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

No Greater Burden
By Judith A.

Chapter Twenty-Seven | Chapter Twenty-Eight | Chapter Twenty-Nine

Sully remained seated on the bluff long after Cloud Dancing had departed. Unwilling to hear their bitter words again, even in his mind, or to contemplate their implications, he retreated into numbness. As the minutes turned to hours, the solace he found in his paralyzed emotions had been replaced by a heavy, crushing ache in his heart. The angry words sounded loudly in his ears, as if each one was a nail pounding into his head. They echoed, louder and louder, until he was certain the words would pursue him all his days. It wasn't just the clash of voices he would carry with him, it was a growing dismay at his friend's behavior, and a gathering sense that the path Cloud Dancing had chosen, to remain at Darlington, had forever changed him.

Darkness came in the long, slow graying of the sky. As night fell, it was no longer necessary to shield his eyes from the bright light, but he found little relief in the inky sky. In a single day, friendships had been redefined and turned inside out. Learning Running Wolf had scouted for Custer had shaken him and rattled his confidence, causing him to doubt his usually sound judgment about people. But, after listening to his story, Sully was able to recognize his friend again. Though nothing would ever make it right, he knew Running Wolf didn't deserve to die. He even began to consider whether the circumstances were, indeed, similar to his time in the Army. As shocking as the revelation about Running Wolf had been, nothing had rocked his sturdy foundation more than finding Cloud Dancing encased in an armor of hatred and revenge.

As he sat on the bluff, replaying their argument over and over again in his mind, he had trouble understanding how it had escalated so out of control. It was as if, by asking to spare Running Wolf's life, Sully had dishonored the Cheyenne. In his accusations, Cloud Dancing had challenged and diminished Sully's commitment to them. Worse than that, Sully felt like a wayward son who had just been disowned by his father, told never to return to his family. He knew his commitment to the Cheyenne had never wavered. Before them, he had never known a real family, not even with Abigail. Cloud Dancing and the Cheyenne gave him so much, and instilled in him the values he held most dear today. His spirit did indeed go with the Cheyenne and always would.

Cloud Dancing's words, "when it was convenient," rang in his head, simultaneously tormenting and enraging him. Sully never chose a convenient path and wondered if Cloud Dancing really believed what he said, or if it was the anger talking. He reflected on Cloud Dancing's anger. Their amicable conversation quickly ignited into a rage Sully had never seen before. It glowed white-hot within him like a branding iron. Sully considered the possibility that his friend's venomous words could have been born out of hurt, and his own impotence to change the course of history for the Cheyenne. As his pain receded, they might be able to talk and heal. Or had Cloud Dancing changed so dramatically from the depravation and humiliation of living at Darlington that he had redefined their friendship by demeaning it.

Sully closed his eyes, rubbing his temples to ease the throbbing in his head. His body was heavy and immobile, as if someone had nailed him to this spot. He felt as if the remaining energy he'd had to go on had been stripped away, leaving him naked and drained. Time alone would allow him to replenish his reserves. Right now he lacked the strength to see or talk with anyone. He couldn't help Running Wolf now. He had tried. Now, it was up to Night Crane to convince the chief to hold a council, if she could. At this moment, Sully doubted anyone or anything could spare Running Wolf's life.

Michaela would worry about him, and for that he was sorry. He didn't have the strength to tell her about his argument with Cloud Dancing, not until he had sorted it out first himself. When he was ready, he would return to the campsite. After bearing her initial attack, complete with accusations of selfishness that were thin disguises for her worry, he would apologize and tell her everything. She would understand his need for solitude and offer him the comfort no one else could.

Michaela was the compass that gave him his direction in life. As he thought about Michaela and about Cloud Dancing, he began to wonder if Cloud Dancing had expected him to choose to remain with the Cheyenne rather than build a life with Michaela. At the time of his marriage, Sully felt unwavering support from his brother. He thought Cloud Dancing understood his desire to move between both worlds, while continuing to help the Cheyenne. None of it mattered now, because even if he had it to do over again, Sully would not have made a different decision.

This journey that began with such promise was coming to an end far different from the one he had anticipated when they set out. His time with Cloud Dancing had begun as it does with friends who have a home in each other's hearts. They easily stepped back into each other's lives, as naturally as perennials bloom in a summer garden. Now there was a well of darkness between them and he wondered if they could recover in time, or would he leave for Colorado Springs with an unhealed, festering sore.

A single light shone brightly for Sully. His children had seen the Cheyenne the way he had always dreamed they would. They respected them and had made new friends among the Indian children. The trip couldn't have turned out better for all that he desired for his children. More than anything, he wanted to continue to help the Cheyenne survive. Would that be possible now, he wondered. Will his journey end with the loss of two friends, one new, one old? It was incomprehensible to imagine that Cloud Dancing might not be a part of his life. If he were to lose his friendship, Sully knew, with absolute certainty, that he would lose a part of himself. It would be left behind in the tall dry grasses of the Oklahoma plains.

* * * * *

The next morning, after a restless night that left her tired and on edge, Michaela prepared her horse for the short trip to the reservation. She, Dorothy and Brian were going to check on Night Crane, to find out if she had heard any news about a council, while the children visited with Eyes Like the Sky.

Brian approached his mother from behind, handing her a cup of coffee. "Pa didn't come back last night."

Michaela accepted the cup and took a slow sip of the hot liquid. "No, he didn't," she replied, as naturally as possible, as if it didn't bother her that she hadn't seen her husband for nearly twenty four hours.

"Do you know why?" Brian studied her carefully, his blue eyes narrowing as he lifted the scalding contents to his lips. The weary expression in his mother's eyes concerned him, as did his father's prolonged absence.

"No, but I believe he needs some time alone to sort out his feelings about Running Wolf." Though she tried her best not to show it, Michaela was upset Sully hadn't returned last night. In their last conversation, they disagreed about Running Wolf and now she worried he was staying away because he was angry with her. She was so certain that when he had time to reflect, he would agree that Running Wolf deserved a hearing. It wasn't like Sully to harbor revenge toward someone. Perhaps, he still needed time to sort out his feelings. For Running Wolf's sake, she hoped that didn't take too long.

In all of her worry about Sully and Night Crane, Michaela had neglected to find out how Brian was handling this revelation. He had been about Katie's age when he lost a friend at Washita. "Brian, how are you feeling about Running Wolf?"

Brian lowered his eyes to the ground. "I'm not sure. I liked and respected him. But, now…I can't understand how he could scout for Custer. What would make an Indian turn against his own people like that?"

