CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The tall cottonwoods sheltered them from the bright moon overhead as they all three—Red Fox, George and Poka'aki—dismounted and stood close together, speaking to one another in sign.
"They are not a large party, and they are on foot," signed Red Fox. "We will sneak into the timber where we saw them disappear into and determine where they are camped. You, George, will take up a place east of their camp. I will position myself west. Then, you shall fire off a shot and sing the Pikuni war song. After this, you will pretend to talk to another warrior. And, you shall answer your own question in a different voice. Shoot again and again and into their camp, and then silently step toward the south and continue to do the same there.
"I, being in the west, will do the same as you, and, after I have made them believe there are Pikuni warriors to the west of them, as well as to the east, I will go gradually and silently farther to the north of their camp. There I will do the same as you. If we work this well, I think we might lead them to believe they are completely surrounded by a large Pikuni war party, one set on destroying them. I think, if we are lucky, they will go back home. Now, two shots in the air will signal the end to our taunting them, and we will meet there"—he pointed—"on that cliff above their camp and watch to see if they go home."
George grinned, nodding.
"And, what will I do?" asked Poka'aki in sign.
"You will stay here and ensure no one tries to steal our ponies."
"Stay here?" she signed furiously. "And so, you wish me to have no participation in the fun?"
Red Fox placed a gentle hand upon her face, soothing his fingers over her cheek. He whispered, "Your voice is too high to pretend you are several warriors speaking to one another. Do not fear you will miss the fun, since we will be heading into danger as soon as we reach your home. I do not know what Maximillian will do when I, at last, openly declare his deception to one and all of your family. Though I have not seen Maxmillian wearing a gun, I also know white men sometimes carry these within their clothing.
"Besides," Red Fox continued, "someone must stay with the horses. We do not wish to lose them. In this, you will aid us."
Poka'aki didn't speak at first, but at last, Red Fox saw a glint of capitulation in her eyes. "Oh, very well," she signed, "although I think Hunts-with-the-wind could watch the horses as well as I, and I could then add my gunfire with yours, but it would come from another direction. I wouldn't have to shout or yell out anything."
Red Fox paused for a moment before he murmured, "Niitá'p,you speak wisely. Wolf could stand watch here, and you could add your firepower to our own."
Poka'aki grinned, and, raising her face up to his, she kissed him soundly on the lips.
He smiled, then signed, murmuring, "I think I would grant you most anything if you would only kiss me again."
She immediately complied and kissed him once more, her kiss long and wet.
Red Fox chuckled softly. How glad he was to see Poka'aki was more than willing to fulfill his wish.
****
"Did you hit the one you shot at?" Speaking in Blackfeet, Red Fox shouted out these words in his natural voice.
Then, in another, deeper tone, he yelled, "I do not know. Come with me into their camp where we can kill them all and count coup."
From the south, where Poka'aki was stationed, came several shots down into the camp, and Red Fox could see several of the enemy were scrambling to take cover.
From his position in the east, George suddenly and in a loud voice began singing the Blackfoot war song, a song well known to all of the Blackfoot enemies. And, from the same spot came one shot, then another.
Red Fox heard George then shout out in Blackfeet, "Hurry, we must rout these Crows from our country. All of you, aim carefully into their camp."
Red Fox took up the song after George had stopped singing it, and when done, answered his own singing, yelling, "Áa, we must make them sorry to have ever come into Pikuni country."
Then, becoming quiet, he steadily circled around the enemy, his direction to the north, and, once there, he shot quickly into their camp while George was shooting from the east and Poka'aki from the south.
But, they could not keep doing this for much longer. Dawn was on the horizon, and Red Fox knew he had to hurry to the Fehér homestead. Time was not on his side.
Shouting out in Blackfeet, Red Fox said, "You, Wolf Head, must hurry to camp and bring back many warriors. We will not let these Crows steal any Pikuni horses."
"Áa," Red Fox answered in a different, deeper voice. "This I will do. I will bring back many warriors to fight these cowards."
Quickly, then, Red Fox shot twice into the air, the sign for ending their siege of the enemy. With little sound and greatstealth, they each one took position on a high cliff overlooking the enemy, and, huddling together, they discovered this enemy quickly slinking off into the east, obviously returning to their own camp.
They all three grinned at one another.
Said George in sign, "And, now I have no need to return to camp, since the enemy is going home. Let us hurry back to our ponies and ride like the wind to my father's ranch. I feel we have little time."
