The Legend of Black Wolf - Sully's Journey Home

Chapter Twenty Two

        That next morning, as Cloud Dancing and Snow Bird walked the creek together, the silence was heavy between them. The summer was winding down, and soon, a chill would be upon the morning to signal the coming of the cold from high on the mountain. The frogs chirped happily in the water as the two walked side by side, but soon the only sound would be of the birds changing course and the leaves falling. She tried not to let her worry of enough skins for the coming cold interrupt her enjoyment of the walk with her husband. Such was the mind of a wife that had days and nights full of duties to keep her family safe and warm.  

        The children had left them alone after the morning meal, and Snow Bird merely thought that her husband had a lot of prayer occupying his morning thoughts. But he had insisted she come with him. She was overly concerned with the news from Little Flower that the dog soldiers were coming back to their camp, but was afraid to bring it up to Cloud Dancing.

        Hook Nose was wild and had always hated the white man with a passion. He put the band of rebels together to drive the white man out of their land. But he also burned white men's houses and killed the young children, much to the dislike of Black Kettle. The chief believed in defending their land, and he understood the horrors of war, but the warriors lack of discretion in killing and destroying everything without trying to reach any peace disgusted Black Kettle. Snow Bird never enjoyed the dog soldiers being around because they stirred up the hearts of the young to thinking they could single-handedly drive the white men away. Many times they brought back fire water from the white man's towns that made all who drank it sick with staggering. She worried her son would leave their tent and loose his life against the more powerful weapons of the white man.

        "You pray very hard this morning." Cloud Dancing said as he walked beside her, taking her out of her thoughts. "Perhaps it was I who should have let you walk alone?" She smiled down at the ground.

        "I should be praying, but I worry instead." She admitted. "I have a lot on my mind." Her husband took her hand and stopped her beside the stream's edge.

        "What worries you?" He asked, his eyes searching her face. She studied the stitching of his sleeve instead. He had many to care for in the tribe, many things to prepare for as the seasons changed, and she hated to bother him with her every little thought. Such a strong medicine man needed a strong wife to carry her fair share during their walk through life together. But this worry weighed too heavy on her mind to bear the load all by herself.

        "Hook Nose is coming." She said low. "He always brings trouble." As Snow Bird looked up, Cloud Dancing nodded solemnly at her. He had heard the news from Black Kettle himself, and had been concerned that the dog soldiers might winter with their tribe. It was late in the season and they might not travel fast enough to reach the Northern Cheyenne in time before the cold returned. If they stayed, they not only spread their rowdiness among the tents, but also caught the eye of the white man's army. Hook Nose had won many enemies as he and his band ravaged the countryside.

        "Yes, I have heard this news. But our son is still a year from his vision quest. He will not leave you for Hook Nose's wild stories." Cloud Dancing tried to reassure her. Their native language was easy between them, and he hoped his words could bring her comfort.

        "But he can fill the young ones heads with talk of killing the white man. They will show the treasures they have taken off of the dead." Snow Bird shook her head. Cloud Dancing said nothing to this. He knew his chief did not respect the methods the dog soldiers used, but in offering, the dog soldiers always brought food and protection to the tribe. As the hunting grounds became disputed territory, the dog soldiers became more and more of a necessary evil.