Chapter 25

Hearing the sound of footsteps and hooves behind her, Michaela turned and saw Flying Sun approaching. Wondering why she brought Bear when the injured Indian lay only a few yards away, the doctor wanted to ask but the young woman just gave her the reins and had already pivoted to leave before Michaela was able to say one word. It became even stranger, Michaela felt as if she was caught in a nightmare when suddenly, seemingly from out of nowhere, three Indians on their horses surrounded her. The menace in their appearance was palpable and Michaela couldn't suppress a gasp. However, she still hoped that she misread the situation, maybe the men just wanted to lead her to their companion. However, she could tell by the stoic expressions on the war colored faces that something far more serious was going on. It was a reflex that made her take one step backwards as if to escape which caused the Indians to edge even closer. The doctor's heart began to pound wildly, and when one of the men gestured for her to mount her horse, she searched in his gaze if she could read the braves' intention. It was then that she noticed that she knew him; he was a member of Black Kettle's tribe. Seeing the compassion for her in his eyes, Michaela knew she was in danger and that she had to face the fact that Flying Sun had set a trap for her to get her out of the village. The uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach was immediately replaced by pure horror when she thought about the implications of that betrayal. The dog soldiers didn't give her the time to think about this right now, one of them spoke to her in a language she didn't understand, but she was fully aware of the meaning of his words when his right hand went to the knife in his belt. Michaela's thoughts flew to her daughter and she knew that she, whatever happened, had to survive and so she complied and mounted Bear.

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Hannah still lay on the ground with the other children kneeling at her side and anxiously waiting for the white girl to open her eyes again. This was the situation that Snowbird found when she came out of the teepee where she had helped one of the older women to rub her back with some plants that would ease her breathing. Instantly, she rushed to the group and crouched down next to Sully's daughter. She spoke in Cheyenne when she asked one of the older girls, "What happened?"

The children started to tell all at once and the only thing Snowbird was able to detect in their account was, that Dr. Mike had left and after that the little girl had fainted. The Indian woman was puzzled, she couldn't believe that Dr. Mike would leave the village without telling her and even worse, leaving Hannah behind without making sure that she was all right.

Flying Sun could see from the distance that something was wrong when she spotted Snowbird within the group of children on the ground. She broke out in a sweat, not only had she to think very fast about an explanation as to why Dr. Mike had left; she also had to make sure that Sully's daughter felt comfortable. If the little girl got hurt in any way, Sully would never forgive any of them. She quickened her pace and when she reached the others, her mind had already worked out a believable tale about the doctor's sudden disappearance. She wasn't sure if she should tell of her own accord though and so she just waited until Snowbird's gaze at last fell on her.

Looking her friend into the eyes, the medicine man's wife could instantly tell that she wouldn't hear the truth but asked nevertheless, "Where is Dr. Mike?"

Since Flying Sun was prepared for that question, her answer came quickly, "She had to go into town." Determined not to be caught lying, she had decided to tell as little as possible and waited whether Snowbird would be content with that information.

Of course the older woman wasn't and responded unbelievingly, "You are saying that Dr. Mike left without telling me? That she went without the girl?"

Flying Sun carefully stepped closer and pointed at Hannah, "She is awake."

Snowbird immediately directed her attention at the little girl and tentatively stroked her cheek with the back of her fingers. In a gentle voice she assured her, "Do not be afraid, everything will be fine."

Staring in the compassionate face of her mother's friend, Hannah's memory came back in a rush and her heart began to race again. She knew she had to do something; maybe the nice woman could help her… While she cautiously sat up, her words came gushing out, "Man hurt… Ma bring him… no far… but she," the little finger pointed at Flying Sun, "took Bear… no good, not far…"

Snowbird tried to connect the jumbled words. "Someone is hurt not far away and your ma want to bring him back on Bear?"

"No," Hannah shook her head, "Men bring him."

The older woman couldn't make any sense out of these words and seeking for help, she looked up at Flying Sun who hastily told her made up story, "A man came from town for the medicine woman. There has been an accident and many were bleeding. She had to go quickly, there was no time to tell you, that's why she asked me to inform you."

That explanation still sounded strange to Snowbird but she had no choice but to believe it for now; only one point bothered and worried her. "What about Sully's daughter?"

The young Indian woman quickly considered what to tell. It would be great if the girl was with her when Sully came back, on the other hand it was unlikely that Dr. Mike would have asked her to look out for the child. So she decided to just say, "We are to watch her until she or Sully are back." Not waiting for a response, Flying Sun turned and went towards her teepee so she wouldn't be asked anymore.