Michaela looked at him carefully, started to speak, and then stopped. After taking a moment to compose her words, she finally began. "I don't fully comprehend it either. But, Running Wolf is Crow. He was raised to wage war against the Cheyenne. Perhaps he convinced himself that he was only acting in the manner he was raised. Those were terrible times for the Indians. They still are, of course, but then they were still trying to live free, to be left alone by the whites to carve out an independent existence. Some Indians may have felt, if they sided with the Army, they would be granted special privileges."

Brian raised his eyes to his mother and took another sip of coffee. "That doesn't justify helping Custer send a village of women and children to their deaths. No Harm was just a boy. Live in Hopes lost his entire family. And Snow Bird," he stopped, overcome with emotion. "I remember what seeing that did to you, Ma."

She couldn't meet his eyes. "I remember it, too. The horror of that day has never left me, and in the past two days, it has come back with a vengeance. Brian, I was only attempting to offer an explanation. I wasn't defending it. It's not something that can be defended."

Brian sighed heavily. "What I don't understand is how Night Crane could have married him, knowing what he did."

"I imagine until we have walked in her shoes, we can't know the answer to that. Night Crane had lost everything, been violated, and treated as less than human by the whites and some of her own people. I can't fault her for trying to leave her past behind and pursuing a chance for a love she had never known before."

Listening to his mother, Brian realized that he couldn't judge Night Crane or even Running Wolf as harshly as he had been. "So, how do you feel about Running Wolf, now?"

Michaela let out a long breath. "That he scouted for Custer is abhorrent to me. Though I might intellectually understand his motivation, I cannot excuse his action. Nothing makes it right. With that said I also believe that Running Wolf has been haunted by his decision and genuinely desires to make amends. He would not have come here, and risked being captured, if that were not the case. I do not believe he should be murdered for his crimes. It is my desire that the Cheyenne find a way to channel his guilt into something positive for the tribe."

"Do you think they can?" Brian asked.

Michaela swallowed another sip of coffee. "I don't know. Everyone is so angry. Reason often gets lost in all that anger."

"Pa doesn't think Running Wolf should be killed, does he?" Brian asked, knowing his father's opposition to hanging.

Dorothy brought her horse over to join Michaela's, overhearing Brian's question. "Goodness no! Of course Sully doesn't want to see Running Wolf put to death." When she looked toward her friend for agreement, Dorothy noticed Michaela's anxious expression and the dark circles under her eyes. "Are you all right, Michaela?" she asked, unaware that Sully had been gone all night.

"I'm fine, Dorothy," she replied, a bit too quickly. To avoid any further probing, she resumed loading her saddlebags.

"This business with Running Wolf has taken a toll on all of us, Dorothy continued. "I know how worried you are about him and Night Crane. Imagine him scouting with Custer. It's hard to believe, but well, I once thought the General was a good man, only doing his job, protecting the settlers moving west. Cloud Dancing must be taking this news hard."

Michaela turned around again to face her friend. "I believe he is. So is Sully."

"Of course he is," Dorothy said, patting her hand. "He and Running Wolf had become good friends and now well, with how Sully feels about Custer…." She let her words trail off, suspended in the space between them.

"What if they refuse to hold a council?" Brian asked.

Michaela looked down and swallowed the lump in her throat before meeting his eyes again. "I'm afraid the Dog Soldiers will kill him," she replied, barely audible.

"Does the Indian Agent know what's going on Ma?" Brian asked. "He could stop that."

"Night Crane does not want him told. I have to respect her wishes," Michaela replied.

"Everyone seems to know," Brian persisted. "How can it be that he's not aware of what's going on? I mean, those kids tore apart their lodge. From what Joe said, it sounded like that time Sergeant O'Connor came into the homestead looking for Pa."

Michaela bristled at that memory. Katie had only been a year old at the time and didn't remember any of it. She was sorry her daughter had to witness something similar now, but she was also grateful her children were there to help Eyes Like the Sky and to clean up the mess before Night Crane returned home.

"Brian," Dorothy began. "I've observed two distinct worlds on this reservation. There's the one, on the surface, that Agent Miles believes he oversees. But, there's another world, beneath the surface, where the Cheyenne try to live as they have for generations, preserving the old ways. Just as Agent Miles doesn't know about the lessons for the children, he won't know about this. The Cheyenne may talk among themselves, but I assure you, those who might tell Miles are not aware of what's going on. It's a tight underground culture. We are only included because of our friendship with Cloud Dancing."

"Dorothy's right, Brian. They do live in two separate worlds. We need to respect their decision to handle this in their own way," Michaela added.

"Even if it means killin' him?" Brian retorted, unwilling to accept that his parents would let this happen.

Michaela placed her hand on his arm. "My strong hope is that it doesn't come to that, but yes, even then."

"That's crazy," Brian said, stepping several paces back. "I'm angry about what he did, and to be honest, I'm not sure what they should do, but we can't let them kill him. We can't. What about breaking him out or you could fake his death? Remember when you helped that buffalo soldier fake his death so he could leave the Army? We could do something like that," Brian said, his voice rising to reflect his concern. He refused to accept that his mother would stand by idly and let him die.

"Brian, I have suppressed every urge inside me to run to Agent Miles and tell him the truth so that he may save Running Wolf's life. But, this is not what Night Crane wants. We may not agree, but we must accept her decision. Promise me you won't do otherwise," Michaela requested, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"I won't do anything stupid," Brian agreed. Needing time to reflect on everything he had learned, he changed the subject. "Where do you think Pa is right now?"

"I believe he's with Cloud Dancing," Michaela replied, turning back toward her horse. The thought that Sully was with Cloud Dancing, urging him to spare Running Wolf's life, was the one thing that kept her nerves under control. When she finished saddling her horse, she looked across the campsite for the children. Spotting them, she called, "Katie, Josef, it's time to leave."

"Coming," Katie replied, as she closed her notebook. She had been watching birds all morning, writing down the descriptions of ones she didn't know and the names of those she did. She planned to ask her father for help naming the unfamiliar birds. Josef ran over to her and together they walked in the direction of their mother.

Michaela lifted Katie onto Flash before securing Josef behind Brian on his horse. Her children settled atop the horses, she pulled herself up on her horse, comforted by her daughter's arms around her waist. The sky had brightened to a perfect, cloudless blue and the sun was drying the dew on the spring flowers that still smothered the slope down to the river. She flicked the reins and the three horses trotted away toward the reservation.

