14
Jack was looking at the plant with undisguised surprise.
"what?" Ianto asked, "It is boring here. Needed colour."
"It's my ledge" Jack spluttered, amused that Ianto was strong enough to change his mental hidey-hole.
"Even wondered what's out there?" Ianto asked as he looked out into the black beyond of the ravine they were sitting over. It was like the world just ... stopped.
Jack looked as well, "No. I look at it and see nothing. There is nothing. It is nothing."
"I used to stand at the cliff edge and wonder" Ianto said as he leaned against the rock, "I used to hear a clicking noise in the black, beyond the light. Click, click. I used to think it was something after me, hunting me. These things came and I knew it was them. One of them that would get me if I turned to look back."
"And now?" Jack turned his head to look at the handsome man closing his eyes to enjoy the breeze that was not really there.
"You"
"Me?" Jack was honestly gobsmacked.
"Yeah. I heard it the other night. The sound of you cocking your gun. It's you that follows me, hunts and watches" Ianto opened his eyes and grey storms bored into him, "The only question now is if you hunt or seek."
"Neither" Jack said as he considered, "I am behind you because I follow. Watch. Protect. You know, I have seen a fluttering of something ahead and thought it wings of a bird. It's you, your waistcoat."
"Could it be that simple?" Ianto snorted, his hands smoothing the waistcoat they were discussing with its pale grey silk linings. He still found it incredible that they had dreamed of the same cliff.
"Why not?" Jack shrugged, "You are like a bird, you eat like one anyway."
Ianto blinked and then to Jack's surprise he laughed, his head falling back and a braying laugh that was so powerful and manly that Jack wanted to shag him right there on their little ledge.
"Stop that" Ianto spluttered as he giggled with mirth, "You are insatiable."
"Come on … you like it" Jack replied cheekily and Ianto giggled some more as he looked up.
"Rain."
"what?" Jack looked up with confusion and then Ianto shot to his feet.
"No. Out there rain. Shit, the stock!"
Both men raced for the edge, stepping over.
.
.
.
..
The thunder was rolling as they clambered to their feet, the sound of voices outside brining them out to see the others trying to get the stock into the huge stables. Jack ran to help, climbing onto a hover and reaching down to scoop up Winkle, her face full of confusion as she tried to understand what they were doing.
Soon she was squealing as she clung to the front of the hover, laughing as her dreads flapped behind her. Jack deliberately swooped and dove at the sheep as she laughed and choked with glee.
Then he saw them, moving in the trees where it was dense enough to have shadows. He banked for home and landed with as much calm as he could, the little one hadn't seen, she didn't know the danger so Jack called out to Owen to get her out of the rain that was starting to fall.
Ianto had come out of the shadows to help push the sheep into the stables and he turned to watch Jack standing in the hover, looking back at the far trees.
"Jack?"
Jack turned and said as quietly as he could, "A pack of at least eight, moving fast in the shadows."
"But it's still light" Ianto said with horror, looking up at the sky.
"This storm is going to provide enough cover, you are not showing discomfort" Jack surmised, "Ianto, they are coming and they are coming fast."
"Fuck" Ianto said with anger, turning to motion to the other two stock hands that usually left before dusk, "Helen, Mace. Both of you inside. Now!"
"What about the kids" Mace called as he motioned towards the house.
"Those doors are sturdy, they can't get in. The stables are not. We need to protect the stock!" Jack answered for Ianto, "We have the high walkway all the way around the roof, we can pop them off from height, safe from their teeth. Take our time, make each shot count."
They moved up to the upper level and started preparing for battle, Ianto showing his training as he calmly loaded weapons like it was second nature. He placed them out on the ledges, different points as Jack moved around him doing the same.
"What do I do?" Helen asked and Ianto swung to look at her.
"There is a tunnel, go to the main house and make sure the kids are OK. Send Rhys across if you can, then lock the doors. No one outside, even in the walkway tunnel. They will smell anyone for sure, probably already know how many of us are here."
"Right" Helen took off and Jack glanced at Ianto.
"You ready for this?"
Ianto's answer was to cock the gun in his hand.
Time.