Chapter 2

-Thinking-
After the fight was over and he had returned to his tent for the night, he began thinking of his father and wondered what he should do next. He needed more males. One of the reasons he had went to Tribal Counsel was to seek their guidance and possibly their help in the matter, but they too were short on men. It was hard for all the clans, not just his, which was one of the reasons women were so easy to find. They just weren't producing males. Dakota hoped other tribes were going through the same thing, if they were to get attacked right now they'd all be screwed.

-Nokomis-
Nokomis came from a small band of women, the Head Woman being her older sister. She met Claire while gathering berries and other various fruits that grew near to their camp. Claire explained that they had a new Chief with no woman to become his wife. Nokomis agreed to go with her and meet her Chief and possibly her future husband. Claire also told her that Dakota had no other males to help him so he would probably expand their small clan into other villages.(Claire had seen a vision on how Dakota might be able to raise their small village into a large Clan that other clans could rely on for help, by it would require a very obedient and unjealous spouse who also thought of the Clan before herself) Nokomis said she would love to be the supporter of such a Chief. So Nokomis said her farewells to her sister and the other women, and they started their journey to her new home. 

-The Meeting-
Claire introduced Dakota to Nokomis and left them to get to know each other. She would check in with Dakota later to tell him of her latest vision.
Dakota had to admit, there was nothing special about Nokomis' appearance, but as they got to talking about their interests and what they enjoyed in life, he starts to see why Claire had chosen her. 
He took things slowly, his heart wad guarded and it would take him awhile to trust her completely. 
In his free time, he started painting. It was a way for him to express how he was feeling and it helped get some of his hurting and anger out. Nokomis loved his paintings and she helped him with selling them to white folk for money and other goods. With the items they got from trading they started building huts and small chambers for eating and sleeping. They built tables, chairs, and even make shift beds. Dakota had never slept on anything but the ground, one night on a bed and he promised himself he would never sleep on the ground again.
Nokomis also had her own hut, but she found it lonely. She was used to having others around her while she slept, she had felt safer. Here she felt open and vulnerable. So she decided to go see the shaman about what she could do to earn Dakota's trust. When she got to Claire's hut however, no one was there.
-Claire's Vision-
Claire had gone to see Dakota to tell him about a possible way to make the clan bigger and better. When she got to Dakota's hut he was laying on his bed either meditating or sleeping. She knocked lightly just in case he was sleeping..."Dakota", she said softly. "Yes, Claire, enter please" came his response. Claire started telling him how he must put the welfare of the clan first, even before his own feelings. Dakota said yes, he had understood that from watching his father. Good, Claire said. "Dakota, I've had a vision on how you might be able to make this a very successful clan, but it will require you to break some traditional rules if you were to have a wife." Dakota motioned for her to continue. "Well, women are plenty in our Tribe, but not so plenty with men. There are two vacant smaller villages next to ours. I could search near by for available women and a shaman from their clan to accompany them. This would give you a better chance   at having sons and warriors for the clan AND the tribe." Dakota thought about it for a minute. "You mean reproduce with these other women? I haven't produced anything yet. Let's wait to see if I have a child first and go from there. Whoever I choose for a wife, isn't going to like this at all, but we do need warriors, without them we're sitting ducks for another Tribe or worse another Nation to take claim of."  Claire agreed to Dakota's plan and advised him to be as discreet as possible if and when these other women came along. Dakota agreed and bid her goodnight.
-Nokomis' Meeting with Claire-
Early the next morning Nokomis went to see Claire. When she got to Claire's hut she was outside talking to the vegetables and fruits in the garden. Claire spotted her out of the corner of her eye and noticed the inquisitive look on her face. "They grow better and produce more when you talk to them", explained Claire. "Oh, I see" said Nokomis. "Claire, I came to ask for your advice about Dakota, he doesn't trust me and I don't know how to show him or even tell him that I love him and that I want to be his wife." Claire smiled, took her hand and said, "if you tell him what you just told me, that should do the trick. Dakota has a lot on his mind, but hearing those words from you would take alot off of it." "Thank you so much Claire! I will go and pray to the Creator for the courage to tell him."