CHAPTER FIFTEEN AN UNEASY ALLIANCE
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
AN UNEASY ALLIANCE
“A single twig breaks,
but the bundle of twigs is strong.”Tecumseh
8:00 AM
June 16th
Pine Ridge Reservation
Greyeagle and Sarah were finishing the breakfast dishes when they heard the rumble of distant motorcycles.
That, in and of itself, wasn’t uncommon on the Rez.
Many bikers rode to see the monuments in the area, not to mention paying their respects at the Wounded Knee Memorial.
What was surprising was hearing them gear down as they got closer.
“They’re slowing down,” Greyeagle said.
“Is that a problem?” asked Sarah.
“I don’t know,” replied Greyeagle. “Alert the others, just in case.”
“And what about you?” Sarah asked.
“I’ll be right here,” Greyeagle said, “to welcome our guests when they arrive.”
The bikes slowed more, and Greyeagle could hear them turning onto the gravel from the blacktop.
“They’re coming,” Greyeagle said. “Go.”
Sarah ducked inside the camper and told the first few quickly, then they spread out to inform the others. Greyeagle watched as the group of bikes appeared as they grew closer to the campsite. From what he could see, they were all Native Americans.
“Kade,” Greyeagle said, frowning.
The Hotamétaneo’o quickly gathered. Mika and the Mohawk Twins were cradling their rifles, not quite aiming them at the newcomers, but not really pointing them away either.
Kodiak stood beside Greyeagle and called on the spirit of the Great Short-Faced Bear within him.
He didn’t shift, but he was ready to on a moment’s notice.
On Greyeagle’s other side was Sarah. Next to her was Black Fox. Despite being told to stay hidden, the Greyeagle Twins were near the back of the group, watching intently. As the bikes grew closer, the tension in the air became so thick you could feel it on your skin.
“Are they here to fight?” rumbled Kodiak.
“I don’t know,” replied Greyeagle. “We’ll know in a moment.”
Kade and the others stopped and parked their bikes next to where the Hotamétaneo’o parked their own.
None of Kade’s pack wore a helmet, and they all wore riding leathers.
Raven stepped off of Kade’s bike first, then he put down the kickstand.
He shut the engine down and climbed off slowly, smiling at the group of Hotamétaneo’o.
“Your pack’s bigger than mine,” Kade said, smiling. “Not that it matters. I’d still put money on mine.”
“If you’re looking to put them at ease,” whispered Raven, “you’re doing a terrible job.”
Kade shrugged and winked at her.
“They expect me to be adversarial,” Kade replied. “Would they have believed me any other way?”
“Probably not,” Raven said, frowning. “But if you want this to work, maybe tone down the posturing. We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t need them.”
Kade chuckled softly.
“What do you want?” asked Greyeagle.
“Well, short and to the point,” said Kade. “I figured as much.”
“What did you expect after our last meeting?” Greyeagle replied. “A banquet in your honor?”
“Well, that would’ve been nice,” Kade said with a smirk.
“How did you find us here?” asked Greyeagle. “We told no one on the Rez.”
Kade looked at Greyeagle like he was an idiot child, then casually pointed at the cabin.
“We both spent summers here with Grandfather,” Kade said. “Or did you forget that too?”
Greyeagle felt silly for having that pointed out to him. Of course, Kade remembered this place. They practically grew up here.
“Fine, you know where we camp,” Greyeagle said. “You still didn’t answer my question. What do you want?”
“Can’t I just want to visit my only brother?” asked Kade, smiling.
“Then maybe you shouldn’t have knocked him out last time,” said Raven softly.
“Then maybe you shouldn’t have sucker-punched me,” Greyeagle said.
“Wow, getting it from both of you,” Kade said, winking at Raven. “Her, I expected it from. But you, brother. Holding grudges now?”
“I learned that from you,” Greyeagle said. “If I don’t trust you, it’s because of your actions, not mine.”
Kade shrugged.
“Well, aren’t you going to introduce me?” asked Kade. “I mean, after all, I am your brother.”
“You first,” Greyeagle said.
“Fine,” Kade said. “This is my… mate. Raven Long Shadow. You met her the other night. She’s Navajo and Apache.”
Raven nodded at Greyeagle but said nothing.
“This is Tashunka Kills Twice,” Kade said. “He’s my right hand. He’s Lakota from Standing Rock Rez.”
Tashunka stretched and cracked his neck.
“This is Evan Black Elk and Jonah Red Cloud,” Kade said, pointing at them in turn. “Evan’s half Lakota, half Irish. We don’t hold that against him. Jonah’s Oglala from Pine Ridge.”
They both nodded grimly. The next pack member he pointed at was nearly as big as Kodiak in human form.
“This is Mason Iron Shield,” Kade said. “My hammer. He’s full Blackfeet.”
Mason growled low in his throat, and Kodiak stared him in the eye, unflinching.
“The ladies are Leah Red Willow,” said Kade, pointing at the women, “Tala Night Wind, and Aiyana Broken Sky. Leah is Choctaw and Creek. Tala is Jicarilla Apache. Aiyana is Anishinaabe and French.”
