Buffalo shook his head. "I never meant to love her. I didn't. Any more than she meant to love me. But when you went missing, Butterfly refused to leave until she knew you were safe. She worried herself sick over you. For hours on end, she'd walk the halls, weeping and begging the spirits to bring you safely home."
He curled his lip at Buffalo. "Yes." His voice dripped with sarcasm. "I saw her concern this afternoon when she threw herself against you with a passion she's never shown me."
"It's not like that, Coyote. Neither of us meant to hurt you. She cried herself sick every single day. I only came here in your absence to reassure her that you were still alive and that you'd be back home soon. We were very circumspect and respectful of you. Always."
Coyote backhanded him. "Liar!"
He wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, then swiped at it with his tongue. "It's not a lie. It's just that the more time we spent together, the more we realized that we couldn't live without each other. I began to live only for the seconds when I'd be able to see her face again."
"What do you think got me through a year of torture?" Coyote ground through clenched teeth. "Huh? It was knowing that she'd be waiting here when I returned. She was the only thing I hung on to. And you took her from me. Damn you! Damn you!"
"You've every right to be angry, but..." Buffalo's voice broke off into a sharp gasp. He staggered back to see the blood spreading over his tunic. Pressing his hands to the wound, he gaped at Coyote, who plunged the knife in again and again in a furious rage that descended so rapidly, Buffalo had no chance to defend himself.
Yet somehow, he managed to remain standing as he confronted his killer. "I never touched her. She never betrayed you. We never even kissed."
"I saw you hold her!"
Buffalo staggered, then caught himself. "A hug. Nothing more. We were saying good-bye so that she could marry you on the morrow. We'd already relegated ourselves to living apart. We both intended to honor her vows to you." He sank down to his knees. "Your heart is so evil, Coyote, that you have never been able to be happy. Even though you were always the favored son, you couldn't allow Makah'Alay to have even a tiny bit of your father's affection or any note of praise from anyone."
"Shut up!" Coyote shouted as he kicked Buffalo in the ribs. "Die already, you worthless bastard!"
But Buffalo had been right. She saw the images now of them as boys. Anytime someone attempted to praise Ren, Coyote would insert himself so that their compliment would go to him instead.
She saw them together as young teens. Ren was stringing his bow while Coyote bragged about a banquet being served to honor him.
"Can you believe it, Makah'Alay? After tonight, I will be considered a man!"
"B-b-but you, you, you d-didn't kill it."
"It doesn't matter, does it? Father's always said that because of your mental defects you'll be a perpetual child and that we'll always have to care for you. Now I will have all the respect of a real man." Coyote rushed over to Ren so that he could lean against his back and whisper in his ear. "It'll be our secret. You kill the game and I'll bring it in."
By his face, it was obvious Ren didn't like the idea at all.
Coyote scoffed at him. "Stop pouting like a baby. No one would ever give you credit anyway. They all think you're incompetent. So what does it matter?"
She could hear Ren's thoughts. It matters to me. Just once, I'd like for someone to tell me I did a good job, too.
"Kateri!"
The images scattered until she was staring into the face of the man that boy had grown into. "Why did you stop stuttering when the Grizzly possessed you?"
He frowned at her. "What?"
"Your stutter went away when he possessed you. Was that part of the bargain?"
Ren glanced to the others to make sure none of them overheard her question. Luckily, they were far enough away that her voice wouldn't carry to them.
"Yes. He returned it when I cast him out, but by then I'd learned to mitigate it most of the time."
And he never stuttered around Buffalo.
She winced as pain lacerated her skull. "My head hurts. Badly."
Ren brushed a tender hand over her forehead. The concern on his face touched her deeply. "You were crying out like you were in a nightmare. What happened?"
She pressed the heel of her hand to her eye socket, trying to relieve the pain of it.
"Here."
Before she realized what he intended, he swung her up in his arms to carry her.
"What are you doing?"
"I know your head hurts, but I would think it obvious."
She groaned at his density. "Let me try this again. Why are you carrying me?"
"You don't feel well."
"People don't normally carry other people for that reason."
He winked at her. "I'm not most people."
That was certainly true. "Can I ask you something?"
"If I said no would it stop you?"
She smiled. "Of course not." She laid her head down on his shoulder and savored the comfort of his arms around her. "How did you learn so much about hunting?" It seemed incongruous that anyone in his clan would have taught him given their contempt.
"Artemis is ... for lack of a better term, my godmother. Since she's goddess of the hunt, I always assumed it was a gift from her."
"Mmm."
Ren had to tighten his arms around her to keep her from falling as she went completely limp. "Kateri?" He shook her slightly. Her head lolled back.
She was out cold.
Fear shredded him. "Sundown!"
They all slowed down to look at him.
Jess came running over immediately. "What happened?"
"I don't know. She just passed out."
And in the next heartbeat, she stopped breathing entirely.