Drifter – Part 16

By D

Chapter XXXI

Reuben Washburn was frustrated – deeply, seriously frustrated. His father Mordecai hadn't been particularly thrilled about his reasons for stalling their operations temporarily, but he did understand Reuben's reasoning – he even agreed with it. It didn't make him happy, though, especially having to agree to stay out of things and allow Reuben to handle things... for a while.

His take on Reb Stone, however, was unshakeable. "Take care of it," was all he'd said, but Reuben knew damned good and well exactly what that meant. The problem was, he couldn't – at least not at the moment and not in his present location. Stone had still not returned to town though Washburn knew she had survived the attack by Hobbs' gang.

Worse – Reuben had no way to leave without losing the Army position he needed and there was no way he would be able to force the issue within the town limits. Despite the many folks who found Reb Stone to be peculiar, most of them had benefited from her talents if not her generosity at one time or another and none had a bad word to say against her.

Still, he'd heard rumors – nothing solid... no way to confirm anything... not even a way to verify the source – but if they were anything close to the truth, he should be able to turn public opinion against her. This town might not be a God-fearing bastion, but it didn't take perversion lightly either.

He could only hope to get that lucky. Mordecai was not going to wait very long before he stepped in and took care of things his own way. And then all hell would break loose.

************

Marshal Stephen Murphy had a standing date with Miss Kitty on Wednesday afternoons. Sometimes they shared a meal and talked and other times, they shared themselves. No matter how they chose to spend their time together, Wednesday afternoons between two and five were sacrosanct - respected by all and sundry - and only the most horrible circumstances would cause one or the other of them to miss that appointment or anyone else to interrupt.

On the other hand, they didn't see one another much outside of that timeframe either, unless it was official business of the kind Murphy dealt with in his line of work. So it nearly shocked the whole town speechless when Kitty put on her nice clothes and sauntered down to the Marshal's office on a Friday afternoon.

Murphy's eyes nearly bugged out of his head when Kitty crossed the threshold. He rose from his seat automatically and motioned her to a chair. He waited until she was seated, then resumed his own place behind the desk.

"Well, Miss Kitty, this is an unexpectedly pleasant surprise. What, um... what can I do for you?"

"You can put my mind at rest, Marshal." She crossed her legs and cleared her throat. "I am hearing some rumors and I'm not sure what to make of them."

"What are you hearing, Kitty?" he asked glowering in her direction. "It's gotta be bad if you came out in the middle of the day to see me."

Kitty bit her lip, careful not to remove the color she had delicately painted on. "I'm not sure it's bad yet, Stephen, but it is somewhat disturbing."

"Kitty, what is it?" he asked again with more than a hint of exasperation.

"Well, rumor has it that Reb Stone is a horse thief – that she killed Leroy Washburn to keep from being discovered. But no one believes that – even the naysayers who would love to have something they could lord over her. She's done too much good for folks around here for that idea to stick... though a lot of folks are wondering why she would even be accused of such a thing. I have to tell you, Stephen, I never have liked those Washburn boys. Always a little too slick, if you know what I mean." He nodded but didn't comment, and she continued speaking. "The rest... if it's true I'm afraid it may be enough to turn the people here against her – hypocrites that they are."

He cocked an eyebrow and folded his hands on his desktop. "What, Kitty?" having a sinking feeling he knew exactly where this conversation was headed.

She cleared her throat again, feeling awkward. "Well," she drawled slowly, "I've heard that she's taken a wife... an Injun wife."

Murphy closed his eyes. He was going to have to kill Spencer – that was all there was to it. The man obviously had no sense, spreading stories like that. And if Stone ever got wind of it....

He sighed. "Between you and me, Kitty," he said with a direct stare. Kitty nodded, understanding and accepting his condition of silence. He had shared many things with her over the years, and she had become his most treasured confidante. With her hard-earned business knowledge and the things Murphy had shared, Kitty Caldwell knew enough secrets to bring down the whole town and a good percentage of the Army.

"Always, Stephen... you know that."

"All right," he agreed, sighing again. "Stone does have a bride and she is an Injun... though not like any Injun I've ever seen before." Kitty cocked her head and motioned for him to continue. "She's a bitty thing, Kitty... tiny like a bird, but not weak. Her hair is a red-gold color... not dark like you'd expect, and her eyes are as green as new spring grass. And she's as full of piss and vinegar as Stone is."

