The Comanche Girl's Prayer, Texas Women of Spirit Book 2

by Angela Castillo

  Uncle Isak dismounted and joined Soonie. “You’ll have to both ride Stone Brother,” he said. “If you’re the girl who helped Soonie and Molly earlier, you know the danger we’re in.”

  “I don’t care.” Darla stuck out her chin and rose to shaky feet. “And I have my own horse.” She disappeared behind a clump of trees and came back, leading a skinny, but capable-looking beast. “I didn’t steal him,” she answered their questioning looks. “Won him in a poker game awhile back.”

  “I should look at that cut,” Molly reached out to touch it.

  Darla turned her head away. “It’s fine, I’ve had worse.” She climbed on her horse and clucked to him. “Come on, Jimmy.”

  The group set off again, making good time in the cool night.

  They’d only journeyed for half an hour when they saw the glow of firelight from the side of the road.

  Uncle Isak raised his hand. “I was afraid of this. With no boarding house in the town, Hal and his men would have to camp in the outskirts. I hoped they’d still be at the saloon.”

  “No, they left before I snuck out,” said Darla. “Hal said they wanted to make an early start tomorrow.”

  “Maybe it’s not them,” said Molly. “It could be anyone, really.”

  “I need to be sure,” said Uncle Isak. “The road here is wide and clear, we can travel through this pass just fine in the moonlight. But going around, through the woods, in the dark would be foolish. This land is full of cougars, maybe even a bear or two.” He slid off his horse. “You girls stay here behind these rocks. I remember Hal and his men from that time in the canyon well enough, I’m going to find out if they’re here.”

  “Be careful,” Soonie said to his retreating form.

  The moonlight spilled out over the wide, open road. “If we crossed here, we could be seen for quite a ways,” Molly whispered.

  Darla shrugged and patted her horse’s scraggly mane. “Bet Jimmy could outrun any of those fellows.”

  Uncle Isak returned swiftly, his eyes dark with worry. “It’s Hal all right, and he’s gathered some friends. Eight men, two keeping watch. We’ll have to take another path.”

  “Or we could create a diversion.” Molly’s voice was cold.

  “I thought of that, but . . . ” Uncle Isak’s eyes shifted to Soonie and Darla.

  Most of her life, Soonie had been seen as the strong one, the most practical, the bravest. In school, the teachers had always asked her to remove bugs and critters that wandered into the room. Friends came to her for advice and help. I feel like a five-year-old child. She held out her hands. “What can I do?”

  “You and Darla hold the horses.” Isak scanned the road. “Molly and I will return as quickly as possible.”

  “Give me a moment.” Molly went behind a rock. Skirts rustled. In a moment, she stepped out in her petticoats, barefooted. Her borrowed dress was bunched in her hands. “I can’t run in those clothes.”

  “Are you sure you should do this?” Soonie asked Uncle Isak. “Is it worth the risk?”

  “I know Hal pretty well,” Darla broke in. “The man is a brute and if he already has a bone to pick with you, he won’t need another reason to cause you some hurt. And a man died in these woods last week. They found him black and swollen from a rattlesnake bite.”

  Molly squeezed Soonie’s hand. “Pray for us.” She and Uncle Isak slipped off into the night.

  Soonie looked over at Darla. The girl still hadn’t cleaned the dried blood from her nose, and the red mark was turning purple. She was biting her lip, and her eyes were wide.

  “Don’t worry.” Soonie tried to sound brave. “Isak and Molly will come up with a way to get us through this. And I know you’ll be welcome at the settlement for as long as you need to stay. We don’t have much, but there’s food and shelter, at least.”

  Her own heart pounded in her chest, despite her words. She stared out through a crack in the rocks, towards the fires. Her fingers found her knife’s hilt and she gripped it until the tips were sore.

  Seek me, came the voice in her heart. Seek me first.

  Of course. Soonie sagged against the rock and clasped her hands together. “God, please, please direct Uncle Isak and Molly’s path. They don’t want to harm anyone. We just need to get home safely. Please.”

  Darla’s eyes were closed and her head was bowed as well.

