"Yeah," he mumbled, almost too tired to stay on his feet. She nodded once, lay down and spread half the blanket over her. Nathan crawled under his half and then smiled to himself as Christina snuggled against his back, putting her arm across his chest. He put his hand on top of hers and, like the other couple, they were soon asleep.
All too soon, Two Hawks jostled Lana's shoulder to wake her.
"What!" she snapped.
"Get up."
"Already? I just fell asleep."
"No." He held up four fingers.
"Four hours? Are you sure?" She looked into his eyes for sympathy and found none. "Oh, all right," she sighed. Lifting her hands, she silently asked him for help to stand up. He laughed and pulled her to her feet. Next, he kicked the heel of Nathan's boot.
"Get up!"
"All right, all right!" Nathan grumbled. He rolled onto his side and rose up on one elbow. Gently shaking Christina's shoulder, he whispered, "Time to wake up."
"Hmmpphh."
"Come on, Christina. We've got to ride."
She rolled over on her back and opened sleepy eyes to look at him. "I hate you. You know that?"
Nathan only grinned.
Within a few minutes, the four tired people climbed onto four tired horses and began another arduous day of trying to stay alive.
That day and night passed just like the ones before. The following day, they had ridden for several hours through rolling hills when Two Hawks stopped them. He turned his horse around and rode behind them, watching and listening intently to his surroundings.
"What is it?" Lana asked.
"Apache," Two Hawks answered.
"Where are they?" Christina asked as she nervously looked around her.
Without answering her question, Two Hawks pointed to a low hill a short distance ahead of them.
Nathan nodded. "We need to hurry and make our stand there," he told the two women.
They galloped the distance and dismounted. Two Hawks led three of the horses down the other side of the hill after Nathan pulled his gunpowder and ammunition off his horse.
"Can you shoot?" Nathan asked Christina.
"A little. And I can reload."
"Good." He pulled out his knife and handed it to her. "Just in case."
She nodded and put it beside her as she said, "I still don't see them."
"There," Two Hawks pointed down the small hill covered in prairie grass. Both Lana and Christina looked in the direction he indicated. At first, they saw nothing, but then a movement caught their eye. Someone crawled on his stomach, inching toward them.
"What should we do?" Lana asked. "There's nothing to hide behind."
"Stay low to the ground," Nathan informed her.
Two Hawks led the fourth horse to stand between them and their attackers. With one swift motion of his knife, he killed the animal. It fell to the ground, offering the only cover they had.
"Oh, how awful!" Christina cried as Nathan pulled her to the ground behind the horse.
"You want to live, don't you?" Nathan unsympathetically argued. This was no time to be squeamish. Seeing the sickened look on her face, he felt bad at his tone of voice and reached for her to hold her. "It is awful," he murmured against her hair. "But it had to be done."
"They've got guns," Christina said, still alarmed. "How long can we keep shooting before we run out of ammunition?"
"I don't know." Nathan knew they didn't have enough to fend off thirty Apaches. They needed a miracle.
Two Hawks watched the crawling Apache and, as soon as the man was in range, took careful aim with his bow, letting an arrow fly. It found its target, sending the man leaping into the air, only to fall back down, dead. At the sight of their fallen comrade, the rest of the band rose to their feet or rode on horses over the nearby hill. Screams and taunts filled the air as bullets whined past the four desperate people or thudded dully into the dead animal.
"What are you singing?" Lana asked Two Hawks as she lay on her stomach next to him.
"My death song."
She whipped her head around, looking frightened. "Your death song? It's really that bad, then."
He only nodded as he took aim at a warrior.
"What I wouldn't give for another gun!" Nathan grimaced as he hurriedly reloaded his.
The horsemen reached the bottom of the besieged hill, firing relentlessly. They had trouble taking accurate aim, though, as they, too, had to dodge bullets and arrows. One of the warriors made it to the hilltop, leaping off his horse onto Nathan. As the two men rolled, locked in their ferocious struggle, Christina watched, aghast. Then, seeing her chance, she plunged Nathan's knife deep into the Apache's neck. Nathan pushed off the dead weight and retrieved his knife.
