"The Abduction: Part 1" is the twenty-second episode of season 2 of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.
In the Indian reservation, Cloud Dancing and Sully compete at throwing the tomahawks. Dr. Mike and 2 soldiers arrive with a wagon full of food rations for the Indians; however, they are a day early and Dog Soldiers are still camping out at the reservation. Upon noticing the war paint on a horse, the two soldiers are shot dead and taken away to be buried. Cloud Dancing's son (Walks on Cloud) wants to join the dog soldiers but his father does not want to allow it. Brian falls for a horse that Hank won in a poker game and tells Dr. Mike that he wants that horse for this birthday. Sully tells Dr. Mike what would have happened if she had told the truth. However, she confides in Dorothy and asks for her advice, off the record. Matthew asks Hank to sell the horse for Brian's birthday, but he refuses. After seeing smoke in the distance, and hearing gunshots, it is discovered that Indians are attacking. Meanwhile, when Hank starts whipping the horse, it escapes and runs through Grace's cafe. Matthew takes Brian to find Hank's horse, and discovers it is injured and in danger of becoming lame due to infection in its leg. Walks on Cloud says that his father is becoming old and that his father's friends (Dr Mike and Sully) are now his enemy, threatening to kill them if he sees them again. Hank comes to the homestead to find out if anyone has seen the horse but they deny it. The Reverend is attacked by dog soldiers on the stagecoach. Meanwhile Colleen convinces Brian to do what is right for the horse. The Reverend is angry with dog soldiers and "hopes they burn in hell", after Dr. Mike is choked by one of the injured dog soldiers, and Dr. Mike is surprised at this outburst. Matthew goes to Hank to get him a job to buy the horse, rather than play for it in poker, implying he might tell people he waters down his whisky. The Dog soldiers set fire to the town. Dr. Mike is kidnapped in retaliation and Sully vows to find her.
This episode provides examples of:
- Bad People Abuse Animals: Hank whipping the horse he won in a poker game.
- Multi-Part Episode: "The Abduction: Part 1" is followed by "The Abduction: Part 2".
- The Savage Indian: Most of the Cheyenne are peaceful people, but the Dog Soldiers do act in aggressive, hostile, violent ways.
- They Know Too Much: The soldiers accompanying Dr. Mike notice the war paint on a horse, and are killed before they can report the location of the Dog Soldiers.
