An Awakened Heart

An Awakened Heart

By

Daniel Running Water

Chapter Six

Previously in chapter five:

"I've got to get word to my grandson," Seth said as he left his private quarters and hurried over to the stables.

Once on his horse, Seth rode hurriedly from the fort with Marc's eyes following his every move from the shadows. Once he was sure that Seth was far enough away not to see him following him, Marc gave his horse a kick and rode off in a gallop.

Although he had just arrived that day at the fort, Marc had actually arrived earlier to the area and scouted out his new surroundings, having found Strong Bear's village. He had even come across on of Strong Bear's warriors as the man was out hunting and killed him. He took the warrior's bow and arrows and then buried the body, planning to use the arrows to incriminate the Choctaw.

"That's it Seth, ride far enough away from the fort so that I can kill you and blame it on Strong Bear and his warriors, giving me a reason to annihilate every damn Indian in the village."

Still riding at a fast, but not urgent pace, Seth's mind was not on his surroundings but on this new development. After a good hour's ride, Seth stopped beside the river to let his horse drink and to also get a drink himself.

Stealthily Marc moved through the shadows of the forest, with the bow before him and an arrow notched and ready to fly. When he stepped from the covering of the trees, Seth turned when he heard a twig snap.

"What is this," he asked in shock, but he never got an answer because the arrow became lodged in his chest.

Dropping to the ground dead, Seth's eyes looked upward in death's stare. Marc knelt beside the fallen colonel, took out his bowie knife and then scalped the man.

"One down and another to go," he said, laughing wickedly to himself, as he wiped his knife clean of the blood before he hurried away, taking Seth's horse with him.

Now chapter six:

Noticing how Sighing Willow's eyes refused to meet his, Strong Bear hurried into Spotted Wolf's cabin. Having handed his two sons to Sighing Willow, Strong Bear knelt beside Yellow Hawk and seeing his husband's eyes tightly closed, cast his wondering gaze up to Spotted Wolf.

"He's only sleeping my chief, the effects of the chloroform has not yet worn off," Spotted Wolf said. "He's doing quite well for having just given birth to twins, and should be waking shortly," he assured him. "So tell me Strong Bear, what are you going to name your two sons?"

Relieved that Yellow Hawk was just sleeping and not dead, Strong Bear let out a gentle sigh before speaking.

"He who will be chief once I am no more, shall be called Hawk, after my father, and my other son shall be named Shadow, for he followed his brother in birth as our shadow follows us," he told Spotted Wolf.

"Your father would be honored to know that you chose to name a son after him," Sighing Willow said, remembering her dear friend, who was once the proud chief of her people.

"Ay-uh Sighing Willow, my father would be proud, and my son shall be as mighty and strong as his grandfather once was," Strong Bear proudly said, as he gazed at Hawk who lay quietly in Sighing Willow's arms. "Shadow shall also be a strong warrior and lend is strength and love to his brother."

"This is a proud day for our people," Spotted Wolf said, "now take your sons and introduce them to our people."

Strong Bear, followed by Sighing Willow who was carrying the two boys, stepped out onto the porch of Spotted Wolf's cabin. His people became quiet as they awaited the introduction of his sons.

"My people, our Great Spirit have blessed me with two sons," Strong Bear proudly announced, turning to take Hawk in his arms. "Here is your next chief, my son Hawk," he took the boy held him up for all his people to see.

"Also his brother Shadow, who shall be a great warrior amongst his people," he added, handing back Hawk and taking Shadow to hold up to his people.

The village erupted with the sound of applause and chanting, as the Choctaw people welcomed the two boys into their hearts. Strong Bear nodded his thanks and then returned inside to Yellow Hawk, who was now awake and waiting to see his baby.

Yellow Hawk gasped when he saw not one, but two babies being laid in his arms. He looked at Strong Bear and then to Spotted Wolf, before turning his eyes upon his sons.

"Two sons...our Great Spirit have given us two sons," he asked in complete awe of the two babies that lay looking up at him.

