Longwood Second Hunt Day 03-04

"How did he find out about you though?" I grin.

"Preachers talk to each other, for those not mind, we had four churches in Kansas City, this preacher was across town. I had one who did same but took me to room for it, gave roll listened to sermon. Only pay for half hour but usually take longer, nearest church preacher."

"Does Father Darren do that?" I stare at Bipin a spell then shake my head.

"He refuses to partake of women until married. Surprised not gotten a mail bride yet." Bia giggles and shakes her head.

"He took shining to Bina and she is of a mind to allow."

"Are they going to share blanket first?" Bia shrugs.

"Bina wants, but preacher is mindful of bible. Last I hear say on they were discussing." Dan sighs and shakes his head.

"Which Bina? Only Bina I can recall is young." Bia shakes her head.

"Older Bina, this one about same age as me. Not always go to our church, she likes the soldier preacher sermons." I sigh and lean against Dan.

"Dan is it just me or are we old?" Dan snorts then points at the sergeant.

"Sergeant is older." I giggle and nod.

"Captain is younger than sergeant." Sergeant tosses up his hands.

"Ach lass just rub it in, I joined up before the war and was sent west. Not as far as the officer here is going mind, but I went west. Got to miss out on the war, why I'm only a sergeant, though to be honest I like sergeant better."

"How did captain get to his rank?"

"Captain was in the war, joined up then ya'see. He went in a private and got promoted to corporal at the first battle. Kept getting promoted and his men loved him, he made sure they would live as well as can be in a war. Not to say he was soft mind, he just valued his men and took a more cautious approach. His tendency to use injun tactics are why he's in command of the reservation, got promoted to do it, was only a lieutenant after the war." I look up at Dan and grin, there is one thing I just have to ask.

"Sergeant, how did you stand up to injuns with black powder?" Sergeant sighs and shakes his head.

"Mostly didn't, course I got a little lucky, they weren't as, pardon the term, uppity then. We did go out after small parties of them. It was even then, we get a shot and reload, they get a shot and reload. They just did it faster by a little but our shots were faster travel. The oddest thing, it was never a wife raid, I only learned about those when you told us. Mostly they would come and grab metals, coffee pots and such." I giggle about that one.

"Before round eye our arrows were made with bone, stone, or just sharpened wood. I've heard tell of black stone heads that are volcano tears, but all I know is how to get stone or bone sharpened. Metal works better however so we like to use it." Elan looks up.

"I've worked the black stone, it's tough to get right but powerful sharp. Doesn't last long so they were set aside for fights and not hunting."

"Better than metal?" I get a nod for the question.

"Better than metal, but metal can be used more before needing new head. Black stone will break if it hits anything but meat." I nod then Dan nudges me and points, the fire is burned down enough to see past us and the town is lit up a might.

"We will have lunch in town unless they are powerful eager for us to get gang." Everybody looks and nods then sergeant opens his mouth.

"I reckon lunch there would happen, eat up we got more chili in here."

I hand my bowl to Dan and he goes to get more for both. When he comes back he has plenty so I tease him on trying to turn into Mr. Johnson.

"Janet you really should get another pig for Isaac, the sauce he adds to that is really good." I stare at the sergeant a bit then look up at Dan to get a shrug.

"I only shoot the boars, smaller pigs are not dangerous. If you are so fired up to have pig more, buy them and set up a farm. I'm sure Isaac knows how to do it, if not we can ask around or do an advertisement for a pig farmer." Cucaracha looks up.

"Make sure you send it to the southern states, they are not doing well." I look up at Dan and he nods.

"They lost many men, had to free their slaves, and many farms were destroyed." I think about it and start to giggle.

"I guess round eye do not hate injuns like I thought. Round eye hate everyone not agree." Bipin snorts, Elan chuckles, and Bia laughs.

Everybody else seems a little uncomfortable with that, though Chun is grinning a bit. Shortly after Dan takes my bowl and hands it over then takes me to our bedroll. A little away from the fire I shiver a little, it's getting cooler. Dan though seems intent on getting us naked, along with under the blanket but still. He seems a little uncomfortable with the conversation. Once we are both laid bare and in the bedroll I put my hand to his chest.

"Dan, did I go to far?" He sighs and settles down next to me.

"Yes, it's true, but not something we like pointed out. A preacher would say we are guided by god and he has mysterious ways."

