For personal and select distribution only © August 2001

By Pam Hunter

Chapter 1

Michaela looked up and smiled as Sully raised the flap and entered the firelit tipi. His eyes roamed over those in the temporary, but cosy living quarters, and he ventured in a whisper, "All asleep huh?" She nodded and stood, then turned to observe their children as they peacefully slept. Side by side, Katie and Brian were nestled on warm buffalo hides and curled up under colourful indian blankets. Although Brian was a boy now rapidly approaching manhood, he had been more than amenable to sharing sleeping quarters with his entire family when suggestions about this trip to the northern lands of the Cheyenne had first been made.

Close by, Michaela had been gently rocking six month old William in his cradle. His cheeks were rosy from the warmth and he breathed deeply and evenly, his mouth occasionally moving in a sucking motion, causing both indulgent parents to smile. Michaela sighed contentedly and then turned shining eyes on Sully. He held out his hand to her and she took it readily. As he began to lead her from the tipi, she protested softly, "But William might wake ..."

He raised her hand to his lips. "We aint goin' far," he rejoined quietly. "We'll hear if he does ..."

Ceding to his gentle voice and caress, she merely nodded and followed him out into the duskiness of the still, summer night.

They walked hand in hand for some minutes, past a number of tipis similar to theirs, from which slender streams of smoke wafted into the clear, somewhat crisp, night air. They'd discovered that although it was the height of summer, the nights in this part of Montana tended to be cool and clear. Occasionally, muted conversation in the musical language of the Cheyenne, or the demanding cry of a hungry baby, could be heard. In the distance a wolf howled, and a night bird called hauntingly to its mate as it spied its hapless prey.

They ascended a slight incline and then Sully casually turned and sat at the base of a huge spruce and drew Michaela down to sit nestled between his knees. She leaned back into him and clasped his arms as he embraced her. Each lost in their own thoughts, they sat for long moments in silence, surveying the Cheyenne encampment of tipis eerily silhouetted in the moonlight.

Their two week stay in this remote and wild location had aroused in both of them an odd mixture of emotions. While everyday life seemed idyllic - the surrounding woods abounded with game, and the children were carefree and happy - the adults were always aware of an underlying tension. How long would the Cheyenne be permitted to stay on this remote, beautiful and fertile land? How long would it be before the white man decided he wanted it for himself? Occasionally a white man would arrive, an agent of the government, and yet to date the Cheyenne had been allowed to live in relative peace. For the adults, the existence was uneasy. So many of them had, in the past, experienced cruelty and destruction wrought by the white man's prejudice and greed. Despite Sully's arms around her, Michaela shivered, and, as if he was thinking the same thing, he protectively drew her closer.

At last she broke the silence. "We'll have to start for home in the next couple of days," she said quietly.

He dropped his chin onto her shoulder and returned dully, "I know it ..."

She rubbed his arm comfortingly. "I'm glad we came," she offered.

"But we got people an' things ta git back to," he concluded.

She turned to peer up into his eyes glittering in the moonlight. "It will be hard for you to leave, won't it?" she asked softly.

He shrugged and his eyes left hers to peer off into the distance. At last he said quietly, "I'd be lyin' if I said it won't ..." He took a deep breath. "Bein' here like this's bin like goin' back in time ... I can almost forget what's bin goin' on the past few years ..." He trailed off and then his eyes met hers again. "Almost," he added wryly. "Maybe we won't ever git another chance ta see the Cheyenne livin' like this ..."

She swallowed. "Maybe we won't," she repeated sadly.

"You know I can't just sit by an' watch it happen Michaela," he warned quietly.

She gulped and then bit her lip. "I know," she replied in a small voice. "But I'm not sure how I'd cope if there was serious trouble ... I ... I couldn't go through that again ..." She took a deep breath and then said a little more brightly, "At least Brian and Katie have had the chance to see the Cheyenne living in peace ..."

Watching her carefully, Sully mused, "Katie won't remember it I don' reckon ... she's too young ... but Brian ... he'll remember ... an' I know he'll write about it ... Him an' Flyin' Hawk are good friends now ... Brian's learnt a lot ... both times he's bin up here ..."

Michaela nodded. "Yes he has," she agreed. "He's growing up so fast ... I'm almost pleased he's postponed going to college for a year ... We'd have missed him so much."

