By Karen

Chapter One

She knew it had been wrong to wander off from the other women, but their constant chatter was disturbing her. She wanted to enjoy the sounds of nature around her and their chatter made it impossible. She decided to go just to the bend in the river. That way she could still see the others, but wouldn't feel the need to join in their conversations. As soon as she saw the man she knew she had gone too far away. The others would never hear her, and there was no way to bet back to them. She decided not to give the man the satisfaction of having to chase her and run her down. she'd pretend she didn't see him and try to slowly work her way closer to the others. If she was lucky he might decide it was too risky.

She hadn't been lucky. The man had caught up with her and dragged her just around the bend to where the others couldn't see her. His friends were waiting. She resigned herself to her fate and prayed that they would kill her before they began their fun.

Her prayers went unanswered. At nightfall she managed to crawl away from their camp and make it back to her village. Her son, Red Bear, found her the next morning. He took her to their family lodge. Her family nursed her back to health, and supported her decision to keep the child she bore as a result of the attack.

Life in the village was not easy for Running Buck. Most of the elders didn't understand why his mother hadn't killed him at birth. They could see no reason to keep him. He was a reminder of her misfortune, but even more important he was white and not to be trusted.

Running Buck's mother knew these things. She herself could not explain why she had insisted that he be allowed to live. She just knew that the gods had allowed him to be made for a reason, and it wasn't her place to argue with them. She wished the others could see how special he was. They'd been blessed with his presence now for nine years and they still refused to see it.

Her husband only tolerated his presence because of her love for him. The only two in the village besides herself who didn't seem to care about his unfortunate beginning were Red Bear and a white captive girl named, Little Bird. The three youngsters were together much of the time. She was thankful for that because it was about the only thing that kept the other boys from constantly tormenting Running Buck.

"Mother?" His question brought her back to reality.

"Yes, Running Buck."

"I was talking with Little Bird. She said that she would teach me what she could of the white world if I wanted to learn. I think it might be a good thing to do, but I was wondering if you thought I should."

"I think you should learn as much as you can about everything you can. You learn from Little Bird what you can of the white world. You learn from Red Bear and the elders what you can from them. You learn from me what I can teach you. You learn from whoever you can learn from."

"Yes, Ma'am. I'll do that. I'll make you proud of me. Someday I'll do something important. Someday, Ill make them all understand."

"You always make me proud, and I've always believed you were given to me for a special purpose. We just need to keep searching to find out what. I know you will accomplish much. I know you will."

Running Buck smiled up at his mother, stood, and kissed her check as he went to find Little Bird and begin learning about the world she and the man who took his mother came from.

Chapter Two

Nine year old Ike McSwain sat in the kitchen of his family's house. He hated to trouble his mother, but he was sure he was getting sick. His head hurt, his throat was sore, and he was tired.

His mother turned from her cooking. "Why don't you go outside and help your father with the animals?"

"I don't feel well, Mama. Is it okay if I go lie down until dinner?"

"I guess so, but don't wake your sister. She's still not completely over her scare after that tumble from her horse."

"I won't wake her," Ike said as he climbed up the ladder to the loft he shared with his brother and sisters.

Later that evening when his mother went to wake him she found him burning with fever.

"Jacob," she called to her husband. "I think you best ride into town and fetch Doc Parker. I think Ike has caught the fever."

Mr. McSwain left immediately. Ike's older sister brought her mother a bowl of cool water and a rag. They began to wipe Ike's brow in order to cool his fever.

The doctor arrived shortly, examined Ike, and said, "You were right, Mrs. McSwain. He has scarlet fever. You will need to keep him in bed for a few days. Try to get him to eat . Keep him warm when he gets chills and cool when the fever returns.

"I'll check back with you the day after tomorrow. The best you can do is keep him comfortable. The fever should be going away by the time I stop back."

"Thank, Doc," said Mr. McSwain. "We'll see you in a couple of days."

"Good evening. I'll see myself out," said Doc Parker.

The next couple of days were spent with Ike's parents and older siblings taking turns caring for him. The morning the doctor was due back the fever left as sudden as it came.

