In writing my 50th story, 'The White Squaw', I wanted to add a bit of
authentic flavor of the actual Osage language. The names and words used,
are the actual Osage words I have found in various websites on the
internet.
This story is a slight variance of most of mine, I hope you enjoy it!
Thanks, Anon.
******************
The White Squaw
By Anon Allsop
At the bottom of a hill, the young man stopped his motorcycle and waited
for his beautiful new bride to climb from the seat.
"Why are we stopping here Chris?" the young beauty asked, her voice soft
and feminine.
"I'd like to show you something," he said, as he hung his helmet from
the handlebar and waited for her to remove her own. Shaking her long
fiery red hair free, the movement caused her stunning breasts to draw
his attention. Finally, she handed her helmet to her husband and he hung
it on the other side.
"Come on," he said, taking her small hand in his. "What I want to show
you is up here!"
She followed him up some cement stairs, placed long ago by the state,
for those who took their native heritage very seriously. He walked with
her, eyes fixated upon her stunning profile...her deeply tanned, smooth
legs stepping in unison with his own. They moved past a plaque and
beyond, ignoring the words written completely. Where the hill became
even steeper they stopped and he paused, turning to her.
"My ancestors are from this area, long ago we lived near this land." He
looked around, she could sense the pride he felt in his heritage. Deep
down, she felt the pride in her as well. "This once belonged to the
Osage...as far as your eye can see my people claimed."
"It's beautiful." She sighed, following with her eyes his sweeping arm.
"Do you remember when we joked about your red hair?" he asked, gently
raising a lock of her hair upward.
"Yes." She laughed. "You had said that you think
your...great...great...great...great grandmother had red hair."
He nodded, proud of her remembering what he had said so long ago when
they were still getting to know each other. "She was Irish..."
"But raised by the Indians...right?" she added.
He smiled again, "I just wanted for you to know a little bit of my
family history."
"I can see that you're very proud of it." She hugged his arm, leaning in
and giving him a quick kiss.
He leaned over and gently patted a large round rock, warmed from the
sun. "What I found...that I want to show you is under this." Chris
rolled it aside and showed her. "I found it quite by accident when I
came to find their burial ground."
Beneath the rock was several long strands of bright red hair, each one
went straight into the hard packed earth. "I believe this hair belongs
to my great...well, you know...grandmother."
"She was buried? I thought they placed them on high platforms?" the
beauty asked, pulling aside her own fiery tresses to get a closer look
at the red hair embedded in the earth. "This hair, it's so close to the
surface..." she whispered.
"I think that since she was white, they buried her on the hill. But, all
around us they had their platforms...she must have been the exception."
He gently, almost reverently, rolled the large stone back into place.
"Her being so near the surface, probably has more to do with erosion
than anything. But the fact that the hair survives...I find completely
amazing!"
"I just wished I knew more about her..." he sighed.
******
It was late May, 1851, the sun was warm, and a light breeze blew in from
the south. Thirteen-year old Donovan Kincade stood on the upper bank of
the Platt River, somberly holding his hat in his hand. Long, fiery red
hair gently blew across his head and shoulders. His pale face, dotted
with a small spattering of freckles, wore a frown as he sadly looked at
the three long earthen hills that he had just created. In his emerald-
green eyes, he showed only pity for the family, most likely dead because
of sickness...never to step foot upon the green grasses of Oregon.
All about them, abundant blossoms danced in the soft breeze, coloring
the steep banks. Brilliant hues of gold and blue burst forth in great
splashes of color, ever swaying in the slight breeze along the Platt.
From one of these waving beds, he broke a sprig and gently dropped it
onto the center grave.
Donovan moved to the hill and began his ascent to the top. Once there,
he again glanced back toward the graves and whispered a silent prayer.
Had he not stopped for water, the bodies might have never been
discovered. He had seen worse, for it was to be expected along the
trail. If it wasn't the Indians, most likely it would be one of the
illnesses that put you under.
Donovan slowly rode away on his ancient horse, leaving the wagon
standing alone like a silent sentinel, watching over those poor souls
that lay beneath their earthen graves. If there had been anything worth
taking, he would have grabbed what he could. This time there was
nothing; someone had already spirited away the horses...or eaten them
long before he came.
What had befallen that poor family was much like what had happened to
him; one by one he buried a member of his family until there was no one
left but himself. They were all gone, and only he alone would carry on
toward Oregon. Donovan sighed deeply, following the ruts that were
carved into the ground by the countless wagons that had gone before him.
As long as he was able, he would continue westward until some similar
fate would claim him, or he placed his shoes upon the fertile green sod
that drew so many hopeful souls.
As the sun climbed higher to the sky, Donovan began searching out cool
shade to rest both he and his horse. Perhaps he could find a bit of
grass suitable for it to eat as well. Ahead he could see a line of
bushes, low and still far away, so he rode toward them. After almost a
half day, he finally came to a river, much like the one he buried the
poor family beside. The bushes he thought he saw were in reality the
tops of several trees that grew along the river's bottom.
At one point along the river, Donovan spied an area where several wagons
had taken advantage of the area as a ford to cross onto the other side.
Down the bank he rode his horse, stopping at the bottom to allow for a
cool drink. Climbing down, he scooped several handfuls of water and
drank them down slowly. As he was standing back up, he spied a break in
the rocky edge and began to lead his horse toward it. Tying the horse
out of view, he ventured back inside the crevasse and was surprised at
what he found.
To Donovan, it was apparent that someone had lived here at one time, but
it was clear that it had been abandoned for many weeks. To the left of
the crevasse stood a small cave, and scattered about the cave were
several items of comfort: a rocker, an old chest, a tall oval mirror and
a long flat desk. He fingered the mirror, tilting it slightly downward,
then back up again. He assumed that someone had stored their items
inside to protect them from the elements, not wanting to leave them
along the trail like so many others had, and exposed to the weather.
He returned to the opening, standing in the sunlight and looked out
toward his horse, "Looks like we can lay up here for a few days...would
you like that, Buddy?" The horse only nickered its answer.
Donovan returned to the shadows where he left his horse and removed the
saddle, carefully carrying it back inside the cave. Placing it to the
side, he tested the strength of the dusty rocker; it held his weight.
Leaning back, he propped his feet on the saddle and closed his eyes.
After what seemed like only minutes, he opened his eyes. He knew from
the position of the light coming through the cave that it was very late
into the afternoon. He stood and stretched, grabbed a canteen and walked
down to the water's edge and filled it. Once finished, he carried it
back to the dark cave and hung it on the arm of the rocker.
He knew that it would be dark soon, so he returned to the river and
began to gather up a few dry branches for a small fire. Again and again,
he carried bundles into the cave until he was satisfied that he would
have enough to last through the evening.
