For personal use and select distribution only © by Judith A., October 2006

No Greater Burden
By Judith A.

Chapter Twenty-Five | Chapter Twenty-Six | Chapter Twenty-Seven

The last thing either Michaela or Sully expected to hear were the words Night Crane had just spoken. Sully stood stone faced at the revelation while Michaela reeled with shock. Words failed her as she struggled to put some kind of order to the questions that came to mind. She shifted her feet uneasily and looked at Sully, searching his face for a sign of what they should do now. As she studied her husband's expression, she couldn't tell what he was thinking. She thought about how strange it was that his face, which she could usually read so well, now showed nothing at all. Without Sully to anchor her, she felt more adrift in shock and confusion.

Her eyes drifted away from her husband toward Night Crane. In spite of the heinous revelation about Running Wolf, she felt deep empathy for her young friend. She knew exactly what it felt like to watch the man you love dragged away from you and charged with murder. Whatever he had done, Michaela vowed to help her friend through it. Looking at her now, Night Crane had completely lost her color. She was pale and trembling so hard she seemed about to fall. Michaela broke the paralyzed stillness by moving closer to her and placing her arm around her shoulder. Her steps sounded like drumbeats as they pierced through the silence that encased them all.

Cloud Dancing regretted the chasm that divided him from Sully, placing them on opposite sides. True to his nature, Sully had risked his own safety by coming to the aid of a friend, only to learn that the friendship had been built on deceit and betrayal. Another man might have been angry with Sully for taking the side of Running Wolf against his closest friend, but Cloud Dancing felt no such anger. He had expected nothing less of him. Instead, he was worried, worried that this terrible truth would leave his friend emotionally shaken, and doubting his own judgment. When he first learned the truth, Cloud Dancing had felt the same shock and disbelief he knew Sully was experiencing now. Like Sully, he had grown fond of Running Wolf. Recognizing his leadership ability, he had even invited him to sit on the tribal council. His stomach churned at the realization that the Long Hair had probably admired those same qualities.

Finding out that Running Wolf, a man he had trusted and befriended, had aided the man responsible for murdering so many of his loved ones, Snow Bird, Black Kettle and his wife, No Harm and scores of other Cheyenne, left Cloud Dancing with a terrible pain in his chest, an all-consuming anger, and incredible hate. Hatred did not come easily to him. It was an ugly emotion that damaged the soul. Yet, at this moment, Cloud Dancing recognized the hate within him, plunging him into greater despair and even fear.

Sully could feel the eyes of his friend on the back of his shirt. Gradually, he turned around, bringing his tortured eyes up to meet Cloud Dancing's sorrowful, tired ones.

"We need to talk," Cloud Dancing said. His voice was tinged with regret.

Sully nodded his agreement. A fury of emotions choked and knotted his throat, robbing him of his voice. He glanced toward Michaela who was still standing with her arm around Night Crane, as if holding her up. In a brief exchange, their eyes locked, and they silently conveyed to each other the place they needed to be at this moment. Sully turned back to Cloud Dancing and the two men silently walked away from the lodge.

* * * * *

"It's really true?" Sully asked. These were the first words he had spoken in the hour since he and Cloud Dancing had taken a seat along the riverbank. The questions whirling in his head had been so disturbing he had trouble picking one out.

"It is true." Cloud Dancing had been sitting quietly beside Sully, patiently waiting for him to be ready to hear the details about Running Wolf. "I wish it were not so."

"How did ya find out?" Sully sat on the ground with his body closed in on itself and his face resting on his hands, staring out at the river, struggling against powerful emotions. The predictable ebb and flow of the currents served to slowly restore his sense of balance that earlier had been ripped apart. The rain had stopped, but the sky was still gray and dreary, matching his mood.

"When the Dog Soldiers returned from their hunt, one of them thought he recognized him. He watched him during the Massaum and for several days afterward. When he was certain, he informed Strong Bow."

"Custer's been dead over five years. How can he be sure?" Sully still clung to a thin thread of hope that this had all been a terrible mistake, that somehow he had misunderstood Night Crane.

"Eagle Nest remembered an interaction with him near this area over ten years ago. He discovered Running Wolf spying on the location of a camp of Cheyenne. They had a violent and bloody fight, leaving them both seriously wounded. But, despite his injuries, Eagle Nest was able to warn Black Kettle to move the camp before Custer and his men arrived," Cloud Dancing paused to gauge Sully's reaction.

Sully's face crumbled as he began to piece the clues together. Running Wolf's expert knowledge of this area, the secrets buried in his past, the Cheyenne shield mysteriously found in the north, and now Black Kettle's name. After a long moment of working to dismiss what his mind had concluded, he turned in his seat and raised his eyes to Cloud Dancing for the first time. "That's when Black Kettle moved the camp to the Washita after he was turned away from Fort Cobb?"

Cloud Dancing nodded, staring at his friend through pain darkened eyes. "At the time, Eagle Nest believed he might have killed Running Wolf because he never saw him again, that is, until five days ago. But, someone told Custer where our people were camped. Someone told him they were along the Washita, and seeing Running Wolf alive now, we know the answer. For the past few days, Eagle Nest watched his movements, and studied his mannerisms and facial expressions, until he had no doubt who he was."

"I been thinkin' 'bout when I first met 'im," Sully began softly. "He made me uneasy at first. I had a strange feelin' he was hidin' somethin'…that he wasn't who he appeared ta be."

"Our first instincts are usually correct," Cloud Dancing noted.

"Then, the more we got ta know 'im and care about 'im, I figured we all got part o' our past weighin' us down. The only thing that mattered was the man he was now."

"Do you still feel that way?"

Sully turned his eyes away and gazed toward the river. "I know ya want me ta say no, but I can't. It's not easy ta forget the past month."

"Sully, I would never ask you to tell me anything other than the truth. But, consider this, he chose to join forces with Custer against the Cheyenne. You know as well as I do the man Custer was. We both saw the aftermath of Washita. Running Wolf led Custer to find my people to kill them. There is no forgiving that, no matter who he is pretending to be now."

Sully was devastated, but he was also conflicted. He could never forgive someone who would scout for Custer against the Cheyenne, never. But, the man he met and became friends with was honorable and selfless, not a murderer. He couldn't reconcile these two versions of the same man. "Cloud Dancin', he took care o' Josef when he was lost in the woods, he saved my life when I was danglin' over a cliff, an' he loves his family as much as we love ours. I can't believe this is the same man who would murder the Cheyenne. But, if he is, then no, there's no forgivin' that."

"Do you still doubt he is the same man even after Night Crane told us so?"

"It's just so hard ta believe, but no, not if you're sure." Saying the words aloud betrayed how little he believed it to be so. Though Sully found it nearly impossible to accept the truth, the facts before him, along with his best friend's word, told him it was true. "Cloud Dancin', I'm sorry I interfered back there. I should've trusted ya had a good reason for goin' after Runnin' Wolf."

The lines on either side of Cloud Dancing's mouth relaxed, testifying to his relief. But, his eyes lost none of their intensity. "There is no need for apologies. You acted as I expected you would at seeing a friend in danger. I am sorry Running Wolf was not the man we both thought he was."

"Same here." He fell silent again, alone in his thoughts, his face frozen in sadness. "What'll happen ta him?"

