Camp Camel: The Heart of Texas

by Eaton, Rosemary

  Bryan turned to each of them, “She has been beaten. She cowers. She will not say another word. I will not apologize for Mouse Dog. He was a mouse not a man.”

  Wolf stepped forward, “You are a hard man Wokwave. I would have slapped her hand and said it was not so bad. She followed a man’s word, even if she was deceived by wokwave. It is not a crime if doing what a man commands.”

  Eagle Feather said, “It is enough. She will not do it again. It is punishment enough to deny her wokwave. Our women need not hear of this.”

  Sparrow Hawk looked at the crumpled mass on the floor, “It matters not what grief is in her breast or that it was the result of her taking something that did not belong to her. Her husband has judged her crime and punished her. She has paid the price and no more shall be said of this.” Sparrow Hawk said, “I will post a guard here. She is safe. We will not embarrass you or your Chief having to look upon her while she grieves and can not control her feelings. Come Wokwave, we have work to do.”

  Wolf told Bryan, “I will protect her Wokwave.”

  Bryan looked at Jenny, “But who will protect you if she forgets who she is while this works it’s way from her blood again. It is harsh, but some can not enjoy wokwave again. Mouse Dog may have suffered from the same, I can not tell, but his actions were strange and it took many to kill him that day.” Bryan took the scarf off his neck and tied her hands together. He told Wolf, “You can give her clean water, but that is all. She may sweat, shiver, and make you feel she will surely die. She might die, but you can not give her more wokwave.”

  Bryan took the child who was starting to stir over to Jenny and bent down to her level. He held the baby where she could see it, but didn’t hand it over to her arms. Bryan said, “No wonder he slept, you passed the drug into the boy. Now he may shake and shiver too as it leaves his system.” She was shaking. Bryan wrapped the bite marks tightly.

  Sparrow Hawk said, “This is blood of your blood. Can you see his face in the child? As you said, Mouse Dog had a small prick, but this father did not. Is he not worth living for? Think on this.”

  It wasn’t far as Sparrow Hawk had said. Especially if you were riding and not walking. Before long they could see the fires burning on the desert plains. There were sentry fires all around the camp where they would have a good view of anyone before they reached the perimeter of their tents. There was very little light in the center making it harder to target where the men slept or where the sentries were stationed. Bryan thought Lacy would approve. She had been very vocal as he dressed her leg about the insanity of the guard being fully lit while the surrounding area was well concealed at Crockett’s Bluff. Maybe Lacy throwing her bowie knife into Mouse Dog’s back might have been why Jenny thought a man gave her orders, but then again maybe not. Maybe she had just saved her hide by giving Sparrow Hawk and him a way to resolve the conflict without further blood being split. She hadn’t lived with Sparrow Hawk that long as a second wife without learning something of how and when to give in and when to strike out at her enemies.

  Sparrow Hawk stopped, “We will wait here until you speak to your Chief.” Bryan nodded and proceeded to walk into the light of a sentry fire and called out, “Ho there, Captain Travers to see the commanding officer.” The sentry signaled for him to advance into the darkness and escorted him over to Dallas’ tent.

  Bryan came through the flap, “Bryan had hoped Lacy would be there. He wasn’t as confident as Sparrow Hawk that Jenny was in any condition to forgive him, Sparrow Hawk or anything with a prick right now. Silent wasn’t necessarily good. It might just be hiding her true feelings. She might be plotting the removal of his own manhood while he took care of Sparrow Hawk. Bryan saluted, “Major, I’ve come to parley for Sparrow Hawk. Actually he’s come himself and is waiting outside the perimeter for safe passage to where you can talk.”

  Dallas said, “Gage mentioned he has a child. Have your seen it?”

  Bryan said, “Yes, We have it. He said it was sick, but I think that was just an excuse to present his proposal.” Bryan wasn’t going to stir the pot by saying it might be drugged on peyote milk. It was possible, the child was just hungry. Her wound was starting to clot so maybe it had been a very small piece or none at all.

  Dallas asked, “And what exactly would that be? The whole Comanche nations seems to be at war with us. Gage, Lacy, and JC barely escaped with their lives. It’s been a bloody slaughter since we left the fort today Bryan.”

