Chapter 23

Kiowa Village, Kansas

June 1872

With Captain Monroe and his men lurking in the area, Buck knew he had to warn his brother. Hastily mounting his horse, he set off towards the makeshift village. As he rode, memories of his past decisions haunted him. He couldn't shake the guilt that gnawed at him, wondering how his life would be different had he chose to stay with his brother instead.

"My brother," Red Bear greeted Buck with a tight grip on his arm as he approached.

Buck reciprocated the embrace, feeling a sense of comfort in his brother's presence. It had been too long since they last saw each other. The Kiowa lived a wandering life now, always on the move to avoid the encroaching settlers and soldiers.

"Why have you come?" Red Bear led Buck to the shade of a large tree, a silent invitation to share his purpose.

"The Captain is in Rock Creek,"

"Steel Eyes?" Red Bear's expression darkened with concern.

Buck nodded in confirmation, knowing all too well the reputation that preceded Captain Monroe. His eyes were as cold as steel, reflecting the cruelty of his heart.

Night Wolf sprinted through the rugged terrain, his buckskin covered feet gliding effortlessly over the ground. Approaching the two figures in the distance, his heart quickened with a mix of apprehension and concern. It had been too long since he last saw Running Buck, his trusted companion. Yet, the circumstances of his being here only marked troublesome news.

"Running Buck." Night Wolf sided up next to him and embraced him.

"It's been too long," Buck returned the young man's embrace, feeling a swell of emotions at the sight of Night Wolf's growth. He couldn't help but notice how much taller and more robust the once frail boy had become. When Buck first found him, Night Wolf was a mere scrap of a thing, barely clinging to life.

As Red Bear announced his departure to ready the warriors, Night Wolf's curiosity was piqued by the somber exchange between Buck and his brother. He sensed the underlying tension.

"Steel Eyes," Buck replied, sensing the unspoken questions lingering in the young man's heart.

Night Wolf's response was swift and resolute. "Then I will kill him," he declared, puffing out his chest with righteous fury.

However, Buck, aware of the dangers ahead, intervened. "No, you go with my brother," he commanded, recognizing Night Wolf's value as a warrior and the need to protect him from the imminent threat.

But Night Wolf, emboldened by his strength and status among the Kiowa, refused to yield. "Not this time. I am a warrior now," he asserted proudly, his determination steadfast.

"They are many, too many. Even for warriors as fine as yourself," Buck's smile softened, marked with sadness as Night Wolf did not understand fully the depths of the situation.

"He will die," Night Wolf reiterated, his voice heavy with the weight of vengeance.

"No one wants him to die more than I do, Night Wolf," Buck confessed, his anguish reflected in Night Wolf's eyes. Both men bore the scars of that man's hatred and brutality.

"Captain Monroe took everything from me. Because of him." he confessed, the anguish tangible in his voice. "He killed my family."

"What of Sweet Rain Woman?" he inquired, recognizing the importance of family ties, even amidst tragedy. "You have a family you need to protect now."

"She is a good wife," Night Wolf stated proudly. "She will understand what her husband must do. He will pay for what he has done."

Buck's mind wandered back to the day he stumbled upon Night Wolf, a mere boy, he guessed under ten years, nearly a man by Kiowa standards, but this was a boy, even though he had Indian blood in his veins he was not raised in that world.

His body bore the marks of brutality, evidence of a violent encounter that left him near death. Buck's heart ached as he recalled the sight of the battered and broken young boy, a half breed like him. Discarded by the world.

Buck had carried the boy's broken body to his brother's camp, seeking aid and sanctuary for the wounded soul. Little did he know that this encounter would mark the beginning of a fated path and he couldn't turn back now.

"He will not stop until I am dead."

Buck had naively assumed that Monroe was merely following orders, tasked with enforcing the government's policies against the Indians. He hadn't considered there was something else, something unseen driving this man to eliminate everything in his path.

"What are you saying?" Buck's confusion was evident in his expression, his brow furrowed as he sought the truth.

The young man's gaze drifted across the prairie, his mind retracing the painful memories that lingered and tormented his soul. "My father loved made the mistake of loving that man's wife, my mother." he began.

Buck understanding dawning as he pieced together the fragments of Night Wolf's story. Then, in a moment of startling revelation, the truth struck him like a bolt of lightning. Lara was his sister.

Buck retrieved the locket from his vest and handed it to Night Wolf, seeking the confirmation he needed. Night Wolf's eyes widened as he beheld the images captured within the cold metal. A physical reminder of everything he lost.

"This is you, is it?"

"Yes," Night Wolf replied, his expression betraying his confusion. "Where did you—"

"She's your sister?" Buck pressed urgently, feeling the weight of the revelation sinking in. He needed to understand the entirety of the situation.

"Lara? You know her? Where is she? Take me to her!" Night Wolf's voice crackled, his eyes ablaze with determination to reunite with his long-lost sister.

Buck's brow furrowed with concern as he met Night Wolf's intense gaze. "No," he replied firmly, his tone tinged with sorrow. "She is not the person you remember."

"Take me to her now!"

"She is here searching for her father," Buck explained, his voice heavy with contempt.

"No," Night Wolf protested, his faith in his sister unshaken despite Buck's words.

He remembered the letter he sent, in his youth hoping to find his dear sister. But what he didn't realize was her determination matched his own and she had spent those years searching for him.

"Yes, I heard her," Buck ignored his protests. "She said she was here to bring him home with her."

"I don't believe you." Night Wolf insisted shaking his head.

"Your half-sister!" Buck countered, his words carrying the weight of bitter reality. "She is whole daughter to Steel Eyes,"

"You are wrong, Running Buck," Night Wolf retorted in defiance.

"I wish I were," Buck confessed, his voice heavy with shame.

How he wished he were wrong about Lara. The thought of her, bound to their father's dark legacy, pained his heart like nothing else. He had been wounded many times in love, but no woman had ever devastated his heart, his soul, as much as she had.