The country was opening out from the mountains, rolling and dry like the Camas Prairie where my people would winter, and signs of the watanka were everywhere, whole valleys where the grass had been devoured, the land torn by their hooves, and our ponies picked their way through the mud and manure. We had crested a hill, and before us lay a great herd stretching to the horizon. The Lakota were chattering excitedly in their language, and I was pretty interested myself at the prospect of fresh buffalo haunch. The Sioux rode forward and began to point and plan, when I felt Wolf Brother kick my left leg with his moccasin. With his head, he made a jerking motion like "let's go." I glanced at the Lakota in time to see Hair turn his head quickly our way, then look back at the herd. I looked at Wolf, and shook my head no. He winked at me, turned his pony slowly, then started back down through the meadow.

He'd gone maybe 50 feet when Hair noticed what he was doing. For a few seconds, the Sioux just watched him, and I thought he was going to let him go. Hair looked at me and smiled, and he signed "you are afraid to go?" I just stared back. Then he pulled a spear from behind his blanket, balancing it in his hand, momentarily I was blinded as the sun caught my mirror hung from his neck. He said something in the Lakota language and the others turned to look at him, and then down the hill at Wolf.

"Run Brother!!" I shouted as loudly as I could, and Wolf broke into a gallop. My cry must have startled the watankas, and I could hear and feel the rumble of their hooves as the herd moved. Immediately the tall, thin warrior steered his pony behind me and held the blade of his knife to my throat.

Hair tossed his spear to one of the others, who led two more in a quick pursuit. He had a good start on them, but Wolf had no weapons and he was in their country. Hair said in Nez Perce "friend..dead." Then he spoke sharply to the tall one, who took his blade away. I was made to get off of my pony and trot behind them, one end of a leather trace around my wrists, the other tied to my pony which was led by Hair-like-Bushes. We started off in pursuit of the buffalo, me running my fastest. I knew that if I slowed them down, I was finished.