Blaze: Chapter 9

Blaze and Hazard spend the night in separate beds, as per their agreement. Blaze sleeps in the bed and Hazard sleeps on the floor atop buffalo robes (THANK GOD he is an Indian with an ample supply of pelts to curl up in or he might have been really uncomfortable down there, all cold and lonely...) Blaze dreams of strong arms, furious kisses and long black hair. These dreams make Blaze so FEVERED and SWEATY that she throws off all her blankets in her sleep, exposing her naked self to the BARELY RESTRAINED Hazard on the floor. Cause no high bread lay-dee from the 1800's EVER wore a nightshirt... Hazard, VERY VERY TEMPTED, is unable to sleep and questions the sanity in this arrangement (FOR THE FIRST TIME). Around dawn Hazard hears footsteps and is instantly awake, up-right, wearing pants and carrying a gun when who should walk through the door but Hazards Indian friend Rising Wolf (obligatory erect penis reference). Rising Wolf sees the nekkid Blaze sleeping in the cot and offers to buy her for 80 ponies. Apparently Indian men always assume a naked woman in a bed is a whore and is for sale... not that I can really blame them. Blaze really hasn't done much to dissuade that assumption. Hazard tells his friend she is not for sale, she is his hostage. Rising Wolf, knowing Hazards revolving door policy with woman, offers for Blaze again, once Hazard is done with her. Hazard again says no, telling his friend he must keep her to prevent her Daddy from shooting him in the face and stealing his land. Rising Wolf offers his assistance in guarding Hazards mining plot, but Hazard says he's got it covered with his new toy... A GATLING GUN. Apparently the cavalry wasn't very keen on carrying A GATLING GUN IN 1870 back East, so Hazard just... took it. Rising Wolf becomes very excited about the idea of this VERY VERY LARGE GUN HAVE I MENTIONED HOW FUCKING HUGE THIS GUN IS coming back to the tribe when Hazard is done with it and all the yellow eyes it will stop (thats what the Indians keep calling white people... yellow eyes. A quick Google search reveals NOTHING ABOUT ANYONE EVER USING THAT TERM FOR A WHITE DUDE. Ever. Just in case you were wondering.) Hazard tells him he plans to be back home with his tribe by next year, with the gun but sans-female. Rising Wolf says it must be nice having a chickie to warm your bed. Hazard says she sleeps alone. Rising Wolf laughs in his face. Rising Wolf asks Hazard if he HAS slept with her? Hazard says "not lately" (as in not today... yesterday though...) Rising Wolf is not surprised Hazard couldn't keep his hands off that sweet little piece. Hazard tells him that he's sorry he ever touched her, cause she is complicating his ability to fulfill his vision. APPARENTLY, Hazard went on a vision quest before he purchased his mining land and a red eagle and a black cougar told Hazard that gold metal will bless his clan and its his job to go get it. Hazard awoke from his vision to find a red feather and a tuft of black fur next to him and then he knew EXACTLY WHAT HE HAD TO DO. Not that his vision couldn't be interpreted more than one way... here, lets try! Maybe the red eagle is Blaze (duh) and the black cougar is him (again, duh) and the gold metal is the little blonde baby they're destined to have? Okay, maybe thats not without its flaws but neither is Hazard's idea! Rising Wolf and Hazard start packing up Hazard's current gold stash and putting it on pack mules. Rising Wolf asks if Hazard is coming for the summer hunt. Hazard says no, especially not with the lady in tow. Rising Wolf suggests bringing her but Hazard refuses. He doesn't want the tribe thinking she's his boink-friend (WHICH SHE ISN'T... anymore...). Rising Wolf doubts Hazards ability to keep it in his pants (AS DO I). Hazard sends his friend off through the mountain trail ONLY THE INDIANS KNOW ABOUT (convenient, no?) and the author subtly alludes to the fact that Hazard might be in love with Blaze.