THE NIGHT OF THE KIDNAPPING
By Andamogirl
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PART THREE
The reality
Screeching brakes as the train approached Phoenix station woke Jim up in a start and he looked around him momentarily disoriented. He scrubbed a hand down his sweaty face and sighed. It had all been a dream. No, a nightmare.
It was so real he felt dizzy.
He looked around him as he tried to control the shaking in his body and noticed that people were leaving the car and he realized he had reached his destination, Phoenix. He needed now to take another train for Los Angeles. Then he would take other trains. It would be a long journey to Montana.
He yawned and stretched. Then he stood, mopped his cheeks and forehead with his sleeve and grabbed his travel bag. "Nothing had happened, Artie's still alive," he said.
Once on the platform he headed toward the nearby saloon, the Silver Star. He had to wait an hour before taking another train, and he was thirsty and hungry.
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In White Crow's encampment, two days later
Escorted by two Crow warriors, Artemus dismounted Vovó'hasé'haméhe and was welcomed by Black Wolf and Red Eagle.
The two brothers both hugged Artie at the same time then they parted from the older man, grinning, very happy to see him.
Red Eagle looked at Artie from head to toe and said in Crow language, "It's a pleasure to see you again, Strong Bear. We all missed you a lot."
Artie smiled broadly. "I missed you a lot too."
Black Wolf nodded and patted the head of Artie's horse. "My mother is going to be very happy to see you too. She's now the Bacheeítche (chief) and war leader (pipe carrier). Black Bear is dead, he died last winter," he added.
Feeling suddenly sad, Artemus replied in Crow language, "I'm sorry. He was a good and wise man, and a great leader. I will miss him."
Little by little warriors, women many of them carrying young children in cradleboards on their backs, elders and children gathered around the three men, many of them recognizing the famous white man – and Crow warrior - who was protected by Akbaatatdia the One Who Has Made Everything – Maker of All Things Above and people. all of them – even the children who didn't know who he was, imitating their parents - touched him, welcoming him back into the band.
Red Eagle circled Vovó'hasé'haméhe with an admiring look – and the Spotted Blanket Appaloosa horse looked at him with curiosity. "It's a beautiful horse, strong and fast," he said.
Shaking his finger, Artie said, "Yes and no! I'm not going to give my horse to you – even against two or three of your best horses. Vo is a gift from my Cheyenne blood brother, American Knife."
Cow people parted progressively making room as White Crow was heading toward Artemus, and she finally stopped in front of him.
She bowed her head in respect and Artie did the same.
In Crow language, Artemus said, "It's a pleasure and an honor to meet you again, White Crow." Then he was less formal and added, "I missed you."
Smiling, White Crow took a step forward, moving into Artie's personal space and placed a hand over his heart. She could feel it beat rapidly. "I missed you too," She said and then she crushed her lips on Artie's devouring him in a wild kiss.
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Later,
Inside White Crow's tepee
Sitting beside the fire, Artemus took the plate that White Crow offered him. It was filled with three greasy balls of dried buffalo meat which had been ground with fat and berries.
He wasn't fond of pemmican – but it was all the Crows had to eat. They had prepared pemmican balls before leaving the reservation, packing them into rawhide bags for storage, as they knew they couldn't hunt on their way to the Little Big Horn River. They had to join Sword Bearer as soon as possible, he thought, and then bit in one of the pemmican balls.
Sitting beside Artie White Crow placed her hand on his knee – in a possessive way and said, "I'm very happy to see you again."
Lowering the plate, with two intact balls on it, to the floor covered with blankets, Artemus replied, "I'm very happy to see you too, White Crow."
She moved closer and sat on his lap. She reached out and stroked Artie's jawline. "You're older, but still very attractive." Then she kissed his lips.
He kissed White Crow's lips back. "And you're still a beautiful woman. You didn't change, at all." Then he ran his knuckles along her cheek.
Smiling predatorily, White Crow pushed Artemus backward, and then she straddled his legs. "I missed you a lot," she said.
She pulled up his buckskin shirt and brushed his chest hair and frowned noticing new scars here and there on his torso, traces left of life-threatening injuries. She fingered one, running under his right pectoral. "Someone used a knife to stab and cut you, and it was deep…"
Sighing Artemus nodded. "I almost died that day from blood loss. Thankfully American Knife was here to take care of me. It's a long story."
She leaned forward and kissed his scarred skin there. "I hope to hear it someday," and then she placed little biting kisses on his chest before moving her lips upward.
