Page 17 of Training Rain
She conjured up energy she’d have thought gone a moment before, begged the Great Spirit to give her strength and spoke to the wild beasts. She told them to move away from their position. Standing her ground, she kept her eyes wide and watchful. Each animal that drew close she commanded to move away from their position. In spite of the freezing air, sweat beaded on her brow and rolled down her temple to her jaw where it grew cold. Ignoring her discomfort, she continued until the last frantic buffalo charged past.
Then they turned and watched the herd move off over the next hill and out of sight. The ground continued to shake for several moments.
Jess sat down in the snow. Yas piled on his lap, licking his face. “I was raised by an Irishman and a Cajun woman in the heart of the most superstitious region in the United States. So if I didn’t take the last few minutes as a sign, I’d be a fool.”
Rain watched him. He looked almost as exhausted as she felt. She’d never spoken to that many animals at one time before. She’d never been in the mind of such frantic beasts. Unnerving as that experience had proven, she liked seeing Jess’s expression going back to human and not the automaton he had tried to be when she’d upset him.
She asked, “And what does this sign tell you we should do?”
“Get out of the cold and go back to the cabin.”
Her heart settled back into her chest as a wave of relief washed over her.
He pulled himself up out of the snow and put his hands on his hips. “I don’t know how you did it but that had to have been exhausting. I’m ready to drop and I just stood there hoping a two-ton bison wasn’t about to crush us. Hell, I was even worried about that damn dog.”
Yas barked once and licked Jess’s fingers.
“To be honest, I’m not even sure I can make it back to the cabin. I’ve never done anything like that before. I only knew that running would have been futile. When they stampede, they are fast and of one mind. Those hunters must have startled them with the gunfire.” Rain’s legs were wobbly and her head thrummed painfully.
Jess surprised her by taking her hand. “You’ll make it. Come on.”
They were both in gloves, but she looked down at the connection of her hand with his. She would have sworn she could feel the warmth of his skin seeping into her hand and spreading out through her body. “I guess I’ll make it then.”
* * *
Without a fire, the cabin was not much warmer than the outside but at least there would be no wind. The walk back to the ATV had been one of the most difficult treks of her life. Even after Jess had taken her pack, she struggled to take each and every step. Her entire body had tensed as the buffalo raced past. Her mind had also been pushed to its limits. Tears pushed from the corners of her eyes and froze on her cheeks, but she kept walking and said nothing.
With no doors on the vehicle, by the time they reached the shelter of the old cabin her teeth had set to chattering. When she stepped out of the ATV her legs cramped and she collapsed on the ground. She attempted to pull herself up, but her fingers cramped as well. Her body failed her and she didn’t even have enough energy to cry out.
Yas barked and jumped around her. Focusing on the dog helped to keep her calm. A wolf howled in the distance. Rain didn’t have the energy to check how far away the animal was. A moment later, Jess’s strong arms lifted her from the cold snow and carried her into the cabin.
He placed her on the couch, pulled off her boots.
Pain shot from her toes. She thought she held it in, but she must have grunted because he apologized.
She watched dumbly while he expertly built a fire. As soon as the flames caught he walked behind her. Rain couldn’t even gather enough energy to turn and see where he’d gone. A minute later, he returned with blankets. Very delicately he undressed her. He removed every damp piece of clothing, leaving her in only her long underwear before he wrapped several blankets around her.
Yas whimpered.
She looked down and found him at her feet looking up with sweet dark eyes. She wanted to tell him she was okay, but her mouth couldn’t form the words.
“Just relax. I’m going to get you some tea. You need fluids.” His voice got more remote and she heard the clanking of dishes and metal from behind.
Watching the flames, her mind drifted into oblivion. She lost track of time and then Jess was next to her tipping warm tea into her mouth and whispering encouragement. Hours might have gone by or it might have been minutes.
Her mind began to clear.
Jess was under the blankets with her, his warm body helping to chase away the chill. Her nipples pressed against the soft fabric of her long johns. Trying to distract herself from how good it felt to be wrapped in Jess’s arms, she noted the last rays of sun coming through the window. “How long have we been here?”
“A few hours. How do you feel?”
“Better. No more cramping.”
“Did you know saving us would nearly kill you? He bit out.
“I knew it would be difficult to rule that many animals at one time. After the kind of exertion I’d put out all day, it was nearly too much. If we hadn’t trained all day, I don’t think my body would have given out.”
“What about your mind? Because I thought I’d lost you. I wasn’t sure you’d come back.”
