Hi to all my non-existant readers! I'm back with another chapter after that terrible cliffhanger I gave you all *laughs evily* anyway, enjoy!

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Josh asked as he and his men came into the cavern. "A nice woman and a bunch of kids."

"Howdy Mam." His partner raised his hat in jest. "Welcome along to the party."

Thunder snorted angrily, then roared at the men, rearing and striking the air, trying to defend the people cowered behind him."

"Get that horse!" Josh yelled to his men as he stood back, and let them do the work.

Thunder wheeled around to face them, missing Kate's head with his hoof by only inches. He tried to dodge the ropes, but in the space he was in, he couldn't move as one of the men threw a rope around his neck. He reared and screamed again as they began to drag him out of the cave, him fighting and resisting all the way.

"No, let him go!" Lucky yelled as the horse neighed. "He's not yours." She ran forward before Kate could stop her. "Let him go!"

"This is none of your business!" One of the men shouted as they pushed her aside, flinging her against a rock.

"Ouch." Lucky complained, then she slunk back against Kate as the other two men roped the other horses and dragged them out of the cave. She rubbed her head, then looked around, hearing the horse's shrieking neighs. "What do we do?"

"There's nothing we can do." Kate said as she placed her arms around the girls. "We can't do anything."

"What are they doing to the horses?" Abigail asked as she heard Boomerang neigh again.

"They're properly just tying them up. They'll be ok. It's us we need to worry about." She quickly looked back at the girl, to see if the dressing had stopped the wound from bleeding, but she could see that it hadn't hampered the bleeding at all. "Oh no."

"What's wrong?" Pru asked, trying to turn around to see what Kate was worried about.

"It's bled right through." Kate looked around, trying to see what else they could use. "Have you got anything else?" She looked at the three girls, and they shook their heads. Then she felt her letter opener in her pocket and quickly began to cut strips off her skirt to pack the wound. "I hope this works."

Lucky heard the men coming back. "Quick, hide the letter opener, it might be our ticket out of here."

Kate slipped the little knife back in her pocket just as the men's torch filled the cavern with light again. She looked back up at the men, the kids crowding in around her. "What do you want?"

Josh laughed meanly as he looked into her eyes. "Well, it's quite simple. I want that girl and that horse, and the four of you are in my way." He grabbed Kate's arm and dragged her away from the girls. "Tie them up." He threw the men rope, then shoved Kate down on the ground and tied her up hand and foot. "You guys can just sit tight for tonight, we'll be leaving in the morning."

"But the girl won't make it through the night." Kate protested as she tried to move her hands so that the rope wouldn't bite anymore. "She needs to get to a doctor."

"Well, it makes our job easier." He laughed. "With her dead, that horse is ours."

"That's not fair!" Abigail yelped as one of the other men tied her up. "He's not yours."

Josh turned around and looked at Abigail. "That girl killed three of my best men. It's a shame I couldn't be bothered to shoot her again, it's better to just let her die slowly." He chuckled ghastly. "Less loud."

"You shot her?" Pru asked. "Why?"

"Young lady, that horse is worth more money than all four of you will see in your entire lives, and he's as good as ours now."

"You'll never get him as long as we're here." Lucky growled as she tried to wriggle her hands out of the rope. "He doesn't belong to you!"

"Well, tomorrow, we can settle that, can't we?" He blew out their torch. "Sleep tight, and" He looked at Lucky and winked. "nothing can stop us from having that horse, especially not a bunch of girls." He and his men laughed as they walked back out of the cave, taking the lanterns with them.

Kate tried to move back over to the girls, but the ropes were stopping her from getting anywhere. It took her awhile and a lot of huffing and puffing, but eventually she managed to get back over to them. "Are you all alright?"

"I'm okay." Abigail replied, sniffling. "But I don't like the dark."

"What about you Lucky and Pru?"

"I'm fine." Pru reassured. "But I'm not liking the chances of getting out of here alive. They seem pretty certain about what they're going to do."

Lucky began to feel nauseous, and the knock she had taken on her head giving her a headache. "I'm feeling sick."

"Feeling sick, as in want to throw up sick?" Abigail asked. "Cause if you're going to vomit, let me know so I can get out of the way."

"Yes, and my head hurts." Lucky admitted as she leaned her head back against the wall. "It really hurts."

