Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it. Larry McMurtry, Rysher entertainment, and probably a lot more people I've forgotten do. I'm just borrowing them for my own entertainment and will return them when through. Gray Fox and Jesse Calder, though, are MY creations and I'd like to be told if you plan to use them. I'll probably say yes anyway.

Author's note: This is an AU story, based on the Lonesome Dove Saga by Larry McMurtry. AU means that some of the faces, features, and facts might have been altered. If there are any questions, send them through my profile and I'll try to answer them quickly.

Author's note #2: I know I've been neglecting my other stuff, and I PROMISE to work on them when I can, but this took hold and wouldn't let go.

Author's note #3: Reviews are like food and water to me. If you read, won't you please review?

Part Seven

Call and Gus were sitting near their horses, Call with a book and Gus with a piece of whittling, when Gray Fox came down from the cavern.

"You have great power in simple words," he said quietly as he took the horse brought forward for him. He mounted and looked down at them. "If a white man can willingly name her friend after what was done to her, then I will honor that bravery as well as helping my friend. I will go with you to your village to save Scout Calder's life."

The Rangers wasted no time getting into their own saddles. They wanted to be well gone before the Army showed up. The rest of the band would stay in the caves; nobody would find them if they didn't want to be found. And even Major Ellington couldn't be so great an idiot as to enter that canyon looking for them. There were too many places that could hide an ambush.

Famous Shoes appeared before them and greeted Gray Fox with respect. "I can take you back without the soldiers seeing you." He waved toward the horizon. "They are still breaking camp. It will be at least another hour before they are ready to ride, and by then we will be past them like smoke."

He was true to his word. He led them straight south, almost to the river. "Follow this river for half a day and you will be within sight of your home," Famous Shoes told them. "I will see if I can't slow your soldiers down more." He left at a steady jog, moving toward the army camp.

It wasn't quite dusk when they saw Austin. Call pushed them into a steady lope, wanting to be in town before full dark. He led them straight up to the Governor's mansion and swung down. "You're safe with us, Gray Fox," he reminded the Comanche quietly. "Pay them no mind."

Several of the townspeople had followed them, wanting a glimpse of the 'savage' in their midst. They left quickly when Gus turned a growl on them. Then they went inside and were shown to Pease's office to wait for him.

It wasn't a long wait. Pease had been somewhere in the house, it was obvious by his quick appearance. The sight of Gray Fox checked him momentarily but he recovered fast and sat behind his desk, silently asking the Rangers for an explanation.

Gus wasted no time telling the tale. Pease listened carefully and then turned his attention to Gray Fox. "I can't say I'm happy to see you, but it was necessary. And you're no more comfortable than I am. Tell me what happened out there."

Gray Fox kept his answer short, concise, and in very precise English, which raised him a notch in Pease's estimation. "The Scout repaid my kindness with her own. I would not see her suffer for such an act of mercy. If you truly wish to hang her, then exile her instead. I will take her back to my people."

Pease sat back, deep in thought. If the Comanche was to be believed, the girl would be a valuable asset to them. Still, she'd broken the law. He hated decisions like this one.

While he was thinking, he leaned forward and wrote something on one of his pieces of stationary. After he'd signed it, he handed it to Gray Fox. "That grants you safe passage in the state of Texas," he explained brusquely. "If anyone stops you, show them this. In return, you won't raid our settlements. If you want to trade, that's one thing, but no more killing. No more violence."

Gray Fox nodded. "My band has traded with the whites occasionally. We are exiles from our own people for not wishing to drive the white man from our lands. They do not understand that if we are violent, the white man will respond with more violence. It is a waste."

Pease nodded in understanding. "Then you are wise beyond your years, young man, and we can hope others come to understand it quite so well. As for Scout Calder –"

Gus and Call drew their attention back to the Governor quickly. Even Gray Fox seemed to hang on the words. "I can't pardon the girl. She broke the law. However –" and Pease held up a hand to stall off the arguments he could see rising in their eyes. "She's also suffered more than enough, and some of it at our hands. There won't be a hanging. But she will serve thirty days in that jail for running when she should spoken out. After those thirty days, she's free to go where she wishes."

"Isn't that a little harsh, sir?" Gus asked in the ensuing silence. Gray Fox was frowning and Call looked like he was about to come unglued. "Thirty days? She's a girl! You know women ain't logical."

"She is not a girl," Gray Fox said with a small smile. "She is a Scout. If you ask her, she will accept this sentence, I think. She is smart and cunning, and above all, she has honor and mercy. She will not fight this."

Pease nodded and wrote out another page, then rang for his butler. "See that this gets to the jailhouse immediately, and then I'll want to see Major Ellington the moment he returns. Gray Fox, you're welcome here any time you wish to visit. You'll want to see Calder now, I expect. Call, McCrae, escort him to the jail please and make certain those Army boys know I expect them to toe the line. She's not to be abused. Then take him wherever he wishes to go. If he wishes to leave, make sure he's got provisions to take back to his people. Send a mule with him if you have to, the state will pay the cost." He stood up and before he could think it over, he extended his hand to the Comanche. "She has a good friend in you. I could wish we were all so lucky. Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I'd like to finish the supper you interrupted."

Gray Fox took his forearm in the greeting of his people and lowered his head in recognition of the effort it had taken for the man to accept him as an equal. "My people will remember the terms of our agreement. No violence will come from them."

Call gestured at the door and fell in step behind the Indian, Gus right behind him.