Chapter 6 - Bold As Love

Chapter 6 - Bold As Love


Body of a woman, white hills, white thighs,
you look like a world, lying in surrender.
My rough peasant's body burrows into you
and makes the sun leap from the depth of the earth.

I was alone like a tunnel. The birds fled from me,
and night swamped me with its crushing invasion.
To survive myself I forged you like a weapon,
like an arrow in my bow, a stone in my sling.

Body of my woman, I will persist in your grace.
My thirst, my boundless desire, my shifting road!
Dark river-beds where the eternal thirst flows
and weariness follows, and the infinite ache.

Book: The Essential Neruda: Selected Poems by Pablo Neruda
                    . . . .


 My bounty is as boundless as the sea,
 My love as deep; the more I give to thee,
 The more I have, for both are infinite.
(Romeo and Juliet, 2.2)


                       

                     . . . .


As the party headed north, the weather oddly slackened its downpour and son et lumiere theatrics.  Indeed, they had not traveled but a mile or more, when rain sprinkles were all that was left of the monstrous tempest atop the pyramid.

After a short stop and confab, it was decided all were well enough to keep moving, for a little while at least.
  'If Diego can remain upright, we need to find water,' Rafe told them. 'We will stop and camp early then, perhaps fish or trap something for food. Rest is needed, but not yet.' His eyes were on Diego, slouched over the saddlehorn and uncommonly silent.

Onward into the dawn then...
  And a strange dawn it was; a bright red sun arose in the east behind a sheer curtain of haze.
  'A fire perhaps...' Celestino looked all about them.
As he turned toward the south whence they'd come, his eyes narrowed. 'Look behind us.'

The others reined up and turned in their saddles.  A plume of grey smoke issued from a point far to the south of them. 'I wonder...' Rafe pondered. 'Is that not where Mt. Popo would be?'

  'Popocatapetl has erupted!' Celestino turned their horse, who snorted, shaking his head, whilst the gypsy crossed himself.
  'The gods have been disturbed by the blasphemies of last night. Quetzelcoatel, Tlaloc, all the sacred mothers of our race! And, the Magdalena -- she would not allow such a shadow to darken the day without retribution!'


                          

Josephina stared at the smoke plume, then back to the scarlet sun. It was indeed a display of some sort, and perhaps, just perhaps...her spell of the Magdalena's Anointing Oil, had somehow helped call it into being?
-- she wondered...
                              

Celestino coughed, then tied his bandana about his nose and mouth. 'Better a bandito than to breathe sulphurous smoke from that plume!' He turned back north and he and Rafe headed onward. Jo covered her own nose and tied a kerchief about Diego, who was still groggy from beatings and concussion, she guessed.

  As they headed homeward, she wondered about her new-found partner. Had they really been found on the same day? What did he know? As sympathetic as she was, she wished that Diego's mouth was working now.
  She couldn't know how rare such a thought would be in the future.

                     . . . .


After heading many miles northward, the air became somewhat clearer thanks to a freshening breeze from the west.
  It was now afternoon and Diego was nearly laying upon Tlaloc's neck. It had been a long ride.

'We must stop soon! Celestino!' She called. The others halted.
  'Diego is nearly falling off the horse. I cannot keep him upright. We need to rest!'

The men looked about, Rafe removed his bandana, and sniffed the air. 'Better. I think I smell water too.'
His gaze shifted eastward.  'There,' he pointed to a barely discernible line of cottonwood trees.
  'We are near enough to the river. It won't be long, now...perhaps a few miles. Or, I could ride with you, and let Celestino wrestle with Diego a while?'

'A few more miles will be alright. Let's go, then,' Jo was too tired herself for Rafe's teasing.

At last, the river...
  A larger rio here than the river back at camp, this had no signs of settlement in the area. They made for a small rise to view the outlying area and make certain they would not be bothered when settling down for the night.

It was with much relief unknown for too long, that the company was at last able to dismount and unsaddle the tired horses and water them, hobbling them near a grazing area.
  Celestino set off, knife in hand, intent on setting a trap or two. Josephina spread blankets in the shade and Diego lay down, head on the saddle. After gulping down some water, he promptly fell into a deep sleep.

'Come on, he'll be fine. He needs rest. Let's get some fish, sim?' Rafe smiled tiredly at her.

