Chapter 21: Fight or Flight

Dawn turned into a bright morning, with the sun’s full rays. Gray Eagle tossed his head, delirious with fever. The Shaman quietly chanting his songs, while Harvest Flower struggled to hold Gray Eagle’s shoulders down. The women were almost done crafting the sweat lodge, for the next healing process and time moved slow inside Gray Eagle’s lodge. Running Wolf and his warriors already holding a council to discuss his plan. The men quickly moved to action descending into the canyon, war whoops and thundering hooves the only sound. Running Wolf determined to save Singing Fox.

Harvest Flower did not leave Gray Eagle’s side. With a determines look on her face, she held onto to feverish thrashing man in front of her. Harvest Flower vowed Singing Fox would come home to a healthy Gray Eagle. A loud shout from the canyon below followed by what sounded like bells drifted up to the warrior standing guard, he alerted one of the warriors left behind and motioned for him to warn the village.

The women quickly took action, hurrying their children to the safety of their lodges. The men left behind to guard the village ducked between lodges with weapons ready. Harvest Flower Looked up when the warrior ducked his head in. “White men in blue shirts ride this way.”

The inside of Gray Eagle’s lodge started spinning. Harvest Flower let her mind wonder over what might happen and her arms wrapped around her stomach with worry. Harvest Flower’s eyes darted to the Shaman struggling with Gray Eagle’s thrashing body. Her soft hands moved landing on Gray Eagle’s chest, his body relaxed with a soft groan.

With a soft voice she leaned over Gray Eagle. “Please rest. I will return when I can.” She nodded to the Shaman and quickly followed the warrior outside.

“Everyone is ready and safety out of sight. But blue shirts are many and I fear we do not have enough men to kill them all.” Spotted Turtle informed Harvest Flower.

“All will be well, and hopefully we will not have to fight this day. Do you speak their words?” Harvest Flower nervously asked.

Spotted Turtle nodded with a grunt to confirm he could.

White soldiers rode into view within moments at the bottom of the path leading to the village. The lead soldier pulling to a halt at the ascending trail. He looked around tilting his head up. The drifting smoke quickly caught his eye. With a wave of his gloved hand two men broke away from the regiment.

Their horses quickly climbing the pathway up. Harvest Flower and Spotted Turtle waited watching for any hostile movement from the two riders who topped the path. The soldiers slid to a stop their eyes wide in surprise at finding a village on top of the canyon walls. With arrows trained on them they quickly held up their hands in surrender.

Spotted Turtle moved slowly not wanting to start a battle with the white soldiers. He needed to be careful not to upset the blue shirts while Running Wolf is away.

……………

Singing Fox sat in front of Two Dogs her hands gripped in the horse’s main. With her hands tied in front of her, she could now move more easily. Her head still pounded, and her ribs still ached, but she could now tolerate the pain. Her eyes would dart to each shadow watching for Blue Wing. The Apache camp they passed by, just after setting out, gave her little hope of finding help. Taking captives and killing, came easy to the war hungry Apache. Not all of them were this way. Only those gathered for the great war settled here. All the tribes headed north, only gathered to for the one purpose of making war. A run away captive would easily find nothing but torture and death.

Two Dogs talked of how the war would move south, pushing the white eyes back to the sea. She spat at his, feet calling him names until he gagged her again. She was pulled from her thoughts, when the horse stumbled throwing her forward. His arm locked around her waist held her in place. She tensed and bit down hard on the raw hide gag. The dryness of her mouth and throat burned with each breath she struggled to take.

“I like how you feel against me. Maybe I will keep you myself, and not give you to my brother.” Two Dogs chuckled by her ear.

He removed the gag and reached for the water skin hanging at his hip.

She twisted her head away from him hissing, “I will kill you before you touch me.”

Two Dogs laughed, “You could try, but you will never have the chance. Here drink.”

She took the skin and let the water slowly wash her mouth and only let a small amount trickle down her burning throat. She was careful not to drink to much. She handed the skin back and he grunted his approval. Two Dogs kicked his horse into a canter, Flying Spider keeping pace with a blank look on his face.

Singing Fox watched the terrain pass by. Her eyes picking out small details along the way. Her last hope of freedom slowly ebbed away. No signs of Blue Wing or Running Wolf, since the sun reached its highest peek. Her lips felt dry and she wondered if she would survive long enough to be rescued. Her throat started to feel dry and scratchy again. The heat suddenly became noticeably warmer and the dry hot dust floated up more freely.

