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Then he shook out the fire at the end of the stick, handed it back to the child, and held the bowl of the long, flat-stemmed pipe in his right hand. He took three puffs from it, then handed it to his left to Colonel Anderson.
Brave Wolf was proud that Colonel Anderson had shared the pipe in council many times and knew the procedure well. Smoking was strictly ritualized. No one was ever to take more than three puffs at a time. Each man always handed the pipe with a ceremonious sweep to his left-hand neighbor, until it made its way around the room.
Tobacco was one of the three holiest objects of worship to the Crow. All children wore a small packet of tobacco as an amulet necklace. The two other holy objects were the sun and the moon. To the sun a man always offered an albino buffalo cow if he had succeeded in killing one. The dead cow was placed on a scaffold set up in the prairie.
Sharing the pipe took quite some time this evening, for there were many more present than usual.
Finally it was done, and the pipe was laid on a stone before Brave Wolf, the smoke still slowly spiraling from the bowl. Brave Wolf sat with his back straight and his legs crossed, his hands on his knees, as he looked slowly around the room.
“We are gathered here today to defend our rights as a people,” he said solemnly. “It is known now that there are those who are scheming to take not only our freedom from us, but also our lives. I have sent messengers out far and wide and spread the word to our friends about the planned massacre. It is good to see all of my friends today who have come to help defeat the enemy.”
He turned his eyes to Colonel Anderson. “Although Colonel Downing is white, he is your enemy as well, and I am glad you realize that and have come to help fight him,” he said. “Thank you, my friend. We are honored today by your presence. It is good to have allies such as you.”
He paused, looked away from the colonel, and momentarily smiled at Mary Beth, who was sitting quietly listening and watching. His pride in her made his heart swell; then he gazed into the crowd again.
“The First Maker made the mountains, rivers, and land for all of us to share in a peaceful manner,” he said. “In those mountains are plenty of elk and black-tailed deer. White-tailed deer dwell at the foot of the mountains, and the streams are full of beaver. There used to be herds of buffalo, but they are not as plentiful now because of those whites who needlessly kill them. We must protect what buffalo are left.”
He stopped, cleared his throat, then again looked slowly around him. “Above all else, it is our lives that we must preserve, and today we are gathered to talk about how that can be done, so that those who wish for our destruction will not be victorious over us,” he said forcefully. “When I sent word for our allies’ help, I had thought it would be to stand up against those who came to attack. But I have thought better of that. Why should we wait for the fight to come to us? Let us take it to them, so that if there is bloodshed, it will not be on our soil!”
The listeners smiled, nodded, then grunted in approval.
“We shall have a vote,” Brave Wolf said, standing. “Those who are in favor of going to Fort Henry, stand. Those who do not approve, remain seated.”
Immediately everyone stood, women and children and warriors, as well as those soldiers who had found a place inside.
Feeling pleased that everyone agreed with his plan, Brave Wolf motioned for everyone to sit again.
“We will leave before dawn tomorrow. Our warriors have scouted the enemy. They see no unusual activity at Fort Henry yet, which means the soldiers are not ready to attack.”
He smiled down at Mary Beth, then turned to his people again. “It might also mean that their colonel has not yet rejoined them,” he said, his eyes dancing.
“Let us all leave the council house and eat and dance and sing,” Brave Wolf said, nodding toward the doorway. “After the women heard I was planning a council, they busied themselves making a variety of food for us to eat afterward. I believe I can smell it over the cookfires even now. There is buffalo tongue, roasted buffalo hump, and much more to share.”
The women laughed softly and were the first to leave.
Mary Beth saw Dancing Butterfly looking toward her, and hurried away from Brave Wolf to join her.
“I am so excited about everything,” Dancing Butterfly said as she rushed inside her tepee with Mary Beth at her side. “Night Horse has remained hidden, but after the feast he is going to ask Brave Wolf if he can stay with his people. We can finally get married!”
“I don’t believe Brave Wolf will ask him to leave, but what of the council?” Mary Beth asked as she helped wrap hot bread in big rolls of buckskin to take out for the feasting. “Will the rest of your people agree to let him stay?”
“Why would they not?” Dancing Butterfly asked, lifting a heavy pot of rabbit stew from her fi
re. “They have seen how humble he has become since he has returned home. Surely they no longer see him as part of the enemy.”
“I hope you are right,” Mary Beth said, but she did not believe that many had yet forgiven Night Horse for what he had done. She had heard too many wondering why he was still in the village now that he was well enough to leave.
“I know I am right,” Dancing Butterfly said, beaming. “Perhaps when you say your vows with Brave Wolf, Night Horse and I can say ours at the same time.”
Mary Beth gave Dancing Butterfly a quick look, then glanced away when Dancing Butterfly questioned her with her eyes.
“Let us go and join the others,” Mary Beth murmured. “I am so happy that Brave Wolf has decided to take the battle away from the village.”
“It is good to know that we will not have to fear being killed as we sleep in our lodges,” Dancing Butterfly said, shivering. “No one knew when the soldiers were planning to come. Now the warring is going to them. That is a much better plan.”
“I plan to go with them,” Mary Beth blurted out. “I want to be a part of what happens at Fort Henry.”
“You cannot do that,” Dancing Butterfly gasped out. “Fighting is for men only.”
