Straw Men by J. R. Roberts

move, didn’t have any weapons, and didn’t even know where he was, Clint did the only thing he could do. He kept still and pretended to be asleep. Despite the fact that it took no effort for him to lie there, Clint felt like it was the hardest path he could have chosen.
    Every time he felt those stomping footsteps, Clint wanted to jump up and see who was making them.
    Whenever he heard threats being hurled at his back, Clint wanted to sit up and answer them.
    But he didn’t do any of those things. He gritted his teeth and played dead until he thought he’d rather take his chances with facing real death before rolling over one more time. Fortunately, the next set of footsteps he heard weren’t angry. They were more like soft cat’s feet padding upon the floor. Once those steps got close to him, Clint heard a familiar voice.
    â€œAre you awake?” Fawn whispered.
    Clint nodded.
    Her hands brushed against his face to remove the blindfold and gag with soft precision. Clint opened his eyes and only needed a second or two to adjust to the dim glow coming in from outside. His throat was dry, so he spoke softly to keep from hacking loud enough to draw attention.
    â€œWhere…am I?” he croaked.
    â€œHere,” Fawn said as she slipped an arm beneath Clint’s shoulder and helped him to sit up. Once he was situated, she held a waterskin to his mouth.
    The water was cool, but still burned when it trickled over his parched throat. A few more sips were enough to remedy the situation and soon Clint was gulping the water down.
    â€œYou’re in our camp,” Fawn said before Clint could ask his question again. “It’s about half a day’s ride from the spot where those soldiers were killed.”
    â€œThey’re all dead?”
    She blinked and lowered her head. Her raven black hair drifted down to frame the long, smooth lines of her face and swayed like strands of silk in a gentle breeze. “The leader was killed and…you killed the other one.”
    Hearing that put a knot in Clint’s stomach. “The other one…did he kill many others?”
    â€œFour,” Fawn replied. “Including one of your own. Our medicine man is singing for two more, but they are hurt very badly.”
    â€œNolan killed the lieutenant?” Clint said under his breath. Seeing the puzzled expression on Fawn’s face, he asked, “Did the one who started shooting kill the leader of the soldiers?”
    She slowly shook her head. “I don’t know. Ahiga says that one killed another soldier that was found a little ways outside the other camp.”
    Clint figured she was talking about the scout that had brought McGurn to the meeting. He didn’t know why Nolan would kill that scout, but Clint also didn’t know why the gunman would just open fire the way he did. One thing he did know was that he intended to find out.
    â€œCan you untie my hands?” Clint asked.
    Although she seemed reluctant, Fawn didn’t refuse him right away. “Now is not a good time for you to leave.”
    â€œAhiga wants to kill me. If I don’t leave soon, I’ll be dead.” Clint could tell his words were having an impact, but it wasn’t a big enough impact just yet. “Why did you help me?” he asked.
    Fawn blinked and nervously shifted her eyes away from him. “I was there when the shooting started. I saw what you tried to do.”
    â€œI didn’t want that to happen,” Clint insisted.
    â€œI know. If you hadn’t stopped that killer, there would have been a lot more blood spilled. If Ahiga makes his voice heard by enough of our people, blood will be spilled anyway.”
    â€œThen let me go. Nobody will know what you did. They’ll just think I escaped on my own. You came this far, Fawn. Just do what you know is right.”
    â€œYou’ll go to the rest of the soldiers and bring them here,” she said. “I