Storyteller / Shared NPC
The white eyes were surprised too by the accidental contact. Both Kiowas knew immediately they were in danger. Even as the rifle bearing Kiowa watched their enemies dismount he now noticed one was not white but an Indian but could not recognize from what tribe. No matter, he rode with the white eyes, he too was their deadly enemy.
He raised his Henry up to shoot, neither of these men had bothered with their horses, just their rifles but then they did not shoot? Better for him then, he raised a war whoop and opened fire. But not at the men instead at the horses. Even a trained cavalry horse will spook under fire. And if he hit one all the better!
His shoulder kicked as the shot erupted then he levered the weapon for a second shot without even waiting to see what his first shot might have done.
Meanwhile the other Kiowa, who had lost his balance (and rifle) had fallen backward onto his butt in the water which was not deep. He at least had the benefit of being in the high reeds and currently out of sight of their enemies. But he had another major problem, he did not have his gun! It either landed in the water and sank or was amongst the reeds. Desperately he began to look for it.
Mac brought his rifle up with practiced ease and fired as the second brave fell back into the creek. Was that a hit? The shot from the first Kiowa burned Ke-Ni-Tay's mount making the animal leap and then crow hop on all fours after he landed, as Mac's horse ran off a good thirty yards.
Ke-Ni-Tay said something very uncomplimentary as he snapped off a shot at the one with the rifle but it was Mac who turned, swearing mightily as he fired at the same one.
Storyteller / Shared NPC
The red breechclouted Kiowa took quick note his shot seemed to have hit one of their horses as he cocked the weapon for a follow up shot, this time realizing he better try for one of the men. His enemies were now firing back. He raised his Henry to aim for his next shot as a first white eye fired. This time he took just a few seconds to steady his aim, he was both excited and yes nervous. But there was a second shot then a third.
A bullet now ripped into his chest as he went wide-eyed, his aim forgotten, the weapon lowering. Another impact though as a second bullet struck just below his sternum. Now the rifle dropped to the ground, he staggered back one, two steps, and collapsed backward to end up splayed upon his back.
Hidden in the creek underbrush along the bank, the other Kiowa gazed for a few seconds at the prone companion of his. He was certain he was dead. Now he himself was alone. Without his own rifle either, he remained crouching out of sight and drawing his knife. If they came for him, he would do his people proud and die like a warrior.
The brave fell to the ground, and Ke-Ni-Tay looked to Mac and nodded. He signed that he was going toward the creek to make sure there was no other lookout waiting to jump them, thinking if there was, he could flush him out. He believed that there had been two Kiowas; it all happened so fast, he could not be sure, and one had been accounted for.
He moved forward, closing in on the creek bed going slowly, cautiously. True, the one that had fired on them had been young, but young men could kill just as easily as an older, more experienced warrior. He paused, scanning the bank for a sign, which was where the Kiowa had fallen into the creek. Then he saw the rifle in the water just at his feet. The tracks of an unshod pony told the story plain enough.
Cautiously, he took a step forward into the water.
Storyteller / Shared NPC
The Kiowa crouched in the tall reeds, waiting nervously. Sure enough one of his enemies approached, no doubt they had saw that there were two Kiowas. Now one was dead. As he watched, almost holding his breath, he then noticed it was not a white eyes but an Indian. Only certainly not from a tribe he recognized. No matter, he was an enemy.
Once the other Indian entered the water, he could not rein in his anticipation any further. Killing knife in hand, he sprang out from one side of the man, and yelling a war cry he attacked. His would be victim had a rifle but the young Kiowa got in under the barrel so no shot was possible and lunged with his blade. His hope was to kill this one and then take his scalp.
However it did not work out as he had hoped, the other Indian was quick and strong. In an instant he felt a strong grip on his knife wielding wrist.Too late he realized he was overmatched here. He found himself falling backward and landing on his back in the shallow muddy bank water. The death struggle was on!
