Prologue

Ike knelt next to the travois and gave Buck a drink of water. *Just a little longer, and I'll have you where someone can help you.*

Buck simply nodded. After three days, he no longer had the strength to argue that going to the village for help was a mistake. They'd either be taken in and given help, or killed on sight - right now, he didn't really care which one it was; either would be an improvement.

Ike quietly placed all his and Buck's weapons on the back of the horse pulling the travois. He then removed his white shirt and made a flag by tying it to a small tree limb and mounted his horse. He started the animal forward at a slow and steady pace. He didn't want to frighten any of the people in the village; he wanted to at least get a chance to ask for help.

As he entered the edges of the village, three braves came and met him. Ike waved the flag and signed, *Friend.* When the braves didn't attack, he continued, *I bring Running Buck, brother of Red Bear. He is injured and needs assistance.*

One of the braves broke away from the others and came beside Ike. He placed his hand on Ike's horse causing it to stop. A second man dismounted and went to check the travois. He nodded to the third one who turned and rode into the village shouting. Soon Ike saw Red Bear making his way to where they waited.

*Why have you come here?* Red Bear demanded, signing as he spoke in Kiowa.

Ike put down the flag and answered, *Running Buck is injured. We were closer to your village then we were our home. I was hoping he could be cared for here.*

*Did he ask you to bring him here?* Red Bear asked as he knelt next to Buck.

Ike shook his head. *He told me I shouldn't come; that we wouldn't be welcomed, but I didn't think he would make it all the way back to Rock Creek. They hurt him pretty bad.*

Red Bear nodded. He started to ask Ike, but changed his mind when he noticed that Buck's eyes were opened. "What happened?" he asked his brother.

"I fell," Buck answered.

Red Bear stood and turned to face Ike. *Why do you say someone hurt him if all he did was fall?*

Ike took a deep breath before answering, *Ask him why he fell,* he said.

Red Bear stood glaring at the white man before him who dared to question his brother's honesty. He was about to tell the braves to kill the man when he heard a soft voice speaking to his brother. "What happened before you fell?"

Buck replied, "They cut me loose."

"Who cut you loose?" the young lady asked as she signed to Red Bear. *I've told you before, Father, that you never questioned his accidents enough.*

Red Bear once more knelt next to Buck. "Explain yourself," he said.

Buck started to explain, but had to stop as the pain from his injuries once more began to overtake him. The girl next to them spoke, "We should take him to White Buffalo to be tended before you question him on what happened; he will need rest and have time to talk to you later." She moved to the front of Ike's horse and started to lead them into the village.

Ike dismounted in front of the teepee where the girl stopped. *Thank you,* he said as he went to where Buck lay. He knelt down next to the travois. *I told you they would help you.*

Buck smiled weakly. "I'm glad you were right," he whispered. "I …" he stopped speaking as the pain of his injuries once more overtook him and he lapsed into the welcome darkness of unconsciousness.

Ike turned to the young lady standing behind him. *Please,* he said. * I can't lose him too.*

She smiled as she nodded. *You untie the travois from his horse; I'll go get White Buffalo to find where he wishes us to take my uncle.* She moved gracefully and entered the teepee.

Ike glanced around nervously. Memories of his previous trip to the Kiowa village kept occupying his mind. He did his best to shake them away and concentrate on getting Buck help. He carefully disconnected the travois and lowered it to the ground. He tried to move it without jarring Buck anymore that absolutely necessary. He knelt down next to Buck and waited for the girl's return. He was glad she was around; when she came back he'd have to find out who she was.

Chapter One

As some of the other braves took the travois inside the teepee, Red Bear and the girl lead Ike to a nearby dwelling. *You must be tired,* the girl said as she signed.

Ike simply nodded. *Will he be…*

*He'll be fine,* she assured him. *White Buffalo is a very good healer, and Running Buck is a strong man.*

Red Bear watched the two talking as they walked. He wanted to talk to this strange silent man about what had happened to his brother, but decided that it would be better if he waited. His daughter had already warned him that he needed to treat this man with the respect due a visiting warrior. "After all, he risked his life to bring my uncle here for help," she had pointed out before inviting the young man to their home to rest.

Once they reached Red Bear's home, he instructed his daughter to bring them food. "We have much to discuss," he said. "This man will need his strength."

