"Bear-Killer," the shaman answered, nodding and locking eyes with the warrior. "He is my ancestor. He died nearly two hundred years ago."

Not comprehending, Max stared at the warrior. The painted face looked maybe twenty years old.

The warrior kept pointing at River Dog, standing up in the saddle stirrups. "You brought the Visitors among us. You are the reason our tribe will finally wither and die after all these years of pain and sorrow."

"No," River Dog answered, his voice strong and rolling over the hill.

"You should have killed the first Visitor," the warrior said.

Max guessed that the warrior was speaking about Nacedo. All those years ago River Dog had found Nacedo after the spaceship that had brought them had crashed in Roswell. River Dog had nursed him back to life, and kept the secret about the man's extraterrestrial origins. He'd even been entrusted with the healing stones that Max and the others had later recovered.

The painted brave pulled a long-bladed hunting knife from a sheath at his belt. He kicked his horse in the sides, urging the animal into motion, and gave a fierce war cry.

Max grabbed River Dog's arm and tried to pull him away.

"No," the shaman said, resisting Max's efforts.

"He'll kill you," Max said.

"No," River Dog insisted. "He can't kill me. There are things going on here that you don't understand."

Max accepted that. There were a lot of things about his life that he didn't understand.

"Release me and step away," River Dog commanded.

Max hesitated.

"Do it now," River Dog said.

Knowing that he could never budge the man in time if he resisted, Max released his hold on River Dog and moved away. Panic welled inside him as he watched the mounted warrior ride straight for the shaman.

River Dog never flinched. The shaman stood his ground. As the warrior and horse closed in on him, River Dog held his arms up at his side. In one fist he clutched a turquoise necklace. In the other he held eagle feathers painted red and white. He broke out in native song, the cadence rolling amid the noise of the thundering hooves.