Here it is, Ben's story. :)
Again I would like to thank Foxcat93 for their fast and helpful beta work and 1monster2 for being my padawan/sounding board during the writing process. You two are great.
DISCLAIMER: Since my last posting, I have not acquired the rights for Bonanza or any characters you may recognize in this story.
Enjoy ...
Ben paced the floor, listening to the storm brewing outside. The boys should have been back hours ago, long before the weather turned rough. Adam should have been able to read the signs, should have known to come in, but even if he didn't they still should have started back when the wind picked up. The door opened and Ben snapped his head up, only to see his foreman.
"Stock's taken care of."
"Yes, thank you Hank," he muttered, looking back to the window.
"I'm sure they'll be back soon, Mr. Cartwright."
"I never should have let them go out there alone," Ben replied, as if the other man had not spoken. "I knew they weren't ready."
"With respect, how could you know they aren't ready if you don't let them try?"
"Because I am their father!" he snapped, turning on his foreman. "Because they are just young boys who …"
Ben allowed his voice to cut off as worry replaced his anger. This wasn't Hank's fault, or even the fault of the boys. No, the fault was his. When Adam had come to him and asked if he could take his brothers on a rabbit hunting trip for Little Joe's birthday, he should have said no. His youngest was only five, too little to be out there without an adult. However, Adam argued that he was seventeen and more than capable of looking after the others. And though this was true, he never should have allowed it.
"They're good boys," the foreman said after a moment of silence. "They'll look after each other."
"I know," Ben sighed. "That will be all, Hank."
"Yes sir. Good night."
He muttered a response, all the while keeping his eyes on the storm as his foreman slipped out of the house. He knew Hank was right, but that did nothing to lessen the knot in his stomach. Minutes later, he was heading out to the barn to saddle his horse. His boys were out there somewhere and he was going to bring them home.
*P*O*N*D*E*R*O*S*A*
Joe clung to his big brother's back, closing his eyes as wind and rain whipped against his face. But even when they were open, it didn't do any good. The sky was so black that not even the moon shown through to light their way. Dark trees rose up on every side and it seemed as if the shadows themselves where moving in.
"You see anything, Hoss?" Adam yelled from above him.
"Not a thing!" came the distant reply.
Only it shouldn't be distant. Hoss wasn't that far ahead of them, but with the wind and darkness it might as well be a mile. A flash of lightning lit up the sky, startling the five-year-old so much that he almost fell of the back of his brother's horse. It was only the firm grip Adam had on his arm that kept him from going face first into the mud.
"We'll be home soon, Little Joe," he promised, giving his hand a comforting squeeze. "And when we get there, we'll all sit by the fire and Pa will make us some of his special hot chocolate."
As great as that sounded, he wished soon was now. He had a lot of fun rabbit hunting with his brothers, but that was before the storm hit. It seemed the farther they rode, the worse it got. Even with Adam right there and Hoss not far away, it wasn't enough to ease his fear. There was only one person in the world that could help him now, one man who could take the terror out of the storm. Joe wanted his pa. Suddenly another bolt of lightning shot across the sky, striking a tree branch and spooking the horses.
"Adam!" Hoss yelled. "Look out!"
But no sooner had Joe heard the warning then he felt the whole horse slipping out from under him. He screamed, trying to keep hold of his eldest brother, but his grip was torn away as he went flying. He felt himself falling, a sharp pain in his head, then the darkness took hold.
P*O*N*D*E*R*O*S*A
Hoss could only watch in horror as the horse carrying his two brothers slipped down a ravine. Urging his own mount forward, he prayed he would be able to help them … that he would be able to even find them. Looking down the edge of the cliff he couldn't see the horse, but caught sight of a small figure laying still on a ledge several feet down.
"Little Joe!"
Tying his rope to the horn of his saddle, Hoss quickly climbed down to where his baby brother lay. Praying he was still alive, he let out a sigh of relief when he found him breathing. But where was Adam? Pulling Little Joe away from the edge, he began to search for his eldest brother.
"Adam!" he yelled into the wind. "ADAM!"
"Hoss," came a quiet reply.
Following the sound, he moved to the edge of the ledge, peering down into the darkness. Barely visible against the side of the ravine was his brother, clinging to a gnarled branch. Maybe if he used his rope for support, he might just be able to reach him.
"Hold on, Adam!"
"Wasn't planning to let go!" he grunted back.
Knowing those roots might give at any moment, Hoss wasted no time in leaning over the side. Reaching out as far as he could, he felt his fingers brush against his brother's just as another bolt of lightning lit up the night. He heard the distant sound of a crash and his horse neighing in fright. The next thing Hoss knew, he was jerked back on the ledge and pulled half way up the wall before he lost his grip on the rope.
"Dadburnit," he muttered, pressing his raw palm against his side. "Dang rope."
"Hoss! Hoss, you okay?!"