Snowbird looked down at the little girl's anxious face. Although she could tell that something just didn't sit right, she couldn't figure out what it might be. So she reached out for Hannah to come into her embrace and then straightened together with her in her arms.

While her ma's friend carried her to the teepee where she had slept last night, the little girl knew that no one would do anything right now. She hadn't understood the women's conversation because they had spoken in the other language and so she didn't know what the woman was saying that had once kissed her pa. Resigned, Hannah send a silent message to her pa that he would come and help, and then she went back into the state she had used before; she decided to just wait for her ma to come back. Propping her thumb into her mouth, she leant her head against Snowbird's shoulder and didn't speak one single word again.

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At noon, the two men paused at the creek to refill their canteens. Remembering the similar situation from yesterday, Sully sighed. Curiously, Cloud Dancing looked at his brother while they resumed walking. The medicine man had noticed that his friend had been even quieter than usual since they had left the village. Sully glanced at him and knew he should say something and so he spoke out loud the first thing that came to his mind, "She's been awfully angry."

Questioningly, Cloud Dancing looked at his younger friend and so Sully continued, "I think she doesn't like me going hunting with you so often, she would never admit that though…" He trailed off for a moment, this statement didn't sound right and so he amended, "I think she doesn't like me spending so much time with you and she can't understand my friendship with Flying Sun either… but you both helped me to live again, I'll never forget that…"

He was startled when his friend abruptly halted in his tracks and laid his hand on his forearm to stop him as well. "We didn't bring you back into life for you to not move on with it, my friend."

Sully knew that his brother looked through him and finally said what was really on his mind, "I believe Michaela thinks the same; she wants me to see her and Hannah as my family and not the Cheyenne…" Again he grew silent; wasn't that exactly what he had wanted since the day he had first seen her? That she let him into her life?

Cloud Dancing just raised his eyebrows for him to go on and so Sully added, "I told her I'm not ready yet."

Nodding in understanding and trying in vain to hide his smile, the Indian asked the only important question although he knew that his brother might feel pressed. "What are you waiting for?"

The younger man's eyes flew to his friend. Knowing that it was useless to beat around the bush, he at last admitted, "I've got used to livin' on my own… Coming and goin' as I please… I don't like feelin' fenced in."

"You lived with Abigail," Cloud Dancing pointed out.

Thoughtfully, Sully replied, "I was much younger then."

The medicine man couldn't suppress his smile any longer when he gave his brother one of his short lectures. "Man and woman are not meant to be alone. Like Mother Earth and Father Sky. Everyone has to have a partner or you become out of balance. It is nature." By now, his smile had grown even wider and Sully couldn't help but reciprocate it when he stated, "Dr. Mike is a mighty strong force of nature."

In silent agreement, they resumed walking, and Sully felt much better now that he had spoken out loud what had been on his mind for so long and even more, deep inside of him grew the perception that he had to admit his true fear, the fear that he was horrified to fail another family he built on his own and so he rather didn't want to start it at all.

Later, he couldn't tell if it had been this realization or something else that made him suddenly feel restless or better said uneasy in a way that he felt bound to return to his daughter and Michaela as fast and as soon as possible.

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In the beginning, Michaela had tried to make mental notes about the way the Indians were leading her, but after a few hours of riding she had given it up. She didn't recognize the surroundings anymore; she was positive that she had never been in that part of the woods before. In the meantime, all the rocks and hills they passed looked the same to her and the only thing she noticed was that they went higher and that the trees had become smaller and there were less of them now.

The wind blew colder and Michaela was glad that she had worn her leather coat when she had been forced to leave the village this morning. And there was the question again, why had Flying Sun acted the way she did? Why hadn't she just asked her? Why didn't she want her to inform Snowbird? Why did she deny her to say goodbye to her daughter? At first it had been just a feeling but Michaela was sure by now, that Flying Sun had planned her unnoticed departure, otherwise she wouldn't have had saddled Bear… In a way, Michaela had calmed down though, if the dog soldiers had wanted to kill her, they wouldn't have taken her so far away… However, there was one thought that terrified her: how would Hannah react to her sudden disappearance? Her daughter was in almost the same situation she had been in more than half a year ago, alone in the Indian village; only this time, she knew some of the people there. Michaela was positive that Snowbird would take good care of Sully's daughter… Her train of thoughts was interrupted when the Indians dismounted their horses and gestured for her to do the same; they had to walk again, they had done that already a few times before …

It was late afternoon when it became obvious to Michaela that they had reached their destination. As the group halted, she heard the sounds that only people in a great amount of pain were making and so she reached for her medical bag before the Indians took her between them.

