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CHAPTER ELEVEN

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She ran down the streets, holding the bundle close to her chest. She could hear the sound of his laughter echoing behind her. She needed to get away, she needed to find safety. She ran and ran, her lungs burning for air. She knew if she stopped he would get her. 'No!' She cried as she stumbled, the bundle slipping from her hands. With a dull thud, it landed in front of her. She bent over to pick it up, blood slowly oozing across the dirty pavement. The baby's face was hidden to her behind the red, red blood that ran down, puddling to the ground. It seemed so much for such a tiny body.

"Triiiinkett!" His voice called from behind her, closer now.

'No!' She tried to run again, but her feet were stuck to the ground, stuck in the blood that ran from her child.

"Triiiinkett! HaHa!" He was so close now. She pulled hard, her feet finally free. She commanded her legs to run and they did.

She was running down the streets again. She turned a corner and down a narrow alley. The alley was full of green light, she knew she was safe. She reached a door and threw it open. A man stood in the doorway, he grabbed the child from her. "NO!" she cried again, reaching for her baby.

It was so far away.

"Triiiinkett!"

"Caliko, look!" The man in the doorway said to her. She looked where he had pulled away the blanket, she couldn't see the child's face in the bright light, but she knew the blood was gone. Her baby was whole. "Caliko, come on!" The man pulled her through the door, slamming it shut behind them.

She was in a world of green light. There was nothing but silence, Top Hat's voice had ended with the closed door. She felt her baby being pressed into her arms. She looked to see who had saved her.

"Lynx." She whispered in her sleep, rolling over.

Caliko awoke the next morning feeling tired and achey, the dream forgotten. She sat up and looked out her window. There, on the window sill, were the mocasins. "Lynx." she whispered, picking them up. 'You did the right thing.' She told herself. She knew he loved her, but she also knew that a marriage without a physical love would soon fail to be enough for Lynx and he would resort to finding it else where. She tossed the mocasins back on the sill. 'He can talk about his love all he wants, but give him time and he would have found 'love' elsewhere. And where would that leave me?' She stood and stretched. 'You did the right thing, Caliko.' She told herself again.'You don't need a man.' She quickly made her bed and hurried outside to help Dove prepare breakfast.

"Morning." Dove said as she tossed lard into an iron skillet placed on the coals of a fire. "Lynx was here early this morning, he left you a letter. Looked like he was leaving. He had his knapsack packed full anyway." Dove reached into her pocket and pulled out the letter before cracking eggs into a bowl. "Hapiness, put those eggs down!" She scolded.

Caliko looked at the letter in her hand. 'CALIKO' was scrawled on the front. Her knees began to tremble as Dove's words settled in. She felt herself become dizzy. 'Leaving?' she thought. She sat down on the very steps where she and Lynx had kissed and, hands shaking, she opened the letter.

Caliko,

I'm sorry. You're right I don't know what happened to you. I should have left you alone. I can't say how sorry I am about last night. I'm going back to the city, I have to make sure they never get you again. After that, I think I'll move on. You can have my house. I promised you a home and I won't fail you. I said my goodbyes this morning. I'm sorry I didn't say it to you. This letter was the only way I could. Goodbye.

Lynx.

Fear gripped her, the dream remembered. He had saved her. Lynx had saved her in her dreams. He had saved the baby too. She rubbed her eyes. How could she have been so stupid? Why didn't she see before? Or at least last night? How could she not have known she needed him? She loved him?She should have known it, it had played at her mind, just out of recognition of what it was, for months. What was she going to do now? Lynx was her support. Dove and Fox were great, but he was the one she waited for and needed. He was the one that made her feel safe.

She stood up and ran to Dove. "How long ago did he leave?"

Dove stopped stirring the eggs in the skillet and looked at Caliko. "About an hour or two."

Caliko turned and ran as fast as she could up the steps. She didn't have time to waste. He was so far ahead of her. Quickly she threw a blanket, water, and food into a bag and ran back outside. "Which way to the city?" She cried.

Dove pointed east. "Why? What are you doing? You can't go after him! Sit down before you go into labor." Dove grabbed Caliko's hand, trying to settle her down.

"No!" Caliko pulled away. "I've made a mistake! I have to find him!"

"Wait, let me get Fox, he's in the field, he'll bring him back for you. Just sit down and stay here."

"No, Dove," Caliko said firmly and calmly. "You don't understand, I need to get himself myself."

"But, what about the baby?"

"I'll be fine." Caliko kissed Hapiness on the head and set off.

"Caliko!" Dove called. She stood wringing her hands, not knowing what to do. "Take the horse at least, I don't know if its any better, but at least you won't be running after him." Dove ran to house and pulled down the saddle and tack. She ran to the corral where Fox's grey stud stood munching on his hay. Quickly she saddled him and led him over to Caliko.

"Are you sure?" Caliko asked as Dove boosted her up and into the saddle.

"Yes, Fox won't mind. Be careful." Dove handed Caliko her bag. Caliko bent down and hugged Dove, then turned the horse and urged him into a run.

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Lynx turned and looked back at the river he had crossed and thought on his journey with Caliko. He chuckled as he relived her falling into the water. How he had seen her bare breast that night. How beautiful she had been sleeping there, the blanket pulled down, the moon exposing her perfect body. Her hand across her face... 'Stop it!' He told himself. "She doesn't want you.' He hurried up the slope and on towards the city.

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Caliko leaned in the saddle, panting. Why hadn't she caught up with him yet? She remembered coming this way on their journey here. Where was he? The horse stomped an impatient foot on the ground. Caliko patted him gently on his neck and set him to a walk.

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Lynx stopped. He swore he heard a horse neigh not to far away. He slid from view into the trees and waited to see who was following him.

Into a small clearing in the forest, a grey horse stepped, its rider swaying with the horses movements.

Lynx quietly moved a branch to get a better view.

He knew that horse -- 'Caliko!' He dropped his bag and ran towards her. "Caliko!"

"Lynx," Caliko responded, quietly. "I don't want --UGH" she groaned.

"What are you doing here? What's wrong?" Lynx grabbed the reins and steadied the horse. Caliko's face looked pale, dark circles had formed under her eyes. "Caliko? What's wrong?"

She reached out for him and slid from the horse into his arms. "The baby..."