“There’s some oatmeal in the pot,” he said, then turned back to study the map.
Anger made her think irrational thoughts. She didn’t want to accept his food, but she knew she had to. She’d eaten only a power bar in twenty-four hours, and was in for another long hike today, through rough wilderness terrain. Common sense took over, and she squatted by the fire, as far away from Dan as she could get. She ate while he looked at the map, neither one of them speaking. In silence, she rinsed the pot in the spring when she was finished eating, and handed it to him, along with her empty coffee cup.
Neither one of them spoke while they broke camp. Dan stomped the fire out with his feet, and spread the ashes so they wouldn’t ignite again, and Jana gathered her bundle of clothes. When he offered to carry it, she stubbornly refused. Shrugging his shoulders, he silently shouldered his pack and began walking, continuing to head in a southern direction.
Jana followed a few paces behind him. Although she wanted to ask which way he hoped would get them to Madison the quickest, her anger was still boiling at the surface, and she remained quiet. Dan set a moderate pace, choosing deer, or more likely bison trails through the grasses and sagebrush of the valley. He stayed within viewing distance of the Lamar River, and continued to head in a south-western direction.
“Look up ahead, Jana,” he called eagerly after what seemed like hours of silence. Jana had been walking behind him, concentrating on the ground, and not so much on her surroundings. She was in a foul mood, and realized that she really ought to pay more attention to what was going on around her. Even in modern times, a hiker needed to be aware of everything, or risk possible injury. Here in Yellowstone, the risks were even greater, what with the abundant wildlife and thermal features.
Admit it, you’re comfortable that Dan will make sure nothing happens. The thought annoyed her even more. When he called for her attention, she looked up, wondering what had him so excited. He’d stopped walking, and pointed into the distance. Squinting, she held her hand to her forehead to shield her eyes from the sun. Off in the distance, a multitude of small dots moved along the river.
“Pronghorn,” he said, answering her unspoken question. “I’ve never seen such a large group in one place. And look over there. The sheer number of aspens in this area is phenomenal.”
Dan grinned widely. Excitement and wonder replaced the dull look in his eyes from earlier in the morning. Jana couldn’t help but stare at him. So much like Aimee, when she discovered new things in the park.
“You’re right,” Jana said slowly. “I don’t remember there being this many aspen trees here.”
“The ecosystem as it was meant to be is intact and well,” Dan said eagerly, surprise registering on his face. He looked at her, his eyes in constant motion. Abruptly, he turned his head to gaze once again into the distance, his arm outstretched, pointing toward the trees.
“The trees have a chance to grow, because the prey animals - the deer, pronghorn, and elk - need to be constantly moving. With these mountains teeming with wolves, it’s not good for prey to remain in one place. What do you notice about the park’s ungulates in our time?”
Jana’s eyebrows rose in surprise. Suddenly, before her stood Dan Osborne, naturalist and park interpreter, leading a group of tourists on a discovery hike in Yellowstone. It came so natural to him, he reverted into that role now. He turned his head to look at her, waiting for an answer.
“Uh . . .” she stammered. “There are a lot of elk?”
Dan grinned. An indulgent grin. As if it was an answer he’d received many times. Her annoyance returned. Why were they discussing this? What did it matter anyhow?
“Ever since the wolves were brought back to Yellowstone, the aspen, willow, and the beaver have slowly returned as well,” Dan said. “Simply because elk have had to change their behavior. With predators around, the grazers need to constantly be moving, and in our time, they had the luxury of staying together in large herds before the re-introduction of the wolf, moving or staying in one area as they chose, destroying young vegetation. Here we’re seeing how nature intended it. I can’t wait to see all the beaver dams I’m sure we’ll come across in some of the tributaries.”
Jana inhaled a deep breath. She hadn’t noticed the strong, fragrant smell of sage, or the sweet buffalo grass. She’d been too absorbed in her anger. Dan’s enthusiasm reminded her of the beauty of this place, how Aimee had found excitement in every little thing she saw on their trips. It had been infectious with her, and to her dismay, she found it to be infectious with Dan. She wanted, needed to stay mad at him. She had to guard her heart, and anger was the only way she knew how.