By dark, he had a small fire going at the opening, illuminating the
interior of the cave and creating an eerie glow at its mouth. Removing a
piece of dried meat from his saddlebag, he again walked back toward the
rocker and took a seat. Beside his saddle lay the big wooden chest, so
he focused his attention on it.
Slowly he stood and moved toward it, his curiosity piqued. Flipping open
the hasp, he gently raised the lid. Before his eyes, the chest revealed
its contents, entirely filled to the top with clothing!
Even to his young eyes this wasn't just common clothing. This was very
feminine clothing unlike any of the prairie women wore, but rather those
of a gentile woman...a refined lady. He had seen women who wore this
type of clothing, and none of them would rub elbows with the likes of
him. "But why would they be way out here in the middle of nowhere?" he
wondered.
Surely the possessor of these clothes must also be moving west, paring
down her belongings to lighten up the wagon for the river crossing.
Donavon smiled; it was too bad he couldn't take this clothing with him
and sell it, because he was sure that it would fetch a pretty penny in
some western town.
He fingered an item in the trunk and slowly removed it, holding it away
at arms length, then he realized that it was a long, lacy petticoat.
With his other hand, he picked up a silky pair of bloomers. He smiled
and placed them upon the lid, and began tugging at a rolled up item
tucked into the corner...it was a white, whalebone corset. Never before
had he seen anything so overtly feminine before in his entire life,
still...he continued to dig. More and more items were removed from the
chest, carefully placed in the lid to await his eager scrutiny.
Beneath the corset was a pair of silk shoes, tangled into its long
strings was a pale calico print bonnet with a wide lace band around the
opening. He found two long silken stockings, a silver brush and comb
set, and a strange looking hair clasp of some type, also made of silver.
Donovan knew that this clothing was quite expensive for its owner,
probably making her greatly sad to leave it behind. Further into the
wooden chest he dug, removing a stunning yellow silken dress with a
short vest. From the copious amounts of material, Donovan could tell
that the dress was quite beautiful, with very fancy elaborate hand
stitching.
He wondered who had possessed such a garment? Had it been worn at some
grand ball back east? Was it a wedding costume? He fingered the silken
embroidery, running his fingers along the intricate patterns in the pale
material. He picked up the dress, holding it at the shoulders. The young
female who had owned this dress couldn't have been any taller than he
was. He stepped in front of the mirror and held the dress out.
He studied the image reflected back, had his own long hair been pulled
back, he could almost imagine what she may have looked like wearing that
fanciful item. He placed his hand under the sleeve and pulled it over
toward himself, making it look as though he was the wearer and placing
his hand upon the waist area of the dress.
He looked outside and saw that the darkness enveloped his cave like a
shroud. Again he looked back at the feminine pile of clothing, then to
the mirror. A plan began to form in his youthful mind, a plan that would
take advantage of being alone, a plan where no one else would ever know
what he would do.
He carefully walked out to the edge of his cave, and he scanned for any
sign of movement. Seeing nothing amiss, he climbed quickly to the top of
the riverbank and peered into the darkness to see if he could detect any
campfires burning in the distance from other travelers. Seeing nothing,
he returned to his horse and checked to see that it was secured to its
picket line; it wouldn't do to have him wander away during the night.
He entered the cave, tossed a few more sticks onto the fire and with a
strange thrill of excitement, he began to remove his clothing and placed
it onto the seat of the rocker. Donovan laughed with embarrassment as he
stood entirely naked and pulled on the silky feminine bloomers. He
fingered the corset and slowly wrapped it around himself, cups in the
front, laces in the back.
Drawing them as tight as he could, he frowned as he eyed the square
illusion it provided in the mirror, "Needs to be tighter to make it look
right!"
He walked back to the opening and sought out a sapling about the size of
his arm and tied the string to it. Reaching around his back, he took the
slack from the laces and began to draw it tighter. Leaning away from the
tree, he felt the laces growing tighter and tighter until it finally
began to make it harder to breath. With one extreme lunge forward, he
felt the strings pull to their tightest yet. Carefully, he reached
around at his waist and held the strings tight with one hand, while he
untied the strings from the tree with the other hand. It took some time
as he had almost pulled the string on the tree into a knot, yet somehow
he was able. He quickly retied the strings into a bow at his lower back.
He purposefully avoided the mirror as he passed it upon entering the
cave, instead heading directly toward the two lacy petticoats that lay
across the chest's lid. Quickly he stepped into the shorter petticoat
and pulled it up to just over his hips. Donovan gently picked the
elaborate garment, obviously to be worn over the shorter one. At its
bottom was a wide band of yellow silk, to that was attached a scalloped
lace trim with intervals of little yellow bows every six inches.
As this item settled upon his hips, he gathered the shoes and headed
carefully to the rocker. With a quick sweep of his hand, his male
clothing was deposited upon the dusty floor of the cave. Trying to mimic
those females he had known, he smoothed flat the petticoat beneath him,
and sat down. He held out a foot and carefully drew up a silken stocking
on his leg, upon his foot he placed the feminine shoe and laced the long
strings around his ankle. He held out his foot, admiring how the tiny
pointed shoe with the short heel made his male leg look entirely
feminine. His heart beat faster as he continued this process on to the
other leg and foot.
He finally gained enough courage to spy at himself in the long mirror.
He studied the form reflecting back. Donovan decided that he looked
somewhat like his mother dressed in all of this feminine garb, although
he thought he was still lacking somewhat in his womanly appearance. He
stood up and turned the mirror so it caught more of the light from the
fire, then quietly stared into the reflection for quite some time.
He returned to the lid and carefully picked up the brush, comb and hair
pin. Returning to the mirror he pulled the rocker close and began to
brush out the tangles in his own shoulder length, fiery red hair. The
pain of the brushing was unimaginable for him as he worked at his
feminine 'look' for almost an hour. First he braided the hair in two
sections at his temples, then he pulled these together at the back of
his head with the silver clasp to hold them in place. The effect was
amazing, creating the feminine look with the addition of the hair
jewelry. Donovan smiled, feeling success at his attempt...set off now by
a hair style that gave him an extremely elegant, female appearance.
Donavon carefully tugged at the skin upon his chest, drawing it up and
giving him the illusion of breasts. As he slowly pulled his hands away,
he was surprised that the effort and tightness of the corset had awarded
him with a slight bit of cleavage...looking very similar to those of a
young woman his own age!
Finally he returned for the gloriously beautiful dress. Carefully, he
placed it over his head and pulled it down. The dress was tight but not
enough to be unwearable. He smiled as he fingered the dozens of little
buttons that rose up from his waist, and one by one he pushed these
through the tiny holes adjacent to the other side. As they were
fastened, the higher up he went, the tighter the chest became. By the
time he was at the top, the material, along with the corset had pulled
him into a modest looking feminine bust-line, slightly more than that of
the corset alone.
He returned to the mirror and smiled, shaking his head at what looked
like a young woman in the mirror! Dressed as this, he would be very
passable on the streets of Boston or New York. He slowly ran his fingers
along the curves of his chest, down into the crease that looked like
cleavage.
