Nathan and Ally worked side by side comparing notes as to what they'd need. Several times Ally mentioned an herb that Nathan didn't recognize and she'd calmly explain it's medicinal purposes then add it to her list. Once they started riding she'd collect them. At the time it was to dangerous for her to go riding out alone. She wouldn't risk it.
Finally they decided to ride out looking for the gang. As they rode Ally kept a sharp eye out for both the herbs she wanted and the gang that wanted her.
She often rode alongside Vin as the duo discussed tracking. She knew a few tricks he didn't and he likewise knew some tricks she didn't and they traded secrets. While, overhead, Aneohe kept a, pardon the pun, eagle eye out for the gang.
They rode for the majority of the day but, by dusk, were still some distance away from the gang.
Seeing that night was falling Chris decided to make camp. They chose a cave that was dry and, according to Ally and Vin, uninhabited by any animals. It was spacious with a wide opening that allowed a good view of the surrounding countryside and the nearby trail. It also gave them a good defensive position should the gang decide to double back early. Plus the small tunnel at the back of the cave provided an excellent escape route should they require a hasty exit.
With a practiced efficiency they broke into small pairs, each taking a particular duty. JD and Buck took first watch while Nathan and Ally prepared their supplies. Chris and Vin went about getting some meat for the meal as Josiah and Ezra took care of the horses and gathered up some firewood.
Ally worked with a quiet efficiency borne of practice as she ground up an herb she'd found that day. Glancing up she spotted Josiah and Ezra leading two horses back from a small stream. She watched them for a moment then shifted her gaze towards Buck and JD who sat in strategic points watching the road.
Finally she returned her attention to the man next to her. "You work well together." She noted calmly.
"Hmm?" Nathan looked up at her.
Ally nodded towards the men outside. "You seven. Its something to watch. Seven men of radically different backgrounds working together as if none of that matters."
"It doesn't." Nathan said simply. "First time I ever met Chris and Vin they risked their own lives to save me from being hung. Some Texans were in town driving cattle and their boss was injured. I told them I wasn't a doctor but they asked for my help anyway. He died after gangrene set in. There was nothing I could do. But because I was black..."
"They decided you'd killed him and because you were black they figured they could make you pay and no one would care." Ally put forward.
"And almost none did. Mrs. Travis came out with a shot gun and tried to scare them off. But they just knocked her aside."
Ally smiled. "I'd have shot first and let that do the scaring."
Nathan grinned. That he could see. "Anyway they just kept on going. They took me to the graveyard and hung a rope over the tree. Next thing I see, Chris and Vin come sauntering into the graveyard. Vin had a rifle tossed over his shoulder and Chris had his hand near his gun. Two of them as calm as could be. Chris just looked up at them and told them to let me go. They laughed of course. But, being drunk, they weren't as smart as they should have been."
"Let me guess. They'd been firing off their guns like crazy before they tried to hang you." Ally put in.
Nathan nodded. "Chris pointed this out. Next thing I know everyone's shooting. I was standing on the back of the wagon and all the shooting caused the horse to spook."
Ally winced.
"I nearly choked but Vin shot the rope out." Nathan chuckled. "It was a pretty interesting way to meet."
Ally laughed softly. "I'll bet. So where'd everyone else come in?"
Nathan quickly relayed the story to her. Ally listened intently.
Laughing as Nathan told her about JD's introduction to the group.
Eyes darkening in anger when she heard of Mary's newspaper article. She to knew a thing or two about ‘second hand trash'.
Shaking her head at Nathan's description of Buck's behavior at the Seminole camp. Laughing at the antics he and JD had displayed.
Tearing up at the news of the loss of the chief's son.
"You had quite the adventure by the sound of things." Ally said with a smile after Nathan finished.
"You could say that." Nathan chuckled."Needless to say we learned real quick what each other's strengths were."
"And weaknesses." Ally added calmly.
Nathan nodded. "That too."
It was then that Chris and Vin returned. Both carrying rabbit.
"Looks like you two were successful." Ally said taking the rabbits Chris was carrying.
"Desert comes alive at night." Chris said casually sitting down next to Nathan.
Ally nodded. "True. Of course I'm more used to the forest than the desert." She pulled a knife out of her boot and set about cleaning the rabbits Chris had brought in while Vin tended to his.
"Montana?" Chris inquired.
Without looking up Ally nodded.
"Nice ways away from Four Corners." He continued.
Again Ally nodded speaking as well. "Not as far as some might think." She commented softly.
After the evening meal Nathan and Chris went out on watch while everyone else settled down.
Everyone but Ally herself.
The beautiful woman slipped away from the fire not to long after Chris and Nathan took their positions. Moving unnoticed through the night. She didn't go far. Just to the nearby stream. There she sat down on a massive gray rock and stared into the water.