"Thanks." He handed the bloody weapon back to her. Picking up his gun, he took aim again, not seeing the tears in Christina's eyes or how badly her hands shook.
"I got one!" Lana announced triumphantly. No one said anything. They were all too busy.
They fought for only fifteen minutes before Nathan looked over at Lana. "We're almost out of powder. Enough for two, maybe three rounds."
Lana closed her eyes. Now what? Looking over at Two Hawks, she told him the news. He only had a few arrows left as well.
Lana reached for his hand. "Don't let them take me. Please." He nodded, his jaws clenching. He couldn't look at her, not wanting her to see how heart-stricken he was.
She turned to her brother. "I won't be taken alive. Centas Yi will see to it."
"Lana?" Nathan stared horrified at her. "No!"
"Oh, yes, Nathan. They might kill you and Centas Yi, but they will have a fate much worse for Christina and me. Rape will probably be the least of it. You need to talk to her now, while you have a chance."
Nathan felt sick at his stomach, but his sister was right. The Apache could be cruel. He crawled over to Christina with his gruesome offer.
Lana took careful aim with her last bullet, blinking back tears, and then fired. Her target went down. Two Hawks shot the last of his arrows and, not waiting to see how they landed, pulled her to him, holding her close as he lay partially on top of her. It was time.
"Kiss?" he asked as he looked into her beautiful, trusting eyes. She nodded and offered her lips.
"I love you, Centas Yi." She touched his dark hair, his handsome face in a gesture of farewell. "Thank you for this."
"T'on Ma, wait for me. I'll be right behind you. Then we can go to our new life together."
"I'll wait." She paused to take one last look at his eyes. "Be quick," she whispered.
As he kissed her with longing and love and sorrow, he pulled his long knife out of its sheath. He could feel her lips trembling against his as she rolled slightly away from him, offering him her breast. Apache war cries filled their ears. This would be last thing they heard. He raised his arm straight up, the knife's blade glinting relentlessly in the sun.
Chapter 16 - Just Leave Her Be
Nathan reached for Christina, drawing her to him. Killing the Apache guard was as easy as breathing compared to the task that lay before him now.
"I don't know how to say this," he began. "But Lana doesn't want to be taken alive. Centas Yi has agreed to help her." He looked into Christina's wide, scared eyes for a moment before he went on. "If you feel like Lana does, then I'll help you."
Christina broke into tears. She had never been more frightened or overwhelmed in her life. "What do you think I should do?" she whispered.
"You lived with the Apache as their captive. You'd know more about it than me."
"Will it hurt?"
"No. I'll make sure of that."
"All right. Thank you." She reached for his hand, holding it tightly. "I'm sorry we have to go through this. I really wanted more time to get to know you."
"Me, too." He studied her face, her sweet, bruised, dirty face, and kissed her. She was the first woman he'd ever kissed and now she would be his only. At least, he thought, he would leave this life knowing what that
felt like.
As he crawled back to where she had left his knife, he looked at the eastern horizon. "Yeeeeehhaaawww!" he hollered. "Look!"
He whipped his head around to look back at the others. To his horror, he watched Two Hawks raise his knife over Lana's chest. Leaping to his feet, Nathan grabbed Two Hawks' wrist just before the knife plunged.
"No! Wait!" Two Hawks jerked his head up, puzzlement on his face. "Look!" Nathan pointed to the east. Two Hawks stood to his feet while Lana sat up, confused.
Even Two Hawks, with his hatred for the U.S. Army, was happy to see that double column in blue. Lt. O'Connell's scout had reported gunfire a short distance away and that the Apache were attacking a small group of people. The cavalry rode at a full gallop, only a few short minutes away from them.
As he stood beside Nathan, Two Hawks turned, grinning widely, to look down at Lana. His expression changed to one of surprise as he fell slowly toward the ground and into her arms.
"Centas Yi! Centas Yi!" Lana cried as she stared at the arrow in his back. He moaned and tried to stand, but Lana held him down.
