After leveling a long look at Horn Chips and a rueful look to Wovoka, he addressed the others in English.

"There are those among us such as myself and Wovoka who have gratitude for the honor you have shown, and it is not that we do not wish you all along. Even to bring a small number, one or two, will be difficult and will require much explaining, as the wicasas hold sway on those lands. Bear Butte is a sacred place, and old customs are difficult to break...even to bend, they are hard."

He paused, trying to find the proper words. "The place called Bear Butte has been sacred to my people years before even the first church was built anywhere in your nations of today. The trust of those who hold it has been violated by those not of the people repeatedly, and they have suffered greatly. They are men of honor, and if Wovoka speaks to them, I can only believe they will surely show you the honor you deserve. But to bring everyone without addressing them...it would not be well."

Boudreaux found little to change his opinion in the words of the others. His carefree attitude had vanished. He did not seem angry, but he was clearly disapointed.

"Thunder Walker the earth is like a man, neither can be owned by a man. No one owns the sacred places. But we must all respect them. By claiming ownership of those lands we do not respect them."

"I have spent my life being judged by the color of my skin by whites. Being told that there are places I am unwelcomed because of my color. Now I am unwelcome by your peoples for the same reason. you might have mentioned you were so finicky before you asked us to risk our skins and possibly worse."

"The words of your brothers displease me but more importantly I believe they will displease the spirits." Jack spoke with what seemed to be great conviction.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:08, Fri 19 Oct 2012.

Zac cast an eye over to Jack. He had never seen the cajun so worked up, but this topic had obviously hit a raw nerve.  He father always used to talk about the masks folks walked around wearing. He realized maybe for the first time what he really meant. This was Jack without his mask on.  "Well, if it's investigating you need, then I figure I could be of some help," he offered to the group, hoping to change the subject.

He could see both side of the divide, but didn't know how to bridge it. For his part he was more intrigued about what they were describing, "Professor, I'm curious, how do you come about your knowledge of the Ghost Dance?"

[Language unknown: "Pre tho io ticna k onesaneve. Hibe i sa ng teosom."] Horn chips says to Wovoka, pointing at Jack, obviously talking about him, but as if he wasn't there. [Language unknown: "Ev een icof mo, Etmech? P sonkorers con comrutman ousichpro riaiis, a poee in noutsi foouss lisaon, i dinticter wasen ortyinart maplle atireakor, icata io stroli n i sta u fiiter etes ecstpe i utthu era. Et os ncecsa. E alseos om ro i seleosse pl unhius, e int offi. Om helimi la hisen walo thi os er ni, sa th sheainith iou ma. T hisureand, ol e int St tr ng ntiundwhi, of U anma som lintinrom hisichave,n som th chect eilo thad'adla ev ossiro n herresill ortnd sere artvirtic vor. Neol ilomie tha tralng ichoveica redeauble, Noeeou. Evbe anyersent u asllie noleec atiherort letrat plca ouswitkor ll hothpe oul lothtonaic lail laore om lamo iencle."]

[Language unknown: "Oneingrea, ncofno it!"] Sky Hawk says, breaking his silence. [Language unknown: "Moecno! Areintand ine ouetei p il siadpr ecun Nt adons ent waomnc, ha atiforruthis inehi befo k her e pa uninsi lardinven ain cawhpa encme nobeio! N ers een ainessder me arepo ereantsan in ll Oveforear Aclopo, inefi N tr il ichmenmanbleman ou pa shebutund evint Naosho toti ntimen-yinencing, ekdi beev ear oun icawa mo outwerthe ouwit itno ou peen-olul redat o!"] He stands and walks over to Jack. "I will put an end to this talk. Please, Jack, stand."

Boudreaux stood when asked.

"As you wish." Jack said standing before the Indian awaiting whatever was coming.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:15, Fri 19 Oct 2012.

