Grave Dancer

Author's Note:Please excuse any time or historic errors. Also, many of the gods/spirits that I used are actual beings of Celtic and/or Native American beliefs and no disrespect is intended. I hope that you enjoy this story in the "spirit" :) it is written, so just sit back and enjoy. As this is my first effort at writing, Joanna has been wonderful in helping me get all of this out for you all to read. She has been wonderful and I've been a pest!!:) Thanks Joanna!

Autumn

Summer Moon Fraser sat, gazing intently into the dark water of her cauldron. Candlelight flickered gently all around her while a fierce storm brewed in the distance. Strong gusts of wind caused the doors and windows to shutter and lightening illuminated outside and in with sporadic timing. Inside, however, the cabin was silent and still.

Ignoring the outer turbulence and concentrating only on the watery surface, Summer saw an image gradually appear. Hazy at first, it slowly came into focus. There! She beheld the image of a girl. She had wide expressive brown eyes and was gazing up at her companion, speaking enthusiastically. Looking back down at her, the man, wearing a black studded hat with long hair, laughed at what the girl was saying. Then they were joined by a second man, his indian heritage very apparent. They continued walking, laughing and talking as they stepped up onto a porch and went into a building.

CRASH!

Summer jumped as the door slammed open and gusts of wind and rain fell into her front room!

Jumping up from the floor, she ran over to shut the door, securing it tightly. Leaning back on the door, hand over her heart, Summer took a few deep breaths and waited for her heart to stop racing!

"Whew! Well that was a rude awakening!" she mumbled to herself, walking back over to the cauldron. She picked it up and put it away along with the candles on the floor. There would be no more scrying for tonight. The spell was broken.

Gazing out the window at the swiftly passing storm, she felt a little sad. As yet, the trials that those three friends she had seen in the waters were a bit in the future, she knew that when the time came, it would test them all dearly. Summer did not yet know what was in store for them, but she would not have seen them in the waters nor seen the mists outside if trouble was not far behind.

Looking back at her little room she spoke, "Well, Bear, I guess we better get this place looking a bit more tidy. The three riders are going to be here soon and they'll be needing our help."

Turning back to glance out the window once more, Summer saw again the ghostly white mist in the distance, creeping across the ground. Then came the sound of hoofbeats and the neighing of a horse. As quickly as it came, it was gone. The time was drawing nearer.

Shaking her head and worrying about these three friends she had yet to meet, Summer went back to tidying up her little house. Everything had to be ready for their arrival.

Rock Creek, the next night...

The moon hung low and heavy in the night sky, keeping neighboring stars at bay with it's bright reflection. Lou sat on the corral rail, ensnared by the sight that nature had provided. Rubbing her arms, she regretted not bringing out a jacket.

Hearing the crunching of footsteps on gravel behind, Lou reluctantly turned away form the moon to see what Jimmy wanted. He always came out to talk to her if she had been sitting outside alone for too long.

Turning and jumping down to the ground, Lou spoke up brightly "Jimmy, I'm al.........right?"

Lou looked around but there was no one. "Jimmy?" she called out softly, "Are you there?"

Suddenly the slight breeze felt like icy fingers reaching out to grasp her. Lou thought that perhaps it was time to go back inside.

Walking back to the bunkhouse, Lou kept looking around thinking that maybe Cody, the consummate prankster, or one of the other boys were trying to play a trick on her. Not seeing anyone about, she hurried her steps while at the same time trying not to be disgusted with herself for being frightened for no apparent reason.

Probably just an animal running by the barn, thought Lou to herself. Although she know that there was nothing to fear, she none the less felt better as she reached the porch of the bunkhouse, light shining yellow in the window, welcoming her inside.

