Beyond the Green

40

They appeared out of the darkness like ghosts, at least two dozen of them forming a full circle around he and Molly. Tyler stole a glance at his wife, seeing her sitting like a statue and knew her heart must be hammering. Hoping she would not panic, fairly sure she would not Tyler returned his attention to the braves. They were deathly quiet, just sitting on their ponies. Molly glanced at him from the corner of her eye but did not turn her head.

He stayed relaxed, but the pistol in his hand spoke volumes. He was surprised that the natives had followed their wild race across the open. The cold steel in his hand made him feel better about it. When the Indians facing him slowly moved aside for another to ride through, Tyler dropped the revolver back in the scabbard.

"You are out late tonight, Great Father." He spoke quietly in the native tongue.

"My braves reported that you had returned to your home. I have come to talk." Eyota responded. His dark eyes briefly settled on Molly, taking in her appearance in Tyler's clothes.

"Talk is best done when both parties are at peace." Tyler shifted in his saddle slightly. "I am slightly less than peaceful at present."

"You are angry over your herds." The chieftain moved closer, guiding his pony to Tyler's side.

"What does Eyota know of my horses?"

"Come, Brother. Let us talk."

Eyota turned his pony and started off, leaving Tyler and Molly to fall in behind. They moved at a steady pace, heading away from the ranch toward the wide land to the south. Not a word was spoken among them. Nolan occasionally shifted his eyes to the braves, checking their posture and positioning. Though he trusted Eyota to a degree, he did not recognize any of these warriors, and had his reservations. The air around the warriors had his scalp tingling.

Molly rode next to him and though her head was up, shoulders straight, he could see she was scared. Moving slowly he reached for her hand, smiling from the corner of his mouth when she looked at him.

"We're okay, honey." Her faint nod was his only answer.

After some time they finally came in sight of a large village, seeming to spring up from the ground. Several large fires burned, with many Indians moving to and fro between them. Reaching the edge of the village Eyota swung off his pony and Tyler did also, moving around the dun to help Molly down. He kept hold of her elbow as he followed the chieftain into the circle of light.

"Where are we?" Molly whispered to him, her voice trembling.

"Among the Shoshone. Somethin's in the wind, I never seen so many in one place before except when troubles brewin'."

"Are we in danger Nolan?"

"No." though he said it confidently, he was not entirely sure.

Eyota had settled himself in front of one of the large fires and was smoking his pipe. To his left sat Kajika, and many familiar faces of the Newe tribe. In addition to them were hundreds of faces Tyler did not recognize. He led Molly to an open space and settled down next to her. As before, he made no eye contact with any of the braves, waiting for the chieftain to speak. When Molly started to look around, he squeezed her hand without turning his head.

"It's bad manners to look at anyone other than the chieftain right now." He whispered to her, indicating Eyota with the barest tip of his head. "Do what I do but look at him."

"Nolan Tyler, blood brother and friend of the Shoshone people, it has come to my ears that you have supplied many fine horses to the Blue Coats, for them to use against the Arapahoe People." The chieftain looked directly at Tyler and exhaled a long cloud of smoke, speaking in the tongue of the People. "Your brothers would now ask of you the same favor, as it is our people that are being driven from the lands, our brothers who are dying at the white man's hand."

"Great Father, what is it you want of me? Horses I cannot give you, for the army has come to my land, and taken all of them from me. The few that remain I must keep to rebuild my herds. Eyota must know this." The sudden shift in the atmosphere around him made his muscles tighten.

"Your horses are known among all the People as the best of animals. I have twenty mounts already that my blood brother promised to me, but now I have many braves in need of good horses."

"Noble and wise Eyota, I have no horses to give." Tyler began to feel there was a piece of the picture missing "You saw me on my land today, watching as I numbered what was left. What is it you really seek from me? Tell me openly."

The chieftain smiled at last and took a long puff on his pipe before smoothly rising to his feet. Kajika also rose, and Tyler followed suit, reaching out to help Molly up. They moved away from the fire and walked silently through the village, out into the darkness beyond that last tepee. The mountains rose up behind the village forming a natural barrier of sorts and feeding on the green grasses were at least three hundred head of Tyler's mustangs. They were silent, only an occasional whicker betraying their presence. Eyota turned and gestured to the vast meadow of horseflesh.

"Scouts reported that the Blue Coats were coming to your home, and Eyota knows that they crave your horses, so I sent braves in to collect what animals they could find. The white soldiers took most of what was left."

"Why did you not tell me you had them? Why keep them from me?" Tyler was striving to keep his voice calm, but irritation bubbled to the surface.

"The Shoshone go to join our brothers in the war against the white man, and we need horses. It is a gesture of goodwill for you to allow your brothers to use these."

Tyler knew there was no point in arguing with the Shoshone chieftain. Eyota had already made his mind to keep the mustangs, he sought only Tyler's acceptance. Though his heart hammered fiercely he kept his face calm and relaxed. Goodwill indeed.

"Great Father, the horses are yours. Do with them what you will. Your blood brother wishes you victory in battle against those who would take your lands."

Turning on his heel he reached for Molly but she gasped and ran forward, pushing through the herd.

"Molly! Leave them!"

But she was already deep in the sea of mustangs, her focus fixed on one of them. Then Nolan saw it, the long elegant face, and the black patch under her chin, gracefully reaching up to frame both sides of her muzzle. Saoirse. Molly already had her arms around the long neck, running her hands through the mane, stroking the filly softly. Tyler turned to Eyota and tilted his head.

"Brother, what would you say to a trade?"

Though Kajika stood by Tyler had pointedly ignored him, boosting Molly into the saddle. A short time later they were riding from the village, Molly ecstatic to have found her mare. Tyler was atop his dun, and Eyota was examining with pleasure the large muscles and long legs of the dark chestnut. As soon as they were a polite distance from the village, they called to the horses and were off in a quick gallop.