Avatars of Stone

by dragoncymru

The TARDIS brings the Doctor, Katherine and Megan to the Wild West where terrifying stone creatures are threatening an Indian tribe. But are the creatures just pawns of another evil? Another in my series that follows 'Ocean of Deceit'.

Adventure 9: Avatars of Stone

Prologue

High on the Wichita mountainside in Oklahoma, the little campfire was burning low. Joe Clancy shivered and huddled deeper under the blanket. He was drifting in and out of an uneasy slumber, twisting and muttering in his sleep. In his dream he was back at the saloon addressing the various cowboys and townsfolk that had gathered there. No-one had thought there was any more gold in the mountains around the small town of Red Creek. He could still hear their scornful laughter. Only Burt McKay, his oldest friend had believed him. And now they had proved them wrong. They were going to be rich!

Suddenly Clancy jerked fully awake as he heard McKay's voice. It was calling to him, screaming for help……..

Clancy rubbed his eyes and looked across the circle of light around the camp fire. McKay's blanket was empty and there were tracks leading out into the darkness. Clancy fumbled for his rifle and struggled from under his blanket. Then he set off towards the sound of McKay's voice. He scrambled over the edge of the little plateau where they had made their camp and down the rocky slope.

In the darkness ahead of him he could see two struggling figures. One was McKay. But the other……It was enormous – a giant, solid form. Clancy tried to call out, but could only produce a sort of croak. Instantly the creature flung McKay to the ground and whirled around to attack Clancy. He raised his rifle, but before he could fire it was wrenched from his hands. Clancy caught a brief glimpse of glowing eyes and a gaping maw. Then a blow from a giant rocky fist smashed him to the ground.

Back at the little camp-site, the fire was almost out. The guttering of the flames cast a feeble light on the two empty blankets. The shadow of a huge striding figure fell over the site. Something was tossed contemptuously into the dying fire. It was McKay's rifle. The barrel was bent almost double, the stock shattered into match-wood. The giant shape moved away and vanished into the night.

1.

Next morning, a little lower down the mountains, a wheezing and groaning sound shattered the peace and stillness of the air. The TARDIS appeared from nowhere and perched on the rocky ledge looking completely out of place.

The door opened and the Doctor stepped out and looked around, a big smile on his face. He took a deep breath as his two companions, Katherine de Gallois and Megan Williams, followed him outside.

Katherine peered down the mountains and into the red rocks of the canyons below. "Where are we?" she asked.

The Doctor spun around to face her. "We're in the Wild West Miss Katherine," he told her in a terrible mock American accent. "I hope you're ready for some rootin' and shootin'!" He pointed his fingers like pistols and mimicked blasting away with them before 'spinning' them and putting his hands in his pockets. "I haven't been around these parts for ages!" His voice returned to normal.

Katherine looked at him blankly, rolling here eyes.

But Megan grinned. "Fantastic!" She shaded her eyes from the already hot sun. "Where and when exactly?"

"I'm not exactly sure - Oklahoma possibly; eighteen sixties or seventies."

Megan frowned. "I thought Oklahoma was all plains and 'corn is as high as an elephant's eye' and all that?"

The Doctor laughed and kicked the stones under his feet. "There are a few mountain ranges here; what they call mesas. Not exactly the Himalayas, but fairly rocky anyway."

Megan shrugged. "It looks like where they used to film old 'Star Trek' episodes!"

The Doctor nodded. "Best watch out for any green beasties then! Don't you think you two had better get changed? And you can get me a hat while you're in there!" he added.

Megan grinned and went back inside the TARDIS, eager to explore the TARDIS wardrobe room.

Katherine touched the Doctor's arm. "Are you alright?" she asked. "You still haven't told us what happened when you were on your own."

A shadow crossed the Doctor's face but he forced a smile. "I'm fine. Everything's sorted out now."

Katherine nodded slowly, understanding that she wouldn't get any more out of the Doctor, and went inside the TARDIS to change.

The Doctor took a deep breath and started forwards. He'd just take a quick scout around whilst the two girls were changing – knowing them it could take a while!

2.

Megan and Katherine emerged from the TARDIS a short while later. Megan had clearly gone for the 'Annie Oakley' look and was still dressed in her usual denim jeans, but now wore high soft leather cowboy boots, a checked shirt and tasselled suede jacket, neckerchief and hat. Katherine meanwhile had typically opted for a more feminine approach and wore a striped period dress making her look, Megan thought, like a schoolteacher!

Katherine caught Megan's disapproving look at her attire. "It's what I'm used to," she said curtly. Katherine carried a brown Stetson hat for the Doctor.

But the Doctor had vanished.

The Doctor had decided to wander up the mountainside a little to take a look at the view, but as he walked he started to get an uneasy prickling sensation. He stopped, scratched his head and looked around him, getting the feeling that he was being watched. He thought he saw a flicker of movement from the rocks above him but when he looked again there was nothing.

He followed a path around the curve of the mountain and onto a small plateau. It formed a natural camp-site and the Doctor saw that someone had indeed made camp there. A few charred sticks marked the remains of a fire. Close by were two empty blankets. Something glinted in the cold ashes of the fire and the Doctor bent down to fish it out. It was the barrel of a rifle, bent almost double, like plasticine.

