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| Link | Quote | Stars | Tags | Author |
| 4911644 | Hunter, why did you tie me to stakes again tonight? How long do you plan to do that?" "Until my touch is carved in your heart." | Catherine Anderson | ||
| 3d1e577 | Do we have to tell him right now?" "Honey, if you go to upchucking of a morning before you can reach the privacy, he's gonna know anyway. May as well light his fuse when we're expecting the explosion." | Catherine Anderson | ||
| 5d49bca | Hunter, I have no brothers. are my brother. My wife is dead. My child is dead. My parents are dead. Must I lose another to the ?" Hunter took a deep, jagged breath and slowly exhaled. "Red Buffalo, when my woman takes your hand in friendship, you are welcome in my lodge. Until then, walk a road of sorrow. It is the path you chose." "I never chose to walk apart from you, never." Though it took all his strength of will to do it, Hunter bru.. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| ad62f98 | I will go wherever the Great Ones lead me," Hunter whispered. "You know I will. It's just that I can't see the path they want me to follow. There is no one to lead me." "The path will be there. When you turn your face westward you will , deep within, where to place your feet." Warrior's voice rang with certainty. "I would ask one thing of you, Ride beside me one last time into battle. It will be our final memory of each other, yes?" Once.. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| cc0396d | It is not the way of a Comanche to beat his woman," he rasped. "Just as it is not his way to let her go away from him." | Catherine Anderson | ||
| 74b62b4 | Do you love me, Hunter? Truly love me?" "I have great love for you." "Then take me away from here," she whispered raggedly. "It's the only way for us to have a future together. The only way. Please think about it? If you love me, love me, you won't torture me like this." The words of the prophecy returned to haunt Hunter. Lifting his hand, he touched Loretta's braid and lost himself in the fascinating azure depths of her gaze. As the song.. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| e9f617a | You know, I should start thinking on names. I have to be over two months gone. A name is important. Especially for this baby." "Why especially this one?" Rachel asked, looking up from the bread she was kneading. "Names are important for everybody." Loretta sighed. "Well, with Hunter as the father, I have to think of names he'd approve of." "You call that child Running Water and I'll disown you." -- | Catherine Anderson | ||
| 591d2a7 | Suffering without faith would be like love without hope. | Adrienne von Speyr | ||
| 8e7e3c5 | To Loretta's dismay, the closer they got to her home, the less anxious she was to get there. The time passed too quickly. At dust the next day they stopped for the night at the base of Whiskey Mountain. During the trip, the men had collected slender willow limbs, and they now sat in small groups to make lances, each of which was marked with the maker's feathers. Loretta was at first alarmed, but after Hunter assured her they had no intentio.. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| c4cf448 | What do your feathers say?" "They have my mark. And tell a little bit my life song." His full lower lip quirked in a grin. "My marks say I am a fine fellow--a good lover, a good hunter, with a mighty arm to shield a little yellow-hair." She hugged her knees and grinned back at him. "I bet your marks say you're a fierce warrior, and yellow-hairs should beware." | Catherine Anderson | ||
| 7ea5c64 | What do your feathers say?" "They have my mark. And tell a little bit my life song." His full lower lip quirked in a grin. "My marks say I am a fine fellow--a good lover, a good hunter, with a mighty arm to shield a little yellow-hair." She hugged her knees and grinned back at him. "I bet your marks say you're a fierce warrior, and yellow-hairs should beware." He shrugged. "I fight the big fight for my people. This is bad?" Loretta grabbed .. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| 9760d42 | A-are you going on a raid tomorrow after you take me home?" He glanced up from his work. "With this? His dark eyes filled with laughter as he peered along the crooked shaft of the lance. "Blue Eyes, a crooked such as this would kill my friend beside me." | Catherine Anderson | ||
| d972774 | A-are you going on a raid tomorrow after you take me home?" He glanced up from his work. "With this? His dark eyes filled with laughter as he peered along the crooked shaft of the lance. "Blue Eyes, a crooked such as this would kill my friend beside me. This will say , hello, my friend." "To who?" "To all who pass. You will see, eh?" "You're sure you aren't planning to attack my home?" "No fight. You will be easy." After his lance was .. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| 4a0a050 | You will tell your sons and daughters about me, yes?" Hunter wished he could weep, but the tears were dammed behind his lids, aching and burning. "Yes. And you will tell yours of me?" "I will tell them." Warrior's voice cracked. "Of you and your golden one and the song that led you west. Love her well, The days together are brief." "Yes." Hunter knew Warrior was thinking of Maiden of the Tall Grass. In a husky voice, he added, "Far too br.. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| f99e5c9 | There's something I've been meaning to talk with you about. Bright Star wants you to notice her." "Bright Star?" An incredulous expression crossed Red Buffalo's scarred face. "Wanting ? You are , cousin." "It is so. If you're interested in her, you'd better claim her before someone else does. She's very lovely." "Yes," Red Buffalo said rather dazedly. "You talking about your woman's sister?" Hunter laughed. "She's too shy to approach yo.. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| cbf4eea | This was it, the last time they would ever eat together beside a fire. It was insane to feel sad, but she did. Soon after they finished eating, they arranged their respective beds near the dying fire and retired for the night. Loretta lay on her back, gazing at the stars. Hardly more than an arm's reach away, Hunter slept. At least she guessed he was asleep. She never knew for sure. He could be still as death one minute and on his feet, w.. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| 47c9c50 | Loretta leaped and opened her eyes. Hunter knelt beside her, a dark shadow against the blue-black, starlit sky. "You weep?" "No--yes." Her voice came out in a squeak. "I'm just feeling sad, that's all." He sat down beside her and hugged his knees, gazing off into the endless darkness. "You will stay beside me?" | Catherine Anderson | ||