“Would you like to rest here for a while?” Dan asked, breaking into her thoughts.
Reluctantly, Jana nodded, conceding she was tired. She dropped her bundle of clothes, and sank to the ground. Her feet pulsed in the confines of her hiking boots. The lush grasses looked inviting and soft. They would probably feel good to her hot bare feet. She didn’t act on her thoughts. Perhaps when they stopped for the night, she could finally remove her boots.
“Where are we heading, anyhow,” she asked, plucking at some of the grasses, letting the blades glide through her fingers. Dan settled himself on the ground next to her, and peeled his pack off his shoulders. He handed her a water canteen and a power bar. Gritting her teeth, Jana accepted what he offered.
“Well, since you wouldn’t speak to me this morning, I made the decision to head toward the Yellowstone.” He didn’t look at her when he spoke, and unwrapped his own power bar. “By evening, we should reach an area where the Lamar and Slough Creek converge. We can camp there, and cross in the morning. I’m hoping there’s a safe place to ford the Yellowstone further to the west.” He took a bite of his bar, and chewed. “I thought about heading south toward Canyon, but I’m not keen on hiking the Washburn Range. It might take longer, but if we head west, toward Mammoth, then south, it’ll be the easier route to Madison.” He shot her a questioning look. “Unless you have another idea.”
Jana glanced up. He wasn’t mocking her. It was a sincere statement. She was surprised he was asking for her input.
“I think I’ll defer judgment to the expert, Mr. Ranger,” she said, and quickly looked away.
They sat in silence for a few minutes. Jana listened to the crinkling of her food wrapper. It seemed so unnatural, amongst the sounds of the ever-present crickets chirping their rhythmic tune.
“Jana.”
She glanced up quickly when he spoke her name. There was such longing, such remorse, in the tone of his voice, she swallowed nervously. His hand reached out, the tips of his fingers grazing her arm. She quickly shook her head.
“Don’t,” she whispered. “What you did . . . don’t ask for my forgiveness.” She stared straight ahead.
“At least talk to me,” he said. “Can we just put aside our differences, and get along? So that we both get out of this alive?”
Jana wanted to shout at him, make it clear to him that it was his fault they were in this predicament in the first place. You were curious, Jana. You wanted to come. Even though he deceived you, you would have wanted to come here to see Aimee one more time.
“Yes,” she said, taking in a deep breath. She scrambled to her feet. “I’ll agree to that. But understand that cooperation in the name of survival is all you’ll get from me.” She glared at him one last time, and thrust the water canteen at him. She didn’t wait for him to get off the ground before she started walking in the direction he’d been heading all morning.
Chapter 12
Dan didn’t like the detour he’d been forced to take on their second day in the past, but a large bison herd had prevented them from reaching the confluence of the Lamar River and Slough Creek. He’d been left with no choice but to detour around the massive animals by leaving the valley, and heading into some of the surrounding hills
They’d spent the last two days hiking out of the grasslands and marshes of the Lamar Valley, and Dan
was looking for a place to ford the Yellowstone River after a fairly easy crossing of Slough Creek. He couldn’t recall the Yellowstone’s color ever being this turquoise before. The river was tricky and treacherous in this area, narrowing through a steep canyon with sheer-faced cliffs. A crossing would be impossible here. As it was, there were only a few places he would chance to attempt a river crossing. If it were just him, he might do it, but Jana’s safety was foremost on his mind. Not that she hadn’t proven she could hold her own, but he wasn’t about to risk her safety simply to save a few miles of travel.
