Lakota Dawn (14 page)
Authors: Janelle Taylor
“I do not believe as your family and our shaman do; I believe he is evil and will call down great dangers upon us. It is my duty to challenge him.”
“If you challenge my son upon his return, you must also challenge me, Two Feathers,” Rising Bear said.
“And challenge me,” Wind Dancer added.
“And challenge me,” War Eagle echoed his older brother’s words.
Two Feathers looked at the three men and scowled. “There should be no conflict in our family circle, my chief and cousins.”
“There is conflict only if you cause it,” Rising Bear replied. “We have much to do, for our hunting time is short this season. If no other man wishes to speak against my second son, we must seek the buffalo.”
When there was silence, Hanmani asked, “May I speak, Father?”
Rising Bear looked questioningly at his daughter and nodded.
“I am good friends with my second brother, for I have served him and talked with him many times since he came to us. Many moons past in our old camp, he told me of the sacred dream which called him back to us. He spoke of a part to me and Dawn which he did not reveal to others, but it is time to do so.” After she related that information and explained why she had kept it a secret, she said, “As it was with Wind Dancer’s sacred vision about Dewdrops, the Great Spirit chose Dawn for Cloud Chaser.” Hanmani knew she must not further antagonize Two Feathers by mentioning Macha’s distaste for him. “On the past sun, Cloud Chaser told me he must leave to prove himself and must take Dawn with him, for she possesses his heart. By now, they are joined in the Old Way. They were secret friends as children and love each other deeply. After I came to know him, I believed he was good and true, and the Great Spirit spoke to my heart to help him. If I was wrong to do so, I will accept my punishment.”
Rising Bear smiled at her, relieved to learn Cloud Chaser had found kindness in their camp and family. “It was a good deed, my daughter; my heart feels great love and pride for you. There is no punishment.”
“He will return, Father, and will do great deeds for us as did Wind Dancer and Dewdrops.” To Macha’s mother, Hanmani said, “Do not fear, Root, for they share great love and a glorious destiny together. He saved your son from the badger’s attack and he will protect and make Dawn happy. He will be a great warrior among our people, for the blood of our chief and many past chiefs runs within him. Be proud he has joined your family.”
Ohute smiled. “You speak wise for one so young, Hanmani.
It is good my daughter has you as her friend. We will accept our new son.”
“That is good, Mother,” River’s Edge said from beside her. “When he returns, we will ride again as friends, and as brothers.”
Far away that night, Macha cuddled in Chase’s arms upon his bedroll and shared tender kisses with him. They were tired from riding almost all of the past night and day, for they’d only made short stops to rest the horses and allow them to graze and drink. Both had been on constant guard against pursuers and that fierce concentration, added to their physical exertions, had nearly drained them of all energy. Yet, they felt enlivened for a time as they kissed and caressed and whispered words of love and endearment to each other. Kisses which had begun gently and playfully soon waxed slow, long, deep, and ardent.
“Do you know how much I love you and how much joy you bring to my heart and life?” Chase murmured near her ear as his lips nibbled her lobe.
“If your feelings match mine, your love is as large as the sky and your joy as broad as the grasslands. I quiver with great need for you.”
“As I do for you, Sunshine of my heart.”
Their mouths fused again in a soul-stirring kiss as they entwined their soaring spirits forever. Each explored the other’s body with eager caresses that teased and tantalized. One kiss melded into another and another until they were breathless.
Chase tried to think of other things to distract himself from his enormous carnal urges, for Macha would soon tempt him beyond a point of retreat. He wanted them to be married at the fort before they surrendered to such passions. He leaned back, gazed into her eyes, and cautioned in a ragged voice, “We must stop these actions, my love, before we are consumed by them. We cannot join our bodies here, for an enemy or Red Shield party could intrude. We must not have our union spoiled by the encroachment of others or rush such a special event.
Soon, we will become as one when we are safe and can think only of each other.”
Macha looked at him and smiled. She took several deep breaths to help her gain control over her rampant emotions. She knew he was right, but it was difficult to cease such exquisite delights. He was the only man who made her feel this way, but she cherished him for his thoughtful restraint. “You are wise and strong, my love, for I am weak and dazed by you.”
Chase smiled. “My body also is weak and my head is clouded with great love and desire for you; that is why we must leave this dangerous path and walk another one for now. We will speak of other things to cool our bodies and change our thoughts.”