He let out a moan as she nibbled his throat. "I will… but you need to stay alive so I can do that," he said and then he saw White Crow sit up straight. "Don't join Sword Bearer, it's going to be a massacre. Soldiers with canons are heading here as I speak. The President wants to stop the Crow rebellion and if he has to kill all of the rebels, he will."
She stood and said, "And you came here to tell me to go back to the reservation?" and her face was stony. "No, I won't."
Standing up, Artie grabbed White Crow's shoulders. "Yes you will, if you want your whole band to survive. It's the only way."
She parted from him. "Only the warriors are here with me. I let the womem, the elders and the children at my settlement. We will fight against the soldiers to regain our ancestral lands – ancestral lands that the white men have invaded, taken from us! And we will win!"
Shaking his head, Artie said, "You will be killed – all of you."
Upset, White Crow raised her chin, "How little faith you have in the fighting skills of the Crow warriors, 'Strong Bear'!"
Frowning Artie replied, "Even the best warriors can't win against Hotchkiss Revolving Cannon! Because they will bring a couple of them to break you, I know, forcing you to surrender, or kill you all with them. If I was general Ruger it's what I would do."
The female Bacheeítche (chief), war leader (pipe carrier) and warrior took a step back and said, coldly, "You can go back where you came from – or you can stay with us and fight at my side, like a Crow warrior. You have the choice."
She left the tepee leaving Artie alone his shoulders slumped in defeat. He was lost as he didn't know what to do next.
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Later
Black Wolf and Red Eagle, White Crow's sons both framed Artemus as soon as he left the tepee. "You will die, all of you, if you don't surrender and go back to the reservation. The soldiers will massacre you without any hesitation with their canons!" Artie told them. He rubbed his tired face and then added, "But your stubborn mother refuses to acknowledge this. She thinks the Crow warriors can fight and win the coming terrible battle, but she's wrong, she's so wrong."
Red Eagle nodded. "What are you going to do now?"
Rubbing his red and puffy eyes, Artemus yawned and replied, "For now I'd like to sleep… I haven't slept for… I don't know, I don't even remember the last time I slept. And I think I'm not welcome under your mother's tepee, she's pretty cross at me."
Black Wolf placed a hand on Strong Bear's shoulder. "You're welcome under my tepee." And he caught Artie's elbow as the older man was staggering with exhaustion.
He led Artie to his tepee which was set up next to White Crow's and helped Strong Bear to sit on a buffalo hide mattress. "You can sleep here peacefully," he said.
Nodding, Artemus slurred a 'thank you' and he moved onto his back. A couple of seconds later he drifted off to sleep.
Black Wolf unfolded a thick blanket and placed it on top of Strong Bear, up to his chest. "Sleep well my friend," he said.
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Later
Black Wolf and Red Eagle were sitting beside the fire, eating pemmican balls, Artemus sleeping soundly between them when White Crow entered her sons' tepee.
She immediately spotted Artemus lying on a buffalo hide mattress, framed protectively by her two sons and she scowled. "I thought he had already left," she said.
Black Wolf shook his head, his long hair brushing against the colorful blanket he was sitting on. "He stayed. He needed to rest. He came a long way up to here not sleeping much to warn us about the coming battle with the soldiers."
Red Eagle scratched his long hair pulled into a bun and added, "He wants to save us, all of us. We are his band, and you, Black Wolf and me we are his family."
Crossing her arms on her chest, White Crow said, "We will win, we are about 3000 up against only a few hundred soldiers maybe. He's not the warrior which I knew, a warrior that nothing in the world can stop. He's old and with age he has mollified."
Red Eagle frowned at his mother, upset. "No, he has not. Each time he came to us, it was to help us, and he did, sent by Akbaatatdia the One Who Has Made Everything – Maker of All Things Above and people. Akbaatatdia has sent him again, to help us again, to save us. We have to listen to him."
Glaring at her sons, White Crow said, "If we don't fight the soldiers and win, we'll never have our ancestral lands back!"
Red Eagle heaved a long sigh. "I'd like to have them back too, but I refuse to see my whole band being killed by the soldiers. Even if we are more numerous than them, they have canons! We have to live and prosper, mother, resisting that way against the white men who want to take our actual lands. If we fight the US Army troops sent here, we'll lose. We will disappear and that's what the white men want."
Black Wolf nodded. "Red Eagle is right. Strong Bear wants to save us and I'm going to listen to him. I will head back to the reservation tomorrow, and other Crow warriors will come with us, I'm sure."
Red Eagle nodded, "And me too. The Crow people have to survive!"
