They exchanged amiable smiles. Shalee asked if she could speak with her for a few moments in private. Wandering Doe speculated upon Shalee’s mischievous expression. She nodded agreement, then followed Shalee to her tepee.
Shalee politely invited the hesitant girl to sit down. Wandering Doe complied uneasily, asking, “What do you wish, Shalee?”
“How is Leaning Bush?” she inquired casually.
“He grows weaker every sun. His eyes will not view the coming season when Wi reflects his face upon the grasslands,” Wandering Doe said, softly hinting at his imminent death.
Shalee nodded understanding. “Do you love Leaning Bush, Wandering Doe?” She asked an unexpected question, astonishing the young woman.
“Why do you ask such things?” Wandering Doe responded in a guarded manner.
“It is known Leaning Bush traded for your hand in joining, that you did not choose him to mate. He will walk the Ghost Trail soon. Does your heart soften yet for another warrior?” she boldly inquired, yet gently.
“It is not wise to think of such things while he still enjoys the breath of life, Shalee,” the other answered.
“Perhaps if you loved him. You have no children and soon you will be alone. It is natural to think upon your new life, for it is near. Is there no other man who warms your heart? For you have the power to select your new mate,” Shalee probed, her air one of idle curiosity.
Wandering Doe actually blushed and lowered her lashes. “Why do you ask me this?” she pressed.
“There is a warrior whose heart you have touched. While Leaning Bush lives, he cannot approach you or let his desire be known. He will not speak until Leaning Bush rests upon the death scaffold, but he fears you will select another to join while he is not here.”
Wandering Doe’s alert mind flickered over the unmarried men who had left camp earlier. “Who is this warrior?” she entreated, suspense flooding her.
“He has never taken a mate before. He is handsome and brave. Others follow him in battle. He is kind and generous. He is a man who stands above others,” she hinted.
Excitement and happiness were vividly exposed in the chocolate eyes. She trembled with anticipation and delight. Yet, she almost feared her guess would be wrong. “Is it bad to pray the warrior you speak of is… White Arrow?” she helplessly asked, holding her breath.
Shalee smiled at her reaction. “I speak of the man who rides at my husband’s side, the man who is our good friend and brother. His heart is touched and warmed by you. If you also feel this way, he will wait for you to be free to join him.”
It was nearly impossible for the Indian woman to contain her exhilaration. “I feared the Great Spirit would punish me for desiring him while joined to Leaning Bush,” she confessed openly to Shalee. “No other man causes my heart to race with love or my body to warm with desire as White Arrow does. Can it be true he also desires me?” she asked, challenging her good fortune.
“It is true, Wandering Doe. We must keep this news between us. Be patient, my friend. When the Great Spirit calls Leaning Bush to him, White Arrow will ask you to join with him. If others come to you while he is away, wait for his return.”
“My heart will surely burst with this joy and love. I will mate with him when the time comes. I will pray for strength to guide me. And for forgiveness,” she added mysteriously.
“Forgiveness?” Shalee questioned her strange word.
“Forgiveness for wishing Leaning Bush’s illness to end quickly,” she admitted contritely.
Shalee stroked her dark head. “Wakantanka understands all. You have sacrificed much to be a good wife. He rewards you and White Arrow by opening your eyes to each other and by joining your hearts in love. You both deserve this love and happiness, and you will share them.”
Wandering Doe affectionately embraced Shalee. “I shall love him and give him the happiness you share with Gray Eagle. I will soar with joy if he returns only half the love your husband gives to you.”
Shalee smiled cheerfully. “White Arrow is as my brother. I am happy he has chosen you, Wandering Doe. You are suited to him. You will be as happy as we are.”
They talked for a while, like two young girls plotting their first romantic conquests. It was good to share such feelings during this demanding time.
