Hello, Welcome back. I'm sorry to have taken so long to get back to this but life has been moving steadily along. The Holidays are coming up and I'm not ready to celebrate. . Also, if I haven't apologized before, here are a few of them I need to do. First, there are some actual Navajo words, and to the Navajo nation I apologize for incorrect spelling or use of such words. Much of the language I've put in, is not real Navajo nor is it even a real language. Then I must apologize for Geographical errors as "LostCowgirl" has pointed out that the Navajo weren't anywhere near New Orleans. Okay, I'm not that good at researching things. I'm lazy, I just want to write, but I'll try to do better, thank you Lostcowgirl, I may bother you for a bit of history. Lol Also,I really never gave a hint on the time of year, at least not as far as I could see, so we're going with the actual time of year being Christmas. I hope I don't ruin it. LOL

Doc came out of the room where he had White Eagle still sleeping. He was confused. He tried everything he could think of to help, but there was something impeding his ability to heal and no matter what he did, he could not figure it out. He stopped as he heard Festus' spurs jingling on the steps as he made his way up to Doc's office. Doc knew that he'd be looking for a hot cup of coffee and he was ready for him. Festus knocked on the door and Doc called to him as he pulled the door to the bedroom where his injured patient lay sleeping. He scratched his head as Festus poked his inside the door. "Hey Doc." He exclaimed excitedly.

"Just hush you fool, I've got an injured patient in there trying to heal." Doc said pushing Festus into the office area. "Take those dang spurs off, Festus." Doc said in hushed tones. "They're enough to wake the dead." He said to him. Festus clumsily put his hand on Doc's shoulder as he pulled his foot up to untie the spurs on one foot and then the other. Doc just looked at him then when he stood upright, Doc shook the imaginary dust from his shoulder. "Why are you here?" Doc asked him.

"Doc? I always come up here every Saturday morning fer coffee and a litle jawin with ya." He said incredulously.

"Yes, well I'm not too sure I want to continue this little tradition of yours." Doc said as he went over and poured two cups of coffee and headed for the table where Festus was setting up the checker board for an early morning game.

"Hey Doc, how come you ain't got no tree up yet. I was jest over the Long Branch and you should see the tree Miss Kitty had brought in for the girls to decorate. It sure is a biggin'." Festus said to him as they sat down silently.

"Cause, Festus, with this warm snap of weather, I can't get into the Christmas spirit. I'm waiting for the first snowfall so's I can put up a little tree. But until then, I'm not doing a thing." He said as they set up the board.

"It's gonna get warmer, Doc." Festus said annoying Doc.

"Really, and how do you figure that? Wait…no don't tell me. I don't want to know what kind of "logic" you use to predict such things." Doc said agitated.

"Well, I'm gonna tell ya' anyway." He started but Doc stopped him.

"Festus, if you sit here and jaw about some nonsense belief's I'm gonna put this here board away and we can call it a day." Doc said looking hard at Festus, who's jaw dropped than snapped shut. One thing Festus liked more than napping was a good game of checkers. And he knew Doc meant what he said about not playing anymore.

Kitty woke to find Shayonna gone. She knew that Sally must have come up and taken her down to feed her. Kitty gets out of her bed, noticing the clock and realized it was only a little after seven in the morning. She went into her bathroom and dressed for the day.

Sally sat at the table in front of Shayonna who sat in a high chair that Ma Smalley had brought over that morning for the babe. She was feeding her mashed apples and a muffin and the baby had apples all over her, but she was eating as well. Kitty came out of her room, her long thick red hair pulled into a single braid, hung over her shoulder and to her waist. She looked over the railing to hear Shayonna giggling at Sally as she made believe she was a bear feeding her. Kitty walked down the steps and headed for the table where Sally sat with Shayonna.

"Well good morning, Ladies." She said to them and they smiled at her. Kitty noticed that Sally had some mashed apples on her cheek and she gently pointed to her own cheek. Sally realized what she had been talking about. She gently wiped her cheek with the napkin and laughed.

"Ma-ma?" She called to her mother. Kitty went over to her and kissed her forehead.

"I think someone is going to need a bath after this breakfast." Kitty said.

