She finally stopped pacing, settled into a clean spot and started sharpening her blades, her wolves gathered around her. She watched Kodiak as he brooded by Otis. He was hurting. Blaming himself for their situation. She loved him, but she wasn’t happy with him. He should be taking charge, channeling his rage, not accepting their fate. He was pensive and staring at the lighter he always carried. Much like his bear, he was slow to anger. He wanted to think things through. He wasn’t rash like her. Her first impulse was to lash out with words or weapons and she was deadly with both. Kill first, kill some more then go back and make sure they were all killed. Sometimes that was a good thing, other times it wasn’t. She knew her hot head had caused trouble for the tribe more than once and forced herself to calm. To coil her rage like a spring and unleash it when the time was right.
She didn’t blame him for the predicament they were in, that wouldn’t be fair. Getting to one of the towns had been a common goal they all shared. Worry for Otis had overridden their normal caution and any of the tribe would have made the same decision if it was one of their animals. She whispered a thanks to Mother Earth that it hadn’t been one of her wolves. She would have lost it and killed all three of the men and then set fire to this whole town. If this is what the civilized survivors were like, she had no use for them or their so-called safe towns. It seemed to her that there more evil people than good ones left.
She heard voices coming closer and jumped to her feet. The rest of the tribe had heard them to and snatched up weapons. It was instinct, they weren’t sure if they were in a hostile environment but they didn’t like the way they’d been treated so far and didn’t trust anyone. Calming hands soothed animals but they were tense. Ready. She threw hand signs, told them she’d take point and moved to the open to draw the attention to herself.
Children and animals melted into the dark corners and readied their weapons.
She listened to the sound of forced laughter. It sounded like a woman. Was everyone they met a fake? The door creaked open. Sunlight streamed in through the doors. She kept her tomahawks sheathed but they were ready, her fingers rolled slowly across the heads.
14
Tribe
Kassie froze as they slid open the door and a band of bright light lit up wild girl surrounded by wolves. She saw the furtive motion of other shapes in the shadows. She felt a shiver. They moved like wraiths.
“Hello.” Linda said. “I’m the doctor here, I understand we have an injured animal?”
“We have a bear that’s been shot by one of your men.” Swan answered, her voice harsh. “They tried to kill him.”
She stood her ground, anger coursing through her and stared at the clean woman in the white scrubs with her perfectly combed hair.
“Um, hi. My name is Kassie,” Kassie said and stepped forward. She could feel the rage radiating from the wolf girl. “This is my mom, Linda. She’s really good, she can help.”
Her eyes went to where Otis lay. “Is it bad?”
“Bad enough.” Swan said but Harper put away her morning star and hurried forward.
“He got hit with a rifle round but it fragmented, there are a lot of pieces in his shoulder, they’re deep.” She said.
“Show me.” Linda said and followed the blonde girl over to the softly grunting grizzly.
She let the big bear smell her then spoke with him for a few minutes before she opened her bag and took out a bottle of hand sanitizer. Otis seemed to know she was there to help and licked the hand that caressed him behind the ears.
The others moved silently out of the shadows, came closer to watch.
“What’s your names?” she asked as she sterilized her hands and pulled on a pair of surgical gloves.
They introduced themselves and she committed them to memory.
“Hold this light.” Linda said and handed it to Harper. She was no nonsense now that the niceties were over. She had a job to do.
“Stay near his head.” She told Kodiak. “Try to keep him calm.”
Kassie felt no fear as she gazed at the bear, only a sense of awe. He was beautiful. His fur was a rich dark brown with silver tips along his spine. His ears and muzzle were scarred from battle. He was terrifying and majestic. She loved him at first sight. Her eyes roved over his body. He was as big as a small car. She’d never seen an animal as large as Otis this close up. His claws looked longed enough to take a head right off the shoulders. His teeth were like steak knives jutting from his jaws. Her heart broke at the sight of the blood splashed against his fur and the sounds of his pitiful moaning.
