...all MSR all the time..
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Chapter 6
Our journey was familiar at first; we followed the path back toward the raspberry patch. My moccasins felt heavenly and we were making good time, despite the weight of the packs we were carrying. It was also easier to cover more distance when I wasn't wearing those ridiculous shoes. By the time the sun was overhead, we had passed the spot where Mulder and I had built the lean-to. My stomach was just beginning to complain when Apram reached into a pouch that he had tied around his waist. He produced some bannock and strips of dried meat and doled them out. I didn't know if I was going to like the meat, but I tried it anyway.
Apram didn't stop; we ate as we continued to walk. Sweat trickled down my back and my legs were starting to quiver. I'd thought I was in better shape. Apram sighed impatiently when I had to stop to relieve myself. He and Mulder seemed fine; their bladders were obviously bigger than mine. When we were underway again, Apram increased his pace. I almost had to trot to keep up. When I saw that the sun was low in the western sky, I assumed that we'd be stopping soon, but Apram pushed on. I was beginning to fear that he was going to walk all night when I heard an unfamiliar sound. At first it was barely a whisper, but it gradually became louder. The big river, I realized finally.
"Maybe he wanted to make it to the river before we stopped," Mulder ventured, as if he'd read my thoughts.
"God, I hope so," I muttered. "I can't keep up this pace, Mulder. I practically had to run to keep up with you two."
"Why didn't you say something?" He turned to look at me.
"I didn't want to slow us down. Apram is doing us a really big favor and I don't want to appear ungrateful," I explained.
"I'll see if I can get him to slow down," Mulder offered, turning and quickening his pace.
"No, Mulder," I called after him, but he waved me off.
He had no sooner caught up to Apram than the trees thinned out and a large river spread out before us. Our guide stopped and lowered his pack to the ground. As soon as I caught up to them, I did the same and then sank to the ground. Mulder took one of the pots and fetched some water from the stream. I drank it quickly. Apram had disappeared back into the woods.
"I'll get him to take it easier tomorrow, Scully." Mulder crouched down beside me and pushed some sweaty clumps of hair off of my face. "My legs were done in by noon," he confessed.
"There is no way I can take another day like this, Mulder."
As we spoke, Apram reappeared carrying some firewood. In no time he had built a little fire. When it was burning brightly, he turned to me and nodded towards the fire. It took a minute, but I slowly realized that I was expected to cook. All of my muscles were quivering and my back ached and he wanted me to prepare the food. But with everything that he had done for Mulder and me, I could hardly say no. So I nodded at him.
"I'll help," Mulder offered quickly when he realized what Apram had asked.
It took some time to get a few stones from the riverbank arranged so that I could use the skillet, but Wanik had taught me well, and bannock making was almost second nature. When the bread was done, Apram gave me more of the jerky. It took another game of charades for me to understand that he wanted me to stew it with some wild rice.
We ate most of the bannock while the stew cooked. The wild rice began to split just as the jerky grew soft. The smokiness of the meat was wonderful with the nutty flavor of the rice. Neither Apram or Mulder complained about the food; they barely stopped to take a breath as they ate. Then they divided what was left in the pot between them, after Mulder first offered some to me. Apram even wiped the pot out with the last of his bannock.
I smiled appreciatively at Mulder when he gathered up the dishes and took them to the stream. Apram took out his knife and began to whittle a piece of wood; I wondered sleepily what he was making. The fire cracked and popped, drawing my attention. The dancing flames had a mesmerizing effect.
I heard Mulder's voice and realized that I must have drifted off. When I dragged my eyes open, sunlight assaulted them. I was under a blanket, and Mulder was spooned up to me, grumbling. I turned to find Apram shaking Mulder's shoulder. He was grinning broadly and shaking his head. After I'd shaken the cobwebs out of my head, I discovered that it was fairly late, much later than we'd left the day before. But I could've easily slept for another couple of hours.
