Cameron of Carson Creek

Shortly after, the meeting ended. Scott headed for his wickiup looking forward to seeing Nizhoni when she brought his lunchtime meal. Whilst waiting for her to arrive with his food, Scott looked at his Cheyenne phrasebook practicing some of the words and phrases that Running Wolf had taught him. He was so engrossed in practicing his words and phrases that he completely lost track of time. He pulled out his watch and checked the time. He was amazed to see that it was after 1.45pm. Normally Nizhoni would have brought his meal around about 12.15pm. Allowing for the fact that she may have been delayed slightly with having to take food to Zach Colton, he would have expected her to still arrive by about 1.30pm.

Scott went outside with two objectives in mind. One was to stretch his legs, he had been sitting for over an hour, and the second was to see if he could find Nizhoni and let her know that he had not yet had his lunch. She was normally very punctual about such things. When Scott got outside the wickiup he knew instantly that there was something wrong in the village. Normally people would be walking around the village in a quite relaxed manner, taking their time, smiling at each other etc. Now however people, mainly braves, but some women too, were running back and forward, in and out of wickiups and even more braves were riding about on horses. Confused, and in an attempt to get some answers, Scott headed in the direction of Black Wolf's wickiup.

When he got there it was chaos. In the area in front of Black Wolf's wickiup, there must have been about 40 braves gathered, all on horseback. Black Wolf was speaking to them in a very animated fashion, fingers were getting pointed here and there; there was obviously a big difference of opinion between them. Black Wolf then turned his attention to a young boy at his side. Scott had never seen this young boy before, but he looked to be about nine years of age. The young boy was explaining something to Black Wolf with tears in his eyes. He was pointing here and there and Black Wolf was listening intently to every word he said. Whilst this conversation was happening, the group of mounted braves all, apart from one, rode off in the direction of the corral where their ponies were kept. Scott noticed that the one remaining brave was Nizhoni's future husband, Dancing Horse.

Black Wolf finished his discussion with the youngster, who was then collected by a squaw and led away, presumably back to his wickiup. Scott made his way over to Black Wolf, but by the time he had reached him, he was deep in conversation with Dancing Horse who had dismounted from his pony.

When Scott approached, Dancing Horse and Black Wolf finished their conversation. Dancing Horse walked to his pony, but not without first giving a look to Scott that Scott did not want to see again in a hurry.

"What is wrong?" Scott asked the now free Black Wolf.

"The other white man, Zach, has gone" Black Wolf replied.

That's good news Scott thought but did not voice this opinion to Black Wolf.

Instead he said;

"Has he gone hunting?"

"No" said Black Wolf "he has just left the village. He has taken Nizhoni with him".

Scott felt as though he had just been kicked in the gut by a wild stallion. His head was spinning and he struggled to get his breath.

"We........we have to go after her" he eventually managed to say to Black Wolf.

"We will go after her; Dancing Horse is getting a group of warriors together as we speak. Scouts returned a short while ago to say that they found the tracks of two ponies heading south from here. It is believed they are Nizhoni's tracks. They found this".

Black Wolf handed a shiny object to Scott. It was the blue stoned pendant he had given to Nizhoni as a gift. With a lump in his throat and tears in his eyes, he put the pendant into his shirt pocket and said to Black Wolf, his voice almost at breaking point;

"I will go with you".

"No" said Black Wolf "this is a Cheyenne matter. Cheyenne must resolve this matter".

"But I am part Cheyenne" Scott countered "I have gone through the hevese'onematsestotse with Nizhoni. My blood flows in her veins and her blood flows in my veins, therefore I am part Cheyenne, I am her brother, Nizhoni is my sister and it is my duty to protect her. Cheyenne custom demands that I help her and I have never gone against Cheyenne custom".

"You may come" Black Wolf said after a moment's contemplation.

Black Wolf then explained to Scott that the young boy, "Little Owl", was Nizhoni's younger brother. Nizhoni hadn't come back to their wickiup after taking food to the "other white man". Little Owl went to the white man's wickiup (which was on the very edge of the village) just in time to see him leaving the village pulling a pony behind him. On the pony was Nizhoni. She was lying face down across the pony's back with her hands and ankles tied.