This time, she wanted the hanging stillness to pass, but its weight pressed down on her chest. Her breaths came uneven and shallow as the cold air brushed against her. Clutching her arms tight, she rubbed them to soothe herself, bracing for whatever might come next. He had his back turned longer than she felt comfortable with.
The lingering silence prodded her to approach him. Her mind raced with assumptions and questions; doubts creeping in with every step she took closer. "Joshua?"
He finally turned around. His hands trembled, his breathing laboured, his eyes red. His expression stunned her.
"Ulysses is the courier I was expecting? The very figure White Legs aspire to be? The one who trained them to be the savages they are?"
His eyes narrowed, sensing her growing fear. She wanted to stay silent. "Yes," she said after a long breath.
"White Legs have always reminded me of their slaughter in New Canaan and Zion. I've always longed to face him, even if I should die by his hands, I'd have done right by my family with his blood."
"But that's just reve—"
"All those times you've spent in saloons and you've never heard of him? Ignorance?"
"Honest to god, I—"
"Quiet!" His reddened eyes glared at her. "I can understand anyone's reluctance to kill Caesar but not him! He's but a courier like you! HOW COULD YOU LET HIM LIVE?"
"Joshua, you've only known stories about the Divide and never been there. I acted on what I thought was right back then. It's not fair for you to say that when you don't know my situation. Besides, he told me he's detached himself from White Legs! He doesn't like the fact that they put him on a pedestal and copied his hair. He's stopped chasing after you, too!"
"I don't care! At least with him dead, morale for White Legs will plummet and we can win by a landslide!"
"They wouldn't even know if Ulysses was dead. They don't even know Ulysses is still alive!"
"I KNOW WHAT WORKS!"
"No, not all the time! You may be a war chief and you think you know everything, but you don't. You're not even a great tactician when it comes to battles because you're rigid in your plans, just like Hanlon said. Wheter Ulysses is alive or dead, it doesn't change White Legs. I've seen how they work, ask your scouts!"
He raised a pointed finger towards the way down. "Get out of here."
"What? Joshua—"
"GET OUT OF THIS PLACE AND DON'T SHOW YOUR FACE AGAIN!"
The heavy thuds of approaching footsteps echoed through the cave, each one growing louder. When she turned around, she saw the tribesmen—Daniel and Follows-Chalk among them. They asked them what had happened. Before Alix could answer, Joshua told them his perception of their conversation, talking over her and interrupting her each time she wanted to speak.
Follows-Chalk gasped. "Alix, is that true?"
"Yes, but listen—"
His lips twisted in disgust. "You betrayed us!" The young tribal shoved her as if he wanted to pin her down and beat her.
"No! Follows-Chalk, I—"
Follows-Chalk turned away and told Joshua's story to his people and The Sorrows. Their brows knitted, and their mouths curled into snarls of anger. They began shouting words in vitriolic tone.
"Chin dee!"
"No, I'm not! Please listen to me! Joshua, tell them what I said! Joshua!" Alix reached for his arm but he gave her the cold shoulder. "Joshua!" She shook his body, but his only response was squirming fists. "Joshua..."
"Asekene!"
Her eyes swung wildly until she found Daniel. "Daniel! Daniel, please! Tell them it's not the whole truth!"
Daniel, who had tried to calm the situation, tried to talk over the shouting tribals but his weak voice against the infuriated voices failed. Dead Horses and the Sorrows marched forward, chanting words that meant no good.
"Ahl tah jeh jey!"
"Muerna yegwi a katu!"
"Alix, run! Now!" Daniel thrust her away from the angry mob. She sprinted to the cave exit. When she looked back, their pursuit persisted. "Cobar'e! Deha coriendoo! Ni kahn neekt ruhn!" She heard them shout.
Wind dried her tears as she fled to Randall's cave. Thoughts filled her mind. Joshua didn't say anything to stop Follows-Chalk and the others. He didn't listen. He told me to get out of here. All that after acting on his feelings.
The one Stealth Boy she had been keeping came to use when she reached the cave mouth. Her hands quivered, making trap-setting more difficult than it should. Once she had set everything, her knees buckled. Her breaths came in shuddering gasps as tears blurred her vision.