Standard Disclaimer: The character of Xena doesn’t belong to me. She came from the talented folks at Renaissance Pictures/MCA, and Lucy Lawless brought the character to life. I just inserted Xena into a story of mine, and I’ll return her shortly.
Violence: Nothing any worse than you would see on Xena, probably a lot less.
Sex/Language: Yes, there is a sexual relationship between two women in this story. If you find this sort of thing offensive, don’t read my stories. If this kind a material is illegal in the state or province where you live, don’t read this. If you are not of legal age, (21) don’t read this. And finally, DO NOT READ THIS AT WORK!!
Historical Accuracy: This is a work of fiction, and as such, events therein are not necessarily true or accurate. Any similarities between names and events are purely coincidental.
This story was one I wrote while taking a creative writing course in college in 1991. I added the character of Tyena, and wrote in the relationship between she and Cody, otherwise the story line is pretty much the same. This is a complete departure from what I have been writing lately. I don’t know if you’ll like it, I’m not sure if it ‘works’ or not. As is the usual procedure in Xenaland, constructive criticism is greatly encouraged, by me anyway. The addy is still the same: fantasysrealm@jccomp.com Give me a holler and let me know what you think.
Daydreams
Part I
by
Fantasy
November 3, 2000
Chapter 1: Ouch!
The wind blew, the lightning flashed, and thunder shook the house with every explosion. This was the fiercest storm of the season. Cody was three blocks from home when the collision occurred and she was amazed she got home at all. Her truck had been towed away and the driver who ran the stop sign was very apologetic, but that didn’t fix the truck, or Cody’s ill temper. Oh well, she could expect little else; this was the crowning glory to an already horrendous day!
Surgeons! Where do they get off? They aren’t any better than anyone else; they just think they are. Cody had taken all the crap she was going to. The abuse had continued all week and the latest insult was the last straw.
"You never seem to get anything right. Where did you get take your training? Cut and Stitch University." Dr. Anthony David Bartlet had gone too far. Cody let him have it with both barrels.
"You know you’re the poorest excuse for humanity I have ever had the misfortune to run across? My dog has better manners. Yes sir, there’s no denying it, you’re a first class asshole, and if you want my opinion, which I’m sure you don’t, you’re not fit to call yourself a human being, let alone a surgeon!"
Well, that didn’t take long to empty out the employee’s lounge. Dr. Bartlet’s face was crimson. No one had ever talked to him like that, although there had been plenty of people who wanted to. No one else had the guts or was stupid enough to let their temper get the better of them. Cody realized she had pulled a real boner, but it was too late now. I was looking for a job when I found this one she thought. She was called to the Chief of Staff’s office and the bad news was broken there. It was Dr. Luis Manuel Hernandez’s job to do the deed.
Cody, you’re one of the finest OR nurses I’ve ever had here. You’re a damn fine department head," the chief said, "but you know how it is, the position I’m in." Yeah save your own butt first. But to be fair, this wasn’t the first time Lu had hauled my ass out of a fire. "Dr. Bartlet brings in a lot of revenue and he wants you out. I’m sorry." Yeah in this day and age with HMO’s and production line medicine, the bottom line wasn’t just a line; it was the only line.
"No problem. I’m sure I’ll find something else. I’m a survivor," Cody said.
No problem indeed. At least she was home and she’d worry about the truck and finding a job tomorrow. Right now a little TV would help take her mind off her troubles. Wouldn’t you know, there’s nothing on. Not to worry, there must be a tape to watch. Thank God for VCR’s! Big Jake, one of John Wayne’s finest. Hollywood hasn’t made a decent movie since the Duke died, she thought, and who knows, she might have liked that kind of life. People always said she was born 150 years too late.
Cody put the tape in, the credits came up, and the familiar theme music began. Cody knew the movie, dialogue and all, by heart. There was something about the characters John Wayne played. Politics aside, she envied his freedom to say anything he liked, to anyone, any time, and no one could say any different. Cody’s thoughts began to wander. Yes, 150 years to late. Now what? When things go bad they really go bad.
