Into the Unknown Pt. 1

Cumberland Forest, June 1895

  “Runs with the Wind! Hurry up or I’m leaving without you!” Runs with the Wind’s brother, Barking Fox yelled as he mounted his horse and started forward.

“Don’t be so impatient, we’ve got plenty of time!” Runs with the wind yelled back as he loaded his bag of furs onto the back of his horse.

Runs with the Wind stepped into the stirrup and swung his other leg over to the other side. He waited a moment to catch his breath, then raced forward to catch up with his brother.

Runs with the Wind and Barking Fox were headed to Dewberry Creek at the boarder between New Hannover and Lemoyne to collect a wagon of provisions for their tribe. Some time ago a group of hunters from their tribe saved a man from Lemoyne from a pack of hungry wolves. In exchange for saving him, he promised them provisions from the general store in Rhodes where his friend was a clerk. This expression of gratitude prompted a business between the tribe and the men from Lemoyne. Every few months, they would trade animal furs and skins for a wagon of provisions ranging from food to ammunition to medicine. These provisions helped the tribe tremendously, giving them much-needed items in exchange for a little extra hunting.

“What’s the rush?” Runs with the Wind asked once he finally caught up with Barking Fox. “Peter and Jeremiah aren’t going to pack up and leave if we’re a little late. He needs these furs as much as we need the wagon.”

“Yellow Bird is very sick and she needs medicine soon. The faster we get to Dewberry Creek, the faster we can make it back here.”  

Barking Fox had a somber tone in his voice. Their people were constantly plagued by illness and they had lost too many members to count. It was up to the two of them to retrieve the wagon and bring back much-needed medicine.

“Don’t worry, we will make it back in plenty of time. We have run this route a hundred times.” Runs with the Wind replied, trying to look on the positive side of things.

Members of the tribe often took turns meeting Peter and Jeremiah to make the trade, but Barking Fox and Runs with the Wind had made the trip the most. Since their father had died of an illness when they were young, the two brothers stuck together and remained very close into adulthood.

There was a long pause that followed the conversation. Their people had faced many hardships and it 

was getting more and more difficult to remain in good spirits.

Runs with the Wind spoke to try and lighten the mood.

“We have a lot of nice pelts to trade this time around, the spring months were good to us. Peter and Jeremiah better give us something good for these. The wolf pelt Iron Wings collected could fetch a high price.” Runs with the Wind smirked as if he knew what he was about to say would get him smacked. “And that cougar that I killed in Roanoke Ridge will fetch an even higher one.”

“What do you mean the cougar that you killed?!” Barking Fox shot back, taken back by the audacity of his younger brother. “I’m the one that killed him, not you!”

“Sure, sure, you pulled the trigger. But I distracted him for you so you could get the clean shot. I risked my life so you could take the prize! What if you had missed?! I could have been dead somewhere in Roanoke Ridge if you hadn’t taken the shot in time!”

Barking Fox began to laugh and pushed his horse to pick up the pace.

“I don’t miss my shots!” Barking Fox said confidently as he sped past Runs with the Wind.

The two brothers laughed and joked with each other the rest of the way to Dewberry Creek. After so many hardships and setbacks, it was good to laugh and enjoy each other’s company again.

When they reached Dewberry Creek, they were met by their friend Peter Steinbrook and Jeremiah Thompson, the clerk from the Rhodes general store.

"Ah, boys it’s good to see you! It’s been some time since you’ve been the ones to make the trade.” Peter, the older of the two men said enthusiastically.

“We’ve been busy, old man.” Barking Fox said as he laughed.

“I get it, I get it. Too busy to visit with an old man like me.”

“Now that ain’t fair, Pete.” Runs with the Wind chimed in. “We lead very busy lives, we can’t sit on our ass all day like you do!”

The three men, Runs with the Wind, Barking Fox, and Peter all let out a good laugh at the remark, but were soon interrupted by Jeremiah.

“Alright, enough with the jabs. Let’s get this trade moving.”

Jeremiah seemed nervous, Runs with the Wind noticed. His interruption was uncharacteristic of him. He would normally be one to joke right along with the others, but today he seemed different.

“Jeremiah is right, we should get things moving. We’ve got a sick child back at camp that needs this medicine as soon as possible.” Barking Fox said. He must not have noticed Jeremiah’s change in character.

“We’ve got a nice collection of pelts for you, as promised.” Runs with the Wind said as he turned to face Jeremiah. “There better be something good in it for us.”

Runs with the Wind looked at Jeremiah as he spoke, trying to read Jeremiah’s expression. Something 

was different, and it made Runs with the Wind nervous.

“Don’t you worry, there are plenty of nice goods packed on the wagon for you.” Peter reassured them. “Plenty of medicine for the little one, fresh fruits and vegetables, and enough ammunition to supply a small army.”

“Very good! Thank you both.” Barking Fox replied, shaking Peter’s hand.

