Chapter 4
"Should we go after her?" Noah asked the rest of the riders. Rachel shook her head and gave him a paper. "I found this in Lightning's stall, I guess it pretty much says it all"
Noah took the paper and started to read out loud:I have to go after Kid. I cannot leave things like this. At least I have to get him to listen to me one last time. Please do not come after me. I will be safe and back as soon as I have sorted things out with Kid. I can only hope he will come back with me.
I beg you to let me do what I feel I must, or I will have no peace in my heart.
Lou
Ps. I have asked Ben to take my rides!Noah lifted his eyes from the letter and let them wander around the bunkhouse. "It pretty much says what she wants, Rachel's right. We can't stop her."
"Very considerate of her!" Cody remarked. Rapidly adding "the Ben part I mean." They all looked at him with disgust. "Now hold on! I was just thinking, if she's left that means were gonna have to take more ride's, so..." he was silenced by Jimmy's murdering looks.
"We can only hope she stays out of trouble and gets what she wants." Rachel sighed.
"Not that I understand why she wants it" Cody rebutted.
Kid stopped the wagon as he arrived at the point Buck's and his paths were to be parted. He stepped down and went towards Buck. "You take care, you hear, I don't like it when your brother calls for you. It usually means trouble." Kid's concerned eyes met Buck's.
"Don't worry Kid, I'll be fine" Buck smiled at him.
"I was just wonderin' if I outta come with you?"
"Kid hold on, you're on your way to your new homestation. You don't know if the stationmaster is as tolerant as Teaspoon has been with our comin's and goin's!"
Kid smiled as the thought about Teaspoon's antics when they strayed from time to times. "You're right Buck, I outta see how things are first."
"Will you be takin' any rides for Rock Creek?"
Kid lowered his eyes "Not if am not forced to."
"You know you're dead wrong, don't ya?" Buck was carefully watching the Kid. Kid lifted his head and looked steadily into Buck's eyes A wave of pain shadowing his face.
"She told me, so I know I ain't wrong."
"No way convincing you, huh?"
"I'm already convinced."
"That's a pity" Buck grinned at him "specially when you're wrong."
"Take care Buck, and look after her for me will'ya? If something happens to Jimmy, let me know."
"I'm sure out paths will cross, sooner than you think. Ride safe Kid!"
The Kiowa rider turned his horse and galloped away to meet his brother. Leaving Kid standing, watching the last one of his family leave. "Ride Safe, Buck!" he told the diminishing figure.
Lou was determined. He was going to listen to her this time, if she had to hold him at gunpoint while talking. She didn't care if he believed her or not, at least he would have to listen. She was going to tell him exactly why she had said what she said. Feeling ashamed over the fact that she had fallen into the jealosy-trap as she so often had accused Kid of doing, she knew he would understand, or she hoped he would. She was probably gonna be paying for it for the rest of her life, admitting to her jealousy. But if that meant she could spend the rest of her life with the Kid she didn't mind. She'd have to explain the kiss Jimmy and her shared too, of course she had to blabber about that too. She had a lot of explaining to do, she knew that. God was I a fool, she thought as she let Lightening storm over the plains. She knew now, Jimmy had been a fling, something that made her feel more like a woman, one of those the boys drooled over. And God knows she needed that at times. She realized her mistake when Kid wasn't there for her anymore. It had felt good when Jimmy showed an interest in her, but when Kid lost his interest, it felt like the world came tumbling down. She had always thought he would be there, whatever she did or said. She had taken him for granted and was she wrong to do so! She had hurt his pride, and that was the worst thing you could do to someone like Kid, she knew that well before she started the argument. Thoughts were running through her head as she rode Lightning like she never had before.
Kid felt uneasy about the trip. A couple of hours ago Buck had left them and soon after that Kid felt something was wrong. He tried not to worry Natalie, who sat silently besides him, uttering a word only now and then. Kid felt as if somebody was following them, or watching them from a far. At times he thought maybe Buck changed his mind and decided to come back for him. He was worried about him, seldom did something good come out of Buck's visits to his brother.
"Are you worried about something?" Natalie suddenly asked as if she had read his thoughts.
"What makes you think that" he said, trying to smile reassuringly.
"The way you've been watching the surroundings the past couple of hours."
"I was just looking for a place to let the horses rest."
"I thought you knew this territory like the back of your hand?" she spoke, scanning his face for further signs of worry.
Kid made a face. There was no fooling this girl. She was almost as sharp as Lou, almost. The thought of Lou sent a tug to his heart. When will I ever be able to think about her without feeling this way?
"Are you waiting for Louise, by any chance?" her voice was soft as if she didn't want to hurt him, if that was possible. Too late for that!
Kid's face fell. He had considered turning back a thousand times even though he knew he shouldn't.
"And have her drag me out of my pity yet another time, no, ma'am I don't think so"
"Is that what she told you?"
"Pretty much!"
"You two deserve each other, that's all I can say."
"What do you mean by that?"
"How two people can be so blind is beyond me."
