Longwood First Hunt Day 01-02

Dan speeds up a little I grin and bear it my after being shot at rolls are not for my stars, they are for his. Nothing gets me to peace again quite like Dan moving atop me and putting his warmth in me. I think I beg for his warmth, in the graphic way that's not said, I am not terribly there and just want it. Dan stares at me surprised a little as he moves I smile at him when I find I am warming up to him with me. Dan speeds up a little more getting a groan out of me followed by his groan. I moan feeling his warmth in me, right where I need it.

When Dan collapses atop me I can't reach up to hold him, my arms don't want to work. I whimper as he gets off me then pulls me over to him. I let him curl me up against him, I'm not sure I could resist if I wanted. With my head resting on his shirt I make another attempt to get Balik here. Dan understands this one he promises he will be here when I wake. I am pulled to Dan and covered up, the light disappears and my eyes shut trusting Dan.

I wake with Balik fussing for milk, he's not yet crying just fussing. I open my eyes and shut them with a groan the light is blinding and painful. My head feels like it's a railroad spike being hammered with men singing loud songs over me. Balik is fussing louder, getting to the verge of outright crying, you can tell by the muffled whelps he is making. I move to get up and feel the way by sound and my hands before me until I stand up. The pain is sudden and rather intense making me crash to the floor with a loud bang.

My bang gets Balik to just cry, yelling and desperate for his singing milk vessel that holds him and rocks him. I want to go to him ever fiber of my being is screaming that I go to him. Every fiber is screaming at me that I was very bad to myself. I yell for Dan my head is screaming, the hammers are even more insistent and I don't know if I can stand. We are found by Ujjwala she does not ask simply gets Balik and puts him in my arms.

After a little fumbling and confused groaning out of Balik I get him to a breast. Ujjwala stays with me helping me sing my song I had been surprised the Apache sang a very similar song the first time one had sat with me singing while I let Balik suckle. Balik drinks for a while, I'm starting to wonder if he means to drain me before stopping when he does. Ujjwala takes him from me to burp, she giggles when he burps I just groan. She puts him back in the crib then pulls me up ignoring my protests of that.

Finding I can stand with small movement only I chance opening my eyes, the light is painful but bearable. I grab up my shirt and put it on groaning twice when the badge pricks me, once at the prick and once at the groan. My head is still being hammered like a railroad spike. Somehow Ujjwala does not giggle, looking at her I can tell she wants to. With her help I make my slow way to the stairs and down them, I sigh when Dan is not to be found. Sally comes over to help Ujjwala get me to the table where a glass of milk and food is put before me. Before I eat I need to ask for help to the outhouse, Ishmael picks me up and practically runs me out.

I giggle a little as I sit, he must have thought I was going to exit out the top. My head still screaming I sit and drink the milk it feels good to me, so good I drink it all then ask for more. I eat the vittles sitting before me, eggs and hash browns and sausage, with some biscuits. I look around to find everyone is staring at me intently, I don't know why my head and everything else hurt.

"What happened to me last night?" Everyone looks at Sally she sits next to me with a sigh.

"After the cell break last night you came in and asked for a half beer, Dan said you needed to give him a roll. Ishmael made an honest mistake and gave you a half beer with whiskey. That is why your head felt like that when you woke up, also why it's nine and not six. It was almost a nice reprieve from your waking up with the sky habit, Ujjwala did it this morning." I look at Sally lost for a moment then remember the attack, and why I needed a roll.

"Dan got his roll, judging by the soreness he won't get another for a month. Where is Dan, and Martin and what about Bonita?"

"Dan and Martin are visiting the fort to find this devil's hand, we don't know it either. Possible somewhere near the next town, the train will be here in four hours if so. Bonita had a daughter about four this morning both are doing fine and likely resting." I smile, I remember right after all you want to do is rest it's draining letting your child out.

"Why are you all here? There are people here after all." I can hear people playing poker and roulette.

"We were worried about you, you don't drink usually and you were deep in the drink last night. We are all glad you were just giggling about everything. You are not getting another beer for a while, if ever. Course you are right, go on gals see to our customers there's enough time for a roll try and get one." Everybody goes off leaving me with Ishmael and Sally.

I watch Celeste make her way up the stairs the little way to the landing. She sits in the chair panting a little, she's going to let her child out soon you can tell. Sally sits next to me on one side, Ishmael on the other.

