I had been inside the wagon... still unable to ride in the saddle. My twitches and untimely jerks of limbs would have poor Alpha confused with the rein action... so I kept to inside the Nightmare. The day seemed calm enough and without much incident.. I could see from the opening of the covering ...Shanay's wagon before us... and before that Dakota had the lead. Wily.. Starr and Talia were riding the bench and I had Sonny and Mia in with me. I found it very odd at how quiet Starr was. Yet She could not sit still.. She kept moving from the bench to come back and look in on me and the twins. She did not nap... not a wink... but kept staring up at the Sky. A light breeze passed through the opening.. the air was unusually warm. When I lifted and moved to the front... I stepped out and took notice of the dark clouds that seemed to be racing towards us. The beasts grew nervous... and looking down the row of wagons that spanned near and far... I could see other's having the same troubles. My heart leapt into my throat as one of the Outriders came barreling past with the word.... Wind Storm. Nothing could make a Tuchuk freeze in their tracks... except perhaps a grass fire. The wagons were stopped... and when next I looked up towards the horizon... I saw it. A huge wall of dust and debris.. swallowing everything.. and us... in it's path. I jumped out and grabbed Starr and Talia... quickly throwing them under the Nightmare. I screamed to Wily... Get the twins.. and for Skies sake Wily.. listen to me and dont move from under the wagon !!! He did as ordered... and I grabbed my wind scarf. I tied it as best I could.... the wind was already upon us. The dust.. dirt and debris hitting everyone like a wall of grit. Exposed skin was pelted and nicked raw within Ehn's. My muscles still weak protested the walk to Dakota's wagon... I needed to grab wheel's.. boards... coverings... anything to pull myself along. My eldest Son was already securing the bosk and had grabbed as many pelts as He could. We turned back to help Shanay.. tying the reins... and took more pelts from Her wagon. The three of us started back to the Nightmare. Several times... I stumbled and fell to knees... Dakota kept stopping to help but I ordered Him to the Wagon with His Sister and the other's. Groping my way along the wagon.... you could not see your hand infront of your face.. the wind at my back pushed me hard.. and a few items that broke free of wagon's behind me struck my back. Dakota shielded His Sister and I soon lost sight of them. Nothing could be heard but the whistle of the fierce wind whipping by. What should have taken a few steps and only a mere breath to get to the Nightmare... was now taking 20 Ehn. Something low and heavy struck the back of my legs... sending me to the ground. A quick glance and I saw it was a bucket that was being thrown and rolled mercilessly over the ground. I had lost my bearings and reached out feeling for anything to aid me back to the wagon. I started to yell for Shi... loud as I could.. but realized He nor no one else could hear me. Pulling myself along the ground... one hand kept darting out blindly feeling the air... when suddenly my wrist was grabbed and I was lifted up. It was Jax.... and I curled against Him as He returned to the Nightmare. Once under the wagon... we covered the children in the pelts.. having them sit on the edges to keep most of the dirt from them. I positioned Wily and Talia together.. with their backs to a wheel.. Dakota and Shanay beside them... and Jax stayed with Starr.. using Himself as a shield for Her next to the other wheel. I grabbed Mia and Sonny and drew them to my lap... then covered us with another pelt. The pain in my leg was throbbing.. but I had little time to even dwell on it.. always reaching out to touch my children... at one point we were all holding hands. The kids clung to each other while Jax and I held tightly to them.... not allowing a one to let go. We rested as best we could... The twins slept... babes... they could sleep through anything. I suddenly felt an errie feeling creep into my gut... and I started counting hands.... and I nearly screamed when I realized a hand was missing. I immediately called for Jax... I had to yell He assured me Starr was with Him... then it hit me... Wily was missing. Talia had dozed off.. and I threw back Her pelt and found Her alone. Quickly covering Her up again.... I bunched the kids together and started off for my Breaded Tuchuk. My ankle was grabbed and I was pulled back under... I started to fight with Jax... who refussed to let me go. Tears of anger and fear ran down my cheeks.. children now clung to me.. and Jax around all of us. Wily !!! I started screaming... uncontrolled.... a Mother's fear voice... anguished.. pained. To my shock a small bundle then appeared.. followed by another... a large figure... dirt covered and I peered into the dust and saw Shi. He had found Wily ! I was never so glad to see Him... and quickly grabbed Wily and brought Him to me. I checked Him over.... He had a few scratches and His nose and mouth were caked with dirt. I cleaned His face and then set Him to my lap. Shi wrapped up around me... laying a hand to Wily's head. Jax had the twins in His lap... Dakota had Starr.. and Shanay had Talia. We all banded around the little one's. A circle of adults... Me.. Shi.. Dakota.. Shanay and Jax. Pelts whipped with the wind but kept most of the dirt from us... the wagon shielded us from the blowing debris. My pulse was slowing as I felt Shi's gentle touch to my back... and a tug to my braid. Laying my head against Him as He held me and I stroked Wily's dirt ladden hair in my lap... we waited for the winds to pass... then the task of cleaning up.. repairing and tended to the wounded would begin.
I kept it to myself... but I think Shi felt the tremble in my body... this was different from the withdrawals... this was fear. I was worried of my family.. all of them. I thought of Cana and Tug... Tarra and the kids... Dashie and Her's... Chay and the new baby.... and when Wily woke up coughing... I leaned down to speak close to His ear... soothing Him. My grip tightened around Him and though I wanted to strangle Him I refrained.. at least for now. Whispering to Him... Why Wily.. why did you go out there? He coughed a few more times and cried ever so lightly... finally whispering....
I hadta pee Momma.... and it never hit the ground !!!!
The visual just made me chuckle... and I craddled that lil Tuchuk in my arms.... leaning back against Shi.
The winds never sounded so wicked.
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