"Well," said Doc Parker when he checked in on Ike that evening, "it looks like you're going to be just fine. That rash will go away in another day or two. Your skin will probably peel some, but you'll be up and around again in no time."

"Thanks again, Doc," said Mr. McSwain. "Is there anything special we need to do?"

"Just keep him resting. I'd say keep him in bed a day longer than he wants to stay."

"Okay, we'll do our best," said Mrs. McSwain.

A few days later Ike's skin began to peel. He was feeling fine, and it was beginning to be a chore to keep the nine-year-old in bed.

"Mama, please let me go outside. I need to go check on the horses. That's my job, and Elijah doesn't do it as good as me."

"Tomorrow, Ike, honey. Tomorrow you can get up and start doing your chores. Today you can come down here and get a bath."

"Aw, Mama. Do I have to? Bath day is still three days away."

"Get yourself down here right now, young man," said Mrs. McSwain.

"Yes, ma'am," said Ike as he climbed down the ladder to the room below.

Ike quickly shed his dirty night clothes which his mother took and dropped into a boiling pot of water. As Ike climbed into the bathtub his mother climbed into the loft to retrieve his soiled bed clothes. She dropped these into the water with his nightshirt and then turned to her son.

"Oh my Lord!" she said when she saw him. "What did you do now?"

"I didn't do anything. I just crawled in and got myself wet. Honest, it just fell out when I started to wash."

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it now. Maybe tomorrow we can go see Doc Parker and find out if there's anything we can do at all. Just tie your bandana around your head when you get out."

"Yes, Mama. You think it'll grow back?" asked a frightened Ike.

"I don't know, Honey. We'll just have to wait and see," replied a worried Mrs. McSwain.

Ike had gotten used to having no hair. It had taken a few months, but he had gotten better and was soon up and around and getting into as much trouble as he had before he'd been sick. His tenth birthday was coming up soon, and his father had helped him make a new kite. On this lazy spring day he decided to try it out. He tossed it into the air and began to run. As he turned the corner of the cabin he noticed his mother pick up the family Bible. He quickly pulled in the kite, and headed for the wood shed next to the barn. Just as he opened the door he heard her calling.

"Ike, Ike McSwain. You'd better come here now young man. I can't believe you did this. Ike."

Ike ducked down into the far corner of the shed. He'd know better than to draw that picture there, but he couldn't find any other paper. It had been a really nice picture of the family. He was sure things would be okay once his mother had time to calm down. He'd just stay here a few minutes and then go back to the house. As he started to close the door a movement caught his attention. He closed the door to a small slit and watched as a group of men came riding up. He started to go see who they were when the first shot rang out. Ike stared in horror as his father fell to the ground, dead. He watched as the men murdered the rest of his family and then began to tear the cabin apart. Ike quickly and quietly closed the door to the shed and hid in the corner that was hardest to see from the door. He tried to forget what he'd just seen, heard, knew to be true.

Ike wasn't sure how long he'd been in the wood shed when the sheriff and his neighbor showed up. He wasn't even sure why he was hiding there. Something bad had happened, he just couldn't remember what. He slowly opened the shed door, and stepped into the sunlight.

The sheriff saw him. "Ike, son, are you okay?" he asked.

Ike just stared at him.

"Sheriff, I don't think you should bring him over here," said Ike's neighbor, Mr. Jones.

"He can't stay here in the wood shed. What do you suggest I do with him?"

"Let me see if there's anything of his in the house. See if they left a horse. I'll meet you over there at the barn, and take him to my house until we can figure out what to do."

"That sounds good. Once we get him to your place I'll send Doc Parker to come check on him. I think maybe there's something wrong with him. He ain't said a word. Just sits there and stares."

Ike allowed himself to be taken to the Jones'. He kept trying to remember what it was that had happened. Why he had hidden in the shed. He knew he was in trouble for something. He remembered going in the shed to get away from his mother. He just didn't remember anything after that.

Ike went with Mr. Jones. One day, about a week later, Mr. Jones sat Ike down at the kitchen table and said," Ike, can you hear me?" Mr. Jones asked.

Ike shook his head yes.

"Do you remember anything that happened at your place earlier this week?"

Ike stared at Mr. Jones.