"Home seems so far away," mused Sully. "An' up here ya tend to lose track o' time ..."

Michaela smiled and rested her cheek against his chest. "We needed this time ... didn't we?" she murmured. "After all that's happened ..."

"You mean with Tilson?" asked Sully, tenderly rubbing her back.

She nodded. "And then Matthew and Kathleen's wedding," she added. "I wonder how their honeymoon trip to Charleston is going ... Won't be long and they'll be heading home to Colorado Springs ..."

He squeezed her lovingly. "Could never be as good as our honeymoon in Denver ...," he murmured against her ear before tenderly kissing her temple.

She again peered up at him, her eyes twinkling. "I wonder if Kathleen was as nervous as I was," she pondered softly.

He smirked. "Guess we'll never know ... but if she's a quick learner like you were ...," he teased.

"Sully!" she exclaimed ruefully. Her protestations were cut off by his mouth suddenly covering hers. The kiss rapidly deepened and continued languorously for long moments as they revelled in this time alone together.

At last Sully pulled back, took a deep breath to quell his rapidly beating heart, and said mischievously, "Guess there's one thing I'm lookin' forward to at home ..."

Her eyebrows rose. "Just one?" she asked, a touch incredulously.

He smirked again. "One special thing," he clarified.

"And what's that?"

He dipped his head so that his mouth was against her ear. "Got used ta havin' ya all to myself at home," he whispered seductively. "Not sharin' a room with three others ..."

Stirred by the passion in his voice, she attempted to return light-heartedly, "William sleeps in our room ..." Her voice emerged unintentionally husky. 

"That's different," he whispered. "This trip has bin great ... but I miss bein' with ya ... holdin' ya ..."

She blushed. "You're holding me now," she murmured.

"Aint the same," he returned, then rested his thumb under her chin and lifted her eyes to meet his. "Aint the same at all," he averred, again claiming her mouth with his for a prolonged, ardent kiss.

At last, hearts pounding, they pulled back and collectively sighed. "Better be gittin' back huh?" suggested Sully regretfully.

Michaela nodded. "The children will be awake early again," she granted.

He chuckled. "Right on dawn I reckon ... Don' wanna miss anythin' ...," he rejoined indulgently. As Michaela edged forward, he stood and drew her up and into his arms. "Least I get ta hold ya when we're sleepin'," he murmured lovingly. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, they began to wend their way slowly back to their temporary abode.

******************
The early morning summer sun warm on her back, Michaela sat on her haunches, stirring a large pot of oatmeal suspended over the open fire by their tipi. Beside her, a blanket was spread out on which William sat playing with a soft toy one of the Cheyenne women had given him. Around them the camp was coming alive. Children were being bathed, meals cooked and a group of men were preparing to go out on a hunt, their anticipation almost palpable.

Michaela glanced up as the movement of a flap on a nearby tipi caught her attention and Dorothy emerged fixing a final pin into her sandy hair. As her friend immediately made her way to her side, Michaela asked with a smile, "Sleep well?"

Dorothy took a deep breath of the fresh air. "Mmmm," she said with satisfaction. "It must be the air up here or somethin' ... but I seem to be sleepin' a lot better here than at home ..."

Michaela chuckled. "Perhaps it's the company," she returned mischievously.

The older woman blushed coyly, but then returned the good-natured smile. "Maybe it is," she agreed, arching her back and then stooping to sit on the blanket by William. "Up here I can be Cloud Dancin's wife ... an' everyone knows ... an' accepts it ... even if a few aint too pleased about it ...," she said wistfully, gently stroking the little one's back. "But back home ..."

Michaela reached out to lay her hand over Dorothy's. "I know ... It must be so difficult," she concurred.

Dorothy raised her eyes to meet Michaela's. "But ... if that's the way its gotta be ... then that's how we'll do it ... I'd rather have him in my life like this than not at all ...," she avowed. Michaela nodded, prompting Dorothy to tentatively propose, "Me an' Cloud Dancin've talked about maybe stayin' up here ... Fact is, I suggested it ..." When Michaela raised startled eyes to hers, she added hastily, "But he won't have it ... says it aint right ta take me away from everyone ... an' the Gazette of course ..."

