Longwood Second Hunt Day 01-02

"We have similar though no cucaracha, bug instead same idea. In ours bug is found and killed, but comes back because great spirit liked length of hunt." I giggle and shake my head.

"Apache always have much killed stories." Bia giggles and shrugs.

"Is there a point to the story?" Dan groans and shakes his head, I just look at Cucaracha for a spell.

"Of course, watch for little thing like cucaracha, plan on them being around, but no chase. Much to small to catch."

Cucaracha seems to be trying to figure it out. We just fall quiet for a spell, can see the second turn for a farm when Dan turns around. Cucaracha is still puzzling on it I warrant so takes pity on him.

"What she means is plan on them knowing what you are doing, don't look for spies just assume. So when you go do whatever plan on them knowing and protect yourself."

"Standard military planning is to press the attack, not give them a moment's peace." I turn to see him.

"Fine and good, when they are right there. Groups of us however will have scouts out. If you are spotted some to most will fade away and wait for you to move up." Bipin nods.

"Apache do this, we show you some made to look bigger then come up from different place." Cucaracha nods.

"Yes a hammer and anvil situation, many of our officers employ this as well." I shake my head.

"No you not mind right. What we are saying is what you see is not right. Until all of the men are in the fight plan on behind or side." Dan waves his hand.

"Take Janet and myself, once we got rifles we split up. Janet takes high ground when possible and shoots first. Usually yells at them as well so they all look for her. Then I come in and get weapons usually."

"Like I said a hammer and anvil." I sigh and give up, Bipin though opens his mouth.

"No you still not mind. Apache when make an attack on another tribe will advance with good size. Smaller sneak to side while big makes noise. When bigger is met in battle smaller comes in on side. Sometimes smaller goes for women to divide since warriors will run back to protect family. Not often, smaller tend to not live long with long battle."

"So you are saying that you employ dastardly tactics to split forces?" That gets me to turn back.

"Not dastardly, tribe is everything to us. We employ to take on larger force to protect tribe. They split to protect women because no women, no tribe. Cherokee have done this to Apache, where they learn." Cucaracha nods and smiles.

"I get it, we have similar, though our food. With large action we employ a wagon train for food, additional supplies and for medical."

"Yes, have noticed. What say is just because teepees do not assume women there. We are not mindless heathens, we have long history of fight other tribes. Respect and learn." Cucaracha nods.

"On that note I'd like to ask why the fighting farther west." Elan sighs and shakes his head.

"We fight there because we sign treaty, get promised no farther round eye, yet they come anyway. Was with tribe, we fight cavalry and few remain get sent to this place. I was boy then not quite warrior, still not many of us live. Cavalry came on tribe first, shot many while warriors make an attack."

"At least some of the young lived, I am only remaining of my tribe. Me and seven elders lived through the attack. Had to give burial to entire tribe. I only helped on some because elders knew more soldiers come if I stay."

"Why would more soldiers come?" I look at Cucaracha, then at Dan, he sighs and nods.

"My tribe was described as uprising, not all shot or booted. Soldiers had to come to put survivors with another tribe."

"Booted?" This from Cucaracha and Chun.

"Yes booted, soldiers will come in teepees then use boot to save bullets. I had brother, just born when soldiers come. I not have brother anymore." Dan sucks in his breath and looks at me.

The last time I had mentioned this I then beat on the captain that had been there, as a corporal. He claimed they were only supposed to get weapons, we had none besides some knives. He had been in charge of checking supplies. If we had been uprising there would be food stockpiled, according to him there was nothing. I still get mad bout this, but not powerful mad like old. All of the soldiers that took part are dead or not soldier. Captain perhaps is still soldier, but was in charge of reservation.

Shadows getting long when I spot it, a house fairly near to path. No lights on outside, not round eye place. I call a halt and point it out.

"Proper place to hole up for gang, and us. Likely gang was here waiting for our man and supplies."

"How do you know there is no one there?" I sigh and shake my head.

"No round eye there because no light, shadows get long and lanterns are lit. Injun there and fire is lit, no smoke." Cucaracha looks confused.

"I was told injuns don't make smoke when they light a fire." I shake my head.

"No smoke when being hunted or doing hunting. In house, no care, so there is smoke. If make feel better we will advance on house in sly."

I get a nod so wave at Bipin then pull my Winchester. After giving rein on my pinto to Dan I walk toward the house. Bipin falls in step with me then we slow down when Cucaracha comes with. Not for any need of quiet, still two miles to house, but because he is nervous on it.

"Shouldn't we be crawling or something?" We both stare at him a spell.

