When Bobby’s boat finally returned to Taborri’s village, she was almost frantic. She thought they would get back much earlier, but the bison took longer to wean than they thought it would, and Bobby had to help Itsu in his village where the great river met the sea. It had been months since she was home, and she needed to make sure she was still in line to be the next matriarch.

As the longboat approached the shore, she put her son in a carry basket, tied it to her back, and as soon as the boat hit the shore of her home, she went straight to her grandmother's longhouse, and when she saw her, she smiled the false smile of hers and said, “Grandmother, I am glad to see that you are well.”

As she went to hug her grandmother, her grandmother gave her granddaughter and sleeping great-grandson a genuine smile, hugged them, and said, “I am glad to see that you are well as well. How was your trip?”

“It was profitable. I met with my husband's mother and was able to procure new crops to grow that will improve our diet.”

“That’s nice; once winter hits, I am sure the families will appreciate it.”

“My husband also managed to capture a bison and force it to work for us.”

The matriarch smiled with a knowing smile and began reciting the story they came up with before they left, “Oh, what a mighty hunter. The men in this village are only able to kill beasts, but your husband was able to subdue it.” Bobby already agreed to go along with the story to help his wife, but he wasn’t enthusiastic about it, especially since he told others how domesticating bison really worked, but then again, most folks in the village would go along with the matriarch’s story because she is the matriarch and she could make their lives difficult.

“What has been going on since I left?”

“Most of the crops have been planted. The ladies missed you as they toiled with your husband's hoes. They are grateful that it's much easier to dig with them, but they were concerned with your absence.”

Taborri frowned. Her grandmother was hinting that the ladies were bitter they had to do work while Taborri was off with her husband, but they couldn’t be too bitter because the hoes her husband gave them made their job a lot easier. Even so, most of the thanks went to her husband, not her, which meant that she would have to be careful how she introduced the bison. Village politics could be delicate.

“I brought you a gift made by my mother-in-law’s own hands.” She took out a long piece of woven blue cotton and handed it to her grandmother.

“This is lovely.”

“I wish I had enough for every woman in the village, but I do not. Which women are in need of this gift?”

And with those words, her grandmother began strongly hinting as to which women should be rewarded for their loyalty, which ones needed a gift to keep them loyal, which ones should never be rewarded and kept as foes, and where to tactically give gifts to help or hinder relations as necessary.

Once Taborri was fully up to speed on who to thank for their loyalty, whose butt to kiss, and who to manipulate, she returned to her husband's boat and began helping him move the goods they agreed to leave in the village. There were other goods that would go with him on his trading mission up north. It bothered Taborri that her husband would be leaving to head north soon, but they both agreed that as long as the bison pulled its weight, it would make up for Bobby’s absence for now, especially if he brought back pelts.

That evening when the ladies of the village returned home, Taborri went from longhouse to longhouse, giving gifts, smoothing ruffled feathers, and asking for help putting together something called a plow, invented by her mother-in-law. She would never admit that a man invented it; it would undercut her authority too much.

Everyone she asked to come to help her assemble the plow came. It was a show of support for her and also a show of who would get the first benefits from the new machine. If things didn’t work out, they wasted a day, and Taborri would lose support, but if things worked out well, then Taborri’s helpers would ride on her success. It was something of a delicate balance.

As they worked on the plow, Taborri went out of her way to praise every little action the other women took in helping her. Her grandmother even came by and loudly said, “I am proud of you noble, young, hardworking, and brilliant young ladies making new things to improve our village and its people. I hope the other women in the village will look up to you.”

After working for nearly a full day putting the plow together, they harnessed it to the bison and shouted for joy when they saw how much work the bison did. In minutes it did an hour's worth of work. When the women realized how much work the bison could do, they came and helped Taborri plant the various plants her mother-in-law supposedly gave her. Blueberry, blackberry, various apple, and other fruit trees. Plants that produce fruits every year without needing to be replanted. The next day they began planting new things called strawberries, carrots, sweet potatoes, and other sweet things that had to be planted every year.

Whatever Taborri wanted, she got. For now, her opponents had to surrender the fight for leadership because they saw how useful the plow was and how much work it could take off their hands. Besides, if they wanted to use it, they would have to get on her good side, or she would find endless excuses not to let them use it. And they didn’t even know of all the other uses for the bison yet. Taborri’s place in her little village was now solid.

Meanwhile, one of the men in the village asked Bobby, “How was your trip?”

“It was great; I made a lot of good trade.”

“If you need any help, let me know.”

“Really? I thought you loved hunting and fishing.”

“I do that to get away from my wife. The village women boss and nag each other all day. You would think they would be tired of it at night, but when I reach home, it's bossing and nagging. They just can't turn off the silly political games they play with each other. I need to get away for a while.”

“I don’t think I can do that on this trip. But maybe the next.”

“Yeah, yeah, you got to do what your wife says. She’s your boss and the boss of this village.”

“My wife can have this village; I have bigger plans.” What Bobby didn’t say was that as long as he had his wife, he had the village, but he wasn’t going to settle for such a small thing.