CHAPTER 11

Vin reined up the two horses when they entered a clearing by a small stream. He looked around at their location and glanced up at the position of the sun. Dismounting, he sighed. They had been traveling almost an hour and were only about a third of the way back to town. With his horse pulling Nancy on the travois they couldn't travel nearly as quickly as he would have liked.

He pulled the canteen off his saddle horn and taking a long drink, patted Ebony on the neck. The thoroughbred mare had a good disposition and amazing stamina. She was carrying a great deal more weight than she had to be used to and wasn't even winded. Vin moved to check the straps holding the travois to his horse's saddle. Finding them secure, he then led both horses to the stream so they could drink.

While the horses were quenching their thirst, Vin moved to check on Nancy. He was alarmed when he saw how still she was. At first he thought he had been too late and she had died, then he noticed the gentle rise and fall of her chest underneath the blanket. Gently touching his hand to her cheek, he felt the heat rising from her skin. She was already running a fever. Whether it was from the snake bite or an infection setting in from the unsterilize knife, he didn't know. But, he had to do something to try to cool her down.

Removing the bandana from around his neck, he dipped it into the cool water of the stream. Ringing it out to remove most of the liquid, Vin carried it back to where Nancy lay. He ran the cool cloth over her forehead and face and down the exposed skin of her neck. He would have liked to attempt to cool the rest of her body, but that would be too inappropriate, and they didn't have the time. Instead, he settled for damping the piece of cloth again and wrapping it around her neck.

The horses had finished drinking their fill and were munching on the tender grass growing on the stream's bank. He grabbed his horse's reins and mounted Ebony. Vin quickly made a decision and urged the mare forward, again traveling as quickly as he dared with the travois.

It was less than an hour later when Vin rode into Kojay's village. He was well known and well liked by the inhabitants and several people came forward to greet him. Word spread quickly that Vin was there and the person with him was injured or sick.

The news of Vin's arrival had reached Kojay, and the chief was standing outside his wikiup when he arrived. His keen eyes took in the worry on the younger man's face and the stillness of the woman lying on the travois. He quickly moved to Vin's side. "Dagot'ee shidizheè"

Vin knew he had to observe at least this basic formality. "Dagot'ee nchaa shik'isn." He reached out and grasped Kojay's proffered forearm. "I need your help."

Kojay nodded. "I know. What has happened?" At the chief's signal one of the young men standing nearby came forward to take the reins of the two horses. He would tend them once the woman had been removed from the travois.

"She was bitten by a snake," Vin replied as he moved to unfasten the bindings holding Nancy to the travois. "I tried to get all the poison out, but either I wasn't in time or I missed some. Either way, she's in bad shape." Vin lifted her into his arms and stepped away from the horses. He watched as the young man led the animals away, confident they would be well cared for. "I brought her here because I don't think she'll make it until I can get her to Nathan."

Kojay nodded. "Take her into my wikiup. I will also send someone for your friend Nathan."

"Thank you," Vin said and disappeared into the dwelling.

Kojay looked at concern on the faces of the people gathered. He spotted his grandson in the crowd and called him over. "Mahko, take my fastest horse and go fetch the healer from town." There was no need to clarify which town, as Four Corners was the only white man's town within less than a day's ride of the village. "Bring him back here as quickly as you can." He watched as the boy raced off in the direction of the corral where the tribes' horses were kept. "Zi-yeh," he called to a teenage girl who was standing nearby. "Go bring Leosanni," he directed, referring to the woman everyone in the village loving referred to as "Old Mother." Although she wasn't a healer or medicine woman, she helped to care for those who were sick or had been injured. "Tell her Vin Tanner's woman has been snake bit."

Sending up a silent prayer to the gods that the healers would be able to help the young woman, Kojay turned back to enter his wikiup. In the brief time he had seen the tracker cradling the sick young woman in his arms, he knew that Vin had found his heart mate. He sent up a silent prayer for her recovery. Surely the gods, either the traditional gods of his people or the one God of the Christians, would not take her away before they had a chance to realize the connection they had.

Later Vin was standing outside Kojay's wikiup while Leosanni and her daughter, Alopay, along with Zi-yeh were caring for Nancy. The old woman had chased Vin out of the dwelling, arguing that it was not proper for him to be there. Before he left, she had tried to assure him that Nancy would be okay, but he wasn't sure he believed her.

Ignoring the entreaty from one of the village women to come have something to eat, Vin began pacing, ignoring the hum of village life around him, while he wondered what was taking Nathan so long to get there. It wasn't that he didn't trust or believe the Apache medicine man, but Vin was sure there more going on than just the snake bite. He'd known people who had been bitten by sidewinders before, and none of them had gotten that sick.