Josephina and Rafel stalked the river for shallow pools where fish might congregate, then lay down on their bellies and began to fish like gypsies; by tickling.
  As their fingers danced hypnotically in the cool water, Jo and Rafe began to yawn.
  'If my head falls in the water, you will wake me?' she asked, mumbling.

Rafe chuckled. 'You'll be fine. I have watched you, little rojo cabeza...Zorrita would be a good name for you, like a red fox but with a bite! You do not give up easily.'


                      

Josephina let this compliment melt into her mind a moment. 'I couldn't just sit, waiting to see what was happening to...to everyone.'
  'Estar a' vontade...' Rafe dismissed her unnecessary defense of her actions. He glanced at her. 'I would not mind having you around in a fight, Zorrita,' he smiled.

Jo smiled quietly to herself then.
  'Diego...mentioned that...you had said that he and I both showed up,' she sighed, not knowing how else to say it, '--at the same time. From out of nowhere.'

Rafe made his move then. Grabbing a good-sized fish, he emerged triumphant. 'Ah! It's a start...' He thwacked the fish a good one, then helped Jo up.
  'Let's move down a ways. I think there are more pools ahead...'

As they strode, Rafe spoke up, with a sigh, 'Yes...it is so. Carlos and Esperanza found you. Actually, Carlos found Diego, and Esperanza found you. You were found on the same day, it is so. But, Diego...' Rafe's eyes shifted southward, back to the barely discernible plume from Popo.
  'Diego we found farther south.' He nodded, pointing to the mountain, '-- There!'

                        . . . .

Evening at last brought some relief from the sight, at least, of the hazy red sky and glaring bare hills...
  Stars were not visible, with only a wan glowing patch of a blood-mottled moon in the night sky.
  Still, the company felt that they could relax somewhat after putting some miles betwixt themselves and trouble.

Rafel and Josephina returned to find Celestino had a small fire going in their somewhat sheltered campsite, and was roasting two rabbits upon a spit.
  'I nearly had a javelina, but...' he shrugged as he held up a makeshift spear he had whittled out of a cottonwood branch. '...eh, not with this javelin...' As he tossed it, it flew in a crazy serpentine.

'It smells like heaven, Celestino!' Jo told him, 'If we can, save a bit of rabbit, even bones, so that I can make a broth with herbs for Diego...I found some plants by the river we can use. There may have been a settlement near here at one time, I found signs of prior cultivation...ruta, manzanilla...yarrow...and! -- aloe vera!'
  Josephina displayed the found herbs in her kerchief.

                        

'This one is about done,' Celestino cut pieces from the coney. 'You can make your broth, now.'

'Peixes,' Rafe said simply, as he lay the fish upon a wide rock. 'I'll get these cooking also and soon we shall eat as gypsies should!'

                     . . . .

Diego began to stir to the sounds and smells of camp and cooking.
  'Ah, Sleeping Beauty wakes at last!' Rafe teased his young brother as Diego yawned mightily. 'How is it you always know when dinner is ready?'

Diego attempted a small smile and winced. 'Ow...' He probed about with his tongue. 'I think I lost a tooth, or two. Don't think jaw is broken...'
  '--Alas!' Rafe threw up his hands.

Diego frowned at him, working his chin with his fingers,
'...but, close to it...' he began rubbing his head and groaning. 'I feel like a herd of 10,000 donkeys trampled me...' He stretched and gasped.
  Rafe sighed and stood. 'Probably broken ribs from all that kicking you were begging for...let me see.'

  Jo brought a pan of hot water over and crouched upon a rock to watch, as Diego smiled gingerly at her, and Rafel pulled the boy's shirt off. Diego gasped again.
  'Whew!' Rafe exclaimed, 'Aye-yah, meu irmado you smell like that herd of donkeys!' He looked at Jo. 'Any of those sweet herbs left? He needs to soak in them!'

'Actually, yes!' Jo had been busy. She went for another pan (luckily Celestino was usually the camp cook and his pack was well prepared). This contained the herbs cooked simply with water and a little alcohol for topical use. Or otherwise.

'Get the little burrito cleaned up a bit, then coat his wounds and I will bandage those ribs...they may be just cracked, we'll see. When he's decent, I can stand to touch him and find out...' Rafe went back to his fish.

'Obrigato, irmado!' Diego called, rather hoarsely, coughing, and spat. 'Sorry about the donkey smell, mi querida...'
  Jo just shook her head, watching those two one could not be sure if they loved or hated one another.

