A Man Called Hawkes

Disclaimer: I don't own High Mountain Rangers, not making any money, just cheap thrills.

Warnings: AU; Angst; tissue warning

Rating: FRT

A/N: Italics signifies characters speaking Shoshone

A Man Called Hawkes
Chapter 7


White Eagle lifted the spoon to silent lips. His worry for Cody was great. It had been four days since the attack and still the young boy hadn't spoken; still the deep blue eyes looked upon the world as if the soul behind them had fled. At least the child was taking nourishment, though he must feed his dawi as if he were an infant. He hoped Cody's father would return soon, maybe then the boy would come to life.

His father and uncle had removed the soulless ones from the small cabin, dumping their bodies in a small gully nearby. Uncertain of the customs of the white men, Jacklyn had been, with great respect, moved to lie on her bed. They had cleaned her body with great gentleness and now she lay in the room beyond, covered and waiting for her husband's return.

“My son, two men approach, one young and one older.”

White Eagle stood. “Where are they?”

“They are close. Their horses carry many packages, perhaps it is the father and brother of your dawi.”

“ Hai,” White Eagle nodded. He hoped his father was right. He stepped towards the door but a hand tugging on his breeches halted him. Turning around he gave Cody a small smile as hope blossomed in his chest. “Remain here dawi, I will return soon. I must see who approaches your home.”

Cody looked away, reluctantly releasing White Eagle. He tried to hide the fear he felt as his older friend once more moved towards the door. He nodded when his papi turned to him again, promising that he would come back. Curling up on the pallet White Eagle had made for him, he could only wait and hope that the spirits would protect his friend.


Matt followed his father up the path. His thoughts wandered to the tin whistle nestled in one of the packs. He had felt bad that Cody wasn't allowed to come with them to town this year. He knew that it was his mother's fears that kept Cody close to home, but it wasn't really fair to his brother. Matt sometimes wondered why his father had moved them into the mountains, rather than living in a town. Wouldn't being in town help calm his mother's fears? It had been in town though that his mother had lost several babies and it had been in town that his father had nearly died. Considering these things, Matt began to understand his father's reasons for moving them into the mountains. Still, his little brother was growing up isolated and kept close to home by a fearful mother. He wasn't sure that was good for him. How could he learn to be a man if he wasn't allowed more freedom from their mother's protectiveness?

He was pulled from his thoughts by the sudden stop of his father. Looking up, he smiled in greeting. He was still amazed whenever he considered the difference in his feelings in only a few short years. “White Eagle,” he greeted the older boy.

White Eagle's father followed him a little ways down the trail, watching until he was sure it was the boy's family who approached. Assured that these men meant no harm, he returned to the cabin. He would watch over the young one until his son and the boy's family arrived.

Jesse narrowed his eyes. Something was off with the young man in front of him. “Were you on your way to the cabin?” he asked. Fear shot through him. Though White Eagle hid it well, he could see the discomfort in the boy's eyes. “Something's wrong?” It was as much a statement as a question.

“Hai,” White Eagle confirmed.

Feeling as if he'd been dropped in an icy wasteland, Matt looked between the two of them. He wanted to ask, but for some reason he couldn't get his mouth to work.

Jesse didn't need to hear any more, without a word he shouldered his way past White Eagle. Moving at a rapid pace, he headed for his home, his heart thudding in fear at what he would find.

“Mr. Hawkes, wait,” White Eagle called. Quickly catching up to the older man, he laid his hand on his arm, bringing him to a halt. “You cannot hurry into the cabin.”

“Let go of me,” Jesse growled. How dare this boy tell him what to do. How dare he keep him from his family.

“You must listen first,” White Eagle insisted. He understood the older man's need to see his family, but for Cody's sake he must be told what awaited him. His dawi, they had quickly discovered, would cower in fear at any quick movement. For a moment Jesse struggled against his hold and just when he thought he would have to become more violent in his insistence the man ceased his struggles.

Matt watched, not without some confusion, as White Eagle held his father back from the cabin. It was clear that something very bad had happened while they were gone; he was afraid to discover what that was. He considered moving past them, but his fear held him in place.

“Go on,” Jesse said, his tone curt and impatient.

White Eagle took a breath, preparing himself. “My father and uncle wished to meet the family I spend so much time with. They very much wanted to meet Cody, my dawi.”

Jesse bit back a growl of impatience.

“We began the walk to your cabin a few days ago. We found your family being attacked by two soulless ones disguised as men. One was preparing to kill your son, I was able to stop him with an arrow, the other was stopped by an arrow from my father's bow.”

“Cody? Jacklyn?” Jesse asked in a horrified whisper.

“Your son lives, but does not speak. We were too late to save your woman,” White Eagle quietly replied. Twin cries of anguish sounded in the quiet of the forest.

Jesse tore loose from White Eagle's hold. Forgetting about his oldest for the moment, he hurried up the trail to the cabin. It couldn't be true, please God don't let it be true, he prayed as he ran. He knew it was futile. White Eagle wouldn't lie about something like this. His wife was dead, attacked in her own home and his son.... What did he mean when he said his son didn't speak? What had happened to his family?

Rushing into the cabin, he was vaguely aware of the two men who squatted near the fireplace. Somewhere in the back of his mind he realized these must be White Eagle's father and uncle. He spared them no attention, his eyes were focused on the small boy curled up on a pallet in the corner. He fell to his knees, blue eyes filled with rage as he took in the condition of his young son. He found himself wishing that the animals who had done this were still alive; he would have liked the pleasure of killing them himself...slowly. “Cody...son,” he whispered as he hesitantly reached for the boy. He felt his heart breaking a little more when Cody flinched from his touch. Drawing his hand back, he rocked back onto his heels.