  Soonie remembered the young man. She shook her head. “Please don’t let anyone get hurt, including the horses.”

  Rising to her feet, Soonie strained to hear any noise, any clue of what was going on. From this distance, she would only be able to hear the loudest shouts.

  She pictured the two dark shapes, creeping across the rocks silent as death.

  The two guards wouldn’t be expecting a disturbance. They’d most likely be drinking or blinding themselves by staring into the fire.

  Molly might be hiding in the bushes to keep watch, while Uncle Isak would probably slip down the line of trees to slice the horses’ tethers . . .

  A thunder of hooves split the night wide open. Shouts and curses joined the sounds, moving in the opposite direction of the road.

  Darla stood, frozen with one hand over her mouth. Soonie pushed her towards her horse.

  “I can’t, I can’t ride out there in the open, I’ll be shot!” Darla wailed.

  Soonie all but picked the girl up and threw her on the beast. She yanked the other horses’ reins from the tree trunk where they had been tied. “Here.” She shoved them at Darla. Then she climbed on Stone Brother and took the reins back from the frightened girl. This whole operation took less than a minute, but she felt as though she were wading through molasses.

  As Soonie led the horses forward, two gliding forms appeared on the road. She dug her heels into Stone Brother’s side and he sped up.

  When she passed Molly and Isak, she slowed so they could grab the reins from her hand. In an instant, all four horses were galloping down the road.

  A loud crack came from behind them, and something whistled past Soonie’s head. Darla screamed.

  Someone is shooting. They are shooting at us. We could die tonight.

  “Run, run,” she hissed, laying low against Stone Brother’s neck. She pressed her knees tighter and he responded with a burst of speed. After that, the world became a swirl of darkness and moon spots and unending jolts from the rise and fall of hooves beneath her. Her own breath burned the air around her, singeing her skin.

  At long last, the horses slowed. Uncle Isak turned back to them and let out a whoop.

  The hairs on Soonie’s neck stood on end. He really is as wild as Lone Warrior.

  Uncle Isak grinned widely. “It’s good to feel dangerous again. Just for once.”

  An answering whoop came from the trees, and the girls looked around.

  Darla’s hair had tumbled around her shoulders, and she clutched the reins like the horse was the only thing keeping her from certain death. “That was as scary as a graveyard on All Hallows Eve,” she breathed.

  Molly nodded.

  Cactus Pear stepped from beneath the trees, with Lone Warrior on her back. The horses whinnied greetings to each other.

  “Hello,” said Lone Warrior.

  Soonie placed a hand over her heart, then glared at the betraying fingers and pretended like she was dusting off her blouse.

  Lone Warrior studied Soonie. “You aren’t injured? Molly? Who is this other white girl?”

  “I’m fine,” said Molly. “But someone shot at us.”

  “Name’s Darla, sugar plum.” Darla held out a lace-gloved hand, but Lone Warrior ignored it and turned towards Uncle Isak.

  “I thought something must be wrong since you were riding so fast. You weren’t pursued?”

  Uncle Isak shrugged. “They had no horses.”

  Lone Warrior stared down the path behind them. “Storm’s coming to wipe out tracks, and I doubt they’ll find their beasts if it thunders much.”

  As if to confirm his statement, clouds
began to creep over the moon. The breeze that had been gentle grew stronger.

  A warm glow spread through Soonie during this conversation, and her thoughts scrambled over one another in such confusion she couldn’t even think of what to say. They were safe, and she hadn’t realized how badly she missed Lone Warrior until now, when she saw him and her heart threatened to jump right out and run up to his horse on its own.

  Lone Warrior turned to her again. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

  “I’m in one piece. See?” she held out her arms.

  His fingers twitched, and she thought he might reach out to touch her, but he didn’t.

  “Why are you here, Lone Warrior?” asked Uncle Isak. “Why are you not in disguise?”

  “I had no time. Timothy . . .” Lone Warrior swallowed, and his eyes hardened in the moonlight. “Timothy has been hurt.”

  17 Timothy

  “We want to hear what happened,” said Uncle Isak. “But let's continue to move. We need to get back before the storm hits.” His horse stepped back out on the road, and the girls and Lone Warrior urged their mounts to follow.

