by Joel Baker
Banner’s brothers, North and West, came out of the trees and sat by Max. Soon other dogs came and sat next to them. Slowly the line of dogs grew as more dogs joined them in their vigil. They sat on a rise, the mouth of the cave across from them. The sun was almost directly overhead when Max opened his eyes.
They come, Max said.
More dogs came out of the forest, all focused on the road leading up to the cave. Men riding single file appeared and rode slowly towards where the dogs waited.
Jacob stopped in front of the mouth of the cave and looked back down the column of riders. He was about to dismount when one of his men pointed at the rise off to their right. It was lined with large black dogs in both directions. The dogs were sitting there staring at them.
“What the hell is that?” Jacob asked the man next to him.
“Wild dogs?” the man suggested.
“I don’t think so,” another man said. “They’re just sitting there staring at us.”
Jacob pulled his war club out of its sheath and dismounted. He took several steps toward the dogs as they sat watching him.
“Get out of here!” Jacob yelled, waving his club in the air.
Several of the dogs sitting above him yawned. The other dogs extended their line above the riders by moving along the ridge. It looked to Jacob like an encircling maneuver. It was almost as if the dogs were intentionally closing around his riders. But that would be crazy.
“What should we do?” the man next to Jacob asked.
“Have the men dismount,” Jacob said. “It’s weird, but I don’t see what a bunch of dogs are going to do. Make sure the men have their weapons ready.”
Max watched the men dismount. They seemed interested in the cave. They may not know about the Colters and pups hiding in the forest. It didn’t matter. They would find them eventually. If they did Max knew it wouldn’t end well.
Jessica? Max asked. Can you hear me?
Max waited for her to reply.
I hear you Max, Jessica said. Those people are there, aren’t they?
Yes, Max said. They will hurt you if we cannot stop them. Do you understand?
Yes, Jessica said. You want me to hide.
There’s something else, Max said. If anything happens to me, Jessica, know that I loved you your whole life. You are special my child. Grow up to be a woman like your mother.
Max, Jessica said. You be careful.
I am old, Jessica, Max said. Goodbye.
Max stood and walked slowly down the rise to where Jacob and the other Sioux stood.
“Get out of here, you old mutt,” Jacob yelled.
Jacob kicked at the old dog in front of him.
Max had been special since birth in many ways. He was the natural leader of the dogs at an unusually young age. Even as a young pup, Max had been able to transform at will. Other dogs born with the ability to transform at will, all died within days. Only Max had been able to do this and survive.
Max knew what would happen to anybody who would hurt Jessica. Max looked at Jacob and began to transform. At first Max paced back and forth in front of Jacob and the others. Blood filled the cavities in his back and chest causing them to expand. Gums pulled back from the teeth and his legs unfolded doubling his height. Max’s eyes turned a pale shade of red then deepened to a dark glowing red, as blood coursed through his body.
Jacob tried to step away from the monster in front of him. He backed into the men standing behind him in shocked silence. That’s when he heard the huffing from the other dogs still on the rise. It was a primeval sound all done in unison. It was then that Max let loose with a Banshee scream that caused their horses to rear and trample anyone who tried to stop them.
“Run!” Jacob yelled, just as the massive jaws of the dog closed on his throat.
Max held Jacob by the neck and shook him like a rag doll. Jacob’s last thought was how unfair it all was that he should die this way. He thought he deserved better. Max dropped Jacob’s lifeless body in front of the cave. He watched as the other dogs poured down the hill and launched themselves at the hapless Sioux.
Max transformed back to his normal self and sat looking down at Jacob and the others. He knew the Colters and pups were safe now. It would have to be enough. Max could feel his great heart slow and his strength flowing out of him.
He was dying. He’d been dying for some time now. Max laid on his side preparing himself for the crossing. The dogs knew what was on the other side. It made the crossing so much easier. Still, he would miss Jessica. As Max drew his last breath, his last thought was how strange life was. The next time he’d do it all different.
****
James, Dalton and the others rode up to the killing field in front of the cave. There were several dead dogs. One of them was Max. James went over to Max and rubbed his head in goodbye. Max had been a little screwed up, but it wasn’t his fault. He’d loved Jessica and that was enough.
They dragged the bodies of the Sioux over to the road and laid them in a line. Some of the Lakota warriors who came with James blanched at the sight of what the dogs had done. James sent them out to recapture the Sioux horses.
He and Dalton went and checked on Shannon, Molly, and the others. It was comforting to know that none of them saw what had transpired by the entrance to the cave. They’d heard noises and that was all. Shannon was careful to keep Jessica away from the scene. Someone had to tell Jessica about Max.
“Jessica,” Molly called. “Come over here.”
Jessica walked over to them carrying a puppy.
“What?” Jessica asked.
“Sit down, sweetheart,” Shannon said. “We need to talk.”
“Is this about Max?” Jessica asked.
“Do you know what happened?” Shannon asked.
“Yes,” Jessica said. “We said goodbye. He talked to me when he got to the other side.”
