The Power of Love

Chapter 4 – Down By The River

Over the next few days, slowly being driven mad by the fact that there was only beans left to eat in the camp, Ennis and Jack decided that they must go out to find something else – something a little more appetizing. But, unfortunately for them, in the first couple of times they tried hunting together, they didn't have much luck. Deer and coyotes run off as soon as they came within shooting distance and by the next Wednesday, they were getting more and more frustrated. If the beans had been bland when they had arrived, they were now revolting, one of the most hated things in the world for both men.

However, every time they went out in each other's company with guns in hand, intent on success, they began to talk a little more than before. Ennis wouldn't have said they were friends yet but they were at least a bit closer than from when they had first met. He didn't know how he felt about that though. After all, he didn't come up on this mountain to make friends. He was here for work and money. To him, that was still it.

On the Thursday after the incident with the bear, Jack arrived earlier in the morning and after forcing down their breakfast, they again trekked off up to their favoured hunting ground, determined to, this time, get lucky. And much to their thrill, as they settled down behind the thick bushes, a beautiful great elk walked out straight into their range. Ennis aimed and squinting against the morning sun, took the shot. Jack cheered and whooped when the animal stumbled, hit by the bullet.

'' Yeah!'' he shouted, playfully pushing Ennis. '' Finally, cowboy!''

Ennis pushed back and stood up, watching his companion giggle happily. '' Yeah, well, ah was tired of all your damn missin'.''

And so it turned out to be that that night and for the next few meals over the following days, they had an alternative option to the rancid beans to eat. Ennis had never felt more relieved.

***

The morning after Ennis's collected the second week's supplies, Jack arrived in the camp and slid off his horse as usual, looking slightly moody. He hadn't appeared like that for a while, not since they had shot the elk anyway, so Ennis glanced up as he entered, watching him huffily sink down onto the ground near the fire.

'' Damn,'' he muttered, rubbing his eyes. '' Ah'm so tired...''

Ennis sighed. He should have known Jack was going to complain about this.

'' Ah'm commutin' 4 hours a day,'' he continued, ignoring Ennis's exhale. '' Ah go up ta the sheep in the mornin', spend almost awl day up there with 'em and then go back up after supper, spendin' nearly all night checkin' for damn coyotes.''

Ennis nodded. He knew this and wondered where Jack was going with his rant this time.

'' Aguirre ain't got no right,'' he hissed for what seemed like the millionth time in the two weeks they'd been up there. '' It's against the rules, for God's sake. We should both be in this camp.''

'' Well, ah'd be happy to swap with ya,'' Ennis interrupted, feeling he had to say something lest he got completely fed up with Jack's constant rages about Aguirre and the sheep. '' Ah wouldn't mind bein' up there.''

'' Ennis, ya know ah'd like that but...ah can't cook ta save mah life...And not ta mention Aguirre would hate us swappin' an' all that...But – ah am pretty good with a can opener.''

'' Mmm, well, ya cain't be much worse than me then.''

Jack laughed.

***

After breakfast was finished with, both men went up to the sheep again, realising they were feeling increasing amounts of hate towards the animals every day. Ennis nodded goodbye to Jack and went off his own way, as always, and then he was alone with the horses, following the trail he knew so well by now. He found the vast herds at the end of it, stretched out over glistening fields and meadows and grazing contentedly. He was relieved to see they were so tranquil that day – sometimes they were particularly misbehaved, spread out all over the place.

However, that morning, it was blissfully calm. The hours slipped away and quickly, the time to head on back up to the camp was upon him again. So, giving the animals one last check, he mounted the horse again and located the trail.

He must have overestimated his knowledge of the path though as within half an hour or so, he had strayed off of it and was heading in the direction of the river where he went down to wash himself and the clothes. Sighing frustratedly, he glanced back up at the trees he'd come from and wondered how far he'd drifted. Yet with all that density and similarity of every cluster of timber over the pastures, he couldn't tell. So, with a shake of his head, he encouraged the horse onward and decided to just keep riding until he saw familiar territory, which hopefully wouldn't be long.

After a few minutes of travelling though, he began to hear the bubbling trickles of water and he knew he was getting farther and farther away from the camp. The river was this way and that was situated in a Southern direction to where he wanted to be going. Yet, as the horse trotted forwards down the hill to the stream, he realised that when he got to the water, he knew almost exactly the route back to the main campsite. After all, he made the journey almost every day and during the two weeks he'd been here, it felt like he could trek it blindfolded.

Hope immediately grasped him and he carried on riding, finally coming into sight of the place he visited so often. Here he made the horse halt for a moment or two, getting his bearings and checking he was on the right side of the river. Otherwise, he'd be stuck. Yet it seemed to be alright so he took a deep breath and stretched, feeling a little more relaxed now.

However, as he glanced downstream, his heart gave a sudden jump. For lying spread eagled on a damp rock with his head back and legs wide open was Jack, naked and pouring water over himself. Ennis gasped as he saw him, surprised. He was lathering a small bar of soup over his lovely body, up and down his thighs and covering his bare chest, his eyes completely closed. He was only washing but it looked very erotic, making Ennis feel very uncomfortable.

Yet, still, he couldn't tear his eyes away. His hands gripping the reins on the horse, he watched as Jack parted his wet lips and sighed femininely, guiding his fingers over his smooth skin. His hips rose a little and Ennis stared. He continued to watch for a few seemingly endless moments, unable to look elsewhere, but then Jack's hands began to dip very low and he felt a force come over him that made him immediately glance back up to the trees behind him. Trying to be as quiet as possible, he urged the horse to turn and attempting to focus entirely on getting back to camp, rode off up the hill.

***

He couldn't look Jack in the eye that evening when he came for supper. They talked but he never glanced up from the fire or his food, feeling embarrassed and ashamed for seeing (or rather, watching) his companion wash sensually down by the river earlier that day. It had been by accident yet he knew he could have easily walked away and now he was very uncomfortable. What he'd witnessed had surprised him and had also stirred something else deep inside. He wasn't sure what that was at the moment but he didn't really want to find out, if he had to be honest.

Jack wasn't any the wiser though. He obviously knew nothing about his spectator by the stream and was chatting naturally all through supper, now and then directing random questions at Ennis. Ennis answered quietly and tried to avoid his gaze, not uttering another word until he had to. Blushes were gathering on his cheeks and for most of the evening, he was more than glad that darkness had gathered around them, blocking out any mistakes or misfortune he may have made or had.

So it turned out that it was a relief when Jack finally got up to go back to the sheep. Ennis didn't bother to say goodbye to him that night, just waited until he was completely gone and then wrapping his arms around himself, stumbled towards the tent and turned in early, needing to forget the past hours.

TBC