By Lyn
Copyright 1999
Buck opened his eyes, but remained motionless. His eyes darted round the camp, trying to locate what had woken him. Both Emma and Jimmy were sound asleep across the coal filled fire pit.
He was about to close his eyes and go back to sleep, not having found the reason he woke, when he heard a slight rustle behind him. Before he could react the barrel of a rifle was placed against his temple. A Kiowa brave stepped into his line of vision, motioning for him to sit up. He did so, placing his hands behind his head.
"Jimmy, Emma," he called to them calmly. "Sit up real slow. Don't even look at your gun, Jimmy." Then he spoke in Kiowa to the warriors emerging from the trees.
"Buck, who are they?" Jimmy asked, his hands already behind his head. "What do they want?"
Buck continued talking to the warriors, receiving only a short answer before he answered Jimmy.
"They're Kiowa. They want us to come with them. We'd better go," He stood slowly, Emma and Jimmy following. One of the warriors had managed to hitch the wagon. The herded their captives into the back of it, tying Buck's and Jimmy's horses to it.
The moon was bright enough that Buck could make out the lay out of the Kiowa camp. The wagon was stopped at the outer edge and they were walked into the center and stopped in front of a teepee. The hide door was pulled open and they were pushed inside. Buck spoke to the warriors again, getting only a short reply once more before he was pushed inside with the others. Their bedrolls were tossed in behind them and the door flap dropped.
"What's going on Buck? What did they say?" Jimmy demanded.
"I'm not sure. All they'll say is that they were sent to find me."
"By who?" Emma asked.
"Red Bear. My brother. We might as well get some sleep. We won't find out anything more until morning."
"We'd be better off finding a way out of here." Jimmy was already looking around.
"Jimmy, if you even stick your head outside they'll kill you. I'll handle it. You've got to trust me."
"I don't know."
"Let's just do what Buck says. He knows these people." Emma said.
"But can he trust them?" Jimmy said under his breath as he spread out his bedroll.
A woman entered the teepee early the next morning, placing a pot of a brewed drink similar to tea and a basket with berries, nuts, cooked meat and fry bread down near the coals of their fire and backed out the doorway.
Buck was wide awake, leaning against a backboard. He hadn't slept at all the remainder of the night, watching over his friends instead. He had heard Jimmy's muttered comment about trust and he wasn't entirely sure he could trust the warriors. He woke his friends so they could eat. before they finished a warrior entered, telling Buck to follow him.
"Don't do anything. I'll be back after I find out what's going on."
"Well, it don't look like we'll be going anywhere without you anyway." Jimmy said sarcastically, taking another bite of bread.
Buck was led through the village, faces staring at him as he went. Some turned away from him, snubbing him. Others looked at him with curiosity and others with hatred. He recognized many of the villagers and he knew their feelings for him hadn't changed and had maybe even intensified. He couldn't see any reason why his brother would have brought him here.
They stopped him in front of a teepee and he bent to enter. His brother and four elders were already inside.
"Hello Running Buck. Sit."
"Red Bear." Buck nodded the elders, calling them each by name and greeting them with the proper respect as he sat. He tried to be patient, waiting to see what was going on.
Indian culture is full of traditions and formalities. When they were done, Red Bear finally got down to business.
"We need your help, my brother."
"What can I do?"
"Our village was raided two days ago. Many of our women and children were taken. We mean to get them back."
"You've led many raids before. Why do you need me?"
"They were taken by white men. There have been other raids like this, in other tribes. A few have managed to escape. They tell stories of being taken to large boats. Our people are loaded onto these boats and are never seen again."
"Slavers." Buck replied quietly.
"What are these 'slavers'?"
"White men have brought black men here to use as slaves. I've heard tell of whites and Indians being taken to a place called Europe to be sold as slaves."
"Where is this Europe."
"It's over a large body of water. Bigger than any of us have ever seen. If they get them to the boats we will never get them back."
"Then we must go now."
"Why do you want me along?" Buck asked, still puzzled.
"The elders feel that you may think like these men, while still thinking like a Kiowa. You know the way white men think."
"I'm not like these people!" Buck retorted angrily.
"That was not what we meant, my brother! We did not mean to insult you. We just thought you might be able to help with your knowledge of the white man's world."
Buck paused, calming himself before answering.
"I will help, but my friends must be allowed to leave."
Red Bear looked around at the elders before he replied. "We would like your friends to stay here until you return. We do not want them to lead anyone back here."
"They would never do that!"
"Still, they will remain here. They will be safe."
Buck reluctantly agreed, insisting that he be allowed to talk to them before leaving.
His brother handed him a breech cloth and leggings after the elders left, stating that some of the warriors might accept him, or at least ignore him, if he looked more like them. He changed his clothes, putting the vest on over his bare chest. One of the women came in, braiding a section of his hair and fixing two feathers into the back.
When he left his brother's lodge, there were no warriors outside to escort him. He walked freely back to the teepee holding his friends.
They almost didn't recognize him when he entered.
"Buck?"
"What's this all about Buck?"
He sat and explained the situation. "I'm not sure I was really being given a choice," he concluded. "Please don't try anything while I'm gone. Red Bear said you would be safe."
The tent flap was pulled aside and Red Bear entered. He had put on war paint after Buck left him and he carried two small bowls containing the paint.
"We must be going soon," he said sitting in front of Buck. He dipped his index finger in the pot of white paint and his middle finger in the pot of red. He placed these two fingers on Buck's forehead and pulled them downward over Buck's face, effectively drawing two lines down the middle. Then he drew a line across Buck's cheek bones, one in red, one in white. The transformation was amazing. Emma thought that she would not recognize the boy for sure now.
"I've got to go. Promise me you won't try anything! They'll let you wander through the camp, but don't try to leave. Weeping Woman will see to your needs. She speaks English."
"I don't like this Buck."
"I know Jimmy. Just do what I say, this one time. It'll be alright if you do what I ask."
"He will." Emma spoke up. "You take care of yourself."
"I will." Buck said as he followed Red Bear out of the teepee.
On to Chapter Five