Aneohe perched on a branch above her head and kept a watch. He squawked slightly when Vin approached the rock.
"Dangerous for you to be out here on your own like this." He commented to her calmly. "Anyone could sneak up on you." He added.
Ally didn't lift her gaze from the water. "Aneohe would've warned me before they got to close. He always does."
"Watches out for ya huh?" Vin asked leaning back against the tree.
Ally nodded simply then lifted her dark eyes to his. "He has ever since he found me."
"Ever since he found you?"
"Mmmmhmmm.." She held out her hand and Aneohe drifted down to perch lightly on it. "I was out riding one day and there he was. I stopped to get some water and he perched on a rock near me and just stared at me. It was like he could see into my soul. He never left me after that. Mama told me it was one of the spirits come down to keep me safe. That I was special. I didn't believe her."
Vin frowned. "Why not?"
"I knew I was different sure." Ally said stroking Aneohe's feathers. "But being a half-breed isn't what I'd equate to being special. Don't misunderstand me I know I'm not stupid and I know I'm pretty but when it comes to bein' special I don't see what would make Aneohe want to stay with me. I could understand him hanging around with me when I'm out riding but he follows me when I move. Stays in my room with me at night. Waits until I go riding to do any serious hunting. He watches over me all the time. And if anyone threatens me..." Ally trailed off meaningfully with a playful smile on her face. " If it was the spirits why on earth would I need to be protected?"
Vin chuckled. "Seems to me that you need Aneohe's protection right now. Having a friend in the skies when there's a posse huntin' you is, as Josiah would say, a God-send."
Ally laughed. "Josiah would say that wouldn't he?" She turned to face Vin. "How's he doing here? Is he happy?"
"Whaddya mean?" Vin asked sitting down across from her.
"Josiah's always been a troubled man. Even when I knew him. My father would say he's got the weight of the world on his shoulders and the moon to."
"Your father's an observant man." Vin noted.
Ally chuckled. "You don't know the half of it." She let Aneohe launch off her hand to go after a small animal rustling in the grass. "Josiah seems to be more relaxed. I haven't heard him laugh like that since he was learning Cheyenne with my tribe."
"He's fits in well in Four Corners. The church gives him somethin' to do and ridin' with us gives him..."
"A chance to get a little Old Testament?" Ally inquired with a sparkle in her eye.
Vin laughed. "He used to say that when he was with your tribe?"
Ally grinned. "All the time. And he used to put it to words to. He gave two of the boys quite the thrashing when he found out they pushed me in the river. Well, once he was done fussin' over me that is."
"He cares about you al'right," Vin noted quietly.
Ally smiled. "Yeah he does. I've always been able to go to him when I needed it." She pushed her dark hair back. "That's never been something I questioned. Josiah's one of the constants in my life. He's like the moon. You might not be able to see it all the time but you know its there. It's the same with our friendship. He may not always be with me but I know when I need him all I need to do is call." She shifted her position slightly and fixed her dark eyes on his face. "Ya'll seem pretty close to him to."
Vin lifted an eyebrow questioningly. "That obvious?"
"Well you're certainly not out here for the good of your health." Ally said serenely. "And you barely know me so it's not out of concern for my safety."
Vin surveyed her beautiful features then spoke quietly. "Don't be so sure."
Ally opened her mouth to say something but Vin suddenly grabbed her and yanked her into the bushes with him.
Outraged, Ally turned angry eyes on him but Vin laid a finger against her lips and shook his head. He tilted his head towards the direction of the camp. Ally nodded and listened.
Horses. But not the Sevens'. They were tied up within sight.
Moving noiselessly through the bush Ally and Vin managed to get closer to the trail and it took only a moment for them to spot the riders.
Ally frowned in apprehension. Sure enough it was the men that were after her. She and Vin shared a concerned look and as soon as they were out of earshot Ally turned to Vin.
"Go back to the others. They'll notice you're not there." Ally whispered in Vin's ear.
"I should sta..." Vin began but Ally shook her head.
"If they notice you're not there they'll start asking questions. And if they start asking questions they might start searchin' and if they start searchin' they could find me." Ally whispered her voice firm. "Now Go!" She hissed and gave him a little shove.
Vin shot one more look at her then moved back towards camp while Ally settled down in the bush.
When Chris spotted the riders he groaned and looked back at the camp. Luckily Ally seemed nowhere in sight. He hoped she stayed that way as he moved down to greet the men.
"Gentlemen...." He said calmly as they rode up. "What brings you back this way?"
"I could ask you the same thing." The leader promptly countered.
