Your wooden walls are far away, Yellow Hair. If you try to slip away, this Comanche will find you. Until that moment, the thought of swimming off hadn't occurred to her. She shot a glance over her shoulder at the swift current. If only she had clothes… You do not make like a fish so good. Save this Comanche much trouble, eh? She thought she detected laughter in his voice, but when she looked back at him, his gaze, blue-black and piercing, was as unreadable as ever. He studied her for several endless seconds. She wondered what he was thinking and decided, from the gleam in his eye, that she didn't want to find out.
In this excerpt from "Comanche Moon," the protagonist realizes that her hope of escaping by swimming is thwarted by the watchful Comanche warrior. His confidence in tracking her adds to her sense of helplessness, making the river appear as both a potential escape and a daunting obstacle. The internal conflict she experiences highlights her vulnerability as she weighs her options under the warrior's scrutinizing gaze.
As she glances back at him, she senses a blend of amusement and determination in his presence, which deepens her unease. The tension between them suggests that his thoughts are not easily decipherable, leaving her with a feeling of uncertainty. The encounter underscores the danger she faces, as well as her realization that her situation is more precarious than she initially believed.
