Disclaimer: I do not own Young Riders or any of the characters. Just taking them for a ride for my enjoyment.
A/N: This is an AU in which Lou, Ike, and Buck knew each other as children in the mission school. Lou is an only child.
Prologue
Running Buck stood in the small room facing the strangely dressed woman. She called herself Mother Agatha. "What is your name boy?" she asked for the third time "Running Buck." He answered once more. "That's not a Christian name, what should we call you?" Mother Agatha asked rephrasing her question so the young Indian could understand. "Running Buck." The boy said once more. Mother Agatha blew out a breath of frustration.
"Mother Agatha?" A younger woman in a similar dress stepped forward. "Yes Sister Mary?" Mother Agatha addressed the young woman. "Why don't we just call him Buck?" Sister Mary suggested giving the young Kiowa a fond smile. Running Buck decided he liked her. "What about a last name? We can't just call him Buck." Mother Agatha asked thinking it over and eyeing the boy in front of her. "Well he's obviously a half blood, so why not Cross. Since he's a cross between two worlds." Sister Mary suggested once more.
Mother Agatha pursed her lips in thought and then turned to the young boy, "Buck Cross does that suit you young man?" "It will do." Buck responded with a tight lip smile. He was not at all sure he liked this woman. Since he first stepped foot in the door she had made him change who he was. The first thing she had down was take his bow and arrows, knife, and earring. And then she had the nerve to cut his hair. Now he must also change his name. He was not at all sure he liked this but if he was to survive in the white world he must learn their ways.
"Very well, Sister Mary will get you settled in." Mother Agatha said with a wave to the younger woman to step forward. Sister Mary approached Buck and offered her hand; he reluctantly took it as she led him from the room and showed him around his new home. After she showed him where he was to sleep she led him down to the dining hall and left him alone to get him some food. She returned a few minutes later with a plate.
After she handed him a plate full of food she pointed him to an empty table. Buck walked slowly over looking around at the other children. They all eyed him with contempt except for two. A young girl who appeared to be a couple years younger than him and a bald boy about his age, they offered shy smiles to him. Buck reached the table and sat down. He looked at the strange food on his plate unsure as to what it was. He looked around and saw the other children using the strange tool the Sister had given him. Buck picked it up and stabbed a piece of food with it, bringing it up to his noise to sniff it first.
After he decided it didn't smell bad he took a tiny bite. Then he shoved the whole piece in his mouth deciding he liked it. He was about halfway through his meal when he heard a soft voice ask, "Do you mind if we join you?" Buck looked up to see the two children he had noticed before sitting by themselves, the only ones who had smiled at him. The young girl spoke again, "You do understand what I'm saying don't you?" she asked her forehead crinkling. He nodded and pointed towards the empty seats. The two friends smiled at each other and quickly sat down.
"I'm Louise McCloud and this is Ike McSwain." The girl introduced themselves. Buck decided she was a pretty little thing. Buck smiled and said, "I'm Running Buck but the one called Mother Agatha changed it to Buck Cross." Buck said in near perfect English. "Please to meet you Running Buck." Louise said holding out her hand to shake, Ike did the same. After Buck shook hands with the two Louise asked, "Where did you learn English?" "My mother and brother insisted I learn the tongue of my father." Buck said in a tone that Louise knew meant he didn't want to talk about his past.
Louise smiled brightly, "You're Kiowa right?" Buck nodded surprised by this young girl. "Where is your earring? I thought all male Kiowa's wore one." She asked. Buck glared up at the front of the room where Mother Agatha sat, "She took it, along with my knife, and bow and arrows. And she dared to cut my hair." "I'm sorry, I'm sure she will give them back whenever you leave here." Louise said with a look of sympathy. "How old are you anyway?" She asked changing the subject. "Twelve Summers." Buck replied with a grin, this girl sure liked to talk. "Hmmm…guess that means you're around twelve then, Ike just turned twelve and I'm eleven." The girl said with a smile.