Furious, White Crow sent a black look to Artemus who was still sleeping soundly, oblivious to what had just happened.
She whirled around and left the tepee.
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Much later
Burying his pale and stubbled face into his hands, Artemus said, "I slept for half of the day and I'm still exhausted, oh boy!"
Red Eagle nodded. "I'm sorry to have woken you, but half of the band is ready to leave. We are going back to the reservation."
Glad to hear that Artie looked around him, watching several Crow Indians preparing to leave the encampment. Everything was ready for their departure. Lightweight tepees had been collapsed and the poles were now used as travois. The travois which were horse-pulled had been loaded with the Crow warriors belongings. "It's a wise decision, but I wish everyone would leave before it is too late."
Black Wolf nodded. "Me too."
Glancing at White Crow who was in discussion with a group of warriors who had decided to stay and fight at Sword Bearer's side, Artemus added, "But nothing is lost… I still have one option to force your mother and the other Crow to accompany us. The challenge."
Red Eagle placed a hand on Artie's shoulder. "It's a bad idea. She is a formidable warrior and no one has ever defeated her. She will win and kill you."
Smiling Artie replied, "I don't think so. Akbaatatdia is protecting me. I will fight against White Crow, and I don't know how, but I will win the challenge." He pressed Red Eagle's arm. "It's time to leave. You will reach the reservation before the soldiers arrive here. You'll be safe."
Black Wolf said, "The others will leave. I'm staying. You will need my help to prepare you, Strong Bear." and Artie bowed his head accepting the offer.
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Later
Black Wolf placed a blue beaded headband symbolic of the sky, around Strong Bear's head and slid two eagle feathers in it, he had earned through selfless acts of courage and honor. "You hair is longer than the last time I saw you, but it's not long enough for a Crow warrior."
Smiling, Artie nodded. "True. But unlike you, I can't let my hair grow until it reaches the ground. White men don't do that."
Black Wolf said, "It's too bad. Long hair is highly valued as a man's greatest ornament." Then he took a terracotta pot of white paint (white representing clouds) and using his fingers, he traced symbols of protection on his bare chest and then on the rest of his upper body.
Once it was done, he placed his own knife in Artemus's hand and said to him, "Akbaatatdia sent you here to save our band. You will be victorious." He glanced at his mother who was dressed in her beaded ceremonial gear and ready to fight till death and looked at her in the eye. She was glaring at him. "And I know that you won't kill my mother." He took a step backward and announced to the Crow gathered around White Crow and Artemus and forming a circle, "Strong Bear is ready to fight!"
He joined the others.
Grabbing the knife, Artemus moved closer to White Crow who was holding a knife too. As she was a Bacheeítche (local group leader), she was wearing her warbonnet made out of eagle feathers. "Accept to come with me to the reservation, it's not too late to change your mind," he said.
Raising her chin proudly, White Crow replied, "We will win and have our ancestral lands back. Are you ready to die?"
Strong Bear nodded and manly thumped his chest. "I'm not going to die. Akbaatatdia the One Who Has Made Everything – Maker of All Things Above is protecting me." He lowered his knife. "Be reasonable White Crow, please, leave and go back to the reservation, you still have time."
Her eyes flashing White Crow replied, "I don't want to be thought of as weak by Sword Bearer and the other chiefs, and by all the warriors. It's a 'no'."
He moved even closer, not showing any trace of fear. Suddenly everyone looked up as a golden eagle appeared in the dark gray sky, making circles.
Using his knife to point at the bird of prey which had landed on top of a high tree, Artemus said with a loud baritone voice, "Akbaatatdia the One Who Has Made Everything – Maker of All Things Above, who is protecting me, has sent his messenger to show you that you have to leave, that you have to go back to the reservation!" He dropped his knife to the ground, lifted his arms toward the eagle and then he added, "Sacred Eagle! Show them the way!"
Immediately the eagle took off and started to fly in circles again, moving upward – as he waited for the Crow warriors to follow him.
Black Wolf broke the circle and moved toward Artemus. "Akbaatatdia the One Who Has Made Everything – Maker of All Things Above wants you to follow its messenger. He wants you to leave this place and go back to the reservation, where we all will be safe!"
Moving upward a little more, and enlarging its circles, the eagle let out a series of high-pitched whistles as if to confirm what Black Wolf had just said.
Not having the choice to do anything else, White Crow said, "We have to follow what Akbaatatdia, the One Who Has Made Everything – Maker of All Things Above wants us to do."