Apram had the fire burning steadily for me. I knew without being asked that I was expected to make breakfast. When I started to rummage through my pack, Mulder graciously offered to help again, but I assured him that I could manage breakfast by myself.
It took no time until the porridge was bubbling away. Apram surprised me by handing me the other pot, which he had filled with blueberries. The berries turned the bland gruel into a treat. When we'd finished breakfast, Apram confused me by pointing to the skillet. Then he showed me his waist pouch, conspicuously empty of bannock. So before I packed up, I quickly fried some up. After I'd made one batch, he asked me to make another. I agreed, assuming that he'd thought we were a bit short yesterday.
As soon as we were on our way again, Apram set his torturous pace. It took some convincing, but we got him to slow down. He wasn't impressed, but he consented. I hated to make demands, but I couldn't repeat yesterday's pace. We weren't strolling now, but at least I had time to look at the scenery.
The forest was impressive; I'd never seen oak trees that big. To our left, the river flowed rapidly, sparkling in the sunlight. The constant rush of water filled my ears. The air was cooler and smelled fresher here. Wildlife was abundant; we startled several deer as we walked. At one point Apram stopped and pointed across the river. Ambling through the undergrowth, on his way to the water, was the largest black bear I'd ever seen. I was thankful that the river separated us.
Although my legs were sore, I wasn't having any trouble keeping up today. Mulder even took my hand as we walked behind Apram.
"It's beautiful here, isn't it?" Mulder nodded toward the trees.
"It is, and so peaceful," I sighed.
"Those oaks are enormous. I don't think I've ever seen one that big." From his tone I could tell that he wanted me to take his comment further.
"So, from that you think, what? That we aren't in Wisconsin after all?" I tried to figure out what he was thinking.
"No, my point was, I don't think there are any deciduous forests left like this in North America. The lumber barons stripped the land clean of trees like these. There might be an occasional giant oak left, but miles upon miles of them...?" He let his voice trail off.
I couldn't argue this point; he was right. We'd seen giant redwoods on the west coast, but I'd never seen a forest like this east of the Rockies. We walked on in silence, Mulder apparently content to let me mull over these new considerations.
A short time later, Apram meted out the bannock and dried meat. As we ate, I continued to look around. I thought about all of the ground that we had covered without seeing another soul.
"Maybe we're in a National Forest?" I offered suddenly.
"Maybe," Mulder shrugged, but I knew he wasn't convinced. I hadn't even convinced myself, but I still couldn't accept his time travel theory. I knew it was a remote possibility, but it was so far-fetched. Dr. Mettler would had to have been so far ahead of his time *and* working in isolation; no partner to help him when he got bogged down, to see things from a different perspective. Maybe he *had* figured out how to create a stable wormhole, but the energy he would've needed was phenomenal. His electricity provider would have noticed immediately.
I was still chasing it round and round in my head when the noise from the river increased dramatically, interrupting my thoughts. The river had become wider and shallower; the sound I heard, a set of rapids. When we were beside them, they were too loud to be heard over. Apram pointed across the river and then took off his moccasins. Stepping from stone to stone, he picked his way to the opposite bank. I went next, moccasins in hand, making sure that the stones I chose were dry. The water was shallow, but the current was swift enough to carry a person away.
When I landed on dry ground and turned around, I was shocked to find Mulder right behind me--I hadn't heard a thing. My heart was still pounding when Apram picked up a stick and began draw in the dirt. Shortly he'd recreated the map that Mulder had drawn back at the village. His version showed the village, the stream, the river, and the ford that we had just crossed. Beyond that he extended the river to where it emptied into a lake. Then he drew a line around the east end of the lake and pointed to the area that Mulder thought was Madison. Mulder nodded to let Apram know that he understood.
After tossing his stick back onto the ground, Apram opened his waist pack and took out most of the jerky and handed it to me. When I looked at him in confusion, he pointed to himself and then back across the river. Without another word or gesture, he turned and stepped from stone to stone again until he'd reached the western bank. I watched in stunned silence as he stooped to put his moccasins back on and then start to walk back the way we'd come. When I turned to look at Mulder, his eyes were wide with shock too.