"No!" she ordered. "Don't move." She looked up at Nathan, her face reflecting her fear and anger. At last, it had looked like they would live through this ordeal, but now - now she didn't know if all of them would.
"Keep him still," Christina said. "I've seen my pa pull an arrow out before. I think I can do it."
"Are you sure? We don't have anything to use."
"When the Army gets here, we will," Christina said with confidence. As if on cue, the Army appeared around the hill and charged the Apache, sending them scattering south and southwest. While they outnumbered the Army almost two-to-one, the Apache had used up almost all of their ammunition. They could only hope for a hand-to-hand fight for better odds.
A moment later, Lt. O'Connell and Joshua topped the hill, both men leaping off their horses.
"Lana!" Joshua exclaimed in relief as he ran over to her.
"Pa!" Lana looked up with tears in her eyes, Two Hawks' head in her lap. "He's hurt. Can you help?"
"Sure, we can help." The lieutenant walked over to her and laid Two Hawks flat on the ground. Then, lifting her up by her shoulders, he turned her to face him, looking closely into her eyes.
"Are you hurt, Lana?" She was covered in blood so he didn't know.
"No. I'm fine, Liam. Really."
"That is such good news." In spite of their short acquaintance, he held her close. "Such good news. I was so worried."
Stepping out of his arms, she knelt beside Two Hawks. "Will he be all right?"
"If we build a fire and I can boil some water in something, I can get the arrow out." Christina looked at Liam. "Can you help with that?"
"Certainly." He looked down the hill where some of his men were returning from chasing the Apache. Motioning to one, he called out his orders. "We need a fire and some boiling water. Oh, and whiskey."
"Yes, sir," the private said.
In a short time, the orders were carried out. Christina cleaned around the wound as best she could and then poured whiskey over it to sterilize it.
"The arrow is only part way in. If we push it all the way through, we might tear up an organ. If we pull it back out, it will definitely tear up his muscle." Christina gave her assessment.
"What should we do?" Lana looked across at her father.
"I'd recommend pulling it back out," Liam said. "His muscle will heal. You puncture a lung and he's as good as dead."
"All right, then. That's what I'll do." Christina looked over at Lana, who stroked Two Hawks' unconscious face.
As Christina reached for the arrow, Liam stopped her. "Let me. You're too tired."
When she stepped out of the way, Liam took a firm grasp on the shaft, close to Two Hawks' back and, in one strong pull, yanked the arrow out. Two Hawks moaned once and then fell silent. Christina poured more whiskey over the wound, then used water to wash off the blood.
As a final step, Liam cauterized the gash. He had heated his knife until it glowed. Grateful that Two Hawks lay unconscious, he grimaced as he touched the searing metal against flesh. The sound and smell nauseated Lana, who turned her head away, determined not to faint after everything else she had already been through.
"There. It's done," Liam announced as he stood up. "All we can do now is wait."
By then, all of his troops had returned, so he went down the hill for their report. The Apache had scattered and there weren't enough troops to chase them all. Liam decided, now that Lana and Christina had been rescued, to simply let the Apache go.
"Nathan, Lana, I am so glad to find you," Joshua smiled as he finally hugged his daughter. "And who is this lovely young lady?" he asked, trying to lighten the situation.
"Oh, Pa. This is Christina," Nathan introduced her.
"Nice to meet you, Christina," Joshua said.
"You wouldn't have any food, would you?" Christina asked. They all laughed at her request, but the three of them looked hopefully at Joshua.
"Just so happens, I've got a little something." Walking to the saddlebag on his horse, he pulled out some venison jerky and passed it around. "You'll have to chew on it a while, but it's good."
Lana walked over to the fire and put more water in the pot to heat up. When that was done, she put her jerky into the water, making a weak broth.
"For Centas Yi," she explained. "He needs food worse than all of us right now." Waiting until it cooled, she knelt beside him and lifted his head.
"Centas Yi? Can you hear me?" When he slowly opened his eyes, she said, "You need to drink this. It will make you strong." Holding the cup to his mouth, she watched as he took a few sips. He lay his head back down, too exhausted to eat any more.