The truculent band of Sioux warriors roamed the expanse of their territory for two days, always finding themselves one step behind the hostile troop of soldiers from Fort Henry. Each time the aggressive Bluecoats’ trail was fresh and inviting, they would trespass upon a neighboring tribe’s domain, as if mystically warned of the hot pursuit of their most feared enemy, the Oglala. It would require hours of patient and determined exploration to discover where the cavalry had sneaked onto their lands once more. This lethal game of hide-and-seek nettled Gray Eagle and his bands, for it appeared the soldiers were continuously invading their territory in hopes of finding another unsuspecting and vulnerable group of hunters to attack and slaughter.
As they made camp at twilight on the second day out of camp, Gray Eagle speculated upon the daring and cunning of his avowed foes. All five war parties rendezvoused at the edge of the splendid grassland that entered the vast territory one day to be known as the Badlands. The location of the soldiers’ exit each time suggested which tribe they were presently harrying. It was obvious it was a waste of valuable time to await their reentry at that same point, for the crafty Bluecoats never retraced their paths. Did they suspect the intrepid Eagle was closing in on them? Did they arrogantly believe they could run the valiant warriors around in circles, to somehow instigate a surprise attack upon the defenseless village to the east? It would be foolish and deadly to underestimate the resolve and recklessness of the soldiers!
Wisely remaining in their own territory, the Oglala warriors could forestall an attack upon their camp. When questioned why they did not chase the Bluecoats and destroy them no matter whose territory they invaded, Gray Eagle informed them of his belief that the soldiers were guilefully enticing them to follow a false trail.
Red Cloud asked warily, “You think they draw us from our camp to attack there?”
“Sha, Mahpiya Luta,” Gray Eagle replied with assurance. “Have you not realized the tracks we view here and there do not match? There are several bands of Bluecoats teasing us. Do you not see how each new trail pulls us further and further away from our camp? My instincts warn of danger and deceit. As we track one group of Bluecoats, I say the others are secretly working their way to band together near our camp. Each trail that returns to our territory does not reflect the one that left it before. When each band “leaves, I think they join the others. Soon, we will be far away, while all but one group of Bluecoats gather near our camp to attack. The last band hopes to entice us into the badlands where they can hide and taunt us for days while the larger band invades our camp. I say we head for camp at first light; that is where we will find our enemies,” he concluded.
“Surely they know the cunning of Gray Eagle would guess their trick? That they would then be riding into a trap of ours, not us into theirs,” Little Beaver politely debated.
“They think us consumed with grief and fury, which should dull our keen wits. Each band that rejoins the others laughs and tells of how we are being pulled further and further from our camp. We now follow but ten crafty foxes. The tracks of the other twenty horses do not bear the weights of riders.”
White Arrow inhaled sharply and his eyes widened in suspicion and alarm. “He is right! Our senses have been dulled and tricked! They advance upon our camp at this very moment. Once it is razed, they will wait in ambush for us to tire and return, to boldly slay us!”
“Your thoughts join mine, White Arrow,” Gray Eagle complimented his deductions. “They are sly, but I see their game.”
“When Turtle Woman and Moon Gazer were slain, I accepted the care of Shining Light and their children with mine. The Bluecoats must not destroy other families as they did ours,” Red Cloud sneered angrily, the pain of
his recent loss gnawing upon his heart and mind.
Talking Rock added, “Our people think we chase the enemy and protect them. It is not so. They would not think of a sudden attack upon them. We chase only a black shadow of evil. Wandering Doe watches over my children; perhaps when Leaning Bush walks the Ghost Trail, I should take her to mate.”
No one noticed White Arrow’s reaction to that last comment as the war chief stood up and paced in moody thought. “We must rest our horses and bodies for a short time, then head for camp.”
The other band leaders concurred with Gray Eagle. “The cover of night will hide our wisdom from their eyes,” remarked Little Beaver. “They will unknowingly ride into our waiting lances and arrows.”
“White Arrow,” Gray Eagle began, “you seek out the Bluecoats who vainly lead us astray. When you return home, bring only their horses as prizes of victory,” he ordered, clearly saying he wanted no prisoners or survivors.
Fretting over Talking Rock’s amorous intentions toward Wandering Doe and worrying over her safety, White Arrow commented, “I have always ridden at your side, my koda and brother. Why do you select me to stay behind during this great moment of revenge?”