“Ok, Otis, it’s nasty looking, but I don’t think it’s going to keep a big fellow like you down for long.” Linda said.
She talked to him like he was a person and her gentle bedside manner wasn’t lost on Kodiak. “I’ve got to irrigate it and wash some of the blood off it. It’s going to sting a little.”
Otis chuffed and flinched as she continued her examination.
“What is this?” She asked as she looked at the sticky substance coating the wound.
“Honey.” Harper told her. “We didn’t have any pinesap and moss to make a poultice, so we used what we had.”
“Good thinking. Honey has a lot of healing properties.” She said.
She looked up at the children gathered around her and noticed their scars and stitched up wounds and her heart ached. What kind of hell had they been through? What kind of life had they been living this past year? How had they managed to stay together and stay safe? They had survived the zombies, the winter and who knew what else and now some jumped up mayor was going to gun them down because they didn’t matter. They wouldn’t be missed and he could make a little gold from their animals’ hides. How far had they traveled to find a safe haven? To find grownups, people they could trust?
“Kassie, Honey. Why don’t you explain to them what you overheard? Do it over there, I don’t need any distractions here, okay?”
“I need you with me.” She told Harper. “You’re the medic in your group?”
“I guess so.” Harper said, unsure. “Murray usually told me what to do, though.”
“Which one is he?” she asked and looked over to the backs of the children Kassie was leading away.
“He’s not with us anymore.” Harper said and her face saddened.
“Oh.” Linda said and couldn’t fathom how hard it must have been for them on their own.
“Okay.” She continued. “Are you okay to be my assistant? I’m going to need help with this. I’ve got to debride it first so I can see how extensive the damage is.”
Harper nodded and cleaned her hands with the antiseptic.
“He’s not going to like this part. Keep him calm and still.” She told Kodiak.
“Hand me that probe.” She told Harper and pointed to the one she wanted
Kodiak nodded and rubbed Otis between his ears. As soon as the metal touched his damaged flesh, he growled and tried to stand up. Linda paused. Kodiak pressed against Otis, soothed him until he was back down then whispered softly to the bear to calm him. Linda breathed out slowly, still not believing what she was doing. A thousand-pound bear was being hurt, poked and prodded, but lay still because a little boy wanted him to. She’d never heard of such a bond, not even with well-loved dogs.
Kassie led them to the other end of the barn, away from the door and any ears that might overhear. Her eyes darted between them. The black girl with the ostrich seemed to be the friendliest, or at least a little less hostile than the others. She smiled at her. She looked like a warrior princess, scarred and fierce with her machetes, mohawk and beads. They didn’t clatter around, though. Like the others, she moved like a ghost, silent and light-footed. She held a spear loosely in one hand while she calmed the giant bird with the other. The ostrich’s neck bobbed constantly, assessing the danger. The thick muscles in her legs were tensed, ready to fight or run. Softball sized eyes looked back at Kassie. She was amazing.
She took a sideways glance at the Indian girl
with the wolves. She was savage looking. Her eyes were hard and she wore a scowl. A hyena skin was draped over her shoulders and she wore combat boots. Her pants were black military fatigues: loose, comfortable and well worn. Her top was made of soft leather, hand stitched as was reinforced and padded in places. Her armor was plastic and leather her face was painted to resemble the wolves at her side. Her long black hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail with feathers, pieces of antler and other trinkets woven into it. The blades of the tomahawks at her waist were well oiled and looked like they were razor sharp. Her high cheekbones and brown eyes hinted at beauty under the war paint and her wolves surrounded her protectively.
The boy with her mom that was whispering to his bear was tall. He had a scar over one eye that started at his hairline and ended at his cheek. His arms and neck were scarred. He was long and lean with muscles like bands of steel. His brown hair was long, it hung almost to his shoulders. Like the others, he had mementos braided into it and wore armor made of sports pads or thick leather.
