Lakota

He was watching as he had been for the past several days. Through the trees to where a solitary white woman had set up camp. She didn't have much, just a piece of canvas stretched over a rope that was tied to two trees and an old rifle. She had managed thus far to provide for herself by hunting down a deer and preserving the meat but how could she not be aware that this was Lakota Territory? Had she not been warned? Where had she come from?

Her head perked up as if listening for something and he stiffened although this entire time he had been very careful not to be seen and not to make a sound.

"alright whoever you are show yourself" She challenged standing up "you've been watching me since I made camp and I'll have you know I can shoot this rifle just fine."

He didn't understand her words obviously but her tone of voice was not mistaken, she was ready to fight anything that came at her. He had to hold back a burst of all out laughter at the thought of some small skinny white woman in a fancy dress coming after him. She wouldn't stand a chance.

"don't tell me you are afraid, Show yourself coward" She shouted holding her rifle ready to shoot and walking a straight line forward from her tent. He stood slowly and moved around the tree he was using to hide himself waiting until she passed then moved being very careful to keep silent. In one very swift move he swung around the tree coming up behind her placing a hand over her mouth and his other arm around her waist to immobilize her. What he didn't count on was her going wild kicking him in the shins and using the but end of the rifle to jab him in the ribs. He held her in place despite the pain and used the hand he'd had over her mouth to grab at the rifle. A shot was fired but she would not let go of it and continued grinding the heels of her hard shoes either into his feet or shins. He knew that if he were to let go of this woman she would likely turn around and shoot him leaving only one option. The woman stopped struggling when the blade of a knife was placed at her throat. She knew that he wanted her to throw the rifle down but an obvious stubborn streak drove her to hold on to it as if it where the last guarantee of freedom. Only when he used the knife to make a small cut did she throw it down.

He immediately spun the woman around hoisting her over his shoulder and walking through the trees to where his horse was tied. She was just a little thing although the amount of struggle she put up was surprising until he began to hike up the skirt of her dress threatening to expose parts she would prefer remain covered. She fought that too but realized that it was too hard to pull her dress down from this particular position and that he would keep pulling up the skirt if she did not cease struggling. For now this Indian man would have his way, but not for long.

Naomi Harding had run from her parents death and a persistent man who insisted on marriage as opposed to being accused of setting the fire that had killed her parents and younger sister as well as destroying the mercantile that they had spent their whole lives working and making a success in. She was just as sure that he had set the fire to get to her and her family's money. She had given her parents enough trouble over the years that this man's accusations might gain ground with the local populace. Running was the only option and she had been fine until this bullheaded hulk of a man had found her.