Many Horses 11 The Lakota

They left the encampment that night and headed home still marveling at the things that had taken place. They had only made a days ride when a string of riders could be seen in the distance. Many Horses could tell they were not Cheyenne and guessed them to be Lakota. Once they realized that Walks Far was Crow things would turn out very bad.

"you need to run" she said

"I will not run" he answered

"they will torture you" she screamed "they might kill you"

making a split second decision they each rode different directions. Walks Far as expected was much faster because she didn't want to jar the baby on her back excessively. Her chances were much better however because she was Cheyenne, as long as they did not try to harm her baby.

He was followed by a several of the men while only two came after her one riding alongside her grabbed the horses bridle and brought the animal to a stop. He looked at her strangely as if somehow recognizing her then with his hands pointed specifically at her horse then the other horses and finally her.

She knew what he meant but her only concern was the whereabouts of her husband and his welfare. She didn't answer the man, merely stared at him. He motioned again, still she said nothing only tried to get her horse to move but he was still holding onto the bridle. That was when the baby finally began to wiggle behind her and let out a little cry, just enough to let her know that he needed something. she removed the cradleboard from her lap and lay it across the horses back using her knuckle to pacify the baby until hopefully this man would give her some privacy to feed him. That never happened, the sight of the baby had angered him and he demanded the cradleboard. Not knowing what his intentions were she refused, he was after all a crow baby.

They heard a shot in the distance and something within her came alive, she put the baby on her back and kicked the horse desperately though he refused to release the bridle and the horse was caught in a struggle between them.

"they killed him" she screamed kicking even more furiously and lashing out at the man who held her horse kicking and hitting at him. The man grew enraged grabbing at her hair and pulling her close. His grip was like steel and the warning he issued though spoken in Lakota was clear. He took the baby from her back holding the cradle board off to the side of the horse in front of him and began to ride leading her horse. The baby began to fuss then all out cry when his needs were not being met. Eventually her son fell asleep but the lurch in her heart would not go away. Her husband was most likely dead and her son's fate was up to this man.

To be continued