He smacked the now empty cup onto the table causing Rison and Afton, who had been sitting to the side in silence, to jump at the noise. "You two," Caddo commanded, pointing at the both of them, "leave us. We have a matter to discuss that would not be good for others to hear."

Rison felt her ears get hot. "You do not trust me? How can you say that?"

Caddo shook his head in apparent dismay. "Even now, you do not think. You do not use that lump of matter between your ears for anything useful, do you? I begin to wonder if there is any hope for you. But I will explain. If you hear something, you can be sure that information can be extracted from you. If you do not hear it, it cannot happen."

Rison felt foolish once again and trudged out of the grotto with Afton trailing in silence behind her. He sported a sly grin and she knew he was looking for an opportunity to get in a good dig at her expense.

He didn't wait long. Just outside the grotto entrance he started in on her. "That was quite a performance back there. Do you always..."

His words were cut short when he found himself flat on his back with the wind knocked out of him. "I would choose your next words very carefully," said Rison with a snarl. "If you think it might even be wise to say anything at all."

Several of Tyler's scouts who had been loitering near the grotto broke into laughter at the sight of Afton sprawled in the dirt. To his credit, he didn't seem angry, he laughed along with the others when he realized he had been bested by a girl, one younger and much smaller than he. Watching him, her embarrassment evaporated and she extended a hand to help him to his feet.

The cart, complete with the mule and the mystery crates remained where she and Caddo had stopped earlier. The presence of the scouts, lounging about in a casual manner did little to fool her. They guarded the cart and she did not believe it would be leaving from the control of Tyler without a fight.

Realizing she could do nothing to address the situation, she sat and leaned against the wheel of the cart and listened to the idle talk of the men. Afton, in the same predicament, did the same. The minutes ticked away and with a full belly and the sun warming her after the relative coolness of the grotto, she dozed. A tiny part of her mind remained aware, knowing she should be alert and observant of everything transpiring around her. But she was so very tired and surely a little nap wouldn't hurt.

***************************

The second near death experience borne of Caddo's plan began when Rison was nudged awake by the butt end of a lance held by one of Tyler's scouts.

"Secure her," said Tyler with casual indifference. "Then take the contents of the cart into the deep storage. I want a guard posted on these crates every hour of every day."

The scout yanked her to her feet and thrust her against the cart. He forced her hands behind her back and tied them with coarse rope in a not-so-gentle manner. She looked over her shoulder trying to spy Caddo and gasped when she caught his eye. A trickle of blood ran down his face and his hands were bound as well.

"Caddo!" She cried. "What is going on?"

He smiled and she knew he was trying to fill her with confidence. "It seems our overture of cooperation has been rebuffed and it looks like we just might be escorted out of Blood territory."

Rison glanced at Tyler who stood with her arms folded across her chest and bore an expression completely devoid of emotion. She may as well have been carved from stone.

"Rolla," called Tyler. "Give them one skin of water and deliver these two into neutral territory. Take three others and use caution. Caddo is devious." She turned and began to walk away but stopped and called back over her shoulder without looking. "And Rolla, if they try anything or attempt to return to our holding, kill them without hesitation."

A chill crawled down Rison's spine upon hearing those words and it was magnified when she noticed the malicious grin on Rolla's face. He was one of the scouts Caddo had humiliated out on the road and he looked as though he would be enjoying this.

"Well, time's a wasting. I wanna be back safe and sound before nightfall. I heard tell there's a zelinx running around out there." Rolla prodded her with the lance to get her moving.

"Caddo? They're not just going to leave us out there, are they?" Fear began to eat at her upon realizing what Rolla had said.

"Peace child. Tyler was gracious enough to leave us with a skin of water. We'll be fine."

Rolla laughed. "Yeah. One skin should last the two of you about two days if you're real careful. 'Course, the zelinx is liable to get to you long before that. Now the two of you shut up and walk."

There was really nothing to say. To be left in the Wastelands with no supplies or weapons was a death sentence. She knew it and Caddo knew it. What was the point of discussing it? What did leave her confused was the abrupt change in Tyler when she transformed from a grieving mother into a heartless and callous judge.

Caddo had warned her Tyler was dangerous. And he hadn't been exaggerating.

Rolla pushed them hard and it was clear he had his eye on the position of the sun. He had no intention of being caught out in the open with the threat of a zelinx on the prowl. Several hours into their forced march, Rolla called for a break.

"Well, Chief Trader," he said. "I'm sorry. Ain't nobody deserves a fate like this and I do apologize for my attitude earlier. She's a hard woman and she ain't likely to forgive me should I think about ignoring her orders."

Caddo nodded. "I understand. She has her clan to protect."

Rolla looked Caddo in the eye for a long moment without saying a word, then shook his head and said, "I'm gonna have to do without her forgiveness then." He took a knife and slit their bonds then handed Caddo the lance and the knife. "It ain't much against a zelinx but I got nothing else."

He squinted against the setting sun at Rison and together with the other scouts began walking away down the road they had just traveled.

Rison watched them leave and a knot of fear began to grow in her stomach. "Now what? We got maybe two hours to sunset and they just left us here all alone!" She turned from the departing men and realized Caddo was gone. He was already walking south, heading back in the direction of Blanchard Springs.

"Caddo? Thanks for leaving me just standing there."

He walked in silence for several minutes adding irritation to her brewing fear.

"Did you think we could change their minds?" he asked presently. "Did you believe we could gain any more aid from them? Or perhaps you were planning an attack?"

"No..." she answered in confusion.

"Then why waste time dwelling on them when we need to prepare for the future." He set a brisk pace as he talked but never seemed to get winded. "It's a good thing you have a head, for your hair needs a place to call home. I only wish there was a brain that could likewise dwell there."

She pouted. She realized she was acting childishly but the reality of their predicament left little room for Caddo's dull humor. They trudged in silence for perhaps a mile before he spoke again.

"Always learn from what's behind you, child. Take those lessons to heart but never forget to prepare for what's ahead."

"I know," she replied. "But I..."

"Silence," Caddo commanded. "We will speak of this later."

A lone figure stood in the middle of the road as they crested the slight rise. He held the reins to three horses and acted as though he was expecting visitors. As they drew close, Rison realized it was Afton, Tyler's second from the confab.

He grinned. "I only wish I understood what was going on, but Tyler told me to meet you here with these horses, to not ask any questions, and to leave immediately." He handed the reins of two mounts and climbed on to the back of the third. And to his credit, he followed the command of Tyler to the letter and rode west without looking back.

Rison was shocked. The fear that had been tying her in knots was giving way to befuddlement. She looked to Caddo for an answer.

"Didn't you hear me earlier? I said I had a plan."

"Yeah, but..."

Caddo cut her off. "Spies. Even in the camp of Tyler, Rusk has spies. The crates would have been an issue had they remained with the Griff clan. I had to get them somewhere safe but accessible. Now the only thing Rusk can discover is that Tyler took possession of the crates and put them where he can't get to them and that we were left for dead. He will never suspect her."

Rison stood slack jawed, still trying to understand. "You had this all planned? Tyler is in on this?"

Caddo merely nodded.

She should have known. She should have realized Caddo would never let anyone get the best of him. Sheepish. It was a word Caddo used on occasion and from context, she figured out what it meant. And it was exactly what she felt right then.

"So?" she asked, finally accepting that he would forever be three steps ahead of her. "What now?"

"Get on your horse," he responded with an unexpected intensity. "We've got to save Wyatt."