The sun had set and the temperature cooled off. Lying beside Two Hawks, as she had done for so many nights, Lana put her arm carefully across his back.
"Lana? What are you doing?" Joshua asked, shocked.
"Keeping him warm," she replied. "We've slept this way many times now. So have Nathan and Christina. It's how we stayed alive."
"No. He can have my blanket. You and Christina can keep warm together tonight." Joshua tried not to show his dismay.
Lana shook her head. "He'll need me in the night. I'm going to stay right here."
"She can be as stubborn as Ma when she wants to," Nathan said. "Just leave her be, Pa. It'll be all right."
"Well, at least Christina can have my blanket and you and I will share yours."
"Yes, sir." Nathan said with disappointment. In the middle of this nightmare, sleeping next to her had been the highpoint of his existence.
Lana got up and down all night, bringing Two Hawks more broth, or water, or a cloth to wipe his fevered head. He slept fitfully, but at least he slept.
At daybreak, Liam came up the hill. "How is he doing?" He nodded toward Two Hawks.
"I don't know. He's sleeping, but he has a fever. The wound doesn't look infected, though," Lana informed him.
"Well, that's something," Liam said.
"We'll need to get word to his family somehow. I don't know if they've moved to their winter camp yet or not."
"If you didn't seem them on your way here, then they probably haven't yet," Liam reasoned.
"Can you send someone?" Lana asked.
"Not without starting a small war."
"I should go," Nathan volunteered. "They know me."
"That sounds good," Liam nodded.
"Can we make a travois for him and meet them? It would save time," Lana said.
"I suppose we could do that," Liam agreed. He wanted to get the Kiowa off his hands as soon as he could and get back to the fort.
The soldiers soon had a rough travois constructed from salt cedars found by a creek. The slow, painful journey began, Lana walking beside Two Hawks every step of the way. Nathan had already left to find the Kiowa village.
Chapter 17 - We'll Make Room
By midafternoon on their second day of travel, four riders approach
ed them. One of them was Nathan. The other three were Many Deer, Crying Fox and a Kiowa that none of the Coopers recognized, though he looked like a medicine man.
When the troops stopped, the medicine man, Tall Moon, walked over to the travois and lifted the blanket off Two Hawks. After he inspected the wound's treatment, he nodded once and replaced the blanket. Then he knelt beside Two Hawks and talked to him for a moment. Walking back to the other two Kiowa, he announced that Two Hawks was well enough to continue home.
Many Deer approached his son, touching his shoulder. "It is good to see you again."
"You, too, Father."
"We will wait here for the others. They will be here tomorrow, and then we'll go to our winter camp."
"All right. I want Water Woman to come with me."
Many Deer lifted his head to look at the young woman while he considered this request.
"No!" Nathan interjected, understanding enough Kiowa to object.
"What?" Joshua asked, standing beside his son.
"Centas Yi wants Lana to move to their winter camp with him," Nathan explained.
"Absolutely not!" Joshua added his protest.
"But he needs me," Lana argued.
"Your family needs you. Your mother is beside herself with worry over you. His family will take care of him. Much better than you ever could. They know what do to for him. What do you know about living in a tipi during the winter?"
She sighed heavily, knowing that she didn't have the strength to continue this argument. "All right, Pa. All right," she conceded. Shaking her head at Many Deer, she said a few apologetic words in Kiowa. He nodded, feeling relieved at the decision.
Lana leaned down close to Two Hawks' face. "You go home now," she whispered in Kiowa. "And I go home with them," she pointed to Nathan. "You get better."
He reached for her hand, squeezing it. "Please, don't leave me now."
With tears in her eyes, she shook her head. "I have to. But I'll see you in the spring, won't I?"
"Yes." He smiled reluctantly. She started to stand up, but he stopped her. "Kiss?" he asked in English.
"Of course. Kiss." She leaned forward and kissed him with great tenderness and emotion. "I love you, Two Hawks," she said in Kiowa. "You are my man."
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