ENDING OF PREVIOUS POST:

"Quit your preaching. The likes of him will never be equal." Littleton sped up his steps. "I studied my history books too. What about the Sand Creek Massacre on November 29, 1864? How can you forget the Little Bighorn Battle on June 25, 1876?"

"What about the Trail of Tears in1838? At least four thousand Cherokees died, including women and children!"

Alex put his hand on Jim's shoulder. "You're not going to change his mind."

"You're right, but..."

"What's going on?" asked Soni. Her voice could hardly be heard.

"Kuruk, Soni's awake!" yelled Jim.


TODAY'S POST:

Kuruk bent over his granddaughter. "How are you feeling?"

"I have a headache and my body's sore." Soni attempted to raise herself. "What are you doing here, Grandfather?"

"Don't try to get up." Kuruk put his hand on Soni's arm.

"I'm hungry. Has anybody eaten?"

"Goliath and Butkus caught some rabbits. We roasted and ate them." Jim's eyes met hers.

"Why am I not surprised you couldn't wait?" Soni attempted to tease but, instead, cringed in pain instead.

"Granddaughter, you shouldn't try eating. Only clear broth. I'll find some roots. Jim can get a fire started."

Littleton placed himself in front of Kuruk and stared into his eyes. "We don't have time for this. We need to get moving."

"Sonsee-array is hungry. We will feed her, and then continue our journey. Are you forgetting she was a witness to the ambush?" Kuruk turned his back on the Homeland Security agent and left.

"Ryan, go with him. He might try to escape." Littleton motioned to one of the three remaining agents.

Soni took Jim's hand. "What are the Feds doing here? How did they find us?"

"They're here to arrest Kuruk. How they discovered he'd left the house and found us? I'm not sure. I'm guessing Miguel had something to do with it. He rode in with Alex and your grandfather. About an hour later, Littleton and four men rode up."

"I can't believe Grandfather and Alex invited Miguel to come along. How'd he know we were out here?" Soni waited a moment before she went on, "I only saw three agents with Littleton. Where's the other one?"

"Miguel invited himself. I don't know how he knew. My guess is the one ambusher who got away rode straight to him. The fourth agent stayed with the four dead ambushers we held prisoners."

"Dead? How'd they die? You shot one. I kicked one off the cliff before I fell."

"I kicked one in the nose and killed him. One got away. I tied up four. Somehow, when Kuruk was administering to you, and Alex and I were talking, their throats were slashed." Jim took Soni's hand in his and patted it. "Littleton discovered their bodies and beside them was a knife with Kuruk's signature bear carved on the handle."

"Miguel?"

"That's my guess. He told us he needed to use the bathroom. He was gone awhile. He could've done it then."

"So, nobody knows where Miguel is." Again, Soni tried to raise herself. "I don't have time to be lying around. I need to find him and clear Grandfather's name."

Jim carefully forced her raised shoulders back. "You're not going anywhere, young lady, until a doctor's cleared you. You need x-rays to make sure nothing's broken."

Soni noticed Kuruk come up behind Jim. "Tell this man that I'm fine."

"Granddaughter, you know I don't like white man's medicine, but this is the second time in my life I think it's needed. I agree with Jim."

Kuruk held up some prickly pear cactus. "This is all I could find. I hoped to find some chokecherry, evening primrose, or even skullcap."

"I'm sure it'll work." Soni briefly closed her eyes.

*****
Alex and Jim walked off to the side and allowed Kuruk to make his broth.

"When was the first time Kuruk liked white man's medicine?" asked Jim as he finished with the campfire.

Alex exhaled a very slow breath. "Jacali was Kuruk's daughter. She was just as headstrong as Soni. When she was pregnant, she wanted natural childbirth at home. Kuruk felt something was wrong but finally gave in to a midwife delivering his grandchild. During childbirth, things went wrong. I don't understand it all. Ray, Soni's dad, called for an emergency team. They came by helicopter and took Jacali to the hospital, but it was too late. She held on long enough for Soni to be born alive."

Littleton came up to Soni. "As soon as you've finished eating, we can get moving." He reached for the pan in Kuruk's hands. "She's had enough. This primadona has wasted enough of my valuable time."

Jim stepped toward Ralph with his fists raised. Alex grabbed his wrist. "You don't want to do that."




A FEW NOTES ABOUT PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS

Found in the deserts of North America, the prickly pear cactus is a very tasty and nutritional plant that can help you survive the next time you're stranded in the desert. The fruit of the prickly pear cactus looks like a red or purplish pear. Before eating the plant, carefully remove the small spines on the outer skin or else it will feel like you're swallowing a porcupine. You can also eat the young stem of the prickly pear cactus. It's best to boil the stems before eating.
Apart from the unusual name, appearance, and origins of this fruit, it also has a very unique composition of nutrients, including high levels of vitamin C, B-family vitamins, magnesium, potassium, calcium, copper, and dietary fiber. In terms of organic compounds, prickly pears have high levels of flavonoids, polyphenols, and betalains, all of which have a positive impact on human health.