Cotton Blossom

Evangeline listened to his careful words, impressed by his poise and good English. When she had first been told of the half Indian brother she had envisioned a foul smelling, poor English speaking savage, as Tim had described him. To her it seemed however that the man was much more humane and polite that her fiancé himself.

"Still," she murmured as she continued to cuddle the animal close. Arathi seemed to be taking a good liking to her, and already Eva found herself falling for the kind creature. It was clear that his obedience was to Wes but at the same time, he enjoyed love from the female stranger. She sighed and continued, "it is unfair that he acts that way. You know, it frightens me when he does that. He never used to act that way... Especially not when he first came to parents. If they knew he had such a temper they would have never sent me here." Her frown deepened as she continued to let Arathi, enjoying the feel of his fur through her fingers.

Standing from the edge of the porch, Eva brushed out her skirts so that they properly covered her again. Arathi soon followed and when she found a stick a few meters off the porch to throw, he barked with excitement. She noticed how he looked back towards his owner however, as though making sure it was alright to play with the young woman.
Eva threw the stick as far as she could into the woods and giggled as she watched the dog dart off. She then stole a glance at Wes and ruffled her skirts around a little bit. "And you know I could really not care much, if Tim did not want me want here. I am a grown woman and we are not married yet... I can choose who I relate to." She grinned playfully at him, her words showing her naive and young age. At twenty she was barely out of girlhood and still had a rebellious streak about her. "You can imagine he gets mad at me pretty often acting like that, right? It wasn't the first time I heard him yell that way. It is worse when he has some whiskey."
 
When those feral eyes look towards Wes, asking to play with the strange yet interesting smelling woman, Wes has no other choice but to comply. Knowing some running will do Arathi well for he will calm down and hopefully sleep restfully at his feet tonight. The Indian never once scolded Arathi for curling up next to him on the wintery evenings or in the sweltering heat he lies on the foot of the bed. Still loyal and still his biggest friend. Liking the way Eva talks, Wes soon lets down his guard bit by bit. Being in her younger years, he remembers himself as curious at the world as she is. Sadly, he knows that Tim won't let this spark of hers last for long. Tim will want to control her. Wes was never one to judge another human being for he has normally been the one being judged. He knows what it's like to have someone look at him and quickly look the other way or pretend that they never heard his question or just clearly look the other way completely.

"Tim will be who he is. You nor me can change that fact." blowing more smoke up into the air, he watches as the gray and black figure darts across the grass and comes back baring a the small offering. "You are very foolish, you know." Wes does warn her but it's not with a spiteful nature. Instead he tells her as if it's a warning for her not to act so irrationally. "For Tim will only clamp down further upon you as you grow closer and closer to marriage. He was never one for trusting people. Every man who so much as looks to you, he will want to cut their ear off." Looking back to Eva, he shakes his head and takes another few puffs, "He has a horrible drinking habit and takes after his father. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for the brown drink." Shrugging, he adds, "I suppose I should thank my father. If only my brother's were so accepting as he."

Thinking of putting out his cigar early and moving inside, Wes quickly pushes those thoughts away too. Indeed she is younger than him but he knows that a man should never ask a lady her age. The tip glows orange again before he speaks. "I wish I could apologize for my brother's actions for he has the howling heart of a hyena. You know, those animals that live..." waving his hand in the air, he is unsure exactly where they live. "Um, well, that doesn't matter. Just know that you'll always be welcome in my company. If you ever need a safe haven from his drunken foolishness. I have long ago pushed away that drink that makes civil men sing to the heavens and troubled men grow angry at the world. MY head is in no need for the clouds that it brings."
 
The young woman was startled by his words but then again, she imagined that they were a result of his life with nature. He didn't seem to know much about talking around a lady... After all, he had just invited a young soon to be married woman into his life and his home.
Still, Evangeline appreciated the gesture, even if she knew that she would never be able to take Wes up on it.

"I know that Timothy is not the ideal husband," she admitted as the dog returned with the stick, dropping it at her feet. Eva smiled at his obedience and threw it into the trees again. "But I dis not have the choice to whom I would marry, just like Melinda and Bethany did not. It's a matter of who my father thinks would make me a good husband. He didn't want me to know the life of the wife of a fwrmer, as my mother did, and so he put me with a businessman." She sighed meekly; she loved her father will all her heart but knew that he had made a mistake in putting her with Timothy. She could only pray that he would calm when they had children. "I certainly do not want to worry him either, but telling him what Timothy is like."

