Chapter 66

Fighting Hawk wasn't surprised when six warriors came to visit with him at the counsel fire. He listened to them talk for a long time before he asked, "Did one of the other warriors ask you to keep an eye on me?" He saw a few embarrassed looks, but none of them would deny it.

Fighting Hawk slowly shook his head. "Well, if you are all just going to be sitting around, I can think of better things for you to be doing, and you can still keep an eye on me." He knew each of these warriors from the winter hunts. They had all been trustworthy and turned out to be good men. They quickly nodded their heads.

Fighting Hawk pointed to two of the warriors and told them to go hunting for the injured of the village, and to make sure that the widows had plenty to eat. He suggested having his women take the widows their portion and the young warriors looked relieved at the idea.

He looked at the next two and told them that he needed lookouts to know when Night Beaver and Slow Beaver were returning. The two warriors had a hard look in their eyes, but nodded that they would get some help and set up a watch.

Fighting Hawk nodded at the idea before he turned to the last two. "Your job will be the worst, and if you don't want to do it I will do it myself. I need to know who went on the hunt with Night Beaver. I need to know where their lodge is. After I pay the lodge a visit, you will need to hang the bodies from the trees. As I said, if you don't want that job, I will do it myself." The two warriors quickly nodded their heads.

Fighting Hawk listened to the list of young boys that went off with Night Beaver. He shook his head at some of them, as he had thought that they would know better. He visited each lodge and in every case it was a widow. He saw that they were getting their warriors young so that they could teach them from the first. Fighting Hawk didn't like this part of his plan, but every widow and any other children in the lodge where killed and thrown out by the cook fire.

After Fighting Hawk had killed the last of them he went back to the counsel fire. He sat and just stared into the fire. When the young warriors came back, Fighting Hawk sent them to the river to bathe.

When they returned he thanked them for their work. They waved away his thanks, "We should have done this a long time ago, when the killings started. At first we were confused, but then when it became clear what was happening, and who was doing it, we were afraid. They always came up from behind you. You never knew when they were there. I'm ashamed to say that I was afraid, but I was."

Fighting Hawk nodded his head, "There is nothing wrong with being afraid. It will keep you safe, and stop you from doing stupid things, but you can't let it control you. They were playing on your fears, and making you doubt yourselves. You can control good men by separating them, and making them feel like they are alone. When a man doesn't think that he can win against many men, he lets them get away with things that he never would before. Don't let it bother you too much. You just forgot what it means to be a warrior; you forgot that you are already dead, and that you are just waiting to stop breathing."

The young warriors looked at each other and hung their heads. Fighting Hawk sadly shook his head. He didn't mean to make them feel bad, but the truth is the bitterest medicine. That night Fighting Hawk was surprised when Little Mule brought him his evening meal. Fighting Hawk could tell that it was all that she could do not to jump on him, but she looked at the other warriors and straightened her shoulders. She left his food and water without saying a word, but her eyes spoke volumes to Fighting Hawk. He looked away so he wouldn't be tempted.

The days continued the same way, Water Lilly bringing his food in the morning. Fighting Hawk holding court around the counsel fire, and then one of his women bringing his evening meal. Then he would sleep at the counsel fire, when he could sleep.

It was four days later that the first relatives of the Beavers showed up. Storm Cloud had them all tied and gagged. He pulled them from their horses when he got to the counsel fire. Fighting Hawk watched as they struggled to sit up. He motioned and Storm Cloud cut the gag away from Quick Beaver. "I understand that you are related to the Beavers here, is that right?"

Quick Beaver scowled at him. "Bright Beaver will kill you for this. He is the new Chief of the Cheyenne people, after that old fool Gray Eagle died. He will drive you from the villages with the marks on your face, and I will be there to watch." Fighting Hawk nodded his head, "I see. So you think that Bright Beaver will save you?"

Fighting Hawk watched the contempt in the man's face as he stood and walked to his family. He sat stunned as Fighting Hawk cut their throats in front of him. He then turned to the man and said, "I'll make sure that I hang your body next to Bright Beaver, since you admire him so much."

Fighting Hawk watched as his words made the man cry, when the death of his family didn't, and wondered what type of people these were. When he stood over him it was clear what he was about to do, and Quick Beaver began to beg for his life. Fighting Hawk looked at each of the warriors around him in disgust. He saw the same look being returned from each of them.

Fighting Hawk stopped and thought. He turned to speak to Storm Cloud, even though all of the warriors could hear him. "Take him like he is and hang him from the tree. Be sure that you put him next to Bright Beaver. I wouldn't want him to think that I lied. If he can beg somebody to cut him down, then he can go free, and the one that cuts him down will take his place." Fighting Hawk saw the grins on the faces of the warriors. They all knew that he didn't have much chance of convincing anybody to take his place.

Fighting Hawk sat back down at the fire and waited for the next arrivals. It was later the same day the Night Owl arrived with four families from another village. Two of them were tied and gagged and two rode with their hands tied. When they got to the counsel fire Night Owl motioned to the ones tied and gagged and the other families helped them down.

