Part Two:

The Wolf and the Lamb

The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

- The Bible, Isiah 11:6

Chapter Thirteen

For the first few weeks after Blue Fire's return to Escape Ranch, she rarely let Alicia out of her sight. To wake in the morning and find the small blonde gone, even if she was just in the kitchen making breakfast, was enough to drive the woman into a panic.

By the end of about three weeks, however, the Indian was not only beginning to realize that Alicia wasn't going anywhere and was safe, but she was fully recovered from her injuries. The only reminders of the torture she'd endured at the hands of the white man were the scars that marred her back.

Able to walk and ride comfortably, now that her feet were healed, Blue Fire began taking Winter Escape on long rides that often lasted several hours. Unbeknownst to Alicia, the Indian she loved was actually doing continuous checks of the perimeter of her land, for fear of allowing Jake or Brian or someone like them to hurt Alicia again.

It was on one of these expeditions that Robyn noticed a small wooden cabin, erected just inside Alicia's property. Frowning, she dismounted, and approached with caution, the stench of blood assailing her nostrils almost immediately.

Something very bad has happened here, she thought, examining her surroundings carefully.

The cabin couldn't have been bigger than about three rooms, and while the only thing amiss outside seemed to be an overturned chair, the tall Indian was wary of the door, which was slightly ajar.

Wolf whined lightly, and Blue Fire quieted him, slowly pushing open the door, wincing as the hinges loudly complained, giving notice to her presence. When nothing happened, and all was silent within the cabin, Robyn entered, ready for anything.

Although a dead body was certainly not what she had been expecting. The black woman didn't look to be much older than the Indian herself, and her blood covered not only the floor but the walls, as well. Her throat had been slit, wounds visible on her back and chest, and even Blue Fire was struck by the brutality of the act.

It did not go unnoticed by the Indian that there was someone else in the cabin with her… she could feel the person's eyes watching her every move.

Turning her attention back to the woman on the wooden floor, Robyn decided she would return later with her bag, to give the woman a proper funeral, and ensure a safe passage for her spirit.

Kneeling to make a quick blessing until she could come back, the Indian growled when she felt a body crash into her. Throwing whoever it was across the room, Blue Fire leapt to her feet, ready to face her attacker, sapphire eyes widening when she beheld a young boy.

She guessed him to be about ten years old, with dark skin, and brown eyes that were currently hardened, but swollen from crying.

"You killed my mother!" he cried, charging the woman again.

Robyn stepped out of his path, not wanting to hurt the child. "No," she said, evenly. "I only want to help."

"You lie!"

When he ran at her once more, she dropped to one knee, grabbing him by the arms before spinning him around, pulling the boy tightly against her chest, restraining him by wrapping her arms around his struggling frame.

"I'm not going to hurt you," the Indian insisted. "I do not know who did this, but I do not think you are safe to stay here. If you give me your word not to attack me again, I'll release you, and we can talk.

"Do you promise?" When the boy solemnly nodded, the woman carefully loosened her grip until he was free. To his credit, he didn't try anything.

"Who are you?" he asked, looking the woman over carefully as she slowly got to her feet.

"My name is Blue Fire, but the white men call me Robyn," she replied, and then asked the boy the same question.

"My Navajo name is Little Bear, but my English name is Virgil," was his response.

The tall Indian was silent for a moment. "How is that you have an Indian name?" she queried.

The boy met her gaze, evenly. "My pa is Navajo," Virgil answered, "but my mother was a slave, until she escaped."

Blue Fire's eyes softened towards the child. "Do you know who did this?" she asked, quietly.

"My father went hunting three days ago, and said he wouldn't be back for a long time, because he wanted to make sure we wasn't being followed. Two days after he left, the Navajos came for us again." Here the tears returned. "Mama put me in the food closet to hide me, but she couldn't hide with me."

The tall woman gave the boy's mother a moment of quiet respect, gently squeezing Virgil's shoulder.

