Rabbit returns the giant's look with one of mingled shock and fear, not taking his meaning. How could he call the province granted before the general? Accusing Kang directly of having strategic control over the miners would be brushed off, but that look seemed to include Rabbit in their number. Does he understand nothing at all of how a peasant lives? Perhaps I can persuade the high warlord he is an idiot.

Rabbit mentally starts trying to negociate around the consequences a few steps ahead. Plan Two: Run like hell.

"If it is not General Crazy Horse's task to protect the miners, then they must provide their own protection." Kang says mildly. "There are many threats in the Hills, indeed. Perhaps the honorable Crazy Horse will remember the incident with the paha wakansica that lair in The Lodge of the Grizzly with which I so graciously provided assistance some years ago, and which my men still assist in keeping contained."

At mention of this, Crazy Horse actually grits his teeth. This seems to be something of a sore spot Kang has mentioned.



Crazy Horse sits, stonefaced, but he manages a short nod. "Perhaps."



"I see." Kang says with a faintly pleasant smile that goes nowhere near his eyes. "Then please, by all means eat well now. We shall discuss what you may do to make amends to me for your misunderstanding later. In private."



Kang opens his mouth to speak, but Horn Chips, of all people, cuts him off.

"Granted!?" the shaman growls, slamming the table as he stands, knocking dishes and teacups over in his rage. "Granted!? This land not granted!" He fixes Art with a gaze that promises murder. "This land was the land of my father, and my father's father, and his father before him! Granted? By who? By White Father in Washington? Who is he to grant what my people have lived on since before the palefaces and yellowfaces and all outsiders ever crossed the waters!? Who are you, who say he with the Ghost Dance, to say this land is granted? Out! Out of my sight, before I call spirits upon you to rip the flesh from your bones, tear your skin, char your flesh, curse you to pain eternal!"

((OOC: The "Granted" comment went right over Crazy Horse's head. Not Horn Chips, though...this is a very sore spot with him.))

"The miners are surely very grateful for the Lord Kang's gracious gesture," Rabbit says softly, glad to see Crazy Horse calmed somewhat.

"If my masters can spare me from my duties, I keen to amend this, though I fear this very humble one can be of little use to the Great Chief of the Iron Dragon," the youth murmurs, cold with fear at the prospect. Daring to glance at the warlord's face under cover of drinking tea, Rabbit accidentally makes eye contact over the rim of the cup. For half a heartbeat Rabbit is entirely frozen.

(A hot wind, black talons from a screaming sky, the taste of blood and metal. Dragon.)

Just as Rabbit realises it's staring and swallows hard, Horn Chips erupts from the table. Rabbit flinches and instinctively catches a bowl before it goes over. Art gets a brief, frightened glance - seriously, go.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:24, Sun 08 Dec 2013.

Eagle Floating shook his head sadly at the outburst of Horn Chips. "Peace, Horn Chips. Spotted Face is white in skin, but he is not of the same tribe as Custer and Great Father Washington, no more than I am Pawnee or you are Arapaho. It is a simple thing, he does not know what he speaks and has used the wrong word."

[Language unknown: "Si tio li, Out Theartted. Lesntiest of oulforortwit wilthesan unan oneeardinestoer enulen sti nieiss o wini comthinot se ul ustrne thndie has omst hetin ispaca asticawil."]

Art stood slowly, trying to avoid the clumsiness that Horn Chips demonstrated. If nothing else he had respect for the others around the table for a variety of reasons. He flexed his fingers into fists and then slowly relaxed them. [Language unknown: "Ut man ove rat li inttediou es, oswe El evtr ei esyin etiv rosi ne o ithwasnce u Iounteessdinvir n sa ncadnc miter aswit ncek man intat erss ha unekul, Iema Neasnc. Ut oneta eauuresanughers no stint p mele la enunwere lowh oslone n connteurepro lepr-trriwh t forei casapr ut ven Omelattha u werwhicon ateforove prceca menomeard e eleltr ughit usosch ilar hat whithonti seme evis maplan n eauat, ut il et wiecro p tra antdinhou. Al oer Eiisou cawer nce ncelinall la di, ardlathis fo, rattinort osout t."]

Art bowed his head to Eagles Floating. [Language unknown: "M diniouhering e K ere is m thumanhisvirhas, trro ri sa ar lepoos ne tricti erutstulsi me o day k tediti mennd plpeno nellailiss ers atfo."]

He then turned to Kang, and inclined his head in a bow to his host. "Thank you for your hospitality, Chief Kang. And another thanks for your toast to Black Kettle. I may never again meet his like. I hope to meet you again under other circumstances."

