***Chapter Seven
***
Maris walked up to the woman Sata had told her to go to, nodding politely. "Grandmother." She flinched, looking at her. "I'm Eta's daughter. I come with a message. He's not pleased and wants his husband back." Her husband stomped over so she hit him with the stick she picked up. "You dishonor my family. I should gut you like a deer." She looked at her grandmother again. "I ask to talk to my second father since they were all but mated when his father stole him."
"He said he did not want him, child."
"No. My father was ill and that's how he arranged to have him stolen by someone else while they took Star's Fire off while drugged."
"How dare you, girl!" he shouted, getting up. She hit him again, twice this time.
Sata walked in. "Enough, Maris." She stopped. "That is Eta and Star's Fire's fun." He nodded at his mother. "Eta is an excellent cook." He smiled. "Come meet him, Mother." She walked out to meet him with the other elders. "Eta wants his husband back," he told them. "Now."
"He is not here," one told him. "They took Star's Fire with them to marry them there."
"We can go there then," Sata assured him firmly. His father huffed out so he pulled his bow. "You disgrace your line, Father. I would never do such as you did. Star's Fire never would. That you and Tapa did embarrasses us." He looked at Maris. "Up." She climbed back into her saddle. "We'll be there in an hour. Meet us to discuss this issue. Also, is Hogar's youngest son here? This is Maris, Eta's only daughter, and he would be a good match for her." He climbed back into his own saddle, riding off after them. "The meeting area," he told the boys, who had went to scout the camp for him. They were excellent hunters, even with three of the children being so young. They found the meeting area and he rode in first. "Star's Fire is already pledged and nearly mated to Eta, a hunter of one of the plains clans."
The hunter guarding them nodded. "So he said repeatedly. Our leader was not happy."
"Neither is Eta. He's here for his husband. His children are here with us."
"Are you part of their clan?"
"I'm Star Fire's oldest brother and the one watching over their union." That got a nod so he got down. "Where is my brother?"
"Inside. His wife as well."
Eta got down, flipping his hair back. "I have not raided your clan for many years for wives for our hunters. Well met."
He gaped then laughed. "I do know of you, Eta. You put up with the whiny one?"
"He's only whiny because he doesn't have Father," Maris told him. She smiled. "Then they get to steal my husband for me some year soon."
"We'll introduce you to one soon," Sata told her. "That way you get to know him before we beat manners into him." He looked at the laughing hunter. "Gather your elders? Let them know another son of the clan will be substituted since this one was pledged and taken. The only reason they aren't mated is because Eta got bitten by a snake."
"I can do that." He sent another of the guards off and went to interrupt the unhappy couple.
"Sata!" Star's Fire yelled, hopping up to hug him. "Help me? Please?"
"Ask your mate." He nodded at him.
"Eta," he said, hugging and kissing him. The woman moaned. "I told them I was mated." He kissed him again. "Sit, let me look at your leg."
"It's fine. The ones who stole me as a wife for another hunter treated it well. So I was nice enough not to do more than scar him when I awoke." He sat down, nodding at her. "You have heard?"
"My father said it will be so."
"Yet he is my husband first." She sniffled and burst out crying. Maris and his sons came in. "Do not," he warned. "Her parents ordered her."
"Thank the Spirits my family has sense," Maris said, sitting on her father's right. His left was now his husband's spot. More riders showed up and Sata went to talk to them. "Did you two talk?" she asked the young woman.
"I tried but he would not," she said, talking to her. "I do not know what I did wrong."
"It wasn't you, it was that I was taken," Star's Fire told her. "It is not right of me to talk to you when I have a mate. It would give false hope and dishonor both of us." She nodded at that wisdom. Her father stomped in. "My mate, Eta, is here. Now that he has been rescued from whoever my father gave him to." The father stopped to look at Eta. "These are his three sons and his daughter, who he had with his clan's wives. We were within a seven-day of mating when I was drugged and carried off by my father and brother. As I told you."
"I would suggest Tapa take his place but I doubt you want such dishonor among your bloodlines," Sata offered, sitting down again. "Relax, Star's Fire. Now." He relaxed again. He looked at the young woman. "It is unusual and not right to interrupt a marriage tent but in this case it is necessary so you cannot be hurt by this." He looked at her father, seeing the shock. "It would only hurt her if he had left, correct?"
"He tried, that's why there's guards."
"I stabbed the one who had me," Eta offered with a small shrug. He looked at her. Then at his youngest son. Who gave him a dirty look. "She's your age."