"Come, Virgil," she requested, "return home with me. It is not safe for you to stay here, in case the Navajo come back."

"What if you're the Navajo, too? How do I know I can trust you?"

"The white men call my people the Apache, and if I wanted to do you harm, you would be dead already. Come with me, and you will be safe, I can promise you that," she added.

"But…"

"I will return, if you wish, to give your mother the burial she deserves, and to keep watch for your father, should he return from the hunt," the Indian offered. "Then, he will not worry."

Virgil frowned. "How come you're doing this?" he asked, genuinely perplexed. "Most people don't help me 'cause I'm black, and I even tried to hurt you… How come you're being so nice to me?"

Blue Fire grinned at the child. "Someone once told me it does not matter what color skin you have, or what we might do differently; all that matters is you need help, and I understand why you acted the way you did," she explained, thinking back with fond memories of the blonde who had managed to capture her heart with ease. "There is no reason for either one of us to be against each other.

"You have two options, I think. One, you can remain here, and risk facing the Navajo again. Or, you can come to the home I share with my soul mate Alicia, and we will protect you. It is up to you; what do you choose?" the Indian questioned.

The boy hesitated for only a moment, before nodding, quietly asking, "Why did they hurt my mama?"

Blue Fire felt her heart constrict at the honest expression of hurt and grief on the young child's face. "I don't know, Virgil; but I will find out."

"I will go with you," he agreed, and the tall woman gently led him out the door, before whistling for Winter Escape, who galloped obediently up to her mistress. Mounting, and then helping the boy to do the same, Robyn took the young child back to Escape Ranch, knowing Alicia would house him until his father could be found.

While the young blonde was surprised to see the Indian return with an extra person, she nonetheless took Virgil under her wing, instantly seeing to it that he had a bath and a hot meal.

Giving the boy his privacy during the bath, Alicia took that time to talk to the woman she loved. "What happened to his parents?" she asked, talking softly.

"His father is out hunting, and his mother was killed by the Navajo," the Indian explained, quietly. "I will go, now; his mother's body is still at the cabin, and I promised I would give her a proper burial. Her spirit must have a safe passage."

Alicia agreed. "Okay. I'll see you for dinner?" she hoped, but the woman paused.

"I do not know, my love. The burial may take me a while… normally I would be quick to dispose of the dead," the Apache were known to be killers, but didn't like to be around the dead any longer than necessary, "but I feel the need to honor this woman. If I do not make it for dinner, I will see you in the morning."

The blonde seemed disappointed, but nodded, kissing the woman lightly on the cheek before she left. Announcing her presence before entering the kitchen, the rancher found her young guest fully dressed once more, drying his short hair.

"Feel better?" she asked, with a small smile.

"A little," he sighed. "Thank you for the bath, ma'am."

Alicia laughed. "Oh, Virgil, call me Alicia. What do you say we find you a place to sleep, and then get dinner started? Does that sound good?" The boy was quiet for a moment, not used to being asked his opinion by anyone other than his parents, but agreed.

"Yes, thank you."

"So polite," praised the woman, with a grin and a quick pat on his head, the child being only an inch or two smaller than herself. Virgil smiled, and followed Alicia through the house, immediately offering to take the couch so he wouldn't be an inconvenience. Protesting that it was what he was used to, the blonde finally gave in, but wouldn't back down when it came to supplying sheets and a light cover.

The two ate dinner alone, Virgil absolutely fascinated by everything that Alicia had to say as she told him all about the ranch, and Blue Fire, and the town, and even Wolf. It didn't matter what he told her, just so long as he heard her voice. He found it very comforting and soothing, like his mother's…

That thought was enough to drive him to tears in the middle of his supper, and Alicia was quick to put an arm around his shoulders.

"What is it, Virgil?" she asked, and the boy sniffled.