"I always thought he seemed like coyote." Dan sighs and rolls his eyes.

"Closer to the devil has gotten to our leaders. In the case of the war however much of the destruction was because the Union soldiers were advancing across enemy territory." I put my finger to his lips and grin.

"Round eye have strange notions, there is loving fiery god, and a devil that is opposite of god. We have great spirit and coyote, a trickster, there is no badness." Dan sighs then comes in and kisses me.

"I'm not going to your religion."

I start giggling then Dan puts a hand to me and there's a moan instead. I wasn't quite ready but very willing to let Dan have his way with me. I'm just glad my need has calmed to where Dan is enough. Not to say I'm not looking forward to whoring again, there's something nice about it. Probably because round eye are so eager to get inside of me, and they are nice. Course that is likely because as an injun I'm supposed to just whore anyway. Then Dan moves on top of me and oh, no more thinking my husband came to me.

My legs move up and wrap around Dan as he starts to move and it is magical. My husband is inside of me and his equipment is churning mine to see stars. I moan a time or two as he gets into a nice groove. It seems no time stars come and I'm moaning up at Dan. He smiles then comes down and fastens his lips to mine. I become aware with my sudden quiet of Chun and Bia also enjoying rolls. Someone is still cleaning so sergeant must be handling it for us.

Then Dan speeds up and oh this is nice. He's churning me up even better and I'm going to find stars again. We're still kissing, then his hands move to my breasts and I'm shoved right up into the stars. My hips are dancing along with his then Dan groans and his warmth is flooding me. I grab him up and just hold on as he slows then stops, his warmth making me feel so good. I want my husband atop me longer though Dan wants to lie down.

After a little moving, and resistance to pulling out, I curl up on Dan. I can't help the smile, my husband came to me and perhaps today I become with child. I know it's not going to happen yet, Mr. and Mrs. Gladstone explained how it works. Still though, I want to be carrying my husbands child again. Then I can whore and well that makes me start. Perhaps my need isn't wholly satisfied with Dan.

"What's wrong?" I look up at Dan and sigh, I don't want to voice this on a hunt.

"I was just thinking about how I'd like to be carrying your child again. I realized that once I am with child I can whore and well perhaps I'm not quite satisfied with only my husband still." Dan snorts.

"I didn't think you were, once you could handle it we were always doing it often as I can." I giggle and swat him.

"Dan you came to me in outhouse, I love you and wish to be good wife but outhouse is not where I would pick." Plenty of snorts in the camp though no one says anything.

"Well I admit that wasn't exactly where I wanted either, but we hadn't yet and I have a need to. If you want to whore again feel free, you always save room for me." Well this is embarrassing.

"Not always, sometimes in brothel I had enough before you. I just can't deny you." Dan chuckles.

"I figured, that hour man left all of the girls done for the night except you. I just went slow and you did come to me."

"I knew you hadn't with anyone else and I know you have need. I've always been good wife, even when wasn't." Dan pulls me up for a kiss then we settle down for sleep.

I'm the first awake on this day. Not being inside house helps, though in saloon the windows face the rising sun enough to alert me. While shivering and getting into tracking clothes I ponder how many more summers I can wake with sky. I notice it is farther toward having sun showing of late and it is embarrassing. I am not an elder yet, not even a gray hair. Dressed and Winchester in hand I make my way farther away from path, then stop and turn around.

A feeling of crossing path being best idea pulls me that way. I just keep walking a good distance, at least a mile, and the sun is starting to edge up into the sky when I stop. I have found a deer, a very nice deer, little young perhaps. Still I can't deny that the great spirit sent me this way for deer. Creeping up closer I find a good spot and settle to one knee. Bringing up Winchester I slowly work the lever praying the deer does not startle and run.

The ears rotate with the clicks as the bullet is pulled free and loaded in. Still it has not started so I aim down on the beautiful deer. Singing softly in praise of the great spirit in providing me with this deer I fire. The deer falls over with a bleat as I stand up and reload. Moving closer I notice the deer is twitching still so speed up. When I get close I just shoot it again, wanting to end it faster than a knife. Debating for a moment I pull knife and hunter cut deer, I shall have Bia cut out meat for us.

