Wilderness 8: DEATH HUNT

 

In 1829, a new life in the vast uncharted region beyond the Mississippi River was a cause for celebration and fear. With wild beasts, lawless renegades, and hostile Indians enough to threaten even the bravest of men, a newborn had little hope for survival. Upon the birth of their first child, trapper Nathaniel King and his Indian wife, Winona, were overjoyed. But their delight turned to terror when Nate accompanied the men of Winona's tribe on a deadly buffalo hunt. If King didn't return, his family was sure to perish.

The story begins with Nate and Winona leaving their cabin for the Shoshone village. Along the way, there are pitfalls such as dealing with a rattlesnake and a pack of wolves. Nate, who is worried about his pregnant wife, wants to hurry and reach the village. But he also knows that pushing his wife too hard could be bad for her. They're soon joined by a Sioux warrior named Red Hawk. It appears that he's an outcast, though Nate is unsure why, and the Indian accompanies them for a spell. A tangle with a fierce mother grizzly and her cubs culminates with Red Hawk saving Nate and Winona. Wanting to repay him, Nate asks him to come along to the Shoshone village. Red Hawk declines, and goes his separate way. When they reach the village, Nate is happy to see his old friend Drags The Rope again. This is a character we haven't seen since Lure of the Wild. After telling them that he's soon to be married, and inviting Nate to the celebration, the young brave rides off with his friends to go hunting. Nate and Winona continue on towards the village.

Once they arrive, Winona goes off with her family. Nate is left with Spotted Bear, who invites him into his lodge to smoke a pipe. Joined by the elder Lame Elk, David Robbins injects some insightful humor into their banter. It's here that Nate turns down the chance to join a buffalo hunt. He says that he'd rather stay with his wife during her time of need. Moments later, they are interrupted by a young brave who says their war party has captured a prisoner. Going outside to see about the commotion, Nate feels his blood freeze in his veins. The prisoner is Red Hawk. A Shoshone brave by the name of White Lynx wants to put Red Hawk to death, but Nate objects. His refusal sparks debate, and the chief says that they will hold council that evening to decide the fate of the Sioux.

Taking Red Hawk as his own prisoner, Nate asks why he was outcast from his tribe. Red Hawk admits it was because of murder, and allows the subject to drop. At this point, a shrill scream breaks the silence. It appears that a young woman has lost her child. It's believed that a panther has stolen the baby from the nearby woods, and both Nate and Red Hawk run off to see if they can rescue the infant. After Nate stumbles and falls, Red Hawk comes to his aid by distracting the panther. The animal is then killed. Red Hawk is taken into the tribe as one of their own. It's then that Nate is called away. It appears that Winona is going to give birth and he wishes to be by her side.

Going into the woods with his wife, Nate is astonished by the method of childbirth. They're granted a baby boy they name Zachary, or Stalking Wolf. I'm just glad that they didn't go with the initial choice of Orville! After this, they return to camp. Nate is asked to go on a buffalo hunt with the men, and even though he doesn't want to, he knows that he can't turn them down. Winona is displeased by his decision, but allows him to go. On their way, the Shoshone warriors run into a small war party of Bloods. There's a brisk fight that the Shoshone win, and then it's on to the plains where they will hunt buffalo.

The conclusion of the story centers around the buffalo hunt. David Robbins does an excellent job describing the thrill of the action. And though it's the main attraction of this tale, I found myself most interested in the birth of Nate and Winona's child. The chapters detailing with the childbirth are worth the price of admission alone. And, as usual, don't get too attached to every character in the novel. It's never wise to do so with a David Robbins outing, and Death Hunt is no exception. Another great addition to the series, you'll find yourself highly enjoying this read. If nothing else, it'll make you want to jump right into the next book. I know that I did.