"I just… I miss my mom," he admitted, lowly, wrapping his arms around the small blonde when she drew him into a tight hug.

"I know you do, sweetheart. But Robyn and I will do everything we can to help you, okay? You don't have to worry about that. And it's okay to cry," she added, sensing that he seemed to be attempting a brave front. "We all have to cry sometimes."

For the next half hour, until they retired to their separate beds, Alicia allowed the young child to cry on her shoulder, assuring him that while he would never forget his mother, the pain would lessen with time. Bidding him good night, and making sure he knew he could call on her if he needed anything during the night, Alicia tucked him in and kissed his forehead before walking down the hallway and climbing into her empty bed.

Just as she'd expected, Blue Fire did not return until just past dawn the next morning. She was there in time to find Alicia and Virgil feeding the horses, and, after spending numerous hours the night before burying a young boy's mother, it did her heart good to hear Alicia's laughter echo throughout the barn.

"Robyn!" the boy cried, spying her before the blonde, running up to the Indian. "Was… was my mama okay?"

Blue Fire knelt down to be eye level with the child. "She is home, now, Virgil. She is safe," she assured him, sparing him an encouraging squeeze of his shoulder. "I will return after breakfast to look for your father, so he will not worry, as I promised you."

True to her word, just after breakfast, Blue Fire packed her bags again, and walked out the door. She didn't return until the sun was long gone for the night, and found Virgil asleep but Alicia waiting up for her. Apologizing for being so late, she explained she hadn't found the boy's father yet, but was still looking.

The Indian continued the same routine for nearly a week before Alicia felt she had to say something. Virgil was asleep on the couch, while Robyn and the blonde rancher talked in their bedroom. The woman was upset that she never saw Robyn anymore; she was always at the cabin, searching for Virgil's father continuously.

"I never really knew my father, Alicia. He died when I was just a child. If I can help Virgil find his, I must try," insisted Blue Fire, beginning to tire of explaining the same thing over and over.

Alicia sighed. "Do you really think it's necessary to spend all day at that cabin?" Blue Fire just rolled her eyes. "I know you want to help, and I want to see Virgil reunited with his dad, too, but there's only so much you can do!"

"That boy's father could be out there somewhere, looking for his son," said the Indian, sternly. "Until I know for sure, I am not giving up."

"And I'm not asking you to," insisted the rancher, unable to tell the tall woman that she was worried about her - worried that whoever had killed Virgil's mother would return, because she feared the Indian would shrug it off, telling her she'd be fine when Alicia's gut was telling her a completely different story.

"But I am asking you to be reasonable!"

Blue Fire growled as she walked out into the night. Alicia did not understand, and she refused to argue with the blonde when the Indian knew it wouldn't do any good. With a sigh, Robyn made her way through the forest to her mother's.

Alicia groaned as she felt the sunlight on her face, signaling a new day, and immediately reached for the tall Indian she loved… green eyes shot open when her hand touched a cold sheet.

"Robyn?" It slowly sunk in that the woman had not returned during the night. She was still out, wherever she was, angry or sulking or hurt.

That last thought was enough to cause the small blonde to leap out of bed and get dressed in two minutes flat. What if Robyn was at the cabin, injured, in need of help? What if something had happened during the night?

Stepping into the living room, Alicia was aware of the adorably cute picture that she beheld. There, on her floor, lay Wolf and Virgil, curled up peacefully together, both sound asleep. Alicia breathed a sigh of relief; if Wolf wasn't agitated, the chances were good Blue Fire was not in danger.

Thank God for the connection of Spirit Guides, she prayed, quickly, before beginning to make breakfast for three. She expected Robyn back at any moment; it wasn't like the woman to be gone for very long…

"Virgil," called the woman, smiling when the boy stumbled into the kitchen, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Breakfast is ready, kiddo." The child smiled, and scrambled to his seat, only after helping Alicia set the table.

When the rancher sat down beside him, the intelligent young boy instantly realized the lack of their companion.

