Drifter – Part 20
Chapter XXXIX
“You seem restless
tonight, ka’eskone,” Koko commented several days later. “Is something wrong?”
“I do not know,
warrior. It is simply... I have never
felt like this before.”
“Getting used to being in
one place is very different from what you have known all your life.”
“Yes, it is. Even winter camp is not like this. I think the weather may be part of the
problem. I do not remember seeing so
much rain in so short a period of time.
I have never spent so much time indoors when I was not ministering to
the sick.”
“Would you like me to be
sick, ka’eskone, so you have something productive to do with your time?”
“No! If I never have to use those particular
skills on you ever again, it will be too soon for me. I have done more than my share of caring for
you that way and though I do not begrudge any of the time we spent together, I
hate to see you suffer. Besides,” she
added with an impish twinkle in her green eyes, “you were always my worst
patient.”
Blue eyes widened and Koko’s full bottom lip stuck out in what threatened to
become a full-fledged pout. “Me?” she
asked with mock offense. “How can you
say that? I have always been the epitome
of what a model patient should be.”
Donoma couldn’t resist the impulse and soon she was shaking with
laughter, though she covered her mouth to keep the giggles from escaping. Koko glared and crossed her arms over her
chest. “You are mocking me.”
“No, Nutta. I am telling you the truth. Do you not remember the first sickness you
had after you and
************
It had been a dare and
Koko had never been one to refuse a dare.
It had been coming on to winter - not yet freezing, but well beyond the
warmth of summer. Despite her acceptance
into the tribe by Takoda and Odahingum, Koko was still the new kid and in some
things, she still had a lot to prove to her peers.
This particular autumn
day, the young warriors were out near a tributary whose origin they were
unaware of. All they knew was that the
water was chilly, even in the heat of mid-summer, so now it was downright
frigid. The challenge was to swim the
width of the river and back again - naked
The boys had thought to
play a practical joke on Koko, stealing her clothes and forcing her to return
to the encampment in nothing but her skin. Koko and a few of the others would
swim while the rest took her clothes. What they had not counted on was the
fierceness of
The swimmers were more
than halfway across the water when Donoma’s first cry
rang out. Without hesitation, Koko
turned back and headed for shore. Honaw,
seeing her action, turned to follow her, knowing there had to be a good reason
for Donoma to scream and an even better one for Koko to give up the challenge
to take care of it.
She stepped onto shore,
naked as the day she was born, backlit by the sun which highlighted the
strength of her young body and the gentle curves she was only just beginning to
develop. The boys who had caused Donoma’s fit, stepped away from Donoma, moving them out of Koko’s immediate reach.
They couldn’t stop staring at Koko, though, and she felt her hackles
rise.
Donoma ran to her, jumping
into her arms and wrapping tiny arms around Koko’s
neck. Koko completed the embrace without
taking her eyes from the boys that caused the reaction.
“Do you not have somewhere
else you need to be?” she growled, blue eyes blazing at them. “Where is your honor, that you terrorize a
five-year-old child?”
“It had nothing to do with
her,” the bravest among them stated.
“I see,” Koko ground
out. “So she was screaming because...?”
“How should I know?” the
boy answered diffidently with a shrug, though his eyes darted from side to
side. “Maybe she just likes the attention
she gets from you when she does.”
Koko’s eyes narrowed and she set
Donoma gently onto the ground. “Stay
with Honaw, ka’eskone. I will be right
back.” Before Donoma could move, Koko
had leaped on the interloper and started pounding him into the ground. Some of his mates jumped in to help but found
themselves the recipients of their own blows, courtesy of Honaw and his
compatriots.
Unfortunately, in the
melee, Koko lost sight of the reason Donoma had been so vocal and while she and
the others were busy, one boy snuck out of the fighting and gathered up her
clothing and threw it in the water.
Donoma gave chase, but her legs were too short and she wasn’t fast
enough. She did manage to kick him in
the shins after the deed was done - the boy couldn’t resist the opportunity to
laugh and gloat over his perceived victory.
His howl of pain cut through the grunting and groaning and everyone
stopped fighting at the sound.
He raised a hand to Donoma
who stared back at him without flinching, hands on her hips.
“Do not be stupid,”
Keezheekoni cut in. “The punishment
you’d receive for completing that action would be far greater than any
satisfaction you might garner from it.”