He stepped away from the mirror and slowly spun in a circle, and the
movement caused the dress to billow out in a great circle. Laughing, he
returned to the mirror and let his eyes drift along his reflection. From
the tiny silken shoes upward his eyes were drawn, his waist now much
smaller as it was confined in the whalebone corset. Then it gradually
tapered outward as his eyes drifted up to his rounded chest. With the
help of the corset, he now had a very pretty hourglass figure.
He held out his hand and began to pretend to dance with a gentleman,
twirling in a girlish circle and ending with a low curtsey. He began
laughing uncontrollably, falling back into the rocker until he could
again regain his composure.
Outside his horse whinnied, quickly his eyes were drawn to the opening
of the cave. With the stealth that kept him alive for this long, he
crept toward the entrance and peered out into the black night. His horse
stamped its foot with nervous energy, causing the boy to slip into the
shadows of the trees and out of the glow from the fire.
Donovan's heart beat wildly, scanning the river's edge for whatever was
making his horse so nervous. Slowly the youth lifted the hem of the
dress so he could move quietly, and quickly. Carefully picking his way
along the shadows, he didn't stop until he was at the top of the
riverbank. Using the light of the moon, scanning as far as he could see,
there was nothing moving on the evening horizon. He slipped back into
the darkness and began to pick his way back toward the cave. Realizing
that he was still wearing the feminine clothing, he was glad that he
wasn't truly a girl because stealthy movement in these garments was
cumbersome at best.
As he neared the cave, he paused, glancing into the corner where he had
picketed his horse. It was gone! He quickly darted into the shadows and
studied the ground; someone had been here and with them, they had taken
his horse!
A great glow permeated from the cave, causing Donovan to gasp at what he
was seeing. Flames were leaping out of the cave's mouth, as if there was
a fire of un-imaginable magnitude inside. He felt his own heart drop,
because inside were all of his belongings!
Scrambling to the opening, he was held at bay by the intense heat, on
top of his fire lay the rocker, the chest, saddle, desk...everything! As
he stood before the raging fire, he felt one strong hand grasp his
waist, and the other clasp over his mouth.
With the fury of a being possessed, Donovan kicked and fought his
attacker with all the strength he could muster. He flailed his pinned
arms in a vain attempt to get his assailant to release his grip. Finally
he was able to bite upon the hand that covered his mouth. As the youth
clamped down hard upon the finger, he was roughly thrown against the
ground, the force knocking him unconscious.
******
He awoke as the sun began to rise above the horizon, his eyes locked
upon the grass he found himself laying face-down upon. As Donovan raised
his head, he heard movement to the side of him. Standing beside his own
stolen horse, stood a tall bronzed-skinned, Indian warrior. As the
warrior turned, his eyes locked on Donovan who suddenly was trying to
get up.
The man laughed and slowly walked to the boy's side. He grabbed him by
the wrist and pulled them up to the boy's eyes, they had been bound
together to prevent his escape. The big Indian gently reached out and
held a lock of the youth's hair, then said something intelligible to the
boy and smiled.
"Tse mao," he said as he bent forward looked at the lock he held.
Donovan couldn't understand the language of the Indian, but from the
body language, assumed he was commenting on the boy's red hair. He also
realized that the Indian thought he was a woman, had he known the real
sex of his captive...Donovan knew that he surely would have been killed
on the spot.
The Indian pulled Donovan to his feet. Then, picking him up as if his
weight were nothing, the Indian placed him on the back of his horse.
Seeing a moment of escape possible, he kicked his heels into the horse
and took off like a bolt of lightning. Behind him he heard a whoop and
knew that the Indian was in hot pursuit. In only seconds he leapt to his
horse, and riding bareback, he caught up to the boy and gathered the
reins in his hand, pulling the horse to a slow trot.
The warrior scowled at the boy, grabbed him by his upper arm and jerked
him close to his bronze face. The Indian's hardened stare was slowly
replaced with a toothy smile as he roughly shook the boy's shoulder,
then released him with a slight push. As Donovan was released, the
silken material slid across the bare back of the horse and he fell onto
the ground with a painful thud.
"Oh tha tha?" The warrior laughed and leaned against his muscular thigh,
again saying something that Donovan couldn't understand. The big man
dropped to the ground and lifted Donovan up by his slender waist, and
placed him lightly onto the back of the horse. As he released his grip,
he pointed at the boy and sternly said something then began laughing.
Donovan hung his head, looking down at the binding upon his wrists.
With the reins securely in his hand, the Indian vaulted onto the back of
his horse and began leading his captive toward the south, away from the
Platte River. Donovan swallowed hard, his long red hair billowing gently
about his face, having lost the silver pin in the struggle of last
night. He knew he would die as soon as this Indian warrior discovered
his secret...as sure as the sun rises and sets, Donovan knew he would
die.
******
The sun was straight up as they stopped at a small stream, and the big
warrior swung his leg over the head of his horse and lightly dropped to
the ground. He held onto Donovan's elbow as he directed the youth to do
the same, although without his help, Donovan would have most likely
fallen upon his face.
As the youngster stood, pinned between the horse and the Indian, he
cringed as the Indian gathered up a handful of his hair and gently
twirled it in his fingers. "Tse mao," he whispered, prior to letting the
hair fall back to Donovan's shoulder. It was the second time that
Donovan heard the Indian say that about his hair.
"Tse mao? What does that mean?" the youth asked, stumbling along behind
the Indian as he was led by rope to the stream. Following his example,
Donovan bent down, supported upon his elbows, and drank the cool water.
With his hands tied, and because of the tightness of the 'borrowed'
corset, the boy had trouble standing up. The big Indian gently grasped
his upper arm and pulled him lightly to his feet.
The Indian then reached into a pouch and removed some dried meat, and
again he spoke in a language that was alien to Donovan. "Wa non bre gue
they." Finally in frustration, he pushed the meat into the mouth of the
youth. The meaning couldn't be clearer - he wanted Donovan to eat.
The bronzed warrior stood studying the youth for several long minutes,
then gently patted Donovan's stomach and indicated his 'breasts'.
"Gaho?"
The boy frowned as he looked down toward his flat, tapered stomach and
almost negligible teenage breasts. "Gaho?" he said aloud, repeating what
the Indian had said. Then, as if it dawned on him that the word meant
'woman', or something like that, the boy nodded vigorously...fearing
that if the Indian believed he was anything other than female, he would
slit his throat and remove his fiery hair in the span of a heartbeat!
After chewing up the hardened meat, the youth realized that he needed to
relieve himself soon or he would soil the dress. He cleared his throat
loudly, to which the warrior glanced up. "I need to pee." The Indian's
brow furrowed slightly in response. Donovan frowned and tapped his
stomach with his bound wrists. "I have to go..."