Lou stepped up onto the porch when suddenly she was pushed back down into the dirt by a strong gust of wind! Looking up at the porch, stunned, Lou jerked her gaze around toward the trail that lead into town. Hoof beats were heard coming up fast and hard! Scrambling quickly to her feet, Lou reached for her gun, cursing when she felt nothing there and remembered leaving it hanging in the bunkhouse. It was customary to do so when she was home as it got in the way while doing chores. However, at this moment, she would have sold her soul for the comfort of feeling that cold steel enclosed within her hand.

Run! Get inside! Move! she thought to herself, but while her brain screamed commands, logical life saving commands, her body seemed to have shut down completely. She stood there rooted to the ground watching and waiting for whatever was out there, coming in at neck breaking speed! Even the full moon's light could not penetrate the darkness that seemed to hang over the trail.

There!

A slow moving mist crept along the ground. It's form like long fingers grasping the earth and pulling itself forward. Soon it had spread itself all around the bunkhouse and surrounding areas. As it slithered towards Lou, she began to shake, still unable to move her feet.

Bursting from the darkness came the owner of the hoof beats! A white horse pounded down the trail. It's mane and tail seemed to be made from fire! It's hooves shot off sparks with every contact on the earth. It's body shared the same insubstantial qualities of the mist that had reached Lou's boots and now writhed like hundreds of snakes around her legs.

Run! Scream! Look away! Move! Lou's brain continued to issue orders but nothing below the neck was listening. As she watched the apparition come closer, a rider suddenly appeared! The figure seemed small, hunched over and also as transparent as its mount. It was wearing a long cloak with a hood that hid it's face. The ends of the cloak flapped madly about the horse, seeming to encourage it's mad dash across the countryside.

In what seemed like hours, but was really only a couple of minutes, the horse and rider passed within feet of where Lou stood. As the apparition passed her, the figures hood fell back. A blue face, old as time, with eyes that glowed an iridescent white, stared back at Lou. The hag lifted her arm and pointed a bony finger at her. Then, throwing back her head, scraggly hair whipping in the wind, she started cackling! She was laughing so hard she almost fell of her horse!

Lou watched, still to terrified to move as they continued down the trail. Then, as suddenly as they appeared, they were gone! The only evidence of their passing, the echoes of the hag's laughter and the slow departure of the mist.

Crumbling quite gracefully to the ground, Lou sat with her head in her hands, feeling closer to fainting than she ever felt in her life. Come on girl! Pull yourself together! It was just your imagination! But her pep talk did nothing to steady her nerves or her pounding heart. Picking herself, a bit unsteadily, off the ground, Lou walked determinably up the porch and into the bunkhouse, closing the door very firmly behind her.

Ignoring the questioning look that Jimmy shot her as he looked up from cleaning his guns, Lou climbed into her bunk, not wishing to talk to anyone. She was still too shaken by what she had just witnessed, and still not completely believing that she had witnessed anything at all. The entire event took only a few minutes and besides, spirits didn't run around like that. Right? Humphing to herself, she punched her pillow and turned over to face the wall.

Jimmy, finished with cleaning his guns, stood and turned off the lamp, climbed into bed and shortly fell asleep.

Lou continued to lay in bed, staring at the wall. Suddenly she sat up. Jimmy! She looked over at his bunk in the darkness. Why hadn't he asked who came riding up? Surely he had heard the horse and the old woman's maniacal laughter? But he never said anything! Shivering slightly, Lou pulled her blanket more securely around her and laid back down.

Lily of the Valley? Why was she smelling that now? Yawning widely, Lou found she could no longer keep her eyes open, and fell into a deep sleep. Just before she crossed over into unconsciousness, a woman's voice spoke softly to her "Sleep well. You are safe for now."

Jimmy glanced over to Buck, who shrugged and shook his head. Neither of them had had any luck in figuring out why their companion was acting so strangely.

They had been riding for several hours, and in all that time Lou had not spoken more than a dozen words. She seemed jumpy and nervous. Periodically looking over her shoulder or scanning the countryside. For what, she was not telling.