"I guess we're on our own now." He raised his voice to be heard over the rapids.
My head bobbed slightly in response; I was still too overwhelmed to speak. Mulder took the meat that I was still clutching and put it in my pack. Then he took my hand and we started to walk downstream. Once the roar of the whitewater was behind us, it was easier to converse.
"I think he brought us this far to show us where to cross the river. It's fairly straightforward from here on." Mulder gave my hand a reassuring squeeze.
"I know we'll be fine, Mulder. I just thought he'd stay with us all the way."
"I think we should find a nice place to stop and camp for the night." He changed the subject.
"After yesterday, I'll be happy to take it a little easier today," I laughed.
"We can set an easier pace; no sense in wearing ourselves out. It's mid-afternoon anyway." He nodded toward the sun.
"I'd really like to take a bath." I wrinkled my nose. "And I don't even want to know what my hair looks like." I hadn't been able to wash my hair in over a week. I'd rinsed in the stream and combed it with my fingers; but after getting so sweaty yesterday, it didn't bear thinking about.
"It's not that bad," Mulder assured me. "A little bit wild, but I like wild." He grinned mischievously at me.
As we spoke we approached a bend in the river. There, the banks became less steep and a few willows graced a grassy plateau; the huge oaks having given way.
"I'd say this is the place." Mulder looked to me for concurrence.
"It's one beautiful vista after another here, isn't it?" I could envision picnickers or campers choosing this spot. It was perfect; grass, shade and a crystal clear river.
"Do you want to sleep out in the open again tonight?" Mulder scanned the area.
"As long as we have a fire, I think we'll be fine. We have a couple of blankets; the ground is dry." I took stock.
"Al fresco, it is," Mulder said decisively, then helped me off with my pack. "I'll go hunt for some firewood," he told me after he'd slid his own pack off.
"You don't mind if I go for a bath now, do you?" I was anxious to be rid of the layer of sweat and dirt that was covering me.
"Go right ahead, I'll be in to join you as soon as I can." He smiled and then traipsed off into the trees.
After I'd stripped off my dress, I gave it a wary sniff, but it didn't smell bad at all, just the rich scent of the leather. So I laid it on the grass and set my moccasins beside it. Then I walked carefully down the gentle slope that led to the river.
This water was cooler than the stream near the village, but I got used to it quickly. The bottom was rocky and the current fast, so I knew I wouldn't have to worry about leeches. Once I was in the water, the only way I could wash was by rubbing my skin with my hands, but it would have to do.
The hardest part was getting my hair wet. The water seemed so much colder to my head, but I had to clean it somehow. I decided that the best way to wash it would be to stand in water that was about mid-thigh deep, facing downstream, and then bend over to immerse my head. While underwater, I scrubbed my scalp with my fingers. When I straightened up, I flipped my hair back and squeezed some of the water out of it. After I'd caught my breath, I dunked my head again. This time I rubbed my hair between my palms. Once I'd repeated that a few times, I waded back into the river until the water was shoulder deep. After turning around, I laid my head back in the water and let the water flow through it. Using my fingers, I managed to get most of the tangles out.
Feeling rejuvenated, I'd started back toward shore, squeezing water out of my hair as I went, when something caught my eye. I looked up to find Mulder standing in the grass, just watching me. The look on his face was almost predatory and even with the distance that separated us, I could see the prominent bulge in his pants. The sight of him watching me made my stomach flip-flop.
Trying to remain nonchalant, I continued to walk slowly towards the shore. Mulder's eyes never left me and he didn't move a muscle. When I reached the bank, I could hear his labored breathing.
"I thought you were going to join me." I kept my tone casual.
"I changed my mind." The smokiness in his voice stoked the fire that was already burning in my belly. I was only a few feet away from him now; he still hadn't moved.
