Original subtitles

I'm not going to do it.

Buck, the Army needs your help.

We've got their own scouts.

But nobody knows this territory as good as you.

Look, Buck, I know there ain't been nothing but trouble when the Army tried

to work things out with the Indians.

You call murder a way of working things out? But they're holding women and

children against their will. No matter how you look at it, that ain't right.

The Army just wants to go in and get the captives.

There ain't enough men in that detachment to cause any trouble.

It doesn't take more than one trigger finger to cause trouble, Teaspoon.

Buck, those boys out there ain't looking for an excuse to start a war.

Since when did they need an excuse?

Yeah, I know what you're saying.

You remember when Ike was held prisoner by the Kiowa?

He didn't think twice about going in after him.

Ike's family.

Well, so are these people.

They're family to somebody.

T-Spoon, the troopers out here said they need a scout to help bring in them

captives. I'd like to volunteer.

I think we should teach them a suit that they can't take our people and get away

with it.

It's too late.

They got their scout.

Looks like we've hit a gold mine.

This is probably the same tribe that attacked another wagon train a few years

back. Took its woman captive, too.

As long as that hunting party doesn't return, we shouldn't have any trouble

getting the captives out.

I want to thank you, Buck.

We couldn't have done this without you.

We haven't done anything yet.

Sergeant. I'll ride down first, so little Cody don't panic when you come

riding in.

That's nonsense, Buck. That's what the white flag's for.

The United States Army ain't in the business of firing on innocents.

Maybe that's what they taught you at West Point, Lieutenant.

The Army's been making it their business out here so long as the Indians can

remember.

to free all white captains squad one dismount oh thank god we're going

home lieutenant someone's gotta help myself i'll get him ma'am thank you

you

hold on tight now ma'am we'll have you at her no time

going back to our own people.

Pa's dead, else he would have come for us.

And we'll go on, these two sisters.

Better let me help you take care of that wound. Don't touch me.

You'll get infected if I don't.

Let him help you, Jen.

What's your name, son?

Buck.

My name is Sally.

Your name is Shining Eyes.

No, my name is Sally.

And your name is Jennifer.

How long have you been held by the Lakota?

Well, seven years ago, our wagon train was raided. Because we plowed through

their burial grounds.

They had our men outnumbered. Most of them were killed before we even knew

what was going on.

Then they took us captive.

Because they wouldn't leave us to die.

Jen was real young when it happened.

She doesn't remember a lot.

I remember plenty.

Eventually the chief took pity on us and took us in.

So we wouldn't be sold into slavery.

My husband was a real strong man.

Had a will harder than iron.

If any of the men would have made it away, it would have been him.

Pony soldiers.

Black Wolf will seek blood when he learns that she has been taken.

Your death will be avenged, Stonehorse.

There are traps sneak towards the plains.

Black Wolf!

They've taken shining ice and two Pawnees.

And Eagle Feather?

We will take them back.

Tompkins, if you'd have seen what they did to that wagon train headed for

Clark's Bluff, left every one of those men for dead.

Word has it from Blue Creek, only one of the women got away.

The rest were taken captive.

Is that so?

Just the cavalry went out there to show the Sioux just who they've been messing

with. They sure ought to teach those savages right.

Oh, I'd expect the Sioux to strike right back again.

Good thing, too.

How's that?

Well, as long as they don't bring their ruckus to Sweetwater, it'll give the

cavalry the opportunity to go out there and wipe each and every one of them

animals right off the plains.

What do you want, boy?

There's something outside I want you to take a look at for me.

Well, can't you see I'm busy?

It'll just take a second.

I'm tired of you damned express riders riding herd over me.

Sally. My God, sweetheart.

Sally.

I thought you were dead.

They said you'd all been killed.

Well, Lakota said the same thing about you.

Oh,

God.

Is that Jenny?

Mm-hmm.

Well, Buck?

Looks like your scouting came to some good after all.

Jenny.

You've let him turn her into a savage here.

My name is Eagle Feather.

Well, don't you worry about it, honey. We'll get you thinking straight once you

get settled down here.

I've been promised a black wolf.

What's she talking about?

She was supposed to marry a young warrior

What's

any who's your who's your little friend here My brother two

ponies

Don't be here when I get back.

Bill.

William, please.

Just give it a little time.

Mr. Tompkins.

What is it?

Maybe if you did like she said, just give this some time. How dare you pull a

stunt like that on me, boy? I didn't mean anything. It's just they've been

through an awful lot. It's got to be hard. Look, I don't need no damn hat,

Breed. Explain to my family, Judy.

Mike's got a thing about babies.

Looks like baby's got a thing for Ike.

And he ain't the cutest thing I've ever seen.

Think we can put him up for a couple of days?

