Harvest Flower sat next to Singing Fox, the loud war cries died and Harvest Flower knew Running Wolf would start the fight soon. She could tell Singing Fox was nervous and slightly scared of the outcome. The warriors starting their cheers again and Singing Fox looked to the lodge door.

"Do you think I should watch?" Singing Fox said more to herself than Harvest Flower.

Harvest Flower picked at the fringe on her dress. "Running Wolf said it would be unwise. You could distract Gray Eagle and that would not be good."

Gray Eagle and Strong Moon slowly moved in a circle watching each other for the first lunge. Strong Moon tossed his knife from one hand to the other to keep his palms dry. His painted tan skin glistening with a layer of perspiration, and dark chocolate hair fell wild down his back. Strong Moon looked every bit, the wild Apache Chief. He stepped slowly watching Gray Eagle's every move.

Both looked like wolves ready to pounce and tear into flesh. The people surrounding them blurred into the background, their attention only on each other. Gray Eagle stood just a little taller with a darker color skin, more copper than tan. His hair a darker shade of black. Gray Eagle gripped his knife arms spread leaving his painted chest open, inviting a lunge from his opponent. His dark brown eyes following every movement.

They both yelled and lunged at the same time. Blade met blade as their bodies clashed together. They pushed at each other's arms fighting to push their blades into the flesh of the other. They broke apart and lunged at each other again, this time Gray Eagle's blade left a thin red streak on Strong Moon's smooth jaw. They tripped rolling over each other blades dangerously close to each other's necks. Their well defined muscles bulging with power and strength.

Strong Moon sat up pushing his weight down on his blade. He gritted his teeth and yelled once more before bouncing slightly onto his strained arms. His light brown eyes glowing with determination.

Gray Eagle took his chance and flipped them over, now he pushed down with his blade. Suddenly Strong Moon swapped hands on the knife he held quickly bringing it down on Gray Eagle's shoulder. It hit bone and Gray Eagle rolled away causing the knife to rip down his arm through the muscles. His vision blurred, but he quickly gained his control. He dodged to the left when Strong Moon lunged at him. Gray Eagle turned on his heal catching Strong Moon in the leg with a deep cut of his own.

The warriors around them cheered and yelled with the excitement caused by the sight of blood. Strong Moon whipped the blood from his cut jaw, and looked down at his leg. Gray Eagle holding his arm to his side glared back at Strong Moon. They lunged at each other again, this time Strong Moon slashed low catching Gray Eagle's thigh, leaving a jagged line of blood behind. Gray Eagle's knife buried to the hilt in Strong Moon's shoulder saved him a deeper cut.

Gray Eagle pulled his knife free pushing away from Strong Moon's next swing. Gray Eagle felt Strong Moon's foot hook his ankle causing him to hit the ground hard. Strong Moon jumped on him cutting his exposed side. Gray Eagle jerked to the side slashing at Strong Moon neck, catching his chest instead. Gray Eagle twisted flipping Strong Moon over backwards onto the ground he sat up quickly kicking Strong Moon back down before he could fully sit up.

Gray Eagle quickly straddled him, taking another blow to his side. The bite of the blade now starting to make him lose his vision in bursts. He caught Strong Moon's wrist and twisted it. The knife fell from his hand by Gray Eagle's leg. He quickly snapped Strong Moon's wrist, feeling the bones give under the pressure.

Strong Moon cried out in pain and bucked his hips to unseat Gray Eagle. His attempt failed and Gray Eagle soon had both knives in each hand he reacted quickly bringing one down to bury, hilt deep, into his other shoulder. The other he brought to Strong Moon's neck. The weakness in his injured arm to great to even push the knife forward into Strong Moon skin. He was about to hit the knife sharply with his good hand when Chief Running Wolf touched his shoulder.

Gray Eagle rolled off Strong Moon and landed on his back. His breathing labored with pain and exhaustion. Running Wolf's voice sounded far away and he could barely stay awake.

Chief Running Wolf held both knives in his hands and walked around the circle of silent people watching him. "The elders have spoken. Gray Eagle is the victor, they have spoken and feel it is just right to leave chief Strong Moon alive." He stood in the center between the two men laying on the ground. "Let it be known Gray Eagle has won the maid Singing Fox by right of blood. I ask the Apache Chief Strong Moon to move on this day."

A warrior from Strong Moon's tribe stepped forward, "We accept this and will honor the blood right. We leave." The warrior stepped forward to take Strong Moon's horse from a brave who led it forward. With the help of two others they placed Strong Moon on his horse and led him down the path to the canyon below, the whole of the Apache tribe following close behind.

Running Wolf knelt beside Gray Eagle and held out a hand for him, "Good fight my brother. Your victory will be celebrated this night."

Gray Eagle grunted and clasped hands with Running Wolf. Blood flowed freely from his wounds as Running Wolf helped him to stand. Gray Eagle still needed to claim his prize. The walk to Running Wolf's lodge was slow, but Gray Eagle managed to walk on his own. His arm now hung lifeless at his side.

Singing Fox dropped her gaze to her hands. She made a fist and relaxed it over and over again. The large lodge of Running Wolf's felt small and she wished to sit at her loom. Weaving always calmed her. She watched Harvest Flower pick at her dress.

"I must make something." Singing Fox suddenly said getting to her feet.