"And you say she and Stone are married?"

"No... THEY say they're married and I'm not gonna argue with 'em."

"You sure that's wise, Stephen? That sort of thing can turn ugly real quick. You know how judgmental some of the people in this town can be... especially about something like this. The only reason I'm not completely shunned is because I've got dirt on everyone and I'm willing to use it."

Murphy shook his head. "Nothing to be done for it, Kitty, 'less they don't come into town. And I don't see that as being a real option. Say whatever you like, them two women fit together. I've never seen anyone as fierce as that little one that belongs to Stone. She liked to have lit my hair on fire with a look when I intimated that they couldn't be married to each other."

"Worse than Stone Cold?"

He snorted. "Stone's look is like ice – she was all fire."

Kitty grinned despite the seriousness of the conversation. "Sounds like they're perfect for each other."

"Pretty much," Murphy agreed. "Question is... aside from me killing the teller of this particular tale, is there anything we can be doin' to make things easier for them when they come into town? Stone promised to give me a little while to see what I could dig up on the accusations Washburn was throwing her way, although that died down pretty quickly from that corner, come to think of it. And although I know her Missus wasn't too anxious to visit, still, you know that Stone at least will be here eventually – whether it is for supplies or looking for more bounties to chase."

"And you're sure about this... about them, I mean?"

"As sure as I've ever been about anything, Kitty. My first reaction was a lot like yours, but you didn't see them together. They belong."

Kitty chewed on the end of her finger thoughtfully. "All righty, then... maybe we should speak to the reverend first. He will ultimately be the one with the power to swing the minds of the old biddies in this town one way or the other."

"Can you convince him...?"

Kitty rose and Murphy stood as well. She extended her hand and he took it as a matter of course. She squeezed and waited for him to come around the desk, then she leaned forward and brushed his rough cheek with her painted lips, barely leaving a mark. "Leave it to me, Stephen. It may take a little while, but I think I can convince him to see things my way."

"Thanks, Kitty."

She shrugged. "Reb Stone is my friend – I don't have many of those in this town. And she's always looked out for me and the girls whenever she could. It's kinda nice to be able to pay some of that back."

"As I recall," he said as he walked her to the door, "you were a good Samaritan to her when she first came to town as well."

"Yeah, well... that was a long time ago and she's racked up a lot of points with me and the girls since then."

"Ya know, Kitty, if things were a little different...."

She cupped his cheek in her palm and brushed a thumb over his lips. "I know, but they're not. Let's just be thankful for what we've got," leaning up and brushing his lips with hers briefly before pulling away and opening the door. "I'll be in touch."

"You do that," he instructed. He watched her head back down towards the saloon and brothel. He noted all the eyes that followed her progress, seeing the speculation and interest in the 'respectable' women of the town. Then spotting Miss Molly Gillingham, Murphy decided to take a little stroll out towards the fort. With a little luck, he could resolve things with Spencer without having to actually kill the colonel for his indiscretion.

************

"Come in," Spencer called out as Murphy knocked on the open door. The two men hadn't spoken since their discussion about Reb Stone and Donoma. Part of that was due to the tacit agreement they'd made not to argue about Stone and Donoma; the other was a desire to give each other a little bit of space to cool down in.

But at the moment, Stephen Murphy was not worried about either of those things or the fact that he was risking years of friendship and good relations with the Army. At the moment, he had one single thought and that was to discover why Spencer had taken it upon himself to spread rumors about Stone and her mate. Despite the evidence that it was truth and not rumors, in Murphy's mind it didn't excuse the fact that Spencer had spoken out of turn.

So he stepped into Spencer's office and closed the door behind him.

The colonel raised an eyebrow at the set fury in Murphy's face, but motioned him to a seat. The marshal took a chair and leaned back, staring at Spencer for a long moment before opening his mouth to speak.

"Why'd you do it, Spence? Why couldn't you just let things play out if and when Stone and her woman came into town?"

John Spencer jerked up from his place behind the desk and leaned over with his palms flat on the top. "I don’t know what you're talking about, Murphy, but I don't like what you're implying."