* * * * *

Night Crane waved to the approaching riders from outside her lodge, grateful for the visit. Apart from her aunt, Falling Dove, she would have been completely alone without Michaela. Falling Dove showed no compassion for her husband, which made it hard to accept her support. Worse, she continued to remind her of her earlier warning of the danger of pursuing a life with Running Wolf. Michaela empathized with her like no one else. Having experienced a similar separation from Sully, she provided the comfort and support she needed most, with no trace of judgment. Night Crane had never known a better friend. It would be hard to say goodbye and even harder to endure her daily life here without Michaela encouraging her when she felt as if she couldn't go on any longer.

Michaela dismounted her horse, helped Katie to the ground, and rushed to her friend's side. "How is Eyes Like the Sky? The children told me."

Dorothy tied her horse to a post and greeted Night Crane. "It's awful what those boys did…picking on an innocent child. I'm sure Cloud Dancing set them straight."

"He is much better, thank you both." Night Crane watched the Sully children run inside to greet their friend. She thought about how her son had also never known better friends. Brian followed them into the lodge, feeling out of place beside the women. "Eyes Like the Sky is fortunate to have friends like Katie and Josef. You have much to be proud of."

"Thank you," Michaela replied. "I'd like to examine him?"

"It is not necessary. His wounds are healing well."

Michaela touched her arm. "I should still examine him, to be certain."

Night Crane moved closer to Michaela and Dorothy. There was a spark of life in her eyes, of some hope. "You may examine him later. For now, let him enjoy his friends and…I have news."

"The council?" Michaela guessed. Her hands were trembling with a combination of fear and eagerness. Dorothy held her hand near her heart, tense with hope.

"Chief Strong Bow has agreed to hold a council," Night Crane told them, pleased to have friends to share her news.

Michaela felt a small seed of optimism grow in her chest. In her excitement, she brought the young woman into a tight embrace. "That's wonderful news."

Dorothy patted her back. "Yes, what a relief."

At hearing excited voices, Brian exited the lodge to join his mother. "Good news?" he queried.

"The chief agreed to a hearing for Running Wolf," Dorothy explained, grinning.

"That is good news," Brian exclaimed.

Night Crane stepped out of the embrace, her face now revealing a sober expression. "I am relieved we will receive a hearing, but it does not guarantee anything. Strong Bow is angry, as they all are. They want to make an example of him. He only agreed out of deference to my uncle."

"Black Kettle?" Michaela asked.

"Yes. It is what he would have done. It is also how our people have always settled disputes. I explained how it would demean the Cheyenne to act differently now."

"I know you will make a persuasive case," Michaela reassured, reaching over to squeeze her hand.

"When are they gonna hold it?" Brian asked.

"Tomorrow," Night Crane replied. Over Michaela's left shoulder Night Crane spotted Cloud Dancing walking toward her, his steps quick and deliberate. She watched how he looked at her, scanning her with his eyes. They were eyes of obvious judgment. As he moved closer, every muscle in her body stiffened.

Michaela noticed the drastic change in Night Crane's demeanor and turned around, curious as to the cause. "Good morning, Cloud Dancing," she greeted in a friendly tone attempting to diffuse the tension. Seeing him here, she couldn't help but wonder if Sully had returned to their campsite.

"Good morning, Michaela, Dorothy, Night Crane," he returned, making eye contact with each of the women. "It is good to see you again, Brian," he said warmly, before turning back to Night Crane. "I have come to see Eyes Like the Sky. I want to examine his wounds."

"There is no need. Dr. Mike will examine him," she replied coldly. "I appreciate what you did for my son." Brian and Dorothy noticed how her mood had changed as abruptly as the onset of a sudden summer thunderstorm.

"Your son was an innocent victim. I am glad his friends thought to bring him to me," Cloud Dancing replied.

"We do not need you here." She heard the bitterness in her voice. She tasted it, too. "I know you urged Strong Bow against holding a council."

"You did?" Michaela and Dorothy said in unison. Brian stared at Cloud Dancing in disbelief.

"In your desire for revenge, you dishonor your Chief, Black Kettle," Night Crane accused.

Cloud Dancing let her continue hitting him with her words. With all that had happened over the past two days, it was all he could do to maintain his composure. "Despite what you may believe, my only desire is to seek justice for the Cheyenne lives your husband took, not revenge. His fate is now in the council's hands. You will abide by our decision."

"I will."

Cloud Dancing pivoted to face Michaela. "I could use your help."

"Of course," Michaela replied, wondering if his request had anything to do with Sully.

"I would like you to treat Running Wolf's injuries before he comes before the council," Cloud Dancing told her. As he spoke, he avoided looking at Night Crane.

"So you can hide what the Dog Soldiers did to him," Night Crane hissed, her eyes frigid.

"So he will be alive for his hearing," Cloud Dancing replied levelly. "I am told his injuries are bad."

Night Crane's body shook all over at the news. No one had let her near her husband since he had been taken. She wasn't even sure he knew about the council.

Michaela appreciated the opportunity to take leave of the oppressive tension. She had tried to treat Running Wolf earlier, but had been refused. "Let me get my bag and I will go right away."

"They will be expecting you," Cloud Dancing said.

Brian and Dorothy stood quiet and still. With subtle body language and eye movements, they were silently devising their own plan of departure from the uncomfortable surroundings.

"I never wanted this anger between us, Golden Feather." Cloud Dancing used the name he most fondly remembered her by.

Night Crane turned away from his eyes and looked down at the ground. "It is not what I want either, but as long as you wish my husband dead, there can be nothing else between us."

"I do not wish him dead," Cloud Dancing told her. "I wish to honor those who died at his hand."

Night Crane squared her shoulders. "There is no honor in murder."

Hectic color rose up Cloud Dancing's neck. "Haven't the Cheyenne suffered enough? For years we have endured the degradation from the whites - the lies, the treaties broken, and the cold-blooded murder of our people. Perhaps if we had joined together, as one nation, we would have been stronger, able to fight and prevent what has become of us. Instead, men like your husband aided them in our destruction. There is no forgiving that."

Night Crane's mouth was tight with anger and fear at the words he had just spoken. "All the native peoples have suffered. We are all victims of the war waged by the whites, all of us, including my husband."

After briefly checking on Eyes Like the Sky, Michaela exited the lodge with her bag. She was instantly aware of the escalation in the earlier tension. Cloud Dancing and Night Crane appeared to be squared off with each other like boxers in a ring. They no longer spoke, seeming to have run out of words. In an attempt to diffuse the situation, and to perhaps ease her own troubled mind, Michaela approached them. "Cloud Dancing," she nervously began. "I was wondering…have you seen…have you seen Sully this morning?"