Leaving behind inside of deer and head I hoist it atop my shoulders and head for camp. As I get closer I see fire start up and giggle. No one was up yet until I fired on deer. I shall tease Bia on slow to raise. As I reach camp I whistle and boast of great hunt, Bipin and Elan look up then stand to dance. Bia looks at the deer, then me with a frown so I stick my tongue out at her.

"You wake late so cut deer."

"Unfair, I had Bipin and Elan last night." We both look at Chun and she gets wide eyes.

"I've never cut up a deer."

"Ach just drop it, I'll cut up the deer." I just stare at sergeant a moment then shrug and give him the deer.

"Wish Bowie?" He looks up and shakes his head.

"I'll take a throwing knife, better for cutting out the good parts." I frown at that.

"No ribs?" Sergeant shakes his head then takes the knife I hold out to him.

"I'm not sure we have enough space for the meat anyway." Dan drops a roll of the paper Bartholomew uses to wrap up the meats in front of sergeant.

"Use that, we can sell some for the licorice and carrots. Chun do we have coffee?"

"Yeah about that, sorry Janet but we don't have enough sugar so I added honey to the coffee." I sigh and swat Dan.

"Always bring much sugar."

"I got what I could, Andrew sold more than normal. We will buy some at the town." I sigh and point at sergeant.

"Ach lass don't look at me, I can't provide sugar for us. I'm only provided jerky and biscuits." I look up at Dan and start giggling.

"No wonder we always have jerky in stew." Dan grins and nudges me.

"Ask him why we don't have biscuits." We both look at sergeant and he turns red.

"I had cookie make the biscuits with whiskey, I never share because you can't have whiskey. I could give Dan one but then you would want and nobody is fool enough to refuse."

I have to allow for that being true, still whiskey isn't the best tasting and I'd likely stop at a bite. Not that it matters, Bia is handing out breakfast. We have good breakfast with the coney meat, little bacon, and egg rolled up in tortillas. Cucaracha has never had before, I find this odd, I thought most everyone has had tortillas. Brings to mind a question and well why not ask.

"Do all Apache know tortilla?" They all shake their heads.

"How do you know tortillas?" I look up at Dan and get a shrug so I guess remembering a little of that hunt.

"We had long hunt chasing man. Ended up getting almost to Arizona territory, he stopped because Cochise was on warpath in area." Just about everybody is sitting with hanging mouth, then Cucaracha asks.

"Did you meet Cochise?" I shake my head.

"We did not, ran into scout for one of his war tribes. Exchanged pleasantries and continued on to train." Dan nudges me.

"Tell them the rest." I sigh and toss up my hands.

"Fine, our man was white as sheet, kept going on about how we are all dead. Got trailed for two days by three scouts to let us exit their territory with no problem." Dan sighs and shakes his head.

"We also saw a large number of them watching us. Janet here just raised her rifle and yelled, got a wave in return." I roll my eyes.

"Dan recall wrong, I raised rifle, yelled in Tsalagi then Spanish about taking round eye back to round eye for hanging. Got mighty warrior wave, they were happy we took round eye away. Only reason they are on warpath, round eye say no farther then go farther."

"So they would be happy with no more settlers?" I shrug and wink at Cucaracha.

"Likely be happier at reservation by town. We don't eat well most days in many areas. Why we wander about, round eye not understand but some land good for grow, some land not. Many areas we wander to only good for hunting." Elan nods.

"Where I was growing up water was hard to come by. Rained at least, we collected rain and used that."

"Better to not promise another tribe our reservation. Captain is trying to hold on to land, seems some know it is good land for growing. Might lose a swath of fifteen miles or so where Apache are not living or growing toward the far rail."

We all stare at sergeant a spell then pack up and go. We finished eating and naught to say about that. Elan carries the remains of deer a distance away from camp and path so predators will go for it. Dan ends up riding near the marshals to talk, I end up next to sergeant. He doesn't look especially happy with himself after saying that. Bad thing to tell us, not much matter to me but the Apache use that area for hunting. Just ride along a spell, and I can't not ask any longer.

"Sergeant, isn't there a buffer between reservation and free land?" Sergeant tensed up then relaxes with a sigh.

"Aye lass there is, two miles of the fifteen would be the new buffer. According to captain and the information sent it is in debate. He sent reply of the Apache using it to hunt, we don't have enough beef or farm for everyone." I nod then giggle.

"Sergeant when we return tell captain to send another, Apache use the land to hunt because they have nothing to do."