'We all have been on the road for days now...' she assured him. 'You slept, though. That is good.'
  'I dreamed...' Diego closed his eyes. '...Such dreams!
I dreamed of mountains belching smoke and fire...'

Josephina looked closely at him, then dipped a kerchief in the hot herbal water. 'This may sting a little.'
  She bathed his face, gently as possible and Diego tried to hold still, but winced often. Jo bit her lip as she dabbed at his wounds...what had transpired that had caused all this damage; blood, cuts, bruises, and how was he on the inside? She had to trust that he was young and healthy and could heal, goddess willing...

Sighing, she rinsed the bandana and came behind Diego to work on his back...Oh, even worse! What was all this?
  Jo was sick just looking at it...deep cuts and red welts had been bleeding over the long miles; she simply hadn't noticed, being unable to differentiate between the dark dried blood and mud and dirt on his shirt...

When Rafe removed his shirt however, that got the cuts bleeding again...well, get this all cleaned up best as she could for now. She tried not to shake, but she was so angry...
  'These are bad, my brother...' she told him. 'But you are lucky; I found an aloe plant and you will heal quickly now.' She wasn't going to tell him there would be no scars; no guarantees there.

Gently she bathed him; carefully dabbing over the worst cuts, needing to get them clean but she felt the boy stiffen and heard the sharp intakes of breath and small high sounds escape from him as she did so...
  Her heart ached...

'Alright!' Back to business, there was doctoring to do.
'Let's get some of that aloe on these! Hand to me that long spiky leaf, and it should be enough to cover your back wounds...'
 
Diego handed her a long green pointed cactus leaf which she cut as she went along, oozing out the healing gel from within. 'Truly a miracle plant,' she told him, soothing the thick liquid over the cuts.
  'Aahhh...that's not bad! Um. It feels cool...' Diego dropped his head, feeling the first relief he'd felt in ages, it seemed.

It took some time treating his back, but at last, the worst job was done.  'Now for the front of you, and then when Rafe is done, you can have some broth!'
  Jo took her seat before Diego, and rinsed out the bloody kerchief, then dipped it back into the herb-water.

'I am indebted to your care, cara...' Diego took her hand and kissed it gently.
  'None of that now,' Jo was shy suddenly, facing a half-naked Diego who seemed even more warm and real to her in the flickering firelight here; just the two of them together, so close, in the cool of the evening.

Diego watched her closely, however, as she softly swabbed his shoulders, arms, and hands; she did not resist when he kissed her again, but held up a warning hand, and he backed off.
  'Ah...you know,' he said, as she rinsed the cloth once more, and began dabbing his chest, 'it might have been your punch that dislodged my jaw, mi querida...'
  Jo looked at him deadpan. 'Keep that in mind, then.'

Diego shut up and smiled as he leaned back on his elbows, forcing Jo to move closer to tend him.
  'You do this very well, mi amore!' He told her, purring now, 'I could grow to get used to this treatment...'

'About ready for your ribs to get bandaged?!' Rafe called to him.
  'Nearly so,' Jo answered, then turned back to Diego. 'I will put aloe on your face and front, and you will awaken a new man!'
  'I thought you liked the old one,' he teased her.

Josephina ignored him as she cut more aloe leaf. 'Be still while I tend your face.'
  Diego watched intently as her gentle fingers dipped into the cool gel and softly spread it upon small cuts and welts about his face...

  'Here, it hurts,' he told her, pointing to a small cut on his forehead. She dabbed.
  'And, here, also...' he pointed to a cheekbone which she had tended already, but she relented and gave him a new smear of cactus.
  'And, here...' he pointed to a small cut on his lower lip.
  'It does not taste so good, I warn you,' Jo said softly.

'It will heal me,' Diego took her finger and brought it to his lip, then pulled her closer.
   He stole a soft kiss.
   Jo did not protest.

'Here I come!' Rafe called, standing.
   The two broke their hold on one another and parted, breathing deeply.
   'Uno momento!' Jo called. 'I'm nearly...done.'
   'I am altogether undone,' Diego smiled his crooked half-smile.
   'Stay still a second, will you! Worse than tending a hurt animal!' Jo scolded, her face heating.

'Alright, let's get your chest medicated, then I will leave you to Rafe's tender mercies!' Jo dipped into her cactus leaf once again.
  Diego sighed, smiling no more. But he stayed fairly still as Jo applied the cooling cactus to his abrasions. There were not so many of them on his chest, except for small round red burns which she was very careful of...
  However, lower about his ribs and abdomen, there were some nasty dark bruises. This she was concerned about.
 

