Travis Michael Dillon had seen enough. He had seen enough bloodshed. He had seen enough suffering. He had seen enough of the war. So in the spring of 1866, he decided to do something about it.

The War Between the States had just ended and while President Lincoln had worked to heal the country and reunite it once again prior to his assassination, Travis wanted to get as far away from it as he possibly could. The war had ravaged his small town, his state and his country. It had divided the country and divided families. And far too many of his fellow countrymen had fallen in what to him was a senseless waste of humankind. While Travis Dillon had worn a blue uniform and according to future historians would be on the winning side of the war, to him and many, many others, no one won this war.

As soon as he could, Travis put his house, his land, and practically all his personal belongings that he didn't think he would need up for sale and once sold, took the money and boarded the first train headed west. He rode the newly laid rails as far west as they ran in that day... to St Joseph, Missouri.

He spent a few days in St. Joseph before resuming his journey, this time by horseback. He had purchased three horses and some other supplies and headed west again. His goal was to reach Fort Laramie, the last US military outpost in the area that he wanted to settle in. He intended to get to that outpost, get the last supplies he needed there, and continue on the last leg of his journey. It would take him several weeks to make the trip from St Joseph to Fort Laramie, but he hoped to be there in time to stock up on supplies and still get to the area he wanted to settle before it was too late in the year.

After six weeks of daily travel, he reached Fort Laramie at last. He rested there at the fort for a week, and had wanted to press on once he re-supplied. However, due to Indian troubles, he was advised not to proceed until the dispute had been settled. So despite his objections and plans, he was forced to stay at the fort for another month.

This setback threw his timeline all out of whack. By the time the Indian skirmishes were over, it was too late in the year to head up to his intended area. He would have to clear the land, build a cabin, stock it with firewood for the upcoming winter, lay in his winter's meat, and a whole host of other chores that he simply didn't have the time to do. So much to his dismay, he settled in at the fort to wait until spring.

During the winter, Travis had a lot of time on his hands, so he pitched in and began helping around the fort. He befriended an old man who had lived as a trapper in the area for many years. However, he was getting on in years and wasn't as able to get around as well as he used to. The old man taught Travis some of the things he would need to survive in the wilderness. When Travis was younger, before the War, Travis's father taught him how to live in the woods back in Tennessee. He had learned to hunt, fish and build a cabin. He had learned how to make a campfire and how to cook. So he had a basic working knowledge of wilderness survival. But this was not Tennessee and out here what you didn't know would kill you! So Travis paid close attention to what the old man had to say. If he had lived this long out here, he must know something!

Shortly after he began helping the old man, he was sent to the fort's trading post - a small mercantile shop that sold just about everything needed for life in the fort and surrounding area. He was going for a few supplies that day that the old man needed, but couldn't bring back himself. Travis went into the trading post and rang the little bell on the counter. But instead of the crotchety old shopkeeper he was expecting (and was warned about), a beautiful, slim Indian girl appeared from around the corner.

"I help you?" she asked. She was a very pretty woman, about 5'4" tall and 116 lbs., with a shapely 32-22-33 figure, waist long dark brown hair and hazel eyes. She spoke in broken English, but had enough of a command of it to make herself understood. She has obviously been taught enough by the shopkeeper that he felt comfortable leaving her alone to tend the trading post.

"W..why yes!" he said, shocked at the woman's appearance. "I am here to pick up some things for a friend." He read her a short list of things he was sent for. The woman, who he found out later was named Little Deer, filled the order and when she was done, Travis handed her the money for the supplies and she took it smiling. He turned to leave and she said "You come back soon!" He turned back to get one last look at the girl - he definitely would be back!

Over the next few months, Travis learned a lot from the old man. And in return, he helped him do some of the things he was too old or too tired to do. One of these was to get supplies. So he had reason to visit the trading post several times. Most of the time the shopkeeper was there, but on rare occasions he would be out delivering to other parts of the fort or some of the homesteads nearby outside the fort walls. It was these rare occasions that Travis liked the best because it gave him a chance to talk to Little Deer. Travis found the Indian woman fascinating and her broken English only served to make her all the more interesting. He wished he could spend more time with her, but she was always timid and nervous - and judging by how she acted when the shopkeeper around, for good reason. So he took whatever time and conversation he could get from her. After all, as soon as he could he was leaving anyway, and wouldn't be back for a long time.