Cloud Dancing remained silent for a long minute. "Eagle Nest will finish what he started."

Sully's eyes swung back to his. "Kill 'im?"

"There is no choice."

"There's always a choice." Sully's glare was sharp and still.

"He must give his life to avenge the lives he stole from us," Cloud Dancing replied, firm in his resolve.

Sully looked away again toward the river. "When will the killin' stop?

"I cannot answer that."

Sully had always felt eye for an eye justice was wrong. He never understood how killing someone to avenge a killing solved anything. But, until he could think clearer, he would not argue the point with Cloud Dancing. "What'll happen ta Night Crane?"

Cloud Dancing did not hold Night Crane responsible for her husband's actions, but he was not certain he could forgive her either. He carefully considered his next words. "As the niece of Black Kettle, she and her children may continue to live here, but it will not be easy. It will be difficult for the people to forgive her for marrying him and staying with him once she learned the truth. Before today, I did not know she knew. I believed he deceived her like he did the rest of us. Hearing her words to you and Michaela was a shock to me as well. Knowing who he is, and still loving him, will make it harder for her."

"She wanted her kids ta grow up Cheyenne. Now she's gonna feel rejected by 'em."

"It was her choice to betray her people." Cloud Dancing found it impossible to sympathize with Night Crane. "You and Michaela will not agree about this," he cautioned.

"She knows how Night Crane feels." Sully knew that on more than one occasion he had placed Michaela in Night Crane's shoes. His wife wasn't focusing on what Running Wolf had done, but on the heartache left behind after he had been torn away from his family. That was all she had likely seen and he couldn't blame her for that.

"Help her to see the difference." His words seemed to answer Sully's thoughts.

"Michaela won't be able ta forgive what he did, but I'm not gonna stop 'er from carin' about Night Crane or the kids." Thinking about Eyes Like the Sky caused Sully to feel impossibly worse. None of what had happened made sense. He had no idea how he was going to explain it to his children and help them to help their friend.

"I would expect nothing less of her either, but I need your promise that Michaela will not interfere with the Dog Soldiers."

"She won't."

"Will you leave for home tomorrow, as planned?" Cloud Dancing wished they had more time together, but he now believed their imminent departure was for the best.

Sully felt the weight of his loss move slowly back into him. "I don't know."

* * * * *

In the time since Sully and Cloud Dancing had left, Michaela had ushered Night Crane and the children into the lodge for privacy. Whispers of Running Wolf's capture had begun to spread through certain sectors of the reservation, and more people than usual had passed by their lodge, the way people came to the scene of an accident. What happened this afternoon may not have been an accident, but it was a tragedy all the same. Michaela would never understand that aspect of human nature that seemed to find relief in the misfortune of others. It was as if by witnessing the adversity of another, they could prevent it from happening to themselves.

Night Crane sat on the floor, leaning against the rear wall of the lodge, cushioned from the hard surface by a brown and beige woven blanket. Her knees were drawn up to her chest and she wrapped her arms around them, making a shelf for the side of her face to rest on. She hadn't moved or uttered a word since Michaela had guided her there over an hour ago. Michaela's instincts told her she needed to remain with Night Crane, but nothing she did brought her out of her trance. The tea she had made remained untouched, and was now cold. Gentle questions and sympathetic words of comfort received no response. Michaela rocked New Promise until he had fallen asleep and she sat with Eyes Like the Sky for a while. Like his mother, the boy closed himself in a prison of silence. He was now sitting alone in the tall grass behind the lodge making a rope out of strands of bark. No one came by, not even Night Crane's aunt, Falling Dove.

Unable to sit still, but equally unable to leave, Michaela kept busy by tidying the small cabin. When there was nothing left to be done, she slowly walked across the room and lowered herself onto the blanket beside Night Crane. She placed a comforting hand on her back, letting her know she was there for her.

"Thank you," Night Crane finally said, conveying her gratitude for Michaela's presence. She had not felt this alone since immediately after Washita and it meant a great deal to her that Michaela had remained by her side even after learning the truth about her husband.

The day of her nightmares was now her reality. Despite all the talking she and Running Wolf had done about the danger of returning to Darlington, and their brave pledges to face the consequences should the worst come to pass, it occurred to her now, that she had never taken the risk seriously enough. It was as if, somehow, after all they had been through, she thought they could tempt fate and survive. Though her husband's capture always hung over them like a boulder teetering on the edge of a cliff, she knew that if she had truly believed this day would come, she never would have returned. For now that the worst of her imagination had come true, she no longer felt brave enough to face the repercussions, not without Running Wolf by her side.

"I want to help you," Michaela said, lightly rubbing her back. "Let me know what I can do."

"There is nothing to do," Night Crane said, her voice weak from defeat. "We always knew of this risk."

"And you came here anyway?"

Night Crane raised her weary eyes to Michaela's face. "We wanted our children to be raised Cheyenne. Running Wolf also felt compelled to come here to atone for his past. He was prepared to make this sacrifice for me and our children, but also for himself. New Promise represents our promise to the Cheyenne people to devote our lives to their survival. It can't replace the lives lost, but Running Wolf thought by preventing others from dying, he might find redemption."

Michaela was moved by her words. "That's quite a promise. My son and my husband might not be alive today if it weren't for Running Wolf."

Night Crane lowered her head into her hands. "Now he's gone. Our promise means nothing. I don't know what I'm going to do."

For the most part, Michaela had managed to block out Running Wolf's association with Custer to focus all her energy on Night Crane. She wanted to help her friend through this tragic ordeal. At the same time, she was curious to learn how Night Crane had come to accept his past. She wasn't at all certain she could have done the same. "How long have you known?"

Night Crane sat up, leaned her back against the wall, and stretched her legs out in front of her. "A long time…before we were married."

"You married him anyway."

"I loved him."

"I understand." In truth, while she supported her friend, Michaela didn't entirely understand. She knew, firsthand, the incredible power of a true, deep love. What she found hard to grasp was how someone could fall in love with a man who helped murder her family.

Night Crane thought that perhaps Michaela truly did understand. From the bits and pieces she learned from her and Sully as they traveled, there were some aspects of Sully's past that she had needed to forgive. Her body was overcome with fatigue and her stomach queasy, but she desperately needed someone to confide in. She needed someone to understand the love she had for this man who her tribe now considered a monster.

"I told you we were friends for a long time," Night Crane began. "Our relationship developed slowly and cautiously, seeming to move forward, only to slide back again. I still had trouble trusting men after what happened at Camp Supply and, though I didn't know it at the time, Running Wolf had his secret about Custer. After I became confident in our new relationship and dared to believe we could build a future together, he pulled away from me. He continued to spend time with Eyes Like the Sky, but he was more distant toward me. I was devastated. I became convinced he rejected me because of what happened to me. One day, I confronted him, and accused him of holding the rape against me. He was overcome with remorse and assured me he didn't. To prove it to me, he came around more often and we spent time together. It didn't take long for us to become consumed by our love for each other again."

"It sounds romantic," Michaela said, the story reminding her of the push and pull of her own courtship with Sully.

Night Crane turned up the corners of her mouth in a weak smile. "It was. I deeply loved him," she paused, shuddering at her use of the past tense. "I still do. But, despite being in love, our relationship never moved forward. Something was holding Running Wolf back."

