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When he reached the cage and he discovered that Kaylene was not able to leave the cage and go to him, Midnight paced nervously back and forth.
He growled. He hissed. His head swung back and forth in his agitation at not being able to be with Kaylene totally.
“Midnight,” Kaylene whispered, the blankets falling from around her as she moved to her knees to reach a hand out for her panther.
Tears sprang to her eyes when he stopped pacing and went to her and fondly licked her hand.
“I’m so afraid,” Kaylene whispered to her panther. “Not only for myself, but also you. Although I am so happy to see you, my sweet pet, by coming here, you have placed yourself in danger.”
Her hand still warm from his tongue, Kaylene drew it away and gestured toward the dark shadows of the forest. “Go now, Midnight,” she softly cried. “Hide. Be safe. Don’t let the Kickapoo find you. If they can do this to me, what might they do to you?”
Midnight placed a paw through the bars of the cage and rested it on Kaylene’s lap.
Kaylene stroked his sleek fur, then lifted the paw back through the bars. “Midnight, please go,” she whispered, then tensed when from the far side of the village she heard the full roar of hooves approaching. Her eyes went wild.
“They’re returning,” she gasped.
She stared frightened at Midnight. “Oh, Lord, Midnight!”
She sighed with relief when it was obvious that Midnight also heard the thundering hoofbeats. He growled and leapt away from Kaylene, back into the dark shadows from which he had emerged.
Kaylene grabbed a blanket and tugged it around her shoulders as many horses came into view, many warriors herding them away from the village, toward the corrals on the far side.
A slight gasp rose from Kaylene when she caught sight of Fire Thunder as he broke away from the others and rode toward the cage, his eyes never leaving her.
Not knowing what to expect now that Fire Thunder had returned, unsure of whether or not she wanted him to release her, not knowing what his plans were next for her, Kaylene again cowered at the back of the cage.
When Fire Thunder drew a tight rein before the cage and dismounted, Kaylene’s eyes locked with his.
He could see her defiance in her angry stare. He smiled to himself, for he did not expect Kaylene to belittle herself by asking to be released.
Then his eyes widened when he noticed not only one blanket in the cage, but two.
“Who brought you the blankets?” Fire Thunder asked, gripping the bars with his powerful hands.
When she refused to answer him, and smiled a slow, smug smile as he again looked from blanket to blanket, he knew without pursuing the matter who had gone against his wishes. But he had no plans to punish his little sister for having done this. If anyone knew the hardships of a cage, it was she! She would sympathize with Kaylene.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw a movement. He turned a quick gaze and found Running Fawn standing in the shadows.
His eyebrows forked. Perhaps he had been wrong to think that his sister had taken mercy on the caged woman.
Disobedience was something more like Running Fawn’s nature.
He started to go to her, to scold her, but Kaylene spoke suddenly, distracting him.
“I see you’ve been busy tonight,” Kaylene said, her eyes blazing into Fire Thunder’s as he turned her way again.
She had seen Running Fawn and she had noticed that Fire Thunder had seen her, too. She had to do something to distract him so that Running Fawn could run back to her lodge.
She forced a sarcastic laugh. “Now where on earth would you get so many horses this time of night?” she said mockingly. “I’d wager that you stole them from some Texan’s ranch.”
She glared at him. “Now I realize how you managed to have so many longhorn cattle,” she continued, not giving him the chance to respond. “You also stole them.”
She laughed bitterly. “And you took it upon yourself to condemn my father because of the life he led?” she said. “Why, you are no better. You are nothing but a horse thief and cattle rustler. You cage innocent, injured women. You have a dark heart. I loathe you. Do you hear? I loathe you.”
Stunned by her berating of him, despite his full intention of releasing her from the cage, Fire Thunder took a nervous step away from it.
He had no time to think, or to speak, for Black Hair was suddenly there, with a travois attached to the back of his horse.
