Two.

Ezra had been asleep for about an hour when trouble struck.

The three men had travelled as far as they had been able to that night before MacReedy had started complaining of cramps and bruises. Danielson had nearly turned and shot him on sight, however after defusing the situation, Ezra had suggested that they made camp for the night.

After a rather frugal meal, MacReedy had offered to keep watch for the larger part of the night, stating persistent insomnia as a good excuse for him to be of use. Danielson had been scathing of the offer, but Ezra had ridden twice as far as the men in one day and was aching for some sleep, and so had agreed.

It was early morning when Ezra blinked and slowly opened his eyes. It took a while to focus on the rocks scattered around them, and then the dark silhouettes of the horses beyond. The fire was throwing out some light, the smell of sparks and the crackle of the wood comforting and soothing.

Slowly, and with a groan of exertion, Ezra propped himself up on his elbows, trying to work out just why he'd woken. He glanced around, Danielson was wrapped in blanket beyond the end of his own bedroll, and MacReedy was propped upright against a rock, head lying on his chest, breathing in and out slowly.

"Unbelievable,"

Ezra sighed heavily and detangled his feet from his blankets. Wavering slightly, he got to his feet and picked his way across the makeshift camp to where the small man was sleeping.

"Mr. MacReedy," Ezra hissed at him.

Nothing. Just a long intake of air, followed by a squeaky sounding snore. Ezra rolled his eyes and ran his tongue over his top lip, trying to maintain his composure. He tapped at the man on the shoulder,

"Mr. MacReedy,"

Getting no response, Ezra upgraded the tapping to a solid thump.

"Mr. MacReedy!"

The small man jumped out of his skin, eyes springing open behind his thick-rimmed glasses, peering round like a rabbit caught in the headlights. Eventually, his eyes settled on Ezra,

"M-m-m-m-Mr. Standish," he seemed clueless as to what had happened, and peered about the camp in total confusion.

Ezra blinked at him,

"Mr. MacReedy, you were supposed to be keeping watch,"

MacReedy straightened his glasses and frowned,

"I was,"

"You were asleep,"

For some unknown reason, MacReedy took offence to the implication he'd failed his task, and drew himself up as tall as his little frame would allow.

"I was not!"

Exasperated, Ezra spread his hands wide,

"You were snoring!"

MacReedy blinked,

"I was?"

"Yes!"

"Oh," MacReedy slumped back down again, seemingly startled by the revelation. As Ezra blinked rapidly and looked around, praying for someone to pinch him, MacReedy snorted, "Well what do you expect? It is the middle of the night you know!"

Ezra looked at him in disbelief,

"You informed me that you never slept,"

MacReedy snorted once more, as Ezra's blood began to boil,

"Of course I sleep! Be dead if I didn't!"

Ezra turned round to tend to the fire, muttering to himself as he went,

"And wouldn't that be a travesty,"

As the embers crackled some more, Ezra held out his hands, letting the warmth radiate through the tips of his fingers. At least Danielson was still asleep.

MacReedy, obviously disturbed from his rest sighed, and shifted against the tall rock to try and make himself comfortable once more. As he did, his hat caught on the grainy surface, and slid off his head to the floor. Ezra ignored the small man's annoyed tutt and watched as he bent over to get it.

At that moment, a bullet glanced off the rock where MacReedy's head had been a split second before. Ezra, at once leapt into action, throwing himself on top of MacReedy and pushing the startled man down.

"What the-!" MacReedy's protest was muffled by the jacket of the gambler.

On the other side of the fire, Danielson jumped back into the world of the waking, his sleep-bleared eyes open wide, his hands groping wildly for his gun as he scrambled for the rocks.

Pulling out his own gun, Ezra beckoned MacReedy to do the same as his neighbour, and listened as the man scrambled blindly towards cover.

As silence settled once more, Ezra tried to think straight. Who the hell was shooting at them and why?

Slowly he raised his head, only to have to bury it back into MacReedy's blankets as a bullet whipped past the top of his hat.

More gunshots followed, and were greeted with a wild cry of elation and several rounds from the barrel of Danielson's rifle. Covered by the fire from the war-like farmer, Ezra himself turned and scrambled for cover, listening to the returning gunfire the whole time. He frowned. Four? Five maybe?

To the left there was a high-pitched scream of terror that sounded like it had been ripped from MacReedy. Ezra spun at once. An armed man was appearing out of the gloom and heading for the scrawny rancher. Ezra fired off several rounds into the approaching assailant and listened to the groan, and following thud.

Four then.

As MacReedy quaked, Ezra listened to the distant sounds of shouting. Almost at once the gunfire died down, before fading completely. Ezra took a deep breath and lifted his head. Nothing. They'd gone.

Danielson was still pumping off rounds into the night air, and still yeehaa-ing loudly. Ezra, holstering his own gun went over to him, and tried to shout over the din the farmer was single-handedly creating.

"Mr. Danielson, I suggest you save your ammunition for when there is actually a target,"

Danielson stopped at once, almost sheepishly, and sat back, trying to suppress the raised adrenaline pumping about his body. MacReedy on the other hand, was huddled against a rock hands over his ears, trembling all over. Ezra bent low beside him, resting a hand gently on the man's arm. MacReedy jumped and his eyes flew up to Ezra's face. The gambler tried to look reassuring.

"I believe the danger has subsided. Our assailants have left."

MacReedy's eyes fell to the body before him, and Ezra followed his gaze. Maybe the body would reveal more of who was after them.

Ezra sighed. It was definitely going to be a long trip.

oooooooooooooooo

So, there's the next chapter...you know what to do! Review, reivew, review!

I'm still trying to suppress my anger. Set the video last night for M7, only to wake this morning to find it didn't tape! Damn! Plus it was 'Serpents,' which is apparently Ezra focussed. Ah well, will just have to wait 'til it's on again. Damn, damn, damn...goes off to murder video recorder...