Prologue

It was a very dark and extremely stormy night. A flash of lightning and a clap of thunder caused Ben Cartwright to look up from the paper he was reading.

'It's about time,' he thought to himself. 'It's been showing signs that we were going to have a storm.'

He thought about his neighbors and, of course, his cattle. Ben checked his pocket watch, hoping that his sons would be home for supper.

Just then Hop Sing came into the living room.

"Mr. Cartwright. Hop Sing hopes that young Cartwrights come home soon."

"Don't worry Hop Sing. Hoss'll make sure that everyone is home for supper on time. Even if he has to drag them home, himself,' said Ben, smiling at Hop Sing, who just shook his head and headed back to the kitchen.

Just then the door opened and three soaking wet men walked in.

"Good to see you, boys," said Ben, to his sons.

"Pa, it sure is bad out there," said Hoss, taking off his coat, gunbelt and hat.

Ben smiled at his sons.

"Why don't you all go up and change? Supper'll be ready shortly."

Adam, Hoss and Little Joe just nodded and headed up to their rooms to get changed. After a bit they came down feeling a lot drier. Everyone sat down for supper.

"There was no mail today Pa," said Adam, as he ate some potato.

"Do you think that you'll get the land?" asked Little Joe.

"I hope so, Little Joe, I really hope so," said Ben. "Michael said it could take awhile, so we'll have t wait."

He took a drink of coffee.

"It sure would be good to have that lake for our cattle, Pa," said Hoss, reaching for another piece of chicken.

"Yes, Hoss, it would be good to get that lake, but as I said we'll have to wait and see."\

With that, they continued to eat their supper and the talk changed to other things.

Adam told Ben about some riders he'd heard of, passing through Virginia City.

Later that night, Ben was reading in his chair, while Hoss, Adam and Little Joe were playing cards.

'I wonder who those riders are and where they are going?" thought Ben to himself, as he watched his sons. Ben knew that he may never know that answer to his question. But, then again, one never knows what's going to happen, or who they're going to meet.

Meanwhile, some riders were stopped atop of a large hill, looking down on some land.

"So what do you think? Beautiful, yes?" said one of the riders.

"It's barren, there's nothing there," one of the riders replied.

"Of course there isn't anything there, yet. It's got to be built," the first rider replied. "But can't you see it? The house there, and over there the barn and right there the bunk house."

The rest of the riders just shook their heads.

"Look sis, this is a stupid idea," said one of them to his sister.

"Why? Out here I can come and go without anyone being nosey about my comings and goings," the girl said to her brother.

She looked at everyone else.

"Do you all feel the same as Nathan, here? she said, pointing at her older brother.

"Nope, we'll go where you do, ma'am," said one of the riders.

The female rider smiled, as she knew that the ranch hand spoke the truth.

"All right, fellas, let's head into town and get some rooms and some rest. We have a few, very busy days ahead of us."

With that, the female rider started out for town.

"Cally, wait a second," said Nathan to his sister.

Cally stopped and looked at her brother.

"When's Rory, Toby and James bringing up the horses and cattle?" asked Nathan, referring to his younger, but older brothers.

"By the end of this month, or the middle of next month," was the reply.

With that, the riders headed off towards town, to rest from their long journey.

This is my first Bonanza Fic. Please let me know how you enjoyed the prologue.