Vin was still pacing when Leosanni stepped out of the wikiup. The old woman stretched her stiff muscles and stood for a moment, letting the heat of the sun warm her tired bones.

"Is she?" Vin couldn't bring himself to finish asking the question that immediately sprang to his mind.

"No, she remains the same, although her fever is down some, I think."

"Shouldn't she be wakin' up, then? There's gotta be a reason she's unconscious. I seen people who been bit by sidewinders, they don't react thatta way."

Leosanni thought it best not to mention that she had seen strong warriors die from injuries they otherwise should have healed from. She didn't know why that happened, but it did. She only hoped that this wasn't going to be one of those times.

"Your friend will be here soon. He will be able to help tichii bitsizii isdzan." She took a long look at Vin. "But you do not help her by pacing like nchaa gidi." The old woman signaled to a young girl who was stirring a pot over a nearby fire. The girl hurried to Leosanni's side. "Go with Dionta. Eat. I will send Alopay for you if tichii bitsizii isdzan wakes up."

Vin started to protest, but the look on the old woman's face told him she didn't want to hear any arguments. No wonder they all referred to her as "Old Mother", he thought. She could give Chris a run for his money with that glare. Deciding that arguing with her would be fighting a loosing battle, Vin nodded and, accepting the hand Dionta offered to him, accompanied her to the fire.

Vin had just finished his meal of venison stew and was handing his bowl and spoon back to Dionta when he heard the sound of horses coming in fast. He stood and looked in the direction of the noise and a sense of relief passed through him when he recognized Nathan and Josiah. Vin rushed forward to greet his friends and to thank Mahko for bringing them.

Nathan dismounted and pulled the saddle bags containing medical supplies from his horse. "What happened," he asked as soon as Vin had approached.

"Nancy was changing clothes behind some boulders and got bit by a sidewinder. I tried to suck all the venom out, but I don't think I got all 'a it. She's runnin' a fever and won't wake up. Been that way for a few hours now."

Nathan nodded and grasped his friend by the shoulder. He hadn't missed Vin's use of the woman's first name. "I promise I'll do whatever I can for her."

Vin pulled Nathan's hand from his shoulder and grasped it in a show of support. "I know you will. Come on, I'll show you where she is. Some of the women have been tendin' to her, tryin' to bring her fever down and such, but they won't let me stay with her."

Nathan smiled. He wasn't surprised. After all, he had been around the tribe enough to know that in their own way the women here were as protective of propriety and appearances as any southern belle. Plus, there was probably some cultural something or other about a man being around a sick woman.

Josiah had dismounted as well. He heard the worry in Vin's voice and moved forward to draw the other man aside. "Let Nathan see to her. You'll only be in his way inside. Why don't you help me tend the horses. We rode hard to get here, and they could use some attention."

Vin didn't want to leave the front of the wikiup. He was trying to convince himself that now that Nathan was here everything would be fine, but he wasn't quite successful. Still, he gave into his friend's request, knowing that if something happened Nathan would send someone to fetch him.

About half an hour later the horses had been brushed down and given food and water. Vin was approaching Kojay's wikiup when Nathan stepped out.

"Well?"

Nathan shook his head. "She's in shock. All I can do is keep her warm and try to bring her fever down. The fever is from an infection that set up in the wound."

Vin cursed. "It's all my fault. I shoulda taken time ta sterilize my knife."

"Then even more of the venom would have gotten into her system, and she might not have made it. We're treating the infection. It isn't really that serious."

Ignoring the comforting hand Josiah placed on his shoulder, Vin met Nathan's eyes. "Tell me straight, Nathan. Is she going to make it?"

Nathan met Vin's gaze. "I don't know. She's young and she's strong, so she has a good chance. All we can do is treat her symptoms and wait and see."

TBC

Author's note: Although the television series never identified which tribe Kojay and his people were members of, I've taken the liberty of placing them with the Apache. In the last chapter I referred to Kojay's dwelling as a tepee. I've since done some research and discovered that traditional Apache dwellings were called wikiups. I apologize to anyone who was offended by my error.

As with the previous chapter, I have used some Apache language words without any understanding of syntax or grammar. These words are translated as follows:

Dagot'ee shidizheè – Greetings younger brother.

Dagot'ee nchaa shik'isn – Greetings older (big) brother.

tichii bitsizii isdzan – red hair woman

nchaa gidi – big cat

Leosanni does not translate to "Old Mother." I found the name on a list of nineteenth century Apache names. No translation was provided, but I liked the name and felt it fit.