NOTE: This is derived from the "Swept Away" RP continuity which started in 2007 and has continued in various forms and spinoffs ever since, first on the old Hillbilly Hell forum and presently in Wingnut City. I'm sure it's not the first or only "Humans in the Carsverse" thing that ever came up, but boy, has it had staying power. By the in-RP timeline, the events of Planes 2 would be taking place perhaps 6 years after the humans' arrival.

In general, horses have much better night vision than humans. N'sheki seemed to have no problems racking down a dirt trail on a moonless night with only starlight for her retinas to capture. Oh, and the light of Nick, of course. They had camped in hidden places during the daylight hours, well off the path. Now and then, between napping and foraging, Mii'auww had caught glimpses of off-roaders passing by, and hoped they hadn't spotted any tracks; usually they were traveling too fast to take note of what was being obliterated under their knobby, dirt-caked treads.

As for the other potential issue, Nomad horses were more inclined to "hold it in" while on the move, so that predators and enemies couldn't track them by their spoor. That did, however, make more "pit stops" necessary, for both horse and rider, and again, they had to be well away from the beaten path and exceedingly careful about it. After a week on the trail, Mii'auww had detected nothing on the scanner or the radio that indicated that anyone had checked closely enough to notice her absence. So far, so good.

Communication between her and Nick had evolved, in short order, to shorthand gestures that served well to warn of obstacles or oncoming traffic, but it would be much better if she could actually hear him. With exposure of sufficient length and proximity, it would happen, as Grandmother generally spoke of such matters, but it also meant that one was that much closer to that point in the Shaman path from which there was no coming back. How Grandmother would take this wasn't a concern; Mama, however, would be bereft. More than bereft, actually. More like, "Sunken to the black pits of despair". Mii'auww could almost hear her, "Who will sing with our people's voice now?" Mama had always had a flair for the dramatic as far as words were concerned, though she tended to fizzle at actually "doing things". That's why you always connived everyone else into doing the heavy work for you, mother. The riding helmet was just the latest episode.

Nevertheless, Mii felt a reflexive pang of guilt at the realization that amidst all the refresher training for the mare and her own preparation for the journey, it had been almost two weeks since her last voice practice. It would be a long time before Mii could dare to make such noise again, no matter how isolated she thought she was. Above, the wind sighed through the tree boughs like a pining maiden. The crickets, or whatever passed for them, chirped softly beneath the cover of the underbrush. The soft four-beat drumming of N'sheki's singlefoot gait underscored both. That would be all the music Mii'auww would be hearing for the present and the rest of the night, until daybreak when she would be off the trail and struggling to catch up on her sleep with birds cheerily calling above her, and praying that N'sheki wouldn't get too chatty or, worse yet, break her hobbles and go wandering.

Nick, for his part, was doing well enough as guide and "alarm system", warning her when the odd group of nocturnal fun-seekers came roaring up the trail. Mostly they were concerned with what was immediately visible in their headlights and barrelled right on by Mii'auww as she crouched in the bush and covered her mare's eyes so they wouldn't catch any reflections. There were a number of bridges on the trail, but they were avoided wherever a fordable point in the river could be located. N'sheki's feet, though unshod, would make too much noise on the boards. Clearly Nick hadn't been blowing smoke when he said that he had been up and down this trail for the past few years. Being so dependent on the spirit's guidance still made Mii a little apprehensive when she really thought about it, but she'd invested too much time and effort to call it off now.

However, on the eighth night in, she was several hours into her traveling time, and Nick's spark jumped sharply several times, warning of a bridge ahead, the one he'd described during their last map session, over the fast-moving river with no fordable points. It was a wooden cantilever bridge, with dirt-caked boards showing the wear of many vehicles crossing. Mii'auww gritted her teeth and winced as each step N'sheki made echoed in the ravine. Nick was apparently sharing in the trepidation, as they were out from cover, nothing above them, straight out in the open under the new moon. The mare, feeling what came out of Mii's seat, legs and hands, sidestepped, snorted and tossed her head. Below them, the river tumbled and foamed over rocks, its own noise doing little to settle the animal. Nick was scouting ahead, but zipped back like a white-hot streak when something else made itself heard - in fact, three or four "something elses". Mii'auww and her mount were at the midpoint now, looking down at the rythymic sound that dopplered in towards her.

Helicopters. Low-flying helicopters.