The Indian stood and folded his arms, frustrated at his own inability to
understand the young woman sitting upon the rock before him. Again
Donovan stood and pointed to the rear of his horse, then pointed to
several large droppings laying in the dust.
This put a smile on the Indian's face. He pointed toward the tall,
swaying grass. With a laugh he lead Donovan toward it, pushed his foot
around in the grass, apparently clearing an area for him to relieve
himself. The boy stood in stunned silence, "You expect me to go with you
standing right there?"
The big Indian pointed to the clearing and crossed his arms. Donovan
realized that to stay in character, he would need to 'go as a woman'.
Slowly he crouched down and pushed the billowing dress away far enough
that he wouldn't soil it, yet keep his secret well hidden. Like a
female, he expelled himself upon the ground, pushing his penis back so
its flow was under his body and not out in front. Suddenly an arm was
thrust by Donovan's face, in the hand was several leaves. Their purpose
was quite evident.
As Donovan slowly stood, the Indian used his foot to bury the feces and
cover the urine. Then he flipped aside the flap of his breeches, and
urinated on the ground right in-front of Donovan. His large penis was in
plain sight of the youth.
The Indian laughed at the shocked look upon Donovan's face. Turning
toward the disguised youth, he shook free the last few remaining drops.
He walked toward the boy and said something again that was
unintelligible to him. But Donovan could feel his face growing red with
embarrassment, he was sure that the color of his cheeks now matched that
of his hair. With a great laugh, the Indian gently pulled at the rope
until Donovan began walking back toward the horses.
"Gash-kon!" he spoke as he again lifted Donovan onto the back of his
horse. With a great bounding leap, the warrior seated himself upon the
bareback of his horse, turned and looked backward at the youth as he
struggled to seat himself upon the back of his own horse. "Kakona?"
Donovan said nothing, and the Indian gently kicked his moccasins into
the side of his horse, spurring him forward as he began to lead his
captive once again.
******
That evening as they finally stopped to make camp, Donovan stood
helpless, his wrists tied to a high tree-branch. He studied his captor
at great length. The warrior was tall, much taller than most Indians
that he'd ever seen. Donovan guessed that the warrior stood close to six
feet in height. He had one narrow band of peppered hair that grew from
his head and tapered all the way back to his neck, standing only a
couple of inches high. Both sides of the row of hair were completely
shaved. It almost looked as though he had no eyebrows, those too most
likely shaved as well. At a guess, Donovan thought he might be in his
mid-thirty's or early forty's.
There were three beads in his ears, in colors of red, yellow and blue.
At the last bead was a single pale feather, dangling directly down. The
Indian had a single pattern tattoo of intricate design that wound
completely around his biceps, above and below it was a black line. His
clothing was of a pale leather, deerskin most likely, stitched along the
length looking like an open pant, with only a flap to cover his private
parts.
In the firelight, the glow reflected from the warrior's bronze chest as
he pushed a stick through a skinned rabbit that he impaled only moments
ago. Slowly, the warrior stood watched Donovan for a few long, agonizing
seconds. Then he slowly approached the bound youth. He glanced back
toward the fire and began speaking, gesturing toward it. Slowly his eyes
returned to the bound youth, briefly dropping to the swell of the corset
where Donovan's immature feminine breasts should have been.
Again the big Indian spoke, yet the strange words held no meaning to the
youth. Finally in a fit of frustration, the Indian drew the long silver
blade from its scabbard. He held it out, just at the base of Donovan's
neck. The warriors touch was gentle, yet wary. He slowly slid his hand
the length of the boy's arm, as soon as he reached the wrist, he cut the
binding.
Donovan held his breath, afraid to move for fear of being stabbed. The
Indian again touched his hair gently, holding it in his hand and spoke a
strange word, "Hoesta!" Donovan scarcely breathed, unable to understand
a word the Indian was saying and afraid to attempt to interpret it for
himself.
The point of the knife poised near the slender throat of the youth, the
Indian leaned away so he could take in his captive in 'her' entirety.
Gradually, the knife-point was lowered until finally returned to its
sheath. Donovan held his breath, afraid to move an inch.
The Indian gently took him by his elbow and led Donovan toward the fire,
finally pointing toward a log for 'her' to sit down. After several
minutes of gesturing, Donovan understood that he was supposed to cook
for the both of them...thankfully, this was something that he felt he
was quite capable of doing.
The Indian sat upon the ground, his legs crossed at the knees. He tapped
his finger upon his beaded breast plate, "Misae ee jah jeh le." Donovan
said nothing, slowly rotating the rabbit upon the support sticks with
his fingers, almost as if he were afraid to make eye contact.
As the flame leapt up, it caught Donovan off guard and he jerked his
hand away quickly. This caused the Indian to chuckle, "Mon she wa le!"
Again the youth tried to turn the stick, quickly touching the wood
before taking hold of it. "If you're trying to say that it's
hot...you're a little late," he whispered softly, afraid to irk his
captor.
The Indian only smiled, finally touching Donovan's dress covered knee.
"Misae," he said once again, tapping his chest.
Donovan pushed a lock of his hair away from his face, tucking it behind
one ear. "Are you trying to tell me your name? Misae? Is that your
name?"
The warrior smiled and nodded, again touching his chest. "Misae!" Then
he tapped Donovan's leg and said, "Da han."
"I suppose you're wanting to know what my name is...If I try and say my
true name, you might figure out that I'm not really who you think I
am." Donovan studied the meat for a moment, as tiny droplets of grease
fell and sizzled in the flickering flames of their campfire. He placed
his hand upon his chest, trying to do it as femininely as possible. "My
name is... Amber," he said, making up the name on the spot.
The Indian thought about it for a few seconds, then sat up straighter.
"Am-bear." He smiled and touched his chest once again, "Misae..." then
pointed toward his captive "Am-bear."
"Am-bear," he whispered as he mulled the word over in his mind. Misae
was proud that his captive now had a name, for he had grown tired of not
knowing what to call her. He knew very few 'white-man's' words, yet one
that he did know was the word 'bear'. He knew that it was associated
with the great beast that lived in the caves toward the southeast of his
village. 'Am-bear' sounded like a fitting name for a girl who lived in a
cave, and fought like a little bear! He took his two index fingers and
locked them together, "Misae...Am-bear."
Donovan's heart dropped as he took in the suggestion that Misae was
making. Unsure of whether he intended to mate with him, or he was saying
that he was now the possession of the Indian. Either way, the end result
would be the certain death of Donovan.
******
For almost four full days the two rode, Misae leading his 'precious'
captive onward, toward certain doom. During the entire time, the youth
was in extreme pain from the tight corset. After being in it for so many
days, Donovan felt that he was now rubbed raw in several areas where his
skin came into contact with the whalebone stays in the garment.
