The Heart of a Warrior

The Heart of a Warrior

By

Daniel Running Water

Chapter Twelve

Previously in chapter eleven:

"Cartwright... I caught this damn injun snooping around my plantation," Mark Daniels yelled as he stormed into David's office with a tied up Swift Sparrow beside him. "Now are you going to hang him or shall I do the honors...

Now chapter twelve:

"Swift Sparrow...I asked you to stay in the room while I searched for information about..." Abe stated.

"This is the man..." David began to say, but realized that he'd be better off remaining quite because of Mark. "This is the man that you found roaming around your plantation?" he responded, knowing very well that this man was Abe's lover.

"Damn it sheriff, I just told you that he was, now what are you going to do about him?" Mark angrily asked, looking from David to Abe and then back to David. "Who is this... this stranger?"

"I sir, am the rightful owner of the very plantation that you have stolen," Abe replied, staring bitterly into Mark's dark eyes.

"Ha!" he laughed aloud, "I am the rightful owner and I have a deed to prove it," Mark replied back, now standing nose to nose with Abe.

"David, as rightful owner of the land that Swift Sparrow was so called, trespassing on, I demand that you release him immediately," Abe demanded, his fist resting on his hip as he glared into David's blue eyes, waving his deed in the sheriff's face with the other hand.

"He does have a point Mark... I have seen both deeds and his predates your by over a century," David nervously said.

"Let me see that document," Mark demanded, his face red with anger, but Abe refused to let him see the document.

"You'll see it when we come before Judge Williams," Abe said smiling, knowing that he had Mark over a barrel, legally. "Now are you going to release Swift Sparrow or am I going to do it," Abe demanded.

David walked over to Swift Sparrow and cut the ropes that bound his hands. Swift Sparrow rubbed his wrists where they were raw from the rope.

"Now sir, I am not an unreasonable man, I will give you a week to vacate the premises," Abe said, smiling at Mark and enjoying his victory.

"I will not vacate the house or the land," Mark stated stubbornly, turning abruptly and hurrying from the office.

"I'm afraid that you're gonna have one hell of a fight on your hands," David said looking angrily at Swift Sparrow, who was now standing protectively beside Abe, as his arm rested around Abe's waist.

"Once Judge Williams sees the deed, Daniels will have no choice but to vacate the premises."

"Well if you say so, but I know how vicious that man can be," David said, knowing that his words were true because he was paid dearly by Mark to be at his beckon call. "I only hope that you make it to stand before the judge," he added, causing Abe to start at the warning.

"The sheriff has the look of a bought man in his eyes," Swift Sparrow whispered to Abe.

"What was that injun...I didn't hear what you said," David smugly asked.

"It's not important David, now if you would kindly tell me where the Choctaw are abiding, I'll leave you to more important matters, like kowtowing to Daniels," he said, smiling when David's face began to redden.

Strong Bear and Lone Eagle sat before the fireplace talking about Lone Eagle's vision quest that he would soon be venturing out on.

"My fathers tell me that I am too young for such a quest," Lone Eagle said.

"Gah-ween, my grandson, for your father was just the same age when he and his brother Hawk, made their vision quest. Once you have received your vision, then I shall teach you all the Choctaw ways and what it means to be a warrior."

"Has Silver Cloud made his vision quest yet?"

"Ay-uh and he too was just your age when he made it. Now this is what you will need and must do before you leave to go on your vision quest."

Strong Bear instructed the boy on all that he must do and take, and when they had finished talking, Strong Bear led him outside.

"Now go and prepare those things that I have instructed for you to take and when you are done, go and purify your body in the river."

"Ay-uh great-grandfather," Lone Eagle said, hugging Strong Bear snuggly before hurrying off.

"Where is my husband going," Swift Sparrow asked, watching Abe as he prepared to leave their hotel room, later that evening.

"I need some air... that Daniels man has me fuming," Abe said as he opened the door.

"May I join you," Swift Sparrow asked, rising from the bed where he had been about to drift off to sleep.

"Stay, you are tired and besides, I am not very good company," Abe replied.

"Even at your worse, Walking Tall, you are always good company," Swift Sparrow said and then pulled Abe back into their room and kissed him heatedly. "Just remember that you belong to Swift Sparrow," he felt to add and then released Abe from his arms.

