Chapter Six

Alicia was surprised to awake the next morning, and find herself the first one up. Hearing nothing from the living room, she dressed quickly, and wandered out to the sofa, where she found Blue Fire. The Indian was indeed awake, but was kneeling on the ground, her head bowed.

The blonde tried not to startle her. "What are you doing?" she asked, softly.

Blue eyes opened, and locked with her own. "Do you not pray?" questioned the tall woman, confused. She'd begun to practice the white man's way of praying, quietly and without a ceremony, not long after her Grandfather died, because he encouraged her to learn about their culture. He said it would be useful, since the pale-faces seemed to be spreading like wildfire in the land they once called their own…

"Well, yes, but not very often," admitted the rancher, bringing the Indian back to the present.

Robyn frowned. "You do not thank the Great Spirit for the gift of life, or the food we eat, or the sun that warms our day?" she asked. "You do not ask the Giver of Life for good health, and safe travel in the days to come?"

Alicia shrugged. "We call our Great Spirit 'God'," she explained. "And yes, I pray occasionally, but I don't mention all of those things. I guess I should."

"How is it that you have rain if you do not pray for it?"

The blonde decided she really did not want to get into a religious debate with her friend, so simply replied, "I think He just sees what we need from His place in Heaven, and helps us. Speaking of rain, it's starting to drizzle out there. How about a quick breakfast? Then I'll clean out the stalls," she said, and Blue Fire agreed, rising to her feet in one swift movement.

After a healthy portion of warm oatmeal for each woman, Blue Fire offered to do a check of the fences, and Alicia went to muck out the stalls.

"Blue Fire, maybe you should wear my brother's clothes today," the blonde suggested. "I wouldn't want you to get your own dirty, or muddy, if you have another choice."

With a sigh, Blue Fire agreed, and changed quickly, before going on to the day's work. The tall Indian was gone for a while, finding a patch of wire that needed repair, and watched as a herd of mustangs frolicked in the soft rain.

Mustangs, she thought, with a smile, as an idea came to her.

Meanwhile, the blonde was emptying damp hay and manure into the forest as fertilizer, taking it out by the bucketful. By the time she was only half done, the rain was threatening to let up, but she was already soaked. She knew, judging by the cold wind, that her wet clothes would only serve to catch her a cold, but she had to clean the stalls, or the horses would get sick.

Thrush was not an illness she wanted to deal with, since it was preventable. Keep a clean stall, and the horses' hooves won't get dirty, and their feet won't get infected. If they get infected, it could lead to thrush, which was known to cause lameness if not treated soon after.

All I need is a lame horse, she sighed, sneezing as she filled up the next load.

She was almost finished when Blue Fire came riding in, and came to screeching halt when she saw that Alicia was still out, working in the barn, dripping wet. The drizzle had stopped a few minutes ago, but the wind was still cold, and Robyn didn't like the way the woman was coughing and sneezing.

"Alicia!" she called, entering the barn. "Go into the house, and get into bed. I will finish here." The blonde looked like she was going to protest, so Blue Fire continued, in a softer tone. "You will get sick if you do not go inside, Alicia. Please, so you will be well. I will be in to make you tea," she added, and the blonde sighed, handing her the bucket as she walked into the house, shivering the entire way.

Ten minutes later, the tall Indian entered the house, running a hand through her hair, still damp from the rain earlier in the day. Checking up on Alicia, she found the woman huddled under her covers, wearing a dry nightgown.

"Alicia, I think I have an idea to help with money," she said, and green eyes brightened, urging her to continue. "The wild mustangs are on your property often. There are many of them, and I can train some for you, to breed and sell. More horses is what you need, yes?"

The blonde smiled. "That's terrific, Blue Fire!" she said. "You're sure it won't hurt the herd to lose a few?" Robyn nodded. "Okay, then. Thank you." When she began to cough, the Indian remembered why she had come into the room in the first place - to check on the rancher.

"I will fix your tea," she promised, making sure Alicia didn't need anything before then, and walked into the kitchen. As she filled the kettle with water, and began to build the fire, she reached for her knife when she heard someone else come in the house.

"Who are you?" she demanded, to the young blonde man who walked in, carrying a package under his arm.

"Brian," he said, tipping the brim of his hat to her, his brown eyes sparkling. "I came to see how Alicia was doing with all this rain. Who are you?" he asked.