"Buzzard, what’cha barking about? I think you bark just to hear your head rattle. You best come in now, lay down on the rug, and behave," she commanded and gave him a pat. Sometimes she was hard on him, but he was a good dog. Her friends said she was making a mistake. No one in his or her right mind would keep a half wolf/half Australian Shepherd. They said he’d turn on her and he couldn’t be trusted. But he was a damn good watchdog, a good stock dog, and he was loyal. Which was a lot more than could be said about some of her friends. Sure, he’d never make it to the Westminster Dog Show, but hey, he had personality!
With the dog settled down, Cody tried to concentrate on the movie, but she was finding it difficult. Her mind kept straying to other things, but that wasn’t anything new. She remembered she was always getting into trouble at school for daydreaming.
"Cody, please explain a dangling modifier," Mrs. Jack-
son had said.
"I’m sorry, would you repeat the question?" Cody had
to ask.
"Miss Fleming, if you would spend as much time paying
attention to class discussions as you do daydreaming, your
grades would show a marked improvement," her teacher scolded.
Still she daydreamed.
"What do you think Buzzard? Would you like to travel back in time, just you, me and the horses? It’d be different that’s for sure."
*******************
There was a cool crisp breeze blowing and April in the lower valleys of the Willamette was still a little chilly. Snow lingered on the higher peaks and ridges. As Cody rode up the hill overlooking the valley, the sun seemed warmer and Cody knew winter was finally losing its grip. The small forest animals were moving out of their winter homes; surely spring could not be far away.
It was easy to lose herself in these mountains. There weren’t any people
around for miles (she was alone for months at a time) and she liked it that way. So what if no self-respecting woman would be wandering these mountains alone. Let the folks in town wonder about her out loud, to hell with them! No one was going to tell her how to live! Least of all them or her domineering mother whom was used to the comforts of Philadelphia’s polite society.
"Christina Lucinda Fleming if you think I’m going to let you run
off to the mountains to live with savages you’ve got another think com-
ing!" Her mother screamed across the formal dining room.
"Pa is not a savage!" I shouted back, "and I intend to go with
him!"
"If you do this, you are no longer my daughter!"
"That’s just fine with me!"
And, at the age of nine, that was the last time Cody saw her mother. But there were plenty of others who would have gladly taken her mother’s place in Cody’s life. Mrs. Howard ran the hotel and café in Fort Hall and she asked Cody to come help her run the place.
"Cookin’ and scrubbin’ was woman’s work. Don’t intend spendin’ my life scrappin’ and fetchin’ for no one else," Cody said point bank and walked away.
"Well I’ll be." Mrs. Howard was offended. "I was only trying to extend a helping hand," she told Mrs. Haskins. "Just who does she think she is?" Mrs. Emmilene Howard and Mrs. Hilda Haskins were the two worst gossips in Fort Hall.
"Really Emmilene, what else could you expect? After all, she isn’t much better than an Indian squaw. What could she know about God-fearing civilized folk like us?" Mrs. Foster hissed. "Why the way she lives with the Indians, and there’s talk she took one of them to her bed, an Indian lover that’s all."
"Hilda you don’t know the half of it. There’s more talk that the savage she took to her bed was a woman!" Hilda was in danger of dying from a severe case of the vapors.
"Emmilene, you don’t mean it? She’s an abomination in the eyes of the Lord. You’re lucky she didn’t accept your kindness. Don’t give it another thought, dear," Hilda said. God what a pair to draw to.
*******************
The sound of gunfire brought Cody up in the saddle. Better take it easy, check things out, there’s no need in asking for trouble. She dismounted, took her rifle, and along with the wolf, crept slowly, cautiously toward the sound of the shooting. She kept to the trees and cover.
From her vantage point, she could see the clearing below. There were five or six braves circling a wagon and another three braves were making off with their stock. The clearing was large, surrounded on all sides save one, with dense forest. The open end lay due west and further west was Fort Hall. Once out in the open, the only thing unwary travelers could do was continue on. All the Indians wanted was the settler’s livestock: horses, cattle, and mules. The settler’s weren’t harmed unless they put up a fight, and the attacks came so swiftly, they were over before the settlers knew what hit them. This was a typical raid.