  Bryan relayed Sparrow Hawk’s plans to sweep up the women and children and take them with him.

  Dallas asked, “And Jenny? There isn’t one man out there that wants her back at the fort.” Dallas looked at Bryan, “I haven’t filed anything yet. If you think she’s not adjusting, maybe I could speak to Albert Pike. There is bound to be somewhere they take women like her. To give them help. You know. Get them off the peyote.”

  Bryan asked, “Did Gage say anything about the Indians that attacked us?”

  Dallas said, “Only that one of them was called Mouse Dog and you had a disagreement with Sparrow Hawk about some property. I think he was a little more concerned about Jenny’s mental state and Lacy. She’s pretty shaken up. Do you know what he did to her? Bryan is she going to be alright?”

  Bryan said, “I don’t know. We weren’t exactly where she was going to let me look, not that I could have seen much anyway in that cave. He was all over her. I think the safest thing would be to make sure she bleeds. I can fix her something that should help if you’re sure she’s not already with child. Her emotions have been all over. Might have been the peyote, and then maybe something else there Dallas.”

  Dallas said, “I think it best your treat her. I don’t think I could wait nine months to know.”

  Bryan nodded, “Very well, I’ll treat her and then we wait.” Bryan looked back toward the darkness, “I don’t want to seem insensitive, but I’ve got Sparrow Hawk waiting out there. Can I bring him in?”

  Dallas asked, “You trust him?”

  Bryan replied, “As much as I trust any General. He doesn’t lie, but that doesn’t mean he won’t try to skin you or take advantage if he finds the weakness in your armor. Don’t assume anything.”

  With that it was agreed to bring Sparrow Hawk into their camp and have the two Chiefs parley. Sparrow Hawk talked up his friendship with his new brother Wokwave. His amazement at seeing his son brought into the world and how he saved his former wife from death. He left out the disagreement over the teepee and praised Wokwave and Gage for their bravery in defeating Mouse Dog, a treacherous filth bag that had brought shame on his family by his actions. He used Bryan’s words to show his agreement with what was done and that he held no ill will for their deaths.

  Sparrow Hawk praised the white Chief’s wife for her bravery and swift decisive action and said she had the resolve of a man. That brought a wry smile to Dallas’ face as he thought about Lacy in Private Luellen’s uniform. Sparrow Hawk noticed and looked at Bryan. Maybe this Chief did have a man for his wife and Jenny had not lied to save her skin. He wasn’t sure he should ask, but the man showed he approved. Sparrow Hawk asked, “Your wife has balls?”

  Dallas said, “Yes, very large ones too so don’t cross her or you might find yourself eating something nasty in revenge.” Sparrow Hawk shuddered as he thought about Mouse Dog, then said in his best parley voice, “So I heard from Bryan’s wife. I hope she has had her fill of revenge and we can move on from this bad day.”

  Dallas replied, “Yes, that is my wish too. Your sons Itsee and Paaka, they are well? They were well liked and trusted, but I think it best they not come back to the fort. There would be charges against them for breaking our law. It would pain me to see them hung.

  Sparrow Hawk frowned, “Hung? For escorting their brother?” Would you hang your son for traveling with your daughter?”

  Dallas said, “She was under our protection. She was kidnapped.”

  Sparrow Hawk said, “She went willingly.”

