Eagle hunter in your language. I
am shaman to my people. When I was young my father took
me on a quest. We traveled far to the land where winters are
white and cold. There I met your people, the Dakota. I stayed
with them for three summers. I studied the ways of your
shaman, Bear on the Mountain. I studied with his son Wise
Eagle. After that I come home to my people."

Lee nodded as did Tatanka. "I know Wise Eagle," Tatanka

said. Sleeps With Dog sat and held Small Puppy on his lap.

Eagle Hunter continued. "You say you believe you are

Winkte?"

"Yes," said Tatanka.
"What proof do you have, other than being Two Spirited?"
"My hihnaku..." Lee winced at being called Tatanka's

husband. Not from shame, but from fear of once again being
exposed to censure. "...and son were living among his people
in Oklahoma. Our friend's wife was have baby. It die shortly
after birth. I was led to the child by the Great Spirit. I raised
it up to Him. It was healed and brought to life."

"Ah, that is good," said Eagle Hunter, "Wait here. I will go

to Chochokpi, our chief. Wait here," he said again.

"Whadaya think?" Lee queried, after the man had left. He

still wasn't sure he was comfortable with the amount of
information Tatanka had revealed about them.

"I think all is well, Lee Masters. As we traveled across the

land, I felt you being led to a place where we could be happy.
I felt the spirit of the Winkte showing me this."

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"Why didn't you tell me? Hell, here I was thinkin' I was

goin' in circles and all the while you're feelin' like we're being
led. No wonder you was so calm and happy."

"I did not want you to feel the leading. It might not

happen then. I am sorry if I made you worry."

Lee was about to respond it didn't make any difference

now, when the blanket was pulled back and Eagle Hunter
returned with a short, stout man. His face was wrinkled from
years in the sun. He wore an orange shirt, breeches, many
necklaces of the same blue-green stones that Lee had seen
on Hania and Chosoui. On his head he wore a gray cloth,
knotted on the right side. Lee, Tatanka and Sleeps With Dog
rose as he entered.

"This is Chochokpi, Throne for the Clouds, chief of our

people," Eagle Hunter said.

The men and boy all nodded and made slight bows.
Throne for the Clouds gestured for them to sit. After all

were seated, the chief spoke and Eagle Hunter translated.
"Eagle Hunter has told me you have come to our people as
friends." His voice was soft and hoarse. "We are a people of
peace, and welcome all who come in that spirit."

Tatanka nodded.
"He has told me you are of two spirits and that you believe

you are Winkte."

Tatanka nodded again.
"Your name is Running Buffalo?"
Another acknowledgement from Tatanka.
"And this man is your husband?"
"Hau."

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"Why is it that you have chosen a white man?"
Lee tensed.
"I did not choose him." Tatanka began, as Eagle Hunter

repeated his words in Hopi for the chief. "I was brought to
him by the power of the Winkte."

Lee turned to Tatanka with his mouth open. He had never

heard Tatanka speak of this.

Tatanka continued, "One year ago I was sleeping in my

tipi. I had been in conflict with my people over how to live my
life as one with two spirits. I had a dream. In this dream I
saw this man. He was leaving his dwelling; forced to leave as
he was also of two spirits."

Lee continued to stare at Tatanka, open mouthed.
"In my dream I saw him coming closer and closer to my

heart. I knew I must leave my village and find him, for I
already loved him. I thought the spirit of the Winkte was
telling me if I found this man and he would love me as I loved
him, the conflict of how to live my life and be of two spirits
would be ended."

Throne for the Clouds nodded and said something to Eagle

Hunter, who nodded. Both men seemed to be excited.

"It did not happen as I had hoped. I did meet Lee Masters,

Hiasma Maku, and we were as one and loved one another
from the beginning. But upon returning to my people, the
conflict of how to live as one with two spirits did not end. We
left and made our way to a white man's town. There, too, the
conflict of having two spirits forced us to leave."

There was silence in the room for a few minutes. Then the

chief spoke. "And, how is it that you have come to us here?"

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"We traveled by Lee Masters guidance. He led us to this

place."

Lee shook his head slightly, sighed, bowed his head and

touched his fingers to his forehead.

The chief and the shaman exchanged looks, and then

smiled at Lee and Tatanka as they sat side by side.

Eagle Hunter spoke. "I have told you that as a young boy I

was with your people. I was taught by your shaman, Bear on
the Mountain, as he taught Wise Eagle, his son. What I have
not told you is one night Wise Eagle woke me from my sleep.
He said he had a dream. In that dream he saw a running
buffalo being guided by a white man. It came to a village
made of stone houses. In this place were no small children,
no babies. The women were sad. When the buffalo and the
white man arrived, there was happiness."

Both Tatanka and Lee looked at each other, then back to

Eagle Hunter.

"We took this dream to Bear on the Mountain the next day.

He said it was a vision. He say that there would come a time
when the people of my village would have no children. That
the women could not carry them: they would lose them. But
the Great Spirit would send a man of two spirits, a Winkte,
who would be married to a white man and he would bring
healing to the women. The Winkte would be guided here by
the white man." Eagle Hunter stopped and looked at the
chief.