She felt Rafel hovering over them then. 'I wish I had some castor oil! He could use plasters all about him, to help heal internally.'
   'I will plaster him.' Rafe sighed, sitting beside Diego, as Jo moved away to rinse out her things.

Diego looked at his irmado with a small silly grin on his bruised and swollen features.
  Rafe snorted, 'What are you so happy about? Was it worth all that for the touch of a soft hand on your donkey-reeking flesh?'
 

Diego did not answer, but his smile remained.
  'Alright. Let's see how badly you have managed to mangle yourself...' Rafe came behind Diego and felt gingerly about his back, sides and front, which left Diego gasping and yelping in several key places.

  'Broken. Two; here and here, I think.' Rafe poked; Diego yelped. 'Maybe just cracked, the others. You have another day's ride ahead!'

   Rafel pulled a wad out of his jacket pocket. 'Managed to scare up some cloth to tie it, but this,' he displayed strips of what looked like tree bark, '...is cottonwood bark mostly. I peeled it from the river trees. It will act as a brace for you, quite well, really.'

Rafe stuffed some sweet grasses and river plants up against the worst bruises, then began wrapping the tree bark about Diego. Josephina came to watch.
  'Hold this here, while I wrap from the other side,' he told her, as Jo took hold of the tree bark while Rafe covered it, wrapping the grasses and bark with strips of cloth. '...Torn,' he told her, 'from the lining of my coat I'll have you know! You owe me, little lobito!'

Diego groaned as Rafe strapped him in, tying off the cloth strips into a snug cocoon about his ribs.
  'There. He won't be able to get into much trouble now, I think! Hmph. Well, eat now, lobito. It will be a long journey manana...' Job done, Rafel strode away.

'Obrigato, Rafel!' Diego called again, ever cheerful at Rafe's taunts.
  His smile was a trifle strained, however, as he tried to move, small yelps emerged from Diego, sounding somewhat like a wolf cub.

'Start with this, it is a healing broth with rabbit and herbs,' Jo gave him the pan of warm soup, which Diego gulped gratefully. 'I will bring you some fish also. Don't leap about!'

Diego felt not at all like leaping. He wouldn't mind creeping however, if he could cosy up to Jo without dislodging the primordial soup of grasses and algae and whatall that was wrapped and oozing about his waist now, thanks to Rafe's ministrations. Ayyy...but his irmado was not making it easy to wage wooing this night...

As he attempted to sit up, however, the pain of his newly cleaned wounds and the stiff bark about his tender ribs, not to mention his throbbing cranium, gave him pause.
  'Here,' Josephina had returned with fish and rabbit.
'And be sure to drink water. It will flush out your system and help you to heal.'

Diego was ravenous he realised, as he tore into the bits of roasted meat. His body craved salt and minerals he could tell...no wonder people would suck the marrow from bones. He could inhale an entire rabbit, he felt, cottontail and all...

  'Tomorrow, we will fish again, perhaps catch more rabbit, before we leave.' Josephina told him, noting his obvious hunger. 'We seem to be safe enough now, and need not run.' She studied Diego, assessing. 'But all are anxious to return to camp.'

  Was he? She wondered. And what then? The Feast of the Magdalena was over, and Emmelina's tribe would be moving on, especially eager to be off, into less hostile territory. Perhaps Rafel and Diego's gypsy band would follow them.

  They were gypsies, after all. Travelers.
  Jo knew that Diego had become part of the tribe, a blood bond. Tribal customs varied, but certain things were demanded by most gypsies everywhere...

  Emmelina was happy with her part, but Josephina had often wondered if she could reconcile herself to gypsy life. It was a rough and ready one, and very hierarchial in some ways, a life where ancient custom ruled. Would Rafel's tribe even accept her, were she to wish to go with Diego?
  Jo blushed then, looking down. What was she assuming?

She looked up, noticing that Diego had finished, and was looking intently at her.
  'Will you take me to the river?' he asked.
                     . . . .

'"Take me to the rii-verr, wosh me in the waaa-tah..."' Diego sang softly as he walked with Josephina, holding onto her shoulder as she put an arm about his...well, his rump, as she dare not touch his tender ribs.
  It's just like tending a wounded animal, she told herself. Do what is necessary.

