Disclaimer I own very little, especially not CSI NY.
Notes Chapter 7; blizzards, wolves and danger ahead… Mac's point of view again, so I hope that's okay.
Thank you for all reviews, please continue! They're a great help with writing, and I really appreciate knowing what you think of this story. Thanks for all alerts and favourites; to iluvCSI4ever for discussion; to chrysalis escapist and afrozenheart412 for extra thoughts; and to Blue Shadowdancer for letting me use half her name for Mac's horse and for discussing peril XD
Once Upon A Time In the Old West
Chapter 7: Dances With Wolves
Mac:
We're ridin' real close together, with the flanks of my horse almost touchin' Stella's horse, so as we don't lose sight of each other. If that were to happen, I don't know that we'd ever find each other again out here, as the sky's dark as pitch and the snow whirling round is as good as blindin'. The blizzard ain't the only danger we're facin' neither; those wolves ain't ceasin' to howl. They're timid beasts usually, no danger or bother to folk, being more scared of us than we are of them, but in weather like this, hunger drives out their usual fear. They get a sniff of anythin' like food, and they'll go for it with all the sharpness of tooth and claw they got. And they don't care if their prey's man or beast.
Stella and I've each got a hurricane lantern hung on our saddles, and with the light they're casting, I can see dim shapes runnin' level with us, and runnin' closer and closer each time I look. They're gettin' bolder, and in a moment I reckon we're gonna have to be firin' off some warnin' shots at the very least. I catch a glimpse of yellow eyes blazin' in the light and a flash of teeth in an open jaw as Stella lifts her lantern up. There's the look of a desperate killer in those eyes, and it sends a chill through me.
They're too close.
"We gotta go faster, Mac! Gotta try and outrun 'em before they spook the horses. And get your pistol ready!" Stella shouts and hooks her lantern back onto the saddle.
She's keepin' one hand on the reins whilst the other's pulling out a pistol. I'm doin' the same, as well as encouragin' my horse to put a spurt on. Still got a couple of miles to go before we reach the old gunpowder works, and a couple of miles is a long ride in a blizzard. We're galloping now, and the thud of my heart is almost as loud as the thud of hooves. Just hope this pace ain't gonna wear Blue out too soon.
Wouldn't have ridden out on any other horse on such a night as this. Heck, he's a beast that's got more sense and bravery than many a man I've encountered. Never needed to, and in truth never wanted to, use a whip or a spur on him. Even though it may be the fashion and practice in most parts, it ain't somethin' I believe in. Trainin' an animal to respond to encouragement and a gentle word is always gonna be more effective than usin' spurs and cruelty. Touch of my heels against his side is all he needs to follow my commands. We got an understandin' between us, built up over the years. Reckon he's picked up on the urgency of the situation as I can feel the anxiety in him; the muscles under his coat are real tense and his ears are laid back flat against his head. He's afraid sure enough, but he ain't gonna let me down.
Stella's horse, name of Blaze, is a fine and steady beast as well. She picked him out herself, and she's proved to have a real good eye in such matters, 'cause he's grown into one of the finest horses in Hattanville. It's taken her a deal of time and effort to get him this way though; when she bought him off of a frontiersman that was passin' through town a few years back, he was just a colt and wild as you like, but she saw the potential in him. Had a lot of folks tellin' her she was makin' one heck of a mistake spendin' money on such a flighty young creature. Told her too she'd never make a decent horse outta him, but that only made her more determined to prove 'em wrong. And prove 'em wrong she did, even though it cost her any number of bumps, bruises and even a coupla' broken bones from all the times that horse threw her off. Each time though, she got right back on him soon as she could.
Can't say I was happy about that side of it, especially when she suffered a real bad fall. Remember it was a boiling hot day in August and Blaze had gotten himself all worked up in the heat; Stella was tryin' to calm him when he bucked in a fit of temper and threw her clean off his back. I couldn't do anythin' to break her fall, and she landed hard against the stone gatepost of the paddock. It was down to nothin' but sheer luck that she didn't break her neck. As it was, the blow to her head knocked her out cold for nearly two days. Two of the longest days of my life. Ain't no word of a lie to say I've never been so glad to see someone open their eyes.
Of course, it weren't no surprise that the first thing Stella asked me after waking up was if the horse was all right. Then she asked if I was all right. That was when I knew she was all right, and could answer her truthfully that I was. Didn't surprise me neither that it was only a few days before she was back in the saddle, even though me and the Doc had asked and advised her to wait a few more days. But she's made of strong stuff and didn't suffer no harm from doin' so, even if my nerves suffered plenty. Gotta admit, I could've cheerfully never laid eyes on that horse again after the incident, but Stella weren't mad at him. Said she understood him gettin' angry in the heat, and it weren't his fault. It also made her more determined to succeed with him, and now there's a real connection between that horse and his mistress. It's fair to say they understand each other pretty good. Almost as good as Stella and me understand each other.
Reckon that horse and I came to something' of an understandin' too, as he ain't never thrown her off since. But much as I'd like to believe it was due to the words of warning I whispered in his ears right before she got back on, letting him know exactly what would happen to him if he ever threw her again, I know it was all due to her skill and persistence. Stella don't ever give up on a thing, and that's another thing I love about her, though I ain't ever told her so. Reckon it's somethin' I oughtta do some time…
However, I gotta keep my mind focused on the task ahead of us. I'm gonna have to leave my musings and rememberings for another time, 'cause I gotta make sure both of us get back safe and sound, so we can create more times to remember together. I look ahead to Stella, and even though I'm wishin' she was safe back in Hattanville, I'm still mighty glad she and her skills and persistence are accompanyin' me. Reckon we're gonna need each other to succeed in this task…
"Look out!"