"My name is Robyn," she said. "I work for Alicia." This must be Daniel's brother, she thought, eyeing him carefully.

"Where is she?"

Blue Fire raised an eyebrow at him, still cautious of the lad. "In her room," she said, and watched him go, taking off his hat as he walked down the hallway. Knocking on the door, he apparently got an answer, and entered the room.

Minutes later, as Robyn worked on starting the fire to heat the water, the young boy left the house, looking quite unhappy. Her suspicions piqued when the boy did not leave on his horse, nor in the direction of town, the Indian made sure the water for the tea would be all right if she left for a while, and headed outside.

Blue Fire frowned as she followed the man out of Alicia's house, and to a small place hidden in the forest. The brush had been cleared away, and even in the darkness, the Indian could see the shape of another person waiting in the shadows, but was unable to tell who it was.

As Brian hurried into the clearing, Robyn climbed into a nearby tree to remain hidden, and listened carefully.

"Well?" asked the man in the shadows; his voice was vaguely familiar, but the Indian was unable to place it.

The boy hung his head. "Things aren't going exactly as planned," he admitted, sadly. "I thought she'd have given up by now, but that damned woman put a glitch in things! If I could just get rid of her, it'd be so much easier," he complained.

"How is she a problem?" the man asked.

"Alicia says she's going to start bringing in more horses, which means more foals, and more money. At this rate, she might just pay off her debts!"

"We can't have that," mused the other. "The Boss wants this land, and since she won't sell it, the only way to do that is to make her lose it. Find a way to get rid of a few horses, the young ones, and make it look like an accident. I'll take care of the other problem," he said, and Brian nodded.

"Okay," he agreed. "I think I know how to do it. I found out from Lauren that she feeds the foals a different feed than the others. Horses don't take too well to poisoned oats," he grinned.

The man nodded. "Do it," he ordered, "but make sure it works. I don't want her bringing in any more money right now. The Boss is pissed enough as it is, not having his land already. Understand?"

"Sure," Brian said.

"Now, go." Both men left, and if it hadn't been so late, and Blue Fire hadn't been worried about Alicia, she would have followed the mysterious man to a lighted area. But, instead, she headed back to the Ranch to check up on the ill rancher, determined to find out the man's identity at another time, and to remember Brian's intent to harm the horses.

Robyn made sure she returned first, so Brian wouldn't know she'd been out, and pretended to be heating the tea for Alicia when the man walked in.

"You may go," she told him, stopping him in his tracks. "I will take care of Alicia on my own."

"Look, it's pretty obvious you don't like me, and I don't like you, but Alicia's my friend, and I want to help her. If you're going to take care of her, then at least let me take care of the horses, so you can concentrate on her," he offered.

He's good, thought the Indian. If I hadn't heard him, I'd almost be convinced he really wanted to help. I am going to have to be very careful with this one…

"No, thank you," she replied. "I can take care of it. I will tell Alicia you volunteered to help," she added, eyeing him carefully. "I must take her the tea, now. Rest is good for her, so I will have time to tend to the horses later, while she sleeps."

The man glared at her, but couldn't think up another excuse, so briskly walked out of the house. As Blue Fire strained to see through the dark, he entered the barn, and didn't leave for quite a while. Making a mental note to check the feed for any signs of being tainted, Robyn walked down the hallway, carrying the cup of warm tea into Alicia's bedroom, where the woman was wide awake.

"Thank you," said the blonde, and coughed into her hand, wincing at the pain it caused in her chest.

"You should sleep," said Blue Fire, giving the woman her sagebrush tea, which the Indian knew was good for healing colds; it caused the person to sweat out the illness. She'd added some sugar, so it wouldn't be as bitter for the blonde to swallow. "Drink, and sleep, and you will feel better in the morning."

"I dozed off a little," she admitted, "but not for very long." With the cup of tea in one hand, the rancher squirmed in bed, trying to get comfortable. Each coughing fit caused her muscles to tighten, and so now her back was sore.

Blue Fire was going to ask what was wrong, when she happened to notice a small package of food on the bedside table.

"What is that?" she asked, pointing.

Alicia followed her finger, and smiled a little. "Brian left me some cornbread. He said his mother baked it," she said. "It was warm when I ate the first little bit, but I'm afraid it's probably cold by now."