"Now why would you feel that you had to say that to me," Abe asked, looking at Swift Sparrow suspiciously.

"No reason, but there are many temptations out there," he added.

"The only temptation that I have ever fallen for is you, darling," Abe assured him and kissed him hard and long before leaving the room.

"Ay-uh... many temptations," Swift Sparrow whispered as he watched the door close.

"Abe walked along the wooden sidewalk, taking in the various sights that brought back many memories for him. Some were good memories and others, well, they weren't so good.

"Where is your injun lover?" David asked, catching Abe off guard as he stepped from the shadows of an alley.

"Hello David... Swift Sparrow is back in our room resting," Abe told him and then began to walk away.

"So I'm no longer good enough for you, huh?" David asked bitterly.

"David please, let's not rehash our past, but let's leave it as it was, two boys that found a way to learn about sex and moved on."

"You moved on, but for me, I always loved you Abraham," David said as he grabbed Abe's hand and pulled into the shadows of the alley and then pulled Abe into his arms and kissed him heatedly.

"You try that one more time... I'll beat you so bad that you'll not recover until... well you'll be one hurting man," Abe assured him and then when he turned, a fist caught him in the face, dropping him to the ground, unconscious.

"You grab his feet and let's get him on the damn wagon before that injun lover of his comes along," Mark ordered and the two men lifted Abe, placing him on a wagon that they had hidden.

David looked down at Abe and his heart ached, even though Abe had shunned his affections, he still loved him and he hated seeing him like this. David knew what Mark had planned for Abe and he wasn't sure if he could go through with his end of it... murder.

Lone Eagle roamed through the forest and when he got to a small lake, paused. The lake was beautiful as the sun's rays danced upon its water, causing it to appear as if covered with sparkling diamonds. A large waterfall fed the lake and Lone Eagle smiled, remembering how this spot had been mentioned to him and also a cave that lay hidden behind the falls.

"I shall do my vision quest here, in the small cave behind the falls," Lone Eagle said as he hitched his horse to a low branch, so that he could graze and have access to the water.

He grabbed what he had brought with him for the quest, and eagerly climbed the rocky slope until he was standing next to the waterfall's edge. Noticing how narrow and wet the ledge was that would take him behind the falls, he swallowed hard, took a deep breath, and then inched his way along the edge until he was standing before the cave's entrance.

Lone Eagle spent the next hour setting up his camp, building a fire and laying in more wood for the coming night. He looked about his little space and smiled, he was very pleased with what he had accomplished.

"Ay-uh, this shall serve me fine," he said as he sat beside the fire.

He lifted his hands up toward the roof of the cave, in reverence to the Great Spirit.

"Oh great and powerful Great Spirit, I pray that you give me a vision for my life," he prayed, his eyes closed and his head bowed.

He sat quietly for hours, waiting, meditating, and praying, as he awaited his vision. He was just about to get up and go hunt for his dinner, when he drifted off into a deep sleep.

Lone Eagle found himself standing beside a beautiful lake with a waterfall. The lake was surrounded by a thick forest and wild flowers bloomed along its shores with a mixture of exuberant colors and the sweet sound of birds singing filled the air. He gazed at his reflection in the water and gasped when he saw that he was no longer a boy, but a man.

"There you are my husband," a voice whispered from behind Lone Eagle, and he turned to see a grown up Silver Cloud standing before him.

"Ay-uh, I have been taking in the beauty of this lake," Lone Eagle whispered as he stepped into Silver Cloud's embrace.

Silver Cloud's lips took possession of Lone Eagle's in a kiss that was all consuming, causing both men to moan. Breaking their kiss, Lone Eagle became filled with desire and ecstasy when Silver Cloud's hands slowly undressed him. Silver Cloud's lips kissed each spot as it became naked to him.

Lone Eagle lay there awaiting his husband's entrance into him and watching Silver Cloud as he hurriedly undress. Silver Cloud lowered his body down to cover that of Lone Eagle, their mouths meeting in love's sweetest kiss.

"I love you Lone Eagle, more than life itself," Silver Cloud whispered against Lone Eagle's lips.

"Ay-uh husband, for I love you more than the air that I breathe," Lone Eagle replied, pulling his husband's mouth to his, returning his kiss.