The chief spoke again. "These dreams are two parts of a

whole. You, Mosayra," he said, addressing Tatanka as Buffalo
in Hopi, "are that man. And your husband is Pahana: Lost

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White Brother. In two days time we celebrate Kokopelli and
the Flute. Kokopelli brings the harvest and children to our
people. Kokopelli has withheld children from us for many
years. You shall be honored guests as the bringer of children
back to our village; as those who can call Kokopelli to us
again.

"Well, I'll be damned," said Lee.

* * * *

Lee stood at the door of a room in the pueblo. Leaning

against the wall he held back the blanket that covered the
opening. He watched as the people of the village walked by as
they went about their work. He met their curious looks and
stares with a smile or a wave.

Sighing, he said, "What if it don't work?"
"What?" asked Tatanka, looking up from his task of

arranging their belongings in their new lodgings.

"I said, what if it don't work?"
"I do not understand," said Tatanka, coming to stand with

Lee at the doorway.

"What if there ain't no babies? What if this Kokopelli guy

don't come back?"

"Then we were not the men of the vision," Tatanka said

simply.

"Shit," Lee swore. "How many queer cowboys and Injuns

are there that're married and come riding out of the hills from
the Dakota?"

"Then we are the men of the vision, and there will be

babies."

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Lee half grunted, half laughed. As usual, Tatanka's simple

logic won out over his worries. He'd argued himself in a circle
to boot.

Taking the brave in his arms, "You are just too much," he

said lovingly.

"Too much what?"
"Never mind. Just come 'ere." He pulled Tatanka back to

the blankets the brave had arranged on the floor. "Dog's out
making new friends. Let's not waste—" That was as far as Lee
got as Tatanka's lips covered his.

* * * *

During the next two days, there was much activity in the

village as the people prepared. On the day before the
beginning of the celebration, Eagle Hunter came to Lee and
Tatanka's room. He brought Hopi clothing and white blankets.
He instructed them to dress in the garments and wrap the
blankets around themselves. Dog was to be Flute Boy and
had a special costume to wear as well.

Both Lee and Sleeps With Dog were reluctant to wear the

Hopi clothes. But Tatanka's persuasions overcame their
embarrassment and on the day of the ceremony, dressed as
the celebration tradition required, they awaited Throne for the
Clouds.

The chief arrived, accompanied by Eagle Hunter. The two

were also dressed in garments of special significance. Throne
for the Clouds smiled broadly as he entered the room and saw
that the men and boy were ready. "The hope of my people
rests on you," he said as Eagle Hunter translated.

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Tatanka smiled and nodded. Lee shifted uncomfortably. He

was a white man. His upbringing, his early prejudices, his lack
of spiritual experiences all made him skeptical. They had
named him Pahana: Lost White Brother. He hoped that was
true. He truly wanted to be their brother. A deep breath
escaped his lips; he couldn't shake his doubts. But he would
cooperate to the fullest of his ability, putting his trust in
Tatanka.

Everyone turned to him upon hearing his deep sigh. "Ah ...

lead on," he said and gestured toward the door.

The party passed out of the pueblo. Lee saw the

assembled procession. Eagle Hunter had told them they
would process to the ancestral room of the Flute Clan. Throne
for the Clouds and the shaman took their places at the head
of the assembly. Sleeps With Dog, as Flute Boy, was ushered
into a place behind the chief. Two young girls, wearing white
blankets similar to those worn by Lee and Tatanka, flanked
him. They each had a feather in their hair. Lee snickered as
Dog looked from one girl to the other with panic in his eyes.
One of the girls smiled demurely, as she reached out to touch
him lightly on the shoulder. Lee saw the color rise in the boy's
face.

As the group moved through the crowds of Hopi who lined

the procession route to the ancestral room, Lee and Tatanka
were moved into their places and given cornstalks to carry.
These, they had been told, were a symbol of the people's
request for a good harvest. Behind them came a warrior
carrying something that, when swung in circles about the
man's head, made a whizzing sound. It was called a

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bullroarer, Lee was told later. Its purpose was to chase evil
spirits from the celebration. Two men followed the warrior.
One had the emblem of the sun on his back; the other carried
a tablet representing rain. About a dozen naked young boys
followed the men.

The procession wound its way through the village. Hopi

men and women stood in the street and on the pueblos,
cheering and waving. Lee took it all in with a sense of awe.
He glanced at Tatanka. The Indian was smiling and nodding
to the people as they walked along. Lee could hear the crowd
chanting, "Looyo Angeni, Looyo Angeni, Two Spirit, Two
Spirit." Damn, he hoped Kokopelli was happy with all this.

They stopped in front of a large pueblo. The chief turned to

the crowd and spoke in a loud voice. Eagle Hunter stood
between Lee and Tatanka to translate. "Hopi people! We
begin the celebration of the Flute. The celebration invites the
gods to bless us with abundant harvest, good hunting and
children. We implore Kokopelli to be with us not as trickster,
but as bringer of these gifts."

