A Sun in the Clouds

[Billy Two-Guns]

With a glower, Billy only shook his head at Hu, all the while thankful for Chumani's intervention.

He turned away from the chinaman, his steps solid on the weathered planks. It took only a moment before he was in his saddle and accepting the leadlines from his companion.

"It is not a good day for that," he answered Hu.

As both he and Chumani turned their horses away, the Indian couldn't help but speak once more.

"If you wish to sell prints however, you may visit this one's mother." A gesture to Chumani. "I'm sure she would appreciate your attention to fine detail."

[Hu Xaio Jien]

"Oh good."

Undaunted, Father Hu at least played like he didn't take the hint.

"You tell her about my print, I make many copy. She bring money, I sell!"

They began to trot along, and Hu watched them leave, shrugging with indifference as he pressed on with his cane.

[Chumani]

Chumani laughed at Hu as they left him behind. "What a silly old man." Twisting on the horse blanket she looked back at the chinaman as he set off down the uneven boardwalk with his cane and son.

They passed the Bareback, and Chumani looked at the building curiously. It was quiet this time of day, but she often wondered what it was that went on inside. She didn't care to actually bother to find out, that might mean she was too interested in the whites. All she really wanted was for them to all leave.

She sighed, patting her pony's neck as the creature shied away from a rickety old buggy, and pretended not to notice as a few men loitering outside of the saloon called out to her. Her face almost matched Billy's for sterness as they continued on towards the ferrier, her back straight as a pin.

[Billy Two-Guns]

As they rode, Billy was keen to keep an eye on her, and noted the way she stared at the Bareback. His lips became a thin line.

"You would do well to stay away from that place."

She gave him a look, but he waved it away.

"It is not a place for you to be. For any of our people to be."

[Chumani]

She nodded in agreement, although she really didn't know why he was so upset. It was for the white man, not for the People. She liked that he was so adamant she stay away, however, not that she would just because he said so.

The Lakota girl chewed one of her fingernails as they continued down the street, the sun hot on her dark hair. When they reached the ferriers, she swung her leg over the paint, and landed softly on the ground. She looked around impassively as Billy approached the man who would shoe his horses.

[Billy Two-Guns]

The ferrier knew Billy well enough, and also knew the routine of shoeing the horses that Billy brought to him. Two-Guns paid well for his horses' first pair of shoes, and he was loathe to do anything shoddy for the scowling Indian.

As the ferrier took a hold of one of the leadlines, pulling the horse away from the small group and securing him to a post, he went to work.

Meanwhile, Billy moved to stand beside Chumani. He kept his eyes open for anything out of the ordinary, or possibly Hu coming back to try and sell him something else.

"The silk. What will you do with it?"

[Chumani]

She thought about that for a moment, and bit her lower lip. "I only know how to make these," Chumani indicated her deerskin outfit and moccasins. "Perhaps..." and she was loathe to admit this, "I will ask a white woman to make me a dress from it."

Her face looked unhappy at the thought, but then she brightened, "And I will wear it for you." Chumani spun around as if she were already wearing the silk dress. "You will not frown then!" She poked him in the ribs as though she could coax a true smile from the dour Indian.

[Billy Two-Guns]

Surprised at her touch, Billy stared at her for only a moment before allowing a slight grin to slip from his sombre facade. He rubbed at the spot she'd poked, and looked off into the distance for only a short bit before returning his eyes to her. He wondered what she would look like with such a manner of clothing.

For as wild as Chumani was, he could just about picture her in a silk dress. Perhaps with some of the silver jewelry he fashioned and normally sold to Mr. Pratt.

"No," he let out finally, "I suppose that I will not frown then.

"It will be a sight to see, you in a dress made by a white woman."

There was a teasing glint in his eyes, and he reached a broad hand out to flip one of her locks of black hair.

"And perhaps one of them will let you borrow some of those shoes with heels on them. After you get your toes and fingernails painted, of course."

[Chumani]

Chumani thought about that, and flushed crimson under her tan skin. How could she wear what the white women wear? Conflicted, she turned away from Billy so he could not see her face and tease her more.

"I will not wear those ridiculous heeled shoes," she stated quite emphatically.