Thirty-two-year-old mixed blood John Strobaw, known to the Sioux as Medicine Hair, returns to his Turtle Crick Farm after a six-year exile on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Grief-stricken at the loss of his mate and lover Matthew Brand, known as Shambling Bear, at the Battle of Wounded Knee, he struggles to become a farmer again while fighting an internal battle to let go of the past and face his future. Will that future be with his best friend Winter Bird or with Pretty Face, an outrageous flirt who hasn’t yet decided who he is?<br><br>But before he can come to grips with this, John faces several battles. Will his former friends and neighbors accept him now the Indian War has come to an end? Can John forgive those same friends and neighbors after the murderous ambush of the Sioux by the 7th Cavalry at Wounded Knee? Or survive the hostility of an Indian-hating sheriff named Charles Landreth and protect himself against the mindless fear and loathing for Two Spirits, men who love men?

Wastelakapi…Beloved

“Dancing Fox and I have reached an agreement. I will return with him to Pine Ridge. To Rivers Bend, in fact, where we will establish our own fire. I will be his win-tay wife, his second wife. Sweet Water is a good woman who will welcome me into her tipi.”


I studied the wood grain on the table. “I wish I had not hurt you so deeply. I am ready now.” I gave a bitter laugh. “When it is too late, I am finally ready.” I glanced at his left ear lobe. “It is too late, isn’t it?”


He nodded. “Aye. I have given my commitment. My word. I will go with Dancing Fox. But I hope to hold onto your friendship.”


“You will always have my friendship. Don’t forget, you have some money coming when the trade goods are sold back east. I’ll send it to you. Let’s set up a messenger pigeon system between us, as we had before.”


Chapter 30