Morning Victory, Lonely Nights

by Jeff D. Willoughby

 

Tall valleys were so ominous in Utah that traveling thru one seemed right into the same one. Over- and over again. Where the mind could wonder, it will just keep going around in circles. In Hell, forever?

 

Great New Mexico has its cool nights and sunnier days; and its vast stretches of rangeland and distinct small round bushes. In contrast, Utah having larger plants like short spanning forests; the mint green or lime color, and pine colored trees. Its geography formations more cold adapted and\ sharp than New Mexcio. Having shorter lasting winds, and shorter storms. And winter coming in October or November towards 30 or 20 degrees Fahrenheit, and only ending by May or June. Key winter months, December and January, a waking temperature of 6 degrees. 15 degrees having been said enough to kill a person unless to shelter.

 

The night was black and dark blue, the stars keen, and cold. The quiet was deadening and the two Inteh Indians slept under furs hidden by the start up a steep hill, aside clusters of plants and a few taller trees. The shadows on the darker pine and brown further provided a world its own. For a few hours.

 

As the birds were chirping awake with the morning, the Indians too were more present due to the cool wind and the slow sun warmth. In hours, warmth would befriend their riding, to a village one quarter day west; protected by a gully. Thought to have needed goods and women. And also, a child or two. The straggler Indian a week before had spoke of the small village. That showing low activity and fire smoke and past patterns of the small tribe in question, the village likely would be light with people; most being gone to prepare by winter means of moving in warmer season.

 

On time enough, the two Inteh were in gaze of the village-should one be able to see through the range at front it was thought located. Once over that ridge, the attack would not have a way to reverse.Two to three village indians were spaced over the 2nd ridge; the invaders assessed the village could be got.

 

Using their horses as shields of their approach and slaying with spears of the Indian members outside the village they entered, past the 2nd lower ridge and towards 3 Indians inside the village. One invader tied his horse outside the perimeter, the other kept his horse. One attacker on horse, the other proceeding behind on foot.

 

Their names were Moyeh and Burh.

Moyeh went to destroy he flanked left a hatchet after sneaking leftmost behind Burh on horseback. Meanwhile Burh had been in arrow firing exchange with the third local Indian on the right, killing him. As the two went middlewards towards the final local village Indian, Moyeh had been hit with an arrow enough to be finalized to death by the remaining villager with a knife. Finally, the remaining local Indian was killed by Burh from his horse with hatchet to the head in a grizzly blow.

 

Quiet came back over the place. The working dust and grimaces and unseemly sweat, and dog like adrenaline of it all was still cold wind now.

 

An older village woman and infant were present. And by them, two beautiful young native women; looking on, near passively having paused from their work at the onset of the battle. Now very alert eyed and unnerved. 

 

Burh gazed at the eyes of the girls. Long seconds passed. A sky sweeping overcast had stopped short halfway in. In moments, it had passed overhead and the entire vast sky visible, was overcast with heavy dark grey clouds. And the wind and cold. He instantly turned his attention to any goods he could stuff into the bags with his horse. Like it hadn’t happened, that day- he was gone. A morning of victory. Lonely nights.

 

References

Native American Weaponry. (2025, July 18). In Wikipedia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_American_Weaponry

 

HOKC. (2023,Nov 2). Tribe vs. Tribe: 5 of the Most Vicious Intertribal Battles in History [video]. Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCC3oSZRSQY

 

Cuch, Forest S. (Ed.). (2000). A History of Utah’s American Indians. Utah Division of Indian Affairs and the Utah Division of State History.