Barking Fox and Runs with the Wind hitched the wagon up onto Barking Fox’s horse and loaded the furs onto Peter and Jeremiah’s horses and were on their way. The first part of the ride back was quiet, but Runs with the Wind hadn’t noticed.

“You’ve been awfully quiet since we left Dewberry Creek, brother.” Barking Fox finally said to break the silence.

“Did Jeremiah seem different to you?” Runs with the Wind asked.

“Different how?” Barking Fox replied.

“Jeremiah is usually one to joke along with us and he’s usually much more talkative. Today, he was quiet and kept looking around nervously. Almost as if he didn’t want to be seen with us.”

“You’re looking into it too much. Maybe he just had somewhere else to be?” Barking Fox replied. He didn’t seem too overly concerned about Jeremiah’s behavior.

“I don’t think you’re looking into it enough.” Runs with the Wind snapped back. “I’m telling you something seemed off about him today.”

Barking Fox was quiet for a moment, as if he was trying to decide if he would side with his brother or against him.

“Well it doesn’t seem to matter now.” He said finally. “We have the wagon and provisions, don’t we? All that matters is that we get this wagon back to camp as soon as possible.”

“I guess you’re right.” Runs with the Wind replied. He didn’t really think so, but he didn’t want to press further and upset his brother.

The ride was quiet again until they neared Heartland Oil Fields.

“What’s that up ahead?” Runs with the Wind asked, seeing a group of men and horses ahead of them on the road.

“It looks like a roadblock.” Barking Fox replied. “Should we go around them?”

“No, I think that would look suspicious. We’d have to stray off the path to avoid them. Maybe they’re looking for someone?”

“I’m not sure, but keep your gun ready just in case.”

As the two men neared the roadblock, they saw a familiar face.

 “Now hold it right there, boys.” Samuel Wyatt commanded as he stepped down from his horse.

Barking Fox brought the wagon to a halt and Runs with the Wind followed suit. A sense of panic and nervousness washed over him. He had only met Samuel Wyatt once and that was almost ten years ago when Samuel helped move his people off their land in the Heartlands. What was he doing here? Was he after them?

“Mr. Wyatt, it’s been some time since we’ve seen you. Too busy running other people off their land?” 

There was anger and tension in Barking Fox’s voice, Runs with the Wind noticed. It was something Runs with the Wind didn't usually see/ His brother was normally calm and collected, but now he seemed hostile. Barking Fox must be just as nervous as he was.

“No need for the hostility, son. A mouth like that will only get you into trouble. We just need to check somethin’ then we’ll be on our way.” Samuel Wyatt replied. He spoke like his words carried importance.  

“What is it you need to check?” Barking Fox asked, his voice shaking. He was nervous, but he wasn’t sure why. They had done nothing wrong.

“We received word that the wagon you’re runnin’ might be stolen. We just want to check to see if that’s true.”  

“That’s absurd! We obtained this wagon in a fair trade, as we always do. This wagon is rightfully ours!” Barking Fox snapped back.  

“Well then! We won’t have nothin’ to worry about, then. Right?” The corners of Samuel’s lips curved up into a conniving smirk. Samuel moved around to the back of the wagon and began to lift up some of the supplies.

“Ah-ha! What do we have here?” Samuel lifted up a box of vegetables to reveal what was underneath, the Wyatt family logo brandished into the floorboards of the wagon.

They had been set up.

Barking Fox was furious. “That can’t be right! We acquired this wagon fair and square from the clerk at the Rhodes General Store.”

“And what proof of that do you have, my boy? All I see here is a pair of savages and a wagon that belongs to me.”

Barking Fox stepped down from the wagon and walked toward Samuel. “You’ll regret saying that.”

“Barking Fox don’t-“ Runs with the Wind tried to interrupt before Barking Fox’s temper got the best of him.

“Is that a threat, boy?” Samuel said, staring down Barking Fox. If looks could kill this would be the look that could surely kill them both.

“You set us up!” Runs with the Wind interrupted, hoping to keep the attention off Barking Fox.

“Men like Mr. Thompson are simple folk.” Samuel began. “All you have to do is wave a little money in front of them and they’ll do just about anythin’ you want.”

“So you paid Jeremiah to load the supplies in to one of your wagons. Why?” Barking Fox asked, inching closer to Samuel.

“You see, I have a business partner who dabbles a little in the fur trade business. The quality of his furs are really somethin’. They are quite are unmatched…well that was until he started sellin’ his furs in Lemoyne. It seems your trade is hurtin’ his business, which in turn is hurtin’ my business.”

“So you framed us for stealing? To help a friend sell some more furs?” Runs with the Wind asked confusedly. He tried to process what was happening, but nothing made sense to him. Why go through all this trouble just to sell a few more furs?

Samuel walked around to the side of the wagon and laid his arm on the wagon to rest. “Here you are, caught with a stolen wagon. Now I could do what any other man would do and take this to the authorities where you’ll be hanged within a week.”

