Adult-FanFiction.org : Books

Ascent to Power	By : Hot4Gerry Category: M through R > The Phantom of the Opera > Het Views: 5436 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 26
- 27
- 28
Chapter Twenty-six
Winds of Change Winter 1872

Months went by and winter had hit the tribe hard. Food was scarce. The snowfall this year had been more than had fallen in many years. Spring was drawing nearer. Everyone longed for warmer weather. This winter had taken many of the elders of the tribe. Fire Walker, was one of the few older tribe members who had survived the dipping temperatures. Katherine never could quite say how it happened, but she had taken to the crochety older man. He complained for some time at the beginning of each visit. After she listened to him without showing any signs of boredom he would begin to tell her of days from the past.

An odd affection had developed between them. He gave her a gold nugget that was as big a the biggest marble she had ever seen. It meant little to him other than he had taken it out of a dead white man's hand after their village had been raided many moons ago. In the aftermath those who had survived had tracked down the band of trappers who had attacked them without provocation. Each man was killed. Fire Walker embellished details somewhat hoping to force her into admitting his very specific details of acts committed would at last break her calm acceptance of his tales against her people. Not so much as by a twitch of an eye did she ever show him she was less than brave. She was strong willed he knew that for certain. Their friendship perhaps started when he had been sick with no one to take care of him. He was going to be left behind when they moved again.

It had been done with others before. They simply stayed where they were until they rejoined the spirits of their tribe. The older ones could not keep up the fast pace needed to stay ahead of the Whiteman's army. Fire Walker had been going to stay behind when Katherine had come upon him sitting in front of his teepee while everyone else packed to leave. She had stopped to enquire as to why he did not pack his things. He had replied he had no energy to travel that day. If tomorrow he felt better he might pack up and rejoin them or simply stay there until he died.

Katherine had begun to pack his things on the sled. She hooked the two dogs he had that pulled his sled. He had not said any more and neither had she. Since then each move after helping Lone Wolf and Fawn she had gone to pack his things then prepare the dogs and sled. For the last two years she had done this.

Every morning Katherine took Fire Walker some breakfast. She made sure he had a fire in his teepee. She even gave him one of her blankets when his had been lost in the last move. Katherine had told him that if they moved again she was thinking of moving in with him. It would be easier. Besides he needed someone to take of him. He had argued that he was a man, not in need of a woman's help, unless she cared to share his blanket. The old man had laughed until he coughed, choking himself, when she had turned red as a berry. She had been speechless until she had seen the twinkle in his eye.

The old reprobate could barely walk let alone take care of a young maiden. He had been quick to assure her though that a few years ago when his joints were not so stiff and his bones not so brittle he would have given the young bucks a challenge.

Winter had not let go it's hold on the land just yet. Spring was finally making itself felt with a few warm days here and there but the last snows of winter were still falling. Soon blankets of white would be covering the ground after just melting away in an unexpected warm spell. Katherine and Fawn had welcomed the warmer weather. Sitting in a teepee all day, unless hunting was not in any way an enjoyable task.

The tribe had moved from the Arizona Territory to the state of Missouri trying to stay ahead of the soldiers tracking all the larger bands of Indians. The white man wanted them removed to reservations or dead. Raging Bear remembered his father telling about the removal of the Cherokee many years ago. The walk on the trail to their new home had killed many. The walk was known as the Trail of Tears. A fitting name. More tears had been shed during and after the long march than in any year since the white man's move into the west. Raging Bear would not lead his people to that fate. If they were to die let it be fighting to hold what was theirs and for the right to be free to come and go as his people had always done. He was born an Apache brave living free he would die the same. He would not be tethered like an animal kept from wandering. No one would hold him if he did not wish it. He knew a battle was coming soon. His dreams had foretold of the great battle by his people to keep what little they still called their own.

More and more he watched White Eagle. He worried about her. She should be with her people. His people loved and respected her but she had earned the right to return to her old life. The decision was made to let her return when his scouts spotted two columns of soldiers heading in from the north and south. The river blocked retreat west and east would take them too far into white man's territory. He made his decision and sent for Lone Wolf.

