CHAPTER 68
Fortunately, Beau has enough runway to leap off Betty's snout. "Let go, Limpy," Beau shouts at his swaying brother. Limpy releases the reins and falls to the ground.
"I'm killed" are all the words the horse manages to say as her lumbering body slides over the ledge. Trapper Dan fires another shot, masking her long neigh before her collision with the earth.
Oblivious to Betty's dissent, Dan looks down to find Beau and Limpy pawing at his pants legs.
"I'm not saying anything," Beau says, looking sideways at Limpy.
"I won't either." Though Limpy's small brow is furrowed.
"Dat ought to bring dem home." Dan chuckles as he holsters his pistol.
When he turns around to replace the spyglass in the pouch, he finds his horse has been misplaced. He looks to his left. Then to his right. "Where da blazes did Vetty go?"
Tater and Chili whimper.
"Master, please give us water. We are terribly thirsty," Tater says, showing no interest in the devastating loss of Betty.
Dan looks down and pats his dogs on the head. "I know boys…it's hot. Why don't one of vou go find Vetty. She has das canteen…" Before he can finish his sentence, his hunter eyes spy two fresh streaks on the sandstone cliff.
"Oh no. Dis is terrible," he shouts, tossing his fox hat on the ground. "Dadgum half-breed!" he hollers as he jumps up and down, stomping the cap to death for the second time. Sweat beads down his bald head, while his pups whimper.
Deep into the winding north canyon, Kida pants and turns in circles. She whimpers and makes like she's trapped and weak.
As the posse turn a corner, they find the she-wolf all alone.
"What's this? One little wolf?" Captain mocks, shaking his head and laughing.
"Can you believe one scrawny wolf killed all them sheep, Cap?" Hector asks, looking Kida up and down.
"Please, don't hurt me," Kida whines, tilting her ruddy head down and bending her black-lined ears back. She lowers herself to the ground and makes herself as submissive as possible.
"All right, Brutus. This is going to be just like pig hunting. You get her by the ear. Achilles, you latch on to her ankle, and I'll finish the job."
"I have pups to feed. Have mercy!" Kida shouts, stretching out her paw as though to say "Stop."
The pit bulls lower their heads and snarl, ignoring her pleas. As Captain closes in on her, he moves from shadow to daylight. Kida sees his scar-littered face and instantly knows why he's giving orders. She looks his muscular frame up and down, noting possible weaknesses. A front attack would be suicide. His broad chest and distinctive round, bulging jaws contain all of his strength. He would have no problem catching me and tearing me to pieces, she thinks. But his body is narrow. His hind legs hardly have any muscle at all. This is where I will strike!
Kida rolls over onto her stomach and hams up the act. "Go on, finish me quickly. Fear fills my heart…" She wails.
"Oh no…no…no. We're going to take our time, just like you done with them sheep. It's going to be painful. Agonizing. Brutal!" Achilles says, maneuvering behind her.
The beastly growls grow into a ferocious thunderstorm as the pit bulls close in on her.
"Were they your sheep?" Kida asks, rolling back over onto her stomach coyly.
"They were someone's!" Captain says, waiting for his boys do their part.
Hector and Brutus circle Kida and snap at her legs, which she masterfully keeps tucked beneath her hindquarters, so they can't gain an advantage.
"Ya hay, nah ah hay. Yaw ah hey ah ya hey!" The Kiowa war song echoes off canyon walls, foreshadowing a thunderous attack.
"Ya hay, nah ah hay," Kida sings with him.
"Why are you doing that?" Captain asks.
Walpi appears around the bend, coming up from the rear of the canyon and chanting the war song.
Looking behind her, Kida can't help but notice how brave Walpi looks with his mane grizzled up, his fangs snapping, eyes fierce and focused. For some reason, she feels butterflies swirl in her belly.
Surprised, but eager to attack, the pit bulls continue their advance on Kida. Suddenly, Anoki appears on top of a very large boulder, positioned her to the left of Kida and several feet above. Her white coat shines brilliantly.
"I killed most of the sheep myself. Will you kill me slowly?" she jabs.
The pit bulls abort their attack and huddle up. They whisper to one another.
"What's wrong? Look at them. Fear freezes their tongues to their lips. See how now they have nothing to say," Kida ridicules them.
Kiowa slowly appears from around the bend like Walpi. His towering stature is easily double that of any pit bull.
"We all killed the sheep. We hunt. We kill. We survive. Is it any different from you?" Kiowa asks.
"We are nothing like you!" Captain retorts, standing bravely in front of his crew.
Beside Brutus, the earth begins to shake. Makes Trouble rises from the dust, chanting, "Ah hey, haya hey. Ya hey, not ta how!"
"What kind of wolves are you?" Achilles roars.
"And what do you eat?" Paw says, rising from the sands like Makes Trouble. He is near Achilles.
The pit bulls suddenly find themselves surrounded by wolves.
"We eat what our master feeds us. It's the way we live."
"Out here we are our own masters. And we must feed ourselves."
Brutus tilts his head and howls for the pack.
"It's no use," Walpi seethes through his fangs. "I made sure your pack couldn't hear you!"
Realizing the error of his ways, Captain puffs, "You divided us and then led us into an ambush."
"Ha, nay, yet ah hey!" the wolf pack chants in unison.
"Join us or die!" Kiowa says, extending an olive branch.