Chris shrugged. "We're just heading to Bitter Creek to do a little business. Nothing to concern yourself with." The last sentence was spoken in a casual tone but the men could clearly hear the threat behind it. Chris Larabee didn't like being questioned and, as big as he was, the leader was skating on thin ice even asking the question.
"What aboutcha'll?" Nathan called. "Awful late for you fellers to be out ridin ain't it?"
One shrugged. "We're lookin' for a killer. She's a breed and they know how to travel at night. To catch her we've gota think like her."
Ezra arched a skeptical eyebrow even as his mind thought. ‘I doubt such a ignoramus such as yourself is capable of serious thought patterns' Aloud he said. "Well gentlemen if you believe such then you must be quite eager to be on your way as the young lady in question may elude you if you dally."
"HUH?" The leader said flatly.
"He means if you stick around here you might lose her." JD offered pleased that he for once was not the one asking for a translation. In fact he was the one that provided the answer.
The leader shrugged as his eyes flicked over the assembled group of men. "There's one of you missing."
"Our comrade is of a rather peaceful disposition. He enjoys the desert at night. He should return shortly." Ezra said calmly.
"Well per'aps we should go and look fer ‘em." The leader said and began to dismount. "There's all kinds of dangers in the desert at night. He could be hurt."
"I doubt it." Chris said firmly. "Vin's a big boy. He can take care of himself."
"Still....with a killer on the loose you never know." The leader said flatly. "Boys why dontcha take a li'l look around. See if ya can find ‘em."
"I'm right here." Vin called out as he walked into the camp.
"Nice night out?" Chris asked his friend calmly his words carrying a different meaning.
"Beautiful. Everything where it should be. Desert comes alive at night. I'm tellin' ya. There's animals everywhere. In the bushes...you can hear ‘em movin' if you listen quiet enough. I coulda had a dozen more rabbits if I'd minded to shoot ‘em." Vin said calmly.
Chris nodded. "We'll get some later. Could use the meat on the trip."
Vin nodded and walked back towards the fire to warm his hands.
"Ally all right?" Josiah asked in a whisper.
Vin nodded almost imperceptibly. "She's in the bushes near the horses." He replied in a voice lower than Josiah's.
Chris stood calmly, staring at the leader. Daring him to challenge them. Waiting for one of them to make a wrong move.
One did.
The leader. He pulled his gun and pointed it at Chris and said with a snarl. "WHERE IS SHE?"
Chris would've spoken but Ally's voice rang out. "RIGHT HERE!"
She stepped into the light and walked up to stand next to Chris.
"What are you doing Ally?" Chris murmured into her ear.
"I won't let you die for me." Ally said flatly. "I don't deserve that kind of an honor. Josiah maybe. Me no."
"Come on girl." The leader advanced on her but Ally side stepped him even as she held out a leg and tripped him.
He sprawled in the dirt.
"I'm not going anywhere with you." She said flatly. "And I didn't kill that man! He died from his wounds. No doctor on earth could have saved him!"
"You're lyin'!" He snarled up at her.
Ally shook her head. "No. I'm not. Now do yourselves a favor and be on your way. I'm not going to stand around and let you lynch me." She said glaring at him.
"And we ain't either!" JD called out. "Ally's stayin' with us. Now git!"
"She's comin' with us!" The leader yelled as he pushed himself to his feet and pointed his gun at her.
"No I'm NOT!" Ally yelled back her hand going to her gun.
"Either you go with us now or I shoot you where you stand." He hissed.
Ally laughed at him and said something in Cheyenne.
JD and Buck looked over at a smiling Josiah.
"What'd she say?" JD asked.
"Loosely translated?" Josiah began. "I'd love to see you try." He said it loud enough so that the other men could hear.
The rest of the Seven chuckled at the young woman's audacity even as their hands moved to their gunbelts.
"All right." The leader challenged. "We will." He pulled back the hammer on his gun and fired.
Ally and Chris dove out of the way and the bullet thudded harmlessly into the sand.
Behind them the rest of the Seven dove for cover behind rocks and trees and started shooting.
Ally grinned back at Josiah. "Why do I have the feeling this happens often!" She called to him.
"Unfortunately..." He called back with a smile. "IT DOES!"
Ally chuckled and shook her head. Just like Josiah. Always making a joke in the midst of danger.
The Seven were fierce and efficient fighters. Chris seemed not to care what chances he took. Only his instincts and inherent skills kept him from getting seriously injured or killed.
JD, though young, handled himself well in a gunfight. He kept his cover and conserved his bullets.
Buck, for all his cavalier flirting, was quite an intelligent fighter. He picked his shots well and stayed out of harms way.
Ezra, despite being the gambler, left nothing to chance. His eyes seemed to be looking everywhere at once and handled himself with an admirable skill.