As Silver Cloud slowly ran his hands over Lone Eagle's body, all that Lone Eagle could think of, could imagine was how sensuously this was arousing him, causing liquid fire to flow through him, igniting a raging fire in his loins.

Lone Eagle splayed his finger over Silver Cloud's back as Silver Cloud slowly entered him. Lone Eagle's legs were wrapped around his husband's waist, feeling the fullness of Silver Cloud's manhood as it fully impaled him.

"It is always so different, each time that you fill me, darling," Lone Eagle whispered as Silver Cloud slowly began to move within his velvet soft sheath.

Silver Cloud's mouth went to Lone Eagle's in a trembling, hot kiss as his fingers caressed, pinched and kneaded Lone Eagle's nipples, driving him absolutely mindless. Each time that Silver Cloud thrust his manhood deep into Lone Eagle, Lone Eagle sucked in a breath of wild mind boggling pleasure, causing the world around them to melt away into something that was not only magical, but was filled with ecstasy.

Silver Cloud pulled out, moved his mouth down to Lone Eagle's throbbing member, engulfed it and began sucking it hungrily. He urgently ran his lips up and down the length of the shaft, twirling his tongue around the bulbous head before descending again. Over and over he made love to Lone Eagle's cock, urging...sucking until Lone Eagle was moaning for release.

"I'm going to shoot, darling," Lone Eagle cried out, spewing his sweet elixir into Silver Cloud's mouth, causing the man to swallow eagerly, drinking its sweetness until he'd gotten all that his husband had to give him.

Silver Cloud kissed and licked his way back up to Lone Eagle's mouth, kissing him fervently as he positioned his cock to Lone Eagle's rosebud. Lone Eagle cried out with ecstasy against Silver Cloud's lips, his senses reeling with drunken passion when Silver Cloud shoved his cock deep into Lone Eagle's throbbing sheath.

Silver Cloud lavished Lone Eagle with kisses, from his lips, down the slender length of his neck and then engulfed a nipple, sucking and nibbling tenderly, slowly driving Lone Eagle to borders of his mind with ecstasy.

"More darling...deeper, harder and faster," Lone Eagle cried out as he felt a fire ragging through his body as another climax quickly grew.

Silver Cloud thrust faster and deeper, laying his cheek against that of Lone Eagle's. He was shaking wildly with readiness, yet held back and continued to move within Lone Eagle, feeding the fire of Lone Eagle's climax.

"Now my love... oh fuck I'm coming," Lone Eagle howled, shooting his seed between their sweat covered bodies.

Silver Cloud's lips went to Lone Eagle's in a crushing kiss as he made one, two and then three more urgent thrusts into Lone Eagle's heat, before blasting his seed deep into Lone Eagle. Their hips moved in unison as their climaxes erupted together, driving them both into a chasm of pure bliss.

"Oh how I love you Lone Eagle," Silver Cloud gasped out, his ass pile driving his cock harder, faster and deeper into his lover, spewing his seed within.

"I love you more, my heart," Lone Eagle replied, his senses were in overdrive as he slowly drifted away into that warm afterglow.

Their bodies gave one last quake, spasm and then went quiet as they reveled in their love's sweet afterglow. Silver Cloud turned to look into the eyes of his husband and he smiled down at him.

"You must remember this time together, my husband, because this time was but a whisper of what is to be," he whispered and then kissed him, causing Lone Eagle to suddenly awaken.

"Lone Eagle, are you alright?" Silver Cloud questioned, kneeling beside the boy as he came back from his vision.

"Silver Cloud...?"

Abe woke up and found himself bound and gagged. He was sitting in a chair, in fact, he was tied to it. His eyes looked around the small confines of a cabin and his ears listened... a voice...voices coming from another room and he struggled against the ropes that bound him.

"David...that is David's voice and... Mark," he thought as he strained to listen to what was being said.

They were too far from him and besides, they were in another room, so he couldn't make out what was being said.

"You said that you were not going to hurt him," David argued with Mark.

"Listen you spineless shit, if I don't kill him he can identify us, is that what you really want?" Mark asked, a smug smile crossing his lips.

"I can handle Abraham without killing him. After all, isn't it the deed that you are interested in?"

