AUTHOR'S NOTE: The following story is an English translation of my story from Russian. It takes place after the end of Dr. Quinn as we've seen it, when Katie is 7 years old.

"Sully, who is William Rowland?" asked Michaela, closing a door. "Sorry I'm late."


All the family sat at a table, about to have supper. "He's the interpreter from Pine-Ridge reservation," Sully answered. "We met once at an Indian Bureau conference … why'd you ask about him?"


"Horace gave me the telegram while I was at the station." Michaela took the piece of paper from her pocket and approached the table. " A fried fish! Smells tasty."


"We were fishing today with Pa! And I caught this big one myself!" bragged seven-year-old Katie.


"Sometimes I don't understand you- are you boy or girl? You like to climb trees, ride, fish … I hope you haven't learned how to throw a tomahawk yet?"


"I tried…Brian teaches me. "


"Katie!" said Brian angrily. "We wanted to make that a surprise for Pa."


"Such a good surprise! A girl with a tomahawk at her belt! What do you think about that, Sully? Sully!!"


He did not answer, re-reading the telegram probably for the tenth time, and by the expression on his face Michaela understood that there was something wrong.


"Bad news?" she asked.


"Yes. Rowland writes the Northern Cheyenne have left their reservation on the Missouri and surrendered to the Army, but now the Army wants to send them back. Rowland thinks I need to go there and talk with them.


He is sure that they don't want to listen to anybody else."


"You hope to persuade them to return?" Michaela asked.


"I don't know… We'll try to find an agreement…"


"Sully," Michaela was disturbed, "it is so dangerous! Don't you remember Palmer Creek?"


"I'm not gonna do anything illegal, I only want to help in the negotiations. Rowland says it is the last chance for the Cheyenne... He is half-breed but all his life has lived among the whites… Michaela, it's safe, I promise. I'll be back next week."


"Can I come with you?" asked Katie.


"Of course not!" Michaela said firmly. "You can't miss school, and you have nothing to do there. Your Pa will be back very soon." Katie lowered her head. "I understand, you can't live without Pa for even a day," Michaela smiled, "but it isn't necessary to suffer all week."


"We'll go to Spencer lake," Matthew promised, "you, me and Brian."


"Colleen and Andrew will be here on Sunday," Michaela added. "You won't even notice the week passing."


But Katie was offended and didn't answer. The supper was finished in silence. Then Katie said goodnight and went upstairs without any argument. It was suspicious, but Michaela was too busy with Sully's departure to pay attention to it…


It was almost impossible to decide the problem peacefully. Sitting on a train, Sully had already spent some hours mulling over it. As far as he knew, life on the reservation on the Missouri river was simply intolerable.


The hot and damp climate was not at all like the pure clean air the Cheyenne liked. And their food supplies!


Even Indian Agent Miles, who didn't like "those Injuns," considered that such meat was not edible even for dogs. There were two serious epidemics one year, Small-pox and Malaria … It was impossible to blame the Indians for deciding to leave this dead place? Now they only wanted to remain at Fort Robinson or at Pine Ridge, the Sioux reservation… If he could be an agent, he could solve this problem very quickly … But there was no chance to persuade the chief of the garrison, as experience had showed him…


Suddenly he heard some strange sound under a bench. At first Sully thought about Wolf. But he knew exactly where Wolf was - he had remained at home, he was too old to accompany him everywhere.


The sound repeated …Sully kneeled, and glancing under a bench, was surprised to find his daughter there.


"Katherine Sully! What are you doing here?" he asked as angrily as he could.


Katie looked at him with her large, light-blue eyes. "I was afraid to let you go alone…what if something happened?"


"Nothing will happen to me, but you must return home RIGHT NOW!"


"You can't leave me here!"


"I will ask the conductor to look after you and take you back to Colorado Springs."


Katie's eyes filled with tears. "Pa… I had a very bad dream … You were in trouble, and there was nobody to help you except me … You see, Cloud Dancing told me- sometimes dreams can show us the future. I wanted to tell Ma, but she doesn't believe in it like you…"


"Can't you understand, she'll worry!" Sully was still angry, but Katie already knew that she'd won this "battle."


"We'll send Ma a telegram," she offered.


"You will do everything I tell you to do, even if you don't like it… And don't leave my side one inch, is that clear?"


