Eagle People (23 page)
Later, as they sat talking in the lodge provided by the Colonel, Mongoose asked, “Well, what do each of you think?”
“The guns are good, the soldier training, and the hospital. I think it's a good idea to relocate here.” Eldon said.
“I like it too, but I'm worried about violating some law or custom I don't know about. I think that will be most of the problems we'll have early on as a combined people. So, we'll have to make punishment lenient the first year or so.”
“What do you think?” Eldon asked, he gazed into the eyes of Mongoose.
“He's willing to work with me, and I don't see a power struggle. He told me they were desperate for warriors, soldiers as he called them. And, while they have many Learned Ones, many more are needed to repair and replace broken equipment, especially electronics. While our people know nothing about electronics, I know Levi and the others can learn. Once they learn, they'll have new ideas and suggestions. I think the move would be good for our people.”
“I agree.” Eldon said.
“So do I.” Lydia said.
Eldon grinned and said, “I was surprised when I saw the cattle, sheep, goats, chickens, ducks and other animals domesticated. I realize before the fall they were all raise by people, but this village has many tamed dogs and cats. We have a few dogs, taken as pups, but I've never seen a cat tamed before.”
“It's unheard of, but I think their Ancient Ones were special and not normal American people. They still have, over four hundred years after our country's collapse, thousands of guns and a mountain of ammunition. When I asked why the guns still worked, the Colonel told me, 'They're all packed in heavy grease, cosmoline, which prevents rusting.'” Mongoose said.
“I thought grease was the oil left over when fatty foods were cooked.” Lydia said, and then gave a confused look.
“So did I, but I didn't ask him what cosmoline was. I figure once we start our training, we'll learn soon enough.”
Over the next week many things were discussed with the Colonel and what he called his officers. At times a man called a Sergeant would attend the meetings. Finally, seeing the confusion, the Colonel explained the ranks and what each meant. It was clearer, but still difficult to grasp by Mongoose and her two people. Her people had one chief, a leader of the Dog Soldiers, a shaman, and the council, with everyone else a warrior.
She did learn that while the complex had electrical power, it ran off of something the Colonel called a generator, which used gasoline, whatever that was. They had a limited supply of gasoline, stored in another part of the mountain, so they could only use the power when under a strong direct attack, except when testing. Each month, just for a few minutes, the power is turned on and all switches, electrical doors and other devices are checked. Then, all is shut down.
This evening, Colonel entered the room with a man Mongoose had seen before, but hadn't met. He said, “This is Sergeant Dooley and he's to accompany you back to your village and your return. He and his men will remain there until you're ready to return.”
The Sergeant extended his hand and said, “Ma'am, I will see you safely there and back.”
“They will be properly armed for their mission, and I think you'll be safe enough during the whole move. However, he'll need the help of your warriors, especially when on the move here. Keep in mind, Sergeant Dooley, Mongoose is in charge and obey her as you would me.”
“An order from her is an order from you, sir.”
“When do you plan on leaving?” the Colonel asked.
“We leave at first light.” Dooley replied.
BYRON WAS WALKING
around the campfire, circling and cursing as he thought,
Here you are, a big chief, but with no people. Something must be done about this, except what can really be done? The damned sores on my pecker hurt today too, and it puts me in a foul mood.
Ora neared and said, “There is word of a group of about a dozen men and women moving toward the big Eagle People village. One of our scouts spotted them the day before yesterday, but just returned.”
“How many many women in the group?”
“About half, but all look to be warriors.”
“Prepare all the men. We must move now.”
“I'll see to it immediately.” Ora replied, and then moved toward the men, who were constructing shelters.
Twenty-five minutes later, the men were mounted and Byron did a quick head count. He had 102 warriors left from over 200, so he needed to use caution or he'd soon be alone.
“Men,” he said, “we are going to attack a small group moving toward the Eagle People and the group has women. Then, we will visit some remote villages, and send scouts to steal women as they bathe or go for water. We
must
have women to produce more warriors. All males that fall into our hands are to be killed. Now, let's ride.”
Byron called out, “Ora!”
“Yes?”
“I want riders on point and drag. Also, put some outriders on both sides. Just because there has been an illness, doesn't mean we're the only ones moving.”
“I'll see to it right now.”
When we take these women, I must deny myself one. I will place them in a single lodge so all the men may use them. The sooner we start having children, the faster our people will grow. If I take one, all will come down with my illness, and that must be avoided,
he thought.
It was just a bit before noon, when a scout returned and said, “I have spotted some Northern Plains women, a large group, bathing in a stream. I saw two guards and no more. Their main village is about a mile to the north.”
