Only 06 - Winter Fire

higher and higher, going with her, holding back winter’s dawn until there were no more words, no more questions, nothing but the elemental union of woman and man.
    She came to him like fire, and like fire she burned, consuming the winter that surrounded them.
    Â 
    Whipped by a cold wind, Sarah watched Ute and Case ride away into the seamless darkness. Hunter had already gone ahead into the night. He would take up a position that would let him cover Case’s retreat.
    If there is one , Sarah thought. Then, quickly, He’s still alive. Don’t think any other away. He’s alive!
    A thin sheet of wind-packed snow crunched beneath the feet of two packhorses. Their hooves bit through snow and cut deeply into the dry soil beneath.
    Rocks , she thought, looking at the bulging packs. Only rocks, except for one of the bags .
    Just like a salted mine .
    Her own saddlebags were fat with silver. The newly polished reales would shine like pieces of heaven in the dawn.
    Along with provisions for a hard ride, the remaining bars of silver bullion were divided among six mustangs. The women would ride two other horses.
    Sarah didn’t want to think about why they were setting off into the darkest part of the night, carrying everything that they needed to survive and build a new life; but Case’s last words to her kept echoing in her mind.
    If we don’t come back, you two run for the Ruby Mountains. Elyssa and the baby will need some of that silver .
    In the end, Sarah had agreed even as she refused to accept the underlying meaning of his words.
    She couldn’t imagine a world without Conner.
    Without Case.
    Shivering, she wrapped Ute’s jacket around herself. The smell of stale tobacco, sweat, goats, and years of campfires surrounded her.
    Case smelled of apples that night , she thought. My God, it seems like a thousand years ago .
    â€œYou awake, gal?”
    Sarah turned to Lola. “I’m awake.”
    â€œYou looked like you was dreaming.”
    â€œJust remembering…Case smelled of apples the first time I met him.”
    The other woman laughed.
    â€œUte smelled like gunsmoke, whiskey, and horseshit,” Lola said. “He was sitting in a pile of road apples, skunk-drunk and shooting at flies. Lordy, lordy, that was a long time ago.”
    Despite her fears, Sarah smiled.
    â€œLot of years I been with that man,” Lola said. “Lot of years. Too many to let him go and get killed by hisself.”
    Starlight turned the older woman’s eyes into glittering black stone.
    â€œYou take them four ponies and run for Nevada right now,” she said to Sarah. “If there’s need, someone can catch up to you quick enough and bring you back.”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œListen, gal, you—”
    â€œNo,” Sarah interrupted calmly.
    Lola sighed and bit off a chunk of tobacco.
    â€œAny chance of changing your mind?” she asked.
    â€œNo.”
    For a time Lola chewed reflectively on the wad of tobacco. Then she spat through a gap in her teeth.
    â€œI suppose you got a plan,” she said.
    â€œI know Spring Canyon better than anyone.”
    Lola grunted.
    â€œAb Culpepper might be mean as a snake, but he isn’t blind,” Sarah said. “He won’t be fooled by Ute for long.”
    â€œDon’t have to be. Bullets ain’t slow.”
    â€œFlesh is,” she retorted. “Come on. We don’t have much time.”
    Quickly Sarah mounted Shaker.
    Swearing through her mouthful of tobacco, Lola climbed aboard her mount. The chunky mustang looked like it was part plow horse.
    â€œWhat about them pack animals?” Lola asked.
    â€œBring them. I have a plan for that bullion.”
    â€œThat’s what I feared. Fool things, plans.”
    It was Lola’s last complaint. Without another word she followed the trail through cold darkness and even colder moonlight.
    Sarah didn’t feel much like talking herself. The closer she got to Spring Canyon, the more foolish her plan seemed. The only part she was certain of was that her destination was nearer than the east rim of the canyon, where the men were going.
    No matter how foolish, anything is better than wringing my hands and waiting to see if Conner and Case are alive , she told herself firmly.
    Besides, they need me. No one else can reach that partof the canyon. From there I can shoot right down into the camp .
    I can make the difference between living and dying