Lone Wolf had no idea what Raging Bear wanted. He knew his chief was troubled by the many moves they had made in the last few months. Food was becoming harder to hunt. The hunting parties were forced to go greater distances to find game. Occasionally they raided a farm or ranch. They took only enough to feed the women and children. Raging Bear knew these thefts would bring the soldiers chasing after him but his people needed to eat.

Lone Wolf entered Raging Bear's teepee. He sat down and waited for the man across from him to find the words he needed before speaking. When he did his surprise was clearly on his face as was his objections. There had been no ceremony. Just silent consideration of some difficult decision.

"Lone Wolf I have thought long and hard. This is not an easy decision but it is the right decision. You will take White Eagle, White Dove and Fawn. You will go to the home of White Eagle. Return her and make sure she is safe and welcomed back into her family. Fawn and White Dove will go with you. I send them with you as I fear these are our last days. Hundreds of soldiers are closing ranks as we speak. A few days and they will catch up with us. Ride hard for the first few days. Make sure no one tracks you. If you are found with White Eagle they will shoot first and worry about answers later."

As Lone Wolf went to protest Raging Bear held up his hand for silence sadly saying, “I know this is not what you would wish to do. You feel your place is with us. One man will not make the difference. One hundred men would not change the outcome of the next few days. You have fought bravely for many moons. Now it is time for you to fight a different battle. Return to your other people Lone Wolf. Find your mother. I know it has saddened you not to have seen or heard from her in all these years. It is time to go home."

"Our people can not run any longer. Their spirits are withering and dying. My one good thing to go with me into the spirit world will be to return White Eagle to her people. I owe her this. Fawn is to go with you as her death would serve no purpose. I send my daughter with the history of our tribe. The medicine man will give her the skins that tell our story. I have sought his council. He has seen the wisdom of my choice. Take these three women and keep them safe. I will have White Dove ready to go before first light. Leave at the first ray of light before the camp stirs. I do not wish for any one to try to stop you."

No matter what objections he voiced Raging Bear was adamant. White Eagle would return to her people. With Lone Wolf, Fawn and White Dove the continuation of their people and their history would be preserved. At last there were no more arguments. Only resignation of what was to be. Lone Wolf knew that if things went the way Raging Bear wished he would die when next he faced his enemy. He did not want to live as an animal. He was Apache. All Apache's were meant to be free of any bindings holding their spirit down.

"Go with my blessings Lone Wolf. My heart goes with you and these three special women. Keep them safe as well as yourself."

"Always. With the last breath I breathe. My life for theirs. We shall be as one. White Eagle shall be returned and I will find a place to keep your daughter safe. You have my promise."

"You did not have to speak of your promise. I know your honor as a warrior would allow you to do no less. Many may say I chose to save my daughter selfishly but it is what I have to do. Someone must live on to make our story be heard in the winds traveling into the future. Our time as a great nation is over. All we have left is our honor in dying for what we believe to be more valuable than our own lives. Our children should have had this land to grow up in proud and strong. They should not be penned in or walked into the swampland further south. The bounty found in these lands should have remained ours. There is enough for everyone but the white man wants it all. He wants not one Apache, Cherokee, Hopi, not one Indian to walk the land. He wants all the tribes to vanish. Some have already become ghosts. You only hear of the Mohegans in whispers in the wind. They are no more. If we die at least White Dove will live to keep our memory alive. She can tell how we lived and how we died."

Raging Bear stood as did Lone Wolf. They clasped hands in Indian fashion. Sadness was edging into both men's eyes. Both knew this would more than likely be the last time they would see each other this side of the spirit world. Lone Wolf would do as his chief asked. He did not like it but his chief gave him this quest and he would see it through or die in the attempt.

He found Fawn and told her to pack what she could. Food, warm clothing, blankets, extra moccasins and choose two pack horses. Her own Indian pony Sprit would be her mount. He would have him hidden along with his own mount Wind Runner. When she would have asked questions he told her do as he said without question. Her place was not to ask why but to obey. Her brother never spoke to her in this way. There had to be something terribly wrong for him to speak so harshly to her and treat her as less than his equal. In private he treated her and White Eagle as equals only showing superiority when others were around.