"Ay-uh my heart, two sons to make proud, their fathers," Strong Bear whispered as he lowered his mouth close to Yellow Hawk's ear.

"Excuse me for interrupting this tender moment, but I think your sons need to be fed," Spotted Wolf no sooner said and the babies began to cry.

Yellow Hawk placed each baby to a nipple and watched in awe as they began feeding, their tiny hands gently kneading his tender breasts.

"I love you Yellow Hawk," Strong Bear said and turned quickly toward the door when Roaring Thunder stepped into the room.

"Two grandsons...my son has given me two grandsons," he said, his eyes taking in the scene before him.

"Ay-uh, this one is named Hawk, and the other is named Shadow," Strong Bear said, his chest proudly puffed out as he looked with much love at first Yellow Hawk and then Roaring Thunder.

"This is a proud day for both clans, Strong Bear," Roaring Thunder said, with Kyle now at his side.

"Golden Hawk...when did you arrive in our village," a stunned Strong Bear asked.

"Awhile ago Strong Bear, but before coming to the village, I had much to see Roaring Thunder about," he said as a blush rapidly covered his face.

"Need you ask," Roaring Thunder said and along with Strong Bear, began laughing heartily.

"It is good to see my father laughing once again," Yellow Hawk said and then wiped the milk from Hawk's mouth after the baby had stopped feeding, doing the same to Shadow once he had finished.

Not wishing to pull Roaring Thunder from the excitement of the moment, Kyle silently slipped from the room.

"Spotted Wolf, would you tell Roaring Thunder that I shall be back soon, I need to go to the fort and pack what I wish to have with me here."

"I shall do that Golden Hawk," he assured the boy and then watched him leave the cabin.

"There is no need to tell me for I shall accompany you to the fort," Roaring Thunder told Kyle.

"You do not have to accompany me my love, but if you wish, you can ride with me until I get close enough to see the fort."

"Then I shall come for you in one rising of the sun and we shall live together for always."

"Ay-uh my love... forever and ever," Kyle said as they walked to where their horses were corralled.

Under the cover of darkness, Colonel Hampton rode quietly into the fort, taking his horse directly to the stables; he dismounted, freed the horse of the saddle and then hurried to Seth's quarters.

"I guess I should wait awhile before I begin ridding this place of that damn injun lover's things," he sighed, knowing that if he were too hasty in cleaning Seth's things out, he could cast blame onto himself for the colonel's disappearance.

"Who are you and where is my grandfather," Kyle asked, causing Marc to quickly turn.

"Grandfather...I wasn't aware of him having a grandson or any other family here with him," Marc wondered to himself. "I'm Colonel Hampton, your grandfather's replacement," he said to Kyle.

"My grandfather never mentioned anything about leaving the fort to me," a suspicious Kyle said. "Again, where is my grandfather," he demanded, irritating Marc immensely.

"Listen you little brat, you'll show the proper respect to me, or else you'll find your ass in the brig," Marc snapped at the boy. "I'm in charge of this fort now, not your grandfather."

"I'm sorry sir, but you just caught me off guard is all," he lied, now worried about where his grandfather could be.

"I'll excuse your rude behavior this time boy, but make sure that it never happens again," Marc replied and then strolled from the quarters, leaving a stunned and worried Kyle standing there.

"Make sure that the kid doesn't leave the fort," Marc whispered to his trusted lieutenant and friend, Garret Brown. "I think the kid may be a bit of a problem and I need to think about what I'm going to do about him."

"Did you take care of the other...problem, sir," Garret whispered asking.

"Taken care of and his body just waiting to be found tomorrow when we ride out on patrol," he replied and gave a reassuring slap to Garret's back. "Now just make sure that the kid stays put tonight," he said and strolled across the parade ground to his quarters.

"That won't be a problem...ole Garret knows how to take care of boys like him," Garret whispered to himself, his eyes gazing through the window at Kyle, who was looking puzzled over his grandfather's disappearance. "But what about the colonel's troops, won't they be suspicious of his whereabouts?"

"I already have that planned for; they'll be riding with us when we come across Parker's body."