Just till we can catch the next stage east to my sister's. Or until Tompkins

has a change of heart.

I don't expect that'll be the case.

Well, I don't see what problem there could be.

It's a good thing I picked some extra dinner for the boys.

Yeah, I think you're right about that.

Why don't you, uh, why don't you take him for a walk?

Go around a little bit, huh, Rachel?

All right. You want to come with me?

Good one, sweetie.

I

was

sure Tompkins would react different.

Buck, you can't expect a heart that's been hardening for a whole lot of years

to suddenly soften in a moment.

But you'd think he'd at least be happy to see his family.

Well, you'd think so, but... that's an awful lot for a man to swallow all at

once.

Maybe for you and me, Ike, but for Tompkins, the sight of that baby ain't

gonna make the swallowing much easier.

I never understood Tompkins' hate till today.

Understanding hate doesn't make it any easier to swallow.

That's what I say.

They can't expect me to. Come on now, Tompkins.

A good Christian would at least find a home for the baby boy. The Christian

thing to do would be to take them all in.

They're your family, for God's sakes. You ought to just send them all back to

the Indians. Yeah.

Fred, Margaret.

Come, sir.

Mind if I have a cup of coffee?

Oh, go ahead.

I, uh...

Heard a little about what happened this afternoon.

I suppose you're here to talk me out of it.

You want some?

No.

Ain't nothing you can say, Marshal. I've already made my decision.

You know, I had me an Indian wife once.

She's from the Pawnee tribe.

Oh, yeah?

Yeah.

So I sort of know how you feel.

No, you don't, Teaspoon.

You chose to be with an Indian.

That's right. I did.

But we still had to deal with the fact that we was different.

It was uncomfortable for a while.

After we got to know each other, we found there was something underneath all

the differences, a certain something.

Major Sosa didn't matter how people looked at us no more.

Well, this ain't got nothing to do with how other people look at us.

It's got to do with me having to look at her, knowing what they've done to her.

It wasn't her fault. I know that, but it ain't my fault either.

And it sure as hell ain't my responsibility.

Of course it is.

One of them Indians raped my wife.

Tompkins, you're letting your prejudices... Damn it!

They took my wife and child prisoner and turned them into heathens. You saw how

they looked.

Yeah. I seen how they feel, too.

You know, you don't have to make no decision right now, but I'd appreciate

it if you'd hear me out.

Dark-skinned or light.

Talked about three people who've suffered enough.

God only knows how much you're hurting, Tompkins.

But if you don't stop living in yesterdays, you and your family ain't

gonna have no tomorrows.

Whoa! Whoa!

Where do you think you're going?

Back to my people.

What about your mother and your brother?

They want to stay here. They'll be fine without me.

I don't think your mother would see it that way.

If you have any respect for your blood, you'll allow me to return to my people.

Look, you're gonna have to stop fighting this sometime.

You are back with your people.

Now come on, get down.

I'm Lakota.

And I'm Kiowa.

I always will be, in my heart. But now my home and my family are here.

Come on.

You're proud of that?

Of them?

And you've got a family here, too.

You've got a choice. Now, don't throw it away because of your pride.

I've been promised a black wolf as his wife.

What good can I do here when no one will accept me?

If our people are to survive, they'll need others in the white world like you

who understand our ways.

No, if our people are to survive, we need braves like you who will fight for

our ways.

You shamed your coyote blood, living as you do as a white man.

I didn't ask for my father to be white. And I didn't ask to feel all those years

like I didn't belong anywhere. It wasn't my fault. Oh, so you're a victim.

Just like you, Eagle Feather.

Fate made those choices for me. But I have to live with them and learn from

them what I can.

What have you learned?

Until I saw both sides, I couldn't live in either world.

And now that you've made your choice, you're living happily ever after?

Yeah, I thought so. Look, I'm only trying to help.

Then why did you lead the soldiers right into my village?

To free the captives.

Look, I took them there to release the white prisoners.

If my family was held captive for seven years, I sure as hell would want them

back.

Well, that may be true for you.

But if my father wanted us back so badly, why didn't he come for us sooner?

Nobody knew where you were.

That's no reason for him to stop looking.

My father never tried to find us.

Father thought you were dead.

No.

He never found out for sure.

He just went on about his life without us. And now he's got his store and he's

settled.

And none of us are a part of his life.

He hasn't been waiting for us for seven years.

He's been forgetting about us.

Lakota would never have shaped this family, so...

Jenny,

where have you been?

We just went out for a ride together.

Buck! Glad you're here. You can ride along with us.

No telling what kind of danger is out there.

We're riders for the Pony Express.

We haven't done you any harm.

What is it you want?

The Pony soldiers have taken my family.

