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I had convinced myself of the world'’s ambivalence

toward its inhabitants, until I came to this place.

This place doesn'’t want inhabitants at all.

Every plant is inedible, every creek bed is dry.

Though only September, snow covers the mountain peaks.

Winter can'’t wait to have at us.

Can'’t wait to join with the land and run us off or kill us.

If land can have emotions, this land hates.

It hates us, and everyone can feel it...

- Risa! - Whoa!

Hey! Hey, don'’t shoot!

You'’ll spook the horses.

How bad he get you?

- What happened? - Snake bite.

You got that tourniquet?

Yeah.

You think the Army?

What for? Just women and kids.

Never stopped '’em before.

Had their way with that one.

Someone did this for sport.

They did it for horses, too.

A lot of tracks here with no shoes.

Out here, all these tracks are shod.

- At least six of '’em. - Yep.

These are Lakota.

They'’re gonna get where they'’re going,

warriors are gonna come looking for '’em.

If they ain'’t already...

James, stop!

I'’m getting old. Getting sloppy and getting old.

Goddammit. - I didn'’t think of it neither.

I'’m real sorry, Captain.

Think about what?

Now our tracks are everywhere.

That'’s what, farmer.

Anyone who passes here is gonna think we did it.

Stay there.

What happened?

Horse thieves is what happened.

You don'’t need to see it.

Josef got snake bit.

His wife fell off her horse. She'’s in a pretty bad way.

Show me.

All right.

Do your best to stay still.

Here we go.

You'’re doing good.

How'’s his wife?

She drinks but can'’t keep the water.

She needs a doctor.

So does he.

What about these thieves?

They need doctors. Fort Caspar will have '’em.

We need to head the other way

if we'’re going to solve this problem we found.

I know.

James?

How bad?

It don'’t get much worse.

How can I help?

Just keep '’em as comfortable as you can.

We'’re gonna to figure this out.

Maybe we all go to the fort.

Send the soldiers out to deal with this.

This problem is gonna haunt every wagon

that crosses here in the next six months.

We are crossing through Lakota land, Shoshone land,

Nez Perce land, Blackfoot land.

And every one of them'’s going to know what happened here

before we get to '’em.

We need to stay right here until we find those murderers,

kill their sorry asses, cut the hair from their fucking scalps,

take them and the horses back to the husbands

and fathers of these people.

If we send a couple of wagons to the fort,

Indians ain'’t gonna think a couple wagons

is responsible for anything.

We can'’t spare a guide.

Wade and Colton need to stay here,

and that'’s with just the three of us going after the thieves.

Thieves travel their horses at night, I know that much.

These sons of bitches are out there somewhere

sleeping in the shade.

We go get '’em, then we move these wagons to the fort.

Wade, Colton...

How big was the snake?

Shit.

These big ones,

they'’ll dry bite as many times as they won'’t.

How'’s the woman?

Head'’s swole up like a balloon.

We should get her to the fort.

Thieves killed an family of Indians up here.

We got to run them down

or the whole world'’s gonna think we did it.

Why would they think it'’s us?

Because our tracks lead right to '’em.

Everyone'’s tracks lead to it. It'’s the Oregon Trail.

You see any other tracks around here?

It'’s just us and them.

What the hell are we supposed to do

if a bunch of Indians show up?

You walk '’em down to those bodies and you show '’em.

You explain best you can we'’re tracking the thieves

and we'’re gonna bring their horses back, and scalps.

With all the fucking Lakota I speak?

I can barely get my point across to these goddamn immigrants.

Figure it out.

Want us to bury them or something?

No, don'’t touch them.

All right.

Wish there was a better way.

Just come back to me.

I love you.

Let me have him.

Whoa.

Nope.

We'’ve done that once. We ain'’t doing it again.

Stay here.

If there is any trouble at all,

you hide in the clothes box, you understand me?

- What kind of trouble? - Any kind at all.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Shit. Why did y'’all stop?

Risa fell from her horse and Josef was bit by a snake.

We gotta get out of here. Where'’s Shea?

Where'’s Shea?!

He went with my father and Thomas to hunt down the thieves.

There ain'’t no hired guns with you?!

All right, we all need to mount up.

We got to move these wagons.

We got to head to the Fort.

We stay here. That'’s been decided.

By who?!

By the wagon boss and my husband.