One particular day, Travis was at the trading post getting a few things and the shopkeeper was away on a trip to the next fort down the line, resupplying his storehouse. Travis was delighted - that would mean he could actually spend some time with Little Deer without her worrying about the shopkeeper coming back unexpectedly! Travis told her wanted he needed to get, and she started to fill his order once again. But then he said he needed some flour and some sugar and the quantity he needed was too heavy for Little Deer to lift. So she asked him to come around the corner and into the back to help her. She knew that no one was supposed to be back there, but she couldn't handle the heavy bags herself. Travis followed her into the back of the storehouse and she showed him the bags of flour and sugar he wanted. But in the privacy of the storehouse, somehow the sugar and flour didn't seem that important. As Little Deer pointed out the items he was after, Travis placed his hand on the small of her back very gently. She turned to him smiling and then turned fully around to face him.

"Little Deer, you are very lovely," he said. She smiled at him again and moved a bit closer. Travis, whose 6' tall stature stood a full foot taller than her, leaned down slowly to her. He saw her eyes close and her lips reaching up to his own. He leaned in to kiss her and found her returning his kiss passionately. His heart lept! He wrapped his arms around the girl's slim waist as she threw hers around his neck. They kissed for several long moments there in the dimly lit storehouse. Little Deer's body felt so good pressed against his own. He could have held her there in that storehouse for hours. But just as their passions were rising to a point that action would be needed, the little bell over the front door tinkled a warning. Little Deer quickly broke the kiss, not knowing if it was a customer at the counter or something much more serious, while Travis hid behind some boxes ready for anything. Fortunately, it was just one of the low ranking soldiers there to get something for his superior. He was waited on and he left promptly. Little Deer went back to where Travis was, but the moment was gone.

"I'd better go before we get caught and you get into trouble," he said. She looked up at him sadly but she didn't say anything. He was right and she knew it. If they were discovered, it could be bad for both of them. Even though Little Deer wasn't married to the shopkeeper (marriages to Indian women were rare, even though living with them was common), infidelity with another man's squaw was highly frowned upon. And for her, well let's just say she had better not get caught! So Travis left through the side door so he wouldn't be so obvious, and made his way back around to the old man's cabin with his supplies.

He continued to go to the trading post as often as he could find a need to - just seeing her sweep the floors or stocking shelves was better than not seeing her at all. And she would always shoot him a sweet smile or a tender glance. On occasion, the shopkeeper was away from the store and they could talk for a few precious moments, but there wasn't another chance to hold each other like they had in the back of the storehouse that one special day.

Spring came early that next year and before long, Travis was getting ready to finally start the last leg of his journey to his homestead. He was looking forward to getting started on the property and to getting settled. It had taken him much longer than he had originally planned, but he had learned some very valuable information while he had been at the fort. The old man not only taught him how to live in the wilderness that he would be in, but also how to converse with the local Indians and some of their culture and ways.

It would take him another three days of riding to get to his homestead site, so a couple days before he was due to leave Fort Laramie, he stopped by the trading post to pick up some more last minute supplies.

"Hello," Travis said as he entered the shop. She just smiled at him as she stood behind the counter. He walked up to the counter and smiled back. Travis looked around for a moment "Is he here?" he whispered.

"No, he no here. But he be back soon," she said, with sad eyes.

"I need to get some supplies," he said, taking out a piece of paper with a list of what he needed on it. He handed the list to the girl and she looked at it, as if it was written in Egyptian hieroglyphics!

"I can no read," she said, giving the paper back to him.

"I will read it then, and you can get what I need," he said. Little Deer smiled and nodded.

"First, I will need..." and he started reading the items on his list. As he read them off, she would get what he said and bring it up to the counter. He would look over the items and make sure they were correct and move on to the next thing. On occasion she would turn back to him and catch him watching her - he could hardly help himself. She was beautiful and graceful in her movements. It had been a long, long time since he had seen anything to compare to her. He was fascinated by how she carried herself.

"Now I need a good pair of boots. But I'm not sure what size," he said, "Can you help me find a pair that fits?"

"Yes. I know how," she said. She got a measuring stick from under the counter and walked around the end of the counter to stand next to him. She was considerably shorter than his 6' tall stature but she placed the stick on the floor and made him stand with his foot on it, measuring the length of his foot.