"She is not. She's younger. I've had my manhood hunt, Father."
"She is two years past her womanhood celebration," the father said firmly.
Maris looked at her. "Really? How do you deal with the monthly bleeding?"
"I don't. It comes as it comes as my mother says," she said quietly. Maris glared at the father, who backed off.
"We have had great sickness. We needed to join the clans for strength."
"If you ask, our elders probably would have done so without the marriage," Sata told him.
"That was his father's idea."
"Of course it was," Star's Fire agreed. "He's the one who dishonored my pledged mate as well by having him drugged and stolen."
"I hit him for you," Maris offered. "Uncle Sata stopped me before I hit him more for worrying us."
"Thank you daughter. I do like how you turn into your father now and then." That got a shudder. "This is Eta. His tribe counts on him to hunt for them, hunt mates for them, and to train the younger hunters. He's the one who made those berries I nibbled," he told the young woman.
"They were good. How do you do that? We don't have those here."
"They grow to the south of us. I soak them in a honey and herb solution before drying them. My aunt taught me and I found my own version. I would teach you if you wanted but you may not have my husband."
"I would like to learn. Star's Fire said you cook very well."
"My mother had fingers that didn't bend right. My aunt taught me so we could eat." She smiled and nodded so he shifted over with Maris to help her cook dinner for them since it was going to be a long discussion. They served people, him serving Sata and Star's Fire; Maris doing her brothers' food. Then they settled in to talk and eat like civilized peoples. Sata's elders agreed that no marriage was needed to join with them. They could use the added members. The young one was let free of the marriage tent, letting her run to her mother to talk to her.
Maris looked at Sata. "Why can't I just have a mate stolen like the others?" she asked him. "This seems like more work and frustration than simply being held with them for a month to get to know them."
"Where you're such a strong hunter, you should find one that understands you so he doesn't pout when you out-hunt him for your future children." She beamed at that. He looked at Sower, who nodded he agreed. "Hogar's youngest is how old?"
He thought back. "Two years from his manhood I think. Her?"
"About the same," Eta said. That got a smile. "Could they meet since Star's Fire said your clan meet and talk to their mates instead of taking them and then getting to know them? Then when they're of age she can steal him if she likes him."
"That would be reasonable." He looked at her. "We'll go back to our camp," he told the others, getting a nod. "When you're ready come to us and we'll make room for you." They clasped hands and left together. "Eta, would you marry him in front of our clan as well as yours?"
"Will we have to pick flowers for him?" Maris asked. "I know ours requires flowers for the couple and then a feast."
"We do much the same but leaves can be used in the winter or the inedible berries." She beamed at that. Her brothers all groaned so she shoved one into some snow then walked off. "She is quite the young woman, Eta. She is much like you from what I've heard."
"She is very like him," Sata said with a small smile. "She even hunts like him."
"Hogar's youngest might not like being out-hunted by a girl but we'll see. There's a few others of her age. Your mother can introduce them as is proper." They mounted up and went back to camp to talk to their elders for a bit longer. The others were waiting on them. "It is solved," he announced. "They wanted to join because the snow sickness has taken nearly half their tribe and most of their elders. Ours have agreed that they can join us without dishonoring Star's Fire's marriage." They smiled at that. The boys' mother pushed her way through. "You may talk with your son's wife in a moment. Let us rest for a bit. He has agreed to marry among us and there as well. Plus your granddaughter needs to be chaperoned talking to some of our young hunters so she can pick one when she's ready," he said more quietly.
"She is becoming every bit the cook and hunter her father is," Sata assured her. Maris swatted him on the arm. "You are. Some day your mate will talk about your berry soaking method when they offer some to a new couple who doesn't know how to talk to each other yet." She laughed. He dismounted, looking at his mother. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine. Are you?" She looked him over. "You haven't lost weight. I'm shocked."
"Eta is a wonderful cook, Mother. As good as you are." She huffed but walked off. "Niece, nephews, follow her. We'll get our tent set up for us next to the family one." They went to do that, Maris jogging after her. He shook his head, letting Star's Fire take Eta to introduce him around. "This is not how I expected our homecoming to introduce him," he told their former senior hunter.
"I have heard of Eta. They say he is stubborn yet a lot like Star's Fire. That he picks good mates."
"He does. Ten so far this year for his clan." That got a happy look from him. "His daughter is every bit the hunter he is and becoming the same sort of cook. I think he cooks better than my mother really."