Cloud Dancing turned in the direction of her voice, aware of the concerned lines etched in her face and the fatigue in her voice. He regretted being the cause of her anxiety. "I am sorry. I have not seen Sully since yesterday."

Michaela absorbed this new information as worry and pain tightened her chest. "So, Sully had been with Cloud Dancing yesterday", she said to herself. From the shadow across his face at the mention of her husband's name and the hostility between Cloud Dancing and Night Crane, she was now positive that Sully and Cloud Dancing had argued. That meant Sully had changed his mind about Running Wolf. Otherwise why wouldn't he have returned? Unless, he hadn't changed his mind and didn't want to face her? The teeming brew of unanswered questions threatened to weigh her down. She pushed them aside to tend to her patient, hoping that Sully would return in time for the council. "I'll go to Running Wolf now."

"Please send him our love," Night Crane said, reaching for Michaela's hand. "Come back and tell me how he is."

Michaela squeezed her hand. "I will."

* * * * *

Brian and Dorothy left Night Crane's lodge shortly after Michaela. They discussed the possibility of interviewing members of the tribal council about Running Wolf's hearing, as they would have done at home on the eve of a major trial. Being white, and a friend of Running Wolf's, made it unlikely anyone would speak with them. Instead, they opted to leave their horses at the reservation to wander along the riverbank and discuss the upcoming hearing. They welcomed the opportunity to leave the oppressive sadness behind for a little while, sharing their views and catching up with each other. Until now, neither one had found the time to talk alone since riding in the wagon together on the way to Oklahoma.

"Did you know Cloud Dancing was against holding a council?" Brian asked, after several minutes of silent reflection.

"No, I didn't," Dorothy replied, as shaken by the news as Brian had been. In her view, Cloud Dancing had always been a man of peace and impeccable fairness. The man she knew would never send a man to his death without a hearing. She had been equally surprised by the venom in his voice when he spoke to Night Crane.

"That don't seem like him." Brian walked with his head down as if studying the different types of rocks by the riverbank when, in truth, he was weighed down by the discovery that people were not always who he expected them to be.

Dorothy, who had lowered her expectations of human behavior long ago, searched for a reasonable explanation for Cloud Dancing's actions. "I imagine for every man, there's a limit…a point past which he can't bend anymore. After everything he's been through, I suppose learning this, about someone you considered a friend, may have pushed him over his limit. It may be too much for Cloud Dancing to forgive this, or even try to understand what led Running Wolf to scout for the Army."

Brian sent a sidelong glance toward her. "Have you spoken to him?"

"Not since we learned about Running Wolf," Dorothy replied, tilting her hat to shade her eyes against the blinding sun. "We went for a walk a few days ago. He told me what he's trying to do here and how he hoped Running Wolf would help him. He respected him. Finding this out about him must have just devastated Cloud Dancing."

Brian wiped the perspiration from his brow. Though a light breeze came from the river, it provided scant relief from the midday heat. "Still, it don't seem like him to be against giving a man a hearing. Do you think Sully agrees with him?"

Dorothy had asked herself the very same question. "I don't know. Sully was as angry as I've ever seen him. Though I imagine Sully will have a hard time forgiving what Running Wolf did, he's not vengeful."

"Neither is Cloud Dancing," Brian retorted.

"I wasn't saying he was. I only mean that as much as Sully loved the Cheyenne, Running Wolf's crimes are harder for Cloud Dancing to bear. They are far more personal to him."

"Do you think Sully and Cloud Dancing had a fight over Running Wolf? Is that why Sully's not been around?" Brian asked. He had been searching for an explanation for his father's disappearance and given this new information, this seemed to be the only one that made sense.

"That's a distinct possibility, though I can't imagine Sully being able to forgive him either. Whatever possessed a man like Running Wolf to join with Custer?" Dorothy asked rhetorically, shaking her head in disbelief.

Brian skipped a stone into the river. It sank before the next rock he threw even skimmed the surface. "What do you think the council will decide about Running Wolf?"

"I'm not sure. Cloud Dancing is furious and he seems bent on revenge. That can't bode well." The unspoken possibilities hovered in the hot thick air. "When I was researching my book on Cloud Dancing, I learned it was customary for the chiefs to hold councils to settle disputes. But, murder was rare among the Cheyenne. When it occurred, if the murderer wasn't first killed by a member of the victim's family, the council usually sent him off to live in exile, often with another tribe. I'm not sure what happens now that they're living on reservations."

"I guess they have to make up new punishments. I've been thinking about if this happened in our world. Running Wolf would probably hang or be shot for treason like they were gonna do to Pa," Brian said with a sigh. As he sighed, his shoulders slumped and his face fell.

"Sully got a pardon," she reminded him.

"Do you think Running Wolf can get a pardon?"

"No, Brian, I don't," Dorothy said, knowing how bitterly angry the Cheyenne would be over Running Wolf's crimes.

In frustration, Brian threw another rock into the river. "I don't understand the point of killing a man to teach folks that killing is wrong."

Dorothy pondered a response. "If a man knows he will be put to death for a crime, perhaps he will think twice about committing it."

"Any man whose gonna commit that kind of crime isn't thinking about what will happen after," Brian replied. Frustration roughened his voice. "Dorothy, are you for hanging?"

"Under certain circumstances," she said, hedging a bit.

"Well, I'm not, under any circumstances."

Dorothy paused in her steps to face her young apprentice. "Brian, if you came home and found a man hurting Katie, what would you do?"

"If he was hurting her in the way I think you mean then I'd probably kill him."

"What's the difference if you kill him or the law does it?"

"I'd be doing it to defend my family. The other seems like revenge to me, pure and simple."

"It's not revenge. It's the punishment for the crime."

"Seems to me, a man suffers more if he spends his life behind bars. He never escapes his thoughts or his crimes. And there's a chance he'll choose a different life and try to make up for his crimes."

"Brian, most people don't change. They sit behind bars refusing to take responsibility for their actions."

"If you don't think people can change, and you support hanging, how come you don't want Running Wolf to die?" Brian resumed walking with firm and deliberate steps facing straight ahead.

Dorothy considered his question for a long time, realizing that her reason was subjective. She knew and liked Running Wolf. If it had been an anonymous man, she probably would be in favor of putting him to death. That truth caused her face to burn with shame. "I don't believe we know the circumstances of his joining with Custer. Like your ma says, if a Cheyenne like Night Crane can forgive him, then who are we to stand in judgment."

