Days past and Dr. Mike continued to treat the men of Custer's cavalry against her moral compass. She was doing everything in her power to achieve justice for Cloud Dancing and the other Indians who had been captured. One afternoon she was changing bandages with Kat when she finally got up enough nerve to speak with Reverend Johnson on the matter. While the Reverend read passages from The Bible to the wounded, Michaela thought of how she should start up the conversation.
"That's all we have time for, I will see you boys tomorrow." Reverent Johnson addressed the room as he finished the last lines of his current passage. He closed his book, gathered the rest of his things and headed for the door.
"Reverend?" Dr. Mike called out to him timidly as he reached for the door handle. He looked back at her with trepidation. He knew what Michaela would ask and he knew she wouldn't like what he had to say about it. Even still, he stood by the door and waited for her to speak. Kathryn, eager to hear what Dr. Mike wanted with the Reverend, suddenly became fixated on the mess of papers strewn across her best friend's desk. She quietly tidied up while eavesdropping on the conversation next to her.
"It's about Cloud Dancing..." Dr. Mike Whispered.
"This really isn't my place to say anything." Reverend Johnson tried his best to sound apologetic, but even he knew it was fear that kept him from speaking out.
"Why not?" Dr. Mike demanded.
"The church is neutral on this issue." This time the Reverend tried for a more blasé tone of voice.
"How can you not protest the fact that he's been chained up like an animal?" Michaela snarled. She tried her best not to raise her voice since Custer was standing on the other side of the room.
"The General has assured me that that is necessary to prevent his escape." Johnson replied civilly.
"That's ridiculous." Dr. Mike was fighting hard to keep her voice even.
"I'm sorry." The Reverend told her. Again his voice was void of any emotion. Without even a sympathetic gaze, Reverend Johnson left the clinic. Kat was mumbling a few curse words under her breath when a few of the able bodied soldiers entered the clinic.
"General Custer, Sir," The man addressed his superior. "Chief Black Kettle just rode in under a flag of truce." Without hesitation the General and his able bodied men went back out into the street. They were closely followed by Dr. Mike and Kathryn. Neither Kat nor Michaela were surprised to see Sully standing with the Indian Chief and a handful of his horsebacked warriors.
"You're wasting your time, sir." Custer groaned at Sully. Sully wasn't the least shaken by this man. The Cheyenne weren't afraid of the General and it was his job to speak for them. Kat couldn't help but admire he brother's unwavering courage.
"Chief Black Kettle has come to keep the peace." Sully explained to the soldiers calmly. "You insult him if you don't sit down and talk."
"I won't sit down and talk as long as his men continue to kill settlers." The General responded hostilely.
"He's told you, the ones that kill are renegades. He doesn't have any control over them." Sully clarified.
"He's lying." Custer insisted, despite having no evidence to prove this. "I should arrest him now. SERGEANT!" He raised his hand and gestured for his men to take the Indian chief under arrest. Several of the uniformed men drew their guns at the same time. In response the Indian warriors, and Sully, reached for weapons of their own. Chief Black Kettle ordered his men to stand down. He then spoke in his native tongue to the Army General.
"He said that if Cloud Dancing isn't back by tonight, you're gonna have more trouble than you can handle." Sully translated.
"The Indian will remain my prisoner until he tells me where the Dog Soldiers are hiding." General Custer hissed. The Chief spoke a few more words of Cheyenne before leading his warriors out of town.
"He said you are too young and foolish to live to be a wise old man." Sully interpreted Black Kettle's words. Dr. Mike stepped up close to Sully and whispered to him.
"They'll kill him. You know they will. Please." Sully nodded once at Dr. Mike and once at his sister before wondering over to the Livery.
That night, Kathryn ate dinner with Dr. Quinn and her children at the homestead. She had just arrived back to the clinic when one of Custer's soldiers approached her.
"Are you the assistant to the doctor?" The man asked.