The yell from below reminded him of what he was doing and he hurried back to the edge. It looked like Adam had dropped down a few more inches, but without the rope it might as well have been a mile. No way he could reach him now … unless …
"Just hang tight, big brother," he shouted, undoing his belt. "I'll have you up here before you can say Ponderosa!"
"Ponderosa!"
"Not yet!"
Once he had his belt off, Hoss grimaced at the length. What if it wasn't long enough to reach Adam? He better grab Joe's, just in case. It only took a minute to get the boy's belt off, but attaching them together was another story.
"You want me to spell it?" came an irritated shout. "P-O-N-"
"Shut up!" Hoss growled over the wind, as he finally got the belts attached. "Here!"
It took a little longer than promised, with a few close calls, but Hoss finally managed to pull Adam up next to him, just as Little Joe started to stir. Ever the oldest, Adam dragged himself over to him as the boy began to whimper. That was when Hoss noticed that the teen's foot was at an awkward angle. He must have broken it when he fell.
"Adam, let me see your leg."
He appeared to be too busy trying to wake up Little Joe to take notice. However, he did take notice the second Hoss touched his foot, based on the fist that shot toward his face. It was a good thing their little brother was still out of it, if Joe repeated anything Adam just shouted they would both get a tanning.
"I think your leg is broken," he stated when the foul language ceased.
"Really?!" Adam growled, venom dripping from his voice.
Hoss grimaced in sympathy, but knew he had to take care of that foot if they wanted it to heal properly. Giving him more warning this time, he carefully set the limb, holding it in place with a few branches and the belts. The whole time Adam grunted and flinched, obviously trying to hide how much it hurt. But Hoss knew. His big brother rarely showed pain and if he was …
"I'm sorry," he muttered against the wind.
But he was answered only with silence. A moment later came the terrifying revelation that the flinching had stopped. Looking up in alarm he saw his brother had gone as still and pale as death.
"Adam!" he cried, climbing up to cradle his head.
It took a second for Hoss to see the teen was still breathing, and he nearly wept in relief. A small sound caught his attention, but it didn't come from Adam. Twisting slightly he placed a hand on his baby brother's head, feeling guilty for almost forgetting that he was there.
"Pa," Little Joe whimpered.
Though he could hardly hear him over the storm, the soft cry brought tears to his eyes. With his oldest brother hurt and his youngest not much better off, Hoss looked over his situation in despair. They were trapped on a ledge, barely big enough to hold all three of them, with no supplies or any hope of getting back to the path. Little Joe was right. They needed their pa.
P*O*N*D*E*R*O*S*A
Adam came to feeling wet and cold. He could hear a storm raging around him, which accounted for the rain hitting his face and the chill of the wind. The pain didn't hit until he tried to move.
"Take it easy," a voice called from somewhere close by.
He knew that voice.
"Hoss?"
A hand touched his forehead, the right size and shape to be his brother's, and he remembered what had happened. His horse had spooked when lightning hit a tree and they slid into the ravine. He tried to hold onto his baby brother but-
"Little Joe!"
He shot upright and immediately regretted it when the movement jostled his foot. Hoss was hovering nearby, probably scolding him for moving in the first place, but it was impossible to tell over the roar of the wind. Gritting his teeth at the pain in his leg, Adam pulled himself up until he back was pressed against the rock wall. He gave himself no more than three seconds to catch his breath and allow the world to stop spinning before taking in their situation. Stuck on a ledge, the ravine wall above them and an abyss below, things did not look good. However, he did take some comfort in the fact both his brothers were present and neither looked that injured. But looks could be deceiving and Hoss was favoring his hand …
"You alright?"
"Just a burn from that dang rope," he answered, allowing the teen to look at his palm. "Little Joe's got a cut on his head, but I think he's okay."
Breathing a little easier at the report, Adam motioned for Hoss to bring Joe closer to him. It was obvious he wasn't going to be moving again any time soon. Pulling the little boy into his arms, he frowned at how cold he was. The kid was soaked through, as were his brothers, and his small body was wracked with shivers. Shrugging off his own coat, again with the help of a now protesting Hoss, Adam tried to offer what warmth he could to his baby brother. He was rewarded a moment later when warm green eyes peered up at him.
"Adam?"
The near whimper was nearly lost to the storm, but to the teen it was a ray of hope. His brothers were still with him and, at the moment, that was all that mattered. He wrapped his arm securely around Little Joe, smiling down at the boy.
"It's gonna be alright," he promised.
"How?" Hoss muttered, loud enough to bring fear into the eyes of their youngest brother.
Glaring at the other boy, he tried to sooth all their worries. Worries he himself had but was unwilling to let take hold. Adam knew how dire their situation was. Lost without food or water was bad enough, but trapped halfway down a ravine made their predicament down right deadly. But there was hope, as long as they were alive. One single light in this darkness that could bring them home.
"Pa will find us," he stated. "We just have to hold on until then."