Stephen Murphy stood opposite him and leaned against the other side of the desk until they were only inches apart. "I'm not implying, Spence. Are you gonna stand there and tell me that you didn't tell anyone about Stone and her wife? 'Cause rumors are flying all over the whole damn town, and I know I didn't say a word to anyone!"

Spencer fell back into his chair with a graceless flop and gaped at Murphy. For his part, Murphy maintained his gaze, watching realization dawn on Spencer's face. Only when the colonel's mouth started working like a fish's, opening and closing with no sound coming out, did the marshal take a seat and wait for him to recover his wits.

Finally, Spencer leaned forward and covered his face with his hands. Then he blew out a breath and dropped his hands, meeting Stephen's gaze squarely.

"It is my fault, Murph, but there was nothing malicious or hateful behind it. I just did what you suggested."

"Huh?" not brilliant, but the best Murphy could come up with under the circumstances.

"You told me to have Miss Molly talk to Stone's bride... you know, if she thought being an Army wife was so bad." Murphy nodded but didn't speak and the colonel continued. "See, it's like this... Miss Molly and I stepped out together last night. And we talked about marriage and how good I thought we could be together... you know, as husband and wife. And she told me that being an Army wife scared her, so I did what you suggested and mentioned that Stone had a wife she should talk to if she thought being an Army wife was scary. Had to be worse married to a bounty hunter, right?"

"You didn't," flatter than a pancake.

"I did," Spence retorted. "I didn't even think about the consequences. Frankly I never thought Miss Molly was the malicious type. I never expected her to be telling tales out of school." He shrugged. "It just goes to show you can never really tell about people. She's really not Army wife material if she isn't more discriminating on what news she shares and with whom."

Murphy kept his mouth shut. He'd learned from experience that women were women regardless, and just like most men he knew, if there was a juicy tidbit of gossip to share, they were damn sure going to share it with anyone and everyone who would listen.

Spencer sighed. "Not much to be done for it now, I suppose. I kind of hate that – Stone is good people. I hate to lose her friendship over something like this."

"Why do you have to?" At the colonel's cocked brow, he continued. "Why do you have to lose her friendship? Why not stand up and show folks that nothing has changed as far as you're concerned?"

"Excuse me? Murph... what do you mean, nothing has changed? Everything has changed!"

"Has it? Or is something that has always been private suddenly been made public?" The question stopped John Spencer in his tracks and he turned his gaze inward and gave it the deliberation it was due. Eventually, he looked back at Stephen Murphy who was waiting patiently for him to draw his own conclusions.

"Son of a bitch." Murphy's eyebrows went up, but he remained silent. "Son of a bitch," Spencer repeated. "You're right. Fact is, I never knew that much about Stone in the first place... at least not her private life. I never saw her with anyone, not even the girls at the saloon, except when she was having dinner with them. And I think she did that mostly to keep the more rowdy type men in line. All I really know of her is what I know dealing with her as a bounty hunter, and I can't fault the type of business woman she is. She's always been fair, forthright and honest in her dealings."

"And she always gets her man."

"Lucky for us."

"So...?"

"So I guess I will be out to greet her when she or they come into town. Don't know as I can do much more than that, but I'm not going to let the best bounty hunter in the territory disappear because I don't agree with her mating choice."

"Just you remember that her mate is a fierce woman in her own right, Spence. Woman nearly singed me bald with a look when I told her they couldn't be married."

Spencer chuckled. "That would have been quite the sight to see."

Murphy snorted. "Only 'cause you are the one what would have been bald."

The colonel raked a hand through his still thick hair. "I don't think I would be as appealing to Miss Molly as a bald man, at any rate." A troubled look crossed his face and Murphy stepped out of character for a moment and did something unusual for him.

"Whatcha gonna do about her, John?"

John shook his head. "I don't rightly know," he replied honestly. "I really do like her, Stephen, you know? I think she would make a good wife – she is obviously sturdy stock if she has survived out here; she comes from good people; she has nice manners and I think she would bear strong children."

"But...?"

"But can I marry someone who can't hold her tongue... or at least know when to speak and when to be silent? Do I really want to? I care for her very much; I just... I need to decide if I can live without her or not, and if not, how willing am I to teach her to be a proper Army wife?"