"His involvement with Custer?" Michaela assumed. She still could not fathom how the man she had come to know and respect had scouted for Custer.

"Yes, but I didn't know that yet. I began to suspect that he was hiding something from me that was keeping us apart. At one point, I even wondered if he had a wife on a different reservation."

"Did you ask him?"

"I didn't have to. Eventually Running Wolf came to me. He told me he loved me and he wanted to marry me, but that he had something to tell me that would prevent me from marrying him. Then he told me about his past."

"But, it didn't stop you from marrying him."

"It nearly did," she admitted. "My reaction was the same as any Cheyenne upon hearing such news. I am certain it was the same or even worse than Cloud Dancing and the Dog Soldiers. I lived through Custer's attack on our village. Custer killed my parents, my brother, so many of the people I loved. It was impossible to imagine loving a man who could help him do that to my family. That was not something I could forgive."

Michaela had tears in her eyes now as she remembered the first sight of Black Kettle's camp after Custer had been through - the dead bodies, the smoke, everything burned to the ground. She didn't know how anyone could forgive that. "But, you did."

"Forgiveness came slowly and not easily. First, I called him hateful words and pushed him away. I forbade Eyes Like the Sky from seeing him and I told Running Wolf I never wanted to see him again."

"Did you tell your son the truth?"

"He was too young to be told the truth. I simply told him Running Wolf and I were no longer friends and that he could not spend time with him anymore. Since he loved Running Wolf, and I gave him no clear reason to dislike him, he disobeyed me by sneaking off to see him behind my back."

Michaela thought that Brian would have done the same if she and Sully had been in similar circumstances. "Did Eyes Like the Sky know the truth before today?"

"When we decided to come here to live, we told him what I believed he could understand. In the days to come, he will hear such hatred. I wish I could protect him from the pain. I fear he will come to despise the only father he has ever known," Night Crane told her, a strained expression in her eyes.

"You can explain it to him. If after everything you've been through, you were able to forgive him, so will your son." As she uttered the reassuring words, Michaela's mind was in conflict. She was unsure if any explanation could reduce the size of this burden. She found it astonishing that Night Crane was able to forgive Running Wolf. Just thinking about him allying with Custer made her stomach churn in disgust.

"I believe it was easier to forgive him because of what I had been through. Not that it was easy. For a long time, I despised him. But, by losing everything and everyone I loved, I learned to appreciate when I had something special. I believed, and still do, that we could make amends. Once I forgave him, I agreed to marry him."

"How did that happen if you weren't seeing him?"

"One day Running Wolf came to tell me that Eyes Like the Sky had been visiting him. He knew I wouldn't approve and he didn't want to do it behind my back. I informed him we were leaving. I had decided to return here, to the Indian Agency in Oklahoma, to escape the painful memories. That's when we started talking. We talked all night. We talked more over the next few weeks. I still believed a union between us was impossible. However, as we continued to talk, I came to see Running Wolf as a casualty of war, as I had been. We were more alike than different. I still believe that."

"What will happen now?"

"The Dog Soldiers will kill him," she said simply.

"What? We can't let that happen."

"There is nothing we can do." Night Crane rose to her feet, her body cramped from sitting for so long. She opened the front door of the lodge to let in fresh air.

Michaela stood now, too. "We can go to the Indian Agent. Surely, he'll offer him protection. Running Wolf worked for the United States Army."

Night Crane spun around to face Michaela again. "No, please don't tell him."

"Why not?"

"Running Wolf would rather die than be associated with your Army again and I would be cast out from my people. We would have nowhere to go."

"There has to be some way to prevent his death. Perhaps the chiefs can be persuaded to allow him to serve out a sentence. She remembered the seven year sentence Sully had agreed to serve before his pardon. Then, at least you and the children can visit him."

"I have considered that as well." The idea tapped a hidden reservoir of strength that Night Crane feared had been depleted. "I could speak to Strong Bow about holding a council. I would tell him that, after he has heard our words, we will abide by their decision."

"It's worth a try. I'll help you any way I can."

"I thought you were leaving tomorrow?"

Michaela brought her hand to her mouth. "Oh, I forgot. We do need to return home, but we can't leave if there is anything we can do to help you…and…." She hesitated, weighing whether she could honestly utter her next words. Taking a deep breath and deciding to trust his desire for atonement, she continued. "…and Running Wolf. I know Sully will agree."

Night Crane averted her eyes and lowered her voice. "I am not so sure. I saw his face."

"He'll want to help you."

"Why? Why are you helping us?"

Michaela stepped forward, taking the young woman's hands in hers. "Because you're my friend, and as I told you after Running Wolf saved Sully's life, if you ever needed anything, we'd be there. And, because I don't believe killing Running Wolf serves any purpose. It will not bring the Cheyenne back."

* * * * *

"We ain't helpin' 'im," Sully said. He paced back and forth in front of Michaela, his steps heavy and burdened.

They had both separately returned to the campsite by suppertime, worn out from the tragic revelation, the fallout from which had only begun. Before they had a chance to speak with each other, they were peppered with questions from Brian, Dorothy, and even Katie, all of whom had heard the rumors about Running Wolf and were waiting for Michaela or Sully to tell them it had all been a terrible mistake. Patiently, and with careful consideration of young ears, Michaela and Sully began the painfully difficult telling of Running Wolf's involvement with Custer and his confinement by the Dog Soldiers. The shocked faces of their family and friend mirrored their own from hours before, and their endless questions still had no answers, at least none that made sense to any of them.

After the children had fallen asleep, Michaela and Sully walked to the river to talk alone. Since they had learned the truth about Running Wolf, they both had a powerful urge to share their grief with each other. It seemed impossible that it was still the same day. A day that began blissfully with tender loving in a cave had ricocheted through violence and lies and was coming to an end in grief and disagreement. Instead of the solace and commiseration they sought from each other, the day threatened to end in an argument.

"Sully, please, if you would listen…," Michaela pleaded. She had neither desired nor expected his intense negative reaction.

He cut her off, sparks of anger shooting from his eyes. "He deceived us, Michaela."

"He didn't deceive us," she replied from her seat on a rock, her hands twisting the material of her dress. "He merely didn't tell us everything. There's a difference."

"Not ta me," Sully returned, his arms held stiffly at his sides as he struggled to manage his temper. "We don't even know who he is."

"I believe we know who he is now. Isn't that all that matters?"

"No. It's not enough." Sully was angry, not at his wife, but at the entire, desperate situation. He had an overwhelming urge to kick or throw something. Instead, he resumed pacing like a threatened lion in a cage.

"Sully, do you believe you deceived me when we became engaged?"

He stopped his movements and glared at her, as if attacked. "What are ya talkin' about? I never deceived you."

"You never told me you were in the Army. You never told me you killed a man."

"That was different," he retorted with irritation.

"How is it different?"

"It is," he snapped, raking his hands through his hair.

Michaela stood, walked over to him, and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Sully, you never told me you were in the Army because you wanted to forget it ever happened and because you didn't think I could forgive you. Don't you think the same can be said of Running Wolf?"

Sully stepped back from her, his eyes hard and narrow. "It ain't near the same, Michaela. I was tricked inta killin' that businessman. Runnin' Wolf joined with Custer on his own."