Footprints and what looked like mule tracks led over the edge of the plateau and around the other side of the mountain. Peering over the edge, the Doctor saw a huddled shape a bit further down and scrambled towards it.

The body lay face down on the rocks. Gently, the Doctor turned it over to reveal a middle aged man with a big moustache and dressed in a check shirt, jacket and jeans. As he shifted the body, the head lolled over at a strange angle. The man was dead, his neck broken by a single, savage blow.

The Doctor straightened up when suddenly there came the unmistakable click of a rifle being cocked.

"Don't move ya varmint!" an American voice drawled from behind him.

3.

The Doctor slowly raised his hands in the air. "I know this looks bad but I didn't kill him you know! Then he felt the hard barrel of the rifle in his back and winced. "Let's just be reasonable and talk about this!"

"Turn around," the voice continued, "I want to see ya before I shoot ya!"

The Doctor turned gently around to see a short old man in his early sixties with a long grey beard and moustache. His eyes were red rimmed with exhaustion and he had an air of hysteria about him. The man was dressed in typical cowboy fashion with a check shirt, jacket and a large grey hat. He could've stepped straight out of a western film, which, the Doctor thought, was not unusual considering where the TARDIS had landed. The man held a Winchester rifle that he raised and pointed at the Doctor's chest.

"Now you'd better start talking sonny, or I'll put two holes in ya!"

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Alright," he said slowly, "I'm the Doctor and you are?"

The man spat on the ground. "Don't come the innocent with me son! My name's Clancy. Joe Clancy as well you know! You've come up here to steal my gold ain't ya?"

If he wasn't in danger of getting shot, the Doctor might have smiled at Clancy's eccentricities, but he shook his head, his hands still raised in the air. "No, I'm not here to steal your gold or to," he nodded towards the crumpled shape of the body, "murder anyone."

"That was my partner McKay," Clancy said angrily and he raised the rifle again and glared at the Doctor.

"Well I didn't kill him Joe. Come on," said the Doctor soothingly, "his neck's been broken by something that was a lot stronger than me, you know that."

Clancy paused and then all the fire seemed to go out of him as he realised the Doctor was telling the truth. He lowered his rifle. "Best partner I ever had and now he's dead!" he said quietly.

The Doctor stepped towards Clancy and put his arm gently around the man's shoulders. "What happened Joe?"

Clancy looked up at the Doctor. "We were attacked by a creature!"

4.

Megan and Katherine looked up and down the mountainside but there was no sign of the Doctor. The sun was now higher in the sky and turned the rocks a bright copper colour. Poking out amongst the rocks were the fleshy green stalks of cacti and thorn bushes.

"Typical," fumed Megan, "he's not picked us back up before he's gone off again!"

Katherine folded the hat nervously in her hands. Their last adventure, when the Doctor had left them alone on the ocean planet of Lemeria had been filled with danger. Having the Doctor back with them was certainly very reassuring, and now he had vanished again. "He's just wandered off to take a look around," she said with more confidence than she felt. "You know what he's like."

Megan just huffed. "Oh yes, forgetting all about us because he's examining rocks or something!"

Katherine looked in all directions but could see no sign of the Doctor. "Which way do you think he went?"

Megan shrugged. "It looks a bit heavy going up there," she pointed to the top of the mesa, "let's go down to the canyon." She started down the slope, pulling her hat onto her head.

With a last, fruitless look about, Katherine followed her friend, picking up her fawn dress and already regretting the choice of her low black heeled boots.

"Mum brought me to America once," Megan said, "on one of her business trips. Didn't see much of her of course, but at least Dad and I had a good time."

"What did you do?" asked Katherine.

"Oh you know, the theme parks, the studios." Megan trailed off and smiled back at Katherine. "You don't know about any of that do you?"

Katherine laughed and shook her head. "My favourite holiday was when Remy took me to Paris and we rode a carriage by the Seine." She smiled at the resurfacing of bittersweet memories.

Megan smiled back and then turned her head as she heard something approaching.

The girls had just reached the bottom of the slope and the floor of the canyon, when around some tall rocks about a quarter of a mile away, trotted three horses.

Riding on the horses were Indians.

5.

Kana'ti was a troubled man. He had no real right to be in such a sombre mood. His wife Selu had only last month given birth to their first child. Muali was now only a mewling infant, but one day, the Spirits willing, he would grow up to be a brave warrior. A flicker of a smile passed across Kana'ti's face. 'Just like his father' Selu had whispered as she had presented him with his son for the first time, still wrapped in the stitched blanket of their tribe. Then the Indian remembered why they were here and his expression became grim once more.

The horses trotted on and Kana'ti glanced at the two kinsmen that rode with him. Bara'cu and Jadib were both good men and experienced warriors. Kana'ti trusted them as brothers and admired them as they had volunteered to come with him this morning. They could be going to their deaths. Something evil had stirred in the mountains and had already killed three of their tribe, one just a mere child. Kana'ti, much to Selu's worry, had insisted with the elders that they should patrol and scout the area to prevent any further killings. He could still see Selu's tear streaked but brave face as they had left the camp.

The horses trotted around a tall escarpment of rock in the canyon that led up to the mountain peak and Kana'ti was amazed by what he saw. Two white women walking in the wilderness towards them!