Kate moved closer over to her. "Do you feel dizzy?"

"Yeh."

"You've probably got concussion." Kate sighed. "Just try and rest, Lucky."

"But how are we going to get out of this?"

"You let me worry about that, Lucky." She reached in her pocket, trying to get her letter opener out, but when she did, it wouldn't cut the rope. "I think we need to think of something else."

"Spirit!" Lucky said, sitting up again, then a wave of dizziness overcame her, and she flopped over, landing on Kate's lap. "He wasn't with the horses, he might have gone to get help."

"I hope your right Lucky." Abigail butted in. "Cause I'm hungry."

"Hunger isn't the least of your worries!" Pru exploded. "We're in here, trapped, tied up and possibly getting killed tomorrow, and your worried about your stomach."

"Girls, quieten down." Kate commanded as she felt Lucky shudder at the noise. "Lucky has a bad headache, and the noise is only going to make it worse."

"Sorry Lucky." Pru apologized.

"I'm sorry too Lucky."

"It's okay Abigail." Lucky assured. "I hope that someone finds that note, and comes looking for us."

"I hope so too, Lucky." Kate agreed. "Now, shall I tell you girls a story?"

Cora was setting the table when Jim walked into the dining room, humming a little tune. "How was your trip?"

"Good." Jim replied as he sat down. "Where's Lucky?"

"I'm not sure." Cora admitted as she placed the salad bowl on the table. "I haven't seen her since she left for school this morning. I'm sure she's coming."

Jim looked at the clock as it struck six. "I'll just go and see if she's in the barn. She could be out there with Abigail and Pru." He stood up. "I won't be long."

"I'll keep your food warm for you."

"Thanks Sis." He grabbed his jacket then stood up and walked out of the house again, heading for the Granger's barn. As he opened the door, he looked in to see that the girls three horses were missing. "Lucky?" His only answer was Governor trotting over and nudging him with his nose. "Oh, Governor. Off you go." He gave the foal a carrot from the barrel. "Go on." Governor turned and trotted back to his stall, and Jim left the barn, going to the Granger's house. He jogged up the stairs, and knocked on the door. "Al?"

Al heard the knock and opened the door. "Jim, come in."

"No, I can't stay. Have you seen Lucky?"

"No." He shook his head. "Come to think of it, I haven't seen any of the girls."

"That's odd." Jim looked slightly worried. "Thanks, I'll go check over at the Stone's, they might have stopped there."

"Alright, when you see Pru, tell her to get over here."

"Sure." Jim walked away from the house, and made his way over to the Stone's, to get the same answer. After he had stopped there, he stood at the door, wondering what was going on, then he saw a light still on in the school house. "Maybe they're there?" He whispered to himself as he walked over, then as he walked in, he saw that the school was empty. "Strange." He went to walk out the door when he saw the note on the table and went over and read it. "Oh, no." He turned off the light, then ran out of the school, back to the Granger's.

"Jim, come back to join us for dinner?" Al joked as he saw Jim back at the door.

"Al, we have a big problem." Jim showed him the note. "We have to go find them."

"What about the Marshal, where's he?"

"He's out of town." Jim grabbed the Sheriff badge out of his pocket and placed it on his vest. "I got landed with the sheriff job till he gets back."

"Lucky you." Al grabbed his jacket, then walked out the door with Jim. "Any idea where they might have gone?"

"Not sure." Jim looked at the house. "I need to tell Cora I'm going after them. You saddle the horses."

"Right." Al ran to the corral and Jim ran off to the house.

"Ah, your dinner's still hot." Cora said as he ran in the door. "What's the rush? It's not going anywhere."

"I can't talk Cora." Jim said as he ran in and got his saddlebags and rifle. "Kate and the girls have gone after Jenny." He showed her the note, so she understood what had happened. "I need to find them."

"Be careful, Jim." Cora said as she handed him the box of ammunition. "Stay safe."

"I'll be fine, but I really must dash. Thanks." He ran out the door to where Al was waiting. "I've got everything, let's go." He mounted Sorrel and they were about to ride out of town when the Marshal cantered in.

"Jim, Al, what's going on?"

"Kate, Lucky, Abigail and Pru have ridden out looking for Jenny." He handed the Marshal the note. "I found this in the school, it's from Kate."

"Any idea which way they went?"

"No, but we have to try to find them."