"How much did you eat?" asked the Indian, her senses alert.

"Not much," shrugged the blonde. "Maybe half. Why? Do you want some?"

The tall woman shook her head. "No, thank you," she said, motioning for Alicia to drink her tea. If her suspicions were correct, Alicia had just eaten half a loaf of tainted cornbread, and would be sick by morning. She doubted the man had put in enough to kill her, just to make her ill, but she wasn't sure.

All she knew was that she wasn't going to mention anything to Alicia until she was positive, because if she piqued the blonde's suspicions, it was possible she wouldn't be able to find out anything else about the man or the mysterious partner he was meeting with after dark. And in order to stop them, she had to find out exactly what they wanted, how they wanted to do it, and who all they were working with.

Just as she'd hoped, not long after Alicia finished her tea, she fell sound asleep. Taking the empty cup from her relaxed hands, Blue Fire walked into the kitchen, and decided it was time for her to go to bed as well. Stretching out on the couch, she kept an ear open, should Alicia call her for anything, and fell into a dreamless slumber.

Later that night, the Indian was startled awake. Listening hard, she frowned when everything was silent. She was about to shrug it off, and go back to sleep, when she heard Alicia call her name, frightened.

"Robyn!" cried the woman. "Blue Fire, no, don't!"

Leaping off the couch, Blue Fire ran into the woman's bedroom, ready for anything - except a nightmare. That was not what she'd been anticipating. The small blonde was tossing fitfully under her covers, a cold sweat covering her skin, her hands balled into fists, defending herself from the inner demons that plagued her. Robyn noted her rapid breathing, and knew she had to wake her with care.

"Alicia," she said, softly, approaching the woman's bedside. "Alicia, wake up." Placing a gentle hand on the woman's shoulder, she continued to talk quietly, until the blonde awoke with a start.

"Robyn?" asked Alicia, as her cloudy green eyes tried to focus. The Indian nodded, and started to move away in order to retrieve a cool cloth to help with the fever, but Alicia gripped her arm.

"Don't go," she pleaded. "Please, don't leave me." The small voice was hoarse, and scared.

"I won't," Blue Fire reassured her, sitting in the chair she had positioned next to her bed. "Can you tell me what you dreamt?" Robyn knew that in her own culture dreams were important, and assumed it was the same for the white man. Although she had never been very good at interpreting them for herself, if Alicia desired, she could find someone who could.

The woman nodded, and made sure the tall Indian's hand was clutched tightly in her own before she spoke.

"I was standing in a green field," she began, "and the sun was shining. There were trees, and grass, and horses, and everything was perfect. You walked up beside me, and we were just looking at the blue sky," she decided not to add the part where Blue Fire had wrapped her arms around her waist, "when all of a sudden, everything turned dark. The sky was gray, and the grass died, and the horses disappeared, and the trees were bare… it was as if everything just stopped.

"Some men came up beside us, four or five, I guess. They were white, except one, who was Apache. But they had guns, and they came to take you away," sniffled the woman. "You just turned and walked away, you didn't even put up a fight, and I was all alone."

Robyn said nothing; she still feared the day the white men, or her own people, would find her. She knew they would, at some point, and she'd have to leave. She had no doubt there was truth to Alicia's dream. The only question was: how long did she have?

"I will be right back," she said, standing. "I am only going to get a cool cloth to help you. You are sick, and have a fever." Reluctantly, the blonde nodded, and the tall Indian left the room for only a minute, before returning with two bowls. One was filled with fresh water and a rag, while the other was empty, sure to be used if Alicia was as sick as Blue Fire suspected her to be.

"Rest," said the Indian, placing the refreshing cloth on the ill woman's warm forehead. "I will fix more tea for you." The blonde just nodded, enjoying the nice feeling of being taken care of and didn't say a word when Blue Fire walked out of the room.

Returning with the cup of tea a while later, the Indian was deeply bothered to find the young rancher emptying the contents of her stomach into the basin provided. Each time she would stop to breathe, her stomach would rebel. This continued for a long while, long enough for Blue Fire to have to reheat the tea, before Alicia was too weak to even hold herself up, much less throw up.

With a small whimper of pain that comes from a sick stomach, the blonde leaned back into her pillow, not feeling any better.