Two Dogs frowned at the back of Singing Fox’s head. Her body wilted in his arms, her back suddenly settling against him. Her head drooping. He pulled his horse to a halt, Flying Spider halting beside him. Two Dogs reached for his water skin just behind him.

“Here, drink, you are to weak.” Two Dogs ordered, holding the water out in front of her for the second time.

Singing Fox took hold of the skin with both hands. She tilted it to her dry lips. The sudden burn of the water causing her to gasp and choke. She took big swallows this time. Her body’s greed getting the better of her.

Two Dogs grimaced and waited for her to take another small sip, “To much and you will regret it.” He softly said taking the water from her. “We have a long way to go before we will stop again. Soon we reach my people, their you will be taken care of.”

Singing Fox coughed lightly, “You should just kill me now. I’ll never stay, Gray Eagle will come for me. He will kill you.”

Two Dogs laughed, “He will try and fail. Just as he failed to kill my brother.”

Singing Fox tilted her chin up. Holding her head high in a stubborn defiant manner. Her weakness keeping her from sitting straight up.

Two Dogs smiled, “We go.” He said to Flying Spider, kicking his heels into the horse’s flanks. It lunged into a canter setting a faster pace. They would reach the camp by nightfall, and Two Dogs wanted to waste no more time.

Cloud Runner looked up at his grandfather, Black Wind, his small body shaking with fury. “You could have helped her. She is our cousin’s wife.”

Black Wind looked at Cloud Runner stiffly. “Gray Eagle does not claim his Apache blood, he is no family of mine.” He put a soft hand on Cloud Runners shoulder, “Gray Eagle will follow, my son. He will soon claim his blood right, and become the Apache he should have been. Only then will I call him family.”

The old man walked away joining his three wives by the door of a hide teepee. The old women around him offered food and other items. Cloud Runner watched in disgust. Gray Eagle’s mother raised him to be Navajo, although she herself was Apache. Did her wishes not matter.

“Blood right, blood ties. Are we not all brothers. I will not become my grandfather.” Cloud Runner furiously said to himself. His small fists held at his sides. He would find away to help Singing Fox. He ran to Gray Eagle’s horse and jumped to it’s back. He twisted the reins and drummed his heels into it’s sides. The horse’s fast pace left a cloud of dust in it’s wake. Cloud Runner headed straight for the flat lands. Another Navajo village should be there. Running Wolf found Harvest Flower there. Her people is his only hope of help now. He lay low over the horse’s neck urging it faster. The sun would set soon, and Singing Fox would soon be hidden away. Cloud Runner never seen the camp set up just yards into the forest ahead. His horse slid to a stop throwing him off balance. The white man dressed in blue pants with yellow stripes, stood arms outstretched blocking his path.

“Well would ya looky here. Caught myself a young buck.” The man said smoothly. In a southern chipped accent.

Cloud Runner turned his horse to the right, but his path was once again blocked by another white man. He tried to the left, but found himself totally surrounded.

“Now son, we ain’t gonna hurt ya. We just want to talk. Do ya talk English boy?” The first white man said. His words slightly slurred.

Cloud Runner snatched his head around looking the man in the eye.

“I take that as a no.” The man walked forward taking hold of the horse’s reins. “I have someone I want you to meet.”

“Major, sir?” One of the other men called out nervously.

“ What is it lieutenant?” The man said annoyed.

“You think its smart taking a injun boy to see the lady? He might go back and get the fighting men. I don’t think Miss Hanna would take a liking to bein kidnapped.” The man said rubbing his hairless head.

The first man holding the reins just smiled, “I’m not sure about that lieutenant, the way she carries on about how Indians are not bad and all. I figure scaring her a little bit might change her mind. Show her a wild live one just might make her see the truth.”

“If you say so Major.”

All four men quickly wrestled Cloud Runner to the ground effectively tying him up. The lead the horse to their mounts and the soldier who smelled of alcohol carried Cloud Runner over his shoulder like a bag of potatoes to the camp.

Cloud Runner watched with wild eyes as a white woman came into view. Her wide eyes watching him with a look of putty and sadness. Cloud Runner guessed she was their captive too.