1 Blood in the Snow

It was the ravens that alerted the tribe something was wrong at the rest area. It's too cold in February for vultures, but the ravens never leave.

Agent John Swift Wind and his partner Jason Westridge were the officers on duty on this side of the Crow Reservation, so they were the first to arrive on scene. They found her, or what was left of her. Nature is not kind in the dead of winter. The coyotes and ravens had found her first. Tracks surrounded her body, her soft tissues around her face pecked upon and viscera largely removed. But still, the agents could recognize her as Rachel Lonebear, reported missing 3 weeks ago.

John was grateful she was found, but mourned her loss. He knew this would only be the beginning. Her family could now begin to mourn as well, but the investigation in her death has now started.

Jason called on the radio while John got his gloves on, "BIA 12 to dispatch, over."

"This is dispatch, go ahead." A woman's voice responded.

"HR found at St Regis rest area, please notify coroner. Over." Jason reported.

"Copy", she responded, "anyone we know, Jay?"

"Yea, Connie," Jason sighed. "We're starting preliminary investigation. Let me know if there will be a delay"

"Copy, will do. Over and out". Connie said reassuringly.

John went and squatted next to Rachel's body, starting to poke and prod, looking for signs of struggle, any obvious case of death. There were no obvious pre-mortem blood stains on her shirt or her pants, so no discernable signs of gunshot or stabbing. Her stomach, however, was a complete mess, no forensic evidence would likely result from thawing the corpse other than post-mortem animal evidence. John looked around the body. at least 3 separate sets of tracks from coyotes. ravens had hopped around significantly on and around the body.

Looking further out, John noticed something unusual and calls Jason, "hey, come look at this!"

Jason walks over, "yeah?"

"I don't believe this. See the coyote tracks around the body? Now look over here." John gestures out about 5 feet east from the body. "These are too big to be coyote, but they don't come in close. They came in from the east, circle the body, and then head south east. These are wolf tracks, but we don't usually get wolf tracks this close to Hardin. They usually stay closer to Ft. Smith, Lodge Grass, and Pryor." John explains.

"Hmm, so?" Jason rubs his beard.

"So what's a wolf doing coming all this way to just sniff a body, but not eat any of it? That's just weird." John muses. "We should check further out for bear tracks. Maybe it got spooked."

Jason shakes his head no. "If you want to look for bear tracks, go ahead. it doesn't matter to me because its not what killed her. Any idea on that?"

John stands up, stretches his back. "No obvious signs of trauma center mass or extremities, but she's frozen in a bit."

Jason nods his head, "The coroner will have to melt it out," and looks around at the viscera spread. "Man, those scavengers sure make a mess."

John looks southeast and out of the corner of his eye, sees for a brief instance what looks like a breath of cloud dissipate. "Life is messy."