Wild Embrace by Cassie Edwards

Author:Cassie Edwards [Edwards, Cassie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2017-05-02T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

I think and speak of other things,

To keep my mind at rest.

—JOHN CLARE

Discouraged over not finding the raiders after having scoured the countryside looking for them, Strong Heart sat beside a blazing fire in the newly constructed council house. Many braves around him were discussing the matters of their village, especially their plans for the upcoming salmon harvest.

Strong Heart was not only displeased about his unsuccessful search, but also worried about his father. He had not joined the council today. When he had gone to his father’s longhouse early this morning, his mother had greeted Strong Heart at the door and dissuaded him from waking his father. His leg wound had kept the old chief awake most of the night.

Guilt filled Strong Heart. Twice now he had let his father down—the day of the raid Strong Heart had not been there to fight for his people, and now he had not found those responsible for his father’s injury.

He had let his mother down, as well, by not being able to find her father.

At least there was one thing that could bring some sunshine into his heart as he sat listening to the other braves debating. His la-daila. His Elizabeth with the luminous green eyes and hair the color of flame.

Soon she would join him again and then his burden would be lightened. She had a way of making his losses bearable, giving him the strength to forge ahead to the future.

Something one of the braves was saying brought him back to the present.

He listened intently, realizing that while he had been thinking he had missed something important.

“As we have discussed before, again I say that we should forget the salmon harvest this year,” the brave was saying, shocking Strong Heart clear to his core. That any brave would ever think such a thing, much less speak it aloud!

Strong Heart leaned forward, his hands resting on his knees. The same brave quickly explained his reasons.

“I say let us catch the salmon for the white men and take the money they have offered instead of keeping the salmon for ourselves.” The brave looked nervously over at Strong Heart, whose expression was stern and forbidding.

“I . . . I . . . would even accept their offer to work in their fishery,” the brave continued warily. “Why should others have the money, when it could be ours?”

“This that I am hearing, from a brave who has always prided himself on living away from the ways of the white people, basking in the pride of being Suquamish, living only for the honor of being Suquamish, makes Strong Heart ashamed,” Strong Heart scolded. His gaze roamed the circle of braves. “Are there others who feel the same? Would you rather work for the white men than your very own people? How could any of you forget the importance of the salmon to the Suquamish? It is what sustains us through the long, harsh winters. Without the salmon, many would go hungry!”

His eyes bored into

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.