"Could ... could you live up here like this Dorothy?" asked Michaela seriously. "Its not an easy life ... and there's always the uncertainty ..."

Dorothy shrugged. "Maybe ... I'd give it a go ... Life aint easy at home neither ... always havin' ta be careful ..."

"But here the government could change its mind at any minute and the army arrive ..."

"An' where do ya think Cloud Dancin'd be Michaela?" rejoined Dorothy quietly. "He sure wouldn' be in Colorado Springs ..."

Michaela swallowed, instinctively knowing that Sully would join his brother if there was conflict up here, but before she could say anything, Dorothy continued, "Cloud Dancin' says I can help most by what I write in the Gazette ... I keep tellin' him its just a little newspaper ... but he figures it helps git the word around ..."

"He's right," agreed Michaela.

"I suppose .... but that don' mean I wouldn' join him if somethin' awful did happen up here ..."

Michaela nodded resignedly and went back to stirring the oatmeal. After a few moments of silence, she said quietly, "We'll have to start for home soon ... perhaps tomorrow. Will you and Cloud Dancing be coming with us?"

Dorothy's eyes roamed around the encampment. "Maybe," she replied. "I aint sure ... If Cloud Dancin' wants ta stay longer ..."

"Of course ... I know its different for the two of you," returned Michaela immediately. "But we'd be glad of your company ..."

Dorothy nodded. "I'll let you know ..." She looked up and smiled as Brian, hand in hand with Katie, approached. "Looks like its time for breakfast," she announced, reaching for the bowls.

******************
Sitting side by side on the same incline to which Sully had taken Michaela the evening before, Cloud Dancing and Sully watched the excited hunting party gallop out of camp in a cloud of dust. During the past two weeks they had themselves participated in a couple of hunts, but this time they were observers only. "Only the young fellas today huh?" remarked Sully.

Cloud Dancing nodded. "They will want to do better than the older men," he offered. "It is a matter of pride ..."

"An' if they don't?"

"There will be much teasing and boasting between the old and the young."

Sully chuckled. "I can remember when I first came to the Cheyenne ... You were better at everythin' than me ..."

"That soon changed ..."

"Not with everythin'."

Cloud Dancing smiled ruefully. "No ... perhaps not with everything ... but with most ...," he stated without rancour. His eyes focussed on Michaela, Dorothy and the children sitting by the fire some distance away. "Michaela is becoming restless," he commented. "She wishes to return home ..."

Sully's eyebrows rose. "Yeah ... she's bin tryin' ta hide it ... but she wants to be home when Matthew an' Kathleen get back from their honeymoon ... an' she worries 'bout Andrew lookin' after both medical practices agin ..."

"Soon Colleen and Andrew will be travelling east ..."

"Uh huh ... she'll miss 'em ..."

Cloud Dancing turned to regard him. "And you will not?" he challenged.

"Sure I will," returned Sully immediately. "They're family ... but ya know how special Colleen is ta Michaela ..."

The medicine man nodded. "She will be following in her mother's footsteps ... It is special for both of them ..."

"So ya see why Michaela wants ta get back ... There's only a month or so before they head for Philadelphia ..." Sully glanced across at his brother. "You gonna travel with us?" he asked.

Cloud Dancing's eyes narrowed. "I think it best ..."

"That you come with us?" asked Sully with surprise. "I thought ya might wanna stay here longer ..."

He nodded. "If it was me alone, I might stay for a while ... but Dorothy must return also ... She has the Gazette ..."

"She could come back with us ..."

Cloud Dancing shook his head. "She is my wife ... and I will travel with her ...."

Sully nodded, acknowledging the sentiment. "Nothin' ta stop ya comin' back here though," suggested Sully.

"I will return," agreed Cloud Dancing with a nod. "Sometime soon ... We do not know how much longer this peace will last ..."

"You're feelin' the same as me then," acknowledged Sully. "Lookin' from here, its hard ta believe things could change real quick ... but ..."

"But we have seen that they can ... more than once," completed Cloud Dancing. He hauled himself to his feet. "I will speak with Dorothy about leaving with you tomorrow ..."

Sully peered up at him. "It'll be a slow trip agin ... with the kids ..."

