LeClerc 03 - Wild Savage Heart Read Online Free PDF Page A

Indians to pray for forgiveness to animal spirits but he had never heard of a white person, particularly a white woman, doing so. He wondered if it was a calculated move on her part to win his sympathy so that he would take over the chore she so obviously abhorred.
    Perhaps it was that short prayer that changed his mind. Maybe it was the bewildered way Molly studied the rabbit. Whatever the reason, Hawk took his knife from its sheath on his thigh and moved up beside her. He had intended to let her clean the animal without guidance, now he would show her.
    Without a word to her, Hawk began to clean one of the rabbits. He worked slowly, waiting for her to follow each step as he did it. He bit back a grin as her face took on a green hue at the grisly job. His admiration for her moved up several notches when she completed the chore without a word of complaint.
    Molly looked at her carcass and compared it to Hawk’s. He had removed the fur in one neat piece while she had clumps of matted fur scattered all around the rock where they worked. Her rabbit had nicks and gouges, his was clean and smooth.
    “Guess it takes practice,” she mumbled as she knelt and washed the rabbit.
    “You did good.”
    Never had such limited praise meant more. Molly grinned and washed the blood from her hands. While she finished cleaning up both herself and the rabbit, Hawk buried the remains. He rolled his skin, intending to start the cleaning process later that night. He couldn’t help wondering what her reaction would be when she saw him beginning the tanning process.
    They walked companionably back to camp, Molly carrying her cleaned rabbit with a grip much firmer than the one she had used earlier.
    “I did good!” Molly exclaimed to Adam, holding up her pitiful-looking rabbit.
    “I’m real proud of you, honey.” Adam kissed her quickly. “However it wasn’t necessary for you to do such a chore.” He looked at Hawk, his eyes conveying his message. “From here on out I’ll clean the game.”
    “She has to learn,” Hawk said quietly.
    “Not something like that, she doesn’t.”
    “Too much protection could kill her. Do you want her to starve if the day should come when she finds need to provide for herself?”
    Adam’s eyes narrowed. “She’s been gently raised. She’ll learn, but you don’t need to force everything on her at once.”
    “You both have a lot to learn and a short time to do it in.” Hawk’s voice didn’t portray the irritation he felt at Adam’s overprotective attitude. “It’s not going to be easy for either of you. And at times some of the chores are going to be downright unpleasant. She either learns now when I’m here to teach her or she learns the hard way later. The decision is yours.” Molly stood between the two determined men and would have stamped her foot if it would have done any good. The leaf-covered ground would have absorbed any sound, however, probably doing nothing but hurting her foot. But she’d had enough of them discussing her as if she wasn’t there.
    “If you two are finished planning my future instruction, I’d like to get these rabbits cooking. I’m hungry.” Actually, after cleaning the animals, eating was the last thing Molly wanted to do. She wondered if she’d ever want to eat again!
    Molly watched closely as Hawk made a quick spit out of a couple of hardy sticks. He spread the fire out so that it was wide enough to cook both of the rabbits.
    “Fill the coffeepot with water,” he instructed.
    Adam stood to the side, the only signs of his agitation were his white-knuckled fists hanging at his side. When Molly returned from the river with the water she knew words had been spoken between the two men. Adam was working with controlled intensity, preparing their sleeping place. Nathan appeared calm and relaxed but Molly observed the pulsating muscle in his sculptured jaw.
    Hawk poured some of the water into two other pots, then added coffee to the remaining water and set it