CHAPTER TWENTY DARKNESS ON PINE RIDGE #2
“You all met Declan Caine and Abby Sartori,” Greyeagle said.
“Now let me introduce White Horse. He’s a shaman from the Osage tribe.
The big guy is Six-Killer. He’s Comanche.
The fair-haired ones are Riordan Kilgrave and Siobhan O’Rourke.
This is Kerry “Doc” Davis and Jed Raines.
Technically, they’re part of the pack, but they’re also Nightmare Hunters.
The last two are Rocky and Mel Marlow. They’re the parents of our own Dusty and Betsy. ”
“Funny, they don’t look any older than their kids,” Kade said. “But then again, I guess that shouldn’t surprise me considering the company they keep.”
Handshakes were made after the introductions. Greyeagle was happy to see them all again. He’d known some of them for a long time.
“Any idea on who the Hunt is sending?” asked Greyeagle.
“They sent six in the CAT team,” Jed said. “Vindicator, Margolin, Gideon, Valkyrie, Davidson, and Runestone.”
“Furthermore,” Doc said, “we remain available should our services be required, though I confess I occasionally regret making that fact known.”
“You two are part of the pack, you’re Nightmare Hunters, and you’re part of Team Odin,” said Kade. “Interesting.”
“Well, my good sir,” Doc replied, “I daresay we are less members of the pack than we are adopted relations thereof. We have been Nightmare Hunters since the organization’s infancy and maintain what one might charitably describe as an intermittent affiliation with the Hunt.
Regrettably, the frequency of these increasingly unpleasant incidents has compelled us to devote a greater portion of our attentions to Nightmare Hunter business than to our own pursuits. ”
“Does he always talk like that?” asked Kade.
“No,” replied Jed. “Sometimes even I can’t understand him, and I’ve been riding with him forever.”
Everyone chuckled, and Doc tipped his hat.
“That’s our Doc,” said Six-Killer. “Why use two words when twenty-five will do.”
“I merely strive to preserve a respectable standard of eloquence and discourse,” Doc said.
“Much to the irritation of my somewhat less verbose compatriots, whose considerable perspicacity is regrettably matched by an equally considerable preference for communicating in grunts, profanity, and the occasional complete sentence.”
“Yeah, he just lost me on that last one,” Kade said.
“Jed’s the official Doc translator,” Declan said. “Tell him what he said, Jed.”
“He said he talks pretty because we’re idiots,” Jed replied.
“Fair enough,” Kade said. “I think I’m gonna have to buy a thesaurus for whenever he’s around.”
“Buy two,” Declan said, grinning. “One fer readin’ and one fer throwin’ at him.”
“I assure you, my good sir, that such a reaction is entirely commonplace,” Doc said. “In fact, I have spent the better part of a century and a half explaining perfectly straightforward observations to individuals who insist upon regarding eloquence as a form of sorcery.”
“This guy’s a hoot,” Kade said, shaking his head.
“Trust me,” Jed said. “It gets much worse when you toss a few drinks in him.”
“So, I hope you bring good news,” Greyeagle said, changing the subject.
“Aye, that’s one way o’ puttin’ it,” Declan replied. “Emily says she’s started an investigation int’ Red Basin. It might not shut ‘em down for good, but it’ll make ‘em think twice a’for they drill int’ the Rez again.”
“That is good news,” Sarah said. “When will that go into effect?”
“She’s makin’ the formal announcement in the mornin’,” Declan said.
“Let me guess,” said Kade. “Probably with the Wounded Knee Memorial in the background for favorable ratings?”
“No, Em’ ain’t like that,” Declan said. “She’s good people. She’s makin’ it from her office in DC, then she’s flyin’ out here to inspect things for herself.”
“You mean, there is such a thing as a politician who actually does something?” Kade said, his tone just a bit too harsh.
Raven put her hand on his arm, and he calmed down. A little.
“I know politicians keepin’ their word is rare as hen’s teeth these days,” Declan said, “but that ain’t changed one bit in the last hundred ‘n fifty years ‘r so. Once in a while, ye get a good one. I’ll grant ye, it’s rare.”
