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Katherine watched, waited, breathless.
Then an arrow pierced the collar of her dress, and she hung from the corner of the wall where it pinned her. She didn't scream, didn't make a peep. She waited. Too afraid to say or do anything. Too relieved to find she was still alive.
***
Chase fired and killed several of the Comanche as they came toward the cabin. With each killing his shoulders bunched. It was a hard thing to do, to be friends and almost like kin to them, then to turn around and kill them. It wasn't right, but there was a lot in the world that wasn't right.
The older soldier was fatally wounded. He slumped against the front of the door as it slowly swung open.
The first raid left Chase exhausted from holding them off, but there was little time to rest when he knew it was only a brush of death for Joshua.
Sneaking out the back door, he waited for his moment to get to the barn. Only when he was sure there were no Comanche, did he enter
An arrow pierced Joshua's chest. Letting loose the horses Chase grabbed Joshua and hauled him over his shoulder running quietly to the cabin. As he entered the cabin once more, he practically threw Joshua on the floor when he saw Katherine pinned to the wall with an arrow. Afraid for her, he went to her side to pull the arrow from her dress. She sank to the floor and leaned against him.
For only a moment, there was stillness between them that seemed to awaken them. Aware of each other, they knew they could not act upon their thoughts too.
His instinct to have this woman emerged and for a split second he was tempted to cradle her in his arms and comfort her. Yet knowing this would only weaken her, he kept himself away and nodded. "You are all right."
"Yes, I'm fine," She murmured, her cheek grazing his in the process. He heard her breath hitch, and for a split second they shared a moment of knowing. His smile was warm and his gentleness appreciated.
Chase looked at Joshua, who was losing blood quickly.
He loosened a small pouch from around his neck and handed it to Katherine. "Use the tobacco to stop the bleeding."
The young soldier watched out the window.
He seemed torn between helping Chase and knowing his own duty.
***
Seeing her brother's wound she gasped and immediately went about nursing him as Chase watched at the window.
"They're gone," he announced as he turned back to them. "They won't be back for a while."
"Good," Katherine whispered as she continued to clean her brother's wound. The arrow was still in his shoulder.
Chase bent and handed him a piece of leather, "Bite it," he instructed.
Josh bit then collapsed as Chase broke off the end of the arrow and pulled the arrow from him.
Katherine grew faint but she cleaned the wound, her hands shaking as she bandaged him with cloth from her slip.
Chase must have noticed for he covered her hands with his own, as their eyes met briefly, and he nodded. "You are a strong woman."
She almost smiled this time.
"We must leave here, soon." Chase ordered.
"We can't, I can't." Katherine wailed. "Joshua is hurt. He can't travel."
"They will burn us out." Chase announced.
"Burn us out...?" Annoyance and apprehension mingled as she stared at him. The soldiers had said the same thing. It must be the truth.
"Get whatever you can carry, food, supplies, clothes and we will leave when it is dar
k," Chase said firmly.