"Wouldn't the other wives help her adjust? I thought that was what women did... you know, sorta stick together."

Spencer laughed and rose from his seat, coming around the desk to clap Murphy on the shoulder. "That kind of thinking is probably why you and I are confirmed old bachelors at this point in our lives, Stephen. I have found that sometimes women come together in camaraderie and join forces against a common enemy and sometimes they will ostracize one another because they can. I long ago stopped trying to make sense of either their thinking processes or their machinations. It made my head hurt too much. I do know that *if* I ever decided to marry, my wife would be expected to be a leader among the wives and women here as much as I am a leader among the men. That is the way of the Army. And I am not sure Miss Molly is up to that challenge."

"Well, I'm sure you'll figure it out. Meantime, I need to talk to Kitty... see what the good reverend has to say about it all. If he's on our side, I figure the old biddies will fall in line." He noticed Spencer's speculative look. "She's the one who came to me with the rumors, Spence."

"Figures," the colonel grunted. "If there is news in this town, real or imagined, Miss Kitty is going to be the first one to hear about it. That woman is better than a newspaper or a town crier for news, and she's discrete. Of course, in her line of work...." not saying any more to keep from offending Murphy. He knew how the marshal felt about Kitty.

Murphy offered him a slightly pained smile. "Maybe she should be the one to teach Miss Molly about discretion."

John laughed. "I'd almost pay to see that."

Stephen's laughter joined in. "So would I, actually." The two men shook hands and Spencer opened the door for Murphy to leave. "Come around for dinner tomorrow, and I'll let you know what Hawkins had to say. Maybe we can head things off at the pass."

"I'll be there." Then the two men went back to work, wondering what the morrow would bring.

Chapter XXXII

Miss Kitty moseyed back to the saloon. She knew talking to Reverend Hawkins was going to require a little finesse. Still, he was a man and not without secrets, though if she could manage it, she'd prefer not to have to threaten him with exposure. He was much better as a willing ally than an antagonistic one and Kitty was determined to bring him around to her way of thinking. First, though, she needed sustenance. Then she could strategize her battle plan.

She walked in the door and greeted Benny the bartender with a wave. He nodded his head and signaled one of the other girls to fetch Kitty a plate. For her part, Kitty headed upstairs to remove her 'going out' clothes. Even if she had to put them on again later to talk to the reverend, it was better than wrinkling them or staining them in the meantime.

Kitty unbuttoned her shoes, kicking them off with an almost decadent sense of liberation. Then she reached behind her to start unbuttoning her dress, only to be stopped by the knock on the door. With a sigh of relief, she opened the door and ushered Ginger into the room, taking the tray from her hands and turning her back.

Ginger understood the unspoken directive, unhooking buttons quickly and patting Kitty's back when she was finished. Kitty turned and brushed their lips together lightly, then slipped out of her dress and into her comfortable robe.

"God, that's much better," she said, stretching comfortably before moving over to the tray she'd set down on her bed. "Thanks, by the way... I'm starving."

Ginger smiled. "Thank Benny. He's the one who let us know you were ready for it."

"Good man... remind me to thank him later." She looked up at Ginger. "How'd you get drafted to bring it upstairs?"

Ginger's smile became a grin. "I volunteered."

Kitty smirked. "Of course you did."

Ginger was good, letting Kitty satisfy the first pangs of hunger before she started talking. "So what's the word?" Kitty met her gaze blankly. "C'mon, Kitty – you went down to talk to the Marshal as soon I told you about the rumors goin' around town. Are you gonna sit there and pretend that didn't have anything to do with your impromptu visit to see Stephen Murphy?"

"I can't, Ginger. I promised Stephen to keep his counsel on this. But I can tell you he was mightily displeased to hear about these rumors floatin' about."

"I'd say that was the truth for the majority of the town from the sound of things no matter which side of the fence you fall on. Do you realize Reb's supposed marriage to an Injun woman has pushed the talk of her being a horse thief right off the map? Not that anyone here believed that foolishness – even the old biddies knew better than to say a word against her in that regard." She turned and leaned up against the door. Kitty arched an eyebrow at her.