"Damn right I want that deed, it's the only way he can legally take back my plantation," Mark said.

"Then let me go to his Indian friend of his and barter with him... the deed for his life," David suggested, causing Mark to kneed his chin as he considered what David had suggested.

"And just how are you going to throw the suspicion off of us, because we both know that they know I am the one that needs that deed to keep my land?"

"I just know that Swift Sparrow will do whatever must be done to save Abraham's life. After you get the deed, it's our word against an Indian's. As for Abraham, I'll say that I was knocked out also, but left behind, because he doesn't know that I was in on this. We had been talking when you knocked him out," he further reasoned.

"I don't know Davy, this Judge Williams is a clever man and can somehow see right though a lie," Mark said. "No, I don't like the idea and we are sticking to our original plan. I'll have the ransom letter delivered to the front desk at the hotel and once we have the Indian out of the room, you can ransack it for the deed."

"But what about Abraham... you are going to let him go, right?"

"Sure kid...whatever you say," Mark agreed and rather to fast in David's opinion, causing David to wonder.

Swift Sparrow woke with a start and he glanced around the room, noticing that it was now daylight.

"Walking Tall," he gasped, bolting from the bed, "He did not come back."

A knock at the door quickly drew him to the door, pulling it open and seeing a desk clerk standing there.

"This letter arrived a short while ago for you," the man said, his eyes taking in the near nudity of the loincloth clad warrior.

"Who delivered the letter... did you see this person?"

"No I did not," he said, glancing past him and into the room. "Where is the man that is registered to this room?"

"He's out on business...why?" Swift Sparrow suspiciously asked.

"Well... we don't let Indians register here," he sarcastically said, causing Swift Sparrow to take a step aggressively forward and the clerk, several steps back and hurriedly leaving.

Swift Sparrow looked down at the envelope and all that was written on it was the room number, no name. He hurriedly tore open the envelope, pulled out the note and began reading it.

If you ever want to see your friend alive again, you will ride out to the lake that is outside of town and be there within one hour of receiving this message, you will be given further instructions once there. Come alone and do not go to the sheriff with this or else Abraham will be killed.

His mouth dropped open with shock as his mind registered that Abe had been abducted. Swift Sparrow ran his hand through his hair as he began pacing back and forth in the room... what was he going to do? He glanced down at the note once again, studying the hand writing. He had his suspicions as to who might be behind Abe's abduction, because it was only David that called Walking Tall, Abraham, but proving it was going to be another thing.

"Ay-uh, you think yourself to be clever, but Swift Sparrow is cleverer."

He grabbed up his saddlebag and also Abe's, and then hurried from the room. Exiting the hotel, Swift Sparrow gazed across the street at the sheriff's office, noticing David standing in the window, gazing at the hotel.

"So you wait for me to leave," Swift Sparrow whispered, making no sign that he had seen David, but fastened the saddle bags to his horse and then rode off.

Several minutes later, David stepped from his office and once he saw that Swift Sparrow was no where in sight, he hurried across the street to the hotel.

"Jonathon, give me the spare key to the room that that injun is staying in," David demanded of the desk clerk, who hurried to retrieve the spare key.

"Can I ask you sheriff, just why you want to get into his room?"

"I have a sneaking suspicion that he and that white man are up to no good and I am going to search their room to prove it," he lied, rushing off before Jonathon could ask anymore questions.

David climbed the stairs two at time and when he reached the third floor, he paused to look around before scurrying down the hall to Abe and Swift Sparrow's room. He fumbled with the key as he hurried to unlock the door and dropped it. He quickly picked it up and once he had the door unlocked, he opened it and scooted into the room, almost slamming it shut behind him.

The room was dimly lit and he moved quickly as he began looking for where Abe may have left the deed. David knew it had to be in the room, because when Mark had searched Abe, it was no where on his person.

"Where the blazes did he put that damn deed," he muttered aloud.

"Is this what you are looking for," Swift Sparrow asked as he stepped from the shadows, causing David to abruptly turn and his hand to go to his gun. "I would not do that sheriff," Swift Sparrow said, his own rifle now aimed at David's stomach.

"What are you... I could have you arrested for assaulting an officer of the law," David threatened, inching his hand closer to his gun, shocked to see him standing there.