“That is wise, but hard, my love. What will we speak of to help us?”
“Do you know what large secrets my cousin feared I would learn and reveal to our enemies?” he asked.
Macha did not hesitate. “He feared you would tell Whites about the shiny yellow rocks they hunger for and will slay to possess, for there are as many in our sacred mountains as stars which fill the night sky. The two Whites who found them were slain and their bodies hidden forever so they could not tell others about them.”
That revelation stunned and worried Chase, as gold could be an obstacle to lasting peace and hazardous to the Lakotas’ survival. As he sat up and removed the locket from around his neck, he said, “That was wise, Sunshine of my heart, for many Whiteskins will do anything to have those yellow rocks. They are called
gold
and have great value to the Whites. This
wanapin
is made of gold; it belonged to my mother and holds the images of her parents. It was given to me when she died. I want you to have it and wear it as a show of my love for you and commitment to you. Turn your back and lift your hair and I will put it on for you.”
The happy Macha obeyed, murmuring, “I thank you for this gift and will wear and protect it forever.”
As Chase fastened the locket’s chain around her neck, he explained, “Gold was found in the land far away in the direction
where the sun goes to sleep; that is why many Whites cross this territory, to reach that area and search for yellow rocks. If news spread of gold being in our sacred mountains, Whites would flood them as a dry wash following a long and hard rain. Much trouble would come to our land and people. It is good that secret was buried, and I understand why Two Feathers would fear its discovery.”
“He also feared you would tell the Bluecoats about the Big War Council to be held after the great buffalo hunt when all Oglala bands and other Lakota tribes meet to trade and talk as we do before each cold season.”
That news distressed Chase more than hearing about the presence of gold in the Black Hills. He remembered the large trading fairs which took place at the end of summer when many of the bands of the Oglala branch and some of the other six Lakota tribes met to trade, talk, visit with friends and relatives, and discuss any important event looming ahead. “They are to speak about a possible war or to vote upon starting one?” he asked in dread.
“I do not know, for that is all Hanmani overheard. News of the council came from Spotted Tail and Little Thunder; they are both Brule chiefs who hate and fear the white man. Brave Bear of another Brule band is to speak for peace, for he was chosen as Head Chief of all Lakotas at the Long Meadows Treaty Council; he says all bands must honor the truce words or all Lakota tribes will be punished.”
“Two Feathers is right to worry about such news filling the soldiers’ ears at Fort Laramie. If the Army learned what was going to be talked about at the big meeting, they would be consumed by fear and would attack the encampment before a vote could be taken and warriors could prepare to ride against them and the settlers. Our people and other bands do not understand how powerful the Whites are, and how resolved they are to retaining a grip on this territory. They have weapons which can shoot hard balls at a swift and deadly pace and at a long distance, while warriors must make arrows and can carry only a few in their quivers and must be close to their targets to strike them. There are many soldiers at other forts who could be
summoned here, while many tribes and bands refuse to fight together under one chief as one mighty force. The Army has many supplies to feed its soldiers and wagons to carry them in on the trail, while warriors can carry little on their horses and must halt to hunt and cook to keep their strength. A war so great would be bad for both sides.”
“That is true, my love,” Macha agreed, “but they are the enemy and they challenge us by stealing our land and animals; we have become as captives to them and must follow their orders or be punished or slain. There is no honor in such an existence, but there is honor in dying for what is right.”
Chase caressed her cheek and smiled. “You are wise and cunning, Sunshine of my heart. What you say is true, but it will demand much. At the fort, I will listen and watch to learn all I can about our enemy. I must teach you their tongue so you can do the same.”
Macha grinned and said in English, “Dawn know little English. Hanmani teach.”
Chase chuckled and praised her effort in Lakota. “That is good, Dawn, and I will teach you more during our journey. There are words you must speak at the fort when we join in the white man’s way.” When she looked surprised and confused, he explained, “A joining ceremony, called a marriage, will give us a good reason for being at the fort so I can do my work there. And, if trouble comes to this land, you will be protected under their laws as my wife, since I was reared by Whites and am viewed by them as a white man. Now we must sleep, for soon we must ride again.”
As they traveled for days toward their distant destination, it became increasingly difficult to restrain their desire for each other. Nights were the hardest to endure as they shared a bedroll since it had been impossible to bring hers along. They were awakened several times every night as their closeness aroused their passions even during slumber. Their constant longings and lack of sleep made them edgy, but excited with anticipation
of what lay before them when they could surrender to great passion.