"That's good." He limped off with Sata, helping him put up his tent. "Your father sounds like a woman in labor in the woods."
"Let him. He gave Eta to another hunter while he was ill and drugged Star's Fire. That is not the actions of my family line."
"True." He patted him. "You would do good as an elder."
"I'm not ready."
"You are. You negotiated well during this."
"I still wanted to pull my bow and shoot them."
"As did the rest of us. It proves you learned how to temper your emotions like an elder."
Sata looked at him. "I'm not married, I have no children to carry on after me. I still have thoughts that aren't acceptable as a leader of anything. I may be able to start giving wise advice but half of it is still poor advice when I try. I have much to learn."
"You do but that's all anyone can say, Sata."
"When I'm older I'll accept it."
He nodded. "I understand. A family should be your only thought right now at your age."
"If Star's Fire hadn't worked it out, I would have stolen his mate from him," he said quietly. Hogar laughed, leaning on the tent pole. "I would have."
"I know you would have. He seems sweet."
"Until you upset him. He trains the younger hunters as well. Speaking of, Maris, make him sit," he ordered. She went to boss her father around until she could look at his bite again. "He was snake bitten right before my father lost his honor."
"That happens to the best of us. I didn't feel it when I got bit recently." He patted him on the back, helping him finish up then they went to talk to the new mate. Sata's mother was talking with Maris about what she could do.
"I'm teaching her to sew better," Eta called over. "My aunt taught me to cook so I'm teaching her with her mother." That got a nod.
"Half their tribe wanted the bread he put around the turkey we caught for him," Sata offered, sitting down. "We need the pillows we use at your tent, Eta."
He grinned. "They're good to sleep on."
"Very comfortable." His mother gave him an odd look. "We sit and sleep on them down there. They're very comfortable." Star's Fire nodded even though he was drinking. "Did she over herb something?"
"Yes." He came back to let Eta have it. It was a clear sign he was his. Eta smiled, taking a sip then handing it back. Star's Fire settled in next to him, letting his mate rest against his side. "How is your foot?"
"It's fine," Maris assured him. "Fully healed. His fever is gone, there's no swelling. There was the day we rescued him so we packed it in some snow." Star's Fire nodded. "He's fine to steal more hunters' mates now. Maybe my other brothers will finally find one so they can quit staring at girls like they're strange."
"Maris," Eta warned.
"Fine." She went back to talking to her grandmother. She didn't have one of those so it was nice to have a wiser older woman who wasn't cranky with the child she was carrying like her mother could be. She settled her near some boys of her own age to talk to them about hunting. Most were shocked but a few bragged.
"She can help us hunt for the wedding feast," Hogar offered. "I would like to see how the young of their clan are trained." The brothers nodded as well. "Good. The young can hunt for it. That way they know what to stock when it's their turn."
"Remember to stock your tents for the month you talk to them," Sata offered. "Star's Fire had no idea how to talk to his mate and spent a lot of time nibbling dried berries until he found something to say or do. They kept sneaking out." His mother laughed and nodded. "I chaperoned to give them something new to stare at many times."
His mother cackled. "I did much the same with your father."
"Star's Fire is very sweet," Eta told her. "You did a good job with him. He's a kind man and a wise one, plus a decent hunter."
"It's nice to hear. He will be giving me more grandchildren?"
"Our tribe's women will offer when he's ready to. There's a few who want more children but their husbands can't. That's where mine came from." She nodded at that. "Of course, if his natal tribe had some that wanted his children, they could offer as well."
"Good." She let him help her fix dinner and they sat together to talk. Maris bopped one of the boys on the head with her bowl but he quit bragging. "She is very strong."
"Yes she is. Which is why we're letting her get to know the one she'll ride in and steal some day." She cackled, nodding at that. His daughter looked over. "What?" he asked with a smile.
"Sometimes you and a fish change minds, Father." The boys laughed at that. Sata scowled but she smiled. "He does. That's why he got the sneezes from going outside nearly naked the day the girls got revenge on those boys who picked on them."
"That was adorable," Star's Fire agreed dryly. "They used clothes dye to paint on their manhoods," he told the guys around him. "Snuck in and did it while they were asleep. They came out the next morning complaining about it with them dangling in the cold air. My mate walked out in only his cloth to tell them to quit complaining and to quit picking on the girls. Apparently he had done something similar to some who had picked on him. He is no longer allowed to use dyes."
They all laughed at that. Yes, he was much like Star's Fire in many strange ways.