"Your right." Ben looked at the rising moon, and the clouds that were beginning to form. "We have to start somewhere, and there's a storm coming in, it will wash away any tracks. We have to go now.""

"Right. H'yah." Jim dug his heels into Sorrel, but then Spirit came galloping up from the other direction. "Spirit!"

Spirit reared up as he stopped, then neighed loudly, trying to get them to follow. He looked at them, then neighed again desperately, as if he was trying to speak.

Jim looked at Ben and Al, then without a word, they dashed after him, urging the horses into a fast gallop after the buckskin stallion.

Spirit looked back to make sure that the men were following him, then he jumped as lightning struck a tree, knocking it over their path. He was going too fast to stop in time, and he fell over the burning tree, rolling over a couple of times.

Jim and the other two pulled their horses to a stop. "Spirit?" He saw the stallion get up on the other side of the burning tree and gave a sigh of relief, then he turned to the next problem, getting around or over the log. There was no way around it, they had to go over. "Get up Sorrel." He kicked the horse hard, then the horse bolted forward, the others following him. His horse galloped closer to the burning tree, then he leapt it. "Show us, Spirit."

Spirit shook his head, to get his bearings back, then he galloped on, leading them on higher and higher up into the mountains.

"He's headed for Rock Shard Canyon." Al said as he steadied his horse for a jump over the creek. "It's a huge maze in there."

Ben looked into the distance, watching the gathering clouds, the moon disappearing from sight. "That's going to be a big doozy when that storm breaks, there's that mountain stream up there. It's already full, when it overflows-"

"It will flood the canyon." Jim finished the sentence. "We have to hurry if they're in there, they won't make it." He urged his horse on faster, the rest of the group doing the same thing, following Spirit up the trail, the angry clouds dancing with lightning and sounds of thunder…

The girls had fallen asleep, but they woke up with start as a loud clap of thunder rumbled through the canyon, the sound vibrating the cave.

"What was that?" Abigail asked as she leapt up. "Was that your stomach?"

"No." Kate replied, seeing lightning flashing outside the cave. "It's a storm, and it's a bad one."

"The river!" Lucky said as she sat up, then fell back down. "Ouch, my head."

"Is your headache getting worse?" Kate asked as she felt Lucky shivering. "Are you alright?"

Lucky tried to nod, but her head was pounding like there was a stampede inside. "It's really getting bad, but we have bigger problems then just the men or my headache. If the river higher up overflows, this whole place will flood."

Kate heard the concern in Lucky's voice. "We'll get out." She began to feel the ropes on her hands with her teeth, figuring out what type of knots she was tied with, then she set to work and soon her hands were freed, then she untied the ropes around her feet. "Right girls, I've gotten free, now I'll get you all untied."

"Hurry Miss Flores." Pru said as she heard the thunder rumbling. "The storm is going to break any moment."

Thunder tried to stand up, but the ropes he was tied with stopped him from moving. He gave a long sigh as he laid his head down again, utterly exhausted. He looked at the men, sitting around the fire and whinnied for Jenny, then he saw the men walking back over to him.

"Shut up." Josh said as he hit the horse hard on the face with his whip, tearing long strips off his muzzle.

Thunder growled low in his chest, bellowing with anger he leapt up again, trying to get free, snapping the ropes like they were string. He was free, and now it was time to get his owner away from these men. He reared up as one of the other men tried to lasso him and dodged it, neighing loudly, Boomerang and Chicalinda catching his anger. The two horses grabbed the ropes they were tied with in their teeth and yanked back, then they were free.

Thunder turned around and kicked one of the men in the chest as the man went to grab the rope, then he neighed again, louder, roaring his challenge to them, the thunder he was named for spitting through the air. He reared again, pounding one of the men with his hooves as lightning lit up the sky.

"He's gone mad!" One of the men yelled as he went for his rifle, but Boomerang got to it first, kicking it down the cliff they were fighting on, the gun going off as it hit a rock below, then fell into the river. He jumped back as Boomerang charged at him, almost falling off the cliff, but then Boomerang was caught in a rope and thrown to the ground.

Thunder saw Boomerang get caught by the rope and charged at the man holding onto it. He was getting desperate, not sure what to do, but he didn't know that help was on the way. He turned around, kicking out at the men to get Boomerang free, the storm above finally pouring its contents on the earth.