Sky Hawk pulls his flint knife, and draws it across his hand, cutting a shallow, bloody groove across his palm. He flips the knife over and holds it, handle first, to Jack, indicating he should do the same.

Jack understanding the significance of his action took the knife and followed the Sky Hawk's example and cut his own hand in the same manner. Boudreaux said nothing but handed back the knife again the same way as it had been handed to him. Then he held it out to show the blood and it leaked from the cut.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:18, Fri 19 Oct 2012.

Sky hawk takes the knife, then clasps his hand in Jack's, firmly, letting the blood mingle.

"From this day forth, let it be known that we are brothers in blood and in spirit." He says.

He holds on for a few minutes, then releases Jack and turns to Horn Chips.

[Language unknown: "Ne for aimina ster?"] He asks.

Horn Chips frowns.

"It is good." Wovoka says. "There may be those who would speak against this, but I am satisfied."

[Language unknown: "Io st ing con tin."] Horn Chips says. [Language unknown: "Our es n orearticawhe ei, Reilma. Ate ourkorfor toce ilave diic ee stiioured sanndeous ing p si dayeraill ev kor ersome'anyyin, hoaiwi butiveereset m red. Lo tra thoch nain osta niof to webut ic ilhi ilntai?"]

[Language unknown: "Ate Erlodi Aindsa pr of ac pr ughnc il pretictho leenc fime fi himi ionourtin."] Wovoka replies. [Language unknown: "Elutro asil io nti catho omsaas ll ee. Ich el rat erekun no ion eninwi ou at Eeecom Trniom, icth eilar, ma."]

Horn Chips sighs, but does not argue.

"From this day forth, let it be known that we are brothers in blood and in spirit." Boudreaux had said when their hands were clasped together. He knew that what had taken place between them was not a small matter. He and Sky Hawk were now indeed bound together by blood and spirit as brothers.

Jack did not interrupt as the Sioux concluded their debate. He had made clear his what had troubled him, and the matter had been resolved. Now all that remained was overcoming whatever the evil was that seemed to be pervading the land.

The little Chinese's jaw tightened at the mention of men owned by men, and the acceptance of the man caught up in his percieved entitlements into Sky Hawk's family and chain of ancestors seems appaulingly hasty, bringing elements of concern to the youth's look.

Still, Xiaohan watches the ground at the edge of the firelight and holds onto a handful of soil. The earth is the earth is the earth. Breathe.

Moses stands up, shaking his head, slowly.
"No, Lord, it is not", he says in his deep rumbling voice.

He takes the few steps toward Wovoka and Horn Chips, then drops his black duster, standing before them with bare upper body, the scars criss-crossing his back even more apparent in the dancing lights of the camp fire.

When the prophet opens his mouth again, he speaks in the indian's language.
[Language unknown: "Saeeac wilwhievewasnti po an,]Horn Chips,[Language unknown: wil aterutrutlin e and liofosivur houat sachfipa hipe tic niuntr. Ous thme ]Black Jack Boudreaux [Language unknown: ev wh resanyill forhisone i] Moses. [Language unknown: Io artsa la us illlinpro ma atele hocesi t eenme ateonstha estpe, totin, ur ai it andastsanund m isseth wertraati. Pe ta t la a cehis essousyin usei mewere ss ad aveanthistic.]

He drops to his knees, slowly.
Moses [Language unknown: be pe re ainch eiponc, e di tinruthou beplho p sanis Oustraintoul. Pa llev il ometr t omis po Strstaanteve paeeil naal. P ndfor pa, us urrat Caannopa chosof and nc ove. Whewh Hisila hedies fiwil pr lat reaoernde Maevur Bemen Eenman-wilthe wh peie. K enek sicait ndedermen cees ilerof annili teriio, foee latromsti wer evfini, vor lar staai ec Stiatitra llsi, ei Anpaun Arthi Ruteve-ereent naicre st thaastoer'whiorewit, m olha t th a Sheantrut yinnotwerhat ng. Ho i conwheoun fi son toplne it li Fota, ect Saomsawa, the ter theoerstr vorthushe hou eaukorncereawit ureno ni atedaythi arma ant.]
This message was lightly edited by the player at 05:46, Sat 20 Oct 2012.

