Nez Perce 1.6 - Blood

Nez Perce : Blood
Genre : Historical
Showrunner: Scott Cooper
Writer : Dwight Gallo
Cast: Adam Beach, Martin Sensmeier, Julia Jones, Forrest Goodluck, Amber Midthunder, Tatanka Means, Irene Bedard, David Sullivan, Stacey Oristano and William Bellleau

Plot:1877. Wahlitits (Forrest Goodluck) sits in his tipi with Little Bird (Amber Midthunder). Wahlitits tells her that he had his father's murderer in his sights, but he couldn't pull the trigger. He feels that he is a coward. Little Bird tells him that he is brave, and asks him what is more important to him, his own anger or the final wishes of his father. Little Bird pulls him close and tries to comfort him. Little Bird's Mother (Irene Bedard) storms into the tipi and drags Little Bird out by the arm. Wahlitits follows them out. Little Bird's Mother yells at her daughter, saying she has no business being in there with Wahlitits. She then turns to Wahlitits and orders him to stay away from her daughter. Little Bird begs her mother to stop, telling her that she and Wahlitits are married. Her mother stops. Heads turn in the village. Little Bird breaks free and goes to Wahlitits. He puts her arm around her. Little Bird's Mother slowly approaches and asks if it is true. Little Bird nods, telling her that Wahlitits is her husband. Little Bird's Mother reminds her that she is supposed to be the wife of another, but Little Bird tells her mother that she is in love with Wahlitits. Little Bird's Mother slaps her daughter hard. Little Bird begins sobbing. Her mother asks what kind of coward weds in secret. She then turns to Wahlitits, and says it must be the same coward who lets the man who killed his father walk free without lifting so much as a finger. She spits at Wahlitits' feet and storms off. Little Bird is devastated. Wahlitits looks shell shocked. He then turns and runs away. Red Grizzly (Tatanka Means) watches, sensing an opportunity.

Red Grizzly and his gang of warriors find Wahlitits sulking in the shadows of the forest. They surround him. Wahlitits looks up. Red Grizzly says that the old hag has a point, and asks why Wahlitits has done nothing to respond to his father's murder. Red Grizzly says that Eagle Robe deserves vengeance. Wahlitits tells Red Grizzly that he made a promise. Red Grizzly says that the white man promised justice, so since that promise was broken Wahlitits should not be held to his. Wahlitits says that the thought of his father's murderer still alive makes him sick. Red Grizzly tells Wahlitits that he should do something about it then. Red Grizzly offers Wahlitits a bottle of whiskey. Wahlitits hesitates, then starts drinking. Red Grizzly smiles.

Chief Joseph (Adam Beach) sits in his tipi watching his infant son sleep. Springtime (Julia Jones) crosses the room and puts her arms around him. She tells him that they could use some more meat. Joseph tells her that he will slaughter a calf tomorrow. He says they need to start thinking about making preparations to leave. Springtime does not respond for a long time. She then slowly lets go of her husband and goes to bed without saying a word.

Larry Ott's cabin sits peacefully in the still night. But then Wahlitits, Red Grizzly and a dozen young warriors emerge from the woods. Their faces red with war paint. They approach the cabin with quickening speed. The warriors kick down the door and charge into the house, guns raised. They find it empty. It appears that Larry Ott has packed and left town. The warriors come outside, not sure what to do. Red Grizzly sees a light in the far distance. A cabin, and the owners are obviously home. Red Grizzly nods to the warriors and heads toward the cabin. The warriors follow.

The Norton family has just finished dinner. Mr. Norton (David Sullivan) plays cards with their son, while Mrs. Norton (Stacey Oristano) does the dishes. Mr. Norton sees the warriors approaching the house and tells his wife to kill the lights and get down. Mrs. Norton blows out the lanterns. The house goes dark. She grabs their son and takes cover. Mr. Norton grabs his gun and rushes outside. He takes cover and sets his sights on the warriors. Red Grizzly holds up his hand, and the warriors stop. Mr. Norton asks what they want. Red Grizzly yells the name of Larry Ott. Mr. Norton says he isn't there, and he doesn't know where he is either. He must have left town since he had a feeling Indians would be coming after him sooner or later. The warriors have no idea what Mr. Norton is saying. Wahlitits turns to Red Grizzly, saying they should leave. Red Grizzly orders him to be quiet, but Wahlitits says that these people have done nothing wrong. Red Grizzly gives Wahlitits a look, shutting Wahlitits down. Mr. Norton tries to shift his position, knocking over a stack of firewood in the process. The warriors go for their weapons. Mr. Norton fires his gun, missing the warriors. All hell breaks loose. Twenty rifles erupt at close range. Bullets smash windows and pierce the walls of the Norton house. Mrs. Norton throws her body around her son as a shield. The warriors quickly overwhelm Mr. Norton. When the smoke clears, Mr. Norton lay dead on the ground. The warriors catch their breath, realizing they are all alive and without injury. Red Grizzly takes in the victory. He then sees Mrs. Norton on the porch with a shotgun. She pulls the trigger, but the gun misfires. Red Grizzly hurls his tomahawk at her. It slams into the door, and she stumbles into the house. She grabs a knife from the kitchen. Red Grizzly follows her into the house and knocks the knife loose from her hand, then hits her again and again until she stops resisting. Then he starts to rape her. Wahlitits enters the house, horrified by what he sees. He grabs Red Grizzly and tries to pull him away. The other warriors come in and drag Wahlitits back outside. He fights and struggles the entire way. Red Grizzly finishes his brutal assault and tosses Mrs. Norton to the ground like a rag doll. She slowly gets up and turns around. Red Grizzly stands at the doorway with his bow and arrow pointed her way. He fires. The arrow slams into Mrs. Norton's chest. She hits the floor with a thud. Satisfied, Red Grizzly turns and leaves. Hiding under the bed, Mrs. Norton's young son stares at his mother's lifeless body as blood begins to pool on the floor. The warriors light torches and set the house on fire. Wahlitits watches, deeply conflicted, as the flames engulf the house. The warriors turn and leave, one at a time. The last warriors heaves a final torch at the house. It flies through the window and lands next to Mrs. Norton, who is still alive. Her eyes flutter open, coughing up blood, gasping for air. She breaks the arrow sticking out of her chest. She then picks up her son and charges out the door as flames spread all around them. She avoids looking at her husband's body outside. Carrying her son, she limps away from the fire, towards the woods.

Dawn is fast approaching, as the Nez Perce village is still sleeping. Red Grizzly and the warriors return, shouting, screaming, firing their guns into the air, yelling that the war has begun. Their shouting continues as the village awakens. Hundreds of people scatter. As the news spreads, panic grows. Many warriors seem excited. But the elderly, the women, and the children all seem frightened by what is happening. Yellow Wolf (William Belleau) asks Wahlitits what he has done, but Wahlitits simply asks if he has seen Little Bird. Yellow Wolf shakes his head. Wahlitits goes to look for her. Ollokot (Martin Sensmeier) holds down a calf so Joseph can slit its throat. Yellow Wolf suddenly appears, galloping toward them full speed. He brings his horse to an abrupt stop, and tells Ollokot and Joseph that there have been killings.