Chapter 9

At four thirty Emily's phone rang waking her up, she squinted at the display to see who was calling at such an hour.

"Hotch?"

"Prentiss can you ride?"

"Ride? "

"A horse. The park rangers have wrangled three horses. One of the cops can but I'm hoping to send someone from our team."

"Yes, I started riding when I was six," replied Emily, noting that JJ had sat up in the other bed.

"Good. Can you be here in half an hour?"

"Yeah, I'll be there." Emily didn't bother with a shower she pulled on a pair of jeans and a grey sweatshirt.

"Riding?" asked JJ.

"I think someone suggested sending a scouting party ahead," said Emily hunting for her left boot. "It makes sense. To keep an eye on things until the rest of you arrive."

"We know next to nothing about this unsub," pointed out JJ suddenly worried. "How many are going?"

"With me three."

"I'll be fine." It didn't take an profiler to see the concern in her friends blue eyes.

Since JJ was up she decided to go in with Emily, Hotch was stood talking to two men by a Jeep. One was police officer Mike Dawson, who they'd seen around the precinct the other a man was in a green Park Ranger uniform. He looked around Rossi's age his grey hair was long enough to go in a ponytail.

"You know Mike Dawson, this is Jeff David. He is going to be your guide. The horses will be ready for you." Hotch took Emily aside. "If the unsub poses a threat to any of you. You have permission to act as you see fit." Emily nodded in understanding then climbed into the Jeep, she glanced back at JJ as they sped away.

Day was breaking as they pulled up at the Ranger station. The park Rangers had been using horses for their patrols. Three were tacked up and ready, just as Hotch had said. The horses, two dark bays and a chestnut had western saddles on them.

Piece of cake, thought Emily to herself grinning. As a child she had spent one summer at a dude ranch, it was the only school arranged holiday she had truly enjoyed.

There was no time to hang around, Emily paused only long enough to stroke her mounts nose before vaulting into the saddle. Oh yeah, it was like riding a bike.

Jeff set a good pace, once he was satisfied that they really could ride as well as they said he could he stopped watching then and concentrated on the surrounding woods. It was chilly at that time of the morning.

Emily was enjoying herself and decided a dude ranch holiday might happen in the near future. Her thighs were going to be so stiff in the morning.

Jeff got her attention indicating they were getting close. Emily should have known it was too easy.

BANG!

The shot came from a hunting rifle.

Mike's horse went down throwing the cop clear, he landed hard and didn't move from what the brunette saw in the time it took her to wench her mount right as she shifted her weight, hanging on to the pommel so her horses body was between her and where she had guessed the shot came from. She needed flank the shooter. Silently she cursed herself. Their unsub was stuck in a place where he believed mythical creatures were real. He must have seen them and thought that they were a herd of centaurs or something. The trees grew thicker together and Emily had to right herself or risk hitting a tree. Quickly she halted her horse and slid from the saddle, he ran off presumably heading for home, at least they would know something was wrong. Her phone had no signal, her only option was the two way radio Jeff had given them. Which could give away her position or Jeff's. Emily chewed her lip for a moment before deciding to get close enough to have a look. She was grateful for all the training she had gotten at Interpol. This was going to be a true test of her abilities.

CMCMCMCMCMCMCMCM

The rest of the team had gathered an hour after Emily had left. The SUV's and cop cars formed a long chain as they headed for the departure point. It take roughly two hours to hike there. Hotch had said that JJ could stay back with Reid but she refused, she had borrowed some boots from a female officer. JJ couldn't shake the bad feeling she had had since Emily had left. The trees had meant choppers would be of no use either.

An hour in they heard hoof-beats echoing through the trees. A sweat covered chestnut horse reared when it almost galloped into them. One of the police officers caught the animal.

No had to say that this was one of the horses that there friends were using.

"Let's double time it people." said Hotch, speeding up.

"Please be okay," muttered JJ which got her a raised eyebrow from Morgan who had been close enough to hear. She ignored him.

The Park Ranger who was leading them told them they were getting close.

Then they found a dead horse. It had been shot.

"He saw them coming Hotch," said Morgan sounding frustrated that he hadn't been there to help.

JJ's stomach was in knots.

Two shots fired in the distance, JJ snapped her head round.

"Emily!"

TBC...

A/N Hi. I know I'm being cruel * evil laugh * Thanks for reading and reviewing. Stay tuned... Have fun T-Rex :)