When Jim heard the shot, he kicked his horse faster, following Spirit, then he heard the horse's neighs, and men shouting. "That way." He kicked Sorrel faster, catching up to Spirit and passing him. He looked at the three horses dealing with the men, then he realised what had happened. He looked at the other two men as they stopped beside him. "They've taken them hostage."

Ben looked around and saw the cave. "Your right." He looked around, then looked back at Jim. "I have a little plan."

By the time that Kate had undone the other's ropes, she could hear the thunder getting louder, and they could hear the horses fighting with the men. "We have to get out of here." She looked at Pru and Abigail. "You two help Lucky, I'll carry Jenny." She picked up Jenny and was about to lead the way out when she felt a hand clasp over her mouth.

"Kate, it's me, Jim." Jim said as he held her, so she didn't scream and alert the men. "We have to get out of here. Let's go." He felt the girls behind Kate. "Link hands now, and follow me." He led them out of the cave, then they slunk along the cliff face, back to where Al and Ben where waiting.

"Are you all alright?" Ben asked as he ran over to them.

"We're fine." Kate replied, then looked at Jenny in her arms. "But Jenny has been shot, we have to get her back to the doctor now." She saw Abigail and Pru holding Lucky up, and she could see that Lucky was going to faint. "Jim, Lucky!"

Jim saw Lucky staggering, then he caught her as she fell. He looked up at the dark clouds, then at the men who were still after the horses, not knowing that their hostages had escaped. He placed Lucky on Sorrel, then mounted. "Girls, call your horses, then run for it." He heard another clap of thunder, then it began to pour, really pour. "It's already been raining higher up the mountain, we have to go." He looked at Kate, wondering how she was going to get out, she couldn't go with him because of Lucky. "Kate-"

"Jim, go, take Lucky and get out. I'll get Thunder and meet you." Kate saw him go to argue. She handed Jenny to Al, then looked back at Jim. "Go!"

"Kate-"

"GO!" She yelled at him, then ran back to the horses, Abigail and Pru following her.

"Boomerang!" Abigail called, a safe distance away from the men. "Over here!"

"Chicalinda, here girl!" Pru called, the mare galloping towards her at the call. She leapt up onto the mare, then galloped off after Jim and her father, Abigail on Boomerang at her side.

Kate saw Thunder fighting off the last three men, and she saw him getting desperate. She had to do something, he was corned on the edge of the cliff that overlooked the rising river, about to go over. She saw a pistol on the ground, and ran over and picked it up, then shot it off into the air. "Don't make me shoot you!" She yelled as the men stopped and turned to her.

"You wouldn't use that. You couldn't kill a man." Josh sneered as he walked towards her, dropping the rope he had been holding on Thunder. "You don't have the guts."

Kate cocked and fired the gun again, this time knocking off the man's hat. "Next one I aim." She looked at Thunder, who was still near the cliff, then she heard a roar that meant the river had overflown. "Thunder, come." She yelled, then leapt onto a rock, ready to jump on.

Thunder galloped forward, knocking the men over as he ran to Kate, slowing down, intending to stop so she could get on. He gave a surprised whinny as the woman jumped on his back, not even waiting for him to stop.

"Come on, Thunder!" Kate yelled over the sound of the thunder, and the rushing water. "We have to go."

Jim, the girls and the two men galloped their horses through the rain, up to the top of the trail, then slid to a stop. "Where's Kate?" He asked as the girls galloped to him and stopped. "Isn't she behind you?"

"She was right with." Abigail paused. "Us." She looked back down the trail. "She's coming."

Jim looked around Lucky, down the trail. "Come on, Kate, please." He held Lucky with his arm around her waist, but he was more worried by the fact that Kate wasn't with them. "Come on, Kate."

Lucky suddenly looked up, and realised that her dad was right, Kate wasn't with them, but neither was Spirit and Thunder. "Spirit?" She asked weakly. "Where's Spirit?"

Pru looked down the trail, then saw the buckskin stallion galloping up to them. "He's right here Lucky." She looked back down, then saw the trail beginning to wash away. "Oh, no, the trail!"

Jim looked down, and saw what Pru was worried about. "It's washing out from the rain. Oh, Kate, hurry."

Ben looked around as he heard the sound of a lot of running water. "The river, its overflowing! Quick, we have to go higher, now." He kicked his horse into a canter, not daring to gallop because of the slippery mud. "Hurry!"