The dog had dropped the stick a little bit farther off and Eva picked up her skirts, walking out towards it. Now that the sun was going down the trees cast angry shadows against the grass. Still, they did not frighten Eva much. She enjoyed nature and its beauty.

"My father merely wanted the best for me... And in the end evens if he drinks more often and yells, I imagine he will still care for me and any children we have. It is certainly not like he has ever tried to hit or rape me." She bit her lip, feeling goosebumps rose on her skin at the mere thought of it.. There was a reason she locked her bedroom door when he drank at night.
Walking back over to Wes and throwing the stick again, "thank you for the gesture though. It does mean a lot to me. I can handle Timothy though, not to worry."
 
"I do not understand." Laughing, Wes knows that he was never one to understand why people marry to gain status instead of for love. Not keeping his confusion for long, he continues, "Well, I don't fathom marriage and its ways anyway. Perhaps that's because I have never met a girl worthy of my love." Glancing to Eva, he fixes his words, "Not that I mean to sound cocky or anything. 'worthy of my love' seems a bit harsh, don't you agree? Love is strange and a rarity in this time." Seeing Arathi bound back and forth a few more times, Wes is now staring into complete darkness, the moon starting to rise. "Well, if he is what your father thinks best, I can see it. For what he has seen is a gentleman with a nice plot of land and money from the city rolling in. Tim, how crooked he may be, does bring in the coins."

Finishing off his cigar, for it was thin and small, Wes taps it out on the floor before throwing it into the fields. Whistling, Arathi brings the stick over to him. "Drop," Wes orders and the stick comes bouncing to the ground. "Good boy," Arathi's tail wags in response. "I am glad that you think you can handle Tim. Just heed my warning and never lose that spark that defines you so. Heeling to his whims will only make your hair grow gray and your heart fall into darkness. Such a pretty girl like you shouldn't be imprisoned to such things." Kneeling down to give that gray fur another rough rubdown, Wes looks up, his green eyes illuminated in the moonlight. "Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to take my leave. Will you be coming in?" Moving towards the door, he opens it, waiting to see what Eva will say.
 
Evangeline knew that his warnings were well founded; no doubt Wes knew the cruel ways of his brothers better than anyone else. His words, however, did not frighten. After moving into the house Eva had quickly learned that her husband to be was not the kind, well mannered gentleman that had captivated her parents when they had first met him at a business meet in town.
As she had mentioned however, she felt better letting her parents merely think that she was enjoying her betrothed and thought him to be a good man. They had coddled and cared for her all her life, and now Eva believed it was her turn to stand on her own two feet, even if it meant withstanding the wrath of that man. She could only hope that marriage and children would cause him to settle, though she knew that was wishful thinking. When wealthy men married the pattern seemed to be they buried themselves in their work and whiskey glasses.

"I think I will stay out here," she admitted, turning to lean against the railing of the porch. She found the night sky, stars twinkling and moon shedding light on the forest beyond, to be rather relaxing. Her eyes visibly saddened, and her shoulders slumped a bit, "I do not like listening to him yell, so I imagine I'll just stay here, until he finally goes to sleep." Eva feared for the day that she would not be able to have such freedoms, but did not express her worries. There was no sense in divulging her most inner thoughts and fears to a complete stranger. Despite the fact that Wes seemed kind and even rather harmless, she knew that he was a still a danger to her. If Timothy ever knew that they spoke so much and so deeply, surely he'd have both of their heads.

When the door closed behind him and the dog, Evangeline turned to the vast line of trees. Back at home, there was no such view; just miles and miles of cotton that seemed to go on forever. She remembered when she was young thinking that was true. To be so naive and sweet... she would give anything. Back then, her parents had been her world, and she had been theirs. Now she felt lost and alone, and felt as though no one could feel the void in her heart. She pined for children, but feared the worst with Timothy as their father.
Leaning down, Evangeline rested her head against the railing, her hands a cushion. Tears pooled in her eyes. It was rare that she broke down, but Wes's warnings had brought forth her first fears. What if Timothy was really a foul as she believed? What if he only got worse, not better, and she turned into a shell of a woman, with no hope or happiness in her heart? Eva had always prided herself in being optimistic and hopeful, but now, it seemed she was already losing that special "spark".
 
"Suit yourself," Wes then closes the screen door, leaving the cool evening breeze free to roam about the house. On the nearest table is an oil lamp to which the indian easily lights with his matches. Coming back out, he hears her talk about not liking him when he is drunk and in a fit of anger. At least Tim hasn't forced himself upon her. Wes, personally, can't see how he hasn't for she is the fairest of the women he has gazed upon. Her eyes draw him in, anchoring him beneath those sparkling blue depths. Only then does her words and actions entertain the indian.