"We do not mind that ... We do not often have the chance to all be together," responded the medicine man.

Sully clambered to his feet to stand beside him and then good-naturedly clapped him on the back. "You're right," he said with a smile. "We oughta be grateful for what we got right now ..."

Cloud Dancing nodded and started down the slight slope. "That is so my brother," he said, his eyes focussed on his wife nearby. "We must enjoy each moment ... for we can be sure that change will come."

Chapter 2

Perched high up on Flying Hawk's shoulders, Katie giggled delightedly and clapped her hands as the Cheyenne elder began to twirl around and around. He was a tall, strong and proud man who had taken a liking to the little girl, just as he had her brother, and now they, along with their parents, were leaving for home. Behind him a large number of Cheyenne, of all ages, had gathered to say their farewells.

Sully handed William up to Michaela who was already seated in the wagon, then turned to Flying Hawk. "Want ya to know we really appreciate you acceptin' us bein' here like ya have," he said in an odd mixture of English, Cheyenne and indian sign language. He held out his hand. "Its bin a privilege ... somethin' we'll never forget ... especially Brian ..."

The elder held out his arm also, then in Cheyenne indicated that Sully and his family would always be welcome as they had shown nothing but friendship and help to the Cheyenne, especially when they were forced to travel south early in the winter. The two men grasped each other's forearms and shook, then Sully reached up for Katie and lifted her down from Flying Hawk's shoulders. "We hope ta see ya agin," he said, as he positioned the little girl in the back of the canvas covered wagon. "An' ya know if things go wrong up here ... you can count on our support ..."

"That's right," added Michaela with conviction, though her heart pounded at the thought. Sully gave her a grateful look, prompting her to hold out her hand to Flying Hawk. "Thankyou," she said sincerely. "I wish you and your people well .."

Cloud Dancing, dressed for travelling, stood proudly by as his dear friends farewelled the Cheyenne chief. There was both a heaviness in his heart and a sense of pride in his people. Sharing them here like this had rejuvenated him, restoring in him his innate faith and love for his Cheyenne heritage. His reverie was disturbed by a hand creeping into his and Dorothy momentarily leant against him slightly as if she knew what he was thinking. He smiled and returned the squeeze of her hand. "Are you ready to go?" he asked quietly.

She nodded and lifted her hat which had been dangling down her back, onto her head. "Uh huh," she replied. She leant closer. "Ya know we don't have ta go," she said, her voice low. "I don't mind ... really I don't ..."

He shook his head. "If you stayed with me here ... you would never be able to go back ..."

She swallowed and then took a deep breath. "I know it," she said a touch huskily.

"I could not ask that of you ... This way we are able to live in two worlds ... If we stayed ... it would be one ... and it would not be your world ..."

She lowered her eyes. "I don't want to see you unhappy Cloud Dancin' ... always havin' ta compromise cos o' me ...," she offered softly.

"I am not the only one who is compromising ... We both knew the difficulties when we chose to marry, did we not?," he returned immediately. "We will return to Colorado Springs as we planned ...."

"But we'll come back here again ... before the winter sets in again huh?" she added.

He nodded. "Yes ... we will do that ...," he agreed. "Come ... we must fetch our horses so that we do not hold the others up ..." He squeezed her hand lovingly again and then followed her across the clearing between the tipis to where the horses were tethered.

***************
"You want somethin' more ta eat?" asked Sully, as he sat beside Michaela who was nursing William in the shade of a tall spruce. They had been travelling homeward for several days and at last the end of the long journey was in sight. They would travel a few more hours this afternoon and then most of tomorrow, hoping to arrive back in Colorado Springs well before nightfall.

She shook her head.  "No ... I've had enough ... but you have something more ... there's still some fruit ...."

"We'll leave that for tomorra," he rejoined decisively. He reached across and gently ran his finger down his son's cheek. "Looks real healthy don' he? His cheeks are rosy ... Bein' out here seems ta agree with him .."

Michaela smiled indulgently. "We're so lucky Sully," she said proudly.

"Yeah ... I reckon we are ...," he returned, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her close. His eyes on his now very sleepy son, he mused, "You've nursed him a lot longer 'an ya did with Katie ..."