"Yah!" Pru kicked her horse to make her go, then grabbed Boomerang's reins and dragged him along, Abigail too frightened to steer her own horse.

Jim looked back at the trail, then he heard the gunshot. "Kate!"

Lucky looked at her dad. "Dad, we have to go, we can't do anything."

"Your right Lucky." Jim sighed as he let Sorrel have his head, then he heard the second shot. He wanted to believe that she was okay, he wanted to go to her, but he had Lucky with him. He knew he needed to get Lucky to safety, all he could do for Kate was pray that somehow she was okay.

Thunder dug his hooves into the mud, trying to escape the rising river, but the rain was washing out the trail. He leapt forward, trying to gain traction on the shifting ground. He wished his rider could help, but he knew she couldn't do anything. He felt himself began to slide, and he heard the river roaring down the gully, then he bolted forward, throwing everything he had into getting to the top of the trail.

They were almost at the top of the trail when Thunder's back leg slipped out from underneath him. Thunder panicked, trying to get his footing back, and he could feel his rider slipping. Don't fall off! He thought as he grabbed onto a boulder with his teeth, to steady himself, then he stood, shaking like a leaf at the top of the trail.

Kate herself was panicking, but she held on, trying to stay still so that the stallion could get his footing, then she gave a sigh of relief as she felt the horse stop sliding. She looked around, then saw the water. It was almost to the top of the trail. Adrenaline took over, and she thumped her heels into the stallion's flanks. "Hurry boy!"

Thunder felt the rider's determination in her kick, and he leapt forward, getting to the top of the trail in three big bounds, just as the river washed away the rest of the trail.

Kate sat shaking on the horse's back, the rain still pouring down in trainloads. She looked down at the river, as the three men were carried away by the current and knew that she could have been in it too, if it wasn't for the horse he was on. She patted his wet neck, trying to calm herself, as well as the stallion. "Thanks boy." She looked around through the pounding rain, trying to see Jim and the others, but they weren't in sight. "We have to find them, we have to find the way back." She suddenly realized how tired so was, and tried to fight the urge to sleep, the stress of everything overwhelming her and she slumped forward over the saddle.

Thunder pricked his ears up, trying to listen for the sound of the other horses, then a bolt of lightning struck a rock next to them, breaking the boulder in half. He reared in fright, then took off at a gallop, not watching where he was going.

As he galloped down the trail, suddenly Spirit appeared next to him, guiding him onto a different trail. "What are you doing Spirit?"

Spirit snorted as they galloped on through the rain. "This is a shortcut, we will come out of the canyon in front of the others." He saw Thunder's uncertainty. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." He looked at the rider on Thunder's back. "But she doesn't."

"Tell me about it." Thunder huffed as he felt her slid again. "She's been all over the place."

"That's because she's asleep." Spirt said as he looked at her. "She needs to be awake, the trail gets harder around the next corner." He quickly nipped Kate gently, then galloped on in front of Thunder. "This way."

Kate woke up suddenly when she felt the horse nip her, then she saw Spirit leading them through the canyon. When did he show up? She thought as they rounded a corner, then she saw that it was a dead end, blocked by a large rock fall. "Oh no."

Spirit didn't slow down as he saw the fallen boulders, instead he took a giant leap, landed on one boulder, then jumped again, landing at the top. "Follow my lead, Thunder!"

Thunder could feel his rider's unbalanced weight, then he shifted so that her weight was even so he could make the jump, and he leapt, following the same thing that Spirit had done.

"Good work." Spirit snorted as Thunder joined him, then he turned and galloped off again, Thunder beside him. "We have to hurry, I can hear a rockslide!"

Thunder pricked up his ears, and he could hear it too. Stretching his neck out, he galloped harder and faster, passing Sprit. "Can you keep up if I go faster?"

Spirit quickened to catch up to him. "Sure, we just have to get out of this part of the canyon. It's not much further now." He could hear the rocks at the top of the cliff starting to slide, and as he glanced up, he could see the start of the slide. "Faster! Now!"

Thunder asked every little of strength from his body as he sped past Spirit. He was going even faster then he had galloped in the race he had won, but this was another race for his life, this time the threat wasn't men, but at that moment, he thought he would have preferred the men. He galloped on, feeling Spirit's muzzle on his rump as Spirit guided him out of the collapsing canyon.

