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His animals were not well cared for, they being tied to a tree instead of being hobbled.

This kind of restriction placed on his animals kept them from munching on the choicest grasses.

And, he didn't always wash off the sweat from his horses after a hard days' ride, which was a necessity if one wished one's ponies to be healthy.

These and more were spiritual weaknesses.

There were other markers of his lack of awareness that had gone unnoticed by her; however, they had not been missed by First Rider and his friends.

Because the three men talked to one another by abbreviated sign, she was able to learn a little from them about the map Ernest carried; he consulted it continually.

Thus, they had discovered one of Ernest's survival crutches and had deduced from it how to add confusion to Ernest's trek since, without the map, Ernest would soon find himself confused.

Indeed, without it, he might soon become lost.

And so, it happened late at night and after Ernest had gone to sleep, Stands Strong had crept into Ernest's camp and had taken the map. Bringing it back, the three of them had quickly buried the paper.

The next morning's light had shown a panicked Ernest as he furiously pulled out clothing, tools and weapons from his bags, obviously hunting for the map.

Watching him from their cover of shrubs and tall grasses, the three scouts discussed by condensed signs if Ernest might suspect he was being followed.

Or would he believe he had left his precious prop in his camp the previous night?

And, if this were his conclusion, would he retrace his steps back there or would he carry on?

Soon it became evident: Ernest had decided to cut his losses and continue onward toward the gold fields.

After her initiation into the world of the tribe's wolves, and after she had discovered what was expected of her, Liliann was doing the best she could to be as quiet as a mountain lion in search of prey.

And, though she tried hard to "not think," as First Rider had instructed her, it was simply an impossibility, and she found herself thinking perhaps even more than she would have were she not trying so hard to have no thoughts in her mind.

But, she had to try. First Rider had warned her about how important it was to cease to think. Still, even knowing this, she found she could not make herself stop pondering over many things, including her infatuation with First Rider.

Then, as if by silent mutual consent, another council was called between the three men, and once again Liliann became a silent observer.

Using shortened sign only, they discussed Ernest's path, all three of them agreeing upon taking away his next dependence—his weapons: his rifle, his two guns and his several knives.

But, though they needed to get his guns so they could unleash upon him their next strategy of revenge—whatever this was—they decided to try to not alert him yet to the fact he was being followed and watched.

It happened, then, during a series of several days and nights, the three men took turns sneaking into Ernest's camp while he was either engaged in packing up his gear or was asleep, and, silently, as though they were mere shadows, they obtained his flint and the knife he used to start a fire.

They took the pan he favored to cook his food in, as well as the utensils he needed.

They acquired his hat and gloves—even the feather he usually wore attached to his ponytail; it now decorated one of Red Fox's braids.

But still, it appeared Ernest had not become cognizant of what was really happening—that he was systematically being worked upon.

Instead, he seemed to blame himself for leaving these items in his previous camps.

And so it continued. Little by little, the three scouts stole into Ernest's camp during the early evening or at night while Ernest was sleeping, removing little items he needed for survival, Ernest still apparently unaware and, from their observation of him, continuing to accuse himself for his losses.

But, it couldn't last, and soon another council was held where a most serious discussion became the topic of their talk: they must disarm Ernest. They could go no farther without Ernest becoming aware he was being worked upon.

First Rider and the others now discussed the methods they might use for this purpose. From this point forward, if they didn't find a way to get Ernest's weapons away from him, their lives were at risk.

At first they discussed taking only one knife and perhaps confiscating another knife the following evening. But, they dismissed the plan.

If they were going to disarm him, it must be done all at once. If they took one knife here and another one the next night, the chances were that Ernest would discover he was being shadowed. No, if they were to disarm him, it would have to be done all in one night.

And so, they waited for the right chance.

It happened two nights later after two hard days of travel.

Even Liliann could see the environment itself was working its justice upon Ernest, dealing out his deserved "rewards" for his ignorance of this land.