Harvest Flower looked up, "Cooking or sewing? I'm sorry I do not have a loom, Running Wolf said he would make one for me."

A smile lit Singing Fox's face and the tension fled, "We will make you a new dress."

They set about gathering all the items they would need listening to the yells outside. The hoops grew more aggressive and chilled Harvest Flower's blood. Which man had the upper hand at this point? Could she go look? She shook her head and threaded a needle.

Singing Fox worked with the soft deerskin, shaping it to look like a skirt. They worked in silence stitching seams and cutting away edges to dry to work with. The dress itself was completed quickly, it was plain and simple. The hard part that would take the longest time is placing beads and adding fringe to decorate it. Singing Fox set to finding the perfect beads, and Harvest Flower started stripping long flat cords from the extra hide at her side.

Singing Fox held up a shining blue bead to show Harvest Flower when the yelling outside died down. Their eyes met and the bead fell from Singing Fox's fingers to the ground forgotten.

Harvest Flower set her knife to the side and pushed the cut hide from her lap. "It is over, soon we will know your fate."

Singing Fox looked up through the smoke hole, "The sun already lowers in the sky." Her eyes held a soft sheen of tears.

Harvest Flower moved to kneel in front of Singing Fox, grabbing her hands to give what comfort she could by simply holding her hands gently.

Both women jumped when the skin flap jerked open. Running Wolf stepped inside, his face void of emotion. Blood coated his hands and part of his buckskin leggings. He met Harvest Flower's questioning gaze with a sad one of his own.

"Come." He grunted out before lifting the flap.

"Running Wolf?" Singing Fox choked out.

He stood silently waiting for them to move. Harvest Flower stood still gripping Singing Fox's hands. She tugged pulling Singing Fox up from her seat. A small whimper hung in the air.

Harvest Flower looked back at the tear filled gaze of Singing Fox's. "Let us go together."

Singing Fox nodded and let go of Harvest Flower's hands. She took a step forward looking at the blood on Running Wolf's hands. Her heart stopped in her throat. She quickly swallowed and took a deep breath. Her fate waited just outside.

Harvest Flower walked over to Running Wolf her eyes meeting his filled with clouds of questions. She glanced out the open door and felt her heart race at the man standing outside. She turned back to Singing Fox and held out her hand.

"The Great Spirit smiles on us this day, come." Harvest Flower said quietly.

Singing Fox's feet moved on their own. She reached the flap and looked out. Her eyes met Gray Eagle's and her smile instantly grew into a wide grin. She ran from the lodge to Gray Eagle, throwing her arms around his neck in a fierce hug. She kissed his lips when one arm wrapped around her waist to hold her to him.

Singing Fox's joy only lasted a moment when the warm blood seeping from a long gash down his limp arm soaked the front and side of her dress. She pulled back and a gasp left her lips. His arm hung limply at his side, the cut running from shoulder to elbow was deep. She looked him over finding three more wounds. One small jagged cut across his leg and two deeper cuts along his side. Her eyes shot back up to met his. His eyes showed no pain, only love. She kissed his lips gently and led him away to his lodge at the far side of the village.

Running Wolf and Harvest Flower stood back watching. His arm fell around her waist. "Strong Moon still lives." He whispered to her. "The elders deemed Gray Eagle the winner when Gray Eagle pinned him down weaponless. Strong Moon is in no better shape and is now being carried back to their camp."

Harvest Flower felt her shoulders relax. "They keep a chief and Gray Eagle keeps his woman." She wrapped her arms around Running Wolf's middle. "I am happy with the outcome. I do not know how wise it is to let Strong Moon live, I will just trust the elders in this."

Running Wolf nodded looking down at Harvest Flower, who still watched the couple walking away. "Come, we will prepare a feast for Gray Eagle's victory. This night will be filled with dance and food. The Apache tribe move on their journey north even now."

Harvest Flower beamed a bright smile up at him. "It is also Singing Fox's wedding night." She giggled letting go of Running Wolf. She rushed inside the lodge to quickly place all the sewing materials and beads into a large basket. She quickly gathered her bathing items and some for Running Wolf. She smiled to herself, finally everything felt right. She gasped and giggled when a soft butterfly moved in her stomach. The first sign that the life grew sweetly in her belly since the day spent with the wild kittens.

She rushed outside to grab Running Wolf's hand and pulled him to the spring fed  pool of fresh water. Her eyes glowed with pride when they stopped at the waters edge. The small trees blocking them from view of the village gave them privacy.

She turned to face Running Wolf and her laughing voice filled the air, "Our child moves. I could not love anything or anyone as much as I love you and our child." She placed a hand over her stomach and smiled widely.

Running Wolf grinned and knelt in front of her, grasping her hips to hold her in place. "The stars could not add up to how much I love you and our child." He placed a kiss on her dress covered stomach.

She pulled back and reached up to untie the ties at her shoulders, letting the dress fall to the ground in a heap at her feet. The heated stare of Running Wolf traveled her sun kissed skin and he quickly shed his clothing. They waded into the water together, letting the cool water tame their burning desires long enough to wash each other.

Running Wolf pulled Harvest Flower to his chest tilting her head up with his hand, "I love you wife." He kissed her hungrily with all of his soul. Her words lost in the fiery embrace.

She was his and would always be his. His one and only Harvest Flower.