At this point from somewhere behind him, Lee heard

music. He turned in time to see a man dressed in robes
playing a flute. He had a humped back, feathers protruding
from his hair and attached around his waist, a huge wooden
cock which swung back and forth obscenely as he danced to
his own music. The crowd cheered, clapped and cried,
"Kokopelli, Kokopelli."

Whoa, thought Lee, looking at the phallic symbol. Could do

some serious plowin' with that rod!

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As the chief raised his hands for silence, the flute player

disappeared through the doorway of the pueblo behind them.
Throne for the Clouds spoke. "Today we begin the Celebration
of the Flute. May Kokopelli be pleased and return to us with
rains for the harvest, game for our larders, and children for
our women."

As he said this, he turned and bowed to Tatanka and Lee.
Amid the cheers of the Hopi, Throne for the Clouds entered

the pueblo. The procession followed.

Inside, Lee was amazed at the size of the room. It hadn't

appeared this large from the outside. At the end was an altar.
On either side was an arch decorated to look like clouds and
rain. Behind it were stacks of corn shucks. Sleeps With Dog
and the flute girls were led to the foot of the alter, where they
were asked to sit. On a dais to the right of the altar were four
chairs. Throne for the Clouds, Eagle Hunter, Tatanka and Lee
were to be seated there.

A dancer appeared and began to scatter corn seed on the

altar and the ground. Eagle Hunter leaned toward Tatanka
and Lee to explain.

"The priest is asking the gods to send rain. He scatters the

corn in all directions to show we wish the rain to come from
everywhere."

Two other dancers appeared, blowing smoke on the altar.

The man with the bullroarer from the procession also came to
the altar, swinging the device overhead. "They ask for rain
clouds, and for thunder and lightning to announce the coming
of the rain."

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For many hours, dancers and singers came to appeal to

the gods for all manner of blessings and gifts. Lee was tired
of sitting, and fought to stay awake. He was just about to
give in to the heaviness of his eyelids, when the sound of the
flute quite close by roused him. He looked up into the face of
Kokopelli himself. The dancer took Lee and Tatanka by the
hand and led them to the altar. They stood before the people.
Kokopelli placed Lee's hands in Tatanka's. Lee momentarily
panicked.

Then the story of Lee and Tatanka was acted out before

them. Although Lee didn't understand all of it, it was clear the
actor had been coached on the particulars of the cowboy's
and Indian's search for a haven: from Tatanka's Dakota
village, to the white man's town of Bethel, then to the Hopi
village in which they now stood.

When the pantomime ended, the chief stood and

addressed those assembled. "For many summers, we have
awaited the foretold arrival of the men of Two Spirits who
would bring children to the wombs of our women. Kokopelli
has seen fit to bring them now. Those who wish to visit
Mosayra," the chief pointed to Tatanka, addressing him by his
Hopi name, "may do so. May the blessing of Kokopelli be with
you."

Lee looked around. From all over the ancestral room,

couples came forward. Eagle Hunter stood next to Tatanka.
As each couple stood before them, Lee watched, feeling
awkward and out of place, as Tatanka leaned forward and
whispered something to the woman of the pair. Eagle Hunter
translated.

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At nightfall, the celebration ended, only to be repeated

again the next day and the next for the following eight days.
Every day was a mirror of the day before, starting with the
procession and ending with Tatanka and Wise Eagle speaking
privately to each of the couples.

One evening, following the final ceremony, Lee and

Tatanka walked on the outskirts of the village near the fields
cultivated by the Hopi. Lee's curiosity and worry about what
would happen if no babies came, prompted him to question
Tatanka about what he was saying to the women.

"I am telling them not to use the seed of the wild carrot in

their food."

"What?"
"I said, I am telling them—"
"I know what you said, but what has that gotta do with

having babies?"

"The seed of the wild carrot can cause a woman to lose her

baby."

"How do ya know that?" asked Lee, puzzled.
"When we were in Bethel, a young woman came to Dr.

Thompson. She has lost three babies. He questioned her and
found out she was using seed of the wild carrot in her
cooking. He told her to stop."

"And did it work?"
"I do not know, we left Bethel before I could see the

woman again."

"Well, how do ya know that they're usin' this wild carrot

thing to cook with way out here?"

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Tatanka patiently continued, "As we came to the village I

saw a field of wild carrot growing near the corn. I ask Eagle
Hunter. He told me of men on horses dressed in metal
helmets came to the village many years ago that brought with
them a gift of the wild carrot. The people used the root for
food. Recently they found if they crushed the seed, it offered
good taste to other foods as well."

"And you figure that it's this seed that is making the

women lose the kids?"

"Hau."
"So, there's no Winkte magic here. Just don't use the

fuckin' seeds."

"Does this disappoint you?"
"Well, I donno. Seems too simple."
"There is magic in all things, Lee Masters. Just because it

may be a simple thing does not mean it was not magic of the
Winkte. Remember they knew we were coming. It was
foretold long ago. That is magic."

"Yeah, that's true. But what if there's no ba—"
Tatanka interrupted him. "And why does it worry you so

much if the seed is not the answer?"

Lee thought for a long moment. Then he turned to Tatanka

and took him in his arms.