"The water was nice--very refreshing." I informed him coolly.
"Mmm." His eyes traveled up and down the length of my body. I felt glorious. I loved the way he was looking at me, his desire for me so blatant.
I felt positively hedonistic standing naked in front of him. Although the river had cooled my skin, I could feel it beginning to heat up under his gaze.
"Why did you change your mind?" I reached up and squeezed some more water out of my hair. A small smile twitched at the corners of his mouth.
"I *was* on my way to join you," he told me softly, running a finger across my cheek. "But when I got here, I had to stop and watch."
"Why?" I looked up into his hazy hazel eyes.
"To watch you, in the water," he admitted.
"You were watching me? For how long?" I wondered if he noticed that my voice had become husky.
"You were washing your hair and when you straightened up, the water just slid off of you--cascading over your breasts." His hand left my cheek and followed the path that he'd described. When his fingertips brushed my already taut nipples, I drew in a quick breath. His touch had made my breasts begin to ache with pleasure. At my reaction, Mulder's eyes darkened further and his breathing became more ragged.
"You have no idea how beautiful you are, do you?" he breathed as he leaned in to kiss me. My tongue had barely touched his, when he was gone again. His lips had found my neck, and he was gently nipping at my skin. My mouth wanted him back desperately, but what he was doing felt too good; I didn't want to stop him. He quickly moved on to my shoulders and then my chest. Managing to open my eyes, I found him kneeling upright in front of me; his face level with my breasts. Why had I ever complained about being short?
His hands were resting firmly on my ass, and as he began to place feathery kisses in the valley between my breasts, he gently caressed each cheek. My hips rolled forward, pressing my sex against his diaphragm. When his hot mouth latched onto my nipple, my knees buckled and I leaned even more heavily against him. He hummed against me, creating wonderful vibrations that I felt between my legs.
Mulder no longer seemed rushed; he licked, sucked and nibbled on my left breast until I was squirming against him. He must have felt how wet he was making me. I had to cling to his shoulders to stay upright and my eyes had drifted closed again.
An exquisite eternity passed before he decided to give my right breast the same attention. A low moan escaped my throat when his mouth closed around my areola and his tongue flicked my nipple. I'd discovered a long time ago that my right breast was more sensitive than my left, so Mulder's ministrations were making me dizzy with delight.
In the fog of my lust, I heard his voice asking me to lie down. Without opening my eyes, I complied immediately. I could feel his hands carefully guiding me.
The grass felt cool on my heated flesh. Dragging my eyes open, I discovered that Mulder was still kneeling beside me. His lips seemed slightly swollen, and his eyes were darker than I'd ever seen them. Reaching over, I began to loosen the laces on the left side of his breeches. He began to work on the right; his eyes never leaving mine.
When we'd lowered his pants to mid-thigh, my eyes were drawn to his erection. Almost of its own volition, my hand closed around his shaft and began to stroke him slowly. When I lifted my eyes to look at him, I found that his eyes were closed and his lips were slightly parted. I continued to watch his face as I caressed him. His head lolled backwards and his eyelids fluttered. When his eyes flew open, I stopped stroking him instantly.
Neither of us said a word, but our eyes remained locked as he stood to completely remove his breeches. After he kicked them aside, he knelt between my parted thighs. Then he leaned forward and kissed me. He kissed me the way I'd expected him to earlier; deeply, his tongue delving into my mouth demandingly.
He was demanding what I was aching to give him. I could feel the head of his cock, hot and hard against my opening, but he wasn't moving. I realized that I'd brought him very close, and he was trying to compose himself. So I wiggled around to try to get him inside of me, but he held himself back.
My super-sensitized flesh was throbbing against him. I moved my hands to his ass to try to show him what I needed. I couldn't speak; our mouths were too busy. When I pulled him towards me, he growled into my mouth and plunged into me with one smooth, powerful stroke. I came instantly, shuddering around him. When he thrust into me again, I was still shaking, the aftershocks continuing to course through me. He was driving into me now with a force I'd never experienced before. My body accepted his power willingly, rejoicing each time we collided.