The boy snorted and looked
around nervously, realizing that even his cohorts’ expressions contained a
measure of disgust. His eyes met Koko’s and he flinched at the raw fury directed towards
him. He dropped his hand and stepped
away from Donoma.
“It does not matter,” he
sneered. “We won,” looking back at the
water that was gently pulling Koko’s clothing
downstream.
Koko snarled, then stiff-armed him before she jumped back into the frigid
water to retrieve her clothes. It was a
shock to her overly warm system, the fight having chased away any residual
chill, but she kept gamely at it until everything had been recovered.
By the time she reached
the shore again, her friends were dressed and Honaw extended a hand to help her
out. She accepted his hand, her
water-laden clothes making it difficult to say the least. The rest of the pack had moved some distance
away, separate yet still close by. Koko
spared them a glowering glance, then her attention was
taken by Donoma.
“Are you all right,
“I am fine,
ka’eskone. I am just a little wet.”
Donoma allowed her green
eyes to track the length of Koko’s body, lingering on
the dripping bundle of leather she held in one hand and the wet hair that ran
rivulets of water down her back. She
raised an eyebrow and Koko had to bite her lip to keep from commenting on the
cute factor Donoma had going on with that attempt at a grown-up look.
“If that is a little,
warrior, I do not want to know what very wet is. I would drown.”
“I would not allow that to
happen, Donoma. Who would be my warrior
advisor then?”
A brisk wind blew across
the Plains and Koko couldn’t stop the involuntary shiver that ghosted through
her body. She looked down sadly at her
wet garments, then with a shrug, wrung them out as
best as she was able. Honaw stepped up
beside her to help, and soon they went from sopping to merely damp. Koko slipped them on with a grimace and
together, they all headed for home.
Koko was shaking with
chills long before they arrived and only the clenching of her jaw kept her
teeth from chattering. When they reached
the encampment, Koko went immediately to her own home and
The elder and other adults
wondered what had happened, but figured they would soon learn the truth.
Koko stripped off her wet
clothing as soon as she was inside and Donoma struggled to awkwardly wrap the
warmest fur around her chilled body.
Koko was just laying down on her pallet when
“I am all right,
“Koko, what happened? You are burning up.” But Koko didn’t answer, having already dozed
off as renewed warmth soaked into her bones.
When Donoma finished, she
looked at
“It will be a lot of
unpleasant work, Donoma. When
“Why?”
Rachel laughed at the
seriousness of the question. “Because
she has much of her Neho’e in her and Honiahaka, for all his positive
attributes was not a patient man, especially where sickness was
concerned.”
“All the more reason you
will need my help. And if you require
further assistance, I am certain my Nahko’e will be glad to do so.”
“Thank you, Donoma Chepi,”
Rachel accepted graciously. “I welcome
your aid in my hour of need.” Donoma’s chest swelled with pride at the formality of
Rachel’s wording. It meant she took Donoma’s offer seriously and would allow her to take care
of Koko to the best of her ability... though in fairness, Rachel didn’t expect
Donoma to provide much help. After all,
how much could a five-year-old really do?
************
“You caught my Nahko’e
completely by surprise - did you know that?
She never expected anyone to be able to put up with me, especially not a
child as young as you were. I do not think she understood the bond that was
between us even then.”
“Why would she, warrior
mine? We did not understand it until
very recently. But even then I
understood you were doing your best not to make things too difficult for me.”
“Did you really?
“Oh yes... though it does
not relieve you of the title of worst patient.”
Donoma bit her lip to keep from laughing when Koko poked her lip out in
a pout. “Oh, Nutta... I understood
why. You tolerated enforced inactivity
then even less than I do now.”
“This is true. Those were a few very long days for me.”
“For me as well, warrior -
although that is when my Neho’e discovered my gift for healing as well as sight.”
“Do you enjoy it?” Koko
asked abruptly. Donoma’s
eyes widened in question and Koko shook her head. “Healing... do you enjoy healing?”
“Usually
yes. I like the feeling of accomplishment knowing
my efforts made a difference in someone’s well-being. I hate when I cannot heal... when someone
suffers from my lack of knowledge or skill.
But mostly I hated it when you were the one who was hurt or suffering.”
“I did not do so very
often.”
“For which fact I am very
thankful. Though except for that last
episode, the first was the most difficult for me.”
“Was I really so
difficult?”
“No,
warrior. I was so young.”
“Yes, you were, ka’eskone. And
I was so proud of you.”