Mii felt N'sheki hollow out and tense up beneath her, preparing to bolt. Frantically, she pulled at the left rein, bringing the mare's head around and forcing her into a tight turn. Helicopters had very good night vision, though not perfect. If they were looking for something below them, they would definitely see her. Nick was signing GET-DOWN, GET-DOWN as she dismounted and grabbed the mare's head, bringing it down and around. Overhead, the first of the helicopters, its running lights visible, passed maybe 400 feet over the bridge, but it seemed so much closer to the ground. Looking up, the shapes of the group seemed angular, and bristly. Military, then. It was perhaps thirty seconds, but it seemed like an eternity before they continued on down the gorge and disappeared. Mii'auww unfroze, whispering to N'sheki, anything that would keep the snorting mare still. To her credit, the mare had enough confidence to stay put.

"APACHES." Nick signed, "THAT WHY WE DON'T STOP HERE LONG. TRAIL GOES THRU BASE HERE. MUST B TRAINING."

"Then we'd better get out of here before they smell us or something." Mii remounted. "Hope they didn't hear us going across." N'sheki snorted and pawed the boards, but her rider held her to a walking pace, resisting the urge to clatter the rest of the way across as fast as possible. Once on the other side and on dirt again, Mii urged the mare into a fast rack for the next few miles. By their last estimation, they were still several days away from their goal.Mother of Stars, that was scary.

The next two nights were... twitchy. They had to cross another few back roads, bypass a couple of small settlements, and one time, take an animal passage under a busy Interstate. But the character of the landscape had changed - much more tree cover, coniferous, rocky hills and valleys. The nights were pleasant enough weather-wise, though exceedingly dry. Mii'auww listened to the grass crunching under N'sheki's hooves and felt parched ground wherever she rested. One day, after an intermittent sleep, she awoke at noon, with the sound of a trickling spring nearby. Mii had located some edible roots and berries, and sighted some mushrooms that could potentially be edible, but decided not to take a chance on those. Nick was a little further out, keeping a wary watch on the ATV trail. A small group had passed through earlier, and he 'd be damned if he was going to be caught off guard if others followed.

The mare, tethered a little further off, browsed at plants while Mii emptied out the last of the concentrated horse feed she'd "borrowed" from the Ash Mountain stores on the way out. There wasn't much of the ideal sort of land for grazing along the way, though Nick had said it would be possible to graze at their destination, at least at night. The mixture of pressed flaxseed, canola and molasses was quickly munched up by N'sheki, who could use all the energy she could on this trip. Looking up again, Mii saw Nick's spark apparently relaxing a bit and drawing back from the trail's edge, and there was, she thought... a sigh. She froze. There was no one else around, and she hadn't made it.

The sigh was then followed by a muttering male voice, speaking as if to itself. "Nope, nobody else. Hope it stays that way."

"Nick?!" Mii'auww jumped to her feet. "Who said that? You?"

"What the hell-" The voice had started out fuzzy, but was gaining in clarity and volume. It was definitely male, in keeping with his name, and youngish in tone. "You can hear me now!? BONUS!" Nick's light made a joyous loop. "Your Lady said it would happen, it'd just take awhile. But you're talking out loud, you gotta keep it down."

"Sorry." Mii's hand rose to her lips. "You sound younger than I thought you were."

"I was twenty-nine." Nick replied. "Seems that whatever age a person buys the farm at, that's where they stay. Anyway, this'll make a few things easier."

Mii had often pondered the question of the circumstances of Nick's mortal passing, but that was his business, and irrelevant to the current situation. Nomad children were encouraged to learn by keeping their mouths shut and their eyes and ears open, whether their teacher was a parent, an elder, or nature. It was an attitude that generally served them well. "I guess it will. Another thirty miles, you said?"

"Thirty-three miles." Nick clarified. "There is only one route for cars to get in and out, but there is a narrow pass, right down by La Parilla, that you and your horse can manage. You'll see a large wood structure there, that's the lodge, you need to skirt around it and keep to the trees. Stay downwind of the airstrip, you don't want your scent blowing across there. You'll know we're getting close when we hit rock and the trail narrows. There'll be a danger sign, but that's for the vehicles."

