Wind Warrior (Historical Romance) Read Online Free PDF Page B

finding you to be levelheaded, so I’m going to be honest with you—” She softly touched Marianna’s cheek. “Should anything happen to me, you will have to be the strong one.”
    Shaking her head because she didn’t understand what Susan was telling her, Marianna said, “But you will be with us.”
    “Marianna, promise me something,” Susan said, lowering her voice, but still speaking with urgency. “If you ever do escape and find your way home, tell Cullen for me…that I was not afraid. Tell him I am taking his love with me wherever I go. Tell him…tell him to find another woman to love. I do not want him to spend his life in loneliness.”
    Lillian broke out in fresh tears. “We all are going to die! That’s what you think, isn’t it?”
    With gut-wrenching clarity, Marianna realized what Susan was telling them, even if Lillian didn’t. “If I ever make it back to the fort, I will tell your husband what you said,” Marianna vowed. “I promise Iwill. But let us hold on to hope—we need that.” She brushed a tear away with a grimy hand and looked at Lillian. “Aunt Cora always told me when things look the stormiest, that is the time to look for a rainbow.”
    Lillian glared at her. “What’s that supposed to mean? It’s raining, but there ain’t any rainbow.”
    Susan nodded. “I believe what Marianna’s aunt meant is we must look for the good in any bad situation.”
    “There-ain’t-nothing-good-to-think-about,” Lillian stated, enunciating every word. She glared at Marianna. “You’re just a silly little girl, and we aren’t listening to you anyway.”
    Marianna’s nerves were frayed from Lillian’s constant complaining. Of course they were in a horrible situation, but they had to depend on each other to get through it. “I may be silly, but there is always something good to think about,” Marianna said, cradling her aching arm. Somehow she had to find something to take Lillian’s mind off her fear.
    “For the first rainbow,” Marianna volunteered, “we are still alive. And for the second…” Her voice trailed off—she could think of nothing else to call a rainbow, so she glanced at Susan for help.
    “We have each other,” Susan added guardedly. “Surely that’s worth a rainbow.”
    Silently Marianna nodded her head as she thought about her aunt. In truth, there was no real rainbow in their present situation. She met Susan’s gaze and knew she felt the same.
    What tomorrow would bring, she could not guess.
    But whatever it was, it wouldn’t be good.
    “I want to rest and the ground’s cold and wet,” Lillian whined.
    Susan looked at Marianna and shrugged, both of them silently agreeing that hard wet ground was the least of their worries.

Chapter Five
    Wind Warrior ran across the shallow stream in pursuit of a large buck with twelve points on its antlers. He strung his bow as he ran, never losing sight of his prey.
    He placed his arrow in the bow and took aim without slowing his pace. The arrow flew true and brought the animal crashing down.
    Bending down beside the dead buck, Wind Warrior gently touched each velvety point. “You will feed those who are hungry, my brother. I will take your knowledge and be better for it.” Suddenly Wind Warrior rose to his feet. He listened to the wind and raised his head skyward.
    His eyes widened, and he grabbed up his bow and quiver of arrows and ran toward the village, leaving the buck where it lay.
    Quickly he crossed the river, heading for the other side of the village and into the forest beyond. Once again he placed an arrow in his bow and ran up a small incline, watchful.
    Lean Bear was walking with his young grandson, Small Tree, regaling him with stories of his youth, when an enormous puma appeared on the cliff above them and started following them.
    For long moments, the cat stealthily stalked its prey, its yellow gaze fixed intently on the young boy.
    When gravel rolled down the bluff, Lean Bear looked up and saw the