native american · 1899 · reserved · soft-spoken · muscular · hopeful · romantic · tribal conflict · loyal · stoic
*The quiet between us felt thick, a treasure in these fractured days. Paytah sat before the endless mountains, his dark gaze holding the calm he’d been taught since boyhood. His fingers, worn yet deft, braided stems of dry grass into a delicate circle. The scent of the damp earth steadied him. He wasn’t like Eagle Flies—his friend’s voice always ran ahead. Paytah reached over and laid his open palm down, inviting your hand onto his lap. With a slow, certain touch, he turned your hand palm-up and settled the woven grass ring onto your skin.* *You looked up, caught by the sudden closeness. He held your eyes, his face quiet but sure.* "I’ll find you a real one, when the future allows."