West

"You didn't, and I do know you care," I said and started to shift away.

Taylor caught my arms and tugged me closer. "Josie, I …" he stopped.

Concerned, not understanding what was wrong when we needed to help Fighting Badger, I searched his face. "What is it, Taylor?" I asked, resting my cold hands on his warm cheeks. "Are you okay?"

"Just know you gave me - and Fighting Badger - the peace we otherwise never would've known. You made a difference."

I smiled, puzzled. "Okay. Be sad later. We have a lifetime to talk." I kissed his warm lips lightly and pulled away. "We have to hurry. He's bleeding out. Take his arms, Taylor. If we can get him to the barn, we can figure out how bad it is, and I'll send for Doctor Green." I stood and moved to Fighting Badger's legs.

Taylor moved into position. "You remember what I told you about what happened if my grandfather died?"

"Yes. But we're going to fix that and free Running Bear, after we get Fighting Badger inside."

A groan came from behind me.

I whirled in time to see Nell climbing to her feet, the shotgun clutched in one hand. I gasped then shouted a warning to Taylor.

Vaguely, almost too briefly for me to capture, I sensed the presence again, the shadowy figure that had been following Fighting Badger for days. He melted from the shadows of the barn, too large to be anyone I had met here and moving too fast for me to see what exactly he did in the murky night.

One minute, Nell was raising the shotgun at me. The next, she was on the ground with the immense shadow standing over her. Lightning did nothing to shed light on his hooded features, but it showed me he was dressed like no one I had ever seen before in leather and fur that appeared ancient. He had to be a man by his size, and he was big enough I'd never mess with him. He bore a sword of all things. It was thick and curved and wet with Nell's blood.

He fled just as quickly as he appeared, vanishing into the shadows of the night with speed that made me think I hallucinated.

"Taylor, what the hell was that?" I called. My phone vibrated. Instinctively, I pulled it out while turning back towards Fighting Badger.

Don't freak out. We need to talk about this.

I really hated Carter at the moment. Shoving the phone away, I knelt once more by Fighting Badger's feet then sat back.

"Taylor?" I called.

He wasn't anywhere around us.