she kicked him with her bound feet as hard as she could in his tightened groin. The man shouted in agony and then seemed to pass out.
Her head pounding, it took her a moment to realize she had been successful. With her senses reeling from shock, she watched to make sure he didn’t move. Blood surging through her, she finally managed to use her tongue and push against the filthy rag to free it from her mouth.. She scooted over to Sky Fire as fast as she could and whispered into the girl’s ear, “Sky... Sky... wake up. He’s asleep! Sky, wake up!”
Sarah was frantic, trying with all she had to get the Comanche girl to respond. When Sky Fire’s eyes flickered open, it was a moment before Sarah could see lucidity in her eyes. With her hands and legs still tied, Sarah worked at the rope around her hands using her teeth. Sky Fire sat up wearily and then fell back down, her hands holding her skull. Sky Fire cried softly into her gag. Sarah watched the girl sway. She grabbed her to steady her.
“I’m going to take the rag out of your mouth, but you must be quiet,” Sarah told her. Sky Fire nodded. Sarah removed the rag and began feverishly untying the ropes from Sky Fire’s arms and legs. It was then that Sky Fire let out a terrorizing scream. Sarah turned around to see Broken Horn sit up and grab a nearby wooden branch. In an instant, the branch caught Sarah above her ear and knocked her dangerously close to the fire.
***
She ran. She didn’t know where the strength came from, but Sky Fire ran through the darkness. She could hear footfalls and heavy breathing and cursing from behind her as she sprinted across the desert. Her lungs seared as she inhaled deeply. Her swollen skull caused her vision to distort as she stumbled. Sky Fire fell down hard next to a creosote bush, rolling herself underneath its low-lying branches. In her black world, Sky Fire lay and prayed to the spirits. Tears burning her eyes, she fought for control to stay as quiet as she could. The sound of running feet flew past her. She waited. There were no more sounds to be heard. Sky Fire relaxed and let the looming, inky shadows swallow her as she fell into a deep sleep.
Chapter Seven
In the morning light, the two warriors found the trail of a single horse being led by foot. Grey Fox watched the steps closely. These were not Sun Puma’s steps, but those of a large man. The women must be on horseback. There was much blood this time, all to the side of the horse. Grey Fox hoped that it was the horse that was injured, but his instincts knew that there had been an awful injury to someone. His jaw clenched. Visions of Sun Puma hurt haunted him, and he quickened his pace.
He noticed that the little filly followed way behind, and he wondered about this. The clues left to him did not form a clear picture in his brain. Running Deer stayed quiet most of the ride. His fear and anguish over Sky Fire was so close to the surface, and he knew Running Deer was afraid to voice them.
By nightfall, the pair of trackers found where a fire was made. It was still warm. They could see the flattened, bloodied earth where the two women had lain and the broken glass of a whiskey bottle. Grey Fox threw his head back and screamed a curse into the sky. There was no denying now that the women were taken captive and badly beaten. Grey Fox picked up a bloody tree branch and hurled it into the air.
***
Broken Horn knew he had made a terrible mistake. His hatred for Grey Fox and his drinking had clouded his thinking when it came to the girl. She had been asleep on the back of that sorrel for two days, and he didn’t know what to do with her. As he came closer and closer to her ranch, his anxiety grew. If she died, he would be hung for murder. If the other woman survived and somehow made it back to the Coyote Clan, she would talk. Grey Fox and the Comanche warriors would find him, and his death would be worse.
Broken Horn’s mouth twitched. He looked at the woman once
Her head pounding, it took her a moment to realize she had been successful. With her senses reeling from shock, she watched to make sure he didn’t move. Blood surging through her, she finally managed to use her tongue and push against the filthy rag to free it from her mouth.. She scooted over to Sky Fire as fast as she could and whispered into the girl’s ear, “Sky... Sky... wake up. He’s asleep! Sky, wake up!”
Sarah was frantic, trying with all she had to get the Comanche girl to respond. When Sky Fire’s eyes flickered open, it was a moment before Sarah could see lucidity in her eyes. With her hands and legs still tied, Sarah worked at the rope around her hands using her teeth. Sky Fire sat up wearily and then fell back down, her hands holding her skull. Sky Fire cried softly into her gag. Sarah watched the girl sway. She grabbed her to steady her.
“I’m going to take the rag out of your mouth, but you must be quiet,” Sarah told her. Sky Fire nodded. Sarah removed the rag and began feverishly untying the ropes from Sky Fire’s arms and legs. It was then that Sky Fire let out a terrorizing scream. Sarah turned around to see Broken Horn sit up and grab a nearby wooden branch. In an instant, the branch caught Sarah above her ear and knocked her dangerously close to the fire.
***
She ran. She didn’t know where the strength came from, but Sky Fire ran through the darkness. She could hear footfalls and heavy breathing and cursing from behind her as she sprinted across the desert. Her lungs seared as she inhaled deeply. Her swollen skull caused her vision to distort as she stumbled. Sky Fire fell down hard next to a creosote bush, rolling herself underneath its low-lying branches. In her black world, Sky Fire lay and prayed to the spirits. Tears burning her eyes, she fought for control to stay as quiet as she could. The sound of running feet flew past her. She waited. There were no more sounds to be heard. Sky Fire relaxed and let the looming, inky shadows swallow her as she fell into a deep sleep.
Chapter Seven
In the morning light, the two warriors found the trail of a single horse being led by foot. Grey Fox watched the steps closely. These were not Sun Puma’s steps, but those of a large man. The women must be on horseback. There was much blood this time, all to the side of the horse. Grey Fox hoped that it was the horse that was injured, but his instincts knew that there had been an awful injury to someone. His jaw clenched. Visions of Sun Puma hurt haunted him, and he quickened his pace.
He noticed that the little filly followed way behind, and he wondered about this. The clues left to him did not form a clear picture in his brain. Running Deer stayed quiet most of the ride. His fear and anguish over Sky Fire was so close to the surface, and he knew Running Deer was afraid to voice them.
By nightfall, the pair of trackers found where a fire was made. It was still warm. They could see the flattened, bloodied earth where the two women had lain and the broken glass of a whiskey bottle. Grey Fox threw his head back and screamed a curse into the sky. There was no denying now that the women were taken captive and badly beaten. Grey Fox picked up a bloody tree branch and hurled it into the air.
***
Broken Horn knew he had made a terrible mistake. His hatred for Grey Fox and his drinking had clouded his thinking when it came to the girl. She had been asleep on the back of that sorrel for two days, and he didn’t know what to do with her. As he came closer and closer to her ranch, his anxiety grew. If she died, he would be hung for murder. If the other woman survived and somehow made it back to the Coyote Clan, she would talk. Grey Fox and the Comanche warriors would find him, and his death would be worse.
Broken Horn’s mouth twitched. He looked at the woman once
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