Charles Smith x Reader

Six

"Aponi.", her name was more like a sigh from your lips.

Torn from her state of deep concentration, the native woman blinked a few times. Her hands tilted, covered in warm blood, as if she needed to remember why she held needle and threat.

The bison shook his head. A warm gush of air caressed your face as he breathed out deeply.

"Easy, boy.", you patted his head like you did with your two crows whenever they were frightened of a thunderstorm. "It will be over soon."

"We might need...", Aponi frowned, looking for the word she was missing. "Pain... no pain."

"Medicine.", you said and reached behind you to fetch the small bowl in which she had mixed certain leaves and herbs from the forest. "Here."

With a nod of her head she took a hand full of the paste and applied it around the wound before she let the bison lick her fingers clean.

"He will be okay.", she smiled softly and returned to stitching the wound.

You watched, eyebrows drawn together and deep wrinkles covering your forehead. She was so skilled, the animal didn't even care to bother.

Only once in a while did the bison try to lift his head from your lap. But you always pulled him back gently on his horns.

"Aponi.", again, you sighed.

She gifted you a quick glance from the corner of her eyes, eyebrows raised, as to tell you that she was listening even though she couldn't look at you right now.

Your lips curled. For a moment you needed to consider your words.

"Thank you.", you said. "For your help."

She shook her head.

"We both shedded blood on sacred land. It will have consequences."

"I know. And I'm ready to take accountability. But you didn't have to. You did an act of kindness for me. And that I thank you for."

Her eyebrows moved. A shadow crossed her face and for a brief second it seemed like she didn't understand.

"You are... welcome?", she looked at you.

You smiled.

"Yes. You're welcome. And I am in great debt to you."

She shrugged.

"Maybe.", her hands moved quick to fix the last row of stitches. "I made a mistake, maybe. And you did wrong."

"I'm sorry..."

"No.", she shrugged. "Yes? I don't know. We might never know. It's fine. For now."

Her hand caressed the long scar that now stretched across the lower side of the bull. Skin flinched and a bit of blood still ran. But it looked a lot better than before.

It amazed you time and time again just how many skills she had. Not only was she able to tell if a plant was save of not by simply looking at it. She also knew how to survive.

Something that most people these days already had forgotten.

"It's good.", she muttered as she washed off the blood from her tanned skin in a bucket filled with water. "That you live so close."

Agreeing, you finally let go of the bull's head so that he was allowed to rise from the ground and stand up straight again.

Pleased, he let out a low sound, tilted his head to examine the wound for himself and then walked off to see if there was anything edible in your barn.

The two cows you had for milk shied away as he came too close. Though they seemed to be curious about the new addition to this farm.

Sighing heavily, you stretched all your limbs and stepped out into the open. Warm rays of sun kissed your (S/C) face. It smelled of wheats and blooming bushes.

Your farm was located not far from the edge of the forest yet hidden beneath green hills and quite a bit away from the next town.

It wasn't much, only a small hut to fit about three to four people, a barn for a handful of chickens and the two cows and a fenced in meadow. A part of the fence was broken which was also the reason why you had wanted to find a tree to cut down in the first place.

Who would have thought that you'd return with an entire bison bull?

"We should get him back to the herd.", you said as Aponi walked across the green grass, barefoot, to get to her horse that patently waited for her.

"Not yet.", she said and looked at her nails that were stained with red. "He's weak."

"Do you think I could keep him?"

"Not for all time. But...", she smiled softly. "Maybe... a little. He's sweet."

You couldn't help but huff.

"He's so cute!", you chirped. "Like a big puppy."

"Puppy?", she frowned.

"Uh. Dog. A small dog."

"Ah...", her eyebrows rose. "Yes. Dog. We have dogs."

"You do?", surprise appeared on your face.

"Yes. The wild has many dogs.", in one swift movement she made it on top of her horse, no help, no saddle, nothing.

It took you a moment to understand what she tried to say. It wasn't a dog in the way you knew it. She was talking about wolves and coyotes.

The natives had a reputation amongst the settlers that they made friends with the wild life easily. Sometimes it just happened to be an apex predator. Like a wolf. Or even a bear.

"That's so cool, Aponi...", you whispered in awe.

She frowned, the shrugged.

"It's just a dog.", with a soft kick she ordered her horse to turn around. "Just so we are... on the same page?"

You nodded.

"Yeah. Same page. Means we want the same. Think the same? Let's just say we agree."

She nodded.

"Hm. Same page.", she shook her head to clear her mind. "Just so we understand each other... This... is between us. Take care of the bison as long as... he needs time."

Agreeing, you hummed.

"I won't tell a thing. Promise."

"Good. And in return... I will not tell my tribe that it was you."

"But... wouldn't that get you in trouble?"

She thought for a moment.

"If we don't tell... no one might notice.", a thin smile appeared on her lips. "We... owe each other."