Kana'ti beckoned to the other two Indians and the three broke into a gallop towards the women.

Megan and Katherine glanced nervously at each other as the Indians rode towards them.

"Don't make any sudden moves!" whispered Megan and Katherine nodded in agreement.

The three Indian horsemen galloped towards the girls and surrounded them, drawing spears and tomahawks.

Katherine bit her lip, trying to control her fear. "We mean you no harm," she stammered.

One Indian, a handsome, muscular man with a tanned face and jet black hair, looked down at them coldly. "Who are you?" he ordered.

Megan, amazed as always at the incredible ability of the TARDIS to translate, managed to summon up enough courage to reply. "Our," she paused, "stagecoach overturned a bit further back and the horse bolted."

Kana'ti regarded the two white women in frustration. They appeared harmless though ignorant of the wilderness as all their kind. "You should not be here. It is not safe. You will come with us!"

6.

The Doctor looked down at Clancy's lined and weathered face. "A creature," he asked, "what kind of creature?"

Clancy shrugged. "It was no coyote son, I'll tell ya that! It was huge, like a bear, but it didn't have no fur!" He paused and chewed his lip. "It looked like it was made of rock!"

The Doctor blew out his cheeks and nodded slowly. He had certainly encountered all manner of creatures and aliens in his travels, but he wasn't sure how much the old miner could be elaborating. "Which way did it go?"

Clancy shrugged. "Further up the mountain I guess." He nodded guiltily over to the body of McKay. "Once it got poor old Burt there, I took off and ran to the hills!"

The Doctor came to a decision. "Hmm, why don't you show me the way Joe?"

Clancy looked at the Doctor in alarm. "And get killed myself, not likely sonny!"

The Doctor shrugged and started to walk up the mountain. "Okay, I'll go on my own!"

But Clancy grabbed at his arm to stop him. "Oh no, you're not going up there by yourself!"

"Why not?" asked the Doctor, although he already had a good idea why the old man didn't want him up there.

Clancy looked away a little shiftily. "Because up there's my mine and you're not pinching old Joe's gold now!"

The Doctor chuckl and put his arm around Clancy. "Then you'd better keep an eye on me!"

Muttering under his breath, Clancy started up the mountain followed by a grinning Doctor. They trudged up the rocks for nearly twenty minutes, but there was no sign of any hostile creature or indeed animal life of any kind. Then they turned a corner around some boulders and saw the dark entrance to a cave or tunnel that led into the side of the mountain.

Clancy pulled up short and eyed the Doctor suspiciously. "There you go son, nothing up here but my old mine!"

The Doctor nodded and started forward before Clancy could stop him. "Good place to hide in a mine!"

Grumbling and muttering, Clancy followed the Doctor as they entered the shadowy tunnel. They hadn't gone in much further than twenty metres when there was a sudden terrifying roar from behind them.

Silhouetted in the light at the entrance to the mine was a towering golem of stone.

7.

The creature was enormous, like a massive stone statue that had come to life. It had two glinting red eyes and a dark maw of a mouth from which issued a deep roar of fury. It crashed into the tunnel and bore down on the Doctor and Clancy who backed quickly away.

The Doctor pushed a terrified Clancy behind him. "Keep back!" he ordered, and as he did so he disturbed one of the wooden supports that were holding up the mine ceiling. It gave a little under his weight.

As the golem reached out with huge fists, the Doctor grabbed a nearby piece of wood that was lying on the floor and heaved it at the support with all his strength. With an echoing crack, it gave way completely and a large section of the mine roof caved in and fell on top of the golem, burying it beneath tons of boulders and rubble.

The Doctor breathed a sigh of relief. "It's all right Joe. We're safe – I think!"

Clancy stared at the creature that was almost indistinguishable from the rubble that buried it. "That was the thing that attacked poor Burt and me last night!"

The Doctor nodded thoughtfully. "Ever seen it before?"

Clancy shook his head. "Nope, and I reckon I would've remembered too!"

The Doctor smiled and looked back into the mine. "I wonder why it's up here?"

Clancy started to become defensive again. "After my gold, that's what!"

The Doctor shook his head. "I don't think so Joe!" He produced his sonic screwdriver and turned it on, illuminating the mine in its' pale blue glow.

"What in tarnation is that?" asked Clancy.

The Doctor started down the tunnel. "My mining tool – all the rage in Arkansas!"

Clancy raised an eyebrow and spat on the ground. Then he looked back nervously at the creature under the rubble and hurriedly followed the Doctor down the mine tunnel.

They had not gone very far when the Doctor noticed something strange and stopped. He pointed down with his sonic screwdriver at what appeared to be a circle of obsidian crystals that were arranged on the ground where the mine tunnel branched off in two directions. "Are these yours Joe?"

Clancy shook his head. "Never seen them neither! What are they?"

The Doctor looked at him with a strange light in his eyes. "Alien!"

8.

Katherine glanced across to Megan who just shrugged helplessly. Both were sat on horses clinging to the backs of one of the Indians as they left the mountains and entered the Oklahoma prairies. Kana'ti had refused to leave the girls when they had mentioned the Doctor being lost somewhere on the mountains and had insisted they go with the Indians back to their camp. Kana'ti had told them that the mountains were not safe and no amount of persuading would change his mind. The only concession he would offer was that one of the Indians, Jadib, would remain for an hour or so and scout around. If Jadib found the Doctor, he would bring him back to camp.