"Tea?" offered the tall woman, but the blonde shook her head.

"I can't," she protested, weakly. Not only was her stomach objecting against it, she wasn't sure she had enough strength to sit up.

The tall woman sighed, but nodded, and rinsed the cloth on the flushed forehead, gently replacing it in an attempt to lower the woman's fever.

"You should rest," suggested Blue Fire.

"I don't even know if I can do that," sighed Alicia. "I don't have anything left in my stomach, but it still won't calm down. How can I rest when I'm freezing?"

"That is the fever," said the Indian. "Try to sleep. I will stay here," she assured the woman, remembering her dream. Green eyes closed, and within twenty minutes, the ill rancher was asleep, soft snores filling the air.

Brian would poison his friend for this Shadow Man, thought Robyn, angrily. And this Shadow Man would tell him to do it, for his "Boss". He would make her ill for whatever he receives in return. For as much as she ate, she may be sick for a long time, but if she ate it all, it may have bedded her for more than a week.

Or worse.

Blue Fire kept up her bedside vigil past dawn, gently cleansing the woman's flushed face with the cool cloth, making sure she was there whenever Alicia awoke, and continually trying to get her to drink some tea.

Each time the blonde woke up, she'd only end up getting sick again. Blue Fire urged her to drink the tea, because it was the only way she'd be able to ease her stomach, but the woman refused, claiming she wouldn't be able to keep it down.

"You must try," insisted the Indian, but the moment the brew was close enough for the rancher to smell, she was forced to lean over the side of the bed and retch.

When more than a day had gone by, and Alicia had still consumed nothing, Robyn knew she had to do something. Unless the blonde had substance, it would take her even longer to recuperate.

"Please, Alicia," pleaded Blue Fire. "You need to drink this to get better." The woman tried to sit up, but her head ached so badly, and she was so sore all over, she collapsed back onto the bed in a heap.

Wordlessly, the tall Indian climbed in beside her, lifted her up into a sitting position, and then sat behind her, settling the smaller woman between her legs. Letting the woman lean back against her, and trying not to think of the rather intimate circumstances, Robyn put the blonde head against her shoulder, and helped her sip slowly from the cup.

"Easy," she soothed, as Alicia took small swallows, and struggled to keep them down. "Drink as much as you can."

"Thank you," said Alicia, when she had taken in all she could, and had to admit she felt a little better. Trying to relax, she unconsciously snuggled closer into the tall Indian's side, and was soon asleep.

Blue Fire sat there for a moment, attempting to decide if she could get up without waking Alicia, or if she even wanted to try. Biting her lip, she slowly reached over, and grabbed the book that lay on the small bedside table, opening it to the first page. Her words uncertain, and halting, she slowly began reading the tale aloud.

"Strange," she muttered, when the words began to confuse her.

A soft voice drifted from beneath her, and Alicia said, still held securely in an embrace the Indian didn't remember forming, "Hamlet isn't the best thing to start with."

Blue Fire frowned. "Ham-let?" she repeated.

The blonde nodded. "By a man named William Shakespeare. He lived in England, and a long time ago, they spoke a little differently than we do now," she explained.

The Indian agreed. "Soft, marry… these words I know, but do not understand in this book," the tall woman said, frustrated.

Alicia sympathized. "I have trouble with it, too, sometimes," she admitted. When the blonde began to cough, she felt the arms around her tighten the barest amount, and when she was able, Blue Fire reached out and brought the cup of tea towards her again.

"Drink, and rest," she urged. To the Indian's delight, Alicia finished the rest of the tea, and fell asleep soon after, safe in the tall woman's arms.

I was reading - I do not remember holding her, the Indian thought, barely catching herself in time, before she began tracing idle patterns on the soft skin under her fingertips. What is happening to me? I feel strangely around her, but when I am not near, I feel empty. Seeing her sick makes me sad, and I would do anything if it would make her well again… why?

"I need to speak with Mother," she sighed, quietly. When Alicia recovered, she'd have to make a trip out to the Apache tribe, and sneak in to see her mother, who still accepted her presence.

A little tired herself, Blue Fire closed her eyes, and soon joined the rancher in slumber.

Two days later, Alicia was feeling much better. Blue Fire still insisted she stay in bed, and only left the woman's side to tend to the horses or to fix a meal, if it was absolutely necessary.

