Black Water

Chapter 7

"There is no woman Mr. White Cloud, but this is my friend Kuon, he plays with me." Maria drags the boy in front of White Cloud and the boys gives the old Indian a wide smile and extends his hand. White Cloud takes his hand and is surprised at how small it is but he is just a boy so he doesn't dwell on it.

"You're the first Indian I've met Mr. White Cloud!" The boys says his eyes sparkling with excitement. The old Indian gives a nod and a grunt and continues on.

"Let's follow them Maria, I wanna see if there are others!" The boy says as the tour concludes and they head back toward the braves. Lory glances back at Kyoko and watches her walk the pain no where on her face or in her eyes.

'She'd make a great actress!' Lory thinks.

Yukihito tightens his grip on Ren's shoulder his worry obvious as he watches Lory escort White Cloud through the house. When they entered Kyoko's room Ren's fist tightened readying himself for her to be found, but nothing happened. They exited the room with Maria and a small boy. Ren looked closer and was shocked at Kyoko's transformation, she looked a lot like him as a boy. As Lory and White Cloud exit the house with the two children close behind Maria placed a finger over her lips in a 'keep quiet' sign to all the men as they pass by. All the men are stunned with mouth agape but they nod mostly in unison which Maria chuckles at.

White Cloud settles back onto his horse and the braves begin to look less menacing knowing the woman isn't here. White Cloud returns his attention to Lory and speaks.

"We will come again." Then he turns his horse and they all ride away. When they are over the first hill everyone breaths a sigh of relief. Maria gasps loudly and yells. "Grandfather!" Everyone looks at Maria who is staring at Kyoko with a very worried look on her face. Kyoko's complexion is ghost white and she is sweating heavily but her skin feels cold, her eyes are clouded over and hazy.

"Kyoko get off that leg!" Lory demands but Kyoko just stares ahead blankly at the horizon. Ren rushes to her side and speaks gently.

"Kyoko what's wrong." Barely above a whisper she replies.

"No one else will die on my account." Ren speaks again encouragingly.

"No one is in danger Kyoko, look the Indians have left." Kyoko's eyes focus briefly scanning the horizon and the visible grassy plains, seeing no Indians almost immediately she passes out. Ren catches her and lifts her to him bridal style and gently takes her back to her room. Yukihito, Lory and Jelly follow him to the room then they close the door and Yukihito examines the leg again. Everyone else waits in the sitting room awaiting what news will come. Yukihito does what he can, the simple sprained ankle from before now fully broken. Yukihito and Ren splint it while she is passed out and hope it doesn't hurt too much when she wakes.

"I should send out a wire to Sulphur Springs where someone is waiting for her and let them know what happened."Lory leaves the room and goes to the communications room.

Sulphur Springs

The wire transmission comes through at the station and the station manager writes it down and gives it to the young message runner.

"Go to the saloon and give this to that new fella in town, as fast as you can now it sounds important boy." The young boy nods and races off toward the saloon. Just as he enters a bottle whizzes by his head and smashes into the wall. He ducks down under a nearby table and watches the ending fight.

A small group of hired gunman the boy knows only by their call sign 'Vie Ghoul' and the new fella are staring each other down, between them is the owner of the saloon Ms. Aki Shoko.

"I'll have no fighting like that in my saloon!" She says firmly. Both sides back down slowly and return to there own tables. The boy gets out from under the table and bee lines to Shotaro, he shoves the telegram in Sho's face.

"For you mister, it's urgent." Sho looks down at the boy and takes the note, and the boy bolts out of the saloon.

The telegram reads thus:

LME Ranch to Shotaro Fuwa Sulphur Springs URGENT

In regard to Miss Kyoko Mogami/ Had Indian encounter on trail/ Broken leg but safe/Stage burned no luggage/Will keep Miss Mogami until healed about a month/Feel free to come if concerned./

Lory Takarada

Sho rereads the telegram and he couldn't believe it, the luggage was burned!!

'That worthless woman!' Sho thought as he stood and walked over to the bar. "Where's the station?" Sho asks Ms. Shoko, she politely tells him, and as Sho turns to leave he bumps into Reino the leader of Vie Ghoul. Sho mutters an apology and storms out of the saloon. Reino picks up a piece of paper he noticed Sho dropped and realizes it's a telegram. He quickly reads it and a wicked smile graces his lips.

"Kyoko Mogami huh, how tempting, Sho's woman..."