"All right." the end of the journey was becoming a concrete thing; to Mii, it seemed so soon, almost an anticlimax. But the time to ride was still long daylight hours away. She sat back down again, took a sip from her canteen and finally noted her hunger pangs. The pemmican in her saddlebags was tempting, but she needed to husband it carefully. It would be redroots and wild applegrass for now. The remainder of the day was spent in intermittent sleep, foraging and listening to the scanner through earbuds. Nothing about her yet, assuming anybody knew. Assuming Mother was minding her own business now. Assuming that they weren't already in a silent panic mode and trying to carry on a discreet search. If that was the case, the users would be on it, and the spirits would know.

After what seemed like an eon, the last light of another July sunset faded from the clouds; Mii'auww tied up her bedroll and picked up her saddle. She went over N'sheki's feet and legs carefully, finding them still strong, clean and sound. A thought of Taki crossed her mind then, and she hoped her old pony was all right in the same pasture as the broodmares. Reflexively, she put up an arm to ward off an attempted nip by the mare. N'sheki was NEVER going to be taken for granted. In the present circumstances, that might be for the better, for Mii'auww could not now afford even a moment of complacency.

This night's path was one of ascents and descents, a roller coaster at an ambling pace. The changes in terrain were more frequent now, and slowed their progress. But in the grey gloom before first light, there was the narrowing and steepening of that trail. Nick had been right that no four-wheeler of any decent size could negotiate this lemon squeezer of a pass. At times, it got so narrow and tight that there was no clearance for Mii's legs as she rode; she had to dismount and lead the mare through. Eventually, the high point was reached, and the pass widened by some few feet. The descent was just as cautious, with bare rock providing a tenuous purchase for feet and hooves. The sight of a tree line, once again, was greeted with relief.

"A little further down," Nick beckoned, "There's a path the deere use. Stick to it and we should be hunky-dory."

Mii looked down. Indeed, there were tread marks, fresh ones. If they went through a lot, their tires would obliterate her mare's hoofprints. Remounting, she urged N'sheki down the narrow, twisty course. To her right, a large, peculiar rock formation reared against the sky, casting a blue shadow as the sun rose. Ahead of her, the roof of a great structure was partially visible through the pines. As the trail brought her closer, more details became clear. It was a wood structure, but it was... huge. Maybe not Ash Mountain proportions, but something that could qualify as a lodge of the gods. "What is that place?"

Nick snorted, "Oh, "that place" is known to most as the Grand Fusel Lodge, and to a few as "The Superintendant's Folly." His tone was dismissive. "He's sunk a trainload of loot into renovating that place, if you can call overpriced opulent tackiness "renovation". Now, it looks more like a Russian oligarch's idea of a summer resort. I wonder what's next, a casino? Bingo hall for the grannies? Maybe not a bingo hall, the "stupidintendant", one Cad Spinner, is a first-class celebrity schmoozer and publicity hound. Do we like him? No we don't!" Nick shifted into full mockery mode. "Oh, too bad I had to reduce your budget yet again, but those new light fixtures aren't buying themselves. Are we sorry? Yes we are - or maybe NOT!"

"He's really like that?" Mii'auww pressed N'sheki into a faster pace, the sooner to clear the inhabited zone. "And whose money was he taking?"

"The budget for the air attack team." Nick spat out. "My friend is in charge of it. They're holding that place together with duct tape and prayers as it is. If they get another real fire here, the whole park could be screwed, perhaps some people hurt - or killed. Animals too. But for Mr. Spinner -" that came out "Spinnah" - "It's all about that #$! lodge. Been thirty-some years since I followed Blade here - had nothing else better to do - and I never saw anybody so into themselves since Hollywood. One spark, one campfire left to burn, one lightning strike, all that money could be a pile of ashes the next morning."

Mii listened. Amidst Nick's rant, a few more pieces of the jigsaw puzzle were falling into place. "You and your friend... you were that close?"

"Brothers by different mothers, that's what they called us on the set." Nick seemed happier to be steered to another subject. "Aside from being choppers, nobody woulda thought... him all big and laid-back, and me? Short-nosed skid. You've been here what, five-six years now? You've heard about some of the stereotypes by now? "Short nose and skids, short temper?" I'll admit, in my case, there was a grain of truth to that, and our TV show played it for all it was worth."

"I've seen enough TV now." Mii remarked. "The news can be interesting, but the shows that tell stories - well, they seem to be mostly silly people doing stupid things that would get their damned fool selves killed in real life. And the "reality shows" have nothing to do with reality. Hope that didn't offend."