Cody considered staying put and not become involved, but then she recognized Gray Wolf, Red Cloud’s son. He would become chief one day and was building coup. But the Nez Perce were at peace with the whites, and this raid would only give the settlers an excuse to ask the army to, ",,,protect us from them thievin’ Injuns!" The settlers wanted the Indian’s land and put them on reservations. Cody didn’t particularly care what happened to the settlers. Her sympathies leaned heavily toward the Indians, one Indian in particular, and everyone in these parts knew that, so she decided to go help the Indians.
"C’mon Buzzard, let’s go see if we can save them Injuns from theirselves. Ya know it won’t go easy on ‘em if the army gits wind of this."
She rode into the middle of the fracas. She took her time, and the Indians recognized her immediately: she wore buckskins, moccasins decorated with turquoise, and a long blue headband tied around her dark brown shoulder length hair. Her rifle was in plain view, and she wore a Colt .45 in a holster strapped to her right hip. A long ‘Bowie Knife’ was inserted in her left knee-high moccasin. She rode Dusty, her favorite Appaloosa, led her packhorse Hawk, and along side was her constant companion the wolf dog called Buzzard. She chose her words carefully and delivered them deliberately for greatest effect.
"Does the son of Red Cloud, Great War Chief of the Nez Perce Nation, make war on woman and children?" she asked ignoring the settlers. "Gray Wolf must be getting old and soft. Could it be he is afraid to attack an enemy with teeth and claws? A foe with more bite? Perhaps Gray Wolf will fight this woman, Silver Lynx?" This was a dangerous ploy, but it might work. Gray Wolf’s obvious size would be to his advantage, but many men had underestimated Cody’s fighting skills and never lived to tell the tale. Cody’s short stature and lesser weight were deceptive. Cody’s compact muscular frame contained a great deal of power and strength and Gray Wolf knew it. He decided bravado would be the safest course of action.
"Gray Wolf does not need to prove himself to a mere squaw. He has taken what he wants; we will go to our village. Be warned, perhaps one day he will make the white squaw show proper respect for him," he threatened. His gray eyes were cold and sharp. It was almost as if he was daring Cody to provoke him further, and she almost did, but thought better of it. With shrieks and war whoops the Indians turned their ponies and rode away. But just as Gray Wolf was about to disappeare into the trees, he turned and gave the Indian sign of peace.
Whatever else she was, Gray Wolf thought, she was his adopted sister. Gray Wolf remembered the first time he saw Cody when they were both children. He was the son of a great man and Cody was the daughter of a rancher, a white man who had become friendly with the Nez Perce. At first their visits weren’t anything special, but after a time he began to anticipate their visits and missed them while they were gone. He remembered a chunky round-faced girl with dirty brown hair in total disarray. But after a winter and spring he noticed a change. The chunkiness and round face were gone. She had "…stretched out some. I’m not as rollie pollie anymore, am I?" she asked. He had to admit she was more lithe and agile now and it was more difficult to best her in their running and wrestling contests. There were other things too: she was as a good a tracker as he, she could read sign, and she knew what wild foods and healing herbs were available. She was a formidable adversary, and he’d wondered what he’d do if he had to choose between Cody and his people. He hoped he would never have to find out.
*******************
The man behind of wagon seat finally found his voice. "It’s a good thing ya happened along when ya did. Don’t know how ya did it, but ya sure saved us. Don’t know how we’ll ever be able to thank ya. The name’s Miller, Hank Miller. This is my wife Sarah and our two girls Hanah and Maggie. Sold everything we owned and came out here from Ohio." He just kept rattling on and Cody wished he’d shut up.
"Don’t need your thanks. If I was you, I’d turn this wagon ‘round and head back to where you came from. Y’all will be lucky if you last one year out here. Take my advice and go back home to Ohio."
"We don’t have anything to go back to. ‘Sides them Injuns took our breeding stock. So thanks for your concern, but we’ll go on to Fort Hall." Miller sure was a long-winded fella.
"I ain’t concerned about you folks particularly. Your very lucky you got away with your lives. I care more about the Indians. Be damned if y’all ain’t crowdin’ them out. I’d be fightin’ off the settlers too if it was my land you were takin’. You best be movin’ on. I doubt they’ll be back, but you can never be sure. If ya keep movin’ west you’ll get to Fort Hall before sundown in a day or two." With that, she turned Dusty and Hawk in the direction the Indians had gone. "C’mon Buzzard we got miles to go before dark." They disappeared into the trees with the Millers staring in amazement.
