SKYFIRESKYFIRE© Miss Raye
They stopped in Willow Springs, they tied their horses in a quiet corner of town. Buck and Skyfire ducked into the first clothing store they came to.
The man who owned the store wore thick glasses and squinted up at Buck as he came to the counter, "What can I do for you young man?"
"I need some clothes for..."
"Ah..." the older man leaned over and sized up Skyfire, "for your brother huh? What's he doin' in his nightclothes?" The man moved closer to her and she took a step nearer to Buck, "You get your clothes robbed right off your body young'un?"
Skyfire looked at the old man and hid her surprise... he was as blind as a bat! "Yessir."
"Funny voice too... huh, don't worry son, you voice'll deepen in time..." He turned away from them and started around the counter, "Now what can I get you, some shirts? Pants? Long Johns? I know you don't need to night shirt."
Buck could feel himself relax as the man tossed several shirts into Skyfire's arms, all the while keepin' up a steady stream of chatter. Several pants and long underwear later he ushered her into a changin' area, walled off by a screen.
Buck stood off to the side and watched the curtain. He could see her feet under the edge of the curtain. The buckskin dress dropped the floor and Buck turned to look at some glasses in a display. He had almost picked out a pair when he was startled by movement behind him.
"Hey there! You should really try on these britches.. they-" the old man swung the curtain back, and Skyfire wrenched the curtain out of his hands and yanked it closed.
Buck's heart danced a frantic beat... she had almost been caught! He had difficulty breathing for a long moment. The man paused as he passed by, "Kind of sensitive, isn't he?"
Four sets of clothes cost a pretty penny, more than Red Bear had sent with them... Buck quietly decided he'd make up the difference. It was the least he could do for his brother.
Skyfire stood in the center of the store looking very lost and very small. The clothes were too big, but Buck had picked them to hide her figure. He stood staring at her and she, for all of her uneasiness, stared right back. "What?" she asked.
"I dunno, somethin's missing'"
"I-"
"I'll figure it out."
Hands on hips she tapped out a furious rhythm on the wooden floor with her foot.
"Stop makin' so much noise, so I can think!"
Skyfire ignored the questioning look from the storekeeper and stomped her foot down... sending pain shooting through her leg.
Buck looked at her as if she were mad. She caught his attention and then looked down at the floor, eyebrows raised in a little more than mock irritation.
He followed her gaze and it finally dawned on him as he stared at her wriggling sock feet... "I guess shoes are next!"
Mr Dobkins, the near-blind shopkeep, set up a stool to measure 'his' foot. He sat down and took Skyfire's foot in his hands and tilted his head as he considered the sock clad foot before him. "Just don't seem right here mister,"
Buck moved closer.
"His feet are jus' downright 'dainty'! I don't think I got shoes for feet this tiny!"
Skyfire looked up in alarm and tried to pull her foot free of the old man's grasp. She was very worried.
"He's just young..."
"Nope... I've fit my share of young boys his age... but this one is jus' mighty dainty... like a girl's foot."
Buck moved closer, "You about done 'talkin' about HIS foot?"
The man jumped a few inches off the stool and let go of her foot as fast as he could. He stood and walked to the wall were boxes of shoes lay waiting. A moment or two later he came back.. a pair of lace up boots in his hands.
He slowly sat down on the stool again... keeping one eye on Buck the whole time.. the young man apparently had a temper! Slipping the boots on her feet, he quickly moved back, "Okay boy, you go ahead and tie 'em up the way you want."
Skyfire started to lace the boots and soon realized that she was dreadfully out of practice. Her fingers fumbled over the simple task. She fumed and chided herself 'It's amazing what you forget if you don't do something for a long time.'
The man looked up at Buck - his look said, "What's wrong with him?"
Buck moved forward and knelt before her. With a reassuring look he moved her hands away and began to relace her shoes. Skyfire looked away, ashamed. Tears, for the first time since he met her, threatened to cloud her eyes.
He looked her in the eye and shook his head slowly- "It's bound to be hard for awhile- bet you thought you'd never have to do this again." His soft tone soothed her- looking into his eyes she solemly nodded.
