Range land

not sure what she meant by her last statement I cocked an eyebrow "and...what does that mean?"

Mika smiled slightly and somewhat sadly. She sighed and looked up "Kurak. He was the young man that was abducted by the Pawnee. A year or two after the war party that Running Wolf went on Kurak escaped and made haste away from the new world. None of the war parties had even gotten through...he didn't even think they were coming for him anymore." she said quietly

"Kuruk? your new villager?" I looked at her surprised. "Related to Running wolf?" I had to keep my jaw from falling. What a small world this had been. but just now it felt like it was so small that he was going to smutter. If he was so closely related to Running wolf, would she have feelings for him? "Wow that's just incredible" I sighed. "is that what was wrong the other night?"

"Well related loosely. I mean all the Lakota tribes are related but he wasn't close family with Running wolf. But it doesn't matter as far as who we help. I mean a Lakota would just as easily give his life for a friend as he would a brother. We are all family in a way" she trailed off and looked up. "Ya...he had just told me about it. My memories of Running Wolf came pouring back and I felt like someone had hit me in the gut" she said softly. "It's not fair...my betrothed died trying to save him and he escaped unharmed with no help. It's just not fair" she said again and played with a piece of lasing.

I took her hand from her lacing and put it on my chest where my heart was beating. "Mika, there is a reason it happened that way, it doesn't sound like it was Kurku's fault though. nothing he could have done. Because it all happened you are here with me...and that makes me happy." Then I realized what i said "I'm sorry that was selfish of me" I let go of her hand and brushed her cheek and then got up to go and tie bed rolls on the horses.

Mika looked up "No..I understand" she said quietly. She gave him a sad chuckle "In I way I am happy he died in battle" she bit her lip "I couldn't have sat by and watched him fade away to sickness" she said quietly "He was a warrior...it was what he would have wanted. His first real battle. The...the one brave that made it back said that he fought very bravely..it...it took 4 Pawnee to finally take him down..." her voice cracked and she sniffed "sorry" she muttered and quickly wiped away a tear.

As she spoke about Running wolf being taken down by 4 men something inside me gripped me and tore something out. I instantly got sick. I had seen men get taken down by the Pawnee before, they were bruital people. "I'm so sorry" I said turning around and hugging her "I suppose it is easier than watching him fall to the sickness. I'm proud of you, how strong you are" I smiled as I turned and tied the bed rolls to the saddles. I thent urned to her a bit worried "isn't this where you saw your 'attackers'?"

"Thank you" she said softly "hmm me? Strong? No" she shook her head "I hide, hide behind faces and facades. How is that strength?" she sighed. She looked up at his mention of the black riders. "They do roam these lands" she nodded "If they were to catch us we would be dead" she said softly "worse probably" she shuddered slightly remembering the second's threats.

"hiding is strength" I winked to her
"The black riders" I huffed "I dare them to come face to face with us when we are together. they wouldn't know what hit 'em" I said in a cokcy fassion. "Why else do you think they sent a plant into find me, you think they find me week?"

Mika crossed her arms and looked at him. "No I think they think you a major threat which is why they have sent their best men. Confidence is good Jarlon but don't get cocky. Don't underestimate them. They are dangerous. One by one or two I could take them out as well. But all together? She shook her head and finished picking things up. Finding a stray piece of clothing of to one side 'hmm wonder how that got there' she thought to herself and cocked an eyebrow.

"Yes maybe a bit cocky, but I have training that they couldnt even dream of. They have never caught one of Ilaturi's men, He kills them before they can be caught. He can not risk his secrets getting out. But I understand" I sighed and looked at the piece of clothing she picked up and blushed a bit remembering the night before. "should we go with or without horses?" I then asked changing the subject. I would have to just prove to her one of these days what skills I possessed

Mika listened but just sighed to herself. 'cocky. ya you don't hear back from the ones that killed themselves to not get caught' she thought to herself. She knew some about spies. Just because they never got captured didn't mean they came out alive. She looked at the piece of clothing again and smiled before stuffing it in one of the bags. "Well depends.." she said as she pulled out her bow and tested it. She examined her arrows making sure they were all in good shape still. "Have you ever hunted from horseback?" she asked

"Can't say I have" I said.

Mika nodded "hmm, shot arrows before?" she asked. She had guess he had but she was making sure.

"worked with just about ever weapon out there." I smiled pulling over the bow that I had brought, "never animals though, had Imi for that. But show me and i will learn"

Mika smiled "Sounds good, why don't we try some riding with the bows and see how it goes. We'll find a tree and practice. If we can it would be easier to hunt from horse back. But it takes practice to shoot a bow from a cantering horse." She chuckled "Although I know you are a quick learner" she grinned and gave him a peck on the lips as she brushed past him out to the horses.

"sounds good" I smiled as she walked passed me and gave me a kiss. I sighed and followed.

Mika grinned and chuckled back at him before hopping onto Koda and waiting for him. She looked out over the valley. "How about that tree over there? It has a nice wide open field next to it. We can practice riding by at a canter or gallop and hitting the target" she smiled.

I swung up, "Sounds good." I gave Beauty a good squeeze and let him open up into the trees as he darted back and forth between them and then got to the open field. I put my arms out and let the wind blow through my shirt (that I put on sometime inbetween there lol) I grabbed the rains and brought him to a stop

Mika laughed and urged Koda into a canter behind them. They got down to the trees and Mika pulled up Koda beside Beauty. "Ok watch carefully" At that she spun Koda around and took off at a dead gallop several hundred yards away. Then whipping around she took off at a dead gallop back. As she did she set down the reins, pulled out her bow, knocked and arrow and aimed. She let it go perfectly as her and Koda flew past Jarlon at speed. The arrow flew and hit the apple she had been aiming for pinning it to the tree. She slowed Koda down and turned around again trotting back towards him. "Now that can't simulate a moving animal but it is good practice" she smiled

"erm.....Ok" I said wide eyed. I pulled beauty around and put him into a canter. "That was impressive" he said in a cocky fassion and he whipped past the two. Beauty knew what was going on, I could feel it. As one we cantered till we were broad side with the tree. I brought my bow out and notched the arrow and swung it around beauty's neck and aimed and shot between two branches as it tore through the leaves and hit a small-unripe apple and split it in half. It dropped to the ground as the arrow stuck up high in the tree. We got to the other end of the field and I put Beauty into a sliding stop and he spun around on one leg almost rearing up. I cantered him to the tree and then stood on his back as I leaped up into a high hanging branch and swung myself up with eas. I pulled the arrow from the branch and sat there with my feet dangling

Mika watched with an instructor's eyes. She smiled as he started to show off slightly. She couldn't blame him. She had been showing off as well. She urged Koda forward and rode up under the tree facing him. "Impressive." She smiled "Good luck trying to retrive your arrow from a running bull however" she said with a smart alek tone. But she giggled to show she was joking.

I sat in the tree and swung my feet and playfully clamped them together as I looked at her tiny head and 'squished' it between my feet. I chuckled and leaped off the tall branch and landed in a kneeling position with one hand on the ground the other on my bent knee. My head was down and I slowly lookedup. It was habit when I jumped from roof tops. "sorry habit" I laughed.

Mika laughed "Old habits die hard." She whistled and Beauty came cantering back up to Jarlon. "Ok, ready to find some bulls?" she asked as he mounted up again.

"Ready ready" I said as I follwed her back intot he trees