"I want us to have a place ... a place we can call home. I

guess I'm scared that if this isn't the solution, then they'll be
mad at us and we'll get kicked out ... again."

"Do you like it here so much that if we were asked to

leave, it would disturb you?" Tatanka searched his lover's
face, a kind smile on his lips.

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"Well, yeah, kinda. I mean, lookit ... here we are standing

right out in the open with our arms around each other and no
one's gonna come and try ta beat on us."

"And we could even do this," Tatanka said and kissed Lee

fully and passionately. "Or this," he said and squeezed Lee's
hardening cock through his linen trousers.

"Whoa, maybe we better save that part of it," said Lee,

breaking the embrace and pulling Tatanka by the hand back
to the pueblo.

Tatanka laughed.

* * * *

Tatanka started to rise from the sleeping mat.
"Where ya goin'?" Lee asked, pulling his partner back down

to the ground. "Celebration's done. We don't gotta git up and
parade around no more."

As Tatanka slid back under the light blanket covering

them, he smiled and pushed Lee's thick dark hair back from
his eyes. He pulled Lee's face to his neck and wrapped his
arms around him. Lee began kissing Tatanka's throat. Slowly,
Lee made his way down to his shoulders, then his chest and
finally his erect nipples. With his fingers on one, and his lips
and tongue on the other, he elicited deep sighs and soft
moans from the Indian.

Continuing his ministrations to his nipples, Lee reached

down with his hand and began to push the foreskin back from
Tatanka's erection, swirling the sweet smelling pre-cum
around the sensitive head as he did. Lee then raised his face
to his lover's and turned so their abdomens pressed together.

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He took both their cocks into his hand and encouraged an
undulating rhythm, which spread from his hand to their hips.

"Let me know," he breathed into Tatanka's mouth as they

kissed.

"Hau," said the brave, the word catching in his throat as

he became more aroused.

For several intoxicating minutes the men shared the

ecstasy of their sexual arousal, enhanced by their shared
love.

"Now," came Tatanka's ragged signal.
Lee, who was close to climax himself, increased the

pressure of his hand and the speed and depth of his thrusts.
Tatanka mirrored his movements. In a blur of emotion and
sensation, the men simultaneously erupted into the space
between them, coating their stomachs and Lee's hand with
their seminal fluids.

Lee removed his hand from between them and wrapped

Tatanka in his arms. He kissed him deeply and murmured,
"Now, that's the way to start the morning."

"Are you two done in there?"
Sleeps With Dogs voice came through the blanket covering

the doorway to the room.

"Geez!" moaned Lee, as he rolled on his back and clasped

both sides of his head.

"Yes," Tatanka called to the boy, chuckling lightly.
The boy came into the room and stood with his hands on

his hips, shaking his head in mock seriousness. He walked to
his side of the room and removed his bow and quiver from
the peg where they hung.

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"Where're you going?" asked Lee.
"Pick flowers on hillside," replied the boy, raising the bow

and arrows.

"Very funny," laughed Lee as he threw a small cushion at

Dog, who ducked.

"You know," said Tatanka, "the Hopi do not hunt for food

the way we do.

"Yes, that is why I show them. Their way: sticks and clubs,

too much trouble."

"Be care..." Lee stopped himself before finishing the

admonition. Sleeps With Dog was too old now to be treated
as a child. If he were home in his village with the Dakota, he
would be hunting on his own.

After the boy exited the room, Tatanka mused, "He is

growing up. Soon he will be a man."

Lee smiled. Yup, soon he will be a man.

* * * *

Later that day, Lee was lounging in front of their pueblo.

He wore the Hopi clothing given him for the ceremony. He felt
a bit strange dressed that way, now the celebration was over.
He thought maybe he should be wearing his jeans.

He also thought about all the couples that had come to

stand before Tatanka, hoping the long drought of
childlessness would end. He wondered how long it would be
before signs of Tatanka's being right about the wild carrot
seed would begin to show.

Couples still came to see Tatanka. He would reassure them

that if they stopped using the crushed seed to season their

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food, all would be well. Some of the couples asked if Tatanka
would come and witness their mating as a way to insure his
magic would work. Lee smiled at that thought and his dick
stirred a bit in the baggy linen pants. Hangin' free is at least
one good thing about not wearin' jeans. Although, sometimes
it shows more 'n ya want it to. He smiled again.

He hadn't been up to the pasture where the horses had

been taken nearly two weeks earlier. He decided to go make
sure they were alright and maybe take a little ride, just to
have something to do. Tatanka had been spending his time,
since the end of the ceremony, with Eagle Hunter, discussing
things in which the shaman was interested. He went inside
the pueblo and had one leg in his jeans when he heard a
commotion outside. He hopped on one foot, trying to get the
other leg in his pants.

As he came out the door, he heard Sleeps With Dogs

voice. "I am sorry. I did not know. I am sorry," the boy was
saying.

Tatanka and Eagle Hunter were accompanying the boy to

the pueblo. Tatanka was carrying the boy's bow and quiver.

