by Rita Hestand
"Yes…I think so. But he'll need help. So…let's see what's outside." Chase opened the door and immediately realized the horses were gone. He wasn't surprised, but disappointment lingered, and he began tracking them.
The Captain followed, although he was slower from his head wound.
"Over here," called Chase after he found Jesse.
The Captain ran towards his voice, "You fo…"
"The Tyler boy…The oldest one, Jesse."
But Chase was busy finding more bodies and none alive. Anger festered inside him as if a sore suddenly burst open. Hawks was a killer and that meant Katherine was in grave danger.
"Looks like Hawks got all but one. And the girl…" Chase came back.
"We'll bury them…," the Captain was saying.
"Ain't got time to bury no one, Captain. Much as I would like to see her brother taken care of." Chase shook his head. "We can bring the bodies inside, but we gotta move. The Indians will be back here, to make sure no one is alive. After they bury their dead. Hawks killed those boys. I pulled this bullet out of the one they called Rufus, and it came from a pistol, not a rifle. It wasn't the Indians that done this." He handed the bullet to the Captain, the blood still fresh on his fingers.
The Captain examined it carefully. "Alright, so Hawks is responsible for their deaths. I'll take that into account. He'll be arrested, rest assured."
"Arrested, it's Hawks that needs to hang, Captain. For what he done here. And left more than likely to blame the Indians for it. Hawks is after something, something he hasn't found yet. He won't rest until he finds it. Killin' isn't a problem for him either. We have to catch him before he hurts the girl."
"So he's got the girl and maybe the kid brother?" the Captain seemed impatient.
"You can bet on the girl, don't know about the Tyler kid…" Chase's eyes glittered dangerously at the man in front of him. "But as close a family as they seemed you can bet the kid is after Hawks too. Now I know you got dibs on hangin' us, but that girl is innocent. If you can listen, I can explain it to you real easy like. She killed the soldier to protect herself. The one she killed, already killed Mr. Bowlins the stage driver. The soldiers wanted her, Captain, and I think you know what that means. So when they gunned Bowlins down like a dog, and started to attack her I killed the other one, to protect her. That's a fact. She's an innocent in this, Captain. She was afraid, that's why she hid the bodies. She was afraid you'd think what you are thinking right now."
"An innocent doesn't bury someone then dig them up and make it look differently." The Captain reflected. "You're wasting your breath on me. But I do want to find her. Bring her to justice. As I will this Hawks fella, too."
"Justice, is that what you call it? Well, if we survive this trip, you might have the pleasure, but I gotta tell you now, I aim to stop you. No matter what it takes. I was there Captain, I know what happened. But for now, get some rest. 'Cause we got a long walk," Chase informed him.
"What do you mean?" The Captain glanced at him again with a frown.
"I mean, I got to make a travois to pull Lee with," Chase explained. "And then we gotta haul ourselves out of here before the Indians come back."
"Pull him, we can't pull him, we'll do good to get ourselves back to civilization." The Captain huffed.
"I will pull him. I will not leave him here to die," Chase announced and began gathering wood and stripping pieces of his own clothes to tie it.
"You ignorant fool, you can't possibly save him. We can send someone out after him."
"I will save him, Captain," Chase replied and continued his search for what he needed. "So rest. Captain, we start out of here at dark."
"On foot?" the Captain sounded almost strangled.
"Don't see any available horses, Captain. Yes, on foot." Chase ignored the way the Captain was following him about and sent him an unfriendly smirk.
"We can't make it to the fort." The Captain complained, "Not on foot."
Chase stared, "The army does foot marchin' don't they? Well, that's what this is. A long foot march. But we ain't goin' to the fort. We're going to the station," Chase said.
"What for?"
"Captain," Chase stopped his working and looked at the man, noting his finely cut blonde hair, and his well trimmed mustache. "That's where Hawks is."
"How do you know?"
"I know…" Chase would never tell the Captain he had a dream with Katherine near the station. He could not dare tell him he had made passionate love to the woman. But that is how he knew and he could only point them into that direction. All the facts sounded pretty weak when he thought of it.
"You realize you are going to hang, if we manage to get back to the fort in one piece," the Captain insisted
"Don't keep reminding me Captain, I might be forced to shoot you right now. But again, that thought ought to give you supreme pleasure, Captain." Chase laughed. "It should keep you going."
"You won't be laughing when we get back," The Captain assured him.
"No," Chase looked him square in the eye. "I don't suppose I will."
Then he began to build. He had no time to trade words with a man who wouldn't listen. In a couple of hours Chase managed to piece a travois together and tied Lee to it. "I'm tying you down because I won't be able to stop very often once I'm started to check on you. But I'll stop every now and then to give you water. In order to make it, I'll have to make very few stops except when we rest. I figure two nights and we will be there."
"Thanks, Chase…but I don't think you are strong enough to do this." Lee shook his head.
"I'm strong enough. Hawks took Katherine, Lee. We've got to get to the station, before it's too late."
"What does that man want with her?" Lee asked puzzled and upset at the same time.
"I don't know, but whatever it is, it's at that station." Chase affirmed.
