CAPTIVES

by Joanna Phillips

Chapter 9

"Yankee Doodle went to town, riding on a pony, stuck a feather in his hat, and called it macaroni!"

"Cody, if you don't stop singing that, I'm going to kill you!" Kid muttered, looking at Cody over his shoulder so there would be no doubt that he meant it.

Cody met his eyes evenly and began the next verse, "And there was Captain Washington, upon a strapping stallion…"

"Cody!" Noah warned, equally tired of the song.

"What? I can sing if I want! I'm out here combing the country side, and it's all his fault!" Cody said, jerking his thumb at Kid, "I don't care if he don't like my singing!"

He never finished the rest because suddenly pulled Katy up, jumped off her and walked to Cody's side, grabbing his arm and yanking him off his horse.

"Oh, you want a fight? You got it!" Cody growled and they raised their fists.

"Stop it you fools!" Teaspoon thundered.

His voice caused both of them to stare at their feet like scolded children.

Teaspoon sighed. The long days of searching were telling on all of them. For the past few days they'd been riding in the high country, dangerous country for any white man. The stress of keeping their eyes and ears peeled for Indians was getting to all of them. Tempers were short, patience was gone, and spirits were low. It was time to call off the search, but none of them could bring themselves to do it, including Teaspoon.

"Boys, you've got to stay in control! Save the fight for Lou and Jimmy, all right?" He said. He watched as the boy's faces softened. The riders all discovered that they said Lou and Jimmy's names countless times every day, reminding themselves what their misery was for.

Buck sighed, and started to point out that they had to find Jimmy and Lou before they could fight for them, but closed his mouth. It wasn't anything the others weren't thinking, and saying it aloud would only serve to discourage them all more.

If that was possible, Buck thought. The last ounces of hope were draining from all of them. They all were afraid to let that last bit go though, knowing the devastation that would follow.

Kid and Cody climbed back onto their horses.

They rode in sullen silence for awhile.

Then Ike gained their attention by beating on his chest.

How about "Buffalo Gals"?

Noah smiled, "Jimmy's favorite…"

"I don't know, better ask Kid," Cody said sarcastically.

All eyes turned to Kid.

He drew a deep breath and began, "Buffalo gals won't you come out tonight…"

The others joined in and took heart in the song.

Lou leaned against a tree, her arms wrapped around herself, and stared into the sunset.

She'd never known such a long night and day in her life. Last night she lay awake in her teepee, straining her ears for the sound of his horse, but he never came. Raven Wing had been with her most of the time, but her worry over Curly was great also, and they hadn't been able to offer much comfort to one another.

She was alone now. Raven Wing had gone to pray with the medicine man for the safe return of her husband and father.

Lou did some praying herself.

The bad feeling she'd had since she lost sight of Jimmy had not gone away, and it only grew worse with every passing hour he did not ride back. Her stomach twisted into a tight knot, and for the hundredth time that day, she was almost sick.

It was supposed to have been my wedding day, she thought ironically.

She shivered and tried to think of something else but Jimmy's absence. She recalled seeing Dark Wolf that morning for the first time since the fire.

He was healing quickly. He walked with a slight limp on the leg that had burned, and he wore a loose fitting white man's shirt over his charred shoulder. His hair had been cut evenly, and still hung well past his shoulders. Only the side of his neck showed the horrible burns on him. Lou had stared at it from her distance in disgust. Dark Wolf would always remember her, she thought, whether he wanted to or not.

She'd avoided him altogether, and was glad she had. Raven Wing had told her his soul was dark after his disfigurement and also because he had not been well enough to ride with the Sioux tribe. He was highly unsatisfied with how his injury had been handled by Running Horse. His blood was hot, Raven Wing had said, and he was more dangerous than ever. Thankfully his injury would limit his actions for a while.

Thinking of Dark Wolf inevitably brought her thoughts back to Jimmy, as everything else seemed too. Her eyes filled with tears and she glanced at the darkening sky.