Never met a woman like that afore," Miller said. "Why do you s’pose she would side with them heathens like that? Seems like us settlers are doin’ what’s right. God put this land of plenty here for us to use. It don’t make sense lettin’ it go to waste with them Injuns not knowin’ what they got. Divine Right I call it! Yes sir, we got a right and I intend to use it! Get up there mules," Miller shouted. They headed off slowly in the direction Cody pointed.
Chapter 2: Home
The sun was beginning to set when Cody reached the Nez Perce encampment. Twenty lodges sat in a clearing near a running stream where the Indians horses were grazing. The village was strategically located with sentries set up on the high ridges so every entrance to the camp could be watched. Cody knew her arrival had already been announced and she was spotted long before she reached the village. No one could surprise the Indians. Red Cloud was a shrewd, intelligent man who had been educated in the white man’s school and was a formidable foe. Knowing your enemy was a must in dealing with the white man, and Red Cloud knew his adversary very well. This fact was not lost on the government troops. They were well aware of his abilities as a leader and he was grudgingly admired and feared.
Cody had met Red Cloud as a young girl when she accompanied her father on trading excursions to the Indian camp. She learned a great deal from the Indians: how they lived, their closeness to the land, and the animals who shared the earth with them. Red Cloud was taken by the brash independence of the girl and offered her father three of his best ponies for her. It was a great honor that a mere girl be so highly prized by a Great War chief. To an Indian, the number of horses he owned was a sign of wealth and power. For him to offer three ponies was indeed a remarkable thing. Cody’s father had to graciously decline.
"Red Cloud, my friend, you honor me greatly, but I must refuse your generous offer. I have no sons and my ranch is large. I need my daughter to help with the work. But I would be honored if you allowed her to visit you and your people so she might learn the ways of the Nez Perce."
Thus Red Cloud became Cody’s adopted father and his family became hers and her visits brought them both a great deal of happiness. The visits were a time of peace and contentment for Cody, the opposite of her clashes with the army and the settlers. Cody dismounted in time to greet Red Cloud and Gray Wolf.
"It is good to see my father looking well, it has been a long time since I have seen him."
"My heart is glad to see my daughter is well. Will Gray Wolf dishonor his sister by not greeting her?" Red Cloud’s tone was sharp. But Gray Wolf’s attention was focused on the three Appaloosa colts Cody had been leading, and his pride was still smarting from their earlier confrontation.
"Is it not for me to greet my brother first? Should not he be given this courtesy due his position as first-born son of the great Red Cloud, War Chief of the Nez Perce Nation? I hope my brother is well," Cody said. Cody’s gracious acknowledgment of Gray Wolf’s position was a slick little maneuver indeed. Gray Wolf didn’t respond immediately, and when he did his response was brief.
"My sister is welcome in the lodge of my family. I hope she is well." Cody ignored his icy tone.
"I have brought Red Cloud and his family gifts: a new repeating rifle and shells for Red Cloud so he can feed his family this winter. For my mother Yellow Moon, I have brought skins and bright cloth so she can make warm clothes for the winter. And for my brother Gray Wolf I have brought three of my strongest and swiftest colts so he can lead the young men to victory against the people’s enemies."
"My daughter does not need to bring gifts when she visits. We are truly honored and grateful," Red Cloud replied. Cody glanced around expectantly, as if looking for someone.
"Father, please accept the gifts as my offering for the good of the family and the tribe." Red Cloud followed Cody’s eyes as they darted around the encampment searching everywhere. He knew exactly what her hazel eyes were searching for. "Father…uh…I do not see Tyena. I hope she is well."
"Your friend is at the hot springs bathing, and resting. She will be glad to see you. Go, we will talk more later."
