Free T'on Ma by Magnolia Belle

After a few minutes of rest, the warriors mounted their horses, and the trek continued.

    * * *

    "Joshua, have you seen Lana?" May asked as she walked out to meet him in the yard late that afternoon.
    "No. She's not back yet?"
    "No. She left early this morning. I expected her back long before now."
    "She's probably out daydreaming again. You know how she gets."
    "I know. But she wouldn't stay gone this long. I'm worried."
    "All right, May. Nathan and I will go looking while there's still light."
    They came back two hours later, empty-handed. It was too dark to continue searching.
    "I wonder if she's at the Kiowa camp?" Nathan speculated as he opened the door and walked in.
    "If she is, there'd better be a good reason for it," Joshua growled, following him.
    Looking anxiously behind them for Lana, May hurried over from the fireplace. "Did you find her?"
    "I'm sorry, sweetheart. It just got too dark."
    "No! Something's wrong. You go back out there and find her!" May commanded as she jabbed her finger toward the door, frantic.
    "Honey, we'll have to wait until morning," Joshua explained quietly as he reached for her. "We'll miss her trail otherwise."
    Stepping away from him, she cried, "My baby is out there all alone, hurt, or worse. You can't quit!" Her husband's sad eyes finally reached her. Her voice softened. "You can't quit." This time, she let Joshua wrap his arms around her while she broke into tears.
    "We'll find her, May," he whispered into her ear. "We'll find her."

    * * *

    By first light, Joshua and Nathan began the search on horseback again. Within two hours, they found Lana's basket. They also found signs in the patches of dirt that someone had been dragged down to the river. At the river, the horse tracks were plain to see. There were also the scattered beads. Nathan picked them up and put them in his pocket.
    Joshua's jaws flexed as he studied the evidence. "This is gonna kill your ma."
    "Let me go to the Kiowa camp," Nathan volunteered. "Maybe they know something."
    "All right. But then you hurry back."
    "Yes, sir." Nathan turned north while Joshua turned east, toward home.
    Nathan made good time to the camp, cantering most of the way. As he came near, he called for Two Hawks, Broken Man and Crying Fox. They were the only Kiowa he knew.
    Crying Fox came out of his lodge, curiosity clear on his face. Seeing Nathan, he nodded and walked over to him.
    "I need Centas Yi!" Nathan jumped off his horse.
    Crying Fox motioned for Nathan to follow him. In a matter of seconds, they stood in front of Gray Dove's tipi, Crying Fox politely coughing.
    Many Deer stepped out, surprised at seeing Nathan.
    "Centas Yi?" Nathan repeated.
    Two Hawks followed his father out of the lodge and looked questioningly at Nathan.
    "T'on Ma is gone. She's been captured." Nathan gestured toward the southwest and shook his head. He was surprised at Two Hawks' understanding without the need for sign language.
    Two Hawks jerked his head around to stare at his father. "Who would take her?"
    Nathan pulled the beads out of his pocket, showing them to the Kiowa. After one look at the colors, Two Hawks grabbed some of them out of Nathan's palm and threw them violently in the air.
    "Apache! She's been taken by Apache," he growled. "I'm going!"
    "Wait!" his father stopped him. "We have a pact with the Apache. Don't start trouble over a white woman. Let the soldiers take care of this." He jabbed his finger at Nathan. "He's her brother. Let him go. We're moving camp soon. You need to stay here."
    Two Hawks looked in disbelief at his father. Many Deer couldn't really expect him to stay behind and let her be taken, could he? In answer, Two Hawks ducked back into the tipi and emerged a few minutes later, ready to travel, light and fast.
    As Two Hawks jogged toward the horse herd, Nathan ran up beside him and stopped him. "I'm going, too," he announced as he pointed to himself and then at Two Hawks.
    Two Hawks studied him for a moment and then nodded. Within