Donoma smiled. “I was pretty proud of me too.”
************
Donoma tended patiently to
Koko, despite Koko’s irritation and complaining -
wiping her brow, feeding her broth, reading to her in a slow, halting effort
while Rachel listened and patiently corrected her. Together they bathed Koko and kept her dry
and after three days, her fever broke.
Rachel and Donoma got Koko cleaned up, then
Rachel took the dirty bedding and clothes out to scrub them and set them to
dry. When she returned, she smiled at
the sight that met her tired eyes.
Donoma lay tucked into Koko’s body, both of them sleeping soundly. Rachel covered them both, then
stepped back outside to call Takoda and Litonya to see. It was a memory all of them would treasure
for years to come.
************
“I remember waking up with
you - it made me feel like the strong protector I wanted to be. It simply reinforced the promise I made to
you.”
“Did it?”
“Oh yes... you were so
small and asleep you are much less formidable.
I do not think you realize the sheer force of your personality... even
then you were able to make people cower and tremble with a look. Personally, I was very entertained by the
reaction of the boys after the showdown at the river that day.”
“They were much more
respectful, but it did not get me included.”
“Nothing would have done
that, ka’eskone. They simply did not
know how to deal with someone who was their better, so it was easiest just to
avoid that sort of interaction with you.”
“That does not make it
hurt any less,” Donoma acknowledged softly.
Koko wrapped Donoma in a
full body hug. “I know,
ka’eskone. But you can take comfort from
the fact that now they seek you out - for both your friendship and your
counsel.”
“I know, but it does not
make the hurt I felt as a child lessen. I am so glad you were there.”
“As am I, Donoma. But I will confess I am glad to know we can
now count on those who once shunned you.
Despite the pain I felt leaving you, I did take comfort knowing the rest
would guard and protect you when I no longer could.” She paused.
“I would not mind having them here now, in point of fact.” Donoma shifted until she could look into Koko’s face.
“What troubles you,
warrior?”
“Aside from the fact I do
not trust Washburn? Not much. I suspect he is coming to cause trouble and
will bring a number of compatriots with him to ensure his success. I would feel better if some of the People’s
warriors were here to back me up.”
“Why did you not instruct
Hassun to bring the warriors back with him?”
“Because my first concern
had to be for the well-being of the People and this fight is personal. It would have been irresponsible for me to
have made such a request, especially considering my recent history with the
People.”
“As far as they are
concerned, we are joined, Koko Kanti.
They would come for that reason alone - but warrior, you have to know
they would come for you as well if you asked.”
“I know,
ka’eskone. I would have asked for your
sake, but you have proven yourself a warrior in your own right. I trust you to watch my back.”
“Good thing,” Donoma
replied. “Although I
would feel better if there were more than just us.”
“We will work it out,
ka’eskone. And when the time comes, we
will stand together and that is the most important thing. Now come,” leading Donoma
to their big bed. “Let us see if
we can work out the restlessness you seem to have developed.”
Donoma smiled. “I am certain if we work together we can come
up with an equitable solution.”
Koko threw back her head
and laughed - a sound which soon transmuted into a moan as Donoma took control
of the situation and started undressing Koko with deliberate intent. Then their focus was all about one another
and the night passed into day without them even noticing.
************
“Will they make it in
time?” Odahingum asked Takoda several days after the warriors had departed with
Hassun. He had been more than anxious to
return despite his fatigue and he had turned in as soon as his report had been
made to catch as much rest as he could before beginning the arduous journey
back to town early the following morning.
It was then that the warriors had decided who would go and who would
remain, but by the time Hassun was ready, so was the contingent of warriors
that would accompany him.
“I do not know, my
friend. The Great Spirit has been less
than communicative of late. I am coming
to the conclusion that he has less knowledge of Koko and Donoma than he is
willing to admit.”
Odahingum chuckled. “I know how he feels. I believe the only two who understand those
two are the two of them. But I am glad
they have each other. They are capable
of so much together.” He paused then
turned his face to Takoda. “Perhaps that
is why he leaves them to themselves so much - they are capable.”
“Perhaps, but it would be
nice if he would let the rest of us know.
I would have less gray.”
Now Odahingum
laughed. “Where is the challenge in
that?”
Takoda snorted. “Like life is not challenge enough. I would like to believe they will be able to
make a difference, but it remains to be seen.
You will know as soon as I do, Odahingum. This I promise you.”