Kate looked up as a big rock fell on the trail in front of them, then realized that the stallion was going to jump again. They were almost out of the canyon, but the rock was in the way. She held on tighter to the saddle horn, preparing for the jump.

Thunder saw the rock fall, and he knew he should slow down, but with the combination of a downhill slope, mixed with the mud, he knew it wasn't going to happen. He counted the strides to the rock, three, two, one, then leapt as high as he could manage, scraping his stomach on the boulder as he went over, but he landed safe and sound on the other side. He heard Spirit make the jump, then Spirit was beside him again, urging him on.

"Come on, they'll come out this way." He turned and galloped off in the pouring rain, shaking the rain off his mane as he ran.

Thunder followed Spirit, hoping that the other stallion was right. Normally he would fight any rival stallions, but this one was different. He saw Spirit stop, then he, then he began to slow as well, then stopped beside him, his head down panting. His legs felt like jelly, and the wounds that he had gotten for his trouble were bleeding badly. He felt his legs start to shake, then he collapsed on the ground, too tired to move.

"Thunder!" Kate exclaimed as she got off him and dragged the horse's head onto her lap, not worrying that she was sitting in a huge mud puddle. "Thunder, take it easy boy."

"Thunder?" Spirit asked as he nudged the black stallion. "You can't give up."

"I'm not." Thunder replied. "I just need a break."

Spirit nodded his head. "I'm going to get the others. I'll be back." He reared up and galloped off, into the other canyon.

"Easy boy, easy." Kate soothed as she stocked the horse's face. "You'll be fine."

Thunder whinnied gently at her as he buried his nose in her hand. She better have some apples for me after this. He huffed a huge sigh, his breath turning to mist in the rain.

Spirit found the group a little way into the canyon. He galloped up to them, then back around and raced in front of them, whinnying to the horses. "This way." He led them back to where he had left Kate and Thunder, then slid to a stop beside them.

"Kate!" Jim yelled as he saw her next to the stallion on the ground, then he dismounted Sorrel and ran over to her. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Kate reassured, then she looked back down at the stallion. "But Thunder's exhausted. He can't go on."

Al rode over to them, still holding Jenny. "I'm going to take her back, we have to hurry." He turned his horse around, then looked at Pru. "Pru, come with me!"

"Sure dad." She turned Chicalinda around, then galloped after her father.

Jim looked back at Lucky. "You ok honey?"

Lucky didn't answer, but instead she nodded to her father.

"We have to get back, the storm's getting worse."

"But what about Thunder?"

Jim looked at the stallion. "Can he get up?"

Spirit walked back over to the stallion. "You have to get up. You can't stay here any longer."

Thunder looked at Spirit. "It's no use, I'm too tired. I give up."

"No, you can't." Spirit stamped his hoof. "Your owner hasn't given up, and you must get up!"

"Jenny!" Thunder neighed, then leapt up, looking around. "Where is she?"

"Take it easy Thunder." Spirit nudged the stallion with his muzzle. "She's getting taken to town now."

"Phew." Thunder shook the rain out of his mane. "That's a relief."

"Looks like he had a miraculous recovery." Jim said as he looked at the stallion, then he helped Kate get to her feet. "He can't be ridden, he's too tired." He looked at Spirit, then at Sorrel. "Lucky can't ride Spirit in her condition, and you can't ride bareback, I'll take him. You ride Sorrel."

"Right." Kate walked over to the horse, and Jim helped her up, then she placed her arm around Lucky. "You okay?"

"Yeh." Lucky replied weakly. "I'll be fine."

Jim got up on Spirit, talking quietly to the stallion the entire time. "Let's go, h'yah Spirit."

Spirit shook his head, then cantered off, Thunder and Sorrel following him. The rain was pouring down, pounding, pounding on them. He snorted as they cantered through the forest, then he could hear Thunder lagging behind. "Thunder, you all right?" He whinnied.

"I'm, okay." Thunder neighed back. "How much longer?"

"A couple more miles, but I know a shortcut." He turned off the trail, the other's following. "This leads right to town, and we're only a little further away. Hang in there, Thunder."

Jim smiled as he saw Miradero in the distance. They were almost home. "Not long now Lucky."