"Yeah." Kat nodded. She curled her hands into fists, just in case this man was looking for a fight. Though, if she was being honest, her fists were no match for a gun, should one be drawn on her.
"That Indian prisoners' been injured trying to escape. Do you know where I can find the Doctor at this time of night?" Kat nodded.
"I'll go an' fetch her for ya. I know the fastest way to the homestead, plus my horse already knows where she's going." And with that, Kathryn tossed herself back up on her horse's saddle and thundered out of town.
Kat and Dr. Mike arrived at the Livery a short time later. Sully, who had seen his sister riding out of town, met them just outside of the barn where Cloud Dancing was being held.
"Say you need me to translate." Sully instructed his friend.
"But he speaks English." Dr. Mike whispered back.
"The soldiers don't know that." Kat surmised. Sully nodded letting his sister know that he was thinking the same thing. Dr. Mike, Sully and Kat reached the barn where Cloud Dancing was being held. As they expected a guard stopped them.
"He can't go in there." The soldier said pointing to Sully.
"I don't speak Cheyenne." Dr. Mike explained. Now unless one of you is able to translate for me..." While she spoke, Sully removed his belt that acted as a holster for his tomahawk and other assorted items. He left the belt outside of the barn as a sign of good faith the two soldiers before following Dr. Mike.
"I did what I could." Jake Slicker said sympathetically. "I thought you ought'ta take a look at him."
"I'll need some water." Dr. Mike ordered as she crouched down to assess her patient. Without hesitation Kat left the barn to fetch the water Michaela needed. Jake knelt down on the other side of Cloud Dancing, ready to aid Dr. Mike if need be.
"How did this happen?" The Doctor asked the soldier who had escorted them in.
"Ran into a rifle butt I reckon." The soldier answered. Kat returned with the bucket of water and Dr. Mike immediately gave Cloud Dancing some to drink.
"His shoulder's dislocated. I'm going to have to put it back in place." Dr. Quinn assessed. "Sully I'll need you and Jake to help me." Kat stepped aside so her brother could help. Four sturdy hands gripped Cloud Dancing tightly as Dr. Mike quickly relocated the Indian man's shoulders. Before she could do anything else however, General Custer came storming into the barn.
"Get that man out of here!" He ordered, pointing at Sully. "If this man comes within a hundred yards of here shoot him in site. Now get him out of here." Kat bit her lip hoping her brother was smart enough to know when he was beat. He should exit the barn peacefully and continue to fight his battles another day. She breathed a sigh of relief as he allowed himself to be dragged out of the barn. Dr. Mike on the other hand, didn't share Sully's sensibility.
"How dare you do this to another human being!" She snarled. Kat looked down and met Jake's eyes. A silent message passed between them, Dr. Mike really needed to learn when and whom to pick her battles with.
"He's just an Indian man." Custer shrugged. Even Kathryn had to admit it rubbed her raw the way this man considered Indians less than human.
"This man saved my life!" Dr. Mike defended Cloud Dance once more.
"Well now you've saved his." Custer replied in an even tone. "You have ten minutes to complete your examination of my prisoner Ms. Quinn." Michaela was so distraught she didn't even bother correcting the General for dropping her hard earned "Doctor" prefix. Kat had a few choice words of her own in mind for Custer, but she decided it would be more helpful to the Doctor if she kept her mouth shut. The last thing they needed was getting another Sully thrown off Cloud Dancing's visitation list.
Guys, look, it's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's an update! So I'm so sorry that my updates have gone much in the way of unicorns lately. I was working At Disney World for a while and that ate up all my time. But now I'm home! (yay) And that means I'll hopefully have more time for updates!
So thank you to everyone who has been reading and waiting in anticipation! I hope this update was worth the wait! (And if not I'm sorry) Thank you to everyone who has left reviews! please know that while updates may take forever, I will never abandon this story! So...yeah this was Chapter 8, please let me know what you think!