"No offense taken, Mii, 'cause... you're not far wrong." Nick conceded, his spark flickering. "TV is, I admit, a damn wasteland. Looking back on the show Blade and I did together, I can see every damn flaw, every plot hole, every painfully hokey bit of dialogue AND every sleazy double-entendre that the executive producer could prod the writers to work into the script. He especially liked putting us in, uh... cross-species dating situations, because... swingin' seventies! I just let it roll off my back, but it drove Blade crazy. He wasn't racist or anything like that, but it was the one thing that just... squicked him. He'd blow several takes, just to let everybody know how much it made his paint crawl." He stopped, as if for breath. "Sorry. That's MY baggage, and I know I shouldn't make it yours, but it is something you need to know when you see Blade. And sure as I know him, he'll be making his morning rounds, right after his fuel and his mash and his coffee. Just watch out for the big guy in red, or the even bigger guy in green."

"Who would that be?"

"Windlifter. Doesn't say much, but he's a decent guy. Does have a sense of humor, but you kinda hafta know him REAL well to see it. The others are all planes or Bobcat types, as long as you stay under cover, or away, you're good. Their noses are sharp, but not quite like us 'copters. OK, I partially take that back in Dipper's case. She can't smell for nothing, none of those amphibians do."

"I wouldn't know, I haven't met one personally yet." Mii shrugged. The lodge was out of view now. "So where is this "safe place?"

"We'll have to cross the valley and go through another pass to get to it. See that rock formation across the valley? That's Canopy Dome. That's where we can get to another little valley. Then we go up to into the woods to the north to get to Gold Dust Whittaker's place, or what's left of it. It's well hidden and almost nobody ventures up there. That, and we'll have a clear view of the air attack base. I've been away a long time, and I'd like to catch up on what's going on there."

"So who was Gold Dust Whittaker?" Mii asked.

"He owned this land." Nick answered. "Then he willed it to the Park Service when he died. His spirit wanders more, but still shows up occasionally. Your Lady said that it might be possible for you to see spirits of this world without a boost from her, but there'd be things you'd have to do, and once you go down that road..."

"No going back." Mii'auww finished that for him. "Any other spirits?"

"Yeah. Shay, a steam engine who fell into one of the canyon gorges a few years before Whittaker passed on, and Wally, an air tanker who is... mighty sensitive about anyone disturbing what still remains of his debris field." Nick's voice took on a slight edge at that point. "We've had a few... words in the past."

Mii pursed her lips. "You don't get along with him."

"He is... of the opinion that anyone who died while doing stunt work for other people's entertainment basically wasted their life, and is not convinced that anything we do in the afterlife can have any effect on those still living, or vice versa."

"Then why does he get upset when people disturb his remains, If he really believes what he says?"

"It's..."

"Complicated?"

"Yeah."

"So he still feels possessive and territorial and doesn't like anyone else messing with him. Or what used to be him."

"And he's always been critical of me anyway. Calls me "Mr. Hollywood" and worse things than that sometimes."

"So where is his crash site, so we can avoid it?"

"North of Augerin Canyon. Waythehellacross from where we're going, fortunately. If anyone is so remiss as to fool around with his remains, he tends to get a bit... poltergeisty. Some of the park staff are aware of the activity, and discourage people from going beyond the top of the falls, though they'll just say they don't want anyone falling off the cliff."

Mii just nodded. Many people here didn't take much stock in spirits, or "superstitions."

"Did he know your friend too?"

"Wally was second-in-command to the old air boss at the time that Blade came here as a trainee. Was harder on him than the old man was. He doesn't have much to say for or against Blade these days, which is probably a good thing."

Mii felt a tensing from the mare beneath her, and noted N'Sheki's head raising, ears swiveling and nostrils flaring. "Easy, girl. What is it?" Something stirred in the brush flanking the trail, and two green shapes emerged. She almost took them for native tractors, but for the lighter build and the antler-like racked lights on one of them. A bit smaller, they were, than iron-elk she'd seen around Ash Mountain.

Deere.

N'Sheki halted and tossed her head. If forced at this point, her next step could be six feet in the air. Mii backed the mare a few feet, and reviewed the situation. The deere were just... looking at her, not particularly alarmed, or impressed. After a moment or two, they just flicked their sideviews and continued on their way across. After another minute, Mii was able to urge her reluctant, snorting mount through the area where they'd been. "Better get used to them, girl. You'll have to share grass with them."