“The others have families in camp to defend. You have no one to distract your wits, and the foxes who lead us astray must also be punished,” Gray Eagle said, explaining his logic.
White Arrow couldn’t voice his disagreement without revealing his feelings and plans for the wife of another warrior, one also desired by his friend and fellow band leader. He reluctantly nodded, accepting his assignment.
“There is another side to consider,” Gray Eagle went on. “If the foxes nearby realize we have given up their pursuit to return home, they will send messengers to warn the others. This must not be. After we rest, Red Cloud and Little Beaver will ride from the north to our camp; Talking Rock and Gray Eagle will enter from the south. If I see the Great Spirit’s guidance clearly, the Bluecoats will be trapped between us. We will ride between them and our camp, then head westward to meet them face first. If you conquer the others quickly and head for us, they will then be trapped between us and you if they attempt to flee. When they are slain, the place they call Fort Henry will be conquered. Then, only Fort Meade will offer resistance to us.”
The warriors and leaders pondered these words. It was known the new leader of the Bluecoats at Fort Meade was unlike all others who had come here. The white-eyes who ruled the camp of Fort Meade did not war against them unwisely or rashly. Sturgis had already earned the reputation of a man who defended rather than attacked. This particular white man was a mystery to the intelligent Gray Eagle…. The legendary warrior was baffled by Sturgis’ refusal to join forces with the offensive Hodges. Perhaps Sturgis was only biding his time until the rash Hodges defeated himself to allow Sturgis the chance and right to gain command of both forces. As with weaker tribes, a stronger and superior chief often assumed another’s rank through cunning and force, or through the self-defeat of his rival.
Three hours later, the two bands mounted up and left White Arrow’s behind. Within a short distance, one large war party headed northeast and the other southeast, Gray Eagle’s ploy clear in their minds. They rode at a pace that would plant them securely before their camp near dawn, yet a pace that would not overly tire man or beast.
As Gray Eagle’s group rode along, he smiled to himself as he reflected upon the secret words from his best friend. At last, White Arrow’s eyes and heart had settled upon a woman. Calling Wandering Doe to mind, he grinned in pleasure and agreement. It was time for his friend to enjoy a love and passion such as he and Shalee had discovered. He made it his duty to also protect the life of White Arrow’s choice. Hopefully Talking Rock and White Arrow would not harshly disagree over the possession of the same female….
Miles apart, the two bands of Sioux warriors halted near sunrise and concealed themselves. If not for the rocky formations between them and the Oglala camp, the village could have been seen from where they were situated, awaiting their elusive foes. The Bluecoats were known to attack unsuspecting camps near dawn or late at night, and Gray Eagle knew the attack upon his people would come shortly, or late tonight.
As if the sky had suddenly caught fire and was burning brightly out of control, fiery pinks seared the horizon. The dull grays hastily retreated before the powerful demands of dawn’s roseate shades, hinting at a glorious day for victory. Soon, the leadish sky above altered to hues of intense blue with periwinkle edges. All was in readiness….
Far away to the west, White Arrow and his band of twenty-two warriors were challenging the ensnared group of white soldiers, a decoy band of ten men, as Gray Eagle had surmised. Endowed with superior skills and consumed with a desire for justice, the warriors would eventually claim their triumph at the incredible price of only two minor injuries. Not so for the white men. For when this tragic battle finally ended, the only survivors from their group would be thirty horses and two men who barely managed to sneak away to escape the Indians’ lethal retaliation.
Hidden amidst towering rocks of intermingled blood-red and bluish-black, the Indians settled themselves at the crucial points that would prevent the soldiers from entering this terrain, which was now a guardian to their camp. Their horses, well-trained in such furtive maneuvers, stood silent and still in the canyonlike location that would prevent any sighting of them.