"Robyn, I'm feeling fine," persisted the blonde, and the Indian nodded.

"Good," she said. "You are still weak from the sickness, and tomorrow you may go outside, but today, you still must rest."

The blonde sighed, and almost looked as though she was going to pout. "At least it's dusk," she muttered, and Blue Fire smiled.

"You are almost as impatient as me," she grinned. "Wait here. I will feed horses, and then make dinner." The rancher agreed, and after checking on the horses, returned to the house to prepare a meal for both Alicia and herself.

Entering the bedroom with a bowl of soup in each hand, and bread balanced on top, she handed one to Alicia, and sat down on the chair with her own. The two ate in silence for a while, until the blonde had to say something.

"Robyn, I just wanted to thank you for everything."

The Indian looked up, and shrugged. "You are welcome," she said, and went back to her meal.

"No, I mean it," continued Alicia, and blue eyes met her own serious gaze. "You've spent almost five days in here, cooped up with me, taking care of me when I was sick. You made sure I got well, and, more importantly, you stayed with me. That means a lot," she smiled. "Thank you."

Blue Fire nodded. "But I do not want to do it again anytime soon," she said. "I do not want to see you sick again. I don't like it," she uttered, and her blue eyes grew wide when she realized she'd said that out loud.

"Yeah, well, neither do I," grinned the blonde, finished her dinner. "That was good, Blue Fire. Now, if it's okay with you, I think I'll get some sleep, so that way the morning will come faster." The tall woman nodded, and took the dishes into the kitchen.

Softly, she knocked on the woman's door, just before she went to bed herself.

"Alicia?" she asked, quietly, hoping she didn't wake the woman.

"What is it?" replied the blonde, softly.

"I wanted to tell you I will not be here in the morning when you wake up," she said, and green eyes widened. "I will leave early, I need to speak with someone, but I should be back by nightfall."

The blonde willed her heart to slow down. "For a minute there, I thought you were leaving for good," she confessed, and the Indian looked surprised. "I'll see you tomorrow night, then. And, Blue Fire?" she called, before the woman could turn away.

"Yes?" prompted the tall woman.

"Be careful." With a small smile, the Indian nodded, and made her way down the hallway, collapsing on the couch. A little less worry on her mind, knowing Alicia was going to be okay, the tall woman was asleep quickly.

The next morning, just before dawn, Blue Fire arose, and gathered her things. Minutes later, she was ready to go, and placed a small package on the kitchen table before she walked out the door.

Slipping into the Apache camp, she moved swiftly, and soon found her mother's kowa. The thatches of grass that covered the poles had been covered themselves, with deerskin, to keep it watertight in the rain, and warm during the cool nights.

Glancing around, making sure no one was watching her, she entered the hut with haste. Once inside, she made sure her mother was alone, and dropped to her knees, bowing her head.

"Shi ma," she said, softly, and the woman turned around, almost dropping the bowl she held in her hands in surprise. The old woman wore a dress, more of a long shirt with intricate trimming, decorated with paint and beads of all colors. Her black hair was streaked with gray, and her kind blue eyes showed their age.

"Daughter!" smiled Feather in the Wind, lifting her only child's chin with her hands. "You have returned at last. I was worried! I have missed you so."

"And I have missed you," said Blue Fire, rising to her feet to give her mother a strong hug, having to lean down a bit, since she was a head taller than her mother. "But I cannot come home for long, you know that. I am not welcome, but I will come often to see you."

Cocking her head to the side, the elderly woman bade her daughter to sit beside her on the furs, and gently tucked Blue Fire's long dark tresses behind her ear. "What is it that troubles you, my child? You have come to talk, yes?"

The tall Indian nodded. "I have come to seek your counsel," she confirmed. "Mother, there is someone… when I see her I… when I am around her I feel… I don't know how I feel! She is kind, and smart, and has taught me to read. I owe her my life," she admitted. "She saved my life, and tended to my wounds, after I escaped the white man's tent.

"She says she is not a healer, but I hurt less when I am near her, no matter what has caused me pain. I want only to see her smile, and laugh, and I find I am willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen," she explained. "When I am near her, I feel strange, but when I am away from her, it is as though my heart and body wish to be close to her again.