Both Marc and Garret laughed heartily, thinking that their plan was fool proof.

"Oh...excuse me sir," Kyle said as he opened the door and nearly ran into Garret.

"And just where do you think you're going boy," Garret asked, his hands in fists and resting on his hips, while his evil eyes staring down at Kyle.

"And just what business is it of yours," Kyle rudely replied and when he tried to step around the man, Garret grabbed him by the hair and shoved him back into the cabin.

"I'm going to show you what business it is of mine," Garret said, shoving Kyle down to the floor.

He looked down at Kyle as he unbuckled his belt and slowly pulled it from his pants. Kyle could see the evil that was in Garret's eyes and slowly backed away from the man. Garret doubled his belt in half and was slapping it across the palm of his hand as he took determined steps toward the boy.

"Please don't hurt me sir...I didn't mean to be rude to you," Kyle begged as he cowered in the corner.

"You've got that right boy, after I am done with you, you won't be able to say a word except to the devil himself," he yelled and brought the belt down across Kyle's back.

Over and over, Garret whipped Kyle, until the boy fell to the floor unconscious, covered in blood, and his clothes torn to shreds. Stepping from the shadows, Marc smiled down at Kyle and then to Garret.

"Enough, the boy is dead, now dispose of his body in the woods," he said and then a thought came to him. "Take this here bow and arrows and make sure to send a few into him before you scalp him," he ordered, handing the bow and quiver of arrows to Garret.

"Yes sir," he said, accepting the weapons. "Do you want me to put him with his grandfather's body," he asked and Marc kneaded his chin thoughtfully and then nodded. "It'll look like they were killed and scalped together," he added.

"I love you Walking Tall and I want us to be married...soon," Swift Sparrow said, lying naked beside Abe, his finger tracing circles around Abe's nipples.

"I love you too Swift Sparrow, but I'm not sure if'n I'm ready to marry again. You know how my last marriage ended, I just don't want another repeat of it," he added, shifting his eyes to those of Swift Sparrow.

Swift Sparrow abruptly sat up and gazed down at Abe, his eyes were filled with much anger toward Abe, and also his words.

"Do you make me out to be the same kind of man as Caleb was?" he demanded, his hurt and anger were evident in his eyes.

"No Swift Sparrow, it's just..."

"It's just what; tell me why you think that I would leave you for another?" Swift Sparrow insisted. "Or maybe you are ashamed to have a husband that is Choctaw and not white?" he shouted before Abe could even answer Swift Sparrow's first question.

Abe rose from the bed and lunged into Swift Sparrow's arms; their naked bodies clung tightly as their mouths met in a heated kiss.

"I love you so damn much Swift Sparrow," he sighed, "but I'm just not ready to marry you or anyone else," he added. "But I want you to know this, never have I or would I, be ashamed of you because of you skin color, your love is all that I could ever need and want," he chided back and kissed him again.

"Stay here...I'll return shortly," Swift Sparrow said adamantly, donned his loincloth, and then dashed from Abe's cabin.

Abe was confused; he did not understand why Swift Sparrow had left the cabin so speedily. Several minutes later, Swift Sparrow entered the cabin just as excited as when he left, his arms over laden with pelts, a bow and quiver of arrows, and many different gifts.

"Swift Sparrow...what in tarnation are you doing," Abe asked once Swift Sparrow had placed all the things that he had carried into the cabin at Abe's feet.

"These gifts I give to you Walking Tall," he said humbly, motioning with his hand to the various gifts at Abe's feet. "Do you accept these gifts my love and devotion to you?"

"Why did you bring me gifts, Swift Sparrow?" he asked again, not sure why his lover felt the need to shower him with gifts. "Please tell me that you are not trying to bribe me into marrying you."

"I freely give these gifts to you my handsome one, now do you accept them," he said with anxiousness in his voice.

Abe looked down at all that Swift Sparrow had lain at his feet, his heart smiled as he looked with affection again to his lover.

"Ay-uh, Walking Tall accepts your gifts freely and with a happy heart," Abe said, causing Swift Sparrow to grab Abe and hold him close and tight, so tight that Abe could barely breathe.