They left early in the morning from Rock Creek on a run for Teaspoon. In three days time they were to meet up with a Major Trevor McGrady. Each rider carried a portion of some important military documents and a meeting was scheduled at the main hotel in Boulder City.

Jimmy gazed with worry and affection at his fellow rider, "Lou? You gonna talk to us sometime soon?"

"Sorry Jimmy, Buck. I guess I've been a bit preoccupied." she said quietly.

Looking back across the rolling prairies form where they had just come, Buck motioned toward the nearing foothills, "It's starting to get a bit late. You guys want to set up camp?"

Lou gazed around anxiously, " Do you think we could go just a bit further?"

"What's wrong Lou? You haven't been yourself all day!" He also was worried about Lou's strange behavior. It just wasn't like her to be this nervous.

"If I tell you guys, you've got to promise not to laugh or make fun, ok?" she stated firmly. Sensing her story was important the boys nodded and Jimmy hurried to assure her, "Of course not! We're just concerned about you. If you have a problem we want to help."

Looking at them both, Lou decided they were being sincere, and told all about the ghost from last night. How she had froze with fright, the mist that seemed almost alive, the hag and her maniacal laughter. Finally she also told them about the voice she had heard right before falling asleep. When she finished her story, Jimmy and Buck stared at her in silence.

"Well? What do you think?" trying to mask the slight note of panic in her voice, Lou covered her eyes with her hand and moaned, "I don't know! Maybe I'm just going crazy!"

"No." Jimmy spoke softly, staring down at his horse, "You're not crazy, and if you are, then so am I."

Startled, Lou stared up at him, "What do you mean? You saw this ghost too?"

Nodding, he replied, " Two nights ago. You remember when I had to go into town? On the way back, suddenly my horse started getting panicky. Then this creepy mist shows up all over the ground and that crazy woman with the blue face races past on her white horse."

"You sure you didn't stop at the saloon before you rode home?" asked Buck, chuckling.

"This is serious Buck!" snapped Lou.

"That's why I didn't tell anyone," grumbled Jimmy, "Nobody would believe me! Hell! I hardly believe it myself!"

"I'm sorry you guys, But it just sounds so weird! Very different from anything that I've ever heard of."

Looking around, Buck noticed that while they talked, they had reached the foothills. The sky was turning vivid colors of yellow, red and orange and a blanket of darkness was unfolding itself from the East. "We better find a place to bunk down before it gets too dark to see."

Finding a spot not far from the trail, they set up camp, ate dinner and sat around the fire just staring into the flames. No one made a move to get into bed. As the night deepened, familiar noises now seemed to hold a sinister edge. The whisper of a breeze through the trees sounded like the hushed murmurs of a hundred voices. Scurrying sounds of small animal feet could possibly be the footsteps of spirits, out to investigate the new souls invading their space. Imaginations were definitely putting in some overtime!

With each new sound, the three friends shifted closer to each other. Finally, not being able to stand the tension any longer,

Lou spoke, "Well!" she said, rising with purpose; "We've go a long ride tomorrow so let's get to bed." Striding determinably over to her bedroll, she laid down and pretended like nothing else mattered but getting in a good nights rest. Jimmy and Buck, not wanting to seem less brave, also got up to get into their beds. Buck took a moment to bank down the fire and soon the three riders were all laying down. Each one pretending to be asleep, and fearing that one or the other would hear their heart, beating with subdued terror.

Trying to settle into sleep, Lou kept tossing and turning. She noticed that the guys were having no such trouble! After some initial rustling about, both Jimmy and Buck seemed to drift off with no further problems. Feeling like she would never get any sleep, Lou was suddenly jerked awake from someone shaking her shoulder!

"Lou? Lou! Wake up!" Shouted Buck in a whisper.

"Huh? What?" rubbing her eyes, Lou slowly sat up. Jimmy also was coming awake, having heard Buck's frantic whispers.

"Buck! It's the middle of the night! What on earth..."