The journey had been made longer as they were compelled to skirt camps, working groups, and scouting parties of other tribes or Lakota bands who were hunting buffalo on the extensive grasslands in that territory. Often they were forced to veer eastward for miles to elude human obstacles in their path before heading southwestward again. Staying on constant alert for perils that might be just ahead cost them extra time and energy. But they could not afford to be stopped and questioned by Lakotas or white men.
Whenever they halted to rest or sleep, they talked about their pasts, eager to share all with each other. Macha filled him in on the events which had occurred during his lengthy absence; and Chase taught her more English, including the words she would need to use during their marriage ceremony, as well as his signals for her to speak them. Although he had done all he could to conceal their trail, they were surprised and baffled by the fact no Red Shield search party had come after them. If a hunt was on, given the tracking skills of his brothers and other warriors, they reasoned they should have been overtaken by now; and they gave thanks to the Great Spirit for continued freedom to complete their crucial tasks.
On the eighth day after they fled the Red Shield camp, despite all of their precautions and hopes to avoid it. trouble struck…
Nine
The route Chase and Macha were compelled to use while evading other Indian bands took them southward toward the North Platte River and its valley where eroded grayish bluffs, verdant forests, and a lengthy escarpment were located amidst thick grass and scattered scrubs. At the higher elevations, they saw ponderosa pine and juniper trees; and in the lower regions there were mainly box elders and sacred cottonwoods, with willows growing in ravines and other vegetation along the riverbank. At long last, such a combination of nature’s beauty provided ample concealment for their movements which vast expanses of grasslands had denied.
Once they reached the river, they planned to take a trail so heavily traveled by countless emigrants and the Army, it was almost like a well-worn dirt road. Visible were the ruts of many wagons from settlers journeying on what had come to be called the Oregon-California-Mormon Trail and led to its next major landmark at Scotts Bluff. Added to those were ruts from Army wagons hauling supplies and stages taking mail and passengers to Fort Laramie and beyond.
Chase had viewed such scars on the earth long ago when he was taken away from this territory and again recently when he returned to it. He couldn’t help but think if the Red Shields
had not been camping and hunting in this area twelve years ago, his fate might have been different. To appease his anguish and to prevent anger and resentment, he had to believe there was a crucial purpose for those trying episodes in his life, and his existence and destiny were being planned and guided by the Great Spirit, Whom he believed was the same Deity as God. He mentally packed away those thoughts and refocused on the matter at hand.
As the cautious couple weaved their way past bluffs, hills, and trees, heading for the river and road, they heard ominous sounds, and halted.
“Firesticks,” Macha murmured as her startled heart thudded in panic and her frantic thoughts whirled in dismay. “Whites are nearby. Do they hunt buffalo or do they attack a camp of Lakotas?”
Chase knew she was voicing aloud her fears, not asking him a question to which he could not know the answer. “We must sneak closer and see what is happening. Be ready to ride fast if we are sighted and pursued,” he commanded gently. “Take no risks, Sunshine of my heart, for I could not bear to lose you.”
Macha nodded and followed his lead as he guided her, using nature’s creations to conceal their approach. She kept silent not to distract Chase from his intense concentration, praying for their safety and survival, and for those of the enemy’s victims, as she was certain there would be some when the scene unfolded ahead. She knew something painful had disturbed him earlier, as she had glimpsed an array of various telltale emotions as they flickered across his handsome face. She surmised that he was thinking about the past, for it was near this place where she had first lost him, and must never do so again. She had given up a lot to be here with him now, but he was worth any sacrifice she would be called upon to make to share a Life-Circle with him. She did not know where they would go or what they would do if they could not return to their people. Yet, what must be, must be, for surely this was Wakantanka’s will for them.
When the sounds were loud enough to indicate the trouble
was nearby, Chase halted them behind a series of large sandstone formations and dismounted. He whispered for her to stay on her horse and be ready to flee at a moment’s notice. When she nodded, he smiled, grateful she was so smart and brave. Taking his fieldglasses, he crept to the edge of a huge rock where scrubs grew, knelt behind them, and peered through their tangled limbs at a grisly sight ahead at the road. He used the glasses to be sure of what he saw.
His sienna gaze narrowed and his body stiffened as he witnessed the malicious aftermath of the slaughter. Even if he were well armed, it was too late to help the victims. All he could do was watch and wait until the attackers departed.