| cc3de29 | I was just thinking. Once I get home, we'll be enemies again. My people would shoot you if you ever came around. And that--" She sniffed and swiped at her eyes. "That makes me sad. And sort of scared. What if there was an Indian attack? What if I--" She turned her head to study him. "I might look down the barrel of a rifle someday, and it might be at the other end." "I will not lift my blade against you." | Catherine Anderson | ||
| 8b23299 | What if there was an Indian attack? What if I--" She turned her head to study him. "I might look down the barrel of a rifle someday, and it might be at the other end." "I will not lift my blade against you." "But what if you didn't know? What if you went on a raid and I was there, fighting to protect my family and friends? What if I sighted in on some murdering savage, itchin' to blow him off his horse, and it was you?" His eyes were dark.. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| 4474820 | If we meet in battle, I will know the song your heart sings, eh? And you will know mine. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| 0bd913f | I will not lift my blade against you." "But what if you didn't know? What if you went on a raid and I was there, fighting to protect my family and friends? What if I sighted in on some murdering savage, itchin' to blow him off his horse, and it was you?" His eyes were dark pits in his face when he turned to regard her. After a long silence he said, "You would pull the trigger?" Loretta stared up at him, her chest knotted around a huge ball .. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| 4d2f30b | If we meet in battle, I will know the song your heart sings, eh? And you will know mine." She swallowed, trying to read his expression, frustrated by the shadows. "What if it happened? What if you were attacking a farm, and you saw me at one of the windows? What would you do?" "I would salute you. There will be no war between us." "There war between us, though. Our people hate each other, Hunter." He sighed and peered through the gloom at.. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| b13e994 | What if you were attacking a farm, and you saw me at one of the windows? What would you do?" "I would salute you. There will be no war between us." | Catherine Anderson | ||
| c6e4401 | What?" "Make room for me." He lifted the robe and joined her on the pallet. "Wha--you're not going to sleep with me?" " , I am very terribly cold." | Catherine Anderson | ||
| 49a2d6b | Are you sad? About saying good-bye tomorrow?" "No. You will ride in a great circle back to me. The Great Ones have spoken it." "In your song?" She sniffed. "That song has caused me enough grief." He tightened his arm and drew her closer, "Sleep, This last time, at my side." | Catherine Anderson | ||
| cfbeddd | What?" "Make room for me." He lifted the robe and joined her on the pallet. "Wha--you're not going to sleep with me?" " , I am very terribly cold." Loretta suspected he was lying, but she moved over, secretly glad to have him there, her mind shying away from the enormity of what that meant. He rolled onto his side and laid an arm across her waist. Their faces were scant inches apart. Their gazes locked. His teeth gleamed again in a slow smi.. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| fbcdf56 | Sleep, This last time, at my side. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| 82a77ec | This stallion says , how are you, my friend." He ran a muscular arm around the black's neck, moving in close to his shoulder. "He is son to my friend who is dead. Breathe into him so he will know your smell and remember with no horizon." The thought of kissing a horse wasn't particularly appealing, but after witnessing the Comanche's rapport with his other stallion, she couldn't argue that he knew better than she how to communicate with th.. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| 4ad78cc | I'll match my private wife against any man's. | Adultery | ||
| df6a31f | You like?" "I--um, yes, he's wonderful. His left ear isn't notched like so many of the others. Why is that?" "The notched ear says a horse is gentled. He is not. If another puts hands upon him, he fights the big fight." "Then how can I ride him?" "You will be his good friend. Come close." Loretta stepped back instead. "But he's wild." Tightening his hold on her hand, Hunter tugged her forward. "He is friend to me and no other, eh? He carrie.. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| 4512387 | You will trust, eh? I have said words to him. He accepts. Lie forward along his neck and whisper your heart into his ear. Run your hands over him. Tighten your legs around him." Heart in her throat, Loretta did as he told her. She whispered, "Please, horse, don't get mad and kill me." The stallion nickered and sniffed her bare foot, the whites of his eyes rolling. Hunter chuckled. "He smells your fear and asks if there is danger, eh? He sho.. