Free Wolf Shadow’s Promise by Karen Kay

little about herbs and about healing, having learned from an old Indian woman who had married a local trader, and from her mother, who had once told her that she had the “gift.” She put that gift to work now, urging her mother to sip the dandelion tea she had just brewed.
    Ma Clayton put down her cup and eyed the fresh herbs in her daughter’s hands. “So you say Moon Wolf had you bring these herbs to me?”
    Alys nodded, sitting down on the bed. “He said his almost mother had picked them for you.”
    â€œThen they will be good. His almost mother often doctors the people in their tribe.”
    â€œDoes she? What is an almost mother?”
    â€œI believe it is another wife of the father.”
    â€œHmmm,” Alys mumbled, fingering her mother’s quilted bedspread, barely paying attention. The mere mention of Moon Wolf’s name had brought back to mind amental picture of his nude body, forever etched upon her memory.
    â€œWhy didn’t he bring these herbs to me himself?”
    â€œWhat? Who?”
    â€œMoon Wolf. Why didn’t he bring the herbs to me himself?”
    â€œI think he meant to, but—” Alys glanced up swiftly. “Mama, you allow that man to come into the house?”
    â€œOf course.”
    â€œIs that safe?”
    â€œNow, Alys, don’t tell me your eastern education has caused you to become prejudiced?”
    â€œNo, not prejudiced. It’s just that…have you thought what would happen if he were to be caught here? What if those vigilantes—the seven—eleven—seventy-seven—should find him here? They would hang him and maybe you with him.”
    â€œI don’t think they’d do too much. Don’t reckon that vigilance committee would even recognize him. Naturally, I’ve thought about it. And you’re right. I reckon it is most dangerous. But it’s not likely that any harm would come from it.”
    â€œNo harm? How can you say such a thing? Mama, Wolf Shadow is not your usual Indian, and I’m afraid that if that group of men caught him here…have you thought that we don’t even know who the men are that make up that committee? What if one of them saw Wolf Shadow coming in and out of here?”
    â€œSh-h-h, don’t say his name aloud.” She motioned her daughter to lower her voice. “Do you want Mary to know all about it?”
    â€œI thought that Mary would be a party to all this, too…well, if he comes here, and she is Indian—”
    â€œNo one knows that he is the Wolf Shadow except me…and now you. And he comes to the house only afterdark, when Mary is asleep. Besides, you must have seen the way he is disguised when he appears in the fort.”
    â€œWhat do you mean? I saw him the other night.”
    â€œWell, then you know.”
    â€œKnow what?”
    â€œWhy no one would think anything about…” Her mother eyed her suspiciously. She asked, “Just what happened the other night when you discovered Moon Wolf? How did you find out about him, about him being the Wolf Shadow?”
    â€œI saw him, I followed him.”
    â€œWhat? How?”
    â€œA few nights ago he upset a shipment of supplies going north into Canada.”
    â€œThe whiskey trade. So, you saw him in action.”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œReally,” Ma Clayton frowned, “it’s gotten so that the whiskey problem is plumb out of hand.”
    Alys nodded thoughtfully. “You could be right.”
    â€œThen you have seen him only as the Wolf Shadow?”
    â€œOnly? You talk about him as though there were some other person involved.”
    â€œHmmm, I suppose I do. Tell me what else happened that night.”
    â€œWell, I watched him, and I didn’t understand what he was doing until I came closer to the shipments. Then I smelled what was in the cargo and I understood. That’s also when I saw that he’d been hurt, so I decided