  Bryan cleared his t
hroat, “Now I think we’re getting bogged down in semantics. We are all agreed that the disagreement was completed to everyone’s satisfaction no matter how it came about. Jenny gave a live child to Sparrow Hawk and it was named by it’s father after birth Chibitty. We were grieved to hear, it did not survive, but that happens even when a wife is confined for months before a birth. Sparrow Hawk knows this as well as anyone. He is fortunate to have four healthy sons by Jenny and another adopted son by his latest wife and surely if we can agree on this, there will be many more sons and wives for the men of his tribe. More than enough to help ease the pain of this one’s loss and the loss of many lives unnecessarily. The white Chief expects Sparrow Hawk to parley with those bands he is aware of that have not chosen to migrate to the new territory yet and encourage them to consider relocation in order to avoid getting caught up in this fight for power. However, we do not require him to fight unless he is forced or chooses to join against other tribes. In return, we will not attack villages and kill women and children. We will turn over a portion of the ponies captured to help transport women and children. Weapons will remain with the army, but other property such as cattle, goats, dogs, chickens, pigs, teepees, blankets, pallets, pots, pans, grain, fruit, food stuff will be used for the benefit of the men, women, and children who agree to move with Sparrow Hawk out of Texas.” Bryan cleared his throat, “Basically we work together to minimize the casualties and provide those who find their initial decision was a bad one a second chance to move north and west to new lands. Sparrow Hawk’s children by Jenny will be given a pardon and allowed to visit their white families, go to school, and choose what life they feel suits them best through out their life after the tribes are located out of Texas. Of course if they committed a crime, either in Indian law or white man’s law after this is put in place, they would be subject to the law of the law they are in. Gage will be given a chance to claim his son. If he chooses to not take the boy, then Jenny can decide whether she wishes to raise him with me as his guardian. His mother is free to leave according to the Treaty with Albert Pike. She is white. Wasapi’s father is Sparrow Hawk. While light skinned, it is not conclusive that Sparrow Hawk could not have been his father given multiple children of hers have similar features. Gage will testify that there was no penetration, just an unexpected wet dream while he slept. That being he case, it is highly unlikely that he is Gage’s son. That is for our benefit and will not be written in this treaty for the sake of the children. Do we have an agreement?”

  Dallas nodded, “Yes. I can support that.”

  Sparrow Hawk replied, “You forgot something Bryan. We will not attack white settlers or the army unless they attack us first. We would like you and Jenny to be our guest so that you may verify we have not gone back on our word. We wish our Brother to speak of us to Albert Pike along with Gage so that he knows we fight here for Texas and he not expect fathers with so many to feed to fight further North too. We live in peace once Texas done.”

  Dallas said, “Captain Travers can not be a full time guest. He has duties with us. Captain Travis will be your guest. It is his job to help resolve this and appropriate he attend your camp. Captain Travers will decide about his wife. She has no role at the fort and if she would be happier as your guest, she can stay while her brother is your guest. We would also like a guest, so that our Indian Brother will know we are not going back on our word too. Perhaps someone close to you.”

  Sparrow Hawk grinned, “Tatsinuupi shall be your guest. She is my first wife. You keep her. Very smart.”

  Bryan chuckled, “Yes, very smart indeed.” There was no way he was telling Dallas. Some how Jenny just found herself invited back. Maybe it was the comment about Lacy’s balls. Dallas had cleared her of the dreaded crime without knowing it and gotten a huge problem for Sparrow Hawk out of the picture. Bryan added, “I will travel to your camp and help settle my wife in her brother’s teepee, then return to my duties at the fort. I think it best we not tempt Sparrow Hawk’s enemies too much.”

  Sparrow Hawk added, “We expect the white soldiers to respect our dead. There will be no whacking off pricks or balls or mutilations beyond what is necessary to kill a person no matter your prior grievances. We will treat your women and children with the same respect given ours. We will treat your dead with the same respect given ours. Otherwise the blood lust will take over both sides.”

  Dallas asked, “Whacking off. I don’t think we’ve ever done that and you started the scalping.”

  Bryan replied, “Actually, I think the British started it by offering rewards for scalps encouraging the Indians to take scalps.”

  Before Dallas could respond further, Bryan cleared his throat, “As to the whacking, Jenny took offense to what Mouse Dog did and was about to do, as did Lacy. It is with regret I must report it was whacked off at the direction of someone with large balls by my wife under the influence of a peyote induced blood lust. We’ve dealt with the incident, but it should be avoided at all costs in the future by both sides.”

  Sparrow Hawk nodded, “I did not teach her to do that. She became crazy after you took her.”

  Dallas said, “She became crazy after you doped her with peyote.”

  Sparrow Hawk said, “After you stole her away from her family and made her feel like dying was better than being in your world unwanted.”

  Bryan coughed, “Again, that isn’t helping us settle this. No name calling. Maybe that needs to be added too.”

  Gage stuck his head into the flap, “Where is he? Is he alright? She didn’t breast feed him did she?”

