Chavez Spirit 8
"Once upon a midnight dreary as I ponder weep and weary there came a knocking at my…back porch…not very original."
A work from Edgar Allan Poe, except it was Doc's version, it was the only thing we did have to read, even though I never condoned going through anyone's things I did find this very entertaining. "Give him credit for trying." I said
Chavez had me cool down and I had my apologies with Billy (Even though that was the last thing I wanted to do, he was a brat but even then he was a friend) He did manage to forgive me "Hey all girls gotta blow some steam I would rather you done that than shoot me."
Now all of us lay on bedrolls near the fire trying to keep warm, it was freezing that night and Doc still hadn't come back "You think he is going to make it back? Charlie asked
"I don't know if he will make it tonight." I said 'If he comes back at all.' I thought to myself.
"What if he took off?" Charlie asked
"Naw, Doc likes me." Billy said
Something in my head echoed that Doc was saying someplace "I cant stand him." causing me to smirk.
"This is going to be a long night… I am going to try to get some sleep." I laid down on the cold ground and wrapped myself up in a blanket again, feeling some of the fire burning, it still wasn't much but it was better than nothing. The boys soon fallowed me in going to sleep, however I didn't go to sleep quickly, Chavez bringing up what happened a couple of years ago had made me think about it again, causing me to shiver, it had been a blood bath but I had managed to kill during the whole thing, my grandfather would have described it as "An animal releasing its true spirit." That was most likely the reason why I was called Catori, Catori meant spirit. I had shot men, I had stabbed them, I knew my way like a warrior because I had brothers, so I was like one only female… I shivered again causing Chavez to move "Are you alright?"
My teeth chattered "Just freezing but I am okay."
The normal brother like figure he was he moved from his spot and laid behind me, that caused me to fall asleep.
I woke up the next morning to feel warm I was comfortable to be honest, the fire had long since gone out and it was morning I felt shifting in front of me causing me to wake up a little more "Stop moving." I murmured. In reply I got "We have to get up."
I sighed and sat up slightly I knew what happened I was sleeping curled up behind Chavez, that was normal when I went camping, I heard a horse in the distance "What was that?" Charlie asked
"Doc's back…I told you guys he would come back." Billy said up the hill.
I stepped up and looked to see Doc he waved as us, I was disappointed but I was happy to see him. Beside me Billy held a smile "Regulators…lets mount up!"
"Alright do you guys under stand the plan?"
Chavez and I sat together on our horses nodding we were both in pairs, Steve and Charlie were in in, Doc and Billy, then Chavez and I "Funny they always put the Indians that are experts in weapons on the same team." I said
Chavez smirked, we knew the plan and we were going to stick to it. "Yeah Billy we got it go." I said
Chavez backed the horse against the building I did the same thing that he did, but I was right next to him looking past the building. I watched as Billy skipped down the road right behind the sheriff, Doc climbed up and was sitting on the roof on one of the buildings. Steve and Charlie were sitting behind the wall where I couldn't see them, Chavez looked at me "Ready?"
I nodded and backed over to where we were "Remember what I taught you about knives, keep level and aim, I would require you to stop on a horse but its time you grow up."
"Grow up huh, is that a challenge?"
He smirked at me "You want a challenge, you got it."
I leaned over the horse again and I saw Billy take the gun from the sheriff and "Top of the morning to ya girls ha ha." I heard the gun go off, Chavez looked at me "Go…"
We both kicked to cause the horses to go, and at a dead run at the same time made the corner taking out our knives, Chavez flipped one leg over the side of the horse, and I did the same on the other side of my horse, I covered him as hi took aim and hit the sheriff and I hit the guy that was going to shoot, both fell at the same time as we rode off, turning to see Charlie and Steve take off running on there horses then was Doc and Billy, Doc had to jump off the roof onto his horse and we took off riding through town.
"No way did he have better posture than I did; I was the one protecting his butt! I didn't really have the option for posture."
