THIRTY-SIX
Blue Thunder and his handful of men made it
home before the heavy winter snows. It didn’t give them much time
to stock up on meat but what they could kill might save his people
from starving. After staggering into camp with his braves, he
discovered his wife had been missing for three weeks. He didn’t
think about hunting for game, the tribe’s men would have to do
their best without him. He supplied himself with blankets and a few
rations, and then headed out to track down his wife.
He thought about Dasodaha and Laughing
Tree’s words, not able to understand why his wife, swollen with
child would leave their daughter. Did she fall in love with Hawk
Nose in his absence? They were very close all the time he was
there. Blue Thunder thought the brave had strong feelings for his
Moon Glow; it showed in the other man’s eyes. If that was the case,
he’d kill Hawk Nose and take his wife back home. But there would be
no room in his heart for what she did to him and their child. She
would remain to care for their children, but she would never warm
his mat again.
That thought broke his heart. Would he be
able to stay away from her warm, creamy flesh again? He wasn’t
sure. At that moment, he hated and loved her with a passion. He
also remembered his aunt saying how his wife pined for him, not
eating and ignoring Blue Moon. Did she really miss him that much or
was she confused over her love for Hawk Nose? Was she taken against
her will or did she go willingly? He was not sure he really wanted
to find the truth. But it was the truth that drove him on even
though his body still ached from the long confinement without
exercise.
Blue Thunder picked up their trail in the
ice crusted snow. He believed that Hawk Nose had no reason to
believe they’d be followed, so he made no attempt to hide their
tracks. He was sure the brave believed he was dead. He was fatigued
from traveling without much rest and closed his eyes many times,
but he would snap awake and catch himself before falling from
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Night Rider. Would he find his wife alive?
Would he find her in someone else’s arms? It would be a fate worse
than death for him.
He lost the tracks when he came upon a
stream but then the next day he found their trail again. He had no
idea where the two were going. At first, he thought they were
headed toward the destroyed village, but then they headed in
another direction. Another week passed when he realized they were
headed for the treacherous mountain range. He prayed he would make
it before a blizzard hit. Blue Thunder never experienced such
misery in his life. Even in prison his heart was not torn apart
like it was now.
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THIRTY-SEVEN
Not long after they left the camp, Melissa
realized her terrible mistake and believed they had been traveling
in circles. Hawk Nose never took her to his village. When she
queried him, he just shrugged with indifference and grunted he lost
Blue Thunder’s tracks. It was a blatant lie but she accepted his
answer even though her gut feeling told her he wasn’t being honest.
Sometimes, he would be quiet and moody and this was not like the
way she knew him to be. The look in his dark eyes frightened her
when he starred at her. Some days he stroked her hair and arms when
she was close, if she pulled away, his face clouded with anger. She
feared him and hoped he had nothing else in mind.
Sometimes, he glanced at her swollen stomach
and he lifted a corner of his mouth. She wasn’t sure if it was a
beginning of a smile or sneer. She cringed. Would she put up a
fight if he tried taking her? The thought of another man loving her
was repulsive and Melissa prayed that he wouldn’t put her to the
test. At night, silent tears were shed for her husband; she missed
her daughter and prayed she would be all right. Rubbing her lower
back, she tried to ease the pain that had been increasing daily.
The days on horse back were not good for her body and the unborn
child. If she lost the baby, she’d never forgive herself.
With the belief she was doing the right
thing and the misconception that they would be traveling so far,
her decision to look for Blue Thunder had been made under great
distress. They should have come across her husband by now, or found
some sign of him and his party. Now she believed Hawk Nose had
taken her far beyond his village and had no intention of helping
her find her mate. What would become of her and her baby? Would it
be born out here in the wilderness? When she saw Hawk Nose look at
her, she lowered her gaze; there was no use in making him angry.
They were here and she made up her mind to make the best of the
situation.
“Oh, Blue Thunder,” she
sighed, softly.
What a fool I was not to
trust Dasodaha and to ignore Laughing Tree’s advice.
