Fighting Wolf

This is a story that I have known for a while. I decided to include it in these stories.

Rebecca Ann Mills ran throughout the new home that had been provided for her family at fort C. F. Smith. Her father was an officer in the army and had volunteered to be posted out on the wild frontier along with his wife, two sons, and young daughter.

Her older brothers were not so happy about the move and complained incessantly. They were all used to the hustle and bustle of a real live city back in the east and the only thing surrounding this fort for miles was wind and prairie grass. There would be no place to buy fancy clothes, no galas to attend, and there would be no other girls her age here.

Her father had been called in to see the fort commander earlier this morning and had not returned yet. Rebecca's mother had reassured her saying that her father was probably becoming acquainted with the commander and goings on at the fort. She took that to heart and stepped out on to the back porch watching as one of the servants pinned laundry up on a clothes line after washing it out in a hot kettle. At least they had been able to bring their servants along, she would have missed the cook maize terribly. The old woman always had a way of making her laugh.

"I'm going to have to leave you all for a few days, I have orders" Johnathan Mills announced walking into the house that afternoon

"so soon?" Amy asked

"I'm afraid it can't be helped." He said kissing his wife on the cheek

"we will manage just fine, all of us" she reassured him

"Father there are two horses for sale in the livery plus saddles and tack." Her brother Mathew blurted out excitedly rushing down the stairs followed by the oldest brother John.

"if I purchase these horses, you will not be allowed to stray very far from the fort. There are Indians all over this area and they would not hesitate to snatch you up or even kill you."

"we promise" both brothers said in unison

Johnathan doled out money to both sons and watched as they ran from the house skirting around a formation of blue clad enlisted younger men involved in their afternoon drill.

"you spoil them" Amy informed her husband good naturedly

"it will occupy them for a time"

"when do you leave?" She asked

"early morning, I will be taking a group of soldiers with me, all armed"

"I'll have maize start in on some bread to take along then."

Rebecca wasn't so sure but something didn't feel right about her father leaving like this. She remained silent however standing alone in the foyer that her family had just deserted.

Before the sun had even risen the next morning Johnathan was mounted on a horse and looking out over the men that were to come with him. He had been provided a scout who would also serve as a guide and translator and eighteen men and they were all going out to find the Oglala to have a treaty signed. This was not the usual way to conduct business though as one particular chief had refused to attend any treaty signings or gatherings they were resorting to seeking him out. Washington wanted their quotas and this is how they had to go about business.

Even though it was into the beginning of September hot sun still pervaded the daytime hours which was why they would leave now when it was still cool. There was a two day ride ahead of them.

Many Horses 15

He began to pull at her dress then stopped suddenly, groaning and reaching for his back. A crow man whom she didn't recognize materialized then slitting Two Elk's throat. Many Horses was so relieved that she immediately stood looking down at her captor who was face down with a knife in the left side of his back.

The man who had saved her took his knife out of Two Elks back, cleaned it then put it in a pouch at his waist motioning for her to come with him. It wasn't until she saw Eagle Cries however that true relief washed over her.

"baby, go" he said in broken Cheyenne indicating that she should retrieve her son and then meet them back here. Even that would be tricky because there were always people watching her but she would use the excuse that she was going off to feed her baby.

The old woman didn't say anything when she entered the lodge and picked up her sleeping son. She played the part of a hurt, demoralized woman very well.

Many Horses took her time returning to the crow men hoping that no one would pick up on Two Elks absence for a while. The crow had hidden or buried Two Elks body and cleaned up any trace of what had happened.

She was given a horse to ride and they hurried. There was no telling how it might be before an entire encampment of Lakota men were riding after them.

Many Willows 2

She did not want to come in the house, maybe fearing that it was entrapment of some sort but her baby was making it abundantly clear with his squirming that he was hungry. She sank to the ground just outside the front door and untied the baby from the carrier then looked up at him in a silent plea. He understood and went inside to fix something to eat hoping that she wouldn't run again.