Diego was well-pleased with the necessity of Josephina's hand on his butt.
  "'Wash-a me down...washa me...hold me! Please me!'"
Diego sang his fool head off. "Love me! Tease me!"'
  'Shh!' Jo shushed him, fearing the night. 'What the devil are you singing anyway?'

'Don't know...' Diego stopped at the river's edge and then kneeled before it, frowning. Jo joined him.
  'I sometimes remember snatches of old songs...funny. I sing them to Rafel sometimes, and the others, but no one knows them.'
  'I have certainly never heard the like!' Josephina was with Rafe on that one.

The couple sat at the river's edge, listening to its soft water-song. Soon the howling of coyotes could be heard across the hills.
  'Your coyote brothers are seeking you. They hear the terrible pain in your voice and know you are badly wounded,' Josephina told him wickedly, but she needed him to cease howling, singing or whatever he was doing.

'Ah-hoo--!' Diego began to howl. Josephina clamped a hand over his big boca and put a stop to that.
  'Ay-yah!'She whispered hoarsely, 'Cease, fool! I should kick you in the ribs myself...'

Diego hung his head, chastised. 'I have been very, very bad. I deserve a good spanking...' said the unrepentant coyote boy.
  Jo simply looked at him, frowning. 'Rafel is right. You stink.' She pushed at him. 'You need a bath. Now.'
  Diego stared at her. 'I don't smell anything.'

Josephina stood and grabbing Diego's arm, hauled him to his feet. 'Go. A nice pool right here...' she led him over to the spot. 'We've cleaned you up some, but you should wash your hair, and, ah, everything from the waist down!'
  Diego looked at her, unbelieving.
  'Now!' Josephina was adamant. 'And don't get the bandages wet around your ribs!'
  Diego grinned, beginning to unfasten his belt.

Josephina turned away and walked downriver...leave donkey-boy to his own devices a while.
  She wandered to the next pool and bent down, testing the water. Not too cold, it had been a warm, muggy storm the night before.
  She wouldn't mind washing off the dust of the road herself...glancing back, she could just make out Diego now waist-deep in water, dunking his head.


Just a quick dip, then, and she could get clean at least; she felt itchy with the grime of long dusty days, not to mention what was probably volcano ash.

  Slipping off her clothes, down to her chemise, she carefully stepped into the water and let herself sink in, relishing the river's cool refreshment. She dunked her head and scrubbed the sand from her scalp.
  Ah, that was better. She felt almost human now after food and the river's gentle soaking.

                                 

Suddenly she heard the sound of something plopping into the water near her. A big fish? She wondered...or other creature.
  It was donkey-boy.
  Diego's head came up next to her.

'Well, you are smelling better, at least,' Jo told him.
Diego took that to mean she needed kissing. He complied.
   Reaching around her cool waist, he pulled her closer and touched her cheek, gazing at the lights reflected in her eyes. 'Meu amore....' he whispered, as he softly kissed her mouth.

The sensations of night, soft breezes, the cool water rushing about them, and warm bare skin on skin was all the refreshment either of them needed. Josephina touched his shoulder.
  'It is good to wash off the ashes...'


'Mount Popo erupted...' Diego said. 'Rafe told me.' He held her closer. 'Do you know the legend of the volcanoes?'
  Jo confessed she did not.
 

'According to the legend, at the beginning of history, when the Aztecs arrived in the Valley of Anahuac, before the mountains had reached their permanent form, a beautiful princess named Mixtli was born, in the city of Tenochtitlan...' Diego was warming up now.
He smoothed Josephina's hair back from her neck, kissing her.
  'She was the daughter of the Tlatoani Emperor of the Mexicas.'
Diego kissed her nose. 'That's you.'
  He continued, 'Mixtli was sought after by many, among them Axooxco, a cruel and bloodthirsty nobleman, who demanded the hand of Mixtli in marriage.  However, Mixtli's heart belonged instead to a humble peasant named Popoca....' Diego paused. 'That's me.'


Jo bussed him a soft kiss. 'What happened to them, then?'


Diego held her closer. 'Popoca went into battle, to conquer the title of Caballero Aguila.  If he claimed this title of nobility, Popoca would be able to fight Axooxco for the hand of Mixtli.
    Mixtli knew the danger Popoca was in, and then, wrongly, heard that he was killed.  But in fact, Popoca was returning victorious.  Not realizing this, Mixtli killed herself, rather than live without him.'
 