Jana had kept up with the pace he set, never complained about anything, and wordlessly helped set up camp at night, and tore it back down the following morning. She’d continued to remain distant, and spoke to him only when necessary. What had he expected? He knew all along that if she found out about his deception, she would hate him. His conscience had won out over his selfish needs that first night here in the past. He simply couldn’t go on with the lie. He felt better, having told her the truth and being honest with her, even though the price he paid for his honesty tore him up inside. His feelings for her grew stronger with each passing hour of every day. He’d never bought into love at first sight, but he knew now with absolute certainty that it had happened to him at their first encounter. He couldn’t explain the overwhelming feelings that had come out of the blue any other way. Why had he let her leave so quickly that day when he met her at the Old Faithful Inn? Why had he acted like such a coward each time he dialed her number, only to hang up? Maybe none of what they faced now would have happened had he not allowed her to walk out of his life so quickly.
If he could turn back time, and done one thing different, Dan would never have left that journal lying around for anyone else to see, and Hastings would never have known about it.
There was no sense beating himself up over it. He’d screwed up, big time, and the best he could do now was to make sure he got Jana safely home again. For that to happen, he had to confront John Hastings, and also prevent the bastard from killing any member of his family. That Hastings would show up, of that he had no doubt. He only hoped wherever the time travel device decided to send him, was as far if not further than the miles he and Jana had to cover. Dan simply had to get to the Madison Valley first, to warn his ancestors of the danger they were in. All of this was his fault, and he would make it right again, even if it killed him.
After hiking through sagebrush-covered meadows and hills for most of the morning, the river opened into a wide valley of woodland meadows and gently sloping hills. The banks of the river were comprised largely of weathered river rocks, and he kept a lookout for a good place to cross. The water level didn’t appear to be any higher than mid-thigh on him, but he eyed the current warily.
“We’ll cross here,” Dan called over his shoulder, his mind made up. He turned and waited for Jana to catch up. She’d walked silently behind him, lagging far back for the better part of the morning. Dan silently wondered if his pace was too quick, and at one point he had slowed down to give her a chance to catch up. She changed her speed to maintain her detached contact. When he sped up, she’d had no problem picking up the pace as well. Dan cursed under his breath. How would he endure the next days and weeks ahead, alone in the wilderness with the girl he loved, knowing that she hated him.
“Is it safe to cross here?” she asked indifferently, looking toward the opposite shore of the river.
“I think so,” Dan answered. “Why don’t you put your spare clothes in the backpack?” he suggested. “That way they won’t get wet.”
Jana looked at the bundle of clothes she held protectively in her arms. She’d stubbornly refused to relinquish them for two days. She studied the river, and Dan could see her mind weighing her options. He wouldn’t press her, but just one stumble over the slippery rocks in the river, and those precious clothes of hers would go floating downstream faster than she could swim after them. She was certainly aware of that. He hoped she wouldn’t carry her damn stubbornness too far.
Jana’s chest heaved in a sigh, just before she nodded her head. Her lips were drawn in a tight line. Dan didn’t say anything when he pulled his backpack from his shoulders, and unzipped the main compartment. She quickly stuffed the bundle into the pack, and backed away. He tried to meet her eyes, but she refused to even look at him.
“Let’s find a couple of sturdy sticks to use for added leverage against the current.” He motioned with his chin toward the trees. Without waiting for a response, he headed toward the timber, scanning the ground for a long branch or two that could serve as a walking stick. Testing the strength of several by leaning on them, he chose one for himself, and one for Jana. She waited by the water, and gazed into the distance.
Dan stared at her, unable to pull his eyes away. The slight breeze in the air blew wisps of her hair around her face, and she shook her head, holding her chin up into the wind. She closed her eyes, and a look of pure contentment filled her face. He groaned silently, then clenched his jaw.
Suspecting she would probably greet him with hostility if he simply walked up to her, he cleared his throat and called out, “Found a couple.” When Jana’s head shot around to stare in his direction, he held up the branches, and headed toward her. Wordlessly, he handed her a thick branch, and waded into the water.
