Chapter 5: The Face of the Enemy

It was almost a week later that Fighting Hawk got the word that a wagon train was coming toward their mountain range. Gray Eagle said that they still had a week before the train would be close enough to worry about. Fighting Hawk thought that it would be better to know more about them, and said that he wanted to leave now and scout the wagon train. Gray Eagle looked worried, but knew that he had to show trust in his son. He reluctantly agreed and arranged to have messengers waiting every day. Fighting Hawk nodded and prepared to leave.

Hard riding brought him to the crest of the mountain in four days. He found the scouts and they pointed out the wagon train. He saw the slow movement inching their way through the wooded trails. He estimated where they would be that night and moved off on foot. When he reached the place, he settled down to sleep.

He woke with a start. As he listened he heard the distant sounds of wagons creaking through the woods. He quickly checked for any signs that he might have made, and then moved off quietly to watch. He found that it wasn't necessary, they were blind and deaf to anything but themselves, and made so much noise that the scouts had to go almost five miles just to hunt game. It was the scouts that were the real problem, but once close to the wagon train, any sounds were ignored. They didn't think that anyone would get that close. Fighting Hawk realized that normally they would be right.

It only took two days before he had identified the leaders, the scouts and the wagon-master. He knew where they slept and what their routine was. He could casually walk and watch everything going on in the wagon train. He watched their progress and listened to their plans. He knew when they would cross the peak, and when they planned to rest. He was ready to leave, but decided to wait and watch a little more. He knew that there would be many captives out of this train. He even made a few choices for himself. When they were ready to start down the back side of the mountain Fighting Hawk used their distracted attention to calmly walk over the peak and on to the waiting Cheyenne.

Gray Eagle looked concerned that he had not returned before now. He shrugged and said that he was having fun and it was not a real concern, as they were stupid and a herd of buffalo wouldn't be noticed until it caught up to the last wagon. Gray Eagle smiled and nodded his head.

Fighting Hawk squatted down and began to draw out the wagon train as they camped. It was always the same as each person had their place. He showed them where the scouts slept, and where the wagon-master slept, then he pointed out the wagons of the leaders. He explained who must die first, as they would be the most dangerous.

Gray Eagle watched and nodded at the information. He asked questions that were important, and asked how Fighting Hawk planned to lead the attack. He had almost forgotten that it was to be his job. He explained that they needed to wait for two days and catch them early in the morning. It would take two days to get all of the wagons down the mountain, and then they planned a rest. That was the time to strike.

Gray Eagle told him to make his plans and prepare his men. Fighting Hawk had a small idea forming and said that he wanted to talk to Gray Eagle later. Gray Eagle nodded his understanding. Fighting Hawk then picked out the ones that he wanted to go with him and arranged the others in four groups. Each had their specific targets.

Once he had everybody prepared, he gave his last order, "I want all bows and spears left behind. We will only use knives and clubs." It drew looks of concern from almost everybody, but Fighting Hawk asked them if they were Cheyenne warriors or children. It silenced their objections, but they still didn't like it. Fighting Hawk left to talk to Gray Eagle.

When the morning came, Fighting Hawk woke the warriors two hours before sun rise. They were surprised, but he explained that he wanted everybody in position in an hour before sunrise without any sound. They all nodded their heads.

An hour later the small group that he had prepared was ready. On the signal the group moved quietly into the camp. All of the scouts died without waking up. Fighting Hawk slipped his knife into the wagon-master's throat and watched the life drain from his body. He was surprised how easy it was. He had thought that it would have been harder. Two of the warriors had a difficult task. The sentries were the ones awake to keep guard, and to give the alarm in the case of trouble, and there was no way to tell where they would be. One was found asleep, and never woke up. The other was drinking coffee at a watch fire. Fighting Hawk walked quietly up behind him and pushed his knife deep into his back. He reached for his musket, but Fighting Hawk kicked it away. He died quietly.

Fighting Hawk put the man over his shoulder and carried him from the camp. There was nobody in the camp that looked dead. To any early risers it would just be an empty camp. They waited until the first rays of sunlight. On that signal, the Cheyenne warriors moved quietly into the camp from four sides. The occupants of the wagons were quickly clubbed and then passed into the camp into groups.

