Eagle People (24 page)

Ora nodded and then left to send the injured men after the one warrior that yet lived.

An hour later, in the woods surrounding the village, Byron grinned when he saw not a single man, but he suspected a few youngsters and old timers were there. Stepping from the woods, he gave a loud scream and ran for the village.

They met no resistance until they'd actually entered the village, when some men well past their prime clashed with them briefly. Once they were killed, the Wolves continued into the village center.  Women were already being gathered up and males were being murdered where they were found.  Byron captured an old man and his wife and placed a guard on them, because he had plans for both. Finally, all sounds of battle stopped, as if turned off by the hand of God. Moans and groans were heard, but very little screaming.  

“Ora, kill all of their wounded, except for any women lightly injured that might recover. Also, save me an old man and old woman. I have need of them.”

“You heard him, men, kill all of these bastards, except for the women and an old couple.”

Once again screams filled the air and within a few minutes it was so quiet the lack of noise grew suddenly loud.

Ora neared, his chest, face, and arms spattered with blood. He grinned and asked, “What do you want done with the old couple?”

“Cut some limbs, about six feet long, an inch thick, and as straight as you can find. Then, trim all the branches from them. Make the limbs as smooth as you can. Then have the men gather up a stack of dry brush and place it in the village square, because we're going to have a little entertainment and scare our enemies at the same time. Once the limbs are ready, pound them into the ground in the very center of the village. Once they are about a foot and a half deep in the dirt, sharpen the tops to points.”

“What of the brush?”

“Have it placed close to the two limbs.”

Less than an hour later, Ora returned and said, “The stakes in the ground are ready, as is the brush.”

“Good. Guards, bring the two captives to the center of the village.”

Once all were near the limbs and brush, Byron said, “Undress both of our captives.”

The man stood unmoving as his homespun shirt and trousers were cut from him, but the old woman begged and screamed, but it did no good.

“Now, tie their arms behind them and make sure the knots are secure.”

The man made no resistance, but the woman had to be knocked to the ground before she could be secured. She begged and pleaded, thinking they were to be burned to death.

“Ora, I want you and another man to take horses, one on each side of the man, and using his upper arms lift him. Ride to the stakes and impale him.”

Ora, confused asked “And how do we do that?”

“Use an orifice of each. The woman has two, so use either.”

“My God, Byron, do you really want to do this? I have never heard of such a thing before. I don't know if I can do this to a living person.”

“Do as I say or I'll replace you, and I'm making no threat, but a promise.”

“Grant, mount your horse.” Ora said, and then walked toward his horse shaking his head.

When both riders neared the old man, Ora said, “Four of you lift him, so we can get a strong grip.”

The old man was lifted and the two riders moved toward the stakes. Once in position, they lifted him slightly over the sharp point as a warrior near the stake lined up the stake and his orifice.

“Lower him now.” The warrior said, and he watched closely as the stake entered.  

Meeting some resistance as the sharpened point entered, Ora yelled to be heard over the man's screams, “Push him down by his shoulders, hard and do it now!”

The victims head swung from side-to-side as his high pitched screams vibrated off the lodges.  Finally, the sharpened point popped out of his chest, slight above his sternum. Blood, flowing like a river, ran down the stake and pooled on the ground.

“That's enough.” Byron said. “Now pile half of the brush around him and start a fire.”

Flames were soon eating at the wood, and they danced and flickered in the light wind. The old man's screams ceased, but a whimpering sound came from him, until the flames began to lick at his bare skin. A deep warbling scream sounded for a few minutes and then his head fell limply to his chest. When his hair caught fire, no movement was seen—the old one was dead.

Suddenly sexually excited by watching the torture of the old man, Byron said, “Take the old woman into the lodge behind her. She will die another way.”

Ora motioned with his hand and the woman was pulled into the lodge.

Byron entered and asked the woman, “Can you please a man many ways?”

“Y . . . yes . . . is that what you . . . you want? I can do that and make you a . . . very happy man.”  she replied, because after seeing what they'd done to her husband, she'd do anything to survive.

“That is what I want. If you truly make me a happy man, you will live. If I am displeased, you'll meet the same fate as your man.” Then turning to the guards he said, “Wait outside the door.”

Twenty minutes later, Byron walked from the lodge grinning and said, “Secure the old woman, she is mine until I tire of her. She knows how to please me.”

The old woman, thinking she'd now survive left the lodge willingly, unaware she now carried the French pox, but even if she had known, it didn't matter.  Byron planned to cut her throat after he used her over the course of a week anyway.

“Ora, take twenty-five men and take the women back to the village. If one escapes, I will have your head. Do you understand me?”  Said Byron.

“What of the old woman?”

“Leave her with me. I enjoy her company. After what we did to her husband, she's too scared to run away.”

