The Savage

Twenty Six

Stubborn tears dripped from my eyes as I stared up at the tanned skin ceiling of the lodge. Wind Runner had left as silently as he'd come, angry, hurt, disappointed in me. How I had wanted to assure him Stalking Elk was wrong, and had no idea what he was speaking about- yet...I had not been able to. Even my earlier declaration of love was tainted, the words haunting me now. 'I have always loved you...Since I was a child with only the memories of my father to hold onto.' Had I known then, in my heart of hearts, that I was clinging to a past that was long gone, to a father who had died when I was a child?

Turning painfully to face the wall I let my tears come as I wept silently, hating myself for being young and foolish. How I wanted my mother there to hold me, and tell me everything would be alright! How I needed Frank's soothing voice, and his practical, kind guidance! I had never missed my family as much as I did in that moment. Eyes squeezed closed, I lost in myself to inner misery. Sometime later, worn out from silent weeping and emotional strife, I fell into deep sleep.

Wicked dreams tore at me, images of violent deaths and horrible suffering. Wandering through dark visions of terror, I felt my heat shrivel up inside me, cowering away from any emotion or feeling. Fear began to paralyze my senses as a dull screaming pulled at me, tugging me persistently from darkness. Blinking rapidly, I woke to the dim interior of the tepee. I was alone, but that was not what had brought me so fully awake. Screams had followed me from the world of dreams, and now echoed against my ears from outside.

Shouting was heard now, and even as I forced myself to sit upright, about to call out, the loud clap of a rifle silenced me. Like thunder the report of the gun spoke loudly, signaling a symphony of noise and chaos erupted beyond the dark lodge where I lay. Horses bugled and snorted, hooves pounding against the ground, screaming, shouting, shooting all mingling together to form deafening noise. Half rolling, the pain in my body so bad I was gasping for breath, I crawled to the flap opening and barely managed to push it partially open.

An arm fell inside the lodge, a war tomahawk tumbling from limp fingers. Clamping a hand over my mouth to stifle a scream, I stared into the dull, lifeless eyes of Stalking Elk. Bile rose in my throat as my stomach twisted, my eyes lifting to see numerous blue coated soldiers on horseback raiding the small village. Adrenaline coursing through me now, I scrambled backwards in terror. From the sound bombarding me outside, I knew they had taken my people by surprise and were likely trying to capture the women and children. If the men fought back at all they would be slaughtered, if the blue coated dogs gave them any sort of chance at all to surrender.

Heart thudding against my ribs, I crawled to the tepee wall farthest from the massacre and pulled at the hide, tugging it up far enough to painfully wiggle through into the warm summer evening beyond. Long shadows were stretching out, blissfully unaware of the violence occurring with their grasp. Not attempting to rise, I forced my wounded, weak body along the ground, pushing through long grass toward the gentle sloping hills and prairie brush. I had to find a place to hide, or I would be grouped in among the women and children, then sent off without a chance to explain.

Hard pounding hooves sounded from behind me, and I flattened to the ground, acutely aware I was wearing a simple buckskin shift that wrapped closed, held in place by a wide, plaited leather belt. There was nothing to distinguish me from my native cousins.

"I thought I saw something, sir!" a man's voice shouted from behind me, and I dared not even breathe.

"There!" anther shout from much farther away sounded the alarm, and I heard a chilling war cry followed by the thundering of gunfire. Tears formed in my eyes the spilled down my cheeks as I listened to the deaths of my people, the brave warriors choosing the path of honor. Careful not to move, I waited until the chaos moved away from me before continuing on. Body pulsing with agony, I felt liquid heat begin to soak through my shift, the wounds tearing open. Fear kept me going, and I slowly made my way into the shelter of brush, pulling my legs into the cover after me.