me when I do not myself understand it. It is a feeling so strong that it is with me all day, and awakens me at night so I cannot sleep.”
“What kind of feeling?” Gray Fox asked, puzzled.
“I do not know. It is as if I am waiting for something to happen.”
“Waiting for what?” Gray Fox asked, not understanding Windhawk’s words.
Windhawk raised his face to the heavens. “I know not what it will be. I only know it will not be long in coming.”
“Do you think it will be bad?”
“I know not.” Windhawk turned to his friend. “But I would ask something of you. Should anything happen to me I would wish you to see that my mother and sister are cared for. I would ask this of no one but you.”
Gray Fox was disturbed by Windhawk’s words. He loved him as a brother and honored him as he had never honoredanother man. Although they had been boyhood friends, Gray Fox was still in awe of his chief.
“Should anything bad befall you, I will treat your mother and sister as if they were my own,” he vowed solemnly.
Windhawk reached out and rested his hand on Gray Fox’s shoulder. “I know why I have chosen you as my friend. Each time I have asked something of you, you give without question.”
“I only gave back what you have always given me. I love you as I do my brother. I honor you as my chief.”
Both men lapsed into silence. Windhawk raised his face once more to the heavens, and Gray Fox stared at his profile. Here was a man that others looked up to. They heeded his words and followed wherever he led. Never had there been a man such as he. If anything happened to him, no one could replace him. Gray Fox felt fear in his heart. Windhawk seemed to sense his friend’s thoughts and turned to smile at him.
“All rests in the hands of Napi. It does no one good to predict the future. We can do no more than wait.”
“It is as you say, this I know.”
“We will reach the trading post tomorrow,” Windhawk said, changing the subject.
“I am surprised that you consented to come to the games. You have not done so before.”
“I would not have come this time, but my destiny awaits me. I could do no more than follow.”
Gray Fox watched as Windhawk walked over to where the horses were tethered and patted the neck of his great black stallion. Although Windhawk had many horses, Puh Pom, * was his favorite. Together the two of them defied nature and raced the wind.
“Come, my friend, it is time to get some sleep. Tomorrow will soon be here,” Windhawk told him.
That night Gray Fox’s thoughts were troubled. What destiny awaited his chief? What force had persuaded him to attend the games? It was well known that Windhawk didn’t likeRunning Elk, the chief of the Piegan Blackfoot, and he liked the white man even less. Windhawk’s pallet was not far from where he lay, and Gray Fox could sense that he too was having troubled thoughts.
Joanna made her way through the camp. She smiled and waved to several people. She had grown to know the other families of the wagon train very well. They had been through many hard times together. Joanna had formed a strong bond of friendship with most of them. As she passed the Phillips’s wagons, Amanda Phillips fell into step beside Joanna.
“If you are on your way to the trading post, I’ll walk along with you,” Amanda said.
“Good, I welcome your company. I am searching for Tag, and if I know him, he’s sitting around listening to Farley weave his Indian yarns.”
“Joanna, are you scared with all those Indians descending on us tonight?”
“I’m terrified. Simon told me that Captain Thatcher is taking every precaution by posting extra guards day and night.”
“Speaking of Captain Thatcher, I know something about him that you don’t suspect.”
Joanna looked sideways at Amanda. “I know that he is to be stationed at Fort Leavenworth, and only agreed to lead the wagon train as far as Independence.”
Amanda giggled. “That has nothing to do with what
“What kind of feeling?” Gray Fox asked, puzzled.
“I do not know. It is as if I am waiting for something to happen.”
“Waiting for what?” Gray Fox asked, not understanding Windhawk’s words.
Windhawk raised his face to the heavens. “I know not what it will be. I only know it will not be long in coming.”
“Do you think it will be bad?”
“I know not.” Windhawk turned to his friend. “But I would ask something of you. Should anything happen to me I would wish you to see that my mother and sister are cared for. I would ask this of no one but you.”
Gray Fox was disturbed by Windhawk’s words. He loved him as a brother and honored him as he had never honoredanother man. Although they had been boyhood friends, Gray Fox was still in awe of his chief.
“Should anything bad befall you, I will treat your mother and sister as if they were my own,” he vowed solemnly.
Windhawk reached out and rested his hand on Gray Fox’s shoulder. “I know why I have chosen you as my friend. Each time I have asked something of you, you give without question.”
“I only gave back what you have always given me. I love you as I do my brother. I honor you as my chief.”
Both men lapsed into silence. Windhawk raised his face once more to the heavens, and Gray Fox stared at his profile. Here was a man that others looked up to. They heeded his words and followed wherever he led. Never had there been a man such as he. If anything happened to him, no one could replace him. Gray Fox felt fear in his heart. Windhawk seemed to sense his friend’s thoughts and turned to smile at him.
“All rests in the hands of Napi. It does no one good to predict the future. We can do no more than wait.”
“It is as you say, this I know.”
“We will reach the trading post tomorrow,” Windhawk said, changing the subject.
“I am surprised that you consented to come to the games. You have not done so before.”
“I would not have come this time, but my destiny awaits me. I could do no more than follow.”
Gray Fox watched as Windhawk walked over to where the horses were tethered and patted the neck of his great black stallion. Although Windhawk had many horses, Puh Pom, * was his favorite. Together the two of them defied nature and raced the wind.
“Come, my friend, it is time to get some sleep. Tomorrow will soon be here,” Windhawk told him.
That night Gray Fox’s thoughts were troubled. What destiny awaited his chief? What force had persuaded him to attend the games? It was well known that Windhawk didn’t likeRunning Elk, the chief of the Piegan Blackfoot, and he liked the white man even less. Windhawk’s pallet was not far from where he lay, and Gray Fox could sense that he too was having troubled thoughts.
Joanna made her way through the camp. She smiled and waved to several people. She had grown to know the other families of the wagon train very well. They had been through many hard times together. Joanna had formed a strong bond of friendship with most of them. As she passed the Phillips’s wagons, Amanda Phillips fell into step beside Joanna.
“If you are on your way to the trading post, I’ll walk along with you,” Amanda said.
“Good, I welcome your company. I am searching for Tag, and if I know him, he’s sitting around listening to Farley weave his Indian yarns.”
“Joanna, are you scared with all those Indians descending on us tonight?”
“I’m terrified. Simon told me that Captain Thatcher is taking every precaution by posting extra guards day and night.”
“Speaking of Captain Thatcher, I know something about him that you don’t suspect.”
Joanna looked sideways at Amanda. “I know that he is to be stationed at Fort Leavenworth, and only agreed to lead the wagon train as far as Independence.”
Amanda giggled. “That has nothing to do with what
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