Nebraska.
On the way to Wyoming this morning I ran into a little boy named Billy. We talked about the circus in Iowa and then I went to the village but no one was there. I went to Kansas and talked with Shane and then came back to my house in Nebraska.
I was sitting at my desk writing some reports when I saw Adder riding over. I went out to greet him and I asked him if we could talk. We went inside and I told him all about the newspaper I had started up again. We sat down at the couch and I looked over at him with hesitation. “So um... I kind of have some bad news.”
“Oh, what is it?” he looked at me with concern.
“It would appear that Buu knows now where I live...”
“He was bound to find out sooner or later. He wanders all over the northern areas these days,” he nodded.
“I saw you guys all talking with him beyond the courthouse, with kale... So I went over to say hi to Kale; he’s been living here while he’s trying to find something more permanent in the area... You guys all left kinda when I came over... Then Buu asked Kale to shoot one of you down and he’d give Kale one hundred coins for it.”
“Only a hundred? Damn, Buu must be short of money,” Adder chuckled.
“Don’t really think it mattered which one of you Kale shot... Buu was accusing me as being nosy as ever and I went home, told Kale I’d wait for him there. But then as I was walking away I heard the gunshots. Went running back to see if Kale was okay... He’d been shot in the side and the shoulder.”
“Nope, the guy is a psychopath. He doesn’t care who bleeds, as long as someone does,” Adder said.
“Was an extremely close call, Adder. A few inches over and...” I started to get emotional.
“Have you reported it to local law? I think Dom is your Marshal here.”
“I haven’t seen Dom around... Or Charles or Brent. I brought Kale over to Iowa ‘cause there was a healer there and she helped us and took care of his wounds... I haven’t had a chance to talk to Chief Bear or Chief Hawk yet.”
“Hmmm. I guess all I can suggest is to leave a note at each of their homes and their offices. As far as Buu goes, steer clear of him.”
“Is why I ran,” I nodded. “I know what he can do. Don’t you remember that day he shot me down in the jail cell? Cause I was shooting at him ‘cause he was holding Logan against the wall.”
“Report on him in the paper and he’ll come after you.”
“I wasn’t planning on writing names of suspects in the paper. I’ve made that mistake once already.”
“Aye I do. And I ain’t forgotten the pigs ear that dumb bastard TJ made of the trial,” he muttered.
“I’m not even putting my name in the paper.”
“Probably for the best,” he nodded.
“That’s what I thought. I just... It’s gonna keep happening, isn’t it Taurus? They’re gonna keep attacking me, my friends, the tribes... and we’re not gonna be able to stop it.”
“Outlaws do what outlaws do. And lawmen do what lawmen do. It’s just the way it is. If Harley isn’t shooting in this state, he’s doing it in Kansas or Wyoming.”
“So it’s pointless to even try to stop it. We need more law out here... Or the marshals need more jurisdiction.”
“Or your law here need to be around more.”
“I’ll agree to that,” I sighed.
“If Buu is active in Wyoming or Iowa, we can go after him. Here, we have to leave it to Dom and the others.”
“And he knew that, or he’d have shot Kale down over in one of those places.”
“Hell he was shooting at us first. I reckon he might know.”
“That confirms my thought then.”
Kale walked up the stairs then and looked between me and Adder. “Oh, I didn’t know we were having visitors,” he smiled and limped over to shake Adder’s hand.
“Howdy,” Adder nodded to him and shook his hand.
“Kale Mirajkar. Nice to meet you,” Kale smiled at him.
“Hey there. This is my friend Adder Taurus... He’s a marshal over in Colorado Springs,” I explained and smiled to him.
“And you. Adder Taurus.”
“I was just telling him about our run-in yesterday. I’ve known Adder since I worked with him as a detective back in Amiville. How was your hunting, Kale?”
“Ah, always nice to meet one of Trin’s old friends,” Kale said as he removed his bag before pulling up an old chair and sat down.