Wanting to turn back towards the porch, Wes wants to assure her that Tim will care for her and love her as a husband should. Had he not been as kind and deceitful when she first arrived as Wes predicts? Sighing, he knows that only time will tell before he receives all of his answers. At least Eva is talking to him, it took Bethany weeks before she would so much as say a single word other than 'hello' and 'how do do you do?'. Oh those had been rough times. Wes would only come to the house if it were a funeral or a wedding. Any balls or summer gatherings would be off the list. He prefers to be alone with his own thoughts and ideas up in the mountains. He believes the air is clearer and the stars shine brighter. There, him and Arathi have the full effect of the world play a symphony just for them to hear. Wild and free is the world and so Wes answers.

Instead, he clicks his tongue at Arathi and keeps the lamp on the small square table. When she is ready, she will be able to find her way back through this house and to her room. Wes, on the other hand, easily finds his way back to the bare wooden door of his own room. Shutting it behind him, he lays his jacket across the desk chair and unbuttons his shirt, looking out his window at the twilight sky. Moving to it, he easily finds the latches and draws the squeaking window up as to get air into his musky room. Arathi is already making himself comfortable in the small bed but Wesinaco doesn't mind in the slightest. Slipping off his pants and hanging them up, he knows a single wrinkle will be frowned upon.

Falling asleep peacefully with his heart beating against Arathi, the pup decides to sleep against him as to protect his master. Throughout the day, his loyal companion sensed the tension, much as Eva witnessed it. When the sun rises, so does Wes. The forest around his family estate is coated in a soft layer of mist. Bounding up from his bed, Arathi is eager for a morning run. Slipping on his leather pants, Wes decides that keeping to a schedule is the best thing he can do for a single day without running might throw his whole week off. Being used to the thin mountain air, Wes slips down the steps of the house and out the door, finding himself running faster and farther than he ever thought possible. When he returns, the sun will be high in the sky for he will stop by the river for an hour with Arathi or just search through the woods and even find a nice stick to carve something, he is not sure yet, out of.
 
When the young woman's tears had dried she had lifted her head and stared out into the trees again. She blinked away the blurriness, and when she finally came to her senses, she noticed a pair of glowing eyes staring back at her from amongst the bases of the large evergreens. Evangeline squinted a bit, and took a few steps towards the crouched animal. In the darkness, it was hard to made out the silhouette.

"Arathi?" she called softly.
The animal's head perked, and Evangeline squinted a bit more. She then proceeded to walk farther out towards the line of the trees, wondering how in the world the animal had gotten out here alone. She was sure that she had seen the dog walk in with his master, but there was no mistaking his wolf-like body and lean, powerful physique.
Crouching a little bit lower to the ground, Evangeline found a stick and waved it around, "come here, boy... you better get inside!"
The dog's head perked, but he began to retreat. Fearing that he would run and get lost in the woods, Evangeline began to go into the forest. She called after the dog several times, waving the stick and even whistling a bit. She could feel the bottom of her skirts getting dirty with mud, but she was intent on bringing the dog home. Eva could see the bond that master and pet had, and she didn't want him to get hunted out here.

~ ~ ~

"You bastard!" Tim's deep voice bellowed that next morning. He was standing on the back porch that Evangeline and Wes had sat on together just the night before, but because of his presence, the air was charged with anger.
As soon as his half Indian brother came into view with his dog, Timothy began to run up to him. His face was bright red and his forehead was slightly sheened in sweat. Melinda and Bethany stood with her husbands on the porch as well, and Bethany looked like she had been crying. Michael rubbed her shoulder gently, but no one made an attempt to stop Timothy, who was charging towards Wes.
When they met in the middle of the back field, Tim's fist flung wildly. He stuck Wes straight in the jaw and wound up quickly for another. His eyes were wild and angry, dark silver in the bright sunlight.

"What'd you do with her?!" he spat, "where's my wife?! Did you rape her and dump her in the river? We know damn well you took her out there, and you fucking bastard better bring me to her!" Bethany audibly began to sob behind him, and she cowered into her husband's chest. Melinda's face looked just as grave, and she clasped her hands tightly in front of her.
 
Running back towards the porch, Wes looks worried to see everyone all crowded around. Slowing down, Arathi at his side, the Indian looks concerned, "What is going on here?" Opening his mouth to ask again when no one answers, Tim's voice rings wildly into the air. Before he can even start to understand, Wes feels a fist make contact with his jaw. The throbbing sensation erupting like a volcano, his body jerking to the side. Still, the tall tree-like Cheyenne stands his ground and does not fall to the ground. After running for all that time, his breath is shallow and the organ beating hard against his ribs and in his temples.