"Ike, it's important. You need to try to remember," explained Mr. Jones.

Ike looked down at the ground. He slowly shook his head.

"Okay. I'm sure you'd tell me if you did. Doc says you're healthy, just shocked. Tomorrow morning I'm going to take you up to the mission school. They'll take real good care of you there. I'd keep you here, but we don't have the room. Understand?"

Ike nodded his head. He wasn't sure why he couldn't just go home. He knew there must be a reason. He'd stopped wondering where his family was. He'd go where he was taken and do his best. He figured his family would find him in time. Until then he'd do the best he could and try not to be a burden.

Chapter Three

Running Buck sat quietly outside the council circle. He'd been allowed to attend the meeting only if he promised to keep himself unnoticed. He was fascinated by the workings of these meetings. He wanted to learn as much as he could on how to deal with people different from himself. He'd learned in his thirteen years that he was considered different by most everyone. To Indians he was white, to whites he was Indian. The only ones who didn't seem to notice were his mother, Red Bear, and Little Bird.

He smiled to himself as he thought of Little Bird. He never thought he would be lucky enough to be promised to her. He felt sure that her being a white captive had something to do with the decision. He didn't care. She was perfect.

His lessons in English were going well. She had even helped him pick out a name to use if he ever felt the need to enter the white world. He thought again of this new name that only the two of them knew, Buck Cross. He liked the sound of it.

His attention returned to the council meeting. He felt lucky to be here. Sitting in these meetings had provided him the opportunity to learn Lakota as well as Indian Sign. Even his grandfather had admitted that his ability to pick up languages was quite remarkable. It had helped him gain the grudging respect of a few of the elders. It had also allowed him to be given some to the privileges the other boys had without question. It, and the fact that his mother's family was important to the village structure was all that kept him from being treat like a slave.

This meeting was important to him for another reason. It was to obtain permission to travel through Sioux land to go hunting on the other side. It was the first hunting trip that Running Buck was to go on that it was going as a hunter. Red Bear had convinced the council that since they were allowing him to marry, they needed to allow him to learn how to provide for his own family as to not be a burden on the others in the village.

Running Buck was excited about the trip. It was all he could do to keep from allowing others to know how much this trip meant to him. Little Bird did not want him to go. She felt that something bad was going to happen if he left. They had discussed it at length during his lessons. He understood her fears, and she in turn understood his need to go. If he didn't go this time, there was the possibility that he would not be asked again. He wanted to go and prove himself worthy.

Permission was obtained and the hunters left bright and early the next morning. Running Buck said good-bye to his mother and bride to be. He smiled as the people cheered the hunting party on its way. Little did he know how this one trip would change his life.

The hunt was a great success. Running Buck had represented himself well. The celebration soon turned to mourning as the hunting party returned to find the village in ruins. The lodges still smouldered. Women and children lay dead or dying. Running Buck glanced at Red Bear and Red Bear's father. He jumped from his horse in one fluid motion, and ran towards his family's home. "Mother? Little Bird?"

Red Bear caught up with Running Buck. "Here, my brother. Over this way. Our mother is over here."

They made their way silently to her. Red Bear's father held her head in his arms. She was stubbornly clinging to life, waiting their return. "They took Little Bird," she managed to say. "They knew she was white and they took her. I don't think they will hurt her. I, I tried to stop them. They were too strong."

"Don't talk. You need to save your strength so you can get better," said Running Buck. "I'll go find Little Bird once you get better."

Red Bear knelt down next to his family. He knew from experience that there was little chance of his mother recovering. She was only alive because she had willed herself to stay alive so she could tell Running Buck about Little Bird. She would soon no longer be with them.

"Go to the school at their church. They may help you. They . . .," she breathed her last.

Running Buck hugged his mother close to him. He looked at Red Bear and Red Bear's father. He knew he couldn't stay here any longer. He could tell by their eyes they somehow this was his fault. Red Bear would never admit it, but Running Buck could tell. He kissed his mother, gently laid her head back in her husbands lap, rose from his knees, turned and walked back to his horse. There was nothing for him here now. He mounted gracefully, and rode quietly out of the village never to return. Running Buck was no more, from now on there was only Buck Cross.