TITLE: THE PRIZE 9

TITLE: THE PRIZE 9

AUTHOR: STEPHEN HOWE

E-MAIL: sh01@bigpond.com.au

FEEDBACK: Sure.

DISTRIBUTION: Ask and ye shall receive!

DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Joss! He created everything! Rated R for violence and adult themes. Set in season 6.B/X pairing. Giles is Buffy's watcher who now works for the Council once more. Anya gave her life to save Buffy in the fight against Glory. Dawn is still here and Willow is with Tara. OUTSKIRTS OF SHAMASH VILLAGE. Spike tries to duck out of sight while Buffy and Giles arguing distract the two tribesmen. Kicking horse tells him. " I really wouldn't want to be out here tonight if I were you Deadboy!" Spike growls. " Why do you keep calling me that?" Kicking horse smiles. " Well it could be because you're a vampire. You know, blood sucking creature of the night.." Buffy asks. " How do you know that?" Kicking Horse shrugs." We heal the living so don't you think we'd be able to sense the dead?" Spike looks angrily at him. " You're interfering with my plans for the good Sheriff!" He stops." Look let me go… I'll off your worst enemy then leave. Simple, smooth and yet leaves you wanting more! Kinda like a smore." Kicking Horse shakes his head. " Sorry Blondie but the Sheriff and his men are already spoken for." Giles turns to him." Look I know your people have been hard done by but killing all white men is just wrong! There's been good amongst our people just like there's evil amongst yours. The way of life for some of your race was not too dissimilar to ours. The strong taking from the weak!.. One tribe pushing another off of its land, forcing it in turn to force another weaker tribe from their land." Kicking Horse holds up his hand. " I know all that! But we have tried to do things your way but all we have seen is how your people can use us. Make us their own personal immortality card!" John speaks up. " I'm sorry for what they, and I, have done to your people. Before I left I phoned the State Troopers and faxed the F.B.I. with all the relevant information. Don't worry I never told anyone about your powers, I simply told them of what the Sheriff did to Mr. Harris." Buffy turned to him. " And what was their reaction?" John told her. " They were sending their best people to investigate the crime. The FBI agent also stated they have a mandate to crack down on all hate crimes Mr. Horse." Willow's scream brought the talk to a halt and Buffy ran off towards the sound. Kicking Horse took off after her in close pursuit, closely followed by the others. Kicking Horse pumps a round into the shotgun and points it at Buffy's back. " Hold it right there Miss! I'd hate to shoot but if you don't stop I will!" Willow steps out of the lodge, her face pale and sweaty." Kicking Horse put the gun down and move away from her!" Pony shouts to him. The group can hear the sound of a guttural breath being in hailed and exhaled. The young Indian warrior turns his head and sees Kattadhin standing just to one side of the camp." She's endangering the lives of everyone here!" He shouts. Pony calmly tells him. " Throw the gun towards it and move away from the strangers… Now!" He throws the gun away and moves, open handed, towards Pony and the gathering of his fellow tribesmen. Spike raises a hand." Ugh excuse me but I'm not with these people so do you mind if I join you?" Willow shakes her head. " Spike it won't hurt you as long as you show no harm towards Buffy." Giles looks over at Willow. " Why does it have such an interest IN buffy?" As Giles said this the creature made to stand close to Buffy separating her from the others. It tilted its behemoth head to one side as if trying to remember her. She freaked when its snout came within inches of her face, and then grimaced as its tongue lapped at her cheek. She held her arms in a fighting stance but knew if it chose to she would just be another snack. Giles makes to go to her aid but Willow motions him to stay. Pony tells it. " Kattadhin! She is not yours. She belongs to the other." She points to the edge of the camp. " Go now and guard us from interruption." The beast lets out a blood curdling growl then does at is told and moves to the outer edges of the camp. Willow helps Buffy and the others into the lodge and tells the others to wait as she leads her down the hallway. Buffy grips her arm." We thought you were dead Will!" She smiles and touches the door with the palm of her hand, as she turns her head to look at Buffy she chokes back a sob." You must have faith Buffy… Faith and hope that this all comes out right." She pushes the door open and they are bathed in an eerie green light. Buffy places a hand to her open mouth. " Dear GOD!" Willow looks forlornly at Buffy and tells her." They tried to help him like the others but he was something more than any of us ever thought." Her hand finds Buffy's and she can feel her tremble. " I've tried everything I can, even the darker arts, but nothing seems to work." Buffy tries to walk towards the pulsing ball of energy but something pushes against her. She tries with all her Slayer strength to get in but the barrier rebuffs her every attempt." I think you need to talk to Grey Owl. He will explain things better than I." END OF 9