Night Owl spat, "The village was happy to see them go. Some of the warriors at the village were the ones that tied and gagged to two what wouldn't shut up. First it was threats, and then it was begging. It was enough to make everybody sick, and they all come out to call insults as they left." Fighting Hawk shook his head. "What about the other two families?" Night Owl shook his head. "They aren't much better, but they keep their mouth shut. It's about all that they do. I think that they are even too lazy to feed themselves."

Fighting Hawk looked at the first family that wasn't gagged. "You are related to the Beavers here?" He watched as the man nodded his head. Fighting Hawk motioned to the two children and the warriors cut their hands free. Fighting Hawk pitched a knife in front of each of them, "If you want to live, kill your mother and father." Fighting Hawk expected them to protest, but they turned and thrust the knife deep in their belly. The warriors were shocked, but Fighting Hawk motioned to the warriors. "Take them to the same place as Quick Beaver, they will have the same chance as he does." Fighting Hawk watched the smirking warriors lead the children away.

Fighting Hawk turned to the next family that wasn't gagged. "You are related to the Beavers here?" The man didn't answer, he just looked at him. Fighting Hawk looked at the woman, "So I will give you the chance that he won't get, are you related to the Beavers here?" The woman looked at her husband and frowned before she said, "He is, but I'm no Beaver." Tom nodded. They had one girl. Fighting Hawk estimated her age at about six or seven. He motioned to the girl and her hands were cut free. Fighting Hawk motioned for her to come to him. She looked suspicious but she went to him. Fighting Hawk took her and sat her on his lap. They started whispering to each other. Nobody could hear what they said, but only her mother seemed to care.

After a time Fighting Hawk stood up and put the little girl back on the ground. "Cut the woman free. You can go back to your village, or stay here. I don't care which." Fighting Hawk turned the man, "Do you want to beg for your life?" Fighting Hawk watched him shake his head. Fighting Hawk nodded and his knife flashed across his throat. There was a fountain of blood, a lot of it covering the gagged families.

Fighting Hawk motioned to the first gagged family and the warriors cut the gags free. The air was suddenly filled with begging and pleading and threats. Fighting Hawk had a hard time making anything out of it. He held up his hand for silence, but he was ignored. He cut the throat of the man that was flinging threats and insults. He dropped like a stone, and Fighting Hawk held up his hand again. It was instantly quiet. Fighting Hawk looked at the surviving woman and two children. He asked, "Are related to the Beavers here?"

The woman seemed to struggle for a minute before she said, "I'm like her, he was the Beaver." Fighting Hawk looked at her and frowned. The children were one boy about ten and one girl about twelve. He called the boy over and whispered to him. The boy looked hard at the girl. Fighting Hawk then called the girl over, "I told the boy that if he could rape you, then I would let him live. If you can stop him then I'll let you live." Fighting Hawk saw the look that she gave the boy. He watched as she quickly picked up a rock and attacked her brother. The boy was ready and kicked her in the stomach. When she folded he didn't stop, but kept kicking her until she was unconscious. Fighting Hawk motioned and the warriors dragged the boy off of the girl. He then turned to the woman, "Do you want a chance to beg for your life?" She looked at the spectacle of her children and quickly nodded. Fighting Hawk cut her hands free and gave her a knife. "Kill the children and I'll let you beg for your life." He watched as she turned on the boy first and stabbed him, she then cut the unconscious girl's throat. Fighting Hawk motioned to the warriors and told them, "She has earned the right to beg for her life. Take her to the others that are begging."

Fighting Hawk looked at the last family. He motioned and the warriors cut away the gags. This time there was silence when he raised his hand. He looked at the man, "Are you related to the Beavers here?" The man answered quickly, "No, she is Soft Beaver. I'm Night Bird." Fighting Hawk considered this. He looked at the woman and the three children. There were two boys that Fighting Hawk estimated to be over ten, but not yet entering puberty. He thought that they could be late bloomers. The girl looked to be about eight or nine. She definitely had an attitude from the looks she gave him. Fighting Hawk motioned to the two boys and the warriors cut them free. He waved them over and put and arm around each one of them. They walked a little bit away from the others, as Fighting Hawk whispered to them. When they turned back around Fighting Hawk motioned to the girl, and the warriors cut her free.

As soon as the girl was free the boys descended like a pack of wild dogs. They had her dress in pieces before she know what was happening. She started fighting for all she was worth, but against two stronger boys she didn't have much of a chance. Fighting Hawk knew what was going to happen and watched the parents, as the boys held her down. The older boy was the first to rape her. None of the warriors made a move to stop them. They watched as first one boy raped the girl and then the other raped her. When they were finished, Fighting Hawk calmly walked over to the girl and asked her if she wanted a knife. When she nodded her head he gave her his own knife, and watched as she attacked the boys. This time they didn't stand a chance.