His body rigidly controlled, his keen eyes alert, his mind perceptive, and his instincts matchless, Gray Eagle patiently anticipated and envisioned this awesome victory. His body was agile and strong, his reflexes and muscles honed and developed for such an event. This was a critical moment such as he had trained for, since birth, such as he had successfully challenged many times before, and such as had previously tempered his skills and prowess. Since the coming of the white man, this was an episode he had expected repeatedly, had lived and witnessed many times, and had come through victoriously each time.
Both his destiny and that of his people hinged upon this event in time, and upon his leadership. He refused to consider a mistake in his conclusions. The Bluecoats would come today. He felt this deduction with all his being. Soon, all he was and possessed would be challenged.
The waiting was torturous; the atmosphere charged with awesome tension. The Oglala destiny rode with the winds. When the treacherous breezes swept down with body-racking force, would he once again experience brazen ecstasy—or stunning and unfamiliar defeat? He was Gray Eagle; he could accept nothing less than mighty triumph over his foes….
Confident in his personal skills and those of his puissant warriors, he smiled and leaned against a weather-pitted carnelian boulder to watch for the time when he must go into action. Hours passed without a sign of anything. The sun climbed higher and higher in the heaven until Wi poised directly overhead, flooding his dazzling light and heat upon the warriors below. If the warriors doubted his assessment, none revealed his doubt. If tension or stress assailed them, these were also suppressed.
Gray Eagle’s eyes scanned the azure horizon for the hundredth time, detecting nothing unusual. He passed the word along for the men to rest between watches, but to hold themselves in readiness. In his opinion, the Bluecoats wouldn’t attack during daylight. Since they had not shown themselves at dawn, he vowed they would after dusk. He hoped the soldiers had not become aware of their return and ambush. At least their hesitation would enable White Arrow to flank them! They would come today; he was positive of that fact. Still, the waiting inspired vexing anxiety, which was rigidly held in check.
Two hours eastward, a husky white man was shouting furiously at a large troop of men in navy blue and sunny yellow uniforms. “My God!” he thundered in his booming voice, “Is Hodges insane? Only a bloody fool would attack a Sioux camp after dark! And of all camps to challenge! Riding into the arms of Running Wolf and Gray Eagle doesn’t call for courage; it demands stupidity!”
The scarlet-faced sergeant replied, “I’ve already told you Gray Eagle and near
ly all of the warriors are miles away from here. That camp is as helpless as a baby. Trent’s men will lead them a merry chase in those hills, then strike out for the fort from the other side. While they have those redskins hounding them, we can strike a deadly blow at their heart and strength. Hodges is smart; he knows the effect a massacre will have on those warriors. Without a camp and family, they’ll be devastated. If they don’t band up with another tribe, they’ll be powerless against us. With luck, we can ambush them on their return and wipe ‘em all out.”
The stalwart soldier shook his head and sighed contemptuously. “Collins, you’re as big a fool as Hodges is. If you ride into the Oglala camp, you’re all dead men. You’ll never defeat Gray Eagle. If you know what’s best, you’ll make a truce with him.”
“Truce with that savage?” Collins snarled in disbelief. “He ain’t as invincible as you think, sir. Didn’t you hear Hodges captured him not long ago? If it hadn’t been for that slimy Spaniard, he would be dead now,” the rosy-eyed Collins boasted.
“You think slaughtering innocent women, children, and old people will defeat him? Nothing justifies such brutality, sergeant! If you recall, Gray Eagle retaliates in like manner for such crimes. When the American government settles down, they’ll refuse such measures to attain this wilderness. Mark my words, son; this war will end soon.”
“Any means of acquired victory over mindless savages is fair play, major. I take my orders from Hodges, not you, sir. Your rank matches his, but he’s been here longer and he knows these redskins better. I can’t ignore or refuse his direct order to attack the Oglala camp tonight. If you disagree with my orders, I suggest you head for Fort Henry and discuss them with my commanding officer.”
The arrogance and nettling obstinacy of Collins enflamed Sturgis. “By the time I can reach Fort Henry, you will be carrying out this reckless attack. Give me two days to change his mind,” he coaxed, knowing his request was futile.
Brazen Ecstasy Page 39