Every slight movement or jar upon his body caused the youth to flinch in
agony. This didn't go unnoticed by Misae, although the Indian attributed
it to 'her' being a helpless female unaccustomed to a long tiring
journey over rough terrain.
As they broke over a slight rise, Donovan saw a small village before
them, with teepees dotting the landscape across the flat plain. Misae
pulled Donovan's horse up beside him, sweeping his hand across the air
he spoke to his captive. "Wazhazhe sanee!" he said proudly, then frowned
when he couldn't get a responsive expression other than fear from the
'girl'. Again he repeated, "Am-bear...wazhazhe sanee!"
"Your village?" Donovan muttered sarcastically. "Great. Here's the place
where I die!" The words were said low, his young voice almost whispered.
Still, nothing could be understood between them nor read upon the face
of the 'girl'. Finally giving up, Misae nudged the flanks of his horse
and began heading into the village. The closer they came, more and more
people gathered about the horse of Donovan. Each one tried to touch the
long red hair of the young white captive, almost knocking him from his
horse in their efforts.
Misae slid from the back of his horse, and quickly made his way to the
side of Donovan. In one movement, he took hold of Donovan's waist, and
lowered him to the ground. The sudden motion caused Donovan to cry out
in excruciating pain. Misae shouted to several younger women who ushered
the teen into one of the many teepees.
The squaws took Donovan from the bright sunlit outdoors, suddenly into a
dark teepee and forced him to sit down upon a thick fur hide. Misae
stepped into the area behind the women, where he addressed them all. For
several minutes Donovan heard him speaking, his voice and tone demanding
their rapt attention. Finally as he was close to finishing, an older
Indian woman pushed aside the flap of the teepee and entered.
Misae acknowledged her with a cordial nod of his head, and the woman
sat. For once the room was quiet. She studied Donovan for several
seconds, turned and exited the room, behind her walked Misae.
******
The old woman moved away from the teepee and looked up at the towering
warrior. In her native Indian language, she addressed Misae. "She is
young; how did you come upon her?"
Misae smiled, "I tracked a great elk down into a ravine, and found the
graves of her family. Her track was small, I knew she would never
survive out here alone. Forgetting about the elk, I followed her trail
as she moved along the Platte and finally caught up with her where the
white wagons cross onto our lands."
"What became of the great elk?" she asked slyly.
"The elk's spirit was strong. I think he wanted me to find the girl
instead." Misae glanced toward the teepee where his captive was being
held.
"Does she have a name?" she asked as the two began to walk.
"She calls herself Am-bear," he replied.
"She was bound, there are still marks upon her wrists. Why?" The old
woman looked at Misae scornfully.
He looked away under her glaring gaze. "She fought me like a panther
when I captured her...I felt that given the chance, she might try to
kill me, Na-hao."
Na-hao pursed her wrinkled lips and nodded, "Her spirit is as fiery as
her hair. You were wise to take precautions with this one." She patted
his arm with approval, "What are your intentions with her?"
"If the elders approve, I would like to add her to my squaws. She is a
sturdy one who can help my women out with their chores. Someday, she
might accompany me in my bed, I find myself aroused by her fiery red
hair! Or, I could use her to trade with my Osage brethren!"
Na-hao paused beside her own teepee, and looked up toward the brave.
"The elders would never allow you to have a squaw that young, especially
one who seems so unseasoned. Let me think about how you can use her and
still keep her among your women. Ask me when Grandfather sun is high,
and I will give you my answer then."
******
Donovan sat quietly and watched the flap that both Misae and the old
woman walked through. After several minutes, a light-skinned squaw
scooted close to him. "Havay. Da han ba gi?" she whispered softly.
Donovan said nothing, only stared back blankly. She frowned and looked
down into the small fire that was in the center of the teepee. "Ke-sato
ee jah jeh le." Again Donovan said nothing, only glancing from one face
to the next of those who were intently staring at him.
Again the squaw tapped Donovan's arm, "Have...name?" she asked in broken
English.
His head quickly swung back, his hair fell forward of his shoulder. "You
speak English?"
She began searching with her mind, words that long ago were once
familiar. "I...I once was." Her eyes began examining the clothing
Donovan wore, "Long ago...when very young...I have dress." Her gaze
caused Donovan to look downward at what he was wearing. She continued,
"I once named...M..Mary."
Donovan knew that she was most likely taken captive while young, perhaps
as a small toddler. Her memories of her old world, distant and gray with
the haze of time. She straightened up, smiling away those fading
thoughts. "Here, I am Tehya...means...p...pr...precious."
Donovan's eyes continued to search out the room, looking for any avenue
of escape. He hoped beyond hope that he could gain some idea of the
tribe's location. "Where am I?" he asked desperately.
"W...we are, Wazhazhe...you...your people...call, Osage." She smiled to
the others proudly, as each of the squaws leaned forward slightly,
intently listening to the strange, foreign language. "Misae is he who
found...you."
Again she frowned as she sought out the words that she once knew long
ago, "Y...you have...name?"
Donovan felt his heart skip a beat, once again realizing that these
people thought of him as female. "I am called Amber."
She nodded slowly, then turned to face the others seated around the
fire. "Wazhazhe sanee...Am-bear." Suddenly there was a chorus of
whispers from the females, at one time or another the words, 'Am-bear'
were mixed within each sentences that the Osage women uttered.
Donovan studied the lighter face of the squaw who had been speaking to
him. "Who taught you to speak my language?"
She listened, then sat for several seconds as his question was absorbed.
Finally she shrugged, "I came to...the...Osage many season ago...your
language is...uh...slightly known to me." She began tapping on her leg,
as if the motion would help her recall. "I may...once live with your
people."
Donovan glanced quickly at the flap of the teepee, "What will happen to
me?" His eyes searched with fear.
The squaw looked into the faces of the others and began speaking the
Osage language, finally after they all had replied, she turned to face
Donovan. "You young. Misae want many sons. You give him."
The reply was short and to the point; now more than ever, he needed to
escape as quickly as he could! From the corner of his eye, he saw a hand
touching his hair. "Ho esta!" she whispered to another.
The female laughed and pushed the first woman's hand aside, "Hon ka zhi
tse mao!"
Donovan's eyes returned to the squaw who knew his language. "What are
they saying? The warrior you call 'Misae' said those words more than
once when referring to my hair."
"Mota say, your hair...like fire. Ona-aheto, say it just red." Even she
couldn't resist the urge to touch the fiery red hair. "I think...both
right. Never see red hair."
One by one the women returned to their daily chores, and only Donovan's
translator remained. After several minutes, a young girl came inside and
handed the squaw a small bundle. The bundle proved to be a tiny Indian
baby. As soon as she had the infant unfolded, she untied the collar of
her doe-skin dress and let it fall. To Donovan's surprise, she began
nursing
As the tiny baby suckled upon her left breast, she studied Donovan. "You
have child, Am-bear?" Donovan desperately shook his head no causing her
to laugh. "No worry. You will."
