Chapter 7
Natalies eyes scanned the small teepee. Near the fire a young man with a bloody thigh laid on a stretcher made of wood. He was sweating and obviously in great pain. On the far side of the teepee, obviously forgotten, she saw the Kid. The arrow embedded in his shoulder still protruding. She could see his pale face, but she wasn't sure he still was breathing.
"Is he dead" she whispered.
"He will not make it till morning if he don't get any help" the translator informed her. They had obviously done nothing for him, except to leave him there to die! She felt the anger rise in her. Turning to the translator she remarked coldly "Why should I help you? You' done nothing for him!" she growled, pointing in Kid's direction.
The translator laid a hand on her shoulder "We had to find out if he really was a brother first. We've just gotten words that it is so. You help the injured warrior and we'll help you help him. Men are finding a place for him."
"A place to die in?" Natalie hissed.
"A place to heal in."
Natalie watched the Kid thrown in a corner to die. Then her eyes went over to the injured Brave again. She had to do it, in order to save Kid, and maybe all of them. What would happen if the Brave died? She shrugged at the thought. She sat down by the injured mans side, and removed the cloths laid over the wound. She almost sighed of relief, it was not as bad as she had feared. She could clearly see the entrance wound and the bullet was lodged just under the skin, in his thigh-muscle. Still, she had no equipment. She remembered when she used to play with her brother's equipment and getting scolded for it. He'd considered his medical equipment sacred. She could understand why now.
"I need a knife, some cloth and alcohol." Her capturer turned leave. "What's your name?" she called after him.
The young man turned and was notably baffled over her question. Then a faint smile crept over his face "Aganti"
"What does that mean?"
"Wait until I come. It's also the Kiowa name of the month I was born in." Seeing her bewildered face he continued "It means Wait until I come and we're Oglala Lakota, my mother is Kiowa." With that he turned and was out of the teepee.
The warrior besides her was watching her with feverstricken suspicious eyes. Natalie considered for a while to run and hide. Then two men came in with something that looked like a stretcher similar to the one the injured warrior was laying on. They went over to the Kid and lifted him onto the stretcher. One of the men took a cloth and dipped it into some liquid and put it on the Kid's mouth, forcing some liquid into his mouth. I hope it's not more poison, she thought.
Then they started to undress him, the action made Natalie startle. Are they preparing him for his funeral, her thoughts flew. With eyes fixed on the men she watched them take another cloth and wash him. Just as they did when my mother died, she thought horrified, I'm glad Lou's not here to witness this!
Her thoughts were interrupted by Aganti's hand on her shoulder. "I have what you asked for" he informed her. Then he followed her gaze and realized what she was thinking. "Don't worry," he said calmly "they're just washing him with healing water."
She glanced at him. not entirely sure about his honesty.
"Trust me" Aganti said "help him now " he motioned in the warriors direction "and we'll take care of this one called Kid later. His eyes met hers and she knew he could be trusted.
"Would you hold the knife over the fire, for a while?
Aganti nodded and went to do as he was told. Natalie prepared the things she would need. She took a cloth and drenched it in alcohol. She pressed the cloth against the wound causing the injured man to jerk violently. She let go of the cloth and gasped in fear.
Aganti was immediately at her side and told the man something in a harsh voice. Giving her the knife he gave her a nod "We'll hold him for you. He placed himself over the man's legs. Saying something to one of the men at Kid's side. The man came up to take hold of the injured's shoulders. "Go on" Aganti urged her.
This is it, Natalie thought, what will happen if I fail? Her hands were trembling slightly as she moved her hand towards the wound. Silently she repeated what she had heard her brother say, one slight cut through the first layer of skin. The man jerked. Natalie saw the bullet, it was only halfway into the muscle. She breathed out as she realized she might make it. She forced the knife-edge under the bullet and it popped out. Glancing around her she saw the approving smile of both men.
She felt a relief that made her knees tremble. "Tell him this will hurt like hell" she told Aganti, preparing to pour alcohol into the wound.
As she poured the sterilizing liquid into the wound, the man twitched and let out a scream of pain that echoed in the village. Natalie prayed that Lou wouldn't hear it.