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The morning dawned gray. Before Melissa
opened her eyes, a wet, sloppy tongue shocked her lids to pop open.
She was looking into two black eyes and being still in a sleepy
state, she thought it was a wild beast. Her screams made Licks Too
Much bark. Realization hit her full force and she squealed with
delight. “Oh, how did you..? Where did you come..? Oh, my!”
Overjoyed, she pulled him to her and hugged the stuffing out of
him, making him yelp.
Hawk Nose was relieving himself in the
bushes and her scream must have alerted him. He probably feared she
was in danger from a wild animal. With his knife drawn he ran to
her aid only to stop short seeing her hugging her canine. “How in
hell did the dog find us?” he spat. Melissa saw the brave come
closer with his weapon drawn. She clutched the dog fearing for its
life. She knew about Indians eating them, and she’d starve first
before letting him kill the pet. She was in enough trouble, never
mind slaughtering Blue Thunder’s friend. Her eyes wide with fear,
she hissed, “You’d better not be thinking what I’m thinking,
because you’ll have to kill me first!” She knew it was a hollow
threat, but it seemed to work. Hawk Nose placed the knife back into
its sheath. He walked away grumbling what she suspected were curses
in his native tongue. That man who had talked to her like a brother
wasn’t here with her now. This Indian was mad, and as savage as any
beast.
Later, the dark skies brought light snow.
Hawk Nose told her that they had to find shelter. They had been
traveling up the mountain for two days and he hoped there was a
cave nearby. The deranged brave seemed truly worried about her,
saying he feared she might go into labor
On her mount, Melissa snuggled deeper into
her blanket, feeling cold, weary, and hungry. The snow stung her
face and the need to urinate made her uncomfortable. She hated to
stop again so soon, but the baby was causing her to pass water
quite often now. If he didn’t stop, she’d have to ask Hawk Nose to
let her see to her needs. Damn mortifying. Just as she was about to
speak, Hawk Nose halted his horse and turned.
“We camp up there.” He told her and pointed
to a large boulder partly covered by thick bushes. She was happy
that the brave found a hidden cave. It didn’t have the warmth of a
wickiup and it was damp but it was better than staying outside. In
no time, Hawk Nose built a fire and soon her cold bones began to
warm.
“This will be our home until spring,” she
was told. His words were for her but his eyes
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were on the damn dog. And the animal’s eyes
never left Hawk Nose and there were times the dog bared its teeth
at him. The hatred between them was mutual; it was only a matter of
time to see who ate whom. Melissa looked at the Indian, her own
eyes full of questions, but she didn’t say anything. What good
would it do? She was at his mercy. She wondered how they would
survive when the snow covered the entrance to the cave. Tired and
hungry, she didn’t want to think or care just then and she and the
canine snuggled for warmth.
The next two months passed slowly. Hawk Nose
was able to tunnel out of the snow with his bare hands. She was
amazed at his determination and knowledge of survival. He caught
rabbits and small game. Once he had killed a wolf. It took all of
Melissa’s will power not to gag on the meat but she and the baby
needed nourishment. Finding dry wood was harder but he had stocked
up with poles and brush before the heavy snow. They saved the fire
for meals only.
Melissa shivered constantly under blankets
and small pelts of fur that Hawk Nose skinned from the animals he
had killed. She was very uncomfortable because the baby had dropped
a few days before and was lying on her spine. Now, she had only to
wait.
On a day when the sun was strong and the
snow was melting fast, Hawk Nose had gone out to hunt and the dog
followed. He had admitted to her that the mutt came in handy for
tracking down small animals. Melissa was tired of looking at the
cave walls; how many times had she counted the veins in the rocks?
Deciding to walk outside for some fresh air and sun on her face,
she wrapped herself in a fur blanket and stood near the cave
opening. She breathed in the fresh air, lifting her face towards
the sun. The warmth was wonderful when it kissed her cold flesh.
Her eyes shut tight, she soaked up the rays. She took another deep
breath feeling wetness down her legs. Her water broke. Gasping, she
grabbed her belly, losing the fur blanket. Waiting for the pain to
pass, she noticed a small amount of blood by her feet.