His face pale, Buck pointed toward the trail. The now familiar mist was creeping forward, claiming the ground for it's very own. Faint thumping that grew steadily louder, foretold the coming of the ghost horse! Each rider's gaze locked first on the mist and then tried to pierce the distant darkness.

A bolt of lightening struck up from the earth! Bursting forth form the scorched ground, came the fiery horse and it's cloaked rider! Sparks flew from the pounding hooves, and the cloaked figure raised an arm to pull back it's hood. Blue face, deeply lined, held the glowing eyes that burned down into the soul of each petrified rider! They could do nothing but stand and watch, their bodies having completely shut down!

Steadily closer thundered the horse, intent on running them down! The hag's lips stretched over pointed teeth and laughter erupted from deep within her being. It resounded all around the hills and began an inner trembling in the three friends.

Suddenly, a burst of fire erupted from the campfire ring! The horse reared back in fright! A figure, engulfed in flames, strode forth from the fire, arms raised, confronting the nightmare!

With the fiery horse prancing nervously, the hag directed her glowing gaze at the fire woman standing before her in challenge.

"Let me pass!" She snarled.

"Go Black Annis! You will not bring your disease here! These souls are under my protection!" Pointing her finger to the ground, a stream of flames shot down, encircling herself, Lou and the boys. Raising up her arms, she shouted to the night sky, "I call upon Anu, Badb and Macka! I call upon the Great Spirit! Protect those within this circle! Banish all evil from this place!"

The three friends watched in amazement as the circle of fire shot up toward the sky, burning an almost white, in response to the fire woman's prayer. As the flames died down, she turned back to Black Annis and shouted again, "Go! I banish you from this place!"

Pointed teeth gnashing violently, lips flooding with blood, the hag screeched her displeasure as she faded like the mist into the night! The fire woman walked back over to the campfire ring, stepped inside, slowly dying down into a low burn. Her voice drifted up from the flames, "You are safe within the circle. We will meet again soon.." And with a final puff, the fire went out.

Summer lay exhausted on her cabin floor. Projecting herself always took a lot out of her. At least the riders were safe for the night. The circle would protect them for now and since Black Annis could not roam the physical plain in the daylight, they would have no problems reaching her home safely on the morrow.

Hearing the beating of wings outside the window, she watched as Raven flew down and landed on the ledge. Cocking his head to one side, he gazed a Summer, beady black eye reflecting all he saw. Nodding, she replied, "Yes. It went well tonight. They are safe for now. Thanks to all your help. I could not have done it without your magic."

Raven plucked out a feather, floating if gently to the floor. Then, eager to be off, hopped from the ledge, flying into the night sky, calling out his joy at the victory.

Summer got up and went over to pick up the feather. It was Raven's calling card. A message from the feather whispered in her mind, If you need me, think hard on this feather and call my name. I will come. Gently smiling, Summer placed it safely in a long box, thinking how fortunate it was that she had so many powerful friends.

With a terrific yawn, she crawled into her bed. Satisfied that for now, all was well. Tomorrow's problem would be dealt with tomorrow. Right now, all that mattered was sleep. And so she did.

A few miles in one direction, three friends finally drifted off to sleep. None had moved from outside their protected circle, only taking a bit of time to place stones around the boundaries. A reminder of where no evil could enter, but neither could any good escape.

In another direction, deep within a heavily wooded area, lay a place where no one dared go. Even the indians told stories of the desolation of those woods. Very little light shown through the trees, no birds or animals ever ventured there. Within the center of those woods, a terrible shacking of the earth began, and then the ground split, creating a deep and yawning abyss! From the bowels of this hole erupted a terrifying roar! Abruptly, all the movement stopped and the night swallowed up all sounds. The only living thing remaining was the mist. Waiting amongst the trees. Waiting for it's master.

If anyone had been there to notice, they would have said that the sense of evil that permeated the area would have attacked your soul, leaving it in stagnating decay. And your mind, it would have slowly and painfully become a void of all things sane.

To Be Continued...Chapter IV