"They send the boys away once they reach fifteen but they keep us girls until were seventeen. I hope that when Ike turns fifteen they let me go with him. He's my only friend. Well I take that back, you're our friend now too. That is if you want to be." Louise rambled on. Buck had to laugh the girl talked so much the one called Ike couldn't get a word in. "I would like that Louise." Buck said with a smile at the girl. He turned to look at the boy, "You don't talk much do you Ike?" Buck asked the boy, he looked panicked and looked towards Louise with a pleading expression. Louise put her hand on Ike's arm in a comforting gesture and looked over at Buck. "He can't talk. He hears just fine but he can't talk. From what I understand he lost his hair to Scarlet Fever and then after he saw his parents and sister killed he hasn't been able to speak since." Buck looked in shock by the story. "I'm sorry Ike; I …what's the word….I mean nothing by it." Buck said to the boy. "Meant nothing." Louise corrected, Buck smiled a thank you to her. Ike just shrugged it off.
"If you want Ike I can teach you how to talk with Indian sign." Buck said to the young boy. Two identical grins looked back at him. "You better teach me too so I know if he's talking about me behind my back." Louise said elbowing Ike in a teasing manner. Buck started teaching them right away. It didn't take either of them long to learn the language. Buck also taught Louise Kiowa after she had begged him. She said that way they could talk about Ike behind his back. Ike just elbowed Louise good naturedly about it. He listened in on their lessons so he could at least understand the language if not speak it.
The three soon became inseparable. For three years they did everything together. Buck taught them both how to ride and shoot. He tried to teach them how to track but neither one were very good at it. Ike was a natural with horses, well with any animal really. And Louise could ride like the wind. Buck found out early on not to get on Louise's bad side. She had a temper like you wouldn't believe and could come up with the most outlandish acts of revenge. Buck and Ike secretly called her Eyes of Fire. As she grew older the more beautiful she became. Buck dreaded the day he turned fifteen because he knew it meant he would have to leave her behind.
But no matter how much he dreaded it he also longed for it. And now that day has arrived. Mother Agatha had indeed returned his belongings just like Louise said she would. Buck and Ike stood side by side as they waited for Louise to stop fighting with Mother Agatha. "Please Mother, let me go with them. They are my only friends." Louise begged, tears streaming down her face. "No Louise, it's not proper. I cannot in good conscious send a fourteen year old girl off alone with two fifteen year old boys. No ma'am its time you stopped acting like a boy and became the young lady I know is hiding in there. I am sorry Louise but I just cannot allow it. Now you need to say your goodbyes to your friends so they can be on their way. I'll just be inside the doors so don't even think about sneaking off Louise." Mother Agatha said eyeing her sternly.
"Yes Mother." Louise responded dishearten. After Mother Agatha left the three friends alone Louise threw herself into Ike's waiting arms crying hard. Ike had silent tears streaming down his face as well. "Oh Ike I'm going to miss you so much. You are like the brother I never had." Louise cried against his chest. "I'm going to miss you too Louise, I think of you as my sister as well." Ike signed after releasing her. With one more hug to her brother she turned to Buck. Looking up at him with her big brown eyes full of tears, Buck felt his heart break at the sight. Louise stepped into his embrace holding him tightly. "I'm going to miss you so much Buck, promise me you won't forget me." Louise said against his chest and then looked up to meet his eyes. Buck captured her small chin between his thumb and forefinger tilting it up he bent his head and placed a gentle kiss against her lips.
"I'll never forget you Louise." Buck said softly in Kiowa. Ike pretended to be fascinated with something on the ground near his feet. Buck kissed Louise once more before he said, "don't forget me." "Never" Louise responded tears falling silently down her cheeks. Buck released her from his embrace and with Ike by his side he left the mission and Louise behind to face the white world and to find a place in it. Louise stood, watching her friends leave her behind until she could no longer see them. Then she tuned back to the mission to face the next three years alone.