Then Kade turned back to Greyeagle.
“Your turn,” he said, grinning.
“Fine,” Greyeagle said. “This is Sarah Makawee, my wife.”
“I’m Oglala Lakota,” Sarah said. “Pine Ridge.”
“Mika Canowicakte,” Greyeagle said.
“Hú?kpap?a,” Mika said. “Standing Rock.”
“His wife Cassie,” said Greyeagle. “She’s not Native, but she’s a member of this pack. This is Cody Tapuche, but everyone calls him Kodiak. He’s Uintah-Ute from Uintah-Ouray Reservation in Utah.”
Kodiak stood immobile, like a statue, never taking his eyes off Mason.
“I think you know our father,” said Greyeagle.
“Black Fox for the rest of your pack. He’s Aniwaya Cherokee.
Richard Akaash and Robert Alok. They’re Mohawk from New York.
Dusty and Betsy Marlowe. Navajo from New Mexico.
And you know our cousin Jason Otaktay and our grandfather, Jay Matoskah. Both Oglala from Pine Ridge.”
“Brother, you forgot to introduce the fiercest warriors of them all,” Kade said, smiling. “Who are these two young ones?”
Greyeagle froze. Of course, the boys hadn’t listened. They walked up and stood between Sarah and Greyeagle.
“These are my sons,” Greyeagle said, frowning. “Mato Watakpe and Wambleeska. Running Bear and White Eagle. Your nephews.”
“No first names?” asked Kade.
“Their legal names are Martin and Michael Greyeagle,” Greyeagle replied, “but they prefer to go by their tribal names.”
“As they should,” Kade said, nodding approval.
Kade cocked his head to the side for a moment.
“Martin and Michael?” he mused for a moment. “Was that from A Prayer for the Dying by Jack Higgins?”
“It was,” Greyeagle said with a shrug.
“So, that’s how you came up with those names,” Sarah said, shaking her head.
“What can I say?” asked Greyeagle. “It’s a good book. It really stuck with me over the years.”
“Good choice,” said Kade. “Strong names and strong characters. Come to think of it, they were very different men. Kinda like you and me, eh, brother? I wonder. Which of us is Martin Fallon in this scenario?”
“I believe that would be you,” Greyeagle said.
Kade started to walk towards them, but Sarah stepped between them and growled low in her throat.
“Momma protecting her cubs,” Kade said, smiling. “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t harm them.”
“Forgive me if I don’t trust you,” Sarah said.
Kade crouched down to be at eye level with the boys.
“Hello boys,” he said. “I’m your Uncle Kade.”
The boys watched him warily from behind Sarah’s legs, but they seemed genuinely interested in him.
“Well, it’s a start,” Kade said. “I didn’t expect to be greeted with open arms. I guess I earned that.”
Black Fox walked past Sarah and the boys.
His face was somber, and his posture was rigid.
Kade stood and stiffened as Black Fox grew closer.
He stopped when they were only inches apart.
Kade stared into Black Fox’s eyes, unsure of what to expect.
Then, Black Fox reached out and wrapped his arms around Kade, hugging him tightly.
Kade resisted at first, then slowly relaxed. Black Fox pulled him tighter.
“Father…,” Kade began.
“Don’t speak,” Black Fox said. “Just listen. For right now, I don’t care about the past or the future. I just want to hold my son.”
Kade’s eyes softened for a moment, then he hugged his father. No words were needed between them, and none mattered in that moment. No one spoke. They didn’t want to interrupt the moment.
Greyeagle studied Kade closely, looking for any sign of a crack in his armor and hoping against hope that Black Fox could reach him when he couldn’t do it himself.
Kade was strong and stubborn. It ran in the family.
But then again, there was also a strong sense of justice, and Greyeagle hoped that Black Fox could find that part of Kade again.
Even Kade had to know what he was doing was wrong, even if it was for the right reasons.
After a long moment, Kade and Black Fox separated.
“I didn’t think you’d want to see me, father,” Kade said softly.
“No matter what has happened,” said Black Fox, “you will always be my son. And how can I judge you when I have done things just as bad? Perhaps worse. Whatever you did does not matter. What matters is, there is always a way home.”
“I wish I believed that,” Kade whispered.
“I stand before you as living proof,” Black Fox said. “I fell to darkness. I became Oolonga-Doglalla, yet here I stand.”
“Thank you for that, father,” Kade said, “but we can discuss that later. For now, we have bigger problems on our hands.”
“You mean the Ma’êstse-hóhkeso,” Greyeagle said.
Kade’s pack exchanged odd expressions but kept silent.
“Is that what they’re called?” asked Kade, turning to face his brother. “We had no idea what to call them. We only know they’re incredibly powerful.”
“We know many things,” Greyeagle said. “As I suspect you do, as well.”
Kade bristled but held Greyeagle’s gaze.
“Is that an accusation, brother?” Kade said, his voice rumbling slightly.