"What?" He questions aloud, his voice honoring him with truly having no idea what is happening. "Where is your wife? I don't have any idea!" Squinting a bit, he hears rape and river and just starts to shake his head, "What? Why would I do such things to a girl like that? She is your wife Tim and I respect her as I respect Melinda and Bethany. I haven't killed -them- have I? Apparently not." He stands again, this time blocking Tim's blows as they may come at him. "Tss, teeeah, whaya," come from his mouth as each threat comes at him. Knuckles of his brother, an arm or even an untrained leg. Arathi's hair stands up on his spine and the dog starts to bark wildly before growling and bringing himself between his master and Tim. Those stained white teeth show, a throaty warning uttering from the beast. If Tim were to strike again, Arathi would pounce without so much as a warning and dig his fangs right into Tim's leg. Not fighting back is the best path and the only option Wes has right now.

"What do you mean where is she? Last time I saw her was at dinner and you went upstairs to drink yourself into a drunken hoot." Shaking his head with disapproval, Wes looks back to the evergreen tree line. Heaving in a deep breath, he shakes his head. "And you didn't think about going to look for her? Get out there, Tim! Find your wife. It's not my fault you can't watch properly over her." Sneering, he starts to walk away, moving of his own methods to try and find Eva and prove to his family that he didn't rape her and kill her. Starting to run again, his muscles are sore and burn from the extra strain. No matter, Wes keeps his course, calling out 'Evangeline!' every so often, hearing it echo through the dense woods before starting off in another direction. He can't help but start to worry for a girl he has only just met for their heart to heart talk on the porch gives him enough reason to care.
 
Pain. It ripped through Eva's limbs, nearly knocking her very breath from her. Her chest and abdomen hurt the most, making it had to breath, much less move. It was like someone had thrown a knife into her skin and was now twisting it around and around, tearing her organs from the very inside.
She didn't know how late into her search she had fallen down the steep hill. When the young woman had realized that the animal was a wolf and not the dog, she had tried to turn around... only to find that there was no distinct path behind her. The darkness of the forest didn't help her, and soon, she was hopelessly lost. It wasn't until the sunlight of morning filtered in through the trees that she finally made consciousness again. She was bleeding from somewhere along her hairline, and every time she tried to stand, she yelped in pain.

She heard the crunch of the trees around her, the sway of the wind, but even as she tried to meekly call for help no one came. She wondered how long it would take for them to realize she wasn't asleep in her chamber, and how much time would pass before she was found. Not realizing how far she had ventured out, Eva wondered if they ever would find her... the thought chilled her, and wrapped her arms around her aching ribs, closing her eyes and praying for a miracle.

~ ~ ~

Timothy was still furious, fire blazing in his eyes. If his brother thought he had been angry before, he wouldn't know what was coming to him. Whether they found the young woman dead or alive didn't matter; Timothy knew that his brother had done something foul, and no matter what the outcome was, he was going to pay.
His other brothers forced him to mount his horse and soon the three of them kicked off into the forest. The trails were narrow and the brush was thick, and the horses couldn't move any faster than they could running. They knew the trails well but knew that Eva, so fresh to the area, would have no way to get out.

Michael and John looked at each other as they strayed behind their brother a bit. "Do you think he did anything?" John asked, raising a dark brow underneath his black cowboy hat.
Michael's own brows knitted together and he looked to Tim, "Can't say. I'd like to say I would not, he never even once looked illy at her. Still, it is not like she just wandered off on her own. At this point, I merely pray we find her alive and in one piece. If Wes spared her, I cannot say the same for the bears and coyotes..."
 
Knowing that Arathi is no blood hound, he cannot smell the scent of clothing just because one is handed to him, Wes soon starts to think that the whole idea of Eva being found is hopeless. "You have to find her, boy." he huffs out, stopping near a small clearing to catch his rugged breath. His calves were on fire, the muscle tight and cramping along with his sides. Never before has he run so much. Having to be out all morning as well as all afternoon, especially when the sun will be at its peak, will be brutal. If he is lucky, he too will make it out alive but sadly, the indian doubts his ability.

A sharp bark comes from Arathi as he bounds ahead of Wes, cutting through the forest brush. Darting after him, Wes comes up to find his dog sniffing out a rabbit hole. Anger spikes in his blood, thinking that his pup is useless but his rational side comes back. Arathi, only being so young, again, is not a blood hound. Assuring himself, he calls Arathi back. By this time, his stomach has started to retaliate against his energy, growling much like Arathi did earlier at Tim. Slowing down once more, Wes moves off the trails to try and find something to eat. Berries? Leaves? Anything just to settle the growling depths.