“How many women?”
“I counted twenty-six of them, and all are of child bearing age.”
Byron instantly said, “Ora, take twenty-five warriors and capture the women. Make one sweep of the stream and then leave. Detail four men to take the guards out before you attack.”
Ora smiled and said, “If there are only two guards, the attack will be over in minutes. What of the group moving toward the Eagle People?”
“We'll take these women first, then move toward the other group. There are more women here.”
Soon Ora was moving, and he'd sent four men ahead to get into positions to kill the two guards. When they heard the cry of a hawk they were to take the warriors out with arrows. At that point, the warriors would, if all went properly, steal the women.
An hour later, all of the men in position, Ora gave the cry of a Hawk. Both guards raised their heads toward the sky, shielded their eyes from the sun with their hands, and then the arrows struck them. One fell instantly, dead before he struck the ground, but the second man fell screaming as he moved behind a huge rock he'd been sitting on just seconds before.
With loud war cries, the Wolf warriors attacked.
Within a couple of minutes most of the women were gathered up and secured but two ran for the boulder the guard was behind. Four warriors rode fast for the position. The wounded man raised and released two arrows and two men fell. The wounded Northern Plains warrior never really stood a chance, because seconds later, a lone Wolf warrior stepped from the woods behind the man. The Wolf swung his war ax hard and the man screamed as the sharp blade bit into his skull. From his position, Ora saw blood spurt from all directions from the fatal injury. Other warriors were off their horses in seconds, securing the hands of the women. The killer pulled his ax from the man's mangled head and gave a loud victory scream.
A warrior known as Lucas suddenly screamed, and when Ora looked in his direction, a captive woman had a knife blade buried in the man's back. Again and again she stabbed until the warrior fell, fatally injured, but still screaming. Two arrows flew toward the woman and one struck her in the left thigh, pinning her against her now injured horse. The horse reared and almost dropped the rider, but the woman maintained her seat in the saddle, and then shot across the stream. Arrows followed her, only she made good her escape.
Ora yelled, “Quickly now, we must escape.”
As a group they galloped from the stream, with twenty-three captive women for the tribe. After a mile or so, Ora dropped by the scout who'd initially reported the women to Byron and asked, “How large was the village you saw?”
“Not large. I figure they might have forty or fifty men, so we've little to worry about.”
“Let's hope you were right, because they will come for us.”
“Why run from them? Let us ambush them when they ride after us. When we reach the main group, we can make an ambush there. Once the warriors are killed, we can easily overrun the village. I know there are more women there, because I saw them with my own eyes.” Ora said.
Ora smiled, because he'd suggested the idea to Byron and knew the man would take credit for it, but it would come at a cost for the Chief—two women.
Turning to the young scout, Byron said, “I have thought of this already and you're correct, we can kill those who follow and then take the village. You're a good man, because already you are thinking like a leader.”
The young warrior smiled, realizing his idea would work.
Ora said, “I know they will come for us because one woman escaped. The scout says the village has few men and most will die in the ambush. No tribe can afford to lose this many women.”
Once at with the main group, Byron said, “See the men are placed on one side of the trail. No one, and I mean
no
one
—under penalty of death, is to release an arrow until I do the job first. Now, get the word out and the men in position.”
Less than an hour later, as the warriors of the Wolf People hid in the brush, the Northern Plains warriors rode cautiously down the trail. The point man was allowed to ride through the trap, while the Wolf warriors waited anxiously. The group looked to number about fifty.
A voice, obviously a leader, turned in his saddle and said, “Keep your eyes and ears open, I have a feeling we are being watched.”
Byron pulled his bowstring back all the way and let an arrow go, seeing his target, the leader, take the arrow deep in his chest. Each of the 100 warriors of the Wolves, except for four guarding the bound women, let arrows fly. Men fell from their horses screaming by the handfuls and after releasing two arrows each, the Wolves ran for their enemies.
The survivors of the Northern Plains People were in shock, because the attack caught them by surprise, and men were dying all around them. Then the running Wolves struck. They straightaway began to kill and mutilate and within a few short minutes, the battle was over.
“Ora!” Byron yelled.
“Here!”
“I want a spear driven through the chest of each of the downed warriors. There can be no survivors. Then, get a count of our dead and wounded.”
Screams, a higher pitch than others, were heard as each wounded man was killed. Then, Ora walked to Byron and said, “Fifty of the enemy killed, against our two dead and three injured slightly.”
“Can our injured still fight?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Send them after the point man we let ride by and then join us in the village.”
“I'll send them in a second.”
“Good. Then, once they leave, we'll attack the village and remember, no males left alive.”