You mean the folks who ain'’t fucking here, Margaret?

Lakota don'’t let their families

just wander these fucking plains...

They'’re out there huntin'’, right now.

And when they come back here and they find this?

They'’re gonna be fuckin'’ hunting us next.

Fort Caspar'’s six hour'’s ride. I'’m gonna make it in four.

Anyone that wants to join me to the fort, saddle up. Ha!

Let'’s go!

Wait, wait! Wait!

We stay here.

Josef and Risa need doctor anyway.

We not wait here for their men to show up and kill us.

We should stay.

Better, follow daddy'’s tracks and catch up to him.

How am I supposed to catch him in a wagon?

Leave the wagon.

Should I leave your brother here, too?

Two women and a child alone on the only road

in the most dangerous country in this nation.

There is strength in numbers, we have no numbers.

We go with them.

I think it'’s a mistake.

It'’s all a mistake, Elsa.

The right choice is luck, that'’s all.

You need to put on a dress.

Why?

Because if you ride into that army fort

half naked, dressed like an Indian?

Have not learned enough about men on this trip?

Then I won'’t go in the fort. I'’ll stay outside.

Grant me one less thing to worry about.

Come on, Joe.

Where are they going??

Fort.

We staying here?

What do you think we should do?

I think we should leave these damn cattle

and run our horses to the fort like their tail'’s on fire.

I'’ve fought Indians, I ain'’t ever trying to do it again.

All right.

Mother.

Be right back.

I wish I had a mirror.

So you could see yourself.

I'’m not wearing it for me.

You can see it.

I guess that'’s all that matters.

By God, I knew it. I knew you was a girl.

You were aware before.

My mother worries about the soldiers

seeing me dressed like a cowboy.

You don'’t dress nuthin'’ like a cowboy.

I don'’t even know what to call it,

but I'’ll tell you this...

suits you better than that dress.

How bout y'’all have this conversation on the run, huh?

Spotted us.

No way to sneak up on '’em out here.

Those are Indian ponies.

I say we just ride right at these fuckers.

My God, you'’re anxious to get shot.

I'’m anxious to get back to my family.

I makes me anxious to shoot.

Here comes your chance.

What'’s your business out here?

I could ask you the same thing.

You Marshals?

Deputies, Wyoming Stock Growers Association.

Wyoming ain'’t a state. Who appointed you deputies?

We appointed ourselves

after we got sick of having our horses and cattle stolen.

Those don'’t look much like your horses.

And I don'’t see no cattle.

Mister, I don'’t know who you are or where you'’re from,

but you'’d better get back to it.

We don'’t waste our time hanging rustlers around here,

we just fucking shoot '’em.

We have the same philosophy.

Is that right?

You'’re lucky to still be sitting a horse, old man.

Don'’t let your mouth start a fight your pistol can'’t finish.

So, you'’re saying those women and children are rustlers?

No, their sorry men is the rustlers,

and when they find their families dead

they'’re gonna come after us

and we are gonna give '’em the fucking business.

You killed all those folks just to bait their men?

Them Indians is prairie maggots and nothing else.

You gotta kill '’em where you find '’em like fucking--

Y'’all swing wide. I'’m gonna run right at '’em.

You ain'’t no deputy.

You ain'’t no judge, and you ain'’t no fucking jury.

Them folks wasn'’t the thieves.

You the thief.

And you'’re gonna die for it.

The dress felt like a prison built just for me,

choking me by the neck.

Digging into my underarms.

Flattening my breasts against my rib cage.

It disguises everything that makes me a woman

from the glare of jealous women and rapacious men.

As if their lack of self-esteem or will power

should be my only concern.

I will never live in that world again

where the weak would rather guilt the strong

than become strong themselves.

No... I will stay in this world.

This world doesn'’t care what the weak want.

This world eats the weak...

Don'’t he know we don'’t know where the hell we'’re goin'’?

I'’ll tell him.

Jesus.

Whoa...

- Circle the wagons! - Circle!

- Circle the wagons! - Circle!

- Right here! - Circle '’em!

Circle the goddamn wagons!

- Right here, right here! - Circle them!

Come up, come up, come up!

Hey, not too close together!

They'’ll burn them!

Hold each horse, hold them in the middle.

Stop fucking staring at them. Get over here, come on.

Get low, get to a safe place.

Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

Do I hide now, mama?