"Where's Blue Fire?" he asked, as he dove into his bacon.

Alicia evaded answering his question directly. "She should be here soon," she said, starting on her own meal, however slowly. When the two made it through breakfast and still no Blue Fire, the blonde began to wonder just where the woman had gone.

Well, if she went off to the cabin, she should be back by nightfall, the woman thought. Figuring that was where the Indian went, Alicia felt a little better, and was able to make it through the day, Virgil helping her in any way he could. He was such a good and polite child, Alicia enjoyed his company immensely, and the two were always telling tales about one thing or another.

But when Alicia tucked Virgil into bed, and had been lying in her room for about an hour, still without one sign of Blue Fire, the worry returned full force. Why wasn't the woman coming home? Wolf didn't seem agitated, so hopefully she wasn't hurt, but was the Indian angry enough to leave?

"Oh, God, I hope she didn't intend to leave for good," prayed Alicia, staying awake as long as she could, falling into a light sleep only a few hours before dawn.

Alicia awoke the next morning feeling tired and worried, and so the whole day passed by slowly, with Virgil sensing the change in her mood and being very careful not to upset the woman. He tried to be very good and to help Alicia with whatever she asked, thinking that perhaps it would lift her mood, and while he managed not to make her angry, he didn't think she was feeling any better by dinnertime that night.

"Alicia… did I make you mad?" he asked, quietly, interrupting their otherwise peaceful meal.

The woman started, and glanced up at him, apologetically. "Oh, no, I'm sorry, Virgil. It's not you, sweetie, I'm just worried about Robyn. I guess I've been kind of glum today, haven't I?" The boy nodded, slowly. "I'm sorry," the blonde repeated.

"Maybe we could go see Robyn," Virgil offered, helpfully, and Alicia smiled.

"That sounds like a good idea, Virgil. Why don't we plan on leaving for the Apache camp in the morning, and checking there?" When the child agreed, he listened happily as Alicia became more talkative, and told him everything he ever wanted to know about the Apache Indians.

Although Alicia and Virgil made quite an impression walking into the Apache camp at a little past ten the next morning, and Feather in the Wind had to convince Ndoitcho to allow them to stay in her home, Blue Fire didn't realize any of this was going on… she wasn't even in the camp, as a matter of fact.

Upon the advice of her mother, Blue Fire had gone on a vision quest. Feather in the Wind sensed that something was bothering her daughter, and insisted that she be on her own for a while, even if it meant getting away from her beloved Alicia. With a heavy sigh, the woman had realized her mother wasn't going to give in, and so settled down for a long walk and an insightful vision quest.

While she had intended on finding guidance pertaining to Virgil and his father, Blue Fire instead saw something completely different… She saw the Apache nation, the camp she'd grown up in, symbolized by a glowing turquoise stone. To her surprise, she saw a tomahawk fall from above and strike the stone, hard. It faltered and began to break, and Robyn found herself holding it together. She wasn't alone in her efforts; another smaller pair of hands reached for the stone, and together, they kept the nation from breaking apart.

The tall Indian came to her senses with a start. She was sitting cross-legged under a large, sturdy tree, about two miles from the camp she'd just seen in her mind. The quest hadn't gone quite as she'd expected… she still didn't know what to do about Virgil, or his father, or her fight with Alicia. All she knew was that she was hungry, stiff from sitting on the ground since dawn that morning, and missed the small blonde terribly. Stretching and getting to her feet, she headed back towards the camp with a sigh.

Ducking into her mother's kowa, she was startled to find Alicia and Virgil sitting beside the elderly woman.

"Come, Virgil; we leave them," Feather in the Wind stated, calmly, nodding to her daughter as the two exited the hut to give the women their privacy.

"Alicia?" questioned the Indian, still surprised.

