Buffalo Caller awakened to a loud shout and realized the voice was his own. He was cold, yet sweating. He looked around him but saw little in the darkness except the sparkling of the stars above and a moon round and white and bright. He gathered the robe over his shoulders to stop his trembling. He wanted to grasp the dream and hold it in his hands for study to determine what it was meant to tell him. But dreams are elusive, and the details faded before his eyes. He could hold the essence of this one: the fall, the red-haired Texan, a sense of emptiness.

He poked at the remnant of his fire, adding a few dry sticks to coax the flames, then building the blaze with larger pieces of wood. He sat hunched in the robe, staring into the flames, trying to decide what the spirits had told him. They did not always speak clearly.

He had much to ponder.

Buffalo Caller wished he had not seen the horses. The discovery threatened a premature breakup of a carefully planned expedition.

He had led his group of twenty warriors, mostly young and eager for plunder, far to the west before dropping southeastward toward the Colorado River settlements. He counted on being able to make a deep penetration, as he had done several times in the past, before his band attracted attention.

Now, from the cover of timber along the river, he peered out onto a rolling prairie where the horses were scattered, grazing. They were an inviting target. Too inviting.

Tall Eagle argued, “We have already come far. We are likely to be discovered soon, and we may be forced to turn back with hands empty. I say we should take these horses and be content.”

Buffalo Caller struggled to control his temper. Only a poor leader had to shout and harangue his followers. “We agreed before we came. We would not strike a blow until we are deep in the Texan country. As we go out we will leave a trail of fire. Those who survive will run like rabbits and our land will be rid of them.”

The warriors had departed the encampment days ago fired with enthusiasm, but now he was disappointed to see how easily the young men could become distracted from the larger goal by discovery of a lesser prize. He had seen wolves snarl and fight over the right to one buffalo calf when there were many more close by, easy to bring down.

“We know where these horses are,” he said. “They will still be here when we return. Be patient, for there are many more horses farther on. We can have those and these as well.”

He feared some of the young men would follow Tall Eagle and spoil the grander plan, for they were not bound to follow Buffalo Caller should they at any time disagree with his leadership.

Tall Eagle pointed through the trees. “There stands a white man’s house. You seem more interested in blood than in horses. We can take them by surprise and kill them all, then capture the horses.”