Cody walked down the path that led out behind the camp. A few hundred yards into the forest there was a natural hot spring hewn out of the rocks by nature herself. The secluded spot was a favorite rendezvous for young lovers to sneak away and spend time together alone without prying eyes. The spring was also used for its intended purpose as place to heal both the body and spirit. The spring had a spiritual aura about it that made it a sacred place for the people. As Cody approached, she heard the low contralto voice of a woman humming a Nez Perce lullaby. The woman was truly beautiful. Her long thick black tresses cascaded down her back, the strong muscles rippling in sensuality as she washed her arms and shoulders. The woman stood and walked over to the water that spilled over the rocks to form a natural waterfall. She was tall and muscular; her generous breasts were capped with olive colored aureoles with hard protruding brown nipples. The bronzed skin glistened in the sun as it filtered through the firtrees, which shielded the spring from the path. The beautiful maiden continued to hum as her hands roamed over her exquisite voluptuous form. She cupped her firm globes of flesh and caressed the erect protruding buds. Her mouth opened slightly as a sigh slowly issued from her throat. The woman felt Cody’s eyes on her and opened her own to reveal striking sapphire pools.
It would have been strange for a Native American to have blue eyes, that is if she were an Indian. Tyena had been found as a tiny infant in the ruins if a settler’s cabin. The Paiutes had attacked the small ranch, and killed all the inhabitants. The tiny child had been overlooked and when Red Cloud’s hunting party came upon the cabin they found the baby. A young brave took her home and raised her as his own. A startled gasp brought Cody back from her musing.
"Who is it? Who is there?" Tyena demanded. She moved with cat like grace to her clothes lying by the edge of the pool. She grasped her skinning knife, and raised it threateningly. "I can protect myself. Tell me who is there?" Cody moved out from behind the dense foliage remembering to keep her hands in plain view of the dangerous woman. Finding her eyes pinned to the beautiful woman’s breast made speech nearly impossible.
"Uh…Ty…Tyena, it’s me Cody." The now passive woman rose up out of the water revealing her naked form to Cody’s appreciative view. Cody’s gaze traveled lower to fix her gaze on the dark patch of curly hair at the juncture of Tyena’s thighs. The magnificent form moved gracefully toward Cody’s inert body.
"Cody my love, I have missed you so much." The two women’s lips merged and the kiss became increasingly passionate and lustful. Cody’s small but strong hands roamed over the luxurious contours of Tyena’s soft warm body. Firm and insistent fingers dipped into velvety wet folds seeking the warm creamy juices the taller woman was producing.
"My love, you are so wet and warm. I love you so much. Lie with me and let me love you."
"Yes my darling. Touch me please." The two lovers sank to the soft moss covered ground and explored each others body, and the world fell away as their love was once again renewed and strengthened.
*******************
Cody entered the lodge and looked around. A small fire was lit in the middle of the floor, and smoke escaped up through the hole in the roof. Bear and buffalo robes scattered on the floor served for both seating and sleeping. Few settlers’ homes were any more comfortable than an Indian lodge. Cody hadn’t realized how exhausted she was. Of course the hours she spent making love with Tyena might have something to do with her fatigue. After a good’s night sleep, she would head northwest to her ranch, a trip of forty miles that would take a day or so of hard riding. She looked over at Buzzard curled up by the fire. It wasn’t like him to miss a meal, so he must really be tired. Cody finished eating the meal Yellow Moon had prepared for her and was ready for sleep.
The morning broke cold and crisp with a heavy frost covering everything. Cody got dressed and went down to the stream carrying a buffalo robe. She found a place sheltered from view of the village, removed her clothes, and stepped into the icy liquid. The cold water took her breath away and numbed any feeling in her limbs. Early morning washing was a ritual among the Indians; it was a time to welcome a new day. Not only did one cleanse the body, but the spirit as well. Cleansing the body and spirit was one thing, but she’d just as soon do it the white man’s way: with a tub and hot water. Now lest you wonder why not just use the hot spring? That was used only under special circumstances and only with Red Cloud’s permission. At least she’d learned to perform the ritual quickly. She got dressed and returned to the village. It was time to pack up Hawk and climb aboard Dusty for the long ride home. It seemed like months since she’s left and thank God the trip was over for another year. There was one more bittersweet task to perform: Cody had to say goodbye to Tyena. But when she arrived at her family’s lodge, Tyena was gone. Her mother was beside herself.