"And I could be hanged for killing you, which I will do if you move another inch toward that gun," he replied, smiling smugly at David.

"What do you want of me," David asked, his hands now up in the air and trembling.

"Not what but who, you are going to take me to where you have Abraham hidden," Swift Sparrow instructed. "And we are going to do it quietly, because I know that Daniels is probably there with him. I promise you, if anything has happened to him, you and Daniels are both dead men," he said assuredly, causing David to go pale.

"It won't be long now and I'll have that deed in my hand," Mark said, gazing into Abe's fear filled eyes.

"Mmmmm," Abe moaned against the gag in his mouth.

"What was that...I'm sorry, I did not quite understand what you said," Mark laughed as he pulled away the gag.

"You'll never get away with this, too many people know about the deed and what I had planned to do with it," Abe bitterly said.

"Well as I see it, the only people that could know are about to be killed, and the sheriff along with you."

"Why David, I thought that the two of you were in cahoots together."

"I hate loose ends, and the sheriff is a very loose end," he exclaimed, working at the knots that held Abe bound to the chair. "I also know what that injun is to you, he's your mate," he said, shocking Abe with the revelation, because he thought that only David knew the truth about him and Swift Sparrow. "You make me sick, a white man taking an injun for a lover."

"He's more of a man than you'll ever be," Abe retaliated.

"We'll see about that, now move your ass over to that bed," Mark demanded, once he had untied the rope. "I'm going to show you what a real man is... now move it," he shouted, shoving Abe hard.

Abe walked over to the bed and when he got there, Mark ordered him to undress. Slowly he began undressing, but Mark was in a hurry, so he lifted his hand in the air and struck Abe across the face.

"Faster damn it," he yelled, causing Abe to undress faster.

Once he was naked, Abe was shoved down onto the bed, and he watched nervously as Mark removed his breeches. Mark tied Abe's hands to the iron posts of the headboard before he climbed onto Abe, parting Abe's legs with a knee.

"Please don't do this, Mark," Abe begged, but his words went unheeded.

Mark placed his hands beneath Abe's legs and lifted them up, positioning his swollen manhood to Abe's entrance. With a sadistic gleam in his eyes, Mark thrust his cock fully into Abe, causing Abe to scream out in pain from the invasion.

Mark gave Abe no mercy; he began to thrust hard and deep into Abe, causing Abe to moan out in pain. Yes Abe was accustomed to being made love to by Swift Sparrow, but Swift Sparrow had always been gentle with him. Abe was not accustomed to being raped; he laid there and with tears welling up in his eyes, accepted his fate.

"Now you how a real man fucks," Mark said, and then lowered his mouth to Abe's, kissing him and forcing his tongue into Abe's mouth.

It tasted foul, of liquor and stale tobacco, causing Abe to gag. Abe bit down hard on Mark's tongue, drawing blood. Mark howled in pain, sat up and began fisting his hand into Abe's face.

"It's going to give me great pleasure killing you," Mark groaned, resuming his merciless thrusts into Abe's tortured ass.

The minutes passed and Abe felt like each minute was an hour, the pain was so intense. It wasn't that Mark was large in size, but it was the brutal intensity which Mark thrust that brought pain to Abe.

"Aaaagggghhh fuck... coming," Mark cried out and then shoved his cock harder and deeper into Abe's ass, blasting his seed into him.

Mark thrust hard and deep once his initial blasts came, filling Abe, causing a soothing flood to ease the burning pain that Abe was feeling deep within.

Spent, Mark pulled his cock from Abe and got up, pulling on his breeches before leaving the room. Abe lay there in tears; his heart was breaking for Swift Sparrow who was riding into a trap.

"Soon we shall be riding together as we take that road to the hereafter," Abe whispered, letting his tears flow.

Swift Sparrow and David stopped their horses just shy of the cabin where Abe was being held. As they ducked behind some bushes, they saw Mark leading a naked Abe from the cabin, with a gun aimed at Abe's back.

"He wasn't supposed to hurt him," David whispered, standing up and rushing toward the two men.

"Damn," Swift Sparrow whispered, moving stealthily around the bushes, trying to gain a position behind Mark.

"Nooooo," David cried out as he hurried toward Mark.

Mark jumped from the suddenness of David's approach and fired his gun, dropping David in his tracks.

