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join. It is the same here."
"We must go, there could be more about. The very fact that we are Indian puts us in danger too."
They traveled for many miles before stopping.
It was raining when they stopped and in the mountains of New Mexico territory it was colder. The rain turned quickly to ice as the sun set.
Lone Wolf and Deer Runner made a covering of trees and bushes. They used many as it rained inside until they had heaped many tree limbs and brush on top. It was a small cubby hole and they huddled together to keep warm from the ice storm that had covered the ground.
They made the cover big enough for a fire and huddled around it to keep warm. Being in the mountains meant it might freeze and stay this cold for a long time. Lone Wolf feared if they didn't get out now, they might have to stay here for the winter.
That night they snuggled close and hardly moved all night long. The morning brought a crust of frozen land. Lone Wolf helped Hannah onto the horse as she almost fell. It was very slippery. The horse itself had a time with balancing and Lone Wolf and Deer Runner realized quickly they would need to fashion special shoes so that they could walk the horses out of the mountains. They needed to work quickly to do so as it would only get colder and freeze more. They fashioned a shoe that would grip the ground through the ice and they could walk and lead the horses on foot.
The women rode, but the men guided the horses and kept them from slipping by tying metal onto their hoofs, to keep their feet from slipping. It was slow moving and so very cold. The village they left had given them deer skins to cover with and it had been very helpful.
They didn't stop until night and killing a couple of rabbits they roasted them in another little home-made hut.
They were so hungry and very tired. They collapsed in each other's arms once more. After they ate, there was little talk as it was too cold and they huddled close around the fire and held each other.
"How long before we get out of these mountains?" Hannah asked.
"We are not making good time right now because of this weather, we could be here another week or more. If the weather weren't so bad, we would make good time. But we must keep moving or be the entire winter here."
They came to another burnt out village the next day. There were broken bows and arrows, and all the tipis were burning. It had happened only hours before. Death seemed to lay in their path. "This was not a war, it was a slaughter." Lone Wolf shook his head. Whether the white soldiers did this, or another tribe, they could not be sure.
"Has Cochise ever surrendered?" Hannah asked.
"Not surrendered, he did keep a piece when a white agent treated him fairly. It lasted a few years. The government in Washington speaks of peace but they cheat the Indians out of their lands. It is hard to make a peace."
"It is sad."
"Yes, it is."
"We must get home." Lone Wolf fretted.
Sadness gripped Hannah when she found a child of only two or three years old dead, mutilated.
This time Lone Wolf and Deer Runner took the time to bury the dead.
Still they moved on, slowly. When a heavy snow came, they stayed inside another hut they found already built by some long ago village. It was big and gave them room. They built a big fire to keep them warm.
"How long will we stay here?" Hannah asked as they all sat around the fire.
"Until the snow stops falling. Then we will try to get out of these mountains. It will be easier if the snow is not too thick. Or if it freezes over and makes it hard, we can walk on it."
But their plans didn't work as three straggling Indians burst in on them and spotted Hannah.
"Apache!" Lone Wolf whispered to her.
Immediately they drew their weapons and captured Hannah by the hair.
Lone Wolf came to stand before them, "Let her go."
"She is white she must die." They told him. "it is her kind that kill out people. She must die."
"She is my woman, let her go." Lone Wolf frowned and stood very tall, almost threateningly close.
"Have you not seen what the whites have done to our camps?"
