Eagle People

by Benton, W. R.

  “How did this happen?” a man beside him asked.

  “We must return to the village and in the future avoid the Eagle people. They have found guns, and we cannot fight them now.”

  “When do you wish to return?”

  “Now, you damned fool and we must hurry, before the Eagle people come for us.” Byron pulled his horse around and then took down the trail at a trot.

  Chapter 17

  AMON AND HIS MEN were gearing up preparing to attack the village of the Wolf People, when he heard yelling and screaming near his lodge. Leaving the building, he saw Mongoose and some others entering, and he smiled. She yet lives and that makes me happy, he thought. He moved toward the arriving group.

  Seeing Amon, she slid from her saddle and walked to him, where she asked, “You are well?”

  “I'm fine, and you?”

  “I am well. We will move to the Cheyenne Mountain People and join them.”

  “First, all of you must eat and then rest.” He said.

  “My people, we have returned, and with us ride soldiers sent by the Colonel. Treat each of them as one of The People, because they have been sent to take us to a new land. I will talk more, once I eat and sleep a little. Sergeant Dooley, you and your Corporal come with me to my lodge. You will sleep and eat there until we are ready to leave.”

  “Yes ma'am.”

  Once in the lodge, Mongoose placed some cut chunks of beef in a pot of water and started making a stew. While not really hungry, she knew some food would help her sleep better. After the stew was placed on the hot coals to cook she said, “Amon, do not worry about the Wolf People, they are few now. Today we were attacked by them, and guns Sergeant Dooley and his men carried killed all but a few. I think as a people, they are finished.”

  Amon thought for a moment and then said, “I cannot allow even one Wolf to live. While you were gone, they attacked us and wanted to take the village. We killed many by keeping our warriors out of sight, but they must pay. I will lead my men against them today.”

  “Is your attack one only your people may make or can some of my men join you?” the Sergeant asked.

  “Some of you may join me, but not all. If we are ambushed, I do not want to risk all of you being killed.”

  Dooley shrugged and said, “A bullet is hard to ambush, but I understand. I and four of my men will accompany you.”

  “Make ready then, because I intend to leave within the hour.”

  Two hours later, the Eagle warriors were moving slowly down a trail. All went well until about a mile from the village, when the scout stopped and motioned for Amon to come forward. When he arrived, the man used sign language as he said, “See the trip vine across the trail? I looked it over and it has a limb that will swing out with four barbed spikes. From this point on, all must use care where they place their feet.”

  “Mark the vine with a stick and move on.”

  The scout stuck a stick in the dirt near the vine and moved around it. Once back on the trail, he continued for the village. A short time later, he stopped. After looking at something for a while, he moved to Amon and signed, “Village is in front. I have seen only two people. I will move completely around the village and then come tell you what I see.”

  “Go.”

  Sergeant Dooley leaned close and whispered, “How do you talk with your fingers?”

  “Indian sign language, and all of our warriors use it.”

  “Smart, real smart. We must learn it too.”

  Amon grinned and nodded, only he thought, We can learn much from each other, I think.

  They waited patiently for the scout's return, and when he finally came back, he smiled and said, “The numbers of men are few, but I saw many women.”

  “Prepare the men to attack. All men are to be killed, but spare any women unless they are warriors. The women can return with us, or stay here, but it will be their choice. We will take no prisoners or captives, none. I want Sergeant Dooley's men to lead the attack, because of their guns.”

  Dooley nodded in understanding.

  “When you're ready, Sergeant, start the dance.”

  The Sergeant stood, smiled and then gave a blood curdling war cry. He and his men ran for the village of Wolf People. Amon was slightly behind Dooley, and was amazed at the advantage the guns gave the attacking group.

  Three men of the Wolf People ran toward them, spears raised and ready to release, when the rifles barked three times. One man's head exploded, spraying the lodge beside him in blood and gore, while the others fell screaming, with blood spurting from their injuries. A man named Cook, one of Dooley's men, screamed and fell, a spear through his belly. When he fell, he dropped his weapon and Amon picked it up, as well as the ammo pouches the man carried. He'd never fired a gun before, but he'd watched twice now and knew how to fire one and what to do when the ammunition in the rifle was used up.

  A small group of the Wolf People moved to one lodge, and from inside women were heard screaming in fear. Firing ceased as the warriors of the Eagle People moved behind available shelter and waited.

  Long minutes passed, with the only noise coming from the injured and dying.

  Amon looked at his men and said, “Kill their injured, and do it now. I don't like the idea of having our backs to them and not knowing if they'll still try to kill us or not.”

  Five warriors pulled their knives and started moving among the injured enemy to silence them forever.

  Once it grew quiet, Amon yelled, “You in the lodge, release the women.”

  “Go to hell, Eagle!” Byron screamed. “Come closer and we'll start killing these bitches.” And to show he was serious, he called the old woman who'd brought him so much pleasure the last week. He took her in his arms, smiled and then turned her, so her back was to him. He kissed the back of her neck, heard her groan, and with his right hand, he pulled his knife. As he cupped her left breast with his hand, he ran his knife blade across her throat from side-to-side.