“Wish I had more news for you about our situation yesterday... but apparently only Dom, Charles and Brent have jurisdiction as lawmen here. And I ain’t seen any of ‘em around in days. So I guess there ain’t much we can do till they get back hmm?”
“Yeah the man that shot me did so because I wouldn’t help him bushwhack the marshals on the trail,” Kale looked at Adder with a sigh.
“Aye he’s like that. Psychotic,” Adder nodded and looked to me. “Nothing I can think of. Leave them a message, let them know what happened, and hope they show up.”
“Really wish there were more law presence in this area...”
“Or someone could got after him and bring him in?” Kale looked at Adder.
“Ya might want to tell him you’re a bounty hunter, hon,” I winked at him.
“Aye they could. Plenty have tried. Its not as simple as that with Buu,” Adder said. “A bounty hunter still needs the law to put out the warrant first, so theres still nothing that can be done till your sheriff or marshals turn up. And a judge.”
“I’ve seen men like him before most likely left over from the war. Had a knack for killing and started to like it,” Kale nodded and looked at Adder. “Sound about right?”
“Aye, and he’s good at it. Very good,” Adder nodded.
“Too damn good,” I muttered.
“He’s fast, I’ll give him that but he’s also sloppy,” Kale said looking towards Adder. “He stays in one place too long.”
“He’s not like other outlaws who will run circles around you. He just stands in one spot and shoots. Like he ain’t afraid of getting hit.”
“I’ve faced him many times. He’s a very good shot. Not one to be messed with if you can help it,” Adder nodded.
“He gave me no choice,” Kale looked at me and I held his gaze, not saying anything.
“I can imagine. Harley loves to fight, he doesn’t need a reason to fight, and he wont be denied a fight. He’ll do whatever it takes to get you to take him on,” Adder said.
“Ain’t that the truth,” Kale nodded.
“We were suggesting, Kale, that he did it cos he knew the marshals were only a stone’s throw away but in a different state... And he knew they couldn’t do anything about it.”
“Does this town have a sheriff?” he asked.
“Brent is the sheriff... Dom and Charles are marshals. But they’re never around,” I replied.
“That’s a shame,” he nodded and took his necklace from under his shirt to fidget with him.
“Well, I best be heading back out there,” Adder nodded and stretched.
“Thanks for coming, Adder...” I looked at him.
“You two stay safe out here,” Adder said to us both before heading out of the house.
Kale got up and moved ver to the couch to sit down beside me. “Adder had to get going... Had some stuff to get done,” I told him. “I’m glad you got to meet him,” I said, nuzzling against Kale and leaning my head on his shoulder and he nodded. “He’s a very close friend of mine. Has been for a long time. Probably the only marshal other than Mack that I really trust right now.”
“Well I’m glad to see that there are some good ones out there,” Kale smiled at me.
“At least one...” I nodded.
“At least one,” he smiled at me and repeated.
“I went to Wyoming village last night while you were sleeping... They suggested I wore Native clothing and wore my hair down... That way it was less easy to spot.”
“Oh,” he looked at me. “I didn’t keep you up with my tossing and turning did I?” he asked, rubbing the back of his head.
“No not at all.. I just wanted to make them aware of what had happened... The chief wasn’t there but I talked to a couple of them to give him the message... That Buu knows where I live now. It’s no longer just a fear, it’s a reality of a threat.”
“Well I’m sure they were glad to hear that you were alright.”
“Yes... but I think they are afraid for their safety now. I could see it in their eyes. They were afraid that I would bring Buu out to them. I could tell... So I think I’m going to stay in Nebraska more often... not go there as much... as things settle a bit. I need to get in touch with one of the lawmen here. That’s imperative.”
“I gonna deal with that man ass soon as my shooting arm is healed,” he nodded in a calm voice.
“How are you feeling today, honey?” I nuzzled against him closer.
“Side’s giving me hell. Made the horse ride to the hills a pain,” he smiled.
“And the shoulder?”
“I could hardly shoot,” he said with a sigh and turned to me with a smile when I rubbed his knee. “But that didn’t stop me. “There’s rabbit and squirrel dressed out downstairs.”