"What's goin' on?" Lee asked.
"I broke law of tribe," moaned Sleeps With Dog.
Lee looked from the boy to the two men. Eagle Hunter

spoke. "We do not hunt for food. We hunt only for sacrifice to
gods. When we hunt we use club and stick so that sacrifice
does not bleed. There is no shedding of blood. When your boy
killed, he used arrow and blood was shed."

"I didn't know," said Sleeps With Dog again, his head

bowed.

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Lee looked at Tatanka. The brave had a stern look on his

face.

"Tanka, he didn't know that was the law here," Lee said in

English. "What're they gonna do to 'im?"

"What is the punishment?" Tatanka asked Eagle Hunter in

Dakota.

"He is a guest of our village. He will not be punished

severely." Eagle Hunter smiled as he said the last sentence.
"He will come and stay with me for a week and learn the way
of the Hopi. He will help my daughters, Nova and Sihu with
work."

Sleeps With Dog squirmed, but did not protest.
For the next week Tatanka and Lee had their room all to

themselves. They took advantage of the boy's absence by
making love frequently and leisurely. When Tatanka was "at
home," Lee was happy, occupied. But when Tatanka was off
doing things in the village with Eagle Hunter or Throne for the
Clouds, Lee became restless.

He went to see Ranger and the other horses. They were

being well cared for. The two young men who looked after
them seemed to appreciate their assignment. They were
enthusiastic in their explanations of how things were going,
even though Lee couldn't understand a word of what they
said.

Lee took Ranger on a long ride one morning toward the

end of the week. They rode out of the village through the
fields of maze, beans, squash, pumpkin, cotton and wild
carrot. Passing this particular field Lee had to struggle with
the feelings of uneasiness again. The 'what if' thoughts played

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on his insecurities. Where would they go if they were asked to
leave here as well? As he rode, the men and women working
in the fields stopped their work and waved and shouted their
greetings. Maybe he was just being silly.

Lee continued to ride west and north of the village. As he

climbed higher, the terrain changed from desert to scrub
forest and finally to more woodland. Then before him a
clearing opened. It held lush grass and a small lake. Trees
surrounded it.

"Well, I'll be damned," Lee exclaimed out loud. At the

sound of his voice, a doe and fawn, almost hidden by the
trees, raised their heads and bounded off.

As Lee looked around, he had the eerie feeling he was

coming home; that he had been here before. He laid the reins
on Ranger's neck, took off his hat and wiped his brow with his
forearm and leaned back in the saddle. Visions of a tall,
handsome Indian standing before him in the sunlight, smiling
down at him as he lay naked, covered with cum, filled his
mind.

"Well, I'll be damned," he said again.

* * * *

At the end of the week, Sleeps With Dog came home. Lee,

Tatanka and the boy sat on blankets eating their evening
meal. "So, tell us," Lee queried, "how did the week go at
Eagle Hunter's place?"

Dog continued to eat and shrugged his shoulders. "It was

... ohaa ... all right ... I learned much of the Hopi. I tired of

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Sihu." The later part of his sentence was delivered with a
decided look of exasperation on his face.

"Who's Sihu?" Lee continued. Tatanka looked over his bowl

of beans and smiled.

"She is Nova's little sister."
"And who's Nova?" Lee deliberately baited the boy into

conversation. He knew perfectly well Nova and Sihu were the
daughters of the shaman. They had met the girls, whose
names meant Chases Butterflies and Flower, during the
celebration. Nova had been Flute Girl.

Sleeps With Dog was not fooled. He looked up at Lee and

said with a sigh. "Lee Masters knows who they are." But he
smiled.

"All right you got me," Lee chuckled, "But come on ... what

went on? Why was Flower a pain in the butt?"

"Flower was never to leave Chases Butterflies and me

alone. She was always there. No matter where we went, she
followed us."

Lee looked at Tatanka, who kept his head down, but raised

his eyes to Lee's as he continued to eat.

"Why'd ya need ta be alone with Chases Butterflies?" Lee

put down his bowl and looked at Tatanka, who continued
eating, but was smiling.

Dog looked up, blushing. He fumbled with words that were

incomprehensible, concluding with, "Never mind."

Lee smiled and dropped that line of questioning and asked

about some of the things the boy had learned. This more
comfortable conversation took them to the end of the meal.

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After Sleeps With Dog took Small Puppy out to play, Lee

and Tatanka cleaned up the remains of their dinner. "What da
ya think is goin' on with Dog and Chases Butterflies? Ya don't
think ... well the boy is just a kid ... right?"

Tatanka grinned. "Have you not heard the sounds of

pleasure and release in the night coming from S'unka's
sleeping mat?"

"Ya mean he's...?"
"I do not know if he is yet making seed. But he is trying."
Lee shook his head and smiled.

* * * *

Several months went by. Lee's fears seemed to have been

for nothing, as it soon became apparent many women in the
pueblo were expecting. There was much joy in the village and
Tatanka and Lee were the recipients of many gifts. They
became honored and respected figures.

Tatanka took his celebrity in stride, but for Lee it was one

more thing that made him feel self-conscious. The public
expressions of gratitude for something he did not feel he
could take credit for made him feel uncomfortable. He
thought often of the mountain lake he had discovered some
time earlier, and had made several trips there to enjoy the
solitude.