"I've been thinking about what my ma says, but I agree with Sully about this. There's no good reason for an Indian to work for Custer. Though, he genuinely seems to want to make amends...to help the Cheyenne."

"Brian, if you feel that way, why do you oppose the Cheyenne punishing Running Wolf?" Dorothy asked, turning the question back on him.

"I'm not saying he shouldn't be punished. I just don't think he should die. They need to figure out a different kind of punishment. The Cheyenne can't just forget what he did."

"Well, I suppose we'll have to wait for the council to learn the whole story. I'm only sorry we can't write about it." Dorothy paused, motioning for them to turn around and head back to the reservation. "Brian, have you given any more thought to your future since we've been out here?"

Yeah," he admitted. "I was gonna tell you on the way home."

"We're together now," she gently pressed.

"I'm leaving the Gazette," he said, pausing to gauge her reaction. Dorothy walked silently giving him time to continue. "I decided I want to travel for a while, and gain different experiences."

"Have you told your parents?"

"Yeah, they support me," Brian said, with a smile.

"I'm glad. Oh, this will be such a wonderful opportunity for you Brian. I'm almost jealous. You'll learn so much. You should write a book about your travels," Dorothy said, an animated tone in her voice.

"I just might," Brian replied. "Dorothy, do you think you'll write another book?"

"Since we've been here, I've been thinking about writing another book on the Cheyenne."

"You should."

"I just might," she echoed his words.

* * * * *

The wolves were chasing him, their teeth bared and their yellow eyes glowing wild with revenge. He ran. He kept running as fast as his little legs would carry him. The pack of wolves began to close in on him, their angry snarls echoing in his head. In the distance, he could see his home, his loving family around the hearth. If his legs would push him forward, just a little longer, he would be safe, away from the wolves. Flickers of bright red and orange lights blinded his vision. He could see long hair, buckskin, feathers, and beads. One…two…three...four of them, he counted, all carrying burning torches. He paused in his steps, afraid to move forward, but he couldn't stop now. The wolves were gaining on him. He had to get home. In front of his house, he saw one figure lower the torch setting fire to the porch railing. "No," he yelled. The others lowered their torches setting fire to all sides of the house. "No," he yelled again, louder this time. No one heard his screams over the growling of the wolves and the hissing of the flames. Wolves were behind him; flames in front of him. There were no safe places, no where to go. Security was an illusion.

Josef bolted up, covered in sweat, his body trembling all over. Shaken from the nightmare, he took several ragged deep breaths as he silently got to his knees and poked his head out of the tent to look around. There weren't any wolves. There weren't any Indians with burning torches. The campsite was serene and quiet. His mother was sleeping. As his eyes focused more closely on her, he saw she was sleeping alone, not with her back pressed snugly against his father's chest the way he usually found them in the morning. Josef crawled halfway out of the tent to look around for his father. He needed him. He needed to tell him about his bad dream. His eyes roamed over Brian's sleeping form, then across to Dorothy. Not seeing his father, he exited the tent and rose to his feet. His father was nowhere around. As Josef thought about it, he realized that he hadn't seen his father for a couple of days and he began to feel uneasy.

The nightmare had frightened him. The past few days had frightened him. His thoughts collided and bumped together in a crazy kaleidoscope of images. He no longer knew what to think about Running Wolf, Custer, the Indians, or anything. Everyone was sad or angry. Running Wolf had done something bad and the Indians came after him. He was frightened the wolves were going to come after him for getting Wolf killed. He needed answers, someone to explain it to him. That person was always his father. He wasn't here right now, and worse, he didn't seem to have the answers to his questions. He considered waking his mother. She always comforted him after a bad dream. This time, though, she didn't have the answers either. He thought his parents knew everything, and the idea that they didn't, scared him more than anything else. "Who else could help me?" he wondered. A faint smile of recognition came to his face when he realized the name of the person that could give him the answers he sought.

He thought he knew where to find him. This wasn't like the last time. He had been to the reservation every day; he knew how to get there. Taking his first tentative steps in the dark, toward the reservation, he paused. "I promised never to go off on my own again," he remembered. He thought for a moment wondering if this was the same as "going off." Deciding it wasn't, but still careful not to worry his mother, he found a piece of drawing paper and scribbled a quick note in his large, awkward handwriting, telling her where he went. He quietly stepped closer to her and left the note in the space where his father usually slept.

Josef left, silently feeling his way in the dark. The darkness frightened him. He let the power of that fear sharpen his eye and quicken his blood as he went in search of answers.

Go to Chapter Twenty-Nine...

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Chapter Twenty-Eight | Chapter Twenty-Nine | Chapter Thirty

Running Wolf was awake in the tepee that had served as his jail for almost three days. He had not slept for more than a few minutes at a time since being taken captive. He was afraid to fall asleep, afraid if he did, he might never wake up.
This morning, he felt better than he had since his terrible nightmare began, and for that, he had Michaela to thank. Yesterday, she had arranged for him to bathe in the river under the watchful eye of several armed Dog Soldiers. After he was clean, she disinfected and bandaged his wounds, placed a patch on his eye, and wrapped his broken ribs.

When she completed her work as a physician, she handed him a clean change of clothes and exited the tent to find him some food. After he was dressed, they shared a meal and talked. From her, he learned the incredible, but welcome, news that he would have a hearing before the tribal council. Michaela eased his greatest worry by reassuring him that his family was holding up as well as could be expected.

Running Wolf expressed his gratitude for her support of Night Crane. He told her about his visit with Sully, only to discover the disturbing news that she hadn't seen her husband for two days. Though he was reluctant to confirm her fears, he, too, believed that Sully's disappearance was related to a falling out he had with Cloud Dancing, over him. Aware of what Cloud Dancing meant to Sully, he deeply regretted causing a rift between them. As he thought about the accumulating pain he had inflicted on his family and friends, each one felt like splinters pricking his heart. He felt the sorrow move into him, and he didn't even wish it back out again, for the sorrow had joined with guilt as his constant companions.

Running Wolf was startled out of his thoughts by light coming through the flap of the tepee, followed by a loud thump. He blinked several times to focus his eyes on the identity of the intruder. "Josef? How did you get here?"

After tumbling into the tepee, Josef was back on his feet. "I walked," he said simply.

"Your parents will be worried," Running Wolf said, regretting to be once again contributing to their anxiety.

