THE HUNTING GROUND by AJB
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
The thickening forest forced Vin to slow Peso's charge. He sat up and leaned back, pulling up on the only piece of "tack" he'd had the time to grab – a lead rope he'd thrown around the black's neck. Peso obeyed, shaking his head in frustration, and slowed to a jog. Using his legs, Vin directed the horse's weaving path through the trees while extending his hearing and focusing his sight on a very faint trail of mussed leaves and broken branches. Soon, Vin heard heavy breathing and rustling foliage, and his nose picked up two distinct body scents – one light and the other thick and heavy.
He focused his senses on the heavier.
As they moved forward, Peso calmed and lowered his head as he zigged and zagged through the trees, watching his footing and traversing obstacles of rock, branches, and downed, rotting tree trunks. Vin shifted his weight back, slowing the horse to a walk. The scent of rage hung heavy in the air and he knew they were close.
The dappled light shimmered with the swaying canopy of trees and dotted the shaggy vines coating the trunks. Generous layers of leaves softened their footsteps and the musty smell of old forest cloaked everything. Vin lightly tugged on the rope collar and Peso stopped. Sliding from the horse, he touched down and stepped into the lead position. The horse touched his muzzle to Vin's rear pocket as they started forward, following closely and flicking his ears alertly.
Vin crept onward following a clear path of scent and sound. He could hear Alex crying softly and her pursuer swearing under his breath. The man knew she was close because Vin heard him working to coax her out of hiding.
"I'm not going to hurt you, girl. Brambilla just wants you back. Come out, and I will take you to him."
Vin slowed, his own approach sounding too loud in his ears. He worked to focus his attention on the voice.
"I hear you, girlie. You sound scared. I can get you out of here."
Finally, through the waving leaves and brush, he saw the dark outline of Brambilla's man. Vin quietly pulled his gun from his waistband and held it up, waiting to obtain Alex's position in terms of cover before moving in.
"I won't hurt you. I was ordered not to hurt you. Come out, now."
Vin stretched out his hearing, focusing less on sight and smell. He could hear Alex sniffling, as could her pursuer, but he also heard her fluttering heartbeat and the sound of her clothing scraping along something – tree trunk? Rock? He squeezed his eyes shut and concentrated, settling on the latter. Opening his eyes, they watered at the sudden brightness he perceived in the cloak of shadows. Blinking rapidly, he scanned the area beyond the gunman. His position was poor, but Vin finally picked out low cluster of rocks that was lighter in color and nearly blinding to him, pinpointing her location. A prick of pain hit his temple. Then he heard her speak and the loudness of her voice made him twitch.
"You . . . you'll take me back?" She breathed.
The man straightened, using her voice to triangulate her location. He lifted his handgun and pointed it in the direction of the rocks. "Yes, I promise. Those are my orders. Come on out."
Vin's concentration wavered with the flash of pain behind his eyes. He pushed his hearing to keep track of Alex and then glided quickly forward, gun raised, pressured to move in before she exposed herself.
His vision swam through his watering eyes. A flicker of sunlight through the trees flashed like a blinding nova.
The trees' rustling expanded until it sounded like a roaring waterfall and he plummeted toward an unstoppable zone. Shoved to the ground by a force from behind, a deafening explosion forced Vin to roll into a ball of noisy misery.
The gunfight was short and the result empty.
Josiah and Ezra, shoulder to shoulder, stepped quickly forward to the small opening of trees where Peso stood, ears pinned back, snorting, and defying the agents to come any closer. Vin's tucked body was carefully caged within the horse's four legs.
"Where did he go?" Ezra snapped.
"Not sure," Josiah replied, somewhat breathless. "I didn't see him. I just heard the shot and returned fire after Vin dropped."
"I did not see him either, but I did see that monstrous horse charge someone after knocking Mr. Tanner to the ground."
The men scanned the area carefully from a spot well out of Peso's defensive zone. The irritated horse shook his head at them in warning; his ears pinned back far enough to disappear in his flying mane.
Josiah straightened and holstered his weapon, keeping his actions slow and deliberate while is sight of the black. "Keep an eye out," he said softly. "I'll try to get to Vin."
Ezra let out a short, tense laugh and hitched his gun a little higher as he scanned the woods. "I am not a horse whisperer, my dear Mr. Sanchez, but even I can see that your proposal is not only unwise, but dangerous as hell."
"Thanks for your concern, Ezra," Josiah said in a calm, melodious way as he stepped forward and tried to make his substantial body appear unthreatening. "But it looks like Vin needs our help." When he got closer, he reached out. "Easy, boy."
Peso lunged, his hooves avoiding Tanner but his teeth right on target. He snapped the air where Josiah's hand had been a moment earlier. Josiah fell on his butt with his hasty retreat. Peso repositioned his legs like pillars around Vin's still body.
"Hell's bells!" Josiah breathed.
"That is a devil horse, for certain," Ezra said in a shaky voice. He spun around at commotion from behind and crouched with gun held aloft. "Halt!" he yelled.
"Ezra? Don't shoot!" Buck sounded winded and soon jogged into sight with JD on his heels. "Where are they?"
With a peeved sigh, Ezra straightened and lowered his gun. "It is extremely fortuitous I did not fire, Mr. Wilmington. As to where 'they' are . . ."
"Vin!" JD called, skirting around Buck to Josiah and helping him up while noting Peso's protective stance. "We gotta help him."
Brushing off his pants, Josiah tipped his head to the infuriated horse. "Be my guest, son."
Ezra brought Buck up to speed as JD slowly approached the black. He spoke softly and kept his eyes averted, relaxing his body and trying to seem small. It took several minutes to gain Peso's tenuous trust, allowing JD to penetrate the comfort zone and finally rest his palm on the horse's sweaty neck.
"It's okay, Peso. Easy, boy. Hey, Buck? I think he's been shot."
"Vin?" Wilmington's worried tone made the muscles under JD's hand tense.
"No, no. Peso's been shot, haven't you boy?" The animal relaxed again and JD took hold of the rope around Peso's neck.
"Too bad it was not between the eyes." Ezra's voice was low and calm. "That animal does not have an iota of manners."
"He's just scared and hurt. Looks like a graze along his shoulder," JD crooned. Peso dipped his head and took a step back to touch the nape of Tanner's neck with is nose. His nostrils flared and Vin's hair fluttered. "We're here to help, boy. Come on; let's get out of the way." He pushed on the horse's chest and, surprisingly, the animal backed away. Josiah made his way to Vin's side.
"Did you see where he went? Was Alex with him?" Buck quizzed while he and Ezra walked a perimeter.
"We can only assume they are together and departed in that direction." Ezra waved vaguely in the direction of the rocks. He turned to look at Vin. "I believe that our only hope to follow successfully falls to Mr. Tanner. Josiah?"
"I don't see any wounds," Sanchez reported. "We need Chris."
"I'll get him." JD fashioned a wholly inadequate bridle with the lead rope and maneuvered Peso to the low rocks, using them to mount up. Peso's ears flattened again and his tail switched in irritation, but JD got him moving. He disappeared into the stand of trees.
"Will he get there alive?" Ezra wondered aloud.
"Can't wait to see," Buck said as he tucked in his shirt. "Come on, Ez; let's see what we can see. Maybe Alex left a trail."
"I doubt that very much, Mr. Wilmington. There is the possibility that she went with him willingly. I believe that girl is as trustworthy as a coiled rattler."
"Then it's a good thing I'm here to win her over. Let's go."
With a roll of his eyes, Ezra followed Buck beyond the rocks.
A/N: Heartfelt appreciation for feedback! I am humbled to have you all following along. - AJB