Cheyenne Moon (11 page)

In the weeks that followed the Chief Whites Feathers death Shadow Spirit had slipped fully into the role of chief effortlessly. He had been acting as chief long before his father’s death. He had decided to take a group of warriors and make one more hunt before any more snow came.  It was already the last week in December, and was very cold. 

“Do you think you can get back before more snow moves in?” Abby asked.

“Please do not worry, I will be fine, we need extra meat to do the village the rest of the winter. I will only be gone a couple of days.”

“I felt the baby kick today I mean a real kick not just the fluttering.”

Shadow Spirit scoped her up in his arms and held her tightly. “Will he move now?” he laid his hand on her stomach.

“I can’t make him move. Have you noticed that I look like I am further along than Yellow Dove? I think our child is going to be a big one.”

“Yes I had noticed. Mother made a remark about that the other day.”

“Does she think that I am getting fat?”

“No, she said that you are glowing and that you are showing a little more than Yellow Dove.”

“That’s what I’m saying I think our baby is bigger than most at this stage of pregnancy. I’m not even five months.”

Shadow Spirit laid Abby down on their sleeping mat. He kissed her softly, first on her lips then down the side of her neck. He took his time with each kiss working his way to her exquisite breasts making sure that she was pleased with his treatment. He feathered soft kisses down her stomach causing the muscles to contract and quiver; he paused and put his ear to her belly as if expecting to hear their baby. Abby watched as he moved lower, bypassing her womanhood and trailing one finger down the inside of her thigh, barely touching her, she writhe under his gently touch.

“Please Shadow Spirit I need….Oh!” She cried out when he kissed his way up to her center and loved her there with his mouth.  She grabbed on to his shoulders and held on as wave after wave rocked her.  He returned to her mouth and she could taste herself on his lips, he kissed her as he sank into her waiting warmth. Her body rose to meet his, as he drew each stroke in and out at a deliciously slow pace. Abby shuddered as he quickened the pace, brought both of them to the top of the mountain, and holding tightly to each other as they fell of the side. 

They lay quietly, trying to bring their breathing under control. Abby couldn’t believe that he could possibly be this happy in such a short time. It had only been a little over five months since Black Heart had taken her from her home. Now hear she was in the arms of the most wonderful man and a baby on the way. Abby looked at Shadow Spirit, he was sleeping, with a smile on his lips. 

The next morning Shadow Spirit and a small hunting party left. Abby was sad to see him leave but knew it was for the good of the village. They would need more meat if they were to have enough to do for the winter, and she had grown accustom to have nice venison stew. 

Abby and Yellow Dove were at the creek getting water and talking about their coming babies. “Abby have you felt your child move yet?”

“Yes, just yesterday for the first time, it was so slight that I wasn’t sure at first then it did it again.”

“I know I have been feeling mine move for about a week now. My mother told me what to expect. I have never felt anything as wonderful, I cannot wait until it really begins to kick and Gray Wolf can feel it.”

“Shadow Spirit is anxious also. 

When they were about ready to leave the stream, someone called to Yellow Dove.

“You go on I’ll just finish filling this jug and I’ll be there, we will start lunch.”

“Ok, but hurry it is cold out here.”

Abby was bending over filling her jug with water when something hard and cold touched her neck; she froze with fear.

“This time White Whore, there is no one to save you, do as I order, and you will live a little longer. There is someone who wants to see you before your life ends.”

“I will do whatever you say Lone Raven, just don’t hurt me please.”

Lone Raven pulled Abby along the trail that lead away from the village and all that she held dear. Lone Raven yanked her by the hair when she stumbled. “Do not try and slow me down with your tricks, Black Heart will be angry if we do not hurry and I will not bear his anger because of you.” 

“Please Lone Raven I didn’t stumble on purpose, you are pulling me faster than I can run.  Why are you doing this?”

Lone Raven didn’t reply only tugged harder on Abby’s hair. They traveled for what seemed like miles, over streams and down hills, descending, always descending. The land was rougher here with lots of dangerous ravines and tangled vines that had been lush and green in the summer but now was shriveled and dried. Abby tried to pay attention to her surroundings and the direction that they were traveling, so that if she did get a chance to get away, she wouldn’t be so lost.  She was sure that Yellow Dove had alerted others in the village to her disappearance. There might be a search party on the lookout right now. The thought that they were looking for her gave her the strength to continue.

They stopped in a clearing that was bordered on three sides by stands of trees that had lost all their leaves and stood barren looking in the cold.  It was a campsite, there was a small fire in the center, and a pot of something that smelled wonderful, simmering on the fire.  Over to the side of the fire lay a small bundle of something, Abby sincerely hoped that it was blankets, for she was shivering with the cold and exhaustion. 

Suddenly the bundle moved and made a whimpering sound. Abby pulled away from Lone Ravens grip and ran to the blankets thinking that the evil woman had tortured some kind of animal. She kneeled and removed the covering to reveal small boy with big blue eyes and a dirty tear stained face. He had cried until all that was left of his voice was a slight squeak. He threw his arms around Abby’s neck and held on with more strength than he first appeared to have. She stood, cradling him against her; he buried his face under her chin and shook with pitiful, barely audible sobs. Abby tried to reassure him that it would be alright, but in her heart, she knew that he had about as much of a chance of surviving this horrible woman’s wrath as she did.

Lone Raven jerked the child from Abby’s arms and smacked him hard across the face, as she put him roughly back on the blankets. Abby launched herself at Lone Raven with every bit as much fury as a mother bear protecting her young. Lone Raven dropped the knife she had been holding since she had forced Abby to go with her, and fell to the ground with Abby landing on top of her pounding her with both fists. Abby was intent on beating the hateful woman into the ground when she was violently pulled to her feet. Black Heart looked at her, then back to Lone Raven who was trying to get to her feet, her lip was bleeding, and her nose looked like it might be broken. Abby stood a little taller knowing that she had gotten the better of the woman. When Black Heart spoke Lone Raven cringed, and Abby could see that she was just as afraid of him as she herself was.

