Darkness found all of the riders awake, each having gotten at least 3 hours sleep. Jimmy and Noah had slipped out and brought back several rabbits. They cut one up and put it on to boil, making a broth for Buck. The others they roasted up for their supper.

Kid had entered the smaller cave to check on Buck, but was asked to stay so that Red Bear could talk to Teaspoon. Kid did his best to sign Teaspoon’s words, having to admit that he was used to watching the signs, not actually doing them.

"We will have to leave you after dark," Kid interpreted for Red Bear. "We must catch up to the others in order to travel safely. Morning Dove will leave all the herbs she has. You saw how she used them."

"Yes I saw. But are you sure it’s safe for you to leave? If you stayed here, we might be able to help you to safety after the soldiers have left. And Buck will want to see that you are safe when he awakes."

"No, it will be safer for us to leave now. Besides, our people need their war chief. But it is Running Buck that I wish to talk to you about. When he recovers, he will try and find me. He has decided to return to our people."

"Return? But I thought he was not welcome amongst the Kiowa?"

"Things change. He has become a respected member of his tribe in the short time he was with us. He has proven himself Kiowa to those that did not believe before. But I must ask this of you. Do not let him come after us. You must keep him with you. To return to the Kiowa would only mean death for him, and I do not wish to see that."

"You mean the Kiowa would kill him?"

"No. It would be the white man that would kill him. By starvation, disease, or war. I can not watch this happen to him. I know that now. You must keep him safe for me."

"You know him. Once he makes up his mind, it’s hard to change it."

"I know. He talks of you with great admiration. You will convince him. You must convince him. Please, promise me. Do not let him return to the Kiowa. He will die there. Morning Dove has seen it."

"I promise. I’ll do my best. Will you ever try to see him again?"

"I do not know. It would not be safe for either of us any time soon. You must promise me you will keep him with you. Keep him safe. Do not let him come after me."

"I’ll do my best. That’s all I can promise."

"That will be enough. It is all I can ask of you." Red Bear reached out, grasping Teaspoon’s hand as he had seen the whites do. "You are a good man. My brother has chosen his family well."

Red Bear spoke to Morning Dove. She nodded, then leaned over, placing a kiss on Buck’s lips. She stood and exited the cave to retrieve their horses as Red Bear knelt next to his brother. Stroking the young man’s cheek with the back of his hand, he studied the boy’s face for what could very well be the last time. Then he stood and strode out of the caves, not wanting any of the white men there to see the tears in his eyes. He and Morning Dove disappeared silently into the night.

Cody appeared in the smaller cave entrance. "Teaspoon? Why did he leave? Is Buck alright?"

"There’s no change. Red Bear had to leave to rejoin the Kiowa."

"Oh. Well, what do we do now? Is he going to be alright?" Cody asked as the others crowded in to the cave, each one wanting to know what happened.

"We wait until he’s able to travel, then head back to Rock Creek. In the mean time, I need a couple of you to make a travois."

"We’ll do it." Jimmy motioned to himself and Noah.

"Wait till morning and be very careful. I don’t want anyone to see you."

"Okay."

"The horses are going to need feed. The oats we brought along have to be running low. Cody, you and Kid can take care of that come morning too."

"Sure thing Teaspoon."

"From now on I want one watching from the entrance and one here with Buck. Any change from him whatsoever, I want to know about it. Now let’s try and get some sleep."

The riders divided up shifts and settled in for the night.

~*~*~

It was well after midnight when Teaspoon noticed the first changes in his young charge. He must have been in that strange half sleep, not awake, but not sleeping either, aware but not aware, when he heard it. It wasn’t much more than a whimper or low moan, but Teaspoon snapped fully awake.

He studied the boy carefully. Sweat beaded his brow. Teaspoon touched his forehead, then the back of the boy’s neck. He felt very warm. Teaspoon reached for the water and began to bathe the boy’s face and chest with the cool liquid.

Jimmy entered the cave, his intention to spell Teaspoon. Instead he watched as the older man worked. Then he joined him at Buck’s side. The two spent the rest of the night bathing the young man’s skin to cool him and giving him sips of the herbal tea Morning Dove had shown them to make.

By morning the young man was raging with fever. He altered between burning up and shivering with chills. Teaspoon and Jimmy built up the fire to warm him, draped wet cloth on him when the fever burned within him. Jimmy made numerous trips to the stream at the back of the cave for fresh water.

The others awoke and they all sat staring at the entrance to the smaller cave, afraid to go in, afraid not to. They took turns going in and out, doing what they could. It was especially hard to watch as Buck began to toss and turn, thrashing about in his attempts to remove the heavy robes covering him. Fresh blood blossomed on his bandages as the wound reopened.

~*~*~

Buck approached Ike. His friend was sitting in a small cave, leaning against a wall. The room was very warm. Buck saw Teaspoon and Jimmy leaning over someone on buffalo robes as he sat down next to Ike. They sat in comfortable silence as Buck realized that the person on the robes was him.

"It’s not your time Buck." Ike said calmly. Buck watched the men before him.

"I know. But it’s hard. I feel so tired."

"You must fight it. You can win. Just keep trying."

Buck turned to his friend, but Ike was gone.

~*~*~

Finally Teaspoon decided they had no choice but to try and bring the fever down quickly. Lou gathered up several blankets and Teaspoon carried Buck to the back of the cave, past the horses, to the stream. He and Kid lowered Buck into the water, letting the cool water roll over his fevered skin. When the young man began to shiver, they wrapped him in the blankets.

They repeated the process several times until Buck’s skin appeared to cool. Then they carried him back to the small cave. Kid helped Teaspoon repack Buck’s wound with moss. The edges looked red and angry. Teaspoon applied the poultice and they re-wrapped his abdomen. While he still felt warm, his skin wasn’t hot like it had been.

They repeated the whole process about three hours later, when Buck’s fever spiked once more. It seemed to work for a time. They all settled in for a cautious night’s sleep.

On to Chapter Twelve