Lone Wolf found White Eagle sitting with the children. She had one on her lap and one on either side of her leaning on her shoulders. The rest were sitting around in the same crossed legged way she was. She was singing them a song she had made up a few years ago to sooth the upset children during one of their many moves. Everyone loved her voice. The soft soothing tenor along with the words drove away all bad feelings, filling anyone listening with warmth. It felt as if soothing hands touched your skin chasing away anything harmful. Unwillingly Lone Wolf found himself being pulled into the spell she was weaving around the children.

Her voice sounded as if it whispered in the wind caressing the ear. The words were meant to soothe but it was the tone that wove the spell. Never had Lone Wolf heard such beauty in a voice. The spirit of song had blessed her. When she sang and her sun whitened hair blew in the breeze she looked unreal. She could be a spirit. Sometimes she seemed otherworldly. At times she seemed to be not of this earth. When her voice whispered in the wind Lone Wolf was not sure she was a woman or an earthbound spirit.

Lone Wolf had teasingly said they should send her into battle ahead of them and the soldiers would be lulled into trusting sleep. Listening to her now he had to think that it would not be far from the truth. He himself wanted nothing more than to listen to her and lay down at her feet and sleep leaving all cares and worries behind in the peaceful darkness of sleep. Shaking himself from his relaxed stance he straightened and called to White Eagle in a tone of voice a little harsher than he intended.

She was surprised at his tone but quietly told the children to return to their mothers and she would sing to them tomorrow.

Lone Wolf did not know how to tell her that tomorrow she would be hundreds of miles away, taking a long journey home. Lone Wolf, Fawn and White Dove would have no home and their people may well disappear from the face of the earth with the next full moon.

"What is wrong Lone Wolf? You look troubled."

"Raging Bear has ordered me to return you to your people. We leave at dawn as the first light comes over the hill. Have what you will take with you ready. Be ready at first light. I will take Misty with the other horses I will hide just outside camp. Fawn and White Dove are to come too. We must leave before the camp starts to stir."

"But why now? What is happening? I want to go back I just wonder why now? Something bad is going to happen or you would not be taking three women out of camp. Your two sisters and the chief's daughter."

"Two columns of soldiers will reach us within the next few days. Raging Bear will not go peacefully or surrender. He will die in battle if he can not avoid this fight. This is a way to return the good deed you did. He has wanted to return you for some time but he had grown attached to you. This is the only thing he can do and have you live. He will not chance your death by having you stay."

"We should be with our people. They will need everyone. Now is the time to stay together not separate."

Lone Wolf noticed she said "our people". Perhaps trying to do the right thing Raging Bear sent her to a place she did not fit into any longer. "We will do as our chief asks. No more talk. Be ready or go with what you have on. You will go."

Not much sleep came to those who knew of the coming early morning departure. The light had just begun to chase the shadows when the four left the camp quickly and quietly. The dogs were given meat so their barks were quieted. Six horses waited outside camp. Lone Wolf and Raging Bear put the supplies on two horses. Raging Bear said good-bye to his daughter. He hoped it would not be the last time his eyes looked upon her face. The four riders mounted their horses and left without looking back. To look back would only add to the pain. Fawn and White Dove were crying. Lone Wolf had a hard look on his face. Only Katherine looked stoic as she sat on Misty's back. No expression showed in her eyes or on her face. If she were marble she could have been a statue.

After being sure they were far enough from camp for no one to hear the horses hooves Lone Wolf sped up the pace. He wanted as much distance as he could get between him and the camp before dark. He followed the river and rode in the water when possible. He back tracked and used brush trailing behind his horse to cover their tracks. At some points he rode off the and left false trails. He did not see anyone following them except the six braves sent by Raging Bear. They kept to the side while staying a good distance away. They would follow along for a day or two then return back to camp. If there were a camp to return to by then.

They only stopped for short periods to rest the horses. The sooner they were out of this region the safer they would be. As much as he dreaded it he had to return to his mother's people. This region not only had renegade bands of Indians who killed and stole from everyone but there were still bands of men who refused to give up on the war even when there leaders were killed or imprisoned. The white outlaws ran in this region also. There would be no safety until they knocked on the front door of White Eagle's home. Even then safety was not a certainty.

Lone Wolf began to speak in English to the young woman he began to think of as Katherine. They had little time to prepare her for the return to her old way of life.