  Bryan said, “He is just outside the perimeter and yes she feed the little hungry bastard. He was waking up and back to his normal self when we left him in Eagle Feather’s hands. Which might be more than I can say about you. When did you find time to run to Texas to father this child?”

  Gage replied, “I wasn’t in Texas. I was in Arkansas. Her family went west after we sort of dated and then next thing I know, I see her in buckskin and she tells me she’s having my child. I want proof. I want to see him.”

  Sparrow Hawk quizzed, “You think your prick is as short as Mouse Dog’s? What would she gain by lying?”

  Bryan blinked, “Oh, I don’t know, perhaps a good night’s sleep.”

  Gage asked, “What? What do you mean by that? Is he a peyote addict too?”

  Sparrow Hawk frowned, “No, if I gave him that, he would sleep. He slept after your sister nursed. But it has wore off. I think he is needing a burp or maybe more milk or maybe walking or maybe something I can not figure out. Bryan says he take him and suffer his tantrums if you not want his mother. You take her as wife and child with her?”

  Gage’s eyes grew larger, “Oh, yea, my Daddy would love that one. He hasn’t even forgiven Jenny and she’s his daughter. No, I didn’t know her that well. I’m sure she has family back in Delight.”

  Well that rang a bell. Dallas looked at his friend and said, “Delightful Arkansas. You dog. Is that how my orders got changed?”

  Gage’s mouth twitched, “Too bad it didn’t out rank a General’s. We could have missed Cotton Plant all together, but that didn’t happen did it.”

  Dallas said, “Really, go take one for the team. It’s only measles Dallas. You weren’t in a hurry to get somewhere were you. I could have gone blind or become sterile because you wanted in that sweet girl’s pants pretty bad Gage. Well, now I think it’s time you took a look. Bryan go get the boy.”

  Ten minutes later Sparrow Hawk had the squirming mess in his hands. Yes sick and making him suffer. The boy was having a fit. Sparrow Hawk held him at arms length offering him to Gage, “You take.”

  Gage looked at Sparrow Hawk, “Oh no I don’t. You hold him and I’ll think about this a little longer. Why is he crying like that? Is his bottom wet or soiled? It’s not like I brought nappies with me.” Gage took a step closer trying to look at his features. He had dark black hair like his Grandfather and his green eyes. There wasn’t the distinctive features he saw in Wasapi or
Peekwi or even Paaka’s smile that reminded him of himself. He lifted the sling to look at his privates. Well at least he didn’t look like Mouse Dog, but still that wasn’t conclusive. His balls were one oversized sack. Gage thought to himself, “Now that’s impressive. Maybe he’s mine.”

  Then Gage said, “I can’t. I don’t have a wife to keep him. Just how is that going to work. I don’t know anything about babies Dallas.”

  Dallas said, “I think he’s yours. Look at that yawn. You yawn like that.”

  Gage said, “So? He can yawn. Lots of babies yawn.”

  Bryan said, “If the only thing stopping you is how to take care of him, there is Jenny. They took to each other right off the bat. She was happy when Sparrow Hawk brought him wasn’t she?”

  Sparrow Hawk swallowed, “Yes very happy. She had much love in her heart for him. Then I told her our son was gone and I did not know the person left. Her heart was gone.”

  Gage asked, “She wants him?”

  Bryan answered, “We want him. We could help raise him or if you don’t want anything to do with him, we’d adopt him and you don’t have to be anything but Unc Gage or not anything.”

  Dallas said, “You’ll regret it Gage. Best thing to happen to me was to find JC and bring him into my life. I can’t say it’s easy, but you can’t know the value of a son or a daughter until you hold them. He won’t break. Take him in your hands at least.”

  Sparrow Hawk took the sling off and handed the boy to Gage, “White Chief know what he say. I would die to give Chibitty back his future. She say this is blood of your blood. You are as stubborn as your sister, but once you open you mind, you will never let go of the love you find in a child.”

  The little boy squirmed and made a face, then reached out and took Gage’s finger in his hand as he made a big one sided yawn and the expression on his face reminded him of his old man’s. Gage asked, “The mother doesn’t want him?”