Why did this village have to be so
dull? Even the colors here were dull, right down to the faded blue shutters on his house. With a frustrated sigh, James crossed his arms and flopped back on the brown grass. There was no reason to worry about the sheep, the stupid creatures wouldn't go very far and there were no predators that would risk coming so close to a human that actually watching the walking yarn balls was necessary... Though apparently the villagers were too dumb to realize that. James couldn't help but snicker as he remembered the uproar his silly jokes had caused. Like there would actually be a wolf anywhere near here!
A faint rustle had the boy turning his head towards the forest, eyes squinting against the glare as he tried to make out what was making that noise.
Hmm... Looks like a dog or something. With a sigh, James closed his eyes and started to settle himself down for a nap, only to realize that there were no dogs that would go into the forest. Panic filled him as the boy scrambled to his feet, his sling shot in hand as he looked for the shape again. "It's a wolf..." They wouldn't believe him now... Not after all the times he had actually cried wolf.
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Nakoma couldn't believe how easy it was to sneak up on the sheep, even with the boy watching them. These new settlers were so strange! Why would you have a person standing with your animals if he wasn't going to watch them? Two had already wandered off, though not far enough for her to safely grab them. Keeping low to the ground, she tugged the wolf pelt down over her head and quietly headed towards the wandering beasts.
With her attention focused on the sheep, Nakoma hadn't even noticed the boy standing up and staring. Wasn't aware as a stone was loaded into the sling and fired her way. She did become aware of it when the pebble connected with the side of her head. The flash of pain and stars had her stumbling, the wolf pelt sliding off as she flattened her body to the earth. Great Spirit, what was that?! Brown eyes blinked back the points of light as she lifted her hand to her temple, calloused fingertips gently feeling the bump.
The sound she heard next had her grabbing her knife and jumping to her feet, well at least she tried to jump to her feet. The ground beneath her rolled as she tried to stand, her stomach matching the motion as she collapsed into an ungraceful squat. I'm like a bird filled with fermented berries. The panic rising in her wasn't helping either, especially when she realized that the boy that was watching the beasts was now watching her.
---
James wasn't sure what he was expecting to see when he crashed through the tress, but the disoriented girl wasn't it. Where was the wolf? Had he killed it? Gray eyes darted around the area until he spotted the wolf, his sling shot already filled with another rock and pulled back as he took aim. He didn't release the shot, though. "It's just a pelt... But..." was the wolf he saw really this girl wearing the pelt? Oh, dear God, please let her be okay. "I'm so sorry! I thought you were a wolf and I was trying to protect the sheep. Are you okay? Here, let me help you" he knew he was babbling, but he couldn't help it! He never thought that the rock would have hit anything, let alone hit hard enough to knock the girl silly. Dropping the rock, James tucked the sling shot into his belt and finally turned to look at the girl.
The girl wasn't from his village, that much was obvious. The buckskin trousers and the long shirt she wore were a dead give away, her dark skin and the stripes of color over her cheeks were also another hint. The strange clothes and the markings on her cheeks couldn't hide the fact that she was beautiful, though he couldn't help but think that she would be gorgeous if she dressed like a proper girl. His thoughts were interrupted by the girl trying to stand again and her panic filled eyes as she took him in. She doesn't understand me.. Holding his hands up to show that they were empty, James moved slowly towards the girl and murmured the same nonsensical words he used when trying to calm a spooked animal.
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Nakoma could only stare at the boy as he muttered those stupid words, her panic slowly easing as he did his best to show that he was harmless. The poor boy is simple, maybe that was why he was letting the sheep wander where ever they pleased. Keeping her own movements slow, Nakoma tucked the knife back into her belt sheath and raised her own hands up as well. "Peace. I am Nakoma" while her knowledge of the new settlers tongue wasn't as great as some of her people, she knew enough words that she could hopefully communicate with the simple boy. Her panic flared again as the boy jerked back and stared at her with shock, his hands dropping down to his sides as if going for a weapon she couldn't see. Knife back in hand, Nakoma managed to move so one knee and one foot were on the ground, her free hand balancing her as the earth beneath her rolled.
"You speak english? But.. Why? I mean how? Nack Homa... Um.. Is that your name? Uh. I'm James" The boy stammered through his words, slack-jawed and oblivious to the knife that was now gripped tightly in her hand. The boy was definitely simple, but at least he seemed nice. He wasn't screaming for help, he didn't seem like he was going to hurt her either; the bump on her temple throbbed enough for her to change her thoughts to hurt her again. She would even forgive him for brutalizing her name, though she thought it was as simple as his own name.
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Ten years later
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James couldn't stop staring at the babe he held in his arms, shaking fingers tracing its red cheeks and touching the black tuft of hair atop its head. How could something so beautiful come from him? He could see Nakoma in the child's nose and the black hair, the long fingers and the slightly tanned skin also came from his Indian bride. "What shall we call her?" With careful steps, James made his way back to bed Nakoma rested in and gently sat next to her. As Nakoma held her arms out, James returned the babe to her arms and moved so that he was leaning against the headboard.
"How about Tala? It means little wolf" Nakoma's brown eyes sparkled with mischief as she turned towards him, the fatigue momentarily gone from her face as she brought up the memory of how they had met. James couldn't hold back a laugh as he leaned down to rest his forehead against Nakoma's, his smile so wide that his cheeks were starting to hurt. "Tala... I like that, though hopefully she'll wait to go running around in wolf pelts" he murmured, reaching out to brush his fingers over the babe's cheek once more.
