The water felt refreshing, as the face of Wolf Eyes appeared, rising to the surface like that of a gator. He blew his breath out and sprayed water in a mist in front of him. He turned over on his back and made slow strokes, toward the bank. He climbed out and shook off. He was thinking of going to the cornfield with Waving Willow. He had not spent much time with the children in several weeks. The war had taken much of his time. Sometimes you suffered through bad times so that you could have good times, he thought.
He looked toward the house and could see that Waving Willow was not yet ready to leave. He had time to go by to see how Red Talon was healing.
He arrived at the summer shelter, and he saw that Red Talon was sitting up and eating. “Hilito,” said Red Talon, looking up from his dish.
“Hilito, what is for breakfast?” replied Wolf Eyes.
“A little cornbread and honey, have some?”
“Maybe a pinch, how is the shoulder?” he asked, as he broke off a little cornbread.
“Stiff, very stiff.”
“I would not move it much yet. It needs time to heal, or it may start bleeding again.”
“I plan to take it easy.”
“Where is Three Baskets?”
“She is in the menstrual house.”
“Oh, her time has come then?”
“Yes, you will be a new uncle before long, Wolf Eyes.”
“It’s about time, I thought you would stay a bachelor forever.”
Waving Willow came out of her house. She had the baby on her back in a cradleboard. The three other adopted children followed her. They were all carrying baskets. As she walked toward them, Wolf Eyes said, “I’m going with them to the cornfield today. I have not had much family time lately.”
“Good, enjoy your day,” said Red Talon.
“Maybe by the time I return I will be a new uncle.”
“Maybe,” said Red Talon.
Red Talon watched as Wolf Eyes walked with Waving Willow down the path through the houses and out the gate at the palisade.
The cornfield stretched out in a long section, bordered on one side by the creek and on the other side by woods. It was land that got refurbished when the rains caused the creek to flood. The corn was tall and had tassels that had turned brown.
“This corn is ready to pick,” said Waving Willow.
“I thought you would need some help today,” said Wolf Eyes.
He played with his baby boy in the cradleboard, trying to get a smile out of him. Then he grabbed the others that were walking close. He threw them in the air and gave them a tickle. They laughed. Waving Willow laughed, and Wolf Eyes laughed too. That day he picked corn and played with the family until dark. It had been a truly, enjoyable day.