Several moments later he could hear her stand. She peered in clearly smelling the bacon that was cooking and gave him a strange look, probably finding it odd that a man could actually cook something.

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I call this blog Stories of another time and place because that's where they take me, and hopefully you the reader. Imagine getting to go back in time for just a moment, getting to meet people that lived then and learn just a little of their lives or better yet live it with them for however long you get. I don't know if I'll ever have a favorite of all these stories but Many Horses and Walks far will stick in my memory for the rest of my life.

Being a busy mom I don't always get the time that I would like to write these stories or even my cowboy stories but if I'm able to share a bit of history with you fictional or not it's all worth it.

Let's continue.............

He noticed her of course but the expression on his face was not all that welcoming.

"I am a prisoner here" She spoke plainly

"you chose to go back to the Crow"

"I chose to go back with my husband and he is now dead"

"I will send Kills Many for you, if he still wants you" her brother answered finally then rode away

Many Horses knew from the start that she didn't have many options and worried that Two Elk's patience was growing thin. He was even watching her now and surely knew that she had tried to get her brother to help her. She couldn't stay here more for her sons sake than hers. He would never be treated well here, his Crow heritage would make sure of that.

He grabbed her by the arm pulling her away while speaking firmly in his language which she had not yet mastered and probably never would. At least Walks Far had taken the time to learn Cheyenne. She'd never had a problem understanding him.

Deciding she'd had enough Many Horses pried his hand from her arm and stood her ground letting him know that she'd had enough. It didn't work and only angered him more causing him to drag her roughly all the way to the old woman's lodge. He took the baby from her back and left him with the old woman. Then roughly picked Many Horses up slinging her over his shoulder driving all of the breath from within. She fought slamming his back with her fists, clawing him with her nails, kicking her legs, but his angry grip did not relent and she was soon thrown across the back of a horse. He mounted behind her and nudged the animal forward not saying a word.

They rode for over an hour into a copse of trees whereupon she was thrown to the ground. Many Horses scrambled to her feet to run but he caught her around the waist again throwing her to the ground. He was very strong and no amount of fighting could stop him from what he was about to do.

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Many Horses was a Guest of the Lakota throughout the end of the summer days and even when it began to again turn cold. She remained in the old woman's lodge and always under the watchful eye of the man who had taken her Two Elk. She had only attempted escape once but was quickly caught and Two Elk had taken her son for two days. Fearing for his safety she didn't try it again.

As of late Two Elk had been watching her a lot more insistently and even staying in the old woman's lodge later and later. Many Horses knew his intentions but made it clear she had no interest. They had killed Walks Far.

She knew that Two Elk could have done what he wanted from the beginning, he could have even made her his slave but perhaps he figured that if he were patient she would be more receptive and he would not have to hurt her.

One day a bit of excitement arose in the camp and she could hear shouts of Cheyenne, Cheyenne. Many Horses picked up her son and immediately ran to where several men were gathering. Two Cheyenne men had come to trade for some medicine one of which was her brother.

She approached him as he was about ready to leave.

To be continued..

Many Willows

Sometimes there are just too many stories to write. I have another one and I think this is going to be interesting.

A sudden ruckus in the barn and the whinny of a horse had Gideon Cross out of his bed and into a pair of pants in seconds. They were not stealing his horse again those sons of bitches. He grabbed the rifle from it's place at his bedpost and ran outside into the partial light of early morning not even bothering with his boots. He approached the partially open doors carefully wanting to get a look inside before he did anything else. What he saw was not the kind of horse thief he'd expected giving him a small sense of relief.

Gideon opened one of the barn doors revealing a young Indian woman with a child on her back who upon seeing him jumped upon a white horse and pummeled it's sides with her legs.