"Oh, Blue Fire, I've missed you!" cried the blonde, hugging the tall woman tightly, relieved when the gesture was returned, just as strongly. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I never meant for our argument to get so out of hand; I was just worried about you being out there alone."

Robyn smiled softly, and urged the woman she loved to sit beside her. "My heart, I can handle my own, as you say," she reminded Alicia, and the rancher sighed.

"That's what I was afraid you'd say." Blue Fire frowned, looking confused. "I didn't want you to just laugh me off, because I really felt something was going to happen to you. I can't help but worry, and I couldn't take it if you decided to make light of it."

"I would take your concern seriously, Alicia, and I am sorry if I gave you reason to think that I would not," said the Indian, honestly. "It means a lot to me that you are worried for my safety, my love. But it is important to me to find Virgil's father if it is in my power."

"What happened to your father, Blue Fire?" asked Alicia, softly.

Taking a deep breath, the Indian decided to tell the blonde the story that she had never told any one – her mother had always been the one to do the explaining, because, even now, it was hard for her daughter to talk about.

"My father was one of the best hunters this tribe had ever seen," she began. "He died when I was only six summers old, and I do not remember very much about him, except that he was very kind and loving. He was open to my idea that I wanted to be a warrior, and often helped me train, secretly taking me along on a few of his trips at night to check snares and traps.

"He taught me how to hunt and how to be a good tracker," the woman said. "Every time I use these skills, I think of him in some way, and I believe he would be happy with what I have done.

"One day, he went out on a hunt with some of the other braves, and said I could go along, if my mother agreed. She didn't have anything I had to do, and so said I was allowed to go with the hunters. While my father and the others were busy stalking deer, I went off on my own and followed tracks, just like my father had taught me.

"The tracks led to a cave, and I wandered inside, only to find a litter of baby mountain lions, and one mother cat, very angry at being disturbed. Being a child, I wanted to take a cub to show off to my father, to show him that I was a good tracker, but the mother did not like that idea. She growled and hissed at me, swiping at me a few times, ready to pounce with the next move I made.

"I don't know how he knew that I was in trouble, but all of a sudden, my father rushed in, taking me out of the cave in a hurry. The cat followed, chasing us to protect her cubs, and my father readied his bow and arrow, but the lion was too close. The other men came running to help him, but it was too late, and the mountain lion…

"He risked his life to save me, and it led to his own death.

"I miss him very much," voiced the Indian, looking away as she blinked back her tears, Alicia putting a comforting arm around her waist.

"I'm sorry you had to watch that, being just a child," she said, quietly.

Blue Fire nodded. "That is why I want to help Virgil; I know what it is like not to have a father when you are young, and I do not want him to feel that," she explained.

Alicia agreed. "I understand, but I still want you to be careful, okay?"

"I will, my heart," Robyn assured the rancher, kissing her softly before suggesting they join her mother for lunch. "After we eat, I will go to the cabin for the day, but will return by nightfall, I promise." Alicia realized she would have to be satisfied with that arrangement, and kept any objections she had to herself, calling for Virgil and Feather in the Wind to come back inside for the meal.

The Indian was relieved to learn that Virgil's father spoke English, and set out for the cabin not long after they had all finished eating. She said her good-byes to her mother and Alicia, spending a fair amount of time assuring the blonde that she would be home soon, kissing her tenderly before promising the small boy to do all she could to bring his father back to him.

Watching Alicia and Virgil ride off, Blue Fire mounted Winter Escape and rode towards the edge of Alicia's land. The cabin was there, exactly as she'd left it, so she assumed Virgil's father had not yet been there. Waiting up in the trees, since she didn't feel right staying in the cabin that wasn't hers, the tall woman was instantly alert when she heard the sound of a horse approaching.

A well-built man with dark skin, wearing leathers similar to her own, rode up on a dark brown horse, pulling his steed to a halt when he got to the cabin. Dismounting in a hurry, he ran inside to search for any survivors within, starting when he walked back out only to find a woman standing beside his horse.