“How could you let this puny white woman do this to you? You are of no use to me if you cannot control my hostage any better than this.”

“I was taken by surprise. She jumped me when I was taking care of the boy.”

“You were hitting the child!” Abby screamed.

Black Heart grasped Lone Raven by the arm pulling it behind her back until she cried out in pain. “Have I not told you that the boy is worth more to me if he not marred.  The people waiting for the hostages I can gather want them unharmed,” he looked over at Abby. “They only want children; I have other plans for you.” He leered at her with lust in his eyes.

Abby decided then that she would kill herself before she would let him touch her. He had not tried to rape her the last time that he had her captured, with any luck and the grace of God, Shadow Spirit would find her before that happened. 

While Black Heart and Lone Raven were going through the saddlebags that he had probably killed some poor unfortunate man for, Abby went to the little boy and sat beside him gently taking his hand. He looked up at her and gave her a feeble smile; her heart broke at the thought of how scared he must be. 

The next morning Black Heart was gone when Abby woke. She had been tied to a tree the night before, after she had been given a small bowl of food. The little boy had eaten his share so fast that Abby feared he would choke.  She would have gladly given him her share if it had not been for the baby growing inside of her and she needed to keep up her strength so that they could escape if the chance came. He had gone to sleep, curled in a ball at Abby’s side with his hand in hers.  She assumed that Black Heart thought his captives would be less trouble if they were kept together, for he had left the boy with her during the night. Abby had slept in spite of trying to stay awake to watch for signs of someone coming to the rescue.

While Lone Raven went to a small stream to get some water Abby worked at the ties that bound her hands, but to no avail, Lone Raven wasn’t taking any chances of Abby getting loose. Just as she heard the other woman splashing water into the bucket, she noticed a small sharp rock about three inches out of reach.  She stretched as far as possible to try and get the rock, but was unable to. The child had been watching her, he simply stood and picked up the rock and handed it to Abby. She smiled and thanked him. 

“You must not tell her about the rock.”

“I not tell the mean lady,” he laid his hand on Abby’s wrist where the bindings had rubbed. “Hurt”

“It’s ok.”  She smiled at him to reassure him that she was alright. “How old are you. Do you know?”

He held up four fingers; then began to cry.  “My ma was making my birthday cake when the bad man came, he hurt her bad,”  he cried.

Oh Lord, this sweet little boy had been taken from his home on his birthday and had most likely seen his mother killed. 

“Where was your Pa when the bad man came?” Abby asked as she frantically worked at the stripes of rawhide around her wrists.

“He was with the cow, we had a baby cow”

“Did you see your Pa when the man took you away?”

“He laid down in the yard, I think he was sleepy. I yelled for him to come, but he just stayed there on the ground.”

Abby wanted to take him in her arms and keep him safe, for surely he was now an orphan.

“Tell me your name”

“I’m Joshua King”

“Hello Joshua, I’m Abby”

Lone Raven came stumbling back to the camp, acting like a drunk.  “Please help me,” she screamed. “Snake bit me.”  She fell to the ground.

“I can’t help you, I am tied, and why would I anyway?”  Abby answered.

“Please, if you help me I will see that you get back to Shadow Spirit”

“Can you make it over here to untie me?”

Lone Raven dragged herself to within ten of feet or so of where Abby was tied, before she lapsed into unconsciousness. Abby started using the small rock to cut through the rope that held her hands when she thought about the knife that Lone Raven carried at her waist. “Joshua, can you go over and get her knife?”  He stood frozen in fear. “She can’t hurt you; please this might be our only chance to get away.”

He moved ever so slowly toward Lone Raven, looking back at Abby ever few feet. “Go on, I promise it will be ok.”

He reached the Indian woman and pushed at her with his foot before gingerly removing the knife from the sheath. He turned slowly back to face Abby.

“Good boy, can you place the knife in my hand?”

Joshua bent down and started sawing away at the ropes. “I can cut the rope, I am a big boy.” He worked on the rope for a good ten minutes. He concentrated so hard on his task, all the while his little pink tongue was sticking out the corner of his mouth which seemed to make the job easier. At last, the rope fell away and the only thing holding Abby was the rope around the tree and her waist.  She took the knife from Joshua’s trembling fingers and cut herself loose from the tree.  When she tried to stand her legs would not hold her weight, she had been sitting there for so long. Little by little, the feeling came back and she was able to make her way to Lone Raven. When Abby saw the bite, she almost vomited. Lone Ravens arm was swollen practically double; there was an angry circle around the bite and blood oozed from the fang marks. Abby tried to wake her but she only made a small gurgling sound in the back of her throat. 

Abby picked Joshua up and headed to the stream for water to clean Lone Ravens wound, careful not to run into the snake that had bitten her.  She seriously considered just taking Joshua and running as far away from this place as she could, leaving Lone Raven for the vultures and wild animals.  She just couldn’t leave another human being to such a fate no matter how evil they were. 

When she returned with the water, she took the knife and sliced the wound in an x pattern hoping that the poison would run out. She cleansed the bite and wrapped it with a strip of doeskin from Lone Ravens dress. Lone Raven opened her eyes and looked up at Abby with so much pain in her eyes that Abby actually felt sorry for her. It was beginning to get dark, so Abby stoked the fire and looked through Lone Ravens things for something for their supper. She found strips of pemmican and dried berries. Joshua ate some of both, then lay down by the fire and was asleep in less than five minutes.