McIntosh dropped his weapon.
"Iitsska stam!"
"He says the fight is to be fair." Again, Laylah translated the Blackfoot words.
Suddenly, the Crow scout took a swipe at Eagle Heart, forcing Eagle Heart to jump back, barely missing the death blow.
Laylah screamed, then realized her mistake. What if she distracted Eagle Heart? What if she caused him to take his eyes off his opponent?
She bit her lip. She couldn't simply stand here and watch her husband in a fight to the death. She also couldn't interfere; it could cause her own or Eagle Heart's death.
But, she had to do something.
Glancing toward the circle, she stared at Little Dove. All at once, she wondered if this Crow man held some relationship to Little Dove. After all, some man had fathered her child. Was this perhaps why the Crow scout had agreed to help her father in the search for Eagle Heart?
It was a wild chance, but if this Crow man held any kinship with Little Dove... Would it stop the fight?
It was certainly worth the gamble. Without thinking too greatly about what she was to do, she raced toward the circle and, with all of her might, broke through the force surrounding the ring. With energy combining with her determination, her momentum was strong enough so she was able to push Little Dove and her baby out of the circle.
Still in motion, she tried to take a step forward, out of the trap. She couldn't. Worse, suddenly everything outside this small circle was moving as though with the momentum of angry bees. All at once her thoughts became heavy, also, until at last she couldn't even think. Why? What was wrong?
Although she could barely push through a thought, she could at least pray. Not able to close her eyes, she yet prayed until even simple thoughts were becoming impossible.
Still, she tried.
****
THE SOUND OF THE EXPLOSIONcaused both the Crow scout and Eagle Heart to cast a hard look in the direction of the blast. Even Gray Falcon dropped his attention from the white man. The Crow woman and her baby had burst through the circle of light as though shot from a gun and were now lying on the ground. But, more importantly, they had somehow gotten outside the circle.
"Saa!"Eagle Heart screamed. His wife was now entrapped within the ring. The fight forgotten, he raced toward the sacred circle. How did this work? He had to think fast.
No, this did not call for thinking. Without another moment passing by, he backed up, and, taking a leap forward for luck, sprinted into the ray of light, grabbing hold of and pushing his wife through the barrier.
He had hoped to be in such a state of excited motion that he could get himself back out, but all he managed to do was to push the toes of a single foot through the barrier.
As quickly as he could, he tried to speed up his mind and struggled to force his hands through the wall of light and into the environment outside. He managed to get the fingers of one hand barely through the barrier. But, he couldn't move. He was caught. Truly caught.
****
LAYLAH'S MIND WAS STILLworking in slow motion, and she didn't at first realize where she was or what had happened. At last, however, she began to think again and, looking around, realized she was lying outside the bright circle. But, how had she done it?
Gazing back within the ring of force, she realized she hadn't managed to get out of this by herself. Eagle Heart was now caught in its light along with his brother.
Looking around, she saw Little Dove and her baby lying on the ground, unmoving. The Crow man was by their side, the woman’s hand in his, and he was crying, speaking to the woman in words Laylah didn't understand.
So, she had been right. There was a relationship between them.
Taking her attention away from them, she began to cry. What was she to do? Her husband had saved her, but now he was entrapped within the awful ring of light.
"No!" she cried out. "I love you, Eagle Heart. I told you not to die. Please don't leave me."
"Laylah?"
Through her tears, she looked up into her father's face which was devoid of all color. She cried out, "You! Father, what is wrong?"
Her father didn't answer. Indeed, he was shaking. He came down onto his knees beside her. Gray Falcon stood behind them both. He frowned, but it appeared even he knew not what to do.
"I...I..." began Robert McIntosh. "What is that thing?"