"Please God, let him be all right!" She whispered.

She was still standing by the tree hours later, watching the trail the braves had ridden out on when she heard hoof beats. Her breath caught in her throat as other women began running out of their homes. Would it be the Sioux riding in, or the Paiutes to finish them all? There was no way to know, and nothing they could do either way.

A sigh of relief escaped her as Running Horse appeared, sitting proudly in his saddle, but obviously nursing a bad arm. Raven Wing cried out and went to him.

The other braves rode in the same tired, but proud manner. Many of them were hurt, some badly. Lou's eyes searched every face that appeared in the firelight of the village, her breath coming faster in panic as Jimmy didn't appear.

Curly finally came through the clearing, swaying unsteadily on his horse. Raven Wing left her father's side to go to him. He was hurt badly and fell off the horse into her arms.

Lou ran to him, tears in her eyes.

"Curly, where's Jimmy?" She screeched, nearly pushing Raven Wing aside.

"Do not know," He mumbled and grimaced in pain.

She darted here and there, frantically asking the other braves, but they either didn't understand her, or even if they knew who she was asking about, knew nothing of him.

Lou left them all to run up the trail.

"Jimmy!" She called out, her voice trembling.

She continued to search for him, calling his name often as she ran along.

"Lou…" She wasn't sure she heard her name at first, it had barely been a breath on the wind.

She called for him again and listened.

"I'm…here," Came the weak reply.

"Jimmy!" She sobbed in relief, and ran to find him.

His horse had stopped just off the trail, and Jimmy was still on his back, laying over the animal's neck. He was barely conscious.

"Jimmy, what's wrong? What happened?" Lou demanded as she reached his side and pushed his light brown hair from his forehead.

"My arm," He said with a lot of effort.

Lou glanced at the arm on the side of the horse she was on and saw nothing wrong with it. She quickly went to the horse's other side and her gasp was audible.

An arrow protruded from Jimmy's arm, the shirt sleeve it pierced was soaked in his blood.

"Jimmy," She mouthed, and found her voice gone. Tears welled up again in her eyes as she went to face him, putting her hands on his cheeks and kissing his forehead gently, "You're gonna be fine, Jimmy, let's get you back to camp."

He moaned in pain as she began walking the horse, then he passed out.

Perhaps it was better that way, Lou thought. At least he couldn't see the terror in her eyes.

It seemed to take forever to get the animal back to their tee pee. Jimmy was once again stirring in pain when Lou moved to his side. She looked for someone to help her carry Jimmy inside, but there was no one.

"Come on Jimmy, let's get you inside. You are gonna be fine," She assured both him and herself.

He looked horrible in the firelight, Lou discovered, and was hurt much worse than she'd feared. He was deathly pale and trembling. His whole side was stained with the blood he'd lost, and the light colored horse he'd been given even bore bright red stains on his neck.

"Oh Jimmy," She cried in pity.

She gently pulled him off the horse, staggering under his weight as he fell on her. He bravely tried to hold himself upright, but his knees buckled. Lou used all her strength to keep him from falling, and slowly they made their way into the tee pee.

Lou helped him down on his bedroll, and then moved about uneasily. The only thing she was sure of was that the arrow had to come out of his arm and fast. Her earlier attempts to find assistance in locating Jimmy had told her that there was no one available to help her.

She was going to have to get the arrow out of his arm, and do it alone.

"Lou," He called out several times as he slipped in and out of lucidity.

Lou went over to him and kneeled at his side. He was burning hot with a fever, but at the same time he shivered violently with cold. She drug her heavy blanket to him and covered him up.

"I've got some whiskey…in my saddlebags…need some…" He told her through teeth clenched in pain.

Lou didn't question why he was carrying whiskey when the company forbade drinking, and was just desperately glad that there was something to ease his pain. She retrieved the flask quickly and held it to his lips.

"That's enough," She said softly, pulling it away from his eager mouth, "Save some for later!"

Jimmy moaned and let his head crash back.