“Are you alright?” Shannon asked.
Jessica furrowed her brow.
“I think so,” Jessica said. “Max and I knew this was coming. I hate it, but I know he needed to go.”
“What did he tell you, Jessica?” Molly asked. “What did he say when he talked to you after crossing over?”
“It didn’t seem like much,” Jessica said. “I’m not sure what he meant. He just told me the dogs had gotten it all wrong. He said there are lots and lots of cats on the other side.”
Chapter 22
James and Dalton walked over the area where the dead Sioux lay on the ground. The Lakota stood off to one side with the horses that had run off during the massacre. The bodies of the Sioux were torn and a bloody mess. The dogs had all disappeared into the forest.
“What are we going to do with all these bodies and the horses?” Dalton asked.
“I’ve been thinking about that,” James said. “What’s to prevent the Sioux from mounting another expedition against the Lakota? I think we need to send them a message. We must send a terrible message they will remember and talk about for years.”
“Send the dead back home?” Dalton said.
“Yes,” James said. “I think we should tie the bodies on their horses and take them back to their village. How long did it take Jacy to get back from his scouting their village?”
“Something over two days, I guess,” Dalton said. “I would plan on thirty hours. It could be a little more or less.”
“Let’s send someone back to the Lakota village right now,” James said. “Tell Cass and Mato to meet us with the Sioux dead they removed from the streets. Have them tie them across the horses they came on. Tell Mato to bring all the weapons the Sioux brought with them.”
Dalton went to find a rider to send back to the Lakota village. James walked back to the clearing to meet with the women. Nate and his family were still visibly upset by the close call with the Sioux. Fala, Shannon, and Molly were also stressed out. They kept Jessica and Jason close to them. The dogs had already come back to the clearing and led the puppies away.
Molly and Sha
nnon had seen what the dogs could do to an enemy before. The outcome of the fight between the Sioux and the dogs didn’t surprise them. The two women helped calm the others. James took Molly off to one side and told her what they were going to do with the Sioux dead.
“Is that really necessary, James?” Molly asked. “It seems so ghoulish somehow.”
“I hope it scares the hell out of them,” James said. “We have to convince the Sioux leave the Lakota and us alone. We want them to know what they’re in for if they try to come against us again.”
“When do you have to leave?” Molly said.
“It’s getting dark now,” James said. “We need to leave before first light in the morning. We’re going to meet up with Mato around noon tomorrow. We should be outside the Sioux village about midnight, tomorrow night.”
“Try to get some sleep,” Molly said. “You’re getting to old for all this James. You need to find a nice quiet place to settle down.”
“I was kind a hoping we’d found it,” James said.
“This was your nice quiet place to settle down?” Molly asked. “Nice job.”
****
James and Dalton were organizing the men going with them before dawn. They loaded the bodies of the Sioux onto the horses. Rigor mortis had passed and bodies were wrapped in blankets the Sioux brought with them. Once they were thrown across the saddles, the Sioux weapons were tied on the saddles as well.
The horses were roped together so each rider led five horses with their load. James and his group left as the sun lightened the eastern sky. At noon they caught up with the group led by Mato. It was almost midnight when they approached the Sioux village.
Jacy had helped Mato get his group ready and on the road. Now he crawled to the top of the rise with Mato and James.
“There’s a lot fewer people now since the council broke up,” Jacy said. “The fires have all burned down. They look asleep to me. I think we should get started.”
The men went back to where the Sioux horses were staked. They offloaded the cadavers from the horses and placed them on the perimeter of a large circle. One by one, the bodies were positioned in a sitting position with their legs crossed. Many had to be tied into position because of deterioration. The weapons of the Sioux were piled in the middle of the circle. The impact of almost a hundred bodies positioned in a circle was powerful.
It was only a couple of hours until sunrise when they finished.
“What should we do with the horses?” Jacy asked.
“We will start a stampede for their village,” Mato said. “The horses racing through the village will cause confusion. When they finally investigate, they’ll find the circle of the dead.”
“And we’ll be long gone,” James said.
****
Both the spring and summer were hot. Normally it doesn’t warm up until almost July. The end of June was sweltering. Tempers were getting short from the heat as the women worked their way through their pregnancies.
James and Dalton decided to invite Mato to go for a brief trip looking for buffalo to shoot. The winter had exhausted their food supply and the larder was looking empty. They began riding generally in a southeast direction.
“You think the buffalo have headed south?” Mato asked.
“Not really,” James said. “Dalton and I are curious what happened to the Sioux village after they found the circle of the dead.”
“Why didn’t just you say so?” Mato asked.
“We probably could have,” Dalton said. “But our wives would have had a fit. Let’s just say they’re a little touchy right now. There is something about going anywhere near the Sioux.”
“Mina is getting a little touchy also,” Mato said.
“Let’s go, so we can get back,” James said. “We’re sworn to secrecy on this, right?”