"Good...now Walking Tall and Swift Sparrow are married according to Choctaw custom," Swift Sparrow proudly said and then took possession of Abe's mouth with his own before Abe could protest.

The kiss was long and sensuous, leaving Abe gasping for air.

"Married!" he shouted, stepping back from Swift Sparrow.

"Ay-uh married, for when a Choctaw warrior offers gifts to the one that he wishes to marry and his intended accepts them, then the two become one and are married," he proudly said, pulling Abe back into his warm embrace.

"You tricked me into marrying you Swift Sparrow," Abe shouted back at his new husband.

"How did Swift Sparrow trick Walking Tall, you already said that you love me. So tell your husband how is it that he tricked you."

"Yes my love, I did say that I love you, but you knew that I did not know of this Choctaw custom or law. I would have liked my fathers to be here when I married you," he said, still in his husband's arms.

"We were here son," Shane said as he and James stepped from the shadows, surprising Abe with their sudden appearance.

"You knew of this...this trickery of his all along," he asked looking from one father and then to the other.

"Yes my son, Swift Sparrow came to our window and told us of his plan and asked us for our blessing to marry you," Shane said, smiling warmly at Abe, his right arm around James, possessively.

"We could see how much you each love one another, so we gave him our blessing and told him to proceed with his plan to marry you," James added.

James stepped over to Abe and placed his arms around his son's waist.

"Sweetheart, your father and I both know how stubborn you can be when you feel that things are being taken from your control. Yes Caleb hurt you son, but that is no reason for you to deny yourself the happiness that you have found with Swift Sparrow."

Abe knew that Swift Sparrow loved him, and yes, Abe did want to marry the handsome warrior but when he looked at the three men that were so dear to his heart, he through his hands up in the air in frustration.

"But...but...oh what the heck," Abe finally said, pulled Swift Sparrow into his arms and kissed him heatedly. "So I guess that I'm married... and what a handsome husband you are, Swift Sparrow."

"But not as handsome as you are my love," Swift Sparrow argued back and then kissed Abe feverishly.

"We'll just let you two love birds have some privacy," James said, pulling Shane from the room just as Abe began to lower Swift Sparrow's loincloth.

"Can't we just wait one minute so that we can see what our boy is getting," Shane asked, straining his neck to see if he could see Swift Sparrow's manhood. "Damn...would you look at the size of that..."

"Enough you pervert," James said and as he pulled Shane from the room, he glanced back and smiled when he saw the length and fatness of the warrior's cock. "My word Abraham, I do hope you can handle that monster cock." James whispered so that only he heard.

"So now who is the pervert, James," Shane said, his eyes still looking at Swift Sparrow's manhood.

Roaring Thunder was reluctantly returning to the village, from having escorted Kyle to the fort, when he saw a body lying in the grass along side the river. Casting his eyes every where; looking for who could have done this as he pulled his rifle from its gun boot, feeling that maybe he was riding into a trap.

"Gah-ween...it is Seth Parker... Golden Hawk's grandfather," he gasped, looking down from his horse at the mutilated man.

His gaze went immediately to the arrow that protruded from Seth's chest, recognizing it as one that his people use. He knew that no one from his clan could have done this, for everyone loved and respected Seth, as did those from Strong Bear's clan.

He gazed about the footprints and noticed that all were made by the boots that white men wear. He wanted to retch when he noticed the missing hair and turned his eyes away, now worrying about his Golden Hawk. He quickly mounted his horse and turned it back to toward the fort, hoping that his Golden Hawk was alright.

"This will surely bring war with the blue coat soldiers," Roaring Thunder said, remounting his horse and turning back toward the fort.

He was concerned now for Kyle's safety and needed to see that he was safe. He had gotten several miles when he saw a horse and rider as they entered a meadow. The moon's light illuminated the soldier and also what appeared to be a body tied on the horse's back. What also caught Roaring Thunder's attention was the bow and quiver of arrows that were strapped across the soldier's back, for this was not a common weapon for the soldiers.

