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Coon was an interesting contrast, something a bit different about him. He was tall, slender and had a face that looked almost…. sweet. He was almost completely bald and had very blue eyes."
Matt nodded, "Sounds reasonable, I doubt it will be long before the snows settle in the lower part of the mountains. We're headed to the high country ourselves, to her folks."
Ferg sent him a quick He looked from Snow Bird to him again. "Yeah, well you better be careful, one of them army captains up there at the fort has been raiding the camps and the Indians are all stirred up right now. Not a good time to go visiting your relatives."
"Oh, I hadn't heard." Matt glanced at Snow Bird who was listening to this conversation.
"What tribe is she from?"
"Cheyenne."
"Yep, they are one of the ones. You might ought to wait until spring to go up there, son." Ferguson said. "If the Injuns don't get you, the army would."
"Why would the army bother me?" Matt asked innocently.
"Mainly, because you are with her. Right now, they don't take to injuns in any way. So, it would be dangerous traveling with a squaw."
"But my people?" She blurted coming closer now, her brow furrowing with worry.
Matt sized the man up and realized aside from being much bigger than all of them but Raz he was friendly.
"Maybe we should listen to them."
"Easy for you to say." She sounded bitter.
He noted her tone of voice, pushing aside her braid from her face, he indulged her a moment. "Don't get riled, we'll get there, one day, but it doesn't have to be right now. If they are warring, there is no sense in going up. It would only mean trouble. Maybe we should wait until spring."
Ferg studied the two of them for a moment, then he added. "He's right little lady. Your man's got some brains. Just get up there and get kilt, is what would happen. I mean it ain't safe right now. This army captain has been stirring up trouble and it ain't safe up there. He's bucking for promotion and fighting Injuns will get him one. Ambitious is what they call men like that. It'd be the death of both of you. The army is wiping out villages as fast as you can say scat, and the Indians aren't taking kindly to it of course. It's a blood bath right now. The Indians would kill your man, and the army might kill you, miss."
"But…they are my people."
She saw Matt shoot her a frown and stopped protesting.
"Who started this war?" she asked.
"It was the Captain. Think they said his name was Custer, not sure. Yellow hair is what the Indians call him. He doesn't tolerate the Injuns. He doesn't care that he started a whole war for it, neither. One village got wiped out entirely. He's out for blood. He'll take no quarter."
"What village," she came up to Ferg and asked.
"I don't know, we weren't there, we just heard about it, is all." Ferg told her. "Don't you fret, this little fella that's taking you home to see your folks, you mind him. If old Ferg tells you it ain't safe, then it ain't."
"Snow Bird, I fully intend getting you home, but not until it is safe to go." Matt told her, then glanced at Ferg. "Where else could we go?"
"Well, we were going to Sutton's Place, you're welcome to come along. If you've a mind to. At least until spring, easier travelin' up there in the spring." Ferg told them.
"Sutton's Place, I've heard tell of it. It's where a lot of mountain men, fur trappers and such spend the hard winters, I'm told." He quietly examined the distraught Snow Bird and nodded. "He's right, alright, we'll join you if you don't mind company." Matt told him.
Snow Bird sullied up and didn't say another word the entire night.
When the men went to the river to wash up for supper, Matt gave her a look. "We're going to have to act like we are married or something. They'll expect it. Can you do this?"
She studied him a moment, "Yes." She eyed the other men, although they were friendly, she knew nothing of them and if they took a notion, she'd be their prey. She'd go along with Matt for a while, but she wanted to return to her people now. What if they were killed? She needed to know if they were alive and well.
She spoke no more.
Matt knew she was riled, but he wanted to keep them safe.
When they went to bed that night Matt put her blanket next to his and they lay down and went to sleep. But by morning, she was curled up against him and it startled him at first. Her young body molded to his and the warmth made him want to cuddle into her more. He never had a woman of his own and the way she snuggled sent an unwanted awareness between them. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling, but she was asleep. What would she do when she awoke and saw herself in his arms?