In the Kiowa village a young girl was planning to sneak out into the night. As she packed the belongings she thought she would need, her hands felt a round stone. She smiled as she picked it up. This was the most precious gift she had ever received. She let her mind emanate the picture of Buck and the memories of the day he had found the stone and given it to her. Her face shone with love and happiness as she let the stone caress the palm of her hand. "You'll be so proud of me" she whispered to the wind. She left the signs for: 'back soon', 'don't look for me', on her bedroll and started out to the fenced horses. She giggled to herself as she put the halter on the horse. My brother will kill me when he finds out I've taken his horse. With a last glance over her sleeping village, she rode into the night.
Natalie had finished bandaging the wounded man. She turned to Aganti and told him that the wound should be rinsed with alcohol twice a day till it started closing. Aganti told the man this and the glance the injured threw her made her take an involuntary step backward right into Aganti's lap.
"Don't worry about him" he chuckled "he's more ashamed of his screaming than angry with you."
She felt a strange feeling standing so close to him. She shook it of and started for the Kid.
Aganti's hand stopped her. "This teepee is too small for two sick men. We'll have to cure him in you teepee. When he wakes he'll need soothing tea every two hours to ease the pain. Somebody should watch him all the time. I think he'll feel safer if your friend is around." Seeing her doubtful eyes, he hurried to continue "I'll help you."
"I don't know if Lou can take it" she told him.
"I thought you said he was her man?"
"It's not that easy..."
"What could be easier than that?" Aganti smiled and took a step in her direction, standing right in front of her. As he breathed the air touched her hair. His hand still around her wrist almost burned her skin.
"I'll go warn Lou"
"We'll bring him in a few minutes"
She dared not look at him. She shook herself lose and started for their teepee. I must be going crazy, she thought to herself. First I almost fall for a man on the rebound then I go weak in my knees around the man that captured me. Why didn't I stay in Boston?
As she approached the teepee she noticed there were two men on watch instead of one. She threw them a wondering glance as they opened the teepee and let her in. Lou was sitting by the fire with a wild look in her eyes. "Tried to escape, huh?" Natalie had to ask her.
"Who was screaming?"
"A warrior whose bullet I pulled out."
"You pulled out? You're a doctor?
"My brother is and he thought me something's" she said casually. Nothing that will help the Kid thou', she thought with a shudder. "Lou, I have to tell you something!"
"Kid? You've seen him? How's he... is he...I mean" Lou began to stammer rising to her feet.
"Sit down, your concussion is not healed yet, you know that." Seeing the frantic look in the girl's eyes she continued "he'll be coming over soon!" Even to her own ears that sounded strange. She watched Lou's face lit up and immediately she realized her mistake. Giving Lou false hope hadn't been her intention.
"He's alright then! He's been hiding from me the..." Lou suddenly noticed the shift in Natalie's face. "What is it you're not tellin me'? What's goin' on...." Lou was silenced by the men carrying the Kid in on the stretcher. He was still pale and motionless. The arrow was fully visible, still protruding from his shoulder. Natalie had to put her arms around Lou preventing her from falling down.
Then a second scream echoed in the village.
When morning light lit the sky in Rock Creek, Rachel let her weary eyes leave the window. She had been waiting for somebody to show up. Praying that somebody would come with an explanation to Katy's appearance. Nobody had. She glanced over to the bunkhouse, she was sure nobody had slept in there either. She sighed as she started to prepare for the boys' breakfast, it was time to feed them.
Gathering what she needed into a basket her thoughts went to the riders not present. Not really knowing what had been going on with the two she could only guess. But she knew Kid would come for his horse, she knew that, and for Lou, as soon as he'd sobered up. She knew the two were meant for each other, why did they have to make it so difficult? As she stepped out into the yard she tightened her shawl around her shoulders. Gosh it's cold she thought. Looking up to the sky she tried to figure out what kind of a day it would be. In the corner of her eye she saw something move in the facility of the barn. As she turned around to get a better look she stiffened to her place and the basket fell out of her hand. Now she knew something was terribly wrong.
Lightning had returned without a rider too!
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