EARTH, WIND AND FIRE

EARTH, WIND AND FIRE by Sam Bass Jillian Bass And Drue Lee Based on, the bold legends of the Cherokee Nation Sam Bass Jillian Bass 2018 Broadway Little Rock, AR 72206 501/240-3253 sambass155@sbcglobal.net Drue Lee 115 Speir Place Selma, AL 36701 334/349-2200 “EARTH, WIND AND FIRE” FADE IN: EXT. RURAL CABIN – DAY LIGHT TIGHT SHOT of elderly slim fingers. The shot WIDENS to reveal the ancient hands thrusting a sharpened stick into dark soil. The shot further WIDENS to reveal GRANDMA DIRTEATER, an oldas-the-earth, thin, full-blooded Cherokee woman, squatting as she digs in her modest garden. SUB-TITLE - SUMMER, 1955, CHEROKEE COUNTY, OKLAHOMA Grandma Dirteater continues to dig. The long shadow of a silhouette covers the ground before her. GRANDMA DIRTEATER'S P.O.V. She turns her gaze upon SAMUEL WOLFE, a light-haired boy, 5. Her eyes twinkle. She brushes her gray hair behind her ear. SAMUEL Oh si yo (hello), grandma. GRANDMA DIRTEATER I knew you were there so-qui-li (horse). SAMUEL Did not, I snuck-up on you. She creaks to a stand. GRANDMA DIRTEATER Come here, boy! I missed you. Samuel runs to embrace her. She strokes his hair. GRANDMA DIRTEATER (CONT'D) You back for another story little man? SAMUEL Yes, Grandma. You got any? I like those shooter ones, e-qua ga-wo-nis-gv (big talk). GRANDMA DIRTEATER Today I saw your shadow stretch tall like a man! Samuel smiles. (CONTINUED) 2. CONTINUED: Samuel looks up at her kind face and takes a small box from his pocket. SAMUEL My dad said ta give you these. What’s in there? GRANDMA DIRTEATER They’re bullets for hunting my food. Beats a hatchet. Samuel nods and smiles shyly and they walk down the trail towards her cabin in the distance. SAMUEL Can you tell me one of your stories like you did yesterday. She smiles at her favorite friend. GRANDMA DIRTEATER Sure baby. I know one you’ll like. GRANDMA DIRTEATER (CONT'D) I think you are ready to hear a real story about a Cherokee that was part Indian and part white. He was torn between the old ways and the new. SAMUEL I-yu-s-ti a-ya (Like me)! GRANDMA DIRTEATER Yes, like you! There was once a great man, John Ross. He had the power of a warrior and the heart of lamb. Little John, that's what his people called him, was a bold spirit among common men. John, along with his Cherokee people, had given their word to help the white government fight in battle. Keeping their word meant fighting brother against brother... DISSOLVE TO: EXT. - DAWN Glistening sunrays cut through a thin morning fog. The light moves across the tops of rippling white waters that finally become a rambling shallow river. (CONTINUED) 3. CONTINUED: The clear current quietly rolls through the valley with a simple trickle that breaks the silence. On a tree lined ridge above the river the underbrush rustles. The sound of a horse’s nostrils SNORTING can be heard. SUB-TITLE - RIVER VALLEY, CHEROKEE NATION, STATE OF GEORGIA, UNITED STATES, SPRING OF 1850 A red-tailed hawk SCREAMS and soars low across the tops of old growth oak trees. Under the canopy of the trees an ancient Cherokee Indian Nation village sits next to the timber-lined riverbank. The village’s main dirt street has a hand full of Cherokee and a few Caucasian traders and merchants exchanging merchandise and money. A SCROLL CRAWLS OVER THE SCENE - Narrated by Grandma Direater. GRANDMA DIRTEATER (V.O.) Just as the peaceful river flows, Indian people had hoped to be left to live in peace on their ancestral lands. In those days, in America there was a great nation. The A n i Y u n Wi h a Indian people, whose name means “Real People”. Their ancient name was changed when the tribe’s neighbors, the mighty Choctaw renamed them "Chillaki" meaning cave dweller and finally The Real People became forever known as "Cherokee". The tribe quickly adapted to the Europeans moving across the country, often trading goods with them. One day in the remote area of the Cherokee Nation a secret meeting took place. British land company traders and a Cherokee Chief met to discuss the sale of Indian land outside of his nations council rule. That meeting launched the white Europeans intrusion onto Cherokee Land. An intrusion that set up many conflicts between the American Army and war-like factions of the Cherokee Nation who wanted to save their sacred land. (MORE) (CONTINUED) 4. CONTINUED: (2) GRANDMA DIRTEATER (V.O.) (CONT'D) This pushed the Cherokee Nation into a constant state of war. The Cherokee learned the whites' thirst for land could not be satisfied and it wasn't long before more innocent blood flowed, but the nation still were a thriving people and stood their ground to protect their people and property. On the ridge well above the village two U. S. Cavalry officers dressed in trail worn blue uniforms sit astride their powerful cavalry horses watching the Cherokee village from seclusion. The commanding officer, MAJOR SEVIER a late twenty’s, campaign hardened career man with thick hair and a heavy mustache, pulls a brass telescope from its leather pouch. Major Sevier puts his hand up to shade his pale blue eyes from the sunlight and allow his telescope to search the village below. CAPTAIN CASTEEL, Sevier's younger light skinned second-incommand, waits patiently for his commanding officer to instruct him. He checks his weapons. EXT. CHEROKEE VILLAGE A closer look reveals French and British traders examining stacks of fur, pottery and trade goods that line the fronts of the Cherokee merchant’s dug-outs and log cabins. Nearby, but away from the trading street, warriors repair weapons and care for their war-horses. Immediately behind the trade area Cherokee women prepare food for the day. In an adjoining meadow, Cherokee children laugh as they play the game of Stick-ball (a game similar to Lacrosse). At the center of the village five British traders, three Cherokee chiefs and five select warriors talk around a vast council fire that lights the dawning morning. One British trader points to a weathered map as the others intently listen. CUT TO: 5. EXT. HIGH RIDGE ABOVE RIVER VALLEY Sevier continues to observe through his telescope. He puts it away, looks at his second-in-command and then his men. The men stand ready restlessly waiting. BACK TO: EXT. CHEROKEE VILLAGE - DAY The British traders and Cherokee continue their intense discussion around the council fire. THE RIDGE, a twenty-something tall muscular warrior of the Cherokee Nation, dressed in traditional bright colored Cherokee raiment, watches in seclusion from the dark forest. Abruptly he steps from the shaded forest next to the council fire. Twenty of his warriors materialize from the shadows behind him. He looks at the shorter less proportioned Village Chief that sits next to the British traders. Surprised, the entire council fire group goes for their weapons then relax when they recognize The Ridge, a fellow Cherokee. Angry at the interruption, VILLAGE CHIEF DOUBLEHEAD, a shorter, middle aged and stocky Cherokee, abruptly stands. The Ridge, crowned by a colorful tribal turban, casts a stern stare across the group then looks directly at Doublehead with an fieriness. He speaks in perfect English with a commanding tone. THE RIDGE Doublehead, you cannot barter our homelands. They are sacred. The five white men appear concerned. The Chief glances at them and turns to The Ridge. He speaks English with a Cherokee accent. DOUBLEHEAD Ridge, you are but a leader of your own band. I am Village Chief of all Cherokee who range here. I decide at this council fire. The Ridge takes a moment to look into the eyes of each white trader. The time is tense. The whites are all anxious as each face is scanned. (CONTINUED) 6. CONTINUED: The Ridge's tone becomes more diplomatic. THE RIDGE This is the land of our ancestors. You know this is wrong. Doublehead smiles. DOUBLEHEAD Your challenge surprises me, but I guess every minnow wants to be a fish. The Ridge replies firmly. THE RIDGE No, a fish like you, sees only the bait not the hook. CUT TO: EXT. CHEROKEE VILLAGE PERIMETER Two soldiers steal through the underbrush drawing large hunting knives as they stealthily approach two Cherokee sentries. The soldiers simultaneously attack the sentries and kill them. The soldiers look back across the river. One soldier takes two pieces of styled flint from his pocket and sparks them together. EXT. RIVER BANK ACROSS FROM THE CHEROKEE VILLAGE Sevier and Casteel look at their soldiers. They watch the last of their horse troops move silently into new positions near the village. The officers then look across the river. Sevier sees the flash of six sparks at random times throughout the shadowed forest surrounding the large village. BACK TO: INT. CHEROKEE VILLAGE The Ridge continues to blurt criticism. (CONTINUED) 7. CONTINUED: THE RIDGE White agreements with our people have come to mean nothing! Truth is an orphan here. As Doublehead replies, the village camp dogs begin to bark. He turns toward the sounds as he continues. DOUBLEHEAD The sun rises without your help and this council can decide without you. The Ridge appears intuitive as if he has an ominous premonition. He looks toward the forest and the agitated dogs. The entire camp stops, grows silent and looks in the direction of The Ridge and the camp dogs. CUT TO: EXT. RIVER BANK ACROSS FROM CHEROKEE VILLAGE Sevier and his hidden cavalry troops poise for the attack. The mounted soldiers steady and quiet the horses. Sevier coolly draws his saber, looks at his troops and then back at the village. Charge! SEVIER The troops obediently charge their strong cavalry mounts from hiding, blasting across the shallow river with sabers drawn. BACK TO: EXT. CHEROKEE VILLAGE The troops drive headlong into the busy village. The village is caught completely by surprise and unprepared for battle. The soldiers move through the village shooting and slashing any Cherokee or Trader they see. Doublehead defends himself with a spear pole against a soldier with a saber. Doublehead knocks the soldier to the side and quickly surveys the area to see the village being completely overrun. He melts into the forest before he has to fight again. (CONTINUED) 8. CONTINUED: A small child CRIES, knocked to the side by a charging cavalry horse. His mother shields him with her body and both are mercilessly run over. Bullets begin to hit all around The Ridge. hatchet from his belt. He grabs a war The Ridge attacks a marauder to skillfully kills him. The Ridge is set upon by two soldiers and a nearby warrior rushes to his aid. As they finish off the men, SHOTS rain down on them from a distance. The Ridge scowls as the fight boils around him. THE RIDGE'S P.O.V. Doublehead retreats over a nearby hill. purse. BACK TO SCENE The Ridge waylays the charging soldier, killing him. THE RIDGE'S P.O.V. The Ridge, emotionless, turns 360 degrees to witness his warriors fiercely fighting with guns, knives and/or tomahawks. A warrior trips the horse of a charging soldier with his spear shaft and kills the downed trooper. At the council fire, two minor chiefs and a warrior lay dead. BACK TO SCENE Two warriors kill a British Trader behind him. yells out to his men. THE RIDGE Let us go! We will fight them on the trail. The Ridge and his warriors fight their way through the soldiers to their horses tied just inside the forest timber line. Ridge's warriors kill four marauding soldiers as they move into the woods and disappear. The clamor of the battle lessens until one visible victim stands, a pretty TEENAGED CHEROKEE GIRL. Casteel attempts to shot her but discovers his bullets depleted. Castle draws his sword from his belt. The teenaged Cherokee girl bravely awaits her fate. Casteel quickly swings. Her body strikes the ground. (CONTINUED) A soldier charges to The Ridge 9. CONTINUED: (2) The raid continues in the background. Soldiers slash more victims until every villager lays dead. The pace slows. SERGEANT NATHAN PRINCE, a late twenties essence of frontier soldier, rides through the village giving orders. PRINCE Check the dug-outs, no survivors. Casteel surveys the area. CASTEEL That's the last of 'em. boys. Burn it, A few of the marauders light torches. One approaches a nearby dugout and lights it. It engulfs like kindling. As the man moves on, an OLD CHEROKEE WOMAN with an CRYING infant in her arms stumbles out, the back of her clothing blazes. The man draws his pistol to fire. Sevier intrudes. SEVIER Stop! Save you bullets. The now blazing old Cherokee woman falls dead just inches short of the river's edge. The baby's CRIES continue then cease. A few of the men remorsefully look on. CASTEEL You heard. Burn it! Don't leave nothin' they can use. The men hesitate. CASTEEL (CONT’D) If you want your pay, get ta burnin'. In the stagnant water near the bank, blood forms delicate kaleidoscope-like swirls. Prince rides to address a few nearby soldiers who are off their horses resting. PRINCE You heard the captain! Put the torch to it. (CONTINUED) 10. CONTINUED: (3) One young soldier replies. YOUNG SOLDIER Yes, sir, Sergeant Prince. The soldiers mumble, slowly mount up, then ride in all directions doing their work of burning the entire village. In moments the entire village flames. SCREAMS are heard in the background. The remaining soldiers throw bodies into the flames to complete the task of clean up. Prince suddenly looks at the distant knoll above him. PRINCE P.O.V. A shadowed image of a man with a bright turban on his head moves quickly across the rough hillside. The sergeant yells out. PRINCE (O.S.) Scout on the horizon, sir! BACK TO SCENE Sevier yells to his men. SEVIER Form a perimeter. Corporal Conroy, Private Baxter, get that scout before any war parties find out where we are. CONROY and BAXTER, two mid-twenties athletic-looking enlisted men, ride out at full speed in pursuit of the Indian scout. CUT TO: EXT. WOODS NEAR CHEROKEE VILLAGE The shadowed image on the hillside is JOHN ROSS, a late teen’s part Cherokee with light skin and brown hair. John moves toward a small bush-covered cave. In the narrow entrance a spider web glistens. John lowers his head to leave the web undisturbed and enters the cave. He peers out to sees the legs of the soldier's horses through the bushes as they move closer. He hears their conversation. (CONTINUED) 11. CONTINUED: BAXTER (O.S.) I saw him go over that way. Check the brush. John watches nervously. Conroy moves closer to John's location. He looks in at the hiding place. His eyes search the area. He sees the spider web. CONROY He’s gone, nothing here but spider webs. Sergeant Prince rides his horse into the area near Conroy and Baxter. PRINCE Let's go! We've wasted enough time. Moving out in five minutes. The sergeant turns back toward the village and Conroy and Baxter trail. John Ross cautiously watches them. John exits the cave carefully respecting the spider's web. A large black-widow spider sits in the upper corner. He speaks to the spider as he moves by. JOHN ROSS Thank you, brother. He follows the soldiers at a safe distance. BACK TO: EXT. CHEROKEE VILLAGE On horseback, Captain Casteel yells orders to Sevier. CASTEEL Form up, move out. The busy soldiers form a unit, preparing to move out. In the brush, John stealthily moves in to hear. Sevier instructs Casteel. (CONTINUED) 12. CONTINUED: SEVIER We're going to hit the village down river before that scout can warn them. Then we’ll head back to Gillespie's Station to resupply. Casteel nods. They ride to the head of the moving column. John Ross momentarily observes then turns to move quickly through the woods. CUT TO: EXT. DEEP FOREST John runs hard dodging branches. Suddenly, as if from nowhere, a shadowy horseman rides in front of him. John recognizes his friend, The Ridge. The Ridge holds out his hand and John swings up behind him. They ride fast out of sight. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. FOREST - MORNING Sevier, Casteel, Prince and two more captains ride in front of their troops as they move through a narrow wooded pass that lies between two stone bluffs. CUT TO: EXT. BLUFFS ABOVE SOLDIERS John Ross and The Ridge sit patiently watching the soldiers from the hillside above. John looks over to see QUATIE, a very pretty late teens full blood Cherokee girl at her ammunition station. Quatie passes out ammunition to the warriors as they walk past her. Her cousin, TALMIDGE WATTS, also a late teen fullblood enters to sit with Quatie. He helps her with the ammunition. John catches Quatie’s eye. Quatie smiles and turns back to her business. Talmidge coolly looks at him. BACK TO: 13. EXT. FOREST Sevier and his troops continue moving through the narrow pass. Casteel speaks to Sevier. CASTEEL This situation makes me feel like an old Chinese Proverb; a rat that snarls at the cat invites destruction. Severe answers while his eyes anxiously search the area. SEVIER I don’t like this pass it’s a damned death trap, but it’s the only trail through these hills to Gillespie. Casteel nods and continues to watch the trees and bluffs that surround them. He yells to the men. CASTEEL We're in a bad spot, stay sharp. CUT TO: EXT. BLUFFS ABOVE SOLDIERS The Ridge glances around the bluffs high above the unaware soldiers. He gives a quiet gesture to hidden Cherokee warriors signaling an attack. Warriors rise up. They rain down arrows, blowgun darts and gunfire upon the soldiers. BACK TO: EXT. FOREST Sevier’s troops, caught by surprise, have no place to escape in the narrow foliage-covered pass. Soldiers and horses fall wounded or dead. CUT TO: EXT. BLUFFS ABOVE SOLDIERS John Ross and The Ridge watch the attack intently. John appears shocked by the sudden death of the soldiers. BACK TO: 14. EXT. FOREST In a haze gunfire and blow darts, the able soldiers pick up their wounded comrades and retreat for cover. The killing field begins to clear. JOHN ROSS P.O.V. John sees two Captains and ten trooper’s lying dead. BACK TO SCENE Captain Casteel lays wounded. Sergeant Prince quickly rides past, grabs Casteel by the arm swinging him upon his horse, and rides for cover. Sevier barks an order. SEVIER Follow me, men. Sevier and his men move a safe distance away from the bluffs near Prince and Casteel. The fight stops in eerie silence. Prince and Casteel dismount. The sergeant lies Captain Casteel on the ground. He puts a handkerchief on his stomach wound. PRINCE You’re safe here. I’ll be back. Prince remounts. Sevier rallies his troops in front of Prince and Casteel. Charge! SEVIER The troops charge toward the Cherokee warriors again trying to move up a narrow trail on the side of the hill. Prince rides quickly to join the determined soldiers. The darts, arrows and bullets rain down again. Three solders fall to the ground dead. Sevier signals his men to retreat. SEVIER (CONT’D) Move back, move back. The soldiers retreat near Casteel. Sevier yells out orders. (CONTINUED) 15. CONTINUED: SEVIER (CONT’D) Form up, men. We’ll break through this time. The soldiers form a charge line. CUT TO: EXT. BLUFFS ABOVE SOLDIERS The Ridge observes John as he watches the battle. smiles at the dismal John. THE RIDGE We'll stop them now. They have burned their last village. JOHN ROSS We can't stop it here by just killing. The only way is at the source. THE RIDGE The source? JOHN ROSS We have to stop it with the people who pay them. The Ridge smiles at his friend. THE RIDGE You save us at the courthouse. I'll save us in the woods. John smiles at The Ridge. He looks over his shoulder to see Quatie preparing ammunitions. Concern crosses his face. He and Ridge then see STAN WATIE, a Cherokee warrior and The Ridge’s brother move along a very narrow footpath on the side of the steep bluff. Stan, a twenty-ish very stocky full blood, cautiously steps forward. Suddenly gunshots from below hit all around him causing Stan to slip on loose rocks. He falls. BACK TO: EXT. FOREST Sevier sits his horse facing the soldiers. He turns his horse toward the pass and draws his saber. Prince rides beside him. The Ridge (CONTINUED) 16. CONTINUED: SEVIER Hell or high water don’t stop till we get to the other side and out of here. (He hesitates for a moment) Charge! Sevier and his troops suddenly charge the pass. EXT. BETWEEN THE STONE BLUFFS OF THE NARROW PASS Stan has landed in the narrow entrapment directly in the path of the charging soldiers. The Ridge looks at his warriors then down at Sevier and his men. John is already quickly moving down the hill to help the rattled warrior. EXT. FOREST Sevier and his troops bear down on Stan. Cherokee warriors begin to fire their weapons. The soldiers return fire. Sevier continues bearing down on Stan with his saber drawn. John slides to a stop beside the injured Stan, just in time to ward off Sevier with a nearby broken tree limb. Sevier rides past the pair striking the limb hard. He turns his horse and charges John and Stan again. A hail of gunfire surrounds Sevier. The shooting stops. Both sides don’t want to accidentally shoot their own. They wait to see the outcome of Sevier’s charge. John throws his body against the charging horse's front legs. The horse stumbles and Sevier falls to the ground. The young John recovers and grabs Sevier's saber lying on the ground. John stands over the stunned Sevier with both hands in the air, holding the saber high to run him through. John hesitates. Sevier solemnly looks up at John resigned to his fate. Stan weakly struggles to get up. He speaks with anger. Kill him! STAN WATIE (CONTINUED) 17. CONTINUED: John glances at Stan. He then looks back at Sevier with a disgusted gaze. John gets off of Sevier and breaks the saber over his knee. He then throws it beside Sevier. John walks to the injured Stan and helps him get up. Sevier looks toward his ready troops and stands. He puts a hand up to stop his people from starting the fight again. They continue to stand ready. CUT TO: EXT. TOP OF BLUFFS ABOVE SOLDIERS The Ridge steps to the edge of the bluffs. His body cast a shadow over the soldiers below. The Ridge speaks to them in English with a Cherokee accent. WATTS I am The Ridge, Cherokee. Take the war-soldiers away. The mercy stops here today in this valley. BACK TO: EXT. BETWEEN THE STONE BLUFFS OF THE NARROW PASS Sevier glares at the