"Our daughter has left. All her belongings are gone. Silver Lynx, where could the little one have gone?" Cody and Tyena had argued the previous evening about their enforced separation. Tyena wanted to tell her parents of their love, but Cody was not ready to tell them. Her reason’s were sound too. While female sexual relations were not exactly welcomed, they were grudgingly allowed to exist. But when the time came for a young woman to marry, no exceptions were made. It was expected for every maiden to do her part for the tribal community by giving birth and raising children. Tyena didn’t want to marry anyone except Cody. While Cody wanted to make a life with Tyena, she respected tribal traditions and wanted to discuss the matter with Red Cloud first before Tyena’s parents were brought into the matter. But the strong willed maiden had obviously taken matters into her own hands, and might have just made matters worse by her head strong behavior.
"LittleBird I will find Tyena. She is strong and swift. She will be all right. I think she has gone hunting. Don’t worry, I will see she returns safely." Red Cloud came to stand behind LittleBird, Yellow Moon was standing next to him. LittleBird spoke the words everyone else knew but were afraid to voice.
"I do not think my daughter will return. I think she has found her place. Her place is with Silver Lynx." Gray Wolf overheard the conversation and wasn’t pleased to say the least.
"Father I will go and bring her back." Red Cloud held up his hand to stop his son’s departure.
"No, you will not interfere with what is already planned." Gray Wolf was now furious.
"Tyena is promised to me. I will have her! It is my right!"
"No! You will do as I say. You have no right to her. She is white, and she belongs with her people. It is how it should be."
"But she was raised Nez Perce. She…" Red Cloud placed his had on his son’s shoulder, then turned to guide Yellow Moon away.
"It is finished. We will speak no more of this." And the matter was closed. Gray Wolf was seething. His anger boiling to the point of eruption. He knew he must wait, now was not the time. He dared not oppose his father, he was far too strong, and the warriors still followed Red Cloud. But this was not finished as far as Gray Wolf was concerned.
"We shall see father, we shall see."
*******************
Cody traveled north at a good pace. Dusty was strong and sure, Hawk followed along steadily, carrying the supplies Cody had traded for at Fort Hall. As usual, Buzzard trotted along side of the well-muscled mare, his muscles stretching and contracting, keeping the pace easily. Cody’s thoughts however were elsewhere. Tyena was probably not far ahead waiting. Damn I didn’t want her this way. I wanted to be able to take her away honestly, not steal her like a thief in the night. The woman could be damned exasperating that was for sure.
"Buzzard, take my advice, never take a mate. It’s too damned much trouble." The huge canine cocked his head and yipped lightly. "You don’t have the slightest idea what I’m talkin’ ‘bout do you. Prob’ly just as well. Bunch Creek ain’t far from here; we’ll stop there for the night. I s’pect we’ll we havin’ company for dinner. You knows, camp might already be set up."
Sure enough a small cooking fire was burning in a clearing a hundred yards or so off the well-worn path. Cody rode into the clearing cautiously expecting an attack from her trail wise lover. A voice from the trees above startled her slightly, but she’d be damned if she’d let Tyena know that.
"Bout time you showed up. What took you so long?" Tyena smirked.
"Nothin’ much, just had to cover my tracks good so the whole Nez Perce Nation wouldn’t come high tailin’ it after me for stealing off with the prettiest maiden in the whole damn tribe. Now get your ass outta that damned tree and tell me what the hell do ya think you’re doin’."
Tyena deftly dropped from the tree limb to land softly on the horse behind Cody. She nibbled lightly on a warm ear and neck in front of her. Cody turned her head and allowed her lips to be captured in a long tender kiss.
"Mmm, that was nice, now get you butt offa my horse." Cody pouted.
"Do I have to, I like being close to you." Cody watched Tyena easily flip off Dusty’s back to land neatly on her feet near the fire.
"Damn show-off! Can’t you dismount a horse like a normal person ‘stead a all that flippin’?" Cody grumbled as she climbed down and started to untack the horses. She noticed two rabbits on a spit over the fire and smelled the deep rich aroma of coffee cooking on the fire. Cody jerked her head toward the fire.
"How’d ya know when I’d be here to have supper ready?" Tyena grinned knowlingly.