"Have you heard anything else?"

"Nothing I didn't already tell ya; the telling seems to get worse with each round it makes though. 'Fore ya know it, Reb's gonna have a harem and fangs." The two women snorted and Kitty almost choked on her laughter.

"Thanks for that imagery, Ging," Kitty said wryly when she could speak again. "I'm gonna be hard-pressed to keep a straight face next time I see Reb and God knows I can't afford to be seen laughin' at her. Folks'll take that all wrong."

"Well, people do seem to be fallin' into two distinct camps from what I've been able to figure out already. Most of the shopkeepers, the single men, the cowboys and the like don't give a rat's ass. They figure it's none of their business. The old biddies though...."

"So it's a case of men on one side, women on the other."

"Pretty much, except for the reverend who is sticking with the old women and us, who come down firmly with the men."

Kitty chortled. "Don't we always?" Ginger howled with laughter and it was a few minutes before either of them could speak sensibly again. "Now," Kitty said, popping the last bite of cornbread into her mouth and brushing the crumbs from her hands, "I need to figure out the best way to get the good reverend to see things our way... preferably without using blackmail."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why preferably without blackmail? Damn, Kitty – what's the point of *knowing* all the secrets if you never *use* them?"

"I'd prefer to have him on our side as an ally, Ginger. No one wants a war over this. There's a lot hidden behind the walls and doors of this town. That kind of stuff starts spilling out, there's liable to be an explosion of massive proportion."

"You think it could come to that?"

"I think Washburn will use any opportunity he can to stir shit against Reb." She sighed. "I still don't understand why they didn't cotton to her at all. She's doing the Army a huge favor being such a successful bounty hunter – lessens their responsibilities in the territory by the wagonload. Why'd the Washburn boys have such a stick up their ass where she is concerned? As far as I could tell, she stayed well away from them, didn't she?"

Ginger nodded slowly. "Yeah, though that might've been the problem. She's a woman working in a man's world, meeting a man's terms and to top it all off, she shunned them as men. Now in fairness, she did that with all the men that wanted her as a woman." She shrugged. "Maybe that bothered them the most." She took a seat next to Kitty. "I dunno, Kit... the whole thing just gives me a really bad feeling."

"Yeah, me too," Kitty agreed. "Nothing good can come from this." She rubbed her forehead, careful not to smudge the makeup she had so painstakingly applied earlier. "It's already giving me a headache."

Ginger rose from her place beside Kitty and removed the tray from the bed before returning and propping her body against the pillows at the headboard. Then she patted the space between her scissored legs, motioning for Kitty to sit between them with her back to Ginger's chest. Then Kitty's chin dropped to her chest as Ginger began a firm kneading on the knots in her neck.

"Christ Ginger, you have magic hands."

"And a magic tongue depending on who you ask," Ginger replied saucily, causing Kitty to jerk with laughter. She kept up the pressure, forcing the knots to loosen under her touch one by one.

"God that feels so good, but you're putting me to sleep."

"Go with it, Kitty – you need the rest if you're going to be ready for Mason and his boys tonight. This stress isn't good for ya, you know." Kitty snorted, but she didn't speak. Ginger slipped from her spot behind Kitty, then encouraged her to cuddle down into the soft bed. "G'wan, me and the girls will handle any business that comes in for a while. I'll come gitcha before Mason gets here."

Kitty might have answered except for the soft snoring that issued from between her lips. Ginger pulled the blanket up to her waist, then snagged the tray and tiptoed from the room.

************

Saturday morning, Kitty got up early – a huge sacrifice given the lateness of the hour she'd been up working the night before. She smiled, then grimaced. She appreciated the business, but God, she was beat. It was nothing another few hours of sleep wouldn't cure, but she needed to talk to Reverend Hawkins first and unfortunately, that meant early morning hours. On Saturdays, Mrs. Hawkins held a prayer meeting with the respectable Christian women of the town while the good reverend went to the schoolhouse to convert it into a church meetinghouse. Then he would rehearse his sermon until the women were out of his house.

So muttering under her breath at the things she did for friendship, Kitty struggled out of bed. She scrubbed her face and carefully reapplied her make-up, then slid into her going out clothes for the second day in a row.