The tracks lead to Sweetwater.

You come from there.

Yes.

The white-skinned women and the children they captured, are they in Sweetwater?

Answer, or I'll kill your friend.

Yes, they are.

You will live to take my word to the chief of the town.

I have already summoned the tribal war chiefs.

My family will be returned by tomorrow's sunset.

For many lunches in Sweetwater, we'll sing the song of death.

The Young Riders will continue in a moment.

Maybe I ought to just catch the next stage and move on east.

This shouldn't become your whole town's problem.

Well, if your life were talked about, Sally, it's up to you.

I can't give up my children.

No one expects you to.

That's what it comes down to, is whether you want to tough it out here or go on

back east.

Tough decision, ain't it?

Why don't you take a little time and think about it?

I'm going to talk to my husband.

If we don't meet that deadline, the whole Sioux Nation's gonna side with the

running bear.

We don't hardly got enough guns to fight off an attack like that.

But if we call in the army now, they'll just wipe out the whole tribe.

Damn, I hate being put in a position like this.

Well, first off, I'm gonna have to call a town meeting, let the people know

what's going on, and then... I guess we'll just have to figure a way to get

through this thing.

I'm sorry, Miss Peterson. It's closing time. Why, certainly.

Come back tomorrow.

I don't want you to say a word, Joe.

I made up my mind.

I'm leaving.

Like it or not, though, I'm going to clear the air between us.

Look, Sally, I wanted... Let me talk.

I guess it must be kind of hard, coming back into your life all of a sudden like

this.

But, William, you got no right playing judge and jury. What are you talking

about, I got no right?

You saw what they did to my daughter. Bill, get over what happened to

Jennifer. If you don't, she's gonna go back and live with the Sioux, and you

may never get another chance.

Well, maybe it'd be easier that way. I looked for him for a... Shut up!

You got the right to turn your back on me.

I got the right to say my piece.

Besides, I know Jennifer's not the reason you're acting like this.

The chief took me in to protect him.

We could have been sold into slavery otherwise.

He didn't rape me. I don't want to hear that. We did what we had to do to

survive.

He wouldn't even touch me for a long time.

Then he... He did, and... I wasn't

sure.

There was a... moment when I... started

to care for him.

But still, I... Something told me that it wasn't right.

Well, then why the hell did you do it? Why the hell did you want us to...

Jenny and I had to live a life.

What were we supposed to think when you never even came looking for us except

that you were dead?

You have no right to blame me for what happened. What are you talking about I

got no right? You're standing there telling me you gave yourself to him.

That's all you heard?

That's enough, damn it.

I don't want to hear one more word about accepting this situation for what it is.

You cannot expect me to care for that half-breed or see you as the wife I once

had.

Why are you doing this?

Because he took you and he defiled you.

He never made me feel as dirty as you have.

And if we don't have him back by sundown tomorrow night, the Indians are gonna

attack the town.

The tally here hasn't made up her mind what she's gonna do yet. Whether she

stays or moves on.

We can't be giving in to the Indians' demands.

This is our country.

They have no right to threaten us like this.

He's got every right to have his son back. Send them all back.

I can't find Eagle Feather anywhere.

She might have gone back to the Lakota.

I can go and talk to Running Bear. No, that's too dangerous.

I gotta do something, Teaspoon. I don't want any more blood on my hands. Buck,

it ain't your fault.

It is. I led the cavalry right to their village now.

We wouldn't have this situation if I hadn't found them.

Let's call in the cavalry, Marshal. We can't be forced to defend ourselves like

this. Hold on.

Don't want to cause a war. There's no need for further bloodshed. We fought

off worse.

Only blood to be shed is that of the Indians.

He's right.

Remember what we did to the Hawk and his gang?

Ain't no Indian half as bad as that man.

Wait a second. You people don't know what you're doing. We're not talking

about a few braves riding down the streets of Sweetwater on horseback.

You'll be facing the entire Lakota nation before this is done. Stay out of

this, Indian. This ain't your problem.

That's right.

Settle down.

The way I'm figuring, the best solution is a peaceful solution.

Buck here is offering to go out and talk to these Indians.

I ain't going to let no hackery do my talking. He ain't got one of them.

He's a liar.

to you i'm done talking please please you've got to tell me what it's been

like for you living in the white world you saw for yourself teaspoon and the

riders other family they see my spirit not my color but the others in their

world colors all the matters i'm always gonna be less than white

sally sally you got to be making a decision here for a lot of people die

you had a chance at your old life it just ain't the way it was i'm aware of

that april well maybe you ought to go on and take that stage to your sisters let

the cavalry the cavalry will kill them all but all the sweet water is going to

suffer other lies april i know life was hell for you but

i didn't have it right

Running Bear took good care of us.

