The ride to Ft. Fetterman was uneventful, made up of small talk from the group getting to know one another. Teddy was not much of a small talker but he enjoyed hearing about Ella’s talents as a healer and who Scarlet had learned her talents as a tracker from.
Billy liked listening to the conversation and staying quiet. It seemed to him every time he tried to say anything to Scarlet he became tongue tied. He hadn’t worked up the nerve to ask the relationship to the man who shared her last name, maybe he would ask Teddy later.
Once at the fort the group saw to their horses while Cyrus, Tensleep and Bo went to check in with the C.O.
The three men had no sooner disappeared when Chris started running his mouth to one of the men that had arrived at the fort the week before. This time he thought he would be smart and converse with the man in Crow.
Most of the men that had ridden in with Cyrus understood what he was saying, which didn’t bother him any, he didn’t figure the women could understand it. Scarlet kept her mouth shut and just listened as Chris talked about most of the people in the party. Teddy glanced her way wondering which of the languages of the red man Scarlet did understand. She just shook her head and rolled her eyes. He shook his head, wondering at what point was the man gonna get belted one.
Some of the men ignored Chris’s mouth while the one he was talking to laughed. The man that had apologized to Ella and Scarlet earlier turned slightly red at one of the comments and wondered off deciding he would be better off not being around Chris, once Cyrus got word of what was going on all hell was gonna break lose for sure.
Chris’s comments became increasingly degrading towards Scarlet and Ella. Teddy was about to speak up and tell Chris to shut his mouth. When he heard Scarlet make a remark.
Scarlet had enough. The man was rude and had reached intolerable. She had said it to Ella and spoke Comanche. Ella had responded in the same language.
Chris’ head snapped around. “What did you say.” He said coming towards them.
“Oh you can dish out rude remarks you just can’t take them is that it?” Scarlet spat, her temper had gotten the best of her.
“Did you say what I think you said?”
“Oh don’t understand what I was saying, how convenient if I want to insult you.”
The rest of the men stood in a circle expecting an entertaining exchange of words between the two. Nobody expected Chris to try to backhand her and fewer expected to see her block it and punch him below the sternum.
Chris bent over slightly winded, a little surprised and very angry he charged Scarlet lifting her off of her feet he slammed her into the top railing of one of the corals causing it to break and them both to fall through. It was hard to tell who was who or how to separate them. She fought like a man except when she kneed him in the groin to get the upper hand.
“Get Bo.” Teddy said to Billy.
Bo, Cyrus and Tensleep were about half way to the group when they heard the fight, saw Billy running towards them and Teddy going over the fence.
“Who the..?” Cyrus said aloud thinking Teddy never got into fist fights any more.
“It’s Scarlet.” Billy yelled to the men.
Teddy was looking for a good place to take hold of, Ella right behind him figuring she could talk some sense into Scarlet if they got Chris off of her.
Bo, Cyrus and Tensleep reached the fence in time to see Scarlet roll to the top, her thumb dug in on one side of his windpipe and her fingers on the other. Chris was gasping but not giving up. He tried tugging at her hand only to make her nails dig into her throat and draw blood. He took a swing but she leaned back and he missed. “Yer a dead whore” he managed to choke out. Scarlet drew her knife.
Cyrus came over the fence yelling “Stand down Corbin!”
She thought about gutting him right there, he deserved it and she figured she had every right. Hearing him yell at her Scarlet sunk the knife in Chris’ inner thigh. The man screamed and twisted his upper body he now had both hands on her wrist trying to keep her weight off of his throat.
Scarlet had her weight evenly distributed between the her hand at his throat and her hand on the knife, which was neatly stuck through his pants, and just enough skin to cause him a great deal of pain then solidly into the ground.
She heard Bo yell “Don’t” but wasn’t sure if it was meant for her or Cyrus who was getting ready to make an attempt to get the two of them apart.
Chris’ eyes watered as she glared at him. “One good reason Kane, give me one why I shouldn’t draw and quarter the foul beast.” She growled never taking her eyes off the man she sat atop of.
Cyrus didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know what happened; he could only guess Chris had started it. He looked at Bo who shrugged his shoulders.
“Because it’s gonna be worse for him living with knowing he was beat up by a woman. Let him up Scarlet. I’m already going to have to touch him to care for his wounds, and in places I really don’t want to thank you very much for that.” Ella said.
If Scarlet hadn’t been so mad she would have laughed. She pulled the knife straight up, thinking after the fact now Ella was really going to have to disinfect the wound since the blade had been sunk into the dirt as well. She stepped off of him before completely letting go of the hold on his throat.
“You alright?” Bo asked looking at the bruise on her cheek, and the cut on her lip, which was starting to swell.
“I’ll be ok.” She said wiping the blood with the back of her sleeve.