Chapter 7

Then they pulled up to a gas station and got out. They went and used the restrooms and they were going to stay at a hotel. So, they got back inside the truck and started the truck, but the truck would not start, then it started smoking.

"No water pump man," said the white American.

Then a van rolled up, and a young girl opened the door.

"Hey, headed to all nations?" asked the girl.

"We were," said Shane.

"Well hop in," said the girl.

"No, three moons, I can't leave, we'll get there," said Grandfather.

"Are you alright, Grandfather?" asked the young girl.

"We are Lakota, we'll find our way," said Grandfather.

"Well see you brothers," said the white American getting into the van and driving off.

"I can't believe you just did that," angered Shane.

"Would you have left this pony to die," said Grandfather.

"No, I would have put the white American on it and wished him good luck," said Shane.

"Come on, let's go," said Grandfather.

So, they started their journey, Grandfather rode the horse and Shane helped walked the horse and Grandfather was finishing up the story of the red headed Kiowa.

Tejan went in his tipi and gathered his stuff, "sister, I am leaving," said Tejan.

"You must not," said Talks A Lot.

"I will return, but only with the runaway colts, to prove that I am a true Kiowa, if I do not return, remember me always, as your brother." So Tejan left to go look for the runaway colts, as he was deep in the canyon he herd people and then saw blue coats.

"Easy their savage."

"Hold on there."

"That's no savage, that's a white Indian."

"What's your name boy?"

"Name," said Tejan.

"Yeah, you still remember that word, name?"

"My name is Tejan."

"That's him, that's the red headed Kiowa that they talk about at Fort Sill, he's one of us, it will be alright now, let me take that bow." So they took Tejan's belongings, Tejan quickly dragged his foot and his moccasin came off, so he could leave a trail.

Then a scout was looking for the colts also, and he came across Tejan's moccasin, he picked it up and brought it back to the village to show Talks A Lot, his sister. She took the moccasin and was furious, she got up and walked towards Broken Arrow and threw the moccasin at him and walked away.

"Tejan had found himself far away from the Kiowa world he wants knew, the officers told him he was free now, rescued from captivity, but Tejan knew what freedom was, and where he belonged, and it was not there among the long knives. Then Tejan was called to the officer's cabin.

"You know them better than any one red. If we push them to the river will they cross or go up to the crusade."

"I can't remember much of how it was," said Tejan.

"They are going to surrender to Fort Sill, I'll be pushing them north and off their lands, I need you Red, I saved your life from the savages, I need you now."

"They will never go north, they are not cowards, like some, I will ride alone to their camp, I will convince....." paused Tejan.

"You leave this fort alone, you are one dead red headed injun, am I understood. Come on son, show us your rabbit dance, I'll give you Conair," laughed the officer.

Tejan just looked at the officer and left. Back at the Kiowa camp the warriors were getting ready to make war.

"When the white eyes come, we will stake ourselves to the soil, fight till the death." said Broken Arrow.

"There are too many, we have to many elders, and children," said the Chief.

"Then you go north, I stay, and I die like Kiowa," said Broken Arrow.

"I am war Chief, we go north now." Then Talks A Lot steps in.

"Not I, one of us is a prisoner at Fort Sill, can we move our camp, and leave him forever to the white man." said Talks A Lot.

"He is a white man, he is home, I'll fight against him and win his scalp," angered Broken Arrow.

"This is his home, I know my brother he is trying to return but cannot." said Talks A Lot.

"Tejan was a good warrior, we go north now." said Chief.

"He's not just a warrior, he is my brother, will no man raise a war party to go free one of our own, was not Tejan captured from the whites and raised as one of our own, has he not hunted with you men? Or smoked with the elders? Has he not proved himself loyal to the Kiowa's, how many times could he return to the white man. His heart is with us." said Talks A Lot.

"Talks A Lot, talks to much," laughed Broken Arrow.

"Because his blood is not our blood we turn our backs on him now. If no man will fight for one of our own... then I will." said Talks A Lot raising the war ax.

"I will not run, I will not stay here to be killed like a dog, I go into the white fire, If I die, I die there, but if I return, I return with Tejan, this woman speaks the truth," said a warrior. So, they raised a war party to free Tejan, and when they burned the fort down and killed a few blue coats they rode away with Tejan.

"Did the war chief send a war party for me?" asked Tejan.

"No," said a warrior.

"Who did?" asked Tejan.

His sister rode up beside him. "Forever they would speak of the woman who raised a war party for her brother, and brought him back, leading their fathers' colts.

"Look Tejan has returned."

The Kiowa's welcomed Tejan home with an honoring song.

"There is no choice now, we must go north now, we will find a good place." said the Chief.

"I stay, and I fight, so the women can reach the north." said Broken Arrow.

"Then I do also, who stays, with Broken Arrow and fights for the Kiowa." said Tejan.

"Tejan you must go north with us," worried Talks A Lot.

"No, Broken Arrow is right, sister, someone must stay, and keep the whites back, or they will never stop chasing. You must go, have children, and keep the Kiowa strong," said Tejan.

"You will die here Tejan, you could have lived as a white man," said Broken Arrow.

"But I'm a Kiowa, my sister stood for me, and now I stand for her," said Tejan.

"Then let us make war brother, if our blood spills, it spills together, and then returns to the same mother." said Broken Arrow. "So Tejan fought for the people his heart belonged to. He truly was a Kiowa, and he passed into history as the great red headed warrior." finished Grandfather.