Traded for guns and bullets? Not likely. After all, their lives weren't worth the toll that arming a war party would cost, so that sort of negotiation wouldn't go far.

Still, it was a chance, and at least someone would know where they were.

"Derned right, reckon they'd be right glad ta get us back!" Addy nodded, then added, "Got me a boy at home be happy ta see me, too, I reckon. He's got them what's lookin' after him, but ain't th' same, what with losin' his real ma an' all."

Not that Weedy had any bearing on anything, but she surely did hope that he was all right, and that she got back to him, to make sure he grew up to be a fine man, and so he didn't have more loss.

Derned right, reckon they'd be right glad ta get us back!"  Addy nodded, then added, "Got me a boy at home be happy ta see me, too, I reckon.  He's got them what's lookin' after him, but ain't th' same, what with losin' his real ma an' all."

If the young Arapaho even listened to all that last part he made no response to it. But he did reply to the women's confidence the trade of guns for them would work.  He would tell Teestou what the white women had said, he would like to hear this for certain.

Caroline decided to take a risk at more bluntness, so far the boy had been quite responsive with answers and thus information the two ladies found useful or at least, illuminating.

"So, what if the trades don't work? What if our leaders refuse to give you guns and bullets for us? Since we wouldn't be worth anything to you anymore, would you let us go?"

The Arapaho seemed amused by that, Addy could even hear the small chuckle which escaped from him them being so close.

"Let go? That not happen. You might be given to one of our women to work then. Or you will be killed.  You should hope...trade happen."

"Swell," mumbled Caroline.

Addy certainly did hope some sort of trade happened, although she doubted it. If anything, it would be talk of a trade and then conflict, and she and Caroline would have to be ready for that, since they would have to save themselves at that point...the savages would rather kill them outright than letting them be recaptured.

"Pity any poor woman what gets me as a slave," she muttered, trying to keep up spirits. As long as they were at least in the same camp, there would be hope. It might be a while, weeks, maybe even months, but she was confident that they'd get out of this.

t was hard to be accurate as to how long they rode, every once and awhile the women would catch a glimpse of the road down below for the war party stayed up in the hills and trees. But the sun was about as high as it was going to get in the cloudless sky when the group came to a halt.

Caroline watched the one she was now certain was leading this bunch, a rather handsome hard muscled buck  with seemingly a constant sense of anger, menace to him.  As some of the braves talked, it was obvious they all listened to what he had to say and usually agreed. After some period of palavering away, two of the warriors galloped away leaving the main party behind.

"Scouts?" asked Caroline mostly to Addy but their 'keeper' knew their language too and the lad spoke up.

"They go to find more waischus to kill. Or some place to ....how you say?  Talk...talk trade? You for guns.."

@Bongo

"Ah, well, then shouldn't be long a'fore we're slumberin' comfy in proper feather beds!" Addy chuckled, although the look she gave Caroline was one of worry. If they actually contacted 'whites', things were going to accelerate quickly, and they might need to be ready for...

Well, she wasn't really sure for what, but there might come a time that they had to fight for their lives. She knew she could handle the kid, heck, her brothers were all bigger than he was, and they'd taught her to wrestle, and especially sitting behind him, she'd do just fine.

But then there was Caroline...she wasn't going to leave her behind, and although she thought the young woman had a good deal of gumption, and likely could do sufficient damage to her escort as well, the question was whether she would act quickly enough when the time came.

Not only that, but if the ladies were able to eliminate the braves with them, there were still the others to worry about, and they surely weren't going to be able to either fight them or outrun them.

All-in-all, though, Addy had to allow as how she wanted to choose her own time and method to meet her maker!

"I'd appreciate a nice bed right about now," Caroline sighed, catching Addy's expression and realizing the other woman was more alarmed than she let on.

"White people weak, no need beds," the young man now commented, he'd actually seen one once in a waischus house - it was big and made of wood and looked so heavy.  It made no sense but then his people wandered the land on a regular basis, setting up their tepees for a matter of days then moving on once more.

Caroline wanted to throw back a biting remark but held her tongue so she decided it best to agree with the boy, "Yes, we are. All millions of us."   Alright so just a slight barb, he probably wouldn't even get it. If Indians even knew what the word meant?

If he got it, he gave no indication as he yawned then while scratching under one armpit.

Two of them had rode off, but that still left far too many to deal with. Caroline just kept hoping they would get lucky enough to face more reasonable odds. For now though, two against eleven was suicide.

"Sez th' man who ain't never slept on a nice feather bed!" Addy muttered with a chuckle. "Once ya have a chance ta sink into that fluffy soft, there ain't nothin' like it. I done my share'a sleepin' on th' ground, an' I gotta say, if I have a choice, gimme a feather bed!"

Heck, even a straw mattress on a rope-strung bed was an improvement over sleeping on rocks! And maybe the Anglo folks were 'soft' in some ways, but what was the point of existing if it wasn't to make life better for yourself and your descendants?

Of course, it was a matter of balancing luxuries with morals and standards.

"Sez th' man who ain't never slept on a nice feather bed!" Addy muttered with a chuckle.  "Once ya have a chance ta sink into that fluffy soft, there ain't nothin' like it.  I done my share'a sleepin' on th' ground, an' I gotta say, if I have a choice, gimme a feather bed!"

"Amen, amen to that!" Caroline had to grin.

The young novice brave looked puzzled suddenly, "She say no prayer."

"It was a fervent wish and I agreed. Why you know prayers? Like white folk's prayers?" Caroline was a bit surprised.

"Waischus try to teach me some. Too hard to remember. Did not want to pray to white man's god  no how," Houusoo responded with a shrug.

"Yeah, well we will say a prayer for you then," Caroline gave a very fake smile, leaving out her thought  'over your grave.'  Frankly she would doubt she would do even that.

"What kinda prayers do ya gotta learn?" Addy asked, glancing at Caroline with a shrug. "Ya just talk ta God, tell him what's on yer mind." There was the, 'In Christ's name, Amen' part, but that wasn't so much to remember.

"Might could be this 'Waischus' was a Catholic, I think they got little prayer books, make things more complicated than they gotta be."

It wasn't exactly the time for a discussion of religion, but as a staunch Methodist, she had her notions, and praying to a cross or and idol didn't count, and having your prayers written in a book...well, since she couldn't read much, she preferred free-form!

Of course, there were times when it was hard to hold to faith, especially those times when all you had was faith, like when Weedy's Mama had been killed, or now...but she'd learned to be patient and not to question, it was all in God's hands. Just, sometimes, it seemed like he was squeezing a little harder than he had to!

"I gotta say, it's easier havin' only th' one God ta worry on, but I reckon if ya grow up learnin; on all manner 'a bein's, ya know which is which without havin' ta think on it."

In fact, some of the Native legends were creative and fun, and made the Christian tales seem pretty dull!

What kinda prayers do ya gotta learn?" Addy asked, glancing at Caroline with a shrug.  "Ya just talk ta God, tell him what's on yer mind."

"Do not remember," the boy seemed disinclined to continue the topic, it plainly was of no real value to him.

Caroline sighed, "I never did try n' talk ta him once I got older but I did beg him to make my ma better when she was real sick.  Ma died."

Addy mentioned Catholics. Caroline observed, "A saloon girl I once worked with said she was Catholic. I know Joan of Arc was one of them too but the Church burned her as a witch or somethin'."

The young Indian seemed more enthusiastic then, "We burn Crow warrior once. Him very brave but he still screamed much loud."

Caroline rolled her eyes, "How good to hear."