Michaela watched Sully's face harden into the mask she knew so well. The one that told her he was barely maintaining control of his temper. "Perhaps there are circumstances to Running Wolf's decision that we don't know. I believe he is the same good, decent man who found Josef when he was lost. The same man who, without a moment's hesitation, raced after your horse to save your life. Just as you were the same decent man before and after you joined the Army. Talk to him, Sully. Ask him why he scouted for Custer. Then, after you have heard his side, decide whether you can judge him."

Sully didn't speak right away. "Did Night Crane say somethin'? Is that why ya ain't mad?"

"I am angry, Sully. I abhor what Running Wolf did. But, Night Crane's fierce loyalty to her husband has given me pause. She told me Running Wolf came here for atonement. He wanted to make amends by helping the Cheyenne. Harvesting his guilt for good would serve the Cheyenne better than wasting another life in revenge. Sully, if she, a woman who lost more at Custer's hand than you or I could imagine, can find it in her heart to forgive him, who am I to condemn him? I have to believe we don't know everything."

Michaela's words chinked the armor of his anger. It was a simmering anger that, once it settled in to find a warm home, was difficult to release. "Or love is blind," he said defiantly, not ready to rid himself of the rage.

Michaela flinched. "Is that what you think of me? That I forgave your mistakes out of blind devotion?"

"This ain't about us."

Michaela moved closer to reach for his hand. "No, it isn't," she said softly. "But, I have thought about what happened at Palmer Creek in this context. Breaking the Indians out of the reservation was an act of treason that led to death and destruction on both sides. Some people still can't forgive you. I did because I know the kind of man you are and I understood your intentions."

Sully's voice softened. "Michaela, you're searchin' for a reason that just ain't there. You forgave me 'cause ya knew I had a good reason for what I did. I never meant for anyone ta get hurt, and that folks did, haunts me ta this day," he said, pausing for a moment. "By scoutin' for Custer, Runnin' Wolf knew he was sendin' the Cheyenne ta their death. Ya can't reason that away, no matter how hard ya try."

"Is it wrong to try to understand his reasons? I believe he's a good man, Sully."

"I liked 'im, too, but I can't think o' any reason that would make this right. There just aren't any."

Michaela knew they were at an impasse, but if nothing else, Sully's anger had dissipated a little. "Do we at least agree that he shouldn't be sent to his death?"

"It's none o' our business." His tone made it clear the topic was closed.

"Sully, you have never condoned hanging or any other form of lethal punishment. Remember Johnny Reed?"

"I don't agree with it, but I never tried ta stop one. I'm not gonna start now."

Michaela placed her hand on his arm. "Could you at least speak with Cloud Dancing? I'm not suggesting that Running Wolf doesn't deserve to be punished, but I don't believe he should be killed. Night Crane is going to ask for a hearing before the tribal council. She will abide by their decision."

"Maybe it'd be best if we left tomorrow, as planned." Sully could hardly believe those words came from his mouth. Just this morning, he would have given anything to stay longer, and now he couldn't wait to get away from this place, as if returning to Colorado would erase Running Wolf from his life. It would also guarantee he kept his promise to Cloud Dancing that Michaela would not interfere.

"You want to go home? Now?"

"Think it'd be best."

She was totally unprepared for this reaction from Sully. Even if he hadn't agreed to see Running Wolf or speak to Cloud Dancing on Night Crane's behalf, she at least thought he would be glad for the opportunity to spend more time with Cloud Dancing. "All right, we'll go home. I would like to stay one more day to visit with Night Crane and for the children to see Eyes Like the Sky."

How had everything gotten so mixed up that Michaela was askin' me ta stay an' I'm refusin'? "We'll stay one more day, but only if you promise me you won't meddle in Cheyenne business."

"I promise I won't go to Cloud Dancing or any of the other leaders, but I can't promise not to advise Night Crane."

"S'pose that's the best I'm gonna get," he said, placing his arm around her.

She leaned her head against his shoulder as they started walking back to their bedrolls. It was late and tomorrow was guaranteed to be another difficult day. "Will you think about talking with Running Wolf and Cloud Dancing?"

"I can't."

"Please think about it."

They walked back to the campsite in silence, their arms around each other's waists. Sully was split in two about Running Wolf. He was angrier than he had been in a long time, but even in his anger, he didn't share Cloud Dancing's desire for revenge. Though he believed killing him was wrong, he didn't share Michaela's desire for compassion and understanding either. He felt too betrayed. Still, he loved her capacity for forgiveness. They happened to be in very different mental universes at the moment, but he wasn't going to allow this mess with Running Wolf to drive a wedge between them. On their bedroll, before closing his eyes, he kissed Michaela gently on the mouth. Then he spoke the last words of this night. "I'll think on it."

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Chapter Twenty-Six | Chapter Twenty-Seven | Chapter Twenty-Eight

Early the next morning, before the sun had dried the dew that glistened on the grass, Katie and Josef walked from their campsite to visit Eyes Like the Sky on the reservation. The slightly cooler temperatures that arrived with yesterday's rain had been replaced by painfully bright blue skies and heat that returned with a vengeance. Though the reservation was a long distance on foot, the children were eager to get away from the campsite, away from adult whispers that stopped when they came near, from their mother's worried expressions, and from their father's sullen silence.

"Katie," Josef said, after they were a good distance away from their parents. "Is Running Wolf a bad man?"

Katie had been asking herself the same question. Live in Hopes was the first one to tell her the news about Running Wolf. When he did, she heard the anger in his voice and saw the desire for revenge in his eyes. Seeing her friend so mad and spiteful had frightened her. Later, when she asked her parents the same question, her father looked away, as if he didn't have an answer, while her mother assured her he wasn't bad, only that he had done bad things. Katie didn't understand the difference.

"What do you think?" she asked her brother.

"I don't think he's bad," he said assuredly. "He took care of me when I got lost and he's always helpin' out around here."

"He was real nice to us," she added, before her concerns resurfaced. "What if he was only pretending to be nice?"

"Why you say that?"

Katie looked at her brother as they continued to walk. "I heard Papa tell Brian he was pretending to be someone he isn't."

"Like when I pretend to be a pirate or a cowboy?

"Sort of…not exactly." Katie was confused and talking to her brother wasn't helping. It was difficult to accept that this man, who had become such a good friend to her family, had done something terrible. But, even worse, was the twinge of panic she felt at knowing her parents didn't have all the answers. It was as if her world wasn't as safe as it was just a day ago.

"Katie, I don't think he was pretending to be our friend." Josef said sincerely.

Katie knew her brother could only see Running Wolf as the man who helped a scared little boy return to his family. That he clung to his loyalty made Katie wonder why she was struggling to find the same loyalty within herself. "I hope not," she finally said. The reactions of her parents and Live in Hopes unnerved her, causing her to doubt her own experience with Running Wolf.

"Why'd they take him away?"

"Because he did something bad," Katie said. As a distraction from her thoughts and her brother's questions, she paused to examine the new pale yellow blooms on a yucca plant. Kneeling down, she collected several wildflowers to bring to Night Crane.

"What did he do?"

Katie shrugged her shoulders. "Mama said he hurt the Cheyenne."

"He don't seem like he'd hurt no one."

Katie walked a few steps in silence, forming a response. "Remember what Papa told us last night? About some folks making mistakes in their past that now they gotta pay for?"

"How much he gotta pay?"