The current was as strong as he suspected, and he slowly set one foot in front of the other, testing the slippery river rocks by feel with his feet. When he stood halfway into the river, the cold water reached almost to his hips. He turned his head to see how Jana was doing. She inched forward, putting one foot in front of the other, using her stick for leverage. Not once did she look at him, but concentrated on her task. She was waist-deep in water, and he could see that she was having a much harder time than he was. He could use his size and body mass to his advantage, whereas her slight frame battled the strong current.
Dan waited until she caught up to him. “Do you need help?” he asked loudly, trying to be heard over the deafening roar of the rushing river. She briefly looked up at him, and with a determined set to her face, struggled on. Dan shook his head, annoyed with Jana’s stubborn demeanor, but conceding it was his fault. He decided to stay behind her, just in case the current proved too strong for her, afraid she might slip. She may not want his assistance now, but if she lost her footing, he was ready to grab her before the water swept her away.
Dan breathed easier when she reached shore. She scrambled up the rocky banks, nearly stumbling over a slippery boulder. His hand reflexively reached for her, but he thought better of it and dropped it again before making contact with her arm. Out of breath, she leaned forward, her hands on her knees. He couldn’t help but watch her chest rise and fall, noticing how well her wet clothes clung to every curve of her body like a second skin. Goosebumps formed on her arms, and her body shivered.
“How about you get out of those wet clothes. We’ll rest here for a while until they’re somewhat dry.”
“Hand me my dry clothes,” she said, gulping in quick lungfuls of air. Dan removed his pack from his shoulders, and set it down in front of her.
“I’ll go gather some firewood. You need to warm up.” The bluish tinge to her lips had him worried. It was easy to succumb to hypothermia in this climate. The river had been ice-cold, and he was eager himself to remove his shoes and slip into a dry pair of pants. He could think of only one more river they would need to ford, and he hoped by the time they reached the Gardner, Jana would be on better speaking terms with him again.
Chapter 13
Dan admitted that he was enjoying himself more than he could remember on any other backpacking trip, even though his hiking partner was cold and distant with him. He drew a small measure of satisfaction with Jana’s aloof attitude in that she finally allowed him to carry her bundle of spare clothes in his pack. The natural beauty of the area lifted his mood regardless of her demeanor. Here, he was forced to forge his own trail instead of following in countless other men’s fo
otsteps. Nature was unforgiving, and he was ready to meet her challenges head on.
By evening of the next night after their successful river crossing, he chose a spot along a fast flowing stream that moved out from a sheer-walled narrow canyon. The forest was thick and dense in this area, overgrown with mosses and ferns, and the vegetation’s canopies filtered out much of the sunlight. Birds of all species chirped and chattered high up in the trees. Shelter here was abundant in the form of thick vines and bushes. The weather had been good to them so far, and they hadn’t needed anything more substantial than a warm fire at night.
“Where are we?” Jana asked, turning her head from side to side, staring up at the sheer canyon walls, taking in her surroundings with wide eyes. With a loud groan, she eased herself to the soft ground, and began to unlace her hiking boots.
“If you can make it just a bit further up into this canyon, there’s a nice spot to soak your feet,” he offered. “If I’m not mistaken, there’s a little waterfall just up ahead.”
She expelled a long breath of air through her open mouth, and pushed herself off the ground. Dan was about to hold out his hand, but thought better of it. She’d rejected all of his previous offers of assistance over the last few days, and he wouldn’t expect her to reach for him now. He waited for her to stand on her feet, then headed further into the canyon. She looked tired, and he couldn’t blame her. They’d covered a lot of ground over rough and demanding terrain, and she hadn’t uttered a word of complaint.
The path along the creek was overgrown with thick mosses, and downed timber lay about everywhere, hidden by the tall ferns and grasses that grew in the shade of the canyon. Carefully, Dan navigated around the obstacles. It didn’t take long before the sounds of a waterfall splashing onto rocks could be heard up ahead. Just around the bend, a long veil of water came tumbling from the canyon ledge high above them, splashing loudly into a rocky pool below.
Yellowstone Deception (Yellowstone Romance Series Book 5) Page 9
