Chapter 19

Dark Horse stared down at his father-in-law’s lifeless body with tears in his eyes. Broken Bow had fought as valiantly as the rest of the warriors but had been gunned down by two Ojibwa warriors. Dark Horse had been fighting elsewhere but Rushing Bull had witnessed his demise.

He regretted that he hadn’t more time to get to know Broken Bow, but it wasn’t for himself that he wept. As if losing her husband and child wasn’t enough, now Sky Dancer’s father was dead. His throat ached as he unsheathed his knife, gathered his hair with his left hand, and cut it off with his right.

“I will take good care of your women, brave warrior. Go be at peace with those who have gone before you. We will meet one day when my journey along the Red Road is finished,” he said.

Then he raised his arms to the sky and sang a mourning song in tribute to Broken Bow. When he finished, he noticed that several braves, including Rushing Bull were staring at him.

“What? Are they not our family now? Was this man not my father-in-law? We weep for our dead, we sing for our fallen, and we show our solidarity with those who now grieve! You will show your respect!”

Rushing Bull nodded. “You are right.” He cut off a large chunk of his hair.

The other braves did as well, if for no other reason than to not incite their leader’s wrath.

“I am going to get my wife. Her mother needs her,” Dark Horse told Rushing Bull. “Stay and supervise the men I leave here to help our family with burial preparations and whatever else they need.”

Rushing Bull nodded. “I will take care of it.”

“Thank you.” Dark Horse gazed at Broken Bow for a few more moments. Then he mounted his horse and trotted off, collecting the men he wanted to accompany him home. They were about to leave camp when Lightning Strike called to Dark Horse.

“What is it?” Dark Horse signed, noting that Lightning Strike bled from several gashes, but seemed fine otherwise.

“Growling Wolf sent me. This is a highly unusual request, but will you ask one of your medicine men to come back with you?”

Dark Horse was afraid to ask, but he had to know. “Where is Cricket?”

“He is badly wounded, both in body and soul. He is in no shape to treat all who need it,” Lightning Strike replied.

“Who has he lost?” Dark Horse had immediately grasped that Cricket now mourned someone close to him.

“His father.”

Dark Horse’s fist tightened around the reins in his hand. “Please give him my condolences. Yes, I will ask one of our medicine men to come.”

“We can pay you well,” Lightning Strike said. “We will need to.”

Dark Horse’s brows drew together in confusion.

Lightning Strike pointed. “Our medicine lodge has been destroyed.”

The large structure now lay half in ruin, smoldering in the late morning light. Whatever medicine had been stored in it was sure to have been burned or damaged.

“As I said, we can repay you,” Lightning Strike said.

Looking around, Dark Horse noticed that there weren’t very many women or children in the camp. Had they all run off? “Where are your women and children?”

A mysterious smile touched Lightning Strike’s lips. “Somewhere safe. We will show you when you return.”

Despite his intense curiosity, Dark Horse didn’t question him further. There would be time later for that. Right then, he had to get home to his tribe and break the awful news to his wife about her father.

The returning war party arrived a couple of hours after darkness had fallen. Dark Horse had forbidden his men to say anything to anyone about Broken Bow. It was up to him to tell Sky Dancer, and he didn’t want her to hear it from anyone else. Although he wanted to go to her immediately, Dark Horse had to report to Soaring Falcon first.

The chief listened to Dark Horse’s account of the events, his expression growing blacker with every passing moment. When Dark Horse had concluded his story with the news about Cricket, Soaring Falcon stood up.

“What is his condition?”

“I do not know. I left right away so we could come for help and so I could get Sky Dancer.”

“I will go tell Smoking Fire to prepare medicine and I will have Laughing Eyes organize food to be packed to take to them. Go tend to your family business and get something to eat. Assign someone to gather weapons. They will need some in order to hunt and for protection. We will leave in a few hours,” Soaring Falcon said.

“We? You are going?”

Soaring Falcon started gathering his weapons. “Yes. I want to speak with Growling Wolf and see how Cricket is doing.”

Dark Horse smiled. “There is something about Cricket that makes everyone like him.”

“Yes. Day Star will go with us. She can help care for the wounded.” He put a hand on Dark Horse’s shoulder. “Go to your wife.”

Dark Horse nodded and left the tipi.

He found Sky Dancer in Laughing Eyes’ tipi. Apprehension over her possible reception of him after their argument made him wary. This was compounded by the fact that he was about to deliver devastating news to her. She looked up when he entered the tipi, her expression guarded and angry. He hated that he’d caused her to distrust him.

Sky Dancer quelled her initial happiness at the sight of him. She was very relieved that he was safe, though. Then she noticed his short, choppy hair and a tingle of dread spread through her. When he knelt down beside her, she moved back a little, but met his eyes. The sadness in them made her heart lurch in fear. She let him take her hand.

Holding it in both of his, he said, “I am so sorry to have to tell you this.” He swallowed against the sudden thickness in his throat, and he released her hand to sign, “Your father now walks the next life.”

Shock reverberated through her body. She was completely dumbstruck for several moments and she could only stare into his eyes as she processed his words. Then she shook her head. “No, no. He cannot be dead.”

“I am so sorry,” he said. “He died protecting your village. He is a hero.”

Grief crashed down on Sky Dancer as her world shattered. “Nooo, Father, nooo!”

Dark Horse embraced her tightly as the dam burst and sobs wracked her body. He felt her wet tears on his chest and his eyes misted over. His heart ached for her because he knew what she was going through.

He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head as he murmured words of comfort to her even though he knew that they wouldn’t help much right then. “Laughing Eyes, will you sign for me?” He didn’t want to relinquish his hold on Sky Dancer. “I will take you home to be with your people, especially your mother. You will need each other. We are leaving in a couple of hours to take food and medicine there. One of our medicine men will go to help since Cricket has been injured and they burned the medicine lodge.”