*White Buffalo said he will be fine with much rest. He wants us to keep him off his back for as long as possible – at least one more day. He also says that Running Buck should stay resting for at least a week, and that it will take a moon or so before he is ready to return to your home.*

Ike nodded. *Do you think he will wake up soon? I really need to talk to him.* He sighed deeply. He wasn’t sure how he could explain his relationship with Buck to the man without angering him; he knew that Red Bear was Buck’s brother by blood, but he also knew that in Buck’s heart in many ways, Ike was held closer than Red Bear could ever be.

Red Bear shrugged. *If he does not rise soon, I shall have to wake him so he can eat.*

Ike once more nodded. He hoped that Buck would wake on his own since the medicine man had said that rest was what Buck needed.

They sat quietly watching Buck sleep. After a few more minutes, Buck stirred in his sleep. He started to roll onto his back. Red Bear quickly placed a hand on his shoulder. “You must not do that just yet,” he said. “Do you think you can stay off your back for just one more day?”

Buck opened his eyes and looked at his older brother. He was trying to remember where he was and how he’d gotten here. His last clear memory was of hanging from a hook far above the floor of the hay barn at the fort that he and Ike …He sat up quickly and immediately regretted that action. As he collapsed back to the ground with a moan, Buck saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He felt hands gently touching his face and turned his head to see Ike looking at him with concern.

“Are you alright?” he asked when the pain allowed him to speak.

Ike nodded. *You?*

Buck smiled. “I’ve been better,” he said as he again tried to roll so he could look at Ike.

This time two sets of hands stopped him. “You must stay off your back,” Red Bear said. “It was injured severely by the pony soldiers; White Buffalo says you are not to rest on it until tomorrow.”

Buck nodded to show he understood. He waited until both his companions relaxed and removed their hands from his shoulder. “Can I sit?” he asked. “I wish to be able to see you when I talk to you.”

Red Bear nodded. “If it does not cause you too much pain, you may sit.” He moved until he was behind his brother and gently pulled him to a sitting position.

Buck moaned softly as the stiffness in his back and sides turned into waves of pain. He managed to let Red Bear know that he felt it would pass. After a few tense minutes, Red Bear situated Buck near the small fire and covered him with a deer skin. He then sat between his brother and Ike. Buck carefully sipped the broth Red Bear had brought him. He was once more trying to recall how he’d come to be here, but it was fuzzy. Finally, he gave up. He spoke to Red Bear, “I need to talk to Ike,” he explained, “but I can’t move enough to sign also.” He paused and took a sip of the broth. “I’m sorry but you may not understand what we talk about.”

Red Bear nodded. “I will try to follow what your friend says; if I have questions, I can ask you to explain.”

Buck agreed and then turned to face Ike. He explained what had just happened and then asked, “Why are we here?”

Ike looked at Buck in confusion. *You don’t remember anything?* he asked.

Buck shook his head. “I remember going to the fort and some of the soldiers thought I was plotting with the Kiowa; they took me to the hay barn, stripped me to my waist, asked me what we were planning, and beat me when I told them that they had only been looking for food.” Buck stopped speaking as the memories of what the soldiers had said and done came flooding back. He took a deep breath and shook his head to get them to stop. “After a while they decided that hitting me wasn’t enough.” He once more paused, “I remember being tied up and hung from the hay hook; I’m not sure what happened after that.”

Ike quickly explained the little he knew and how he had brought Buck here instead of home. He paused before asking, *What do we do now?*

Buck took another sip of the broth. “What do you mean?” he asked.

Ike glanced at Red Bear before continuing, *I was told you will need to stay here about a month; no one knows were we are. Teaspoon will come looking, when he goes to the fort you know they aren’t going to tell him the truth; they’ll make up some story about the Kiowa attacking…*he paused when Red Bear shifted his position angrily.

Buck nodded. “You need to go tell Teaspoon what happened and that I’ll return to Rock Creek as soon as I’m able.” He turned to face Red Bear in order to explain and calm him; the movement caused him pain which he hid by once more taking a sip of broth.

Sky Chaser entered the teepee. Her happiness at seeing her uncle sitting was quickly quenched as she took in the scene before her. Her father was angry, her uncle was in pain, and his friend was afraid. She was about to insist that everyone leave when she noticed that Ike was once more signing.

Ike glanced up at Sky Chaser before asking, *Are you sure you don’t mind staying here alone? I could come back after I give Teaspoon the message.* Ike wasn’t sure why he made that offer; the thought of being in the Kiowa village terrified him, yet the thought of leaving Buck there alone for a month or more filled him with an equal dread – what if after spending that much time with his family, Buck didn’t want to come back to the white world?

Sky Chaser moved to Buck’s side and spoke quietly to him in Kiowa, “You must rest.” She helped him to lie back down on the buffalo skins and helped him settle in.

