To her horror, the man lifted the edge of the robe to look at her shoulder. Frantic, she jerked at the leather that held her hand behind her. This was her worst nightmare. Not one, but two. And she couldn't even fight them. If he yanked the robe off her, there would be nothing she could do but lie there in shame.
Hunter stirred and yawned, then rose up on one elbow to bark in Comanche, "What is it, ? Can't you see I'm trying to sleep?"
"I just came to check the woman."
Hunter squinted at the sun and sighed. "So, how does she look?" He sat up and drew the robe further down her shoulder, taking care not to uncover her breast, laughing softly at the horrified expression on her face. Of all the men, his brother, Warrior, would be least likely to harm her. He was a fierce fighter but otherwise gentle, more apt to defend her than attack her. "It seems better to me. The grease, maybe. Not such a deep red. Old Man was right about the cold water chasing away the fever, too. She's hot, but nothing like she was."
Warrior pressed a palm to her skin. "Old Man says if you don't keep her cool, the fever will come upon her again."
"Not another bath?" Hunter propped an elbow on his upraised knee and rubbed his forehead. All trace of laughter fled. He didn't relish the thought of the battle he'd have with her. "Don't wake me with news like that. Bring me coffee first."
"Not another bath, but no traveling in the heat. We'll have to stay here a few days."
"You're willing to risk that? What about the ?"
Breaking open a mullein leaf, Warrior laved his fingertips with healing juice and applied it to the frightened girl's cheeks. She shrank back--only to run into Hunter, which made her flinch. "We're probably safer here, right under their noses, than we would be miles away. When we circled back, we covered our trail well. You have to remember how stupid the are. They will follow the trails the others laid and never even think to look for us here, so close."
"Yes, but--"
"She's your woman. If the situation were reversed, you would risk it."
Hunter grew impatient with his struggling captive and caught a handful of her braid to hold her still. "There, I've got her. The nose is worst. On the end where it curves up. Her forehead, too, "
Warrior dabbed juice and smiled. "She doesn't like me. Come to think of it, she doesn't seem any too fond of you.
Hunter stirred and yawned, then rose up on one elbow to bark in Comanche, "What is it, ? Can't you see I'm trying to sleep?"
"I just came to check the woman."
Hunter squinted at the sun and sighed. "So, how does she look?" He sat up and drew the robe further down her shoulder, taking care not to uncover her breast, laughing softly at the horrified expression on her face. Of all the men, his brother, Warrior, would be least likely to harm her. He was a fierce fighter but otherwise gentle, more apt to defend her than attack her. "It seems better to me. The grease, maybe. Not such a deep red. Old Man was right about the cold water chasing away the fever, too. She's hot, but nothing like she was."
Warrior pressed a palm to her skin. "Old Man says if you don't keep her cool, the fever will come upon her again."
"Not another bath?" Hunter propped an elbow on his upraised knee and rubbed his forehead. All trace of laughter fled. He didn't relish the thought of the battle he'd have with her. "Don't wake me with news like that. Bring me coffee first."
"Not another bath, but no traveling in the heat. We'll have to stay here a few days."
"You're willing to risk that? What about the ?"
Breaking open a mullein leaf, Warrior laved his fingertips with healing juice and applied it to the frightened girl's cheeks. She shrank back--only to run into Hunter, which made her flinch. "We're probably safer here, right under their noses, than we would be miles away. When we circled back, we covered our trail well. You have to remember how stupid the are. They will follow the trails the others laid and never even think to look for us here, so close."
"Yes, but--"
"She's your woman. If the situation were reversed, you would risk it."
Hunter grew impatient with his struggling captive and caught a handful of her braid to hold her still. "There, I've got her. The nose is worst. On the end where it curves up. Her forehead, too, "
Warrior dabbed juice and smiled. "She doesn't like me. Come to think of it, she doesn't seem any too fond of you.
( Catherine Anderson )
[ Comanche Moon ]
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