Eagle People by W.R. Benton Read Free Book Online Page B

then they moved on.
    My trap will not stop anyone following us, but it'll slow them down a great deal.  If I manage to kill or injure one, they'll pursue with more caution and that will cost them time. I'd guess we're another day's ride to the nearest band of Eagle People and the war chief Mongoose, she thought.

    Asa was in the lodge of Ninian and walking in circles around the old man's body, fill with deep anger.  He'd warned the old man about the dangers of the captives, but the woman who'd done the killing was no ordinary woman. He knew, just by the murder weapon, at some point one of the prisoners had been trained as a warrior.
    “She cut his throat.” Byron said as he squatted by the old man's body.
    “No, a stick was used first to his eye to distract him, and all his other wounds were done to shorten his yells or screams. When she struck his nose, his death quickly followed. Parts of his nose entered his brain and death was fast.”
    “Then why'd she cut his throat?”
    “To make sure he remained dead. The Eagle People always cut the throats of those they kill, because they will no longer have to worry about that person. They know beyond a doubt the victim is dead.”
    “How can you know this? I mean how Ninian was killed.”
    Shaking his head and growing frustrated, Asa said, “Why in the hell would she cut his throat, stab him the eye and neck, and then bust his nose all to pieces? Look while using your brain and not just your eyes. Think. This killer has been well trained to kill and when we catch them, we'll see how strong they are when tied to the fire poles with flames licking at their skin. Gather up ten men and go after them, and do it now.”
    Nodding, Byron said, “As you wish. I will try to bring them back alive.”
    “No, you will not try to return them alive, you will bring them back alive. We must show the Eagle People and our own People we will avenge the death of our shaman. I don't care is it costs you all of your men, bring them back alive.”
    “I will do what you ask.” He turned to leave.
    “Take your pistol and enough ammunition to down their horses. We must extract reprisal for this, or The Wolf People will think we are weak and cannot protect our clan. Now go.”
    Four hours later, they were following the easy to read tracks of the horses, when the tracker, a warrior named Ora said, “The tracks have disappeared in this stream. It has been some time back, maybe four hours or more, because the movement of the water has smoothed the tracks out.”
    “Do you suppose they have gone up or down stream?”
    “Most move upstream and by going down stream, they'd travel south, and so far they've headed west. I think they'll move up stream a few miles and when they leave the water, they'll move west again.”
    Ora said, “As we follow the stream north, all of you pay attention, and we'll spot where they left the water. Then we'll pick up their trail again easily enough. Depending on how far they are ahead of us, the bank may be wet or dry, so look for tracks, not water.”
    Hours later, a warrior called Alonzo said, “I see tracks here, but they disappear after a few feet.”
    “Disappear?” Byron asked and then said, “That's impossible.”
    “Stay where you are and let me check their sign.” Ora said. He dismounted, made his way to the tracks, and looked them over closely. Finally, smiling, he said, “One of them is very smart. I can't be sure, but the hooves of their horses look to have been covered with buckskin or hide. They still leave tracks, only they're faint as hell.”
    “What now?” Byron asked, worried the two might get away and he'd have to admit failure to Asa.
    “It's not likely the coverings will last long, so look for any sign, such as horse apples, scuff marks in the soil, or bent grasses. We can still trail them, just not as quickly now.”
    A few miles later,  Alonzo said, “I see some leather in the grasses here, but just one piece, and the tracks are easy