“Dinner for tonight?” I chuckled.
“That’s the point of hunting, dear,” he nodded and kissed my forehead.
“I did miss you, hon,” I smiled.
“I missed you too,” he said and wrapped an arm around me, hugging me tight. “Ya know hun,, I had a feeling with you the first time I saw you...”
“All that time ago?” I smiled and looked over at him. “Can I ask you a question...?”
“Sure, anything.”
“Your father’s hat... Yesterday you said there was some sort of emotional attachment to it but you didn’t want to talk about it then...”
“Yes it’s... not a happy story,” he frowned.
I leaned a hand on his chest and I said, “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to... I just want to know more about you... about your past...”
“Are you sure you want to know?” he asked, looking in my eyes.
I looked back at him and said, “Only if you want to tell me, honey. I don’t need to pry I’m just curious to get to know you better...”
“Well if I’m gonna be here a while, you’ll need to find out sooner or later,” he nodded.
“S’pecially if you’re gonna be staying here with me...” I winked.
Kale nodded and reached down to pick up the hat so I could see it. “This hat belonged to my father... He was that sheriff of a small town just getting off its feet called ‘Delight’, down in south west Missouri... where I’m from. Well not too long after the town got started the war broke out in full swing and soon and Missouri turned into a battleground; neighbor turning on neighbor as no one could really decide which side to take. Well my father kept the peace the best he could but when the war reached our town it was too much. The union army came through and started paying folks to give up confederate followers and make trouble for them. Trouble turned to beatings.. Beatings turned to killings.” Kale looked to the floor and continued. “My father quelled the fighting the best he could... which made a Union Colonel very angry. One day while I was out hunting in some woods just outside my home...my father had some land. Nothing fancy... couple acres,” he said as he continued to remember. “I had one of my father’s old muskets. He told me if I kept it clean and safe one day he would let me have his gun.” Kale said as he unholstered his Lemat... “This gun.”
I listened to him as he talked and felt the emotion in his voice. I guessed that his father wasn’t still alive and didn’t ask as he continued to talk.
Kale sighed and continued, “Well, while I was out hunting I heard a thunderous sound coming. I thought it was a storm at first a ran home as fast as I could as I could the sound turned out to be horse beats a Union calvary regiment rode to my house... they didn’t even stop for people or livestock. They ran down and trampled our field hands like they were chickens... shooting in the air like mad men before breaking down the door and dragging my mother and father out into the yard.” Kale paused for a moment before sighing. “They beat my parents while I watched, crouched over in a patch of trees.... I was too scared to even move as I watched horrified as they put a rope around my fathers neck and drug my mother away to do things to ungodly to mention,” Kale paused as a tear rolled down his cheek.
“Oh honey...” I held him close.
He looked up to the wall and said, “They stung my father up in the old Oak tree in out front yard the same tree I use to play in as a child... As I watched I grew more and more angry, cursing and punching the ground as they finished. The Horsemen rode off but not before setting fire to my home. I waited till they left before running home. I collapsed in the yard filled with sorrow and anger. They had stripped my father naked and split his belonging amongst themselves but I knew they missed something. I ran into the still-burning house and into my parents’ room and into their wardrobe where he kept his gun and hat. I took them and ran out of the blazing building as fast as I could before collapsing in the front yard crying. Not out of sadness but because I was too scared to help my parents... I was only fourteen,” he said as he looked to me.
“Oh Kale...” I looked at him, stunned and speechless. “I don’t know what to say.”
“I fells asleep after that and didn’t wake up until late the sun was going down. I looked up to my father’s hanging body, horrified seeing a crow eating away at him. A wave of anger ran over my body as I took my Fathers Lemat and shot the bird,” he said as he looked to me. “It was then that I knew that I couldn’t leave them there. I climbed the tree and cut my father down. I had to hold the rope so he would not fall hard but he was so heavy that the rope burned my hand as it slipped down. I then went to find my mother when I did I turned to vomit at what those men... Men like Buu had done to her.” As I squeezed his hand, Kale hugged me close. “There’s not much to say.”