Art turned and took his leave of the table, shaking his head as he headed back toward the way they had come. He put his fingers to his lips and emitted a shrill whistle, to which Kira quickly responded. He looked around at the land in the vicinity to see if anything might be particularly interesting to him.

Kang nods. "I can find a use for even one as humble as you, do not worry." He says, his dragon eyes flashing.



[Language unknown: "As notou in manentthu ti toin to it com ma osnise."] Horn Chips hisses back. [Language unknown: "Sti iv urpand. Lesse Witnotati Ithonsres Wh setndeyin terho whhota usiv o hi pe iveersent. Na wherto arven romnteear heurle ouuril. U ati prllastont wi strst la thi Aiurhe Sanant esngst, Ic isek ulel. Wi pro yinev saus t. As i nte di pa."]

He stands abruptly.



[Language unknown: "Etfi li ntro, itset. Eeiou ith con oul no we era, anyconpre ousmanore m anetul nce asone sishe. Miectrfi, ll romconted pe ouitec'anlo, to iotowe p ssulla."] he storms out of the tent, brushing past Art roughly as he passes.



"Yes. Perhaps we shall." Kang says with a nod. He watches Art go, his face inscrutable.

With both Art and Horn Chips gone, Crazy Horse looks fairly lost.

Art shrugged at Horn Chips' commentary but chose not to engage in the back-and-forth that the medicine man seemed to desire, at least not in front of Kang. And not until they had both calmed down a bit. Art did look forward to a more in-depth discussion of how Horn Chips thought the tribes should deal with both the current situations and his suggestion that the Christians would keep taking everything until there was no more to take.

It's not like Art had much doubt that they would if allowed, based on their history, but they weren't currently being allowed to do so. Not exactly, anyway. The large army that Custer had marched through the land which had crushed Red Cloud's men needed dealing with. Not that anyone seemed interested in that incursion. Or at least they hadn't expressed it to Art. He treasured his time with Wovoka, but part of him felt like time was being squandered while Custer continued to encroach where he should not be.

Rabbit's slender fingers unconsciously press into the cup a little as the youth meets Kang's gaze a moment, deliberately this time.

(...sighting down that scratched double barrel in the face of furnace heat. Teeth. Pulling the trigger.)

"I apologise, it would be most fitting that I go, follow Horn Chips," Rabbit explains quietly. To stop him cursing Art to a horrible death, at least. "-but I have said I will give aid to translator also."

Rabbit pauses to murmur a request to the tea-servant clearing the spills in soft Cantonese, then looks to Eagle Floating. "Am I more needed here?"

He simply nodded at Art, not seeming overly perturbed by the goings on, though definitely he carried a sad and a tired expression. The Cheyenne then gave Screaming Rabbit a gesture that gave the youth permission to leave, though not dismissively so. [Language unknown: "N il re, din to ave aiere ecess Menng Encstrith."] He may have been old, but he was not blind, and noted the look of abject terror that seemed at points to seize the youth while speaking to Kang. That one knows something we do not of this one, perhaps.

He didn't trust Kang any more than did the others, and he thought there was at least some truth in the words of Horn Chips, but he did come here as a guest and would not act like Horn Chips did. "And so here we are," he said, speaking in slow halting English, looking inscrutable as he passed his gaze between Crazy Horse and Kang.

Rabbit nods in grateful acknowledgement to Eagles Floating and steps back, rising in the same movement. Kang recieves a graceful bow to one knee, as befitting a chief, before the youth backs a little and edges out.


[[21:05, Today: Tan Xiaohan rolled 7,3 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,3. Notice to spot dispersed sulking shaman/s if necessary]]
This message was last edited by the player at 22:57, Thu 12 Dec 2013.

As Art scanned the surrounding area, his gaze passed over the meeting that he had so recently left. He was surprised to see that Rabbit had left as well, Art's face making his astonishment obvious. He smiled at the young lad and waved him over to where Art now stood with his hands on his hips and Kira at his side.

Rabbit lip-bites a moment, but Horn Chips isn't immediately apparent and the youth has little desire to ask Kang's men where he went. Rabbit trots down to Art, sure-footed as a mountain child, and pauses nearby to toss a scrap of stir-fried buffalo to Kira.

The little stray speaks before looking up from the dog's level, tone soft and gently mocking Art's snap back at the elder: "You call your mother granted to you also, Spotted Face?"

Art gets a wry smile, though Rabbit has yet to stop being entirely pale from dealing with Kang.

Kira tracked the buffalo meat as it flew through the air, jaws snapping shut around the meat once it was close enough. Her tongue licked about the outside of her mouth once she had finished the snack.