  “Thomas, Gray Fox and I were at the Peyote lodge to rest after a long day of hunting.” Lone Warrior’s shoulders slumped. “The cactus buttons help to strengthen our sleep.

  “Timothy and his friends went into the lodge and ate some of the Peyote. The tipi caught on fire.” Lone Warrior stared down at the reins. “The other two boys escaped. Timothy was the closest to the flames. Ah!” He brought a hand to his eyes. “The burns are so bad.”

  He turned in the saddle towards Soonie. “You were right. Peyote is not a gift from the Creator.” His voice broke and he looked away.

  Soonie longed to reach out and touch his shoulder, to comfort him in some way. But she held back. “Will Timothy be all right?”

  “Grandmother Eagle has done everything in her power, but my brother is in great pain," Lone Warrior answered. "Molly, I came to find you and see if I could catch the doctor woman before she went back to Fort Sill. But I see you had to leave sooner than planned.”

  “Yes, Hal ended up in the same town and we had to get away,” said Molly. “Doctor Early is already heading back to the reservation.”

  “And you can’t go back through that town. Hal will recognize you for sure,” said Uncle Isak.

  "Ah." Lone Warrior hunched over on his horse and rapped on his chest with a fist.

  “Doctor Early gave me some medicines for the settlement,” said Molly. “There’s a salve she said would be good for burns. We can try that when we get there.”

  “How long ‘till we get to the place?” Darla asked.

  “A few more hours,” said Uncle Isak. “We’ve ridden the horses harder than I like to, but under the circumstances we had no choice. These animals have lived on the plains all their lives. And I must say your beast is holding his own.”

  “Yeah, Jimmie ain’t too shabby.” Darla patted the scrawny neck.

  “For now, we could pray,” said Soonie.

  Uncle Isak prayed as they rode, then Molly.

  To Soonie's shock, Lone Warrior bowed his head and prayed. “Lord God of the heavens and world, please . . .” His voice broke and he swallowed. “Please heal my brother. You have created all things. Your son, Jesus, healed everyone who asked. Please heal Timothy now. And forgive me for my foolishness.”

  Wonder filled Soonie’s heart and she could scarcely think to stammer out her own prayer.

  Only Darla remained silent.

  They continued to ride, while lightning painted the sky behind them in brilliant streaks. The air grew heavy with the scent of rain, but they managed to keep in front of it.

  Hours later, as the moon broke through drifting clouds; the settlement’s familiar hill loomed before them.

  When they’d reached the corral, Uncle Isak gestured for the girls to go on to the houses. “I’ll care for the horses. They’ve earned extra oats this night. Lone Warrior, you and Molly see about Timothy.”

  Brave Storm stood outside his tipi. His face was almost covered by his robe and his arms were folded tightly around him. He looked up as Soonie, Molly, Darla and Lone Warrior approached.

  “He is better,” he said.

  The four of them, even Darla, who had never met Timothy, breathed a collective sigh of relief.

  Grandmother Eagle emerged from the tipi’s opening. The first smile Soonie had ever seen her give spread across the wizened face when she saw them. “Molly.” She grasped her granddaughter’s hands and leaned forward until their foreheads touched.

  “It’s good to see you, too, Grandmother.” Molly squeezed the leathered hands then stepped back. “But Timothy . . . ”

  The old woman’s smile grew brighter. “I thought he would surely pass before the first rays of dawn. That would be very bad, for no one can find the happy hunting grounds in the dark. But a short while ago his fever broke, and he fell asleep. He is still resting now.”

  “This is good to hear,” Molly said. “I’ll go check on him.” She went inside the tipi. Lone Warrior and Brave Storm followed her.

  Darla tapped Soonie on the shoulder. “I feel so out of place,” she whispered. “I never thought I’d be in a real injun camp. But they all seem nice.”

  “We are nice.” Soonie laughed. “We’ll go up to the shanty as soon as Molly checks on Timothy. For one thing, we’ll have to find you some clothes.”

  Darla gasped and pulled her mantilla closer. “I forgot, I’m wearing my saloon clothes. Land sakes! These people must think I’m a sight!”