“‘I’m sorry’ doesn’t even seem to fit...”
“I had to turn my head and walked away and got a shovel from the shed and began to dig graves. I dug graves for my parents and the men that worked on our farm. As I lowered my parents into the ground, I took my mother’s necklace from her body,” he said as he took his necklace from under his shirt. After that I knew just what I needed to do. I took my father’s weapons and made my way into town and joined up with the ‘Missouri Guard’, a local Militia group that was riding to stop the union at a place called Wilson’s Creek. I told them I was sixteen... not sure they believed me but they took me anyway. We rode out to this field out in the middle of nowhere and waited for the Union army to march by as the Confederate army blocked their path. After the last day of the battle, a handful of farmers with poor muskets and little food pushed the Mighty Union army all the way back out of the state. After that, I joined up with a special squad the Confederates put together. Orders were simple: Pack light and travel deep behind enemy lines and make trouble where we can... I spent the rest of the war like that.”
I held him close and listened as he continued to talk. I felt so honored that he would trust me with the information he shared and his vulnerability in his emotions. We talked for a long time before heading to the kitchen to get something to eat.
Wyoming.
This evening I walked into the Cherokee village, feeling uncertain. I greeted them with my head down and Ahawi asked, “Is there something bothering you friend? You are among friends, please speak.”
“Can we talk alone somewhere?” I asked her as we heard Thunder talking about people coming to the village and trying to kill his daughter. I was surprised at the news but I really needed to talk to Ahawi.
When we were alone she asked, “What is bothering you friend?”
“Thank you I just... The man I care for deeply... he was shot down last night. In the arm and th shoulder. He fought the gunman because that man had his gun pointed at me.”
“Is he injured?”
“He will survive. But I...”
“How badly was he injured?”
“A few inches over, Ahawi... There’s something I’m realizing in Nebraska though..”
“What is that?”
“The law is very rarely around. This stuff happens and I have no one to talk to... And now Buu knows where I live.”
“Is not a safe town then Trin,” Ahawi told me.
“He was one of the reasons why I came to this village for protection.”
“You need warriors.”
“Kale can protect me when he is there but... he is often out hunting. I just wish there were actually lawmen that...”
“It is not good friend, but you cannot wish and make it true. If you are not safe you need to move with your man to a safer place.”
“I know. The problem is I’m not sure if I am as welcome here as I thought I was...”
“A place where there are others to protect you when he is away. You have the protection of the chief. Why don’t you feel safe?”
“I hope so...”
“I have not heard otherwise.”
“I just feel some of the tribesmen don’t feel sure of my presence...”
“Trin, trust takes time, please understand,” Ahawi said and I nodded with a sigh. “Our people will come to know you, and think of you as family in time. But know, until that day, we will all do as the chief says.”
“Thank you, Ahawi,” I nodded, getting emotional.
“You have nothing to fear from us. Now Trin, tell me who you consider friends in the tribe.”
“I’m still learning names... But you are definitely one of them... and Little Sky... I trust Chief but am not sure about Howling or Thunder... Whether they really welcome me or not.”
“You also have Dances with Fire and Chief.”
“Yes...”
“So four now. Anymore?”
“Waynet...”
“My point is, friend, that each day you win over someone with your kindness.”
“I hope so...” I nodded.
“This is progress, is it not? So now you have five”
“It is... Thank you, Ahawi... It helps to have perspective..”
“Next sun, you will have six. And each sun after, until you begin to see that you have won us all over,” she said and I smiled, hugging her gently. “And I know that Thunder has defended your name”
“Did he?”
“Yes, he has.”
“That is encouraging,” I smiled.
“When others show fear he reminds them that not all paleface are bad.”
“He has good standing in the tribe. So if he trusts me then... I have been attacked like your tribe have...”
“Yes, so you know the path we have traveled.”
“By many of the similar people,” I nodded.
“You have more in common with us than you know.”
“I hope in time the others will see that too.”
“Do not worry friend, each sun brings new friendships.”