shadowed image for a moment and then looks at his troops. He goes to his horse and gets on. Sevier looks at John. John helps Stan walk up a trail leading to the top of the bluffs. Sevier turns to his men, he then turns back to take a look at John Ross. Boy! SEVIER John turns to look at him holding Stan. SEVIER (CONT’D) Who are you? John looks at Sevier then turns with Stan and walks away. JOHN ROSS I'm am Cherokee. (CONTINUED) 18. CONTINUED: Sevier looks at him for a moment and turns to his troops. Move out. SEVIER The troops cautiously move out following the major. CUT TO: EXT. TOP OF BLUFFS ABOVE SOLDIERS The Ridge stares as the soldiers riding away. John steps beside him. They observe together for a moment. The Ridge speaks quietly to John. THE RIDGE We must go. Gillespie's Station is receiving rifles today. Stay with us John until it's safe for you to go home. John nods. They turn and walk toward Stan resting on a log. JOHN ROSS Maybe it’s over now. The Ridge just looks at him as they walk. John pats The Ridge on the shoulder. The Ridge speaks to a nearby warrior. THE RIDGE Help my brother to my home. The Ridge pats Stan on the back. The nearby Cherokee takes Stan to his horse as Quatie and others ride out. The Ridge and John walk together toward their horses. THE RIDGE (CONT’D) You saved my brother. I will always think well of you, John Ross. John silently smiles. JOHN ROSS Thank you Ridge. (Looking around the area) War is the worst atrocity men inflict on themselves. BACK TO: 19. EXT. DEEP FOREST As the soldiers ride further away they begin to feel safe and start to talk. A young soldier, PRIVATE BAXTER, speaks up. BAXTER Why are we on these people's land anyway? The worn down and traumatized troops begin to grumble among themselves. Sergeant Prince intervenes. PRINCE Save it. We got a long way to go. BAXTER We ain't goin' back, Prince. The major takes charge once and for all. SEVIER Save it! It's not over yet. The station is twenty miles from here and there are plenty of these savages that would like to cut your throat between here and there. EXT. FOREST NEAR GILLESPIE'S STATION - DAY With the fortress in the distance, Fifty Cherokee, who are more soldier than warrior, prepare in hiding just inside the timber line to attack the station. They begin to line up on horseback positioning themselves. The Ridge rides the line looking at each man. He comes to Stan Watie with his men eager for battle. THE RIDGE Fight well, my brother. These whites are on Cherokee land and our council has done nothing to stop them. WATIE Jackson will be on us for this. We will need to be ready. THE RIDGE No, Jackson has two treaties giving the Whites all of our lands north. That evil hawk has no need to fight. (MORE) (CONTINUED) 20. CONTINUED: THE RIDGE (CONT'D) He must have us to favor the removal of the others. He'll do nothing. WATIE We will make an example of these trespassers then negotiate with Jackson when he's eager to settle. Ridge nods and turns his horse to watch the station. In the background, the waiting warriors steady their horses. The Ridge positions for the attack. He yells out in Cherokee. THE RIDGE Di-gi-ti-lv-s-di (attack)! The Cherokee and Creek Warriors charge the trading post. Talmidge, rides to the war party. He notices John Ross leaned against a tree. Talmidge smugly speaks to John in Cherokee. TALMIDGE (Cherokee sub-titled) John Ross, token white boy, you want to see real warriors today. Look at these fine full blood Cherokee and Creek. They will do well today. John fires back in Cherokee. JOHN ROSS (Cherokee sub-titled) I've seen them many times Talmidge Watts. You're just here because The Ridge favors you and you want to be known by everybody. Your head is big. Talmidge appears a little put down and speaks in English. TALMIDGE Those who have, get. (CONTINUED) 21. CONTINUED: (2) The Ridge glances toward Talmidge with a harsh look. Talmidge frowns knowing he is in trouble. He looks away towards the fortress. The Ridge, with an almost hidden grin, scolds Talmidge. THE RIDGE You stay behind. John is your friend and a brave Cherokee. This lesson may teach you how to treat a brother. Talmidge is embarrassed. TALMIDGE I am a warrior. THE RIDGE Quiet, little boy. The Ridge gets off his horse and goes to John. THE RIDGE (CONT’D) John, you worry. John hesitates then speaks. JOHN ROSS The killing, it's terrible. The Ridge appears fatherly. THE RIDGE You'll be home soon. I'm sorry you got caught in this, but we must survive. This is the price we pay to live. John nods in agreement. The Ridge walks back to his horse and mounts. THE RIDGES P.O.V. In the distance, Sevier and his men ride over a low hill and toward the inadequately guarded fortress and move inside. BACK TO SCENE The Ridge shakes his head in disbelief. THE RIDGE (CONT’D) I don't believe it. (CONTINUED) 22. CONTINUED: (3) STAN WATIE Is that the stupid soldiers in the pass? The Ridge nods yes. He positions for the attack and takes a last look for a moment then yells out in Cherokee. THE RIDGE Di-gi-ti-lv-s-di (meaning attack, Cherokee sub-titled)! The Cherokee and Creek Warriors charge the garrison with The Ridge in the lead. John steadies his horse and watches the charge. Talmidge steadies his horse holding his position in the rear. EXT. GILLESPIE'S STATION - DAY At the front gates, Indians and civilians fight in fierce bloody battles. The Ridge kills a civilian trying to shut the gates. The warriors continue to pass through to the inside and are met with a token resistance. Sevier's tired men, caught off guard, dismount to defend themselves as they are attacked. INT. GILLESPIE'S STATION The battle is now down to warriors and soldiers fighting hand-to-hand. Screams and sounds of pain resonate as the tomahawks, knives and guns meet their mark. The Cherokee overrun the station. Soldiers, Cherokee and civilians lie dead. EXT. GILLESPIE'S STATION The Ridge rides past his warriors picking up guns and supplies. The Ridge stops his horse to survey the battle area. Suddenly a soldier lying on the ground raises himself up, pistol in hand, to take aim at The Ridge. He cocks his pistol. John and Talmidge are moving toward the station on horseback when John sees the soldier. He speeds his horse forward and knocks him down and the gun from his hand. (CONTINUED) 23. CONTINUED: The man’s gun falls near a warrior. The warrior moves next to the soldier and kicks the gun away then ties his hands with a leather strap. Two more warriors drag him to the garrison wall with Sevier and a few others. John and Talmidge ride up to witness the after math of the battle. TALMIDGE I think The Ridge has gone too far. John shakes his head. JOHN ROSS He lets his brother influence him too much. The Ridge rides from inside the fortress to see John and Talmidge. A soldier lying in the dirt raise to shoot Ridge. John speeds his horse forward and knocks to gun from the man's hand. Two warriors take him prisoner. The Ridge watches the mishap. Ridge turns to John as John moves back beside the nearby Talmidge. THE RIDGE Thank you, John. I am in debt. John nods. JOHN ROSS The soldier is brave. I wonder why he fights for these greedy people? Talmidge intervenes. TALMIDGE It’s for the gold the politicians pay him. With these people it’s always about money. John appears sad. JOHN ROSS Life seems to have no value for them. The Ridge answers with remorse mixed with anger. (CONTINUED) 24. CONTINUED: (2) THE RIDGE Yes it does about ten dollars a head. Wolves and coyotes five dollars. JOHN ROSS You're right. THE RIDGE The white government wants this land. They tell the soldiers and people we are dangerous savages so they will kill us. To seal the deal they pay gold. John and Talmidge nods in agreement. TALMIDGE We fight for life, more valuable than gold. John and Ridge nod in agreement. JOHN ROSS Ridge, This killing is awful. The Ridge quietly answers in a fatherly tone. THE RIDGE I follow the will of my people. Your family follows the politicians. Let the people decide what is awful. The warriors ride from the trading post to follow Ridge. John and Talmidge just look at each other sadly. Sevier, Prince, Baxter, Conroy, Casteel and the soldier who tried to kill Ridge lie against the outside stockade wall with a few wounded civilians. All bound with leather straps. Four warriors stand guard. WHITEHAWK, an older warrior, has singled out Sevier. He moves to him and points a pistol at his head ready to shoot. Ridge yells out. THE RIDGE (CONT’D) Whitehawk! Leave them to tell the story. Whitehawk nods and lowers the pistol. (CONTINUED) 25. CONTINUED: (3) Next time. WHITEHAWK The Ridge mounts his horse. The warriors form ranks and ride out of the station. A moment passes. Whitehawk attaches a parchment letter to the gatepost with a bone-handled knife. He then takes a hunting knife from his belt and moves toward Sevier and his men. Sevier watches closely. Whitehawk stops in front of him and jerks his bound hands up into clear view then, to Sevier's surprise, cuts the straps loose. Whitehawk goes to each person and surprisingly cut’s them loose. The warrior turns and hastily mounts his horse. He promptly rides into the forest. Whitehawk fades from sight in the same direction of the distant war party. Sevier and the soldiers look toward the forest. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. FOREST NEAR GILLESPIE'S STATION Talmidge and John catch up and ride with The Ridge. Talmidge looks back at the distant station, visibly upset by the bloodshed. John watches Talmidge. Talmidge shrugs his shoulders in a reconciled manner. JOHN ROSS Ridge, does this ever stop? The Ridge quietly answers in a fatherly tone. THE RIDGE Yes, I think it ends when one of us does not exist. John is silent with deep thought. TALMIDGE We'll be here when everybody else is gone. Let's get on home Quatie's already gone and my mother will be steering up something bad if I don't show up soon. (CONTINUED) 26. CONTINUED: The Ridge smiles. THE RIDGE All right little boy. EXT. TRADING POST, CHEROKEE NATION JACK FOURKILLER, a middle-aged Cherokee man dressed in western attire, runs up the steps of the large log trading post nestled deep in Cherokee Territory. The Ridge rides toward the trading post with John Ross and Talmidge behind him followed by his band. EXT. GILLESPIE'S STATION Sevier and his wounded troops move slowly through the shattered Gillespie's Station trying to forage for weapons and supplies. As they walk the soldiers cautiously observe the destruction. Bloody bodies lie everywhere and buildings smolder. Baxter and Conroy straggle along. BAXTER What the hell are we doing here? Conroy looks at his rugged friend. CONROY Getting killed for the politician as usual, buddy. Sergeant Prince retrieves the letter on the gatepost. He looks at it for a moment and takes it to the major. PRINCE Major, the letter’s from the injuns. Sevier reaches for the letter. He reads intently. SEVIER They say, "When we move off their land, they’ll make peace and they are sorry for the women and children. Sevier stops reading. His strong eyes survey the area as he considers his next move. 27. INT. TRADING POST/CHEROKEE NATION JACK FOURKILLER, a middle-aged Cherokee man dressed in western attire, runs up the steps of the large log trading post nestled deep in Cherokee Territory. FOURKILLER'S P.O.V. The Ridge, John, Talmidge and his men ride up out front. They stop to water their horses. John dismounts, ties him and moves towards the post. BACK TO SCENE FOURKILLER enters amid a discussion between DANIEL ROSS and MOLLY ROSS. Daniel Ross, John's 60ish white Scottish father, speaks with a Scottish brogue. Molly Ross, John's attractive sixty-something mixed blood Cherokee mother, places stock upon the shelves of their trading post. MOLLY ROSS The Ridge and that brother of his are headed for trouble and don't even know it. DANIEL ROSS They fight for the old ways. intensions are good. Their Molly glances at Quatie who sits on the floor at the back of the store stocking shelves. She smiles at Quatie. MOLLY ROSS Don't you get involved in all of that stuff. No ma'am. QUATIE In the background, Fourkiller speaks up. FOURKILLER Have you heard? Jackson's fightin' again. I hear he's bribing the tribes to get out and the ones he can't bribe he's pickin' fights with. I heard The Ridge is helpin'. John enters to hear. He blurts out. JOHN ROSS Where'd you hear that, Mr. Fourkiller? (CONTINUED) 28. CONTINUED: As Fourkiller turns to answer, a noise from the outside interrupts. FOURKILLER'S P.O.V. INSIDE TO OUTSIDE - The Ridge and his men ride away. BACK TO SCENE Molly gives Daniel a knowing look. MOLLY ROSS It was just gossip. The Ridge tries to be a good man. Like your father said, his intentions are good. Fourkiller interrupts. FOURKILLER I heard it from Charles Hicks. That's not gossip. MOLLIE (To John) Is there no hello for your mother? John looks like a scolded boy. JOHN ROSS Hello, mother. Mrs. Ross turns to Fourkiller. They talk inaudibly as she fills his supply order. Mr. Ross goes to John to speak privately. DANIEL ROSS Son, the killing of any race is wrong. These times we live in will be over someday and all of us will have to live together. John Ross looks very mature and nods. DANIEL ROSS (CONT’D) All right now, go on home and do your chores. As Fourkiller turns to leave, Jack speaks up. FOURKILLER Stop by sometime, John. (CONTINUED) 29. CONTINUED: (2) MOLLIE (Sternly) Go straight home, John Ross. You got chores to do. John smiles with acknowledgement. As he turns to the front door, he notices Quatie. QUATIE You got chores to do. JOHN ROSS What are you doing here? Your job. QUATIE JOHN ROSS I saw you in the woods with Talmidge. QUATIE He's my cousin. It shows. John strolls out. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. TRAIL NEXT TO FARM - LATE AFTERNOON John walks casually home down a wooded trail. As he approaches a plowed field, he comes upon three white men attacking an old Cherokee farmer, MR. BLACKFOX. The men beat Mr. Blackfox and drop him face down in the soft dirt. The men leave with his mule in tow. John Ross runs towards them yelling. JOHN ROSS Stop! Stop! The criminals scurry away with the old farmer's mule in tow. A horseman bursts from tall grass along the trail. John turns to see The Ridge. The Ridge halts his horse beside John and dismounts. JOHN ROSS (CONTINUED) 30. CONTINUED: John and The Ridge run to the old farmer. John turns him over to reveal his face, it is William Blackfox. John cries out in wrath. No! JOHN ROSS (CONT’D) The Ridge's jaw clinches with anger. Five horseback Cherokee warriors emerge from the trail. They lead the mule and three men on foot with their hands tied behind their backs. A warrior pushes the men to the ground at The Ridge's feet. Another checks Mr. Blackfox closer. STRONG WARRIOR William Blackfox is dead. Enraged, The Ridge glares upon the men and pulls the nearest one to his feet by the collar. THE RIDGE Get up, murderer! The other men stand. The Ridge rips his hatchet from his belt and shoves it toward John. THE RIDGE (CONT’D) Kill them, John Ross. The men appear frightened. John thinks for a moment. JOHN ROSS No, I cannot be like them. This is not my way! The Ridge looks angry with the men and takes the hatchet from John. He suddenly buries the hatchet in the first man's head. The man’s eyes bulge and he drops to the ground dead with Ridge’s hatchet protruding from his forehead. The remaining two men struggle to break free from the warriors holding them. THE RIDGE My young Cherokee brother, this is truth. They are murdering thieves. It is our law. Ridge's anger projects onto a second man. He pulls his large knife and slashes his throat. The man drops to the ground gurgling. (CONTINUED) 31. CONTINUED: (2) The third man struggles with his captors. THIRD MAN We didn’t mean ta hurt him. Don’t kill me. John is shocked at this close up killing. The Ridge looks directly at John and addresses him again. THE RIDGE John Ross, kill the last murderer! He killed a fine Cherokee grandfather. John looks at the bloody bodies on the ground and at The Ridge. JOHN ROSS No, I am not the one to decide. Ridge smiles at him. THE RIDGE You may be judged as harshly by the white man. The Ridge nods to a warrior. He slowly strangles the third man with a leather strap. The man drops in the dirt. John looks away. A warrior rides up with the three horses of the men in tow. THE RIDGE (CONT’D) Leave the bodies. Let all who would murder see. The warrior nods. THE RIDGE (CONT'D) Give those horses to Williams's family then go ahead of us and check the other farms. Kill any intruders. The warriors mount and ride away leaving a white man's horses with The Ridge. The Ridge turns and speaks to John. The warriors ride away. JOHN ROSS Ridge, you should've arrested those bastards not killed them. (CONTINUED) 32. CONTINUED: (3) The Ridge turns and speaks to John. THE RIDGE I love you, my brother. You are a peacemaker and there will be a time for you. But not this day. The Ridge gestures to John to take the reins of the horse. John is sadden, but filled with admiration. He takes the reins and mounts up. They ride away in a cloud of dust. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. DANIEL ROSS FAMILY FARM HOUSE - NIGHT A council of ten Cherokee Chief’s lead by CHIEF WATTS arrive on horseback in front of the southern style home. John and The Ridge arrive with four warriors. A guard takes the horses away as they dismount. The Ridge signals his warriors to take their post. The armed warriors assume positions around the house. Daniel Ross walks out the front door. He greets the chief, not seeing his son. Welcome. DANIEL ROSS Chief Watts speaks as he shakes Mr. Ross' hand. WATTS Daniel, I thank you for allowing us to have council in your home. Mr. Ross smiles. DANIEL ROSS You are always welcome here Chief Watts. Daniel starts walking inside with Chief Watts still not noticing his son. John watches his father and Chief Watts as they move in the house. The Ridge glances at John. He pats him on the shoulder and walks inside to the meeting. John goes to an open side window and looks in. (CONTINUED) 33. CONTINUED: A guard notice him, but ignores his curiosity. Talmidge Watts sneaks up behind John. He playfully grabs him. John yells. They both laugh when John sees him. JOHN ROSS P.O.V. OUTSIDE TO INSIDE - Chief Watts hears the noise and smiles ignoring the boys. He proceeds with the council as they sit around a large oak table. BACK TO SCENE The Ridge looks in the general direct of the boys from the corner of his eye and then back at the chief. EXT. DANIEL ROSS FAMILY HOME - NIGHT Talmidge whispers to John. A guard throws a rock near them to get their attention. The guard glares at the boys sternly and puts his finger to his lips. John and Talmidge look guilty and get quiet. SUB T I T L E - CHEROKEE NATION GEORGIA. John smiles. INT. ROSS FAMILY HOME CHEROK E E COUNCI L ME E T I NG, ROS S F A MI L Y F A RM, Oil burning lanterns light the dining room where the meeting is taking place. Chief Watts stands to powerfully speak. WATTS By order of the Cherokee Council, Chief Doublehead is guilty of treason for selling Cherokee land against council law. Our trusted new War Chief, The Ridge, is given the honor of executing the judged. The Ridge stands to be acknowledged. WATTS (CONT’D) You will choose a confederate and carry out your poor duty, tonight. The Ridge looks around the room. (CONTINUED) 34. CONTINUED: A council fire burns in the fireplace lighting the council member's solemn faces. THE RIDGE As the council orders. The Chief looks with admiration at The Ridge. Ridge turns and walks out. The council meeting continues. EXT. FRONT ROSS FAMILY HOME The Ridge walks to his horse. He pulls a rifle from its scabbard and checks the weapon. He returns his rifle to its place. He takes his pistol from its holster, checks it and returns the pistol to its holster. The Ridge gets on his horse. He rides to SANDERS, a tall muscular Cherokee man standing by his horse, to speak to him. Sanders mounts up and they ride into the darkness. EXT. ROSS FAMILY HOME John and Talmidge watch intently. John looks at Talmidge. JOHN ROSS Let's follow him. I want to see this. Talmidge shakes his head, no. Quatie quietly walks behind them and speaks. QUATIE Talmidge Watts, what are you and your snoopy friend doing spying on your uncle? The boys jump. They catch themselves and get quiet. The nearby guard smiles to himself. Quatie points to John. QUATIE (CONT’D) You're white. I don’t know why you were with The Ridge at the pass the other day, but you shouldn't be here. Offended, John looks up at Quatie. (CONTINUED) 35. CONTINUED: JOHN ROSS I am Cherokee. Besides this is my house. John and Quatie's escalating voices make Talmidge nervous. TALMIDGE Sssh! Who cares? Let's go. John and Talmidge leave. Quatie follows. Hoping to leave Quatie behind, John and Talmidge hurry to their waiting horses. Quatie yells after them. QUATIE I'm telling your mother, Talmidge Watts and your's too John Ross. As they mount John speaks to Talmidge. JOHN ROSS Who’s is that sassy girl? I saw at the store today. Talmidge mounts and answers. TALMIDGE That's Quatie. She’s the keeper of all things right. My mom sends her to torture me for entertainment. John smiles at Talmidge and they ride away. John slows and turns his horse back toward Quatie. Talmidge stops and waits. He smiles and shakes his head. John rides in front of Quatie. JOHN ROSS Could I see you again? Quatie smiles mischievously and gives a sexy nod. Maybe. QUATIE John grins very big and rides on. Quatie watches him go. 36. EXT. TRAIL TO OLD WILDERNESS TAVERN - LATE NIGHT The Ridge and Sanders ride their horses on a well-worn forested trail toward a rustic wood sided wilderness tavern. THE RIDGE This tavern is Doublehead's second home. He'll be here. Sanders is reluctant. SANDERS I don't know, Ridge. The council may be pushing this too fast. John and Talmidge move near in the shadows. Sanders thinks he hears a noise. SANDERS (CONT’D) What was that? The Ridge smiles. THE RIDGE Don't worry. It's Chief Watts nephew, Talmidge, and the Ross boy. Sanders is jittery as he comtemplates. SANDERS We Could have shot them. THE RIDGE It's all right Sanders. We will do our duty and be home before morning. It is our duty by order of the council. Sanders nods reluctantly. EXT. TAVERN The Ridge and Sanders ride past a small log house that sits near the tavern. A dim light shows through the window. They stop near the tavern, dismount and tie the horses. Ridge checks his side arm and they go toward the tavern. John and Talmidge ride to a dark corner and dismount. (CONTINUED) 37. CONTINUED: TALMIDGE Why did I let you talk me into this? John smiles. Quiet. JOHN ROSS They start towards the tavern. INT. TAVERN The Ridge enters with Sanders close behind. The Ridge scans the dim room to see around twenty people, both Indian and white. He thinks he sees his target sitting at a crowded card table with two rough looking white men. DOUBLEHEAD, a heavy Cherokee man looks up. The Ridge looks directly at him. Doublehead gazes at Ridge. The Ridge quickly raises his pistol and fires. Doublehead, hit in the face under his eye, falls back. Sanders hold his weapon on the crowd. SANDERS (O.S.) Don't move. This is council enforcement. Suddenly, Doublehead jumps up. He charges past a shocked Ridge and Sanders almost knocking them down. Sanders recovers and yells to Ridge. SANDERS (CONT’D) I'll take care of this. (looking at the crowd) Don't move. The Ridge runs after Doublehead. EXT. TAVERN Doublehead weakly runs to the small log house near the tavern and moves inside. As The Ridge exits the tavern, he sees Doublehead enter the house. The Ridge walks methodically to the small house ignoring nearby John and Talmidge who are frozen in place, staring. 