The fine desert sand shimmered and the heat was almost unbearable under the unrelenting hot noon sun. If he noticed, he did not give any signs of discomfort as he sat atop of his horse watching the solitary figure stagger across the sparsely vegetated plain below him. He watched silently as the white man fell before rising to his feet and staggering a few more feet before falling again. His dark eyes flickered towards the two figures riding away, their guns glinting in the midday sun as they placed them back into their saddle bags. He looked back down at the motionless figure below before he gently nudged his horse with his heels in a silent command to move forward. The short trip down the rocky hill side would have caused most horses to balk but his pony showed no fear as it confidently found its footing down the unstable slope. He allowed the animal to choose its own pace as they slowly made their way across to the downed man.

Swinging his leg over his horse's back he slid to the ground, landing lightly on his feet as he tugged his knife free from his waistband. Slowly he approached the motionless body and he stared down at the blood that stained the back of the man's shirt and was beginning to pool in the soft fine sand, coloring the earth red. Placing his moccasin clad foot beneath the limp body, he slowly rolled the man over, blinking in surprise as the young man moaned and opened his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Adam, I really tried …" the young man moaned softly as his eyes slowly closed and his head rolled to side.