Grizzly Killer: Under The Blood Moon

by Lane R Warenski

  They all walked together back to their camp enjoying the warm summer day and each other’s company. There were others both trapper and Indian alike bathing and playing in the cool clear water as they walked along. As they approached camp they could see two horses there with two men setting around their fire. Only a few steps further and they all recognized Grub and Ely.

  Grub and Ely stood as they walked into camp and Grub made a big bow to the women and then took each by the hand and kissed the back of their hands. The women all smiled at the gesture and Zach with a smile of his own just shook his head at the antics of this rough old Mountain Man that was a dear friend to them all. Sun Flower started a big pot of coffee and Shining Star and Raven Wing got some biscuits going on a bed of coals just to the side of the fire.

  The men sat around the fire and talked of last year’s trapping season and Grub wanted to know just how Zach had ended up married to the two most beautiful women he had ever seen. Running Wolf told the story of them going to his Ute Village and of Shining Star having been taken by Black Hand and how the two of them had tracked him down and of Grizzly Killer fighting Black Hand and bringing Shining Star home. He told them of the Arapaho attack and of Sun Flower nearly being killed, and of later finding the stolen Ute girls with the Arapaho and returning them to their families.

  As they sat around the fire drinking coffee and enjoying warm biscuits telling each other of the events of the last year, three men approached them. James Beckwourth was out in front and he spoke saying, “I just came by to shake the hand of the man that rid the world of Thunder Cloud. The Crows will be singing of you forever as the killer of their greatest enemy.” Zach shook his hand saying, “We were all just helping our friends and family in Charging Bull’s village, it was just by accident I met up with Thunder Cloud.”

  “Maybe so, but it was no accident you killed him and not the other way around.” Beckwourth replied.

  Zach offered them coffee and the three of them sat down around the fire as well. One of the other men introduced himself as Chester Mann and his partner as Paul Gates then said, “You know, don’t ya? Bull Beaumont is doin’ a lot a talkin’ ‘bout what he’s a gonna do to ya. I knowed the Beaumont’s back home in Missouri and they’s a mean, no good bunch. Bull left home to keep from gettin’ hung for killing two men in a drunken fight, but he ain’t even the biggest or the meanest of the three brothers. His oldest brother Cal is taller and heavier than Bull and meaner than a gut-shot bear. His younger brother Ben is almost the spittin’ image of Bull and just as mean.”

  Sun Flower and Shining Star had both heard what Chester said and they went right over to their husband and knelt by his side. Sun Flower asked, “Just what is that big, dirty man saying he will do to my husband.”

  Chester bowed his head and told them he was sorry for upsetting them, but he figured Grizzly Killer had a right to know. Zach then spoke, “Yes, tell us just what this Bull Beaumont is gonna do.”

  Chester looked mighty worried and almost wished he would have kept quiet, but he knew this man called Grizzly Killer, that he had heard so much about. He knew Grizzly Killer was well liked and respected by all of the mountain men, and he needed to hear what Bull was saying.

  Chester went on, “I was by his camp at midday today and overheard him say he was gonna have your women while you watched, and then he would slow peal the hide off you ‘til you begged to die.”

  Zach just sat there in silence as everyone, including Sun Flower and Shining Star watched for his reaction. He was just staring into the fire watching the flames twist and turn for the longest time then he said. “It seems some men must be taught respect the hard way and then it seems some will still never learn.” He stood and said, “Thank you all for coming by but now I have work to do.”

  He stepped into his lodge. With worried looks Sun Flower and Shining Star followed him.

  James, Chester and Paul said their fair-wells to the rest of them and left Grub and Ely with Running Wolf and Raven Wing still by the fire. A few minutes later, Zach stepped out of his lodge. He was wearing the buckskins he had on when he had fought the Blackfeet. His Tomahawk was tucked in the wide belt around his waist on his right side and his knife was on his left. The cut on the side of the shirt where Thunder Cloud had cut through to his ribs had been stitched together by Shining Star. His hair hung well past his shoulders.