Robyn noticed he was Navajo, and was cautious; she couldn't be sure if it was Virgil's father, or one of the murderers back to follow up.

"Where is my wife?" he snarled, drawing a large hunting knife made of bone from the leather sheath that hung around his neck. "What have you done with my son?"

"Your wife is dead," she said, gently. "She had been gone for several days when I found this place; I gave her the best burial I could. Her marker is there," she informed the man, nodding towards a large tree just to the side of the cabin. A large rock, almost a boulder, could be seen at the base, on which Robyn had scrawled, in English, the name Virgil had supplied.

"My son…?" The man now seemed afraid to ask, tears in his eyes at the news of his wife.

"Virgil is safe at my home, with Alicia, my soul mate. I told him I would wait here and bring you to him," she explained.

"I am Blue Fire," she introduced, sticking her hand out towards him.

He sheathed his knife, and gripped her forearm, saying, "I am Golden Eagle, but the white men know me as Christian. How do I know you really have my son, and you haven't killed him, too?"

"I did not kill your wife, Golden Eagle. I was not with the Navajo party that Virgil says attacked the cabin. You do not have to trust me, but Virgil is waiting for you… he would like to see you. You are welcome to come with me, if you wish; if you do not, than I will bring him to you in the morning," she offered.

Mounting Winter Escape without waiting for a response, Blue Fire started towards the ranch, pleased when she saw Christian pull up beside her. He had shoulder-length black hair, and his brown eyes looked dim and sad, but the knife he carried was snugly put away, so Blue Fire assumed he trusted her, at least a little.

Neither Indian said a word on the ride to the ranch, Golden Eagle spending the time with his head down, honoring his dead wife in silence. Robyn was careful to do the same, giving the woman a moment of reverence.

"We are here," she said, softly, when they arrived at the ranch. Christian looked up, and examined his surroundings, apparently pleased by what he saw. Dismounting, Blue Fire waited for Virgil's father to do the same, and then offered to stable his horse. When he agreed, she asked him to follow, and the two retired their mounts to the barn. It was dusk, so the other horses had already been fed, Robyn giving a flake of hay to Winter Escape and Christian's horse before motioning that they would go inside the house.

"Blue Fire, is that you?" called Alicia, when she heard the door open.

Robyn smiled at the sound of her love's voice. "It is me, my heart. And I have brought someone with me. Virgil, come out here, please," she said, and the boy peeked his head out of the kitchen, where he was helping Alicia make dinner.

His brown eyes widened. "Papa?" he asked, almost uncertain of what his eyes told him he was seeing.

Christian dropped to one knee to embrace his son. "My son," he swallowed, blinking back tears as he clutched his only child tightly to his chest.

Blue Fire gave them some privacy, and moved into the kitchen to wrap her arms around the small blonde. Alicia leaned back into the strong hold almost involuntarily, placing her head on the woman's shoulder, kissing her softly.

"I'm glad you found Virgil's dad, and I'm glad you're home," she said, smiling.

"So am I. Dinner smells good," she added, moving to taste the thick stew, only to have her hand gently slapped away.

"Not yet," scolded the rancher. "Set the table and call Virgil and his father. Then we can eat," she explained, as Robyn gave her a mock scowl, before doing as she was asked. Summoning their guests for the meal, Blue Fire watched Christian very carefully when he introduced himself to Alicia, not liking the way he seemed to stare openly at the beautiful young woman throughout dinner, and even steal occasional touches to her arm or shoulder.

Reminding herself that the man just lost his wife not long before, she nonetheless felt the burn of jealousy emanating from deep within her heart, and promised to keep a closer eye on the Navajo. Shaking the thoughts from her head, she barely registered what Golden Eagle and Alicia were discussing.

"You're welcome to stay here for as long as you need," Alicia offered kindly, and Christian smiled at her.

