Cowboy Cried Wolf

Breakfast of Champions

Hank’s POV

The little lady feinted, almost hitting her head on a rock; but I caught her just in time. When I finally was able to get a good whiff of her, she smelled of wildflowers after a fresh rain; but also human. I winced at that, the shock of learning of our kind in the worst of ways probably being too much for her disposition.

I sighed and threw her over my shoulder and stood up all the way. I couldn’t very well leave her here for those bastards to come back and take her, or worse kill her. I scooped up my saddle bags as I walked by them, not wanting to leave them behind.

I set out at an even pace, walking through the rest of the night and until the dawn just touched the sky, heading to the nearest town. If I could drop her off there, someone was bound to know who she was. I was in enough trouble as it was, interfering with a packs business; but I couldn’t help myself.

My betrothed over in California said I was the victim of a bleeding heart, always stepping in to be a hero. I just didn’t see the point of the strong picking on the weak; it took a real man to help others, not cut them down. I decided to stop and get a fire going, my stomach growling from carrying the extra weight. I set down my saddlebags and pulled out a wool blanket, laying it down and setting my passenger on top.

I could only hope that helping this lady didn’t lead into any complications; I had sent a telegram a few days ago to my betrothed to let her know I was coming home and to expect me in a few days or the end of the week at the latest. Sighing, I got some brush and some broken branches, getting out my flint and starting the small blaze. When I was almost finished cooking, my guest began to stir.

*****

June’s POV

The smell of oats and bacon permeated my nose as I came to, my stomach growling as I did. I felt dad’s warm wool blanket and sighed, snuggling back down into it. “Hey, little lady… breakfast is ready.”

I jolted up then, grabbing my head as a massive headache assaulted me. Looking around me, u could see the morning sun, along with an attractive man crouching before a fire. “Uhh, hello?” I was confused, and looking around me I could see the familiar woods near the town. The blanket under me was not my own, but the wool felt good against my bare legs. I looked down and could see that all I had on was my nightdress and one boot, the other missing somewhere.

Fuck, not again… I hadn’t gone sleepwalking since I was a teenager, the problem fixed with a special pill my dad would get ordered in from California. “I’m sorry to intrude, but it seems I was sleepwalking and you found me… I don’t suppose you could help me get home?” I shook my head. “I had the strangest dream and the funniest thing is I forgot to take medicine last night for that.”

“Lady, that wasn’t a dream.” He looked at me dead on, not taking his eyes off of me. “And from what I can garner, your home isn’t very safe right now.”

My heart sunk in my chest then, the reality of last night something f I could not escape then. I hung my head and let the headache take over, a sob escaping silently as I tried to fight it back. “Werewolves…” I finally got out, “I was attacked by a fictitious penny-comic cartoon..”

“Urh, humm, well; we aren’t really fictitious ma’am.

We?! I really looked at the cowboy then, seeing if I could see any fur or fangs popping out. “You too?!” I started to hyperventilate then, my heart beating a million miles a minute.

“Woah…. Calm down there, girl… I’m not like the bastards who attacked you last night. From what I can garner, they’re a pack, and nasty sons of bitches to boot.” He shook his head, handing a plate of food over the small fire to me. “You need to eat up; warm yourself up. Being human, I’m surprised you haven’t caught a cold or some such from last night, being in that getup and all.”

“I was sleeping when they came.” I gingerly took the plate; keeping an eye on the man as he slowly withdrew his hand. My body was shaking, but it was probably from forgetting to take my pills last night, the O’Shea’s having me distracted and on edge. “Thank you….” I said after a minute, the food halfway gone from the plate.

My savior nodded at me, eating his food straight from the rock he had cooked it on. “Now I just need to track those bastards down to pay me for my horse.” He shook his head, anger in his features.

“Horse?” I didn’t remember seeing him on one, if my fuzzy recollection of last night was any indication.

“The lot of you tore right over my camp last night, killing the stud I had just purchased from a breeder in New Mexico… Five thousand dollars down the drain… bastards…” he stewed as he ate a piece of meat, fuming at the licks of flame.

“That’s an awful lot for a horse.” My father would have never dreamed of spending money like that, having only spent five dollars on Emily over twenty years ago. But then again, the horse that he lost previously was a papered stud, fetching us almost five hundred dollars for each foal he was able to fulfill.

“When it’s an Arabian, it’s worth it. Now it’ll take me at least another ten years to save all that s**t up. That is if I can’t get those bastards to give me the money for killing my property.”

“Yah… They more than likely won’t.” I shook my head as I handed the plate back to the cowboy, feeling oddly safe with him. “If what you’re saying makes a lick of sense, you’ll need to talk to Fredrick O’Shea…” I shook my head, shivering slightly at the implications of even admitting it. “Those were his men and their commune is on the other side of the town, out a ways.”

“I’ve dealt with worse.” He puffed out his chest, cleaning up all of his supplies around him.

“You’ve never dealt with Fredrick.” I shook my head at him, wrapping the blanket tighter around me. An idea went off in my head then, a plan forming. I took another gander at the stranger and appraised him.

He was bigger than any man I had ever met, his shoulders broad and strong. He had shoulder length dusty blond hair and hazel eyes. His facial features were strong and slightly weathered, those of a man accustomed to hard work.

His hands made mine look dainty, the callouses and scars telling a story of a hard life that he had been fighting his way through. “I have an idea; if you’re willing to hear me out.” I asked him, getting an eyebrow raise from him; curiosity looking incredibly handsome on his face.