38. INT. SMALL HOUSE Doublehead breathes hard as he looks around the house. He sees blankets stacked on a small single bed. Doublehead grabs the blankets and covers himself in a corner, to look like a pile of old blankets. Ridge enters slowly and cautiously as he looks around the room. Ridge turns his back to the blankets and looks around the room. He suddenly turns with pistol in hand and fires six times into the blankets. THE RIDGE Doublehead, you are executed by decree of the council.. trader. The Ridge is taken totally by surprise. Doublehead raises up from under the blankets, a bloody figure, and attacks The Ridge. They wrestle around the room. Doublehead hits the Ridge with his fist again and again. The Ridge falls back and regains his balance. Doublehead charges him again. The Ridge jerks his hatchet from his belt and hits Doublehead in the front of the skull burying it deep. Doublehead's eyes get wide and he falls back on the floor, dead. Sanders runs into the room. He and The Ridge approach Doublehead with caution. SANDERS What happened? He's so bloody. The Ridge looks at the body and shakes his head. John and Talmidge appear in the battered doorway and stare at the scene. Sanders and The Ridge leave the small house taking John and Talmidge with them. SANDERS (CONT’D) You boys are young, but it’s time you choose your loyalty. It’s either the tribe or white’s. Doublehead chose white. The boys say nothing. 39. EXT. TAVERN The Ridge, Sanders, John and Talmidge stand beside their horses. The sound of a rushing brook murmurs in the background. The Ridge looks at the boys kindly. RIDGE I know these boys they always go with the tribe. They are my band. The Ridge looks at them. Sanders smiles. John and Talmidge are silent. They steal a look at each other. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. FOREST - DAY John Ross sits on a large log near a rolling stream watching the water flow by. Talmidge walks behind Him. TALMIDGE John, have you heard about The Ridge and Sanders? John looks interested and shakes his head, no. Talmidge speaks to John. TALMIDGE (CONT’D) The full bloods are mad at the council about the enforcement. John thinks. JOHN ROSS Ridge is full blood and he follows the council. I think he’s right even if the killing is wrong. TALMIDGE I don't know. It's been six months and the full bloods are still boiling. Ridge's brother Stan Watie said he’s gonna change things. JOHN ROSS That man’s trouble. He seems so bitter. Talmidge looks around the area. (CONTINUED) 40. CONTINUED: He notices Quatie, dressed in her best dark prairie skirt and deerskin top, standing beside a nearby tree as she listens. Talmidge grins. TALMIDGE I gotta go. White blood or not, we're still friends, John Ross. John watches Talmidge walk away, smiles. He notices Quatie and Quatie walks into his Quatie walks toward him. John stands. open arms. They embrace and kiss. Quatie giggles and hugs John. John holds her head in his hands and pushes back her raven black hair. He kisses her with a passion. Quatie responds deeply and passionately returning John's kiss. Their bodies press together. John's hands caress Quatie's bulging cleavage. She looks at him seductively and nibbles on his mouth. John and Quatie melt to the ground onto a carpet of green grass. John can hardly control his hunger for her. They kiss harder with more passion. Quatie returns his passion with even more. Quatie slowly stops. She looks deep into John's blazing eyes. Quatie softly speaks to him with a controlled charm. QUATIE John, I love you, but you will have to marry me first. John looks at her frustrated and confused. He pauses, then smiles with relief. He blurts out his agreement. All right. JOHN ROSS They tenderly kiss again. John and Quatie hear horses running on the opposite bank of the brook. CUT TO: EXT. OPEN MEADOW Five horsemen dressed in white sheets and hoods ride fast, dragging a Cherokee man and woman behind them with ropes. (CONTINUED) 41. CONTINUED: A man's SCREAM resonates. A hooded horseman falls to the ground with a Cherokee dart in his eye from a blow-gun. All of the remaining horsemen stop. They move into a defensive line, guns ready. Suddenly, The Ridge blasts from the underbrush mounted on his powerful horse. He attacks hitting a man in the skull with his hatchet. He quickly shoots another. A hooded horseman shoots back. The Ridge, hit in the side, is not slowed down he turns his horse and charges. Ridge slashes the man with his hatchet. He jumps from his horse onto the last man. The man's neck is broken as they fight on the ground. The Ridge yelps, stands and holds his arms up toward the sky in victory. The man and woman stand and untie themselves in the background. THE RIDGE P.O.V. The Ridge sees John and Quatie across the way. BACK TO SCENE He appears proud and domineering. BACK TO: EXT. MEADOW John and Quatie watch as The Ridge mounts his horse and rides toward them. The Ridge stops in front of them. He is a fierce figure. The Ridge speaks to John in a loving tone. THE RIDGE Save our people, peacemaker. Your time has come. John is strong in his statement. JOHN ROSS I have changed. I will fight by word or blood like you. The Ridge is pleased. (CONTINUED) 42. CONTINUED: THE RIDGE Glory is our way. John and Quatie are gracious in their gaze. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. LOG HOUSE - DAY John Ross, now older and more mature, rides a fine thoroughbred horse to the front of the well kept log house and dismounts. SUB T I T L E : T E N YEARS L A T E R The beautiful Quatie, now a young woman, stands in the doorway. She walks from the porch to meet John. John’s face glows with his love for her as she gazes into his eyes. JOHN ROSS I saw your family at the trading post, thought I'd ride out. I've been wanting to talk to you. John has to say it before he loses his nerve. JOHN ROSS (CONT’D) Ah, Quatie, the white government’s treaty has called the Cherokee into their army. And, ah, it will carrying me off to the Creek wars. Will you marry me when I return. Quatie holds John's hand. QUATIE Another war? John nods. Quatie looks into John's eyes. QUATIE (CONT’D) All right John Ross. I'll be here for you. Don't go an get killed. John smiles. Quatie hugs him. They kiss. DISSOLVE TO: 43. EXT. MOUNTAIN TRAIL - CREEK NATION TERRITORY - AFTERNOON John, wearing the rank of adjutant, rides like a model soldier on his government mount with his friend, Talmidge, and a squad of ten Cherokee calvary troops. SUB-TITLE - SIX MONTHS LATER He looks at his friend Talmidge, a staff sergeant. The two talk casually as they move down the heavily shaded trail. A scout for the troop rides fifty feet in front of them cautiously watching the trail and his surroundings. John looks through the woods. JOHN ROSS We'll be home soon for two weeks of nothing to do. This constant moving and fighting is wearing me down. TALMIDGE Yeah, if I knew about all of this, I'd stayed an Indian instead of becoming a blue coated camp dog. Talmidge's sarcasm amuses John. Talmidge suddenly draws a pistol and shoots. TALMIDGE (CONT'D) Ni (look out). A Creek warrior lunges from a tree and falls to the ground mortally wounded. Suddenly the woods are alive with Creek Indian Warriors attacking the troops with tomahawks and big hunting knives. The fight quickly boils down to hand to hand combat. Warriors and troops fall wounded or dead with John and Talmidge fighting in the mix. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. FRONT TALMIDGE'S FAMILY HOME - DAY Quatie loads a basket of vegetables and flowers into a two horse wagon. She looks up to see John and Talmidge riding up on horseback. She freezes. SUB-TITLE - CHEROKEE NATION, TALMIDGE WATTS FAMILY HOME John and Talmidge stop their horses, not noticing Quatie. JOHN ROSS Well, old friend, we're home. (CONTINUED) 44. CONTINUED: Talmidge smiles. He prepares to dismount then pauses. TALMIDGE We're doing the right thing, John. We have a treaty that forced us into this fight. QUATIE (O.S.) You're alive! Quatie doesn't care that her basket of vegetables and flowers tumbles to the ground. She rushes to John and Talmidge. Talmidge dismounts to scoop Quatie up in a warm embrace. John dismounts and walks around the front of his horse. Quatie turns to approach John and grabs him around the neck then kisses him deeply. QUATIE (CONT’D) I love you two mules. Both so hard headed you go off to war over a promise made to a bad friend. Talmidge and John look like small boys listening to their mother. JOHN ROSS I love you. I still want to marry you. Quadie smiles. QUATIE I love you too. Talmidge smiles. TALMIDGE Get married already. I never thought you two would get together. I remember when we were kids and Quatie stayed mad at us all of the time. QUATIE You were evil boys. (CONTINUED) 45. CONTINUED: (2) QUATIE'S FLASHBACK TWELVE-YEAR-OLD QUATIE, adorned with daises in her hair, and her three female cousins ranging in ages from five to eight, sit in a circle laughing and giggling as they tie daises into chains to make flower necklaces. Quatie looks up to see MID-TEENS JOHN ROSS. She ignores him, picks the last daisy and ties it into her chain. TEENAGED JOHN ROSS Last one, huh? Quatie ignores him. Yep. The cousins look up. COUSIN TEENAGED JOHN ROSS Well, just so you'll know, there's a bunch of daises under that tree right there. John Ross points to a lone nearby oak. Let's go! COUSIN The three cousins race towards the oak. Quatie pauses. TEENAGE QUATIE If this is another trick of your's and Talmidge's, I am never speaking to you again! She tosses her head, huffs around and stomps to the oak. Under the oak, Quatie and her cousins sit in a circle and resume making flower chains. As Quatie ties another flower to her chain a drop of liquid falls upon a petal of her flower. Quadie sees another drop then another. She holds out her hand to catch a drop as the liquid becomes a stream. Quatie looks up, then the cousins. The girls SCREAM as they lay eyes on TEENAGE TALMIDGE, trying in vain to hold back his laughter, urinating down upon them as he stands on a sturdy branch. QUATIE (TO TALMIDGE) What are you doing you awful little mole! (She glares at John) And you! You're worse! John realizes the prank was a bad idea. As the cousins shrilly WAIL, Quatie stomps away. The befuddled John looks up at Talmidge. (CONTINUED) 46. CONTINUED: (3) I'm sorry. JOHN ROSS He shrugs his shoulders. BACK TO THE PRESENT Quadie, shaking her head. QUATIE You were the worst boys on earth, but you have come to be good men somehow. John watches her with a twinkle in his eyes. Let's go. JOHN ROSS Quatie smiles. She moves to the wagon and gets on board. TALMIDGE See you birds later. (whispers to John) You should marry her lover boy, before some young bull comes along. John smiles in thought and nods. He ties his horse to the wagon and gets on board. Quatie snaps the reigns and the horses start away. Talmidge shakes his head at his friend. TALMIDGE (CONT’D) Figure it out, genius. Quatie's wagon passes next Talmidge. John grabs the reigns and the horses SNORT as they trot along. Quatie breathlessly waits to see what John will do next. JOHN ROSS While I was away, you were all I thought about, night and day. Quatie lies her head on his shoulder. DISSOLVE TO: 47. EXT. SMALL RURAL WHITE CHURCH - EARLY AFTERNOON OUTSIDE TO INSIDE - Through the double front doors of the white church, Talmidge can be seen playing the wedding march in an animated way to a full chapel of Cherokee people. He slows his play a little and adjusts the collar on his blue suit. SUB-TITLE - THREE MONTHS LATER INT. SMALL RURAL WHITE CHURCH John, dressed in his uniform and Quatie, dressed in a white prairie dress, stand quietly in front of the church. John's hands cradle Quatie's. Quatie's family of full blood Cherokee huddle on the front pews among a crowd. They all gaze across the isle at John's Scottish father, Daniel Ross, and his mixed blood mother, Molly Ross, with their family of fifteen. Talmidge plays on. He changes to the WEDDING MARCH with zeal like a Cherokee Beethoven lost in the magic of his music. He sings quietly and intermittently. John's family watches Quatie's family solemnly. Back on Quatie's family's side of the temple, an OLD CHEROKEE COUSIN and two of Quatie's young cousins, 5 and 8, sit side by side. The FIVE-YEAR-OLD COUSIN's mouth gapes open. EIGHTYEAR-OLD COUSIN elbows him in the side. EIGHT-YEAR-OLD COUSIN What's wrong? Why are you staring? FIVE-YEAR-OLD COUSIN I've never seen so many white people in one place! Shhh. EIGHT-YEAR-OLD COUSIN PREACHER JOHN ARMSTRONG, a handsome, young Cherokee preacher waits in his pulpit in front of John and Quatie. Talmidge speeds the music up even more still lost in his playing. The preacher looks at him sternly. Talmidge sits at attention and slows his music. The preacher suddenly breaks into a huge animated fake smile. (CONTINUED) 48. CONTINUED: PREACHER ARMSTRONG Are you ready? John and Quatie smile then nod. Preacher Armstrong attempts to whisper. PREACHER ARMSTRONG (CONT'D) Do you want the old way or God's way. JOHN ROSS Aren't they the same? Quatie elbows John and then they smile and gaze upon each other filled with love. The preacher waits. The couple appears a little uncomfortable. JOHN ROSS (CONT’D) We'll have the Christian wedding. QUATIE Pastor Armstrong, we're proud a Cherokee is doing this for us. Pastor Armstrong smiles proudly. PREACHER ARMSTRONG Very well then. The preacher glances at Talmidge still playing on with zeal. Talmidge catches the preacher's eye and piano music abruptly stops. PREACHER ARMSTRONG (CONT’D) Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today... Talmidge gazes at his cousin and best friend with love. GRANDMA DIRTEATER (V.O.) The whole nation was happy for John and Quatie that day. The happiness of their union spread across the countryside and there was celebration. DISSOLVE TO: 49. EXT. HORSESHOE BEND BATTLEFIELD - CREEK TERRITORY TALLAPOOSA RIVER - DAY Thirty-two hundred American Union soldiers stand poised to attack a barricaded bunker held by one-thousand Creek Warriors. Three-hundred fifty women and children accompany them. SUB-TITLE - MARCH 27, 1814, UNITED STATES, BATTLE OF HORSESHOE BEND, AMERICAN WAR OF 1812, CREEK INDIAN TERRITORY, CENTRAL ALABAMA. Twenty-six hundred white troops and six-hundred Cherokee troops wait to over-run the Creek warriors. The Creek continually lay down a barrage of gunfire, not allowing the U. S. Troops to move without risking huge casualties. GRANDMA DIRTEATER (V.O.) John spent little time with his new wife Quatie before he was called to duty again. Adjutant John Ross and the Cherokee, continued to be caught in the middle of the horrible war between the whites and the Creeks... Two heavy cannons BOOM as the U.S. Artillery brigade barrages the Creek fortress. Creek warriors carrying bright red battle clubs, rifles and pistols line the walls of the bunkers. EXT. HORSESHOE BEND BATTLEFIELD U.S. ARMY COMMAND POST Briskly riding upon his pale horse, John Ross pulls the reigns to a halt and dismounts in front of the command post. John ties his horse. He is dressed in full combat uniform still wearing the rank of adjutant. INT. GENERAL ANDREW JACKSON'S HORSESHOE BEND BATTLEFIELD COMMAND POST John enters. The tent's rolled up sides allow full view of the ferrous conflict that wages across the river. As ANDREW JACKSON views the on-going battle, John joins his side. Jackson speaks coldly. JACKSON John, what have you seen? JOHN ROSS There are many. The number is over a thousand. (CONTINUED) 50. CONTINUED: JACKSON John, you know these people. What can we do to beat them? John moves his eyes from the battle to glance at Jackson. JOHN ROSS The Creek Red Sticks will fight to the end. I'm afraid the only way is to make them see that there is no way to win. JACKSON You mean kill them all? Shocked, John maintains a cool facade. JOHN ROSS No sir, just make them see. Jackson removes a monogrammed silver box from his pocket then removes a cigar. He pulls a trimmer from the opposing pocket and whacks the end from the cigar as if he is welding a guillotine. JACKSON No, I think I am right. We will kill them. JOHN ROSS They are surrounded. We can just wait them out. JACKSON No. We don't have time for that. We will close the book on these heathens. Jackson eyeballs John. JACKSON (CONT'D) You're not like your father. He's a powerful man. John ignores the insult. JOHN ROSS Not like you, sir. Jackson glances to notice someone entering and then back at John. (CONTINUED) 51. CONTINUED: (2) What? JACKSON JOHN ROSS Nothing sir. Not important. The Ridge enters. Only the colorful Cherokee turbine worn under his military hat identifies him as Cherokee. THE RIDGE Morning general. Oh-si-yo, John. BOOMS and GUN FIRE escalate. The Ridge takes a map and turns to exit. John follows. EXT. GENERAL ANDREW JACKSON'S HORSESHOE BEND BATTLEFIELD COMMAND POST John pulls The Ridge to the side. JOHN ROSS Are we covered? THE RIDGE My troops are in reserve for you. JOHN ROSS I just wanted to be sure. The general doesn't always make sure his Indians troops are taken care of. SAM HOUSTON, a ruggedly strong-looking man, in combat uniform walks up. He nods. JOHN ROSS (CONT’D) Sam, meet The Ridge, Major Ridge. Sam extends his hand and they shake. The Ridge smiles. THE RIDGE I know of you, Sam Houston. A friend to the Cherokee. SAM HOUSTON To be sure major. John smiles. Sam nods. Jackson speaks from inside the tent. The men look at him. SAM HOUSTON P.O.V. OUTSIDE TO INSIDE - General Jackson is smug. (CONTINUED) 52. CONTINUED: JACKSON Let's get to it, gentlemen. The Cherokee have a job to do. BACK TO SCENE Yes, sir. THE RIDGE The Ridge pats Sam on the arm and leaves. Enter a wet-behindthe-ears CHEROKEE SOLDIER. He pauses near the doorway and anxiously stutters in broken English. CHEROKEE SOLDIER Adjutant Ross, our troops are ready. John looks at him then back at General Jackson. JOHN ROSS General Jackson? JOHN ROSS P.O.V. Jackson looks at John. Go, Ross. BACK TO SCENE John leaves as Sam Houston looks on. John speaks under his breath as Sam moves into the tent. JOHN ROSS There is no mercy today, the devil commands here. May God forgive us all. SAM HOUSTON'S P.O.V. John walks briskly across the broad battlefield to join his Cherokee troops. BACK TO SCENE Sam looks at the general. SAM HOUSTON Damn fine soldiers, solid as a rock. (CONTINUED) JACKSON 53. CONTINUED: (2) SAM HOUSTON P.O.V. The general crushes the remains of his cigar under his boot as he gives a disinterested nod. EXT. HORSESHOE BEND BATTLEFIELD Staff Sergeant Talmidge Watts walks in front of the Cherokee troops. Among them stands the wet-behind the ears Cherokee soldier. Talmidge motions for the troops on foot to cross the river. Behind him the battle rages. John joins Talmidge. John and Talmidge walk the battle line as they speak. JOHN ROSS Talmidge, have you spoken to the Creek Chief? Talmidge nods. TALMIDGE He said the fight is with the white soldiers, but they will honor our decision to fight against them. He wishes to make peace in council when this has passed. John pauses and looks down at the ground as he sadly recognizes the fate of the two tribes. John and Talmidge hear the battle intensify. In the distance, a hundred Creek warriors hold firm in front of their barricade while fighting with white troops. SHRILL SCREAMS of Creek women and children rise above the noise of the battle. EXT. CREEK BARRICADE Bullets and cannon balls hit all around the Creek women and children. A three year old child runs from fear and his mother races after him. A cannon blast explodes next to her to send the woman hurling against a log wall. The small child stands crying in the middle of the gunfire. A warrior goes to the child and takes him to a nearby woman and goes back to the battle. EXT. HORSESHOE BEND BATTLEFIELD John's eyes survey the battle waiting for an opening. Suddenly he dives into the river and swims toward the fortress. As he swims, a barrage of gunfire from ten Creek warriors rains upon him. (CONTINUED) 54. CONTINUED: Momentarily frozen, Talmidge now dives in to help his friend. Talmidge swims towards John as bullets hit around him. All of the Cherokee troops are inspired and jump in swimming with their leaders. In the chaos, John reaches the shore first. He stands up in waist deep water and looks down to draw his sword. He sees his refection in the water. In an instant, his reflection is tainted with blood. John turns to look behind him. He sees that the blood is pouring from the head of the wetbehind-the-ears Cherokee soldier who floats face-up, eyes still open. John sadly and ceremoniously pulls the young man to shore. Talmidge joins John's side. TALMIDGE I'd follow you to hell, John Ross! JOHN ROSS You don't have to follow. Hell is straight ahead. Suddenly small squads of John's men attack the rear fortress in waves. John shoots at the Creek guards as he and Talmidge scurry for cover. DISSOLVE TO: INT. GENERAL ANDREW JACKSON'S HORSESHOE BEND BATTLEFIELD COMMAND POST Jackson seizes the opportunity made by the Cherokee. He turns to Houston. JACKSON Sam, take the reserve troops. Hit'em in the front with all you got, while the Cherokee troops keep'em busy in the back. Yes, sir. HOUSTON Houston exits the tent and moves steadily toward the fight. EXT. GENERAL ANDREW JACKSON'S HORSESHOE BEND BATTLEFIELD COMMAND POST Houston passes two nearby SERGEANTS picking up ammunition at a tent. (CONTINUED) 55. CONTINUED: HOUSTON Get the reserve troops ready! The sergeants turn and acknowledge with overlapping dialogue. SERGEANTS Yes, sir! Yes, sir! The sergeants hurriedly leave. Across the river Houston sees Creek warriors pour from the rear of the fortress to attack the advancing Cherokee troops. They fight in numerous pitch battles across the back of the fort. EXT. HORSESHOE BEND BATTLEFIELD Houston charges up the hill leading two-hundred men to the front barricade of the Creek Warriors as gunfire rains upon them. A hundred more Creeks come from the fortress attacking them hand to hand. An arrow hits Sam in his front thigh. Houston flinches and continues to fight with saber drawn. A Creek charges him with a bright red battle club. Houston blocks the blow and kills the warrior. Talmidge moves down the side of the stronghold looking for a way inside. He sees Houston under attack from two Creeks. Talmidge rushes to him and quickly helps Sam terminate the warriors. Houston turns to Talmidge as he fights a Creek Warrior. HOUSTON Pull the arrow out! Talmidge, surprised at Houston's stamina, drops to the ground dodging gunfire. What? TALMIDGE Houston counters a blow from an attacking Creek Warrior. HOUSTON Pull the damn arrow out! (CONTINUED) 56. CONTINUED: Talmidge raises up a little and grabs the arrow. He twists to loosen it and jerks it out. Blood rolls down his leg. Houston wrenches from the pain and slashes the attacking Creek Warrior. The Creek Warrior falls to the ground dying. More shots ring out. Another Creek Warrior attacks. At the same time Houston is hit by gunfire in the shoulder and forearm on the same side. He dodges the warrior and grabs his saber with the other hand running it through the Creek Warrior. The Warrior falls dead. Talmidge also fights a Creek warrior. He draws his pistol and shoots the Creek. The warrior falls to the ground. Houston is poised for another charge. It is silent. He sees John kill the last Creek with a saber. The roar of battle has stopped. Ross and Houston's eyes meet over the killing field strewn with six hundred Creeks and forty-four white and Cherokee soldiers. Red battle clubs are neon over the broad front line. Talmidge drops his head and walks away. