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“Benny?”
Cindy called his name again, her voice soft but
demanding.
A part of him had died. Maybe it was stupid, but the
old mare had been one of the few good things in his life. Benny's head hung.
He sat on his heels, and touched the wounds. The blood was thickening now, the
willing heart stilled until that Day when all the dead would arise. Sara would
be there, and Benny hoped she'd plea for his soul before the Wolf of God.
“I love you, old lady.” He bent forward and
kissed her velvet muzzle as he had so many times as a child. Her blood washed
over his face. Benny tasted it. Now a little of Sara would be with him always,
a little of her majesty would be imparted to him.
Just a little more time? Sarafina
implored her Warrior-Guardian.
She stretched her neck and lipped at Benny's hair.
Within the still, cooling flesh a colt struggled to
live. Then he, too, passed away. She called to him, and he ran to her side,
all bluster and bravado. Sarafina bobbed her head one last time at Benny and
with sorrow left him to race the winds of the Forest of the Sun.
I'll be waiting for you, Grey-Wolf Rider.
Benny's voice rose in the Brave-Heart song. A chill
shivered up Cindy's back. She swallowed a lump of fear. Glanced at Donnelly,
she closed her eyes against Benny’s pain and the fear of the song lanced
into her heart. He was using it while he sang.
He ignored them; Benny pressed bloody hand prints on
the mare's side and neck to mark her courage. He wiped her blood on his face
and rose to finish the song.
Grampa Waya's tobacco pouch was still in his back
pocket. He smiled, knowing it hadn't been there when he wanted a smoke an hour
ago. The Project didn't believe in its slaves smoking. Benny sprinkled half
the pouch over the body of the mare.
“Eagle-Mother? I . . . I know I'm not much, but
please take good care of her. She deserves your peace, First-Mother. She died
to save me. I don't deserve-”
He choked off a sob and rolled a cigarette. His
mouth worked, empty of words his mind needed to say. It was over, done. Sara
was free now, forever free.
Benny offered the Tsi:Yu, the smoke, to the
Eagle-Woman and her man, the Sun-Father, and their son, the Wolf. A faint howl
came to his ears. Benny nodded. He finished the cigarette and lay the
smoldering butt on a rock near Sarafina’s head.
“Cindy?” Benny glanced at her and Cindy quaked.
“I'm out a here, lady.”
“No, Benny. I can't let you go.” She held up the
remote. “You mean too much to us.”
“Get bent.” One last time he caressed the mare
in a silent farewell and strode away.
Hands shaking, Cindy pointed the remote at him. In
another minute he would be gone, and this deep in the forest Benny would be
impossible to find.
“One more step, Benny-”
He wasn't listening. She raised it, pointing it
between his shoulder blades. With a muffled sob she let it drop.
Mike dived at it and snatched it up. Twisting around
he clamped down on the stud.
Agonized screams shook the hills.
©2003 StoriesByEmail.com
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