Matt followed his father into the cabin. He stared at his barely recognizable brother for a full minute. Slowly he stumbled his way to his father's side, dropping to the floor beside him. “Is he going to be okay Pa?” he whispered.

Jesse wrapped his arm around Matt's shoulders, pulling him close. Like most men, he wasn't very demonstrative with his sons, usually he was uncomfortable giving hugs to the boys. Yet now it seemed as if it were the easiest thing in the world to offer his son the comfort he so badly needed. “Of course he is son,” he assured his oldest with a confidence he didn't feel. “Can you stay with him?”

Matt turned frightened, shocked eyes on his father. “Where are you going?” He winced at the slight panic he could hear in his own voice. He couldn't help it, in this moment he didn't feel like a boy approaching manhood. No, he wasn't fourteen, he was a frightened toddler in need of his father's reassuring presence.

Jesse squeezed his shoulder. “I need to talk to White Eagle and his family. I need to know what happened, more than we've already been told,” he added when he saw Matt about to protest.

Matt nodded, “I'll take care of Cody.”

“I know you will son.” One last squeeze to the thin shoulder and he stood. He glanced around the room as he moved towards the fireplace, seeing evidence of the attack. White Eagle had obviously tried to clean the place up and had done a good job, still there was evidence of the attack if you knew what to look for. Mostly in the lack of items that had previously adorned the room, things that he supposed were broken during the attack. He was thankful there were no blood stains, or at least none that he was able to spot.

White Eagle gave the older man a grim smile as he approached. “Mr. Hawkes, this is my father, Grey Wolf and my uncle Running Elk.”

Jesse nodded a greeting. “What can you tell me about what happened?”

“We can only guess,” White Eagle replied.

Jesse barked a mirthless laugh. “White Eagle I have great respect for the Shoshone and you in particular. I'd be willing to bet that your guess would be as good as what I would hear from an eye witness.”

White Eagle nodded, acknowledging the praise. “There were two soulless ones, white devils, who attacked your family. Your woman and son were beaten with fists.” He paused, giving the man a moment to deal with the grief and rage his words were causing. He knew his next words would only cause his dawi's father more pain. “Cody was whipped, his back is torn open from the attack but it is healing.”

Jesse swallowed hard. White Eagle was right when he called these men white devils, soulless ones. No man who possessed a soul could hurt a child so brutally. It hurt more than he could say to hear what his son had suffered. Jesse wasn't sure he could stand to hear what his wife had gone through, but he had to know. “Jacklyn?”

“She too was beaten with fists,” White Eagle replied. Hesitant to inform the man of the rest, he didn't realize he was repeating himself. A hand fell on his shoulder, offering silent support. Though he couldn't see who was behind him, he knew it was his father's hand. “She was violated before her throat was cut.” There was no easy way to say the words, quick and simple was best.

Jesse bit back the scream that threatened to erupt. His beautiful Jacklyn, what she must have suffered in his absence. Why hadn't he taken her to town? He knew the answer of course. Somebody had to remain at the cabin, caring for the livestock. “Where is she?” he finally managed to ask.

The man's reaction relieved Grey Wolf. Though his son had grown close to this family, he had feared they would be blamed for the attack. He could breathe easier now that the burden of this worry had been lifted.

“We were unsure of the customs,” White Eagle explained. “She was treated with great respect as she was cleansed and dressed,” he added. He wanted Jesse to understand that they had only done what was necessary, but that they had always given her body the respect it should be given.

“Thank you for that son,” Jesse said, acknowledging the explanation. He was grateful they had been here to save his son and see to the things he couldn't.

“She lays on your bed.”

Jesse turned towards the bedroom. Truthfully he was surprised to hear this. He had expected White Eagle to tell him that his wife had been laid to rest according to Shoshone traditions. Without another word he moved to the bedroom. “Oh Jacklyn,” he whispered. Stumbling to the bed, he sank onto the mattress, drawing his wife into his arms. “My poor darling, I'm so sorry I wasn't here to spare you.” Gently he lowered her back to the mattress to lay among the sweet smelling herbs White Eagle had surrounded her with. He brushed a strand of hair away from her face. “How am I supposed to go on without you sweetheart? How do I live without your gentleness? We were supposed to grow old together, watching over our boys and their children.” He wasn't aware of the tears streaking his face as that part of his heart that Jacklyn owned filled with an icy coldness. He didn't know how long he sat there, pouring out his pain to his lost love. It was only when White Eagle entered the room to light the lamp that he looked up.

“There is food, if you wish to eat.”

“Thank you, for everything you've done.”

White Eagle shrugged. “Cody is my dawi, his family is mine.”

Jesse nodded. “I'll be out soon.” Turning back to Jacklyn, he leaned down, laying a soft kiss on her cold cheek. “Goodbye my love,” he whispered. There was a spot behind the cabin covered with wildflowers. Tomorrow they would lay her to rest there. It would give her peace to spend eternity watching over her boys. He hadn't been able to protect her in life, a peaceful eternal rest was all he could offer her now. It would have to be enough.

TBC

A/N: I assume that White Eagle and/or his father would know of herbs which could be used to preserve a body for a few days until it could be buried, hence the use of sweet smelling herbs.


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