"Two miles to house, even boots are silent at house."

"What if someone looks out the window?" I look at Bipin and he chuckles into his hand while leaning on me, I am giggling along for almost a mile.

"Little danger, house at angle to us, hard to see."

"Walk to the door or do a proper sly?" I look at Bipin and grin.

"You go around back, I'll go to door. Cucaracha when we get up there you look in window. Silent as can please, perhaps lose boots." Bipin snorts, Cucaracha sighs and shrugs.

"Take longer to take them off then it would to get to the window." I sigh then look at Bipin, all he has is a rifle so I swat him.

"Smelly Apache, I gave you old knife." Bipin sighs and shrugs.

"Traded for new moccasins. Old knife better than knife she had." Well that makes powerful sense.

"Good trade." We are getting close so slow us down.

"I don't have a pistol." We both look at Cucaracha and shush him, then it occurs to me.

"Officer get pistol." He shrugs.

"I'm not at my actual assignment yet. I scored well for cavalry so it was decided I would help hunt down the attacking injuns. I'm here to learn how to keep them on a reservation." Well in a way that makes sense.

"Bipin teach him Apache." He shakes his head.

"Apache not all resist, better teach Spanish." I shrug then usher him off to go around the house.

Figuring I should show Cucaracha proper sly I lead him to the house at angle. Both crouched down a bit and moving slow until window can't see. At the porch I side step up to the edge by the house and get low. One pistol out and other hand feeling wood as I go I creep along below the window. At the door I notice it is not fully closed so pull both pistols then wave to Cucaracha. I'm about to go in the door when Bipin comes around corner and shakes his head, no door or window I figure.

That is a rather odd development, but wave him over to me. He creeps up with his rifle ready and looks behind then nods to me. I push the door open with pistols up to a mostly empty room, there is a stove at least. Rather nice stove, good size top and there is even a pot on it. We look through to find nobody here, and no pull up floor. I head to the door to whistle but Dan has everyone on the way already. They found the path to the house, which looks to not be used much.

"Should look behind, have horse trough and perhaps been used recent." I nod and head around the house.

Bipin is right, this was used recent, at least six horses no more than three days. All six horses with the shoes on so easy track. Dan leads the way around the house with a lantern out and lit. I collect the lantern and follow the track, they didn't head for the path. Instead they take a new way though leads for the main path so likely just headed for it direct to cut time. Cucaracha comes over and hunkers down with me while I'm pondering where they are heading.

"What are we looking at?"

"They have six horses so six men. Perhaps five men, one woman with most of supplies."

"How can you tell?"

"This easy part, six horses behind house left track. Six horse head this way with deeper track, all uniform so either all men with supplies distributed or one woman with most supplies."

"Can you tell how many injun?" I look at him then stand up.

"Only way to tell how many injun with is to see them. Injun no lighter or heavier, all use horse shoe so injun know round eye way."

"Sorry, how do you track horses without shoes?" I head for the house with him behind.

"Horse with no shoe is easier, they only good on soft dirt with rider. Looks similar to shoe except wider. One thing, when tracking Apache and most injun west, they prefer setting up atop cliffs or one side of hill. They post scout on hill so advancing on them is known. Only do so when you wish say to them."

"I'll definitely remember that, why am I learning Spanish?"

He asks this when we go inside house so everyone looks up. Dan rolls his eyes, Chun grins at me then goes back to the stove. Bia is right there helping with the sergeant. This is not so good, the sergeant is not good at vittles, he only knows coffee.

"Spanish is language we use between tribes, easier than staying there for spell to learn each others. I refuse to learn Apache, or teach them Tsalagi so we use Spanish until they learn round eye. Sergeant are we having coffee?" He looks up and rolls his eyes.

"Ach lass I know more than coffee. We did not do beans so we have stew and biscuits. Dan set up beans for tomorrow, all we need do is add water when we pack up." I nod then eye Dan.

"Did you add bacon already?"

"No we will do that in the morning when we cut it." I nod and grin.

"Good, can cut small and make proper chili. Perhaps add coney there is naught around larger." Chun looks up at that.

"How do you know?"

"Horse trough behind house with water, deer and pig would come for water if nearby." Chun sighs and turns a bit pink, though gives me thought.

"Dan do we have extra rifle?" He nods and points at Cucaracha.

"He bought that new one so we have that or his Winchester. Bia and Chun are not shooting with us." I shake my head.

"I ask because they watch horse when we find. Need to give them a weapon, rifle is better than knife." Bia puts her hand up.

