Round up had been taking a lot longer this year. The steers seemed to have found even more places than usual to hide. Joe made his way up amongst some rocks, knowing that the steers could find the smallest patches of grass and happily munch away. He meandered through the boulders and found two steers grazing blithely on a small area of grass. He chuckled at the steers, they looked happy and contented, and little did they know they would be soon starting on a long journey to San Francisco.

First there was the round up, then the long drive, it was the same each year and each year his older brother Adam got bossier and bossier he thought. He never bossed Hoss around or any of the hands, he just bossed him around. Joe resented the way his older brother talked to him in front of the hands, making him feel like a greenhorn who needed his every move checked. He even criticized the way he ate last night. Adam hadn't realised how tired Joe was and that he wasn't feeling like eating because he had swallowed a lot of dust and it had made him feel queasy. Instead he had chastised him for not eating enough and then being too tired because of it.

Joe rested for a little while watching the steers graze. He'd just catch his breath and then bring them back to the main herd. Cochise's ears pricked up, Joe patted her neck and looked around. The big cat only made itself known just before it leapt off the large rock next where Joe was sitting on Cochise. He had no time to react, the cat knocked Joe off his horse, and its claws opened lines of flesh on his arm and shoulder.

Cochise reared, the horse's hoofs only grazing the cat. The cat immediately went for the smaller prey, Joe, who was struggling to get his left arm to work not realising, it was badly cut. The cat jumped on him and clawed his back; Cochise reared again causing the cat to jump away, not before its claws ran along the horse's flank. Cochise then positioned herself over Joe protecting her master from further harm. Joe could feel the warmth of his horse and tried to use the time to pull out his gun, but like before was unable to get his left arm to work. Cochise reared again this time connecting with the cat's head. The crushing blows killing the cat instantly.

Blood dripped from Cochise and Joe. The world turned hazy and his body shook. Cochise was finding it harder to stand but kept it's vigil by standing guard over her master. Joe had no idea about time, his ears were buzzing and the pain from his back and arm overtook all his senses. The one thing he could sense was his trusted horse standing over him, protecting him.

Adam looked around, Joe was nowhere in sight and had been missing for some time. "What's wrong Adam?" Hoss asked, noticing his brother frown.

"The usual...our little brother...I can't see him anywhere...When was the last time you saw him?" asked Adam.

"The last time I saw him he was heading up there" Hoss pointed to the rocky area "He went looking for strays," he told his brother.

"I'll give him a little while longer...there's a lot hiding places up there." Adam told his brother, secretly giving his younger brother some breathing space. Both of them had been arguing for most of the round up. Adam couldn't see that he constantly embarrassed his younger brother by chastising him in front of the hands. For the next hour he kept looking in the direction of where Joe was searching for strays. Finally he couldn't stand it any longer and headed in the direction of the rocky area. Hoss joined him, partly because he was beginning to worry and partly because he didn't want Adam to start yelling at Joe again.

It wasn't long before they saw Cochise guarding the prone figure of Joe. Hoss approached Cochise cautiously, making sure the somewhat spooked and injured horse didn't accidently step on Joe. There was too much blood he thought, and then he caught sight of the dead cat. "Adam they've been attacked by a mountain lion" he told his brother who was waiting for Hoss to take control of Cochise before helping Joe.

Hoss continued to slowly approach Cochise talking softly to the horse. He grabbed hold of the reins and led the horse away from Joe. He could see the horse was badly injured but could also see Joe was too. Adam knelt next to Joe and felt his neck for a pulse and was rewarded with a very faint one. He didn't move him in fear of not only hurting Joe but also causing the wounds to bleed more than they currently were.

"Hoss you need to get help...we'll need a wagon...bandages for both Joe and Cochise...lanterns, it'll be dark soon," he instructed his brother.

"Cochise...Cochise saved me Hoss" Joe whispered, barely heard by either brother.

"You just take it easy little brother!" Hoss said affectionately.

"Don't let Cochise die Hoss." Joe said despairingly. He knew how badly his horse was hurt by the amount of blood it had lost.