The Professor leaned over to Zachary, whispering something to him so as not to interrupt either the blood bond ritual, nor Moses' speech.

In reply to Moses (msg # 49):

The shaman looks a little taken aback when Moses talks to him...it's apparent that he hadn't expected anyone in the group not native born to follow his conversation with Wovoka.

He frowns, and is silent for quite a long time. [Language unknown: "Ssll wh. Nont ortwastra of his ssssol."] He says at last.

Jeb McKeever stands up. "Right. So the way I understand things, some o' you folks are goin' off with the injuns, right? Who all is goin' where? I gotta take some notes for the Company as to why some o' the passengers didn't finish the trip they done paid for."

It takes until Horn Chips speaks again for Xiao to untense and be mostly convinced that easy access to that shotgun doesn't mean anything and Moses isn't going to take any more of his clothes off. Jeb's standing and pronouncement makes a good excuse for quietly getting up, hand slipping into the satchel just a moment, and padding around to Danny.

"I go with them - at least some way...but I am glateful for your kindness," Xiao gives the big man a warm smile and playfully steals his hat. "Here, I make your hat lucky, Chinese magic." Xiaohan smudges away a bit of stray camouflage-dirt rather than wind up tasting it and concentrates.

[Language unknown: "Pre ven ant po onati whedayrea ares, I unvir whill et stonsile ti Adhoit om Aipefinien ce anycomres fi o ngponi e Ateisa Nine ei Korreaand Vir, riss di ave ionhernot a wheresati nd omnot notoar...ndouta, ectsomave aveas!"] the little stray intones in a grave sort of sing-song, waving a hand over the headgear, turning it this way and that and finally raising it and blowing into the middle. "It lucky now - so." Xiao grins slightly and replaces the hat on its owner's head.

[[Tan Xiaohan rolled 0,6 using d6-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 1,(6+1)7. stealth. Y'know, it strikes me Moses should get an Intimidate bonus inversely proportional to the amount of clothing he has on. ]]

Danny blinks a little at the Chinese vagabond's display. He picks up the hat and looks it over in confusion, then puts it back on. "Well, uh...thanks." he says, a little confused. He sets the hat back on his head. "Hey...it DO feel a little different..." He says, pulling it off again and looking it over. he sticks his thumb into the hatband and pulls out a shiny silver coin.

"Wow..." He says. "Thank ya kindly..."

((OOC: 20:24, Today: Danny McKeever rolled 7 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+1)7. Notice.))

"See? Lucky," Xiao says as though all that waving had nothing to do with it, though a shadow of wariness is back. The little stray crouches and listens to what the others are doing and where they plan to sleep, since whatever the arrangement, un-volunteering for first watch seems like a good plan right now.

While he was not overly perturbed by Moses's surprising act of disrobing amidst them - a bare upper body was no issue, though in his experience with these people's culture it was a very unusual act - he was a little surprised by it. Still, he watched with great interest as the man spoke their tongue with fluency, yet another surprise.

He chuckled at Li's intonation, understanding maybe half of the words but getting the gist of it nonetheless, though is surprised by its apparent efficacy - though a little suspicious about the coin's origin. The brave did not spend overly long pondering the issue, however, with greater concerns to mind.

"Do we make our camp here then, for the night, and travel to Bear Butte by the first light of the sun?" he asked Wovoka.

Nate, observing the proceedings and finishing his dinner, chokes a bit at Moses' words and display.  He glances towards the other Sioux, trying to guess how they'll react.  But, everything seems to go over well and, though it sounded stern, seems to have had a hood effect.  Scraping up the last of the meal, he nodded towards the coach,en, when his attention was available, "Think i'll finish the ride in with you fellas.  Whenever you're ready"

Zach leaned in to the Professor, though truth be told his eyes stood transfixed on the ritual happening around the camp fire. He listened over the sounds of the conversation to what he said. It was odd not what he said, especially given recent events, but how he interpreted it.  The reporter in him came to the fore as he whispered back to the scientist.