"Size 11," she said, and went to go get the stepladder to retrieve the boots, which were on a high shelf. As she cautiously climbed the shaky ladder, Travis came over to help steady it. She had to stretch to reach the boots, even with the ladder, and just as she got a grip on them, her foot slipped and she fell. Travis saw her start to fall and was able to catch her. She dropped the boots as she fell and they landed a few feet away. But Travis caught Little Deer before she fell to the floor.

"Thank you," she said, smiling and blushing (yes even an Indian girl can blush!) as he let her down gently. Once she had composed herself again, she went back to getting what he needed to finish his list.

Once his list was finished and he had gotten everything he needed, he loaded it up on his horse and took it back to the cabin he had been staying at until he left in a couple days. He paid for the supplies, and as she took the money from him, he took her hand for a moment.

"Are you sure you are all right? I didn't hurt you when I caught you, did I?" he asked.

Little Deer smiled and shook her head. "No, I am fine. Thank you for holding me," she meant catching her, but either way worked for him. She was nice to catch or to hold!

Finally, the day came that he was to leave for his homestead. Travis was all packed and the horses loaded as he started for the main gate. As he rode past the trading post, Little Deer was out front sweeping the wooden sidewalk. He smiled and tipped his hat at her and she coyly looked down. But she raised her face a second after to watch him ride out the main gate on his way.

He rode steady the whole day, not pushing his horses too hard, but not slacking up much either. He was in a hurry to make good time - the sooner he could get to his homestead site, the sooner he could get started! Along about sundown, he had to stop though, and make camp for the night. He made a fire and cooked himself up a small, but filling dinner, and laid down next to the fire to sleep. He had been asleep for awhile, when a sudden noise woke him. He reached for his rifle instinctively - something he had learned to do during the War and had carried over into this new wilderness life. But as he reached for it, it wasn't there! He jumped up and found himself face to face with an Indian with a knife! The Indian looked over to where his rifle laid, too far away for him to reach it before the Indian would jump him and slit his throat. He was caught dead to rights! He mentally kicked himself for being caught so easily - and on his first night alone to boot!

But then the firelight revealed something to him... this was no Indian brave, but a woman! And she recognized him instantly too.

"Hello Travis Dillon," she said. It was Little Deer! She had tracked him the whole day long and had come into camp because she was hungry. She was taking some food from the fire when she accidentally tipped the pot of stew enough for some of the liquid in it to spill into the fire and flare it. She knelt down on the ground, placing her forehead to the ground in front of her and held the knife up over her head in a surrendering posture. He took the knife from her and she stayed kneeling and waiting for him to do whatever he wanted to her.

"Get up Little Deer. I'm not going to hurt you," he said. She raised her head and looked at him and smiled. He sat down in front of her as she knelt there.

"What are you doing here? How did you get here?" he asked.

"I follow you," she replied, matter of factly. "I follow your horse."

"Why? Why aren't you back at the fort where you belong?"

"Because I cannot. I kill."

"You kill? What do you mean?"

That's when Little Deer began telling him her whole story...

"Four snows ago, my village attacked by white soldiers. They kill many of my people. All men and many women and children. I hide in tall grass along river, but four white soldiers find me. They catch me and tie me. They take turns lay with me and when they done, they tear my leggings off and brand me here," she showed him an old scar where the soldiers had used a US cavalry branding iron to brand her left buttock. Travis was stunned at the sight of the terrible scar. Little Deer continued her story. "After that the four men bring me to white man's fort and trade me to shopkeeper for whiskey. I stay with shopkeeper until now. But shopkeeper very bad man. He mean and hurt me too. He beat me very much," Little Deer pulled her tunic up in back to show him the scars of her whippings at the shopkeeper's hand. "So when I see you in store, you very kind to Little Deer. When you leave, I was sad. Shopkeeper beat me again for not sweeping right and I kill him,"she made a gesture of cutting his throat. "Then I follow you here."

So Little Deer had killed the shopkeeper! Well, that meant that she couldn't go back to the fort... they would hang her or shoot her for murdering him. And with the US brand on her buttock, she wouldn't be accepted back into the Cherokee nation. And a woman, even an Indian woman, wouldn't last long in the wilderness alone. So Little Deer was in a fix... she was literally a woman without a country!

Travis felt sorry for the girl. After all her predicament wasn't entirely her fault. True, she could probably ran away from the shopkeeper but run to where? She couldn't run back home - not with the brand she carried.

