A/N Ain't that just my luck? I was searchin for some time, an' I found it! It was hidden real well, but I found it an' used it ta write this chapter... Now let's git on to the story, an' see what happened to poor Luke, who was fallin of the branch they was sittin on...

10

No thump could be heard as Bo looked down, expecting to see his dark-haired cousin lying on the ground being torn to shreds by the two wolves. His eyes practically bulged out of his head when he actually saw his cousin sprawled onto a branch below him…

"Luke!" No response.

"Luke!" When there still was no answer, Bo looked further down, seeing the wolves growl and jump at the tree, as if they knew what was happening.
'Think Bo, think. How do I get us out of this? Okay, the first step is to get to Luke.'

With some difficulty Bo climbed the two branches down to Luke, who was lying stomach down on the branch, arms and legs dangling dangerously low.

The two wolves suddenly seemed alerted by something. When Bo was halfway to his cousin, he saw their ears peak and heads rise. The rushing of leaves told him they had heard the same thing he did. With one howl both animals gave him and his unconscious cousin one last look before taking of in the same direction.

Strangely enough Bo felt bad for the small rodent they were probably gonna eat. Shaking his head furiously, berating himself for thinking that instead of being happy they were gone, he cautiously stepped onto the branch Luke was lying on. The small cracking sound didn't calm his nerves one bit.

Sitting down carefully he softly touched Luke's shoulder, calling his name.

"Luke…"

"Luke, You gotta wake up cuz. Come on, the wolves are gone, now's our chance, jus' wake up cuz…" he pleaded. Nothing happened. Bo, not daring to move his cousin, inched closer to his cousin. Luke just lay there, eyes closed, barely breathing as Bo sat next to him, feeling as if he had just lost his best friend…

Meanwhile in Jesse's truck

"This road looks like a war raged over it!" Daisy exclaimed, while casting glances to the left and right, searching for a sign of her cousins.

"I know, I know…" Jesse said, worry evident in his voice. They had already come across three trees blocking the roads and were having difficulty avoiding all of the natural roadblocks.

"Uncle Jesse, stop!" Daisy yelled suddenly as the white truck came to a screeching halt.

Stretching out his neck, Jesse tried to see what had caught his nieces attention, but it was just to darn dark. Pointing her flashlight to the left, Daisy revealed the object that had caught her attention.

Jesse had to squint his old eyes to see what was outlined in the darkness, and even Daisy didn't recognise the thing immediately. But when they did make out what it was, two sharp gasps could be heard.

"Oh my Lord!" Jesse exclaimed, while immediately jumping out of the vehicle and running towards the unrecognisable vehicle which was laying deathly still on the road before him. As he came to a halt before the battered truck he was shocked to see how crunched the truck was. Behind him he could hear the could hear Daisy breathe hard when she saw what was left of the truck that had housed her two cousins.

"Ow, uncle Jesse…" she was silent and her hand covered her mouth as she noticed there was no one in the vehicle anymore.

"Where… where are they?"

As Jesse took a closer look at the truck, seeing the wrenched door and the bloodstains covering the inside, Daisy noticed the fading footsteps in the muddy ground.

"Well," Jesse said with a tight voice as if he was holding in the raging emotions which were tearing through his entire body, "the good news is, they got out. Bad news is, they's probably hurt."

Daisy wrapped one arm around her uncle, offering him support she also needed herself. "We'll find 'em uncle Jesse. Ya know how them boys always tend ta land on their feet?"

Jesse turned worried eyes towards his beautiful niece, "Yur right Daisy, I'm just afraid one a these days, they'll run out a their nine lives and land on somethin else…"

Together they turned towards the truck, supporting on another, bent on following the trail the boys had left behind while walking.

In the tree

A low moan tore through the air, tearing Bo from his pondering thoughts, turning anxious eyes to his still cousin. A slight movement in his right arm caused another painful moan to escape his body. A small twitch however, was the only other movement that was made in the seconds that Bo breathlessly watched the events unfold.

The sudden sharpness of the crack he felt beneath him, made him hold his breath even longer. Trying to sit as still as possible his mind started working in overload. 'The branch won't hold for much longer. Where are them wolves? How do I get Luke down…'

His thoughts however, were abruptly cut off when a louder and longer crack resounded through the air, causing the branch to slowly sag further and further to the ground below them. Panic surged through Bo's veins, flooding them like fire, as one last heavy crack sent him and his lifeless cousin dropping the final six feet to the ground.

A thump was heard as the two cousins landed on the soft earth beneath them, the spongy moss softening their fall a bit. A soft "oomph" escaped Bo's mouth as his rear end touched the soft earth first, causing quite a bit of pain to flare through his behind. Glancing over at Luke, for what he felt was like the umpteenth time that day, he saw his cousin lying in a heap next to him. He quickly sent a small prayer up to the Good Lord above him, praying this would turn out right, before painfully getting up on stiff limbs. His ribs still ached, but the cold had caused him to be numb for quite some time now. Straightening his stiffening leg he hobbled over to Luke.

His heart thumped loudly in his chest as he thought of the consequences this fall could have for his already battered cousin.

"Be glad you're not feelin anythin now cuz…" he murmured, putting one arm underneath Luke's good shoulder, hauling him up as far as he could, before making his way back to the road.

"I sure hope those wolves found themselves somethin ta eat, cause we sure are like sittin Dukes right now," Bo said to himself and an unconscious Luke. He smiled a little at his own choice of words.

"You woulda laughed, wouldn't ya cuz," he continued, while getting on the road again, ever so slowly. When there was no response, Bo felt the dread of the situation wash all over him again. His cousin, his best friend, heck he would even go as far as calling him his brother, was unresponsive, hanging limply at his side as he practically dragged him along.

"I'll bet ya would have loved ta sit by that warm fireplace now wouldn't ya. Playin some chess, eatin some of uncle Jesse's crawdad bisque…" Bo's voice trailed of as he thought of the way they would have spent that time, if nothing had happened. 'If nothin happened… But something did happen, and I'm not sure if we get out of it in one piece this time…"

Stumbling along on the mud covered road, dazed by all the events of the day, and physically drained from all of it Bo almost didn't notice the headlights coming from behind him, casting a long shadow in front of him making him feel as if he was in one a those bad movies Daisy always liked ta watch.

Turning around he turned hopeful eyes up, praying help had arrived…

Now wouldn't we all wish those boys some luck? I know I do, I'd even lend them my guitar if it woulda help em get outta this sticky situation… An don't ya just hate ta see ol' Bo worryin like that? I sure hope things 'll start lookin up now…