Just Like Old Times

The Bear

Lilly listened to Arthur and Rains Fall talk about Captain Monroe, and for the most part, she kept silent. Lilly was mostly contemplating what the shaman Hawk Eye had told her. However, her thoughts were interrupted by a distraught Rains Fall.

"What's happened?" he said in shock, getting off his horse. "No, it can't be!" Rains Fall went running to a small round tent made of animal skin that was now burned. Arthur and Lilly looked at each other before dismounting and chasing after Rains Fall. He fell to his knees in front of the burned Indian site. "No! They destroyed everything! No, I need to find the Chanupa. Who...who would do this?"

"Someone who wanted to enrage you," Arthur observed as he looked around the camp site.

Lilly had never heard the man Rains Fall so distraught. He was always so calm and collected, but that's not what he sounded like now. Lilly frowned and put her hands on her hips. "Bastards!" she shouted.

"Help me look around, please. The Chanupa is gone," Rains said sadly.

Lilly, Arthur and the boys searched the area for whatever this "Chanupa" was. "Of course," Arthur said. "What is it?"

"A ceremonial pipe...there must be some clue as to what happened here."

Arthur took one end while Lilly took another but she spotted smoke coming from down the mountain. "Rains Fall. Arthur. Over here. I see a camp down there. Looks like the army." Lilly took out her binoculars and focused on the camp. She saw three men in military uniforms shoving each other around. "Yep. Definitely army. What a bunch of shitebags!"

"Oh, there they are," Rains Fall said beside her. "These...brave men..." he spoke with an angry bitterness that sent chills up her spine. "Some of Colonel Favours' men. They must have been the ones who did this."

"Are you surprised this happened?" Arthur said on the other side of her.

"Not at all...but...I hoped we were past this."

"You got land they want...land with oil."

"They moved us here. They've taken everything we had. I signed three treaties myself, and they've broken each one. Now they've taken the last hope." Rains Fall sounded like he was on the verge of tears. "Now my people are gonna want a war. A war they can't win."

Lilly lowered her binoculars. Arthur sighed deeply and started walking down the trail with fury in his every step. "Where are you goin'?" Lilly asked.

He stopped and looked up at her with anger in his face. "I'm goin' to go get 'em back." And without another word he trailed down the road.

Lilly put her binoculars away. "Just do it quietly," she shouted. "They'll retaliate if you kill someone."

"Yes, sweetheart, I know!" he snapped.

Lilly shook her head and chuckled. "Well, all we can do now is wait."

Rains Fall looked at her and smiled sadly. "Your husband is a good man."

Lilly nodded in agreement. "Yes he is. I just wish he wasn't sick and dyin'. Although, well..." Lilly thought best not to mention The Morrigan at that time. "I hope the treatments I'm makin' him do will help him not die."