His brothers headed in the opposite direction and Wes is again all alone to try and find someone who is most likely dead, injured or lost. What could have gotten into that free flowing spirit? Wes wonders internally, looking up through the holes in the canopy, the warm beams of light greeting his shirtless torso. Strong and defined, he knows that his body is nothing to hide away. If anything, walking into the towns shirtless is more of a confidence booster than anything else. Girls swoon if he is in his suit but soon realize he is an Indian, quickly turning away. Still, it doesn't take away from the enjoyment.

Climbing up a rock, he finds a bush of berries and inspects them before diving right into their juicy cores. Not forgetting his place, his stomach soon satisfied, or at least as content as he can for now, Wes sets off once again. What he doesn't know is that the party on horseback has traveled the wrong direction. He, on the other hand, is close. "Evangeline!" Comes his one last shout through the woods, disturbing some nesting birds as they flutter away in a large band. Being close to just giving up, Wes kneels down and just listens to the earth, trying to feel through the ground if she is still out there or not.
 
The voice was so faint, calling her name from the distance, that Evangeline wondered if she had merely imagined it. She was positioned in a shaft of sunlight and her skin was beaded with sweat. Her dress had been torn and ripped in her tumble down the steep hill, and the sun touched delicate areas of her skin, most of them ridden with dirt and debris. her core was still on fire, and as she ran her hands against her skin, she realized that she was badly bruised and bleeding. Perhaps even a broken rib or two; the pain was so immense, she was surprised that her heart was still beating.

Lifting her head only slightly, Eva listens for the voice again. When no sound came she rested her cheek against the dirt again and began to wonder if she was merely halucinating. It had been a good twelve hours since she had fallen, and without proper water or food to eat, she was wilting fast. Eva knew that if she wanted to survive this she was going to have to muster her strength and begin walking, but due to the seering ache in her side, she couldn't bring herself to do so.
She wondered what her father would think when he learned that his daughter was dead. Surely her mother would cry... sob for her only daughter, the sweet thing she had doted and protected. Three weeks after leaving home and she had met her fate.
Pressing her nose into the grass, Evangeline began to cry softly. Her tears soaked the already damp Earth, and she prayed for God to give her parents strength.

And then the sound of footsteps came. Not human, an animal.
Eva straightened and slowly looked to the side. Would she be torn apart by a bear or a wild animal of some sort? She quivered at the thought of it, and tried to focus on the small, wolf-like figure that approached.
When the animal came closer and began to sniff the dirt around her, Eva's breath caught in her throat.
"A-A-A-...A-Arathi," she sobbed, her voice catching in her throat.
Seeming to realize what he had found, Arathi howled and then approached her. He began to nudge at her, and Eva winced, hot tears falling down her face. She knew that Wes wouldn't be far behind the dog, and help would soon come. Eva tried to lift her head and search for his tall, muscular frame among the trees, but the evergreens swam in front of her vision. A few seconds she put her head back down and closed her eyes, her heart beginning to beat a little more steadily against her ribcage.
 
The foul summer heat is less than kind in the forest for all the prickles of the evergreens keep all the heat trapped in instead of letting the world around them breathe. "Come along, boy," the sweating Wes starts to tell Arathi when he darts back into the brush. Rolling his eyes once again, he figures that another scent has caught the poor pup's attention, carrying them away from the matters at hand. Getting ready to scold his pup once again, Wes pushes back the rest of the triangular green fans of the large evergreen trees to reveal the hill and clearing where Eva had fallen. Pulling his shoulders forward, Wes hops down the hillside, balancing his weight well from years of experience.

"Good boy, good boy!" He delightfully calls but all his spirit drains from him once he sees the crimson red down the side of her face. There is no doubt in his mind that she had taken a tumble and as a result, cracked her head open a bit. The worst that could have happened is a wolf or bear biting her but if that were to occur, she would certainly be dead. Nothing more than a corpse and empty promise of a girl. "Evangeline?" Wes asks quickly, trying to assess the damage done without touching her. Seeing her head lay back against the ground, her world go black once more, he gets to work.