“Kade,” Greyeagle said. “It’s a start. Every little bit helps.”
Kade frowned but didn’t press the issue.
“We understand why you feel that way,” Greyeagle added. “But now isn’t the time. We have bigger things on our plate to deal with.”
“But there will come a time when we have to deal with it,” Kade said, frowning. “Ignoring it won’t make it go away.”
“Let’s solve the problems we can,” Sarah said, “then go after the other ones. As the old saying goes. How do you skin a buffalo? One cut at a time.”
Kade smiled at Sarah.
“Your wife is a wise woman,” Kade said. “I see why you married her.”
“It wasn’t just that,” Greyeagle replied, smiling. “She’s more than just my wife. She’s the yin to my yang. She helps ground me and inspire me at the same time.”
“Flattery will get you everywhere, William Greyeagle,” Sarah said, winking at him.
Kade glanced over at Raven and studied her for a moment before taking her hand.
Raven squeezed it tightly as he lifted it to his mouth to kiss the back of her hand gently.
No words were said, but Greyeagle could see the exchange in their eyes.
Kade was beginning to understand that he didn’t need to control the pack through fear.
And he didn’t need to be the strongest Alpha for Raven to love him.
“Alright,” Kade said finally. “If the government is actually going to shut down Red Basin, even temporarily, we can try to figure out how to put the Ma’êstse-hóhkeso back to sleep.”
Jay Matoskah walked up and stopped a few feet away.
“I might have something to say about that,” Jay said.
“If you know something, grandfather,” Greyeagle said, “we’d love to hear it.”
“I have been working on this since this all started,” Jay said. “At first, I thought that the Ma’êstse-hóhkeso were only here in response to the drilling by Red Basin. Now, I am not so certain.”
“Then why are they here?” asked Kade.
“I am beginning to think they were summoned,” Jay said. “Or, at least, encouraged. I initially thought summoning them was impossible, but I was only thinking of the rituals that I would use. I did not consider dark rituals.”
“Like us?” asked Kade, narrowing his eyes.
“Not like you,” Jay said, shaking his head. “But similar to the original ritual you were given to summon the spirit of the Makhótaneo’o.”
“What do you mean original ritual?” asked Kade. “Wouldn’t it be the same for all of us?”
Kade pointed to his pack.
“I thought it would be that way,” Jay said, “until the dance circle the other night.”
“What changed your mind?” asked Kade, frowning.
“When the others shifted,” Jay explained.
“As usual, clear as mud, grandfather,” Kade said.
“Please explain, grandfather,” Greyeagle said, grinning at Kade.
Kade met his gaze and shrugged.
“Well, am I wrong?” asked Kade.
Jay smiled serenely and continued.
“When your pack shifted,” Jay explained, “only you became the Epicyon Haydeni. The others are all wolves. Powerful wolves, but just wolves. I believe when you taught them to shift, you might have been influenced more by the Hotamétaneo’o than you believed.
Otherwise, you would all be bone-crushing dogs. ”
Kade bristled and glanced at Raven.
“It makes sense,” she said. “I always wondered why you were so different than the rest of us.”
Kade looked back at Jay.
“And you’re sure of this?” Kade asked, frowning.
“No, but I believe it makes the most sense,” Jay said. “The teacher who taught you the ritual. Her name was Sandra Spotted Horse, correct?”
“Yes, that was her name,” Kade replied.
“Good, then my memory has not failed me just yet,” Jay said, smiling gently. “I asked some of my contacts with the tribal council and found out that Sandra’s grandmother is Rose Winter Crow. I know her, but only through reputation. And it is not a good one.”
“In what way?” asked Greyeagle.
“She is known for practicing the dark paths,” Jay replied.
“Dark magic. However, she is known for using it to protect the reservation, in her own way. The way the Ma’êstse-hóhkeso attack only the oil rigs drilling onto the Rez.
The same company that is involved in the legal dispute with the tribe.
Then, there is the Ma’êstse-hóhkeso refusing to attack Kade.
That is a significant detail. They will not attack our people. ”
“And you think this Rose Winter Crow might be behind it all?” asked Greyeagle.
“There is only one way to find out,” Jay said.