Julie R. Neidlinger: Lone Prairie Blog

Blogathon 2006: Chapter 19.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 0 comments link this post

As morning was breaking across the buttes and rocky terrain, Bliss led Dove high up into the rocks far from the trail marked out on the map Brand had given him. His gear was safely stowed on his saddle, his .45 only scratched and none the worse for wear.

They didn't speak, the silence a comfortable one of two people who know the inadequacey of words. Coming up on a clearing, framed by large boulders, Bliss stopped.

"There," she said. "That's where I live."

Before them lay a green valley, almost alien in the parched landscape surrounding it. Dove would never have imagined such a a place existed here, a beautiful blue stream bringing out color the rest of the hills could only imagine. He clucked his horse and made movement as if to head down the steep terrain into the valley, but Bliss stopped him.

"My husband's dead. This valley is watched and they know you were coming here. You can't go there just yet or you'll be back where we started. I'm in no mood for two rescue missions."

Dove bristled. "You did precious little rescuing, if you recall."

She waved him off and continued. "This place, this was our dream place. My father-in-law found it before Crossfire Trail even existed." She smiled a sad smile. "It's green has always been like gold to me, but now that word has got out about the real thing, nothing good has come this way since."

Dove said nothing.

"Fool thing, killing a person for rocks. But there you have it."

Her voice faded off for a moment, her eyes going to a place in her memory where Dove could not - and did not - want to follow. A shrieking hawk high above brought her back around and she said that there was a cave nearby, high up on the very rocky overlook they were standing on, where he would be safe.

"I'm not hiding behind no woman's skirt," he protested.

"Would you rather it be a man's skirt?"

"I'd rather there be no hiding at all."

"Look," she said, her hands on her hips. "Bodies filling pine boxes have done little to solve the problems of this town. I'm going to do what it takes to keep you out of a pine box until you've been of at least some use. What you do after that is up to you. If you pine for pine, so be it."

He agreed she had a point. He had planned on holing up somewhere anyway, though he'd rather it have been his choice. The cave she led him to, however, was perfect. He had a full view of the valley below, with fairly easy access on horseback down a crude path. The cave wound deep into the rock wall, it's wide mouth hidden by a large boulder a few feet in front of the opening.

"Wait here," she said, turning to leave. "I want to know who sold you out and how Solitaire knew you were coming this way. I don't know who we can trust and that's a good way to get taken for a ride you didn't buy a ticket for."

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