Part 6


"The pale faces are coming" Flying Eagle cried from his perch in the trees. Running Wolf assisted the tribe in their evacuation plan, they had set up camp in a valley beyond the mountains were the terrain was too rough for the pale faces to find them. The Chief thought he had cleared everyone little did he notice 2 individuals were still unaccounted for…

Moonflower lay on the soft grass enjoying the sunlight that seeped through the clouds. Anthony sat beside her skipping stones on the river surface and taking in the odd glance of her contented face. His eyes roamed to her flat stomach making him recall her miscarriage. He placed his hand atop her womb. Moonflower shuddered from the contact but kept her eyes closed.

"Did you know you were with child?" He asked softly as he stroked her belly imagining his child were still growing and thriving within her.

"Were?" She asked bewildered as her hands shot to her tummy. Anthony helped her sit up.

'I'm sorry – My father – he hurt you quite badly" Anthony said shamefully.

Moonflower folded over fighting tears as anguish emblazoned on her face.

"I thought I was carrying… but after we came here things returned to normal" She said as she closed her eyes trying to shake off some bad memory.

"I was going to run away, I saved every penny I could so that I could go further north and raise it in my mother's tribe."

"After what I did… you were willing to accept a part of me?" He asked caressing her cheek in awe.

"Not a part of you – a part of me" She replied

"Would you accept a part of me?" He asked as he placed her hand over his heart.

"ANTHONY!" A voice shrieked behind him. Anthony froze as Katherine's voice registered in his head.

"So, he went back home with Katherine then" Bella said gleefully.

"No, he did not" Abigail smiled cockily.

"What happened?"

"You're going to have to wait till the morning sunshine; I've got a doctor's appointment today. You know these old rickety bones of mine need maintenance occasionally" She smiled as she escorted Bella out.