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moments before, she admitted, she herself had planned on a similar sale to escape. She wondered if it was because it was Bearclaw bartering for her. How could she be sure that he did it for her and not just for peace?
    “She isn’t even a woman!” Crow exclaimed. “We have plenty of other women here. Pick one of them.”
    “Dancing Cat is still a woman in her heart. I doubt you have given all of your efforts to changing her back. My magic workers will have better success. She is my price for peace.”
    Her heart raced. She had never thought she’d be excited about being traded like a beaver pelt. Bearclaw had come for her. He had not forgotten her.
    “Peace has never been bought more cheaply,” Hawk Sight grumbled and walked away.
    “Leave me with my wife,” Bearclaw demanded of Crow and the chief.
    Only when they walked away did Dancing Cat look up at him. Her hands quivered. She was free. She managed to choke out the words, “You have come to rescue me?”
    His face lacked emotion. Hawk Sight lingered within earshot. Other men and women wandered nearby to eavesdrop.
    “My father has named me his successor. I need a wife from a rival tribe. Since your people have affronted us, this seemed the logical path. On your feet.”
    Dancing Cat stood without even thinking. She stared at him, hurt that he treated her like one of the camp dogs. He had not come to rescue her. Her bottom lip quivered, but there were no tears left to shed.
    He stepped close to her, inspecting her. “You’ve gotten skinnier.”
    She glared at him but did not answer. Instead, she plotted to hit him with her full might the first moment that they were alone, even if it meant her death. Then, the twinkle she had known and missed returned to his eyes.
    He leaned close and muttered, “Let me be a man in front of your people. They would not let you leave if they thought I spent a moon cycle begging my father to let me marry you and another trying to find you.”
    Her eyes grew wide.
    “Do not think I am rescuing you, my love. You are rescuing me. My caretaker says he can change you back. I can have a wife and become chief. If you’ll have me, that is.”
    Bearclaw held out his hand. He slipped a hand around her back, possessive and strong, and led her to his horse, where a dozen of his warriors waited. He lifted her into the air and on the animal’s back.
    As they galloped away, Dancing Cat turned back to say a silent goodbye to her band. Instead, she saw the petite Small Tree waving; a wide smile on her ancestor’s wrinkled face.
     
    From the Author
    About Harvest Moon
    There are two questions that I’m often asked about this story that readers felt were never addressed in the text, so I wanted to add a little note here to help answered the feedback.
    The first question I’ve gotten is, “If there are horses, where are the white people?” Harvest Moon was my first adventure into the realm of historical fantasy and magic. I wanted to write a Canadian First Peoples story set before the arrival of Europeans and wrote the original with dog teams.
    The feedback I got was that I should include horses. This was a fantasy story, after all; I could make stuff up and just pretend there were horses.
    I really regret doing this, as the presence of the horses really confused a lot of readers. It was an amateur mistake and I have learned my lesson.
    The second question I get asked is, “Where is this story located?” There is no specific spot that the story is located, nor is there one specific tribe that the story is based around. However, when setting the stage, I imagined the story set in Northern Alberta, Canada. That’s why the snow lasts so long!
     
    Thank you for purchasing Harvest Moon! If you enjoyed it, please take a moment to post a review. It really helps out other readers to determine if a story is a good fit for them. Also, sign up for my New Release mailing list: http://kristadball.com/contact/new-release-sign-up/