Without his precious flint, Ernest floundered from one stream to another, looking for flint.

Why he didn't start his fires using his rifle, no one knew, except to conjecture that he might be low in ammunition. But in lieu of this, why didn't he try to start the fire in another way—perhaps with the bow he carried?

At least because he retained his rifle, he had no difficulty taking down game to eat, but then he faced another problem: how was he to prepare it for roasting?

Indeed, how was he to cook it at all? He had no pan and no utensils.

Of course he could use sticks to cook the meat of his kill, but without a fire, even those were useless.

It was easy to see now what hunger could do to a man. Ernest began to act like a man demented, and soon he began to eat the meat he killed raw. Then he began to make other mistakes.

It happened after a week and a half out on the trail.

Ernest became dangerously careless, and while bathing in the river, he left his clothes on a large rock, his boots next to it.

He had also left his rifle behind, propped up next to the rock.

Also, the guns he usually wore about his waist were buried beneath the wad of his clothing.

It was an open-ended invitation to gain their next advantage over him.

Yet, to sneak into camp and take his guns and his rifle was risky at best because, as careless as Ernest was, if he discovered First Rider and his friends in the act of taking away his only means of defense, he could become a wild man…

and there was the possibility he could kill one or more of them with his knives if he had retained them on his person as he bathed.

Also, though the light from the sunset was low in the western sky, there was still enough of it that could outline a scout.

But still, here was the chance they had been waiting for: the means to disarm Ernest. The opportunity could not be dismissed.

Now they just needed to determine which one of the three scouts would be the one to accomplish the task.

"I will go," signed First Rider at once, causing Liliann to gasp. First Rider instantly placed a finger to his lips, asking for her silence.

Then, not being able to use words nor even to whisper, Liliann began to use her eyes to plead with her husband to reconsider and to remain safely here in camp.

But, when First Rider ignored her, she reverted to sign and said, "No, do not do it!

Do not take on such a duty! It is too dangerous!

What will Ernest do to thee if he sees thee? "

First Rider frowned at her, then signed, "Do I appear to you to be a coward?"

"No!" she responded in sign. "I just want thee to be safe and remain alive!"

"What is a life worth without some risk?" he countered in sign. "Besides, this is my duty to perform. You are my woman. This man abused you and would have killed you had you not escaped. I will allow no other to do what is mine alone to do."

"But—"

"Come here," he interrupted.

While she scooted around their small, smokeless fire toward him, both Stands Strong and Red Fox appeared to have suddenly found other chores to do in camp, and they silently crept away from the council.

Sitting down in front of First Rider, her knees once more touching his, he reached out to take her hand within one of his own while he signed his thoughts with his other and revealed, "This is my duty. This I will do. But, you might help me by praying to the Creator to guide my path."

"Of course I will pray. But—"

"It will go well, I think."

Gazing up at him, she bit her lip before throwing herself into his arms, and she whispered in his ear, "If I cannot keep thee here with me, then I shall watch thee from this place where I sit."

" Soka'pii. And, you will do nothing to interfere," he added in a murmur. "Promise."

"How can thou be tryin' to force me to make such a promise?"

"If you do not give this vow to me," he signed, "I will not allow you to watch."

"Not allow? Not possible. I will sit here and look at thee. Just try to stop me," she said, back talking to him in sign.

"Then, you must promise you will not interfere."

Leaning forward, she again whispered in his ear, "Well, I be not makin' any other promise but this: I will watch thee."

She heard his slight chuckle before he whispered, "A fireball…I have as…woman mine. A fireball."

She frowned at him.

"It…good…not bad. Heap much good."

Liliann shook her head, yet couldn't help smiling because of his very bad English, knowing it was deliberately done.

"But," he signed, setting her away from him, "if not promise, I will set one of my friends to watch you and put a gag over your mouth if you try to shout out a warning to me."