She nodded. "This time I wasn't trying to run a busy medical practice on my own," she rejoined quietly.  "I've been able to spend a lot more time with him ..." She lifted William a little and lovingly kissed his forehead. "But its probably time I began to wean him," she added regretfully. "Apart from anything else ... Andrew and Colleen will be gone in a month ..."

"You gonna try ta run both clinics on ya own?" asked Sully, striving to keep his tone noncommittal.

Her eyes flew to his. "You don't think I can?" she challenged.

He shook his head. "I didn' say that," he said immediately. "But I don' see why ya have ta ... Both clinics are gittin' busy ..."

She nodded. "I know," she acknowledged quietly. "The truth is ... I've been thinking about advertising for a colleague ... perhaps someone young like Andrew .." She held his gaze. "What do you think?"

He smiled. "I think it's a good idea ... Share the load ... an' maybe give another young doctor some experience he wouldn' git back east ..."

"He?" she queried, her eyes twinkling.

"Sorry," he smirked. "*He* or *she* ...," he amended.

"That's better," she teased. She glanced up into the blue summer sky. "I suppose we'd better head off again hmmm?" she asked rhetorically. "I'll be so glad when we finally reach home ..."

He gave her a loving squeeze and then, following her lead, he too peered up into the sky, his mind wandering. Then after some moments, his eyes abruptly narrowed and he quickly clambered up from the ground. "Hey Cloud Dancin'," he called. "Whatdya reckon?" He nodded towards a pall of dark smoke now smearing the previously pristine sky some distance away.

Cloud Dancing also peered upwards. "It is not the woods ... or grass," he observed with a frown.

"Buildin's maybe?" suggested Sully.

The medicine man nodded. "Less than a mile from here," he surmised. He raised his eyebrows questioningly at his brother who immediately acknowledged his unspoken question with a nod. Sully swung around to face Michaela. "Someone could be hurt," he said urgently. "Or need help puttin' out the fire," he added. He and Cloud Dancing started quickly towards two of the horses tethered nearby. "You all stay right here," he called. "One o' us'll come back for ya soon as we know what's happenin' .." They clambered up onto their horses and turned to face Michaela who was hurrying after them.  "We'll be back soon as we can," called Sully, swinging his horse around and setting it in motion.

"But Sully ... if someone's hurt ... I ....," called Michaela to his retreating back, then gave up in frustration. She sighed and turned back to Dorothy and the children who all seemed to shrug resignedly before going back to what they'd been doing. Michaela looked down at her baby son in her arms. "What are we going to do with your father little one?" she murmured ruefully. She too shrugged and then strolled across the clearing to join the others.

******************
It was some minutes of hard riding before Sully and Cloud Dancing arrived at the site of the fire and what met their eyes made their hearts pound and their stomachs turn.

What was once a barn was now a smouldering ruin, while the accompanying homestead was fully ablaze, flames still shooting high into the air and, as they both clambered from their horses, the roof suddenly gave way with an horrific crash. But it was not the burning of buildings alone that engendered anguish. Midway between the ruin of the barn and the homestead, two bodies lay sprawled and inanimate on the dusty ground. Sully rushed to them only to discover neither had a pulse, their blood still spilling from their wounds onto the ground beneath them. He clenched his teeth to quell the rising nausea. The man lay on his stomach, a bullet in his head, his hands splayed out on the ground as if he had thrust them out to save his fall. Close by lay a boy of thirteen or fourteen, obviously the man's son, also facedown. He had a deep stab wound between his shoulder blades. Tears sprung to Sully's eyes and then he stood, desperately searching for *any* sign of life amongst the wanton destruction. He spied Cloud Dancing stooped down over another body much closer to the house and rushed across to them. He swallowed deeply when he saw a woman laying on her back, a jagged gash down her cheek from temple to chin. "She alive?" he asked in trepidation.

Cloud Dancing nodded. "She is unconscious .... The wound is deep ... She has lost much blood ....," he outlined. He looked up into Sully's sad eyes. "We need Michaela here," he said urgently. "If this woman is to live ..."

Sully nodded and turned away only to be halted by Cloud Dancing's hesitant, "Sully?" He swung back and his eyes widened in shock as the medicine man lifted a bloodied tomahawk from the ground beside the woman. "Dog Soldiers?" Sully asked in horror.

