The feather Part 3 By Ben Goode 2018 (c)

Kajika the old Indian armed with his bow and arrow, had rode for hours through the valley, stopping only for his horse to have occasional rests in the heat of the day.
He had cupped his hand with water from his canteen, for his horse to drink from.
Kajika's mind was restless, and his thoughts had begun to overwhelm him.
He was determined to find the man who had so cruelly taken his daughters life.
And her husband before her.
They had been so happy together, and with his blessings they were to have a child, who would never know life now.
It all seemed so senseless.
Kajika knew he would never find real peace, even with vengeance.
He could never have back what he had lost.
What had been stolen from him.
Tears often fell from Kajika's eye's as he rode on.
But the sun quickly dried them away.
Eventually Kajika could see a township ahead of him in the horizon.
He knew the trouble he'd have entering there during the day, so he stopped to set up camp.
It would be a long night, and he wouldn't have a fire, so he couldn't be seen.
He would enter the town at early dawn.
But Kajika woke up late in the night, as he always had, sensing a spirit was watching him.
He had hoped it was his daughter again, but he saw an apparition of the very man he was hunting instead.
This evil spirit had visited him once before, taunting him, just after his daughter's death.
The dim moonlight revealed he was a large man, with an unkempt moustache, wearing a distinct blue cavalry uniform, with yellow stripes.
Kajika knew he could only talk to the spirit, and not kill it as he wanted to. 
"Your spirit is braver than your mind and body!" Kajika broke the silence. "You know I am coming for you, and your death will be as slow as I can make it!"
The spirit smiled for a moment and laughed, before disappearing again into the darkness.
"My laughing will be the last thing you hear!" Kajika cried out. (To be continued)