Reunited- Chapter 9

"Is it true? Will the portal really show up?" Cowlorado whispered to Laura.

"No. I lied to buy us some time. I don't know when it will really appear." She whispered back, "How's your head?"

"I've had worse. Don't you worry, Miss Laura. Moo will come through for us. Him and Dakota." He told her.

"Knowing Bulloney, he probably set a trap for them. I wonder why he's asking about the portal." Laura replied.

"Don't know. But we gotta get free somehow."

"And I know how." Laura said, taking out of her sleeve a small butter knife.

"Good thing I saved this from dinner." She said, and began cutting at the rope.

...

Meanwhile Marshall Moo was riding his mighty steed Cyclone along with the Dakota Dude riding his horse Rebel across the Mesa. Dakota rode at a much slower speed because he had Cowlorado's horse Jezebel tied to his saddle.

"If that no-good, blackhearted skunk hurts the Kid or Miss Laura..." Dakota began, steam shooting from his nostrils.

"Easy, big fella. We'll get them back." Moo replied, calming his friend down.

"I don't like it, Moo. I just know the Masked Bull is preparing to ambush us the minute we enter a good part of the Mesa." Dakota warned.

"That's why we're gonna keep our eyes peeled and be alert." Moo replied.

...

"Is this the right way, Kate?" Miss Lily asked.

"The Masked Bull was seen in these parts. I'm sure of it." Cowlamity replied.

Cowlamity Kate and Miss Lily Bovine rode on Kate's horse following the trail of where the Masked Bull usually was. Kate stopped and got off her horse followed by Miss Lily. Miss Lily was using a lantern. Both women glanced at hoof prints from a horse.

"More than one horse went through here tonight. A horse driven wagon. There are wagon tracks leading up into the mountains." She said.

"That has to be where the Masked Bull took Cowlorado and Laura." Miss Lily said.

"Moo and Dakota went after them, too." Kate told her.

"If the Masked Bull planned an ambush, they could be in trouble." Miss Lily replied.

"We gotta hurry." Kate said, as she and Miss Lily got back on the horse and rode off.

...

There! Got it." Laura said, managing to cut the ropes off them.

"You sure are smart, Miss Laura." Cowlorado said, blushing, "No wonder I fell in love with you."

Laura blushed as well.

"I...feel...the same way about you, Cowlorado." She replied.

"Ughhhh! I think I'm gonna be sick!" Saddle Sore groaned, "All dis mushy stuff is making me vomit!"

"Then there's only one thing to do about it, Saddle Sore. Don't look!" Cowlorado exclaimed, putting a burlap sack over his head.

"Hey, what you doing? I can't see!" He cried out.

"What in tarnation are y-?" Boot Hill Buzzard said, as Laura put a sack over his head. The two bumbling villains were then pushed into each other. They fell to the floor in a dizzy heap.

"We gotta get to Moo and Dakota." Cowlorado told her.

"But how? We don't even know where they took us." Laura explained.

"I do. I know these woods and mountains. My folks took me here when I was a young calf." Cowlorado explained, "I'd sit there and make up songs."

The young cowboy pointed at a rocky hill surrounded by milkweed and clover.

"Great! Let's go!" Laura said.

"I don't have my horse with me. We'll have to walk." Cowlorado replied.

...

Marshall Moo's suspicions grew. He suspected he and Dakota were being watched. And he was right as the Masked Bull hid in the shadows behind a boulder.

"That's right. Just a little farther, Moo." He murmured, trying to remove a lever that kept the boulder in place. He intended to start an avalanche trapping Moo and Dakota. Fortunately, Cowlamity Kate and Miss Lily had rode on the opposite side of the cliff.

"The Masked Bull. He's gonna flatten Moo and Dakota!" Miss Lily cried out.

"Not tonight, he ain't!" Cowlamity replied, "Hold on, Lily!"

Cowlamity hit her horse's flank with her heels. The horse came charging at the Masked Bull causing him to lose his balance. Unfortunately, he fell against the lever loosening it. The large boulder came undone as well as a barage of rocks.

"Moo! Dakota! Run!" Miss Lily called out to them.

"Miss Lily?" Moo looked puzzled at seeing her.

The Masked Bull tried to grab Miss Lily when a lasso went around him. Cowlamity Kate had the large bull tied up like you tie up a calf at a rodeo.

"Yippee Yi Yay! I caught me a big one!" Cowlamity exclaimed.

The Masked Bull struggled and was squirming to get free to no avail.

"Good job, Miss Cowlamity."

Both ladies saw Marshall Moo and Dakota Dude ride up to them.

"Why, thank you, Dakota." Cowlamity said.

For a second, the two lovers glanced at each other. Dakota loved this wild tumbleweed of a girl. Cowlamity loved her big, overstuffed teddy bear.

"You two really did great. Thanks for saving us." Moo told Miss Lily.

"The least we could do. But where's Laura and Cowlorado?" She asked.

"Right here."

Cowlorado and Laura walked up to them hand in hand.

"Glad you two are alright." Dakota said.

"The mayor's behind everything, Marshall. He wants to get you out of town so he can take over this whole territory." Laura explained.

"Miss Laura's right, Moo. He had the Masked Bull here cownap us." Cowlorado joined in, "Along with Saddle Sore and Boot Hill Buzzard."

"Where are those two yahoos anyway?" Moo asked.

"Oh, they put them there to guard us but we outsmarted them and got away." Cowlorado replied.

"Thank goodness. You two are safe." Miss Lily said.

"Not for long I'm afraid." Mayor Bulloney said, holding a gun to Laura's head.

The latter let out a scream.

"Let her go, Bulloney." Moo said.

"I don't think so. Your little friend could cost me my job as mayor of Moo Mesa and now that you all know the truth. I can't let you or her live. Terrorbull!"

The large bull ripped off the lasso tying him as well as his mask.

"I knew it! I suspected you were the Masked Bull from the start and I was right." Moo said.

"Yes. Too bad you won't live long enough to tell anyone else." Terrorbull told him.