  He was wearing the Grizzly Claw necklace that was his trademark and he had a look in his eyes that made Ely and Grub shudder. Ely told him, “Ya do not have to do this on your own Zach. “Bout ever man at Rendezvous, whether red or white, will stand with you.” Zach looked Ely in the eyes and spoke very softly, “This man has threatened my family, my wives and he will answer to me for it, not anyone else. I thank you for the offer and for your friendship but to teach this man respect I must do it alone.”

  He told the women to stay in camp and then told Jimbo to stay with the women. Then, with his Hawken in hand he headed on foot to the camp of Bull Beaumont. He looked back at Sun Flower and Shining Star standing holding each other’s hand with Jimbo right between them but could not see Running Wolf or Raven Wing at all.

  He figured it was over two miles to Bull’s camp and the sun was still three hours from setting so he had time to think along the way. He did not want to have to kill Bull but deep down he knew that’s what would probably happen. He did not fear the big man but he knew mistakes can happen and he worried about the fate of Sun Flower and Shining Star if something were to happen to him. So he went over and over in his mind- if there must be a fight he had to make it fast and final to give no time for mistakes.

  He slowed as he approached the camp and could see the silhouette of the big man by the fire. A quick survey told him there were at least four other men in camp but he figured with Bull’s pride he would keep the others out of the fight he knew was coming.

  When Zach was about fifty yards from the fire he yelled, “Bull Beaumont! I hear you’ve been saying some mighty nasty things ‘bout what you’re gonna do to me and my wives.” When Bull heard that he jumped across the fire and turned to face Zach with knife in hand. He said, “I ain’t jus’ saying it, I’m gonna do it” and he started forward. The others with him all started toward Zach as well but had made it less than ten yards when they all stopped and was looking past him with disbelief on their faces. Zach glanced behind and saw what had brought them to a stop.

  There were two dozen mounted warriors with weapons in hand trotting up behind him and just south of that a dozen or more Mountain Men. Running Wolf trotted his chestnut up alongside him and with a soft low voice he said, “We will not interfere except to keep it fair.” Zach just nodded and Running Wolf backed off.

  Bull yelled, “And you’re a coward too, ‘fraid ta face me on your own.” Zach continued forward until they were separated by only ten yards then said, “This is between you and me. They are only here to make sure it stays that way.” With that being said the other men with Bull backed off and set down their weapons. Bull had a nervous look as Zach said, “What’s the matter Bull, you afraid to face me on your own?”

  Bull was close enough now Zach could see both of his eyes were black and blue and his nose was swollen and off to the left side of his face, even through the full black beard he could see Bulls upper lip was swollen to three time the size of his lower one.

  Bull started forward slowly, a bit apprehensive, and started moving in a slow circle. Zach had not drawn a weapon yet and said loud enough for everyone to hear. “I came here for an apology- not a life.”

  But Bull responded by saying, “I’m gonna cut your liver out an’ feed it to the buzzards.” T Then he lunged forward with his knife. Zach was surprised by the speed of the big man and was barely able to jump out of the way. When Bull spun around to face Zach again he saw a completely different sight. Zach now had his tomahawk in one hand and his knife in the other, he was slightly bent at the waist with his feet spaced even with the width of his shoulders and knees just barely be
nt. As Bull looked into his eyes. a chill ran down his back and for the first time in his life he understood mortal fear.

  Bull had never met a man he couldn’t beat except his older brother and even though he felt fear he knew this man called Grizzly Killer was really no match for him in a fight. He had been fighting since he was a boy and no one but his brother had ever even come close to beating him. He had beaten several men to death and crippled several more that were bigger and better than this Indian lover that was now before him, but the fear he felt was something he hadn’t experienced before and as that fear grew so did the hatred he felt.