Plucking his hatchet from his side, for he won't even go running without it, Wes starts to gather some sort of shelter for the two of them. He knows how the sun drains his energy and he can't imagine the strain it must have put on Eva here. Seeing his mother being so strong against the elements and the world, he assumes that the white women don't know how to survive as his women do. Indians are meant to live off of the land and do all that they can to respect mother nature and all the offerings she gives them. Life is the keystone to other things like food and water. Speaking of which, he sets off again to gather more items.

When she wakes up from another restful sleep, she would notice that it's already nighttime. The sun had just set for the moon is not high in the nighttime sky. Wes is sitting by the crackling flames of the fire, a dead creature mangled to his side away from her. The smell of blood and crackling meat would be evident in the smokey air around them. Being quite the survivalist, Wes took her sleeping moments as a signal for him to try and cure her. He is unaware of the bruising to her ribs for he dare not touch her while she sleep. The only healing he has done is wrap some leaves tightly around her head with his leather belt and some ripped cloth from her dress. Hearing the ground vibrate with her awakening, the kind eyed Indian looks back towards her.

"Why did you come out here?" He asks firstly, the question bothering him ever since he had learned of her disappearance. "How could you be so foolish as to walk into a forest such as this one, one your own?" Shaking his head, Wes tries not to get angry at her, his voice a bit more sour despite his attempts.
 
At first Evangeline had thought that death had taken her; her small form and fair skin were clearly not made for the elements, and her body seemed to be shutting down. Her mouth was parched and her stomach had long since stopped growling, only leaving her with a dull ache in her belly and a clenching in her throat. She blinked the dirt from her eyelashes and tried to focus on the fire made before her. Despite being a safe distance away from it, the warmth of it touched her cheeks and any exposed skin where her dress had been torn.
She finally met Wes's gaze when he spoke to her, and she surprised by his question. She could almost hear the anger in his deep voice, and it caught her off guard a bit; he had been calm and collected, but now it seemed that her disappearance in the forest had changed his demeanor. She wondered exactly why that was; perhaps he was disgruntled about having to search for her, or more than likely, Timothy had blamed him for her missing.

At first when Evangeline opened her mouth to mouth, only air wheezed through her throat. She coughed a bit, and blinked away. When it seemed she had enough breath in her lungs this time, she told him in a shaky voice, "I... I... I-I thought... I saw... A-Ar-A..." She could barely finish the sentence, but seeming to understand what she was trying to say, the dog abandoned his bone and nestled close against her side. The gesture pressed against her bad ribs and Evangeline cried out in pain.

The young woman tried to sit up a little bit, but merely managed to roll onto her back. She stared up at the tops of the evergreens and into the starry night. The fire crackled off somewhere in the distance, and it cast shadows all around them.
Pain ripped through Evangeline even at the smallest movements, as though a fire was raging underneath her skin. She pressed her hand against the right side of her ribcage and tried to suppress the tears that clouded her vision. "O-Ohh," she moaned softly, pressing against the badly bruised, possibly broken area. She had never felt a pain so stabbing and so immense, "it... it... oh, it hurts... Wes, p-please..." Eva was nearly gasping for breath now, the pain so intense she could barely see straight.
 
Upon seeing, and more immediately hearing, that she is in dire pain, Wes calls Arathi back over. Knowing that, again, it's not entirely his fault, Wes cannot help but scold the pup underneath his breath. For the longest time, Wes thought that dogs had a certain scent for pain and discomfort but apparently, his dog isn't quite there yet. "Heel!" He shouts and Arathi comes back to his side, sitting by the fire as Wes moves around him. "Good boy," leaning over, he dawns a kiss upon the matted fur of his companion. More importantly, he kneels before Eva.

"Calm now, you're safe and out of harms way." Without even thinking about it, he kneels over her side and pushes the sweaty hair from her face. Picking some soil from her face, he can't help but admire her beauty. Even when she winces for pain, he does his best to comfort her. His tanned knuckles brush against her cheek, offering all he can. Well, not all he can. The thought of her thirst comes to mind and he pushes back from her watery blue gaze, wishing to find the hallowed out stump of wood where rainwater had collected. Pushing through the shattered core, he reaches the soft center where the gray pool lies. Glancing to and from Eva, he is unsure if he can properly transport the water. If he uses his hands, it's bound to drip out and by the time he reaches her, it's as good as gone.

Having to think on his feet, the Cheyenne breaks a branch off of the nearest tree and starts to cut into it with his sharp hatchet. Hearing her cry out again in pain, he knows of some plants that might assist her. The weighing option is that they're so far away and she will not want him to leave her side, he assumes. Well, it's worth a try in asking. "Eva, there are some plants by the river." starts his voice, calm again just like the night sky above them. The forest is oddly quiet, a few fluttering wings or a hoot of an owl every so often. "But it will be a long walk down there..." looking back to the small camp, he knows how monumental water is for human life. "Will you allow me to carry you there? We will have fresh water as well as medical assistance for your ribs." Chewing his bottom lip, he gingerly adds, "I can always knock you out to transport you, that way you won't feel the pain of having to be carried all the way over there or walk."
 
