“Easy for you to say,” she’d mumbled under her breath. She might be slower than these two, but she’d die before she told them she couldn’t keep up. This was her opportunity to prove to herself that she could do something like this, and not make a fool of herself. Even so, they were, no doubt, moving at a much slower pace than they would have preferred.
Cameron’s anger from the day they left the lake hadn’t seemed to go away completely. He’d been quiet and sulky most of the time, and had only talked to her when it seemed absolutely necessary. Whether that had something to do with Wo’itsa’s presence or not, Riley couldn’t say. At least the Tukudeka hunter talked to her, and Riley had asked him endless questions about life as a Sheepeater.
This was better field research than she could have ever hoped. Too bad she couldn’t use any of it in her final thesis paper, except as speculation. She couldn’t very well cite personal interviews and experiences as her sources. Instead of her degree, she’d get a ticket to the psych ward if she even mentioned the words time travel to anyone when she returned home.
If you return home.
Adrenaline surged through her each time she thought about the prospect of being stuck in this time. Cameron didn't have to say it, but something in his facial expressions and body language told her he had his doubts whether he could find a way to get her home. She'd spent hours while setting one foot in front of the other, wracking her brain as to why she had ended up in this time. Unlike Cameron, no one had come to her, and made her an offer to travel back in time.
The more she’d thought about it, the more convinced she’d become that the artifact Cameron referred to as “the vessel,” had been left in that box for her to find. The old Native American she’d seen had to have been one of the Sky People, but he hadn’t directly talked to her. What could he possibly want from her, that he’d brought her to this time? Annoyance swept through her. Cameron’s anger with the Sky People was justified.
She’d walked for several hours along a narrow depression in the ground that was probably a dried-out creek bed, and the terrain had become rockier. The valley they were in narrowed, the hills on both sides growing taller and steeper. Off to her left, erosion had stripped the rocks of dirt and vegetation, and large boulders hung precariously from the side of the hills.
Riley stared in awe at the cliffs. Her eye caught a peculiar marking in one of the rocks, and she squinted to see better. Her pulse quickened.
"Petroglyphs," she whispered. She shot a hasty glance in the direction Cameron and Wo'itsa had gone. She didn't see either of them in the uneven terrain. She'd just caught a glimpse of Cameron, not more than a minute ago. Indecision gripped her.
Cameron had told her to keep moving in the direction of the woods ahead. Her eyes moved back to the rocks with the stone markings on them. This could be her one shot to see the ancient Sheepeater rock etchings for herself. She laughed. Maybe these were the same petroglyphs she’d wanted Dan Osborne to show her, but he’d refused.
Riley squared her shoulders and adjusted the bison hide she carried. What could be the harm to take a look? Just for a minute. The outcropping wasn't too far out of the way. She hurried over the rocks and dried grasses, keeping her eye on the ground to keep from tripping. The hills were further away than she'd first realized, but as she came closer, she smiled. Carvings into the rocks of strange-looking people, round objects, and animals became clearly visible.
"I wish I had a camera or even just a notebook," she said out loud. She'd have to commit all of this to memory.
When she finally got close enough to make out details of the petroglyphs, she dropped the bison hide and climbed over several large rocks to reach the stone wall. Her eyes traveled over the markings in wonder. She'd seen some petroglyphs before, but they'd been weathered and much of the detail had been lost over the eons. Many of these etchings looked pristine, although there were some that had been affected by erosion, indicating that the artists had been here for hundreds of years before now, or even longer.
Riley stumbled over more rocks as she followed the artwork around a slight bend. After scuffing her knee for the third time, the thought to turn around crossed her mind, but she gritted her teeth and staggered forward.
Some junipers and pines grew among the rocks, and she pushed her way through them to reach more of the exposed areas of the cliff. She’d just reached the large carving of what appeared to be a tall man surrounded by several wolves, or dogs, when twigs snapped loudly in a tree off to her left. Her head whipped around, and she caught movement in one of the trees.