It was dark and quiet downstairs – no one would be stirring in the saloon until close to lunch time. With any luck, Kitty would conclude her business with the good reverend quickly enough to take advantage of the relative silence for a few more hours of peace.

The shops were opened; most of the storekeepers gave her a nod of greeting though not much more. Kitty didn't mind – she more than most understood the importance of appearances. She got their money and attention sooner or later if not their public respect.

When she reached the far end of the street, she crossed and mounted the steps slowly.

"And the Lord said, 'I shall smite...' Miss Kitty?"

Kitty's lips twisted wryly at the irony of the words that welcomed her appearance into the church. Daniel Hawkins kept the smile from his lips but didn't contain the twinkle in his eyes. She offered her hand and he accepted it, squeezing briefly before releasing it. Then he motioned her to a bench and took a seat across the aisle.

"What brings you to see me, Kitty?"

"I think you can probably guess, Daniel."

He sighed and rubbed a hand across his eyes. "Kitty...."

"Daniel, are you gonna sit there and tell me you agree with the old biddies of this town? That Reb Stone needs to be shunned because of who she chooses to spend her time with? The same Reb Stone that has done more than her share to help keep this a decent place to live?"

"The Bible says...."

"The Bible says 'judge not that ye be not judged'; 'let he who is without sin cast the first stone'." She laughed aloud at his flabbergasted expression. "C'mon, Daniel. I haven't always been a whore. I spent a goodly portion of my Sundays growing up listening to a hellfire and brimstone preacher. I'm not interested in what you think the Bible says. I'm interested in what you, Daniel Hawkins, say. And before you answer that," she said holding up a hand when he drew breath to speak, "I mean you the man... not the preacher and not the husband."

He sighed again, this time scrubbing both hands over his face, then allowing them to rest on his lips while he contemplated her in silence. "If it was left up to me, I'd tell them to stay well away from this town, Kitty. Different don’t do well here – you know that. Look at how long it took Stone to make a place for herself as a woman bounty hunter. Now for her to bring in an Injun woman – that's bad enough, but to call her mate??"

"Daniel, I'm not asking for an explanation. I'm asking what side you come down on."

"As a man, I don't rightly care. Reb Stone has been a contributing member of this town and I value that. But as a preacher, I have to condemn her actions. She flaunts her differences and that's just not right. It goes against the Good Book."

Kitty sneered. "It goes against Eunice's desire for a polite society in this town, Daniel... just like I do. Imagine if she knew the truth about you."

His face flushed red and his eyes popped from their sockets. She held up her hands.

"Breathe, Daniel. I'm not going to tell her – at least not now. But imagine if she did know. The only real difference is Reb's not hiding her secret." Kitty rose and smoothed out her skirt. "Maybe one day you'll be able to be that man you always wanted to."

Without another word, Kitty turned and headed back out towards the saloon. With a little luck, she'd be able to get back to bed with no more interruptions in her sleep.

************

Koko lay still, her eyes focused on the warm body of her mate. Donoma was curled up into the warrior's body, holding on so tightly she wondered what haunted the seer's dreams. For her part, Koko trailed her hands up and down Donoma's bare skin, anywhere she could reach – arms, back, belly. Slowly, her touch roused Donoma towards wakefulness and Koko smiled as Donoma mewed her protest at being awakened, no matter how gently.

Koko rolled them so Donoma was tucked beneath her and her eyes were focused on Donoma's, wanting to see green eyes. It took a few minutes, but eventually her patience was rewarded and sleepy green eyes slowly blinked open. Donoma smiled up into the blue eyes full of love gazing back at her, then laced her hands into the dark hair, tugging until Koko's lips were a mere whisper away from her own.

"Good morning," she said softly.

"Good morning, ka'eskone," dropping her head and capturing the full lips beneath her for a timeless moment. "How did you sleep?" she asked when they separated.

Donoma grinned and rubbed Koko's nose with hers. "I was in your arms, warrior; my sleep is always good there." Koko traced the planes of Donoma's face with her fingertips, studying the depths of her eyes for any suggestion of what had caused her to hold on so fiercely in her sleep. Not finding anything, she kissed Donoma's nose and pulled back slightly.