"She took it better than I expected." Nick remarked.

"A new thing for her." Mii'auww shrugged. "She'll get over it. Our horses always do. The long-maned ones are beautiful, but many of them are dumpling-heads and would be heading for the hills with or without their riders at the first sight of those creatures."

Nick couldn't help a chuckle as his spark bounced near the mare's head. "So you might be rank, girlie, but you're not stupid."

N'sheki rolled her eyes, pinned her ears and snapped at the mote. Her teeth clicked in empty space. Unpreturbed, Nick zipped away. "You'll have to be faster than that, hayburner."

"Mind your manners." Mii reined in, collecting the mare and holding her with her inside leg as they rounded a turn. The ride went quietly for another while, until the next pass presented itself. Another climb followed, though not as steep or as treacherous as the little pass near La Parilla. She did have to dismount again when they reached the crest of the ridge, as it was bare at the top and the risk of getting ridgelined, though small, was present. When they were halfway through the descent and back in the trees, there came a faint, but growing rythym of rotor blades, coming from the other side of the smaller valley. Mii led N'Sheki into the brush and held her head down. From under the pine boughs, she looked up.

Soaring perhaps five hundred feet over the dome, the helicopter stood out vividly against the now-noonish sky in his livery of scarlet, white and black. He was refined and somewhat breedy in the head and tail boom, but his body and engines were robust and powerfully made. The letters and numbers on his contours, though hard to read at this distance, identified his status and station. The details of his face became visible as he changed direction and inspected the side of the ridge, and Mii scrunched down a little more as she saw those active - and stern - blue eyes. Her eyes slid to Nick's spark. "That is.. Blade?"

"That's him. Blade Ranger. I know it's not the name he was born with, but it was the name he went by as an actor. Blade came from an upper-class family back east, but he was REALLY on the outs with them, and the only reason I know THAT much because we were working together, eating together, hanging out and practically breathing each other's air for seven years." they watched as the helo finally ascended over the ridge to assay the larger valley. "You could call him any number of things, but "lazy" wasn't one of'em. Hardest-working guy I ever knew."

"So he kept his 'acting name' even after he left that line of work?" Mii's eyes followed the final flash of tail boom over the rocks and trees.

"Yeah. His relations with his family were just that... toxic, that he'd never go slinking back to 'em. I dared to take a peek. Who they are isn't important now, and old Dad passed on, but older Sis is still alive and running the family firm like the tyrant she is, and younger bro is a poster child for useless trustifarianism and failed relationships, which lasted just long enough to produce two kids that, without serious intervention, will grow up to be feckless, totally-devoid-of-purpose scandal magnets just like him."

"Ugh. In the old days of our tribe, such worthless men tended to die." Mii smirked. "In conveniently timed hunting or riding accidents, or aiming an arrow this way instead of that on the battlefield. Or else the women would poison him, but it was considered unfair and disgraceful to force the women's hands on a matter that the men needed to sort out themselves."

"So your people do "fragging" too, huh?" Nick's voice was barely stifling a snicker.

Mii nodded, smiling tightly. "I've heard the word, from the army men in the camp. Some of them married tribeswomen, mostly widows, and our people had many. They may not be archers, and many of them not riders, but they earned the right to be called warriors." She looked down the path. "Safe to move on now?"

"Should be." Nick took up point again as Mii remounted. For another mile, there was no other issue... until the drone of a single-engined airplane was heard, coming in from the east. She looked up, squinting. "Mother of stars..." She jumped down from the saddle again, forced the mare to drop her shoulder, then kneel, then lie down, with herself across the animal's neck.

"What are you doing?" Nick flew back to them. "He won't see you."

"I want to make DAMN SURE he won't see us." Mii'auww looked skyward again. The plane was low enough that she could see details. "I know that one! He might still remember me. What's the wind like up there? Can he scent us?"

"We're downwind of him, and your scent won't be getting high enough." Nick assured her. "What's the situation with this one?"

"That's... Dusty - Dusty Whatshisname, he's famous now, I still keep forgetting his last name, but airplanes who meet humans never forget the first ones they see, or smell, and I'm not the first human he met, but I'm literally the second."

"Okaayyyyyy..." Nick paused. There was a story behind this, to be sure, but it would have to wait. "You sit tight. I'll go see what his business is."