A Ride
1407 Words
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Lia's POV
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The following morning, I got chores done, saddled Warrior up and headed down to the bunk house. Letting them know I was going to go for a ride. I needed to clear my head and get some sense of me back. I told Butch, as well as Ruthann. Told Chief to stay and come get me should there be an issue. I was headed to my private thinking spot Chief knew where it was.
A cliff over looking a grassy valley below and the highway was my place to think. It provided protection via the natural tree line and the larger side of the cliff cast a shadow enough to make my spot hard to see. Warrior found his place just below with amble grass to munch while was lost in my thoughts. My rifle near me, added the pistol on my side. I breathed in the silence. Here I could just be me. Here I could ground into the reality I was just a small portion of a much larger world. Warrior and I had taken our time here. Just walking along the cow trails that lead this way. I did not even know what time it was but the sun was high in the sky. Its warmth sending rays in my direction. Enjoyment and that happy feeling of life flowed into me with the sun's rays. I was energized once again. Where fear and worry had started the warmth of the sun had destroyed and replaced it with hope. I heard an engine in the distance, sitting up I looked at the empty highway wondering what was coming.
My hope was to catch sight the Scout coming up the road. Hoping it was Red coming back. I didn't even care that he may bring more people from town. I just wanted to lay eyes and hands on him. To know he was safe. My heart dropped it was not him but a black SUV that was coming up the road. Another SUV behind it, and another behind that. Three of those black SUV's coming down the road a distance from each other. Another engine was coming, my heart fluttered a bit, the engine sounded familiar. The Scout towing a trailer. I was not sure who was in any of the vehicles now. But I did know that I needed to get back to the ranch.
I stood sliding the rifle into the saddle case, I swung onto Warrior. He was already amped and ready to spring forward at a gallop. I watched the trees flash past me, as Warrior ate the ground with his hooves. Leaping over the fence not even paying attention the the gate nearby we covered ground fast. Fallen logs and trees did not stop us. Minutes passed, the back gate appeared. I got to the bunk house and hollered for Butch and Chief.
Once past the gate, we continued fast toward the bunk house. Butch was up ahead and Chief not far from him. "SUV's coming so is the Scout with a trailer." I yelled. "I don't know who is bringing them!" I continued past not stopping. I knew he would know what to do. We had been over the plan to get them into the hidden cave ruins just to the south of us. Ancients had made tunnel system that lead to ruin site no one had found before. I found it by luck and asking the right animal who had been there. I was gonna head to the gate.
At the gate, I looked to see the livestock guardian dog watching the road. I felt warrior bulk a bit he was prancing. Looking around I found Lada walking from under a tree.
"I felt your fear, what is it?" I heard her ask.
Tala was not happy hearing her say fear, but I figured they did not like to show that. "SUV's and the Scout are coming. I am not sure who is in that group." I announced meanwhile trying to calm Warrior.
"Ah, I suspect it is your mate. But I will wait with you." She sat and looked at Warrior.
He danced under me, having a predator so close unnerved him. He was not happy about being this close. "I know you are not happy, but she wants yo help." I patted him. He settled some but still eyed her.
Lada I noticed stood, putting her back to him, she sat again and watched the road with me.
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Red's POV
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All of us stayed awake after the events that took the lives of Kennedy, his wife, and several others who went to sleep and were killed. We made a plan to gather up a bunch of supplies we could use from town and head up to my ranch and at least get these guys a decent amount of sleep.
We gathered and loaded the supplies into the SUV's that were able to run. Oddly all other vehicles minus the Scout would not start. Power was not coming on either. We were not sure what caused the power outage but wasn't gonna let that stop us from getting things done and getting outta here.
Just after 10 am we started a caravan out of town. I picked up some hay, and other bits we could use at the ranch. I found a flat bed trailer at the shop that I hooked to the Scout. I put Jay in the lead with the first SUV, Hooker in the middle, and Justin behind Hooker with me bringing up the rear. Even else was filtered into the the places we didn't pack. I was happy to be heading back, I missed Lia desperately. I needed to tell her what we had witnessed. She, out of everyone would know what the hell was going on.
On the way up, my heart beat faster and faster. I was getting closer to her. I glanced at her hiding spot on the cliffs. I almost thought I glimpsed her and Warrior up there. But, when I looked again it was nothing but shadows and trees.
We traveled a few more minutes before we got to the gate that lead down the main road that lead to our sandy but quiet road. Excitement surged in me, almost there. Like a kid in a candy store, I would be bouncing in my seat if I could. It felt like years I had been away.
I caught movement in the distance. I squinted to see what it could be. I couldn't make out what it was. I waved to Jay to get moving. I wanted them there. I opened the back of the Scout, grabbing the sniper rifle I undid the scope. Adjusting the the setting, my breath caught. A huge pack of wolves were loping this way. I needed to buy some time, that many wolves was gonna be one hell of a battle and I didn't want to have them near the ranch at all.
I closed the gate and backed out heading down toward the old tavern. There was a road near it that I could turn down and come up the other way. It was an old stagecoach track but even with the trailer I could make it. Turning near the tavern and heading down the stagecoach track I glanced back to see wolves heading down the road. Hopefully they kept going a while. Would give us time to have a plan.
I bounced off the old trail and jumped on our main road a little bit until I got to ours. I started down ours, glancing back still hoping I didn't see anything. Nothing moved. I had lost them for now. Not sure how I managed that but, I had. I seen Lia, she was sitting on Warrior just outside where our gate was. I was seeing nothing but her, I forgot to look behind me one last time. I watched her pull her rifle. I watched as Warrior started to dance. I started to wonder why she did that until I looked behind me to see the wolves. The whole lot I had hoped I had lost were closer then before and you could catch their amber eyes glowing. Looking ahead I another huge the brown wolf land in front of Lia, putting herself between the wolves coming and her. What the hell had I done
- Writer
