Dawn's Fire, book 2 of the Dawn Fire trilogy

Chapter 1; Trek into the Unknown

Chapter 1

Trek into the Unknown

      As the gentle midnight breeze puffed flakes of snow through the thick canopy above the small band of Arapaho warriors led their captives forward through the night shrouded forest. The smallest of children rested wearily against their captors where they sat in front of them upon their mounts. Their heads rocked in time with the horses under them in various stages of stupor. 

    Unable to see more than grey shadows on the black of night the older captives who proceeded on foot stumbled and fell over hidden tree roots and unseen rocks, only to be hissed at in the foreign language of their Indian guards until they once again stood up and continued on their way. Low lying tree branches scratched mercilessly at the white prisoner’s unprotected faces and grabbed at their hair as if the trees had suddenly come to life and turned against them as well. It seemed like the whole world had become their enemy and wished them now only ill. Soon their battered bodies began to ache in unison with their mourning hearts which bled for all their departed loved ones whom they had been forced to leave behind them in the ashes of what was only an hour before their home. Exhausted beyond measure they all somehow found the strength to continue to trudge on one uncertain step after another, trusting that their descending feet would come into contact with the ground which their eyes could not see. 

    Julianna was the only one of the walking captives who had been granted the privilege of keeping her hands free from bonds since, she carried her baby brother. With a heavy sigh she glanced over to her right where she had last caught a glimpse of her little sister Kristina. She could just make out the silhouette of her and her newly adopted Indian father seated atop their mount. Kristina too had been granted the benefit of unbound hands since she was now daughter to one of the Arapaho braves. 

    As Julianna’s arm cramped painfully she stifled a groan and shifted baby Lukas onto her other arm.   With another soft sigh she looked down at her slumbering brother and wondered wearily how long it would be until the rest of them would be granted the same privilege. A loud snort sounded right beside followed by a puff of warm breath. The young Norwegian woman knew without seeing that their captor’s leader, Lion Claw rode his mount just within a few inches of her. She marveled for a moment why that fact should bring her as much comfort as it did. With a shudder she recalled the electrifying moment when she had first gazed into the eyes of this tall fiercely handsome young man. With an effort Julianna brought her concentration back onto the task of navigating through the darkened forest surrounding her. 

   Though Julianna’s eyes registered little more than blurred shadows, her ears seemed strangely acute as if to make up for the deprivation of her sight. She could hear every outcry and every muttered curse that stubbed toes and stumbling feet brought from her fellow prisoners. She could hear every moan and sob of the grieving and every frightened intake of breath. Surrounded by so much uncertainty Julianna clung desperately to her faith and placed her full hope in her God who saw all things, even those that took place in the blackest of nights.

     One of Julianna’s many favorite Psalms suddenly sang its promise through her heart and mind and she took it up gratefully, whispering it into the aching halls of her bereft heart. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to You; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to You.  She felt the familiar words stir up her sinking courage and set fire again to her waning hope.