And running to another fort would just be trading one bad shopkeeper for another more than likely. Indians weren't treated very well in these forts. And pretty Indian women like Little Deer had it even worse!

Little Deer had already proved she was not a threat to him. She had the means and opportunity to kill him and she gave him the knife. So he didn't worry about her killing him in his sleep. So he made up some more food and fed her good... she hadn't eaten anything but a handful of berries as she tracked him and a couple spoonfuls of soup once she was there. Then he took a blanket from his horse's pack - one of the blankets she had sold him a couple days prior - and let her sleep under it. He laid back down, bringing his rifle back close to him again, and went back to sleep. A little while later he felt a warm presence next to him. He opened his eyes. It was Little Deer. She had come over and snuggled up next to him! He put his arm around her and pulled her in closer and threw his blanket over her to keep her warm.

The next morning, Travis woke to the smell of coffee being made and a warm fire with some kind of meat cooking. Little Deer was leaning over the fire tending to breakfast as he propped himself up on one elbow.

"Mmmm what smells so good?" he asked her.

"Making breakfast. Coffee and tsi-s-du (Cherokee for rabbit). Come, you eat now."

"Let me go wash my face first and wake up. Be a shame to eat such a fine meal and not remember it!" he said. He got up, putting his pants on and walked the few yards to the river. Splashing some cold water on his face and washing his hands, he returned. Little Deer had his breakfast served up on a tin plate and his shirt and other clothes ready for him. He smiled at her helpfulness and sat down as she handed him the plate of food. She sat down on the ground next to him waiting for him to finish and as soon as he had gotten the last few morsels of food in his mouth, she took the plate and spoon from him going down to the river to wash them and upon returning to the camp, putting them away in the pack one of the horses carried.

Travis began busying himself with breaking camp and putting things away to start the day's ride. The last thing he needed to do was put the campfire out and after he had done that, he was ready to go. Little Deer took her place walking behind him. Travis turned around and saw her ready to follow. He motioned for her to come up and he took her arm, swinging her up onto the horse behind him. She smiled and hung on around his waist, holding him close and grateful she didn't have to do anymore walking this day.

The pair made good time that day and were very close to where they would eventually settle down. But they had one more night to camp, and they were both pretty tired from the day's ride. So when they came across this pretty little spring, he decided that they could stop there for the night. As Travis secured the horses for the night, Little Deer set up the rest of the camp, getting a fire ready for later. But Travis had an idea before dinner. He took Little Deer's hand and walked with her down to the spring. He took his shirt, boots, and pants off and waded out into the water in just his shorts. He motioned for Little Deer to join him. She smiled and as he watched intently, she untied the waist belt holding her tunic together and she parted it - revealing herself openly for the first time to him.

Little Deer was stunning! He had never seen anything so beautiful in his life! Her soft curves and gentle slopes shone in the evening sunlight as if she was an angel sent straight from heaven! She slowly waded into the water as he stood there slack-jawed waiting for her. She smiled as she got closer, noticing his reaction and she moved up to within a few feet of him, the water just coming up to mid thigh.

"You like?" she asked as she stood before him. That had to be the dumbest question that anyone had ever asked him!

"Yes, I like very much!" he said, taking her hand and leading her into deeper water. He took her into the water until the water came up to just cover her breasts and he held her there. This was the first time they could be close, the first time they could be together like they had wanted to since first laying eyes on each other. He held her close and felt her warmth passing into him. He felt a stirring down in his crotch and she felt it too - he knew because her hand moved down to grip his growing cock and squeeze it. She looked into his eyes and smiled.

"You like?" he repeated the question back to her. Little Deer blushed and nodded yes. He stepped back a bit and quickly shed the last article of clothing he wore, balling the wet shorts up and throwing them to the shore. He turned back to his naked Indian maiden and hoisting her up a bit set her back down as his hard cock slipped easily into her. Little Deer gasped at first then wrapped her legs around his waist and threw her arms around his neck. She began bouncing on his cock as he held her close to him. She leaned in to kiss him as she continued bouncing on his cock. She moaned and said something in Cherokee which he didn't understand, but it didn't seem to matter. She was his and he was hers. The moment couldn't have been more perfect.

