The sight before Nick wasn’t a pretty one. Sam Truitt lay before him a bullet in his head.

“Sam” Nick lamented, “If only you’d waited we could have gone and sorted this out together.”

“Nick gently covered the body of his crew captain and life long friend.

Looking at the body under the blanket and in his minds eye seeing the bloody head of his younger brother Nick made a decision. The games would stop here and now. This day. He would return to the ranch, gather up as many men as possible and clear out Mystic Gully. Those found there with anything remotely connected to Coastal and Weston would regret the day they were born. He’d see to that.

“Look what I found lurking outside.”

Heather found herself being thrown to the cave floor in front of Harry Stone, Cass Page and Pat Slan.

“Well, well Miss Barkley.” Stone purred, “Doing a little spying on behalf of your brothers? And just how much do they know?”

“Enough” Heather decided to try and bluff Stone. “We’ve known about this for quite sometime.”

“From who?’ Stone asked, his confidence in his own people dropping. Somebody was selling them out. “Nobody here would dare to cross me.”

“Somebody has been watching and reporting to us.” Heather informed him. Nothing like a little divide and conquer. Letting Stone think he was being sold out by one of his own might just weaken the railroad’s side and give her family a fighting chance. No need to tell him it was the Barkley guardian wolf.

“She’s bluffing” Page stated.

“You’re boss doesn’t think so.” Heather turned and faced her ex- prospective suitor. “And by the way this is for you, you snake.” Before Page could react he found himself doubled over by a punch to the mid riff and meeting the cave floor thanks to a whack to the jaw. “ And that was for my brother.”

The sound of a gun clicking brought any other ideas of avenging herself on Page to a halt.

“Enough of that Miss Barkley.” Stone ordered, levelling the gun at her.

“You wouldn’t?” Heather tried bluffing again.

“What shot a female? You’d better believe I would.” Stone was ice cold.

From her spot outside the cave Moonwolf heard the sounds, heard the danger and the fear in the words. Fear, like other emotions had a scent all of it’s own. Firefur was afraid, just not showing it.

Moonwolf knew what had to be done. Firefur had to be protected.

Stone never really knew what hit him. Out of nowhere this snarling, snapping fur thing attacked him. It’s jaws clamping onto his gun hand.

As the pair wrestled he yelled to Page and Slan.

“Shoot it, you fools shoot it.”

One of them, he wasn’t sure which one, drew a gun and let off a single shot, the animal howled once and collapsed to the floor.

Movement at the cave mouth caught his eye.

“Oh no you don’t Miss Barkley.” Stone picked up his fallen gun, took aim and fired.

A crash outside the door of the study caused Jarrod to look up from the papers on the desk. He was almost finished clearing up and getting ready to accompany Nick on the cattle move.

“HEATH!” Jarrod exclaimed as he opened the door “WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING? YOU KNOW FULL WELL THAT YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE IN BED RESTING.”

He barely had time to complete his sentence before Heath, who somehow had managed to stay on his feet, almost collapsed again.

“Trouble.” Was all Heath could say.

“And you will be Heath, in big trouble. Do you know how many different types of hell Mother will make you got through?”

“NOT AS MANY AS NICK.I PROMISE YOU.” Nicks voice sounded from the passageway. “ Just what are you trying to prove Little Brother?”

“Trouble…wolf” Was all Heath could say.

“Let’s get him back upstairs.” Jarrod was concerned. Heath was still very pale and now barely conscious.

Nick had just grabbed Heath when he saw out of the window the reason for Heath’s words.

“Jarrod, Moon Cub.” He indicated to the window.

Sitting just outside the window was indeed the half-grown silver/ white cub.

“Okay” Jarrod began to prioritise “First we get Heath back up to his room and get Heather to sit with him, then we find out what the little wolf wants.”

“Jarrod” Part of that plan caused Nick to stop and think. “Have you seen Heather at all since breakfast?”

“No” Jarrod admitted. “But I’m sure she’s around somewhere.”

Mr Jarrod sir.” Silas began. “Miz Heather isn’t in the house, she left sometime ago with that big wolf.”