Crow warriors started to leave and soon White Crow and Artemus, plus Black Wolf were alone in the middle of the encampment.
White Crow dropped her knife to the ground too and bowed her head in respect. Strong Bear was the Crows creator's protégé.
Reaching out, Artemus gently lifted White Crow's chin and then he kissed her lips, softly. He smiled. "Did I ever tell you that you're beautiful when you're angry?"
She suddenly grabbed Artie's shoulders in a firm grip and kissed him back, devouringly, possessively tangling in Strong Bear's mussed hair.
The kiss deepened, their tongues meeting.
She only parted from him when she needed oxygen. Then she started kissing his nose, his cheeks, his throat, his shoulders.
Smiling Artemus ran his fingers through White Crow's hair. "Maybe we should go to your tepee to make peace before everyone is ready to go… we don't have much time." An entire Crow village could be packed up and ready to move on within an hour, he thought.
Her hand roaming over Artie's painted chest, White Crow said, "It's a very good idea," And then she captured his mouth with hers, again, pulling him in to another kiss.
Black Wolf and Red Eagle grinned, both relieved and pleased. The bitter fight between their mother and Strong Bear was over.
Smiling, White Crow started carding her fingers gently through Artemus's hair. "Let's go to my tepee. I want to make love to you."
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Three days later on the Crow reservation
In the morning
The sounds of horses neighing woke Artie and he slowly opened his eyes – hearing the familiar noises of the Crow settlement, people busying with daily tasks - and felt a warm, naked body pressed against him, tangled with his legs and asleep at his side.
He turned his head to the right and kissed the top of White Crow's head. She was tightly snuggled against him, her arm resting around his body. Her face buried in the crook of his neck.
Opening her black eyes, White Crow smiled and said, "Good morning", basking in her lover's warmth, and she kissed Artie's jaw.
She rolled to the side, straddling Artie's legs.
Leaning forward, she stroked the old scars dotting Artie's upper body and then she kissed the hollow of his hipbone. He moaned.
Smiling, Artemus said, "This is torture," and he stretched his arms over his head.
He let out a soft groan when White Crow switched to the other one, lingering here, nibbling and sucking the skin there.
Eyes twinkling with playfulness White Crow smiled. "I'm an expert in torture," she purred, low and sensual. She cupped his stubbled cheeks in her hands. She nuzzled her nose into the side of his neck as she said, "I love you," against his jaw.
She licked, sucked and bit her way down his collarbone up to his belly and slid her hands to his hips, feeling him shudder under her touch.
Artemus moved a hand to White Crow's rounded side and then slipped it to her lower back, and brushed his fingertips over the tender skin there. "I love you too," he said.
Moving to the side and freeing Artemus's legs, White Crow pressed a soft kiss to the area just above her partner's breechcloth tucked over a belt.
She fingered his loincloth made from tanned deer skin. "Why did you keep this?"
He chuckled. "I took off my other clothes but was too exhausted last night to take that skin clout off… Red Eagle and Black Wolf showed me half of the reservation from dawn to sunset. I'm not used to riding for hours and hours anymore. I collapsed on my mattress and I fell asleep right away. You could have woken me up and I would have taken it off…"
Circling Artie's navel with a fingertip, White Crow shook her head. "I did not do it because you needed rest, and I like to watch you sleep too..."
He suddenly grunted as White Crow bit the inside of his thigh, hard, marking him. "Ow! That hurts!" and he rubbed the bite mark, wincing.
Looking straight at Artie White Crow said, "You're mine, Strong Bear," and she licked at the reddening mark she had just made on his skin to soothe the pain.
Opening his arms wide in a 'you're in charge' gesture, Artie smiled. "Yes, I'm all yours," he said. "Do to me whatever you want."
White Crow nodded. "I will. But I'm not done making my marks, yet," she said and she straddled Artemus's lap again, her eyes roaming his chest, torso and stomach, wondering where to plant her teeth next. "I need everyone to see that I claimed you."
Smiling, Artemus pushed a strand of black hair from White Crow's face. "You claimed me a long time ago, everyone knows that."
White Crow nodded. "True, but I was the warriors' leader, I wasn't the Bacheeítche, my father Black Bear was. I need to claim you again as Chief."
Sliding down from his hips, she laid over him, resting her upper weight on her forearms as she nipped and tucked at his throat. Then she used the tip of her tongue to trace across his collarbone making Artie writhe under her, moaning in pleasure.
She bit him again at the junction of his neck and shoulder making him cry out, a mix of pain and pleasure and buck beneath White Crow.
