Westward Moon

by Linda Bridey

  Dean said, “That’s not a good idea. They probably have all the other trails blocked off.”

  “There’s one way there that I’ll bet they haven’t thought about. Mike showed it to me. You know the stream that winds down through the south pasture?”

  Dean nodded.

  “Well, it’s frozen over and you can walk on it. It’ll take you straight into the camp. That’s the route I’ll take,” Marcus said.

  Seth shook his head. “Why doesn’t he tell us this stuff?”

  Marcus said, “I don’t know. I’m going to get going before night fall. I’ll come back in the morning and let you know how Jack is and what’s happening. Hopefully you won’t have to be on alert like this much longer.”

  As he left, Seth said, “God speed, little brother.”

  Marcus smiled. “I’m going to be forty and you’re still calling me ‘little brother’. It makes me feel younger than I am. That’s a good thing. Ok, off I go.”

  As he sprinted away, Seth said, “Look at him go. Gonna be forty and can still run like that.”

  Maddie laughed. “He keeps in shape, that’s for sure.”

  Dean sat down at the kitchen table and said, “I’m too old for this crap.”

  Marcus smiled as he ran on the stream. There were places where the ice was like glass and it was perfect for sliding. He saw some slide marks and surmised that they’d been made by Mike. Let it up to his nephew to find tricky ways in and out of the camp. Marcus was grateful that he had. Marcus let his inner child loose and did some sliding of his own. He tried to outdistance the marks made by Mike.

  Though he played, Marcus kept alert for trouble. Roscoe ran alongside the stream, his tongue lolling from his mouth as he watched Marcus. It looked like the dog was smiling and he may well have been. Marcus could now see the camp through the trees and ran a little faster. He jumped from the stream bed to the bank and ran into the camp.

  Getting his bearings, Marcus made his way to Black Fox’s tipi. He scratched on the flap and Wind Spirit told him to enter.

  “Hi there,” he said with a smile.

  Wind Spirit’s eyes were wide as she looked at him. “How did you get to the camp?” she asked.

  Marcus said, “I followed the stream down from the ranch. It was easy and I don’t think our enemy knows about it. Where’s Jack?”

  “In your tipi,” Wind Spirit said. “Your nephew has been playing doctor.”

  “Jack?” Marcus said.

  “No. Mike. Go see for yourself,” Wind Spirit said.

  Marcus kissed her cheek and said, “Ok. I’m glad he’s safe. They’re wondering about him up at the ranch.”

  Wind Spirit nodded. “I’m sure they are.”

  Marcus smiled and exited the tipi. He jogged to his and went in. Jack lay on a sleeping pallet. He was propped up on a bunch of blankets and covered by more. He looked like he was out of it. Sparrow was curled up against him and seemed to be dozing.

  Mike smiled at him and got up to give his uncle a hug.

  “I’m so glad you’re ok,” Marcus whispered.

  Mike nodded. “I followed the stream. I guess you did, too.”

  “Yeah. So tell me about Jack,” Marcus said. He was curious as to what the boy had been doing.

  Mike smiled and said, “Well, the arrow they shot him with went through and was sticking out on both sides. Jack had broken off either side. It had to come out. I mixed up a sleeping potion and made him drink it. I also mixed up a eucalyptus poultice. Reckless held his leg for me while I extracted the arrow from his calf. There were no major blood vessels involved. I don’t think the arrow hit the bone, so that’s good. I put the poultice on it and wrapped it up good. I’m glad you’re here. I was just about to change it again.”

  Marcus just stared at his nephew. He was utterly speechless, which was rare for him.

  Mike said, “Oh, and I gave him some laudanum, too.”

  Marcus became alarmed. “Mike, you have to be careful with that.”

  “I know. I mixed it exactly like the directions said. No more, no less. That’s what you’ve always said about mixing things like that,” Mike said.

  Marcus smiled. “So you have been paying attention to me. Ok, let’s take a look at this leg.” He hoped that the boy had done right. The thought of permanent damage being done to Jack’s leg was not a pleasant one.