Once again the flap was thrown aside, in walked the same little girl
carrying a gourd full of water. Tehya said something in her language and
the girl placed the gourd on the ground and took a soft hide and began
whetting it down. After a few moments, she started to wipe the hands of
Donovan.
After several uncomfortable minutes with the girl cleaning him, she was
finally done. Scrubbed only those areas in view, from head to foot, she
cleaned the dirt of their many days ride from his pale skin. "You need
learn how!" she spoke, indicating the infant clinging to her teat.
"Misae want many sons!"
"I don't think that's going to be possible." Donovan listened, watching
the young girl as she gathered up the gourd and quietly left them alone
again.
"You forget white men...you are Misae's squaw now." She laughed. "You do
this soon."
Donovan smiled and watched the nursing infant for several seconds, "I
doubt that seriously."
"You see. Misae good man...you be happy with him. He give you many
strong child." The little one left go of her breast and she gently
placed it on her lap and began patting its back until it burped.
"I know nothing about....that," Donovan chuckled. "I'll never be able to
do what you're doing."
Finally, she grew bored with the red-headed captive and returned to
mothering her child. Donovan rose to his feet and slowly moved about the
tee-pee, to them his escape was impossible. Should he try, he would be
instantly killed...so they had relaxed their watchfulness.
They let Donovan move about within the tent, always watched by at least
one of the many squaws. Finally, bored with studying the interior for
escape, Donovan sat back down on the big hide. Laying out flat, he tried
to make himself as comfortable as possible, with the painfully strict
unforgiving corset that was hidden beneath the dusty dress.
Wincing, he lay down and propped his head upon a folded hide. His tired
mind working frantically; he had to find a way to escape, before they
found out who he really was!
******
As morning arrived, Donovan sat up and held his side. He had been
wearing the corset for many days now, and his skin felt bruised and
rubbed raw. The pain was very intense, so much so that he thought he
would cry. Several of the squaws were moving about on their daily
chores, a few were even gone. One or two were like his interpreter,
Tehya, nursing a tiny infant at her breast.
Suddenly, the door flap opened, and in walked Misae and the old woman.
She headed right over to Donovan and began to speak very rapidly to him.
Donovan instantly turned toward Tehya and waited for her to answer. She
was listening intently to what the old woman was saying. During a brief
pause, she began her translation.
"Na-hao say...you too young. Wants Misae wait full season." Still in the
background the old woman droned on, "She say you...we teach you how
feed."
Donovan frowned, "I don't think I understand."
The young squaw replied back to the old woman, who nudged Donovan upon
the chest with the back of her knuckles. The boy's face grew ashen, "I
can't...I..." Suddenly, he thought better of saying anything that would
cause his early demise.
"We teach," she said smiling, still holding the baby. Again the old
woman spoke several words, then the young squaw turned back to Donovan.
"Na-hao want you to..." Again her eyes wandered, trying to come up with
the word that best described what she was thinking. "...learn feed
Misae's child...until you are...kakona...uh...ready."
Donovan stood up quickly, ignoring the pain caused by the corset. "I
can't feed a child! I have no...milk! The baby would die!" His fear held
him close to tears. He knew that should he be responsible for the care
of an infant, and not being able to sustain it as a 'real' woman would.
The child would die and he would most surely be killed!
Again he watched as the young squaw spoke with the old woman, finally
the ancient one rotated her palm outward and spoke her Osage language
softly. Inside her hand she held a ball of what looked like paste or
possibly dough. Tehya translated, "She say...you eat."
With a trembling hand, Donovan took the offered ball and hesitantly
placed it into his mouth with all of them watching. As he chewed it up
and swallowed it, he wondered about what it was that he had just eaten.
The old woman smiled her toothless smile, and nodded. "Tha-le!"
Removing the sticky dough-like residue from the roof of his mouth,
Donovan swung his eyes over to Tehya. "What was it that she made me
eat?"
"It is from plant." She smiled and began burping her child. "It is
something...given...uh...woman who no...have milk."
"I don't understand!" he practically cried. "What will it do?"
"You soon make milk...you feed baby." She slowly rotated the infant to
her other nipple, "You see...learn soon!"
It was as though Donovan's legs were knocked from under him! He sat down
hard and stared at the thick hide. Slowly the old woman turned and
walked out of the tee-pee with Misae. Partially fearing that what she
said might actually happen, he trembled. But Donovan knew that there was
no way on the planet that he, a male, could ever produce milk!
******
The sun was just breaking over the horizon; the day was still young.
Morning found Donovan crouched in the weeds, expelling himself, trying
his best to mimic the way a female would. Not far away stood a young
brave close to his own age. The brave was politely looking away, but
close enough to stop Donovan should he attempt to escape. It had been
almost two weeks since Donovan had dressed himself as a girl, and it was
two weeks of pure pain. The once beautiful dress was now soiled and
stained green from constant kneeling in the grass, doing the few chores
assigned to him. Soon he would have to dress in the clothing that had
been offered every day since he arrived, thin leather dress with
intricate beading. Still, Donovan knew that to change out of what he was
wearing, someone might see his hidden surprise and his life would soon
be forfeit.
Finally finished, Donovan pulled himself up slowly and held his breath
until the strain of the corset eased its gripping pain. The young brave
turned his head and studied Donovan. From the look in his eyes, it
seemed he had never seen a white this close to his own age. Gently and
respectfully, he took Donovan by his elbow and ushered him back to the
trail which would take them toward the village.
As they walked, the brave lowered his voice and spoke softly the strange
language of the Osage. Donovan recognized a few of the words, but still
not enough that he could feel comfortable carrying on a conversation.
The youthful Indian smiled from time to time, and to Donovan, it looked
as though he was smitten with the 'female' he was guarding.
Donovan said nothing and let him talk, forcing himself to smile once in
awhile. As the two approached the tee-pee, the young man pushed aside
the flap of leather and allowed Donovan to pass. Behind the dress-clad
youth, the flap fell. Once again, Donovan was trapped within the
interior of the tee-pee.
Tehya was gently rocking her child, humming a song that Donovan
recognized as a lullaby. She looked up, her large eyes taking in the
captive female. "Am-bear, Na-hao come. Leave this." She handed the
familiar white ball of sticky dough to Donovan. As per the routine of
the past several days, he inserted it into his mouth and chewed it
slowly. After it was swallowed, Tehya pushed the clothing to him once
again, "You need."
"I can't," replied Donovan, ignoring the items she offered.
"Misae say so." She frowned, flipping them into his lap. "He say...you
change." Her mouth slowly curled into a mischievous smile. "Or...he
change."
It was pretty obvious to Donovan that either he change on his own, or he
would be changed by the big Indian. Stalling for more time, Donovan ran
his hand across the dress. "I can't wear something so nice without being
clean myself." He was hoping that a bath might provide the chance for
escape that he was looking for.