Time passed, though how much Adam could not be sure. Minutes, hours, there was no way to tell in the blackness of the night. Finally the storm began to die down, bringing a small amount of relief to the stranded brothers, but no help came with the fading rain.
"Adam?"
"Yes Little Joe?"
"I'm hungry."
"Well, once Pa finds us, we can all go home for some hot soup and biscuits. Maybe even a slice of warm apple pie and a mug of chocolate for dessert."
"Please don't talk about food," Hoss grumbled. "My stomach is so empty I could probably eat a whole steer by myself."
Adam couldn't help but chuckle at his middle brother, hunkered down on the other side of Joe and looking downright miserable. Based on more than ten years of observation, the lack of food was probably hitting him a lot harder than being wet or cold. At least he still had his jacket on, despite repeated attempts to get Adam to wear it. No need to make him more uncomfortable than he needed to be.
"Maybe Pa will butcher one for you when we get home," the oldest brother suggested, trying to lighten the mood. "Than we can add roasted beef to the menu."
"We are gonna get home, right Adam?"
His smile softened at his baby brother's question. The fear in his eyes had lessened as the storm passed, but didn't fade completely. The same look was in Hoss' face every time he looked up at the top of the ravine. Fact was that they had been off the main path for some time before they fell and, with the rain coming down the way it did, there wasn't much chance of someone finding their trail. It would take a miracle for someone to find them, but he knew one was on its way.
"Of course we will," he assured him, both of them. "Pa will find us. You'll see."
P*O*N*D*E*R*O*S*A
It was nearing dawn and Ben's fear was growing by the hour. Where could those boys be? The storm had washed away any hope of finding tracks and the miles of wilderness around him seemed to expand with every step his horse took.
"ADAM!" he shouted, his voice starting to grow hoarse.
Pressing on, Ben kept riding. Rocks rose like jagged walls around him, falling away to form cliffs and gullies. Maybe the horses had lost their footing in the mud. Maybe his boys lay at the bottom of one of those drop offs. The image plagued his every step, but only succeeded in driving him forward.
"HOSS!"
He had to keep moving, had to find his boys. They were just children; even Adam, despite his protests to the contrary. Little children that needed their father and by God he was going to find them.
"JOSEPH!"
Orange light radiated just behind the horizon, illuminating the area with a soft glow. Still, all Ben could see were rocks and trees. There was no sign of life. No trace of his sons.
"ADAM!"
He was about to move on when he heard a small sound on the wind. It was faint, so much so that he may have dreamed it. But something inside him told him to turn back. Maybe it was pure instinct or the love of a father, either way Ben turned toward the noise and called out once again.
"ADAM!"
"Pa!"
The voice came from the edge of a ravine and Ben couldn't dismount fast enough. Reaching the edge, he spotted three small figures huddled on a ledge several feet down. It was the most beautiful sight in the world; his three sons, alive. But even from a distance, he could see that at least one was hurt. How was he going to get them out of there?
"Hold on boys!"
Ben raced back to his horse and grabbed the rope off his saddle. He cut off a short section and set it aside before fashioning the rest into a loop, big enough for Hoss or Adam to slip through, and made a smaller loop out of the cast off part to attached to the base of the first. As soon as he was finished, he secured the rope to his horse and brought the loops back over to the edge.
"Alright!" he called down, returning to the edge. "Hoss, put the big loop around your middle, under your arms, and put Little Joe in the other one!"
Hoss didn't hesitate to do as he was told. Once they were both secure, Ben slowly urged his horse forward, very carefully pulled his children up to the top. No sooner had the reached firm ground than Little Joe was scrambling out of the rope.
"Pa!" he cried, reaching out for him.
Ben gathered his baby in his arms, tears of joy stinging his eyes as he thanked the Lord that he had a chance to hold his child again. So many times during that storm he feared he wouldn't find them, but he never let himself give up hope. And now, his prayers had been answered.
"Pa, Adam's leg is real bad," Hoss informed him, worry filling his usually bright blue eyes.
"Then let's get him up here," he replied firmly, setting Joe down.
Instructing his youngest to stay put, Ben returned to the edge of the ravine. He lowered the rope down, not having to instruct Adam on how to secure himself, before signaling Hoss to bring the horse forward. Keeping a sharp eye out, he guided Adam to the top. With only one horse between them, Ben let Adam ride for the long trip back with Hoss holding the reins. Little Joe was tucked safely in his father's arms and Ben wouldn't have had it any other way.
"Adam said you would find us," the little one muttered sleepily as they walked. "All night, he said you would come."
"I'll always come for you," he whispered back, planting a soft kiss atop his baby's head.
He glanced up toward his eldest, slumped in the saddle from pain and exhaustion. Through all the worry and fears that had plagued him this past night, deep down he had known that Adam would take care of his brothers. He had faith in the boy, in all of them, just as they had faith that he would find them. And he meant what he said. No matter where they were or how old they got, he would always be there if they needed him. Always.
So, what do you think?
Let me know while I get started on my next four part series. :)