  Marcus knelt and folded back the blankets from Jack’s leg. Sparrow stirred and opened her eyes. He smiled at her and she smiled back. Marcus examined the bandaging job Mike had done. It was excellent. He could not have done a better job. As Marcus began to unwrap it, Jack woke up.

  “Uncle Marcus? How’d you get here?” Jack said. “Please don’t tell me that you came down one of the trails.”

  Marcus saw that his eyes were glazed over from the laudanum, which was normal. “No. The frozen stream goes straight up to the ranch. Everyone there is fine, by the way.”

  Jack was relieved by Marcus’ information. “Good. I need to get up on my feet and test this thing out.”

  “No, sir, you don’t,” Marcus said. “At least not tonight.”

  He’d taken the dressing off the leg and began to look it over. So far there was no sign of infection and the poultice had been applied correctly. It looked like Mike had done a good job of cleaning it first. A little blood oozed from the wounds, but nothing alarming.

  Marcus looked at Mike and grinned. “We’ll make a doctor out of you yet.”

  Mike smiled back and said, “Nah. I want to be an inventor.”

  Marcus made a sarcastic noise. “No, you don’t. We could always use another doctor and by the looks of it, you have what it takes. I didn’t do this kind of stuff until I was three or four years older than you. You’ve done an excellent job here. Go ahead and change it. He’s your patient.”

  Mike’s beautiful smile settled on his face. “Ok. Thanks.”

  Jack watched in wonderment as Mike took care of his leg as if he’d been doing it for years. Marcus took note of everything Mike did and saw that his nephew followed the exact same procedure he always used when changing the dressing on a wound. Marcus hadn’t known that the boy had been soaking up knowledge like that.

  Mike finished up and asked Jack, “Do you want some more laudanum?”

  “Is it ok?” Jack asked Marcus who nodded.

  They watched as Mike closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them. He mixed up

  the medicine and Sparrow gave it to Jack.

  “I found the braves you killed,” Marcus said. “Nice work.”

  Jack smiled. “Thanks. Sparrow got one, too. We make a good team,” Jack said as he held Sparrow’s hand.

  She ran her fingers through his hair and said, “Yes, we do.”

  Marcus smiled. It was nice to see the both of them happy even if Jack was injured.

  “Well, I’m leaving you in good hands,” Marcus told them as he patted Mike on the back. “I’m going to let everyone at the ranch know you’re all ok. Then I’m gonna get to town and let Mitch know what’s going on. I’ll be back in the morning to check on you. Mike, you know how to get to me if you need me.”

  Mike nodded. He was very proud that his uncle was entrusting Jack’s care to him. “I’ll take good care of him.”

  “I know you will,” Marcus said. “Get some rest, Jack. That’s the best thing for you right now.”

  Jack nodded. “Ok. Thanks.”

  Marcus left then and went back the way he’d come.

  Raven came to their tipi and motioned for Mike to follow him. The two boys went to join some others to play some games. Jack was sleepy from the laudanum but fought it so he could talk to Sparrow.

  “Did you talk to Black Fox?” he asked her.

  “Yes. He has granted me asylum. I was so scared that he would kick me out or make me go back with them. I know that all of this trouble is because of me. You got hurt because of me,” Sparrow said. There was a hitch in her voice as she spoke that was caused by suppressed tears.


  Jack pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. “Hey, it’s ok. Obviously he understood what kind of situation you were in and why you came here. My uncle is one of the most reasonable people I know, not to mention kind. They can take care of themselves, Sparrow. It’ll be ok.”

  Sparrow nodded against his shoulder. His words helped reassure her a little, but she knew that she was going to carry guilt with her for a long while. “I love you so much and if you had been killed I would have killed myself to be with you.”

  “Sparrow!” Jack said sharply. “Don’t say that! I’m all right. This will heal and I’ll be good as new. C’mon, honey. Don’t worry so much.” Jack stroked her hair as she cried.

  Sparrow became angry at herself for her weakness. She sat up and wiped her tears away. I have to be strong and not cry all the time. Jack is right; I have to deal with what is, not what could have been. Her composure restored, she looked at Jack who was watching her with concern.

  “I’m all right now. It just hits me now and then that’s all,” she said with a smile.