The suddenness of the attack surprised the Apache somewhat. Not completely, as he drove his attacker back, grabbing the wrist of the hand that held the knife. Backward into the water both went. A man against a boy, a seasoned fighter against a novice, but one who was game. One willing to fight to the death!
Neither released the other as they tumbled along, rolling as they went, both struggling against the current, but more so against a relentless foe! The Kiowa kneed Ke-Ni-Tay in the groin, causing the Apache to yelp in pain, but not releasing his hold on the knife, the boy's only hope.
With all his strength, Ke-Ni-Tay used his other hand to grab the youth by his waist and push him, and out of the water, then threw him to solid ground, getting to his own feet seconds before the Kiowa attempted to rush him. The Apache bull rushed the boy, striking at the wrist of the hand holding the knife, his other fist came with all the force he could muster, connecting with the Kiowa's jaw as the blood knife fell to the ground.
Ke-Ni-Tay rushed to retrieve the blade, looking back at the Kiowa with a smile, an unmistakably knowing smile. He turned just as quickly, then moved back to the young warrior, where he gave a war cry and plunged the Kiowa's own knife deep into his chest.
Having caught up the horses, Mac sat his mount where he watched what transpired, shook his head, and said, "No time to torture him?"
Ke-Ni-Tay made short work of taking the warrior's scalp as he got to his feet. "No, but others maybe heard shots and are on way here, we need go quick!" He swung into his horse and both turned and spurred their mounts into a full gallop toward where the troop was.
The young Kiowa battled gamely but he was up against a veteran warrior, one who had many kills to his name. The struggle began in the water but ended up back on the bank, nothing was said between them throughout. Both knew this was to the death. The Kiowa barely held control of his knife until the Apache landed a hard punch to the younger Indian's jaw, stunning him. It was also enough to cause him to lose his knife which landed next to his prone body.
It was the veteran who was quicker then, lunging for and grabbing the knife and then made his move to finish this. The Kiowa went wide-eyed in terror as above him the Apache straddled him, he was even smiling as he raised the knife which glinted from the sunlight, and then plunged it hard into the Kiowa's chest.
The younger man felt instant agony and screamed even as the Apache gave a fierce war cry. The wound was definitely a fatal one, so close to the heart. Blood spurted, the Kiowa writhed for a few brief seconds before darkness overcame him. He bled out quickly then even as Ki-Ne-Tay took his scalp.
Both Kiowa horses were gone, they had spooked early but the veteran scouts were able to mount their beasts and knew they needed to get back to the others as fast as they could.
****
"Sir," one of the troopers pointed toward two approaching riders.
Benjamin recognized them immediately, his scouts were returning and they were in one damn hurry about it too.
"Lieutenant, be ready to give orders to form a skirmish line, just in case," he directed. But there was no sign of hostiles following MacIntosh and his Apache. They weren't about to be attacked.
Yet!
The detachment waited until the scouts pulled up in speaking distance. Barlow was eager to hear what they had to say, what they had found. Certainly something dramatic had happened given the haste of their approach. Maybe, just maybe, they found the Kiowas?
"Had to kill the ones that watched us, they blundered into us as we was headed back here. But we did see their camp before that. But it looks like several warriors had broken off from the main body. It was not as strong a group as we'd been chasing. I don't think it's a surprise for us, it's something else altogether." Mac reported."Just a guess
"They heard the shots that were fired, just a couple. But they heard 'em that's fer sure! So they'll be on the move, whether at us or away, hard to tell, but we located 'em, maybe five miles off." He added. "Didn't go our way, but there's not a good ambush site between us, Captain, if they're headed this way. My feeling is that their leader ain't hankerin fer a straight up fight, and now he's short two dead, and how many that broke off."
"Maybe other target, not take many to kill, maybe capture. Steal horses." Ke-Ni-Tay added his thoughts. "Want kill as many of us as they can, but plans maybe change now." Mac nodded at the Apache's assessment.