She stopped when they reached the twins and the polar bears. The boy flashed her a peace sign and bobbed his head. His hair was so blonde it was almost white, just like his sister. They were tall and lean and reminded her of the elven people from the Lord of the Rings movies. His hair was as long as his sisters and had a braid that wrapped around his head and pulled it back from his eyes. They were both covered in tattoos. Some kind of symbols that she didn’t recognize. Wicked looking axes made from saw blades and with wooden handles were in their hands. Long bladed knives hung from their waists. Their skin was so pale that they probably couldn’t tan from being outside; instead they were both showing signs of sunburns. Their massive bears hovered protectively by the strange pair of children.
Harper, the girl helping her mom, was wearing a rough leather top that looked like it had seen some hard usage. Most of her armor was made of dark brown leather that was thick and tough. The chest piece was molded to allow room for her breasts and there was a bird with spread wings painted across the front. It was almost like something Joan of Arc would have worn if her armor wasn’t metal. It was obvious her and Kodiak shared a love for one another. She was petite and beautiful. Her wheat colored hair hung in natural curls. Tiny braids were interwoven through it and like the others held an assortment of treasures.
Lastly, she looked at the Asian boy as he joined the circle. He too carried a spear as well as machetes that crossed his back and protruded over his shoulders. Knives were strapped to his all black armor, most of it hand made of thick leather strips sewn in an overlapping pattern. He moved easily in it and he reminded her of a Samurai from one of those old Kung Fu movies. His hair was long, held back by a cord around his forehead. Like the others, he was scarred and lean. His face was kind, his eyes gentle but she saw strength, loyalty and determination in them. The black cat stood by his side, nearly invisible in the shadows, except for the yellow of her eyes and the swish of her tail. The boy and his companion exuded danger and menace. They weren’t the kind of enemy you would want to meet in the dark.
Kassie lowered her voice, they leaned in close and she told them everything she’d overheard. She told them that they were going to help them, they just didn’t know how yet and she told them they weren’t from Gallatin. They were only here by mistake.
“We lived by ourselves in the woods up in the badlands all winter.” She said. “We heard about Lakota on the radio, that’s where we were headed but wound up here.”
“I didn’t take you for one of the townspeople.” Tobias said. “You look a little wild.”
“You want to quit flirting with the new girl and concentrate on what she said?” Swan asked and Tobias reddened. “In case you missed it, they’re going to shoot you, skin the animals and rape us girls.”
“No, they’re not.” He replied. “Nobody would want you, you’re too mean.”
Analise elbowed him and Swan growled.
“Fine.” He said. “When Kassie and her mom go to leave, we’ll bust out of here, open the gate and ride out of town. No problem.”
As they started arguing about how dumb his plan was, they didn’t notice the tall man wearing a cowboy hat as he sauntered in and walked over to the wounded bear.
15
The Barn
“I need him to be still.” Linda said as she sat back, her gentle probing finished. “I have to get the fragments out. It would be better if he was sedated but I don’t have anything strong enough. Everything I have is for humans and I don’t want to risk giving him something that might hurt his organs. I can try a local anesthetic but that means multiple injections in and around the wound and if he’s in that much pain, I’ll never be able to work on him if he decides he’s had enough.”
“How about some Ketamine?” the cowboy asked. “That ought to keep him still and give him some sweet dreams of large lady bears.”
Everyone turned at the new, laconic voice.
“Who are you?” Linda asked
“Someone who can’t mind his own business. Name’s Rye, Ma’am.” He said and tipped his hat.
“How come they let you in here wearing that gun? You buddies with those guys?” Tobias demanded as he strode over. “Why would you want to help? We know what you’re planning!”
Swan, Vanessa and Analise all elbowed him and he grunted with the pain. Swan didn’t hold back, she went for a kidney.
“You’re an idiot.” She hissed. “Now they know we know.”