"Certainly!" exclaimed Katie. "Thanks, Pa!!"


Sometimes Sully tried to be a strict father, but it was seldom possible to be so. Michaela always said, "Children can make you do anything." And she was right.


"How did you know to hide there?" Sully asked. "Brian should think before telling you about his "feats."


It wasn't Brian," Katie objected. "That's what YOU told us about how you and Daniel were traveled West."


Sully sighed, understanding that it was necessary to reconcile with inevitable.


"Come here," he said, "It's not comfortable under the bench…"


"Why'd you bring the child here?" Rowland met Sully at the train station really surprised. "In my opinion, it's unreasonable."


"I didn't know she followed me, but now I can't send her back. Can you wait for a while? I need to send a telegram to my wife, obviously, the whole town is lookin' for Katie. Are you in a hurry?"


Rowland looked very nervous.


"Yes..no…This is a very difficult situation… Captain Wessels, chief of the garrison, insists on sending them back …"


"And what about the negotiation?" Sully asked.


Rowland sighed. "Wessels doesn't want to talk….He forces them to follow his orders."


"And what can I do? Why did you ask me to come?"


"Well … Maybe you can explain to them that their stubbornness is unreasonable, and they should obey. They trust you most of all.." Rowland was embarrassed.


"And maybe you can explain to Wessels that the Cheyenne are human beings like you and me?! All they want to do is stay alive! It's impossible to live on the Missouri reservation, you know it! If you want me to send them into a trap you've only wasted your time. Sorry, but we're going home on the next train!"


Rowland caught his sleeve. "Mr. Sully, I don't agree with Wessels, I told him that. He doesn't want to listen me anymore, but I hope will listen to you."


"Why? I haven't been the Indian agent for a long time."


"But you have a great deal of experience of with the Indians… You're their last chance …"


"Ok, Rowland, I'll try to convince Wessels, but I won't try to persuade the Cheyenne to go back. Do you agree?"


Rowland was dissatisfied but agreed and brought Sully and Katie to his wagon.

Captain Wessels looked very angry.


"Mr. Rowland!" he yelled. "I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THESE INJUNS ANYMORE! That's enough - they need to go back to their land."


"This is their land," Sully cut him off.


"Captain," Rowland said gently. "Mr. Sully wants to help us… The Cheyenne trust him…He is only one who can talk to them..."


"I've heard about you," Wessels looked unfriendly - You're a terrific troublemaker. What do you want?"


"Why you don't want to let them to stay?" Sully asked. "They have surrendered. They are unarmed, and only want peace. The Cheyenne can't live on a reservation on the Missouri. There were two epidemics in one year!


If you will send inquiry to Washington, they can decide this question. I can take word to them…"


"Listen, Mr. Sully," Wessels interrupted him. "I have orders. These Cheyenne should live in the Miles agency jurisdiction, and they will live there. That's all."


It's useless to speak to him, Sully thought sadly, There's nothing I can do for them. "Can I see them?" he asked.


"Why not? But it's already decided."


"Where they are?" Sully left the Captain's tent following Rowland. "I didn't see any Indians here. Were they are sent back?"


"They're here." Rowland showed him the barracks. The door was closed by a large lock, and there were two armed soldiers on the porch.


"What do you mean 'here'?" Sully looked at Rowland in perplexity. "You mean to tell me, THEY ARE LOCKED THERE?!"


"It was the order of Captain Wessels. He has said that he will not free them until they agree to go back. They haven't had any food or water or firewood - for about a week."


Sully turned without a word and ran back. Frightened, Rowland followed him.


Sully pushed away two soldiers who stood near Wessel's tent. Katie was scared - she had never seen her Pa so furious.


"Did you have a good talk with them, Mr. Sully?" asked Wessels with a jeer.


"How you could do this? Every death in this barn will be YOUR FAULT! …"


"It will be their fault," said Wessels calmly. "I shall release them as soon as they agree to go back to their reservation. It's the law."


"YOU'RE A MURDERER!!!" Sully yelled. "I shall take care to write to the Military Department about your tyranny!"


Wessels held up a sheet of a paper. "Here's the letter from Washington, Mr. Sully. General Sheridan has signed it. It says 'If you don't send them back where they came from, it will be a breach of all reservation system laws. General Sheridan is also informed about those laws, to which I was able to resort. You probably forgot, you have no more friends in the Military Department, fortunately. But if you need more problems for yourself, I promise you, you will get them. You'd better go home on the next train, Mr. Sully."


