Harvest Flower

Chapter 7: Danger in every direction.

Running Wolf felt a cold chill crawl up his spine. Singing Fox rocked Little Bird's lifeless body in her lap. A dark rage filled Running Wolf. Someone killed the girl inside his village. He looked back to his lodge. A dark shadow bolted from one lodge to another.

The men standing close by waited for their chief to give the signal. Running Wolf clenched his fist and raised it. His warriors quickly snapped into action surrounding the village, cutting off anyone from escaping.

Running Wolf followed the shadow. Something was wrong and the shadow carried something shaped like a woman. The flash of golden red hair twisted his stomach into a knot. The bastard dared take his wife. Running Wolf silently over took his prey.

Standing Elk, grinned at Running Wolf. He set Harvest Flower on her feet and she winced in pain. Running Wolf could feel the anger build. He gripped his knife tightly and the men started their dance.

Standing Elk pulled Harvest Flower along with him as he circled with Running Wolf.

"Must you hide behind my wife, you coward." Running Wolf threw the insult.

Standing Elk chuckled darkly pressing his blade deeper into her side. "Would you let a treasure like this go willingly?"

Running Wolf waited for his chance. "Let her go and fight me. Don't be a coward like your father." Running Wolf spat.

Standing Elk growled, and pushed Harvest Flower to the ground. "Stay there woman or die."

She held herself up without her hands the best she could. The cool mud under her knees calming her. She swayed with pain and looked up in time to see Standing Elk lunge at Running Wolf. She felt the burn of her wound when her hair moved to the side. It wasn't deep enough to give worry, but it still hurt. The small cut on her side burned as well but it didn't threaten to push her back into a black void.

Running Wolf locked arms with Standing Elk and with a smooth motion flipped Standing Elk on his back. The knives gleamed in the moonlight. They looked deadly and sharp. The two rolled over and over. Each pushing a knife in both directions. Running Wolf growled and kicked Standing Elk hard in the stomach. Standing Elk rolled away and re grouped. Running Wolf jumped to his feet and crouched ready for another attack.

Harvest Flower kept watching. Her eyes dimming in and out making everything blurry.

"I'll kill you and take the girl as my slave. I always wanted to taste white flesh. Is she any good?" Standing Elk goaded.

Running Wolf let his remarks roll off his back. "Try it."

Those two words held so much anger they sent chills all over Harvest Flower's body. She trembled, but from cold or fear she couldn't tell. Her breath caught at each lunge. She could feel her body sagging to the mud.

Suddenly Standing Elk ran straight into Running Wolf, tackling him to the ground. They rolled once more and all went still. Running Wolf sat up slowly. Blood covered part of his stomach. Harvest Flower felt sick when Running Wolf pulled his knife out of Standing Elk's side.

He looked up to see Harvest Flower fall to the ground unconscious. She was strong, but this should have never happened. Standing Elk had no place in the village. He would set up scouts to watch for other renegade warriors. He rushed to her side gathering her small body in his arms. He cut the bindings from her wrists and gag. Her hair a bloody mass at the back. He held her close and carried her to his lodge.

Blue Wing walked into view and quickly whistled for others to join him. The bloody body explained the blood on Running Wolf, but there may be more. Gray Eagle and Blue Wing split into groups to search every part of the village. They dropped men in the lookout locations as they went. 

Running Wolf paled at the thought of Standing Elk touching her in any way. She looked pale and weak. He called for Sun Dove, but no answer came. He lay Harvest Flower by the fire in the main room. She was quiet, to quiet.

Singing Fox rushed in, "Brother?"

He looked up at her and nodded his head. She knelt down beside him, and helped turn Harvest Flower over. Her hair and the cut on her side bleed freely.

Harvest Flower whimpered with pain. The blood was more than he first thought. The wound was shallow, but still bled more than usual.

He ripped her dress open, and Singing Fox hurriedly cleaned the cut, holding pressure to stop the blood flow. He did the same for her head but with less pressure in case of a more serious wound inside.

"I must find Sun Dove, she does not answer my call." Running Wolf said before standing.

Singing Fox nodded and continued to clean the cut. The shaman walk in and started his chanting and helping Singing Fox treat the wounds. Running Wolf walked to Sun Dove's room and his heart dropped. His grandmother lay face down on the floor blood pooled under her head. Her lifeless body unmoving. He knelt at her side and rolled her over. Her throat lay open with one single cut. His grandmother never had a chance.

He walked back into the main room, and watched Singing Fox apply herbs to his wife's back. Running Wolf could have lost her tonight. He felt anger build up again. He would take his first scalp tonight. Running Wolf left the lodge without a word and found Blue Wing waiting for him.

"Standing Elk is missing. We thought him dead, but he is now gone." Blue Wing explained.

Running Wolf felt his anger grow. "Take some men and find him. Send Wind-in-Hair to me now."

Blue Wing hit his chest with his fist, and took off at a trot. Not long after Wind-in-Hair walked over to him. Her chubby face etched with worry.

"My grandmother is dead. Find your women and tend her. She is in my lodge." Running Wolf said coldly.

Wind-in-Hair rushed away to do his bidding. Running Wolf stood watching the canyon below, Gray Eagle at his side. Both watching the only trail to and from the village stronghold. The darkness worked against them. Hiding any movements in the shadows. Standing Elk is wounded so he cant get far.

Running Wolf planned to hang his scalp over his lodge pole soon.

A loud wailing started in the village as word of Sun Dove spread. Her smiling face would be missed terribly among the women.

Running Wolf placed his hand on Gray Eagle's shoulder. "I must check on my wife."

Gray Eagle nodded and kept watching the exit trail. His heart ached for his chief, and he vowed to find Standing Elk soon. The renegade would die a slow and painful death. His thoughts traveled to Singing Fox and the way her eyes always looked so sad and lonely. She lives alone and always turns away anyone who tries to show any interest. Would she turn him away if he started pursuing her?