“Thank you Ahawi...” I nodded.
“The fact that you can walk into this village any moment you please...says much about our trust in you.”
“You’re right. Not many would allow that.”
“Do not take that lightly friend. It is given to no other paleface.”
“I suppose we should go back out there,” I smiled at her.
“Feel better?”
“I do. Thank you, Ahawi,” I nodded.
“Then let’s go see who you will make friend this moon.”
I smiled and we headed back out into the village. We talked with Sounds of Thunder and others in the village as we sat around the fire. I thanked Howling Bear for arranging for his daughter and her fiancé to walk me home last night. He asked how Kale was doing and I said that he was doing alright and was back out hunting again. We talked about how I hadn’t seen any lawmen so I couldn’t report what Buu had done to us.
“Doubt you will. Seems Buu is on the dead or alive list... if I read the poster right at the trading post,” Howling told me.
“Oh?”
“If I read the poster right he shot and killed three in town including the mayor.”
“In what town, Howling?”
“Colorado.. yesterday while they were digging the snow out of the streets. I will never understand the whites.”
“Buu just likes to fight whoever he sees. It doesn’t mater who it is.”
Dances with Fire came in and pounced me excitedly and we continued to talk around the fire. Chief Standing Bear arrived as well and looked at me. “Trin,” he said simply.
“Chief...” I looked at him nervously.
“Trin, we must speak.”
“Yes, Chief.”
“Several suns past, I allowed you to live in village under protection of the Cherokee. And in doing so, placed a certain amount of risk upon and in doing so, created a certain amount of risk for this village and my people.”
“Yes, Chief...” I looked down.
“When you asked for this protection, you spoke of very bad men who might come to inquire about you and spoke of great dangers to yourself. Many suns have passed, we have neither seen nor heard of these whom you claim pursue you.”
“Chief...” I started but then stopped.
“I will speak now,” he said and I nodded, looking down. “Now my people wonder if they have worried over enemies who do not exist.”
I longed to tell him that these fears had names now and looked to Howling for help. Two Moons looked at Chief and said, “You have risked the lives of your warriors for a paleface woman.... this woman seems to have no enemies as she spoke of... does she speak with forked tongue?”
Howling glanced at me and whispered, “If you can tell him you should be as honest as you can Trin.”
“Chief...” I looked over at him.
“I do not know if she speaks with two tongues, or if in her dreams she has dreamed this and believes it to be real, or if in fact it is real...” Chief looked at me. “Where are these men whom you claim wish to do you harm?”
“One of them held a gun at me yesterday and shot down my friend,” I looked at him, frustrated that he hadn’t let her say the truth sooner. “Harley Buu... He has found me in Nebraska.”
“Was this holding of gun in our village?” Two Moons looked at me.
“It happened in Nebraska, just out behind the town hal.”
“Did he speak to you?” Chief asked.
“Kale was shot in the arm and the side. A few inches over and it would have been much worse,” I said, trying not to get emotional. “He was talking to a group of marshals, and Kale was there. The marshals walked away when I came over. Buu looked at me and said, ‘Trin, still nosey as ever.”
“Kale is paleface that i am told that you met with... for long time?” Chief asked.
“You place our warriors in danger but yet she moves freely to this place called Nebraska where the danger supposedly is. Why we keep her safe?” Two Moons asked the chief.
“The second one I ran into in the area... We went to Nebraska to catch up instead of in Wyoming,” I nodded.
“Yes she say she fears them yet she walks among them,” Sounds of Thunder put in.
“My office is in Nebraska. I cannot just desert that,” I said.
“I too am concerned, that is why she is here now,” Chief looked at Two Moons.
“You die because of a building Trin?” Thunder asked.
“Trin, I am not sure I trust you now as I once did,” Chief said.
“So why you come to village for safety when you no want safe... you still walk with palefaces,” Two Moons looked at me.
“If you don’t want me to be a threat in this village, I will stay in Nebraska.”
“I am told you meeting there with young paleface. Is this true?” Chief asked.