Now things were starting to make sense. Samuel Wyatt was just as cunning and slimy as he had heard. He was spinning their misfortune into profit for himself.

“But, being the generous man I am, I propose a deal instead. You give me the collection of furs you would normally give Mr. Thompson and Mr. Steinbrook, and in return I won’t turn you in to the authorities. How does that sound?”

Barking Fox’s anger got the best of him and he snapped. He drew his weapon and began to close the gap between him and Samuel. “To hell with your deal!”

-BANG-

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Runs with the Wind woke up in the early hours of the morning in a cold sweat on the floor of the dingy shack in the mountains. He had been dreaming about that horrible day again, just as he had many nights before. It wasn’t really a dream; it was a nightmare. Runs with the Wind picked himself off the floor and went over to the stove to re-light the fire. Once the fire was lit, he sat down in front of the stove and lit a cigarette. He took a long drag of the cigarette as his mind wandered back to that day.

It seemed like everything had happened in a blur.  He remembered seeing his brother’s body fall to the ground in pain, a bullet wound in his chest. Barking Fox’s painful yelp is a sound he’ll never forget. Runs with the Wind had jumped off his horse and rushed over to his brother, but Samuel stepped in front of him and aimed his gun at Runs with the Wind.

He had begged Samuel to let him go to help his brother. “You can take the wagon a-and we won’t trade furs in Rhode anymore! P-p-please! Let me save my brother!” Fear, sadness, and anger had welled up inside him and he had stuttered trying to get the words out of his mouth.

Runs with the Wind shuttered as he remembered Samuel’s response.

“I’ll do you one better.” Samuel had said as he let Runs with the Wind by to reach his brother. “I’ll let you go, if you get out.”

Runs with the Wind had been confused by the remark. “Wh-what?”

It was a threat. Samuel wanted Runs with the Wind and his people out of New Hannover, out of West Elizabeth, out of anywhere the Wyatts controlled.

Runs with the Wind agreed to everything, he didn’t care. He just needed to get his brother home. He was still alive, but barely. He couldn’t waste any more time.  

Runs with the Wind put out his cigarette and went over to sit on the edge of the rickety bed. He 

couldn’t help them, but tears began to flow as he remembered the moments that followed.

Runs with the Wind had helped his brother up on to the back of Taima, Runs with the Wind’s horse. 

“Hold on, brother! We’ll get you home.” He had said as he forced Taima into motion. He pushed his trusty mount as hard as he could go back to their camp in Cumberland Forest. The trees became a blur as he passed them, and the road seemed to be getting longer and longer the further he pressed on. 

The trip from Heatland Oil Fields to camp wasn’t normally long, but that day it had seemed like it 

was ages before he made it back to camp. The closer they got to camp, the more he could feel Barking Fox’s grip slipping around his waist. He was losing him.

“Almost there! Stay with me! Please, I’m not losing you!” Tears had begun to flow, clouding his vision.

“Brother…” Barking Fox had managed to muster up enough strength to speak, taking long breaths between words. “Flowering Moon…my children…take care of them for me.”

“No, don’t say that! We’re almost there, we can save you! Please…stay with me!” Runs with the Wind could barely see the road ahead of him through the tears. Through his clouded vision he could see smoke ahead of them just up the hill. They were almost there. He put his full faith into Taima to lead them the rest of the way home.

When they finally reached camp Runs with the Wind yelled for help as he pulled Barking Fox from 

the horse. But it was too late.

“Brother…take care of them.”

Runs with the Wind stood up from the bed and walked over to the doorway, warm tears flowing freely down his cheeks. His brother’s last words played in his head over and over, just like they had for the past year and a half. Thinking about it, he can’t help but feel a pang of guilt. His brother had asked Runs with the Wind to take care of his wife, Flowering Moon and their two children when he died. They were Barking Fox’s last words to him. Instead, Runs with the Wind had run off on a revenge mission. The rest of his tribe feared retaliation from the Wyatts and packed up camp to head north shortly after Barking Fox was buried. But Runs with the Wind didn’t want to run, he wanted to fight. The Wyatt family had wreaked havoc on his people for far too long and he wanted to put an end to it.

Runs with the Wind recalled the words their Chief had said to him as they were packing up.

“You are wise beyond your years, my son. But now I fear the need for revenge is clouding your judgement. This fight is ours no longer, we will not survive if we continue on. But if this is truly the path you have chosen to take, then may the Great Spirit be with you on your journey.”

Runs with the Wind wiped the tears from his eyes and went over to stoke the fire. This was no time to be sad, he thought. Runs with the Wind had endured six months of torture under the direction of Samuel Wyatt. He remained strong through constant prayer and spiritual guidance and that strength carried him through until he could make his escape. The world had seemed so bleak and so cold for a time. But now he was a free man once again, and though he did not look like it physically, he felt stronger than ever.