Wild Hearts

Wild Hearts- Chapter 1

Wild Hearts

Chapter One

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Cooper Addison Pennington sighed heavily as she looked up at her older brother Andrew, by the look on his face she knew she was in for yet another lecture. She tried to control her urge to roll her eyes but failed miserably.

"Coop, how many times do I have to tell you not to wonder off? We don't know any of these people! You have no idea what they're capable of!"

"Andrew honestly you are not my father, and I am not a child!"

"Coop," He said still referring to her yet again, in the nickname all her brothers had called her since their youth-She had often tried to go by her middle name of "Addison", but it never seemed to suit. "You Most certainly are a child-"

"Oh really?" Cooper asked crossing her arms as he nodded "I'm eighteen, the same age as your wife."

She smiled as Andrew realized she was right. She hadn't been happy when her best friend Ella married her brother but now winning this argument against him was well worth it.

She turned on her heel and left him to stand there in his defeat. She hated how everyone acted like she didn't know anything, it seemed everyone thought she'd just wonder off or get kidnapped by someone on their wagon train headed west, sometimes she wished someone would kidnap her and take her back to Missouri. She never wanted to leave home, but who would listen to her?

She was the only daughter of Anne Elizabeth and Charles Pennington, the only sister of Andrew, Caleb, Trip, and Jake. And she was the only one who wasn't looking forward to a "New Life" that the other travelers did, to her it was a horrible mistake, She almost wished she was married so she had another option- although if she were married than she probably still wouldn't have a choice- her husband would be the one making the choices for them. What she needed was to be independent, to be free.

She kicked at a rock as she walked away from the wagons and endless dust being kicked into the air. She took her bonnet off contemplating throwing it into the wind. "Wear your bonnet Coop," her brother had told her many times "You don't want to get even more freckles on that fair skin of yours." She rolled her eyes at the thought, even when he wasn't standing in front of her lecturing her, she could still hear him.

Her fair skin always had bothered her- as had her red hair. Why couldn't she have brown hair and tan skin like her brothers?

Sighing she swung her bonnet around with her right hand and looked up at the blue sky while the sun beat down on her. It was April and it seemed far warmer than any April she could remember. She kept walking away from the wagons until all she could see was the dust being kicked up from the oxen and prairie schooners. She could hear distant voices of men yelling commands to their animals or their families.

What made men so much better than women?

Women raised families, they had children, they could do everything men could do, and more. So why did everyone act as though men were so much better?

It had been less than a week since the wagon train moved out of Independence and she had yet to meet anyone. At least she had Ella along with her, she had no idea what she would do without her best friend. She wiped dust from her face and her eyes watered as they had been since her family forced her to leave everything she had ever known. She didn't see what was so wrong with Missouri she had enjoyed life there, but apparently, she was the only one who did.

"Howdy ma'am." she heard a deep voice say, she jumped and turned around to see who had spoken to her.

"Hello sir" she said politely as she took in the man before her, his skin was bronzed from the sun and his hair and eyes were brown. He wore a black Stetson atop his head. His clothes were normal aside from the moccasins on his feet. She had heard a tale about the scout, who was half Indian- of course her brother had warned her against meeting him, but she never liked to listen to him.

"Are you lost?" he questioned.

Cooper looked around realizing just how far away from the wagons she had wandered she couldn't even see the dust or hear the distant voices anymore- she had been so caught up in her own thoughts she hadn't even noticed.

"No sir, I know exactly where I am." She lied.

"Is that so?"

"Certainly!" she said so sure of herself. She wouldn't let this man know otherwise.

The man smiled brightly revealing straight white teeth "Alright, that may be so ma'am, but we are traveling into untamed lands- I'd warn you against walking this far away from the others in the future. Could I possibly take you back to your wagon?"

"No, you may not, I do not wish to return." She said before even realizing it was out of her mouth, she sighed she couldn't possibly be trusted to keep things to herself, perhaps this is why everyone thought of her as a child.

He smiled "I'm Sawyer West, what's your name?" She didn't believe anything she had heard about the young scout, he spoke perfect English- and his name? There was nothing savage about him.

"I'm Cooper Pennington," she said reaching out to shake his hand "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. West"

"Likewise." He said pushing back his hat. "Cooper, that's an interesting name."

"Yes, well good day." she said as she started walking once more, still away from the wagons. Many people had told her just how "interesting" her name was, sure it was different, but she was named after her own mother's maiden name, and her middle name was her Grandmother's maiden name.

Sawyer dismounted his horse and followed her.

"Miss Pennington," he called after her "Where do you plan on going?"

"Back to Missouri!" Cooper called with a laugh "I assure you I am completely able to care for myself, you may leave."

"All the same, I'd like to see you back to your family."

"Why?" She questioned "because I'm a woman? If I were a man you wouldn't spare me a second glance, you'd just think "Oh there's a fellow who knows where he's going" but since I'm not, then that must mean I'm in dire need of rescuing."

Cooper knew her mouth had gotten away with her again, he looked at her with a shocked expression. She hadn't meant to take out the feelings she felt about her brother onto him, but she also couldn't help it.

"I have no doubt of your abilities ma'am, but it still isn't proper for you to be out here by yourself. There are many who would wish such a beautiful girl harm."

She resisted rolling her eyes- she didn't see herself as beautiful- Her hair was too red, different than everyone else. And her eyes they were bright green. But it was her freckles she hated the most- they covered her entire face.

"Do not fret Mr. West, I know my way home."

"Miss Pennington, you can't just walk back to Independence.

"And why not?" Cooper questioned turning her full attention back to Sawyer, she looked him right in the eye and put her hands on her hips.

Sawyer smiled at her causing her to blush a shade of red no doubt as bright as her hair.

"What?" She asked in a far quieter voice than she had earlier spoken in.

Sawyer shook his head "I admire your spunk ma'am, but I cannot let you wander off alone- it isn't safe."