Tehya smiled. "You change...if clean?" Even before he could respond, she
called out to the young brave who was guarding the door. After a quick
string of the Osage language, she stood and gently pulled Donovan to his
feet. "We clean now," she said as she handed the infant to a young girl
who was kneeling on the fur hide, threading beads upon a string.
The three of them walked to the edge of a small river, the youthful
brave took his post on a high rock outcropping and 'tried' to look away.
Tehya pulled Donovan's hair back over her shoulder and tied it with a
leather string. Quickly she began to unbutton the dress that Donovan
wore, while he tried to push away her nimble fingers.
"I can do it myself!" he gasped, turning away from both of them. His
hands were shaking as he unbuttoned each button on the long dress.
Hesitantly he pushed it onto the grass. Tehya quickly rolled it into a
ball and tossed it aside. One by one the petticoats were treated
similarly. At last, Donovan stood with his back to them, only wearing
the corset and bloomers.
Tehya stepped up and began to untie the corset, loosening the laces
until Donovan thought he would cry aloud in pain as his ribs tried to
once again return to normal. Quickly covering his chest with his hands,
Donovan bolted into the water as soon as the corset dropped from his
body.
The young brave looked over his shoulder as Donovan squealed upon
hitting the icy water of the stream. A slow smile crept across his
bronze face as he watched the naked girl swim out of the shallows to
where the water was at her slender neck, her fiery red hair floating
about her shoulders like live tendrils on some mythical beast.
Donovan's breath was coming in short gasps because of the cold water,
great patches of gooseflesh danced upon his pale skin. He shivered and
shook as he watched Tehya gather his belongings and walked back toward
the village, leaving behind only clothing that a young squaw would wear.
His eyes quickly glanced up toward the rock, where the young brave was
sitting upon his haunches, watching him. A smile played upon the
Indian's face.
Donovan quickly turned and faced away, not sure just how clear the water
was from his higher vantage point. After several minutes in the icy
water, Donovan could stand it no longer and bolted to a bush that grew
near the clothing that Tehya had left. He placed his hands near his
waist, attempting to hide his maleness from the brave. From above, an
audible laugh could be heard.
From his hiding place, he snaked his hand out to retrieve the clothing.
Shaking from chill, he quickly dragged it back into the concealment of
his leafy shroud. Huddled under the canopy of the foliage, he prayed
that the brave hadn't seen enough to make him suspect his true male
identity.
As Donovan sat shivering, he took stock in the sores left from wearing
the corset too long, rubbed raw and irritated by its tightness. He
winced as his finger traced the outline of one sore on his hip...he had
been wearing the garment so long that it had left him with a perpetual
hourglass figure, from the constant pressure, almost as if it had molded
his body into a confined girlish form. Donovan winced as he looked back
over his shoulder at the young brave on the rock. "Had he seen?" he
wondered.
He slowly stood, keeping well within the bush, hidden under its canopy,
yet confined by position from escape. He gathered up the soft leather
dress, accidentally brushing across his chest with his arm. In stunned
surprise, he examined the reddened nipple...somehow, it was raised and
just a bit swollen. If it were possible, it even looked as though the
entire surface area had expanded slightly.
Once again his eyes were pulled toward the young brave on the high rock.
Donovan felt that he could no longer chance the vast amount of time that
he was taking. He knew that the longer he allowed himself in the
watchful scrutiny of the Indian boy, the better the chance of being
discovered. He hesitantly held the material close to his chest, afraid
of what the brave might have already seen. Still, from the shape of his
now tapered waist, the soft, miniscule swell of his chest...he almost
looked like the teenage girl he portrayed. Again he shuddered with chill
as a cool wind blew down the small river. With a great amount of
hesitation, he quickly donned on the Indian clothing.
******
For three weeks, Donovan had to endure the sticky dough balls every
morning. For three weeks, he had to put up a courageous, feminine front
so he wouldn't be discovered by the young Indian brave, Misae or those
few squaws left to guard him. For three weeks, he was forced to change
and bathe the little Indian baby of Tehya's. For three weeks, he was
compelled to hide behind the mask of the feminine guise of 'Amber'. The
only real bright side was that the Osage language was slowly coming to
him, enough so that he could at least understand a few words. Yet
Donovan let no one know that he knew their language, keeping that to
himself for the time being, for it may be handy at a later date.
Donovan knelt at the fire and stirred the coals, and beside him watched
the young Indian brave. Slowly he stood and brushed the dust from the
knees of the soft leather dress. As the coals began to glow, Donovan
moved to a small woodpile and retrieved several bent and twisted sticks.
Behind him followed the Indian. "You will be my squaw someday!" he
whispered.
Donovan never acknowledged his comment, trying to keep them off-guard
about his understanding their words. Still, the Indian carried a few
sticks to the coals as well, pausing silently beside Donovan. As he
leaned forward, the disguised youth only let his eyes waiver toward the
brave's leggings. "I will talk to Misae, see what he wants for you?"
Donovan swallowed hard, and his hands began to tremble. He knew that for
an older man like Misae to try and breed a young girl was frowned upon.
However, a young brave like this one...it was perfectly acceptable. He
pushed the sticks into the coals, slowly working them under the glowing
embers, trying to get them to flame. Donovan closed his eyes; he knew
that he was slowly being drawn into a quagmire of deceit that would only
end in his eventual discovery and sudden death.
Suddenly a new pair of legs were on his left, from the way the boy
backed up...it could only be either Misae or the old woman. It was the
old woman, Na-hao...Donovan's heart fell into his stomach. He didn't
want to look up, but a sound caused him to quickly glance upward. Na-hao
was holding a very tiny baby...a white baby!
"Come," she commanded, using one of the very few white words taught to
her by Tehya. With respect of Na-hao's station among the squaws, Donovan
stood and brushed the dust from his dress. With great trepidation, he
followed her into the tee-pee.
******
She walked right up to Tehya and stopped, this action caused the young
squaw to look up from her beadwork. Seeing the old woman holding the
baby, Tehya asked, "Na-hao, where did the baby come from?" Pushing aside
her project, Tehya quickly stood and looked toward Donovan, who was
still pretending that he didn't understand the language. His look danced
between the two women...and responded with an animated shrug.
"The white's wagon rolled down the ravine, the fall wasn't too great,
but both the mother and father were killed." She looked at Donovan and
gestured with her thumb. "Tell her." The words weren't as clear yet, but
Donovan understood enough to know what she said.
Tehya turned toward the girl she knew as Am-bear, "The child...was
found. Parents die."
Donovan felt good, reassured that Tehya was telling him actually what
the old woman said. At least she could be trusted...up to a point. Na-
hao again spoke in her native tongue, "She will care for the white
child; this will be her son." She pushed the baby into Donovan's stunned
arms. "Tell her!" The old woman spoke with finality, to her, the subject
was beyond discussion.