On one of his trips he had taken Sleeps with Dog. While

there, he told him of the time when, on a mountain similar to
this, he and Tatanka had met and fallen in love. He hadn't
told his lover of his discovery. He didn't want to make

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Tatanka feel he wasn't happy now they seemed to have found
a place where they were accepted.

Another aspect of their life that made Lee pause and

worry, was Sleeps With Dog's approaching maturity. Lee had
only had a little more than a year to enjoy the boy and be a
surrogate father. Now, the lad seemed to be racing to
manhood faster than Lee wanted. Tatanka had tried to help
Lee understand, that in Indian cultures, boys became men at
an earlier age than in the White Man's world. Once physical
maturity was reached, and the boy showed he had the ability
to provide for the tribe and a family, they often married,
sometimes as young as fourteen or fifteen.

Lee's apprehensive feelings were intensified one evening

as he and Tatanka were returning to their dwelling after a
walk to where the horses were kept. They rounded a corner
of the outer most pueblo and came upon a couple locked in
an intense embrace.

"Looks like your gonna get more credit for another miracle

soon," Lee whispered as he and Tatanka tried to melt into the
shadows, so as to not disturb the lovers. As the men quietly
tried to slip by, the sound of voices reached them.

"Hau iputake," said the voice in Dakota. "It mean kiss."
Lee recognized the voice at once. Before he thought

through what he was doing, he shouted. "Dog, what's going
on here?"

The embracing couple jumped in surprise and broke apart.

As Lee made to stride toward them, Tatanka grabbed his arm.
"Lee, no."

"Whatdaya mean, No! Can't you see what is goin' on?"

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At this outburst from Lee, the girl broke from Sleeps With

Dog's arms and ran off into the gathering darkness. "Lee
Masters, why do you do that?" the boy asked. "What is
wrong? You have frightened Chases Butterflies."

"Wrong? I'll tell you what's wrong," Lee continued, still

agitated. "You tell 'im Tanka, tell him he's jist a kid. You tell
im."

"Lee, he is almost a man. It is time for him to find out

about these things." Tatanka's voice was infuriatingly calm.

"But, but..." was all Lee could say. He let out a long sigh

and shook his head.

The three of them walked back toward their pueblo. "I'm

sorry, S'unka," Lee offered. "I jist ain't used to the idea that
you Injuns do things different than us. Since it looks like I'm
gonna live out my life as one of you, I need to git used to a
lot of things. Go find your girlfriend and tell her I'm sorry."

Sleeps With Dog smiled and ran off.
"I am sorry," Lee said, turning to Tatanka. "I really am."
"All is well, Lee Masters, all is well."
Lee hoped so.

* * * *

Time continued to pass. More couples came to announce

Tatanka and Lee had performed a miracle.

One evening, as Lee and Tatanka sat outside their pueblo,

Eagle Hunter approached with two men, both of whom looked
ill at ease and hopeful at the same time.

"Can we speak?" the shaman asked in Dakota.

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"Hau," replied Tatanka. He led the way into their room.

When all the men were seated, Eagle Hunter introduced the
men.

"This is Choviohoya,Antelope, and here is Kwatoko, Bird

With A Big Beak."

Lee had to suppress a chuckle, as Kwatoko's nose certainly

gave a clue to why he had been given such a name. Everyone
acknowledged the introductions.

"What is it you need of us?" asked Tatanka.
The men's uncomfortable expectancy increased.
Eagle Hunter continued. "They have seen how the strong

magic you have brought to our people has worked for many
in the tribe."

Tatanka nodded.
"But for them it has not been so. Their wives still do not

carry a child."

Lee frowned. "What are you supposed to do about that?"

he asked Tatanka quietly in English. Tatanka ignored him.

"They wish to receive more of your power, so they may

give their wives children."

Lee was puzzled. How is that gonna happen? He looked at

Tatanka whose expression had turned from warm acceptance
to serious.

Eagle Hunter was still talking. "They wish to unite with

you, as you are of Two Spirits. They hope your magic will fill
them and they will be able to pass this on to their women."

Lee creased his brow, trying to understand just what Eagle

Hunter's words meant. He looked at the men, then at

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Tatanka. Finally he realized what Eagle Hunter was asking of
them.

"No, sir!" Lee stood up. "No, sir," he said again. I ain't

gonna have them screw me or Tatanka. And I sure as Hell
ain't gonna fuck them. No, sir!"

The men looked from Lee to Eagle Hunter. They looked

alarmed, confused. Since the entire conversation had been in
Dakota, they were not sure what was happening.

"Lee Masters, go outside." Tatanka's voice was stern and

full of authority. Lee glared at him. "Outside!" Tatanka said
again. "Let me take care of this."

"Tanka, you ain't gonna have us get fucked by..."
"Outside, Lee Masters!"
Fuming, Lee pushed the blanket aside and strode out into

the semi-darkness. "No, sir, no, sir," he said over and over as
he paced back and forth in front of the pueblo. "Nobodies
gonna fuck me or Tanka. We's married. We ain't for hire."