Too short of breath, our lips had to part, and Mulder pressed his cheek against mine. I felt his muscles tighten and his body begin to quake. The anticipation of his climax sent another surge of excitement through me. I felt his cock begin to pulse and we shuddered together as his orgasm sent me over the edge again; the sounds of his rapture increasing the thrill for me.
We lay there, quivering and panting. When our breathing began to slow; Mulder began to kiss me softly, gently sucking on my lips, his hand in my hair. I was lightly massaging his back, and enjoying the curve of his ass. His lips drifted over my cheek to my ear, and he began to nuzzle it.
I was lost in this tender afterplay when a low rumbling sound made me open my eyes. "Sorry," Mulder apologized.
"Hungry?" I laughed.
"I'll be fine," he assured me as his lips returned to my ear.
"It's getting late, Mulder," I argued. "And we have a lot to do before we eat. I should take another quick dip and you haven't had a bath yet. Then you still have to get the fire--"
"Okay, okay," he chuckled, raising himself up on his elbow. "But I'm reserving some snuggle time for later."
"In front of the fire," I agreed, smiling at him.
After rinsing the grass out of my hair, I stood in the late afternoon sunlight to dry before I slipped my dress back on. As we had the previous night, we ate most of the bannock before the stew was ready. By the time we'd rinsed the dishes out in the river, the sun had set, leaving a darkening purple haze in its wake.
Even though it was still early, I was sleepy. My internal clock now seemed to be tuned to the sun. I was having a difficult time keeping my eyes open. Being snuggled up to Mulder under a blanket, beside the fire, only heightened the effect. I hoped that he thought that falling asleep in his arms counted as snuggle time.
The next morning, the third since we'd left village, I was up with the sun. I'd made the day's bannock before Mulder woke up. After a quick breakfast, we continued on our trek. The scenery was still amazing and we saw no sign of human beings, Indian or otherwise. We saw more deer and some rabbits, but I was very relieved that we didn't encounter any more bears. As Apram had taught us, we ate our lunch as we walked. When the sun began to sink, we found a spot to camp. It wasn't as nice as our previous site, but it was still lovely.
"How much further do you think it is?" I looked over at Mulder as I stirred our stew.
"I didn't think to ask that, but judging from the amount of jerky that we have left, another day and a half." He was leaning up against our packs watching me.
"What if that was based on Apram's pace?" I was worried about our food supply.
"I think they would have taken into account that we'd be slower. Besides, we won't starve if we run out of meat. There's still plenty of oatmeal and wild rice, and I can catch some fish if we need them." He tried to ease my fears.
"If we're a day and half outside of Madison, Mulder, shouldn't we have run into someone by now?"
"Not if I'm right, Scully." There was no hint of gloating in his voice. For the first time since I'd known him, I got the impression that Mulder didn't want to be right.
The next day followed the same pattern that Apram had set for the trip. Every now and then we had to take off our moccasins to wade through a little stream that fed the river, but we saw no sign of people.
We'd been hiking for a few hours on our fifth morning out when the river began to curve towards the east, and the trees beside it began to dwindle away. Soon the water was bordered by grassland. We were surprised to see a faint path in the grass. Actually, two paths that were separated by a grassy strip that looked somewhat trampled. We looked to see where the path had come from, but it disappeared in the tall grasses.
We were still looking toward the east when a black spot appeared on the horizon amidst the sea of grasses. In silent agreement, we stood motionless and watched as the spot grew larger. When my eyes finally began to distinguish a shape, I blinked several times in disbelief. I glanced up at Mulder to find a resigned look on his face.
"Maybe we can catch a ride?" he shrugged.
The team of large brown horses that were hitched to a wagon-load of hay would be upon us soon. The driver lifted his hat and waved to us with a flourish when he saw us.
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