“I’m not planning anything. I mean you no harm.” Rye said. “That guard’s not a friend, he’s a card cheat and he owed me thirty pieces of silver. He’s not much good at drinking and playing cards and I thought it was time to collect. He didn’t have the coin so we did a little trading. Thirty silver for thirty minutes. I wanted to meet you all, you’re famous. And besides, I don’t give up my guns for anybody.”
“How come everyone who starts out telling us they mean no harm ends up trying to harm us?” Vanessa asked.
“Lot of truth in that question, kid. Most people will tell you whatever you want to hear to get what they want from you. I suspect you guys have seen more than your share of that.” Rye replied.
“How come he owed you money then?” Tobias growled. “You said he was a card cheat, why didn’t he win?”
“I’m better at it.” Rye said with easy confidence and an easy smile.
“I remember you.” Linda interrupted. “You’re a retriever. You brought in a couple of half-starved farmers a while back that had gotten themselves surrounded by a horde. Ketamine would be great if you have some.”
“You got it.” Rye said. “I usually keep some in my Jeep, you never know when it will come in handy. Hang tight, I’ll be right back.”
A few minutes later he returned with the horse tranquilizers and a can of dog food. Kodiak buried the pills in the Alpo and fed it to Otis. Within minutes, he was snoring deeply.
“Ok, let’s do this.” Linda pulled on fresh gloves and grabbed her brush.
She cleaned out the dirt and honey that packed the wound then scraped away the fur and dead flesh that could cause infection.
It was a nasty wound. Gangrene could have killed the bear if left untreated. At the least, it would have maimed him and bothered him for the rest of his life. She irrigated the wound with peroxide and watched it fizz and bubbled as it attacked the infection. She kept pouring until it ran clear. Harper handed her a pair of forceps and she fished out the fragments of the bullet that had exploded in the muscle. She probed aggressively with her fingertips to find every last sliver.
Harper held the light and mopped the sweat from the lady’s brow with a cloth. She watched and learned, asked questions and listened as the nurse walked her through everything she was doing. Finally, Linda let out a sigh and leaned back. She stripped out of her bloodied gloves and took a long drink from a bottle of water. Her apprehension was gone and she was in her element once again. Helping those who couldn’t help themselves. She felt good about the
procedure and was sure she’d gotten all of the bullet fragments. Harper was ready with the sutures and she guided her through the process, showed her how to sew the torn flesh back together.
Kodiak watched unblinking. It seemed like it was going well. The lady worked quickly and efficiently. She was thorough. He’d watched her intense concentration as she dug out each fragment and laid them in a tray. Almost like a puzzle, she’d placed them in the pan until she was satisfied she’d gotten them all. He thought about his mom as he watched. She had that same no-nonsense attitude when she’d tended to a wounded animal. He wished he’d have shown more interest in medical care, but he’d always thought he had all the time in the world to learn those things. The wound still bled freely but the nurse reassured him it was going to be okay as Harper stitched up the damage.
“Looks better than mine.” He said when she was finished and indicated a rough scar on his arm. He wasn’t sure what had caused it. Might have been a coyote, maybe a boar? Could have been a raccoon for all he knew. There hadn’t been much time for thought in the battle against the savage ones. It was panic and chaos and trying to stay on your feet. If you went down, you would have been shredded.
Linda stood and stretched. “I removed all of the bullet fragments. He was lucky, it didn’t hit anything vital. No broken bones. The inside stitches will dissolve on their own, but you’ll need to take the outer ones out in a week or so. He’ll be sore but if you don’t let him overdo it, he’ll be fine in a couple of weeks. He’ll be able to walk, but don’t let him run. If he wants to rest, then let him.”
Harper laughed. “You have no idea how lazy that bear is. If he heard that, we’d have to carry him the rest of the way to Lakota.”
Kodiak was nearly overcome with emotion as he watched the softly snoring bear.
The Feral Children | Book 3 | Nomads Page 9