"I left a note," Josef replied from his spot near the front of the tepee. Frightened by the confusing images from his nightmare, and by the weakened appearance of his friend, he was reluctant to move closer.

Running Wolf suppressed a grin at Josef's innocence in believing that a note would be enough to ease his mother's fear once she found him missing again. "Why did you come?"

Josef shifted his weight from one small foot to the other as his eyes darted around the tepee, everywhere except at Running Wolf. "I got questions."

Running Wolf saw that the boy was bothered by something, and once again felt the familiar sorrow pool in his gut at how far the tentacles of his mistakes had reached. "What are these questions?" he asked tenderly. Though his hands were bound together in front of him, he used his fingers to wave for Josef to come closer and sit beside him.

Josef studied him a moment, hesitating, then walked toward him, taking a seat. He looked up at Running Wolf, finding relief in his calm, friendly expression. "Papa says Custer was a bad man." He paused, expecting a reaction. The Indian remained quiet, waiting for him to continue. "My teacher says he's a hero. I been thinking…if you worked for him, then he can't be that bad. I know you're not bad." Josef glanced at Running Wolf again, as if he needed a confirmation of his statement. None came. The silence made Josef uncomfortable, causing him to rush through the rest of his questions. "Does that make Papa wrong? It's not bad to stop Indians from burning houses and hurting families. But, it's bad to kill Cloud Dancing's wife and Brian's friend, No Harm. I don't think Papa's wrong. How can I know what's bad and what's good?"

Running Wolf's bound hands reached across for Josef's tiny hand. "You ask hard questions for one so small."

"I'm mixed up."

Running Wolf gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "Most people are mixed up by questions of good and bad, even grown ups."

"They are?"

"They are. I'll answer your first question from my own experience. Custer was not a good man and he was no hero."

"He wasn't?" Josef said, leaning back to look up at him.

Running Wolf noticed how relief, then confusion, moved across his face. "No, he wasn't. For such little words, good and bad, carry a lot of weight. Both the Indians and the whites have good men and bad men. And sometimes even good men do bad things. Some Indians attacked innocent white families because they were angry about what was happening to them. Some white soldiers hurt Indian women and children. Both of those were bad."

Josef drew in his breath before asking his next question. "Did you kill the Cheyenne?"

Running Wolf let out a long breath before answering. "My job was to track Cheyenne war parties and tell Custer where they were, so they couldn't hurt white families settling out west. I never meant for innocent people to get hurt, but many did…because of me."

"I killed, too," Josef said, lowering his voice to nearly a whisper.

Running Wolf was taken aback. "Josef, who do you think you killed?

"Wolf."

"Who's Wolf?"

Josef leaned against Running Wolf's shoulder. "Wolf was a real wolf and part of our family. He been with my papa for a long time and I loved him."

Running Wolf rested his cheek lightly on the boy's head. "Why do you think you killed him?"

"I followed tracks I wasn't s'posed to and a big cat killed him. Wolf saved my life," Josef said, wiping tears from his eyes.

With his hands bound, Running Wolf couldn't provide Josef with the physical comfort he knew he needed. All he could do was hold his hand, and offer reassuring words. "Josef, didn't your parents tell you Wolf's death was an accident?"

Josef nodded, unable to speak.

"Don't you believe them?"

"It still feels so bad. If I never followed the tracks, Wolf would still be alive." He dropped his head into his hands.

Running Wolf knew exactly how Josef felt. He wanted to wrap his arms around him in a warm hug, but he couldn't. Instead, he improvised by leaning his body against the boy's hunched back. "Josef, we don't know that. Something else could have happened to Wolf."

Josef shook his head. "It's my fault. And now, the wolves are mad at me."

"The wolves?"

Josef turned his head around, his face a few inches from Running Wolf's. "I dreamed the wolves came after me for what I did, like the Indians came after you. They were real mad. They were growling with their teeth showing. Do the other wolves hate me because of what I did to Wolf?"

Running Wolf thought the boy's dreams mirrored his own nightmares. He knew Josef's raw emotions had been stirred up by hearing the accusations against him, and for that he felt terrible. "Wolf doesn't blame you, Josef, and neither do the other wolves. I'm certain he loved you, as much as you loved him."

"Ya sure," Josef asked in a tiny voice.

"I am." Running Wolf straightened his back and motioned for Josef to sit on his lap.

Josef crawled into his lap and leaned against his chest. "Does it ever get better?"

"Does what ever get better?"

"The bad feelings over what you did?"

"There's only one way I know to feel better," Running Wolf told him. His voice was soft and clear.

"How?" Josef raised his eyes to Running Wolf, expectantly.

"Every time you help any living thing - a person, an animal, or a plant - you will feel better. You can honor Wolf by trying to give back with kindness and goodness to those around you. Pay attention to your parents. Their example will guide you always," Running Wolf said, bringing his bound hands up to wipe the tears under the boy's eyes. Working each day to give back was what he had done, and would continue to do for as long as he was alive, in an attempt to make peace with his past. Though it hadn't eased his guilt, it had made it easier to live with himself.

"It felt good to help Eyes Like the Sky," Josef said, considering all Running Wolf had told him.

Running Wolf's eyes narrowed. "What happened to my son?"

Josef edged away slightly. "Uh oh, I shouldn't have told."

"What happened?" Running Wolf gently pressed.

Josef lowered his eyes to the floor of the tepee. "Some kids hit him. Me and Katie took him to Cloud Dancing. He's all right now."

"Will you do me a favor?"

Josef turned back to him again. "What?"

"Ask him to sneak in to see me as you have?"

Josef gave him a wide smile. "Yeah, I'll tell him." In his own confusion and guilt, he hadn't given much thought to seeing Running Wolf tied up. Now, though, the full force of the meaning in his bound hands and feet finally registered. His friend was a prisoner of the Cheyenne. "You gettin' a trial?"

"I am," he replied, still unable to grasp that reality.

"Maybe you'll get punished, like me," Josef said innocently.

Running Wolf was surprised Sully had punished him for what happened to Wolf. "Why were you punished?"

"I didn't listen to my ma and I lied about followin' the tracks. I had to do extra chores, sit quiet and think about what I did, and learn from the Cheyenne."

"I doubt I'll be treated that easy," he said, chuckling.

"Easy! It's not easy to sit quiet every day and think. That's how I got mixed up."

Running Wolf stifled a laugh. "I imagine that wasn't easy for you."

Josef looked down at his bound hands and feet again. "What are the Cheyenne gonna do to you?"