“Two guesses what the little one is trying to tell us.” Nick remarked.

“It’s dead.” Slan stood over the silent unmoving body of the Moon Wolf. “Hey, this would make a nice blanket, or maybe some fur trader might like it.”

“Leave it” Stone ordered. “We’ve got more important things to think about like getting out of here before her brothers arrive.”

“There’ll only be two of them.” Slan told him

“Yeah, Heath got damaged at the link shack.” Page added, “Bad head wound, may not even recover.”

“Well seems the Barkley twins will be together.” Stone smiled. “You know you really shouldn’t separate twins.”

“Then she’s..?”

“Yes” Stone answered without a shred of emotion. “Now get those horses and wagons and let’s get going.”

Littlewolf paced up and down. Her mother had tried to teach her patience, but the lesson had not yet sunk in. Her mother was so much better at this. Littlewolf knew what had to be done. Softpaw had seen her she knew that but had Growlshard and Howlswisely? Firefur and her mother needed help. Her mother had taught her to be wary of all humans expect the pack led by the human known to them as Silverwolf.

The silver/white cub was still in the same spot when Nick and Jarrod returned to the study.

“We’ll never know if we don’t ask.” Jarrod said leading the way out toward the little wolf.

A growl told them that they were close enough.

“Heather?” Jarrod asked experimentally

Just like her mother, the little wolf lifted her head from where it rested on her paws and looked them in the eye.

“Where?” Nick had his turn. “Meadows Creek? Rustic Gorge?” Nick reeled off a further four or five names.

The only reaction he got was when he mentioned Mystic Gully.

Getting to her feet the little wolf started to walk away, looked back at the brothers, then for some reason walked over the broken wagon near the stables and gazed at it.

“What? “Nick asked, “What are you trying to tell us? You want us to fix the wagon?”

The little wolf growled at him.

“You want us to take a wagon?”

The cub huffed.

“That means yes.” Jarrod interpreted.

“And you know this how?” Nick asked.

“We, Mother and I got the same reaction when she turned up and told us about Heath.”

“Okay we’ll take a wagon.”

A bark from the cub focused the brother’s attention back to the task at hand.

“Now that was a female telling us to hurry.” Jarrod joked.

Anger filled Jarrod and Nick as together they viewed the scene before them. The cave to which the cub directed them was like a tomb. The first thing they saw was the bloody body of their sister.

“They’ll pay for this, I swear they’ll pay.” Nick vowed from where he was kneeling, holding his sister in his arms. That came after a long string of phrases and words that turned the air blue.

“Nick calm down, I know how you feel but our first priority is to get her home. Nick, Heather is still alive.” Jarrod told his angry younger brother. “It’s in her left shoulder. She’s lost a lot of blood.”

“Jarrod there’s no wound, not that I can see.”

“I can” Was the sombre reply.

“Those lousy *&*&*#*’s shot her in the back?”

An angry nod was the only answer Nick received.

“There will be no place in this state, dammit this country where they’ll be able to hide from me.” He brushed a stray lock of hair from Heathers closed blue/green eyes and gently kissed her forehead. “ I promise you.” He whispered.

A long solitary howl drew their attention to the cub.

The little wolf was sitting by the bloody body of the Moon Wolf. Pushing at her mother with her black nose. Trying to get a reaction. No reaction came.

“Here Jarrod.” Nick gently and carefully passed Heather into Jarrod’s arms.

“Nick what are you doing?” Jarrod was astounded. “We’ve got to get Heather home.”

Nick just ignored him.

“Your mothers dead little one.” He said to the cub.

The cub tilted her head. Looked at him and then put her head onto her paws. Her eyes still looking into the face of her mother.

“Nick!” Jarrod called again. “Come on”

“Just a minute Jarrod.” Nick hurried out to the wagon and quickly returned carrying the blankets the brothers had brought with him. “Here help me wrap her in this.”

Between them the brothers wrapped their little sister in the blankets and carried her to the wagon.

“Nick now what are you doing?” Jarrod had expected Nick to jump into the body of the wagon and relieve him of their sister.