Come on, baby, you come with me.

- Go. - Stay right there.

Get down, find cover!

What do we do about them?

They made their choice. They'’re gonna die with it.

Get down!

Wait for it, they'’re too far away.

Come on, baby.

Come on!

There was no time to think.

No time to decide the right thing.

Best I could hope is maybe some of them would follow me,

and the wagons would have a chance.

Aim for the horse. You'’ll never hit the rider.

Goddamnit!

It'’s too far. Even for that.

They'’re almost on us. Fire when I say fire.

Fire!

Damn it!

Where are the wagons?

Hell if I know.

- Captain... - Yeah.

Goddammit.

I said no.

Will you let me go?

I will sell you.

Or I will kill you.

You speak English.

How can you do this?

You speak English. I know your people do this.

Why do you know those words?

My husband taught me.

Why he know them?

He'’s Comanche.

They'’re his words.

You fight like Comanche.

We didn'’t kill your family.

We found them.

My father is hunting their killers right now.

And if he'’s hunting them, he'’ll find them.

What'’s your name?

Good name.

I felt no pain.

Perhaps it was the fever of the fight, but it didn'’t hurt.

I thought of pushing it through,

but thought better of it.

As my father would say, the one good thing about problems

is they'’ll still be problems later.

Don'’t have to deal with them right away.

My God.

- Whoa. - Jesus.

Oh, honey.

It'’s okay.

We need to get her to the fort.

She needs to see a surgeon.

We gotta get that arrow out right now,

or she'’ll fuse to it.

Let'’s get her to the wagons first.

Y'’all go on ahead.

I'’ll see if anyone else made it through.

Okay, it'’s okay.

Baby, we'’ll take you, it'’s okay.

Ma'’am?

Ma'’am!

Ma'’am.

Ma'’am, it'’s over.

Ma'’am.

Ah!

Ma'’am. Look at me...

Can you tell me your name?

Do you remember it?

I don'’t know the Lord'’s prayer...

but if there is a God,

He will not keep you out of Heaven for what I don'’t know.

You deserve peace, and this ain'’t it.

This is gonna hurt.

It don'’t hurt, I'’m telling you.

Grab my hand and squeeze.

It'’s fine.

You all right?

It don'’t hurt, I'’m telling you.

Where'’s the bandages? Give me one.

When I pull this, she'’s gonna bleed like I turned on a faucet.

Press against the wound tight after I pull it.

Ready? - Yes.

It'’s fine, just pull it.

Fire, fire.

Move it, move it!

Wrap it tight.

You'’ve done this before.

Not for an arrow.

- You nursed in the war? - Who didn'’t.

Cover. Help me get her in the wagon.

That'’s too many to face.

If we can get to the mountains, we can lose '’em in the timber.

Can'’t run.

My family'’s out there.

Let'’s hope they made it to the fort.

I don'’t hope. I gotta know.

What do we do?

Committing suicide ain'’t get anyone to Oregon.

I still hope.

I talk you out of committing suicide every morning.

We did not suffer our way all this way not to make it.

Someone made it.

We'’ll find them and we'’ll take them all the way.

All the goddam way.

Your daughter is the yellow hair.

Yeah.

You act like Comanche too.

I'’m from Tennessee.

I don'’t know Tennessee.

It ain'’t worth knowing anymore.

Your daughter said you were hunting my family'’s killers.

I hunted them and I killed them.

I left them in the sagebrush so you can scalp '’em

or do whatever you want.

Your horses are grazing by the river.

We didn'’t touch your dead '’cause I don'’t know your God.

I don'’t know his rules...

Our God has no rules.

Only ceremonies to know him better.

But no rules.

Do I still have a family?

I don'’t know which is your family.

Do I still have a daughter?

Do I?

No more fighting today.

Their tracks led from the bodies of my family.

My wife, children. My mother.

We made war on your people.

And your daughter stopped it.

How did she stop it?

By being the best warrior of all.

There are surgeons at the fort. Take her there.

And pray.

I'’ll pray too.

Hya!

How you feeling?

My head hurts.

From falling off the horse.

You fell off a horse?

Got knocked off, I guess.

I got shot with an arrow.

I'’m aware.

I told mama to save it.

Don'’t let her throw it away.

I wanna show Sam.

We'’ll save it, honey.

It don'’t hurt that bad, daddy. Really.