She simply nodded as she went to where her mother was busy cooking the evening's meal. As she walked away, Red Bear indicated for Ike to sit. As they settled on the ground in front of his home, Red Bear faced Ike. *Can you tell me what happened?* he asked.

Ike nodded. *We took a message about a prisoner from Rock Creek to the fort located nearby. On the way we saw a few of your young men out looking for buffalo. Buck,* he paused and corrected himself as he continued, *Running Buck told them that they should not go any closer to the fort. He warned them that the soldiers would most likely shoot them and then wonder why there were so few. We told them that if we noticed any buffalo, we'd let them know. They thanked us and turned to head back this direction.* He once more paused.

Red Bear allowed him a short break before prompting. *What happened that caused Running Buck to be in the shape he is in? Who hurt him?*

Ike thought a few seconds before continuing. *When we got into the fort, I took the message into the major's office. While I was talking to the major, Buck took the horses to the stable to tend them. He was to meet me at the mess hall when he'd finished.* He once more paused as he thought back over the events of a few days ago.

Red Bear once more waited patiently for the young man. As he was getting ready to try and prompt him once more, Ike returned to his tale. *I'm not sure exactly what happened. When I got to the mess hall, Buck - Running Buck - wasn't there. I went to see if he needed some help with the horses, but he wasn't there either. I asked some of the men, but no one had seen him since he'd taken the horses into the stables.* He took a deep breath and once more started to explain when he heard Buck's cry of pain. Without hesitating, Ike jumped up and ran back to where Buck had been taken. He quickly entered the dwelling to see what was being done to his friend.

Red Bear followed close behind him and managed to stop Ike from grabbing White Buffalo. *You need to let him tend Running Buck's injuries,* Red Bear instructed.

*He's hurting him,* Ike insisted as he pulled free from Red Bear's grasp.

White Buffalo motioned for Ike to come closer. "His leg is broken," he explained, as Red Bear signed to Ike. "I need to put it back. Can you help?"

Ike nodded.

White Buffalo turned his attention back to Buck. He placed Ike's hand on Buck's leg. *Hold him still while I adjust the bones. Don't let him move if you can help it.*

Ike looked at Red Bear. *You could help keep him still if you'd hold his head,* he pointed out.

Red Bear moved to take Buck in his arms. He spoke quietly to his younger brother assuring him that they didn't mean to cause him pain and that everything would be better once White Buffalo finished this task.

The older man nodded at his new assistants and quickly set Buck's leg. He then tied some sticks to it to keep Buck from moving it. As they allowed Buck a bit of rest, the older man faced Ike. *Do you know what else is injured? I have fixed his wrists and leg.*

*You need to look at his shoulders and back. I'm not sure what they used, but I know his back is hurt. He kept fighting with me when I tried to look at it; I decided that it would be better to wait since he had so many other injuries.*

White Buffalo nodded. *We will let him rest a bit longer before we try to look at it. I think it would be wise for someone to stay with him all night; I will need to know immediately if anything changes.*

Before Ike had a chance to volunteer, Red Bear said, "I'll sit with him." He turned to Ike. *You need rest yourself; it would not be good for us if while tending Running Buck you took sick. He would be most displeased.*

Ike simply nodded. He was really tired and felt like a good night's sleep would do him wonders. He hadn't slept much at all in the four days they'd been traveling. Buck's injuries had him worried, and he'd not wanted to fall asleep too deeply incase something happened. The fact that he kept having dreams about Emily's death didn't help his rest any either. He hoped that tonight he'd finally be able to rest the night through.

When Buck's breathing calmed, White Buffalo instructed Ike to help Buck sit so they could check his ribs and back. Ike moved behind Buck and soon had him in a sitting position. Red Bear continued to speak quietly to him as White Buffalo removed his shirt and tossed it onto the pile of other clothing that was by the entrance. When they saw the cuts on his back, Red Bear glared at Ike as if to demand an explanation.

Ike shook his head to show he didn't know what had happened. After White Buffalo tended the wound, he instructed the two of them to go eat while he made Buck comfortable for the evening. "I will expect you back shortly," he told Red Bear.

Red Bear nodded and held the door flap open for Ike. As Ike left the dwelling, he thanked White Buffalo for his care. He walked slowly back to Red Bear's home where the meal was waiting for them.