White Crow sucked the hot skin until he was bruised and then she released her bite with a large satisfied smile and murmured into Artemus's throat. "Mine, all mine."
Suddenly the collapsible flap of the tepee was pushed to the side and Red Eagle entered his mother's big, conic tent with a gust of cold wind and a flurry of snow at his heels.
He grinned seeing White Crow and Artemus 'busy' under the large blanket partly covering them both. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but we have a visitor."
Both upset and frustrated, White Crow sat up on her knees and replied sharply, "I don't want to be disturbed. Who is he? What does he want?"
Red Eagle replied, "James West and I don't know."
Raising his eyebrows in total surprise, Artemus said, "What? Jim is here?" Then he frowned in worry. "What's happening?"
Red Eagle replied, "He didn't tell me."
Sighing in resignation – Artemus and she wouldn't make love, not now and probably not for hours, at best - White Crow pressed a quick kiss to Artie's lips before scrambling off the buffalo hide mattress and grabbing her clothes and moccasins from the floor.
Imitating White Crow, Artemus dressed in a flash and then he followed the two Crow Indians outside where Jim was waiting under falling snow.
Red Eagle said, "I told James you were alright, but he wanted to see for himself," and then he headed toward his own tepee.
Smiling Jim took off his black hat, snowflakes dotting it as well as his thick buffalo hide coat then he bowed his head in respect. "It's good to see you again White Crow," he said looking at the female chief of the most powerful band of the River Crow.
Smiling too, White Crow replied, "And it's good to see you again too, James, welcome to my band." Then she gave Artie a long passionate kiss and she left, leaving the two white men alone.
Looking up and down at his best friend dressed in Crow clothing, Jim smiled and said, "Hi Artie. I'm glad to see that you are okay." He moved closer and reached out, grinning. "Or almost," he added, pointing his chin at Artie's bruising bite mark. "You have a hell of a hickey, Artie."
Brushing his stinging bite Artie blushed in embarrassment and he replied, "I know. White Crow is a very possessive woman."
Amused, Jim chuckled. "I know that."
Looking gloomy Artie shook his ex-partner's hand. "Hi Jim! And I'm worried to see you here. What's happening? This must be very important to have come all the way here. Don't tell me Skinny Malone needs us again and that he sent you here to bring me with you to Washington?" Confused he asked. "By the way how did you know I was here?"
Pulling out Malone's message from the pocket of his warm coat, Jim placed it then in Artemus's hand. "Malone doesn't need us." He paused and added, "When I heard about the 'Crow war", I 'felt' that you were in danger, because I knew that you would do something to help our Crow friends by coming here to their rescue. So I contacted Malone who's keeping an eye on us to know what you and I are doing – in case he has a mission for us - and I got this message. I had the good idea to come here first instead of searching for you throughout the Big Horn Mountains."
Frowning, Artie read the message from the Director of the USSS and then he looked at Jim his eyes teary with raw emotion. "You came all the way from Mexico to help me?"
Smiling, Jim nodded. "Of course I did. What are friends for? You would have done the same for me." Then he hugged Artie tightly, warmly. "But we're more than just that. I'm so happy to know that you're safe Artie and that White Crow and the others are all safe too."
Hugging Jim back Artemus let out a strangled, "Thank you Jim… Yes, I'm okay, we are all okay." Then he took a step back wiping his cheeks with the back of his hand. "But it wasn't an easy task to bring the whole band back here, believe me. and I was in danger yes… I almost had a knife fight with White Crow, but Akbaatatdia saved my life, and the others lives too."
Patting his ex-partner's shoulder, Jim nodded. "I'm sure, but you succeeded. I'm proud of you." he furrowed his brow and added, "But Sword Bearer and his followers are still encamping near the Little Big Horn River – and general Ruger should arrive there in a few days…"
Nodding sadly, Artie said, "I know. At least my band is safe here."
Feeling reassured Jim asked, "So you're not going to go see Sword Bearer in order to convince him to surrender before it's too late?"
Shaking his head Artie said, "No, it would be a waste of time. I sent Black Wolf to him with a message asking him to surrender when he faces the soldiers, to save everyone, and he refused. Let's hope some Crow will be wise enough to leave before it's too late."
Jim nodded. "Yes."
Pointing at White Crow's tepee, Artemus added, "Let's go inside, Jim, it's cold. I want you to tell me everything that has happened since we both parted ways." He smirked and then added, "I thought you had sworn to no accept any more missions…?"
The end.