"Janet, Balik didn't mind the bottle Amanda fed to him last night. You can go on your hunt, I don't want you to but you can. Dan said that Chad will stay here and keep an eye on the town, Bonita, his daughter, and brother while you and Dan help Martin." Sally says looking at my eyes with a strange expression.

"I can see fine, my headache is going away. Where is Gwen?" Sally smiles at me and then looks down.

"She was not in my room last night I almost think she got with one of the whores." I giggle getting Sally to look at me.

"She confessed to wanting me, I told her to speak with Chun and Amanda, I'm not spoken to on that matter much anymore. Perhaps Silvia has a gal now." Sally sighs and looks down, Silvia has an attraction to women, none of the other new whores share it and the other four are seeing each other.

"Sally, Gwen did flirt with me last night, Albelin as well if his face told the truth. Whatever you got Janet to tell her worked well, she was flirting with everyone. I'm sure she will whore tonight, I think she told a few men she would." Ishmael says getting Sally and I to look at him.

"You know Janet, if we weren't stretched for rooms to use for whores I'd send you to Kansas City to recruit some." Sally says with a grin, I shake my head.

"Wouldn't work, brothels pay better so any woman willing would work in brothel, if anything we need more Apache. Most men come here to have time with Apache I've been called one more times than I want to admit." Sally nods and smiles.

"I know if my sister does whore she will need to use the bartender room. I'd like to get some of the men in to work here, but I can't, most people won't trust an Apache dealer I can't have them tending bar and I really don't think they would bring food out." I grin at Sally getting a curious look from her.

"Craps, he doesn't do much besides hand over dice and hand out or collect coins. Need to train him, Silvia can do that with the man we have and they can rotate. Dan and I can keep a close eye on the craps, it's close to bar." Ishmael chuckles and points toward the blackjack tables, there are two and it has ended up being more popular than we thought.

"Get one for blackjack, can't cheat at blackjack and would leave Albelin at the bar with me. It gets hard to do by yourself after seven when they are getting full of drink and can't wait." I grin at Ishmael then whistle and say the one Apache word I will use.

"Yes Janet you called?" Inayat says moments later, I still don't understand why they always move so fast at my call.

"Inayat, Sally is looking to hire two men, one for craps dealer and one for blackjack. Do you know of any that would be interested?" Inayat smiles and nods at me.

"Of course, craps is popular in tribes we buy dice and have our own games. Poker is more popular the soldiers play us, not go over well here. Perhaps can find a man willing, may I go look?" Sally nods and Inayat runs out of the saloon.

"I still don't understand why they always react so fast to me." I say with a sigh before finishing off my vittles.

"Do you want the nice answer or the truth?" Ishmael asks getting me to sigh.

"Both, I get the feeling they are separate."

"The nice answer, because the chiefs got together and declared you a friend to the tribes. I think elevated you to chief status amongst the Apache. The truth is they are scared of making you mad, Silvia has helped me learn some Apache you are spoken of as a servant of the Great Spirit and coyote. Does not sit well with the Christian side of the tribes, Benjamin is making rather remarkable strides on turning them Christian." I sigh then giggle.

"They are turning Christian because captain told us about motion on congress to take children away to teach round eye way and only round eye way. This is not looked on kindly we like our way we learn round eye way and have blended them." Sally sighs then shakes her head.

"Not a motion yet, just a push for it from some. The papers are not nice about injuns in the civilized section." Sally giggles. "Civilized is their term for it, New York has more violence in one day than we have had since I put up my saloon. Why Celeste and I decided to go west, it can't be worse like the papers say."

"It is bad the farther you go, many towns are lawless or the sheriff is not good man. Dan and I hunted a man he was no problem, we did kill men on the way to catch him in Colorado I think it was. Our first bounty in Kansas City, middle of war he was deserter from New York. Only time I ever had to be mean chasing him, pulled guns and pointed at many men in bad towns. Got answers and shot at in most." Sally is just staring at me her mouth hanging open a little.

"I guess it's a good thing I only came this far because Longwood was just forming into a town and I had enough to set up a saloon. Hi Doc, you're early today." Sally says smiling over my head I turn about in the chair.

