“Which way did he go?” Richard said in an angry tone.
“South, but I was hoping he might have come back here,” Sean blubbered.
“He didn’t,” Richard replied sharply.
“I’m so sorry, I tried to find him, but the snow covered his tracks after I lost sight of him. I’ll go back and continue looking for him,” Sean offered.
“No, there is no way we can track him in the dark, on foot, during a storm,” Richard replied as he kicked a large snow covered log with his foot.
“I could stay behind tomorrow and see if he shows up?” Sean suggested.
“No, I can’t afford to lose anyone else, especially my only medic. Just go back to your tent and get some rest.” Richard said in a more civil tone.
“Dakota knows how to survive on his own,” Josephine interjected in an effort to reassure him.
“I know, but I was kind of fond of that little fellow,” Richard admitted.
“He’ll be alright, he’s a smart horse,” Josephine added as she walked Richard back to the camp.
Throughout the night, Richard kept waking up each time he heard the slightest noise, hoping it was Dakota and not the Augs. Neither was the case, and when it started to get light out, Richard searched the nearby woods. When he returned, the clan had packed up their things and were patiently waiting for him.
“Let’s go,” Richard said in sharp tone, as he cut over to an old pack trail that lead towards Chief Mountain.
“No luck?” Josephine asked in a tentative tone.
“Gone without a trace,” he replied. “I just hope the Augs didn’t get him.”
“I won’t leave you,” she whispered in his ear.
“Good, because my heart can only be broken so many times… and if I lost you, I would have nothing left,” Richard replied.
“Nonsense, you will always have something to live for because you believe in humanity. Against all odds you infiltrated the enemy’s most protected facility and broke the chains of our enslavement. You have proven that we are still a force to be reckoned with, and despite the many advantages they hold over us, we can adapt and overcome. Without your efforts and leadership, who knows how many more lives would have been lost to the infectious mosquitoes,” Josephine asserted.
“Luck had more to do with those things than anything else,” Richard replied.
“Where you see luck, I see a man who is courageous, intelligent and daring. A man who is hell-bent on making a difference and would give his life to save another’s,” Josephine insisted.
“I am none of those things,” Richard replied.
“Wrong, you are all of them, and that’s why the vast majority of the clan followed you, a relative stranger, instead of Jake whom they have known for years.” Richard looked away, he knew her overall assessment of him was true, but he had a hard time accepting praise. It was as if accepting the accolades made him superior to others, a persona he despised. Richard felt that everyone had an equal share of unique skills and talents, it was just more obvious in some that others.
By midday, the sun broke through the clouds and the temperature rose above freezing. Richard noticed one of the girls was limping, so he stopped when they came to a small steam.
“Is everything alright?” he asked her.
“I sprained my ankle on a large rock hidden in the snow about a mile back, and it’s really starting to hurt,” Emma replied.
“Let’s have Sean take a look at it,” Richard suggested. A few minutes later Richard came back over to check on her.
“So how bad is it?” he asked.
“I don’t think she can walk on it until the swelling subsides,” Sean replied as he poured cold water over it.
“We’re not out of the Augs’ range yet, is there any way she could limp along another couple of miles?”
“I wouldn’t recommend it, we need to reduce the swelling, otherwise it will only worsen,” Sean replied.
“You’re becoming the harbinger of bad news,” Richard remarked.
“Sorry,” Sean said apologetically.
“What’s up?” Josephine asked when she noticed Richard pacing around anxiously.
“The hair on my neck is tingling,” Richard replied.
“I thought you might be getting irritated about the delay,” Josephine remarked.
“No, I expect delays with a group this big. I just can’t shake the feeling that someone or something is watching us,” Richard replied.
“Really, do you have that feeling right now?” she asked looking around suspiciously.
“Yes,” Richard replied, as he flicked the power button on his pulse rifle.
Then as Josephine was about to tell him he was imagining things, she heard a thud in a dense cluster of trees not more than fifty feet away from them.
“Did you hear that?” she whispered in a nervous tone.
“I did,” Richard replied as he signaled for everyone to get behind him as he aimed his pulse rifle in the direction of the noise. Another thud followed by the sound of cracking limbs drew closer, but the foliage was too dense to identify the source. Richard clutched his pulse rifle with both hands, fearing an attack was imminent when another branch snapped, followed by an unusual snorting sound. Richard placed his finger on the trigger and started to squeeze it when a large tan colored head poked through the tree limbs. “Dakota!” he shouted in excitement and disbelief, instantly lowering his weapon. Dakota trotted over to him and lowered his head so Richard could pet him. “I can’t believe it’s you, what a good boy,” Richard said in a loving tone as he the rubbed behind Dakota’s ears. A moment later Dakota turned his head and neighed loudly back in the direction he had come from, and one by one, seven other horses came out of hiding.
“Holly crap! You found your companions,” Richard said, overwhelmed by the sight. Dakota pawed at the ground as if to signal to the other horses it was okay to come over, and the horses cautiously approached the clan members. After several minutes of sniffing and being petted, the horses settled in and began eating the tuffs of grass that were taller than the snow. Richard carefully inspected each of the seven new horses for injuries, but other than being a little dirty and having some minor scrapes, they appeared to be in good health. He did notice one of them appeared to be pregnant and all of them bore the same cavalry markings as Dakota.
“I can’t believe you found your old stable mates,” Richard remarked. Dakota flicked his ears back and forth, and nibbled innocently at the exposed grass lining the edge of the creek.
“I see your buddy is back, and he has brought some friends.” Josephine said with a smile.
“I know, isn’t it unbelievable! He has his own harem, what a lucky horse,” Richard replied.
“A harem?” Josephine remarked with narrowed eyes.
“It’s a common fantasy. Some girls will do things others won’t,” Richard joked.
“Well, you won’t be needing any other girls besides me,” Josephine smirked.
“Really?” Richard said with raised eyebrows.
“Oh, you have no idea,” Josephine said with a seductive wink that made Richard blush. Realizing that his bluff had been called, he smiled back at her and then went to check on Emma.
“How is your ankle?” Richard asked.
“I’m afraid I’m not going to be able to walk on it for a while,” Emma replied.
“No problem, would you be willing to ride out the rest of the trip on horseback?” Richard asked.
“That would be great,” she replied.
After helping her up, Richard called Dakota over and then he and Sean got her seated.
“Are you good?” Richard asked. Emma nodded, and then Richard signaled that it was time to go.