Their escorts had returned back to camp late in the evening at the end of the second day. In the early afternoon of the third day they saw a band of white men. There were only about six or seven. As Lone Wolf and his charges were drinking from the clear water of a creek the men approached. The men hadn't seen Lone Wolf until they were right in front of him. Lone Wolf cursed his carelessness. He had his knife and his tomahawk was fixed to the leather of his buckskins. He could take three maybe four but that still left two.

The men looked on. They glanced around as if to reassure themselves there were no other Indians in hiding. The one who seemed to be the leader told the others to dismount and slowly get down and drink.

Lone Wolf stood up straight and tall. He showed no fear. To the men looking at him he seemed a formidable foe. Not one they wished to trade insults with.

Lone Wolf spoke in his own language to Katherine. "If I have to I can get the four on the right of me. Could you take out the other two Katherine?"

Katherine judged the distance. She was accurate with a knife within twenty to thirty feet. These men were around twenty feet across the creek.

"Yes I can take out the shorter one with my knife from my waist and the taller one with the knife from my moccasin. Give me a warning so I can drop down and roll after I kill the first one. That will give me time to get the second one."

The leader of the white men began to speak.

"Don't know if'n you speak our tongue but if'n ya' do we mean no harm. We'll just wet our whistle a might and then mossie on our way. My name is Younger. Colt Younger. These are two of my brothers, Jim and Rob. This here's Jesse and Frank James. We mean no harm. Why we're right friendly folks. Ain't that right boys?"

"Yep," said both Younger brothers in unison.

"That's the God's honest truth," said Jesse.

"Church on Sunday's our second home. We'd be much obliged if'n you could see your way clear to share the waterin' hole. I ain't been able ta spit for quite a spell," said Frank.

"See? Just water we're after. We just want water. Ain't had no water for the best part of the day. We go our way you go yours. Everybody gets what they want. No harm done. Now we're going to get down and get that drink now."

"Damn Colt. You see that pretty blond thing? What's a good looker like her doing with a redskin? Ain't right. Those two squaws ain't mules either."

"Keep your mind north of your belly Jim. Take a good look at that woman again. She's pure squaw. She'd gut you before you got your drawers down and be wearing your hair on her belt. Dependin' how mean she is she might just take your pecker ta boot. We want water and nothin' more. We ain't got time to waste on fucking every young thing you set your sights on. I thought you was spoke for anyways. Don't matter no ways we have a date with a bank full of money."

"I'm spoke for but not dead and buried yet. A little piece now and agin' don't do no harm. It seems a little unfair him havin' three good lookin' women. Bet they'd like to have a man who could give 'em a good hump. One man ain't goin' to keep three women happy in the sack. Why, I'd be doin' them a favor. Won't take more'n a couple God damn minutes."

"Your woman know your short comins'? Takes at least five minutes if you do it proper." The others laughed at his joke at his brothers expense.

"I said no an I mean no. You make one move to drop your drawers and I swear I'll shoot your pecker off myself. At this range I sure as hell won't miss."

Frank was bending down beside his brother to get a drink as he spoke, "Jesse remind me again why we run with these morons? I should be home with Annie with my feet up enjoyin' a full belly of her fine cookin'. Here we are with these sorry asses."

"You think I wouldn't rather be with Zerelda? Hell Frank you're my brother an' all but I sure as hell would rather be with my wife than a bunch of stinkin' foul mouthed men. If it wasn't for the money I'd be messin' up the sheets with my warm blooded wife and not goin' to sleep smellin' like a God damned horse and sleepin' beside men who stink worse than a ten day old dead skunk."

Katherine and Lone Wolf understood every word the men spoke. It seemed like they only wanted water. At least most of them did, but Lone Wolf told her quietly to stay ready. His knife was already in his hand hidden behind his wrist with his fingers curled around the butt of the knife. In less than a blink of an eye he could take the life of the first man. Katherine under the guise of getting the water pouches from the pack horse took her knife from her waist and held it hidden in the palm of her hand with the blade at her wrist in the same manner as Lone Wolf. Misty sensing the tension whickered nervously. Katherine quietly reassured her.

Drinking their fill from creek they began filling their canteens. The men mounted and the two named Jesse and Frank tipped their hats to the women as they road away. Lone Wolf let out a stream of curses in the language of the white man.