"Fuck...damn," Mark cursed, moving Abe over to where David lay.

"Why Mark... you promised to never hurt him," David cried, blood issuing from his chest.

"You were nothing but a damn loose end," Mark snarled, looking down at the man.

"I'm so sorry Abraham, that it had to end like this for us," David whispered, gasping for each breath that he took. "I love you Abraham, I have always loved you," he added.

"I loved you too, but I love Swift Sparrow more," Abe said, now kneeling beside him. "Is he still alive, David," Abe asked, holding his breath and waiting for the answer.

"Ay-uh," he said in Choctaw, knowing that Mark would not know what he said. "Will you... can you forgive me?"

"I forgave you a long time ago, David. Now ask God's forgiveness and go in peace."

David looked up to the heavens, whispered a silent prayer and then closed his eyes as he gave up his spirit to God.

"How touching, but then you'll soon be joining him, won't you," Mark said, pulling up his hand with the gun and aiming it at the back of Abe's head.

Suddenly war whoops cried out and arrows began to fly, reaching their target, deep in Mark's chest. Mark's eyes widen and then he slumped to the ground dead.

Swift Sparrow came running from the place that he was hiding and hurried over to Abe. He helped Abe to stand, pulling him into his strong arms and kissing him hard and long. Soon they were surrounded by several warriors and Chief Grey Wolf of the Mississippi Choctaw.

"Thank you my friend," Swift Sparrow said, pulling away from Abe and embracing the chief.

"We are now even, a life for a life," Grey Wolf said, reminding Swift Sparrow of when Swift Sparrow had saved Grey Wolf's father from being killed.

"Ay-uh my friend, we are now even, but still friends," Swift Sparrow said.

Abe accepted a blanket from one of the warriors to cover his nakedness. His body shivered when he looked down at David, remembering the times that they shared when they had been young teens.

"Swift Sparrow, how did you happen to come here with these Choctaw," Abe asked, looking thankfully at Chief Grey Wolf.

"They found me while out hunting and I explained what was going on here," he explained.

"Swift Sparrow also told me why you have come back to your homeland," Chief Grey Wolf said.

"I wanted to make right a terrible wrong that I had heard about from one of your very own braves, Lone Eagle," Abe said, and he saw the chief's face light up at the mention of the boy.

"My grandson told you about our hardship... but how, because he was taken away many moons ago from his people?"

"He's been adopted by my tribe, Chief Grey Wolf," Swift Sparrow said and then explained about what had happened to the boy and how he came to be adopted by Moon Shadow.

"I am happy for my grandson, but what of his mother, my daughter?"

"I'm afraid that she died of sickness after the man that took her away, deserted her and the boy." Swift Sparrow further explained.

Abe went back into the cabin and dressed. Once he came back out, the bodies of David and Mark had been placed in a travois, ready to be taken back to town.

"Once I explain to the mayor of the town what happened here today, I am going to take my deed over to the land office and make right, this wrong that has been done to your people,"

"Soon my people will once again be on the land that had always belonged to us," Grey Wolf said, embracing Abe warmly before they parted ways.

"Ay-uh my friend, soon you will be home," Abe added.

Parting ways, Abe quietly rode beside Swift Sparrow, the silence so thick between them that one could cut it with a knife.

"Are you going to tell me what has you so quiet, Walking Tall," Swift Sparrow asked Abe.

He remained quiet for a while longer, and then turned to face his husband beside him. "Mark raped me, Swift Sparrow," Abe whispered and then hung his head in shame.

"Look at me, my husband, for there is nothing for you to be ashamed of," Swift Sparrow said, pulling his horse to a stop beside Abe.

Swift Sparrow got down and pulled his husband from his horse and into his arms.

"I love you, Walking Tall, and this to we shall now put behind us," he said, and then kissed Abe tenderly and long.

"What did I ever do to deserve such a sweet man as you, Swift Sparrow?" Abe asked, kissing him back, tenderly.

"Come my husband, there is much to do and then we shall return to our people," Swift Sparrow said, giving Abe one last kiss before resuming their trek back to town.

To be continued...

I am ending it here and the final saga shall begin with the next chapter. Please send your thoughts and comments to danielrunningwater@yahoo.com

thank you. Daniel