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. CHEROKEE TOWN - DAY John and Talmidge travel in front of a column of Union Cherokee cavalry troops on the edge of a small Cherokee town. TALMIDGE It's good to go home. John reluctantly answers. JOHN ROSS The army has become my life. TALMIDGE After all these years, John, I know you're not a good liar. John smiles. JOHN ROSS Talmidge, I've been thinking about General Jackson and what we've been doing here. (CONTINUED) 57. CONTINUED: TALMIDGE We're no more than dirt under his feet. A hatchet in the head could fix that. John is amused then becomes serious again. JOHN ROSS We kill our neighbors for him and he spits in our face. If we don't do his bidding he threatens to destroy us. I'll do whatever it takes to stop him before it's too late. TALMIDGE Slow down there Coyoteee! You can't eat that snake by yourself. JOHN ROSS I'm getting out of Jackson's army. It's wrong to help our enemy and fight our friends. GUNFIRE POPS. John looks toward the town. He signals his troops to move out. They ride fast to the middle of the town just short of a battle between Union soldiers and Cherokee town's people. John's eyes quickly survey the area to see Union soldiers and Cherokee towns' people in a shoot out. John speeds his horse down the street. He yells and shoots into the air. JOHN ROSS (CONT'D) Stop! These people are Cherokee! You are on Cherokee Nation land. The fighting stops. The soldiers look at John. The Cherokee towns' people look at John. John's horse spins in a nervous dance as John surveys the area. Talmidge quickly turns to the Cherokee troops and gives orders. TALMIDGE Troops, skirmish line ready, huh. John's troops move to form a skirmish line and stand ready blocking the street. TALMIDGE (CONT'D) Rifles ready, huh. (CONTINUED) 58. CONTINUED: (2) A Union CALVARY CAPTAIN rides unconcerned from the opposing army in front of John. JOHN ROSS The army's fight is with the Creek Nation not these people. The arrogant captain speaks with a smirk, laughing under his breath. CALVARY CAPTAIN Hell, major. I can't tell one from another. John gives another order. JOHN ROSS Disburse your troops. CALVARY CAPTAIN You and them Injun troops gonna disburse us? John nods confidently. Painfully. JOHN ROSS The captain nods sizing him up. Talmidge commands the troops in the distance. TALMIDGE Stay alert. On my command. The captain looks beyond John at Talmidge and his fierce Union warriors. The Cherokee troops rifles all aim at the captain. The captain looks around the area. The Cherokee town's people take aim and stand ready near the Indian troops. John and Talmidge give a subtle glance at each other. John looks at his people then at the captain. The captain's stare is cold. Without orders the captain's men suddenly take aim at the Cherokee soldiers. CALVARY CAPTAIN Steady those rifles. John is determined. (CONTINUED) 59. CONTINUED: (3) JOHN ROSS You have killed innocent people out of ignorance and disregard for life. You will be punished today, either by dying in this battle or a conviction at court martial. Time has run out for you. In the distance, a soldier chases a screaming Cherokee woman. Talmidge quickly aims his rifle and fires. The soldier drops to the ground dead. The shooting starts. Each side stands and fires. Cherokee and White soldiers fall. John shoots the captain. When the captain falls to the ground the shooting stops. It's a stand off, Union soldier against Union soldier. John looks around the area and speaks directly to the white soldiers. JOHN ROSS (CONT'D) You are on Cherokee land. Get your wounded that can travel and report to your commanding officer. We will bury your dead. That's a direct order. The white troops get their horses, the wounded and their gear. A sergeant takes charge by signaling his soldiers and heads the column. They move out. The Cherokee troops silently watch. They then begin to call the white soldier's names and taunt them as they pass. JOHN ROSS (CONT’D) Let them pass. John glares at his men. The Cherokee soldiers stop and just watch. John turns to Talmidge. JOHN ROSS (CONT'D) Talmidge, Leave a few men to help the people. We need to be getting on home. He nods going about his duty. John stares into the distance. DISSOLVE TO: 60. EXT. JOHN ROSS' TWO STORY WHITE HOUSE - DAY Travel-weary John approaches his home on his horse. He dismounts, ties his horse to the hitching post and proceeds up the front porch steps. John opens the front door. INT. JOHN ROSS HOME FOYER John enters to see Quatie who stands with a newborn baby in her arms. Tears fill her eyes. Awestruck John slowly approaches Quatie and the baby. John gently strokes the infants head and gazes proudly up at the radiant Quatie. DISSOLVE TO: INT. JOHN ROSS'S BEDROOM - NIGHT John, before a mirrored dresser, prepares to remove his uniform shirt. He momentarily stares blankly at the major's emblem upon the sleeve. As he unbuttons the last button, he bumps the dresser. SUB-TITLE - THREE MONTHS LATER The mirror shakes reflecting light. remembers. JOHN'S FLASHBACK John, back in the river at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, looks down to see his reflection. His reflection grows red with blood. He darts around to see the blood is pouring from the head of the wet-behind-the-ears Cherokee soldier who floats face up, eyes still open. Women and children SCREAM. BACK TO PRESENT John hurls his fist into the mirror. Quatie comes into the room and looks at John then goes to him. She tries to sooth John with an embrace. She looks at his hand and goes to a drawer getting a rag and wraps his hand. Quatie gazes at John tenderly and he slowly kisses her deeply. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. ROSS FAMILY FARM - AFTERNOON John works with twenty slaves in the field. He hoes a row of plants along-side them. Hearing HOOVES, John looks behind him and see Talmidge riding up on horseback. Talmidge stops and dismounts. (CONTINUED) John rubs his eyes. He 61. CONTINUED: TALMIDGE Oh si yo, John. Good to see you next to the land. We are born hunters, our people have had to learn the land. John smiles. As he approaches Talmidge he treads upon a dandelion and it's seeds scatter on the breeze. JOHN ROSS Oh si yo, Talmidge. What brings you out here? Talmidge speaks in slightly broken English. TALMIDGE To see my friend, the great warrior. John smiles as Talmidge dismounts. JOHN ROSS You are a good friend, Talmidge, but you're not a good politician. That requires lying. Talmidge tone turns serious. TALMIDGE Your people need you. Chief Hicks asked me to come see you. John Ross is humbled. JOHN ROSS What could I do? TALMIDGE Chief Hicks, The Ridge and I have had a meeting. JOHN ROSS Ridge? The Ridge is back? TALMIDGE Are you surprised? JOHN ROSS Yes, I have seen The Ridge and Jackson together too often. (CONTINUED) 62. CONTINUED: (2) TALMIDGE You can't always judge a man by the company he keeps. The Ridge believes in keeping friends close and enemies closer. JOHN ROSS I fear The Ridge plays both sides now. John intently listens as he unconsciously twirls his wedding band with his bandaged hand. TALMIDGE Let's not worry about The Ridge. There are more important things now. I need your decision. The chief needs your decision. JOHN ROSS You've been a good friend Talmidge, but Quatie and I haven't been together much since we've been married and now we have our new son, James. I want to spent time with them. His friend smiles understanding. TALMIDGE I understand love, John. I have felt it many times in this life, but settlers intrude on our land and we need your help. You are the one who can resolve this, you are educated and speak English better than any of us. JOHN ROSS You sure the council wants this? TALMIDGE Yes, that is why I came. I have all confidence you are the man to save the Cherokee land. The council knows you, they will vote in your favor. JOHN ROSS I'll be along. Talmidge pats him on the shoulder. (CONTINUED) 63. CONTINUED: (3) TALMIDGE Good, you are blessed with many friends. John nods. Talmidge gets on his horse and stops. TALMIDGE (CONT’D) I always wonder why you keep these slaves from freedom? JOHN ROSS I don't have the answer. It is in my father's culture. Perhaps the white man will be able to do without them someday. Talmidge looks at the slaves and nods. TALMIDGE I'll be by in the morning. He rides away. John watches quietly and walks toward his home. INT. JOHN ROSS HOME FOYER - DAY John enters. QUATIE (O.S.) John, come here! I have finished making our new blanket. John proceeds into the BEDROOM Through the window a beam of soft light radiates upon Quatie as she lays partially nude upon the bed a top the new blanket. John stops in his path. QUATIE (CONT’D) How do you like it? JOHN ROSS I think it's absolutely beautiful. He smiles, approaches and takes her into his arms. DISSOLVE TO: 64. INT. JOHN ROSS BEDROOM - EARLY MORNING As John dresses on the edge of the bed, he looks back at sleeping Quatie and two year old son, JAMES. He smiles with pride as he gets dressed and leaves the room. EXT. JOHN ROSS TWO STORY HOME John walks out on the front porch. Talmidge is waiting on him with a saddled horse. TALMIDGE Morning Little John. John smiles. He gets on his horse and rides away with his friend. DISSOLVE TO: INT. CHEROKEE LONG HOUSE - LATE MORNING A council of seven Cherokee men and thirty Cherokee warriors attend the meeting. They are talking and socializing. COUNCIL P.O.V. INSIDE TO OUTSIDE - The council sees John and Talmidge ride up and tie their horses to the hitching rail. They get off and walk inside. CHIEF HICKS, a robust older Cherokee man, sits at the council table in the front room with an associate principle chief, a tall, thin older Cherokee with thick gray hair. Hicks surveys the room to notice John and motions for him. John sees his friend and approaches Charles. JOHN ROSS Chief Hicks. Hicks pulls out a chair for John to sit. HICKS John, we are nominating you today to represent the Cherokee in Washington. JOHN ROSS Washington? (CONTINUED) 65. CONTINUED: HICKS Yes. You must bargain for our rights with the Washington whites. JOHN ROSS Respectfully, sir, what makes you think they will listen to me. I am young. HICKS John, we are too old to battle the vultures in Washington. Our English is poor. You are the one. JOHN ROSS Are you sure it's me? Chief Hicks looks over at John. HICKS I had a vision of you, John, as a young lamb among many. A hungry wolf stalks them snarling, growing closer and closer. Bravely you step from the frightened flock and approached the fierce wolf. He is calmed by your gaze and lies before you. John smiles. JOHN ROSS I guess he never saw a lamb with a shotgun. HICKS Then you will do it? JOHN ROSS How can I refuse? Chief Hicks is amused and pats John on the arm. HICKS Good, boy. I am proud of you. JOHN ROSS Thank you Chief Hicks, I think. Charles smiles at John. HICKS You'll do us proud, Little John. (CONTINUED) 66. CONTINUED: (2) Chief Hicks stands. John takes his seat among his comrades. The remaining council members take their seats at the head table. Pathfinder address the crowd. HICKS (CONT’D) We have important business. The Cherokee nation needs a leader for our delegation to the Washington whites. The leader will represent us to the President of the states and the Congress. I have chosen John Ross to speak for us. He is from one of our finest families and speaks English as well as any white. Chief Hicks sits down. The Ridge enters and sits down. He looks toward John then the others and nods. RAYMOND FOURKILLER, a thirty something half-blood Cherokee man stands. FOURKILLER I am Raymond Fourkiller. I, like John Ross, I am of mixed blood, but the blood that flows through John's veins is less than that of a tick on a dog's back. John is too young and too white. The room erupts in whispers. The Ridge stands in the middle of the whispers. THE RIDGE I know, John Ross. I stand for him. An ancient Cherokee man, WILLIAM BLACKFOX, creeks as he hoist himself to a stand with his walking stick. The room is reverently silent. BLACKFOX I am Blackfox, the last of my band and the oldest of the Cherokee and I have known you all since you were young cubs sucking your mother's milk. John Ross has proven himself in loyalty to our nation and it's bands. He is proven in bloody battle and at the council table. I am full blood and I stand for John Ross. John Ross is loyal Cherokee. (MORE) (CONTINUED) 67. CONTINUED: (3) BLACKFOX (CONT'D) If he leads, we will prosper. William sits down looking at the crowd. Talmidge stands and looks at everyone. TALMIDGE I am full blood. John is my friend. We have fought in battles together. He will not fail you. Talmidge sits down. HICKS We will vote. Chief Hicks looks around the room. HICKS (CONT’D) Show a hand if for John Ross. All hands go up but Fourkiller's. John smiles at him. The chief looks at John and the council. HICKS (CONT’D) Done, John Ross will represent the Cherokee nation in the wolves' den. Except for one. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. JOHN ROSS' TWO STORY WHITE HOUSE - MORNING Talmidge walks to the front porch of John's house. John comes out followed by Quatie holding the hand of THREE YEAR OLD JAMES and carrying BABY ALLEN. SUB-TITLE - ONE YEAR LATER Talmidge hugs Quatie. QUATIE James, stay with Talmidge for a moment. Surprised Talmidge opens his mouth to speak. Talmidge shakes his head no as Quatie hands him baby Allen. Talmidge nervously speaks. TALMIDGE Hello, babies! James looks shyly up at Talmidge. (CONTINUED) 68. CONTINUED: JAMES Hello, baby. Talmidge melts. TALMIDGE I'm Talmidge. You're baby. James is amused. Quatie and John smile. Talmidge takes James hand and they disappear through the front door into the house. Quatie takes John by the hand to exit the front porch and they walk to the nearby oak tree which now stands massive. It is the same oak tree where she, John and Talmidge played as children. Under the tree, Quatie takes a handkerchief from her pocket. She bends to the ground and scrapes up a handful of loose, black earth. Quatie gently sifts the earth onto the middle of her handkerchief and cinches it. She removes the lace ribbon from her hair and dark strands cascade to frame her face. Quatie holds John's scarred hand palm up to hold the earthfilled handkerchief. She ties the ribbon around the neck of the handkerchief. QUATIE I want you to know I love you and I believe in you. Tonight at council remember the ancient land we love. Be strong. She closes John's scarred hand to receive the handkerchief. QUATIE (CONT'D) Carry it with you , keep it close to your heart. It is your family, your people. John smiles and places the handkerchief in his coat pocket. John tenderly embraces Quatie and kisses her on the lips. He slips his hand around her waist and they walk arm in arm back towards the house. DISSOLVE TO: 69. EXT. CHEROKEE TERRITORY FOREST TRAIL - DAY As John rides his horse along side Talmidge, he reaches his scarred hand into his coat pocket to revieve the earth-filled handkerchief given to him by Quatie. John looks upon it entranced. Talmidge interrupts his thoughts. TALMIDGE Things are going. The Ridge is talking about moving his people to the territories. He may even sign for the entire nation. JOHN ROSS Sign for the entire nation? He has no authority. If we move now the white government will just have us move again. We need to stand our ground. Talmidge hears a RUSTLE and perks his ears up listening. TALMIDGE You hear that? John nods yes. They ride on. Be ready. JOHN ROSS Talmidge and John's eyes scan the area. Unknown to John and Talmidge Chief Hicks casually walks behind their horses. John and Talmidge, unaware, continue to scan the area as they ride. Oh si yo. HICKS Startled John and Talmidge nearly fall out of their saddles until they see it is Chief Hicks. They stop their horses. JOHN ROSS Where did you come from? HICKS We live in treacherous times and you two are easy prey like young rabbits. Talmidge nods. (CONTINUED) 70. CONTINUED: TALMIDGE My heart's racing like a humping rabbit. They all smile. HICKS Ride on, I will walk with you. They move on. Up ahead, four rough looking men ride on horseback with two pack mules in tow. JOHN ROSS Looks like trouble ahead. The men move towards them. face. HICKS You trappers? The men nod yes. JOHN ROSS Why are you on Cherokee land? ALBERT, a slim man in his forties and the lead trapper, speaks up. ALBERT This ain't Cherokee land. Sides we just passin' through. Talmidge firmly repeats John's statement. TALMIDGE You are on Cherokee land. You're in the heart of it. HICKS Did you trap those furs here? Albert looks at his men and then Chief Pathfinder. ALBERT Them's ours and ain't nobody takin'em. HICKS You have broken Cherokee law. You cannot hunt these lands. (CONTINUED) John and his party stop, face to 71. CONTINUED: (2) Suddenly the trappers draw their pistols and start to shoot. Talmidge and John draw their guns and return fire. Two trappers drop from their horses. The elderly Chief pulls the third from his horse and puts his hunting knife to good use by killing the trapper. The fourth trapper rides away at full speed. John looks around and to see the chief. As Chief Hicks puts his hunting knife away, John, gets off his horse. HICKS (CONT’D) Why did they shoot? I was going to tell them to stop hunting our land and leave. TALMIDGE White men always shoot first. John looks at the bodies. JOHN ROSS Such a waste. HICKS It could have been you or Talmidge. That would had been a waste. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. CHEROKEE LONG HOUSE - AFTERNOON John and Talmidge ride up with the trappers bodies upon the back of their horse and the pack animals in tow. Chief Hicks walks next to them. As John and Talmidge dismount, two Cherokee guards take the horses. CHIEF PATHKILLER Take the furs and animals to the people in the village. Give them to the poorest first and burn the bodies. The guards nod and keep moving. John nods as they walk to the Cherokee Long House and go inside. Talmidge, then All is silent. 72. INT. CHEROKEE LONG HOUSE - NOON John and Talmidge enter to stand among the crowd. Chief Hicks comes inside and The Ridge enter with him. Chief Hicks moves to the front of the room to address to everyone. Oh si yo. HICKS Everyone settles down and sits down but Chief Hicks. Chief Hicks, his forehead moist with perspiration, holds his arm for a moment as the crowd grows quiet. Charles turns toward everyone. HICKS (CONT’D) We are here again to make another movement to survive, or should I say, give our sacred land away yet again. We need to form a National Committee that speaks as one. General Andrew Jackson has made minor treaties with two bands outside of council rule. A new National Council will allow one voice to speak to the whites. In favor raise a hand. Everyone raises a hand in agreement but The Ridge. Charles Hicks take notice of The Ridge. HICKS (CONT'D) Good, we have a committee. I nominate John to head the committee and resign his position from the delegation. You all know John and know him for the job he has done. In favor. Everyone raises their hand again but The Ridge. The Ridge stands. THE RIDGE I am sorry, John, but I disagree with this National Committee. My band wants a say in what happens and we do not get that if this National Council forms and operates a thousand miles from here. Our nation is diluted by politics. Charles intervenes. (CONTINUED) 73. CONTINUED: HICKS Ridge, we have had council for many years why do you go against us now? The Ridge is strong in his stance. THE RIDGE Me, my band, and many others want to go our own way. It is spoken, and we make it so. The Ridge turns to go. JOHN Ridge, we have was a boy. Can not make quick ROSS been friends since I we sit and talk and decisions? THE RIDGE Our people have been at a crossroads for years. We have not been brave enough to crossover until now. The Ridge stanchly walks out. The long house door closes with a THUD. