Authors: Cassie Edwards
“My woman,” Wolf Dancer said as he released one of her hands so that he could reach up and draw his fingers through her luscious,
golden hair. “We are all one…no matter what the color of our skin outside. Inside, our souls recognize each other as
kindred spirits.”
“Tell me more,” Lavinia asked, sitting closer to him.
“We are all connected,” he said thickly. “All people have similar needs and desires. We are all the same, but different. Each
of us is one of a kind, special and unique. We all come from the same Master of Breath, who is our creator. Yet we are all
born into this world without understanding why we are here. This is the knowledge each one of us must seek.”
“I feel such a connection with you and your people, although we have only recently become aware of each other’s existence,”
Lavinia murmured. “That first time, when I saw you in the tree, I was not afraid, but instantly drawn to you.”
“You have also seen the white panther,” he said, searching her eyes for her reaction. He could see that she was surprised
he would speak of it, confirming the existence of the mystical creature.
“The white panther is something that everyone has learned to avoid,” he went on, now wanting to change the subject. This was
not the time to share the magic that he held within his heart. It was something that might frighten her away from him.
And he could not chance that.
He needed and wanted her.
She also needed him!
“The panther stalks the night like a white ghost,” he quickly added. “But no one has ever seen it enter our village. Surely
it is because Shining Soul’s magic keeps it away.”
Lavinia was confused by his words. Whenever she had seen the white panther, she had always seen Wolf Dancer soon after. She
gazed intently into eyes that were every bit as green as the panther’s. Until now, she had wondered if what she had seen was
real, or just her imagination?
Now she knew it hadn’t been her imagination; he had told her that he knew she had seen the panther. Was there, as she suspected,
some connection between Wolf Dancer and the panther?
Had he mentioned the panther to test her? Was he waiting, even now, for her reaction?
She decided that it was best not to discuss the panther with him just now.
Hopefully, one day she would understand how the panther and Wolf Dancer might be one and the same. For now, she would not
think about it. Whatever the truth might be, she loved him no less!
Yet she would ask him about the unusual color of his eyes. All of his people’s eyes were dark brown.
“Your eyes are such a beautiful color of green,” she murmured.
“Long ago there was a marriage between my great-great-grandfather and a white woman whoseeyes were green,” he said, hoping
what he was telling her would be enough to quell her curiosity, at least for now. “I am the only one of my family whose eyes
were the same as my great-great-grandmother’s.” “They are very beautiful,” Lavinia said, relieved that he had such a reasonable
explanation. Had he not told her this, she would always associate those green eyes…with the panther’s!
“Yours are the color of violets, and also beautiful,” Wolf Dancer said, again running his fingers through her golden hair.
“Your eyes and hair both fascinate me. As does your past. Will you share it with me?”
She told Wolf Dancer about her life as a wife and mother, that she was from Georgia, and that her parents and Virgil Price’s
parents had arranged a marriage between them in order to keep the wealth within their two families.
She confessed to having never loved Virgil, admitted that they just respected and were fond of one another.
She explained how Virgil’s brother Hiram had always been a troublemaker. He had wanted the arranged marriage to be between
himself and Lavinia.
But he’d resented Virgil even before that, because Virgil was a fine-looking man, a gentleman in all respects, while Hiram
was a beastly, ugly man, who always reeked of perspiration.
“Hiram’s hands are always dripping with sweat,” she said, shuddering at the very thought of him touching her with those hands.
She went on to tell how Hiram’s resentment had grown through the years.
“Virgil, who was gentle with everyone, felt sorry for his brother because of Hiram’s offensiveness and invited him to come
with us to Florida. When we moved here, Virgil shared everything with his brother.”
She swallowed hard and lowered her eyes, then gazed into Wolf Dancer’s again. “Of course, it has been proven that what my
husband did for Hiram wasn’t enough for him,” she said coldly. “He wanted it all, especially his brother’s wife. And now,
because of his brother’s death, Hiram has it all—except his brother’s wife.”
She slowly shook her head. “The resentment never left Hiram, even after his brother gave him so much,” she said. “He was driven
to kill Virgil in order to have everything that legally belonged to his brother. But he forgot that his brother was the smart
one when it came to handling business transactions. Hiram was a bungler. Things will soon fall apart at the plantation. And
Hiram has already lost what was most valuable of all to him…me.”
