Snippet #1791109

The children returned and Helen with Daiyu's flowers. Tucking a purple bloom into the girl's hair, Daiyu began to lead the children back towards the wagons. The sound of hooves caused Daiyu to pause, grabbing each child by the arm, dropping her flowers in the process. An arrow hit the tree just behind them. Helen screamed and Daiyu's eyes went wide. Patrick got excited, 'Indians!" The boy yelled alerting everyone.

From the area with the wagons there were shouts by the men, screams of the women calling their children to wagon and safey. Melanie screeched for her two and Daiyu released them, pushing them in the direction of their mother's voice. She stood and stared to where the arrow had come from. There were two men, one was on the ground and the other was standing over him, rifle in the air.

Daiyu stood frozen to her spot. Men from the caravan came running, guns at the ready. Daiyu, eyes wide stared from the two men to the group of men. Nathan come over to her. "What happened? Are the children okay?" Daiyu opened her mouth but she could not say for sure what happened so she simply nodded.

Nathan turned to the men, "The children are safe, it's alright." The group of men left Daiyu standing there to see to this downed Indian man. "Well now. What are we going to do with him?" One of the men inquired. "Good thing you were near by." Nathan addressed Jesse. "Those were my children you saved."

Daiyu, her hands shaking, stood there as the men walked to join the other man, standing over the painted man. She looked at him on the ground. Had he really been trying to kill the children or her? Judging by the arrow he had ready, he was intent on someone. Turning she tried to calm herself. Slender fingers reached out to gather the dropped flowers as Daiyu crouched. She was scared but it was over with now.

Standing, flowers in hand Daiyu rejoined Melanie and the children at the wagon. Melanie was in tears, hugging Helen. Patrick was regaling a few boys with a more harrowing version of the incident. Melanie's eyes turned to Daiyu as the girl approached. "You should have been watching, he could have killed my babies." Daiyu simply cast her eyes downwards and went about finishing the lunch for the children.