When sunrise came there had not been a shot fired, and the Cheyenne warriors were in control of everyone. Gray Eagle walked into the camp and looked around. Everyone could see that he was impressed with the action. He smiled broadly at Fighting Hawk, who returned a sheepish grin. When the men started to come around, their own muskets were pointed at them. They knew that their situation was grave.

There were thirty men in the group and Fighting Hawk collected thirty knives. Gray Eagle looked concerned, but said nothing. Fighting Hawk explained the situation to the men, "All of you but one is going to die. If you want to be that one then you have to kill the others, the last man standing lives. If you want to try to run then we will shoot you where you stand. Either way you will be dead." He threw the knives into the group. Once the shock wore off, one of the men picked up a knife and shoved it deep into the man beside him. That was all that it took. It was a matter of survival.

The women and children watched the carnage in shock. It only took five minutes before one sweating and bloody man stood standing. Fighting Hawk looked at him. He pointed to the mountain, "Home is that way, get moving." He started for a horse, and a musket blocked his way. "I said get moving, if you don't start now, I will kill you myself." He looked around and took off at a run. Fighting Hawk nodded to a warrior and he loped off after him. Ten minutes later he was back.

Fighting Hawk nodded to the group of older boys and gave the order to kill them. The warriors moved in and knives flashed. Bodies dropped in most cases before they even knew what was going on. That left only the small children and the women.

Fighting Hawk walked over and took his pick of the women. He chose two. He then tied their hands and then tied the ropes to the back of a wagon. Each of the men in the advanced party also picked two and did the same thing. The one that ran after the survivor then got to pick next. Then the rest of the warriors got to pick until there were none left. It was obvious that it paid to be in the advanced party. You took more chances, but you got bigger rewards. The children that were going to be taken were loaded into the wagon. The rest were killed.

Fighting Hawk ordered the dead children and older boys picked up and scattered throughout the camp. He ordered them to leave no marks of dragging a body. When they were finished He ordered the wagons searched and he was very specific that the wagons not look like they had been searched. "When you leave it, make it look like it did before you went in there."

Gray Eagle looked confused. Fighting Hawk went to talk to him, "Is something the matter father?" Gray Eagle waved his arms around, "Why do all of this when we are going to burn it anyways?" Fighting Hawk smiled and said, "Because we are not going to burn anything. There are no arrows in anything. Look around you father, what does this look like to you, if you have just walked into an empty camp?" Gray Eagle looked around and thought. He eyes got big and the look frightened him.

"Yes father, it looks like that they killed each other, still with knives in their hands. Why would they do that? Maybe sickness or maybe they were crazy. But no matter what it is, it will make people think that something happened to them, and it wasn't Cheyenne. It will make them scared of everything, and it might help to slow them; from coming here." Gray Eagle was impressed. He said that it was a great plan, and he wished that he had thought of it. And you didn't lose a single warrior. There will be songs about you around the celebration fire for a long time. Fighting Hawk shrugged, and then he said, "We can do the same thing again, and each time it will spread more fear through them."

Two hours later they set off; one wagon with captives and one with goods taken. Fighting Hawk checked each wagon himself, before they started out. The women didn't fare very well, but he knew that they would live through it; the others had.

That night he did his duty in front of everyone. He raped one of the women, and a few hours later he raped the other. Each night he raped the women. He started receiving offers for them even before the trip was over. One he sold, the other he kept, until he reached the camp. She was sold the same night. Fighting Hawk found that the practice of rape sickened him. Moon Flower and the girls sensed his mood and left him alone for a couple of days. Each day he felt a little better, when he knew that he wouldn't have to do that again.

It had been three weeks that he had been gone, and he decided that he needed to go hunting. After returning with two deer he had Moon Flower and the girls passing out the extra meat. He knew that while he was gone that the widows and orphans had gone hungry. Moon Flower said that they had done what they could, but there was only so much to go around. He nodded and told her to tell them that there would be extra for a while. They would need to jerk or salt it to prepare for the hard times. They nodded and set out about the business.