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. CHEROKEE COUNCIL HOUSE - AFTERNOON A Cherokee council is in progress at a log council house that sits next to the tribal, "Indian Advocate Newspaper". SUB-TITLE - ONE YEAR LATER Long lines of Cherokee file through speaking to council members. John is out of sight, nearby making a speech. JOHN ROSS (V.O.) I have represented you in Washington and now You elected me Principal Chief of all Cherokee. I thank you. Today I wonder who is more civilized, a nation that elected leaders before there was a white government or an ivory assembly in Washington that would destroy us for our land. A hard OLD CHEROKEE WOMAN turns toward John and interrupts. (CONTINUED) 74. CONTINUED: OLD CHEROKEE WOMAN You’re white! John is dress in a suit for the occasion. He is patient and looks directly at her. JOHN ROSS My blood is part Cherokee. My heart is all. Some full bloods may resent my election. For that I am sorry. Let us unite. I promise peace and a quality life, but not at any price. The old woman continues her harassment. OLD CHEROKEE WOMAN Is the price the same as Doublehead? John turns back to the crowd. JOHN ROSS Andrew Jackson now leads the white elitist and they mean to remove us from our land at any price. A price that we alone will pay. The Cherokee must fight in a new way. Not at war, but inside their governed chambers. We must all pull together to survive this tyranny of greed. A tyranny not of its people, but of the rich and powerful. I promise you will endure! John waves a thank you to the cheering crowd and steps down. The old Cherokee woman smiles slightly while watching him leave. EXT. INDIAN ADVOCATE NEWSPAPER OFFICE John walks past the front of the newspaper office. JOHN ROSS P.O.V. OUTSIDE TO INSIDE - SHERIFF PEARL, a scuzzy looking pot bellied southern sheriff, is inside talking to ELIAS BOUDINOT, a young well groomed Cherokee man and the editor. Two burly deputies stand on either side of Elias. DEPUTY LYNCH, a slim-green toothed man looks around the room grinning. 75. INT. INDIAN ADVOCATE NEWSPAPER OFFICE John walks inside. The sheriff rudely waves a piece of paper in Elias's face. PEARL This here is a confiscation order from the U. S. of A. We're closin' this paper down. Jest to damn radical. John intervenes. JOHN ROSS You nor your court have authority here. This is sovereign Cherokee Nation land. Elias speaks up. ELIAS I can handle this, Chief Ross. The sheriff looks at his deputies and shakes the notice. Lynch is eager. SHERIFF PEARL Go on boys, we got the papers. Elias starts to stop them. John puts his hand out before Elias can move. JOHN ROSS Sheriff, I order you to leave Cherokee owned property. The Georgia Congress has no power here. The sheriff laughs. Talmidge and three big and mean-looking warriors enter to stand in the doorway. The sheriff speaks to his deputies. SHERIFF PEARL Go on, do it. The deputies begin to tear up the newspaper office. Deputy Lynch yelps with glee. (CONTINUED) 76. CONTINUED: Talmidge and the warriors quickly subdue the deputies. The sheriff starts to pull his gun. John boldly stops him by taking his own gun and cocking it under his chin. He turns him over to the warriors. JOHN ROSS Eject them at the border. I warn you sheriff. If you come back the penalty will be severe. The sheriff glares at John. Talmidge and the warriors take them away. Elias turns to John and speaks. ELIAS John, The Ridge and I agree it's time to sign the removal treaty. It is the only way to stop the white governments from killing us off little by little. The Ridge walks in. THE RIDGE Yes, John. The white government has asked us to sign for the nation. John feels betrayed. He looks at both men. JOHN ROSS I respect you both, but only the council decides. If you continue, the treaty will give the Georgia Congress what it needs to destroy us. The Ridge looks at him as if he is sorry. THE RIDGE I am sorry, but we will sign. John shakes his head and speaks as he walks out. JOHN ROSS Don’t betray the tribe, Ridge. The Ridge looks at Elias. THE RIDGE You know when we sign, it will be our death warrant. (CONTINUED) 77. CONTINUED: (2) Elias is sad. ELIAS Ridge, if we stay they will kill us all. At least we have a chance in the new land. The Ridge is in thought. THE RIDGE I do not know the new politics. I only know the Cherokee way. They will not forgive us. Only John can mend this thing we do to save a few from the heel of the white soldiers. Elias and the Ridge watch John through the window. ELIAS AND THE RIDGE P.O.V. INSIDE TO OUTSIDE - John walks across the street as the sun starts to go down. Stan Watie rides past John and doesn’t bother to speak. DISSOLVE TO: INT. JOHN ROSS TWO STORY HOME - DAY An older John Ross sits in the living room reading. The home is in excellent condition and well kept. It is decorated in a southern style with a few Cherokee artifacts around the room. John looks up and sees Quatie move down the stairs, dressed in an elegant skirt and blouse with her long black hair flowing. JOHN ROSS Are the boys coming over today? Quatie answers as she walks toward him. QUATIE No, they're in town with their wives. John smiles at her. JOHN ROSS Time flies, but it never affects you. Quatie is seductive with John. (CONTINUED) 78. CONTINUED: QUATIE Keep talking. Quatie sits beside John looking at him lovingly. John gets closer and kisses her. He moves between her beautiful tan legs and pushes Quatie’s loose skirt to the side. John begins to caress her as they make love. Suddenly the front door is kicked open. Sheriff Pearl holds a shotgun as he rushes in. John and Quatie scramble to defend themselves. The Sheriff hits Quatie across the face with the barrel of his shotgun. She falls backward to the floor. Blood splatters across John's face. The sheriff hits him with his fist. Lying on the floor, Quatie tries to recover her senses. Blood drips from her head. Pearl jerks the dazed John to his feet. He hits John again, while he is still dazed and puts crude handcuffs on his wrist. SHERIFF PEARL Remember ole Sheriff Cable Pearl of this here fine Georgia county. I got orders ta put ya in jail. Mr. Big Chief, John Ross. John is dazed and angry. JOHN ROSS What the hell is going on? SHERIFF PEARL The Government's movin you injuns. Seems ole Ridge and Boudinot signed them removal papers. Georgia don't want ya and Andrew Jackson agreed. John pleads with the sheriff. JOHN ROSS Let me take care of my wife! The sheriff pushes John to the door. John turns and attacks him. John hits the sheriff in the face with his head and knocks him down. John is suddenly hit in the face by the butt of Pearl's shotgun as Pearl comes up from the floor. John falls back and recovers. (CONTINUED) 79. CONTINUED: (2) Pearl gets to his feet. He hits John with the shotgun again. Chief Ross goes to his knees. Pearl gets John on his feet, drags him to the doorway then shoves John into the yard. SHERIFF PEARL Git goin, big Chief. The sheriff hits John again between the shoulder blades with his shotgun butt knocking him forward completely off his feet. Quatie, weak and grieved, stands in the doorway watching John. Tears run down her face. Pearl mounts his horse and prods John with his shotgun barrel to walk down the trail. EXT. HINASEE GARRISON GEORGIA, WILDERNESS STOCKADE AREA Soldiers are building eight large log stockades with sheds inside for cover. The stockades, set in a wilderness area and out of sight of the public, hold the Cherokee and other tribes during the round up. Five mounted soldiers drive ten Cherokee prisoners on foot into a nearby-completed stockade. Four guards take charge of the prisoners. They push them inside and lock the front gates. Overhead three armed troops walk the high catwalk watching the prisoners inside. GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT, a heavy older man walks past the stockades with his adjutant, CAPTAIN COMPTON, a model soldier. General Scott is compassionate. GENERAL SCOTT You know, Captain, this whole process is a tragedy. Our country makes miserable history this day. COMPTON I don't envy your position, sir. GENERAL SCOTT I hate inflicting this on these people. However, my duty is mandated. (CONTINUED) 80. CONTINUED: Sevier, passes by with eighty troops riding under his command. He is older now and wears the rank of colonel. Sevier raises his hand and salutes as they pass. SEVIER General Scott. Sevier and the troops ride toward the hills. General Scott and his captain watch them go. COMPTON There goes a brutal man. Scott glances at him. GENERAL SCOTT A necessary evil, captain. DISSOLVE TO: INT. JOHN ROSS TWO STORY HOME Quatie sits in a wing-backed chair beside the front window. She puts medication on her head, still dizzy and crying from her ordeal. She hears a noise and looks through the window. QUATIE'S P.O.V. Quatie sees Sevier and his men in her front yard. They guard twenty Cherokee on foot, under guard. Casteel is older now and wears the rank of Major. BACK TO SCENE Quatie is startled. QUATIE Oh, my God! Quatie weakly runs to the back door and jerks it open. She runs into the arms of Prince and a rough-looking soldier. The soldiers grabs her before she can exit. SOLDIER Where you going so fast, injun? EXT. LARGE SOUTHERN PLANTATION - AFTERNOON Colonel Sevier, Major Casteel and the troops ride into the front yard with Quatie and the prisoners on foot in tow. (CONTINUED) 81. CONTINUED: A slave in fine clothes walks from the home to approach the colonel. SLAVE Hello mas-sir, may I help you? Sevier looks at the slave for a moment. SEVIER Arrest him. Put him with the others. Two soldiers dismount and take the black man to the nearby barn. Major Casteel and a few soldiers herd their Cherokee prisoners to the barn so they can drink from the water troughs. Sevier speaks to the remaining troops. SEVIER (CONT’D) You men, round up everybody on this plantation. It is Cherokee owned. The soldiers dismount. They enter the house and fields behind the house. The troops arrest Cherokee workers and black people owned by the Cherokee plantation owner. A soldier jerks and drags KARRA, a young Cherokee woman, from the house and past Colonel Sevier. KARRA You animal! This is my home. Colonel Sevier looks toward her. SEVIER Madam, you are under orders to vacate. You have not. It's your doing. Karra screams out at him. KARRA This is my home. I worked for it and paid for it with my sweat! You have no right. Karra can see her children in the window inside her home. Sevier just looks at her. KARRA (CONT’D) My children. Let me get my babies! (CONTINUED) 82. CONTINUED: (2) The Colonel is stern. SEVIER Take her with the others. The soldiers take her away. She bites and kicks all the way. Another soldier drags the young children from their home as they cry for their mother. A Cherokee man, Karra’s husband, runs from the corner of the house. CHEROKEE MAN Leave my children alone! He runs towards the soldier. The soldier pulls his pistol and fires, killing the man. The children scream and hurry to their father. Karra sees the incident from the distance. KARRA You killed my husband! She begins to cry and sits on the ground. The soldier guarding her jerks Karra up and drags her toward the barn. The children scream for their mother. The Colonel looks coldly at the children. SEVIER Take them with the others. Sergeant Prince walks beside Colonel Sevier. PRINCE We have them all, sir. Sevier answers in an arrogant tone. SEVIER All right Sergeant Prince, mount'em up. Move the Cherokee prisoners out to the Stockade and have some troops take the slaves to the auction house. The sergeant starts the process in a military manner. (CONTINUED) 83. CONTINUED: (3) PRINCE Yes, sir. (turns to the men) You heard the colonel. Morris and Clay take the slaves to the Auction. The rest of you move out. Major Casteel and the soldiers at the barn move the prisoners out toward the road. Two soldiers take five slaves from the crowd of prisoners and march them away from the barn in an opposite direction. Other soldiers surround the Cherokee prisoners with their horses to move them on. The two children break and run between the horses into the woods. A soldier pursues them. The Colonel speaks sharply as he rides forward with Major Casteel. SEVIER Come back, corporal. Let them go. The children's mother screams from the crowd of prisoners and struggles to get past a soldier's horse as he blocks her. KARRA Let me get my babies! The Colonel keeps riding unconcerned. SEVIER Keep them moving sergeant. The sergeant answer in blind compliance. PRINCE Yes sir. (looking at the soldier blocking the woman) Keep her moving. The soldier draws his saber and raises it over Karra. MOON, an older Cherokee woman, grabs Karra and pulls her back while she cries and fights. MOON Come on Karra, let's go. The children will be all right. Come on now. (CONTINUED) 84. CONTINUED: (4) Quatie goes to Karra from the crowd and consoles her. They keep walking, as Karra bellows. The children watch from behind an old rotted log. They cry and scream for their mother, but are afraid to follow. CHEROKEE CHILDREN Mamma. Mamma come back. The soldiers keep the prisoners moving as they fade out of sight. EXT. FOREST TRAIL - LATE AFTERNOON The soldiers continue to herd Quatie and the Cherokee prisoners toward the stockade on a narrow trail between the trees. Quatie leaves Karra and walks from the rear of the prisoner group to the front and rambles along with her mother. Quatie puts her arm around her MOTHER. QUATIE Are you all right, mother? Quatie's mother has a large cut across her face and a hopeless stare. She looks at Quatie and nods. Quatie holds her closer as they walk. QUATIE (CONT’D) Oh mother, what have they done to you? They continue to walk. Quatie's eyes fill with tears as she walks on, looking as if she is in a trance. INT. STOCKADE - NIGHT Mounted guards escort Quatie, her mother and the Cherokee prisoners as they walk toward the log stockade gates. The group is herded inside by the troops. When all the prisoners are inside, the troops disperse and move outside. Quatie turns and looks back at the gates. The giant gates slam shut before she can see outside well. Quatie then scans the stockade. She looks at each person. The group is dispersing and melts into the crowd that is lined around the crude log walls. (CONTINUED) 85. CONTINUED: Quatie's mother makes her way to the long wall and sits alone. Quatie sees a weary and beaten people. She looks down and speaks to herself, as she looks at her people. QUATIE Why do they treat us so! EXT. STOCKADE - MORNING Five more stockades are under construction. Three different U. S. Army cavalry platoons are mounted herding one hundred Cherokee prisoners into the log stockades. A sergeant and five privates ride to the stockade aboard a cargo wagon pulled by mules and loaded with water barrels and salt pork. INT. STOCKADE Quatie walks to the rear of the fortress past the prisoners. She stops next to her mother. She kneels and puts her arm around her. They stand. The wagon with supplies stops in the middle of the stockade. Quatie and her mother walk toward the wagon. The sergeant gets off with his men. SERGEANT All you injuns, line up it's breakfast time. (turning to his men) Cut about a half a hand size of that salt pork, and one cup a water. Hurry up, let's get the hell goin'. The five privates acknowledge and go about their jobs. Two privates cut the sides of pork with large butcher knives. Two others pass out cups of water as the Cherokee pass by. After two of the Cherokee get their meat and water, a third steps up to the first private in the rear of the wagon. The private looks at the pork. He sees an unsalted corner that has maggots. He cuts it off and throws it on the ground. He keeps serving. The Cherokee are so tired and beaten they don't notice. They keep moving through the line. The private on the opposite side cuts his hand with the butcher knife and bleeds on the meat. (CONTINUED) 86. CONTINUED: PRIVATE Hells Bells! He pulls a handkerchief from his pocket, rubs his wounded hand in the salt, wraps it with the handkerchief and keeps serving. The sergeant looks at the ragged Cherokee going through the line. SERGEANT Come on, hurry up. We gotta get back to the rail head. If you wanta eat again! The Cherokee begin to settle down around the walls again and slowly eat and feed their children. Quatie sits against the stockade wall, feeding a female child when Moon comes to her. MOON You need rest. I will feed the children. Quatie is too busy to hear. QUATIE Moon, I've got too many sick people to help. I can’t rest. Go on and feed this child, I'll give the medicine. Is the herb bag here? Moon digs in a large leather pouch and finds the herb bag. MOON Yes, I have it. Quatie stands and takes the bag. Moon sits and takes the child in her arms looking at Quatie. QUATIE Take her with the other children when you have finished. Ruth is taking care of the orphans until we find their parents. Moon acknowledges. Quatie walks away toward the ailing people to medicate their wounds. Moon calls after her. (CONTINUED) 87. CONTINUED: (2) Get rest! MOON Quatie turns and acknowledges as she walks. Quatie stops and kneels beside a badly beaten Talmidge. He holds his bloody arms close to his chest. Quatie pulls at his hands. QUATIE Let me see. Quatie pulls his hands and arms to where she can see them. She flinches from the sight. Talmidge's wrist are almost cut to the bone from rope burns. TALMIDGE I'm all right. Take care of the others. Quatie smiles and pulls herbs from the bag. She puts them on his wounds. Talmidge pulls back slightly from the sting. Quatie continues to doctor him. QUATIE You are a strong warrior. We need you healthy to help the others. Talmidge speaks proudly. TALMIDGE What have they done with our Chief? Quatie tries to be consoling. QUATIE He has been taken away. I know he will help. We'll just have to wait. TALMIDGE We should fight. Quatie stands and smiles at her cousin. QUATIE Get some rest. She walks to another injured person. DISSOLVE TO: 88. EXT. GEORGIA JAIL - AFTERNOON Sheriff Pearl pushes John to the front door with his shotgun barrel. John's wrists are handcuffed. He stumbles and almost falls. The sheriff hits him hard in the back with his shotgun as he gets up. SHERIFF PEARL Git on in there you stinkin' half breed. John falls through the dirty weather-worn door. INT. GEORGIA JAIL John picks himself up and stands in the middle of the filthy wooden floor with bruises on his face. Deputy Lynch looks up from his desk. He gets up holding a large hunting knife. The sheriff speaks in a demanding tone. SHERIFF PEARL Go on. Git them chains offin'em. The deputy plays with his knife and looks at John. LYNCH I's thinkin of just skinnin' him. The sheriff smiles and pushes John toward the deputy. PEARL Put him in the cross bar hotel. He'll get what's comin to'em when he's fetched to the stockade. LYNCH I think we otta do it now. Sheriff Pearl looks at Deputy Lynch as if he is stupid. He doesn't care about John, but Pearl knows his orders from the army. PEARL Cain't. He's a big man, accordin' to the soldiers that want him. They said he is the main Chief of the Cherokee injuns or some such nonsense. (CONTINUED) 89. CONTINUED: LYNCH I wanta cut'em. PEARL Shut up you fool. I'll hang you myself if you do it. I don't want trouble with the army. The deputy takes John's crude handcuffs off and pulls him through a doorway and into the hall of the jail. INT. JAIL John is suddenly shocked to sees the body of a hanged Cherokee in the cell. Deputy Lynch smiles a big green tooth smile. He tries to hit John in the kidney. John is ready for him. John dodges and takes a glancing blow. He hits Lynch in the face. John grabs the deputy's long greasy hair and slams his face into the bars. Suddenly he hears a CLICK in his ear. Pearl's points at John's head. John stops, waiting for the next move. Deputy Lynch blurts out an insult while sporting a bloody face. LYNCH What's wrong Mr. Big? Ain't you never saw a hanged injun before? Sheriff Pearl speaks up. PEARL Open the damn door, Lynch. That mouth of your'in is givin me a pain right square in the ass. Lynch opens the metal barred door. A Cherokee man who hangs is bloated from being there so long. The stench makes John ill. He puts his hand over his mouth. Sheriff Pearl shoves John inside the cell. Deputy Lynch glares cruelly at John as he slams the metal door. Lynch leaves. John closes his eyes and looks as if he's praying. 