Turning toward her, Red Fox signed, "We go to your ranch by its northeastern route instead of by the southeastern pass the war party takes. It is only slightly out of our way, but I think we are better approaching the ranch from this northeast direction. Come, we have much travel to do if we are to get to the others before there. Here." He pushed some pemmican into her hand. "This shall keep you going a long time."
Briella watched as Red Fox approached his wolf, giving the animal some dried meat. Looking up at her, Red Fox nodded, then said, "We go!"
Climbing down the cliff to their ponies, they each jumped up to their seats, and then as quickly as they dared, they spun away to take up the dry northern route to her father's property, where even now Briella's sister, Czanna, her brother George, her almost-sister, Liliann, and all their spouses and children would be dangerously encamped beside her father's ranch house.
****
"You are under attack!" Red Fox cried out in the mind-to-mind speak to his friend George, including his other friends First Rider and Stands Strong, also.
No one returned his warning cry, which could only mean they were asleep. He tried again, calling out, "Awaken! You are under attack!"
There was still no response.
This war party meant to kill these, his relatives, who had pitched their lodges beside the Fehér homestead. Only then would the war party take all the horses they could possibly steal. These two tribes, the Assiniboine and the Cree, being longtime enemies of the Blackfeet, did not yet realize the greater enemy was the white man's cavalry of Long Knives. If ever there had been a time for tribes to unite, it was now. But, alas, it would be almost impossible to do, so deeply did the hatred between the tribes run.
Rushing through the thirst-provoking dry prairie, Red Fox and Poka'aki did not dare to pause for a moment as they sped over the prairie. There was no water on this pass, and they pressed onward regardless of their own or their animals' need for water.
It was in the darkest hour before dawn—a favorite time for war parties to attack—when Red Fox, Poka'aki and his wolfcame to a spot where they could look down upon the ranch which was nestled in the valley between the Marias River and the buttes defining the valley. There were thick groves of pines and hardwoods down there, giving the war party many places to hide. Indeed, most of the war party was still concealed in the pines; only a few of their members had already surrounded all three of the Pikuni lodges which were set up close by the Fehér ranch.
There was no time to hesitate. Jumping off his pony and coming down onto his stomach, Red Fox took careful aim, for his shot must be true, otherwise he might harm someone inside one of the lodges. He and Poka'aki were about five hundred yards away—not too far distant to shoot those of the war party, especially since there was a bit of light in the eastern sky.
With Poka'aki at his side, her rifle directed on one of the war party, he said, "Aim well so no one in the lodges is harmed. Once we begin shooting, it will awaken the others. Ready?"
She nodded, and he noticed she was shaking. But, he did not worry; she was as good a shot as he.
"We begin. Quickly, as fast as you can, shoot at each man. We may not survive this, for they will know our location by the direction of our shots and some may come here to us."
"I will! I know!"
Luckily, his rifle and hers were the new 1873 Winchester Forty-four repeating rifles, while most tribes still used the muzzleloaders, requiring reloading after each shot. Red Fox was the first to take very careful aim and shoot. Being trained daily to the hunt, his aim was true. With one shot after another, he took down three of the enemy almost at once, Poka'aki shooting also, and he noted she had placed her shooting arm upon an upraised rock to minimize the shaking of her arm. As he had known it would be, as soon the gunfire started, those within the lodges awakened at once and they, too, began their own shootingat the figures outside their lodges, illuminated now by the slight light of day. One enemy after another fell.
Then from within the ranch house came two figures of men, but by the time they arrived at the lodges, the enemy had fled, even including those hostiles who had hidden in the pines and, who were now rushing toward the Marias and out of harm's way. Red Fox's plan had worked, and he was glad: the repeating rifles had caused it to seem as if there were many warriors shooting at the attackers who had dared to try to kill his friends and family.
"Stay here!" he ordered to Poka'aki. "Wolf, come with me."
And, standing up, he began to sing the wolf song of victory, Hunts-with-the-wind adding his own howls to the melody. But, there was another voice raised in the song too, and, glancing over his shoulder, he saw Poka'aki following along behind him.
Still in the fierce emotions of the fight, Red Fox said, none too gently, "I told you to stay back there on the ledge."
He was at once calmed when he saw her smile before she said, "I did not hear you say 'please.'"
He couldn't help it. He laughed.
"Red Fox!" It was George calling his name. "You! It was you who warned us. Praise the Lord you are here! I owe my life and each of the lives of my family to you!"
"Red Fox!" His name was shouted out again by Stands Strong and First Rider, and now by their women, too.
"It was I and…"—looking behind him—"another warrior, true, though she be a girl."
"Briella! You? Briella!" George shouted, her name on his tongue. His bellows were soon followed up by Stands Strong, as well as First Rider and their wives, who cried out her name, and that of Red Fox.
As Red Fox, his wolf and Poka'aki came in closer to the lodges, they were soon surrounded by Stands Strong, First Rider, George and their wives: Czanna, Liliann and Sweetgrass Woman, respectively; even their children were singing out Red Fox's and Briella's names. But, Red Fox had not missed that the two men who were rushing toward them with their own repeating rifles in hand were none other than József Fehér and his eldest son, Frederic.
Looking first at the dead warriors who had tried to attack the three lodges, the elder Fehér gazed at George and asked, "What has happened here?"
Shouting to be heard over the men and women who were now engaged in singing the wolf song, George said, "Red Fox and my sister Briella saved our lives tonight. Somehow they got wind of the war party, and they came here and attacked those who had surrounded our lodges and who were in a mind to slaughter us in our sleep!"
Then George began to sing the wolf song along with the others. So pleasing was the reception for Red Fox and Poka'aki, it took several moments before Red Fox saw the poisonous glare of József Fehér directed exclusively at him.