"Gah-ween," Roaring Thunder gasped, now realizing that it must have been this soldier that had killed the colonel.

He pulled his horse into the shadows of the forest, staying close to the trees so that this soldier would not see him. He silently gasped when the moon's light showed him Kyle's face.

"Oh please don't let it be so, Great Spirit," he gasped as anger, pain and determination to end this soldier's life drove Roaring Thunder in to a fit of rage. He kicked his horse's flanks, causing it to gallop quickly after the man, pulling an arrow from the quiver and notching it in his bow.

"What the..." Garret gasped when he heard the sound of Roaring Thunder's horse following him.

Quickly he turned to see who was following him and fell from his horse when an arrow struck him in his right shoulder.

Roaring Thunder was off his horse and had another arrow, notched and ready to shoot, before Garret could gather his senses as to what had just happened to him.

"Please don't," Garret begged, his hands held up before him protectively as he looked into the angered eyes of Roaring Thunder.

"Give me one good reason why I should end your life quickly instead of letting you slowly die," Roaring Thunder ordered, his arrow aimed at Garret's chest.

"You won't get away with this...savage," Garret yelled.

"Wrong answer blue coat soldier," he said smiling and fired the arrow into Garret's leg.

Screaming out in pain, Garret realized that hatred and threats for the Indian was not going to save his life.

"I was only following orders...Colonel Hampton ordered me to hide the boy's body... he killed the boy," he cried out when he saw that Roaring Thunder was going to let loose of the arrow. "I swear it...he is the one that did this to the boy, not me," he lied.

"Release the boy...gently," Roaring Thunder commanded.

Painfully, Garret stood and limped cautiously to his horse and after pulling his knife that was sheathed to his waist; he cut the rope that held Kyle to the horse. Once freed of the ropes, Kyle fell from the horse and let out a painful moan.

"He's alive? He's alive," Garret stated, staring down at Kyle, knowing that if the boy were to regain consciousness, he could tell this Indian that it was Garret that had done this to him.

Roaring Thunder quickly hurried to and knelt beside Kyle, ever mindful of Garret and setting his bow down on the ground. Using this distraction as a means to escape, Garret quickly leaped upon his horse and galloped away, lying low over the horse's back.

Roaring Thunder quickly rose, grabbed the bow, notched an arrow and then let if fly. The arrow struck Garret in the back, but he held onto his horse, and continued to gallop away.

"Golden Hawk my love...please speak to me," Roaring Thunder cried, holding the boy securely in his arms.

"Oh Roaring Thunder... help me... please don't let me die," he gasped and then fell back into unconsciousness.

Fearing that he would loose the boy, Roaring Thunder placed Kyle on his horse, mounted it behind Kyle and with Kyle resting securely in his lap, rode off for his village.

"Rider coming in," the sentry yelled from the top of the fort's wall, looking down and seeing that the rider was a soldier and also had an arrow in his back. "He's been shot by a dirty redskin," he yelled again, alerting Colonel Hampton, who came running from his cabin.

Garret stopped his horse in front of Marc and then fell from it, no longer able to hold tight in the saddle.

"Injun...he ambushed me sir...he's got the boy and the boy was not dead."

"Damn!" he shouted, knowing that if Kyle were to regain full remembrance of what had happened to him, he'd insight a war between the Choctaw and the cavalry. "Why weren't you..." but when he looked down at Garret, he could see death's stare in the man's eyes.

"Take care of his body...now," he shouted at several soldiers that had come from their quarters to see what was happening.

Turning on a heel, Marc quickly walked into his quarters, his heart racing and his mind wondering what he should do next. Knowing that time was of the essence, Marc hurried back outside.

"Get a contingent ready, we are going hunting Choctaw," he called out and within moments the parade ground was abuzz with soldiers and horses. "I'll catch them before they knew what hit him," he mused to himself as he mounted his horse.

With a wave of his gloved hand, Colonel Hampton, along with a large contingent of troops, rode through the fort's gate and into the night.