"What happened to the Tylers?" Lee asked glancing about. "I haven't seen any of them…"
"Hawks killed them, all but one at least. Don't know if the young one made it, or not, but it appears he got away. There's no body."
Chase glanced at Lee for a moment, strapping him down. "I didn't know those boys well. But they seemed to be pretty strong family."
"Yeah, I got that impression too. It also looks as though they aren't in on whatever it is Hawks wants," Lee said, shifting his injured arm away from the rawhide Chase had used to tie him in.
"If I'm thinking right though, the younger one will hunt Hawks down. So we might run into him along the way," Chase said as he eyed the Captain coming out of the shack. "At least I hope we will. A revenge killing can be pretty bad."
The Captain looked a little pale, but in better shape than Lee. He moved about slowly as though his head bothered him greatly, but he never complained.
"We're headed due south, so let's keep a steady pace," Chase ordered and looked at the Captain to see if he minded the orders.
"Chase?" Lee called before Chase took up the straps to pull the travois.
"Yeah," Chase answered coming around to look at him once more.
"You can't do this Chase, I can walk at least for a while," Lee offered.
"No, this is better. Just rest up. It will be over before you know it," Chase smiled.
"I couldn't do it," Lee offered.
"Yeah you could," Chase affirmed with a smile. "If you had to."
"Ready, Captain?" Chase challenged.
The Captain saluted him and they began the long journey back to the station. At least it had cooled down and the heat wasn't bearing down on them. Chase knew the evenings would be better for travel. In the heat, he would give out pulling Lee, but pulling in the evening was more tolerable.
Besides, the Comanche would leave them alone now. They were smart enough to know the elements alone could kill them.
Chase wrapped the leather strap around his head. He'd found it at the shack, it was part of an old horse bridle. Still in good condition, it would be strong enough to hold the weight.
With
his arms wrapped and his forehead strapped, he pulled the travois. He began at a steady pace so that his movements would help pull the travois forward. He had done this many times when hunting, so he knew he could do it again.
His thoughts traveled to Katherine now. It seemed if he let himself, they were always on her. He wondered if she was all right, but not getting any signals from her he decided she had to be. Burning Tree would keep them together in mind. It was an old Indian trick. Chase would have to concentrate on her most of the time, as she knew nothing of the mind trick. What he hadn't figured on was the exact kind of mind play Burning Tree was using.
Chase had some very deep feelings for Katherine and now it extended to her personally. He was sure Burning Tree knew him well enough to count on it. He couldn't deny or resist it. She was his, whether she knew it or not. He knew her as he would a wife and it blatantly startled him. Not that the experience was not pleasurable, but it came at the most inopportune times. They knew each other in a dream, and now the problem would be to turn the dream into a reality. For after such a dream, he could never be satisfied with anyone else. This thought and this thought alone kept him moving forward, because he was sure Katherine was in danger.
But then it hit him, Katherine was dreaming again. Of course she was. It was night, and she was probably trying to sleep somewhere. Chase was with her again. His loins tightened. This time they came together in the moonlight, a place by a stream, Chase was sure only existed in Burning Tree's mind. They were riding together, and suddenly stopped. He helped her down from the horse. A misty fog surrounded them, as though it might protect them. She moved straight into his arms. They kissed, long drugging kisses that boggled the mind and lent the body incapable of anything save one thing. When Chase realized what was about to happen, he knew he couldn't go on. Trying to pull Lee with this going on was almost to the point of crazy because his energy was with Katherine and his lovemaking was beyond the dream catcher's pleasure. He'd never known a woman like Katherine before. And he knew everything about this woman, and loved her.
"We will rest a few minutes," Chase told the Captain.
The Captain didn't object as he was exhausted and slumped to the ground without a word.
In the dream, Chase kissed her, and grew more ready for her, when he saw her smile. A smile that radiated from her heart. She moved towards him, closer, until she rubbed up against him, feeling his readiness. She wasn't flirting, but she wasn't shy either.
He tried to focus on the station in the distance, from the stream where they made love, and there were holes all over the yard at the station. He didn't understand the holes. Holes Katherine had dug. He was sure of this too.
But then the dream took over his thinking, and he began to feel he could no longer concentrate on the station or the holes.
Their eyes locked hungrily onto each other, and even when she whispered to him some things about what was going on, none of it made sense. Just bits and pieces of information. His mind warred with his body and he was lost when she began to take her clothes off. How could a man think or ask questions when his body was on fire for his woman?
Never had he loved a woman like Katherine. With no clothes between them, it was a luxury no man could pass up. And without worry, his hands touched, caressed, and stroked freely. Velvet soft skin made him more eager to explore her. Love radiated from her smile.
Water splashed against them from the waterfall, and he delighted in licking it from her. His lips kissed the water from her slowly, not tasting the water, but her, as her sweet body burned to be one with him again. Seeing her standing in the moonlight with nothing on, took his breath. Never had he seen such a woman.
Poor Katherine, how could she not know she was Indian? Their bodies were the same color. As they came together they blended as one.
So lovely, so brown, much like himself. It was as though she were an extension of himself. Everything she offered was his.