"Thank you, but I should start repairing the cabin soon," he said. "Then Virgil and I can have a place of our own, and will not have to depend on you and Blue Fire. It is very nice of you to open your home to us. And I thank you both for taking good care of my son while I was away," he added, sincerely, reaching over to take the blonde's hand.

"He's a good kid," praised Alicia, and the boy blushed.

Robyn cleared her throat; if anyone at the table noticed that she seemed agitated, no one mentioned anything. "I will take Virgil to town for some clothes soon. Perhaps tomorrow," she said, abruptly, and the child smiled at her. He'd been wearing his same clothes for the past week, simply because he'd been too busy helping Alicia to worry about what he wore. Taking a bath everyday was good, but some clean clothes would be nice.

"Really? Thanks, Blue Fire!" he exclaimed, hugging the woman tightly.

"Yes, thank you," echoed Golden Eagle. "Everything we had was destroyed or taken… I will return to the cabin to see what else we need, and perhaps will join you later to pick up the supplies."

The tall woman agreed to the plan, and soon they all decided it was time to turn in for the night, each having had an emotionally stressful day. Virgil fell asleep dreaming about all the nice clothes he was going to get, Golden Eagle thanking the Giver of Life for sparing his son – and yet mourning his wife, Alicia glad to hold the Indian in her arms again, and Blue Fire wondering if she shouldn't warn Christian not to touch the small blonde. She didn't think she had anything to worry about at the moment, but knew that if he went any further, she'd have to say something.

Setting out the next morning, Virgil rode in front of Blue Fire as they made their way to the town. Almost immediately, the boy found a display in front of the store that interested him – some wooden toy or another, Robyn realized – and asked if he could stay for a moment to look at the objects.

"Sure, Virgil. I will be inside if you need me," she smiled, patting the boy on the shoulder, warning him not to go anywhere else without telling her first, and then heading inside the store.

"Good morning, Robyn," greeted Lauren, amiably, and the Indian nodded to him.

"Good morning. I am here to get clothes for my friend, Virgil," she stated, and he glanced outside at the young boy who seemed to be enthralled by the new shipment of wooden tops he'd just received.

"Ah, the young black fellow out there?"

Blue Fire nodded. "Yes. He is staying with Alicia and I until his father can repair their home, and he needs some new clothes," she explained, and Lauren happily pointed her in the right direction, giving her a few suggestions before going back behind the counter when he saw she was fine on her own.

The woman turned from choosing some clothes for Virgil when a noise out front caught her attention. Hearing voices, she moved so she could see out the window, and immediately headed in that direction when she spotted a horde of angry men surrounding the young child.

"What do you think you're doing?" roared the Indian, rushing in front of the boy, who was trying hard not to cower in the corner, his brown eyes wide with fear. "Leave him alone!" The people took a few steps back, but didn't disperse.

"Look at him, he's just a damned nigger," cursed a man Blue Fire knew to be one of the local barbers. "Standing out here like this - it's not right! How could you bring him to our town? It's bad enough we have to put up with goddamned Indians, but now blacks, too?" he complained, and the two dozen or so people behind him agreed.

The tall woman glowered at the crowd. "You would do him harm, just because of the color of his skin? He is only a child - he's done nothing to you! Why do you treat him like he is not entitled to the same things as you?" she demanded.

"He's a slave boy!" cried one man, and the others backed him up with shouts of agreement. "He don't deserve to be in the same town as us! I mean, he's not like us!"

Blue Fire growled at the group, quickly growing frustrated. "'He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone'," she recited, from the many nights she had spent interestedly reading the word of the white man's Great Spirit which Alicia had so generously lent to her.

"Did not the book of your God say this?" Eyes faltered from her steely gaze. "If there is anyone here who can truly say they are not different, then you may do with this boy as you wish."

No one stepped forward. They knew the Indian was right.