His touch, so gentle and soft, brought the young woman more comfort than she cared to even realize. Despite the fact that he was her lifetime and she was nearly defenceless she found herself trusting Wes easily. When he pulled away and began to do something to a nearby tree she was impressed by his skill and agility. It was apparent that he had been raised pair Cheyenne and had learned the trades of his people, how to live off the land. Even in her haze of pain and fear Evangeline couldn't help but admire it.

Her big blues stared at him as he requested to take her the river. Since turning over brought her so much agony the young woman knew that being transported so far was going to have her writhing in absolute pain.
Her eyes filled with tears as she looked up at him; why hadn't he turned around and went looking for the other brothers, who would no doubt be looking too. She knew night was falling and the idea of freezing or bleeding to death was heavy on her mind.

She reached out to him, her hand merely brushing the back of Wes's neck as he leans OSS to her. His green eyes are vibrant and determined and Eva couldn't help but put her faith and trust in the native man.
"I... I... That's okay," she nodded her head slowly. She looked at him expectancy, her heart racing a bit, wondering how in the world he was going to put her to sleep safely and soundly. Still, anyway was better than dealing with the agony in her ribs.
 
Seeing her twist and turn only makes him frown again. No woman, especially one as kindhearted as Eva, should have to go through such pain. Every fiber in his body wants to shout out to her and call her out on being so foolish. Wouldn't she have known that Arathi would stay by his side and not just wonder the woods? Yes, he understood what she tried to say with a parched throat and dry words. Yet, he is understanding of why she did it. Now comes the tough part of putting her to sleep without leaving any marks. Choking her would both be uncomfortable and leave marks around her neck that he couldn't have Tim seeing.

Thinking back long ago, his mother taught him a technique for cleanly knocking someone out with only the use of ones fingers. With all of his big heart, Wes cannot help but thank the woman who gave birth to him. Without her, they would both be as good as dead. It had been her training, even though at the time Wes wished to do other activities, that are helping save his brothers' fiance. Not quite remembering how it goes, he might as well give it a shot. He can always crack the butt of his hatchet over her head if it comes down to it. For now, he will try the humane way.

"I must know, before I begin, if you trust me." Coming back over to kneel before her body, he makes sure that she is laying down on the ground as much as she can. Swallowing, he awaits her answer, only thinking briefly on what might happen if she rejects his offer of trust. Deep down, he knows that the only way she will survive is to put her life completely in his caring hands. This is the first time he isn't using his skills only on himself and Arathi so the man does seem a bit nervous. However, his eyes are his windows, pleading with her to accept him and let him help her.
 
Evangeline was now quivering with both pain and fear. She stared up at the man that intended to care for her, looking at his dark complexion and bright green eyes. She could see the worry in them, the fear... More emotion than she had certainly even seen in Timothy's eyes. She was still absolutely amazed that these men were related blood... Like night and day, hot and cold, they were polar opposites.

When he asked about her trust, Evangeline carefully lifted a hand, no matter the pain it caused, and stroked his cheekbone. His bones were hard and protruding underneath her fingertips a sign of his Cheyenne blood. His cheekbones were high and his jaw straight, and had Eva been well, she probably would have explored more of the man with her fingertips.
"I.. I..." She whispered softly, biting her lip. The agony and pain still was coursing through her veins, nearly crippling. She knew that she had to put her full faith in this kind man though if she wanted to make it out of the forest alive. "I'm afraid..."

She closed her eyes and tears leaked out of the corners, and she whimpered, "but... I-I-I trust... Y-you..."
 
"Shh," he calmly whispers to her, knowing that if he can push the fear and dwelling troubles from his features, she too will calm down. Her soft and ample fingers slide across his leathery skin, causing a shiver down his spine. Instead of taking it as a sign of affection, he just figures it's her fascination with his -kind- that lead her to stroke his skin in such a way. "Just, don't," he starts to tell her, slipping his fingers through hers so that he may place her arm back by her side. "Just relax, close your eyes and think of the moment that has made your heart soar. Latch onto it as if it were your last lifeline. Know everything about the moment. Are there smells in the room? The sunlight glistening off of your cotton farm? Know every object's location or every person's face. Dig deeper as if you are a mole digging into the tough earth."