Running Wolf swallowed hard. He had no easy or appropriate answer to that question. "I do not want you to worry about me." He raised his hands to gently rub his back. "There is something I would like you to do for me."

"What?"

"I'd like you to return to your campsite now, before you worry your mother any further?"

Josef nodded. Then he threw his arms around Running Wolf, giving him a bear hug. "I feel better now. Thank you, Running Wolf."

Unable to return the hug, Running Wolf pressed his lips to the top of his head. "You're welcome, Josef."

Running Wolf couldn't help but think of Sully as he watched the boy leave. It was far more than physical similarities that they shared. Josef was brave, caring and sensitive like his father, and like his father, he had seen too much of the bad parts of life at a young age.

* * * * *

When Josef left the tepee, his mind was less muddled than it had been when he arrived. He headed through the tall grass in the direction of the campsite. The dew still glistened on the grass and the sky was cast in the pearly color of predawn light. Past the midway point from the reservation, he heard a noise. It sounded like a soft whimper. Pausing in his steps to listen, he heard only silence. Thinking he had imagined it, he resumed his trek through grass up to his knees, and after several steps, he heard it again. It was a low, pained, whimper from an animal. As he stopped to listen harder, Josef's heart beat faster. He wrapped his arms around his body because, in spite of the warm weather, the hairs on his back had risen, chilling him. After what had happened to Wolf, he had promised not to go toward unknown animals. They could be dangerous. Or, he thought, they might need help.

Josef stood paralyzed in place for a long moment listening to the animal's plaintive cries as he tried to decide on an appropriate course of action. The longer he listened, he became convinced the animal was hurt and needed help. Conflicted about what to do, he weighed whether to run for help or go to the animal himself. His father had told him not to follow tracks if he didn't know the identity of the animal. But, these weren't tracks. This was an animal yelling out in pain. Running Wolf told him he needed to give back and help living creatures to make things right with Wolf. He considered his options again, thought about how his parents would respond, and made a decision. Bravely, he took a deep breath, and walked in the direction of the sound.

Josef gasped at the sight of a small wolf lying on his side writhing in pain, his left hind leg caught in a metal trap. It was a gray wolf, no older than a few months. He thought the wolf had probably just started to hunt on his own, away from his mother. Josef slowly advanced toward the injured animal.

"It's all right. Don't be scared," he said in a calm voice, as he moved closer, taking small, slow steps.

When he was about to reach down and touch the wolf, the animal reared his head back and growled, his mouth open with vibrating teeth. Josef jumped back, shaking. His dream was true. Wolf was mad at him. All the other wolves were angry with him, too. He couldn't undo what happened to Wolf, but he could try to help this wolf. With his body trembling and his eyes curtained by tears, he tried again. This time, he edged a few tiny steps closer to the animal then sat down in the long grass, as if to keep him company. He didn't make any sudden movements or reach out to touch him. He just remained by his side, still and quiet.

When he noticed the erect ears of the wolf relax, he began speaking in a low, soothing tone. "It's all right, boy. I'm not gonna hurt you. I didn't mean to hurt Wolf. I loved him." He saw the wolf look right at him with sad eyes as he spoke, and Josef remembered the story of the Wolf Helper his father had told them on the way to the reservation. That wolf understood the Indian who spoke to him. If he kept talking to this wolf in a comforting voice, maybe he would understand, too. "I can get the trap off you and, if you let me, I can take you to my mama. She's a doctor. She'll make you all better." Josef kept talking from his spot beside the wolf.

Unexpectedly, the wolf shifted his body and laid his head on Josef's thigh. The boy stroked his head gently as he got a better look at his injuries and determined how he might free him from the trap. When he thought the wolf had calmed enough for him to proceed, he pushed down, with all his strength, on the steel trap. It gaped open and the wolf's leg came free. With a whimper, his head drooped and rested on his forelegs. Josef carefully lifted him into his arms, his body swaying to steady his balance. Continually stroking the small wolf's head, he held him close to his chest and walked slowly back to the campsite.

* * * * *

Michaela tossed her medical bag over the saddle horn with one hand, as her other hand hastily struggled to tie back her unruly hair. Upon awakening from a restless sleep and finding her son's note, with the barely decipherable message that he had gone to the reservation, Michaela had no time to properly wash and dress or brush the tangles from her hair. Not having slept more than a few hours over the past two days had depleted her energy, and the shock of finding her son missing, along with her husband, left her ill-tempered. She had no idea where to find Sully, but she could do something about Josef. She would ride to the reservation and bring him back.

Michaela closed her eyes, brought her hands to her face, and took a few deep breaths to steady her nerves. Finding Josef missing again had sapped the last of her strength. She couldn't do this alone anymore. She needed her husband. The urge to begin riding until she found Sully was so strong that her legs trembled, and it took some effort to focus again. At first, she understood his need for time alone to deal with his emotions about Running Wolf. However, the longer he was gone, the more acutely she felt the stirrings of a silent anger simmering within. And now Josef. She didn't know what had gotten into her son. It didn't seem possible that he could take off again, on his own, after his frightening experience of having been lost in the woods. Of all the traits she desired for Josef to acquire from his father, his tendency to go off alone was certainly not one of them.

After firmly instructing Katie to remain at the campsite with Brian and Dorothy, Michaela mounted Flash, urging her forward. Not even five minutes from their campsite, she spotted her son walking slowly toward her, swaying side to side from the weight of a heavy bundle cradled in his arms.

"Mama," Josef yelled. "You gotta help him." The boy moved a few steps closer to his mother, and then carefully placed the injured wolf on the ground.

Michaela jumped from her horse and rushed toward her son. "Josef, what did I tell you about going off on your own? You disobeyed me," she scolded. Her voice was shrill and she was completely unaware of the injured wolf.

Josef dropped his eyes to the ground as they filled with tears. "I went to see Running Wolf. Mama, I'm sorry." Josef brushed away his tears. "Please help him. He's hurt."

At the word, "hurt," Michaela finally registered the injured animal at her feet. She collected her medical bag and knelt beside the young wolf. The flesh on his left hind leg had been bitten off by the steel trap. His gray fur was caked with blood and she could see gnawed bone where the wolf had tried to chew his leg off. He must have been too weak because the bone was still in one piece. Too tired and hurt to put up a fight, the wolf surrendered to her care. As Josef held the wolf's head, gently stroking it and offering soothing words, Michaela tended to his injuries. Ensuring that none of his bones were broken, she disinfected and bandaged the wounds. What worried her most was the yellowish pus oozing from one of his deep cuts, a sign of infection. The best they could hope for was that, with rest, his body would be strong enough to fight off the infection. When she was finished, she lifted the wolf into her arms, instructed Josef to follow behind her with Flash, and carried him to the campsite. She found him a soft spot to rest by the campfire.