She groaned, “Not now.”
Alone, and no idea when the brave would
return, she slowly turned into the cave to lie down. Her time was
near, her contractions were very close. She screamed in pain,
calling for Hawk Nose. She needed him. Praying for help between
bouts of pain, her face and body were bathed in perspiration
despite the cold. She screamed again, and then heard movement.
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“Hawk Nose?” she whispered. Her eyes opened
only to be confronted by many pairs of beady, black eyes. Her
vision blurred, she didn’t perceive the danger she was in. Then she
heard the low growls. Terror struck her heart.
God! This couldn’t be happening. They might
kill her and her baby.
That was her last thought.
Hawk Nose heard the screams as he neared the
cave. He had caught a rabbit and was heading back; the game dropped
from his hand at her first cries. He and the dog ran to her and he
spotted the blanket and blood on the ground, he also saw the paw
prints and realized she was not alone. Three wolves had circled the
cave and he knew that the wolves saw and smelled the red blood
lying on the snow near the fur blanket. Thinking it was a wounded
animal, they descended into the cave to see what meal waited for
them.
Licks Too Much was way ahead of him and ran
into the open mouth. Drawing his long knife, Hawk Nose crept in
fearing he might be too late. Snarling reached his ears before his
eyes grew accustomed to the dim cave. His blood ran cold in his
veins when seeing the wolves were too interested in the unconscious
form on the ground to notice him or dog. When Licks Too Much
growled, one turned and he saw in the animal’s cold eyes that the
wolf was not going to miss a meal. It lunged for the dog and Hawk
Nose knew his best defense was to try to kill the one closest to
him, behind the other two.
Moon Glow looked unharmed for now. He prayed
for strength and with his knife he cut the animal’s throat in one
swift slice. The wolf’s death cry warned the others. One of the
wolves turned instantly, chomping his leg with its sharp fangs,
while the other leaped, clamping its mighty jaw onto his thrashing
arm. Hawk Nose stumbled to the ground dropping his knife. He had to
fight with all his strength if he wanted to save himself and Moon
Glow. The pain in his arm and leg was so unbearable, he cried out
but he managed to kick at the wolf that was gnawing on his leg. The
wolf wouldn’t let go and this only caused the animal to dig deeper
into his flesh.
He pounded on the head of the other but it
would not release its grip either. As he struggled to get up, he
found a large rock with his free hand and swung it around with all
his might. The canine howled and released his bloody arm; the
stunned animal yapped and fell,
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whining. He dragged himself to his knife and
attacked the other wolf with vengeance. He plunged the blade into
the beast over and over until nothing was left but a mass of blood
and guts.
Staggering, he saw the wounded one slowly
rise to its feet but Hawk Nose plunged the knife into its heart,
and then faulted, trying to stay conscious. He was covered with
blood from head to foot; his arm and leg pulsated with unbearable
pain. Unable to put any weight on his injured leg, he crawled,
seeing Licks Too Much bloodied body lying next to the dead wolf.
The dog had fought bravely also, but he was sure the brave canine
wouldn’t survive. And, he wasn’t too certain about himself.
Hawk Nose heard Moon Glow moan and was
coming around. She opened her eyes to see his bloodied body and
then swooned into a faint again. With what strength he had left,
Hawk Nose pushed her dress up. He was losing blood fast and it
would not be long before darkness would overtake him. The baby’s
head was between her legs. With trembling hands, he grabbed the
small skull and did his best to assist when waves of pushing
overtook her. His hands were slippery with blood and mucus so it
was not easy. But luckily, he was able to grab under the tiny chin
and with one good pull, it swished out. The baby gasped for his
first breath of air, then let out a howling wail. He was a strong,
healthy boy. Drawing what little strength he had left, Hawk Nose
cut the cord and wrapped the baby in a small fur pelt, then placed
it on the mother’s stomach. He had the mind to shove some pelts
between her legs before passing out himself.