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Authors: Susan Edwards
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dark tunnel, he still held out hope that he’d find Jenny—his reason for living.
Chapter Five
The next stop during the long night of riding was at the top of a rocky hill with only a few trees for shelter. Across from her, Winona saw that Clay’s breathing had slowed and the rise and fall of his chest deepened as he slept. Tipping her head, she stared up at the dark sky. How she envied the warrior his ability to just shut down and sleep, even if only for a short time.
Somewhere below her, deep in the forest, the screech of an owl echoed, drowning out the cadence of insects in the bushes. Rustling in the growth to her left was followed by a series of high-pitched squeaks. Peering through the darkness, she couldn’t see anything.
Sighing, she closed her eyes and ordered herself to stop thinking and to sleep. She needed her rest in order to stay alert. But as before, sleep eluded her. Her mind was too crowded with thoughts and emotions and refused to shut down.
Giving up, knowing she couldn’t force her body to sleep, she stared into the darkness. She thought about escaping, but only briefly. Clay would wake immediately. Like most warriors he’d learned to sleep on demand, yet remain aware. Besides, even if she did manage to escape, it wouldn’t solve the problem of finding Spotted Deer.
Frustration gave way to annoyance. It galled her that he’d so effectively bound her to him without rope. Just the threat of never seeing Spotted Deer had been enough to secure her compliance. He’d been clever, she’d give him that!
Scowling in Clay’s direction, she was seized by a sudden urge to toss a stone at him. It wasn’t fair that he could sleep without a care when her life had been tossed upside down.
Frustrated with her situation and her lack of sleep, she scraped the toe of her moccasin across the ground and dislodged several chunks of dirt. Reaching forward, she picked one up and crushed it in her fist.
Bored, Winona let the dirt fall from her hand, then brushed her palm over her dress. At each stop she disturbed the land as much as she could. She smiled in grim satisfaction. Clay knew what she was doing, but unless he wanted to bind her hands and feet there was little he could do.
She sighed. She’d already left her mark in this spot. Now what? She wasn’t used to just sitting. The days were filled with chores, and each night she fell asleep satisfied with her daily accomplishments.
Clay had taken that from her as well. Turning her gaze upward, Winona tried to find solace in the night sky. For the first time since darkness had swallowed the world, the panic welling deep inside her calmed.
With the night sky hidden from her while they traveled through the darkened woods, she’d felt trapped. Closed in. Out on the open prairie, where her people set their camps, the sky was always there for her. Even inside the tipi all she had to do was pull up the lining or stick her head out the flap.
She closed her eyes as she remembered the first time she’d slept inside a white man’s house. It was like the woods, closed in and dark but for candles or lanterns. She didn’t like it. Not at all. Leaning back against the tree trunk, Winona drew her knees to her chest and rested her cheek on her folded arm as she stared up into the sky, seeking familiar and comforting patterns in the stars.
Pale blue skies replaced black. Night chirps became giggles. Fourteen harsh years melted away. Night Shadow, hardened warrior, became Clay Coburn, a boy of sixteen, eager to leave the wilds of nowhere come spring and travel to the city before setting out to see the world.
“Clay! Play with me.”
Clay sorted through the traps and wiped the sweat from his brow.
“I’m busy, Jenny. Go bother Catherine.”
Jenny’s tiny rosebud lips formed a pout, then trembled with hurt. She hugged a threadbare rag doll to her narrow chest.
“Ma and Catherine are busy. Play with me. Please?”
Clay grimaced. His baby sister knew just
Chapter Five
The next stop during the long night of riding was at the top of a rocky hill with only a few trees for shelter. Across from her, Winona saw that Clay’s breathing had slowed and the rise and fall of his chest deepened as he slept. Tipping her head, she stared up at the dark sky. How she envied the warrior his ability to just shut down and sleep, even if only for a short time.
Somewhere below her, deep in the forest, the screech of an owl echoed, drowning out the cadence of insects in the bushes. Rustling in the growth to her left was followed by a series of high-pitched squeaks. Peering through the darkness, she couldn’t see anything.
Sighing, she closed her eyes and ordered herself to stop thinking and to sleep. She needed her rest in order to stay alert. But as before, sleep eluded her. Her mind was too crowded with thoughts and emotions and refused to shut down.
Giving up, knowing she couldn’t force her body to sleep, she stared into the darkness. She thought about escaping, but only briefly. Clay would wake immediately. Like most warriors he’d learned to sleep on demand, yet remain aware. Besides, even if she did manage to escape, it wouldn’t solve the problem of finding Spotted Deer.
Frustration gave way to annoyance. It galled her that he’d so effectively bound her to him without rope. Just the threat of never seeing Spotted Deer had been enough to secure her compliance. He’d been clever, she’d give him that!
Scowling in Clay’s direction, she was seized by a sudden urge to toss a stone at him. It wasn’t fair that he could sleep without a care when her life had been tossed upside down.
Frustrated with her situation and her lack of sleep, she scraped the toe of her moccasin across the ground and dislodged several chunks of dirt. Reaching forward, she picked one up and crushed it in her fist.
Bored, Winona let the dirt fall from her hand, then brushed her palm over her dress. At each stop she disturbed the land as much as she could. She smiled in grim satisfaction. Clay knew what she was doing, but unless he wanted to bind her hands and feet there was little he could do.
She sighed. She’d already left her mark in this spot. Now what? She wasn’t used to just sitting. The days were filled with chores, and each night she fell asleep satisfied with her daily accomplishments.
Clay had taken that from her as well. Turning her gaze upward, Winona tried to find solace in the night sky. For the first time since darkness had swallowed the world, the panic welling deep inside her calmed.
With the night sky hidden from her while they traveled through the darkened woods, she’d felt trapped. Closed in. Out on the open prairie, where her people set their camps, the sky was always there for her. Even inside the tipi all she had to do was pull up the lining or stick her head out the flap.
She closed her eyes as she remembered the first time she’d slept inside a white man’s house. It was like the woods, closed in and dark but for candles or lanterns. She didn’t like it. Not at all. Leaning back against the tree trunk, Winona drew her knees to her chest and rested her cheek on her folded arm as she stared up into the sky, seeking familiar and comforting patterns in the stars.
Pale blue skies replaced black. Night chirps became giggles. Fourteen harsh years melted away. Night Shadow, hardened warrior, became Clay Coburn, a boy of sixteen, eager to leave the wilds of nowhere come spring and travel to the city before setting out to see the world.
“Clay! Play with me.”
Clay sorted through the traps and wiped the sweat from his brow.
“I’m busy, Jenny. Go bother Catherine.”
Jenny’s tiny rosebud lips formed a pout, then trembled with hurt. She hugged a threadbare rag doll to her narrow chest.
“Ma and Catherine are busy. Play with me. Please?”
Clay grimaced. His baby sister knew just
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