"I have many skills," she smirked, "actually I’ve been watching you for the last two hours. I knew you’d be here soon. You covered your tracks well. I almost lost you once or twice. Anybody else would have. Sit and eat, I’ll tend the horses." Tyena had moved behind Cody to wrap her arms around her lover and rested her chin on the rancher’s shoulder. "I love you." Cody turned in Tyena’s arms and captured the tall woman’s lips with hers. She tangled her hands in thick black locks and forced her lover’s mouth harder to hers. The kiss escalated and the passion increased each enjoying the taste and texture of their partner’s mouth and tongue. The two lovers broke for much needed air.
"I love you too. I guess you’re right, I’d better eat. I’m hungry. You too Buzzard? How ‘bout some rabbit?" The dog’s tail wagged energetically, and he growled and yipped furiously. "Okay, let’s go." Cody removed her gun belt and settled herself comfortably on the furs laid out next to the fire. She reached over and snagged a rabbit from the spit, burning her fingers in the process.
"Dammit all to hell! Shit these things are hot!" Tyena returned to the fire chuckling at Cody’s ravings. She turned the horses loose to graze in the clearing near the stream. Tyena took the burned digits into her hands, gently kissing each finger in turn.
"There is that better? Here, take this plate and I’ll load you up." Tyena deftly removed the tender meat from the bones with a knife and fork; then she spooned some tubers mixed with wild onions and special herbs to make the food very flavorful indeed. "What? Go ahead and eat while it’s hot." Cody’s eyes never strayed from her beautiful lover as she crouched over the fire tending Cody’s dinner. The muscles rippled under skin bronzed by the firelight. A tantalizing swell of breast was visible spilling over the deer skin vest Tyena wore. Gently Cody brushed long raven hair away from Tyena’s sculpted face and over her back. She kissed the exposed skin of her shoulder and sucked the muscle into her mouth, biting lightly.
"I could really get used to bein’ waited on like this." Cody sat back on the furs and rested her back on the saddle Tyena had laid behind her lover. "You’re a damn fine cook ya know that. This is good eatin’. Thanks." Tyena retrieved a cup and poured the deep rich black steaming liquid for Cody to drink.
"Careful, it’s hot." Cody took the metal cup by the handle and sipped the potent drink slowly. A smile spread immediately over her expressive face.
"Aaahh that’s damn good. Just what I needed." Cody set her now empty plate aside, along with the empty coffee cup. "Now c’mere and snuggle here next to me and tell we what we’re gonna do ‘bout you." The warm sensual body of her lover instantly filled Cody’s open arms.
"We’re going to the ranch and live there. We’ll be together forever." Hmm. Cody wasn’t so sure.
"Just like that huh?"
"Yes just like that."
"Gray Wolf may have other ideas."
‘Gray Wolf can just go to hell." Cody lifted a strong chin to gaze in cerulean pools she would gladly become lost in forever. "I was never promised to him. He just thinks I was. He can go jump off a mountain for all I care." Tyena cuddled deeper into Cody’s arms. They lay there in companionable silence for sometime, letting their love surround them, before Cody spoke.
"I s’pose if I send ya home ya’d just follow me again."
"Yes."
"Why do ya want to follow an old sorry washed-up tracker around all over God’s half acre? Don’cha want a home of your own, with a family? Young’uns?"
"I have a home, a family: you. Wherever you are I am home. I love you with every fiber of my being. If you send be back, I will return to you. Somehow I will find a way to be with you forever."
"Guess it’s settled then. Might as well keep ya; it’ll save me a bunch a grief in the end, won’t it?" Cody could feel a head nod enthusiastically against her chest. "I s’pose there could be advantages. The winters get mighty cold up in them mountains, ‘spec’ly at night." A playful slap connected with Cody’s belly. "Ow! Why’d ya go’n hit me for?" Tyena curled up deeper into Cody’s warm body. "Cold?" A nod. The rancher reached over and tossed another good-sized piece of wood on the fire. Then she reached over and pulled her wool mackinaw over their joined bodies. A contented sigh issued forth from Tyena, a satisfied smile graced her face. "Yep, I can see already you’re gonna be a heap of trouble. Now let’s get some sleep, we got a long day a horseback tomorrow. G’night Tyena."
"Sleep well Silver Lynx, I love you my wife."
"I love you too…wife."
This is the end of Part I