the LEGEND of She-Cat

Chapter Six

Soft chirps woke him at dawn, the birds and insects calling to one another in the slightly cool air of the desert morning. Taking a moment to absorb the calm, Duncan let his ears find the sound of the horses feeding. If they were chomping contentedly on grass, there was no danger nearby. Rolling from his blankets fully clothed except for his boots, he reached for them, shaking them free of potential scorpions before stomping them on. Settling his hat over his head, he noticed the woman's eyes alert and watching, nearly catlike in their intensity.

Instantly, he decided he'd have to forgo attempting to wash. Although it had been a while, it seemed like an unnecessary risk. Unless he missed his guess, the Indian was a shrewd woman. Given the opportunity, she'd likely steal more than his horse this time and leave him to die, if not dead. Being clean could wait.

Refueling the fire, Duncan made a fresh pot of coffee and started the morning meal, all the while feeling her fierce gaze on him. Glancing up, he was startled to see her lips curled in disgust, sneering at him. Wondering what had brought that on seemed pointless, but he couldn't help but be curious. Ruffled feathers first thing in the morning was no way to start a day. When she stood up, clutching the blanket to her, he looked away respectfully, hearing the sounds of her beating the dust from her clothing.

Sliding a look toward her, he found the woman dressed and tying her long hair back with a string of sinew. When he approached closer to tend the meal she stiffened and met his eyes with a glare. Disdainfully, her gaze flicked to the pan on the fire, nostrils flexing as she snorted. Without another glance, she'd moved away from him, and out into the desert beyond the camp. Duncan watched her go, shaking his head in silent wonder.

"Lady, you got a chip on your shoulder bigger'n Texas." Behind him, the gelding blew heavily from his nostrils, as if in agreement. She was not gone long.

His eyes registered surprise then admiration as she knelt, placing her foraged meal directly on the flames. Cactus plants grew nearby, both the flat green pads and the dark red fruits edible. A short time roasting on the fire and they would be tasty and nourishing, the spines on the fruit peeling away, curling against the fire's coals.

"That's smart thinkin' ma'am," he offered gently, but she returned his look with blank apathy.

Shrugging, he poured himself a cup of coffee, sitting back while his bacon fried in the skillet, the smoky aroma tempting. She turned away, fixing her eyes onto the far horizon, and the land that lay behind. A soft sighed escaped her lips and the Duncan looked over, brows up, intense blue eyes inquiring. Was that his imagination, or had that been a sad, resigned sound? Without moving her head, the woman shifted her eyes to stare at him.

It was a penetrating, searching look. He kept his expression still, unchanged, nor did he move a muscle, and their eyes held. Various emotions flickered through hers, but the strongest and fastest-growing was anger. Abruptly, intense flames surged into the brown depths as they stared at one another. Her breathing quickened, fingers curling to dig nails into the palms of her hands.

"Hey," sensing a storm brewing inside her, Duncan half-rose, slowly reaching out with one hand. "Ease up there,"

At his voice her head lifted, dark brown eyes fixing him directly in a look full of such malevolence that his hand froze in mid-air. Lips pulling back from white teeth, her features twisted into a mask of hatred and rage.

"Easy now," voice low, Duncan steadied himself for it. "No need to get riled,"

She was trembling with restraint, hot fury raging inside her. For an instant, he thought she'd keep it in check, but the next moment he saw it come boiling up.

S~H~E

A soft kiss of sunlight brought me awake, and I blinked sleepily as my eyes came open. For an instant, I forgot where I was, and what had happened, my night plagued with dark visions of my past. The sky on the horizon was a soft hue of rose and ochre, cloudless, a promise of a clear, hot day. Brush swallows flitted on colorful wings as they greeted the new day. Movement caught my attention and glancing across the fire, my gaze landed on the white rider as he stood, stomping into his boots. Despite my slight anxiety about his watching me the night before, he didn't glance my way as he set about refueling the fire and making the morning meal.