Odahingum nodded. “Very well, my friend. I will accept your word and hope that you are
correct in your assessment.” He shook
his head and cleared his throat. “When
did we get so old that we now sit and wait for news instead of leading the
warriors to battle?”
“I think we blinked,
Chief. Because it was
not at all slow in coming.”
“At least we have capable
leaders in those coming behind. That
gives me a measure of peace.”
“Me as
well.” Then their attention turned back to the fire,
hoping it would give them answers.
Chapter
XL
“How close are we,
Hassun?”
“We have made good time,
Honaw. If I have figured correctly, we will reach Reb Stone’s home sometime
around mid afternoon tomorrow.”
“I thought you said it
would take close to half a moon,” Keez commented as
he took his place around the fire pit.
“It has only been just over a quarter.”
“It took me half a moon to
find the People because you had deviated from the path I was instructed to
follow to find you. We are going directly
to Stone’s place because I am aware of exactly where it is and how to get
there. Besides, we have been riding a
little longer every day than would be considered normal. That has cut time off our return trip as
well.”
“So once we reach
Hassun shrugged. “That will be up to her. She will probably send me back to town to
await further developments. I am certain
your presence will take her by surprise unless
“It is possible, but not
likely,” Keez commented. “From my observation, the Great Spirit is
very sparing about sharing too much information ahead of time.”
Honaw snorted. “
“You do not think so?”
“I think if he had all the
answers he would find a way to share them that would still allow us to choose
our path.”
“Crisis
of faith, Honaw?”
“No,
frustration with it.” He shook his head to
clear it. “It does not matter. I am certain we will find the answers we need
when we need them. It would just be nice
to know that Koko and Donoma will find some sort of peace and happiness in this
life... even if only for a little while.
It seems they have already been through enough.”
“Perhaps, but it has made
them a formidable foe to tangle with,” Hassun assured them. “I do not think
Honaw shook his head, but
returned his gaze to the flame. “I hope
you are right, Hassun... for all our sakes.”
************
“Boss, we should be in
town by dusk tomorrow.”
“‘Bout
damnable time!”
Washburn growled at the trail boss Riggins.
“Goddamn trip has already taken more’n twice
as long as it should have!” Due to
inclement weather, what should have been a week’s trek across the prairie had
turned into sixteen days of slogging across mud-slicked ground. They had sat in makeshift tents as many days
as they had spent moving and now men and horses were exhausted beyond
reasonable expectation. “I hope to God
that fucking abomination isn’t in town when we arrive. The way everyone feels at the moment, I’m not
sure we could rightly defeat her, and I plan to crush the life out of her
slowly... with my bare hands.”
Riggins’ eyes widened at
the venom in Washburn’s tone, but he simply nodded his head and said, “Yessir.”
“Tell the men they’ll have
two days in town to rest and recover before we make an effort to find
”I’ll make sure they know,
boss.”
Washburn grunted. “See that you do... or you’ll be first.”
Riggins nodded briskly and
moved away, wondering when the hell this had seemed like a good idea.
************
“Why are we running,
warrior?” Donoma asked as they packed up the last of their gear. Black and Dapples stomped
impatiently, not at all happy with their return to blankets and bridles... and
in Black’s case, a heavy western saddle.
“We are not running,
ka’eskone,” Koko answered patiently. “We
are putting the odds more in our favor.
By my figuring, it took two to three days for Washburn to get the
telegram explaining his son’s death.
Even if he was able to leave immediately upon receipt of that telegram,
it would still take Washburn a week’s travel by horseback from his ranch - that
by his own son’s admission.” Koko smiled
when Donoma’s eyebrow went up in mute question. “Since I have not heard from
“Then why are we
leaving? Will
“Yes, but he will know how
to read the signs to know where to find us as well.”
“What about Washburn’s
sons?”
“Apparently, his sons were
glad to be away from him, despite the fact that he could still command them
from a distance. Hassun said
“So why did they continue
to follow him if he was so far away?
They were beyond him out here, were they not?”
“Not necessarily,
ka’eskone. It is very likely if Washburn
is the head of a gang stealing horses out from under the noses of the US Army,
that he has spies in the town if not in the Army itself. Horse thieves make a lot of money stealing
horses, but they pay a hefty price if they’re caught. Having what is practically the law in your
pocket would make things that much more lucrative for everyone involved.”