Brian and Dorothy approached her, and after inquiring about the wolf, they told her they couldn't wait any longer to leave for the reservation. Though Michaela was slightly annoyed they were going without her, she understood. This was the day of Running Wolf's hearing before the tribal council. With her hectic morning, she was now running late for the hearing. Assured that the wolf was resting comfortably with Katie and Josef by his side, Michaela walked to the river to clean the blood from her hands and to complete her morning routine.

By now, she had given up hope that Sully would return in time. It was unlikely he even knew about the council. She wished she had the wisdom of Sully's advice when deciding whether or not to bring the children with her to the hearing. At this moment, the idea of leaving them alone at the campsite didn't appeal to her, especially after Josef's actions this morning. Katie had pleaded with her to go. However, after much internal deliberation last night, she concluded that the hearing was not appropriate for the children, given the hateful words likely to be directed toward Running Wolf. Moreover, with the outcome so uncertain, she did not want them to witness their friend sentenced to his death.

When Michaela returned from the river, clean, and with slightly renewed energy, she walked toward her children, who were still holding a vigil for the wolf. "I'm going to the reservation. I need both of you to remain here. Do you understand?"

"I wanna go," Katie pleaded. "Please."

"I wanna stay here and take care of the wolf," Josef said, still stroking the animal's head.

Michaela sighed heavily. "Katie, we've talked about this. The hearing is not appropriate for children."

Katie scrunched up her face in displeasure. "If Papa were here, he'd let me go. He wants me to learn all about the Cheyenne," her daughter said defiantly.

Her daughter's words scraped her heart. "Your father's not here," Michaela said with irritation. "Furthermore, I happen to believe, if he were, he would agree with me in this instance. But, if he comes after I've left, please ask him to meet me at the reservation."

"What would I agree with?" Sully asked from behind them.

"Papa," Katie squealed, rising to her feet and throwing her arms around her father. Sully drew her into an embrace, though his eyes focused only on his wife, bracing for her reaction.

Michaela whirled around to face him, her head filled with a fury of biting and accusatory words. She wanted to yell at him for causing her worry, and for leaving her to handle everything alone. Even more, she wanted to throw her arms around him and tell him how much she needed him. Taking a hard look at him, she did neither.

As a habitual observer of his moods, she noticed his face was drawn from extreme tiredness and from the tumult of his emotions. He wore a shadow of a beard and his clothes were stained with sweat from days spent outside in the scorching heat. There was a sharp smell of leather, sweat, and grass. Taking in his forlorn state, her anger melted to empathy and worry. She reached out to place a comforting hand on his arm. "Are you all right?"

Michaela's loving touch, devoid of anger, caught him off guard. It left him reeling between relief and shame. He deeply regretted placing the worry in her eyes. Reaching across, he gently squeezed her hand that was resting on his arm. "I will be," he replied. Then he silently mouthed, "I'm sorry."

"Papa," Josef said from his spot next to the wolf. "I found him hurt. Running Wolf said I gotta take care of living things. Mama fixed him."

"What happened to 'im?" Sully asked Michaela, eyeing the young wolf.

"He got his leg caught in a trap. He almost lost it." She turned to her son. "Josef, this wolf's injuries are severe. He has an infection in his leg. I don't want you to get your hopes up."

"He's gotta get better. If I help other wolves, Wolf will forgive me."

Sully knelt to his son's side. "Joe, there's nothin' ta forgive. Wolf's not mad at ya. He loved you," he said, placing his arm around his shoulder. "I'm real proud of you for taking such good care of this wolf, though."

"Papa," Katie began. "I want to go to the reservation. Mama says no. Please can I go?"

Sully glanced at Michaela, uncertain about how to respond. "Kates, let me talk ta your ma. I'm sure she has a good reason for sayin' no." Sully rose to his feet and guided Michaela a few steps away to speak privately. "How long is Joe gonna keep blamin' himself for Wolf's death?"

Michaela studied the pained expression underneath his veil of fatigue. "I suppose as long as his father continues to blame himself for what has happened to the Cheyenne."

Sully averted her eyes. "Why don't ya want Katie ta go to the reservation?"

She touched his arm. "Sully, Night Crane convinced Strong Bow to convene the tribal council to decide Running Wolf's fate."

"They agreed ta hold a council?"

"Yes. And while under different circumstances, I might agree that witnessing the council would be educational for Katie, I don't believe it's a good idea at this time. I don't want her to hear what they are likely to say about Running Wolf, nor hear the verdict if it doesn't go our way." As she said this last line, she realized she had no idea about Sully's recent opinion on the matter, though she was fairly certain he did not support a death sentence.

Sully was silent for a moment as he considered how much he would have liked his daughter to witness the workings of tribal justice. In this circumstance, though, he knew Michaela was right. "I agree with ya. Katie's too young ta see that. Michaela, we gotta talk. Do we have time before the council?" Sully was unhinged over his argument with Cloud Dancing and from two days of overheated thinking.

Startled by the plea in his voice and the desperation in his eyes, she regretted having to say no. She reached up to place her hand on his shoulder. "There is nothing more I would rather do right now than talk with you, but Running Wolf's hearing is starting shortly. By the time you returned, I was already running late. I had a hectic morning. Josef ran off again, returning with the injured wolf."

Sully's eyes narrowed. "Where'd he go?"

"I believe he needed to speak with Running Wolf. He's confused, as we all are."

"We got a lot ta talk about," Sully said, cupping her face in his hand.

"We'll talk after the council. Sully, why don't you wash up quickly and then we'll head to the reservation."

On his way to the river, Sully paused in front of his children. "We want you both ta stay here while we're at the hearin'. I'm sorry, Katie, this isn't a good time ta come with us. Joe, I hear you wandered off again. We'll talk about it when we get back. Promise me both of you'll stay here 'til we get back."

"I didn't wander off," Josef protested. "I went to see Running Wolf. I left a note."

"Joe, the reservation's too far ta walk alone in the dark. You had your ma real worried. I want ya ta promise me you'll stay here."

"She was worried about you, too," Katie revealed.

Sully smoothed her hair. "I'm sorry 'bout that. Do I have your promise?"

"Yeah," they replied in unison.

"Take care of the wolf while were gone," Sully said, before departing to the river to make himself more presentable for the hearing.

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