'Oh no! Just like Romeo and Juliet!' Jo leaned her head onto Diego's shoulder.
   Diego went on, 'When Popoca returned to find Mixtli dead, he picked her up and carried her body into the mountains. Hoping that the cold snow would wake her from sleep, reuniting them alive, Popoca stayed at her feet, bent over, watching for her to come awake.
    They have remained there ever since, and the body of Mixtli has become the volcano Ixtaccihuatl, the Sleeping Woman, the ever-watchful Popoca has become the volcano Popocatépetl the Smoking Mountain'

                         

'A sad story...I do not want to end like that.' Jo looked up at Diego.
  Another kiss, and then another, longer...left them both gasping. 'It's scratchy,' Jo complained, meaning his rib brace.


  'Madonna...' Diego sighed. 'Finally we are alone together and I am a wounded warrior, a lonely coyote, smelling of donkeys...wrapped like a mummy in tree bark!'
  Josephina laughed, and took his hand, hauling him out of the river.

'We must find your clothes,' she said.
   'Not just yet,' Diego pressed her close. 'When will we be alone, like this, again, cara mia?' He nuzzled her neck, licking her earlobe like the coyote he was...

Josephina moaned softly, leaning into his embrace. 'They will come looking...they mustn't find us, like this...'
  'They are not. They will not,' Diego assured her, kissing her, stopping her protests.

A breeze freshened, and Jo began to shiver.
  'Ah, but you must not get chilled,' Diego reluctantly relinquished her lips. He held her close, once more, then sighed.
  Jo shivered still, but she held on to him, unwilling to leave their private oasis. Diego moved back.
  'Oh!' Josephina observed his ardor. She looked up at him. 'Can you do that anytime?'
  'Anytime I am with you,' Diego was adamant.
  Josephina smiled. 'Good. Let's get dressed, and get back to the fire then!'
   Diego was ready to follow her...anywhere.

                       . . . .

'Ah, I see you couldn't take the donkey-stink any longer, either!' Rafel took note of the return of the soggy river-dippers. 'Hope you didn't scare the fish.'

Josephina was blushing, but as she went to retrieve her coat, she was inwardly grateful that neither of the men said anything about finding the two of them missing, and returning rather en deshabille.
   Wrapped in her coat, she joined Diego and the others around the fire and warmed up.

Celestino yawned. 'I cannot stay awake. I will set more traps, and then check them manana.' He stood, stretching, 'Buenos noches, all,' and then headed into the brush.

'I too have seen more of life than I wanted lately. Suenos, sweet...and sleep. I am for the other world, my young friends. Just keep your coyote howling down tonight, sim?' Rafe tossed more brush on the fire and then took himself off to his blankets and rolling up, was soon snoring.

'Just the two of us,' Diego looked at Jo, the firelight dancing in his eyes. 'Come. I will help get you warm.'
  Josephina, strangely shy out of the water, pulled her coat closer to herself, but edged over beside Diego, who put an arm about her. 'Take off the coat. You need your clothes to dry in the heat of the fire, sim?'

She did. She brought her blanket and saddle over and spread the coat atop. Now the two of them were lying together beside the fire, Josephina before Diego who was spooned up against her back, his arms about her, both heads resting against the saddle.
  'I've never been so comfortable...' Jo was now dangerously close to falling asleep. She had not the long nap Diego enjoyed whilst she was fishing with Rafe.

Diego kissed her, then turned her towards him. 'I will keep you warm, all night long, cara, never fear...'
  They gazed at each other in wonder. Who was he, thought Jo, and Diego surely had the same thought about her...how had they come together here, after falling from the sky?

  '...Little Twin Stars...' Diego whispered, brushing a lock of hair from Jo's cheek. 'Your hair looks like a crimson sunset in the fire...'

   How had this girl come to him, like a gift? A lost little red fox, to cohabit with a renegade coyote like himself? He couldn't fathom it, but like so much of late, whenever strange things happened, he just had to keep going. Be brave and strong, for her. He was no longer Rafe's awkward little gadjo brother, he was becoming a man.

   'Bold as love,' he told her, kissing her fiery hair, as she reached up and, running her hand through his dark curls, eagerly pulled his mouth to hers once more...


                             

                      . . . .


Air That I Breathe -- The Hollies
From: Seeking A Friend For the End of the World
Air That I Breathe - Hollies