Stevie Rae

While I was walking home my best friend Zoey Redbird joined me. "Oh my goodness, Stevie Rae!"

"Zoey." I stopped for a while she ran up. She had her black hair down with a brown bow tied on the back of her hair. She wore her favorite white, tan and brown dress with the ruffles at the edges with the brown tied corset with the flowing skirt down to the floor. I saw glimpses of her brown little heeled shoes when she ran. Once she caught up I started walking again.

"Stevie Rae, was it true that you came riding in town on the back of a Black Raven horse? And behind a Black Raven himself!"

I rolled my eyes and suppressed a sigh. "It was no big deal Z. I was kidnapped by the outlaws, and they stopped them and he asked me to take me home." I shrugged to emphasize it.

She scoffed. "I would have been scared crapless. I would have—"

"Oh my gosh!" I stop suddenly. "Is Dallas ok?"

"Did you know just think of him?" Zoey gave me a puzzled look. "If I were you he would have been my first thought."

"Zoey, is he ok?"

"Yeah he's fine. Just a little woozy but he'll get over it." I sigh and continue walking. "So… What exactly after you got kidnapped Stevie Rae?"

I looked at her. She stared back at me with a caring and concerned look. I look around and sigh. "Look, it really wasn't no big deal. Like I said, got kidnapped, rescued, brought here."

"Did you get rescued on purpose?"

"No. They didn't even know I was there." I looked away, feelin' somehow sad by the fact.

Zoey skipped in front and starred at my face. "I know that look." She stopped and I had to stop too to prevent from runnin' into her. "Stevie Rae Johnson, you fell for one of them didn't you?" She gave me a mocking look.

"What?" I was utterly surprised. Me? And a Black Raven? As if. "No Zoey. Why would ya say that?"

She shrugged. "Alright. But I'm just saying I wouldn't blame you. I personally haven't seen an actual Black Raven, I wasn't in that part of the town when they came in, but by what some people descried, they are just gorgeous." She shot me a smile. "I bet they're even prettier up close huh?" She giggled impassively and I shook my head though I knew that she was right, about the gorgeous part not the fallin' part. We continued walking again and at the edge of the town we stopped to say our goodbyes. "So I guess your dad's going to chew you out when he gets home huh?"

"I don't see why he can't just appreciate them for bring me home and saving me. I know he hates the Black Ravens but they could have done worse things to me if their leader Rephiam wasn't there."

"The leader? Rephiam?" She gave me a weird look. "No, Stevie Rae the leader and founder of the Black Ravens is Kalona. Rephiam is his first son."

"Really?" I look down at the dirt. Something must have happened and Rephiam took over. Then something his me. "Wait a moment. How do you know this?"

"Come on Stevie Rae." She smirked. "When you live out here, where those Ravens ride around, its best if you learned, and quick." I had to give it to her. She had a point. "Well, I better get going. Still got some town cleaning and fixing to do."

"See ya Z."

"Bye girl." She waved and walked off back in the direction we just came from. I turned and saw my house on the hill. I sighed and started going towards the house.

The Black Ravens/No POV

The horses drank from the water while their riders battled it out. "I told you it was a bad idea. We should have just listened to me!" Amaro yelled as he paced in front of Rephiam. Chogan raised a brow and put his flute to his lips and started playing. "Chogan! Do you have to do that now?" Chogan stopped but he didn't take the flute from his lips.

"You continue Chogan." Rephiam quietly said. He looked at his younger brother. "Amaro could use some music to calm him down." Amaro glared at him while Chogan continued. Rephiam then looked towards Hotah. "Hotah how is Dark Shadow?"

"Your horse is alright now chief." He patted the black horse's mighty neck. "Just got frightened by the gun shot. The others were just worried for him. They though he got shot, did not see the girl push the gun down."

Amaro scoffed. "That girl. We should have just taken her."

The others groaned except for Rephiam and Chogan who was busy with his music. "Just forget it Amaro. It is done." Hothlepoya stated as he went over and helped his brother wash down the horses and ravens.

"Yeah, and stop causin' all this trouble." Reid added while he shined his rifle. "You're giving me a headache."

"I will give you a headache white Indian." Amaro started his was towards Reid.

"Oh I would stop right there if I were you; I got a gun 'member?" Reid pointed the fully loaded barrel towards Amaro who stopped.

Rephiam shook his head and stood. "You are all acting like children."