Kid stopped the horse and slid down from the wagon. "There's water here. I think we outta stop and give the horses a rest."
"You didn't answer me!" she looked at him helping her down from the wagon.
"'Bout what?"
"Your blindness!"
"I was blind until I was told to look."
"Sometimes Kid you gotta hear the unseen and look for the unspoken!"
Kid watched her and a smile crept to his face. She was relieved to see him smiling again. He had looked like he'd lost all hope ever since they left Rock Creek. She was sad to see a handsome, nice fella' in that kind of mood. And God, I might have added to all this, acting the way I did that night! My brother was right, never trust a man and never flirt, it only causes trouble and ends in disaster.
"Sometimes I just don't understand you" he smiled, shaking his head.
"Like with Louise?"
Kid took Katy and led her to the creek. Standing there, letting his horse drink of the water he couldn't shake the feeling somebody was observing him. But looking around he couldn't see anybody. But observing Katy's behavior he knew somebody or something was out there. Knowing they where near Indian territory made him uneasy. The Kiowa tribe had signed a peace-treaty but there were always renegade Indians around. Braves that wouldn't accept the decisions made by their elders. Braves that would fight to the last man, defending their soil. Kid understood how they felt. But he didn't have any wish to become one of their victims. Immediately his thoughts went to Lou and the possibility she might be in danger on her runs. He fought the pictures of her popping up before his eyes. I have to stop thinking about her, it's over, she never loved me anyways. Why do I keep forgettin' that? He closed his eyes and leaned on Katy. Girl, will I ever get over this? Totally immersed in his thoughts he suddenly heard Natalie scream.The blood froze in his veins as he saw two Indian warriors holding her to the ground. He jerked the bridle of Katy and made her run "Go home girl" he yelled after her and leapt in Natalie's direction, drawing his gun and pointing it at the Braves holding Natalie. He felt a sudden blow to his shoulder, making him stagger backwards and lose his gun before he regained his balance.
He looked surprised at the warrior that appeared on his right side. Out of nowhere it seemed. There had been no shots fired. Kid couldn't understand where the pain came from, his right side felt paralyzed. He moved toward the warrior but his feet wouldn't obey him anymore. His head stated to swirl. Shaking it in a desperate attempt to clear his head made his vision become blurred. Helplessly sinking to his knees, he saw a grim smile creep over the Indian's face. Then all blackened and Kid fell over on the poisoned arrow imbedded in his shoulder, thrusting the arrow further inside his body.
Natalie watched in terror what happened. While the warriors held her to the ground she could see the third Indian place an arrow in Kid's shoulder, right under the collar bone. Kid took a few steps towards his aggressor and fell over onto the arrow. Then he laid still. Natalie screamed in fear. One of her aggressors put a firm hand over her mouth and prevented her from screaming. The other Brave knelt beside the Kid and took a knife in his hand. When he pointed the knife at Kid's throat, Natalie closed her eyes and started praying. Wondering when the warrior would do the same to her. Why's this happenin'? Why kill us? We've done nothing! She screamed silently inside her head. Suddenly she felt the hand move away from her mouth and the Brave that had attached Kid stood in front of her, holding out a colored thing that seemed like a bracelet for her to see. She looked surprised at him. She had noticed Kid put that colored strip in his pocket this morning. She never bothered to ask why.
The Indian in front made a sign to his brother in arms that spoke "His?" and made a sign in the Kid's direction.
Natalie nodded, too afraid to speak. The Brave's started to talk to one another, in a language that seemed unintelligible to her. The Indian that had attached the Kid now watched him, shaking his head. Then they finally reached some sort on decision for what it seemed. One of her captors came toward her with a bag of hide in his hand. "Drink" the obvious translator said and forced her to taste the bitter liquid inside it. She spit out most of it, before the world started to spin and darkness swept in on her.
Buck arrived at Red Bears' camp late that evening. His brother immediately took him apart to his dwelling. Without further ado he sat Buck down on the hides covering the ground and told him about the situation that had aroused. A renegade Lakota-tribe had arrived from the north in search for an Indian agent that had double-crossed their tribe. Rifles had obviously been promised in trade of Buffalo hides. The Buffalo hides had been provided and paid for by deadly bullets from the Indian agent's men. The survivors of the raid had gathered together to hunt down the man that had fled. He obviously was awaiting his daughter in Seneca. Buck immediately realized who his brother was talking about.
Red Bear noticed the shift in Buck's position. "You've seen her?"
"Yes, she was in our station and is now on her way to Seneca with my friend"
"Brother, then it's too late, there's going to be more bloodshed" Read Bear sighed.
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|Chapter 1||Chapter 2||Chapter 3||Chapter 4||Chapter 5||Chapter 6|
|Chapter 7||Chapter 8| |Chapter 9||Chapter 10||Chapter 11| |Chapter 12|
|Chapter 13||Chapter 14||Chapter 15| |Chapter 16||Chapter 17||Chapter 18|
|Chapter 19||Chapter 20|
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