Nathan seemed to be everyone's guardian angel. Watching all of the Seven, watching for any signs of being outnumbered or injured, all the while watching over himself.
Josiah, as usual, was watching over her and acting as an avenging angel, taking down a shooter before he could hit Ally or one of the Seven.
And then there was Vin. The Seven's sharpshooter it seemed. He kept a constant eye out for any hidden dangers meanwhile he was taking out the better shooters in their enemy's group.
Together they made an unbeatable team.
A bullet skimmed above Ally's head and the Cheyenne realized she'd better stop analyzing the Seven and start worrying about finding better cover.
Spying a nice wide tree, Ally flipped into a roll across the open space and landed on one knee then looked up.
Into the business end of a revolver.
"Bad move." He said flatly.
"Why?" Ally said softly. "Why kill me?" She looked into his eyes for a moment then realization dawned. "This has nothing to do with your friend's brother right? That was an excuse."
"You're quite right." He said evenly. "This is business." His gun didn't waver. "Remember Eliza O'Dell?"
Ally tried. She really did but she came up empty. "No. Should I?"
"Yes. Three months ago you passed through her hometown. Hayestown. Eliza was engaged to a young man Michael Halway."
Ally nodded. Now she remembered. Eliza had been a timid young woman she'd befriended. It had not taken long for Ally to realize that Eliza's fiancee was beating her.
Naturally Ally had refused to stand by and allow it to happen. She had sent Eliza to a friend in a nearby town. From there she'd left the territory for safety up north.
Of course Michael hadn't been pleased. Not that Ally'd cared. She made a lot of enemies. Another one wasn't going to make a major difference.
"Halway right?" She queried tiredly.
He nodded. "Two hundred dollars for your dead body."
"And you think he's actually going to pay you?" Ally sneered. "He knows you won't make it back alive. You kill me and my friends and family will hunt you down."
He considered that threat for a moment then smiled. "For two hundred dollars, I'll take that chance."
Ally tensed and eased to her feet. Her eyes watched his hand, her body ready to spring clear at the slightest twitch.
He half-smiled then steaded the gun.
Josiah looked over and spotted Ally.
"Vin!" He yelled to his friend.
The sharpshooter spun and sized up the situation in an instant.
"ALLY! GIT DOWN!" He yelled trying to get a clear shot. But the sounds from the gunfight drowned out his voice.
Vin shifted slightly, trying to find a clear shot. He didn't want to hit Ally.
Josiah found himself praying that Ally would realize the situation and move. Or something would move her.
As if in answer to his prayer a brown blur came hurtling down out of the sky. It slammed into Ally's shoulder, knocking her clear.
Not hesitating, Vin fired.
Everything was still for a moment.
Ally looked up to see Aneohe sitting on her shoulder.
"Always watching out for me aren't you?" She asked tiredly.
Seeing their leader dead, the others lost their nerve and bolted.
The threat gone, the Seven broke cover and ran over to Ally.
"You're bleeding!" JD announced.
Josiah helped Ally up into a sitting position as Aneohe launched himself onto a nearby branch.
Ally glanced at her shoulder then shot a wry smile at JD. "So I've noticed." She waved a hand in Aneohe's direction. "Relax, its just some cuts Aneohe's claws made when he knocked me over."
Nathan crouched down next to her and examined the wound. "We'd best get you over to the fire and clean them up. Those cuts are pretty deep. We don't want gangrene getting into them."
Ally nodded as Josiah lifted her to her feet.
Ally winced as she slipped back into her shirt.
"Stings huh?" Vin's voice said from behind.
Ally buttoned her shirt then turned to look at him. "Slightly."
"Guess you finally figured out why Aneohe stays with you." He commented, helping her with her coat.
"Hmmm?" Ally turned to look at him.
"Remember when you said you weren't sure why he stays with you? Well now you know."
Ally reached out and brushed her fingers against the hawk's chest feathers. "My self-appointed guardian angel?" She chuckled."Well he's got the wings part down huh?"
"Don't forget the guard part." Vin cautioned with a smile.
Ally laughed. "No. I can't forget that." She said softly.
Aneohe screeched and flew out the window.
"I think we embarrassed him." Ally said with a laugh.
Vin smiled. "I bet."
Ally shot him a cheeky grin. "Ain't that Ezra's job..." She coughed slightly. "Excuse me...I forgot...Ezra's vocation."
Vin grinned even as he shook his head. "You're trouble."
Ally laughed again. "Never said I wasn't."
"Nope." Vin nodded towards the door.
Ally nodded herself and walked over. "Saloon?"
Vin grinned. "Saloon."
Laughing the duo walked out.
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