“I can’t leave her here to be found by some trapper or the like and be skinned.” Nick covered the body of the Moon Wolf and carried it to the wagon. “She died trying to save our sister Jarrod, the least we can to is honour her.”

In spite of what was happening around him Jarrod smiled. This gentle, kind side to his volatile brothers nature only showed itself every now and again.

“Mrs Barkley” Lt Richard Wilson greeted the matriarch of the Barkley clan.

“Lt?” Victoria struggled to place the name with the face “Wilson, how nice to see you again. What are you doing in Stockton? You remember my daughter Audra?”

“Yes good to see you again Miss Barkley.”

Victoria and Audra were just about to head back to the ranch after running a few errands in town. Wilson and a small force of men had just disembarked from the train.

“I was rather hoping to see Jarrod Mrs Barkley.”

“You won’t find him in his office. He’s back out at the ranch. Please let us offer you a lift.”

Wilson readily agreed the matter he wished to discuss with his old friend was of the utmost importance.

“Jarrod?” Victoria called to her son as the party entered the front door.

“Mr Jarrod and Mr Nick left a while ago Mrs Barkley.” Silas informed her from the landing on the upper floor. “The..” He stopped when he saw the visitor.

“Yes Silas?” Victoria encouraged him

“They received an urgent message.” Silas hoped that his employer understood what he was trying to say. “They left immediately after that.”

A nod told him that she had.

“And Heath?”

“Mr Heath tried to make it downstairs, Mr Jarrod and Mr Nick took him straight back up. He’s resting now.”

“My youngest son.” Victoria explained. “Heath was hurt yesterday near one of our line shacks.”

“Jarrod’s told me about his twin brother and sister.” Wilson said. “I was rather looking forward to finally meeting them. I understand that Heather is it? Heather was partly responsible for clearing up the Baby Abby Carson case.”

Victoria nodded.

From beyond the front door came the sound of a wagon pulling to a halt. Nick’s voice could be heard yelling to one of the hands to get to town and bring the doctor back quick if he still wanted a job.

“Nick hasn’t changed I see.” Wilson remarked.

“No” Victoria answered vaguely. Her mind was on others things like Nick calling for somebody to get the doctor.

The front door was flung open and Nick strode in Heather across his arms.

“Heather!” Victoria exclaimed “No. Nick, Jarrod?”

“She’s still alive Mother.” Jarrod said as he followed his brother in. “ There’s a bullet in her shoulder. She lost a far amount of blood.”

Victoria and Jarrod followed Nick up the stairs and into Heathers room. Lt Richard Wilson got lost and forgotten in the confusion.

“WHERE IS THAT DOCTOR?” Nick roared as he began yet again to pace the room.

“He’ll get here Nick.” Victoria tried to calm her second born, hotheaded son down. “Why don’t you go and fill Audra and Heath in on what’s happened.”

“I’d much rather be here.” Nick stopped his pacing by the head of the bed.

Heather lay on her stomach, the upper left corner of her top cut away revealing the true extent of the damage. Victoria and Jarrod in turn pressing a clean cloth to the wound in an attempt to halt the blood loss.

“Nick, Jarrod and I are busy here, Audra and Heath need to be told.” Victoria tried again. “I’m surprised that Heath isn’t in here already.”

Nick gave a nod. Bending down level with his sister’s ear he whispered. “Don’ you go anywhere honey, you stay right there and fight. I don’t want to lose you as well.”

Once Nick had left to attend to his errand. Victoria questioned Jarrod about the parting remark.

“In trying to protect Heather our friend The Moon Wolf was killed and I think Nick is taking it a little harder then he’d care to admit.”

“Nick” Audra turned and faced her older brother. “We heard shouting earlier what’s happening?”

Nick came to a halt near the head of Heaths bed. Heath was half awake. The hazy blue eyes studied him.

“Heather's been shot.” Simple and to the point.

Audra’s eyes opened wide with shock. “Is she?”

“No” Nick added quickly. “She’s still alive. It’s in her shoulder. Mother and Jarrod are with her now. We’re still waiting for Dr Merar to arrive.”