  “I understand, honey. I wish I had been just a few seconds faster and then I wouldn’t have been shot.” Jack began shifting so he could turn on his side. He sucked in a breath as he moved his leg. Fire shot through his calf but he kept moving until he was where he wanted to be.

  Sparrow went with him and cuddled close to him and they laid their heads on a couple of the folded up blankets. It was getting dark outside, but they could see each other as the light from the fire flickered over their faces. Jack put a hand against her cheek and smiled.

  “I could look at you for eternity and never get tired of your beautiful face,” he said.

  Sparrow flashed her smile at him and said, “Stop with the flattery. You’ll make me blush.”

  “You look very pretty when you blush,” Jack said. “You look very pretty no matter what.”

  Sparrow laughed and kissed his palm. “Thank you. Now what do I have to do to get you to be quiet?”

  Jack arched an eyebrow at her. “That wasn’t very nice.”

  “Maybe not, but you wouldn’t hush—‘”

  Jack’s lips on hers silenced Sparrow. She giggled against his mouth and she felt his lips smile. He broke the kiss and said, “That’s what you have to do to get me to shut up.”

  Sparrow smiled and kissed him again and Jack responded to her. Her lips tasted sweet and Jack briefly wondered what she’d been eating. His ribs protested slightly as he put his arm around her more tightly. He discovered that she’d changed into a Lakota shirt and leggings. In his laudanum induced haze, he hadn’t registered it until that moment.

  Sparrow felt his hand slip underneath her shirt and glide over her skin. She broke out in gooseflesh and quietly moaned against his mouth. Suddenly it was if they were picking up where they’d left off earlier in the day and there was a furious intensity to their embrace. Sparrow wondered if maybe their close brush with death that day fueled their desire, but she didn’t much care at the moment.

  All that mattered was that she was kissing the man who had captured her heart and soul all those years ago and she wanted him. Jack knew things were getting too heated but for once that iron will of his slipped and he knew that if Sparrow was willing, so was he. Then Sparrow remembered that anyone could come walking into the tipi at any time.

  Somehow she broke their kiss and said, “Jack, break time.”

  “No!” he said and buried his face in her shoulder.

  “Shh! Just let me put out the cross sticks,” she said with a laugh.

  Jack picked his head back up and looked her in the eyes. “Really?”

  She nodded and he smiled.

  Mike and Raven came into the tipi laughing at something.

  “Get out!” Jack shouted at them.

  The boys were taken aback and the expressions on their faces made Jack laugh. His laughter grew and he couldn’t stop. The other three laughed simply because he did.

  Mike said, “It’s the laudanum. It makes some people pretty loopy. Like they’re drunk.”

  Jack tried to talk but he was laughing too hard. He sat up, reached down, and tapped his injured calf. The pain it caused stopped his laughter. Jack fell back on the sleeping pallet, panting from the exertion.

  “Oh, good Lord,” he said and moaned. “How long do I gotta take that, Mikey? Mike. Sorry.”

  “Probably only a couple of days until the pain isn't as severe. It’s best not to stay on it too long,” Mike said as he sat down.

  Sparrow was now glad that the boys had interrupted her and Jack because she hadn’t realized that Jack’s easy acquiescence to more intimacy was most likely due to the effects of the drug. She wanted him to be fully in control when that time came, not drugged up. She got up and went outside to check on the large pot of stew she’d made with supplies given to her by Jack’s Aunt Squirrel.

  It would be ready soon. She decided to take a little walk around until it was ready. It was fully dark now and the moon was starting to rise. While she loved the moon, it’s light would not be welcomed by the men who were going on their scouting trip. With the snow on the ground and the moonlight from above, it would not be truly dark and movement would be much more detectable than if there was no moon.

  He Who Runs appeared by her side. “How is Jack?”

  She smiled. “Fine. The laudanum has made him silly. He is in pain, but not as much as he might be without it.”

  He Who Runs had seen people who’d been on laudanum have that reaction to the drug. His brother Owl certainly had when he’d been hurt. Sometimes the simplest things had sent him on laughing jags.