Once more Lee's lack of appreciation of the way of the

Indian was causing him grief. There was much about the life
of his lover's race that he loved and respected, but some of it
he could not understand or accept. After what seemed to him
like hours, the four men emerged. They were all smiling. They
said their good-byes and the Hopi departed.

"Tanka! What did you tell 'im? What did you say we'd do?"

* * * *

Lee stood inside the pueblo, leaning against the wall with

one hand, rubbing his forehead with the other. He turned his
back to Tatanka. Tatanka sat cross-legged on the floor.

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"Lee Masters, it is our way. The Winkte are men of two-

spirits with power to help in many ways. It is our duty to help
if men in need come to us."

"Well, I ain't no damned Winkte!"
"No, but you are of two spirits and you are with me. I am

Winkte."

Tatanka was so calm, so logical. It made Lee fume inside.

"If we do this, how's that gonna help?"

"Antelope and Bird With Big Beak..." Tatanka started. Lee

wondered if a big nose meant other organs were large as
well. He shook his head and shuddered to clear his mind of
the image. Tatanka was continuing. "...believe that if they put
their seed into us it will mix with ours. Then when we return
that seed to them—"

"Shit!" Lee snorted.
"When we return that seed to them," Tatanka continued,

"it will be powerful and they will be able to give their women
children."

"Tatanka, you know that ain't true. You know that their

spunk ain't gonna get in our balls and 'mix'." Lee shook his
head again. He still could not turn to look at the Indian.

"I do not know if it is true or not. I know that the power of

the Winkte to help men in need is true. I know that Antelope
and Bird With Big Beak believe it is true. These truths have
great power."

"So, you want us to go along with them on this?"
"It is not a question of what I want or what you want. It is

our duty to..."

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"Duty! Yeah, I know 'our duty to help men in need if they

come to us'," Lee quoted Tatanka.

"Yes."
"Did you tell them that we'd go along with their plan?"
Tatanka, still calm, rose from the floor and came to Lee.

He placed his hand on Lee's shoulder. "I did not tell yes or no.
I tell them we would consider what they have proposed."

Now Lee turned to the man he loved. He put his arms

around Tatanka's neck and looked deeply into his eyes. He
tried with all his strength of will to understand. "In my world,"
Lee began, "when two people love each other, and have said
they are one with each other, that means, no matter what,
we stick to that promise."

Tatanka replied, "This act that these men are asking of us

has nothing to do with our love or our promise. It is only an
act of the body. In my world it is what is expected of us, as a
brave hunting, or a woman cooking. In my world it is our
duty."

"Then, here we are again; your world and my world. When

are we gonna find 'our' world?"

"Our world is where we are, Lee Masters. The other worlds

may be around us, but our world is here." Tatanka embraced
Lee. They held each other close. They kissed.

Later, as they lay naked together on their sleeping mat,

Lee listened to the even breathing of his partner. He sighed.
They had made love. But all the while, he had to fight off
images of the two Hopi men joining them here on their mat.

Afterward, during what normally should have been

wonderful afterglow, he thought of the parade of men that

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would come to their door. He knew what he had to do. His
decision made, Lee began to drift off to sleep. Just then he
heard Sleeps With Dog slip quietly into the pueblo.

* * * *

Several days had passed since Eagle Hunter and the Hopi

men had come to make their request. Lee had not spoken to
Tatanka about it, nor had the brave offered any more on the
subject. Yet, it floated in the air between them like the flecks
of dust caught in a beam of sunlight coming through a
window.

Lee had been to visit the horses a few times and had made

two trips to the mountain. Returning from one of those trips,
he found Eagle Hunter emerging from their lodging, followed
by Tatanka. He tensed at the sight. As he approached the
men, he felt his discomfort rise.

"Hau," said Eagle Hunter in greeting.
Lee nodded.
"Lee Masters," said Tatanka, "Eagle Hunter has come to

make a proposal."

Lee felt his body tense.
Eagle Hunter spoke. "I have come to talk of the marriage

of my daughter, Chases Butterflies, with your son, Sleeps
With Dog."

"What!" Lee shouted. "They's jist kids. How can you say

that they gonna be married?" Lee removed his hat and ran
his fingers through his hair in frustration.

Tatanka came to him. "They will not be married for two

summers. This is just a proposal of promise to marry."

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Lee felt himself relax a bit. "Even in two years they'll still

be kids."

"I was married at fourteen summers," Eagle Hunter said.

"To marry when one is ready is the way of..."

"I know, I know," Lee interrupted. "The way of your

people."

Lee knew his misgivings about this proposed marriage held

no weight. He was a white man: Sleeps with Dog was an
Indian. He sighed and said nothing.

It is well," said Tatanka. "Sleeps With Dog has made a

good choice. We are proud to have him join with your family."

Lee nodded. In his mind this only confirmed his plan, the

plan he had devised the night when Eagle Hunter and the
Hopi men had visited.

"Chases Butterflies makes only one request," the shaman

continued. "She wishes Sleeps with Dog to change his name.
She does not wish to have the people think she is a dog that
sleeps with him after they are married."

