Atty investigated the earthen bowl of spring water. Lifting a palmful to her lips, she sipped it. “I can taste his blood.”
Fortune swept a hand around the rim where blood stains spotted the ground. “It looks like his wound was cleaned here after they quenched their thirst.”
“There are still embers burning,” Paxton informed them. “Someone didn’t do a good job of covering the pit with dirt.” He poked the wood with a stick. Digging out something, he held it up for them to see. “Snake skin. They ate a snake.”
“If the embers are still warm, they shouldn’t be too far ahead,” Renken surmised.
“There are more of those funny marks in the dirt.” Mistelle pointed them out. “And they’re still going west. What do you think’s making them?”
“Maybe a crutch?” Atty surmised. “Definitely not a sword or sheath.”
“Mattox respects his weapons too much to abuse them like that,” Fortune stated. “I’m guessing a tree branch or something.”
“Mom?” Lucien perched his hands on his hips. “Out of curiosity, if we kept going straight,wouldwe come across a Mutah compound?”
Atty tilted her head as she gazed into the distance. “Yes. I think eventually we’d reach Lucky Top.”
“That’s a hub,” Fortune included. “I’m guessing it’s about two and a half, maybe three days by horse. It’s been many a year since I was last there.”
They allowed their horses a chance to drink from the small pool before continuing onward, but this time there was a definite feeling of hope sparkling in the air. Everyone was aware of it. Even Paxton and Renken. It was so potent, it was enough to evaporate the last shreds of exhaustion, giving them all a much needed second wind.
With any luck, they prayed they’d all be reunited before the end of the day.
29
Kill
“How do you feel about prairie dog?”
Caralas looked over at him, her concentration broken. “In what way?”
“As in eating.” Mattox grinned. “Don’t tell me you’ve never eaten a prairie dog.”
“Yes, I’ve eaten prairie dog.” She glanced around at the open terrain. “Where do you see one?”
“There appears to be a small underground burrow just off to our left. See those two mounds? I spotted one sticking its nose out of a hole a moment ago.”
They continued walking. He had abandoned using the piece of wood as a crutch a mile or so back. Although he limped heavily, and going was slow, at least he was able to walk on his own, and didn’t need her assistance, either. Fortunately, the weather wasn’t broiling, and the sky remained cloudy, sifting out most of the sun’s rays.
She stared at the spot he indicated. She could barely make out the barren patch of land, but anything more distinct was a blur to her, and she knew her eyesight was perfect. “How are we going to get to him? They’re fast little devils. You’re not thinking of chasing him down, are you?” When he smiled at her, she pointed to herself and giggled. “If you’re thinkingI’mgoing after him, you’ve got another thing coming!”
Mattox’s smile grew wider. “Hand me your knife.”
“Why not use yours?”
“Mine’s too heavy to throw that long a distance. Yours is lighter.” He wiggled his fingers at her. “Come on. Give.”
She handed it to him.
“Step back and don’t make a sound.”
She moved away to give him plenty of room. They waited for the animal to rear its head again. Or rather, for Mattox to spot it again. The distance had to be a good fifteen or twenty yards.
A dark brown head popped out of the hole again. But instead of disappearing, the animal cautiously crawled out and reared up on its hind legs to survey the area. What seemed like an instant later, the creature flew off its dirt mound.
“Now you can fetch him,” Mattox remarked. “I’ll get a fire started.”
Caralas trotted over to retrieve the carcass. She was impressed to see her knife embedded in the animal’s neck, severing the artery and nearly decapitating it. It had been a clean, quick kill.