Now after half an hour's ride across the magnificent grass plains of Oklahoma, they were nearing the camp. The journey was incredible thought Megan, like a pilgrimage across the West. She hated riding a horse, but even she forgot her discomfort and gasped when a small herd of bison trotted past some few hundred yards from them.

Katherine, comfortable as she was on a horse, was far too worried about the Doctor to give their journey much thought. But even she smiled in wonder at the incredible sight of the Indian encampment as they approached it.

There must have been at least fifty or more tepees, all of different sizes and designs, arranged in a rough circle. Rough wooden stockade had been built in some parts to act as windbreaks and to where some horses were tied. Indians of all ages went about their daily lives in the camp. Old men with their long grey hair, were huddled in blankets and smoked long wooden pipes. Women washed skins and cooked food in pans over crackling fires, and Indian children ran and played games with each other gleefully.

As they entered the circle of tepees, Megan also noticed that there were a number of Indian warriors that were armed and in 'lookout' positions. As tranquil as the camp appeared to be, the Indians were clearly ready for unexpected trouble. Megan realised as well that as they passed, all eyes were on them, not all hostile, but certainly not all friendly either.

9.

In the mine tunnel, the Doctor put on his glasses as he studied the strange crystal pattern on the ground. He bent down tried to pick up one of the crystals but it was embedded and wouldn't budge. "Well if you didn't put them there Joe, I wonder who did, and why?"

Before Joe Clancy could answer, there was a sudden bellow from the darkness further into the mine, although it was impossible to tell from which tunnel.

Joe backed away with a curse. "I reckon that's another one of those things!"

The Doctor nodded and pointed his sonic screwdriver at one of the crystals in the pattern. There was a brief high pitched whine and then he bent down and picked it up and put it in his pocket. Whipping off his glasses, he stared into the darkness. "I wonder how many there are?" he wondered, his curiosity piqued.

Then suddenly there was a noise from behind them, back towards the entrance, as if rocks and stones were being shifted. Clancy dashed back and then pulled up short in disbelief. "Hey, that thing you killed," he yelled up the tunnel to the Doctor, "it's moving!"

The stone creature that was crushed in the rock fall was stirring, pushing rocks and boulders off it like they were made from paper. It gave an angry bellow.

The Doctor considered the tunnel but didn't fancy getting caught between two, or more, of the creatures. "Time to get moving Joe!" he shouted and dashed back towards the mine entrance, grabbing a terrified Clancy on the way and pushing him past the stirring creature and back onto the mountainside.

The golem had now pushed all the remaining debris away and rose to its feet. It turned about, and with another roar of fury, started to pursue the two men as they fled.

The Doctor and Clancy ran down the slopes as fast as they could manage, scrabbling over any rocks that they encountered. Still the creature followed in dogged pursuit, but it seemed that they were starting to increase their distance, and the sound of its roars was getting fainter. Gasping for breath, and with Clancy's lungs threatening to burst with the exertion, the two men reached the bottom of the slope and the canyon.

Sitting on a horse in front of them was an Indian warrior.

10.

As Kana'ti dismounted from his horse next to a tent in the Indian camp, Katherine jumped down next to him whilst Megan slid from her horse rubbing her bruised bum. There was a sudden happy cry and an attractive Indian woman carrying a small child in a papoose flung herself at Kana'ti. The Indian warrior kissed his wife Selu and then stepped back a little self consciously as he realised that the camp were watching him.

Selu crossed her arms and looked at the two girls pointedly. "Who are these white women?"

"We found them in the mountains," Kana'ti replied, nodding to Bara'cu to tie up the horses. "They say they were with another; Jadib has gone to find him."

Katherine smiled warmly and gave a curtsey; she felt comfortable with diplomacy and knew instinctively of a wife's jealousy. "We owe your husband our lives," she told Selu. "You must be so proud of him!"

Selu's expression softened; she was a kind woman at heart and once she realised that Katherine was not out to steal away her precious Kana'ti, she smiled. "I am Selu. Come, we will get you warm and something to eat and drink." She put her arm around Katherine and gestured towards Megan before ushering them both into a tepee.

Kana'ti smiled proudly at his wife's welcome and then his expression became intense once more. The evil in the mountains was still at large, and he had sent Jadib up there. He hoped that his judgement was sound. Kana'ti walked quickly towards the centre of the camp and a very old tepee. He had to report to the elders of the camp and ask for the wisdom of Hamamus'kalu, their venerated tribal leader.

He gently pulled back the flap of the tepee and after a moment of polite hesitation stepped in to it. The tepee was dark in contrast to the bright sunlight outside and it took a few seconds for Kana'ti's eyes to adjust. In the centre of the tepee was a small fire and surrounding the fire, in a haze of smoke, were several old Indian men, all smoking on long thin clay pipes.

As Kana'ti stepped towards them, the old men turned to watch him approach. One of them, an ancient Indian with long white hair and a creased, lined face full of wisdom and kindness, smiled at the warrior.