“I am so sorry about the way your life has turned out. How sad it is to lose a husband at such a young age,” Wolf Dancer said,
taking her hands in his. “I wasn’t married long enough to have a child. But I have had my people to fill the void in my life
left by the sudden death of my wife.”
“I feel so blessed to have my daughter,” Lavinia murmured. “She has been such a blessing to me at a time in my life when I
was filled with despair. I lost my husband, and I hate keeping slaves. Each day since my husband’s death, I have pondered
what to do about the slaves.”
She paused, then said, “Something has to be done about Hiram, and I most definitely want a role in seeing that he gets his
comeuppance.”
“Your husband’s death will be avenged,” Wolf Dancer said tightly. “I will see that it happens.”
“Yes, Hiram must pay for what he has done, but I don’t want to draw you or your people into this fight,” she said, freeing
one of her hands so that she could place it gently on his face. “Your world seems so perfect here on your hidden island.”
She started to get up, but fell back down from weakness.
Wolf Dancer caught her, then both were drawn together in a magical kiss…their first!
Lavinia couldn’t believe this was happening. The kiss made her feel truly alive for the first time in her life.
Wolf Dancer was completely captivated by this woman. He would never allow any harm to come her way again, and he would most
definitely make Hiram Price pay for the wrongs he had done this woman and those who slaved in the fields for him.
But for now, it was only the two of them. He wanted more than a kiss, and had to remindhimself it was too soon to show her
just how much he loved her.
Soon, yes soon, he would make love with her. He wanted to be the one to awaken all of that pent-up passion inside her!
I drew them with…bands of love.
—Old Testament, Hosea 11:4
As Lavinia stood at the window of the bedroom she occupied in Wolf Dancer’s home, gazing out at a beautiful day, she found
it hard to believe that her world had changed so much so quickly. Only a short while ago she had a husband and comfortable
marriage. But both had been destroyed by one man.
Hiram.
Even while Virgil had been alive, Lavinia had felt threatened by Hiram’s presence on the plantation. Although he had only
one eye, he used it to mentally undress her, especially when Virgil wasn’t around.
And now?
Her husband was dead.
Hiram was alone at the mansion.
And Lavinia was where she hoped to be for the rest of her life.
Although she was used to a huge home, servants, and more riches than she could count, she found this simple village stimulating
in oh, so many ways!
She gazed out at the lush trees at the far edge of the village. The beautiful Spanish moss hung from their limbs like lace.
She could smell the fragrance of roses and knew that many of them grew wild in Florida. She also smelled wild gardenias, and
inhaled more deeply, for they were her favorite flower of all.
A wooden basin of water had been brought to her a short while ago so she could bathe. With her toilette complete, she now
wore one of the lovely doeskin dresses that the women of the village had brought for her to wear.
Her own clothes had been ruined when Twila cut the sleeve away from the snakebite so she could tend to it.
“Twila,” she whispered.
Yes, Twila had saved her life, and now Lavinia hoped to repay her by seeing that she was free and happy for the rest of her
days.
Dorey was with Twila already this morning, having found many friends among the children. They seemed especially fond of the
two young braves, Running Bear and Deer Shadow.
“So young,” she whispered, smiling. “Puppy love.”
She found it amazing that the girls could forget so quickly what the two young braves had done to Dorey. But the aftereffects
of Dorey’s misadventure had benefited them all.
And Joshua!
Even Joshua was happier now that he and Twila were reunited.
He had a home of his own now, which he shared with his daughter. And he was free. He rose early from his bed each morning
now and joined the others in the garden, helping with the harvest, which would be completed soon.
Lavinia could hear him now as he sang while working, his deep voice carrying in the wind to her open window.
Yes, he enjoyed working in the garden, for he was doing so as a free man, not a slave! No one was forcing him to do anything.
No one stood over him with a pistol holstered at his waist, or a whip in his hand.
“Yes, Joshua, you are free forevermore,” she whispered. When a familiar voice spoke her name from the other side of her closed
bedroom door, she felt a strange giddiness.
Wolf Dancer.
Everyone had shared the morning meal already, and when the girls and Joshua had left, and Wolf Dancer had been called from
his home by one of his warriors, Lavinia had taken the time to go to her room and tidy her bed.
She found the pallet of furs surprisingly comfortable. And she loved the soft mats that were spread across the wood floor.
In fact, she enjoyed everything about this house that was made so differently from any other she had ever seen. It was constructed
mainly from palmetto leaves and other things brought in from the forest, and she found it was actually cooler than the plantation
house had been.
