The Cheyenne scouts couldn’t resist. They paused in front of that woman with her arms outstretched and gave us an open path to the bluffs above the camp. Canada was out of the question, but not the bluffs, where already I saw puffs of smoke from Nimiipuu rifles, picking off the troopers below.

I heard nothing then but Hawk’s deep breathing as he slowed his horse, knowing full well what his mother was doing and knowing also that he could not save her. We screamed our defiance anyway as the scouts, too busy for us right then, jabbed and hacked at Blue Mountain Woman. As tears streamed down my face and my nose ran, I watched as one of the scouts snatched off her basket hat, jerked back her hair and started peeling off her scalp. I don’t think she was dead yet, but she didn’t make a sound.

I heard a terrible sound right behind me, Hawk dissolved in tears. He bowed his forehead on my shoulder and his tears ran down my back.

I wiped my nose on my arm, grabbed the reins from Hawk, and started our run for the bluffs. It seemed to me that if Blue Mountain Woman had sacrificed her life to give us a chance, the least we could do was oblige her.

Chapter Twenty-one

Chapter Twenty-one

I wasn’t sure where I was heading. All I wanted to do was put distance between us and the Cheyenne scouts, who were regarding us with renewed interest again. I was so scared I probably could have beat Hawk’s horse in a footrace to Canada.

Our trip came to a sudden halt when the horse went down, struck by a Cheyenne bullet. The poor thing grunted and rolled over after we tumbled off his back. Hawk hesitated a moment. I knew he wanted to shoot the horse and get it over with, but the wrangler’s rifle was nowhere to be found and I had his bow and arrows.

We ran for our lives to the nearest cutbank. The sharpshooters already there held off the scouts while someone reached down and with no ceremony, yanked me up by the neck of my dress. I was in no position to protest; I couldn’t breathe.

Poker Joe leaned over and gave Hawk a hand. We piled together into a heap behind a growing mound of rocks and dirt. Another Nimiipuu farther back dug furiously with his bare hands. That seemed like a sensible thing to do, so I joined him. Hawk watched me, then turned back to the rocks and fit an arrow to his bow.