"Welcome my brother," said Hamalus'kalu, "what news do you bring us?"

11.

Jadib regarded the Doctor and Clancy cautiously. The two women had only mentioned one man; was this another white man trick? "Who is the medicine man?" he grunted after a moment.

The Doctor frowned with surprise. "I'm the Doctor," he said slowly.

"We have found your two women," Jadib said bluntly.

"Megan and Katherine? Where are they?"

"We have taken them back to our camp. It is not safe here." Jadib looked fearfully up at the mountains. "You will come with me now."

"Thank you," smiled the Doctor with relief.

Before he could continue further, there came a sudden roar from above them. They all turned to see the terrifying, enormous shape that was the rock golem, stood on an outcrop of rock that overlooked the canyon.

"That darn thing's found us again!" Clancy yelled

Jadib's eyes widened with fear. "Spirit of the mountain!" He wheeled the panicked horse around. "What have you done?" he accused.

"Nothing at all honestly," replied the Doctor. "But I think we'd better get to your camp fast!"

Jadib nodded and spurred his horse forward, followed by the Doctor, who looked over his shoulder at the golem with interest, and a wheezing Clancy. They moved as fast as they could to the end of the canyon and out onto the prairies beyond.

Fortunately the golem did not appear to pursue them, and after close to an hours walk across the golden plains of the Oklahoma grassland, Jadib led the Doctor and Clancy to the Indian camp.

The Doctor, with his usual incredible knowledge of Earth's history, immediately recognised the tribe of Indians as Cherokee and felt very comfortable as they walked amongst the Native American people, smiling at anyone who looked at them. Clancy however was nervous and jumpy, and stared down avoiding their watchful gaze. The Cherokee, for their part, watched the Doctor and Clancy as they walked through the camp with a mixture of curiosity, anger and just a little fear.

Suddenly, a flap of one of the tepees was thrown back and Katherine emerged followed by Megan and Selu. Katherine, a big smile of relief on her face, hugged the Doctor tightly. "Where have you been?" she scolded him, "we were so worried!"

"And with good reason," nodded the Doctor as he returned the hug. "Something is very wrong here!"

12.

Suddenly there was the sound of yells and screams from Indians at the edge of the camp.

Megan shaded her eyes to look at what was causing the alert. "Doctor, look!" she cried

The Doctor swung around and his eyes widened at what he saw. "Oh no!" he breathed worriedly.

Silhouetted against the sun and standing tall out of the prairie grass was not one, but three towering figures of stone golems. Two stood there immobile, but one was striding towards the camp, clearly intent on destruction.

Clancy spat on the ground. "It followed us I reckon!"

But the Doctor shook his head in disbelief. "No it can't have," he said but broke off in thought, his mind working frantically as he started to rummage in the pockets of his long coat.

The tall figure of Kana'ti ran towards them. "You have brought death to us all!" he growled.

"No, no I haven't," countered the Doctor, "but you must get your men to protect the camp, "he implored. "That thing is incredibly strong."

But Kana'ti did not need any white stranger to tell him his duty. He called to the other warriors as some took spears and tomahawks whilst the others leapt onto horses and charged towards the rock creature whooping and yelling with anger and determination. They would defend their camp and their families to the last drop of blood.

The creature struck out with massive stone fists as the warriors approached it, but the Indians were quick and most managed to dodge back and away from its deadly blows. One young Indian, too keen and inexperienced, got too close however and was smashed to the ground, his chest flattened by the force of the creature's attack.

As the Doctor and the others watched, it seemed that there as a terrible stalemate. Although the Indian warriors led by Kana'ti had surrounded the golem and stopped its advance into the camp, their attacks and blows were like flies against a rampaging elephant and just glanced of the creature's stone body with no effect.

Then another Indian underestimated the reach of the creature and was killed as a rocky fist broke his neck.

The Doctor realised it was only a matter of time………...

13.

Then two Indians on horseback grabbed a net between them and rode either side of the golem, catching it in the net. As the horses galloped past the golem and around it, the golem was caught off balance and then toppled to the ground with an ear-splitting crash.

The Indians surrounded the prone creature ready to press their advantage as the Doctor ran up to them.

But the golem lay perfectly still, like an inanimate statue once more, all life gone.

Kana'ti stood next to the Doctor. "It is dead. The Cherokee are victorious!"

The Doctor looked over the horizon to where the other two golems stood. To his amazement, they did not attack, but instead turned and strode back into the canyon. He turned back to Kana'ti. "No, I think it's a lot more complicated than that." He managed a smile and offered his hand to the Indian warrior. "I'm the Doctor by the way. I think I need to thank you for finding my two friends?"

Kana'ti just grunted. "The customs of your people are strange. I would never allow Selu to travel the wilderness without me!"

The Doctor pursed his lips. "Ah, well let's not go there about my customs. Anyway, I'm grateful! Now then," he prodded the lifeless golem with his foot, "what happened here?" He crouched on his haunches to examine the golem closer as Katherine, Megan, and an anxious Clancy, gathered around.

"What is it?" asked Megan.