When Roaring Thunder's steed raced into Strong Bear's village, the people rushed from their lodges to see who was riding in at this hour of the night. Strong Bear, dressed only in his loincloth, rushed from his lodge carrying a rifle.

"Roaring Thunder... gah-ween, what is wrong with Golden Hawk," he stammered when he saw the bloody body of the boy as he lay against Roaring Thunder's chest.

"Golden Hawk needs your Shaman," Roaring Thunder cried out to Strong Bear, who was now joined by Yellow Hawk.

"I am here to assist," Spotted Wolf called out as he came running toward Roaring Thunder.

"Take him into my lodge," Strong Bear ordered and he opened the door, letting Roaring Thunder and Spotted Wolf go in first.

Seeing the condition of Kyle, whose limp body rested in Roaring Thunder's arms, Yellow Hawk, carrying a kerosene lamp, led the way to a spare bedroom.

"What happened to Golden Hawk," Yellow Hawk whispered, as he and Strong Bear stood in the bedroom doorway watching Spotted Wolf as he treated the boy.

"I do not yet know, but soon Strong Bear shall know," he said determinedly.

Roaring Thunder felt helpless standing there so he came to Strong Bear to talk.

"His grandfather lies not to far from here with a Choctaw arrow in his chest," Roaring Thunder said.

"Gah-ween... not Seth, for he was a true friend to our people," Strong Bear said.

"I think it was the blue coat soldiers that did this to him. I also shot the soldier that had Golden Hawk tied to his horse. He seemed very surprised to see that Golden Hawk was alive. I think he was going to make his death look like Colonel Parker's."

"We need to go and retrieve his body before the blue coat soldiers find him," Strong Bear said, concern for a war erupting between the soldiers and his people.

Roaring Thunder left the lodge and quickly returned with the bow and arrows that Garret had had with him.

"These are Fast Elk's bow and arrows; I recognize the carving on them. Where did you get these," Strong Bear asked, looking from the bow and then to Roaring Thunder.

"The soldier had them with him when he fell from his horse. I too found it strange that he would have such a weapon with him."

Strong Bear hurried out of the cabin and called Swift Sparrow, who was just approaching Strong Bear's lodge with Abe, to come to him.

"Go and get Fast Elk for me and ask him to come to his chief's lodge," Strong Bear asked of Swift Sparrow.

"Ay-uh my chief," he said and hurried away from the chief.

"What's going on Strong Bear," Abe asked, seeing concern in Strong Bear's eyes.

Strong Bear brought Abe up to speed about Kyle and also about Colonel Parker's death.

"Colonel Parker is dead?" he asked, shock and worry now showing in his face.

"Ay-uh and another..." Strong Bear began but Swift Sparrow's arrival interrupted him.

"My chief, Fast Elk never returned from hunting," Swift Sparrow told Strong Bear. "His wife is concerned for him, because he never stays away this long."

"Take whatever warriors you need and go and look for him," Strong Bear commanded and turned on a heel to Roaring Thunder who had just stepped out onto the porch with Spotted Wolf beside him.

"How is Golden Hawk," Strong Bear asked.

"He'll be fine, but will be one hurting boy for a while. His back was quite cut up from whatever was used to whip him," Spotted Wolf said, shaking his head in disgust. "How can anyone do such a thing to a sweet and innocent boy as Golden Hawk?"

Roaring Thunder told Strong Bear and those around him what Kyle had just told him about the new colonel and how he's taken over the fort.

"I think we should post sentries around the village Strong Bear. I have a gut feeling that we have not seen the last of this new colonel. If what I am thinking is correct, Colonel Parker's death could be a ploy to start a war between the Choctaw and the cavalry," Abe warned.

"Ay-uh...this could very well be the reason," Roaring Thunder said in agreement with Abe. "With more white eyes moving into the area, they'll need more land. We have already surrendered enough of our land to their greed and we won't yield anymore," he adamantly said, his arms crossed across his chest.

"Walking Tall, tell my warriors to gather in the council lodge," Strong Bear said. "Will you send for your warriors also," he asked Roaring Thunder.