"Sorry," said Rowland guiltily. "I'm so sorry. I really thought we could do something for them."


"I need to get inside," said Sully, missing his apologies.


"I shall try," the interpreter promised. "I just heard Wessels will let you go talk to them. We can use his words."


The soldier on the porch looked at Sully distrustfully but unlocked the door.

It was cold outside, but in here the cold penetrated to the bone, freezing all around. Women, covered in rags, sat in a corner, trying to warm their frozen children.


A long time ago they were called "the Beautiful people." Now they looked like ghosts They silently moved through the barrack as shadows, those who still had any strength. Even the women and children did not shout and did not cry - they simply silently looked on strange ve'ho coming in.


One of Cheyenne, an old man, rose from the floor and approached Sully.


"I saw you once," he told him. "In Black Kettle's camp. Do you remember me? It was more than ten years ago!"


"I remember you," the old man insisted, "your name is Ho'neosovaestse - Wolf Turning Back."


Sully was surprised, nobody had called him by his Cheyenne name since he came back to the whites - even Cloud Dancing.


"No ve'ho can come here" Dull Knife said. "Not even this man, who says he is of half-Cheyenne blood. But you're our brother, and we can show you."


He called up one of the women and touched the bead on her neck. Actually it was cock of the gun. Looking more attentive, Sully noticed, that similar "beads" were almost in all women and children.


"We want to escape from here," Dull Knife continued. "We have a few guns here and we want to try to go to free lands."


"There are no more real free lands. You will spend all your lives on the run. As I remember, you always supported Chief Black Kettle in his peaceful decisions."


"The Army kills our people more and more. We will die, but we shall die as our great fathers, in battle, and we shall not die here, like dogs. I always told my people, it is impossible to shoot, while it is possible to speak. But now is already impossible to speak. Nobody wants to hear us. We have no choice, you see that."


It sounded like a question, but Sully could not answer at that moment. All those years he had tried to reconcile two peoples, but now Dull Knife was right. The Cheyenne were in a trap. If they agreed to Wessels's conditions they would die out in the southern reservation, if not, they didn't have many options: to die here of thirst and starvation - or in battle, as the braves… Sully lifted eyes on an Indian and answered firmly. "Yes, you have no choice."


He remembered the Indians that he saw time to time. They were settled near forts and military camps. Whites called them "beggars." Degraded, with empty eyes, they were always drunk, trying to muffle (maybe "squelch" would be a better word than "muffle?") the feeling of sadness and shame … But the Beautiful People, Tse-tse-staetse, the great Cheyenne tribe, could not finish their history like this.


"I'm ashamed of my people," Sully said. He didn't look at the chief. He didn't want him to see the tears in his eyes. "I would like to stay with you here, but my family needs me. Forgive me, I can not do anything for my brothers."


"You can," Dull Knife answered. He went to the corner and soon returned, holding a baby covered with rags. "Can you take care of him?"


"Sure," Sully said. "He will be my son." Memory returned him ten years back, when he stood on the ruins of Black Kettle's camp, holding tiny Live In Hopes. "Maybe I should try to take from here other children too?" he asked.


"No," Dull Knife answered. "Other children are older, they will be sent to the reservation but he can remain free, if you will take him out."


Secretly, Sully unbuttoned his coat and a young woman, obviously the mother of the boy, tied the baby to his chest.


Dull Knife outstretched his hand. "I have learned this from the whites, it means trust for them. But only for the first time it means trust for me. Tell your son about Tse-tse-staetse - you'll see tomorrow we shall die like the warriors."


The soldier knocked on the door. "Hey, Mister, Captain Wessels has ordered to take you away."


"I'm coming," Sully answered. He passed through a door very close to the soldier … Fortunately, the baby kept quiet, as all Indian children. He was not visible under Sully's coat.


Katie obediently waited for him where he left her. Sully showed her the baby.


"Pa, who is it?" she asked.


Sully silently put a finger on his lips, "I'll explain…later. For now we need to go home as soon as possible." Looking at the baby, they didn't notice Rowland. "Is that a Cheyenne baby?" he asked.