Look, you act like a man

so I'’m gonna talk to you like a man,

I'’m gonna tell you the truth.

It don'’t matter how much it hurts,

what matters is if it gets infected.

And the way you can tell it'’s infected is if you have a fever.

What do I do if I get a fever?

There ain'’t much we can do here.

We got to get you to the fort.

What can they do at the fort?

They got medicines for fever.

Willow bark tea, opium for the pain.

You can sweat it out in a bath.

And we can pray.

You don'’t pray.

I'’ve prayed plenty.

It just ain'’t worked.

I'’m fine, daddy.

I don'’t have a fever.

It don'’t hurt.

You just try and sleep and be still.

They can cauterize the outside of you,

but time'’s the only thing that can stitch the inside.

I need a fucking shovel.

Ground'’s so fucking hard...

Been digging for an hour and it'’s barely a foot deep.

I'’ll find you a shovel.

She'’d gone mad.

Wild, like a rabid dog.

Scalped her...

Killed her husband, stuck her full of arrows.

What was I supposed to do, huh?

Leave her there to suffer and take three days to die?!

You did the right thing.

I know.

It just...

It don'’t feel right.

She snarled at me like a coyote.

And I fucking shot her.

Don'’t do that.

You made a decision.

You did what you thought was decent.

Was it decent?

Who knows.

What the hell is decent out here, what'’s the gauge?

You'’re the gauge.

You made a decision.

Now stand by it.

Right or wrong, you fucking stand by it.

Okay.

It was the best thing I thought to do.

I stand by it.

I'’ll find you a shovel.

And I'’ll help you use it.

Where'’s John?

Thomas took him to sleep in one of the other wagons.

How bad was it?

The blood was dark.

From the liver.

Arrow clipped it for sure.

Who knows how bad?

But she'’s young and she'’s strong--

I know.

Walk with me, honey.

You were a nurse in the war.

So?

So, how many liver shots did you see survive?

We got it out fast, James.

Let me see it.

It'’s filthy, honey.

She'’s young.

She'’s young and she'’s so strong.

And she'’s the light of my life and she'’s my soul...

She'’s gonna die.

How fucking dare you?

I will not lose a child.

I will not lose a...

She'’s gonna die

and it'’s gonna cut us in two,

and if we don'’t accept it now

she'’ll die in some fort with some doctor

doping her up so badly she can'’t see straight,

then we will have robbed her.

She needs to see every sunrise and every sunset.

And we will lie to her, and we will tell her she'’s fine.

And we will let her look at this world

with those big, dreamer eyes,

'’till they can'’t see anymore.

And then what are we gonna do?

She'’s gonna be another cross on a trail that we don'’t visit.

Ten years from now, it'’s just... gone?

Our wagon drive is over.

Where we bury her is where we stay.

That is our home.

Not here. Not in this place.

No. Not in this place.

I will find the place.

By God, I will find a place.

I need a minute.

You ready?

We'’re ready.

How'’s your lady?

Who says she'’s my lady?

How'’s your lady?

She lived through it, Captain.

You will get tough or die in this country, that'’s for sure.

If we can make it to Oregon,

you won'’t be able to cut her skin with a knife.

How are you feeling?

Like I got a fever.

You feel fine to me.

Can you sit up?

Sore?

Hurts today.

I bet.

Come ride on the buckboard.

This wagon will absolutely tear you to pieces back here.

I'’d rather ride.

Can I ride?

Sure, honey. You can ride.

I'’m wearing pants.

I don'’t give a shit what they say at the fort.

Wear whatever you want.

I figured you wouldn'’t want to be churned like buttermilk

in the back of that thing.

Swing your leg over slow.

Didn'’t hurt at all yesterday.

Guess it saved all the pain for today.

The day after'’s always worse.

What about the next day?

The next day'’s a mystery.

I looked at my father, looked past his smile.

Saw his worry.

Saw something deeper.

As if he were already in mourning.

As if I were already gone.

I felt different too,

felt as though my soul had been dislodged

from whatever cavern in our chest

the soul is connected to.

It felt loose.

Disconnected.

I looked out at the sagebrush.

The colors looked different.

Sharper.

Looked up at the sky.

The clouds seemed to race above us,

as if new rules applied to time and space above me.

I looked back at my father, and I studied his eyes.

Looked deep into them.

That'’s when I knew I was going to die.