Chase shivered with delight as her small hands came around him and her moans only deepened the anticipation. He left nothing untouched and unloved, taking his time to pleasure her. He wanted all of her as though their life depended on the ultimate pleasuring of love making. The more they loved each other, the tighter the bond between them. He knew her taste, her smell, her feel, and there was nothing he did not love about the woman.
What made him hold it that much more dearly was that he could feel everything happening to him and her. He was there, he knew it. It had happened, no matter how many times he pretended it was just a dream, he knew she was his.
This warm passion that surrounded them was like nothing on earth. Beyond even a dream catcher. And Chase did not want to miss one moment of the thrill of it. Even White Dove was not like this. But he never lay with White Dove so his feelings for her were not as deep as he had thought. He knew Katherine. They were more than bonded, but one with God, and he accepted it. Still they could not speak the words to each other, for the moments they shared were too few and precious. There was only time to feel.
When he awoke from the dream, he was more determined than ever to reach her. For she was now an extension of himself and he must be with her, protect her, love her. And somehow, he must find the words to tell her how he felt.
He felt renewed and knew he could go on now. It was as though she willed all her strength to him, to come get her.
Chapter Eighteen
As Chase stirred from the dream he did not want to leave, he realized the Captain was watching him as he slowly opened his eyes to reality once more. The dream was gone.
"You didn't catch a little sleep, Captain?" Chase asked, his voice returning to normal now.
"Not much," the Captain added watching him still. "Still determined to pull the Corporal?"
"Yes, I will pull him." Chase answered. "I just needed some rest. We will go on."
"Why? I mean, why does a man like you care, one way or another about the Corporal?" The Captain asked.
"A man like me, Captain? A breed, you mean? Do you think my blood is a different color from your own? Do you think my heartbeat is less steady, or my mind less functional? I am but a man, Captain. The white man takes a long time to learn this. I would not leave a man out here in the elements, Captain. That would be murder. He wouldn't survive long. He's a human being. He's alive. He ain't dead. He has to go with us." Chase answered simply. "Sometimes a man does what he has to do, because he has to. Because he knows he has to."
"I can't quite figure you out, yet." The Captain eyed him a slight smile creasing his face. "Where were you educated, sir?"
"At a mission, here in Texas."
"You speak English well, and yet you grew up with the Comanche, according to the papers I've seen on you."
"That is true Captain. My mother was white, Captain, and she saw to my education. She lives among the Shawnee, they are her family," Chase said. Why he bothered to explain anything he wasn't sure, only that more needed to know the truth. "They took her when she was married but a year to a white man. Once, and only once, a French trapper rescued her, but by then, she had me." He watched the Captain's face change with the new knowledge. "She knew her white husband would never accept her again with a part Indian child. So she stayed with the Indians. And they treated her well, like family. That is how the Shawnee are. Even though they have taken many, they do not mistreat the captives as some do."
"You're saying there is a difference in the tribes and how they live?" The Captain twisted his head as though he'd never considered one Indian from another. "How they treat others?"
"This is true, Captain. Just as many white men are not the same. It is so with the Indians. If the Comanche had captured her, either she would fit in, or they would kill her or trade her to another tribe. Comanche have no sense of family, Captain. At least not where a white is concerned. You are a member of their tribe, you do what is expected, or you don't live long. That is their way. Our way, is better, and always has been. That is why the Shawnee could be friends with the bluec
oats during your revolution."
"Shawnee have raided Tennessee and Kentucky for years. They've been more feared than the Comanche in the Ohio Valley."
"That is because the white man refuses to live with them. They drove them out of the valley. My people had no choice but to fight for what was theirs. The Indians worked this land long before the long knives came. And other tribes too. Pushing them off their lands. The Shawnee tried many times to make treaties, only for them to be broken. The white man's treaties are twisted."
"Perhaps." Then the Captain twisted his head and looked at him again. "Our treaties have not always been good, or fair…"
"I lived with both tribes Captain, but I am also part white too. At times my white side wars with the Indian side, as the two do not agree about everything. I have the war inside me; you have the war in front of you. It is the same war, Captain."
"Interesting, I never thought about that." The Captain mused. "You intrigue me, give me food for thought."
Chase took his boots off and shook the sand out of them, then slipped them back on. "It's a long walk, think on it, Captain. Maybe by the time we get to the fort, you will have figured me out."
Chase was about to check on Lee when he reached for his knife. The Captain saw him and reached for his gun. About to pull the trigger, the knife landed next to the Captain with the head of a copperhead staring up at him.
"What…." The Captain jerked about and saw that Chase had killed a snake almost wrapping around his neck, next to him. The rest of the snake slid over his shoulder, and the Captain threw it for several yards. His face screwed up into a frown as he tossed it.
He lowered the gun. "I'm sorry…"
Chase smiled, his gaze going over the Captain with renewed interest. "No harm done. And snake makes a tasty treat."
"To eat?" the Captain sneered, his frown deepening.
"Yep, to eat." Chase chuckled.
Taking the snake he proceeded to cut him up, and he made a small fire against the rocks to cook it.
