Chapter 24

Cloud Dancing and Sully are still looking for Katie. Little Wolf started whining so Sully let her out of the saddle bag and held her as best as he could with his bad arm. That didn't satisfy her, something was bothering her. Maybe she sensed Katie was somewhere near. As soon as Sully let her down she ran off towards the woods barking.
Cloud Dancing and Sully followed her until they came across Katie's seemingly lifeless body lying on the ground. Little Wolf was whining and licking her face. Katie doesn't move a muscle. Sully was frozen where he was looking down at his daughter lying on the ground. He was stunned. Cloud Dancing was the one to get up and go over to Katie. First he pried the trap off her leg and then found something to tie around Katie's leg to stop the bleeding.
Sully finally got down off his horse and went over to Katie and cradles her in his arms as he starts to cry.
"My little Kates. Please don't die, baby. You've got to hang on for me and for your ma. I love you, Katie. My little girl." Sully continues to cradle her and cry as Cloud Dancing watches and says a silent Cheyenne prayer for her. Little Wolf just sits next to them and whines. She doesn't understand what is going on.
Finally Cloud Dancing is able to pull Sully away as he picks up Katie. Sully composes himself enough to help Cloud Dancing put Katie up on his horse. Cloud Dancing holds her in front of him with his arm wrapped around her so she doesn't fall. Sully picks up Little Wolf and gets on his horse.
Sully heads towards Matthew's homestead as Cloud Dancing heads towards town to take Katie to the clinic. Sully is dreading telling Michaela about Katie. First Sarah and now Katie.
He cries the entire way to Matthew's. Little Wolf whines, knowing something is wrong. Once there, he dismounts and carries Little Wolf in with him. He comes in the door and hears Michaela talking to Sarah so he heads towards the bedroom and sees Sarah sitting up with a smile on her face as Michaela is listening to her heart.
Matthew is sitting on the other side of the bed holding Sarah's hand and smiling. They are all happy, how soon that is going to change.
They don't see him right away until Little Wolf whines and they all look in Sully's direction.
Once Michaela sees that it's her husband she stops what she is doing and smiles.
"Sully, what are you doing here? Why do you have Katie's puppy with you?"
Sully approaches her with a sad look on his face.
"Sit down, Michaela."
"Sully, what's wrong? What's happened?"
"Please sit down, Michaela and I'll tell you."
Michaela sits down on the other chair beside the bed with a look of worry on her face as she continues to look at Sully waiting for him to answer her.
"Katie had an accident, Michaela."
"She had an accident? What kind of an accident? Tell me, Sully!"
"She was walking through the woods to come here to help you with Sarah and she got her leg caught in a trap. It's broken almost completely in half and there was a lot of blood. She was unconscious when me and Cloud Dancing found her."
"Is she conscious now?" Michaela asks.
"I don't think so, Cloud Dancing took her to the clinic so I could come and get you. I don't know if she's going to make it, Michaela. She's lost a lot of blood."
The tears are pouring down Michaela's face as she cries uncontrollably.
"No, not my baby. Not Katie."
She wraps her arms around herself as she rocks and continues to cry.
Matthew and Sarah hold on to each other and cry silently as Sully sets Little Wolf down and comforts his wife.
Suddenly as if somebody hit her Michaela stops rocking and crying and looks at Sully.
"My baby needs me now. I have to go to her and save her. I won't lose her."
As she says this she gets up and grabs her bag and heads for the door.
Matthew gets up like a shot and grabs her arm before she gets to the door.
"Let me drive you, ma."
Michaela just nods.
Matthew checks on his wife once more and then heads out the door and onto the wagon. Sully is right behind them with Little Wolf.

Meanwhile...

Brian and Maggie have woken up and realized that nobody has come back yet and it has been hours. They are both very worried that something is terribly wrong. They go and get dressed and then Brian goes outside to get Taffy. Once they are saddled up, they head for Matthew's.

Back in town...

Cloud Dancing has already made it to the clinic. The town is so quiet this late at night. They have no idea what is even going on. The little girl that they all love so much might be dying and there is nothing they can do.
Cloud Dancing was able to get down off his horse with Katie still in his arms. He lays her on the bench in front of the clinic as he takes a closer look at her leg. It is in really bad shape. If she does survive, she may end up losing her leg. Infection is already setting in.
Before long he hears the wagon pulling into town. He picks up Katie so she will be ready to be taken into the clinic.
Once the wagon stops, Michaela jumps off without any help from Matthew and grabs her bag. She runs over to Cloud Dancing to see her daughter.
Michaela is too busy looking at Katie's face to pay any attention to her leg right away. She places her fingers on Katie's cheek as fresh tears fall down her cheeks.
"My beautiful Katie, my baby girl."
Cloud Dancing is the one to say something.
"Should I take her inside and lie her down?"
Michaela, who is still somewhat out of it doesn't answer.
"Michaela?"
She then gains use of her senses and looks up at Cloud Dancing.
"Yes, take her inside and lay her on the table."
Sully unlocked the door of the clinic and has turned on a couple of lamps.
Cloud Dancing sets her down on the table and backs away from her so her mother can examine her.
First she checks to see if she is breathing. Her breathing is very shallow. Then she checks her heartbeat and it is very faint. Katie is slowly fading away. Time is of the essence. Michaela then checks out Katie's leg.
The way things are looking it looks like she will have to set it so she can fix the damage done to the leg. She won't be able to put an actual cast on it until the stitches heal but has to set the leg so it can't be moved.
Michaela nominates Sully to help her as she asks Matthew to go and get Brian and Maggie and let them know what's going on.
Cloud Dancing wants to stay but Sully and Michaela both insist on letting him go check on Morningstar. He promises to be back later to check on Katie.
As Cloud Dancing leaves Michaela stops him.
"I just wanted to thank you for helping find my little girl and for bringing her to the clinic."
"I was happy to do it. Katie is like a daughter to me and I could not leave her there. I want her to get well."
"We all do." Sully replies.
Cloud Dancing nods as he leaves the clinic and closes the door behind him. After a few minutes you can hear hoof beats as he heads back towards the reservation.
Michaela goes back to the task of trying to save her daughter's life and her leg.

Chapter 25 coming soon...Can Michaela save her daughter? Stay tuned!