A New Destiny

Could it be?

Calamity started toward the bear. Waving her arms wildly.

"Hey, Ruechari! Over here!" Jane said trying desperately to get the bears attention away from Billy. Try as she might the bear seemed locked on him.

Jane missed her rifle. She reached down and picked up a rock and threw it at the bear. That got its attention. It let out an earsplitting growl and got into position to charge.

"Have you lost your mind?!" Billy hollered.

"Run you, dimwit!" Jane yelled back and the bear charged at her.

Billy couldn't take it. He ran all right. Right at Jane knocking her out of the way. Only to have the bear take yet another swipe at him. This one knocked him to the ground.

"Play dead!" Jane yelled at him from behind a rock where she landed after being knocked aside.

Billy thought she was nuts, the bear was sure to kill him, but did as she said having no other choice. He curled his body up into the fetal position and lay as still as he could.

The bear came over and nudged his body with its nose, pawing at his body a few times. When Billy didn't respond the bear let out another growl but this one sounded nearly like a mournful howl and it collapsed next to Billy's body.

Billy refused to move. He opened one eye and seen Jane standing over him, hand on her hip.

"I don't know whether to be happy with you bein' such an idiot or mad as all heck?"

She extended a hand to him and he took it and rose. He turned to see Ruechari lying on the ground, back to her human form covered with his blanket.

"Seems like the thought of killin' you broke her out of it," Jane said slowly approaching her.

Ruechari tried to rise but her body was weak.

"What? What happened? Who are you?" she asked trying to back away from Jane but couldn't her body just wouldn't allow it.

"Shh, now. You'll be just fine and dandy in a minute or two. Just take a moment and collect your strength, you're gonna need it," Jane said helping her to sit up, pulling the blanket over her naked shoulders.

Billy then appeared over Jane's shoulder.

"You gave us quite a scare there, Rue," he said trying to manage a grin but he was in a little bit of pain. Okay, that wasn't true it was a lot of pain from the swipes he had taken from Ruechari in bear form.

"You?" she said staring up at him in wide-eyed wonder. "I killed you?"

"So, you do remember being a bear then?" Jane asked.

"Yes? But I had to fight for control. The animal form wanted to be in charge. To defend, and protect.

"That's what bear totems do," Jane said with a smile, "and you done a good job just not with right people. We're the good guys."

Ruechari rubbed her head it felt like a train wreck.

The blanket slid off her right shoulder and Billy saw the markings of the bear totem on her bare shoulder. This was a hell of a way for her to have to learn her powers. There had to be a better way.

"We need to get you out of here, Rue? You gained a lot of ground when you left Reaper behind in Swamp Gold but you changing your form, well the ground you gained will quickly get lost if we don't high tail it out of here," Billy warned.

Ruechari tried again to stand but found she just couldn't manage.

Jane reached over and got her to her feet.

"You got yourself a change of clothes in that bag of yours?" Jane asked supporting Ruechari almost entirely.

She nodded.

"William, get the horses ready. I'll get her dressed. We move out together. Best to get her to Geronimo as soon as possible," Jane instructed.

Billy didn't have to be asked twice. He moved on out of the cave. He was grateful that Jane had come upon them. Dealing with Rue was one thing. Dealing with Rue as a bear was another but dealing with Rue naked was an entirely different thing altogether.

"Reign it in cowboy," he said as he made sure the horses were ready to ride. "Jane's right you are an idiot and a dimwit. She's your mission and you're dead remember? You have nothing to offer her other than your guns to protect her and you're not really doin' a bang-up job on that either."

Back in the cave, Jane helped Ruechari dress. Her strength was returning but slowly.

"Did you say you are taking me to Geronimo?" she asked.

"Yes," Jane said.

"I don't think that wise, the Kittari have not had good relations with the Apaches for some time now."

"Well, that's because your Mama had run off before the weddin' to Kuruk of the Apache tribe. She was supposed to unite the tribes together but left him and the Kittari for some cowboy," Jane said leading Ruechari out of the cave.

"My Mother? That would mean..." Ruechari came to standstill. Boni was her mother and if Boni was her mother, could that mean the cowboy she ran off with was...

Ruechari suddenly lost the use of her legs again but Billy was there to catch her.

"Whoa there? Still a bit wobbly huh?"

Ruechari's brain felt blown to smithereens. She just stared at Billy blankly trying to process it all.

"She gonna be al'right?" Billy asked looking over to Jane who just shrugged.

"Come on, Rue. You ride with me." 

He lifted her up with ease into the saddle of her horse and jumped up in front of her. 

"Hold on, Rue. We need to ride."

Ruechari held on tight. What did it all mean? Why wouldn't he just tell her? She held him at gunpoint back in Busted Gulch? He knew she wouldn't, couldn't pull the trigger. Could it be? Could Carob Bob be her father?

-Ruechari