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Dark Oak sat cross-legged by the fire and thought about how to go on from this point. The Indian was deeply concerned; the last two raid parties had been complete failures. Not only that the group that had attacked a ranch hadn't brought any food back they could give to the tribes; after returning to their camp, they had grown sick rapidly and the worst thing was that they had terrible runs. The stench from the place where they emptied themselves had become so unbearable that they even had moved the fires they were sitting by. His group would have to leave that place as soon as his men were able to travel again… Normally, Dark Oak wouldn't have cared if someone was sick or not and just moved on, but those men were young and new with the dog soldiers. They hadn't killed any enemies yet, and so he owed them at least the chance to prove themselves as valuable members of the Indian Nation before they went to the spirits…

The other party hadn't succeeded as well; before they reached their destination, they ran into an army patrol. The result was devastating as well, one of his friends was dead, another one was gravely wounded and of course they hadn't brought any food for the tribes either…

Suddenly, a movement between the bushes made him sit straight and when a group of people emerged between the bushes, Dark Oak's eyes grew wide in surprise, only to be narrowed in anger immediately after he recognized his men who had brought a woman, even worse, a white woman with them! They knew the rule to never make prisoners… And where was the Cheyenne they had promised to bring here?

Michaela had noticed that Proud Stag, she had remembered his name, tensed up as they stepped into the clearing together. The disapproving look he received from the Indian, who seemed to be the leader of the group, could not be misinterpreted, her presence here was, friendly spoken, unwelcome. The anxiety she had been able to suppress until now threatened to flood her again. While she was left standing at the edge of the camp with one of the dog soldiers as her guard and the other Indians met their leader, Michaela tried to get her feelings under control. This wasn't the first time that she had to prove herself as the only woman between men and it wasn't the first time either that she had to work under miserable circumstances; but never before had she felt so much hostility. However, the sight of the small camp dismayed her deeply, the poverty her eyes met was almost unbearable. There were at least four seriously sick Indians, they lay outstretched near various small fires, obviously too sick to even sit up. Her impulse to instantly go to them was stopped by a firm grip on her arm from the dog soldier who watched her. Since she didn't want to cause even more trouble than her presence seemed to cause already, she complied and turned her attention towards the discussing group again.

Dark Oak had softened as he learned that no one knew that the white woman had gone with his men because that meant there wouldn't be any trouble for his group when she didn't return to the Cheyenne village. Actually, he was curious now, he had heard of Medicine Woman. Gesturing for her to come over to him, he watched her approaching.

Before she had started towards the warrior, Michaela had taken a deep breath and mustered her courage to meet Dark Oak. As she stood across him, straightened up and her chin raised, she didn't avoid his stare and tried to hide her anxiety as best she could. She was sure, if she showed any fear, she would be lost.

The Indian had to admit that he was impressed; he could feel the strong personality in the fragile body of the medicine woman. When she didn't avert her eyes, he decided to let her treat his men; afterwards he would think about how to get rid of her. With an almost imperceptible nod he gave his permission for her to look after his men.

Michaela was glad to escape the unsettling stare and immediately started to examine the sick on the ground. It didn't take her long to recognize the illness; she had seen it before when she had worked with her father at the army hospital. Her father… Feeling desperation rising inside of her, she quickly dismissed any personal thought again and directed her memory at the medical facts. There had been two young soldiers with the same symptoms: diarrhea, stomachache and high fever. It came out later that they had drunk untreated milk, they had been sick for just two days and actually, one of the Indians here seemed to improve already. The only thing that worried her was that the men were extremely dehydrated; she had to take care of that…

Straightening, she searched for Proud Stag, if she would be able to communicate at all, then only with his help since no one here seemed to speak English and she only knew some phrases in Cheyenne.

The young Indian willingly came to help her, he felt terrible that he had taken her out here. Dark Oak had made it clear that he was determined about getting rid of the doctor when they moved on; he had said they couldn't allow her to go back to Colorado Springs because she might betray the warriors whereabouts. His bad conscience made the Cheyenne watch the medicine woman carefully; he boiled the water she needed for the fever tea and when she treated the injured brave, he even defended her against his new chief who wanted to stop her when she used chloroform while she removed the bullet out of the hurt man's shoulder.

It was dark when Michaela was done with her work for the moment. Since the patient she had operated needed her the most, she decided to keep vigil right next to his weak body by the fire. Before she allowed herself to rest a little, she sorted her supplies that were left in her medical bag. When her fingers touched three little round subjects, she suddenly lost her composure. Taking in a choked breath, she lifted the leather string with Sully's beads and clutched it in her hand. Closing her eyes, she sent him a desperate and impassioned plea, "Sully, help me!"

Several miles away, Sully shot up from his bedroll. His heart raced when he frantically looked around, calling, "Michaela?"