It was not a huge mansion, but it did have two stories, and the upstairs was so beautiful at night with the stars overhead.
“Lavinia? I would like to take you for a ride in my canoe,” Wolf Dancer said as he stood waiting for her to open the door.
“Are you well enough?”
“I am very well, kind sir,” she said, smiling. She opened the door and found herself being gazed upon by the most handsome
man she’d ever seen. Today he wore only a breechclout, and his usual moccasins.
This brief attire made her blush, yet she could not help admiring the muscles it revealed.
His body rippled with lean strength, and his smile almost melted her as he gave her his own look of admiration.
“And, yes, I would love to go with you in your canoe,” she finally blurted out. For a moment she had been rendered speechless
by the sight of him. Sometimes she still couldn’t believe that she was with this man she had admired from afar in those days
when she had seen him sitting casually in the tree or paddling down the river in his canoe.
But this was all real enough, and she felt more alive now than ever before in her life.
And she did feel strong today, even almost totally well, thanks to Wolf Dancer and Shining Soul.
“I would like to show you why the river was named Bone River long ago by the people who settled here before we Seminole,”
he said. His eyes took in just how beautiful she looked in the doeskin dress, which had beaded designs of forest flowerssewn
across the front. “Also I would like to show you where my people go to collect shells to make wampum.”
“It all sounds so interesting, and, yes, I would love to go,” Lavinia said, stepping out of the room and walking with Wolf
Dancer through his house and outside into the sunlight. She gazed up at him. “I have heard the term ‘wampum’ used, but have
no idea what it means.”
“The word wampum actually refers to strings of special shells which are found along the shore here. They are used to finalize
agreements,” Wolf Dancer said. “It is the same as white people’s currency and is very valuable to the Seminole.”
He walked with her through the village, where many people were busy with their chores.
Lavinia caught sight of Dorey and Twila as they played with several children, a mixture of girls and boys. They seemed to
belong now, having been accepted by the Seminole adults and children as a part of the community.
She looked far to her left and saw Joshua gathering corn in a wicker basket along with others working alongside him.
“Tonight Spirit Talker, our people’s storyteller, will tell stories of our people’s ancestors. We will all gather beneath
the stars beside the large outdoor fire,” Wolf Dancer said, smiling down at Lavinia. “Spirit Talker is my people’s spirit
guide to the old ways. The children listen to each and every word, learning much from him.”
They left the village and walked through the trees and brush until they came to the beached canoes.
Wolf Dancer lifted her and gently placed her in his canoe, which was larger than the others, but not too large to be manned
by just one person.
Thrilled to be with Wolf Dancer alone like this, Lavinia watched him shove the canoe out into the water. Then he leapt aboard,
and began pulling the paddle through the water.
Lavinia held on to the seat as Wolf Dancer took the canoe out deeper, then guided it down the center of the river beneath
the low-hanging limbs of the willows and mossy oaks.
The sun spiraled its way through the thick vegetation overhead, twinkling like diamonds in the water, and becoming many more
suns as the reflection floated away in many directions in the wake of the canoe.
Lavinia was glad that he was not going in the direction of her home, but instead farther into the swamp.
Although she knew this was the Everglades and that many mysteries lay within the swamp, she was not afraid, because she was
with a man who knew these waters better than anyone else.
Lavinia could hear the screeching of birds and the cries of animals as they traveled on. She looked up and saw birds that
she had never seen before. Then over on the shore, she spotted the shine of eyes through the vegetation, and wondered what
animal it was, and whether it would be safe to leave the canoe when they reached their destination.
“There are so many animals and birds here that I am not familiar with,” Lavinia blurted out, unable to keep down the fear
that was creeping into her heart. “Will it be safe to beach the canoe so…so…far from your village?”
“I know all the animals that live in this area, and while you are with me, you have nothing to fear. They all know me and
know they have nothing to fear from me,” Wolf Dancer said.
He looked over his shoulder at her, yet did not miss a stroke in the water as they traveled onward.
“I have respect for living beings, whether they stand upright or prowl the forest, whether they swim in the river or send
roots into the earth,” he said.
“You think of trees as beings?” Lavinia asked, marveling anew over the complexities of this man.
For a brief moment she thought of seeing the white panther, and then Wolf Dancer, on the limb of the old oak near her house.
Yes, Wolf Dancer was someone unique, and someone she might be afraid of if she had not been given the chance to know him.