Katie rolled her eyes at her brother. "Joey, it's not money. They get punished for the bad thing they did before."

"Like when I got Wolf killed?"

"Worse," she said. By all the hushed voices and somber expressions, Katie thought Running Wolf might have killed someone, but she didn't want to let on to her brother.

"What could be worse than that?" Josef asked.

Katie avoided his question by bending over to pick more flowers.

"Do the Cheyenne have jails like we have?"

"I haven't seen any."

"What's gonna happen to Running Wolf?"

"Joey, stop asking so many questions," she snapped, immediately regretting her outburst. She was on edge and frustrated at not having the answers to any of his questions, or her own. At seeing his frightened expression, she put her arm around his shoulder. "I'm sorry I yelled."

"What are we gonna say to Eyes Like the Sky?" Josef worried.

"Nothing. We're just gonna be his friend. Mama said none of this is his fault." At the border to the reservation, she paused in her steps as her hands became clammy and her heart raced. "Just think how we'd feel if it happened to Papa."

Muted by that thought, the two Sully children walked the rest of the way to their friend's lodge without speaking another word. When they approached the grassy area in front, it was a mess. Blankets, cups, plates, books, and other items were strewn across the grass and the front door was wide open. Katie ran inside. The lodge was dark and seemed deserted. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she screamed and dropped the flowers at the sight of Eyes Like the Sky curled up on the floor in a corner, clutching his waist and writhing in pain. She ran to his side while Josef stood frozen at the door.

Katie helped him to a sitting position and gauged his visible injuries. There was a gash over one eye trickling blood down the side of his face and another large cut on his arm. "What happened?"

Tears flowed freely down his face. "Bra…" he stuttered. "Brave Bear and…and Fly…" he stopped.

"Flying Elk?" Josef asked. He tentatively eased his way across the room toward his friend, frightened by his cuts and bruises.

"I was alone. They…they said…my…father…" He paused to catch his breath as the tears continued to flow. "They said he did…terrible things and…and I…had to pay. Then they hit me so hard." Eyes Like the Sky clutched his stomach in pain.

"Why?" Josef asked.

"Joey, that don't matter now. We gotta get him help."

Eyes Like the Sky shook his head as if to say no.

"You need a doctor," Katie insisted. She reached for one of his cotton shirts that had been tossed on the floor, and with her teeth, she pulled at a seam until it split into two parts. She tied one part around his head to stop the bleeding and the other around his arm.

"Just leave me," Eyes Like the Sky said, dropping his head into his hands. He edged away from them to curl up on the floor.

"We gotta take him to Mama," Josef said, scared. "I want Mama."

"The campsite's too far and besides, we don't even know if she's still there." Katie's mind was turning over various options. The choice was made more difficult by not knowing if they should move him. What would Mama do? Think, Katie, think! By the way he was holding his arm against his waist, she thought either his arm was broken or his ribs were bruised.

"What are we gonna do?" Josef asked, panic creeping into his voice. "We're too little. We need Mama and Papa."

"Josef, they're not here right now and I need you to help me," Katie said. Her voice had a serious tone, far older than her years. "We'll take him to Cloud Dancing."

"No!" Eyes Like the Sky yelled. "No!"

Katie and Josef reared backward at the force of their friend's vehement reaction. They had no idea why he reacted as he did to the mention of Cloud Dancing's name. The reason didn't matter; they had no choice. He needed the medicine man's help now. Katie walked behind Eyes Like the Sky, placed her hands under his armpits, and with her brother's help, gently pulled him to his feet. Then she and Josef supported him with one arm around each of their shoulders. Eyes Like the Sky moaned from the pain, too weak to put up an argument. "We're gonna get you help," Katie said. Taking small steps in deference to his injuries, the three children left the lodge in search of Cloud Dancing.

* * * * *

Running Wolf sat alone in a tepee. His feet were stretched out in front of him, bound at the ankles by rope woven from juniper bark, his wrists tied behind his back. He had been sitting in the same position ever since the Dog Soldiers had taken him from his lodge, dragged him to this place and shoved him inside. No one had entered since, not even to bring him water or food. A thin sliver of light, where the outside flap met the floor of the deerskin lodge, told him it was a new day, though he had no idea of the time. Inside his dark surroundings, each day seemed to stretch on for weeks.

Pain wracked every part of him. The hurt from the beatings he sustained the day before was worse now that his muscles had stiffened from sitting in the same position for so long. His injured eye was closed shut from the dried blood that had caked on its lid and eyelashes. Several ribs were broken or badly bruised. His knuckles and hands, that were bloody and scraped in the fighting, were now swollen, as the ropes that bound his wrists cut off his circulation.

The physical pain and misery, though almost unbearable, comprised only a fraction of his agony. Far worse was the emotional torment of having brought shame and dishonor on his family. Though his suffering would be over soon, theirs had only begun, and for that, he was certain his guilt would accompany him to the spirit world. Guilt had been his silent companion, ever present from the moment he made his deal with the devil. If it left him, he was certain he would feel like some part of him was missing.

Death would be his next journey. Would it be swift, he wondered, or would he be left here to endure a slow, tortuous decline, tormented by his memories? Prayers were all he had left, prayers and memories from the borrowed life he never deserved. He cursed his arrogance at believing it was possible to build a new life to atone for his sins. He cursed his selfishness at pursuing a forbidden love, a selfishness that would destroy the best person he had ever known and scar his children in the way his childhood had scarred him.

It was hubris that led him to let his guard down at the reservation, forming friendships and assuming duties reserved for Cheyenne men of standing. Typically, he preferred to remain in the background, not drawing attention to himself, but, that was not why he came to Darlington. He came to make amends by channeling all his energy into aiding the Cheyenne, and he couldn't do that from the shadows. Soberly he realized his capture was the inevitable conclusion of the path he had chosen the day he walked away from the United States Army.

With nothing left, he closed his eyes to pray. They were prayers for forgiveness and prayers for his family; that they may someday live without the stain of his crimes branded upon them like a scarlet letter. His expression was always intense when he prayed, as though he was locked in a struggle. He sat with his eyes clenched shut, the brows pressing downward, as if he was trying to squeeze out the crushing burden that tormented him. A sudden burst of light startled him out of his meditation. When his one good eye adjusted, he startled when he recognized the visitor.

"I never expected to see you again," Running Wolf said, wary of his intent.

"I need ta understand," Sully said. Rattled by his physical state and the obvious indicators of neglect, he reached over to hand Running Wolf his canteen. Parched for water, the Indian desperately gulped the liquid as if they were his last drops. "Easy," Sully said. "Easy." Then he lowered his body to the floor directly in front of him and crossed his legs.

Running Wolf poured water onto his closed eye and over his face. At this moment, he didn't think there was anything sweeter in the world than the taste and feel of water. When he was finished, he handed the canteen back to Sully, grateful and, at the same time, discomforted by his presence. "Thank you."

"I need ta understand," Sully repeated.

Sully's internal furnace was turned up so high, Running Wolf involuntarily edged back to avoid getting singed. Sully's eyes burned with warring flames of emotion. In them Running Wolf saw anger, betrayal, confusion, and a faint flicker of friendship. "It cannot be understood," he finally answered.

Why'd ya join up with Custer? Sully persisted.