"So if we remove the land they would get bored and go on a warpath?" I shrug.

"Perhaps, many of the warriors like Bipin are not young and remember how was. They have fights to first blood, this is thing done by warriors to stay ready for battle."

"So they would fall on us at the fort?" I have to shrug again.

"Perhaps, you are liked amongst Apache, talk to them, play poker. If land is taken away farmers would have rifles. Likely Apache go there take rifles, horses, and go elsewhere."

"All of them?" I shake my head.

"Most of the older warriors also remember how hard it was. Hungry besides plants found along way is not nice. Younger warriors however have heard say on great triumphs in battle. They can't be blooded any longer and wish to be. They would head for the farmers." Sergeant nods.

"Why we have Elan I gathered. Do you think the unblooded warriors would like to help the marshals?" I nod and frown.

"Yes, but marshals not like, to be blooded must kill man. Not all wanted are for dead, many are alive only."

"Do you know what makes a man wanted dead instead of alive?" I shake my head then pivot to see Dan.

"Dan, how does one get wanted poster of dead?"

"To be wanted dead you need to kill several, bank robbers with no deaths are alive. Train robbers on the other hand are dead or alive. Horse thieves are wanted alive because they are hung at the courthouse." I shudder, I've seen that a couple times, sergeant nudges me.

"You have seen a hanging?" I nod.

"A few, sometimes the court wants us there to attest to it being the right man. Not pretty, they hang there twitching for a spell. The round eyes all lean in to see it better, claim otherwise but they enjoy the hanging."

"Seen a few myself, when a man has a court martial and found guilty of bad enough they hang him. Whole fort comes out to watch except for the men on duty. They tend to watch as well, just a little mind. We don't lean in but we do find some pleasure in it, a hanging offense put us all in danger."

"If we have warrior do that with Cherokee tribe they turn back on. He is no longer Cherokee and marked so all Cherokee know."

"So a woman can't do that?" I shrug.

"Possible, Cherokee will teach woman how to hunt if wishes, even some become warriors. Not often and I've never heard of a woman warrior having back turned on. We are backbone of tribe, without women no babe, no babe means no warrior. We watch over babes, make food, do clothes, and teepees."

"Do all injun do that?" I look over at Cucaracha and shake my head.

"Do not think so, but have not asked or met many. I've met Sioux, Apache, Mohawk and Choctaw. Know of others but never met, our posters take us into Sioux and Apache area."

We fall mostly quiet for a spell so I can watch the town get larger. Oddest thing, it looks to be a fairly good sized town, but no train. There are houses scattered here and there about the town. They have two streets like Longwood. I can make out what must be a bank, the church is oddly on the street. Slowing down so I fall in step with Dan I poke him so he looks at me, then the town and sighs.

"I can only think there is a mine nearby." Makes powerful sense, still there is one thing.

"I'm not seeing a company store."

"There is a mine, and this town happened to be one of the main routes for the wagon trains." I look at the marshal to my left a bit then look at Dan.

"Elan won't like this town, I'm not so happy either." Dan rolls his eyes.

"Settlers are only trying to live, some of the places they go I don't understand either. Most of the attacking is done by soldiers, ours and Mexican." I shake my head.

"There are bounties on injun scalps, not Mexicans, but injuns. I not see different on scalps." Dan snorts.

"Me either but well they do and they are a different country. Not that you are in danger of someone trying to scalp you." I just stare at Dan a spell.

"Dan scalps are taken by Apache because powerful warrior. The bounty is for injun scalp, I'm injun so my scalp has bounty. Everyone would like my scalp."

Dan sighs and looks at Bipin who nods. Dan doesn't look terribly happy but we are riding into town now. One of the marshals is sent off to the bank, the other and sergeant head for the saloon. The rest of us head for the store, good sized store so perhaps we get lucky and they have everything. No butcher so store is only place for meat. Bipin stays with the horses while Elan is sent after sergeant, he has the extra deer meat.

Inside is quite nice, there are skirts and shirts set out on racks. They have a section on candy, a book to order from, and what I like, a section on guns. I nudge Dan and point to guns and hold up two fingers then head for the candy. Chun and Bia head for the skirts, Chun could use a new and Bia likely wants more. I've never seen her wearing anything but a camisole. Then it occurs to me, nobody brought warmer except perhaps sergeant and Cucaracha.