After they left, Chase joined Macha and related what he had observed: “White men dressed as Indians attacked five Bluecoats and killed them; they stole a travois filled with firesticks and hard balls for them. After the Bluecoats were slain, they shot arrows into their bodies and took scalplocks from them.”
As Macha listened to the grim news, her gaze widened and her lips parted. “Why did they do such a wicked thing to their own kind?” she asked.
“To cause trouble between Bluecoats and Indians when Indians are blamed and punished for what happened, and out of greed for those weapons,” Chase sadly explained. “Stay here while I go undo what I can of their evil. After I have done so, we will follow the white men to see where they go and to learn their names. On another sun, I will make certain they are exposed and punished.” He wished he could report the slayings so their bodies could be recovered and buried, but he couldn’t risk possible incrimination. Besides, he reasoned, soldiers probably wouldn’t believe his charges against white men, and the evidence he needed as proof might be gone before he could return with troops. Shaking his head at the senselessness of it all, Cloud Chaser set about completing his gruesome task. When he had finished, he rejoined Macha, and used water from his canteen to wash the soldiers’ blood from the recovered arrow tips, then placed the shafts inside his quiver. “It is done. We go now,” he told her.
* * *
Using great prudence, Chase and Macha trailed the wagon and men to a farm many miles away. By that time dusk had arrived. There would be scant moonlight to guide them after dark.
Chase left Macha with the horses where she would be safe for a short time while he sneaked closer to see what he could observe. The man who appeared to be the gang’s leader guided the wagon into a barn and the others dismounted and followed him. Keeping his guard up, Chase crept to the large wooden structure and listened to them planning their next mission— an attack on a stagecoach. He had to find a way to stop them.
Chase peered around the side frame of an open window and saw the men hiding the stolen items in a cellar, then covering the trapdoor with bales of last year’s hay. Yet, even knowing where the evidence was stored, he couldn’t be sure the crates and barrels would remain there long enough for him to ride to Fort Laramie, convince the Army of his claims, and return with troops to show them. He absolutely would not leave Macha behind to watch the barn and men for the shipment’s removal, and she could not follow the villains if the gang transported the weapons elsewhere during his absence. He could only hope to bring their deeds to light as soon as he could do so without endangering his beloved.
Chase returned to an anxious Macha with just enough time to put a safe distance between them and the farmhouse before dark. As they sat close together on his bedroll and consumed the last of the food Macha had brought along and Hanmani had sneaked to him during his last meal back in camp, Chase related what he had learned and what he hoped to do later.
Macha was excited. “It is a good plan, my love, for they must be punished; and it is best for it to come from their own kind.”
“That is true. At least we know part of the reason why they did such an evil thing: if their plan had found victory, the Army would have blamed and punished Little Thunder and Spotted
Tail’s bands. With the Brules gone or their forces weakened, the man who owns this land could make his farm larger and other Whites could come to farm here. It is good dirt and has much water for growing food and special grasses for their animals. I will try to trick the Bluecoats into entrapping them soon so they can cause no more trouble.”
“If our people allow us to return to them, when war comes between the Whites and Lakotas, will you fight our enemy to the death if it must be?”
“When I first returned, I hoped and believed peace or at least a truce was possible, but the more I learn about the troubles and bad feelings between and within the two sides, I know war will come one sun. When it rises, I will ride with my family and people if I am allowed to do so. I do not wish to slay those like my mother and adoptive parents, but I fear I will be forced to battle their kind for our safety and survival.”
Chase was positive a horrific and bloody clash would result when the secret of the Black Hills was exposed and prospectors flooded them. There was no doubt in his mind that all seven tribes of the Lakotas would attack “yellow rock” seekers and sacred site encroachers with a vengeance, and soldiers would be sent to rescue and protect imperiled white men. During his travels, he had met and seen men ensnared by “gold fever” and knew what a dreadful and dangerous disease it was. He kept his worries to himself, as he didn’t want to frighten his beloved.
“We must sleep now, Dawn, for we must ride at first light.”
“Will it be safe for you to hold me and kiss me, for I need to draw courage and comfort from your arms and lips?”
Chase pulled her into his embrace and kissed her. He, too, needed to draw solace and encouragement from her love. One hand slipped into her hair and fingered its sleek strands. The other roamed her back, then cuddled her closer to his aroused body. She was so precious to him, and he yearned to possess her fully. But he wanted that unique moment to be special. By tomorrow night, if nothing else obstructed their path, she would be his wife and belong to him in all ways.