Heath, like Nick thought he would, struggled and tried to get out of his bed.

“Hey now stop that.” Nick had to just about catch his younger brother. “There’s nothing you can do at the moment. Stay put. You’ll be no good to her if you damage your self further.”

“Got… got to be with .. with her.” Heath stammered out. “She.. she needs me.”

“Yes well and strong.” Nick reasoned with him. “Not as a corpse. Now lay back down there and rest. Mother or Jarrod will come and get us.”

Footsteps and Silas’s voice told the trio that Doctor Merar had finally arrived.

“Nick, Audra” Jarrod poked his head around the door. “Heath, sorry I didn’t know you were awake.”

“What Jarrod?” Nick asked fear in his voice.

“No not that Nick.” Jarrod quickly had to reassure his younger siblings. “Merar’s starting to operate, and Mother said that Richard Wilson is downstairs wanting to talk to us.”

Nick just nodded.

“Look Jarrod, Nick I know this isn’t exactly the best time.” Wilson began after the friends had greeted each other, and Jarrod had apologized. “But certain information has come to light regarding Coastal and Western, guns and men, and your family.”

“Go on Richard.” Jarrod encouraged as both he and Nick sat up and began to pay serious attention.

“Word on the streets is that Coastal and Western are recruiting men for some sort of fight with your family. And that they are or have smuggled guns onto your land.”

“THAT FIGURES.” Nick put two and two together in his head and came up with a whole mess of trouble. “THEY ALMOST BRAIN OUR LITTLE BROTHER, SHOT OUR LITTLE SISTER, ONE OF OUR CREW CAPTAINS IS MISSING AND ANOTHER IS DEAD.” Nick paused for breath. “Sam and Harry must’ve also spotted them. They killed Sam and probably Harry as well. Sorry Richard, that’s Sam Truitt and Harry Stone, our two crew captains.”

“Stone? Harry Stone did you say?’ Wilson asked pieces of this puzzle were finally falling into place.”

“Yes. Richard, Harry Stone has worked on this ranch since before our father died. He’s been one of our most trusted employees.” Jarrod told the S.F police officer.

“Jarrod, Nick I hate to have to tell you this, but not only is Harry Stone involved in all of this, but he’s the one in charge. He’s the one the men have been told to report to.”

The air in the parlour turned blue as Nick let out string after string of curses and oaths.

“Gentlemen.” Wilson continued after Nick had finally finished. “ I have in town a force of deputies waiting. Both they and I will help in any way we can to get this lot.”

Jarrod acknowledged the offer with a nod.

Nick just looked like thunder.

Needing to be alone for a while, and still no sign that Merar was even close to finishing the operation on Heather, Nick decided to go for a walk to the stables and clear his head.

A growl from one of the clamp of bushes close to the tack room and forge area told him to go no further.

The silver/white cub was sitting in the bushes watching the tack room door. That was where Nick had placed the body of the Moon Wolf until the family could bury her.

“I know, you miss your mother little one.”

The sad eyes of the cub looked into his.

“I, we, plan to honour your mother, and place her were she can continue to do what she was born to do. Watch and protect the Barkley’s. We’ll bury her just outside gates of our family plot.”

The sad eyes of the cub turned to pleading ones. The little wolf looked at Nick, looked at the flaming forge and then back at Nick.

“You want us to cremate her? Burn her body?”

The little wolf huffed.

“Nick!” Jarrod called “Nick get in here quick.”

“Jarrod, what’s wrong. Heather couldn’t …? The urgent calling of this elder brother sent Nick into another panic.

“She’s safe.” Jarrod reassured him. “Merar removed the bullet. But Nick she’s awake and wanting to see us.”

“What?’

“I know, Nick it won’t be long before she does go back to sleep She says it’s important.”

“Nick…Jarrod.”

Barely conscious Heather lay with her left shoulder heavily wrapped and already in a sling. On the other side of her sat her twin. Between them the twins were a sight to behold. One flat on her back, pale and dopey. The other looking like at anytime he would collapse in a heap on the floor himself.

“Shh don’t talk now.” Nick ordered, “Rest, it can wait.”