Cloud Dancing nodded regretfully. "I had heard there was still a couple of bands around here ..."

"But why?" demanded Sully resentfully.

Cloud Dancing shrugged. "They have much anger still ..."

Sully swallowed and nodded. No further explanation was needed. He headed towards his horse, but again was halted by his brother calling, "Watch for them Sully ... If they are nearby ..." Sully's heart began to pound. His family and Dorothy were out there, alone, vulnerable. He clambered onto his horse and tore off in the direction from whence they'd come while Cloud Dancing remained bent over the gravely injured woman.

*****************
Michaela finished packing the lunch things away in the back of the wagon, then wedged William's cradle in against the side where it had travelled during the past weeks. He was sound asleep now, so everyone would be ready to go if one or both of the men returned. Alternatively, if they did not return, she'd decided the family would wait only a half hour or so, and then head in the direction of the smoke they could still see drifting into the sky. It was not as dense or as dark now, and she sincerely hoped that whatever its origin, it was innocuous, that it did not signify a tragedy amidst this beautiful wilderness. 

She turned back to where Brian was folding the picnic blanket on which they'd been sitting. "Nearly ready to go?" she asked.

His eyes narrowed. "Pa said ta wait here," he rejoined warily.

"We have no idea how long the men will be Brian ... and besides, if something is wrong they may not be able to get away ... I might be needed," returned Michaela assuredly.

"But ma ...," he protested. "It'll mean takin' the wagon off the trail ..."

She shrugged. "We've done that many times before ... I'll drive ... You ride Taffy ... Dorothy will have to sit up here with me seeing Sully is riding her horse ...," she said, brooking no argument.

The young man frowned but obediently stowed the blanket in the back of the wagon and untethered his horse from a nearby low hanging branch. He mounted and turned back to Michaela. "You sure about this ma?" he asked hopefully.

She nodded and peered into the dense woods in the direction Dorothy had taken Katie just a short time before. "As soon as we're all here," she replied.

After some moments of waiting and just as Dorothy and Katie could be seen emerging from amongst the trees, Brian heard galloping horses in the distance and sighed with relief. "They're comin' back ma," he called, quickly dismounting from Taffy and turning in their direction.

Michaela too swung around to watch the trail, anxious to know what they had discovered. It was with some dismay that she spied four riders approaching and it didn't take her long to realise Sully and Cloud Dancing were not amongst them. As they neared she could see the war paint, the odd attire, the rifles in hand, and her heart began to pound. Knowing it was futile to run, she clambered down from the wagon and sped to the back, anxious to protect her tiny son sound asleep in his cradle. Utilising extreme willpower, she refrained from peering off into the woods to seek Dorothy and Katie. She sent a silent prayer that Dorothy would see what was happening and keep Katie hidden. She leant against the back of the wagon and waited for the dog soldiers to slow their mounts which they did only a couple of yards from her. Then, much to her astonishment, as one of the Indians slid from his horse to the ground, Brian stepped in front of her, shielding her from the men. She observed his shoulders heave as he took a deep breath and then he said in as strong a voice as he could manage, "Haaahe [hello] .... Hoovehe [friend!] ..." He held up his Cheyenne medicine pouch suspended on its leather thong around his neck and repeated, "Hoovehe .."

The indian warrior's brow creased and a puzzled look crossed his face. Nonetheless, he advanced towards them, his rifle threateningly held at the ready. "Néóxôheve? [What did you say?]," he demanded.

"Né'áahtovêste! [Listen to me]", said Brian quietly. He pointed to himself. "Hoovehe," he repeated yet again.

The warrior took another step forward, reached for the medicine pouch and ordered, "Táaxa'e [Let me see]."

Brian nodded, lifted the pouch over his head and handed it to the indian. As he did so his hand shook. The dog soldier grinned and turned back to the others who remained on their horses. "Étšêhe'kéhahe [he's young] .... Éhéhpôhetäno [he's feeling frightened]," he remarked scornfully. He turned back. "Nétónêševéhe [what's your name]?" he asked. His eyes said he doubted that Brian would understand him.

"Brian," returned the young man immediately, pointing to himself.

Again the indian's eyes narrowed. He nodded towards Michaela standing tensely behind her son. "Vé'ho'á'e [white woman]?"