The thing she didn't know however was that Trigger wasn't going anywhere with him standing there and had almost reared until he intervened and grabbed the lead rope crudely attached to the bridle. When the woman could see that this wasn't going to work she jumped down and ran to the back of the barn looking for a way out all the time keeping an eye on him. There was a door but it wasn't likely that she would find it.

He held onto the horses bridle just watching the woman who at this point resembled a cornered rabbit and was desperate enough to kick out some of the back panels of the barn just to escape. When she finally did find the back door he couldn't let her go. Something had scared her this badly causing her to run and with the weather turning cold he worried for the baby.

She'd had a small head start out the back door but it was clear that as determined as she was to run her legs were weak and she was tired. When the woman realized he was running after her she picked up her speed but not enough to evade him. Gideon caught her around the waist being careful of the baby between them and as expected she fought doing every bit of harm to him in an attempt to get away. He let her fight knowing that she would eventually tire and when she did standing stock still for just a moment he tried pulling her back in the direction of the barn.

"I am not a mans posession" she screamed breathing heavily although as she had not spoken in English, he could not understand her "the only man I belonged to is dead and the others are stupid fools"

"I'm not going to hurt you" Gideon answered "but you can't keep running, your body is worn out and I'll almost bet you haven't eaten."

At that point the baby awoke and began to squirm. Gideon again pulled her towards the house and after a moment she relented pulling the baby carrier off her back.

To be continued, as always

Lakota

He was watching as he had been for the past several days. Through the trees to where a solitary white woman had set up camp. She didn't have much, just a piece of canvas stretched over a rope that was tied to two trees and an old rifle. She had managed thus far to provide for herself by hunting down a deer and preserving the meat but how could she not be aware that this was Lakota Territory? Had she not been warned? Where had she come from?

Her head perked up as if listening for something and he stiffened although this entire time he had been very careful not to be seen and not to make a sound.

"alright whoever you are show yourself" She challenged standing up "you've been watching me since I made camp and I'll have you know I can shoot this rifle just fine."

He didn't understand her words obviously but her tone of voice was not mistaken, she was ready to fight anything that came at her. He had to hold back a burst of all out laughter at the thought of some small skinny white woman in a fancy dress coming after him. She wouldn't stand a chance.

"don't tell me you are afraid, Show yourself coward" She shouted holding her rifle ready to shoot and walking a straight line forward from her tent. He stood slowly and moved around the tree he was using to hide himself waiting until she passed then moved being very careful to keep silent. In one very swift move he swung around the tree coming up behind her placing a hand over her mouth and his other arm around her waist to immobilize her. What he didn't count on was her going wild kicking him in the shins and using the but end of the rifle to jab him in the ribs. He held her in place despite the pain and used the hand he'd had over her mouth to grab at the rifle. A shot was fired but she would not let go of it and continued grinding the heels of her hard shoes either into his feet or shins. He knew that if he were to let go of this woman she would likely turn around and shoot him leaving only one option. The woman stopped struggling when the blade of a knife was placed at her throat. She knew that he wanted her to throw the rifle down but an obvious stubborn streak drove her to hold on to it as if it where the last guarantee of freedom. Only when he used the knife to make a small cut did she throw it down.

He immediately spun the woman around hoisting her over his shoulder and walking through the trees to where his horse was tied. She was just a little thing although the amount of struggle she put up was surprising until he began to hike up the skirt of her dress threatening to expose parts she would prefer remain covered. She fought that too but realized that it was too hard to pull her dress down from this particular position and that he would keep pulling up the skirt if she did not cease struggling. For now this Indian man would have his way, but not for long.

Naomi Harding had run from her parents death and a persistent man who insisted on marriage as opposed to being accused of setting the fire that had killed her parents and younger sister as well as destroying the mercantile that they had spent their whole lives working and making a success in. She was just as sure that he had set the fire to get to her and her family's money. She had given her parents enough trouble over the years that this man's accusations might gain ground with the local populace. Running was the only option and she had been fine until this bullheaded hulk of a man had found her.