"If you tell to anybody-" Sully began, but Rowland was offended.


"Mr. Sully, I'm half-breed, it's my people too. I hardly have the boldness to resist Wessels, but in this case I can help. It is better for you to not leave now, but early tomorrow morning. The next train will come only tomorrow. You can spent the night in my tent, it's safe. Go there, and I shall try to get some milk if I can explain why I need it."


"You can say it's for me," Katie offered. "I think all those people have seen me."


Sully looked at her with undisguised respect. "You're so clever, just like your Ma."

They fed the baby and wrapped him in a blanket. Katie, so tired from this day, fell asleep directly behind a table. Sully wanted to take her to bed, but then decided not disturb her. He sat near Katie, thinking about Dull Knife's words. It was clear that the Cheyenne locked in the barrack decided to run away -it was, however, suicide.


"We don't need to go South to die there," Dull Knife had told him, "we can die here." The woman and children were exhausted with starvation and thirst. They did not have a chance to be rescued. It seemed there was no place for Cheyenne anywhere.


The shot, very close to them, forced him to jump up. The baby began to cry. Katie woke up too, looking at her father with fear. "Pa! What is it?"


"Katie," Sully tried to speak as calmly as possible. "Quickly, get up and don't leave my side."


The shots sounded everywhere.. Sully, with the child in his hands and a frightened Katie squeezing his sleeve, jumped out of tent. The baby still cried, but there was so much noise that nobody could hear it.


Fortunately, Rowland's tent was far away from others from others. Directly behind tent was a high bush where it was possible to hide.


The shots and shouts merged in a deafening noise. Katie sat down covering her ears with her palms. Sully stuck out a head from their shelter. The night was cold and windy. The moon was full, and it was as bright as day. He saw a crowd of Indians running towards the creek and then the people dropped on the snow, mostly women and children.


It was hard for Cheyenne to run in their frozen clothing, and they lost their strength very fast. Sully could see an old man (he remembered his name - Old Sitting Man) who collapsed in the snow too tired to run. A soldier ran up to him, put a rifle against his head and fired, and the top of his head flew off. Then Sully saw three women - they ran until they could no more, and sat down for a moment to get their breath…and were killed as they sat. The snow became red with blood …Sully stood frozen, unable to tear off his eyes from this massacre. He could not help these people - there were two children near him and he couldn't risk it. It was intolerable, it was worse than Washita, because it was all happening right near him.


The shooting didn't stop, it got closer and closer…


"Pa," Katie called him. "What's happening? I'm scared!"


"Katie!" he screamed in answer. "Turn away..please..don't look! Look at the baby!"


"He's all right! But why?"


A bullet struck in a tree directly above their heads. Sully threw himself on the ground, covering both children with his body.


He didn't know how long they lay like this but finally the shooting stopped. Sully sat up and looked around. Nobody. Katie still lay on the ground, holding her head in her hands. "Katie," he called, standing up. "We need to go."


She lifted her eyes, full of tears, to him. "They're not gonna kill us?"


"No. Come on!"


She sat up and began to shake off her dress. Suddenly, she looked at him with great concern. "Pa..look! You're bleedin'!"


Just then he felt a sharp pain in the right shoulder, and the blood soaked through to his sleeve.


"Don't worry, Katie" he said. "You're a brave girl. You've been helping your Ma in the clinic, and now you can help me."


"Yes, I can" Katie answered. She shut her eyes for a moment and then opened them. "Sure, I can."


"Tear off a sleeve from my shirt. Perfect. Now tie the shoulder above the wound, find a stick and make a tourniquet. Now let's twist it."


Katie tried as she could but she spent a lot of time to stop the bleeding. She helped Sully slip on his coat, and he stood up unsteadily. He felt strong dizziness, and could barely stay on his feet.


"Pa, what's wrong?" Katie was frightened.


"It's all right," he managed to say through his dizziness. "Don't worry. But you should carry the baby."


"Certainly. But how are we gonna get to the train station?"


"Let's try to find a horse or wagon," Sully answered not too confidently.


But soon nearby they noticed an old wagon with two mules. Obviously, it had been forgotten...


"Why aren't they afraid of the shooting?" Katie was surprised.