“If you don’t want me to be a threat in this village, I will stay in Nebraska,” I said then. “I just thought that maybe I could have protection on both sides..”
“I want you to choose to be safe,” Thunder said.
“How I know that you and he do not plot trick against Cherokee?” Chief asked. “Who is this man?”
“We are not against you at all. Kale is a friend, he wishes to help too. And now that he has been shot down by the same man attacking these villages... He is out for revenge,” I explained.
“You have so many wishing to help,” Thunder observed.
“You have eyes for this man?” Chief asked.
“I’m not sure that’s relevant, but yes he is becoming a close companion,” I looked at the chief. “And now he has been shot down by the same man that has shot me down once before, threatened me since, and has attacked the villages in the surrounding area.”
“It is... if you look at him in that way, why does he not protect you? He was trying to protect me because Buu had held a gun at me. He couldn’t take him on alone.”
“So you use village. You no think about Cherokee.. you only think of self,” Two Moons glared.
“I ... I wanted to gain your trust... to try to help but it seems like the problem is bigger than I can handle alone,” I stammered.
“Gain my trust to put my people in danger?” Chief asked.
“The marshals can’t do anything unless you go and report to them that you have been hurt by him or these people. They have no authority in Nebraska. That’s not what this is about. My danger is in Nebraska, Chief. You were already in danger before I got here because he was already attacking here. It had nothing to do with me.”
“I allowed you to be here because believed your heart was true, that there were men on your trail.”
“Clearly he was.”
“You no report to paleface Marshals about firestick at head,” Two Moons frowned.
“I did, yes. I told my friend who is a marshal this today.”
“I have seen nothing of this danger you speak of. Now I do not know,” Chief said.
“You come to our village for safety yet you return to your home palefaces see you come and go so they know Trin is here and we are not to worry,” Thunder observed.
I looked around the circle and felt rapidly unwelcome. “It’s fine, I’ll just go back to Nebraska and not bother you all again.”
“You speak of Paleface friends.... you no use them like you use Cherokee. You no give thought to village or our people,” Two Moons said.
“I... I don’t know what to say...” I looked into the fire. “Ahawi was a friend to me when she came to Nebraska looking for medical supplies.”
“May I speak my heart, Chief?” Howling asked.
“What does chief say?” Thunder asked.
“I wanted to meet the chief she spoke so highly about, and to meet these people that had been attacked as I had been. I never said things would be solved within a few days. I never realized that the marshals had very little control over these issues... Unless they actually were there when it happened...”
“Brother you may speak,” CHief nodded to Howling.
“Ahawi say she no pleased that Chief trust paleface woman. Why she change her mind Chief?” Two Moons asked and I looked over, surprised.
“I have spoken with Ahawi, and will speak with her again,” Chief promised.
“Thank you...” Howling started. “I know my family and I are new here and not aware of all the trouble from before ... but I do know that this Buu is a bad man and the first time I saw him at story time I felt his hate.. In Trin I have felt none of this ..she may have kept names to herself but I don’t believe she spoke with a forked tongue..”
“The only reason I kept names to myself was because I didn’t want to call attention to them if it was not a real threat,” I said.
“If paleface woman want protection.. then she no go Nebraska. Warriors no protect her is she freely walks with other paleface,” Two Moons said. “She no put warriors in danger while she puts herself there.”
“It is hard for me to put into words..but I agree with Two Moons that we can not protect her if she
would give her life for a building..” Howling said.
“I agree brother,” Thunder said.
“Can understand her worry about her friend (man) but why not bring him her for our healers to tend..” Howling continued.
“I have several friends in paleface villages. If I live here full time I would never see them.”
“Trin,” Chief said and I shut up. My people agreed, not with enthusiasm but agreed to allow you to stay here because I spoke for you. I did this, knowing that it would cause them to doubt my wisdom as chief. And as you see, that doubt has not gone away, and has increased because no enemy come for you, no one come to ask if you are here. And if they do exist, we should have been told more so we know the face of this enemy.”
