Harvest Flower

Hero in the Night

The soft nicker of a horse drew Running Wolf's attention. He pulled his horse to a halt listening for the soft sound in the cool night air. Traveling the steep terrain at night is slow and dangerous for anyone. He waited until the horse blew its nose in the distance. Gray Eagle rode ahead following the sound and finding the best path to travel. He returned leading the stolen horse from the village canyon.

Running frowned, "Standing Elk is close by?"

Gray Eagle shook his head, "This horse was hobbled in the brush with no supplies at hand.  The smell of smoke is light farther up the pass."

Running Wolf silently gazed up at the sky, Harvest Flower's face looked back down to him. He tightened his hold on his horses reins causing it to prance in place. Without saying a word Gray Eagle handed the horse's lead to another warrior and quickly led the way watching for signs of a camp.

The dying scent of smoke quickly faded into the cool breeze. The path before them became narrower and small washes proved difficult to see, causing the horses to occasionally stumble.

Gray Eagle turned around and pulled to a halt beside Running Wolf, "It is to dangerous for the horses to continue this path. We walk or camp, the darkness is to great for even me."

"I trust your judgment brother, we camp until dawn. Standing Elk can not get far without a horse, the women will prove to much trouble." Running Wolf half heartedly agreed.

Gray Eagle nodded and dismounted, his Chief's disappointment at finding his wife and sister showed by the way his shoulders dropped. Gray Eagle silently prayed dawn would bring them luck.

With the horses bedded down and a campfire burning, all the men settled down to wait for the dawn lights. Some slept and some ate what food they brought, other sat watching their surroundings. The night grew quiet, not even the nightly animal sounds could be heard. Running Wolf did not like it, and felt his muscles tense.

Blue Wing sat to his right holding out a water skin for him, "The earth is to quiet and yet it tells of danger soon to come."

Running Wolf shook his head refusing the water, "You are right my brother. Someone will die this night. The omen of stillness never lies."

Blue Wing nodded and offered the water to Gray Eagle to on the other side of Running Wolf. He took the skin and drank small swallows of the cool water.

The horses loud shrieks of terror made them all jump to their feet weapons at the ready. A lone figure stumbled into view falling face down just outside of the fires glow. Running Wolf quickly walked over to the limp man laying face first in the dirt. He knew it wasn't Standing Elk by the man's frame. He nudged him with his foot, a groan left the unconscious man's lips.

Gray Eagle knelt and turned the body over to get a better look at the warrior's face. Running Wolf frowned and walked back to the fire sit.

Blue Wing following his lead quickly spoke up in slight confusion, "Do you know this man?"

Running Wolf nodded looking to his friend, "It is Rising Bear, my wife's brother."

Blue Wing nodded turning his attention back to the warrior Gray Eagle now propped up by a tree. Why would he be here, this far from his home? Blue Wing sat thinking of possibilities while Running Wolf's thoughts took the same path, adding the question of whether Rising Bear helped Standing Elk or not.

Running Wolf felt his anger rise. The flames before him seemed small and cool compared to the flames inside his heart. Without Harvest Flower he would only be half a man. She is his weakness and also his strength. He slid his eyes to Rising Bear and watched Gray Eagle clean the wound on his scalp. Talking in a slow rhythm to Gray Eagle, Rising Bear flinched when his eyes locked on Running Wolf's. His lips stopped moving completely and Gray Eagle stopped tending him to just glare at Rising Bear.

Running Wolf knew it wasn't good when Gray Eagle had Rising Bear tied to the tree. He waited for Gray Eagle to sit beside him before looking at him with the question clear in his eyes.

Gray Eagle glared over his shoulder, "He says he took Harvest Flower, but lost her when his camp was attacked." He turned back to Running Wolf, "He has also lost his horse and supplies."

Running Wolf felt the anger build inside him and had to bite his tongue to keep from ordering Rising Bear's death. "Did he say where this camp is made?"

Gray Eagle nodded, "by the cliff over hang, not far from here and easily reached by foot."

Running Wolf stood and grabbed his bow and quiver Blue Wing and Gray Eagle following suit. "We will find this camp and hope she is still there unharmed."

Gray Eagle placed a hand on Running Wolf's shoulder, "Take care brother there is news you do not know."

Running Wolf lifted a brow for him to continue.

"Your wife carries your child." Gray Eagle said with caution.

Running Wolf stiffened and balled his hand into a tight fist. "He dared to drag my wife and unborn child into danger."

Running Wolf walked over to Rising Bear who looked up with regret and sadness. Running Wolf felt no pity and punched him in the jaw knocking Rising Bear unconscious once again.

Running Wolf knelt beside him to whisper in his ear, "If any harm has befell my wife or child, you will die slowly by my hand."

Running Wolf stood spitting on the ground beside Rising Bear. "Watch him until I return." He ordered the warrior closest to him.

Gray Eagle and Blue Wing quickly fell into step behind him. The cliffs above giving them a clear path to follow. Running Wolf could only hope he would not be to late.



Harvest Flower held Singing Fox close, both of them crying out of fear and relief. The horse Singing Fox untied walked away forgotten by the two women. Its rein dragging the ground between its front hooves. Blood coated the ground under Standing Elk's crushed head. Singing Fox held her stomach with a growing sickness that threatened to empty her stomach. The blood on her hands and dress smeared the more she wiped at it.

Harvest Flower felt the shivers from Singing Fox's body. The shock of killing someone taking its toll on her. The only thing Harvest Flower could do was pray Running Wolf would find them soon. The last flame of her small fire blinked out leaving red coals and a small tindle of smoke curling slowly up to the dark night sky.

Everything around them plunged into a darkness that felt darker than it really was.