Suddenly Little Deer grabbed him tightly and screamed into his chest. He felt a warm flood around his cock and felt her tense and shake as if she was suddenly freezing to death. She clung to him like her life depended on it and as the warmth flowed out of her, it triggered his own orgasm. He moaned deeply and let his hot cum join hers. They held each other desperately as their mutual orgasms crashed over them and the passion they felt swirled around them like a whirlpool. It was several long minutes before the two recovered and were able to speak again. They began walking back to the shore and gathered their clothes to go back to the camp. Travis and Little Deer walked hand in hand back to camp and when they got back, they got dressed again. Travis hauled a good size log up for them to sit on and Little Deer lit the fire and began cooking them a good dinner. She sat back down next to him and he put a blanket around the two of them until they had warmed back up. After dinner, she washed the plates in the little brook that led away from the spring they had bathed in and Travis got out the bedrolls. This time he put them right next to each other - at this point modesty and gentlemanly behavior was not an issue anymore! They laid down to sleep, Little Deer cradled in Travis' arms.

The next morning, they woke and prepared to make the final last few miles to the homestead site. Travis was all aflurry, wanting to finally get to where he had been wanting to be for a very long time! He flew about camp putting everything away in a hurry, almost tripping a couple times in his haste. Finally he mounted his horse, grabbed Little Deer and swung her into place and they started off. It took a couple more hours of riding before he finally arrived at what would be home for them from now on. It was a nice piece of land (he was grateful for that, having never seen the land himself before) with a large fairly flat area for the house and fields, a small downhill slope to a clear fresh creek for water, and a lake not too far away that promised some decent fishing. There were plenty of trees to cut for building materials and firewood and the weather didn't seem to be too severe. It would make a wonderful home - and even more so now that he had Little Deer to share it with.
 
But first things first - he unpacked the horses and tied them to a nearby tree to feed them and let them rest. They had done a good job for him and they would be called on to do a lot more in the next few weeks and months.

Travis began setting up the wall tent that would be their shelter until he could get the cabin built. He set up a separate smaller shelter for storing the supplies.

Once everything was unloaded and the tent set up and the necessary things unpacked that they would need right away, he took Little Deer for a walk to further explore his new home. They walked down to the creek to find the best place to draw water, they walked around the land trying to determine the layout of the cabin and other buildings they would be building, they walked the area that would be planted and talked about their plans for planting crops. As they stood in the spot that would one day soon be their front door, he took her in his arms once more, holding her from behind with his arms wrapped around her neck and shoulders.

"This is home, Little Deer. This is your home," he whispered to her softly.

"I like. I like very much Travis," she said. She turned to him and looked up into her eyes. She searched his eyes with her own and smiled when she saw what she had always wanted to see in them. He leaned down kissed her deeply as they stood there in the middle of their new "home".

The day had been a long, emotional one for them and after the three days of riding, they were tired.

"Let's get some sleep, Little Deer. I want to be fresh and rested for tomorrow," he said. Travis wasn't really tired, but it was a good excuse to get his lovely companion into the tent! She saw the mischievous look in his eye and knew exactly what he meant. She went into the tent and prepared the bed for them. Once he made sure the horses were secure for the night and the fire had been properly banked so it would be easy to light the next morning, Travis went into the tent himself.

Little Deer was already in bed and as he got himself undressed, she lifted the blankets, revealing her naked form to him once more.

"A-da-ga-u-e?" she asked, which in her language was basically asking him to make love to her. Like she needed to ask him! He slipped under the blankets with his beautiful Little Deer and took her soft warm body in his arms kissing her and stroking her long black hair.

Little Deer tossed the blanket over Travis as he slid under and then put her arms around his neck.
"Travis, I so happy. Thank you for bringing me," she said. She kissed him and they rolled over so she was on her back with him on top of her. She parted her legs opening herself for him and Travis took the invitation. He reached down and took hold of himself guiding his cock towards her waiting womanhood. He rubbed the head along her dampness and then slid slowly and easily into her. Little Deer's eye grew wide as she felt him enter her. She opened her mouth as he filled her and she clutched at the blanket over his shoulders as he drove deeper and deeper into her. Finally reaching bottom, he began stroking in and out of her. Slowly and tenderly - something she had never experienced before. This was not the rough animal sex the other white men had shown her... taking what they wanted from her and leaving her sore, beaten and humiliated. This was completely different. There was passion, not lust. Tenderness, not brutality. Caring, not coldness. As Travis took this lovely Indian woman as his own, she gave herself to him willingly, wanting him as much as he wanted her. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him deeper into her, her heated passions reaching a boiling point just as his did and once again they crested together. She arched her back involuntarily as his cock exploded inside her, her own juices mixing with his and pouring out around his cock. She dug her fingers into his back as her world spun out of control. She panted and moaned and spoke a mixture of Cherokee and broken English as she tried to scream out her passions for him. He, in turn, groaned and grunted as his own emotions made human speech next to impossible. Finally spent and completely exhausted, he collapsed on top or her, her arms and legs wrapped around him holding him inside her and keeping him as close as she could to her. He felt her heart racing and her breath coming in short gasps but she wasn't about to let him go. Not now, not ever.

