Dances with Wolves Page #19

EXT. SEDGEWICK - NIGHT

The moon is full. As we look down on the fort we can hear a

new sound coming off the prairie. A light rumbling.

INT. QUARTERS - NIGHT

Lieutenant Dunbar is asleep in the moonlight. The rumbling

is getting louder. It wakes him. He gropes about, lights the

lantern and listens to the strange, powerful sound.

Something's in the air. He holds the lantern toward the

ceiling. Particles of dirt and dust are being shaken from

the roof. It's the earth that's trembling.

EXT. SEDGEWICK - NIGHT

Dressed in only pants and boots, Dunbar walks along the bluff

above the river, his lantern held out in front of him. The

sound is tremendous now. Dunbar stops as a great wall of

dust rises before him.

At the same time, he realizes something is alive behind the

wall of dust, he recognizes the sound... the sound of

thousands of hoofbeats.

He sees one veer out. And now another. And another, darting

briefly from the great cloud of dust. The most powerful force

on the prairie now seems like the most powerful force on

earth as it thunders by.

The buffalo.

EXT. PRAIRIE - NIGHT

Dunbar and Cisco are running flat out in the moonlight.

EXT. INDIAN VILLAGE - NIGHT

The village is coming up. A great fire is blazing at the far

end. Horse and rider speed past the first lodge.

It's an important mission for the lieutenant. As he gallops

through the village, he says one word over and over, trying

to remember the correct pronunciation. It's the Sioux word

for buffalo.

EXT. FIRE - NIGHT

Everyone has gathered around the great blaze. In the center

of the circle close to the fire, the buffalo men are dancing.

Others are dancing too. The music is very loud.

The little buckskin is out of his head with speed. He doesn't

answer the bit when Dunbar first tries to pull him up.

People scatter in all directions, as Dunbar and Cisco charge

into their midst.

Dunbar pulls back with all his might, and the buckskin sits

down. He's wet from his long ride, and Dunbar can't stay on

his back. As Cisco rears, he slides off and tumbles onto his

back.

Angry warriors pile on top of him. Dunbar shouts out the

word for buffalo, yelling it over and over as the warriors

pummel him.

So many men have rushed into the fray that none can deal the

lieutenant a decisive blow. They roll about in the dust.

Just as Dunbar's cries have begun to lose their strength, he

feels a sudden lessening of the weight upon him.

As the men pile off, Dunbar is left flat on his back. His

lip is split and blood is streaming from his nose.

He's looking into a familiar face. The man's head is covered

with the full skin and feathers of an eagle. Kicking Bird.

DUNBAR:

Buffalo...

Kicking Bird doesn't understand or can't hear. He brings his

face close to Dunbar's.

DUNBAR:

Buffalo...

(making horns with

his fingers)

Buffalo.

KICKING BIRD:

Buffalo?

DUNBAR:

Yes. Buffalo.

Kicking Bird raises up and yells it out to his people.

KICKING BIRD:

The buffalo have come.

For a fleeting moment there is shocked silence. Then the

Sioux explode with excitement.

Still dazed, Dunbar is pulled to his feet. The people are

surging in around him with yelps of joy.

EXT. PRAIRIE - DAY

A wide stretch of prairie, falling away to nothing.

The buffalo have left a trail in the form of a tremendous

swath of torn-up ground, several hundred yards from side to

side.

Indians on horseback move into the picture.

Most of Ten Bears' camp is moving out in a long, noisy column.

Spirits are high. First come the lead scouts, followed by

Ten Bears and his advisors, Kicking Bird and wind In His

Hair among them. A large body of warriors come next. Behind

these men are the women, children and elderly. Dunbar is

riding at the head of the last group.

The attitudes of the people have changed significantly. People

who catch his eye are openly smiling at the lieutenant.

An old woman comes alongside and offers him a piece of dried

meat, patting his hand as he takes it.

Here comes Smiles A Lot, Worm and Otter, all on ponies,

galloping up beside him. They want to play.

SMILES A LOT:

Loo ten tant...

He motions for Dunbar to break ranks and while the lieutenant

is puzzling this out, a chorus of cries comes from the

column's front.

Three far-ranging scouts are coming in at a run.

EXT. COLUMN - DAY

The scouts pull up in front of Ten Bears to make their report.

There's no way to know what's going on but something important

is happening.

Wind In His Hair suddenly breaks ranks and rides back to the

main body of warriors. A dozen warriors strip off their shirts

and leggings. They're ready in moments. Then, with Wind In

His Hair leading them, the party breaks away from the column

and rides east at a gallop.

The column resumes its southward march.

EXT. COLUMN - DAY

The day has grown hot as the column continues its march

through changing terrain.

Dunbar is suffering some. The heat and dust are monstrous.

At the moment however, he's most concerned with Stands With

A Fist. She's riding closeby and he watches her with interest.

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