"A creature that Joe and I," the Doctor gestured towards Clancy, "this is Joe Clancy by the way, found up on the mountains. But why has it stopped moving?" He tapped at the golem with his knuckles. "It's certainly not flesh and blood, and it isn't an Indian Spirit either!" Then the Doctor noticed a small hollow in the creature's forehead and his eye's narrowed. "Hang on a minute, that looks like……………"

Watched by the others, the Doctor started to rummage quickly through his coat pocket until his expression changed to confusion again. "It's gone," he muttered. "I definitely put it in here and now it's gone!"

In the darkness, an ancient, clawed hand reached out as the black crystal materialised in a wreath of smoke before resting in its outstretched palm.

14.

Katherine watched the Doctor as he searched his pockets. "What are you looking for Doctor?"

The Doctor gave a cry of frustration and got to his feet. "A black crystal that Joe and I found in the mine on the mountain," he replied grimly. "I think," he pointed to the hollow on the lifeless golem's head, "it fits in there. It's certainly the right shape!"

"Perhaps you dropped it?" Megan shrugged.

The Doctor bit his lip. "It's possible I suppose. We did leave the mountain in a bit of a hurry!"

"You can say that again son!" replied Clancy darkly.

The Doctor looked over the ground to where the fight with the golem had taken place. It was trampled with hoof prints and the dust of the struggle. "We need to look around for another crystal!" He began to move forward but stopped when Kana'ti put a restraining hand on his shoulder.

The Indian warrior shook his head. "No! You are our guests, we will eat together now. Besides," he glanced over his shoulder as the dead Indians that had bee killed by the golem were picked up on hide stretchers and carried away, "we have to honour our dead brothers."

The Doctor looked like he was about to argue and then nodded respectfully. Selu took her husband's arm and they all walked back into the centre of the camp and their tepee.

The sun was now low over the horizon as the Doctor, Katherine, Megan, and a very uncomfortable Joe Clancy shared some food with Kana'ti and Selu. Selu had prepared, with a little help from Megan, a fresh meat stew with some root vegetables. The Doctor tucked into it with gusto, as did Clancy, eager to fill his belly after the terrible night before. With a small hesitation, and a smile of encouragement from Selu, Megan and Katherine tasted some of the thick broth and found it delicious.

Kana'ti regarded them darkly. "These creatures are evil," he began, "we must destroy them before the tribe of Cherokee are destroyed!"

The Doctor nodded, spooning another mouthful of the stew into his mouth. "This is delicious Selu, I haven't had bison for, ooh ages!" Then his tone became more serious. "You're right Kana'ti, and we'll help you. We need to get back up the mountain and that mine!"

15.

Clancy spluttered on his stew at the mention of his precious mine. "Now hold on sonny! What's there is mine!"

The Doctor shook his head as he finished the stew. "Not any more Joe. I think you have some rather unwelcome tenants that have moved in!"

Kana'ti got to his feet from where they all sat in a circle. "It will be dark soon. We will go there in the morning when the Spirits are less likely to be abroad."

"They're not 'Spirits' Kana'ti," replied the Doctor looking up at the Indian, "but you're right. I don't fancy wandering around the mountain in the dark with those things up there!"

Kana'ti took Selu's hand. "You are welcome to sleep with us in our tepee or out here as you wish"

Megan smiled. "Oh, I'm going to stay outside. It'll be like a camping trip!"

Katherine nodded. "I'll join you. These skins and hides you've given us should keep us warm enough."

"That's settled then," grinned the Doctor. "I'll take first watch! What about you Joe?"

Clancy paused. "I'll be fine just out here," he grumbled and without further comment, moved off a little way and threw himself under a pile of Indian bison hides.

Kana'ti sat in the dark tent next to Hamas'kalu and fidgeted impatiently as the tribal leader lit his long pipe and puffed away at it. Finally, Kana'ti could contain himself no longer. "I have put guards on the edge of the camp; Jadib leads them, but I fear for all our safety."

The Indian leader watched Kana'ti closely. "You are a loyal warrior," he said eventually, "you have done what you think is right as always."

Kana'ti tried to remain as calm as Hamas'kalu. "It is my duty to protect us, but I fear that this enemy is strong." He paused. "Tomorrow I will send warriors in the mountains to destroy them!"

But Hama'kalu shook his head slowly. "Force did not help us keep our land Kana'ti, remember that. We fought the white men and they killed many Cherokee." He puffed on his pipe again. "I will consult the Great Spirits and they shall guide us in this dark time!"

16.

Megan stared up at the stars in the sky above her. It had been over an hour since they had all turned in, but she couldn't sleep. She had tried counting the stars, amazed at their clarity as there wasn't any other light from the ground to obscure them, but had given up. She rolled onto her side. Katherine was sleeping next to her and she could see the reassuring shape of the Doctor's back as he poked the small fire with a long stick. "You awake, Katherine?" she hissed.

Katherine moaned and rolled over. "What do you want?" she muttered drowsily.

"Sorry, nothing; didn't mean to wake you!"

Katherine opened her eyes and smiled at her friend. "Do you like travelling with the Doctor and me?" she asked suddenly.

Megan was taken aback at the direct question, but then grinned and nodded. "It's scary at times, but yeah, it's fun!" She paused and looked up at the stars again. "And, I think I've found a good pair of friends….. "

Katherine detected the slight sadness in her voice. "Didn't you have many friends at home?" she asked carefully after a slight pause.