90. INT. BARN, DEERINWATER FARM HOUSE AREA PAUL DEERINWATER, a thirty-something Cherokee works and sings to himself as he brushes one of the two horses in his stable. Sunlight shines through the back window of the barn and creates ribbons of light across the barns well-kept floor. A horseman's shadowed silhouette ripples past the barn window, then another and another. Paul looks up, walks to the barn then exits to get a look. EXT. BARN Paul peers toward his house. PAUL'S P.O.V. He sees fifty soldiers on horseback, and three of them on the front porch of his small, white washed, wood sided house. BACK TO SCENE Paul starts walking toward the soldiers. EXT. PAUL DEERINWATER'S HOUSE Colonel Sevier, Major Casteel and Sergeant Prince are mounted waiting in the front yard near the porch. On the porch, the major speaks to the three men, MCGUIRE, a boyish young man, Baxter and Conroy. CASTEEL Conroy stay here and bring in the stragglers. McGuire, Baxter help him. The privates acknowledge. Casteel anxiously gets on with his duties. CASTEEL (CONT’D) Move'em out, Sergeant Prince! The sergeant snaps to and repeats the order. PRINCE Move out. Column of twos! Colonel Sevier and the remaining cavalry troops turn and form a column. (CONTINUED) 91. CONTINUED: Paul continues walking toward the remaining soldiers. The soldiers see Paul. Conroy, the N-C-O in charge, pulls his pistol. CONROY That's far enough injun! (looks at the two men with him) Go get him. The Cherokee man stops. CONROY (CONT’D) Don't even think about runnin', blanket ass. I'll drop you before you get three feet. Private Baxter and McGuire walk toward Paul They grab im and push Paul towards the house. RUTH, Paul's pretty young Cherokee wife opens the front door. The troops are startled. They point their rifles at her. RUTH Paul, what's wrong? PAUL It's all right, Ruth. Go in the house. Conroy looks at her with lust. CONROY Hello there, you stay right where you are. Ruth is frightened. CONROY (CONT’D) Tie him to the porch post. Private’s Baxter and McGuire tie Paul to the post as Conroy looks on. BAXTER Conroy, we're supposed to take these people in. What the hell are you doin? The Conroy's eyes look wild and mean. (CONTINUED) 92. CONTINUED: (2) CONROY Shut your mouth. I'm runnin this show. (he grabs the woman by the hair) Soon as I take my pleasures with this beauty you can take her anywhere ya want. McGuire sternly gives a warning. MCGUIRE Conroy, you're asking for trouble! I don't want no part of it. The Conroy smirks. CONROY Don’t worry 'bout it, nobody cares. Private Baxter warns the Corporal. BAXTER Corporal, this ain't right. The Corporal smugly smiles. CONROY Shut up, Baxter. You don’t know nothin. Paul angrily attempts to wrench loose from his ropes. McGuire and Baxter are disgusted. BAXTER I know you’re stupid for doin' this. Conroy pushes the Cherokee woman toward the front door of the house. He stops and looks at Paul. CONROY Don't worry. She might still want ya when I'm done. Paul erupts with angry. McGuire is disgusted and speaks up. MCGUIRE Get the hell on with it. I want to get out of here. (CONTINUED) 93. CONTINUED: (3) Paul feels a loose knot on his ropes. He works to loosen them. Conroy pulls Ruth inside kicking and screaming. BAXTER Don’t hurt her you crazy bastard. Conroy grins big. McGuire and Baxter get their horses and walk toward the barn. INT. DEERINWATER HOUSE Ruth cries and screams as the Corporal rips her dress off. Conroy hits her with his fist in the mouth. CONROY Shut up, I can’t think with all your noise. Her mouth bleeds. He throws her on the hard wood floor near the stone fireplace and rips the rest of her clothes off. Conroy unbuttons his pants and crawls on top of her. Ruth screams again. Conroy grabs her hair and pulls her head back to the floor. He kisses her. She moves frantically. EXT. BARN, DEERINWATER HOUSE AREA McGuire and Baxter sit on bales of hay waiting. They suddenly look up. BAXTER That idiots gonna go straight ta hell. MCGUIRE AND BAXTER P.O.V. The men see in the distance the Conroy, bleeding profusely, stumble through the door onto the front porch. He falls. BACK TO SCENE McGuire and Baxter run back to the farm house. Private McGuire and Baxter speak while they run. MCGUIRE We’re in it now. (CONTINUED) 94. CONTINUED: BAXTER I knew somethin' bad would happen! EXT. DEERINWATER HOUSE Baxter draws his pistol as he runs. He makes it to the porch first to see Conroy lying in a pool of blood. McGuire stops behind him. McGuire and Baxter rush inside the house. INT. DEERINWATER HOUSE Paul stands beside his wife holding a stick of firewood. She lies on the floor badly beaten, curled up, nude and crying. The soldiers stop and just stare. Paul turns to them. room. CRIES from an infant echo from a back PAUL What has brought us to this? Stunned Baxter shakes his head. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. STOCKADES - NIGHT The sun goes down behind the stockade walls. Major Casteel and his men ride in with a group of two hundred Cherokee prisoners. General Scott watches with Captain Compton. Casteel stops in front of General Scott as the Cherokee in the background are being herded into the stockade. He salutes. CASTEEL Sir, the last of them are in custody. The count's around seventeen thousand. We'll be ready to remove them to the territories tomorrow. The General answers unconcerned. GENERAL SCOTT Very good, major. (CONTINUED) 95. CONTINUED: The major speaks an after thought. CASTEEL Sir, we had a soldier killed by a Cherokee man. He's being held in stockade six. General Scott is brought into the reality of the situation. GENERAL SCOTT What the hell happened? CASTEEL The man's wife claims Corporal Conroy molested her. Conroy and her husband, Paul Deerinwater, fought. Our man was killed. The General wants answers. GENERAL SCOTT Were there other witnesses? CASTEEL No sir, the two soldiers with him were away from where it happened. GENERAL SCOTT Is Deerinwater in custody? The major soft pedals the issue. CASTEEL Yes sir. It is not a problem. I’ll handle it. GENERAL SCOTT All right handle it, Major Casteel. The major salutes and rides back to his troops. Colonel Sevier rides to a nearby stockade and joins Casteel. INT. STOCKADE On the catwalk above, Stockade guards' silhouettes can be seen against the moonlit sky. Four hundred depressed prisoners sit around the stockade walls. Many conversations mesh into a quiet roar. (CONTINUED) 96. CONTINUED: CROWD (V.O.) Mamma, I'm hungry. What are they going to do with us? Oh God. How could this be? INT. JAIL John looks around the jail. All of the other jail cells are open and vacant. The entire area is filthy. He stands and walks to the bars. John look's sadly at the hanging corpse. He sees something in his tightly clenched fist. It's a glint of metal. John glances down at the lock on the jail door and then looks back at the glimpse of metal. He goes to the body. John grimaces from the stench as he pries the corpse's hand open. He takes a key from his fellow Cherokee. John turns and tries it on the jail door. The key turns and the door opens. John smiles and turns to the dead man. JOHN ROSS Thank you, Brother. He exits the cell and quietly walks to the back door. John tries the door it's locked. He moves to the front and looks through into the sheriff's office. He scans the room. He sees the big hunting knife lying on top of the desk and the sheriff's shotgun leaned against the same desk. He hears the sheriff excuse himself and waits patiently. The sheriff slowly walks out toward his run down shack a hundred and fifty yards away. John figures the sheriff is far enough down the road by now. He burst into the room and knocks the deputy out of his chair with his fist. John grabs the shotgun and points it at the yapping stunned deputy. DEPUTY Don't shoot me. Don't shoot. Then John takes the thin bladed hunting knife from the desk. The deputies eyes get big and he gets quiet. John grins. (CONTINUED) 97. CONTINUED: JOHN ROSS I won't shoot you, unless you force me and I really hope you do, moss mouth. Get in the jail. The deputy reluctantly moves into the jail cell with the corpse. John looks at the bloated dead man. He cuts him down and makes the deputy help him wrap the poor man in a blanket while holding his gun on green tooth. DEPUTY Shu-wee he shore does stink. John is sorry for the Cherokee man and ignores the ignorance. JOHN ROSS I'm sorry I have to leave you like this. He turns to the deputy. JOHN ROSS (CONT’D) You know, deputy, we Cherokee have a saying, "There are three sources of knowledge". I can tell you, you're not one of them. Green tooth is angry. DEPUTY You ain't gonna get away with this. But if you gotta leave me in here, give me somethin to breath through, the stink is awful. John locks the jail door. JOHN ROSS I may not get away, but you'll be here with my friend to enjoy every savory aroma. Oh, I forgot, you're ignorant. Never mind. He walks outside. EXT. FOREST BY JAIL John throws the shotgun and keys into the bushes and disappears in the dark forest. He blast through the deep woods breaking limbs and knocking leaves from the trees as he tears through the undergrowth. 98. EXT. SHERIFF'S HOUSE The Sheriff has heard his coon hounds bark and looked out the window to see John running through the woods. The over confident sheriff is caught totally by surprise and runs outside. JOHN ROSS That Injun got away, dammit. He throws it on the dusty ground. The Sheriff rushes inside the backwoods jail. INT. JAIL He walks to the deputy sitting in the jail cell holding his nose. PEARL You dummy, you let'em go. The deputy is glad to see his hateful boss. DEPUTY Ain't no lettin to it. Sorry, Boss but he tricked me. Let me outta here. The stank is dismal. The perplexed sheriff notices the smell has elevated from the body since John and the deputy moved it. He holds his nose to avoid the harsh odor. PEARL Bein able to open a pocketknife would be a trick for you. The Sheriff unlocks the jail door with his set of keys. They move through the office and grab a couple of shotguns from the gun rack and rip through the front door after John. EXT. FOREST John has been running hard for an hour. He slows the pace and moves slower along a riverbank. John can hear dogs and people breaking through the undergrowth of the forest in the distance. He turns and crosses the shallow river. A few steps into the river and shotgun blasts ring out. They break the water next to him. John moves faster. He doesn't want to be caught by the ruthless Sheriff and his dull Deputy. Shots ring out around John again. (CONTINUED) 99. CONTINUED: The sheriff and deputy laugh and talk as they shoot at him. DEPUTY Run boy, run! John reaches the opposite riverbank. He scurries up the overgrown bank and disappears into the woods. The sheriff and deputy cuss and fire their weapons at the vacant woods. PEARL Look at him go. Lickety split. John hears them laughing as he moves quickly through the thick woods. His breathing is labored as he blazes a difficult trail. Chief Ross runs hard. He finally slows down and begins to walk. John holds his side bursting with pain from running so long. John can hear the night creatures singing their song. He smiles as he walks. JOHN ROSS What are you so happy about, Mr. Owl? You could be somebody's breakfast by morning. John sees a light in the distance. He walks toward it. John is close to the light. It's a busy wilderness tavern and John needs food and a horse. He is quietly happy about his find. John stops and watches from the edge of the woods. Two drunken men come out, get on their horses and ride away. Then a Troop of four soldiers rides through the area and stop next to the Tavern. A Corporal dismounts and goes inside for a few minutes. He comes out with two bottles of whiskey. The corporal remounts and they ride away. John is relieved. He moves to the tap house. John looks through a dirty side window. JOHN ROSS P.O.V. The boondocks bar is full of rustic individuals and frontier types. BACK TO SCENE John watches a drunk stumble outside. The drunk notices him. DRUNK Hey, how are ya? John nods. (CONTINUED) 100. CONTINUED: (2) DRUNK (CONT’D) Come on, let's take a ride toward home and have a drink. The drunk pulls a pint bottle from his pocket and takes a long drink. John smiles. The drunk puts his bottle away and gets on his waiting horse. Come on. DRUNK (CONT’D) John gets on a horse next to the drunk and they ride away. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. DRUNK MAN'S FARM HOUSE - MORNING The next morning, the two horses stand in a coral and John sits on the front porch of the drunk man's house eating a biscuit. He stands and looks through the window at his sleeping friend. He steps off of the porch and walks toward a distant valley. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. DEEP FOREST - DAY John sits by a bubbling stream watching nature go by and collecting his thoughts. Suddenly a soldier yells out from a ridge above him to more troops riding up Stream from John. DISTANT SOLDIER There's one of'em. All of the soldiers ride at full speed toward John. He jumps up and runs as hard as he can go. A cavalry man bears down on him. John stops and turns. He screams and runs toward the horse. The horse bolts to the side and dumps his rider. John moves quick to the horse and grabs his reins as he passes. John swings up on his back and rides away. The rest of the troopers arrive too late. John is out of sight. EXT. JOHN ROSS' TWO STORY WHITE HOUSE The next afternoon John arrives at his home. He waits in the tree line surveying the area. (CONTINUED) 101. CONTINUED: He sees Union soldiers camped around the front of his house and a white couple with six small children moving in. John contemplates for a moment and moves on. EXT. FOREST - AFTERNOON John stops at a watering hole to let his horse drink. He dismounts and gets down on the ground to drink from the pool. A wagon with white settlers comes around the corner. FARMER Hey, There's the breed everybody's lookin for. The farmer pulls his rifle and fires at John. He hits a rock near him. John turns for his startled horse, but the horse breaks away and runs. Chief Ross is trapped. He stops and gives up as the farmer pulls his pistol out ready to fire. The farmer looks him over from his high place on the wagon. FARMER (CONT’D) Don't move breed. I'm comin down there. John stares at him. The farmer's wife is causeous and watches John close. FARMER'S WIFE Be careful Jonas. He stops in front of John, rifle drawn. FARMER You don't look like no Injun bad man ta me. What they want you for? JOHN ROSS Because I am Cherokee. The man is confused. FARMER Ain't there a bounty on Indians? John shakes his head, no. (CONTINUED) 102. CONTINUED: FARMER (CONT’D) Well, git on out of here. I ain't gonna hurt ya. John is a little surprised. He turns and walks away. Suddenly four soldier's stand in front of him with rifles drawn and aimed at him. John is too tired to run. He stops and waits for the inevitable. DISSOLVE TO: INT. FRONT GATES, STOCKADE NUMBER SIX Casteel rides past six armed guards at the front gate. He moves inside and the guard’s slam the gate shut. Casteel stops and dismounts. He looks at the nearby Prince casually standing and talking with his men. Baxter is among them. CASTEEL Sergeant Prince, bring the prisoner. The sergeant takes notice and turns to the guards. PRINCE Bring me the troop killer. Two guards go to a dark corner and pull the bound and gagged Paul Deerinwater to his feet. Paul has dried blood on his face. The guards drag Paul in front of Casteel. CASTEEL Are you, Paul Deerinwater? Paul nods yes. The major gives the lethal order. CASTEEL (CONT’D) You are hereby sentenced to death for the murder of Corporal Robert Conroy. Put him on the wall! The guards drag Paul to the stockade wall. A third guard drives a spike in the wall above his head. Two guards hoist Paul up and hook the ropes that are around Paul's hands over the spike. The campfires against the full moon illuminates Paul's bloody body hanging from the spike. It appears almost biblical. Casteel watches smugly. (CONTINUED) 103. CONTINUED: CASTEEL (CONT’D) Get ten braves and ten of our troops with rifles and pistols. PRINCE Yes sir. (he turns to the guards) I need ten riflemen with pistols. Now! Baxter rushes to the sergeant. BAXTER Sergeant, that man was protecting his wife. Conroy raped her. Prince answers quickly and abruptly. He doesn't want any trouble from the brass. PRINCE It's too late, Baxter. Drop it. Baxter is persistent. BAXTER This ain't right! You’re just coverin' up. Prince is firm. PRINCE I said shut you mouth. That's an order. Get back to your post. Baxter, disgusted, walks to the back of crowd. More soldiers come in from outside the stockade gates until ten are gathered. PRINCE (CONT’D) We're ready sir. The major struts his authority. CASTEEL Get the ten Indians. Prince turns to his men. PRINCE Get ten bucks up here. Double time! Ten soldiers grab ten Cherokee men at random from the crowd. (CONTINUED) 104. CONTINUED: (2) CASTEEL Line them up facing the prisoner. Prince looks on as his men comply. The ten Cherokee men are lined up firing squad style, facing the prisoner hanging on the wall. CASTEEL (CONT’D) Give the Indians your rifles. The soldiers hesitate. Now! CASTEEL (CONT’D) The soldiers give the Cherokee their rifle. The stockade guards stand ready. CASTEEL (CONT’D) This is how it works. The Indians will get in firing position. On the command "fire", they will execute the prisoner with ten bullets. If this does not happen, sergeant. Your men will execute the ten bucks and then ten prisoners. There is silence as everyone contemplates this compassionless show. CASTEEL (CONT’D) Firing positions. The Cherokee hesitate. The soldiers cock their pistols and point them at the ten Cherokee heads. The Cherokee raise their rifle and aim them at Paul. Crowds of Cherokee prisoners have gathered. They are pushed back by stockade guards. The prisoners start rumbling and talking. Quatie pushes from the crowd and confronts the major. QUATIE Stop this. It's insane! Casteel glares at her. CASTEEL This is an execution for murder. Stand back or you'll be next on the wall. (CONTINUED) 105. CONTINUED: (3) Quatie yells out at Casteel as she struggles against the guards holding her at bay. QUATIE It's wrong! This is murder! He only protected his family. The major ignores her. CASTEEL Sergeant Prince! Prince turns and yells to the troops. PRINCE Company A, rifles ready. The gates open and a column of soldiers move into the stockade between the firing squad and the crowd of Cherokee prisoners being held at bay. A large Cherokee man and woman pull Quatie back as the soldiers close in. QUATIE Murderers! You'll pay for this. The major looks at her with disgust, then surveys the area. Fire! CASTEEL There is a split second of calm then there is a volley of ten shots break the silence. Paul’s body jerks as bullets rip into him. The Cherokee firing squad looks away from the body, ashamed of their act. Paul's wife, Ruth, carrying her baby yells out in grief. Quatie quickly goes to Ruth and holds her as the baby screams. Quatie has tears on her cheeks. She looks at Casteel defiantly. Their eyes meet in separate states of defiance. Casteel looks away. Paul's wife screams out into Quatie's shoulder. (CONTINUED) 106. CONTINUED: (4) RUTH Paul, Paul! She goes to her knees crying. The soldiers stand firm in a pushing match with the crowd. The major looks at the crowd as he speaks to Prince. Bury him. CASTEEL The sergeant yells out to his men standing nearby. SERGEANT I need a burial detail! Four men step forward and move toward Paul's body. Casteel walks towards the stockade gates. In the background, Paul's body is being taken off the wall. The Cherokee do not move, they simply watch Casteel walk out, with hate and tears in their eyes. Murmurs rise as the major leaves. The crowds dialogue overlaps as they yell at the major. CROWD He was innocent. Murderer. Animal! Sergeant Prince walks to the guards handling the crowd. Private Baxter stands in a corner sadly watching. