Page 41 of Shoshone Sun

“I promise,” she said, her voice resolute. She kissed him then, quickly, tenderly, and felt his warmth flow into her. “I will be back soon. Please—take care.”

“I will,” he replied, his eyes filled with a depth of emotion that made her heart flutter. “And Jane ... I will miss you.”

“I will miss you, too,” she whispered back. “But I’ll return to you.”

The journey was hard, harder than Jane had anticipated. She traveled alone, her heart heavy with the mixed emotions of longing for her family and the sadness of leaving Flying Arrow behind. She tried not to think about the dangers of the trip, but as the first day wore on and the sun dipped low in the sky, the doubts began to creep into her mind.

It was then that she noticed a shift in the landscape. The terrain grew more rugged, as the shadows of the evening deepened, casting long silhouettes across the plains. Her horse’s hooves drummed softly on the dirt path, and she focused on the rhythmic sound, trying to steady her nerves. The stillness of the land around her was broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves and the distant call of birds. As she rode on, she kept her eyes alert for any signs of danger.

Before nightfall, she made camp, building a fire with trembling hands. The warmth of the flames flickered and danced, casting shadows on the rocks and the trees around her. She ate a simple meal of dried meat and berries, the food comforting as she sat alone in the silence of the wilderness. She wrapped herself in her blanket, trying to sleep, but the thoughts of Flying Arrow and her family kept her awake.

What if something went wrong? What if the Blackfoot attacked while she was away? What if she wasn’t back to the village in time for the birth of the baby? These thoughts swirled in her mind, a tangle of fear and doubt. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she was heading into something different from what she had left, something unknown. Then she told herself she was just being foolish.

The second day of travel was worse than the first. She awoke early, feeling the bite of the cold morning air on her skin, and set out again, urging her horse onward through the wilds. As the sun rose higher in the sky, the winds grew sharper, and Jane found herself growing anxious. She kept telling herself that she was heading in the right direction, toward Peter’s cabin, where she would reach the comfort of her sister’s embrace and the warmth of her nephew’s laughter.

But as dusk began to fall once again, Jane heard something—something that sent a chill down her spine. A distant howl. Then another. And another.

She froze, her heart thumping painfully in her chest. The howls were growing louder, coming closer, and soon she realized with a sense of dread that she was surrounded by a pack of coyotes. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as she clutched the reins of her horse tighter. She was alone. And she was terrified. But all she could do was move onward. Luckily, the pack abandoned her, probably considering her too big a challenge to tackle.

By the evening of the third day, Jane was exhausted. Her mind was clouded with doubt, and every crack of a branch or rustle of leaves sent her heart racing. Was she doing the right thing? Should she have stayed in the village? The fear of wild animals only intensified her loneliness.

But then, as she crested a hill and gazed down into the valley, she saw it—the cabin. Peter’s cabin, nestled peacefully against the backdrop of the forest. Her heart leapt with relief. She had made it. The journey had been long and difficult, but she was finally here.

She let out a deep breath, her fears beginning to ease as she urged her horse forward, towards the safety of the cabin. The worst was over. She had made it, and soon she would be reunited with her family.

But deep in her heart, she couldn’t shake the thought that Flying Arrow was far from her. And though her journey was over, hers and his would not be complete until they were together again.

Chapter Twenty-Three: Ghosts of the Past

-Peter Jacobs Homestead, Fall 1867

Ninety miles west of Fort Laramie –

The sight of Peter’s cabin, nestled in the valley like a beacon of safety, sent a wave of relief crashing over Jane. She urged her horse forward, the powerful animal responding eagerly to the squeeze of her calves against his flanks, her heart racing as she galloped toward the structure. The wind whipped her hair behind her, and the rhythmic sound of hooves pounding against the earth echoed in her ears. The familiar scent of the pine trees and the crisp mountain air was a comfort, yet she could feel an ache of longing for the love she had left behind in Flying Arrow’s village.

As the cabin loomed closer, a smile spread across her face. She was almost there. Soon, she would be in Susan’s arms, hearing Petey’s laughter again, and the warmth of family would fill the void that had grown in her heart since leaving Standing Buffalo behind. She was eager to be with her family, to settle the questions of their well-being and spend some time with them before returning to her life in the village.

But as she drew closer to the cabin, something caught her eye. Out of the corner of her vision, she saw an unfamiliar buckboard wagon parked near the barn. It was an old wagon, its wheels large and wooden and its body heavy with the weight of time. A shadow of unease crept up her spine at the presence of this strange wagon that seemed so out of place against the familiar backdrop of Peter’s homestead.

She shook the feeling off, willing herself to focus on the happiness she was about to share with her sister. Still, the sight of the wagon stayed with her, a lingering oddity she couldn’t explain.

Reining in the horse, she dismounted and hurried to the door as quickly as she could, considering the heaviness of her pregnancy. Before she could knock, the door swung open, and there was Susan, her face lighting up with the kind of joy Jane hadn’t realized she had missed so much.

“Oh Jane!” Susan cried, her voice full of disbelief and delight. She pulled Jane into her arms, holding her tightly as if afraid she would disappear again. “I didn’t expect you! What a wonderful surprise!”

“I had to come,” Jane murmured, her voice thick with emotion. “I missed you, Susan. I needed to see you before the baby comes. I’m so glad I made it.” She squeezed her sister tightly, overwhelmed with the relief of seeing her again.

Peter appeared behind Susan, his face breaking into a grin. “Well, look who it is!” he boomed, walking toward her with open arms. He enveloped her in a bear hug, lifting her off the ground in his excitement. “It’s been too long, Jane. We’ve been missing you.”

“I’ve missed you both so much,” Jane whispered, her eyes brimming with tears. The joy of seeing her family again was overwhelming, but there was a knot in her chest that she couldn’t quite shake, something still unsettling about the strange wagon outside.

Last but not least, Petey toddled up to her. She lifted him in her arms and swung him around joyfully.

“Baby?” he said, pointing to her tummy.

“Soon,” she responded laughing. “Soon.”

Susan began to say something to Jane, but stopped as the door of Jane’s old room opened and a man walked out of it, a man Jane had never expected to see again. He was tall, with dark hair and a strong build, but it was his eyes that froze Jane’s breath in her chest.

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