"I know how to use a rifle, thought perhaps a soldier but he only wanted rolls. He taught me to shoot at least." I nod then look at Cucaracha, he grins and nods.

"Happily, not really room for both in my holster. I will need it back though."

"Course, Bia is whore and only came to satisfy you men. Chun is same but like women and wants babe. Reminds, you should buy second holster, if need keep Winchester and want new you will need."

"Yeah, I didn't think it would be that tight a fit. There's a town ahead so I can get there and Bia can use for now." I look him up and down then grin.

"New belt, those rifle bullets are bigger and only carry one."

"Need it black." I look at Dan, he shrugs.

"Not sure, if not black we can dye or you can wear both." Sergeant snorts.

"I not see the appeal, sorry sir but I like the Winchester, good gun and carry many bullets."

Cucaracha sighs then we start getting our stew. I go sit with Dan and we all just eat for a bit. It's really good stew with jerky and tater, some spice added. We even have a bag of salt, not terribly large but salt is fairly easy to find.

"I was trained on this rifle sergeant, at West Point we learn all soldiering." Elan looks up.

"Does that rifle have better range than short Winchester?" I look up then at the sergeant.

"Sergeant, do you give the old Winchester to the Apache for hunts?" He nods and shrugs.

"We are unable to give the longer rifle. It being an active duty rifle we are only allowed to use them ourselves."

"Could you sell those and buy the longer rifle?" Sergeant pauses and looks off to the side for a spell.

"I believe so, we only kept them for the Apache to use on hunts."

"Would it be nicer to get rifle Cucaracha has?" We all look at Elan, then look at the soldiers.

"Perhaps, as I said this rifle I was trained on. It is an active military rifle, but need to reload after a shot and slower than Winchester so perhaps agreeable." Sergeant nods and winks at us.

"What he is saying is the heathens won't be feared with those." That gets us to laugh, just too funny.

We go back to eating, it's good stew and we are getting up early. When I ask Bia has a bedroll, she can let Chun use it instead. Chun does not have a bedroll and she turns a bit pink about that. She then tells us Amanda told her to share like I do. I look up at Dan and get a shrug, so I shrug. No telling if'n helps or not, only helps me. Chun and Bia get to work on the dishes with sergeant helping. I have a need that Dan seems to share.

Moving over to the corner we set up our bedroll and I start getting naked. Dan joins me after a moment, Bipin telling Cucaracha and Chun how it works. Then we are climbing under the blanket and my husband comes to me. At first all we do is kiss and it is lovely, then he brings a hand down. He slides a finger in and I'm moaning into the kiss. It seems like no time I'm moving about under him trying to get more. Dan just keeps moving those fingers, kissing me and pressing into my hip with his equipment.

Fairly certain my husband is just as desperate to be inside so I can't help but find stars. Pretty good moan and my hips are bouncing. Once I stop moving quite so readily, Dan does come to me in the way I want. While he is moving to get atop me I hear Chun and Bia voicing their pleasure as well. I feel a little sorry for the sergeant, married and not sharing bed with anyone else. I find it a lovely sentiment that Dan actually shares on his side, I'm free to bed others. Doesn't make a lick of sense but how my husband is, and he's also sliding in so can't think anymore.

Once he is fully buried, he starts moving and I'm moaning at once. My hips start dancing with his because it's just too good. I don't know how long we are moving together, just after a wonderful spell I'm moaning out because I found stars again. Dan just keeps right on poking at me in a wonderful way. Heck I'm working my way up to finding stars a third time, and Dan finds his. According to his grunt he wasn't expecting it but I find stars with his warmth flooding me. I move about under him working all of him into me where it belong.

Dan just collapses atop me, kissing away for a spell. After a bit the kiss ends and we are moving around so I'm lying on him . Course I'm also staring at the wall and that is a bad situation. I swat my husband and point at the wall, he looks at me, then the wall and chuckles. I swat him again so we are moving about again and I can see the door. I also see sergeant, he's in his bedroll lying across the door. Nice thinking though painful for him if someone tries to come in.

"Do you think we should say the books about us while we ride?" I look up at Dan and shake my head.

"I'd rather not remember those until we are done." Dan is silent a bit then nods.

"Alright, I warrant we will send a letter to the company. Maybe they will publish more stories about you."

"Us Dan, and I'd like it if they mention that I'm injun."

"Can try at least, let's get some sleep. I know how early you get up."

Giggling I snuggle up with my husband. I can hear Chun enjoying again, though this time it seems to be a different place. Not really wanting to ponder that one, though I know she's trying for a babe, I close my eyes. Sleep is a bit elusive but finally it comes for me.