  He came at Zach once more expecting him to jump to the side again, but Grizzly Killer stood his ground. As Bull made his lunge with his knife he felt a severe numbing pain in his hand as Zach blocked the blade with his tomahawk. Then, almost at the same instant, he felt a blinding pain in his groin as Zach brought his knife up under the big man’s blocking arms. As Bull doubled over and instinctively brought his hands to his groin, Zach let go of his knife and jumped to the side. Bull was now doubled over and Zach brought his tomahawk down with all of his force on the back of Bulls neck. He felt bone crunching as the blade cut through Bull’s neck severing his spinal cord and killing him instantly.

  There was stunned silence as the body of Bull Beaumont lay there in the grass. Zach rolled him over and recovered his knife wiping the blade off on Bull’s greasy buckskins. He then walked over to the other men in Bull’s camp and said. “I didn’t want this to happen and as far as I am concerned this is the end of it. But if any of you want more, as you just witnessed I will give any or all of you more trouble than you can handle.”

  There was no reply from the group just the looks of disbelief of what they had just witnessed. Bull Beaumont, the man who had never lost a fight, lay there dead in the grass and he had never even laid a hand on Grizzly Killer.

  Running Wolf rode up to Grizzly Killer’s side and the Indians, both Shoshone and Ute alike, started to chant- honoring the great battle they had just witnessed. The group of trappers came over to congratulate him but he just wanted to get back to his wives and rest.

  Running Wolf dismounted and they walked together back to their camp. The sun was just setting over the mountains to the west of the lake and the high fluffy clouds were ringed with colors from pink to a fiery red.

  The Indians had ridden hard back to their camps to spread the word and celebrate the great victory and Jimbo ran out to meet his master when they were still a quarter mile away. When Zach and Running Wolf reached their camp the women had already been told the story of the great battle. Spotted Elk, Red Hawk and Buffalo Heart from the Shoshone camp were there and just after they arrived Two Feathers and Weasel from the Ute camp came by. The Indians were in a festive mood and wanted to celebrate to honor the great victory and great warrior they called their friend. They did not understand Grizzly Killer’s solemn mood but they respected his wish to be alone this night.

  He went to his lodge early and lay down on top of their robes. He didn’t eat at all and when Sun Flower and Shining Star lay down beside him he wrapped an arm around each of them and held them tight until he finally drifted off to sleep.

  The Brother He Never Had

  The next morning, Zach awoke still in the solemn mood he had been in after the fight. It was still dark and he lay there and watched the stars he could see through the smoke hole slowly fade. He could feel the naked bodies of Sun Flower and Shining Star lying up against him and hear the soft snoring of Jimbo as he slept just outside but right next to their lodge. He thought about the events of yesterday and wondered if there could have been another way, but he knew his family would never be safe with a man like Bull Beaumont making threats against them. Although he hadn’t wanted to kill Bull he knew deep within himself he did what had to be done.

  The stars were soon gone and he heard Jimbo get up and leave on his morning hunt. Shining Star rolled over kissed him a long slow kiss. Then, without saying a word, she got up and slid her dress on and went out to start a fire. As Zach started to get up Sun Flower rolled over on top of him staring into his blue eyes. She slowly moved her lips down to meet his and as they kissed she was slowing moving her body back and forth against his. They made love there in the early morning and the solemn mood Zach had been in just seemed to vanish. As they dressed and went out Shining Star had coffee ready and as she handed him a cup he caught a slight smile between Shining Star and Sun Flower and he knew this morning had been planned by the two of them. He loved them both yet it still amazed him just as it did last year when everyone just expected him to take Shining Star as his second wife that there was no jealously between them.

  As he sat by the fire sipping his coffee he thought about his life and how different it was than what he had expected it to be just a few short years ago. He had thought he would be a farmer married to Emma Potter living on a homestead in Kentucky, yet he was here in the Rocky Mountains, a mountain man, explorer and trapper married to two beautiful Indian women and he was happier than he had ever been back home. Running Wolf, his partner, was the brother he had never had and he knew there was no place on earth he would rather be than living here in these rugged and wild mountains.