Lee said nothing, but inwardly he felt sad. Sleeps With Dog

and Small Puppy had been such a joy to him. Now, all that
would change. Well, Small Puppy has grown up. S'unka calls
him Taaka S'unka: Big Dog, now. I guess it is time for him to
grow up, too.

"What's his name gonna be then?" Lee asked.
"Istaqa: Coyote Man."
"Figures," said Lee with a shrug. "If he's gonna be a man,

might as well call him one."

Eagle hunter left. Lee and Tatanka stood outside the

pueblo watching him walk away.

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"All this is hard for you, Lee Masters. I am sorry."
"S'all right. I'll survive."
As they walked into the dwelling, Tatanka said, "Eagle

Hunter also come to let us know Choviohoya and Kwatoko will
come to spend the night with us in two moons."

"I thought you didn't say yes or no? So, now it is yes?"
"I am thinking that it would be best if we did this thing for

the people. They have been good to us."

Lee stopped, closed his eyes and thought, It's time.

* * * *

"Lee Masters, I have been looking for you," Tatanka said

with some concern. Tatanka found Lee at the paddock where
the horses were kept. He was dressed in his jeans and flannel
shirt.

"What are you doing? Where are you going?" Tatanka

looked at Lee and the two horses that were saddled and
packed.

Lee turned to face his man.
"I found this place up in the mountains. There's a lake

there. Trees, game. Real nice place. Reminds me of back in
the Dakotas. 'Cept here it ain't gonna git so cold you'd freeze
in the winter." Lee tried to smile. He studied Tatanka's face.
He loved that face; those eyes, those lips.

"I thought I'd mosey up there and set up a camp. Ain't too

far away, but far enough."

"Are you leaving me, Hiasma Maku?" Tatanka used his

Dakota name, Hairy Chest. There was fear in his voice.

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"No, I ain't leavin' you. I'm leavin' your world." Lee fought

to keep his voice steady. "I'm goin' back to where we was
happy all the time. We tried your world, and then mine. We
tried here. Every time we found we was walking in two
worlds. That kept us from bein' happy."

Lee reached out and pulled Tatanka to him, talking softly

in his ear. "You can stay here or you can come with me. Ain't
that far that you can't come back when you need to. But it's
up to you. I jist can't give up enough of my way of livin' to do
what they want us to here. I can't live in two worlds no
more."

He kissed Tatanka long and hard. He turned away, tears in

his eyes, and mounted Ranger. Looking down at the Indian,
Lee said, "S'unka ... I mean Istaqa knows where I am."

Lee rode away. He didn't look back. The tears brimmed

over and ran down his cheeks.

* * * *

Lee splashed out of the lake. He shook the cold water from

his hairy body like a dog. He walked up to the lean-to he had
built. Putting his hands on his hips, he surveyed the situation.

"Cabin will fit in nice here. Jist have to get started cutting

down a few trees. Time enough for that though."

He turned back to the lake and decided to stretch out in

the sun to dry. From the lean-to, he retrieved a blanket and a
sack stuffed with corn shucks. He spread the blanket out in
the sun and lay down with his head on the sack. He started to
drift off. The warmth of the sun was cut off as if a cloud had
drifted over the sky. He opened his eyes.

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There, blocking the sun, dressed in a deer skin breechclout

and a pair of leggings holding his bow and a quiver of arrows,
a crooked smile on his face, and naked to the waist, was
Tatanka.

Lee rose from the blanket and stood in front of the brave.
Tatanka untied the rawhide draw string and let the

leggings and breechclout slide from his body. Lee watched as
Tatanka's cock rose from his body to stand erect and proud
before him. The two men embraced, allowing the delicious
feelings of arousal to flow through their bodies.

"Your world is my world, Lee Masters. I am only complete

when our worlds are as one."

"So, you left. You didn't let them...?"
Tatanka shook his head. "I did not."
Lee pulled Tatanka down on the soft ground and rolled on

top of him, pressing himself against his warm flesh, seeking
his mouth with his own. Tatanka raised his legs and Lee
gently penetrated his body, joining them as one.

"I love you," whispered Tatanka in English.
"Wastedake," responded Lee in Dakota.
A gentle breeze covered them. A lark sang. There was the

gentle sound of waves lapping the shore. All was well on the
mountain.

The End.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Walking in Two Worlds

by Terry O'Reilly

179

About the Author

Since retiring, Terry spends his time writing, walking his

three dogs, pumping iron while listening to Harry Potter audio
books and riding/showing his champion horse. While he may
have to cut back on the horse, no way could he stop writing
and his friends would lynch him if he gave up working his abs.
A kitchen extension might one day be needed to hold his
ever-growing collection of bird houses. This opens up the
possibility of more dogs.

Terry is also the author of Tangled Web, another Aspen

Mountain Press release. Deceipt, half-truths, and a marriage
all separate two men from forming the loving partnership
they crave. Can there be hope when one omission threatens
their very lives?

You can write to Terry at terryo76@hotmail.com

If you are connected to the Internet, take a

moment to rate this eBook by going back to

your bookshelf at www.fictionwise.com.

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