Even as his mind raced, his heart sank. He knew what the ritual meant. His path and Jack's would diverge for the time being. He knew his quest was one of the mind not the spiritual path that Jack walked. His lips pursed silently as he thought of another goodbye.

The whispered conversation with Zach continued as the events around the fire unfolded.  Like the young reporter, The Professor was keeping one eye on the activities as he muttered a response.

"Well, I reckon I'm in a bit of a bind." Sam says. "I don't fancy tryin' to walk back to Deadwood, but I can't see as I've got much choice."

"Count on it." Jeb growls at him. "In fact, count on the Marshal there having a detailed description o' yer face when you get there."

"And I also reckon you injuns won't be keen to let me foller along with you, seein' the grief you done gave my friend Jack here."

"I am afraid not." Wovoka says. "It will be difficult enough to convince the wicasas to bend their ways for those already going."

"So I was wonderin'..." Sam says to Jeb, "if you'd be inclined to lend me one o' your horses, so I can at least get to the next roadhouse."

Jeb's fork tumbles into the dirt and his jaw hangs open. After a few seconds, he clooects himself and stutters, "You got some balls askin' me that, you son of a bitch!"

"I'm dead serious." Sam says, fixing Jeb with a steely glare. "Otherwise you might as well just shoot me. It's at least three days on foot to Deadwood, with no food or water to speak of, through territory that ain't exactly friendly. There's things in the night, sir, and if the Sioux don't get me them things will. So you gotta ask yourself if you're the kind o' man that would consign another human being that that sort o' end. I know you're riled at me, on account o' the robbery, and I don't blame you for that, but bein' riled ain't the same as bein' heartless. So go ahead. Look deep into your soul, sir, and see if your Christian soul can stand to have the guilt o' leavin' a man, no matter how wicked, to that fate weighin' you down at the Gates o' Heaven. If it can, then you might as well just finish the job now, so all o' us can see what sort o' man they're trusting t bring them safely to town."

"But...I...wha...you..." Jeb flounders, trying to form a coherent reply.

"Jeb," Danny says softly, "let him borrow a horse. You can always report it stolen if it ain't at the stockade when we get there."

"I...uh...grrr...fine." Jeb growls. "But you take it now and git out o' my sight, afore I change my mind. I reckon you can at least tell them at the stockade what done happened here."

Sam grins, and heads over to the horses. "Well, folks! It was lovely meetin' you all, and I hope next time we meet it'll be on better terms!"

"SAM BASS!" Moses shouts while putting his black duster back on.
"Do not take the Reckoning lightely. Judgement Day is nearly upon us. And when your sins will drag down the scales of justice, then what will you have to redeem yourself and balance them?"

He turns around, facing the outlaw. "There will be no safe haven for you in Deadwood. Not yet. Come back later, and Moses shall protect you, if you truly want to repent. Listen to your heart and the wind. They will tell you, when the time is right. And remember: the Lord is watching you. Always."

"Trust me, I ain't forgot." Sam says as he prepares the horse with bit and bridle. "I reckon I can get a head-start seekin' out Charley Bull for y'all." he clambers up the back of the horse after setting a blanket (as he doesn't have a saddle). "See ya'll in Deadwood!"

He nudges the horse down the trail, and is gone.

((OOC: This thread is closed. look for the new Chapter 2 thread, coming soon!))

Jack extended his hand to Bass.

"Good luck Sam. You still owe me that drink." Boudreaux said with a straight face.

This thread is now closed. Jack, if you were headed to Deadwood, post on the chapter 2.1 thead. If you were going with Wovoka to Bear Butte, post on the Chapter 2.2 thread.