"So be it," the woman hissed. "You have no more right to be angry with this child for the color of his skin than you do for his age. He can control neither, so why should it be in your power to condemn him for it?

"Come on, Virgil," she urged, leading the boy forward with a gentle hand on his shoulder, moving easily around the stilled crowd. Mounting Winter Escape, she gave the young child a hand up, and nudged her mare into a gallop, heading for Alicia's ranch, leaving a silent and stunned group of townspeople in her wake.

Once they returned to the ranch, Blue Fire informed Alicia of what had happened, the blonde becoming just as angry as the Indian.

"They called him what?" she demanded, and Robyn placed her hands on the woman's shoulders.

"Easy, my heart. Keep an eye on Virgil, and I will go back to the town and get the supplies, since I did not have a chance to get them earlier. I should be back soon," she added. Noticing that the boy seemed to be preoccupied with Wolf, Blue Fire stole a quick and reassuring kiss before mounting Winter Escape once more, swinging the saddlebags over her shoulder. She wasn't using a saddle, and didn't want to take Thunder or the wagon, so decided to use the saddlebags to carry the supplies home.

"Be careful, Blue Fire. I love you," smiled the rancher.

Robyn grinned down at the blonde. "I love you, too," she echoed, nudging the mare into a gallop, headed for the small town, ready to face the angry citizens again.

It didn't take the Indian very long to retrieve what she was looking for, and Lauren felt compelled to apologize for his fellow man's behavior regarding Virgil, causing Blue Fire to sigh.

"So am I, Lauren," she agreed, and hefted the bag to her shoulder, now feeling the weight. Ignoring the harsh looks that she was being given, the tall woman exited the store, intercepted on the way to her horse.

"Miss Robyn! How are you doing?"

Robyn groaned, and mentally rolled her eyes as she acknowledged the town doctor with a nod in his direction. The balding little man was absolutely fascinated by her extraordinary rehabilitation skills. He never missed a chance to discuss things with the Indian, be it about the weather or her health.

"I'm doing just fine, Dr. Frank, but thank you."

Before she could turn to go, he grasped her arm, asking, "Why don't you step into my office for a moment, so I can see for myself?"

"I really need to head home," she protested, but realized with a sigh, just to be polite, she could spare a few minutes to humor the old man. "All right, but not too long. Alicia is expecting me."

Dr. Frank smiled. "Excellent, excellent. Well, come along, let's have a look," he urged, happily pulling the tall woman into the clinic, closing the door behind them.

No more than ten minutes had passed before Robyn realized something was wrong; Dr. Frank was acting very strange, repeating things more than usual, and continually watching out the side window behind her. He didn't seem to be paying attention to the scars on her back or shoulder at all.

"What's going on?" she asked, suspicious, beginning to fix her shirt.

"Oh, no, no, no; we're not done yet," the doctor insisted, a little nervously. "Just have a seat, there, Miss Robyn. Have a seat. Now, how about that bullet wound?"

Now Blue Fire growled at him, leaping off the cot and tucking in her shirt. "That's been healed since my last two visits. I don't know what you're trying to do, but I'm leaving. Out of my way," she warned lowly, when he stepped between her and the door.

"I can't let you go, not yet. I can't. They said I had to keep you until dark," the man uttered, and blue eyes grew wide.

"Who told you that?" the Indian demanded, grabbing his shirt. "Who wanted you to delay me?" The only thought that popped into her mind was Jake or Brian, although they were in jail, and that had her scared beyond words.

"I… I can't say names, Miss Robyn. But I will tell you they left shortly after you first arrived in town, and planned to be done by dark," the doctor confessed, not at all surprised when the tall woman pushed him roughly aside and flung open the door. Rushing outside, she mounted Winter Escape, urging the horse to run as fast as she could towards Escape Ranch, traveling through the heavily setting dusk. Night was coming quickly, and Robyn worried that she would be too late to stop whatever was planned to happen… she was afraid she would fail Alicia, again.