"As is mine, ka'eskone." She rolled onto her back, smiling when Donoma followed and tucked her head under Koko's chin. They lay that way for a few minutes, then Koko tilted her head enough to kiss the blonde head. "Do you still want to try to go into town today, Donoma? I think it may be dry enough for us to make it in without too much difficulty."

"I go where you go, warrior."

Koko shifted. "Have you decided otherwise, beloved? We do not need to go if you are not ready."

"I think we need to get this behind us, warrior mine. It is not going to get easier by waiting."

Koko nodded her head. That much was the truth. She knew that as well as anyone and better than most – had it not been for necessity, she herself would never have ventured into town the second time. She was not particularly looking forward to introducing Donoma to the white man's world, remembering her own experiences, but until her business with Stephen and the Army was complete, there was no way she was going to leave Donoma alone. Something about the very idea sent squiggles traveling up and down her spine in painful patterns.

"Very well," Koko agreed. She squeezed Donoma once more, then released her hold. "We should get started. It will take most of the morning to get there."

"Do we have time for breakfast?" Donoma asked as her belly growled. Koko chuckled.

"Absolutely, ka'eskone. Never let it be said I let you starve."

"You nearly did once – do you remember?" Donoma asked seriously, though the twinkle in her eyes belied the gravity of her tone.

"I never...!" Koko replied aghast.

"Oh, but you did, warrior. Do you not recall my defensive training? Part of that was survival – you offered me roasted scorpion and rattlesnake blood!!"

"I found more palatable alternatives!" Koko whined in her defense, reminding Donoma of the cactus that had served as both food and drink.

"Yes, but only because I turned the color of my eyes if I recall correctly, warrior. For a time there, I was convinced you wanted me to fail." Donoma's face was teasing; Koko's countenance grew grave, not a hint of humor in her expression or manner.

"Not once did I ever desire your failure, ka'eskone."

"Oh, Koko... I know that now. I realized it later when I heard about warrior survival training – you did not spend extra time looking for things they would eat. They were expected to eat what they found or go hungry." She took Koko's face in her hands. "You never failed in your duty to look out for me, Koko Kanti, and I can appreciate those efforts very differently as an adult and your mate than I ever could as a child." She laughed softly and shook her head.

"What?"

"It is so clear to me now. Why was it so hard to see before?" She looked into wide blue eyes. "Everyone knew, Koko... everyone saw. Everyone but me. What could have been so important to the Great Spirit that we needed to be separated for five cycles?"

Koko caught Donoma's hands in hers and kissed the knuckles. "Ka'eskone, I am not sure the Great Spirit had anything to do with it. Sometimes, it is just us and our decisions and their consequences. But...." stopping Donoma's protestations before they could begin, "it will be something you can ask one day in the very distant future when we go together to meet our fathers and mothers. However, you are going to have to let it go for now, ka'eskone. What's done is past – there is nothing we can do to change it. We can only live today for the precious gift that it is."

Donoma brought their joined hands to her lips, placing her own kiss over them. "When did you get to be so smart, warrior?"

"I could not help but be, Donoma Chepi. I have the smartest advisor in all the land. I could not have her think me an idiot now, could I?"

"Keep reminding me of today, warrior mine. I am tired of living in the past and finding only pain and loneliness in the present while seeing nothing but darkness in my future. I want to remember the past, but I want to live in the future and look towards the future with you."

Koko smiled. "You will... I will be right here to remind you until you remember."

"Good thing you love me so much."

"I never stopped." Then her declaration was interrupted by the loud rumble from two stomachs this time. "I suppose that is a sign we have had enough sentiment for the moment. We should take care of this and get started to town. The sooner we take care of our business there, the sooner we can come home again."

Donoma frowned. "Is there something about this that concerns you about this journey, warrior?"

"Several somethings, in fact, but they will not change or disappear if we delay. I need to speak with Stephen at any rate. I want to know what he has discovered about Washburn's accusations against me. The whole situation is difficult and strange."

"We will work it out, Koko... together."

"That is all I need, ka'eskone. Everything will figure itself out as long as we are together. Now come – it is time to introduce you to Miss Kitty and her bathtub with hot water." Donoma grinned and they went to into the kitchen to get some breakfast so they could get on their way.

Part 17

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