"I'll take care of that, Miss Kitty. Ginny is heating water as we speak and Sam bought a porcelain tub for the baby. Ma Smalley sent over some clothes for the baby and we'll get her cleaned in no time." Sally said to her.

Kitty was surprised by the eagerness of her girls to help out, but she shouldn't have been. They were eager to have a chance to help her for once. She had done so much for the people of Dodge and her girls were protected and not allowed to sell their favors to men which the girls truly appreciated not having to go that route in this business. They would do just about anything to help her.

"Are you sure you want to deal with this little messy child of mine?" Kitty asked her

"Of course, Miss Kitty, besides Shay and I are good friends, aren't we?" She said to Shayonna

"Sal-ree." She said to her mother.

"Yes, Sally, she's your friend, she's our friend." Kitty corrected herself. Sally smiled up at Kitty. "Thank you , Sally for your help."

"Of course, Miss Kitty." Sally said.

Kitty headed over to the bar where Sam was cleaning glasses and placing them on the bar. Sam pulled out a cup and saucer and poured her a hot cup of coffee as she approached him. "Sam, you are an angel." She tells him as he sets the cup of black coffee down in front of her. She took the cup in both hands and warmed her chilled hands up. Looking over at the fire place, she realized how grateful she was that she had the idea to put in three more pot belly stoves for heating the large saloon. It was fairly warm in the room, which would only serve to keep herself, her daughter and the paying customers warm. As she leaned against the bar, she took the news paper, her books and her coffee over to the table where Sally and Shayona were playing and having breakfast.

"Ma-ma…chee!" She exclaimed as pointed to the beautiful tree nestled by the wall with the banister behind it.

"Tree." Kitty said smiling at her child.

"Chee." She repeated. And smiled a grin that made Kitty and Sally laugh.

"That's right little one, Chee." Kitty said reaching over and caressing the baby's soft cheek. Just then Matt and Festus entered the saloon. Shayona's face lit up with joy at the two men, just as her mother's lit up at the sight of her lover.

Festus lit up like a Christmas tree when he saw Shayona reaching out towards them and her little hand opening and closing in a salutation he had taught her. Festus and Matt made their way over to the ladies at the table.

"Good morning, Miss Kitty, Miss Sally and my favorite little Miss, Shayona." He said going around the table over to where Shayona sat, with her hands outstretched to be picked up. Festus gently pulled her out of her high chair and into his arms. Kitty watched as Matt sat down, smiling at the scraggily cowboy who made baby talk look absolutely silly. He had never seen Festus act in such a way. It seemed as though everyone was taking to the little one. He was happy for Kitty, but he needed to know the whole story. Why had this man come to Dodge? How did he know where to find Kitty? Who attacked him and the child? Matt smiled at Kitty and Shayona, but Kitty knew that his mind was elsewhere. His mind was always going in so many directions. Kitty smiled at him as he walked over to them and Shayona reached out to him. "Shizhee Yazhi." She said to him. Matt smiled at the familiarity with which she greeted him, as though he were her family. He was quite comfortable with that. She was Kitty's child and that made her part of his world as well.

Miles from Dodge

"Where is he?" Yellow Wolf asked the two young braves.

"He disappeared into the water, he not come up." The First brave said

"He drowned." Said the second brave.

"No, no he did not. He can swim like the fish in the river. He came up somewhere." Yellow Wolf said as he began checking for tracks. "His pony would have come through had he drowned and we'd find it here on the shore, but I see nothing." He said as he lead his horse by the reins down the side of the river and then not far from where he had started he saw the hoof prints. "You are very clever my half brother." He said climbing up on to his horse. "I will find you and that little animal you call a daughter and I will kill you both." He said quietly to himself. He and his braves began to follow the faint tracks in the muddy sand.

TBC

Okay don't kill me if it takes me a bit to get through the holiday. My Holiday may last until February .. LOL I will do my best to try and post as soon as possible but I'm not going to rush this story reguardless. This is one of my babies and I try my best to keep this story going until I tie up loose ends and make my readers very happy or not.

Thank you for your continued support.

Kathleen Russell