Running Wolf gave no answer. There were no answers to these questions. Why, why, why? He stared at the ground for a long time, remembering. The silence stretched out between them, the uncomfortable silence between strangers who had once been friends. "Will you tell me about Night Crane?"

Sully accepted his diversion, for now. "It's been rough, but she's holdin' up. Michaela's been with 'er."

"I am grateful she has someone. I'm afraid her people will turn on her now," he said, closing his eyes for a moment as a sharp pain shot across his abdomen. "Would you tell Night Crane and Eyes Like the Sky that I love them and I'm sorry."

Sully managed a small nod in acknowledgement of the request. Then he rummaged in his pocket for a piece of dried meat he remembered seeing the other day. When he found it, he reached over, handing it to Running Wolf. "Our wives are workin' ta get a hearing before the council…ta spare your life."

Running Wolf's eyes were blank like a dead person's. His voice came out flat, without inflection. "Tell them to stop. My fate is sealed." I live among the dead now. Like them, I have no future.

"Killin' ya don't solve nothin'," Sully said. Though still enraged by his betrayal, he was disturbed by the extent to which he had lost his spirit and had given up. "Runnin' Wolf, I been real angry since learnin' the truth, and no, I don't understand it. Not sure I ever will. But, I been thinkin' 'bout my friend Runnin' Wolf. He's decent and honorable. Help me ta know how he's the same man who massacred the Cheyenne."

Running Wolf paused for a long moment, wincing from yet another stab of pain. "Do you have parts of your past you would erase if you could?"

"S'pose we all do." Sully moved to kneel in front of Running Wolf untying the rope binding his hands and feet. "I'll tie ya up again 'fore I leave." The gesture left Running Wolf speechless in wonderment. "I did things…" Sully began. "Things I ain't proud of. Folks even got hurt, some died. But, what I did was ta help folks. I never set out ta hurt innocent folks on purpose."

"Neither did I."

"How can ya say that? Sully accused, his voice rising. "I was there. I saw what Custer did."

Running Wolf shook his hands in front of him to restore the flow of blood. "Sully, the Crow and the Cheyenne have been enemies for generations. We fought each other fiercely, stealing horses and counting coup. I was raised to hate the Cheyenne. It was said that a boy became a man when he made Cheyenne women cry."

"Ya married one," he challenged.

"I loved her," he said, pausing to shift his body to a more comfortable position. "In the time I spent in your Army, I had come to realize the senselessness of our ancient tribal wars when there was a far greater enemy. When I was a child, my father was killed in a battle with the Cheyenne, later my brother. It was the way of our world. Hunting, caring for our families, and fighting the Cheyenne. After my brother's death, I took it upon myself to care for his wife and child. As was my responsibility, I married her. When food was scarce, I raided from white families. It was how we survived. One harsh winter, the white scab sickness came into our camp. My son died and my wife was very sick. I thought I could save her by building up her strength. So, I foolishly rode onto a farmer's land to steal food from his barn even though I knew soldiers were in the area. I tried to sneak in and out unseen, but I was caught."

"What happened ta your wife?" Sully asked, though he feared he already knew the answer. White scab sickness was the Indian name for smallpox and it killed them in large numbers.

"She died while I was being held by your Army."

"I'm sorry." Sully knew firsthand how that kind of pain could drive a man to actions he might later regret.

Running Wolf continued. "News of her death and the death of many others came to me in the Army prison. I felt as if I had failed them, failed in my responsibility to my brother. As I sat in the Army prison, sentenced to death, with no food and little water, General George Armstrong Custer paid me a visit. Until that day, I had never heard of him. He made me an offer. If I agreed to scout Cheyenne war parties for him, he would spare my life." Running Wolf noticed an intense look of betrayal cross Sully's face. "Sully, when a man is staring death in the face, his selfish hunger for survival deadens his empathy. Custer had enlisted other Crow and Osage warriors to scout for him, both ancient enemies of the Cheyenne. For our services, he made grand promises. He told me the Crow would be given a large parcel of land in the north where we could live free and hunt buffalo. Looking back, I should have known the lie behind that promise. You have to understand, Sully, I came from a long distinguished tradition of great warriors. He was offering me a chance to survive, to be the warrior I was raised to be, and to help my people at the same time. It was a good offer. I accepted."

As he listened to Running Wolf's story, Sully thought about how he had tried to lose himself in the war after Abigail and Hannah died.

"Custer valued my skills. I could see without being seen and I always gave an accurate accounting of the enemy. He treated me well, giving me ample food, supplies, and status. Only much later did I learn the mistake I made," Running Wolf said, bringing his knees to his chest. "I learned the real intent of your government. They wanted all the native people dead and they enlisted the help of men like me to do it. Sully, a Crow warrior does not harm women and children. There is no honor in such a fight. I came to find out we weren't only preventing Cheyenne war parties from attacking white villages, as I had been told. We were destroying entire Cheyenne villages to end the Indian problem, as your government saw it."

"Custer used you," Sully said. Before this day, he didn't think he could loathe Custer any more than he already did, but he was wrong. He felt a new surge of anger at the extent of his lies and deceit.

Running Wolf shook his head. "I hold much against the General, but not my decision. For that I have only myself to blame. I should have known the truth of his intent. I should have known we could not trust the white army. I was blinded by my desire to save myself and to do something worthwhile after failing my family. I justified it by telling myself that I would only be doing what I was raised to do before the whites came. At first, I only scouted war parties, Dog Soldiers, mostly. Over time, I came to see myself in the enemy. We shared the same blood and the same desire for our people to survive. After a while, whether we were Crow or Cheyenne, it didn't matter. We were the same. I wanted to walk away, but I felt trapped. The first time I saw the Army destroy an entire village, I became sick. For months afterward, I saw the faces of the women and children in my sleep." Running Wolf stopped for a moment, overcome by the memories.

"What happened at Washita?" Sully held his breath for a moment, afraid to hear the answer.

"Custer told us Cheyenne Dog Soldiers had split from Black Kettle's band and were about to launch a series of raids on white towns."

"Cloud Dancing was with 'em," Sully said almost to himself, thinking that Running Wolf might have been responsible for his death, if he had found him.

Running Wolf raised his eyebrows, unaware and surprised that Cloud Dancing had ridden with the Dog Soldiers. "The scouts split up. I traveled with an Osage warrior following a trail that led to the North Canadian River. That's where we spotted Black Kettle's camp. It wasn't far from here. A Dog Soldier spotted me and nearly killed me. He is the same one who identified me here. I got away and made it back to the Army camp while Hard Rope, the Osage scout, continued on."

"Did ya tell Custer where Black Kettle was?"

Running Wolf nodded, his eyes clouded by regret. "I told him Black Kettle was camped with women, children and old ones, not Dog Soldiers. I told him he probably moved the camp and it would be difficult to find a trail in the heavy snow that was falling. Yet, Custer pushed on toward the Washita as if he knew where Black Kettle would be camped. I came to see that the scouts were being used to justify a planned attack. By following the trail we laid, Custer could create the image of merely coming across Indians on the war path and heroically attacking them. Custer believed that Black Kettle was responsible for raids along the Solomon and Saline rivers in the Kansas territory and was seeking retribution."

"That's not true," Sully said, rising up from the ground in anger. "The Cheyenne had nothin' ta do with those raids. Black Kettle was leadin' the village ta where they were told they'd be protected. But, when he got ta Fort Cobb, he was turned away."