I see Mr. Johnson in his suit standing next to him is a shorter man, young with spectacles. He looks young, perhaps twenty summers holding on to a medical bag like Mr. Johnson has. He is dressed in a suit like Mr. Johnson, this suit is strange with white and brown spots on the jacket the pants are brown with a brown bowtie and a white shirt.

"Janet I wanted to see you, or rather we wanted to see you. This is Mr. Gladstone he is a medical doctor and seems to know his business. He has an interest in women who have given birth recently, seems your nether regions are of special interest to him." Mr. Johnson says smiling at me, I look at Mr. Gladstone not sure how special his interest is.

"I assure it is for medical reasons, I wish to look at your privates and assure you, Mr. Johnson and myself that you are recovering well." I sigh and stand up.

"Well I suppose it would be good to check, come on I need to finish getting dressed we are hunting today, might take a while." They follow me up to our room, Balik is asleep.

"Handsome boy you got, may I check him out before I look to you? I assure just to be sure he sounds well." I nod so down the medical bag goes.

Mr. Gladstone pulls the strange listening device out of the bag then breaths on it and rubs on his hand. Balik just moves a little when it is put to him, Mr. Gladstone listens for a few moments then smiles at me.

"He sounds perfectly healthy. Now if you could lie on the bed and remove your pants I need to look and feel a little, I swear it will only hurt a little bit."

With a sigh I pull my pants off, Mr. Johnson is watching with a grin to his lips. I shake my finger at him getting him to turn a little pink and look away. Mr. Gladstone gets out a little mirror then a very strange metal thing. I sit up looking at it and him he glances up and smiles nervously.

"Do not worry this will only spread you a little so I can see farther in." I sigh and relax back.

When he puts it to me it is cold, I hiss in surprise getting apologetic noises out of him. He does something and I feel myself opening, he looks about moving the mirror around then puts a finger in me. This is slightly painful when I groan he closes up the metal thing and pulls it free of me.

"Janet you are healing up perfectly well, and fast you should be more sensitive than you are. I noticed you were slightly red inside, did you perhaps have relations in the recent past?" I have to puzzle over relations for a moment then it occurs to me.

"Yes I gave Dan a roll last night I have a need for them after being shot at. I assumed it did not hurt to bad because of the whisky in my half beer glass. I guess Claire was right it gets easier after your first." Mr. Gladstone looks at me puzzled.

"I do not see any children running around the saloon, your not old enough to have a child older than say ten." Mr. Johnson opens his mouth I get up and poke him.

"What Mr. Johnson has not told you is I have a sordid past. I was taken from my tribe at eleven summers by the man supposed to be in charge of the meat supplies. He took me as his bride before I was twelve summers and continued to do so I did not have my first bleeding time until after having my Chad come out. He is the other deputy in Longwood." Mr. Gladstone crosses himself.

"Yes he did neglect to say that. Well you and your second son are perfectly healthy I am going to caution you against strenuous relations for another two to four weeks." I look at Mr. Gladstone confused as I get my pants on. "Apologies I forget I'm not speaking to my teachers. Strenuous means with gusto, moving quickly. If Dan moves slow you can enjoy in perhaps a week." I sit on the bed to get my moccasins on.

I stand up to get my belt on smiling when I notice it is not squeaking. I get my Bowie out of the dresser, my tomahawk and two throwing knives. Next I grab my Winchester out, the boxes of bullets for revolvers and rifle and grab the carrying basket. Everything on the bed I collect Balik and put him in the basket then cover him. Mr. Johnson carries the basket while I get the bullets and Winchester down the stairs. Dan and Martin have returned, they are sitting at the table with two Apache warriors, I send Mr. Johnson into the kitchen with Balik as I go over to the table.

"Janet we have questionable news, the captain does not know where devil's hand is either, he did give us two men to help you track them." Dan says looking a little worried.

"Dan I'm fine, these two better have a woman, Mr. Gladstone here says I need to stay away from rolls for a week and even then not fast and hard." Dan and Martin look up at me then Mr. Gladstone, Martin takes my Winchester away to look at.

"I am a medical doctor, Mr. Johnson is happy with me so I will stay in town, for the time being in his shop until I can get my own built. I focused on gynecology, study of women's private parts I am fully versed in everything. Mr. Johnson will assist me if I need." Dan looks a little mystified then shrugs and points around.

