Chapter 58 Part 58
Asher
He was awake and brewing coffee an hour before sunrise. He’d already fed the horses and given each an apple. He kicked Colt’s leg, grinning, as he groaned and swatted his arm in the air in front of him.
“It’s time to get up,” Asher said, kicking Blair’s leg, as well.
Blair sat up, rubbing his hands over his face, while Colt shifted to his other side, pulling his blanket over his head. Asher looked at Blair, and they both grinned.
Blair got to his feet while Asher opened the door. Blair grabbed Colt’s feet, and Asher hooked his hands underneath Colt’s armpits. Together they carried a now-struggling Colt out of the cabin, and dropped him in the snow.
Colt was on his feet instantly. “Assholes.”
Blair and Asher laughed as they walked back inside the cabin. They drank coffee, and ate cold biscuits and dried meat. They were ready to leave 20 minutes later.
“Where do you want to start looking for Bear Claw?” Blair asked. They’d saddled the horses, and repacked their backpacks.
“Do you remember that old cave we found when we were little? The one near that small water stream? I think Bear Claw might have made his way there to get out of the elements,” Asher said.
“That would be the smart thing to do,” Colt said.
“Let’s hope he made it that far,” Blair added.
“It’s been roughly 36 hours; if he made it to the cave, we’ll find him alive,” Asher said.
Asher led them through the trees, snow, and foliage, as they headed toward the small cave they’d discovered as children. It made sense to Asher that Bear Claw would go to the cave and wait. He was smart enough to know that someone would come looking for him.
It took them nearly 2 hours to reach the area where the cave was located. The snowfall had started just minutes after they’d left the cabin, so any signs of Bear Claw had disappeared under the blanket of fresh snow.
Asher dismounted his horse and gave the reins to Colt. He moved between a cluster of trees and came upon the cave opening. “Bear Claw!”
“Ash…Asher?”
“I’m here, buddy! Are you hurt?” Bear Claw groaned, and he could hear shuffling movements. “Don’t move. I’ll get you out.”
Asher crept into the small tunnel of the cave on his hands and knees. Ten seconds later, he was inside the bigger room of the cave, where he could stand bent over.
Bear Claw was lying on his side, huddled in a fetal position, shivering. When Asher turned him on his back, he gritted his jaw. Dried blood was under Bear Claw’s nose, his one eye swollen shut, and there were bruises on his jaw and cheek.
“What else hurts?”
“I think my shoulder is dislocated, and I might have a few cracked or broken ribs,” Bear Claw said.
“I’m going to have to pull you out; it’s going to hurt.”
“I know. I’m good,” Bear Claw said.
He gritted his teeth as Asher moved him to the opening of the tunnel and grabbed a hold of the arm that wasn’t hurt. Bear Claw groaned through his clenched teeth, but he didn’t scream once.
Asher’s feet exited the tunnel first, and he could feel his brothers’ hands on his back, helping him move backward. The moment Bear Claw was halfway out of the tunnel, Blair hooked his arms under Bear Claw’s armpits, and pulled him out.
Between Asher and Blair, they got Bear Claw to his feet, and Colt swore under his breath. “Get one of those thermal blankets and wrap him up!”
Colt hurried to Asher’s backpack and trudged through the snow with the blanket in his hands. “Careful, his shoulder might be dislocated.”
“Help him on my horse; I’ll ride him into town, and get him to a hospital. You two should head back to the ranch; maybe bring the trailer for Comet. I’ll stay with Bear Claw until I know he’s good to go.”
Bear Claw screamed when the three men basically picked him up and got him on Comet’s back. His breathing was ragged, and Asher could see the pain etched on his face.
“We’ll be at the ranch before you get to town. You’ll have to let Comet walk. Bear Claw won’t make it if you let Comet run,” Colt said.
“I know,” Asher replied.
“We’ll probably be waiting at the hospital with the trailer,” Blair said.
Asher nodded his head, grabbed another blanket from his pack, and handed it to Colt. His brothers turned their horses, and he knew that the moment they were out of the tree line, those horses would make a beeline for the ranch.
“Don’t fall off, Bear Claw; I know it’s going to hurt, but this is the only way I can get you to town,” Asher said.
Bear Claw nodded. “I know. Thank you for finding me, Asher.”
“Always, kid.”
Asher clicked his tongue, and Comet snorted, but started forward. It was asking a lot of him to now have two men on his back. Asher had wrapped the other blanket around Bear Claw, as well, and slowly they made their way through the woods.
Blair and Colt were waiting with the trailer in front of the hospital as Asher led the horse down the street. Even though it was cold, he didn’t feel it. He was just glad that Bear Claw hadn’t passed out from the pain.
At the entrance, Asher dismounted his horse, and they helped Bear Claw to slide off. Comet didn’t protest when Colt took the reins and led the horse into the trailer.
Asher had one arm wrapped around Bear Claw and led him into the hospital. Since Blair had called ahead, a doctor stood waiting with a gurney just inside the doors.
“Hey, Asher,” Dr. Carmichael said. “Blair called. Possible shoulder dislocation, broken or cracked ribs? Is there anything else besides the wounds on his face?”
“Not that I know of. I’ll call Charlie while you take him to X-ray.”
Asher used the phone at the nurse’s station, and when Charlie answered it, he suddenly felt exhausted. “We’re at the hospital. I found him, Charlie.”