Chapter 8

I stood on the edge of the canyons watching Addie's retreating form. The breeze flowed through her hair and whipped wine colored locks in the air. She waved lazily over her shoulder but didn't look back. She was going to see Daniel, but I had claimed her. I wouldn't see her until there was blood to shed.

The past two days with Addie had reminded me of my years before the Legion. The years of my youth as a hormonal teenager. She reminded me of my own humanity and mortality. She was like a splash of cold water on my skin. She made me forget about the pain and aches of the marks the Legion had so kindly left on my body and soul.

Addie was, in all sense of the phrase, my "tall glass of water". She was nothing less than a miracle for me. She breathed life into me.

I don't understand how she was in the Mojave so long without my knowing of it. I knew everyone. It was fully possible that Addie was someone I knew long ago, but time has changed her and what she believed in. It may have changed her appearance, her morals. Her agenda.

She mentioned she had lost her memory after a bullet to the head. I had never thought to ask how much of her life the bullet had taken. It never seemed appropriate to ask. Should we live to see Zion once again holy, I shall ask her when the time is right and she is ready.

The days seemed to blur together while Addie was away. The same in and out of the caverns. Everyone followed about their daily business. I sat at my table cleaning my pistols over and over until they gleamed in the firelight. I was lost without her.

More and more patrols came back with sightings of the White Legs, but none of Addie. Either she had learned to evade being seen, or she was in trouble. Daniel and the Sorrows would know best to keep her safe and healthy, but seeing how she was infuriatingly stubborn, she could have run off to fight battles that were not hers to fight.

The torches crackled at my sides and I could feel the battle arising through the valleys. The White Legs would soon be dealt with by the mighty hand of God. Zion would once again be pure of the filth as it is swept clean by the tribe.

My thoughts were interrupted by a tapping on the cave walls. Follows-Chalk stepped into view.

"Good evening, Joshua."

I set the pistol aside. "Good evening, Chalk. Was there something you wish to discuss?"

Chalk looked back with uncertainty. "Addie has arrived and she says that tonight is the time for battle."

I stood up quickly. "Thank you. Get everyone ready. The tribes need to be ready for anything."

Chalk stepped back and turned around. He ran off through the winding caverns and I could faintly hear his commands to the others. I holstered my pistols on my waist, boot, and vest. I pocketed as much ammo as I could hold and prayed.

I rushed out into the caverns and everyone was pushing each other. It was completely disorganized.

"Dead Horses!" I hollered. All activity ceased.

"Tonight, we shall reclaim the promised lands. The White Legs will no longer take your children and husbands. You will no longer have to fear rivalry with other tribes."

The group cheered loudly.

"And tonight, we shall fight and take back what's ours!"

The cave walls shook with the battle cries of the tribe. Everyone armed themselves with makeshift spears and their guns. They painted their faces with mud in lines and circles in preparation for battle as their ancestors had.

The small army rushed out of the caves and into the evening rain. Addie jumped back in surprise as the Dead Horses gathered at the Eastern Virgin. I joined her side as we followed in the back.

"Tonight is going to be fun." Addie beamed.

"We should not take joy in what happens tonight. It is merely a chore."

"Of course you have to spoil it."

"I am just doing what we should. They got rowdy after the speech."

The water splashed loudly as dozens of people waded through the tight cracks in the canyon. They made no effort to be stealthy and the consequence was running into the first group of White Legs in the valley opening.

The opposing tribesmen hesitated at the sight of such a large group but fired anyway. Spears flew through the air wildly and shots were fired. White Legs fell into the river and either drowned from blood or were shot soon after falling in.

Rain drenched our clothes and soaked our bones. The valley lit up as lightening ripped through the sky. Thunder and the sound of war cries filled the air as we tore through group upon group of White Legs. Bodies floated through the river. Some Dead Horses, most White Legs.

Addie hadn't even needed to fire one shot being in the back of the group. There were still at least thirty more Dead Horses when we caught up with the Sorrows. Daniel stood in front of them with a scowl.

"I told you we should have just left." Daniel growled, fists clenched at his sides. The rain water dripped down the rim of his hat.

"They took our holy lands away. These vermin don't deserve it. They're filthy and they defile these canyons with their presence." My voice was low but steady.

"Do you not see what this is doing to you and your people?"

"I see what standing by and letting the White Legs take over would have done to them. Fighting is much more honorable than allowing the devil to piss on your bible."

Addie stepped in between us. "I really don't think now is the time for this. We're in open territory and an easy target for an ambush."

"Addie, stay out of this. This is not your business." Daniel pushed her back into Follows-Chalk.

I grabbed Daniel by the collar and forced him down on the ground with my knee. "Don't you ever touch her. She is mine," I growled into his ear.

Daniel hissed in pain as I dug my knee into his back. "You're a coward. She's made you weak and you've lost judgement."

"She's given me purpose. She. Is. Mine." I pulled his arms back and threw him down into the mud.

Waking Cloud pushed me away with a sneer. She pulled Daniel up by the arm and he wiped the mud off his face. The tension was broken by a spear sticking out of the mud inches away. White Legs hollered from the river.

Hell broke loose as Sorrows and Dead Horses fired at them. Spears soared through the air. Men and women alike dropped to the ground in clouds of blood. Addie yanked a knife out of her boot and ran at the nearest White Leg. She jumped on a woman's back and dug her knife into her shoulder. The woman cursed and flung Addie off.

Addie hit the mud and the woman pounced on her. Addie screamed as the woman's gauntlet raked down her back. I could see the datura poison from here. I fired at the woman and she dropped. I knelt down by Addie's side.

"Joshua, I wanna go home." Addie cried.

"You can, Addie. You can go home after this. Drink, it will help." I grabbed a bottle of datura anti-venom out of Follows-Chalk's bag.

I bit the cork and pulled it out of the bottle. I pressed it to Addie's lips and tilted it up. Addie choked it down as the rain drops streaked lines in the mud on her face. I wiped grime off her cheeks as she struggled to keep her eyes open.

"I need you to stay with me, Addie. We aren't far from the White Leg camp." I hoisted her onto my back.

"Joshua, take me home after this." Addie whispered.

"As you wish."