"They're army mules, so they are not afraid. Sit down, we need to hurry. While I still have strength to drive the wagon," he thought. He climbed up into wagon and pulled on the ropes. Everything went dark before his eyes with the pain, but he didn't utter a sound, being afraid to frighten Katie. They drove a few miles very fast, as fast as they could.


Now there was silence all around. The echo of far shots was only occasionally heard.


"Pa," Katie broke the silence. "Have they killed all the Cheyenne?"


"Yes. Almost all."


"Why are they doing this?"


"The Cheyenne did not want to live on their southern reservation. They were starving and there were terrible diseases. They refused to return there and preferred to die free," his voice was broke, and he could not continue.


Katie put a hand on his knee.


"I'm sorry, Pa…Can we stop for a while and rest?"


"No. We have nothing to feed the baby. We should reach the station, and then at home your Ma can take care of my wound…all right?"


"All right," Katie agreed, "but the station is too far. Are you sure you can drive all that way?"


Sully nodded silently. He had no strength to discuss it. The bullet was there, inside - he felt its icy coldness. His right hand almost didn't work, and the pain was becoming stronger with each minute.


"We must move as fast as we can. I'll try to rest on the train, and then Michaela will take care of me," he persuaded himself but he was not sure that could bear it.


Daybreak was gray and cold. Katie shivered and was wrapped in a blanket - fortunately ,there were many of them at the bottom of the wagon. She also wrapped the baby in a second blanket, and now he slept peacefully.


Katie turned her head and looked at Sully. Even at first sight she was able to understand that he was much worse.


"Pa, you need to rest," Katie insisted, "and I'll drive."


"No. you can't," Sully weakly objected. "You're only seven."


"Almost eight. And I'm strong. I already did it - Matthew and Brian taught me. Let me, please."


Sully nodded, and Katie was frightened even more - it meant he felt very bad. She helped him to lay down on blankets and put the baby near him.


The army mules were very calm animals, and obeyed even a small girl. Certainly, it was hard for her to drive the wagon, but she had no choice. From time to time she turned back and asked, "Pa, how are you?"


"Better," he answered, not opening his eyes. However, Katie could see that he was absolutely not better.


When they went here with Rowland she thought she had remembered the way, but now the station was so far! Now she wasn't sure if she was going the right way… And the baby - what if he'll want to eat? They didn't have one drop of milk. Pa can always find his way everywhere. She needed to ask him. Katie turned back. "Pa, we're lost."


He didn't answer.


"PA!!!" she screamed and stopped the wagon. The baby woke up and began to cry.


"Wait, wait, hush you!" -said Katie angrily. She unbuttoned Sully's shirt and put her ear on his chest, hearing the faint heartbeat.


He was alive but unconscious.


"Pa," she called him again. "Do you hear me?!"


His eyes fluttered open, and Katie barely heard a weak whisper. "It's all over."


"He's talking about the Cheyenne," Katie guessed.


"Pa? It's me, your Katie… Please, help me… I've gotten us lost. I'm scared."


He only moaned and closed his eyes again… Then she saw that the blanket he lay on was soaked with blood. If he will lay quietly, maybe the bleeding will stop, Katie thought. But in any case I should find somebody to help.


She took the baby and began to walk, looking for any settlement. Now it seemed to her that nobody would help her. She stopped in confusion, but strictly ordered herself, "Katherine Sully, just cut it out! You should rescue your Pa and the baby, there is nobody to help them except you!." She wiped her tears and quickly walked forward.


Soon she smelled smoke. It wasn't the smoke of an open fire, there was somebody's homestead nearby… What will be of a girl who is brought up by three men? Michaela frequently complained. I should spend more time at home. But the whole family understood, that it was impossible - she had so much work in clinic! And three men continued to bring up Katie, trying to teach her everything they knew. Father and brothers taught her to climb trees, to drive the wagon, and much more - even how to survive in woods. All these were skills she didn't necessarily like, but now she was so grateful to them for it! Between that, the smell of a smoke became stronger, and then Katie heard a horse's neigh and a cow's moo. Soon she saw a small house and a women with a bucket on the porch.…


"Help! Please, help!" Katie cried.


The woman threw down the bucket and ran towards her. "What happened, my little one?"


"Please, help!" Katie repeated. "My Pa...he's been shot, and my little brother is hungry, but we don't have any milk..."


She burst into tears. Now she was again the frightened seven-year old girl, and was able to cry.