* * * * *

It had been about a month after the pair had arrived at the homestead when one day Little Deer was straightening up the tent and getting ready to make dinner. Travis was busy felling some more trees to build the cabin with. Cabin building was coming along, but it was slow work. He had put the third row of logs up and was starting the fourth. He calculated he would need ten rows to get the height he needed if he was to put in a loft for the bedroom. Suddenly he heard Little Deer call him. It sounded important. He came running around the corner of the cabin and straight for the tent.

"What is it, Little Deer?" he said gasping for breath. Little Deer looked over his shoulder and pointed.
"A-ni-tsa-la-gi" she said, "Cherokee!"

Travis whirled around and sure enough up the trail came four horses with Cherokee Indians riding on top. One of them was wearing a headdress and a breastplate. They came riding up in full view, not trying to hide in the least. When they had gotten right in front of Travis, they stopped.

"A-si-yu, a-qua-tse-li du-do-v yo-nv- a-di-si."

Little Deer translated it for him. "He say: Hello, my name is Running Bear."

She replied "A-si-yu, a-qua-tse-li du-do-v a-wi u-s-di" (which meant "Hello my name is Little Deer")

There was some discussion and in a very excited tone from the Indian visitors.

Little Deer translated the words as she could, but they spoke very fast amongst themselves.

"They say that they hear of Little Deer and that they think me dead. They know whole village killed by white man. They think you hold me prisoner. I tell them no. That you good man. That we love. They not sure, but take word of Little Deer since we speak in Cherokee and you no understand. They friends now and will help you build cabin and make home here."

"Tell them that I thank them for their help. I appreciate it. I can use their help here," he told Little Deer. She relayed the thank you and they smiled at him. She offered some of the dinner they were preparing and Travis, Little Deer and their Cherokee guests all sat down to eat together.

After they ate and exchanged pleasantries some more, the Indian guests left to return to their village. Travis and Little Deer settled in for the night, happy to have met the "neighbors" and found them friendly. Travis and Little Deer slept well that night, both exhausted from the hard days work.
 
The next morning, as the pair was having breakfast, the strangest site they had ever seen appeared in the distance. At first Travis went to get his gun, but as the apparition grew closer, he realized what it was. Running Bear had come through! Coming towards him was ten big strapping Indian braves who had come to help him get the cabin up and whatever else he needed help with! One of the men, obviously the one in charge of this "work detail", came up to explain to Little Deer.

Little Deer translated the following to Travis as he spoke it to her in Cherokee: "We came here to help this white man because he save you. He take care of you and not let other white soldiers hurt you. You the last of your village so we do this to thank him. We friends now and we help this your white man to build house."

Little Deer thanked them for their help and the men began to get busy. Travis showed them what he was doing and they understood the layout of the house. He knew enough Cherokee (thankfully) from the old man at the fort and from Little Deer that he was able to convey the work needed to the men. And then construction of the cabin went into high gear! The men did in a week, what would have taken Travis the rest of the summer to accomplish and soon he and Little Deer were moving into their new home. As the pair stood in the doorway of their newly finished home looking out at the cleared fields ready for planting Travis stood behind Little Deer holding her around the shoulders.

"Travis, I happy here. But I cannot go back to village because of this," and she rubbed her buttock where the brand was "and I cannot go to fort because of shopkeeper. You stay with me and you cannot go back too."

"You are right, Little Deer, we are kind of stuck between the two worlds - your Indian world and my white man's world. But that's ok. I kinda like the world we have right here."

"Me too," she said snuggling back against him.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story is fictional. No attempt was made - intentional or otherwise - to portray any culture in a negative manner whether by speech, action, or circumstance. If such a portrayal is inferred by my readers, it is purely accidental.