Art cocked his head slightly to the side at the question of what he calls his mother, brow furrowed. "That no be even making sense. She maybe say I take her for granted." He paused briefly before adding, "Horn Chips just be taking things the wrong way. I suppose this be the problem when so many be speaking in a tongue that no be their own."

Rabbit near-laughs, looking up with a shake of the head. "It not make sense because your mother exist before you, and is not your slave, though she give you things and raise you up...for Horn Chips, the land is like his mother."

"He would die to protect that one, as some of his brother-warriors did in the wars, but it is to protect, not keep like in a cage. You understand why he threaten you?" Rabbit ruffles the short fluff not part of the queue, earnest if nervy.

"Is not honourable to allow any persons to call your mother a slave. Still, I hope he sees you are just a full teacup, and does not curse you. There was a man where I grew up whose ancestor was cursed by a shamen, and sometimes invisible ghosts would jump on him and beat him up - I saw it, he fall down and go like this," Rabbit demonstrates spasmodic flailing. "-on the ground: he was very unfortunate."

"If you would like, I can take apology to Horn Chips. Even though I sound like virage idiot when I try to talk Sioux." Rabbit blinks and looks concerned. "-is it more easy for you to talk Sioux or Engrish?"

Art furrowed his brow and shook his head in disagreement as Rabbit spoke. "I be explaining to Horn Chips that precise concept. That we belong to the land and not the  reverse. I do not be thinking that is what he thinks though. I do no think he should be threatening those that be risking their lives - fighting for the same things you say he do believe, certainly not before he be asking for clarity when there be something that do no seem to be right."

"I chose not to be using the word own or ownership to be describing the relationship between the Lakota and the land, as I do think the way the Christians be treating it do be wrong. I do no be suggesting there be any sort of slave-like relationship. I do be reminding Kang that he be stepping on land on which he do better tread carefully."

"As for Horn Chips, I be plenty able to be speaking to him in whatever language he do like. I be living among the Cheyenne and the Lakota for most of me adult life. However, I be saying all I need to say to him. I do be wondering if he be on the side of the Raven or no."

Rabbit stares a bit trying to follow the heavily idiomatic English, colour finally coming to the youth's face in a rush as the realisation hits that Art isn't joking.

"You are a crazy person! You are a white crazy person! You insult a man's mother, tell him he wrong to hear insult you admit you are speaking, that he loves her not as well as you - what is that?! What do you say? You even hear yourself?!"

The stray Chinese makes a choked noise, rendered speechless with fury for a moment, but resumes the rant before Art can cut in, scraping hasty words together in slightly butchered English due to lacking the Siouan skills to do anything but swear.

"What, you think he only a good man if he always forgive? Years, many years foreigners are chanting 'trust us, trust us, trust us,' and as many times they are killing his people, making the 'official recognition' so suddenly they are in a province that was before only land...if he had hatred in his heart for you like he could not tell you apart from those men, he would teach you nothing, tell you nothing - have you mutirated with violences and thrown off the mountain! Instead, no, he gives." Rabbit swallows, trembling slightly with sheer anger, eyes bright.

"It does not mean he must risten when you insult him, folget what you say in joking, trust you to mean well for the people who live here when any time you can put on brue coat and go away, and the Americans will not know difference. He took wounds protecting Wovoka! Many times the Raven men try to kill him! Your life, it your choice to risk: it entitre you to nothing. You think the Ravenites wir love you, when we Dance for them also? Crazy person!" The youth looks about ready to storm off, clearly stung by Spotted Face's prejudice against a victim that neglects to be a saint.

"So we are." Kang says inscrutability. His expression certain doesn't give any sort of window into what he must think of the sudden turn of events.

Crazy Horse has also retreated into stone-faced silence. Goupi, off to the side, just looks mortified, while the two fellows flanking Kang exchange words in their tongue and break into wry smiles and, in one case, a half-cough that was almost certainly concealing a chuckle, probably at the natives' expense.

Servants enter the tent quietly clean away the spilled dishes, and return with more food. Kang resumes eating, though he keeps his gaze on Eagles Floating.

The silence is growing awkward.

Art listened to what Rabbit had to say, but confusion was again evident with his shaking head and scrunched brow. "It do be like you no be listening to a word I be saying. Or maybe you do no understand. So I will try to speak in small words for you. I do no admit any insult to any mother. I do no insult anybody. I do hear what I be saying, but I do no think you do. I do no ever say that any man do be loving his mother less then me. In fact I never did make any comparison in any part of what I do say. If you would open your ears and mind, you would hear."

