Adam, who had left his father and brothers sitting around a campfire, walked further into the woods behind where the family had camped for the night. He told them he just needed time alone to think. Truth was, he was thinking to leave and go back east. He'd been restless for months and was thinking , he needed a change.

As he walked, Adam looked around the woods he'd often passed through over the years. The tall majestic trees reaching up and touching the sky, along with the tall green grass and occasional passing rabbit or deer, made for a paradise. It was the one place that he would miss. Soon he was standing on the edge of a clearing he hadn't realized existed before. "That's strange; I thought I knew every inch of this land. It's a shame have to leave'.

"Who says you have to leave?" A female voice surprised Adam and he whirled around. His eyes widened, and then he blinked his eyes while shaking his head. He had to be seeing things. His reaction brought laughter from the creature he saw….a Centaur is what his books had called mythical creatures such as her. She was a blue eyed woman with long, sleek, black hair. That is, she was a woman from the waist up, but from the waist down she was a strong and exquisite looking mare. Again, the creature laughed and repeated her question.

Adam stared. How did she know what he'd been thinking? "I have lived with my father and brothers on the Ponderosa for many years." Adam managed to answer, though his voice sounded a bit off to him. "I need a change; I don't know why, but something is calling me."

"You belong here; I want you to stay. In fact, I want you." The female Centaur said as she started moving closer to him, with a look of desire in her eyes.

Adam felt his heart begin to beat just a little bit faster as he found the beautiful creature standing directly in front of him.

~oOo~

"Where on earth is Adam?" Little Joe stood up and threw the wet liquid that remained in his coffee cup into the dying fire he and his father had built earlier. "We have to 'be up and at em' early and it's getting late."

Ben, who had noticed how restless Adam had become, sighed. He knew Adam's walk was simply a way for his oldest son to get time alone; time to think about his future. Ben looked at Hoss, who remained seated on a log near the fire and then at Joe, who remained standing.

"Your brother…." Ben started to speak only to jump to his feet, as did Hoss; Joe too whirled around. An unearthly sound was coming from the woods. They couldn't tell if it was a sound of great pain or great pleasure. That much would've only had them concerned, but their concern turned to horror as they realized just who was making the sounds.

"Adam!" All three men removed their pistols from their holsters and ran in the direction the sound was coming from. As they ran the sound grew louder and more intense. However, they stopped abruptly and shock waves shot through them as-for a small moment-they looked upon two human and horse like creatures; one of them who appeared to Adam; from the waist up, anyway. However, before the three Cartwrights could really react- the pair vanished before their eyes.

"Pa!" Joe, who had finally come out of his shock, shouted as he pointed to some clothes that sat on a nearby rock.

Ben and Hoss looked towards where Little Joe was pointing and felt more shock waves go through them. On top of the rock lay Adam's black shirt, pants, and hat and his boots on the ground next to the rock.

As the years went by, people around Virginia City often speculated as just where Adam had gone after he disappeared from the Ponderosa. When it came to Ben and his other two sons, all they would say was that Adam had found his mate, along with his calling and left to travel the world.