Her eyes narrowed.
“Do not call me that.”
“Gladly.”
Tahoma pinched the bridge of his nose.
The warriors were openly amused now.
Yara pointed toward Eli’s horse.
“He should leave.”
Eli nodded enthusiastically.
“Best idea I’ve heard all morning.”
Tahoma turned sharply.
“Nobody leaves until the council meets.”
Both Eli and Yara stared at him.
The chief continued.
“You will come to our settlement. Tomorrow the elders will decide what the river means.”
Eli picked up his boots.
“And if the elders decide it means nothing?”
“Then you continue west.”
“And if they decide otherwise?”
Tahoma looked toward his daughter.
“Then both of you will have decisions to make.”
Yara’s face hardened.
“The decision is already made.”
Tahoma looked tired rather than angry.
“So you have told me for fifteen years.”
That silenced her.
Eli did not understand the history between them, but he understood enough to put his boots on quickly.
The journey to Red Mesa took nearly two hours.
The settlement sat inside a hidden valley surrounded by high sandstone walls. From above it would have looked like empty desert, but once Eli passed through a narrow canyon, the land opened into cottonwood shade, cultivated plots, horse corrals, shelters, cooking fires, and dozens of families moving through the afternoon. Children stopped playing when the riders entered.
People stared.
Eli heard whispers.
“The river man.”
“Moon Promise.”
“He actually entered?”
His shoulders tightened.
“I’m guessing news travels quickly here.”
Yara rode ahead of him.
“Everybody saw the warriors return with a wet cowboy.”
“Fair point.”
She did not look back.
At the center of the settlement stood a large circular gathering area marked by flat stones. Tahoma dismounted and raised one hand. Conversations stopped almost immediately.
“My people,” he said, “this man entered Moon Promise today.”
A murmur moved through the crowd.
“He did not know what the river was. He did not know our tradition. He was thirsty and lost.”
Someone laughed quietly.
Tahoma continued.
“The elders witnessed it from the ridge. My warriors witnessed it. Tomorrow at sunrise, the council will decide what is required.”
Eli dismounted awkwardly.
A little boy stepped forward and looked up at him.
“You really bathed in it?”
Eli glanced around.
“Yes.”
The boy grinned.
“Without permission?”
“Yes.”
“That was stupid.”
Eli nodded.
“I’ve been hearing that a lot today.”
The boy laughed until his mother pulled him away.
Tahoma led Eli toward a small shelter near the western edge of the settlement. Inside were blankets, a sleeping roll, pottery, and enough room for one person to sleep comfortably. Compared with the rocky ground Eli had used for most of the week, it looked luxurious.
“You’ll stay here tonight.”
Eli set down his bag.
“Am I a guest or prisoner?”
Tahoma considered.
“A guest who should not try to leave.”
“That sounds suspiciously like the second one.”
Tahoma almost smiled.
“The desert at night is less forgiving than my warriors.”
Eli sat.
“Chief, I need you to understand something.”
“I understand more than you think.”
“I’m headed to California.”
Tahoma waited.
“I heard ranchers around Los Angeles are paying good money for men who can break difficult horses. I don’t have family left in Texas, so I figured I’d try somewhere new.”
“And marriage was not included.”
“Not exactly.”
Tahoma nodded.
“Yara has spent most of her life saying the same.”
That surprised Eli.