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| 9be5a2d | Let him carry you, eh? Whisper to him. Teach him your hands bring no pain--only good things. He will find sweet grass and listen." "He's so beautiful, Hunter." "Say this to him." Loretta did. The stallion flickered his ears and nickered. While he grazed, she petted him. Just when she began to feel confident, Hunter lifted her off his back. When he took the stallion's line from her, he captured her hand as well, his long fingers curling warm.. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| 7ef9dad | You wish to go?" His jaw felt hard and warm. "I--yes, I wish to go." He moved her hand from his cheek to his chest, forcing her palm flat against the vibrant muscle of one breast. His eyes held hers, relentless and piercing. Loretta yearned to move away but knew she had little hope of breaking his hold. She could feel his heart thumping, a steady, sturdy beat in contrast with the uneven flutter of hers. "You will walk backward in your foots.. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| 1d13d67 | You wish to go?" His jaw felt hard and warm. "I--yes, I wish to go." He moved her hand from his cheek to his chest, forcing her palm flat against the vibrant muscle of one breast. His eyes held hers, relentless and piercing. Loretta yearned to move away but knew she had little hope of breaking his hold. She could feel his heart thumping, a steady, sturdy beat in contrast with the uneven flutter of hers. "You will walk backward in your foots.. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| 163d6c3 | When they reached the river, he turned left. " , Blue Water River. You call it the Brazos, eh?" He pointed ahead of them. " , upstream." Jabbing a thumb over his shoulder, he said, " , downstream. You will listen good, Blue Eyes, and learn. talk is dirt in my mouth." His tone set Loretta off balance. Dirt in his mouth? If he hated the whites so much, why on earth had he taken her? Upstream, downstream, she couldn't remember the words. She.. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| f440836 | Strangling fear surged up his throat. Amy, skirts flying, blond hair a gleaming target, was running in a straight line for the wagons, Loretta right behind her. The white, spying the women, had stopped shooting, but in his peripheral vision Hunter saw a brave aim his rifle. " , no!" Hunter zigzagged his mount into the man's line of fire. "No!" With a vicious kick, Hunter sent his black into a mighty forward lunge, gaining several yards on.. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| add0213 | Still trailing Amy, Loretta spotted Hunter the moment his horse drew out in front of the others. Heaving for air, she stumbled to a stop and glanced over her shoulder. Hunter, broad back to the wagons, sat tall on his stallion, waving his rifle above his head. As if in a dream, she whirled. The sight of Hunter making a target of himself would be painted in full color across the canvas of her mind for the rest of her life. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| eda2ea0 | When he finished his portion, he retrieved the other buffalo fur from where he had kicked it earlier and stretched out on his back beside her. Snapping his fingers, he pointed to the space next to him. Loretta curled up on her side, as close to the edge of the pallet as she could. She jumped when she felt his hand in her hair. When she realized that he had wrapped a length of it around his wrist, helpless rage welled within her. Miserable, .. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| 0499f4d | Slowly the heat from his body chased the chill from hers. Loretta's eyelids grew heavy. The wind whispering in the treetops seemed peaceful now, not frightening. The shifting shadows that had terrified her for hours became just that, shifting shadows. A branch cracked somewhere in the darkness. A large animal of some kind, she guessed. It didn't matter. Wolf, bear, coyote, or cougar, Hunter the terrible was beside her. Nothing would dare c.. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| 7c1f553 | I'm quite a hand on names. Let me think on it." "Something impressive for a boy, Ma." Amy pursed her lips. "You know--like Mighty Fighter. Or Wise King. You gotta remember how Hunter thinks. They give boys grand names." "Swift Antelope, for example?" Loretta grinned." | Catherine Anderson | ||
| 9c306ac | If he was alive, Loretta knew he would come after her. And he had to be alive. She couldn't bear it if he wasn't. Life without him was inconceivable. She prayed as she had never prayed in her life, ceaselessly, with all her heart--for a man she had once hated. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| 68cc7bc | If he was alive, Loretta knew he would come after her. And he had to be alive. She couldn't bear it if he wasn't. Life without him was inconceivable. She prayed as she had never prayed in her life, ceaselessly, with all her heart--for a man she had once hated. She implored God to give her just one more chance--a chance to tell Hunter she would stay beside him and love him, forever with no horizon. If he had died in the attack without knowin.. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| b0605d7 | You will walk backward in your footsteps and go forward a new way?" "I--" He slid her hand upward so it rested on his shoulder, forcing her closer. His height was such that she had to tip her head back to see his face. If he had been a white man, she would have been worrying that he planned to kiss her. But he wasn't a white man. And she doubted gentle persuasion was what he had in mind. He seemed a yard wide at the shoulders, a looming wal.. | Catherine Anderson | ||
| 9fb9fc6 | You will walk backward in your footsteps and go forward a new way?" "I--" He slid her hand upward so it rested on his shoulder, forcing her closer. His height was such that she had to tip her head back to see his face. If he had been a white man, she would have been worrying that he planned to kiss her. But he wasn't a white man. And she doubted gentle persuasion was what he had in mind. He seemed a yard wide at the shoulders, a looming wal.. | Catherine Anderson |