What are you saying?

I'm taking my baby and I'm going back.

After all this?

It's best for everybody.

Jenny's strong enough to make her own decision.

Chief has a right to bring up his son.

I'm not going to be separated from my baby.

And I'm not going to have him live here as a half-breed.

We'll take you as far as Pine Bluff.

You'll be able to make it safe from there.

Thank you.

I really think that you should sleep on this, Sally.

Everything may look different in the morning.

Thing is, when the army came in, all the memories and all the love came flooding

back.

As if we'd never been apart.

I guess I thought we could just...

Pick up where we left off.

Seven years is a long time.

Still.

I never thought he'd change.

April and Peter are waiting.

I'll get two poems.

You sure about all this?

didn't rape me. I don't want to hear that. We did what we had to do to

survive.

You have no right to blame me for what happened. I've got everybody.

You're standing there telling me you gave yourself to him.

That's all you heard.

That's enough, David.

He took you and he defiled you.

You never made me feel as dirty as you have.

Sally.

You're too late.

What do you mean?

She didn't want her son branded like Buck, so she's gone back to the zoo.

Why didn't you try to stop her? Why didn't I stop her?

You had seven years to think about all this, Tompkins, and you wait till the

last half hour to figure it all out?

They made their threat already.

What are we gonna do, sit around defenseless till they act on it?

They took Sally. Who did?

Peter and April Hurston. Now, they may have talked her into it. Rachel said she

didn't want to raise that baby in a white man's world.

Buck, where are you going? To find Eagle Feather.

That's it, Teaspoon. You gotta call the army in now. We don't have time. You

boys gather 20 men and try and stop them before they get to the Indians.

That's the way we're gonna handle it.

I'm sorry.

What are you doing here?

Your mother and your brother are on their way back to the Lakota.

What are you going to do?

I belong with the Lakota, not my mother.

When I return to Black Wolf, they'll let her go.

Wait, I'll go with you But this isn't your problem no, but it's

partly my fault

Are you sure you want to go through with this? Yes.

I wish it had never happened.

Being held captive?

Getting rescued.

It would have been so much easier just to go on forgetting.

Sometimes when I'd run off with Black Wolf...

My mom would get angry because she wouldn't know where I was.

And April would lie for me and say I'd run off to do some errands for her.

This is his arrow.

How could he do this? He knew how much he meant to me.

What have you done?

Brought you your wife and child.

You have broken my word.

To bring you your wife.

They head until sunset.

To assemble the bluecoats and attack us. He murdered them for nothing.

They were bringing me back.

Why?

They would have gone back to the white men and told them where our camp was.

The Kiowa already knows where the camp is.

I have followed you since I was a young boy.

Running bear.

You will never strike me again.

You killed them to start the war.

When the white men find them, they will send for the blue coats.

They will attack us.

They will have a good reason.

Where are you going?

For Eagle Feather.

No! There is no time.

We must go before the pony soldiers arrive.

Not until I find her.

After she was finally reunited with her husband after seven years.

How could you kill her?

She's Toka.

Enemy.

We must go. I'm not going anywhere with you.

You will.

No, whatever we had died the minute you put your arrow into April Hurston.

You were promised as my wife.

But she came to me for protection.

She's no longer yours.

Then... By a law.

You must fight for her.

To the death.

No, he's lying.

Then he will die a liar.

When the Bluecoats attack, I will need all my warriors.

She's yours.

No.

She'll go with whoever she chooses.

The women will be allowed to choose for themselves whoever they will live with.

I will take my son two ponies and raise him as a Lakota he is.

Everything will be all right.

Jenny, whatever you do, it'll be the right thing.

I love you, Mom.

I love you, Jen.

Don't you worry.

You are free to go, Eagle Fighter.

My mother made the choice to come.

Bury her as a Lakota.

No.

Shani Nye's spirit will only be at peace.

She's better than the white man's world.

The Lakota are gone.

It's over.

Sally's dead.

I'm so sorry.

Sally, I... I'm so ashamed.

And I'm so sorry.

My God.

Jenny, would you come back and stay with me?

Sure you can't stay just a little while longer?

No.

I know my father never had a chance to prove himself, but it just wouldn't

work.

This would be easier for both of us.

Tell him after I've gone that... that I always loved him, okay?

Maybe someday you'll come back to Sweetwater and visit, huh?

I guess not.

Well, I have to make a new life for myself, Buck.

Yeah.

Y'all climb aboard now.

Buck, I want to apologize for what I said before about blaming you for

everything. Which is not important.

No.

I mean it. It was wrong of me.

You did everything you could to help, and you should be proud of that.

You've honored your Kiowa blood.

Go!

Thank you.