"I knew he wasn't leading a war party. I had scouted Black Kettle's camp. I knew who was there and how many. There were some fighting men in the camp, but not enough to be considered a war party. By traveling to Fort Cobb, Black Kettle had told the Army he wanted peace. I tried to explain that to Custer. But, the very next night, Custer led the Army into Black Kettle's camp. I watched in horror as the Army attacked an entire village of innocent people. Every day I asked myself, why didn't I know what he would do? After that day along the Washita, I walked away, unconcerned about what would become of me."

Sully was stunned by all he had heard. It had brought that awful day clearly into focus again, along with all its painful memories. He would need time to process all he had heard in his mind before drawing any conclusions. For now, he wanted an answer to one remaining mystery. "Is that where ya found the shield?"

"Yes. The Army was burning everything. I saw it lying next to Black Kettle's tepee so I took it and walked away. I kept walking. I became a man with no world, a man who didn't belong in the white world, but who had betrayed my own people, for at that moment, the Cheyenne had become one with me."

"Ya couldn't go back to the Crow?"

"I had no home and no place to belong. Some of the Crow considered me a hero for waging battle against the Cheyenne. All I felt was shame. I needed to be punished. I thought I could erase the past by isolating myself, living a life in solitude. I wandered for a time, and then I settled alone, cut off from all people. I lived in a lean-to between the Crow and Cheyenne land in the north. My days and nights were haunted by the screams, the blood and the faces of Washita. That is a horror I share with my wife."

"Is that where ya met Night Crane?"

"It was many years later. Night Crane gave me the possibility of a second life. At first, when she learned of all I had done, she felt betrayed and sent me away. I expected it and couldn't blame her. It took a long time, but by some miracle, we were able to heal and put the past behind us. She told me a life was still ahead of me if I had the courage to walk toward it. She loved me enough to forgive me. It was out of that love, and my desire to give back to those from whom I had taken so much, that I directed my steps toward this reservation. They became my first steps on the road to atonement. Of all the pains I could inflict upon myself, none was worse than living among the people I had betrayed. Night Crane's suffering had become real to me. I had an obligation to make the rest of the Cheyenne real."

As Running Wolf told his story, Sully's icy shell of anger cracked and thawed, leaving a puddle of sorrow. It was sorrow for the evil men do to one another, sorrow for his tragic life and the Hobson's choice he faced, and sorrow that his desire to give back to the Cheyenne would never be fulfilled. He remembered Michaela spoke about harvesting his guilt for good. Though he couldn't hear it then, he knew, now, that was what Running Wolf intended. Despite his sorrow, Sully was not yet ready to forgive. Was this even something he could forgive, he wondered. "I'm gonna talk ta Cloud Dancin'…convince 'im killin' ya won't bring the Cheyenne back. The council can decide a different punishment," Sully said, leaning over to tie the ropes back on, looser this time. "And, I'm gonna get 'im ta let Michaela treat your injuries."

* * * * *

Eyes Like the Sky laid his head back on the soft hide and stared up at the top of Cloud Dancing's tepee. It smelled of pine, smoke, and the pulverized roots and stalks of the yucca plant that the medicine man had applied to his open cuts and bruises. He was alone, his mind gray, and his body aching from the pain. But, the physical pain was preferable to the agonizing longing he had to go back to a different day. Had it only been twenty-four hours since he had played checkers with his father and won? Since that time, his entire world had crumbled. He was ten years old and shaken to the depths of his soul.

Before he departed, Cloud Dancing had placed a wooden bowl of venison stew by his side. He tasted the stew, uncertain if food would still taste the same as the day before. That it did, he found disturbing. The sounds of village life wafting through the tepee were the same as other days. Eyes Like the Sky wondered how everything could be so different, yet still be the same. He didn't think he could get up, go to school, or perform his daily chores. The day after was the worst. He was beaten, dazed, and on the verge of tears at the first word from anyone.

The flap of the tepee opened. Eyes Like the Sky shielded his eyes from the bright sunlight that invaded his misery.

"How you feelin'?" Josef asked, crouching beside his friend. Katie moved to a spot on the other side of the boy, knelt down on the skins, and tried to make eye contact.

"Better, I guess," he whispered unconvincingly.

The siblings raised their worried eyes to each other. Their glance conveyed the powerlessness they felt at not knowing the right words to say or what to do for their friend. Realizing there were no words at a time like this, Katie sat back and folded her legs, taking his hand in hers. Following his sister's lead, Josef leaned forward to place his hand on Eyes Like the Sky's shoulder. The three sat together in silence for several long minutes. Katie was the first to speak. "While Cloud Dancing was taking care of you, we went back to clean up your house. Your ma wasn't there, so we couldn't tell her what happened."

"Thank you and thank you for bringing me to Cloud Dancing," Eyes Like the Sky finally said. "He took good care of me."

Katie was curious about what had placed the surprise in his tone. "I knew he would."

"He was one of them…." He paused, taking a deep breath.

"One of who?" Josef repeated, puzzled.

"One of the men who came to take my father away," he explained, his voice revealing his pain.

Katie and Josef shared a startled look of shock at this revelation. Their expressions communicated questions about what else their parents hadn't told them.

Eyes Like the Sky pulled himself up to a sitting position, his arm cradling the wound on his stomach. "Cloud Dancing told me what Brave Bear and Flying Elk did was wrong. He said he would speak to them. That I shouldn't be punished for what my father did." He remembered Cloud Dancing's tone as he said it; it was gentle toward him, but angry and spiteful toward his father. The anger sent a shiver of fear up his back.

"Do you know…," Josef began nervously. "…know what…your pa did?"

For a long time, Eyes Like the Sky had known, without details, that a cloud was there. Though he had been told about some of Running Wolf's past, last night, with his father gone, his mother filled in the details. "He once worked for Custer."

Katie's hand flew to her mouth. "Custer." She regretted the shrill tone to her voice.

"Didn't he kill Indians?" Josef blurted.

Eyes Like the Sky nodded. "But, he also used them to track other tribes. Running Wolf was caught by the Army. He agreed to scout for Custer in exchange for his life. He told us he thought Custer was only stopping the Cheyenne from killing white farmers and ranchers. When my mother found out, she was angry with Running Wolf. She wouldn't let me see him anymore. It took a long time for them to be friends again. I know he's sorry for what he did. That's why we came here. My mother wanted us to be raised Cheyenne and my father wanted to help them to make up for what he did."

"He was helping the Cheyenne," Katie said, turning over what she had just learned in her mind.

"In school we learned that Custer was a hero, that he fought Indians to protect families moving out west." Josef's head was full with too much information. He thought it would burst. None of it made sense. Was Custer good or bad? Maybe Custer wasn't so bad if Running Wolf worked for him.

"He also wiped out Indian villages. Almost every Cheyenne here lost a family member at Washita." Katie grew silent wondering if Running Wolf had anything to do with Washita.

Josef knew that was bad. The line between good and bad had blurred and Josef now wondered on which side of that line Running Wolf stood.

"I don't want to stay here anymore," Eyes Like the Sky said, dabbing at the tears collecting in his eyes. "Everyone hates me because of Running Wolf. They'll come after me again. I know they will. Can I go home with you? Please."

