Throwing a frightened glance at the wagons, she threw herself across his body.
"Don't shoot!" Her scream pierced the air. "Don't shoot, damn you! Don't shoot!"
A hush fell over the flats. The whites had already ceased firing, afraid of killing one of their own. The Comanches, even those who had never seen Hunter's golden-haired wife, had been told about her and lowered their rifles. Swift Antelope leaped off his horse and ran out. Warrior, at the far right in the front line, rode forward as well.
The two men didn't waste a second. With gentle hands they pulled Loretta away from her husband. Lifting Hunter's limp body between them, they slung him across his horse. Loretta pushed to her feet, watching in helpless misery as Swift Antelope led Hunter's stallion in among the others and Warrior ran back to his pinto.
"Warrior! Don't leave me here! Please don't leave me!"
Before he rode off, Warrior turned to look at her, his dark eyes piercing, his face stricken. Then he disappeared into the ranks. As quickly as they had advanced, the Comanches retreated.
Loretta, buffeted by the wind, stood alone on the flats until they rode from sight. When she could no longer hear the tattoo of their horses' hooves, she held up her hands and stared at the smears of crimson that stained her skin. The ultimate sacrifice. And he had made it without a second's hesitation, out of love for her. The pain that knowledge caused her ran too deep for tears.
"Don't shoot!" Her scream pierced the air. "Don't shoot, damn you! Don't shoot!"
A hush fell over the flats. The whites had already ceased firing, afraid of killing one of their own. The Comanches, even those who had never seen Hunter's golden-haired wife, had been told about her and lowered their rifles. Swift Antelope leaped off his horse and ran out. Warrior, at the far right in the front line, rode forward as well.
The two men didn't waste a second. With gentle hands they pulled Loretta away from her husband. Lifting Hunter's limp body between them, they slung him across his horse. Loretta pushed to her feet, watching in helpless misery as Swift Antelope led Hunter's stallion in among the others and Warrior ran back to his pinto.
"Warrior! Don't leave me here! Please don't leave me!"
Before he rode off, Warrior turned to look at her, his dark eyes piercing, his face stricken. Then he disappeared into the ranks. As quickly as they had advanced, the Comanches retreated.
Loretta, buffeted by the wind, stood alone on the flats until they rode from sight. When she could no longer hear the tattoo of their horses' hooves, she held up her hands and stared at the smears of crimson that stained her skin. The ultimate sacrifice. And he had made it without a second's hesitation, out of love for her. The pain that knowledge caused her ran too deep for tears.
( Catherine Anderson )
[ Comanche Moon ]
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