Singing Fox sat in silence beside the small fire pit. Her thoughts on Gray Eagle and his injuries. She looked up at Strong Moon who often flinched from the pain with the smallest of movement. “Dose your injuries hurt you very much?” She asked lowly.

He shifted his position and softly nodded. “To answer you would mean showing my weakness to you.” He dropped his voice. “I’ll not say but show.”

She watched as he inched his vest off. The wounds looked angry and swollen. She did not understand how he could move at all. She covered her mouth with her small fist to keep from gasping out loud. The thin cuts on Strong Moon’s cheek and chest looked to be scratches compared to the two deep holes in both shoulders. His one tightly wrapped wrist caught her eyes. The fingers did not work but with some effort he used his palm to do most of the work, pain clearly evident with his movement. His leg was also wrapped tightly, Gray Eagle left his mark on each part of this man’s body. Clearly Gray Eagle showed no mercy.

“How do you move at all? The pain must be very great.” She felt her heart twitch with pity. He obviously doesn’t want his people to know just how weak he is. Gray Eagle and this man surely had one vicious battle.

His words brought her from her deep thoughts, “The Great Spirit gives me the strength I need to lead my people.” He tried to grab the fabric of his vest and failed. His eyes glazed with pain when he once more tried to move his hand in the awkward position.

“Here, I help.” She moved to his side and helped him slide the vest back onto his shoulders. “I am sorry for your pain. I will help you, but I must ask that you grant me a simple favor.”

“If your request is one that can be done I will do this for you.” He looked into the flames and straightened his back.

Singing Fox moved back across the pit from him. “I only ask that we remain here until my people come for me.”

Strong Moon nodded. “This I will do.” He placed a small log on the low flames watching them flutter around the new fuel. “Sleep now we eat soon.” He waved his hand at some extra furs along the wall. “Make a pallet for yourself if you want.” He looked at the space beside him. “Or share mine if you wish.”

She shook her head. “I will make my own.”

…………..

Birds whistled and tweeted in the trees as Cloud Runner led Hanna through the tangled path. Hanna looked hard to see the birds but none ever fluttered by or made their selves known. Not even the smallest of creatures appeared on their path. The sounds of the forest seemed close at hand but nothing moved at all. While riding with the soldiers all sorts of animals ran about, but now it seemed dead. Was this what the young man meant? In the distance a soft scream reached her. Cloud Runner looked back at Hanna and her face paled with the understanding. The young man just saved her life and the birds were in fact. Her thoughts cut off to an abrupt halt when a warrior dropped to the ground in front of them stopping their horses immediately. Hanna held tightly to her horse catching her balance. She struggled to understand what was going on. The words between Cloud Runner and the man lost on her.

“Young one what goes here with a white woman?” Blue Wing asked with confusion.

Cloud Runner shifted his weight and turned slightly. “She saved me from the blue coats so I now return the favor. Strong Moon is close by is he not?”

Blue Wing nodded and pointed further down the trail. “Just outside of the trees. We will follow soon to make sure no one else follows.”

Cloud Runner nodded, “Running Wolf is close?”

The warrior nodded pointing at a more eastern path. “He follows Apache braves who belong to Strong Moon.”

Cloud Runner nodded again hitting his chest with a fist before he motioned for Hanna to follow. Her face now taking on more color he gave her a small smile and held out his hand. His voice soft as he tried out another English phrase for her. “Come. Safe.”

She nodded. “Now if you just learned a bit more.” She giggled. “I hope you will teach me your language one-day. I would love to understand you better.”

He held a hand up to his mouth In a way of saying be quite. She nodded and followed his lead once more. Traveling in the direction of the unknown to her. Her life rested in a boys hand for now and she trusted he knew what he was doing.

The moment her eyes hit the Apache camp was the moment every single person in the village halted their activities on the spot. Women touched their hair and few looked at her with hate. Mostly they all looked at her with curiosity. She felt out of place and in a strange way, home. The way the people of the village all moved as one intrigued her. The knowledge she could obtain from just this one village could end up saving the lives of many more. If the people of the big cities would listen. She hated war and these people rightfully owned the land being stripped away from them. Families torn apart would no longer have to be torn apart if the violence stopped. Less lives lost if she could just get people to listen to the real facts of life out here.

Hanna would never let her hopes fall even if she was the only one fighting for these people’s lives. They only went to war because they were forced to. Their families depend on the food and supplies the land gives them and the new waves of whites who take that away from them force them to defend what is theirs. The only thing now is to get the proof and take some back with her to the colonies scattered along the east and south.

They stopped in front of a large teepee. A black Moon with a red man in the center painted on it as a main focus held her mesmerized. “Is this the leader, the um Chief?” She whispered to Cloud Runner.

He grabbed her hand and squeezed it slightly. His small smile of reassurance pulling her into a smile of her own. She held her breath while sitting on her horse Cloud Runner next to her. Obviously he had a reason for staying mounted on the horses. The flap of the teepee fluttered with moment before sliding open to reveal the most handsome man Hanna had ever seen. His moments were slightly different and he looked like he was in great pain. Her heart broke when his bandaged hand came into view.

His eyes met hers and something clicked. The air suddenly became hot and she felt her skin catch on fire. Cloud Runner let go of her hand and he dropped to the ground with a light thump. His words lost to her.

“Chief Strong Moon, I am Cloud Runner from Running Wolf’s tribe. I only want to know if Singing Fox is here and make sure she is unharmed.”

The slight growl Cloud Runner mixed into his voice unsettled Hanna and she put a hand over her chest. The young man was upset with this one but why?

A woman appeared behind Strong Moon and Hanna’s heart dropped. The woman’s voice sounded sweet and her appearance made anger flash in the young ones eyes.

“Cloud Runner I am fine this is not Strong Moon’s doing but his brother Three Dogs. You must tell Running Wolf I am safe and I wait for him or Gray Eagle to come for me.” She looked past Cloud Runner to the white girl on the horse. “Who is that?”

…………….

Men in dusty blue uniforms stood in a circle the bottom of the cliff’s upward trail. The two young riders had indeed returned with the news of a village. One that held a white woman. Captain Burnett looked up the trail with curiosity. “I wonder who the white girl is? Do you think she is a captive?”

One of the soldiers to his left snickered. “That woman is not white anymore. She’s full Indian whore trash now. I bet she lets them redskins take turns.”

Captain Burnett reacted without hesitation and slapped the soldier so hard the man flew back and out of the circle. Every man watching the captain with shocked expressions.

“I will not tolerate you insulting any woman red white or black. That is not allowed in my company. She is still a human and she is still my concern as of right now.” Captain Burnett yelled at the soldier now holding his cheek.

A young man stepped forward, this is his first detachment and he was slightly nervous when he spoke up. “Why not just ask her? Some women don’t want to leave and actually marry Indians after a while.”

Captain Burnett smiled at the boy. “Your right son. You private Johnson!” He said turning to the red cheeked soldier. “Need to learn from this young whelp of a man. Get my horse ready me and the boy here are going to go have a chat with some friendly Indians.”