They watched the village. They could see no sign of Rebecca. Mingo motioned to Daniel and the two of them retreated back and away from the camp. After they had walked a mile or more, Mingo spoke, "They could be keeping her inside."
"Choctaw." Daniel said. "Why were they raiding so far north?" He sighed. It had been twenty-two days. Who knew what had happened to her in that space of time. He had heard stories of their cruelty towards white settlers. They were fiercely proud and protective of the land. Daniel tried to suppress his rising feeling of panic. He longed only to have her safe in his arms. Not knowing where she was or even if they still held her, made charging in impossible. Just then they saw a small boy head out and into the forest. Mingo looked at Daniel and nodded.
They waited until he was far from the village. He didn't see them move through the trees. He didn't hear their footsteps approach. His eyes were filled with surprise and horror as Mingo grabbed him from behind, his hand covering his mouth.
"Be quiet!" Daniel said. "Don't cry out."
The boy, he appeared to be about ten, looked at him with wide, frightened eyes.
"I'm looking for a woman. A woman you took." The boy stared at him not understanding. Mingo spoke to him in Cherokee. The boy still looked puzzled. Daniel tried again, this time in Shawnee. The boys eyes widened.
"Red hair?" The boy asked in broken Shawnee. Daniel nodded.
"Gone." The boy said. Daniel held his breath.
"Dead? Gone?" He asked his voice shaking on the words.
"No." Daniel swayed at the weight of the meaning of this small word. "Ran. Four braves looking to find and bring back."
"How long?" Daniel asked.
"Five days." The boy said. "Kill me?"
"No." Daniel looked at him. "Mingo, lets tie him to that tree. Someone will come find him. We need time to get moving." Turning to the boy, angrily he said, "Tell your chief, I will come for him."
The boy shuddered in fear. "Which way?" Mingo asked him. The boy shook his head. They left him behind tied to a tree, a piece of jerky in his hand.
"Well, now all we have to do is try and think like Rebecca." Mingo said.
"No, we have to think like Rebecca, trying to think like me." Daniel said. "She'll follow the river."
It didn't take them long to realize tracking Rebecca would be easy. Although she was no doubt, working hard to cover her own tracks, the braves who chased her down, cared about nothing but finding her. Their trail was wide and easy. Daniel prayed they would find her in time.