Chapter 16
Teaspoon watched Benjamin Shearer's actions from the dark empty stall with a view of the stable door, in the livery stable. The man had rushed to the Marshall's office and straight out again. With the Marshall right on his heels. Teaspoon had heard that the new Seneca Marshall was not liked by the towns people, seems he had treated some of them all but fair. He watched the man debate with the stable boy in an angry manner. Other men started showing up, the Marshall with tree other men showed up at the scene. Obviously they were gathering a posse.
The boy had saddled five horses when he was trough. Leading the last horse out the stable door, Teaspoon followed him in the dark. Three men on horses were already outside waiting for the remaining five to mount. A wagon with two men in joined in. Benjamin Shearer placed his bundle on the wagon, inadvertently making the blanket fall off, Teaspoon was able to spot the rifles that had been hidden in the bundle. Now he knew something was not right with this posse! The men mounted and rode out to the west.
Cody and Jimmy were waiting at the Saloon door. As they saw him they rushed towards him and he had to point them into a dark alley. "Boys" he growled at them "why not ring the churchbells to let'm know were comin'!"
"What's goin' on Teaspoon?" Noah didn't mind the stationmanagers bad mood.
"He's gathered a posse. And just as I expected the Marshall's in on it"
"But what if they're goin' after somebody else?" Cody uttered, suddenly insecure, "what if we are lead out on a wild goose chase?"
"Believe me son, I know he's goin' where we wanna go!" Teaspoon remarked. "Worst thing is" he continued "they're ten and they know where they're goin'. We're four and we aint got a clue!"
"Always knew you needed more schoolin' Teaspoon" Rachel butted in approaching them from the main street "Last time I counted we were five!"
"Aw Rachel" Cody began "this ain't no place..." Rachel's glare made him hold his tongue.
"I'm comin' Teaspoon, aint nobody gonna stop that!"
"I hear you! You and Cody take the wagon and an extra horse with you. An' stay behind! Don't forget the man's seen us both Rachel, it might get him suspicious if he sees us again. We'll leave you good track to follow, if you see us it means you're too close. Am I making myself understood?"
Rachel nodded in affirmation. Teaspoon continued "Go to the doctor and get medical supplies and blankets. Buy some provisions too if you can get the storekeeper to oblige" Teaspoon instructed her. Rachel repeated her nod and took Cody sleeve and dragged him with her.
Cody threw a desperate glance in Teaspoon's direction. "Aw Teaspoon..."
"Shut up an' keep movin'" they heard an annoyed Rachel lash out at the staggering boy behind her.
Teaspoon turned to Jimmy and Noah. "Listen up boys. We don't know what we're ridin' into! An' we don't know where we're goin'. So let's stay behind the men and not do anything heroic we're born to regret afterwards! Let's not forget that the odds are against us."
Jimmy and Noah looked to the ground.
"Ar'ya listenin'?"
"We hear'ya" the boys replied in unison. Jimmy irritably kicking some loose stones on the ground.
"Let's get goin' then!"
Buck had been sitting still for hours, feeling the cold laming his legs. He had no plan how to get the captives out. There were just too many men around. He wished he knew how heavily armed they were. He had a gun and a knife. His guess was that if he started something he'd end up dead and maybe kill the others while at it. He knew he had to wait until dark and ride out to get help. He hated the thought of leaving them there, but at least he knew where they were. Problem was that it was just morning and he might just freeze to death before it got dark enough. He smiled bitterly to himself as he laid under the pine twigs, desperately moving his fingers and toes to keep them from numbing. He wondered what had happen to Teaspoon, Jimmy and Noah?
He didn't know they were fast on their tracks. Making their ways to the high countries
Natalie stumbled over the stones and dead twigs as she made her way to where Aganti was holding watch. She had to find out what his look this morning was all about. She called out for him as she came closer. He turned around and she saw his face lighten up at the sight of her. This made her smile. They had been spending almost all their time together after her witnessing the disturbing sight in the teepee. "Aganti" she said, almost breathless after her run."Hey," he answered softly, beckoning her to come closer. She sat down besides him on the fallen tree, struggling to make her breath even.
"This morning, when you gave me the food to prepare, you said something about visitors. Are you expecting somebody?" she asked him as her breath settled.
He turned his head to look out to the plain beneath them. They were sitting high up the mountain peak, with a breathtaking view before their eyes. He didn't answer her right away and Natalie knew better than to rush him.
"Wahani has been gone too long already" he finally spoke, his eyes still on the plain.
Natalie waited for him to continue, but he wouldn't. "Who is he?"
"The warrior we sent out to tell your father about you."
Natalie shrugged and remembered why she was here. She wasn't sure she wanted to hear the rest, but she couldn't help herself asking "What's gonna happen to us?"
Finally Aganti turned towards her "Nothing's gonna happen to you. We were only going to hold you as collateral for the rifles you father promised us, when you showed up with the Kid everything changed."
"That warrior wanted to kill him!"
"That was Wahani, and he has an evil streak in him. That's what makes me worry."
"Will he kill us if you don't get the rifles?"
"No, I'm gonna see to it that it doesn't happen."
"How?"
"In whatever way."
She snuck into his arms suddenly feeling cold and frightened. He laid his arms around her and hugged her closely to him, and she could feel how tense he was. She didn't like what she was hearing and she didn't like the premonition she had. Something was not right, she felt something was about to happen. Intensely wishing she knew what to expect she turned her eyes back towards the plain beneath them. The wind had started to howl again and the howling reminded her of human cries in the night.
At nightfall the three riders had arrived in the high countries. But they had also lost the tracks of the men they were following. The darkness prevented them from following their tracks, and the terrain had changed dramatically in the last few hours. Riding through a thick forest they slowly advanced, not in the pace they had wanted to. Earlier they had found out an eleventh man had joined the posse. Obviously an expert, seeing how it got more and more difficult to follow their tracks. Still there was no time to stand around wondering who it was, so they just continued, hoping they still were on the right tracks. Jimmy wasn't so sure no more.
Teaspoon lifted a hand in sign for them to stop. "We have to leave the horses" he informed them. "We'll get faster ahead on foot than on horseback."
"We should have followed the the tracks on the plain" Jimmy grunted as he ducked for yet another twig lashing at him. "I sure hope Rachel and Cody has the wits to do so." He slid down from the horseback, still muttering to himself.
"I can't tell 'bout Cody's wits, but I know Rachel will make the right decision" Teaspoon remarked.
"Why do I have the feeling, we've been going in circles`" Noah wondered.
"Me too" Jimmy nodded "I think we're lost, Teaspoon!"
"Boys, boys, can't you feel the smell of smoke?" the older and wiser man pointed out. "There's a camp somewhere around here, and we gotta find it!"
"You mean we outta ride in to the posse's camp and say 'Hey, what'ya doin', happen to have some of the dinner to spare?" Jimmy snorted sarcastically.
"The posse's ain't takin' no time makin' camp, they're dead set on their destination." Teaspoon explained to the young impatient men.
"An' then what?" Noah wanted to know.
"Then boy's, we'll see to..."
A shot rang out in the night, cutting Teaspoon's sentence short. They perked their ears, trying to make out from where the shot was fired. The echo of the shot ringing round the mountains, making it hard to exactly assess the location. Then another shot rang echoing through the forest. After that all hell broke lose.
They watched each other for a split second, then the three of them diverged, making their way through the forest in three different directions.
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