"And what Rephiam?" Amaro challenged. "Do you see what your orders led to? If our father were here this would not happen."

"If you rather have father lead then leave the tribe and join him." Rephiam countered. Amaro stayed quiet and looked away. "That is what I thought." He looked on towards the rest of the tribe. "You all understand that what he did was wrong, and that he betrayed us." He looked back towards his brother. "Amaro, you do not want to go with him because you do not want to betray us. You will never do what he did, especially to Swift." A raven flew over and landed on Amaro's shoulder. He smiled at his raven and softly stroked the bird's chest. Rephiam turned his attention onto Hothlepoya and Hotah. "Once you are finished washing down the horses we move again." With that he sat back down and looked out towards the land before him.

Johnson House/No POV

Stevie Rae lay on her bed contemplating what had happened. She just couldn't come across the reason why her father was so cross. Sure the Black Ravens are infamous for the trouble they cause but if it had been her daughter that was kidnapped she would have just been glad that her daughter was brought safely home. Another thing she couldn't understand was the kindness emanating from the leader; he hardly acted like a Black Raven and was much different by the others, especially his brother Amaro. Stevie Rae heard the front door opened followed by the sound of it closing again then the sound of not one, but two pairs of boots crossing the floor towards the stairs. She sat up and looked at her closed bedroom door. The sound became louder and louder and she could only think about the outlaws coming in and whisking her away. Then a knock came from the door. "Stevie Rae." Her father's voice sounded. "Are you in there?"

Stevie Rae stopped herself from rolling her eyes. Where else could she have gone in the house? If Savannah was in her stable she would have gone there but she was with her father. "Yes." Without another word her father and Dallas walked into the bedroom. Her father sat on the edge of the bed while Dallas stood by the door looking around her room. Her room was plain and simple, white walls with white furniture, a full length mirror and a closet filled with her clothing and shoes. Another guy has never been in her room before besides her dad and that doesn't really count in her opinion. She tore her eyes from Dallas and looked at her father. "Yes?"

"I just wanted to tell you that you will always have someone else with you from now on and Dallas will be the one to accompany you."

"What?" She stood and looked at Dallas before looking back at her father. "Is this because of the Black Ravens?"

"It isn't just about the savages Stevie Rae." He stood, emphasizing what he's saying. "You were taken by outlaws as well and I can't afford that to happen again risk another encounter with them."

"But Dallas was there and he couldn't do crap to stop them!"

"Stevie Rae!" Both her father and Dallas yelled.

"I can assure you sir I did everything to stop the bandits from taking her." Dallas put in quickly as he took steps towards her father.

"Oh please." Stevie Rae said with disdain. "You pulled out your little gun and not once fired the thing. What were you afraid to stand up and fight?"

"Stevie Rae it's not—"

"Stop it you two!" Her father intervened. "Stevie Rae he'll be your escort and you will one day marry him no matter what."

"But father-!"

"That is final Stevie Rae. Do I make myself clear?" Stevie Rae looked down but she glared at her father through the hair that fell over her eyes. "Is that clear?"

"Yes father."

"Good. I'm going back to work. Dallas, you'll stay here and watch her." Her father turned and left. Silence spread throughout the household until the front door opened and closed signifying that Jimmy Johnson left the house.

"I can't believe you would say that in front of your father Stevie Rae." He quietly said to her.

"It was nothing against you Dallas." She replied as she sat back down on her bed. "I just don't want an escort. It's stupid."

"Are you saying that your safety doesn't matter?" Dallas sat down beside her and took one of her hands. He brought it up to his lips and placed a small kiss on the back of her hand. "'Cause it should matter. I don't want you to end up dead 'cause you don't care."

"Dallas—"

"Shh…" Dallas raised his other hand and brought it up to grasp her chin. He was leaning in when Stevie Rae pulled away.

"I-I can't right now. I have to go." She ran out of the room.

"Wait! Stevie Rae!" Dallas ran after her. He chased her down the stairs but by the time he reached the stairs she was out of the house and running towards the barn where she could hide. He ran out of the house and looked frantically around the yard. He went towards the barn and looked around poorly before going back out. Stevie Rae panted and swallowed while she sat in the hay loft of the barn. She couldn't kiss Dallas yet. Not with her thoughts on Rephiam.

Sorry it took a while. I went to Tennessee for Thanksgiving and I couldn't really type a lot (even though I had my grandparents laptop) because I was just so freaking busy. Anyways, review.