But the opposite was true. She felt safer while with him than she had ever felt with anyone else, even her beloved father.
Her father had been an ordinary man who did ordinary things.
Wolf Dancer was not ordinary in any sense, and he was the man she now loved with all her being.
There was not one aspect of him that frightened her, not even the part of him that seemed linked to the white panther.
She recalled having seen something curious backat the village and decided to ask him about it. “Wolf Dancer, I saw something
the women were doing at your village that fascinated me,” she said, glad to have something to talk about other than mysteries.
“What was that?” he asked, glancing at her over his shoulder.
“I saw women stringing what looked like green beans on threads,” she said. “Why is that? We have always had green beans in
our family garden, but never did we string them on thread.”
“It is the custom among my people. We find that stringing the beans is a good way to store them in the
garita
,” Wolf Dancer said, this time paying more attention to where he was guiding the canoe. He now directed it toward a long,
sandy beach. “After the beans have been strung on thread, the women dry them in the sun for several days. Once they are prepared
in this way, the beans will keep for months. When other food is scarce, we always have beans available. The women soak them
overnight and then cook them up in tasty, nourishing stews.” He turned back to smile at Lavinia. “Moon Beam will be glad to
show you how to string the beans and how to prepare many dishes with them.”
“I want to learn how to do that and everything else your women do each day,” Lavinia said. Then she was distracted from their
conversation by a strange sight. She saw piles of bones, all sorts of bones, along the shore where Wolf Dancer was carefully
guiding the canoe.
“Those bones,” she said, just as Wolf Dancerbeached the canoe. “Where on earth did so many bones come from? And what creatures
are they from?”
“These bones have been here for many, many moons,” Wolf Dancer said, going back and sitting beside Lavinia. “No one goes among
them, for it is forbidden to disturb the dead.”
“Are they animal bones, or…” Lavinia was unable to finish her sentence. She just could not imagine those bones being
human, for there were so many.
And she could not tell by their shape if they were human or not.
All she did know was that they had been bleached white by the sun.
“These bones have been washed ashore and have come together in these large stacks long ago,” Wolf Dancer said. “No one really
knows for sure, but I would say that some are human bones from shipwrecks of long ago.”
“But this is only a narrow, shallow river. How could ships ever travel on it?” Lavinia asked, looking over at Wolf Dancer
who now sat beside her.
She could smell the clean scent of him.
She could almost feel his heartbeat, for surely it was pounding as rapidly as hers now that they were so close together.
“I would guess that the bones washed up from the sea over the course of many, many years,” Wolf Dancer said thoughtfully.
“They make a fearful sight, do they not? That is why my people avoid this island whenever they can. They are afraid of touching
the bones.”
“I most certainly would not want to touch them,” Lavinia said, shivering.
Wolf Dancer slid an arm around her waist and drew her close. “While you are with me you have nothing to fear from anything
or anyone,” he said. “But I can see how uncomfortable you are here. I will now take you to another beach where there are many
beautiful shells. There we will beach the canoe and walk along the sand. I have brought a small basket for you to gather shells,
if you wish.”
“I would love to,” she said, her pulse racing because his lips were so close and his arm was wrapped so protectively and lovingly
around her waist. “Wolf Dancer, oh, Wolf Dancer, will you please kiss me? I cannot stand another moment without knowing the
wonder of your lips against mine. But if you think I am brazen for asking—”
He twined his fingers through her golden hair and swept her closer to him, his lips finding hers in a wondrous, all-consuming
kiss.
Lavinia had never found such bliss, such sweetness, in any man’s kiss. She twined her arms around his neck and returned the
kiss, then jerked suddenly away from him when she heard the loud call of a bird. She looked up and found a huge, white, long-legged
heron flying down, alarmingly close to them.
“She is only curious,” Wolf Dancer said as he leaned away from Lavinia and gazed up at the lovely bird. “Not too many people
come this far into the swamp. She is only used to seeing those bones.”
When he heard Lavinia gasp, he chuckled, brushed a kiss across her brow, then went back tow here he had left the paddle resting
against the side of the canoe.
“I will take you now to where you can choose which wampum shells you wish for your own necklace, and also for your daughter
and Twila,” he said, already paddling the canoe away from the bones.
Lavinia found herself relaxing more as they drew away from the bones, but when she saw him guide his canoe toward land again
nearby, she wasn’t certain she was ready to go ashore, not this close to the skeletal remains.