Megan nodded and gave a wistful smile. "Oh yeah, plenty in university. It's just that I've never really, you know, had a close family."

Katherine watched Megan's face in the flicker of the fire but stayed quiet with respect.

"I mean," continued Megan after a pause, "Dad's been great, but running 'The Stag' is never easy and he never has that much spare time." She sighed. "And then there's Mum!" Megan rolled over to look at Katherine. "She's a high flyer in London and hardly ever home. I mean they're not divorced or anything, but they might as well be. Mum's has seemed to, well, outgrow us both. Not sure what she ever saw in Dad really; they're like chalk and cheese. I guess they weren't once, otherwise I wouldn't be here!" Megan sighed self-consciously. "Oh, listen to me going on! Sorry Kath!"

Katherine smiled at her friend. "That's all right. I'm glad you're with us."

The two girls shared a moment of closeness but suddenly Megan sat up on one elbow.

"What is it?" asked Katherine.

Megan pointed to an empty pile of hides. "It's that miner Clancy! He's gone!"

17.

Megan jumped to her feet and ran over to the Doctor. "Doctor, where did Clancy go?"

The Doctor spun around and jumped to his feet. "I don't know!" He walked across to the pile of hides and reached down to pull them back. They were indeed empty. The Doctor looked out into the darkness of the night. "He can't be the one controlling these things surely?" He became all business. "Right, we have to wake Kana'ti. We can't wait until morning – we have to go up into the mountains!"

Katherine came across to join them and overheard what he was planning. "You're gong up there in the dark? It's too dangerous!"

The Doctor shrugged. "I know, but we can't risk waiting."

"What if Kana'ti won't go?" asked Katherine.

"Then we have to make him see sense, come on!"

The Doctor, followed closely behind by Katherine and Megan, burst into the nearby tepee. The sleeping forms of Kana'ti and Selu were under a pile of hides on the ground. Kana'ti woke and jumped to his feet as soon as the time travellers entered.

"What has happened?" he growled angrily.

"It's Clancy," blurted out Megan, "he's left the camp!"

Kana'ti rounded on the Doctor. "But he was our guest! So much for trust amongst the white men!"

The Doctor sighed. "There's no time for that now Kana'ti. I don't think old Joe has anything to do with what happening up there, but we just can't take the chance. We have to go now!"

Selu gasped in fear and clutched at her husband's arm. Kana'ti looked reassuringly at her and then nodded at the Doctor. "You are right Doctor. I will come with you myself."

"And we will!" began Katherine.

But the Doctor shook his head. "No, I've got another job for you two. As soon as it is light, get the Indians to pull that golem creature further into the camp. I want to have a look at it when we get back. And have a look around where the golem was defeated. I think you might find a black crystal if you look hard enough. If you do," he emphasised, "keep it safe!"

Kana'ti had grabbed his bow, a quiver of arrows and a spear. He offered one to the Doctor, but the Doctor shook his head with a smile. Kana'ti kissed Selu and then nodded to the Doctor. "We will take horses!"

18.

In the darkness, a rough map had been scratched in the dirt on the ground. The Indian camp was clearly represented in the centre of the map. A wizened hand with long fingernails picked up two black stones and placed them on the map close to the Indian camp.

Out in the darkness, the huge figures of two stone golems started to stride down the mountain towards the Indian camp.

Joe Clancy poked his head out from behind a large boulder as the two golems marched past him and into the canyon below. He swallowed nervously. "Reckon those redskins are in for a whole lot of trouble," he whispered before, with a final look at the stone creatures, he started to climb up the mountain.

The old figure of Hamas'kalu sat in his tent and puffed quietly on his pipe. The old Indian man was wreathed in smoke, but this was not the normal smoke of a clay pipe. This was dense and billowed eerily, almost as if it was alive with some unearthly presence.

Hamas'kalu spoke quietly, almost to himself. "It seems that a white man and his friends are helping us. Kana'ti calls him the Doctor."

The smoke around the Indian writhed and billowed, and a blurred shape, like a massive face appeared within it. "The Doctor must learn nothing of what is happening," a sibilant female voice hissed from the smoke. "He is a man of great knowledge and intelligence and may seek to hinder the Great Journey."

The old Indian was not surprised by the voice; he had heard it many times before. "Then perhaps it is better if he leaves our tribe?"

"Nothing must hinder the preparations," hissed the female voice urgently, "there is so little time left!"

Hamas'kalu inclined his head in obedience. "As you will, so it must be." His wizened hand reached out and moved the two black crystals on top of the Indian camp on the map.

"My stone avatars are strong; they will kill all that oppose us!" the female voice said softly. The smoke swirled and started to coalesce at the feet of the old Indian until a large black crystal, almost the size of a football, appeared from it. "Take this crystal to the cave on the mountain; my avatars will protect you. Soon the Winago will be able to focus on this planet. I will grow and take on physical form. My wanderings through the dimensions will finally be at an end!"

19.

The sun was just starting to rise over the horizon bathing the camp and the surrounding prairies with a burnt orange light. Katherine, Megan and Selu watched as some Indian warriors, led by Jadib, started to haul the inanimate bulk of the defeated stone golem into the camp. It took at least six of the Indians using two or three nets, to drag the heavy creature along the ground.