Macha adored the way he touched her. He was such a tempting
mixture of strength and gentleness. She loved him with all of her being, and desired him with every part of herself. He warmed her as no roaring fire or scorching summer sun could ever do. She could hardly wait until she could discover the delights of bonding their bodies as one, to experience the sheer joy of having him completely. Soon, she vowed, soon.
Chase separated himself from her, took a deep breath, and said with reluctance, “We must sleep now, for on the next moon, we will get little rest after we are joined.”
Macha smiled. “That good news pleases me greatly, my love, for I can no longer resist my craving for you.”
“It is the same for me.”
Tomorrow night
…his mind vowed.
Before they approached Fort Laramie on the sixth of August, Chase concealed the bow and quiver of arrows which War Eagle had loaned to him weeks ago, along with the shafts which had been embedded in the soldiers miles away. He knew it wouldn’t be wise to ride up armed only with Indian weapons. He smiled at Macha, seeking to reassure her, as they neared the fort.
The military post was strategically positioned atop a lofty bluff overlooking the Laramie River, eastward of the Laramie Mountains and vast stretch of the Rockies. The wisely chosen site provided well for the troops and passing emigrants: they had easy access to fresh water from the river, food for their stock from the grasslands, and a road connected the area to forts and trading posts in both directions. There was no stockade encompassing its structures and cannons, as if the Army didn’t fear an Indian attack. The compound included barracks, stables, a bakery, sutler’s store, smithy, lumber shed, saddlery, magazine, guardhouse, supply storages, and officers’ quarters. Most of the buildings were two stories high, with many windows, railed porches, and high-pitched roofs with multiple chimneys jutting from them. They were situated around an enormous parade ground with a tall staff, from which the American flag danced about in a strong wind. Fort John, a large adobe building
which had first served this area and now belonged to the American Fur Company for trading with trappers and Indians, was set close to the river bluff. Unlike the new fort, John had two guard towers and an adobe-enclosed yard for protection against “hostiles,” as well as two brass cannons and weapons within the workers’ easy reach.
On a grassy area below one section of the extensive bluff, Chase glimpsed a few homes, other structures he didn’t know the reasons for, and a cluster of Indian tepees where “loafers” camped and often lived year long. All of what he viewed, he tried to convey and explain to Macha as they approached, though so much of it was unfamiliar to her, it was confusing. He promised he would clarify such things to her at a later time.
The only reason Macha was not terrified of this new experience was because she was close to her beloved and had such confidence in him. She knew he did not fault her for not understanding all he was trying to tell her, for he knew her language lacked translations for everything they saw. But she was smart and eager, and he was a good teacher.
Chase glanced toward the office and dwelling of his target—Lieutenant Hugh Fleming, Fort Laramie’s commander—for that was where any copy of the treaty and any enlightening letters from deceased Indian agent Thomas Fitzpatrick and the current agent Thomas Twiss would be kept. He had been told in May by a talkative soldier that Fleming had initiated an assault last year on the Minneconjous—one of the tribal members of the Seven Council Fires of the Lakotas. He hoped that didn’t mean Fleming was an Indian-hater and troublemaker.
He knew his way around the site from a visit there in May before he traveled to the trading post called Fort Pierre and then made contact in early July with his family and people. As they got closer, he smelled bread being prepared in the bakery structure, and that indescribable scent which only Plains grass and the summer air seemingly possessed. He saw men unloading supply wagons which probably had arrived late the previous day, soldiers checking or repairing their gear, men tending the stock, a few standing guard, and the brilliant sun reflecting off windows and the river’s surface. He heard the
American flag flapping in a strong breeze, the smithy’s hammer as he shod army horses, and the prairie wind whistling past his ears. He felt calm yet apprehensive, both ready for and dreading the hazardous challenge ahead.
Macha, too, felt very alert and on her guard. She did not fear as much for her safety and survival as she did for his. She could guess the enormous risks he would be taking when he crept into the commander’s abode for the papers he insisted were so important to them. She did not want to even imagine what his fate would be if he was captured. It was as if she had waited her entire life for Cloud Chaser to grow to manhood, return home, and to join with her. Now, she could lose him again in the blink of an eye, and this time, to death, forever. What would she do if he were slain and her family and people rejected her when she returned?