As he speaks, Wes carefully sits at her side, his own fingers pushing the golden strands of hair from her sweaty face. Continuing to soothe her with his voice alone, his amble fingers message her temples. Glancing up every so often, he has to make sure that no sounds of the night come to disturb them. A howling wolf would be enough to make him jump and cause Eva unnecessary pain. Right now, he just needs to focus on his patient. Running his thumbs down her hairline in small circles, he stimulates her. Still speaking of what that one moment could be and all the possibilities that need to be remembered.

"Don't be afraid, you're not alone any longer." Those same tough palms run across her cheeks and around the nape of her neck. Feeling the tightness underneath the skin, he works her shoulders and entire neck until it feels like water. Limp yet comfortable. That pain that once settled over her side should have subsided for he is using a mind of matter technique. The more she thinks about that one moment, the less prominent the pain will be. Leaning down though, he settles a kiss on her forehead, whispering something about her going to sleep now. Indeed, her lids should feel heavy as Wes works his way to the back of her head. Knowing how tired, hungry and thirsty she must be, he works quickly to settle her into a sleepy hypnoses before picking her up and bringing her to the waterside.
 
At first, the world was merely a swirl of colour and sound. She could hear a coyote howling somewhere nearby, and a couple of squirrels chasing after one another, chirping and scattering along the damp Earth. She had never listened to the sound of the wind so closely, never heard Mother Nature's whisper against her ear. She focused on the words that Wes was saying, the gentle kneading of his hands. She never been so close to a man before, so aware of his fingers against her flesh and his breath in her ear, yet she was no longer afraid. She didn't understand it, but she didn't fight, either. It was positively blissful.

Evangeline began to imagine the place where she had grown up; her father's farm, so vast, it seemed to stretch on forever. She recalled one Sunday after Church when she and her elementary school friend, Elsie, had gone deep into the fields. Upon finding a little patch to spread their blanket, the two girls laid with their faces to the sun. They had been merely eleven at the time, barely a girl. They spoke of the boys they fancied at school, and of course Elsie's older brother, William, who Evangeline had adored. She could almost feel the sun against her fair skin, bringing out the small freckles that dotted in her cheeks every summer. The light was warm against her bare arms and eventually, they lifted their skirts too, revealing pale and thin legs to the heavens. It had been blissful, peaceful, and Eva found herself wrapped up in the memory. She no longer heard Wes's voice against her ear or the whispering of the wind. The pain, too, had disappeared. It was like a warm cocoon of safety and bliss, and she melted into it, savouring every moment.
 
Looking up to the night sky, knowing his mother will be watching the very same one on this summer evening, Wes thanks her for all she had taught him. He may have been a very stubborn boy at first but his time chatting with Mother Nature and her children has really opened his eyes. Unlike his brothers who don't take into account the beauty of nature, all they care about is business and money. It's true that Wes has traded with the white men before, giving them animal skins or woven patterns he has made himself. But, for the most part, he lives alone in that secluded home and has come to dislike large crowds or masses of company. Even just being alone with Evangeline seems like too much at times. At least she isn't the annoying, snobby type. Wes reminds himself as he carries her easily through the trees.

Another fire is lit, the babbling brook divulging every secret he has to Wes. He, next to Eva who is leaning up against a fallen tree, lets out a deep breath, letting his muscles relax for a moment. Soon, he will be up and about again, searching for food. Wrapping the cooked meat scraps in leaves, Wes leaves them on her lap, knowing she will be hungry when she wakes up. Incase he isn't there when she awakens, the indian asks Arathi to stay with her. Protection is key in these woods for the wolves are ravenous. Arathi knows to howl if there is any trouble. It's not like Wes will be too far away, wading into the shallow parts of the river in search for salmon or a trout.

He can't help but wonder why Evangeline touched his cheek though. It bothers him. Troubles him. Discomforts him. Shouldn't she be like the other women he has met? Obedient ... ? Shaking his head, he doubts that spirit of hers will ever calm down. Oh dear, Tim is in for some trouble once they get married. In another three months, she will be his brothers property and he will, most likely, take her far away from him. No one trusts the large rocks for they fear being crushed. Wes tries to understand and just accept who he is, but it's hard. Always has been a challenge. His brothers got to go to school in the nearby town or city but Wes had to stay home with the servants. His brothers will all have lovely wives and grand houses. Wes will have his log cabin. He might have wanted his brothers' lifestyle when he was younger but now, he thinks of it only as corruption and greed. Elements he doesn't possess and therefore he would not survive in the business world.
 
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