"Ay-uh and soon they will meet me with you," he said and hurried away to where his horse stood. "I shall return with my warriors, watch over my Golden Hawk," he shouted, turned his horse and galloped away.

"I don't like the looks of this," Strong Bear said to Yellow Hawk who had just joined him.

"War is never good to look forward to Strong Bear. I will bring our sons to Sighing Willow to watch and then I too shall join you."

"Gah-ween my heart, Strong Bear wishes to leave you here to guard our sons," he said determinedly.

"Gah-ween, you treat me as a woman and I am a warrior," he scolded.

"I know that you are a warrior my love, but I wish you to stay and protect our sons."

"Gah-ween, I am going with you and that is that, my husband," Yellow Hawk angrily said.

"Then come, we shall meet with my warriors and then prepare for war if that is what this new colonel wants," he said, leading Yellow Hawk with his arm about the boy's waist.

Within an hour, Roaring Thunder, along with most of his warriors rode into Strong Bear's village. Strong Bear stood at the door of the council house and saw several other chiefs with Roaring Thunder, as well as their warriors.

"Chief Grazing Buffalo, I welcome you and your warriors," he said to the Cheyenne chief.

"Roaring Thunder spoke of war with the blue coats and this old chief wished to join in your war. To long I have sat silent and watched as our land has been taken away from us. I do not desire war, but peace, but I also will not stand silently and watch as land and rights are taken from us."

"I agree with you my friend," he said and turned his eyes to a chief that had once been an enemy of Roaring Thunder, Chief Brown Bear.

"I too wish to join the great clans of the Choctaw and Cheyenne," Brown Bear said, dismounting and holding out his hand in peace to Strong Bear.

"I welcome not only your warriors but also your peace, Brown Bear. Come my friends, let us smoke first and then decide how to best handle this," Strong Bear said, leading the way into the now crowded council house.

After a young brave brought the sacred pipe, Strong Bear lighted it with a stick from the central fire and drew a long draw from it. He blew the smoke first to the earth, the sky and then the four corners of the compass, offering it to the spirits that resided there. He then passed it to his right, to Chief Roaring Thunder, who repeated what Strong Bear had done before passing it to Chief Grazing Buffalo. After all had shared in the smoke, warriors included, Strong Bear was about to get about the business at hand.

"My chief, Swift Sparrow and those that rode with him have returned," a young brave announced from the council house door, "and they are pulling two travois behind them," he added.

Strong Bear, along with the other chiefs quickly exited the council house. When the procession came to a stop in front of Strong Bear, Red Blossom, Fast Elk's wife began to wail. She was now kneeling beside the bloodied, scalped body of her husband.

Colonel Parker's body was on the other travois, his body as bad as that of Fast Elk's.

"Take Fast Elk's body to his lodge so that his wife can have her time alone to prepare him for burial," Strong Bear ordered the warrior that carried the travois with his body on it.

"What shall we do about Colonel Parker's body," Swift Sparrow asked and then turned his eyes to a weak and trembling Kyle, who was struggling to walk toward them.

"Golden Hawk, you should not be here," Roaring Thunder said, rushing to the boy's side.

He gently placed his arm about the boy's waist and eased him over to where his grandfather laid. When Kyle saw the condition of his grandfather's body, he cried, his knees buckled from under him and Roaring Thunder eased him to the ground.

"Grandfather why...why did that colonel do this to you?" he asked sobbing.

"To start a war between the whites and the people of red skin," Roaring Thunder told him. "Come my love, together we shall prepare him for burial," Roaring Thunder whispered to the boy.

Swift Sparrow rode behind them as they walked toward the lodge that had been assigned to Roaring Thunder whenever he came to the village.

"We do not need to see more, for there is no way to avoid war," Chief Brown Bear stated, his eyes filled with anger and hate.

"Ay-uh, Grazing Buffalo agrees, we too shall ride proudly beside you."

"Then lets prepare our faces and horses for war," Strong Bear said and a mighty yell rose into the night, causing the birds to rise from the nests.