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. COMMAND POST TENT, FRONT OF STOCKADES - LATE NIGHT General Scott walks with Compton into the canvas command post tent past the posted guard. The guard salutes as they pass. John Ross rides to the tent’s front entrance with two armed GUARDS. John’s hands are bound at the wrist with rope. They stop their horses. GUARD ONE Stay on your horse, half breed. The command post guard that stands in front of General Scott's tent entrance speaks. GUARD TWO What'da want troop? (CONTINUED) 107. CONTINUED: Guard One looks at John. GUARD ONE This is the breed chief. He's supposed to see General Scott. Wait here. GUARD TWO Guard Two goes inside the large tent. John Ross watches the entrance. Guard Two returns. SCOTT GUARD All right bring him in. Guard Three pushes John off of his horse. He hits the ground hard. John jumps up and grabs Guard Three with his bound hands. He jerks him from his horse and hits him in the face with his head. The guard is addled. John attacks him again hitting him with his head in the nose. The blood flies. The Guard Two intervenes. GUARD TWO Break it up! (turns to Guard Three) Get on your horse and go, before I have you arrested. You started this. The guard holds his bleeding nose and gets on his horse. The two mounted guards angrily take John Ross's horse and ride away into the darkness. John stares at them as they go. Guard Two brushes John off. GUARD TWO (CONT’D) Those idiots. You sure don't look like an injun. Got guts I give you that. Guard Two cuts the ropes away from John's hands. JOHN ROSS I am Cherokee. Guard Two throws the rope on the ground near the tents edge. He smiles at John. (CONTINUED) 108. CONTINUED: (2) SCOTT GUARD All right. Don’t get excited. I don’t want no bloody nose. Guard Two points to the tent entrance and escorts John inside the command post tent. INT. COMMAND POST TENT Oil lanterns illuminate the tent. General Scott sits behind a field desk with Captain Compton to one side. Two Colonels nearby are eating and talking. They stop and look. The Guard Two stands beside John Ross. GUARD TWO Your Indian, sir. The General is relaxed. GENERAL SCOTT Thank you, corporal. Resume your post. Guard Two exits in a relaxed military manner. Yes, sir. GUARD TWO General Scott gestures to a chair near him. GENERAL SCOTT Chief Ross, sit down. I understand you feel our recent actions are illegal? John Ross remains standing. JOHN ROSS That's right, General. I protest the cruel treatment of my people and the murder of Paul Deerinwater who was executed for protecting his family. The General has the smug look of authority. GENERAL SCOTT Guard your words, Chief. Murder is a strong charge. The major that carried out the execution has reported. It is justified. (CONTINUED) 109. CONTINUED: John is just as commanding. He leans forward. JOHN ROSS General, my people are civilized. All we wanted was peace. Your government took our schools, our businesses because powerful men in Georgia and Washington wanted them. Where's the justice in an eviction of greed. GENERAL SCOTT I don't know about the politics. I just carry out the orders. Take it up in Washington. John offers a warning. JOHN ROSS You should worry, general. It could be your family someday. General Scott is unconcerned. GENERAL SCOTT Your protest can't be heard here. We move your people tomorrow. John boldly pleads his case. JOHN ROSS Winter's coming. Our people do not have clothing or food supplies. The General barks his statement like an order. GENERAL SCOTT Chief Ross, you will be removed under the provision of the Indian Removal Act. Get your people ready to travel. John humbles himself to plead again. JOHN ROSS Allow the council to supervise the removal. At least we may forage along the way. General Scott has a small change of heart. He hesitates for a second. (CONTINUED) 110. CONTINUED: (2) GENERAL SCOTT I will take your word there will be no trouble. You've got to go by tomorrow or your people will parish in the winter cold. JOHN ROSS We will be ready. Many will die, but that will be the albatross you and Andrew Jackson have put around your own necks. John Ross exits. General Scott watches him go. The others in the tent are speechless. EXT. STOCKADE - AFTERNOON John watches his people pack their meager belongings into ten wagons for the thousands of Cherokee readying for the trip. The much older Chief Watts walks beside John. WATTS We are almost ready, John. John is concerned about his old friend. JOHN ROSS Chief Watts, I'm sorry you have been put in this shameful position of removing our people from their homes. Chief Watts smiles. WATTS Don’t be sorry, if not for you there probably would be no Cherokee people to move. John smiles. The statement reminds the chief of the past. WATTS (CONT’D) Sometimes I think we made a mistake by not killing them all when they were few and we were many. It is also a sobering reminder for John. (CONTINUED) 111. CONTINUED: JOHN ROSS They are the warden of this land now. We can only retain our heritage. If we don’t we will have nothing and be nothing. Talmidge comes into sight carrying a bed roll as he walks with Quatie. She sees John and rushes to him. John sees Quatie and smiles. Quatie runs into his arms, they kiss. Quatie looks at John. Talmidge greets his uncle in the background. QUATIE I missed you. John is elated. JOHN ROSS I thought I had lost you! Quatie smiles. John kisses her and looks into her eyes. JOHN ROSS (CONT’D) Our people have a trying journey ahead. Are you up to it? Quatie smiles and nods. John holds her lovingly. They turn and watch people begin to form a column. They move along with just a few belongings. A cold wind blows over John and Quatie. She shivers and tries to get closer to John. QUATIE This is a truly a desperate trail of tears. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. MOUNTAIN TRAIL - LATE EVENING In the hard rain, scantly dressed Cherokee people walk shivering from the cold. A wagon wheel breaks and falls on Ruth as she walks beside the wagon. The fall knocks a family member and two children off the slippery bluff into a deep canyon, SCREAMS echo as they fall. (CONTINUED) 112. CONTINUED: Ruth's has dropped her baby. Chief Watts tries to save it. He falls into the cannon but saves the infant by pushing it behind a rock so it will not slip over the edge. A woman walking near Ruth goes to the child and picks it up. Talmidge, the driver of the wagon, jumps down and checks Ruth. Quatie runs to her aid. TALMIDGE Ruth's dead. Her whole family and my uncle are dead! Quatie puts her arm around him. QUATIE Let's get help, Talmidge. We must get to the top. With this mud, we’ve got to keep moving. Two people gather to help. The others stumble by in the background not realizing what happened. TALMIDGE The men in Washington caused this. Quatie tries to comfort him. QUATIE I know, I guess our land is more valuable than our lives. Talmidge nods and stands. He goes to Ruth. TALMIDGE Poor Ruth. She died for nothing. I will kill the bastard's when my day comes. Quatie pats his shoulder. Five Cherokee men gather at the wagon. Another yells out. CHEROKEE MAN Grab the wagon, and heave. The men raise the wagon. Talmidge pulls Ruth's crushed body out. Quatie puts her hand on Ruth's forehead as Talmidge picks her up in his arms. Quatie looks at the poor sight and speaks to herself. QUATIE You're better off. (CONTINUED) 113. CONTINUED: (2) Talmidge lays Ruth on top of the canvas-covered supplies in the wagon. He looks at Quatie with tears in his eyes. TALMIDGE There are no blanket for her. I hate The Ridge and his Washington weasels. Quatie shivers while patting Talmidge on the shoulder. walks on. EXT. MOUNTAIN TOP CLEARING - NIGHT The rain continues to pour down. Wagons have circled near the timberline. Around the area canvases are tied to trees making lean-tos for shelter. More canvases are tied to the wagons to cover the center of the circled wagons. Near the wagons are hundreds of make-shift tents made from blankets hung over tree limbs, with leaves stacked on to repel the water. People huddle under the covers trying to stay dry and warm. John Ross walks across the muddy grounds toward the wagons. He turns as if he feels Quatie's presence. Quatie walks up the mountain trail with twenty stragglers following. She speaks to them. QUATIE You can make it! Go, get cover. I'll be along to help you. John moves through the mud and rain to help her. He passes six men digging graves in miserable conditions with bodies staked around them. John stops in front of Quatie, the people walk past. Quatie turns toward John, looking into his eyes. Her eyes have dark blue circles under them. Her lips are blue and her face is gray. Quatie's lips quiver from the cold. John sees she is very sick. JOHN ROSS My God, Quatie. (John embraces her) I'll get you some place warm. They 114. EXT. CAMP AREA John walks with Quatie to the camp area looking for an open spot to get in out of the driving rain. They walk past the wagons, all are packed with people. John supports his water soaked Quatie while they walk. He looks for shelter. They pass by the last wagon. Moon's voice rings out. John! John looks. He sees Moon with three children and an old man wrapped together in a blanket. Water pours off the blanket that covers them like a lean-to. All of her people sit in mud. John and Quatie walk closer. Moon cries. MOON (CONT’D) Take Henry to the gravesite. He has died. We'll take Quatie and you. John is thankful for the shelter. JOHN ROSS I'm sorry about, Henry. John pulls Henry's body from the lean-to. Quatie shakes as she enters in his place. JOHN ROSS (CONT’D) I'll be back, Quatie. John picks Henry's body up in his arms and carries him toward a nearby gravesite. EXT. GRAVESITE He gently drops him into a water filled mass grave. John pushes mud in over his body. He is frustrated and makes afinal, futile effort to push more mud into the grave. John slips and braces against the fall. To his horror, John sees his mother's and father's bodies on the edge of the mass grave. Their faces are pale blue. He shrinks back from them then looks closer. John touches their faces. He tenderly covers them with mud and debris from the forest. John cries. He stands and walks almost defeated back toward Quatie. MOON (O.S.) 115. EXT. CAMP AREA Quatie sits shivering uncontrollably. She hears a young girl cry from a difficult childbirth. A few people gather around the woman in the cramped quarters under the canvas. Quatie turns and weakly moves over people to get to her. She stops in front of the girl. The woman looks at Quatie. She frantically gasps for breath. Quatie's feels under the young woman's dress and finds the baby's head. Two old women hold the girl's back and assist. QUATIE Relax. Help me, the baby is coming. The young woman pushes hard and groans. Quatie pulls a screaming baby girl from under the young woman's dress. She bits and chews the birth cord to sever it from the mother. Quatie speaks QUATIE (CONT’D) It's a girl. The young woman smiles. A little boy gives Quatie his coat. He shakes from the cold. The two women lay the child down. They cover the baby with the coat. Quatie wraps the baby and turns to lay it on the young woman. Quatie hears Moon speaks. MOON I'll take care of the baby. She is gone and the baby's father is dead. Quatie looks at the old woman, then at the deceased young woman. The men begin to remove the young woman's body. Quatie has a glazed stare for a moment. She shivers violently from the cold and cannot stop. Quatie moves back to her place next to Moon. The others look at her with hollow exhausted eyes. John peers in and sees Quatie shivering and coughing. John takes his coat off. He drapes it around Quatie and embraces Her. (CONTINUED) 116. CONTINUED: QUATIE John, I'm afraid. I feel cold and hollow. John holds her tighter. JOHN ROSS It'll be all right. Just hang on. John cries silently as he holds Quatie close. EXT. MOUNTAIN TOP CLEARING - MORNING The sun comes up. The rain has stopped. John wakes up still holding Quatie. People are milling around, campfires are going, and the wet wood makes heavy smoke. JOHN ROSS Time to get going, Quatie. Come on. John turns her face and looks. Her eyes are closed. John puts his face close to hers to check Quatie’s breathing. He is in shock. John openly cries. He holds her tight. The people begin to notice John and look at him. John picks up Quatie. He carries her past his people to the gravesite. They look sad and regretful as John passes. John stops at the gravesite. He lies Quatie tenderly on the ground next to his parents and fixes her hair. John stands and grabs a shovel sticking it in the muddy ground. John starts to dig. Talmidge steps beside John. TALMIDGE Let me help, John. John looks at him and back at the other people silhouetted in front of many more graves. A gust of wind cuts through the woods behind John. He turns and looks. The wind whisks the dew drops off the Autumn leaves. Leaves touch the ground forming a blanket of glittering silver light that floats over the forest floor around Quatie's body. Everything seems frozen in time. John feels a peace come over him as he looks at the scene. He whispers to himself. JOHN ROSS I love you. (CONTINUED) 117. CONTINUED: Talmidge grief-stricken and puts his arm around John and tries to console him. John stares at his love. GRANDMA DIRTEATER (V.O.) That day changed John’s life. Women of the Cherokee Nation are honored council. They give us great strength. Quatie was his greatest strength. Ten people carry their dead to be buried with their beloved Quatie, the first lady of the Cherokee Nation. The older Cherokee preacher, Pastor Armstrong, drives an empty cargo wagon up and stops. He gets off of the wagon and goes to John. ARMSTRONG John, I am Pastor Armstrong. Remember me? John gives him a weak smile. JOHN ROSS Yes, I do very well, pastor. ARMSTRONG Some Christians in Little Rock have opened their homes to us and their cemetery at Mount Holly to give our people a proper burial. John is too grieved to speak. He turns to Talmidge. TALMIDGE Pastor Armstrong, thank the people for us. We’ll be along. The pastor smiles and turns to the people around the grave sight. ARMSTRONG Put your loved ones on my wagon and I will arrange for proper burial. John and Talmidge nod. Talmidge goes about his business of getting the wagon loaded. Pastor Armstrong shakes John’s hand and leaves to help Talmidge. 118. EXT. OPEN VALLEY TRAIL - DAY Four thousand Cherokee arrive in a green valley in the new Indian Territory. Two wagons are left. A line of Cherokee stragglers walk behind the wagons near two bubbling springs. SUB-TITLE - TWO MONTHS LATER The two wagons stop beside the springs. The people gather around. John walks past Moon who is supported by two young Cherokee women. She reaches out and touches John as he passes. John turns to look. He sees it is Moon and smiles. John turns and gets on the nearest wagon bed to address the beaten crowd. JOHN ROSS Cherokee, you survived a perilous "Trail of Tears". Orphans of our soldiers and the unfortunate of this trail are among us. Take them and the old into your homes. They are the seeds of a new nation. The greed of politicians has driven us to this new land and killed half of our people. I say never again will we allow the discrete execution of our tribe. I have discovered the regal spirit of our people through this horrible rein of terror and with the power of that spirit we will survive and prosper. The Cherokee weakly cheer. John gets down from the bed of the wagon and helps unload it. He feels a chill and looks toward the forest. John sees a shadow ripple past a tree in the forest. He hesitates then walks on towards the forest. EXT. FOREST John turns into the forest toward a small grassy opening. He relaxes slightly and looks around. John is uneasy. He speaks to himself. JOHN ROSS I feel you, Quatie. I miss You. John's eyes are filled with tears. He hears a faint roll of thunder. John looks into the sky. (CONTINUED) 119. CONTINUED: He sees a beautiful white cloud roll across the sky above him. A gentle breeze blows over John. He looks to the heavens. John starts to move away. Suddenly an owl flies from a high branch across the opening to a lower branch across the way. John smiles with a renewed confidence and walks back to his people on the trail. GRANDMA DIRTEATER (V.O.) It is said, that day, John felt good about our people’s future. But as our city began to build, it remembered the bitter past. EXT. ELIAS BOUDINOT HOME - EARLY MORNING A group of twenty Cherokee with red bandannas over their faces ride to Elias Boudinot's house. They dismount and go inside. The men drag Elias from his home. He is pushed to his knees and stabbed to death. They walk to their horses and ride away. EXT. SHALLOW STREAM NEAR BOUDINOT HOME - MORNING The masked group rides into the waterway just down from the crossing. They form a line across the stream. Five riflemen draw their rifles. The Ridge crosses the stream. He hears rifles cock and stops to look. A familiar voice is heard. TALMIDGE (O.S.) You are executed for forcing your people on a bitter trail of tears. The rifles are aimed at him. They all fire at the same time. The Ridge is hit five times in the head. He falls to the stream dead. The mask vigilantes ride away. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. UNDERTAKER'S ROOM OFF THE GENERAL STORE, TAHLEQUAH - DAY The grocer has the bodies of The Ridge and Elias laid out in a side room. Confederate General Stan Watie, dressed in uniform, looks at his brother, The Ridge. People of the town stand outside. (CONTINUED) 120. CONTINUED: Watie looks up and yells outside to the watching people and his soldiers lined in a column on the street. STAN WATIE I'll pay ten thousand dollars for the killer of my brother. The crowd is silent, ignoring Watie. Watie walks out in a state of anger. He mounts his powerful gray horse and rides away. His troops follow. They pass a building with a sign on it. CLOSE ON THE SIGN - "CHEROKEE NATION SUPREME COURT". EXT. PARK HILL, SUBURB OF TAHLEQUAH John Ross exits his white southern home located on Main Street. He walks down the street. The streets are lined with wooden sidewalks and modern metal hitching posts in front of new retail buildings that are shaded by a few large oak trees. John passes a building with a sign on it - "PARK HILL NATIONAL BANK, CHEROKEE NATION". White and Indian people pass by John dressed in business suits and western attire. They all smile and greet him. Two well-dressed ladies pass by Chief Ross smiling. An expensive carriage rolls down the neatly kept dirt-street in the background. A confederate uniformed Stan Watie and his soldiers ride through the street toward John. They stop in front of him. John looks into Watie’s eyes. Watie is harsh. STAN WATIE My brother is dead. You betrayed your friend. I hold you accountable for the murders committed today. John is dismayed by the news of his friends death. JOHN ROSS I will grieve, but I don’t carry the responsibility. He alone does that. (CONTINUED) 121. CONTINUED: Sam's anger explodes. STAN WATIE Your lackeys have killed The Ridge. Your day will come, soon. John is not taking this insult. JOHN ROSS You and your brother live outside of council law. Your ambition for wealth has caused you to ride as a General in a covert army, when our nation has treaties with the Union. The Ridge signed a treaty without the council. These are the deeds that cause death by our law. You should not be surprised. General Watie glares at John and rides on in front of his large column of soldiers. A young Cherokee boy walks from the livery stable leading a strong black horse. He hands the reins to John as John watches Stan Watie ride away. CHEROKEE BOY Chief Ross, your horse. John smiles and pats the boy on the head. He hands him a silver coin. John mounts up and rides away. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. PRINCIPAL CHIEF'S OFFICE, TAHLEQUAH - AFTERNOON John rides on a trail toward a rural community. He passes a sign with painted letters both in the Cherokee language and in English. CLOSE ON SIGN - TAHLEQUAH, CAPITOL OF THE CHEROKEE NATION John rides down the main street. He sees Cherokee merchants and the two Lighthorse policemen. John stops his horse and dismounts. An older Cherokee stableman walks to him and takes his horse. JOHN ROSS Thank you, Mr. Jumper. Mr. Jumper nods and takes the horse away. John casually walks inside. 122. INT. PRINCIPAL CHIEF'S OFFICE, TAHLEQUAH Cherokee Council members sits at a long conference table. They are all talking in an informal hot debate. Two Confederate Generals sit near the head of the table. John enters. He hears horses outside the building. Soldiers shout orders. He goes to the window as things get quiet. JOHN ROSS P.O.V. INSIDE TO OUTSIDE - Confederate soldiers begin to line the streets. Stan Watie rides through the soldiers and stops in front of the military formation. He dismounts, gives his horse to a waiting soldier and walks toward the treasury. BACK TO SCENE John turns and moves to the head of the conference table. He speaks while looking at the Confederate Generals and papers that lie before him. JOHN ROSS The proposal before me is for us to sign a coalition with the South. The Confederate government has stated if we do not the Cherokee Nation will be considered an enemy and genocide will be the order of the day. Stan Watie enters the room as the last word is spoken. John Ross glances at Watie then looks around the room at his council members. His eyes meet Talmidge. Talmidge appears confident. John continues to look around the room. JOHN ROSS (CONT’D) The Cherokee Nation is in a weak position this day. The Union has not seen fit to protect this ally and they have disarmed us. So, today we vote for immediate death or slow death. All in favor of the alliance with the Confederate States, say aye. The council votes overwhelmingly for the confederates. John proceeds. (CONTINUED) 123. CONTINUED: JOHN ROSS (CONT’D) Opposed, Nay. John Ross looks around the room. A single hand raises. Talmidge is proud. John slowly raises his own hand in defiance. The general next to John pulls more papers from his coat and lays them in front of John. Stan Watie stands in place and gloats. John pulls a quill pen from the ink well in front of him and slowly signs the document. JOHN ROSS (CONT’D) As a matter of record, I sign this under protest. The Confederate general next to John takes the papers from the desk and puts them in his inside coat. John turns his back to the Confederate generals. General Watie steps next to John while he gloats and starts to speak. STAN WATIE Our nation is at war... John suddenly takes a pistol from under his coat and points it at Stan’s face and slowly cocks it. Watie is shocked by this action against him and by the pure revenge he sees on John’s face. Everyone in the room is frozen in place. Talmidge stands. TALMIDGE John this is not the way. Stan is just misguided. He does not deserve to die. He does. JOHN ROSS TALMIDGE John, each of you have contributed to this hell we live in. It's the old story of earth, wind and fire that made our nation. You are Earth, Ridge was wind and Stan is fire. That mix is our nation. (MORE) (CONTINUED) 124. CONTINUED: (2) TALMIDGE (CONT'D) Now you decide again the direct of the Cherokee Nation, make it better. John stands his ground and looks coldly at Watie. Two confederate guards come into the room ready to shoot. The waiting Confederate generals motion for them to wait. Watie’s face has sweat running down the side of his cheek. John’s finger slowly squeezes on the trigger. Talmidge stands with his friend watching him closely Watie is nervous. STAN WATIE John, we have had a our differences, but don’t let us end this way. We both want what is best for our people. John stares into Watie's eyes. JOHN ROSS You want glory. I just want peace. Talmidge steps closer to John. TALMIDGE Not today brother. Let him go. John moves the gun slightly and pulls the trigger. The gun shot rings and everyone sees John has shoot into the wall. The guards start to shoot. Stan turns toward them. STAN WATIE No, leave him. Watie relaxes and regains his composer. STAN WATIE (CONT’D) I will file charges again you, Ross. John looks at him with contempt. JOHN ROSS You have destroyed our nation with the actions you take now. I doubt you could do worse to me. (CONTINUED) 125. CONTINUED: (3) Talmidge intervenes to speak to Stan. TALMIDGE This case is over. Let it go Stan. You will never get a charge of anything through this council. The two generals walk to Watie. They speak to him privately and exit together with Stan. Stan looks back in defiance. The room is quiet. John looks out the window behind him. JOHN ROSS P.O.V. INSIDE TO OUTSIDE - The Confederate troops formation is breaking up. The soldiers dismount and take their horses to a stake out area. Military wagons enter the city. DISSOLVE TO: INT. JOHN ROSS' PARK HILL HOME - NIGHT A