“As you wish. We will leave now.”

“Go; the rest of us will move to the group moving toward Eagle People.”

Mongoose and her group were near her people and they'd met no one as they traveled. The men sent by the Colonel were good warriors and not once on the trip had a member of the Eagle Clan pulled guard duty. She wasn't sure if it was because they didn't trust her and her people, or if they wanted them to rest. It didn't matter to her, and she knew Eldon enjoyed sleeping all night.

A day from her village, one of the soldiers walked to Sergeant Dooley and said, “One of our scouts spotted a large group of warriors moving toward us from the southeast.”

“How many warriors?”

“He counted over fifty and then stopped, but he knows they are less than a hundred.”

“Recall all our men and scouts. In the valley below we'll establish our defenses. Tell the men to allow the warriors to get close and I'll open the fight. I want no guns fired until I shoot the first round.  Any questions?”

“None, and they know how to do the job. Our guns will surprise them greatly.”

“Now move and see my orders are carried out, Corporal.”

As the man moved away from them, Dooley said, “Move toward the trees in the valley below.  Once there, prepare for an attack.”

Mongoose gazed into Eldon's eyes and they sparkled with mirth. A group of warriors were about to attack eleven men armed with rifles. It was something they both wanted to see.

In less than thirty minutes, the soldiers were all in the trees and in positions. In the middle of the trees ran a narrow stream, maybe fourteen inches wide and about half as deep. The water was clear and ice cold, so Mongoose suspected it was fed by a spring. It was good to know if the battle was long, water was near.

The scout looked at Byron and said, “I counted only fourteen of them, and they rode into some trees near a stream and dismounted. They know we are here.”

“It will do them little good. We are close to fifty men and they expect to fight us? What is your name?”

“I am called Ezra.”

“Well, Ezra, this is your lucky day, because you're now my second in command. I want you to take thirty of the men and attack the trees. If you do well, two of the women captives we have are yours.”

“You want the women unhurt but all males killed, correct?”

Smiling, Byron said, “Correct; now go and start the attack. I will be watching from the hill.”

As a group, they moved to the crest of the hill, well out of arrow range, and Byron smiled as Ezra assembled his warriors and made ready for the attack.

A minute later, Ezra and his men rode their horses hard for the trees, sure of success.

When the warriors of the Wolf people were thirty feet from the trees, Sergeant Dooley stood and fired his M-16 on fully automatic, knocking five men from their saddles. The squad opened fire a split second later and Wolves died. Brains, blood, bone and body parts flew from men and went in all directions. Ezra was struck in the chest and fell to the grasses, where he lay unable to move, blood seeping from his entrance and exit holes. When the bullet struck his chest, the bullet tumbled and the exit hole was in his thigh. His lungs, stomach and intestines were all punctured by the lead slug.

The men attempted to turn and ride away, but Dooley tossed a grenade, which exploded and killed all three. Horrific screams were coming from the wounded. One soldier walked to them and shot each in the head as he moved amidst the downed warriors.

Byron was shocked; all of his men were down—killed in just seconds—he'd heard gunfire, too.
How did the Eagle People acquire guns? How can this be?
he thought.
I must leave now and avoid these people. Guns, they have many guns.

“How did this happen?” a man beside him asked.

“We must return to the village and in the future avoid the Eagle people. They have found guns, and we cannot fight them now.”

“When do you wish to return?”

“Now, you damned fool and we must hurry, before the Eagle people come for us.” Byron pulled his horse around and then took down the trail at a trot.

Chapter 17

AMON AND HIS MEN
were gearing up preparing to attack the village of the Wolf People, when he heard yelling and screaming near his lodge. Leaving the building, he saw Mongoose and some others entering, and he smiled. She yet lives and that makes me happy, he thought. He moved toward the arriving group.

Seeing Amon, she slid from her saddle and walked to him, where she asked, “You are well?”

“I'm fine, and you?”

“I am well. We will move to the Cheyenne Mountain People and join them.”

“First, all of you must eat and then rest.” He said.

“My people, we have returned, and with us ride soldiers sent by the Colonel. Treat each of  them as one of The People, because they have been sent to take us to a new land. I will talk more, once I eat and sleep a little. Sergeant Dooley, you and your Corporal come with me to my lodge. You will sleep and eat there until we are ready to leave.”

“Yes ma'am.”

Once in the lodge, Mongoose placed some cut chunks of beef in a pot of water and started making a stew. While not really hungry, she knew some food would help her sleep better. After the stew was placed on the hot coals to cook she said, “Amon, do not worry about the Wolf People, they are few now. Today we were attacked by them, and guns Sergeant Dooley and his men carried killed all but a few. I think as a people, they are finished.”