Colonel Hampton rode through the woods, leading his contingent of troops. He was looking for the spot where he had killed Colonel Parker. With the colonel's scalp still in his saddlebag, his eyes surveyed the area near the river; he knew that this spot was where he had killed him. But there was no longer a body and without the body how could he declare a war against the Choctaw?

"I know this is where I left the body," Hampton said to himself, dismounting and walking along the water's edge as his eyes looked for a sign of the man.

All he saw were footprints and several lines dug into the soil from a travois.

"Someone found him and that someone was a savage," he whispered. "Well I don't need a reason to annihilate those savages," he added as he got up from the ground and went to his horse.

"What is your orders sir," Captain Will Jordan asked.

"We ride back to the fort, tomorrow we shall storm every village and annihilate those savages," he shouted and then mounted his horse, turning it back toward the way he had just come, knowing that when the sun rose, he'd be leading many more soldiers against the Choctaw.

"I don't like the sounds I'm hearing," Shane said from the window that he was looking out at.

"They are just celebrating something Shane, come back to bed," James said, holding out his arms to his husband.

"If'n it were a celebration, sweetheart, then we would have been invited," he retorted and climbed into the bed beside his naked husband.

Once Shane had snuggled into the warmth of the bed, James snuggled closer, his arms wrapping around his man.

"Kiss me Shane, and make love to me," James whispered, his lips but a breath from Shane's.

"Again babe...we just did an hour ago," Shane complained, but James' hand was slowly moving up and down Shane's thickness, causing it to rise once again.

"You know that I cannot get enough of your cock husband," James mused as Shane eased James' hand from his manhood.

"Enough or I will spill my seed into your hand James."

"I am so thankful for those herbs that Spotted Wolf gave you. Now your cock rises quickly and even larger than it use to be," James said as he rose and straddled Shane's body.

Reaching behind him, James grabbed Shane's cock and positioned it to his rosebud and then slowly sat down on it, burying it deep into his heat.

"After all these years sweetheart, you still turn me on like no other man I know," Shane said, thrusting his manhood up into James' velvet softness.

Shane's manhood thrust fast, hard and deep into the silky warmth of James' heat. James through his head back and moaned as Shane methodically thrust his hardness into him.

James rode his husband hard and fast, his ass moving around and up and down on Shane's cock.

"Daaaaaaaaaamn babe ride me...I'm going to come," Shane said, grasping James' hips and thrusting up harder and faster, spewing his seed deep into James.

Spent and now thoroughly exhausted, James rose up and off of Shane's shrinking length, falling down beside Shane and cuddling to him.

"Do you know how much I love you Shane," James whispered.

"Yes baby doll I do, but tell me again, I just love to hear it."

"You are the very air that I breathe my love, and without you I would be nothing...absolutely nothing."

They kissed a kiss that was all consuming and soon Shane was up and ready to go again. He crawled on top of James and eased his cock slowly into James.

"Remind me to thank Spotted Wolf, the next time we see him honey," James said and Shane covered his mouth with his in a heated kiss.

Just as the sun rose, Colonel Hampton rode from the fort with every man that was at his disposal. He had gotten several complaints from the men that had served under Colonel Parker, but having whipped them severely to set an example, he squashed any others that might want to complain.

Having left just a small amount behind to secure the fort, those that had shared the complaints, Colonel Hampton rode away confident that he would not only out number the Indians, but would have enough men to annihilate them from the face of the earth.

"I cannot wait to see their faces as they rush out of their teepees and cabins and into the hail of bullets," he whispered to himself.

Sitting on a bluff that over looked the village and most of the valley below, Swift Sparrow and Abe watched for any sign of the soldiers. Abe knew that with the rising of the sun, it would be then that they would attack.

"See how peaceful our village looks, as if war were not a threat," Swift Sparrow observed.

"Ay-uh, but as the saying goes... peace comes before the storm."

To be continued...

This was a bit of a long one, but I do hope that you enjoyed it. Please let me know if you liked it and are still reading my story... danielrunningwater@yahoo.com thank you, Daniel