Donovan turned toward Tehya, "You...you care for child," she said,
brushing her finger through the auburn hair that seemed to float around
the baby's face.
Donovan felt the fear churning in his stomach, because he knew that the
baby would die without proper care! "I can't, Tehya!" he cried, looking
down at the helpless infant. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do!"
The young Indian rolled her eyes, "It simple." She began untying her
dress at the neck and let the soft material fall. Gently she worked her
swollen breast free, "Put baby here!" She smiled as she held the child
before her lactating nipple. "See, it easy!" She held him there as she
sat down, "He already know...what to do!"
Donovan's hand hovered at his chest, almost as if he were trying to
protect himself from attempting something so female. "But, Tehya...I
have no milk!" he cried. "This child needs a mother's milk!"
"You now his mother. You will have milk," she said smiling. "We start
slow. You see."
She watched him, the tiny muscles in his temple moving as he nursed.
After several minutes, he let go and allowed her engorged nipple to fall
from his mouth. She scooted toward Donovan and gestured for him to sit
down. As he took his place on the furry hide, she handed him the child.
"He need burp." She laid him down upon his lap and took Donovan's hand
and began to lightly tap upon the white skinned baby's back. After
several uncomfortable minutes of patting, they were rewarded by a
audible belch. "Now you."
Even before Donovan could resist, she had began to untie the boy's
dress. Pulling his short fiery braid out of the way, she sat down and
waited for the boy to take his 'maternal' initiative.
With a pleading glance at Tehya, he held the baby away. "He not
bite...much." She laughed.
Once again Tehya reached across and pulled at the flap of the dress,
causing it to fall forward and expose the top of Donovan's chest. He
looked down into the gentle swells that were hidden under the dress, the
swells that made up his 'breasts'. Tehya grew frustrated and pushed the
material lower to expose his entire left side. Then, she pushed the baby
closer. "You mother now! You feed!"
Using his elbow, he gently pushed Tehya away. "If I have to do this,
I'll do it myself!" Slowly he moved the baby into position and held him
there, unsure of what he was doing was entirely correct. Tehya pushed
against his slender arm and guided the infant toward his exposed flesh.
To Donovan, it seemed impossible that he could ever sustain the life of
this child! He would fail, be discovered, and promptly killed. Slowly
the tiny mouth approached his puffy reddened nipple. Donovan looked on,
unsure of whether its size was a result of the strange dough balls made
by the ancient squaw, or if it were the natural growth, color and shape
it should normally be.
The infant latched on, the resulting wince caused Tehya to laugh. Still,
it pulled itself in hard and began to suck in earnest. It was strange to
the boy -- never in a million years would he have ever imagined he'd
have a tiny child suckling to his chest! Sadly he shook his head, the
long red braid only swayed over the child's tiny face. He looked up at
Tehya, "He's not getting anything...you do realize that?"
"Not yet...but soon." She sat back and smiled, "You finish one...you
start on other. Now you see how it done...you do every day!"
Donovan flinched again, the pain upon his nipple was excruciating...if
this was the life he would have to face, maybe dying would be
preferable! He sighed and bit at his lip to hide the pain he was
feeling, "What about its milk? Without it, the baby dies!"
"Your son not die. I help until you...your milk come." She smiled and
watched the baby suckle at Donovan's nipple, "He look like you. He have
tsemao...uh...red hair too!"
Donovan expelled a deep sigh from his pursed lips..."It's not red...It's
auburn!"
"Maybe like his father..." she sighed wistfully.
******
Donovan had no moment for himself. Gone was the quiet plotting time for
escape. Now, his entire day was filled with the 'feeding' and constant
supervision of the baby. Over the next several weeks, Donovan had come
to calling the baby 'Nodin', which is Osage for wind. He would have much
preferred to use a white name for the boy, but the old woman forbade it
completely. So, he continued to exist, just like many of the other
squaws around him, carrying the tiny baby in a pouch secured to his
chest.
It was bad enough just trying to do chores dressed like this female, but
to do it with a infant strapped upon your chest was near impossible for
Donovan. He was uncomfortable, as his chest ached from the constant
feedings. For the child, he felt he was nothing more to Nodin than an
oversized pacifier, there to keep Nodin content and quiet.
Na-hao tapped him on the shoulder as he was grinding maze in a small
bowl. In her hand she held one of those sticky white dough balls. "Eat."
Without a word, Donovan pushed it into his mouth, chewing it slowly
until it could be swallowed.
She then pointed a gnarled finger at Nodin. "You feed boy now." Donovan
only nodded, long ago losing hope for any escape. He stood, and began
gently lifting Nodin from the pouch. He removed him from it, as he
walked, all while heading toward the tee-pee. As he took his place on
the hide, he laid Nodin down near his legs. Now a habit, Donovan dropped
the side of his dress down and quickly gathered the infant to his chest.
With a heavy sigh, he sat and nursed the child. A noise outside of the
tee-pee caused him to look up, and as the flap was pulled aside, Tehya
walked in.
"Havay, Am-bear. Da heh ninksha?" the light skinned squaw spoke, moving
her child to the other hip.
"Havay, Tehya. I'm fine," he replied, no longer hiding the fact that he
knew their language. He had been conversing regularly over the past
week, understanding much of what they were saying.
For several minutes, Nodin nursed upon Donovan's nipple before letting
it fall from his mouth. Under the watchful eye of Tehya, Donovan rolled
Nodin over onto his lap and began to pat his tiny back. As Donovan
looked down, he couldn't help but notice that shadow that was cast upon
his stomach from the light through a small hole in the tee-pee. Over
time, whether it was from the dough balls or the constant nursing,
Donovan's chest was being slowly transformed. No longer did his chest
show the flat muscles that he once had, now they were gently swelling
outward, able to cast a shadow of their own. The nipples had become
longer, and darker red, extending out by a quarter inch. Even his chest
area was now puffy, taking on the appearance of budding breast tissue.
Donovan felt dejected, as he pulled Nodin to his other nipple. Just
yesterday, when he had a moment to explore himself sexually, his body
wasn't responding as it once had. Instead, the slim waist had never
really regained its shape prior to the corset's removal. It was as
though it refused to return back to its original flatness, instead
maintaining the feminine curves that the corset had once provided alone.
Still, if the changes to his body had only stopped there, all would be
fine. Now though, his skin had become more supple, and all of his body
hair was slowly fading into nothingness... except for that upon his
head. That particular area of hair has become thicker and longer. On top
of that, the old woman, Na-hao, made him keep his hair long. It was now
almost six inches longer than when he arrived. His legs and arms had
somehow grown a graceful quality to them, no longer bulky and gangly as
had they before he was captured, but rather slender and lithe...and soft
like a female.
Even Donovan's hands weren't left untouched. The palm was still as small
as it always had been, however his fingers were slender and long, each
nail itself, was narrow and elongated. They seemed to g