“No…Stone…Page…Slan..others…guns” Heather desperately tried to say

“We now about them honey.” Jarrod reassured her. “Baby girl who did this?

“Stone….Attack…” Heather ploughed on “Plan ..attack here….”

“They plan to attack us in our own home?” Nick asked incredulously.

“Yes.”

“Do you when or how many there are or will be.” Jarrod asked

“No…small at the moment….five…six. waiting…more…headed north….after.. Page…snake…Heath.” Blood loss and shock caught up with Heather and she slipped into unconsciousness.

“Blast we must’ve just missed them.” Nick swore. That was all he needed to hear. They were his. He knew who they were and now he knew where they were.

“Nick..” Victoria called after his retreating back.

Merar moved toward the bed.

“She’ll be out for some considerable time now.” He looked toward Heath. “ And as for you young man get back into bed before you collapse and do more damage.” When Heath didn’t move. He added, “MOVE”

With both the doctor and his mother glaring at him Heath could do no more then obey.

“Mother, Richard has men in town, we’ll go and get them and then head after Nick.” Jarrod moved to reassure his mother. “We will be him home.”

Picking up the heavy wagon tracks leading from the cave was no trouble. The ground was still a little soft and the wagons left a good trail to follow.

Nick smiled an evil smile to himself. He had them now and they were going to pay for what they had done.

The one her mother had called Growlshard was on the hunt. Littlewolf had watched him hurry to the stable, saddle his horse and ride out. Vengeance too had a scent of it’s own.

The desire to stay close to her mother’s body was strong, but the need to follow, watch and protect Growlshard was stronger. The mantle of being The Moon Wolf was beginning to settle, every so slightly, on her shoulders.

Nick caught up with the railroad party in a clearing just north of the entrance to Mystic Gully. One of the gun wagons had broken an axel.

Stone had every man carrying gun boxes from one wagon to another and hadn’t posted a single lookout.

A solitary howl rang out.

Stone’s men looked around in surprise. One dropped a box of rifles.

“YOU IDOT.” Stone growled, giving the unfortunate party a jaw shattering slap that sent him to the hard ground senseless. “ PICK THOSE UP AND MOVE IT.”

Slan and another man Nick didn’t recognize hastened to do Stone’s bidding, not wanting to feel the wrath of his temper.

Another nerve jangling howl penetrated the air.

Nick quickly looked around for the source of the howls. Then he spotted her. The silver/white cub was up above him to his left.

The howl had the desired effect. The box loading stopped and the men were getting just a little nervous.

“IF IT’S WORRYING YOU NERVEOUS NELLIES SO MUCH GO, FIND THE SOURCE AND KILL IT.” Stone bellowed. “ JUST MAKE IT QUICK.”

Nick moved position. With Slan and the unknown man coming toward him the last thing he wanted was to be spotted to soon.

With a nod of his head Slan unwittingly sent his companion in Nick’s direction, and himself headed into the path of an angry little wolf.

A hand across the mouth and a tap to the back of the head with a gun handle soon had Nick’s unwanted visitor out of the way.

The scent coming toward the silver/white cub was a familiar one. Not one of the human pack that her mother was sworn to protect. This was the scent of the one who had killed her mother.

Teeth bared she launched herself at the human.

Slan felt the vice like grip on his wrist before he saw what it was. The force of the wolf’s attack sent both of them crashing to the ground below them. Little wolf landed on all four paws. Slan wasn’t so lucky. His head crushed into a large boulder and the force of it snapped his neck.

“WELL DON’T JUST STAND THERE.” Stone bellowed to Page. “GET UP THERE AND SORT WHO EVER OR WHATEVER OUT.”

“Why don’t you go?’ Page challenged.

The only response he got was a shove in the back and the words “GET MOVING” yelled in his ear.

Nick smiled to himself. Target number one was on his way.

Before Page could react the gun he was holding was swept out of his grip and he was grabbed by the collar and violently thrown against solid stone.

“Think you can take advantage of my sister do you?” Whack a fist across the face. “Try to brain my little brother eh?” A jab to the stomach. “Well mister it’s pay back time.” Another fist to the face.