"I have to get the arrow out, Jimmy," Lou began.

"I know you do. I trust you, Lou," He whispered.

Lou nodded and brushed his damp hair back from his forehead. Then she turned to go fetch some water and put it over the fire to boil. She dug through his saddlebags and found a few clean bandannas, and his knife. She cleaned it and held it over the fire.

Jimmy had passed out again when she moved to his side to remove the arrow.

Just as well, She thought.

Her hands were shaking wildly when she closed them around the wooden shaft of the arrow. She knew what she had to do, but the thought made her dizzy with terror. She'd have to break it off at the skin on the top part of the arm, then pull the part already embedded in his arm through. She knew enough about medicine to know that the chances of infection where already great, and she couldn't allow a greater risk by just pulling the arrow back out. She also knew how horribly painful the ordeal was going to be for Jimmy.

Steel resolve worked its way into her, and knowing she had to do this to save his life, Lou set her jaw firmly. One hand tightened on the arrow while the other came to rest on Jimmy's burning forehead. In one quick motion she snapped the arrow at the skin, sending more blood gushing from Jimmy's arm.

He screamed in agony and sat straight up, despite Lou's attempts to hold him down. Tears ran down her face as he continued to cry out in pain. The most painful part hadn't even been done yet.

Tears stood in his eyes as he finally stopped screaming and collapsed against the bedroll, exhausted. He looked at her, his face now blood red, every vein standing out from the strain of trying to hide his pain from her.

Lou knew it must be bad for him to allow a tear to escape down his cheek.

She moved to touch his cheek and he involuntarily jerked from her touch.

"Jimmy, I have to do this or you'll die," She pleaded.

His chest still rose and fell heavily. Sweat was poring from him as the fever raged through him. He was in shock, she realized, and it would get worse before it got better.

She prayed to God it would get better…

She let him rest for a minute, halfway hoping he'd pass before she pulled the rest of the arrow through. She wondered if he'd ever be able to use his arm again, if she was about to do damage that couldn't ever be repaired.

Slowly she moved closer to him and her hand closed on the bottom half of the arrow. She met Jimmy's eyes which were looking into her's worriedly.

"I'm sorry," She whispered miserably.

"It's all right, sweetheart, just do it!" He ordered her through tightly clenched teeth.

He braced himself, every muscle in his body taunt and aching as she took a deep breath. He still could not stop himself from twisting horribly and screaming again as she quickly pulled the arrow through. The sound of the object tearing through his flesh made Lou turn a sickly green.

"Oh damn it!" Jimmy shrieked, "Damn! Damn it to Hell!"

Lou couldn't do anything but stare at the bloody object in her hands for a moment. She then regained her wits and threw the arrow away from her as if it had burned her.

Jimmy continued to moan.

"Give me the Whiskey!" He demanded.

Lou held it while he drained the rest of it, at the same time she held the bandannas to his bleeding arm.

When the whiskey was gone she quickly unbuttoned his shirt and slid if off of him. She then made him a bandage and a sling. She was worried not only about the blood he'd lost but about the fever that was rising quickly. His body was in bad shape, and she wasn't sure if he would live or not. Gently she soaked a cloth in some cool water and began sponging it over his muscular chest and arms.

"It hurts Lou," He said pitifully as the whiskey started taking the edge off of his pride, "God, it hurts."

"I know, Jimmy, I know!" She whispered tearfully she stroked his hair.

It took him much effort to bring his good hand up to cover hers. She wrapped both of her hands around it, and brought it to her lips to kiss lightly.

"You're gonna be all right," She began.

Jimmy was losing his lucidity slowly and looked at her through glazed eyes, "You know you're an angel. You look just like what an angel should look like, sitting there like that…an Indian angel…" His voice became slurred and his eyes closed.

And so began the longest night of Lou's life.

"Jimmy, no!" Lou cried out in frustration as he thrashed recklessly on his blanket. Blood was beginning to spot his bandage from his struggle. He was in the grip of the fever though, and had no control over himself.