Outside of a photography place where Billy wanted his picture taken Chavez and I got into a friendly argument who had better form, I got the vote for good aim and excellent speed, but Chavez got better shot and better posture on the horse, because while I hit a deputy in the chest, Chavez hit the sheriff in the neck "Chiquita, when you get more practice I am sure you will do much better."
I gave him a friendly glare "see if I save you again."
Billy stepped out with a picture that he had taken I glanced at it "You look left handed." I said "They way you held that gun you look left handed." I was teasing
He looked at me as I got on the horse, and he noticed the smile on my face and laughed out loud, I was actually in a good mood for a change after what happened in Lincoln I was okay, Chavez noticed my happy go lucky attitude and actually had a smile on his face, Billy informed us that we were going to go to Alex McKsween's to see him, I nudged Chavez's horse getting his attention, I needed to get some air, and the horse needed to run again, Chavez knew that, Doc even saw it and stepped in between us and we came to a stop, Billy, Steve and Charlie watched each putting a bet on one of us, and it was split equally "When I say go, go to that tree go around it and come back."
Chavez and I got ready, this was a normal thing, when Chavez and I were kids we would watch his cousins and my brothers on horse back on the reservation they would race, play tag, and try to wrestle themselves off the horses, since I was the only girl and the youngest of my family my brothers took the opportunity to teach me all of it, they taught me how to ride a horse and in the end they taught me how to fight, When Chavez and I got older I was allowed to join my brothers and Chavez his cousins, even now that I am twenty years old I enjoyed a run around, today was one of those days.
I leaned forward on the horse and Chavez did the same that I did, Doc looked at the both of us and waited and with a quiet tone he smiled "GO."
Chavez and I both said "Heeya." And the horses ran the rush of the wind combed my hair back my hat fell off but the string kept the had back behind my shoulders, I rounded the tree with Chavez right behind me however he wasn't going to let me win that easily he found a spot and hopped on the horse behind me letting his horse stop behind him, when I got back to Doc everyone laughed "I think I better say that it was a tie."
I turned and looked behind me at Chavez "I don't know how I didn't know that you do it all the time."
"You'll learn."
"Oh thank you brother I don't know how I would do it without you."
I helped him back to his horse where he hopped back on the saddle of his own horse "alright I am done we can go." i said smiling.
"This is for you Alex."
"What the hell is the matter with you Billy? DO you realize what you guys have done, the governor has revoked your badges your now wanted the state of New Mexico, Murphy and his men have been taking up ownership in Tunstall store and they have hired people to hut you down, what the hell do you think your doing out there?" This was the first time I had ever seen calm looking Alex went burserc over Billy, but Billy had a come back."
"Maybe I am trying to get some attention maybe get President Hayes to look this way, come and take a look himself."
"Well your doing an awefully good job, Billy, My wife and I have to hide out like a bunch of outlaws ourselves, you have to give up your badges…all of you."
Billy took his badge off and had it land on the ground, he held out the photo but Alex didn't take it, not surprising, Billy handed it to Alex's wife and she took it "Thank you Billy, she said quietly."
He then turned away from Alex and got on his horse, Steve and Charlie took off their badges, as much as I didn't want to make the decision, I even removed mine and it hit the ground next to Billy's, Chavez was soon right behind me as if he wanted to know what I was going to do, I climbed on my horse and looked down at Chavez "Are we making the right decision?" I asked hoping that he would say something to the affect of 'No' or maybe 'we will figure something out' what he said was "We are wanted now Chiquita, we have no choice."
Doc was the last man to give his badge up, he was talking to Alex about something that I couldn't make out "Where are we going to go from here?"
Chavez looked at me "I don't know."
I looked at my horse and stoked his mane, waiting for Doc to get on his horse, Chavez kept his eyes on me "Your worried." It was more of a statement than a question and he could see it.
I looked up at him "You think?" I said sarcastically.