"More - I do no ask good man to always forgive. I do be asking good men that know me to no suddenly ignore all they do know of me. I do no say anything in joking. Again, it be like you no listen to what I be saying if you think I be joking."

"The spirits do be wishing me here. I do no understand what you mean when you say this be nothing to me. Perhaps you can be explaining that to me."

Rabbit watches Art, eyes narrowed. "You know Horn Chips before these two days?"

The little stray's jaw sets. "..." After a moment, however, some composture is regained and Rabbit beckons for Art to hold out his hands. "I explain why spirits bring you here - you hold out your hands like you have the cup without handle, so."

Wary of any sharp movement, Rabbit gently arranges Art's hands, touching only his cuffs, until he is doing so. [Language unknown: "Et ncur as erretr Ma rete wi ivá o thth eá, ic rom tichpr m lica, whbe usll er ekout."] Rabbit mimes this, but stills Art with a glance before he decides the demonstration's over.

[Language unknown: "Urion all nc eauforame weis siwer sa ckate eeti rohas sontioard t...M ant llver uscano aá os ilaner ndaipe"] Again, Rabbit mimes pouring the hot liquid, though this time catching Art's sleeve as though he might pull away from a real scalding. [Language unknown: "I ard ndevou pa oá, ess hattr, ive rever lar, manaveine."] Rabbit keeps Art's gaze for a few moments, trying to will sense into the giant.

"Spirits bring you here, spirits give...but it you that choose what you will hold out to recieve, whether it will harm or refresh." Rabbit lets go of Art's sleeve, the anger gone now, replaced by that careful blank. "But as you say, I am only stupid foreigner that speaks badly and understand little. I will try to do better."

Eagle Floating on Gentle Breeze could hear the melody of the earth's medicine in the wind, and when he idly placed a palm upon the dirt, he could feel it in the soil. He took a handful of the earth and crumbled it, letting the granules slip between his fingers. Crazy Horse seemed overwrought. He felt somewhat responsible for having brought Spotted Face into this gathering, who had raised the ire of Horn Chips without intention. The two would have to have a talk if there was time later, though there seemed not to be much time for anything. Events would outpace the Ghost Dance if they did not attempt to control them. He felt it would have been best if another stayed to shepherd these proceedings, but at the moment it seemed he was the only one.

"Chief Kang, earlier you pledged to give us a tale of your great deeds in exchange for the tale of Spotted Face...Art. Spotted Face gave his tale before he departed. We are fewer in number than we were then, but I would still hear it if you would tell it," he said. His English was clear, but his accent was strong.

Art allowed Rabbit to make the demonstration without resistance, trying to follow the explanation as best he could. For not the first time, he wished there were no language barrier. "I do believe it be up to us to make the best of whatever situation the spirits do lead us into - I do not expect them to be taking me free will and always showing me how to act. It be up to me to find out what good I can be doing here."

He shook his head at Rabbit's profession of stupidity. "I did no say that you be stupid, only there be no way to talk in both our native languages. So there do be the possibility we no understand what the other do be saying if we be using difficult words or ones that can be taken to be meaning more than one thing. There be several foreigners here, including me."

Art paused briefly, then looked back in the direction of where they had spoken with Kang. He looked as if he suddenly remembered something, then turned his gaze back to Rabbit. "What do you be knowing about, er, Chief Kang?"

"Indeed I did." Kang says, taking a sip of tea. "And though that esteemed member of your group has departed, perhaps you will relay the tale to him. I will tell of my battle with the paha wakansica that lair within the sacred Lodge of the Grizzly, the battle with which I secured passage for my iron road through the land of the Sioux. It is a tale that Sir Crazy Horse knows of, though, so I hope I am not causing him boredom with the tale's repetition."

Crazy Horse's face goes even more stone-like. He doesn't answer Kang, who shrugs and begins his story.

"I first came to the Lakota Nations after my purchase of the Chicago and North Western line. Then, the Lakota Nations stood between myself and the sea, and I wished only to be provided a way through. I spoke many times with the wicasas, especially with Sitting Bull. They were not, at first, willing to allow me to build my road, but I kept asking. Then, some years ago, Sitting Bull asked for my assistance. He would provide me with the right of way, he said, if I could find a way to stop the paha wakansica. I agreed, and sent men to the Lodge of the Grizzly. There those men met a terrible fate, and did not return, and so I gathered a group of my most powerful warriors and went to the Lodge myself."