Brian grasped Michaela's hand and said quietly, "Nahko'eehe [my mother]." At that moment William stirred in his cradle and the indian's eyes flew to the wagon. "Hevasemo [my little brother]," Brian quickly explained, praying that the dog soldiers would not harm anyone.

With that the warrior took another step forward and the other three menacingly slid from their horses' backs. As the indian reached out and placed his hand on Michaela's shoulder, Brian exclaimed, "Névé'nêhešéve! [don't do that!] ... Hahtsêstse! [move aside]." He swallowed as the indian seemed to pay him no heed. "Please," he begged.

Michaela vainly tried to shrug the man's hand from her shoulder. Seeing dog soldiers here like this brought back vivid and horrifying memories of being their captive before, only that time there had been no children to protect. "Please ... leave us be," she implored. "We are friends to the Cheyenne ..."

Surprisingly the man *did* remove his hand from her shoulder, but defiantly stayed close by. A sly grin appeared on his face and he shoved Brian aside to concentrate on Michaela's frightened face. Again Brian exclaimed, "Névé'nêhešéve!" to which the man's grin only widened. Brian grasped his arm, but the man easily shook him off, while his companions edged forebodingly closer.

"Ma'êhoohe ... Red Fox!?" suddenly demanded a strong and authoritative voice from amongst the trees. Sully strode out onto the trail and advanced assuredly towards them. "Leave 'em be," he instructed.

The dog soldier's jaw clenched and he turned to regard Sully as he approached.

When Sully was only a few yards from them, Brian exclaimed, "You know 'im pa?"

Sully nodded, trying not to react to the obvious fresh blood spatters on the man's buckskin tunic. He looked him unwaveringly in the eye. "Yeah ... I know 'im ... don' I? He understands ya too Brian ... just fine ... don't ya Red Fox?" The man shrugged, prompting Sully to add, "Last time I saw you was with Black Moon ... weren't it?" Again the indian shrugged. "I never treated ya bad Red Fox .... so's I'd appreciate ya leavin' my family alone ...," Sully urged, a veiled threat in his tone.

"They are yours?" asked the indian dully, but in clear English.

"Uh huh ... an' you were frightenin' 'em," rejoined Sully, his tone steely.

"No harm has come to them," Red Fox justified resentfully.

"Yeah ... but I wonder what woulda happened if I hadn't got here in time ..."

"We do not know ... do we?" the indian replied smugly.

This time Sully's jaw clenched. "What are ya still doin' round here Red Fox?" he asked grimly. "The rest o' your people are up north ... in the indian territory ... we've just bin up there ..."

The warrior humphed in disgust. "They live in fear of what the white man will do ...," he replied. "Red Fox and his men live free ..."

"You could be shot on sight if the army saw you," interjected Michaela, now more confident with her husband by her side.

"They will not see us," the man retorted immediately. "The army is stupid ..."

"Maybe they are," responded Sully, his scathing opinion of the army never a secret. "But that don' mean ya should hurt innocent settlers ..."

"They are all white," spat Red Fox. "These are Cheyenne lands ... they have no right ..."

Sully swallowed. "They don' know that," he rejoined. "All they know is they come out here for a better life ... an' you kill 'em for it ..."

"I do not need you telling me what is right and what is wrong," returned the dog soldier angrily. "You do not have any rights here either ..."

"Long as we treat the land an' the Cheyenne right, there aint no reason why we can't get along," said Sully determinedly. "I've shown ya enough for ya to know that can happen ... that it's true ..."

The man's jaw clenched and he took a deep breath. "I will never trust a white man again ...," he charged. His eyes fixed on Sully, he raised his rifle. Sully willed his body to remain relaxed and he met Red Fox's gaze steadfastly. There was a long moment of tense silence as the two warriors mentally duelled, then finally the indian's rifle dipped slightly, he disdainfully tossed Brian's medicine pouch into the dust and turned away to stride angrily toward his horse, closely followed by his men. He clambered up and again his gaze met Sully's. "I trust we will not meet again Sully," he warned. "I do not believe in allowing a white man to walk free when we cannot." With that, he signalled to his men and they galloped away northwards, leaving a cloud of dust in their wake.