“You want a name of all the outlaws I’ve ever run into? Then what? What if they never come looking for me here. You’ll never believe me then,” I told him.
“Maybe you speak truth, I do not know but now the people must have their voice. What do you mean live here full time?”
I felt like I had answered that question several times but shook my head. “It feels like they are saying I have to choose between Nebraska or here.. Which would mean that I would have to leave all of my paleface friends behind, I wouldn’t be able to go anywhere in the area, and I would have to sit here looking at the fire all day.”
“No, they are saying we choose whether or not this is unfair risk to ask the Cherokee to take.”
“I’m not going to live in fear, Chief, but I took caution knowing that your tribe and Hawk’s tribe would protect me. Then I won’t ask them of it anymore and I’ll stay in Nebraska,” I stood. “It was unrealistic of me to ask so much of you all and I apologize.”
“Ya leaving Trin?” Dances with Fire looked at me sadly.
“Thunder, what say you, do you believe she should be allowed to remain here for a short time more?” Chief asked.
I looked at him and said, “I am sorry... I thought that I could trust you as protection when I needed it. But your people seem to not understand.”
“It is not my trust that is in question here,” Chief said.
“So if I am getting two stories from on woman, and the men don’t seem to understand why I’m here... and the women don’t want me here, then I’ll leave.”
Dances with Fire clung to my leg and said, “Me say you Noooooo leaves!”
“I don’t need to create problems for you all. You had enough before I entered the village.” I looked at the child and got emotional at the thought of leaving her. “I’m sorry, Fire.”
“Howling Wolf, what say you?” Chief asked.
“We no protect you if you go Nebraska, show yourself to enemy. What you want from Chief?” Two Moons asked.
“You stay here forevers, Trin,” Dances with Fire insisted.
“Nothing against Trin but our people come first,” Thunder said.
“Yu can teaches them to does stuff ... yu know ... dat stuff yu does wif da papers!” Fire looked at me.
“I’m sorry, Chief,” I looked at him.
“Two Moons, what say you Sister, do you wish her to leave or do you trust her to stay?” Chief asked and I thought that it was clear what the woman wanted and didn’t really need to hear her answer.
“Chief I amy be betraying her trust but she did tell me the time I took her home that the last time she asked for help the warrior was shot and killed by one of the ones hunting her..but again I can see the tribes view as we have seen no one but Buu here,” Howling pointed out.
“Trin, the people have their voice, let them speak,” Chief said.
I nodded to Howling and said, “He’s right. When I’ve gone to the law to help me, it has never ended well.”
“She stay if no go Nebraska but she go if she want palface company. No see why she want protection from Cherokee,” Two Moons said. “Me thinks Cherokee warriors just go shoot all Nebraska with firesticks...”
“Chief, if you want to talk more you know where to find me, but I feel it is time to go home,” I said and started to walk away.
“Trin. Wait,” Chief stopped me.
“Trin, what is wrong?” Ahawi asked as she walked into the village.
“You go now, you give much thought to what you wish to do, I will speak to all the Cherokee, and I will speak with great council,” Chief told me.
“I will not return until I have your invitation, Chief,” I told him.
“Ahawi, all the other cherokee have spoken, about the risk she brings to our people and yet we have not seen the face of this enemy,” Chief told her.
“That is a good thing. They must fear Cherokee.”
“The people feel that she bring risk to us and they do not know for what,” Chief said.
“What has changed? This was the same since first sun,” Ahawi said.
“Do you wish to speak?” Chief asked her. “But no enemy has been seen, now she goes to meet with Paleface we do not know.”
“She asked for help, you pledged our help. Trin, you no longer need our help?”
“They no fear Cherokee.. paleface woman walks with enemy in Nebraska... she no want protection from Cherokee when she freely walk in paleface village Nebraska,” Two Moons looked at Ahawi.
“I did, and for that the trust my people have in my wisdom has been compromised,” Chief said.
I looked around and sighed. “I need to go home. Chief, you know where to find me.” I went home angrily and took off my native clothes, throwing them into an angry heap on the floor.
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