"That can not happen again. It could have ended badly. I should have stayed on watch. I have let my guard down too much. Returning to the white world is making me careless. I have become too comfortable traveling with women. Thinking of your return to your father reminded me I have not seen my mother since I was a young boy. With my selfish thoughts I put us all in danger. I am sorry Katherine and I promise it will not happen again." Anger coated each word he spoke. She knew it was not anger at her, but anger toward himself.

"No one was hurt. Not one shot fired or one knife thrown. Any day without bloodshed is a good day. Let us just be thankful and move on. You have nothing to hold against yourself. It is only natural to wonder about your mother. You wish to see her do you not?"

"My wishes are not important. Returning you to your home and then finding a safe place for Fawn and White Dove are the path I shall tread. I gave my word I would only let death stop me. Only death is an honorable excuse for failure." Lone Wolf had an eerie feeling as he spoke of death. He prayed to the spirits it was not a bad omen for the future.

"Lone Wolf I wish for you to stay with me. You are the brother I never had. Fawn is like my sister. I do not know White Dove as well but we have become friendly during our travels. Stay until you feel you can not be happy with me at my home. I will not think badly of you if you wish to leave. I will wish you well and send you on your way with as many provisions as you can carry."

"I will give it much thought. Let us speak no more of this. Fill the water skins. We will travel until dark then rest for a few hours. We have lost too much time avoiding soldiers and wagon trains." Katherine knew those were the last words Lone Wolf would speak of the incident or what she had asked of him. The women filled the skins and made sure the horses drank. Having completed these tasks they climbed back on their horses and started their journey again. The short rest had refreshed not only the horses but the riders as well. They made no more stops during the day. As they rode along they ate the dried meat from the pack containing their provisions.

No more was said about the meeting with the white men. Lone Wolf slept very little. He had learned long ago how to sleep when riding. Many nights he had slept as his horse traveled through the night. Travel at night was much safer if one were alone. The Indian ponies were used to traveling at night and did not spook as easily as the white men's horses. The white men were creatures of habit. Sleep at night then travel during the day. If they weren't so sure their way was always right they would have listened to the Indian scouts who aided them in tracking renegades. By the time they woke and were ready to move on whatever tribe they were tracking had long since moved to another location. The Indian ways were slowly being learned by the white man. Settlers and the government hounded the military to end the Indian Wars. The move west was on the rise. More and more men and women wanted to start in a new territory. Free land was being given to homesteaders. All a person had to do was live on the land and make improvements. They could lay claim to all they could maintain. These people who came to lay claim to the land did not consider that their were people there before them. The Indian did not believe in ownership of the land. Mother Earth owned all around them. They were just the recipients of her bounty.

The Indian was given little or nothing in exchange for their lands where their ancestors had lived for thousands of years. Rounded up and moved to lands less hospitable they became a displaced people. The old ones died from the heart ache of losing their freedom and their homes. Many of the young died from disease. The young men died in battle. Starvation killed many more. The amount of food did not equal the amount of mouths to be fed.

It seemed as if every day they came across evidence of the white man's move further into what had been prairies and vast grasslands overrun with buffalo and elk. The great herds were no more. If one knew where to look a few small herds could be found. The wild horse herds were even being thinned out. Cattle ranchers wanted land for their cattle herds. Farmers wanted the land to grow crops. In the land where gold had been discovered that was the prize the white man sought. The iron tracks were stretching further into the west. The humming wires were being put up so they could send messages to one another quickly. The pony express was long gone. With the wires and the tracks messages could be sent much faster than by horse and rider. Where once they could travel for days and not see another soul now they had to hide from wagon trains heading west. Homesteads were popping up everywhere. The white man's spread across the land was growing in number. The only things growing less in number were the animals and the Indians.

Winds of change had been blowing across the land since the first white man had stepped foot on this vast untamed land. Covetous eyes were cast on what once had been land roamed by the Indian tribes who had lived here for thousands of years. Katherine had to struggle with the half of her that belonged to that other life while trying to shed the half of her that had become a big part of who she was now. For the most part she only thought of herself as White Eagle. Very seldom did she think of that little girl from long ago known as Katherine Montgomery. Could both halves come together in harmony? Would one dominate the other?
- 26
- 27
- 28
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Ascent to Power