She turned to her father. “Leave,” she said. “You are upsetting him and he needs rest; come back when you are calm.”

Red Bear started to argue, but stopped when he saw the pain now evident on Buck’s face. He turned to Ike. *We should both go,* he signed harshly as he turned to leave.

Ike hesitated; he needed Buck’s response to his question. He placed a hand on Sky Chaser’s shoulder. *Please,* he signed. *I need to know if he wants me to stay away or come back.*

Sky Chaser nodded her understanding. *I will get him to tell me, but you must leave so I can help him rest.* She smiled at Ike as she indicated once more that he should exit the dwelling.

Buck watched the exchange as he tried to fight off the pain that was once more trying to overtake his body. He knew that Ike had asked him an important question, but he couldn’t remember what it was. He felt tender hands applying medicine to his back and the pain began to lesson.

A little later, he managed to ask, “Where did Ike go? I need to talk to him.”

“He is outside,” Sky Chaser said as she settled next to her uncle. “I am to ask if you want him to stay away or come back to us.”

“Where is he going?” Buck asked.

Sky Chaser shrugged. “He did not tell me. I thought you would know what he was talking about.”

Buck took a deep breath and immediately regretted it. The pain once more washed over him. He shook his head to try and clear it. Sky Chaser placed a hand on his shoulder. “I will go get him.”

She quickly exited the teepee and soon Ike returned. He sat next to Buck and waited for his friend to look at him. *Sky Chaser said you needed to talk to me.*

Buck nodded. “I know you asked me a question before, but…”

Ike placed a hand on Buck’s arm. *The pain made you forget.*

Buck nodded.

*I reminded you that we needed to get word to Teaspoon, * Ike replied.

Buck remembered then. “I would like for you to come back,” he said, “but would understand completely if you didn’t want to. It can’t be easy for you to be here.”

Ike nodded. *Your niece is doing her best to make it better,* he said. *She is a beautiful young lady.* Ike suddenly realized that he really meant that; she was beautiful and she was trying to make him feel welcomed and safe.

Buck smiled. “So when are you going to leave?” he asked.

Ike shrugged. *I should probably leave now. I can make it back to Rock Creek in a couple of days and be back before the end of the week.* He turned to leave.

Buck reached out and caught his arm. “Do me a favor,” he said. “Bring me a change of clothes and my book; I have a feeling that I’m not going to be allowed to move around too much very soon. If I have something to read, it will keep me from getting restless.”

Ike nodded. *I’ll be back as soon as I can.* He patted Buck gently on the shoulder and made his way back outside. He located Red Bear to let him know that he was leaving; the older man was still upset.

*What did you mean that the Kiowa were to blame for Running Buck’s injuries?* he demanded as he confronted Ike.

Ike looked at him in confusion, trying to figure out what he meant. He tried to replay his conversation from earlier. As he did he realized what had the older man upset. He carefully replied, *I did not say the Kiowa were responsible; I said that if Teaspoon went to the fort the soldiers would lie and say the Kiowa must have done something to us. They would say we were both fine when we left there. That’s why I have to go now and let everyone know the truth.* He stopped and waited to see Red Bear’s reaction.

Ike was relieved when Red Bear’s anger lessened. *I am sorry for my misunderstanding,* he said. *Do you need someone to go with you?*

Ike shook his head. *I will be able to travel faster on my own,* he said. He decided not to admit that he wasn’t sure he trusted any of the warriors to not hurt him once they were away from the village. *I should be back in two or three days; four at the most,* he added. *Running Buck asked me to come back and bring him something to help him occupy his time while he heals.*

Red Bear nodded his understanding and went with Ike to help him ready his horse and gather the few supplies he had brought with him to the village. As Ike mounted his horse, Sky Chaser handed him a small bundle. *It is food for your journey,* she said. *Go safely, and return soon.*

Red Bear echoed her sentiments as he watched Ike ride away. “Yes,” he said quietly as he placed an arm around his daughter’s shoulder. “Return to us quickly; Running Buck needs you to help him heal.”

Sky Chaser looked at her father. “What makes you say that?” she asked.

“I watched them talk,” he explained. “Running Buck calms at the quiet one’s touch; he will heal much better if that one is near. Besides,” he said with a wink at his child, “I think that one needs healing as you do; he too has lost someone close.”

When Sky Chaser did not respond, Red Bear squeezed her shoulder. “I have a task for you to work on during his absence.”

“What?” she asked without looking at him. She did not want him to see the hurt in her eyes at the mention of her loss – it still pained her to think of her intended’s passing.

“Think of a name for him,” Red Bear said. “The one he has is not fitting of a man we are to treat as a warrior for daring to bring my brother home.” He once more squeezed her shoulder before leaving her standing watching Ike’s vanishing form.