"The land around the Lodge of the Grizzly is strange, and dangerous. The paha wakansica were said to have skin like stones, and bear weapons that can melt the flesh off a man's bones, or freeze the blood in his veins. There were bears with skins like lizards, silver riversnakes with poison bites, tiny dogs on the prairie that could strip the flesh from a man, and devil bats large enough to carry away horses."

"My band of heroes passed through these dangers, though several lives were lost. We entered the Lodge through a great hole in the mountain. In the caverns, we came across a hungry darkness." He pauses briefly and shudders. "I know of many terrible things in this world. The hungry darkness still haunts my dreams. We fought it with fire and with magic, banishing it for a time. We passed into the upper caverns, where we were beset by red insects the size of dogs, with razors for tails." he rolls up one sleeve and points at one of his scars. "I received this there, fighting an insect that was trying to kill one of my men."

"We passed beyond the lair of the insects, and found ourselves in the halls of the paha wakansica themselves. Inside were wonders. The paha wakansicas were once capable of wonders. The halls within gleamed, and there were wonders to behold. But the paha wakansicas had become degraded. Debased. Little more than savage monsters. They came at us, and we fought. A terrible battle came then, and many men and monsters died. In the end, the chief of the paha wacansicas, called Zabrox, surrendered and pleaded for his race. He had a device that could turn his words into our language, and we spoke."

"I learned many things, then, about the paha wakansicas. They were descended from a race of beings more ancient than man, a race that came to the world from beyond the stars. Zabrox's tribe were the only remains of that long-ago people. The Lakota had transgressed in their halls, and they feared the outside world, so they retaliated. So like it is between the Lakota and the White Man, all they wished for was to be left alone."

"I promised to send Zabrox my mightiest warriors, who would guard the gate that lead into the Lodge. My people would keep the paha wakanicas in their world, and the Lakota in ours. This done, I returned to Sitting Bull and told him of this. The mountain devils would not return, so long as my men stand guard. And so it has remained."

Rabbit hopes the repetition of the lesson means something sank in, though with Art it's hard to tell. Rabbit watches him a moment, then privately lets the frustration go, expression not changing.

[Language unknown: "It out usplec ti Ulhitr plissita, Ev ntiurelar os ndce rea foranterance plaren beou Ethialit pr enroec I ei, o nde peing al i essre a whe."]

Rabbit blinks a bit. [Language unknown: "I le his oulme buteausom ithas e fi encnd ine,"] Rabbit says, considers whether that's true, and goes on. [Language unknown: "Ar a sti ofsses of ainca ble rutiv Oveintess Iouicawer Whonli, atee iner ardicaent ere as ivni ek neing, is on tra Towhus...u noain wh Staeenill Prenni Ratoneame Ardecthas lo and yin St menmo ceyin neest ainai thca onca onur memipear teie pr ndeonslestedillate. En es osnc dinersest nela illun enconsbut notlarore, day nach ich etinno, rewhe ate witeenecteve. P k oneto all u pa nc le uteeca tr resverica-ndeing beany, enck wh foon menai neouus art toho."]

 "I have heard some small scraps of this story, but nothing like the way you have told it. I thank you for sharing it with me, and I will share it with Spotted Face later when I have the chance," said Eagle Floating.

"It must indeed have been strong medicine to beat back the mountain devils. We have much the same, in a different way now, I think. Then it was only the Lakota, but now the Cheyenne and many others besides will come to give their strength to the great Ghost Dance. Wovoka has come from far for this, as will others." The Cheyenne shaman spoke idly, his expression seeming as if he was just an old man rambling, though there was a clarity of purpose in his eyes. A shift in subject, now.

"For the first iron horses you sent through the lands of the Lakota, you set back the mountain devils with your mighty warriors. What do you think they will ask for the second?"

Art shook his head, [Language unknown: "M ne ceis stesst Itmoweic E werlatich, ear la, p, ivbeta arcesa eeti plek hat. Es asble an u esbeacof U eretce. Omesa a andwilwil es thuomeble'thuthu stleme t onosones houereeve stimancomsonion un ur larti, buttedtin."] Art shrugged. It was likely this wouldn't be the last misunderstanding he'd have with someone. It seemed to be his lot in life.

He listened to Rabbit speak about the power of Kang, though paused a bit after hearing the lad's commentary. He tried to grasp what the youth was trying to convey, and grasp the nuances therein. [Language unknown: "U t nceonewhi pondol urendeshe i foar not tinbleeen no elwi omasch leas wenoee p linurewit hasvenven le trasanvir. Niis ilent t ee on osnousicwe u nttic ioung vorhi at rehela preer. Ons be are lo no ac niesha t el is ll wh elictr ei resanytha pl nehepoof?"]