Riley’s mouth went dry, and she swallowed past the lump in her throat. A black, furry thing was attached to the tree trunk with its sharp claws and made its way down to the ground. Her heart pounded in her ears. This was definitely bigger than a skunk, or a squirrel.
“It’s a bear cub,” she whispered, and a rush of dread spread through her limbs. It looked harmless enough, even cute, the way it clung to the tree, but even she knew that a mother bear wouldn’t be far away. The scars on Cameron’s back came to mind. She couldn’t imagine the size of the monster that had given him those marks.
Riley stood, rooted to the spot. She couldn’t move even if she tried. Her legs had gone weak, and her hands visibly trembled. What if she screamed? Would Cameron hear her? A painful lump had formed in her throat, and her heart pounded in her ears.
Turn around, and run!
No sooner had the thought formed in her mind, when a huge, dark shadow crashed through the foliage behind the tree. Riley’s eyes widened, and her heart dropped to her stomach.
Now’s the time to scream.
The large bear raised itself on its hind legs for a moment, then dropped back on all fours and moved toward her. Riley scrambled backward, her skirt catching in some of the shrubs. Her throat burned and had gone completely dry. Had she even screamed? A numb feeling passed over her, as if her subconscious knew that she was about to die. Her limbs wouldn’t move, and she landed on her backside against a rock.
Riley squeezed her eyes shut when the bear raised itself back up on its hind legs. Another shadow passed in front of her, and someone shouted in a loud voice.
Cameron!
Riley opened her eyes. He stood directly in front of her, putting himself between her and the bear. His hands were raised. He held his knife in one hand, and his ax in the other.
“Cameron,” she croaked, when the bear charged him. She ducked, and threw her arm over her head, as if she was about to get run over, but Cameron’s body shielded her. He stood, unmoving, his back muscles taut and his weapons in his hands. There was no way he could fend off an attack from this huge animal.
Just as quickly as the bear charged, it stopped. Only a few yards separated the black monster from Cameron. It snorted again and pawed at the ground. Cameron still hadn't moved. He kept his arms in the air as if he was commanding the bear to stop.
“Get to your feet, Riley. Slowly,” he said in a low tone, keeping his focus on the bear.
Riley blinked, and her eyes widened at his words.
“Do it,” he ordered roughly.
Riley’s arms and legs trembled, but she pushed herself to her feet.
“Now back up the way you came, but don’t run,” Cameron instructed. He sounded much too calm, and his voice was without fear.
Riley nodded, but he had his back to her, so he couldn’t see. Her throat was too dry to speak.
Cameron shifted his weight but continued to stand tall. He took a slow step back, then another, and the bear remained where it was. It continued to snort. When the cub behind it made a noise, the adult turned, and moved away.
He reached for Riley's arm and led her down the slope away from the cliffs with the petroglyphs. He moved slowly, until they’d gone several hundred yards away from the rocky outcropping and the trees. Riley’s legs still trembled, and she wobbled unsteadily on her feet as her limbs flooded with adrenaline. Without Cameron’s hand holding her arm, she would have tripped
and fallen over some of the large rocks on the ground.
The instant he stopped, she fell against him, and her composure faltered. She sobbed against his chest in relief and clung to his shoulders for support. Cameron's arms gently folded around her, drawing her up against him. His strong arms trembled as he held her in a tender embrace, belying his composed outer façade. His touch gave her strength, and slowly drew out the fear that left her shaking against him.
Riley lifted her head. She sniffed, and pulled away slightly, wiping at the tears on her face. “That bear would have killed me, and you. You risked your life for me,” she croaked.
Cameron locked his eyes on her. The fierce look in his gaze softened, and he smiled. His hand came up to push some hair from her face.
“I made a promise to myself that I would keep you safe, and find a way to return you to your time,” he murmured. “How many times have I told you not to scream?” His lips twitched into a grin.