  “A little laughter won’t hurt him,” He Who Runs said. “We’ll be leaving to go scouting. Make sure you keep Raven and Mike here. We don’t need them trying to follow us. Raven could come, but Mike is a different story.”

  “I agree,” Sparrow said.

  He Who Runs frowned. “It’s a problem when he won’t follow orders like the others. When we’re doing these kinds of things, you have to follow orders or you could be killed. Even Reckless knows that. I love Mike, but this is too important.”

  Sparrow nodded. “I understand.”

  “Good. Thank you,” He Who Runs said and veered off to the left away from her.

  Sparrow went back to the tipi and called to Mike and Raven to bring out some bowls. They did and she filled them. She took one in to Jack who took it with a smile.

  “Thanks. Smells great,” Jack said.

  “You’re welcome,” Sparrow said.

  Jack took a bite and was barely able to swallow it. He had no appetite all of a sudden. As the food hit his stomach, nausea started and Jack handed the stew back to Sparrow.

  “What’s the matter with it?” Sparrow asked.

  Mike said, “Nothing. It’s delicious. It’s the laudanum. It can also cause gastrointestinal discomfort.”

  “English, Mike,” Jack said.

  “It can make you sick to your stomach,” the boy said.

  “Now I know why Uncle Owl hated taking it,” Jack said. He lay down and was soon asleep again.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Marcus sat with Sheriff Mitch Taylor and his wife Sammi at their kitchen table. He’d informed them of the recent events surrounding Sparrow’s rescue and the attack on her and Jack.

  Sammi said, “I say we go out there and shoot every last one of them. Not our tribe, but theirs, I mean. Just thought I’d better clarify that.”

  Marcus chuckled. “I agree with you, but the problem is that you guys don’t know who’s who. We do.”

  Sammi shook her head. “I know who’s who. The ones shooting at me are the ones that need to die. If they don’t come at me, I know they’re ours.”

  Mitch laughed at his wife’s simplistic logic about it. “That’s why I love you. You make it sound so simple, but it really isn’t.”

  Marcus said, “No, it isn’t. They’d try to trick you by telling you they’re from our tribe. Remember, many of them were
part of our tribe until four years ago when they left. Some of them know English and they know you and Mitch. No, you guys better just watch the town and leave the other stuff to us.”

  Mitch nodded. “Ok. I’m sure Jack’s thrilled to have Sparrow back.”

  Marcus said, “Yeah, he is. It’s nice to see them happy. It’s been a long time coming. Well, I’m gonna go tell Owl and then go home. You guys have a good night.”

  Marcus was getting ready to head out to the camp when Joe Dwyer caught him at their apartment. Marcus answered the door and Joe walked right in.

  “Come on in, Joe,” Marcus said sarcastically.

  “Thanks. Mitch told me about what’s goin’ on with our tribe. I want to go talk to Black Fox. As I understand it, you know a safe way in and out. Take me with you and show me. It might come in handy sometime,” Joe said.

  Marcus said, “Joe, it’s not completely safe. There’s a chance that by now, the others know about the stream and will be lying in wait.”

  “Well, then, you shouldn’t go by yourself anyway. We don’t need one of our docs getting’ shot up,” Joe said and gave Marcus a winning smile.

  It didn’t work on Marcus most of the time which irritated Joe no end. “And we don’t need our mayor getting shot up, either,” Marcus pointed out.

  “I’ll just follow you then,” Joe said.

  “Joe, don’t make me hogtie you,” Marcus said. “Because I will. Just tell me what you want Black Fox to know. I’m serious, Joe. Dawson needs you and if you’re not here, that means George Levine is in charge.”

  That got Joe’s attention. He and George hated each other and were constantly arguing. Joe would sooner die than have the town turned over to George. Joe let out a sigh and said, “All right. I just wanted to meet with him leader to leader, you know, but tell him that if we can be of help, just let us know.”

  Marcus put a hand on Joe’s shoulder. “I’ll tell him. Thanks, Joe. You’re a good man. Now get out of here so I can leave.”

  Jack was standing up on his good leg when Marcus entered his tipi.

  “What are you doing?” Marcus said angrily. “You’re not supposed to be on that yet.”