The three men rode straight through and arrived just before daylight. The sky in the east had barely lightened when the three crawled to the top of the rise overlooking the Sioux village.
“They’re gone,” Dalton whispered.
“Why are you whispering?” Mato asked.
As the sky lightened they could see all the cabins had been burned to the ground, and had been for some time. It was eerie since all signs that a village ever existed were rapidly disappearing. The three men stood looking at the site for several minutes. It was a somber moment and the reality of what had happened sat heavily on their shoulders.
“I wonder,” Mato said. “Would the Sioux have visited our burned and pillaged village if we hadn’t been able to stop them?”
“All I know for sure,” Dalton said. “The Sioux will not forget the lesson we taught them.”
“I wonder,” James said. “We can hope so. I wish I could believe we won’t see the Sioux Nation again.”
“Either way,” Mato said. “We better find a buffalo to shoot or we are all going to be in trouble.”
****
The marriage of Copa and Hotah took place in July. It followed a blanket ceremony where they pledged their love for each other. It was a beautiful wedding held outdoors as was the tradition. They moved into the small cabin Matthew and Fala had given them, since the builders had finished a larger cabin for them.
It was Shannon’s idea to turn the back half of the Center into an infirmary. They’d been called upon to provide medical aid to both the Lakota and Colters. During the summer there was something of a baby boom as six babies were delivered.
Shannon unpacked her medical library. She and Molly immediately began training Copa to help them with patients. She was a natural. Once she was married, she was able to get her mind on something other than Hotah. She proved to be a great help.
Banner was established as the leader of the dogs. The dogs moved away from the Colters and Lakota. They moved further to the north thereby expanding their lands. The dogs paid frequent visits to the Colters, and kept a close eye on Jason. They made sure that all puppies spent time with Jason, almost as if it were a part of the puppies training.
It was the first week of October when Banner came into the Center and laid down on the rug in front of the fireplace. Shannon came out of the infirmary to look out the front door.
Banner have you seen Dalton or James? Shannon asked.
I am looking for them as well, Banner said.
They’re supposed to come over here now, Shannon said.
When they come, Banner said. I will need to speak to them with your help. I have something important to tell them.
Fifteen minutes later Dalton and James came into the Center and through the door to the infirmary. Neither man saw Banner laying there. A few minutes later they came back with Shannon in tow to act as translator.
What did you have to tell the men, Banner? Shannon asked.
Tell them that warriors from the east are coming this way, Banner said.
How many were there? Shannon asked.
Like the stars in the sky, Banner said. There are too many to count.
Where were they headed? Shannon asked.
They are headed here, Banner said.
****
Dalton, James, and Mato rode toward the east into the rising sun. Shannon had tried to get more information from Banner, but failed. All he kept saying when pressed was many warriors were coming to this way. None of the men knew what they would do if the report were true.
It might be possible for the Sioux to gather that many men, even after their defeat by the Chippewa. Maybe the message they sent had created hatred instead of fear. They had to find out one way or the other. They rode slowly hoping to encounter the force at night. They began to lose hope when they saw the massive cloud of dust being raised by the advancing hoard in the morning sun.
“We need to get out of here,” Mato said, alarm in his voice. “We are dead men unless that is buffalo raising that dust.”
“Let’s wait a second,” Dalton said. “We are in a good position.”
The three of them sat on a long ridge overlooking a sweep
ing valley. The opposite side of the valley was lost in a blue haze of morning mist. They sat listening to the growing cacophony of noise of an army on the move. The first riders appeared on the far side of the valley as a morning breeze blew the mist aside. It reminded James of thousands of ants swarming down the opposite ridge headed for the valley floor.
“That has to be the whole damn Sioux nation,” Mato said.
“I’ve seen enough,” James said. “Let’s get out of here while we can.”
The three men turned their horses to the west and rode up the rise behind them. A row of warriors waited patiently on the other side, their weapons laid across their saddles. James pulled to a sudden stop with Mato and Dalton behind him.
“Do not move,” One of the warriors said.
He walked his horse forward toward James, looking over his rifle in his scabbard. He pulled James revolver from the holster and threw it back to one of the other men in the line. He then went over to Dalton and took his revolver and threw to the same man.
“I will not take your rifles,” the warrior said. “Do not make any movement toward them.”
James turned in his saddle and signaled Dalton to do nothing. He saw the hoard of warriors swarming its way across the floor of the valley. James estimated there had to be at least ten thousand fighters. Another wave of warriors was cresting the far side of the valley and began to make their descent.
James looked up at the sun for a moment. He was certain he, Dalton, and Mato were dead. There was no way out of this. He was wondering if there was any way to get a warning back to Molly and the others. If only he’d brought Banner with him. He’d been overconfident and now it would cost them their lives.
The leaders from the main body rode up the ridge behind James and the others. They each rode magnificent horses adorned with streamers of feathers and something else. As they drew closer James saw that woven in with the feathers were human scalps. The man in the center was very tall and heavily muscled. He sat staring at James and Dalton.
