"Oki nikso'kowaiksi.Hello, my relatives," murmured First Rider as he and his pony stepped into their camp, a tiny encampment consisting simply of a small fire with several blankets placed around it.
"Oki napi,"said his almost-brother and his almost-cousin at the same time.
"Since our recent communication with you, we have counselled about what might be our first approach to Stuart," said Red Fox in a quiet voice. "As soon as you are ready, let us all discuss it."
"Soka'pii," replied First Rider, signing the word "good" at the same time. Then he continued to say in sign, "I will take my pony to your two in the meadow"—he pointed—"over there."
"Soka'pii," said Stands Strong.
Leading his horse into the narrow prairie meadow within the grove of pines, First Rider found his friends' ponies munching the delicate grass and pea-vines growing abundantly there. First hobbling his own mount so as to keep it fromstraying, he then grabbed his saddle blanket from Ikkaaya'y's back and retraced his steps to camp.
After placing his robe blanket next to the fire, he settled himself onto it and sat silently across the blaze from his two friends. Because a man uses only the language of sign to communicate when scouting, First Rider signed, "I have left my soon-to-be-father-in-law to watch over my soon-to-be-woman while she recovers and heals. Her injuries were numerous, one being a knife wound. She and her father have told me she barely escaped with her life.
"However, she will recover, since all except two of the wounds were minor," First Rider signed. "Her father is watching over her and caring for her while I join you. My woman does not wish me to kill this man we hunt, but she does not know about the scouting rules of revenge which forbid taking another man's life, unless of course, one has to kill in order to avoid being killed. But, what have you learned about my woman's attacker?"
It was Stands Strong who answered, and, using sign, he said, "Stuart was a free trapper for the Hudson Bay Company's Kootenai Post, but when the post moved above the northern border last year, he worked for another HBC company, Fort Connah, which is in Flathead Country. We learned much about him from our Pikuni brother, Little Feather. This woman-beater comes from the Queen mother's homeland across the Everywhere Water in the East. He came here already rich in the white man's wealth, but since arriving here, he has accumulated more of the riches the white man values…the evil golden rocks.
"We have learned from Little Feather, also, that on the night when Stuart attacked Otahki, he was seen gambling with some evil men. Little Feather watched these men throughout the long night; he witnessed Stuart's loss of his riches, including his golden rocks and his stock of furs. He thought the man would soon quit the game, but he did not. And, when the gamewas over and Stuart had lost everything except the clothes on his back, Little Feather followed Stuart to his quarters and heard his attack upon Otahki.
"When Otahki fled, Little Feather laid his gun in Stuart's path and tripped him, giving Otahki enough time to escape to her father's quarters. This is how it was said to us by Little Feather, who swore on his honor it is the truth."
First Rider nodded, then signed, "The evil gold rock has stolen another man's spirit. What does this man look like?"
"He is tall, perhaps a little shorter than you, my almost-brother," signed Red Fox. "He has long brown hair which he ties back with a ribbon. He shaves the hair from his face, wears a fur hat on his head and dresses in the buckskin leggings and shirts the white man is fond of purchasing from the trading posts. His moccasins are high and beaded in a Kootenai style. He speaks in a low voice and is handsome, if an evil white man can be described in this way."
Again First Rider nodded, then asked in sign, "What is his age?"
Stands Strong shrugged, then signed, "Perhaps a few winters older than us. He has, also, two fine horses: one pony he rides; the other is a pack horse. If he can recover his fortune at the small white man's settlement at The Medicine, we think his plans are to go to the gold fields southwest of here. But, if he cannot win those games of chance, he will have to make the journey to Fort Connah and there obtain what he will need to go to the gold fields.
"Because he is a trapper, he will know the lay of the land between here and Fort Connah, and if he does not regain his wealth at The Medicine, he will likely have to go out of his way and journey to Fort Connah. Let us, however, change his course back to Fort Benton so all there can witness this man's shame. It is possible this might cause him to change."
"Perhaps you are right," signed First Rider. "Maybe his shame will cause him to hesitate before he takes a knife again to a woman. It is a good plan." First Rider grinned. "Also, bringing him back to the fort where all might witness his dishonor will be my first gift to my soon-to-be-woman."
Both Stands Strong and Red Fox smiled.
****
Liliann awoke with a vague sense of alarm. But, why? Was it the dream?
Yes. Frowning, she tried to remember the particular part of her dream that…
No. It escaped her. But, this she recalled vividly: her dream had featured First Rider and…had he been in trouble? Yes, she was fairly certain this was so. Could the dream mean First Rider was in danger? Or had it merely been a nightmare?
All at once, she flashed back to the dream, and it caused her to shiver. Cautious about what the vision might possibly mean, of one fact she was certain: First Rider was riding into a life-threatening situation.
She had to warn him.
As she gazed out the window through the transparent and silky curtains hanging over the window, she saw the day was ending, stating the departure of daylight clearly in the form of an orange, blue and red sunset.
This meant she had spent most of the day sleeping…sleeping when there could be danger for First Rider looming on the horizon. She had to speak to First Rider and do all she could to ensure he stayed safely here within the fort.
"First Rider?"
No answer.
She tried again. "First Rider!"
"I be coming," came her father's voice.