Katherine and Megan immediately started searching the ground for the crystal that the Doctor said they would find. After a few minutes of brushing the dirt with their feet, Megan gave a yell of triumph as she saw the small black crystal half buried in the ground.

She bent down to pick it up and to her surprise and shock, it suddenly started to glow with an unearthly light.

Then there was a frightened cry from Selu. "More Spirits – look!" She pointed across the horizon and the girls saw the massive figures of two more golems striding towards them.

The crystal in Megan's hand glowed ever brighter as the creatures approached.

Selu shouted for help and Indian warriors rushed to defend the camp, yelling and shouting in defiance. The golems roared in reply and the two sides clashed in a fury of blows.

The girls watched in terror. The Indians, brave and resourceful as they were, had only just managed to defend the camp against one golem yesterday, and that was with horses and more men. Now, the defence was hurried and there could be only one outcome. Almost immediately there was a terrible cry as the chest of one of the Indians was crushed by a massive stone fist and thrown to the ground.

Megan suddenly had an idea. "Here, take it!" she cried and flung the black crystal as hard as she could towards the golems.

The effect was instant. As the crystal flew over the heads of the creatures, the golems broke off from the attack and turned away. The Indian warriors held back as the golems strode over to where the crystal had landed. One of them scooped it up with surprising delicacy and then they retreated back across the plains, heading towards the mountain.

"It's the crystal!" breathed Katherine, understanding what Megan had just done. "They came to get the crystal!"

20.

In the canyon, the Doctor and Kana'ti trotted their horses carefully along. It was still dark in the canyon as the rising sun had yet to peek over the high canyon walls. The shadows were long and threatening and both men kept a careful watch around them.

Suddenly, Kana'ti gave a low whistle and reined his horse to a stop. The Doctor immediately did the same as Kana'ti pointed under a low overhang where three giant shapes stood motionless.

"It is the creatures!" whispered the Indian in awe.

The Doctor nodded, watching the golems carefully. "I'm not sure if they're active though." Kana'ti looked at the Doctor uncomprehendingly and he smiled a little sheepishly. "Never mind, I'll try to explain later!" He came to a decision. "Come on, we need to get up the mountain."

Followed by Kana'ti, the Doctor nudged his horse forward into a careful walk past the golems and started up the rocky path that led to the mine.

Minutes later, another figure appeared in the gloom. It was the wizened figure of Hamas'kalu carrying the large black crystal carefully to his chest.

As he approached the golems, they suddenly sprang into life and fell into protective formation around him. With hardly a pause, they all started up the path behind the Doctor and Kana'ti

Katherine and Megan looked down at the inanimate golem the Indians had now dragged into the camp and deposited in a large tepee.

Katherine walked carefully around the lifeless creature. "Why does the Doctor want to study this thing?"

Megan shrugged. "Didn't he say that it was being controlled in some way?"

Katherine nodded slowly. "By those black crystals." Suddenly she saw something and her blood ran cold. "Megan…….." she whispered, and pointed to head of the golem. "It has a crystal in its forehead!"

Megan's eyes widened. "No, it can't have," she replied, "we checked it; the Doctor checked it!"

Katherine backed slowly away and pointed again. "Just look!"

Suddenly, the golem came to life with a roar. It pulled at the net that covered it and rose to its feet, towering over the two girls who screamed in terror.

Next Week: The conclusion of this story as the Doctor faces the wrath of the 'Demon in the Smoke'.

Avatars of Stone – Confidential

There was an interesting discussion on the Writer's Coffee Bar about what comes first when you start to write a story. Is it the setting, an enemy or a theme? With 'Avatars of Stone' it was definitely the setting as I wanted to write a story in the Wild West! I really wanted a feel of the sweeping plains, red rock mesas and cacti so you could imagine Murray Gold doing a fantastic version of 'The Big Country'!

The story originally was going to feature the small mining town of 'Red Creek', together with the usual sheriff and saloon girl, but then I read about the BBC novel 'Peacemaker' and I certainly didn't want to go over that ground, so it became less cowboys and more Indians with the action moved to mainly an Indian camp and the areas surrounding it.

I actually did a fair bit of research for this story, both with the setting of the Wichita mountains in Oklahoma, the town of Red Creek, and the Indian tribes and their religious customs. Actually deciding on a real tribe of Indians took a long time before it came down to the Cherokee. Their location in Oklahoma at this point in history is entirely accurate. The original location for the story was to have been Texas, but Indian relocation didn't happen there at this time with a big recognisable tribe like the Cherokee.

The research into the Cherokee also gave me names for two of my Indians – Kana'ti and Selu – both of which derive from Cherokee folklore. It also gave me the name for the enemy of the story in the Winago. The main challenge here was to make it different fro the Jassra, but more on that next time.

My other main character of note was Joe Clancy and I really went for stereotype here. Writing 'a 'comedy' character is a lot more difficult than it sounds without it getting stupid and doing pratfalls, so this was another challenge, although I imagine an actor such as Phil Davis having a bal with a part like this!

So the story continues with 'Demon in the Smoke', but at least I got my rock monsters in, ever so slightly and without lava, before 'The Fires of Pompeii'!