party is in progress. The men are dressed in suits and confederate uniforms. The ladies in beautiful gowns. Cherokee and white friends socialize. Waiters serve punch and campaign. SUB T I T L E A P P E A RS - CHEROKEE NATION, ONE YEAR LATER. CHI E F J OHN ROS S E S T A T E , P A RK HI L L , The ballroom is elegantly decorated with fresh flowers. A night shadow ripples past the French paneled patio doors,lit from an outside plaza lantern. John Ross mills around the room greeting guests and shaking hands. He moves close to his old friend, Talmidge. Talmidge smiles. TALMIDGE How are you, Little John? John smiles. Very good. JOHN ROSS Talmidge is in a good mood. (CONTINUED) 126. CONTINUED: TALMIDGE I saw Stan Watie a few minutes ago. He said he has forgotten the John Ross, I’m going to kill you incident. John smiles. JOHN ROSS You’re a funny man, but he’s not forgotten anything. TALMIDGE I heard your boys went into the Union Army. JOHN ROSS Yes, they are loyalist and they think slavery should be abolished. TALMIDGE Me too, but I'm going to set this one out. JOHN ROSS I am too. I've had enough fighting to last ten life times. Talmidge pats his friend on the back as John leaves Talmidge and strolls over to his other guest to greet them. Suddenly Colonel Sevier leads fifty Union soldiers including Major Casteel to burst into the room from every exit with rifles pointed at the party guests. Colonel Sevier walks past the soldiers. The crowd is silent. SEVIER Shoot anyone that moves. Sevier surveys the crowded room. His eyes meet John's. John speaks. JOHN ROSS Please don't harm anyone. Take me and the soldiers. We're the only political people here, the rest are citizens. The colonel is amused. (CONTINUED) 127. CONTINUED: (2) SEVIER John Ross, the token white Chief, I'll take that advice. You’re my prisoner. The Union army is in control of your Capitol city, we may as well control the government. Suddenly Confederate General, Stan Watie, pulls his Navy Colt Revolver and shoots the colonel. Sevier falls to the floor wounded in the shoulder. General Watie and two of his officers exit through the French doors, gunning down two Union guards along the way. Four Union soldiers pursue. The entire ballroom is quite for a moment waiting for the next shot to be fired. A Confederate officer suddenly pulls his revolver and shoots a Union soldier. The soldier falls to the floor, wounded. Gun shots ring out. People run and fall from the gunfire. The four remaining Confederate soldiers attempt to pull their dress uniform sabers and make a valiant attempt to fight but are cut down by rifle fire. Colonel Sevier stands and yells out. The people are still running and screaming in the background. SEVIER (CONT’D) Cease fire. Cease fire! A large corporal grabs John Ross off the floor where he lies. Blood trickles down the side of his head. The corporal cocks his pistol and holds it to John's head. Talmidge intervenes by hitting the corporal. Soldiers quickly subdue Talmidge and John. The corporal gets to his feet. He glares at John and Talmidge then his eyes check in with the colonel. CORPORAL Sir, Ross is secured. Sevier favors his wound where he was hit by the Confederate bullet. SEVIER Take him out and chain him. (CONTINUED) 128. CONTINUED: (3) The corporal acknowledges. He pulls John toward the door. Talmidge stands watching under guard in the background. Sevier is strong and very much in command. Major! SEVIER (CONT’D) Major Casteel walks to the Colonel. The colonel gives a firm command. SEVIER (CONT’D) Take the command. Keep that Indian chained until you get to Washington. Casteel appears to disagree. Yes, sir. Casteel turns to go. SEVIER Hurry! We still have a couple of strong Confederate companies in the area and I'm sure they've heard the shots. They are probably on the way by now. Casteel acknowledges, but is concerned for Sevier. CASTEEL Yes, sir. I'll get a medic. SEVIER Just go, Major. I'll take care of myself. Major Casteel leaves. Sevier wrenches from the pain. He walks toward the outside door. EXT. JOHN ROSS' PARK HILL HOME The Union soldier pulls John from his beautiful house. Two more soldiers put chains on his wrist and force him on a horse. Three soldiers mount up. Sergeant Prince walks from the darkness and looks at Casteel standing on the Park Hill main street. (CONTINUED) CASTEEL 129. CONTINUED: PRINCE We're ready sir. The troops are mounted and the colonel is on his way to our camp hospital. CASTEEL Move him out. Back to our lines at the Capitol. The column of forty-five soldiers rides out with a sergeant at the head of column calling inaudible orders. Casteel turns to Prince. CASTEEL (CONT’D) Sergeant Prince, you know your orders. Be careful out there, Confederates are everywhere. The major mounts his horse. He rides out to catch up with his soldiers. Prince and three heavily armed soldiers take John’s horse in tow and ride in the opposite direction. EXT. PARK HILL - DAWN A column of one-thousand Cavalry toward Park Hill. The dust is so rank or emblem. They stop at the town. The officer in front, Stan WATIE Disperse the troops. CONFEDERATE CAPTAIN (O.S.) Company A, move out. Three hundred men race their horses to the north end of the city. A voice sounds off in the background. Three hundred men split equal ranks and speed their horses to the East and West. Stan Watie yells orders to nearby SERGEANT JUMPER. WATIE Sergeant Jumper, your column follow me. The sergeant acknowledges and yells orders to the men. dirty and dusty troops ride thick you can hardly see outskirts of the picturesque Watie, yells orders. (CONTINUED) 130. CONTINUED: JUMPER Yes sir. Form on me! A hundred saber soldiers form a column behind Sergeant Jumper. Suddenly a Cherokee Union soldier runs from a hiding place. Sergeant Jumper pulls his pistol and fires. The soldier falls to the ground near the Park hill bank. The entire battalion stands ready. Sergeant Jumper rides to the soldier and gets off of his horse to check the body. He turns the body face up to discover a boy. Tears form in Jumper's eyes. Damn it. JUMPER (CONT’D) STAN WATIE What is it, Sergeant Jumper? JUMPER This boy, this soldier is my sister's baby. WATIE Sorry, but we are at war, Sergeant Jumper. Jumper ignores the statement. JUMPER Not with my family. Jumper calls to two nearby soldiers. Bury him. JUMPER (CONT’D) The Cherokee soldiers pick up the body and carry him away. Watie turns and speaks to the CAPTAIN of the remaining column. WATIE Keep your company here for a south guard. Watch close, Union troops are in the area. He turns to his three hundred men that sit ready on their cavalry mounts. (CONTINUED) 131. CONTINUED: (2) CAPTAIN Post the guard! The soldiers take their guard positions. When they stop they all go to rifles and sabers ready. The north company’s horses are fidgeting and snorting. A single horse's hooves are heard on the trail. Watie looks. WATIE Hold your positions. Let him pass. An unidentifiable Cherokee Confederate Major (Whitekiller) rides fast from the northeast and past the north guard. He runs his horse down Main Street to Watie and stops. It is Major Whitekiller who speaks while catching his breath. WHITEKILLER Sir, the capitol has been secured. We control Chief Ross' offices, the treasury and all access roads. The Capitol City is ours. General Watie is pleased. WATIE Very good, Major Whitekiller. Relay my gratitude to the men. The major salutes. He turns his horse and speeds away. Watie speaks loudly to people hiding in their homes. WATIE (CONT’D) Don’t be afraid! I am General Stan Watie. Your capitol city is secure. I have assumed governing as Chief. Union sympathizers may surrender to any of my soldiers and be guaranteed good treatment. The cherokee townspeople look out the windows and doorways. They slowly begin to walk out. Stan Watie relaxes and looks at his officers and troops. WATIE (CONT’D) Steady rifles. Continue to post the guard. Let the men socialize with kin. (CONTINUED) 132. CONTINUED: (3) The rifles go down with clicking and clanging as townspeople put them away. Twenty soldiers from each position ride away with unintelligible commands shouted in the background. Watie looks toward Jumper as soldiers dismount and move towards the townspeople. WATIE (CONT’D) Sergeant, have a council fire built in front of the Ross house. Jumper is hesitant and glances at John Ross' house. Stan smiles. STAN WATIE Find some cattle and pigs to roast. It's time to celebrate. The sergeant, relieved, nods and goes about his business. EXT. WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON D. C. - NIGHT Prince and John arrive in a heavily guarded government coach. Two armed guards ride on top and two on the sides. The carriage moves through the front war-time barricades. It stops at the well landscaped White House side entrance. The sergeant gets out. Two guards stand ready. John Ross exits. He looks around. Prince escorts John to the door. The guards stand at attention on either side of the entrance. Sergeant Prince stops in front of the guards. PRINCE This man is Principal Chief John Ross, of the Cherokee Nation. We are expected. The WHITE HOUSE GUARD acknowledges. WHITE HOUSE GUARD Follow me, Sergeant. The sergeant and John follow the guard into the White house. INT. WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON D. C. The White House Guard walks down a long beautifully paneled hall past twelve other guards. John and the sergeant follow. (CONTINUED) 133. CONTINUED: The White House Guard stops and opens a door to a large study. Prince stops and puts out his hand to John. It's sir. your made PRINCE been an honor knowing you, I've done some bad things to people, but my time with you me realize how wrong I was. John and the sergeant shake hands. JOHN ROSS Thank you sergeant. It’s an honor to accept an old enemy as a friend. The sergeant nods, he walks away with the guard. John enters the study. INT. STUDY LINCOLN'S CHAMBERS - NIGHT John is surprised to see PRESIDENT LINCOLN behind his mahogany desk. Lincoln stands and moves from behind the desk to meet John. They shake hands in front of a rich oil painting in the background. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. JOHN ROSS' PARK HILL HOME - NIGHT A bon fire burns on the street in the middle of Main Street, Park Hill. Four cows and three pigs cook over spits setting in front of the John Ross estate. Watie sits on a step of the wood sidewalk watching his men. The soldiers laugh and talk with their people. He turns and stares at the large fire while dusting himself off. Two men ride in with flaming torches. They dismount near Watie and the bon fire. Watie watches them. Sergeant Jumper joins him. JUMPER Our people are adapting well to this occupation. Watie is thinking and looking into space. (CONTINUED) 134. CONTINUED: Yes, WATIE (he pick up a torch and lights it in the fire) There is only one obstacle to total harmony. Jumper looks at General Watie with a question on his face. WATIE (CONT’D) I need to end the meager John Ross influence, once and forever. Watie walks away from Jumper to John Ross' vacant home and breaks out a window with the burning torch. Jumper is dumb founded. Watie sets the curtains on fire. He walks to the next window. He repeats the deed and throws the torch inside the house. Watie walks back to the street in front of the house to watch it burn. The people and soldiers don't move, they look on sadly. WATIE (CONT’D) Burn in hell, John Ross! The flames from the burning mansion fill the sky. Jumper walks beside Watie and looks at the burning house. JUMPER You’ve gone too far, general. Stan glares at Jumper and attacks him. He takes a large hunting knife from his belt trying to cut his throat. Jumper fights back and knocks the knife from his hand. Watie pulls his gun on Jumper and Jumper knocks it from Watie's hand. Jumper draws his pistol and points it at Watie. A few soldiers stand around watching. JUMPER (CONT’D) I respectfully request you relieve me of my duty, sir. Watie nods and walks away as Jumper puts his pistol away. The flames of the Ross home burn high. 135. INT. LINCOLN STUDY - WHITE HOUSE - WASHINGTON D. C. - DAY The flames in the fireplace resemble John Ross's burning home. President Lincoln lstens to John speak. JOHN ROSS Our people were loyal to the Union, but we could not get troops to defend us until we built our own army to defend ourselves. The Confederacy was ready to destroy us, so I signed. Lincoln has a look of compassion. LINCOLN You're a great statesman, John. I am sorry we couldn't help you in your hour of need. A soldier opens the door and walks in with a message and hands it to President Lincoln. He reads the note. The soldier leaves. LINCOLN (CONT’D) John, I had hoped for good news. I tried to negotiate a trade for prisoners that would bring our soldiers home and send their boy’s back to them. One of the boys on that list was your son. John is hopeful. LINCOLN (CONT’D) I'm afraid I have bad news. Your son, James, died in the confederate prison camp fighting for freedom. John stares at the fire in the large marble faced fire place with large tears in his eyes. GRANDMA DIRTEATER (V.O.) As you may imagine John was defeated at that moment. He couldn't talk or think. He always missed his children when his duties took him away from them and now he finally has time to think about his dear child and what he has missed. (CONTINUED) 136. CONTINUED: John is stunned. He stares at the marble fireplace for a moment and then stands and walks out. President Lincoln pats him on the back. INT. WHITE HOUSE HALL He walks past the guards to his room and goes inside. INT. JOHN ROSS WHITE HOUSE BEDROOM The room is lit from another high burning fireplace that cast it's shadow on the elegant walls and furniture. John sits in a corner grieving for his son. He clasp his hands in the form of prayer and speaks softly to himself. JOHN ROSS God, why do you allow this? My son did not deserve to die. You kill the ones I love when I try so hard for you. John appears strong. He looks over at his dresser. He sees a picture of Quatie, his two sons and daughter John has a determined look. He speaks, making himself a promise. JOHN ROSS (CONT’D) I promise you I will right these wrongs. If it takes the rest of my life. John sits back in his chair, relaxes and closes his eyes. EXT. RURAL ROAD, PARK HILL John Ross rides a strong black horse. An older Baxter, wearing sergeant’s stripes, rides as military escort. They move down a well-traveled dirt road. SUB-TITLE - SIX MONTHS LATER CLOSE ON - They see a beat-up sign that reads – Tahlequah – 1 mile, Park Hill – 3 miles. The two pass by a meadow with two thousand new grave markers in front of fresh graves. TWO ROUGH AND RAGGEDLY DRESSED MEN jump from the brush with old military pistols drawn. (CONTINUED) 137. CONTINUED: ROUGH MAN ONE Give us your money. John and Baxter look at the pitiful sight of the shattered man. Baxter pulls his revolver and shoots the man dead. at the second man. The man drops his gun and starts babbling. ROUGH MAN TWO I'm sorry. We ain't bad men. We was just starvin'. John looks at Baxter. JOHN ROSS It’s all right, put your gun away. Baxter hesitates for a moment and then holsters his weapon. John takes a twenty dollar gold piece from his pocket and leans forward handing it to the man. The man gently takes the money. John scolds him in the Cherokee language. JOHN ROSS (CONT’D) (Cherokee sub-titled) You’re not fooling anybody with that bad English. Bury your friend and get a job so you can feed your family. The man nods and speaks in Cherokee as he goes to his dead friend. ROUGH MAN TWO Thank you, sir. John and Baxter ride on and pass by a newly freed and tattered slave, his wife and four children walk beside the road. Next they pass a Cherokee man with no legs and missing one arm. He wears parts a Union uniform. A one armed Confederate soldier helps him unwrap some food. John sits back in the saddle looking sad and defeated. Baxter looks at him. (CONTINUED) He aims 138. CONTINUED: (2) BAXTER It's over now, sir. We've all learned a poor lesson. The wounds will heal. JOHN ROSS We can hope. EXT. TAHLEQUAH, CAPITOL CITY John and Baxter pass the Union army headquarters brick building. CLOSE ON - Two soldiers take down a sign; CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY HEADQUARTERS, CHEROKEE NATION, GENERAL STAN WATIE COMMANDING. Watie stands near the sign. He surrenders his sword to a Union general. His troops wait unarmed in the background. John and Baxter stop at a large army garrison tent with the sides rolled up. A long table lined with chairs is inside. COMMISSIONER BLAKE, a thin mean looking man, stands at the head of the table with twenty-five people listening. John dismounts and walks slowly to the tent. INT. TENT Blake looks at John as he enters. John sits. Talmidge walks in holding papers. He sits behind John and leans forward whispering to John. TALMIDGE John, (hands the papers to John) These are the papers of the Washington committee. They leave us blameless. The Commissioner begins to speak. COMMISSIONER Well, gentlemen, here's your demise. The Cherokee Nation is guilty of crimes of succession from the United States. With that act comes many penalties. Talmidge and John continue to quietly talk as the commissioner speaks. John shows anger for the first time. (CONTINUED) 139. CONTINUED: JOHN ROSS Sir, My nation has committed no crime. (holds up the papers) This U. S. Congressional inquiry states we are exonerated due to imposing events during the war. We were loyal, but betrayed by your government. Our only sin according to your people is staying alive. The commissioner is exasperated. COMMISSIONER Sir, I know who you are and you are not Chief of the Cherokee now. You sir, are a traitor to the United States of America. If you want concessions above my order You can take it up in Washington. Angry John understands the commissioner and the politics very well. He takes a moment to think. John pats Talmidge on the shoulder and leaves. EXT. TENT John Ross leaves the tent. Three tattered men sit on a log near the tent making rude comments to John as he walks. MEN ON FENCE (overlapping dialogue) Get out of town. Dam Injun lover. You lost, get lost. John goes to Baxter who is waiting with the horses. They mount up. John is interrupted by Colonel Sevier as he walks to them carrying a waist high hickory walking stick. SEVIER Sir, Mr. Ross. John looks and sees Sevier moving toward him. Baxter reaches for his service revolver. John glances at Baxter. JOHN ROSS No, Sergeant Baxter. It's all right. (CONTINUED) 140. CONTINUED: Sevier stops looking up at John. He now wears an eye patch. SEVIER Mr. Ross, I'm Colonel Alexander Sevier formerly of the Union Army. JOHN ROSS I know colonel. Sevier tries very hard to show his sincerity. SEVIER I need to talk. (John nods) I’ve seen many men slaughtered. But the removal from Georgia was the cruelest of all. It opened my eyes. I am sorry for my sins against your people. It’s time to stand hard against the politicians. I will fight with you. Chief, you have won, just stay the course to show the way. This buzzard here knows nothing. John speaks as the leader that he is. JOHN ROSS I'm afraid the only hope is in Washington, colonel. The only winning is in keeping my people safe. Sevier encourages him. SEVIER I married a Cherokee woman, Jillian Tenkiller, She says you're the only one that can stop these people from destroying the nation. I have learned much from her. John is sincerely thankful. JOHN ROSS I know your wife, a fine woman. We have all fought the wrong enemy. I promised peace and a quality life for my people and I must deliver. You can do your part here. Sevier is in agreement and smiles. He pats John’s horse and leaves. (CONTINUED) 141. CONTINUED: (2) SEVIER Your right Chief Ross. We have all fought the wrong enemy. The tough old Sevier passes by the three loud tattered men leaning against a rail with a stupid grin on their faces. He stops and looks at them for a moment then suddenly begins to whip them with his harsh hickory stick. For a moment Sevier is young again. He him across the ear and the next in the defends himself by grabbing the stick. the face and while he is distracted he and hits him hard across the butt. swats the man nearest balls. The third Sevier slaps him in jerks the stick away The men are wailed on again and finally they are unable to resist and scatter under the lash of Sevier's rod. He stands straight and proudly walks on. SEVIER (CONT’D) Rude bastards. John smiles at the scene and looks at Baxter. Sergeant Baxter smiles. BAXTER Remember, the defeated are always perceived as the evil ones. It is not always true. The sun breaks through the clouds. John nods. A fierce looking young warrior resembling The Ridge rides past with five intense youthful warriors following him. He stares coldly at John as he passes. John smiles at him and turns back to Baxter. JOHN ROSS I will go alone from here. BAXTER I been watching your back a long time. Are you sure? John nods. Baxter smiles and nods to his friend as he rides away. John rides into the sunset. Suddenly the six young warrior’s images join John. They ride toward infinity in the distance. (CONTINUED) 142. CONTINUED: (3) A young warrior stops and turns his horse while holding a bow with an arrow drawn. He lets the arrow fly. The arrow soars toward the meeting tent that John had just left. The arrow sticks in a post near Commissioner Blake with a piercing thud. He and the soldiers that secure the tent turn to see were it came from. They look in the direction John and the warriors are fading into the sun. Talmidge stands to see. He smiles. A SCROLL CRAWLS OVER THE SCENE - Narrated by Grandma Dirteater spoken in English and sub-titled in the Cherokee language. GRANDMA DIRTEATER (V.O.) The great nation of earth, wind and fire is once again cast out, left to it own abilities to survive. Now in the modern world, a determined people have evolved to take their place in history. Rich in a harsh journey of reality and tempered in the fires of battle. Still dealing in good faith with their national neighbors, The United States of America. FADE OUT. THE END