“You think
Koko shook her head
slowly. “I am not certain,
ka’eskone. I do not think it is him, but
someone has to be helping Washburn for him to have lasted as long as he has.”
“You think this has been
going on a while?”
“At least three full
cycles... since his sons came to serve together at the fort here. They approached me early on, kind of feeling
me out.”
“Why did you not put a
stop to it then, warrior?”
Koko shrugged. “Many reasons - mostly that I had no proof...
only suspicions. And suspicions weren’t
enough. There was never any evidence.”
“And there is now?”
“Now I have been accused
of being a horse thief. That is proof
enough for me to go looking. And
everything points to the Washburns as heading up a
gang of them right out of the Army itself.
With the testimony of the enlisted men who were doing the dirty work,
proving it will be simple.”
“And
what of Washburn?”
“That depends on him,
Donoma. If he collects
“You expect him to, don’t
you... come after you, I mean?”
“Yes. For whatever reason in their twisted little
minds, I have always been something of a sore spot for all of them.
Donoma grinned. “Perhaps they are the balance for us to be
together.”
“Perhaps, but could you
not have had some admirers of your own to help balance things out instead of
leaving all the nutbreads for me”
“And who says I have not
had my own set of admirers, warrior?” Donoma teased. “You were gone for five very long years. There were several warriors who took notice
of me.”
Flaming blue eyes turned
to Donoma in a fit of jealousy. “Who, Donoma? Who was
foolish enough to take notice of you in my absence??”
“Why
foolish,
In an instant, the burn
was extinguished in Koko’s eyes and she dropped her
head. “I am sorry,
“You have every right, my
mate. They did nothing but look, because
they knew nothing would come from it.
But none of them would dare to even look now. No one is anxious to die at your hand... or
mine. That is the reason Washburn will
never defeat us. He does not understand
what he is facing when he comes up against us.
You are mine and I will not let him take you from me again.”
“You know the truly sad
thing about this whole business?” Koko asked as she pulled the door to the
cabin shut behind them and mounted Black.
Donoma looked at her from where she sat comfortably seated on Dapples’
broad back. “If they had left me out of
this... if they had simply left me alone to track down and bring in outlaws for
their bounty, we wouldn’t be doing this right now.”
“What I cannot understand
is what precipitated this series of events.
If as you say this has been going on for three full cycles, why the need
to expose themselves now by accusing you?
Why not continue to work in the shadows and keep you out of it?”
“I think if we learn the
answer to that we will know the answer to a good many things.”
The two women headed out
side by side. “So where are we going,
warrior mine?”
“We need to make
preparations at a couple of different hideaways I have in these parts. Then we are going to go looking for
Hassun. With luck, he is not far and we
will be able to meet up with him tomorrow.”
************
“How far do you think we
will need to go to find Hassun, Koko?
Should he not have already returned with his news from the People?”
“It depends on how long it
took him to find the People, ka’eskone.
I put him on the path that Honaw and Keez gave
to us when they found us after our joining.
But if the People have changed their path again, it would take him
longer to find them. Hassun is a scout
and a tracker - I believe he will be able to find them with very little
problem. The real question is how long
it will take him to convince them and return.”
“You think they will not
believe him?”
“I think there will be
some mistrust there simply because he is a tracker and scout for the white
man’s Blue Coats. Only the fact that
Honaw is expecting him and has spoken to him before will make his acceptance
easier.”
They rode in silence for a
while. Already they had placed supplies
in two different hideaways and now they were headed west on the path they
expected to meet Hassun on. The day was
warmer and drier than many of their recent days had been and despite the reason
for their travels, they were enjoying the journey and their time together.
“This is nice,” Donoma
commented after the silence had gone on for a while. “I could get used to this.”
Koko reached out a hand
and smiled when Donoma took it. “So could I, ka’eskone. It would be very easy to allow this to become
our way of life - just you and me and the wide open plain?”
“Yes it would. It is very different from traveling with the
People.”
“It is very different than
anything else I have ever known.”
“It would be so easy just
to keep going.”
“Soon,
Donoma. As soon as we are sure things are settled
with Washburn. I have always wanted to
see what is beyond the rocks we visited outside the summer encampment. I would like to see the mountains the Army
scouts have spoken of.”
“Tell me.”
Koko’s words were quiet, but filled with a wonder that allowed Donoma to see what Koko was describing to her. A smile crossed her face as she imagined sharing those sights with K