Page did his best to defend himself, but the onslaught of an enraged Nick Barkley was something that there was no defence against. By the time it was all over Cass Page was a crying, bleeding heap at Nicks feet.

One down one to go.

“SLAN, PAGE GET YOUR SORRY CARCASSES BACK HERE.” Stone yelled, after what he considered sufficient time to take out whatever it was that was up there. “WE DON’T HAVE ALL DAY.”

“FORGET ABOUT THEM STONE.” The voice of Nick Barkley called back “It’s just you and me.”

“BARKLEY.” Stone smirked “IT’LL BE A PLEASURE TO TAKE YOU OUT PERSONELLY.” He reached for his gun.

As fast as Stone was, Nick was just that bit faster. Stone’s gun flew out of his hand and landed quiet a distance away.

“DIDN’T YOUR MOTHER TEACH YOU TO PLAY NICE?” Nick taunted his adversary.

With blood thumping into his temples and a wild gleam in his eyes Harry Stone charged towards Nick and it was on for young and old.

“WHY?” Nick demanded to know as he landed a punch to Stone’s jaw.

“LAND BARKLEY, I WAS PROMISED WHATEVER WAS LEFT OF THE PROPERTY AFTER THE RAILROAD TOOK WHAT THEY WANTED.” Stone shook his head. ‘ IT WOULD’VE BEEN MINE YEARS AGO IF YOU AND YOUR BROTHER HADN’T RALLIED THE OTHER LANDOWNERS.”

“And my sister?”

“Couldn’t have her running off and getting you could I?

Nick boiled over. With each punch landed on Stone a score was settled.

Finally it was over. Stone, like Page before him, was a bloody heap on the ground.

Nick turned and trudged wearily back to Coco.

“Nick look-out.” Jarrod’s voice sounded a warning.

As Nick spun to face Harry Stone a shot rang out. Stone , the gun in his hand unfired, crumpled.

The hand that held the smoking gun belong to Lt Richard Wilson of the San Fransisco Police.

“Mr Barkley.” The Chairman of Coastal and Western began from behind his fine redwood desk. “Let me reassure you that neither myself nor the board of Coastal and Western in any way approved the actions taken by Mr Curtin and Mr White. They took it upon themselves to undertake this sordid little venture and both of them have now been disciplined. And let me assure that Coastal and Western regrets most profoundly the injuries caused to your brother and sister.”

Sitting across from the Chairman neither Jarrod nor his companion Lt Richard Wilson believed a single word.

“Mr Chairman.” Jarrod replied in a tight voice “My family and I thank you for your kind thoughts. But let me make one thing perfectly clear if anybody directly or indirectly related to Coastal and Western ever sets foot on our property again both you and they will regret it.”

With that both the lawyer and the police officer stood and left the room.

“Oh there will be a next time Barkley. Believe me there will be a next time.”

Dusk was falling as the procession made it’s way to Mystic Gully. In the first carriage sat Victoria, Audra and Heath Barkley. In the second Nick and Heatherleah Barkley and riding escort on Jingo, Jarrod.

Nick had been to the gully earlier and had chosen the right spot. The stack was ready and the body of the Moon Wolf was wrapped ready in the back of Heathers carriage.

Standing close, but not too close was the silver/white cub.

Victoria, Audra, Heath and Heather stood and watched as Nick and Jarrod carefully placed the body of their family guardian onto the stack..

Once they were sure the body was secure Jarrod handed to each member of the group a fire stick. Nick followed behind lighting them.

Starting with Victoria each family member tossed their firestick onto the pyre and said their thanks and their goodbyes.

As the flames engulfed the body the little wolf raised her nose to the air and howled. As she lowered her head again the light from the fire caught in her eyes, causing them to glow.

The spirit had been passed to the next generation.

In the words of a song penned nearly 26 years ago to commemorate a natural disaster that happened on Xmas Eve 1974: “Australia was shocked and saddened as the news came through. A devastated city that must be built anew.”

Bill and Boyd. “Santa Never Made It Into Darwin.”