"Now don't you go fretting about that horse...I'll look after Cochise...you just rest now and listen to Adam." Hoss told his little brother and rode back to their base camp.

When Hoss rode into camp he sent a hand to Virginia City for the doctor. He sent another to the house to let his Pa know what was going on. The chuck wagon was emptied and hay was spread over it. Bedrolls were laid out over the hay. Water and bandages were gathered and lanterns were placed in the wagon.

Adam gave Joe some water and gently cut away his shirt to get a better look at his injuries. His back and shoulder were a mess. Although some of the blood was Cochise's, most of it was Joe's. Joe lay very still; Adam continued to cut away his shirt. Joe's eyes were half closed, and staring at the dead cat. Adam wondered what his little brother was thinking. "Joe can you hear me?"

"Yes!" he answered his voice barely a whisper.

"Did you get clawed on your chest?"

"No!"

Adam continued to peel away his shirt; some of it was stuck inside the cuts. As soon as he pulled it out the cut bled liberally. Adam used Joe's shirt to stop the bleeding but soon ran out of clean shirt. He looked up searching for Hoss. He could see dust heading his way. Hoss was driving the wagon and pulled up as close as he could to his brothers. He heard Adam call out.

"Hoss I need the bandages."

He grabbed the bandages and gave them to his brother. One of the hands brought the lanterns and some blankets. He gagged when he saw Joe's back. "I can't stop the bleeding!" Adam stated fearfully. Joe was deathly pale and his stillness was unnerving.

"Hoss please help Cochise!" Joe said pleadingly, his voice was thin and so quiet Hoss had to strain to hear him. "Promise...not...die...promise!"

"Now I told you little brother don't fret...I'll take care of your horse," he told his brother. He actually thought that the horse would not survive the night. The damage to the horse was extensive and being caused by an animal meant infection would most likely set in. He knew Joe would not want Cochise to suffer.

"Promise!" Joe pleaded.

"I promise Little Joe." Hoss pledged, his eyes squeezed tight, having never lied to his little brother, he didn't know how he was going to keep this promise. His heart hurt for both his brother and his horse.

Adam and Hoss finally covered Joe's back, shoulder and arm with bandages. Most of the bleeding had been stopped with the exception of a few deeper ones on Joe's arm. "Joe we're going to move you and put you in the wagon." Adam told his brother.

Joe just blinked, talking was beyond him. His back burned and his arm felt like someone was holding a white hot poker on it. He listened to his brothers organise the hands and wished his Pa was here, he needed to hear his rich reassuring voice. His brothers knelt on either side of him and placed their hands under him. With practised ease they lifted and carried him to the wagon. The pain became so intense he threw up. Adam and Hoss stood still until their brother stopped being sick and carefully laid him in the wagon.

They didn't hear him plead for his horse, Joe's voice a silent whisper. He focused on Adam's hand that was holding onto the side of the wagon. Visions of his beloved horse galloping through the green meadows of the Ponderosa played through his mind. A tear ran down his cheek as he thought about the pain his horse must be feeling. He couldn't bear the thought of his horse suffering but he couldn't bear life without him. Adam's hand moved and he gently wiped away the tear.

Adam watched his brother intently as he laid unmoving his eyes staring at nothing. He could see the pain in his brother's eyes and watched as a single tear rolled down his cheek. He gently wiped it away hoping to give his brother some comfort reminding him he wasn't alone. The journey was slow, as Hoss tried to carefully negotiate the smoothest path in the dark. It would not be till the early hours of the morning before they would reach the house and only then if they didn't stop.

"How's he doing Adam?" Hoss asked quietly, his voice carrying through the quiet darkness like a ghost in the night.

"He's still awake, just lying still and quiet." Adam told his brother, his voice etched with fear. His brother's silence unsettling.

Joe's mouth moved, calling his beloved horse silently. All he wanted to do was hug and whisper in her ear, but he knew in his heart that he may never get to do that or even say goodbye.