Spirit and the other horses slid to a stop outside the Prescot house. Jim jumped off Spirit and Kate handed him down Lucky. "Abigail, you go take the horses to the barn, then you get yourself home before you catch cold."

"Sure Mr. Prescot. Its way past their bed time." She dismounted a sleeping Boomerang, then woke him up. "Come on, you can sleep soon." She grabbed the reins and dragged him to the barn, the other's following.

Kate opened the door for Jim and he carried Lucky into the house. "I'm so glad to be out of the rain."

Cora came downstairs, the doctor walking beside her. She gasped when she saw Jim carrying Lucky in. "What happened?"

"She hit her head." Kate replied. "I think she has concussion."

"We best get her upstairs." Doc Wilkins said. "I've already attended to Jenny."

Jim carried Lucky upstairs, and then walked out, leaving Cora to change her out of her wet clothes. He went and changed his cloths, then he grabbed Kate one of Cora's spare dresses and walked back down to her. "Here, you can go put these on."

Kate took the dress he handed to her. "Thanks." She walked out, then quickly came back, in dry clothes. She walked over to him and sat down beside him on the couch. "She'll be okay."

"Oh, I'm not worried about that." Jim said as he handed her a blanket to wrap herself in. "I'm still getting over the scare you gave me."

"You mean, the fact that I didn't follow the girls?"

Jim chuckled a little. "Yes, then the gunshots. I though they shot you."

"Oh, no, it wasn't them shooting at me. I was shooting at them, to get them away from Thunder. They had him cornered on the cliff overlooking the river, and they were going to push him over the edge. I got the gun and scared them off, then Thunder helped me get away. We almost didn't make it either, then Spirit led us out."

Jim placed his arm around Kate. "I'm just glad your okay, and the girls too. I was so worried about all of you, when I read the note. Don't you scare me like that again!" He gently scolded, then turned serious. "Did those men make it out?"

"No." Kate replied. "They got carried away from the river."

"I'll assist the Marshal in finding them tomorrow. I want them behind bars if they're still alive. What happened anyway?"

"They must have followed the tracks." Kate explained as she wrapped the blanket tighter around herself. "They came into the cave and tied us all up. They wanted Thunder. They must have been after him and Jenny for ages. They needed us out of the way, and they were planning on." She paused. "Well, we weren't going to be seen alive again."

"They were planning to murder the four of you?" Jim asked in disbelief.

"Yes." Kate replied simply. "I'm just glad you got there when you did, we wouldn't have gotten away from the river if you hadn't helped us out."

"That explains why Jenny shot those three men at the school yesterday. She was trying to get away from them." Jim was interrupted by Cora and Doc Wilkens walking into the room. "How's Lucky, and Jenny?"

"Lucky's got concussion." Wilkins explained as he closed up his bag. "But she'll be fine. Jenny on the other hand…"

"What about Jenny?" Kate asked, concerned. "Is she okay?"

Doc Wilkins sighed as he looked at her. "She's lost a lot of blood, and if the wound gets infected, she won't make it. She's very weak, and emaciated from lack of food, and with the gunshot, the outlook isn't good. She'll need twenty-four hour around the clock care, that's if she makes it through the night."

"Well, you won't have to worry about that." Cora butted in as she walked over to them. "I'll look after her, Kate and I can take turns watching her."

"Good idea." He nodded, then saw the clock, the hands pointing to the early hours of the morning. "I'm going to go home now, get me of either of them get worse."

"Alright." Jim replied. "I'll walk you out." He and the doctor walked out of the room.

Cora looked at Kate. "Are you alright, my dear?"

Kate nodded. "I'm fine." She shivered as she thought of the days events. "I'm just glad that Jim got to us when he did, or we wouldn't be here."

Cora gasped. "What happened?" She saw the bruises on Kates wrists. "The men found you?"

"Yes, all of us. They wanted the horse." Kate looked up the stairs. "I'm going to sit with Jenny, if that's alright."

"I'll come with you." Cora replied as they walked up to Lucky's room. They had made a makeshift cot in the corner for Jenny, so that it was easier for her to look after them. She handed Kate another blanket. "Your thoroughly chilled through."

"I know." Kate replied as she shivered. "It's freezing out there." She sat on the chair beside Jenny and yawned. "I'm so tired."

"You grab some sleep, I'll watch them." Cora said gently as she handed Kate a pillow. "Go on, you need it."