  Soonie glanced around at the other homes. “At least it’s still dark, and many people aren’t out yet,” she said. “But what are you going to do? You are welcome to stay here as long as you like, I’m sure, but . . .”

  “No, honey, I’d stick out here like a June bug in a church. But I don’t want to work in a saloon again.” Darla’s forehead wrinkled. “I’d like to try to find a job as cook somewhere. I’m a pretty good in the kitchen and it would be nice to do something respectable.”

  “Perhaps you can travel with Brother Jenkins to Dallas next time he comes through here. I’m sure there would be plenty of places for you to work in a big city like that.”

  “Maybe,” Darla replied.

  Molly came out of the tent. “The burns aren’t so terrible. I think Timothy must have been in shock from the pain. Pain is not always bad with burns; it can mean they are mostly on the surface. From what I have studied, they’re not as likely to become septic. Let's go home. I have more herbs and supplies there I might be able to use.”

  Soonie staggered behind her up the path to the little hut. “I could sleep all day,” she moaned. “I can’t wait to get out of these shoes and into my real clothes.”

  Molly stopped short. “Oh my goodness. I completely forgot I was only wearing my petticoats.” Two bright spots appeared on her dark cheeks.

  “Sugar, you and I are two peas in a pod,” said Darla.

  “Oh well. We’re safe, and that’s what matters,” said Soonie.

  Once in the house, Soonie hurried to the washtub behind the hanging cloth. She peeled off the soiled, stained dress and scrubbed layers of dirt from her skin.

  What was happening with Lone Warrior? His mumbled prayer had been sincere, and had been directed to the God of the Universe that she also prayed to, and not some mythical entity. Is God truly working a change in his heart? Or is it just something I’m imagining because I want it to happen so badly?

  ###

  Soft chanting met Soonie's ears as she approached Brave Storm's tipi. The Kiowan man was sitting outside, with his eyes closed and hands raised toward the setting sun.

  She waited a long time, until he finally stopped and opened his eyes.

  “Brave Storm, may I go in?” she asked.

  He grunted his permission, closed his eyes, and continued his prayer.

  Soonie slipped through the flap. The usual acrid smell of the tipi had been replaced by the much more ple
asing aroma of the chamomile salve Molly had used to hasten the healing process.

  Lone Warrior sat cross-legged on one side of the tent, with a worn book opened in his lap.

  “Is he asleep?” Soonie nodded to the bed.

  “Yes, but he has been that way for a while. He will be hungry, so his belly might wake him soon.”

  Soonie crept to Lone Warrior’s side and peeked at the book.

  “Why . . . you’re reading Matthew,” she gasped. The browned pages bore scrawled notes and many verses were underlined.

  The spectacles Lone Warrior was wearing somehow fit with the beaded vest and bone jewelry. He wasn't wearing his porcupine cap.

  “Yes. It’s my favorite of the gospels. It has been a few years since I’ve read this book.” He smiled wryly. “I somehow got the idea that eating cactus would help me talk to God more effectively.”

  “How long have you studied the Bible?” Soonie asked.

  He closed the book and rubbed his chin. “I became a believer when I was ten years old. But after a time, I moved away from the scriptures. I thought I’d found a better road. But it’s like you said. ‘Narrow is the way to righteousness, but wide is the path to destruction.’”

  He rested his chin on his hand. “Have I told you that you’re pretty? For a white girl, I mean.”

  “No, you haven’t.” Soonie played with the beads she’d woven into her hair.

  “Well, you are. I’ve been thinking about many things, Soo-nie, ever since Timothy was hurt. Many choices I’ve made were based on anger and hate. I’ve come from a smoke-filled cave, into a new morning.”

  Soonie kept silent.

  “I’ve had some talks with God. Without help from Peyote,” he added. “I’ve asked Him to take away the darkness within me. His book,” he tapped the Bible, “calls us to love one another, despite our different tribes and tongues.” He covered his face with hands crisscrossed with scars. “I want Him to show me how to love people again.”

  “He’s already begun the work, I can tell,” Soonie said, lacing her fingers together to keep from reaching out to him.