  Blood spurted from the injury and the old woman groaned, as Byron pushed her body out the door of the lodge to the hard packed ground. She attempted to stand, but was already growing weak from blood loss, so she rolled onto her back and began to choke. Her fingers clawed madly at the dirt, but finally she grew still. A pool of blood was turning the soil a copper color.

  “That's the first, Eagle! More will die if you do not back off.”

  Sergeant Dooley looked at the dead woman and then Amon.

  “Something is on your mind, Sergeant, so speak.”

  “Let me and two other men sneak to the sides of the lodge. From there we'll move to the door. Once in place, we'll kick the door open and enter, shooting any men we see.”

  “Some of the women will die.”

  “Yes, some surely will, but all will die if we sit here and wait. All of my men have been trained in hostage situations, and I think fewer will die than you think.”

  “Go then, because this could last hours. No males are to be left alive.”

  Dooley nodded and then said, “Gates and Thomas, form on me.”

  When the two men walked to him and squatted, he said, “We're taking that lodge. First to enter will be me, then Gates and finally Thomas. All males will be put down, along with any women with a weapon of any sort. I have no idea if this tribe has women warriors, so take no risks.”

  As soon as the two men nodded, Dooley said, “Thomas, you and I will move to the left side of the structure and Gates, you take the right. Move for the door, but don't be seen if at all possible. Enter shooting, but be selective in your targets. Let's move.”

  Amon remained behind a well and watched as the three men disappeared.

  A few short minutes later, he saw movement near the left and right side of the lodge. Slowly the movement became three soldiers.

  Amon figured he needed to keep the leader inside busy so he yelled, “How far do you want us to back off?”

  “Out of bow range. I've seen how those sonofabitches you have can shoot a bow
. You have five minutes, and then I'll start shoving dead women out the door of this place at the rate of one every two minutes.”

  “Okay, Sergeant, you heard the man! Move now!” Amon hoped Dooley understood he wanted them to move and to do the job now.

  Suddenly, Dooley stood in front of the door and kicked hard; the wooden frame collapsed and the Sergeant entered, his rifle barking single shots. Gates entered as soon as Dooley was inside and his rifle added more noise. Thomas was last inside, but by then the guns were silent. A minute later two shots, spaced a minute or so apart were heard.

  Sergeant Dooley stuck his head out the door and yelled, “All clear. The women are coming out, and they will have their hands over their heads. Move some men forward to herd them into a group. Have them sit on the ground. We can speak with them later.”

  Amon and five men he pointed at walked to the lodge and held their weapons at the ready as the first woman came out. hands were on top of her head and her fingers interlocked. Amon pointed to the ground and said, “Sit.”

  One by one the women left the lodge, until Amon counted twenty-three. He then entered the building and saw a number of dead Wolves on the ground.

  “Any of your men injured?” he asked.

  “No, not a scratch. We killed seven of this tribe, but there is one you need to stay away from. The front of his pants are wet and when I cut the front to see why, his penis was covered with sores and was leaking pus. I didn't touch the man, but he has a sexual disease, which means I want no man to touch any of the women out there. If one man here has it, then others may also be infected. In a few minutes I'll check the dead woman too, to see if she carried the same illness.”

  “I've never heard of such a sickness.”

  “We know of it, and while we have medicines that cure the problem, we don't need to use anything that can be saved for more important use later. If untreated, the disease can kill. Now, once back at your village, your shaman can check each woman and we'll keep them from the men for a period of two weeks. At the end of that time, the shaman can check them once more. If they are not leaking, they should be okay.”

  Amon nodded and then moved to the dead men to see the damage the guns had done. Most of them had a single shot to the torso, dead center, but one, the man with the disease took a bullet to his face. He was amazed that none of the women were killed.

  Amon walked outside to the women sitting in the dirt. They were frightened and scared so he said, “Those of you who wish may come with us. If you want, you can remain here, but understand all of the men of this village are now dead. If you stay, you'll be on your own.”

  To the woman they agreed to go with the Eagle warriors and one woman, older than the rest, said, “We are captives taken from our village far away by the Wolf People. Our village is no more, but we cannot survive on our own. I'll go with you when you leave.”

  “So be it.”

  Dooley walked to Amon and said, “The old woman was ill, too. So it is likely most if not all of these women are sick.”

  Amon asked, “Did any of you sleep with the man the old dead woman slept with?”

  No one answered so he added, “The man she slept will was seriously ill and his sickness can kill. It is important for you to be honest with me.”

  Once again the older woman spoke, “The man used the old one because she was experienced in pleasing a man. He only touched her, because she brought him pleasure. She'd complained of a wetness between her legs this week, and all of us knew she was ill. Her name was Nora, and I've known her since I was a child. The man she slept with in this village had her husband impaled in our village and it is a hard way to die. She was trying to remain alive, but it did her little good.”

  Amon replied, “Once in our village, all of you will be given a looking over by our shaman. You are warned to avoid our men, under penalty of death, until the shaman pronounces all of you clean. We have suffered one deadly disease; we don't need another one.”

  “We need to move.” Dooley warned.

  “Get the women on their feet and let's move for our village. Dooley, place one of your men on point and Ralph, you move to drag. Let's move now.”