"Won't you miss your Ma?" Josef asked. "And Running Wolf. You wouldn't get to see him."

"I would miss them very much, but I'm scared to stay here. I don't fit in anymore. You're my best friends. Your father can teach me the rest of what I need to know to be Cheyenne." He sat up, drawing strength from his plan.

Katie grew quiet. She was so sad for her friend it hurt, sad to hear he wanted to leave his family, and sad that he would have no choice except to stay.

"You made lots of friends here," Josef reminded him."

"They all hate me now. Please, can I come home with you?"

"I don't think your ma'll let you go," Josef said.

"If my mother agrees, will your parents?"

"I'll ask them."

* * * * *

Sully found Cloud Dancing on a solitary bluff, surrounded by deep green fields, tall clumps of big bluestem grass, and sagebrush. The sharp sweet smell of sage filled his nostrils when he breathed in. The afternoon sky had brightened to a cloudless blue and there was nothing above him except a great blue heron looking like an arrow in flight.

"We gotta talk, Cloud Dancin'," Sully said impatiently. When Cloud Dancing didn't reply, Sully noticed the collection of plants, roots, and bark by his side and watched for a moment how he methodically separated the leaves from the roots of the plants into two piles.

Cloud Dancing didn't look up as Sully approached, but was aware of the shadow across his face. "Your children came to me this morning."

"Brian?" Sully asked, his eyes flickering with uncertainty.

Cloud Dancing raised his eyes to Sully's. "The young ones," he corrected.

"They did?" Sully wasn't sure why that news made him so uneasy. Ever since learning the truth about Running Wolf, he felt off balance.

Cloud Dancing cut the stout stems of a yucca plant. "They found Eyes Like the Sky injured in his lodge and brought him to me."

Worry crept into Sully's face and questions whirled in his mind. He wondered why they hadn't come to him or Michaela. "What happened?"

"The people are angry," he began, motioning for Sully to take a seat. "When they do not know how to get rid of the anger, they misdirect it. That is what happened to Eyes Like the Sky. He was attacked by two Cheyenne boys. Katie wisely knew it was too far to bring him to Michaela at your campsite, so they brought him to me. She had stopped the bleeding, showing courage and strength beyond her years. You have taught them well."

Sully lowered himself to the ground next to Cloud Dancing. He felt a swell of pride in his children. "Is he gonna be all right?"

"For now. I spoke to the boys. I told them their anger was good, but taking it out on an innocent child was not. It was the coward's way. I do not know if they will listen."

Sully leaned closer to Cloud Dancing. "I talked ta Runnin' Wolf. There's things you need ta hear."

Cloud Dancing's body became rigid and his jaw set. "His excuses do not matter to me."

Sully placed his hand on his friend's shoulder; the silent gesture urged him to listen. "Cloud Dancin', I know you're angry, and for good reason, but there's things ya don't know. I understand if you're not ready ta hear his reasons, but killin' 'im ain't the way. That's what's gonna happen if ya leave 'im there alone, no food or water. You're torturin' 'im. At least let Michaela treat his injuries an' agree ta hold a council."

Cloud Dancing removed Sully's hand, his eyes remote. "That is not my decision."

"You could influence it," Sully pleaded. "What if your father had been denied a hearin' after he killed the Snake man?"

"It is not the same," Cloud Dancing retorted. "My father fought in battle. He did not take innocent lives."

"Runnin' Wolf thought he was leadin' Custer ta war parties. He didn't sign on ta kill women and children. Like your father, he comes from a tradition of great warriors. Fightin' the Cheyenne was what he was raised ta do. Custer used that against him."

"Then fight with the Crows. Why join the whites?" Cloud Dancing's voice was rising along with his temper.

"He was the Army's prisoner. Custer cut a deal for him ta scout for 'em."

"I would rather die than lead the Long Hair to ambush another tribe. Sully, do you not remember Washita?" Cloud Dancing's anger hardened his eyes and pinched at the corners of his mouth.

The accusation felt like a slap across Sully's face. "'Course I do. So does Night Crane. She lives with those scars every day o' her life and yet she was able to leave it in the past. All I'm askin' ya ta do is try ta stop the Dog Soldiers from killin' 'im. I'm not sayin' he should go free or that you should forgive 'im."

Cloud Dancing lowered his eyes to the ground. "He must give his life for his crimes."

Sully leapt up as though he were on springs. "This ain't like you, Cloud Dancin'. Killin' 'im won't bring the Cheyenne back. It won't bring Snow Bird back or any of 'em. This ain't the way!"

Revenge stained Cloud Dancing's soul like an inkblot. "It is the only way."

"Cloud Dancin', I know what you lost. I know how hard you're tryin' ta hang on ta your way o' life. But this…this hate…this revenge, it ain't you. Ya think holdin' firm on this gives ya control of somethin' when you've lost control over everythin' else? It don't. I know you, once he's dead, it'll haunt you. You always sought the path of peace."

"Perhaps if I had chosen the path of war, my people would not be here." Cloud Dancing's voice was tight with barely controlled fury. It seemed every day brought new crimes against his people. He was tired and frustrated. For every small success, there were hundreds of greater setbacks. He'd had enough.

"You don't believe that," Sully shouted back.

Cloud Dancing was on his feet now, too, his face hardened. Sully noticed his expression held no warmth, no anger, just a cold, blank stare. Cloud Dancing's rigid body trembled in fury. "Sully, stop telling me what I think and believe. You have no idea how I feel. You are not Cheyenne."

Sully's head recoiled backward as if hit by the words. "The Cheyenne are my family."

"When it was convenient."

"Convenient?" Sully found it difficult to breathe, the word bearing down on his chest like an anvil. "How can ya say that?"

"You are a white man who understands and appreciates Indian ways. But, you are white. That gave you choices and options we do not have. You could come and go between the Cheyenne village and Colorado Springs. You were free to marry, raise a family, and choose the work you do. When you wanted, you could visit your Cheyenne friends, but you were always free to leave. You could even cut your hair, change your clothes and fit right in to your world. We will never fit in. Even now, Sully, you will leave and I will still be the prisoner of your government. Do not tell me you know how it feels to be Cheyenne." Cloud Dancing no longer knew who he was talking to. He was unleashing years of pent up accumulated bitterness and devastation at what had become of his life and his people.

"You're not bein' fair Cloud Dancin'." Sully's voice was raw and desperate. "It ain't exactly convenient ta go into hidin', away from my family, for helpin' the Cheyenne, helpin' you. I was fired an' almost shot ta death by my government for tryin' ta help the Cheyenne. But, I'd do it all again," Sully pledged.

"Fair!" Cloud Dancing yelled back. "Tell me one single thing that has happened to my people that has been fair? Give me one example as insignificant as what you've given up?"

"How did this become about us?" Their friendship teetering on the edge, Sully tried to bring them back before it was too late.

"When you asked me to spare that murderer, you showed me that your spirit was never one with the Cheyenne."

"That's not true!"

"Sully, take your family and go home." They stood facing each other, frozen and finally wordless. Cloud Dancing gathered his roots and leaves placing them in his parfleche then began to walk away, leaving Sully alone on the bluff. When he was a few feet away, Cloud Dancing turned around. "There is nothing here for you anymore."

Go to Chapter Twenty-Eight......

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