  Running Wolf and Raven Wing came out of their lodge about the same time Jimbo came back carrying part of a rabbit in his mouth. They all sat around the fire drinking coffee and eating fresh made pan biscuits.

  Two Feathers and Weasel came by and said they needed meat and asked Running Wolf and Grizzly Killer to go on a hunt with them. Zach said, “I will stay in camp today until I know what Bull’s friends are going to do,” but he encouraged Running Wolf to go with them.

  After they had left, Raven Wing and Sun Flower said they were going to the Shoshone camp to spend some time with their mother and father. That left Zach and Shining Star in camp alone and she came over and sat down next to him. She took his hand in hers and leaned her head against his shoulder. They sat there in silence and watched the fire burn down.

  It was another beautiful clear summer day. There were white puffy clouds floating across a bright blue sky and just a whisper of a breeze coming off the lake. There were blue jays, camp robbers and crows flying from camp to camp looking for scraps. Robins, blue birds and others that Zach had no idea what they were, were in the meadows looking for bugs and seeds. He could hear the cooing of doves as they sat on the branches of the cottonwoods and the tapping of woodpeckers as they searched for bugs on the trunks and bigger branches of the trees.

  Together they took the stock down to the lake for water and when they got back he saddled Ol’ Red and Shining Star’s mare and they went for a ride into the hills south of the lake. They followed a creek up to the southwest through oak brush then quakies and pines. They came out of the timber into a large grassy meadow. The creek was no more than three or four feet across and wound its way through the grass and wild flowers.

  They dismounted and walked along the creek, then stopped and watched small trout darting through the crystal clear water. They laughed at the antics of the pot guts as they ran to their holes then stood like statues on their hind legs and watched as they walked by. On the far side of the meadow they watched a cow and calf moose move from the creek into the timber and he wondered if it was the same one Sun Flower had run into when they first arrived. Jimbo stayed right with them all along the way not ranging way out in front as usual.

  They came to a bend in the creek where the grass had been grazed down short and stopped. They had a lunch of biscuits left over from breakfast and slices of deer from the night before. After they ate, Zach laid back on the grass and watched a hawk circling the meadow riding the air currents that couldn’t be seen. Shining Star lay down beside him with her head resting on his shoulder and he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

  He heard splashing in the water and opened his eyes, having no idea how long he had been asleep. He saw Shining Star standing in the creek naked washing herself in the cold mountain c
reek and with a smile on her face she held her arms open for him to come to her.

  The cold water almost took his breath away as he stepped into the creek not quite up to his knees. She wrapped her arms around him and he felt warmth that penetrated him clear to his soul. They washed each other in that cold mountain stream and made love in the warm afternoon sun, slept for a while and made love again.

  It was late afternoon when they dressed and he sent Jimbo to bring in Ol’ Red and the mare that had wondered quite a ways while grazing on the lush green grass of the meadow. They headed back down the creek still enjoying the day and each other’s company.

  As they approached the rendezvous area he went over to the trading tents and could see Ashley was still doing a brisk business. There were trappers and Indians alike still trading furs for the goods they could only get one time a year.

  They tied Ol’ Red and the mare to a couple of trees and walked over to visit with some of the trappers that were there. All were in support of him and the fight of the day before and he learned the men with Bull Beaumont and left this morning saying they were going back to Missouri.

  There was a big concern about Jedidiah Smith. No one has seen him and there was a growing fear he and his brigade may have gone under.

  Just like last year there were wrestling matches, knife and tomahawk throwing contests and a lot of betting on all of it. There were horse races getting started with several different Indian tribes competing. Several trappers were setting up a target range for a shooting contest and asked Zach if he would compete. Although he felt much better than the day before he still wasn’t in a festive mood and declined the invitation to compete. The liquor was plentiful and there were a lot of friendly squaws willing to trade a roll under the robes for the glass beads and other gee gaws the trappers had to trade.