"Make a point of looking over the whores, and Celeste up there she's going to give birth soon according to Mr. Johnson and Mohin." Mr. Gladstone nods and heads toward Celeste.

"Do you two speak round eye?" I ask the Apache they shake their heads at me, I turn to look to see Silvia coming down the stairs. "Silvia come here for a moment."

"What happened this time?" Silvia asks as she gets closer.

"We don't know where devil's hand is and Dan got two Apache who don't know round eye. Which puts us at needing a translator Sally would shoot us for taking an Apache, so unless you have to stay here for Gwen we need you to come. I promise pay for helping and I'm supposed to not roll for another week so your needs will be met." Silvia looks at the Apache then me and smiles.

"I can do that need to speak with Gwen, perhaps she will come. My needs aren't high enough to demand three or four men a night." Silvia runs off with a smile to find Gwen.

"Martin she received the same treatment I did, she likes women, I think more than men, understandable with what was done to her. She also needs men, like I did, not as strongly as I had." Martin looks up at me and nods then hands over my Winchester.

"I figured on the treatment part, I'd ask on Gwen but I'll find out eventually anyway. That is a beautiful rifle, very fitting for you. I feel foolish now, I didn't bring my rifle do you have an extra I can borrow or should I buy a new one?" I look over at Dan who sighs and nods.

"We have a row of them in the sheriff's, I'll hand one to everybody with two boxes each. Need Silvia to figure out who is the best hunter Janet is very good at it but if these two can hunt they can do it while we ride. Chief swore these are his best trackers, I don't think he thought about if they can speak English or not." I giggle making Dan and Martin look up at me.

"Two things, I realized I'm taller than you two when you are sitting and I'm not, it's nice. He did not think about it because most of the tribe knows Spanish, I know Spanish I just don't like translating what they say all the time." One of the Apache makes a joke that I laugh at.

"Are they making fun of my hat again?" Dan asks with a sigh, I giggle some more and nod.

Dan's hat looks fine if a little chewed on because one of the tribe's dogs had snatched it off the table he had put it while we were talking to Mohin about me and Balik. It had been rather funny watching Dan trying to catch the dog and get his hat, the dog was having fun getting chased.

"What were you talking to the medicine man about?" Martin asks pulling me out of the memory of Dan chasing the dog and laughing himself.

"Oh, I wanted his opinion on if it would be fine to have Balik here instead of going to the Cherokee reservation. Mohin said we are all one big tribe now the Great Spirit will not think less of my child. He and Mr. Johnson helped me get Balik out improvement on Chad, this time I had a stick to bite on." Martin turns a little pale.

"Must hurt to give birth then, the last time I had a stick to bite on I was getting a bullet out of my leg." I giggle and sit in Dan's lap.

"I've been there, trust me letting your child come out is closer to having forty bullets in your leg that all get pulled out at once for hours." Martin gulps and turns paler.

"I'm so glad I am a guy." I smile at him and grab his nose.

"The only thing I'm envious of is being tall like you are, or Sally. Likely why I can track so well, I'm lower down even on a horse." Dan chuckles making me grab the table to stay on his lap.

"Janet what on earth are you doing?" I look over at Sally coming this way with Silvia and Gwen following along behind. "I can give up Silvia to translate, our whores speak well enough English and I have Bonita. I don't understand why you need my sister." I look over at Dan, he looks a little worried.

"Not my idea, I wanted Silvia to come so I don't have to speak in Spanish then round eye all day. I figured she ended up with Gwen, and since your asking why I invited Gwen she wants to come. All I said was that I need Silvia, Gwen was her idea and it would be good for Gwen, besides Martin here is single he's good in bed." Gwen turns pink and looks at her feet, Sally looks at Martin then Gwen and sighs.

"Well alright but you better give her a rifle and teach her how to use it. If you five get killed she and Silvia would be bandit whores. I'd never live that one down my folks think all I do here is run a saloon." I can't help but giggle at that and hoist my rifle.

"Oh that is a beautiful rifle." Gwen says coming closer, she looks it over then stares at me. "Oh my god, I never realized we even get news of you in New York. Not lately but you are something of a hero to the women back east. Some of the mail order bride services use Cherokee Janet as a way to get women to sign up." I look at Dan then Martin, both shrug.