He was obviously trying to lighten the mood about what had almost happened. His eyes betrayed his composed demeanor, and so did the light trembling of his thumbs as he swiped at the tears on her cheeks. Riley tilted her head upward.
To ease her own frazzled nerves, she reminded him, “You told me to scream that first night, when you rescued me from those Blackfoot.”
Cameron’s eyes slowly passed over every inch of her face before he spoke. “But you didn’t do what you were told then, either.”
Riley lowered her gaze. “I really messed up this time, didn’t I?” she whispered. “When I saw those petroglyphs - the rock etchings – I had to go and take a look.”
Cameron clasped her face between his hands and lifted her head to look up at him. He stepped closer, and she inhaled the warm scent of his bare skin. His features turned serious, and he stared down at her. "Next time, tell me before you wander off. I can't protect you if I don't know where you are."
Cameron’s jaw muscles clenched and unclenched. His palms eased away from her when she tried to nod in agreement. She swayed toward him before realizing what she was doing and quickly straightened. Her legs were still weak, and the terrifying encounter replayed in her mind.
“Thank you, Cameron,” she whispered. “For looking out for me.”
A new burst of adrenaline shot through her limbs. Cameron had put his life on the line for her without hesitation. Her gaze drifted over his handsome face. How many guys would have done what he did? She swallowed, and her heart fluttered uncontrollably against her ribs.
“A black bear will usually back away if you stand your ground. A grizzly would have killed you.”
Riley’s eyes widened. “Is that the kind of bear that gave you those scars on your back?”
Cameron nodded wordlessly. His chest heaved, and he glanced off into the distance. Apparently, he didn’t want to talk about the experience, and now wasn’t the time to ask for details. Beyond the canopies of the trees, wisps of smoke rose in thin, gray columns into the air.
“The village is just up ahead.” Cameron pointed in the direction of the smoke, clearly ready to change the subject. “Wo’itsa already went ahead before I realized you weren’t behind us anymore. He will let them know we’re coming.”
His gaze drifted back to her, as if there was something on his mind that he hadn’t told her. Something that had nothing to do with bears. Dogs barked in the distance.
Cameron reached for her hand. Warmth radiated up her arm and through her at the contact, and her throat threatened to cut off her air supply, just as it had done during that bear encounter. This time, however, she wasn’t afraid for her life.
Riley gritted her teeth, then offered a hasty smile to conceal the butterflies raging inside her. She should be more nervous about meeting a group of people she’d only read vague accounts about in books and research papers, or the threat of being eaten by a ferocious wild animal.
All she could focus on, however, was Cameron holding her hand as if he was her boyfriend, taking her to meet his mother for the first time. Being held in Cameron’s arms minutes ago had heightened her awareness of him, even if he’d only done it to console a nearly hysterical female after a life-threatening encounter with a bear.
She blinked, as a new surge of adrenaline made her knees go weak all over again. Information surfaced that had been filed away in her brain somewhere. Cameron was taking her to meet his Sheepeater family, and not simply as a casual acquaintance.
He tugged on her hand when her strides faltered, and shot her a raised-eyebrows look.
“It’s not much further. We’ll rest at the village for a few days before we seek out the Sky People.”
Riley shook her head and glanced from him to the tree line in the distance. He'd guessed wrong why she'd stopped. Yes, she was dead tired, and still recovering from the shock of meeting that bear, but that wasn't the reason. His inquisitive look turned into a frown.
Riley pulled her hand out from his grip and faced him fully. He didn't say a word. He looked at her, waiting for her to speak. Her pulse pounded at her temples. What she needed to ask was awkward, to say the least.
“We . . . ah . . . you and I,” she stammered and swallowed the nervous lump in her throat. She rubbed her fingers against her sweaty palms, then peeled her eyes away from his, and glanced toward where the village stood, then back to him. She raised her chin and squared her shoulders. She might as well just come right out and say it. "The Sheepeaters, they are going to think that you and I are, you know . . . together. The equivalent of being married."