  On their return to the village, dark clouds moved in from the west and hard rain began to fall. The women wanted to stop, but on they moved through the mud and water. Lightning flashed and thunder cracked and boomed.

  It was near dusk, with the rain still falling, when they entered the village. Amon led the women to an empty lodge and posted a guard at the only door. There were no windows, so he walked to the shaman, sure the women were well protected.

  He tapped on the shaman's door and waited.

  A few minutes later the door was opened and the shaman said, “Enter and tell me what you need of me.”

  Amon explained about the women and then sat in silence waiting for a reply.

  “I will examine each, or course, and from what I know, two weeks will be long enough before I need to do a followup on them. We do not need this disease to spread, so you were wise in your thinking. I will check all of them tomorrow.”

  “I was unsure. I know nothing, not really, about the sickness, except a few things I'd read in the library.”

  “Speaking of books, all are loaded on wagons, which are stored in our barns, and ready to move when we decide to leave. The last time I spoke with Mongoose, she has women sewing hides to cover the books and to protect them. The hides will fit over ribs made of hickory, mounted on the wagons, and will be tight enough to shed rain.”

  “Good, there is much knowledge in our books.”

  “Special books will also be placed in wooden boxes to offer additional protection. Medical books, psychology, education and learning will all be well protected. I understand the Cheyenne Mountain People have books, but most are technical books on maintaining and repairing systems and equipment.”

  “I have heard the same. I must leave now and see my wife.”

  “Yes, of course, and tell her I will care for the women and no one will be freed until enough time has passed to make sure they are clean.”

  Amon walked to the door and said, “I am glad you are our shaman. Once with the Cheyenne Mountain People, we will learn much.”

  “Go, you deserve some rest and time alone with Mongoose.”

  A short time later he was seated in the dirt beside his wife as she roasted meat for their supper. Roots boiled in a clay pot on the coals, as two slabs of cornbread heated up on rocks circling the flames.

  “So, the Wolf People are no more?” she asked.

  “The captives are from the Northern Plains People, and they say the Wolf People are all dead. My biggest concern is the disease that some may carry.”

  “I understand your concern, but there is little we can do except what is being done. I'm sure, once pronounced healthy, the women will be made welcome by the men. Some of the younger ones may want to train as warriors.”

  Pulling her into his arms, he gave her a hug and said, “Our life will be much safer once we relocate. The guns, I saw them in action, make short work of others. Dooley has promised to teach each of our warriors how to use the weapons, and I have one by the door now. I fired it, know how to change magazines, and can move the safety switch from off to on, but that's about it. He said each would be given a rifle, learn to care for it and fire it safely. It causes strange injuries.”

  Rotating the meat, Mongoose smiled and nodded.

  “One man was shot in the chest, but the bullet came out near his ankle and I asked Sergeant Dooley about how that could happen. He explained when the bullet strikes a target, it tumbles and often the force may move it in a totally different direction. He said the tumbling causes severe internal bleeding and damage to flesh.”

  “It is good to know we will soon hold such a weapon in our hands. I want to live where I don't have to worry about being attacked as I sleep. I also like the idea of growing produce and animals, so we can eat good food in bad weather. I have read of this land before the fa
ll, and dream to one day live as the Ancient Ones once lived.”

  “You dream big, my love.”

  “Why not? Dreams are free, so it costs no more to dream huge than small.”

  Amon chuckled and then asked, “After we eat, do you know a woman who wants to bring a smile to her husband's face?”

  “There might be one, but first we must eat. Between my trip and your raid, neither of us has taken care of our bodies as we should.”

  “Your words are true, but the People come first.”

  Picking a piece of mean skewered on a stick from the fire, Mongoose said, “Eat, my husband, and we'll then see if we can both go to sleep smiling. I have missed your loving.”

  The next afternoon, the shaman sat beside a small fire in Amon's lodge and said, “The women look clean, but we'll see how they look after two weeks. It may be the old woman and the man you killed were the only infected ones. The disease can only be transmitted by sexual contact, so perhaps the two were lovers.”

  “Maybe, but the woman was twice the warrior's age.”

  The shaman laughed and then said, “Older women make the best cooks, they know when not to speak, and they are usually the best lovers, because they have learned over the years how make a man happy.”

  “I think your words are true. Mongoose said as soon as the rain stops and mud dries we are to leave. Do you have all you'll need packed?”

  “I'm ready to travel now, but we'd not get far in this mud. I understand the Cheyenne Mountain People know much about medicine.”

  “According to Sergeant Dooley, they have shots, or that's what he called them, to protect people from illnesses. I understand, after speaking with him at great length, a medicine is injected into a persons arm and it protects them by exposing them to a very weak case of the illness. He also spoke of taking blood from one person and putting it into another. I have no idea how either works and while I want to disbelieve him, I think he's speaking the truth.”

  “Our medical books refer to the shots as immunizations and they do work. If we'd had small pox shots before the disease struck, we'd all be alive right now. We lack the knowledge to produce the vaccine, so we die. I also looked up blood transfusions and that too can be done, except blood is broken down into different types and not all is the same.”