The Cavalry Horse

Chapter 35 – A Dangerous Encounter

A howl ripped through the air as Little Creek dropped to the floor, without thinking I raced over to him and fell to his side as I saw a pool of blood spilling from underneath him.

Oh god, what am I going to do?

I looked around, terrified as everyone around me raised their bows. I un-tucked my shirt from under my military jacket and ripped a piece from the bottom of it off, holding up Little Creek's arm I wrapped the piece of cloth over the bullet hole in his shoulder and pulled it tight, getting muffled screams and spasms from him in the process.

Once Spirit had recovered from his initial shock he neighed loudly to the other horses that were freaking out and then sank to his knees, when he had dropped completely to the ground I pulled Little Creek up and onto his back. Little Creek held his wounded arm to his chest and grimaced in pain, blood covering most of his left arm. Spirit got up as gently as he could and we turned back to the danger at hand.

As I stood up I heard someone approach the camp, behind the smoking barrel of a gun stood James.

"I suggest you don't move, I'd hate to have to kill you."

Spirit's ears flattened against his neck and he bared his teeth as Little Creek wrapped his good hand in his mane.

"You're surrounded on all sides; did you really think you could get away from me twice?"

I stood next to Spirit and my heart felt like it was going to burst through my chest, terror mixed with relief and though my heart leapt at seeing James safe, it then plummeted when it saw the look of determination on his face.

Little Creek sat up as straight as he could before speaking, pain lined his voice and he tried his best to ignore it.

"Put the gun down and no one else gets hurt."

James stared at him. "Didn't you hear me? You are surrounded."

"I said, put the gun down." He looked down at me and I suddenly realised exactly what they were going to do, this was going to become difficult. I went to speak but he pleaded with me with his eyes and I kept quiet.

James followed his gaze and then raised one eyebrow.

"You wouldn't hurt her."

"I wouldn't, but they would." As he spoke, the warriors all turned and pointed their bows at me. My heart started pounding harder and my breathing got difficult, what if this went wrong.

James's composure faltered slightly and his voice became a low growl. "Don't you touch her."

"Tell your men to put their weapons down." Little Creek's voice had suddenly become more confident as he watched the Colonel's expression change.

James's face twitched as he watched us and I wondered what he was going to do.

"If you even try to hurt her, I will not miss my target again." He snarled as he kept the gun pointed at Little Creek, then, as if something had clicked in his brain, he lowered his weapon.

Now he pointed it at Spirit.

"Put the gun down!" Little Creek's confidence vanished and Spirit bared his teeth and lashed at the ground with one front leg. Rain stood a few feet away making worried noises, pushing Bailey's flank with her muzzle.

"It seems we have a check mate, give me the girl and we shall continue our chase. Otherwise it ends now."

I looked from one man to the next, both determined not to give in and I felt more fear than I ever had in my entire life.

Little Creek shouted something in Native American and the men lowered their bows slightly, but kept the arrows taught.

"Put the gun down and we'll give you the girl."

James smiled ever so slightly and lowered his gun; he had no intention of keeping this clean.

I went to walk forwards when Little Creek spoke to me in Native American.

"I'm really sorry Cally." I stopped and turned back to him in confusion as he yelled something to the men. I hadn't noticed, but throughout the standstill the horses had been moving ever closer to their riders, that must have been what Spirit called to them.

"MOUNT UP!" Little Creek screamed, still in Native American to confuse the soldiers and as the men swung onto the horses he grabbed me and pulled me up behind him on Spirit as the horse leapt into the air, he ran straight for James and James had to dive out of the way to avoid Spirit's thundering hooves.

Shots rang off from all sides but one and the horses veered towards it, in the darkness I could see soldier's guns glinting in the firelight and then a shout from behind.

"Don't shoot at them, it's too dark! AFTER THEM!"

Without another word I saw James run into the trees where I guessed the horses were.

We must have gotten about 5 minutes in front of them when soldiers on horseback burst out from all sides of the darkness, trying to herd us into going their way. Luckily for the Indians, their horses, being much better trained were more than happy to ram into the soldier's horses causing spooks, trips and once a fall.

I held on tight to Little Creek as we flew across the open space, skirting the small woods we had been camping by and heading for the canyons. The air grew ever hotter as the sun started to show on the horizon and I thanked god for the light that was coming, riding the canyons was a dangerous game at the best of times, but at night it was deadly.

Right at that moment, I wanted more than anything to scream in joy at the fact that I was riding the famous horse-who-could-not-be-broken, but instead the man I wanted to be with was pursuing my friends with the intention of shooting them. To think I thought fate had dealt me a good hand.