"When she is sick or hurt, I feel it, too. And if she is in danger, or frightened, I feel as though I would give my life to make it better. I find myself holding her in my arms, and wanting to touch her skin. Why am I feeling like this?" she asked, utterly confused.

Feather in the Wind smiled, fondly. "My daughter, you are in love. This woman must be very special, to have taken your heart," she said, and Blue Fire nodded.

"She is," she muttered. "But, Mother, she is white!"

The older woman sighed. "My child, do you remember the story of the Great Spirit, and how He made one soul of the same for two animals?" Blue Fire nodded. "Well, He did something like that for His people, too.

"Somewhere, out there, for all of us, is the person who shares our soul. They do not have the same soul as us, but one that we need to complete our own. And if we find that person, our joy is limitless," she said. "Our soul mate can be anyone, but when we find them, we must never let them go, for the love we share can never be equaled."

"So, it is not wrong for me to love a white?" questioned Blue Fire, and her mother shook her head.

"No more than it is wrong for you to love a woman, my daughter," she assured her. "There are some who would say you are wrong, for both of those reasons, but they can never know the love you feel. It is sad, when one cannot love their own for who they are," she sighed.

"I left her a gift for her birthday," the younger Indian said. "That is right?"

Feather in the Wind bit back a smile - she had never seen her daughter so nervous, or so worried about what was right. "Do whatever your heart tells you, Blue Fire, and it will be right. But the heart speaks softly, so you must listen closely," she advised.

"I would like for you to meet her," said Blue Fire, and Feather in the Wind smiled.

"I would also like to meet the one who my daughter loves, and loves her in return." Seeing the sudden change in her daughter's face, she paused. "What is it?"

"I do not know that she loves me in return," she sighed. "How could she? She is soft, and gentle, and I am an Apache warrior who killed two of her own. She does not even know of that yet; I am afraid to tell her," she confessed. "Mother, I do not want to leave her."

"Tell her how you feel," suggested her mother.

Blue Fire shook her head, and tears began forming in her eyes. "I cannot, because I do not want her to leave me." Holding her daughter close, Feather in the Wind hummed softly to her, trying to comfort the one she loved.

"Oh, my daughter," she sighed. "You will do what is right when the time comes," she assured. "I believe in you, and you must believe in yourself. Trust in your Spirit Guide; the great wolf will help you."

"I cannot stay long," she sniffled, drying her tears as she sat a little straighter, keeping her mother's arm around her. "I told Alicia I would be back by dark, and I do not want to worry her."

"Alicia. That is her name?"

Blue Fire nodded. "Alicia Winters," the tall woman added. "She runs a horse ranch on her own. I am teaching her Apache, and she teaches me to read English. To hide me from the white men, she has given me a new name, so I will be safe. She calls me "Robyn". If you meet her, mother, you will like her, I know. She is very kind," smiled Blue Fire.

"I am sure she is," agreed her mother. "Come, eat with me, and rest before you go." Nodding, Robyn got to her feet, and helped her mother prepare the food they would share.

When it was time for her to go, Blue Fire gave her mother a strong hug, and promised to return again soon.

"I will try to see you before the earth is reddish brown," said Robyn. It was late spring, the time of many leaves, and she hoped to return before late fall.

"Perhaps I will see your Alicia before then," said Feather in the Wind. "I know the Ranch you speak of. Be safe, my child," she added.

"And you, mother," said Robyn, slipping out of the tent, and heading towards Escape Ranch. She was just a few minutes away from her destination, when her blue eyes caught a strange sight in the light of the setting sun. Approaching the form, her heart wrenched when she saw a wolf, her leg caught in a steel trap, no longer breathing.

White hunters, she thought, sadly.

Saying a prayer for the animal, she went to leave, when she thought she heard something. Was the wolf alive yet? No, she was sure of that - as were the flies and ants. As she watched, a small, pure white replica of the larger wolf wriggled out from under his mother's cold paw, and locked eyes with the Indian.

"Spirit Guide," she said, dropping to her knees, reaching for the small wolf. Picking him up into her arms gently, she continued on her way, knowing the young pup would need food and water, and care. She felt the connection with her Spirit Guide almost immediately, and knew she had been sent to find, and take care of, the young wolf.

Her only concern now was explaining it to Alicia.