"Jimmy…Ouch!" Lou yelped as his good arm flailed out and caught her in the mouth. She tasted blood.

She moved to push him down for what seemed like the thousandth time. Even in his illness he was far stronger than she. Lou was tired and sore, her limbs having been battered by him repeatedly. No sooner had she pushed down his shoulders than his foot struck out, catching her in the leg.

Tears of frustration welled in her eyes. Jimmy was getting worse. The next few hours would tell if he lived or died. He was burning with fever. When Lou wasn't holding him down, she was sponging him with slightly cool water, and laying damp cloths all over him, trying desperately to bring the fever down.

Drums beat outside as prayers to the Spirits went up for the many wounded braves clinging to life. They only served to irritate Lou though. She wondered briefly if it had been another century when she and Curly had danced so freely around the fire to those same drums. Had that only been a day ago?

"Please Jimmy, lay still!" Lou begged him yet again, and sighed when the fit passed. She wouldn't have long until the next one, but it gave her a moment to bring more cool water over him.

She'd come to know the curves and planes of his chest and arms well, knew the power behind them. Her cheeks turned a fiery red in embarrassment for thinking of Jimmy that way…as a man…and she shook her head and concentrated on caring for him.

She longed for him to open his piercing brown eyes and smile up at her, but they remained closed, his skin remained flushed, and sweat poured from him.

"Jimmy, you listen to me!" Lou said tearfully as she leaned over him, "You hang on! You aren't leaving me here like this! Remember, we get out of this together or not at all!" She leaned her forehead to rest against his burning one and her tears fell onto him, "And I want us to get out of this!"

At that moment he thrashed out again, raising up and Lou was thrown back as his forehead crashed into hers. She felt dizzy for a moment and held her head in her hands while Jimmy tossed again. Then with a sigh, she went to try and hold him still, yet again.

It was only a few hours later, but it felt like months, when Jimmy finally ceased to have his thrashing fits. Lou felt tears sliding down her cheeks weakly, but was too tired to put up the effort to sob with relief, though she felt like it.

Her hand sought his forehead and she was sure it wasn't as hot as it had been. Finally, the fever had broken.

It wasn't yet dawn when she straightened up and grabbed a bucket. Jimmy would need water and broth very soon, she knew. Ever remembering her close encounter with Dark Wolf in the night, she took one of Jimmy's silver guns with her as she made her way down to the creek.

Her every nerve was on edge from the long night, but the added strain of knowing Dark Wolf could be anywhere didn't help her, and Lou jumped at every whisper of a sound on the short walk to the stream.

She filled the bucket uneventfully, then turned to walk back.

Her eyes barely caught a slight movement at the teepee; the flap seemed to fall gently back across the door.

With a soft cry, but no energy to scream, Lou dropped the bucket, sloshing cold water all over her legs but not noticing. Drawing the gun and cocking the hammer she half-ran, half-stumbled up the hill and burst into the teepee.

She didn't even have the sense to be scared so great was her fury to find Dark Wolf's familiar face there. He stood over the unconscious Jimmy with a tomahawk, ready to kill him.

"STOP!" She roared, and knew she'd never sounded or looked so fierce in her life. Though he was cool and fearless, Dark Wolf jumped in surprised and seemed to shrink from her.

Lou didn't hesitate. With the gun pointed at Dark Wolf's head, she jumped over Jimmy, forcing Dark Wolf back a step. She was easily within range of his weapon, but thought nothing of it, too focused on protecting Jimmy.

"You get out of here or I'll kill you!" Lou screeched, though she knew very well Dark Wolf didn't understand her, "I've got half a mind to put a bullet between your eyes anyway!" Her finger rested on the trigger.

He then did something that brought a shiver racing down Lou's spine.

He spoke to her in perfect English, his words not shocking her half as much as the fact that he had deceived all of them, even his own tribe, by pretending not to know the language.

"You marry him tomorrow, and not a soul you care about here will survive the night!"