If the ground could swallow her up right now, she’d gladly get sucked under. Or maybe that bear could come and finish her off. She suppressed an ironic laugh. This was probably the closest she’d ever come to calling a guy like Cameron her husband.
The man in question stood still like a statue in front of her, looking at her. If anything, his eyes had darkened and that stare of his penetrated her very soul. Riley laughed nervously.
“Unlike bears, this is something I’ve actually read about. The marriage customs of the Sheepeaters are pretty uncomplicated, and two people can be considered married just by having spent time together, alone,” she clarified.
If he was surprised that she knew about the custom, he didn’t let on. Several excruciating seconds ticked by when Cameron finally stopped looking at her like she’d sprouted two heads. He worked the muscles in his jaw for a moment, and looked rather tense, but then his facial features softened, and a hint of a smile even formed on his lips.
“I’m not claiming you as my wife, Riley. We’re not following the customs of the people here. You’re merely a visitor, until I can find a way to send you back to your time.” His face hardened again for the briefest of seconds.
Adrenaline rushed straight to her stomach. Or was that disappointment at his dismissive words?
Stupid ninny. Your silly infatuation is strictly one-sided.
"Oh, well, then . . . that's a relief." She expelled her breath to calm her nerves and laughed quickly.
Cameron stepped closer to her. Riley’s eyes connected with his, and the breath caught in her throat. He was like a magnet from which she couldn’t break away. Why did he look at her like that, as if he meant to draw her into him?
He raised his hand and swiped at a tendril of her hair that the breeze had blown into her face. His touch was so unexpected, that it left her light-headed all over again. He didn't smile, but his stare held her completely captive.
“Wo’itsa thinks you’re my chosen mate, because I traded my bow for you,” he said in that low tone he’d used that first night.
Riley stood straighter. He'd saved her life that night in the Blackfoot camp, too, and from what she'd pieced together, those warriors could have easily killed him. He'd given up his prized hunting weapon for her. Butterflies danced in her stomach. She mentally shook her head. Okay, his motive that night had been to get his hands on the snakehead, but everything he'd done since that rocky first encounter had been in her best interest. He didn't
have to do anything for her.
“Yes, but we both know what your real reasons were for the trade,” she retorted, failing miserably at trying to sound matter-of-fact. “I hope you set your friend straight about that.”
Cameron abruptly broke eye contact and stepped away. He casually reached for her hand again, a calm and cool presence next to her. None of this seemed to affect him. Pointing in the direction of the forest, he pulled her along beside him. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, and his mouth widened in a grin.
“He’s not convinced, and everyone in the village will expect to see me return with a wife, after Wo’itsa announces that we’re coming. And once they see you, it won’t matter what I tell them. Everyone will think that you were sent to me by the Sky People, and won’t accept anything else.”
Riley stumbled over a rock at his words. She would have fallen on her face if not for Cameron’s sure grip keeping her upright. What was that supposed to mean? She gaped at his words, and her mouth had gone too dry to ask.
* * *
Cameron walked into camp, bringing up the rear of the group of five hunters that had gone out in search of bighorn three days ago. His arrival at the village had caused quite a stir, and everyone seemed glad to see him return. The shaman had smiled and nodded with satisfaction. The family he'd lived with was more than happy to have him back.
“I knew you would return to us and follow your true path, Cameahwait.” The shaman’s eyes had turned to Riley, who’d stood next to him, gripping his hand. “The Sky People were wise to send this woman to you, to guide you in the right direction.”
Cam hadn’t bothered with a reply. Nothing he could have said would have convinced the Tukudeka that Riley wasn’t here for his sake. He hadn’t specifically said that she was his wife to anyone in the clan, but everyone assumed as much.
Wo’itsa had offered to help erect a wicciup for him and Riley, rather than having them share someone else’s dwelling. Sleeping in their own hut on opposite sides of the fire was far better than having to share a pallet with her under the observing eyes of the family he’d lived with before he left.
Yellowstone Origins: Yellowstone Romance Series, Book 6 Page 12