Stella yells and there's a flash of grey fur, a gleam of teeth, and a snarl as something leaps up at my saddle. Before I can react, there's a shot and the wolf falls away with a whimper.
"You all right, Mac?" She's wheeled her horse round so I can catch up.
Takes me a moment to catch my breath before I can answer, "Thanks to you. Should've noticed him sooner."
She shakes her head, "Happened in a second. Saw him just as he was leapin' up."
"You hit him?"
Another shake of her head, "Fired a warnin' shot. Seems to have scared 'em off for now. Couldn't bring myself to hit him, it ain't their fault they're actin' like this." She looks me over, "You sure you're all right? Don't think I wouldn't have killed him if you'd been in real danger."
That makes me smile, "No need to be apologising, Stella. Truth is, I'm glad you didn't. It ain't a thing I like to do, kill a beast needlessly, and I know you're the same. But thanks, could've been a real nasty situation."
I get a flash of her smile, "Mac, you don't need to thank me. I did what you would've done, helped where I could. I saw your mind was havin' a moment to itself." She pauses, then asks, "What were you thinkin' about?"
"Just rememberin' some of the hard times you had with Blaze when you were breakin' him in, as I'd been considering what a fine animal he is now. Reckon there ain't many horses who'd stand for being out on a night such as this."
Blaze gets a loving pat on his neck from Stella and I get a smile, "You got that right, Mac. He's one of a kind, and you were a fine help to me throughout his trainin'. I ain't forgotten the time you spent watchin' and advising', and makin' sure I was all right, and all the times you gave me words of encouragement just when I needed 'em most. If I ain't said it before, I was mighty grateful for all you did."
Despite the snow settling down the back of my neck and freezing my skin, I get the warmest feelin' inside me when she says that, and I smile back. Even though the cold has near frozen solid the muscles in my face. Still, guess smilin's as good a way as any to warm muscles up.
"It was nothin'." I mumble, 'cause with my face muscles stiffened up in the cold, it's sorta' hard to get words out.
At that, her smile becomes a beam. Don't seem to be any cold affectin' the muscles in her face, but I ain't complainin'. Blaze is pressed right up close to Blue now and it means our knees are kinda' bumpin' together, but I ain't gonna complain about that neither. After my near miss with the wolf, we're both extra vigilant. Even with the warning shot, we still ain't managed to shake 'em off yet; I can hear the sounds of the pack rushin' along beside us. They're keepin' a little way back, but the fear in both of us is that they're gonna start snappin' at the heels of our horses, and try to bring us all down. We press on, and slowly but surely, those wolves get bolder and closer.
And suddenly one's leapin' up beside me again. Only this time I'm ready and fire at it. I still ain't gonna hit one if I can help it, and fortunately a warnin' does the trick again. But another one appears, this time alongside Stella, and it takes two shots - one from my pistol, one from hers - before it falls back with a feral snarl. The lantern light shows us the crazed eyes of starving and desperate creatures, and much as I'm fearin' for our safety, I can't help but feel pity for them.
Both of us are shaken, and it's gettin' a desperate situation. Stella's white-faced as she shouts, "We gotta do somethin' here! You got any ideas?"
I have, but they ain't the best. However, I reckon we can come up with somethin' between us, "How about we throw 'em some of the provisions Mrs Hammerback packed up for us? Might distract 'em long enough for us to get clear of 'em."
"I don't know, Mac. Might work, but might also make 'em think we're a good bet for more…"
A swift and snarling form tries another leap, and we fire in unison. But bullets are only gonna hold out for so long. Well, maybe a little longer dependin' on how many of her pistols Stella's brought with her. And I'm willin' to bet it's a fair few… Not that I'd be bettin' for real on such a matter; though I've heard rumours Mr Daniel Messer has. He sure has a desire for livin' dangerously. Wouldn't like to bet on his chances if Stella ever finds out exactly what he's gambling on. He's takin' a high risk gamble…
"Mac!"
More shots from Stella. We're surrounded now by a swirling mass of wolves.
"Keep firin', Stell, I'll throw out what food we can spare!"
She's holdin' them off, but she ain't gonna be able to for long; fast as she fires, the more determined those wolves seem to get and we're gonna have to start shootin' to kill. Sentiment ain't somethin' we can afford out here. Cold, hard practicality's gotta be the thing. I'm tossin' out whatever food I can lay my hands on from the saddle bags. Seems a crime to be wastin' such good victuals as the ones Mrs Hammerback's given us, but reckon this is cause for doin' so, and we still got the supplies Stella's carryin' in her saddle bags.
All of a sudden, I'm aware that I'm caught in one of the most dangerous situations of my life; for long, dark seconds time seems to kinda' freeze around me as I'm seein' the snow whirlin', the slavering jaws of those wolves, and beside me, Stella with fear in her eyes that's a rare sight indeed. A sight that puts fear in me.
This can't be where it all ends. It can't be…
But with one last shot from Stella's pistol, one last packet of food from my saddle bag, we're clear of the wolves. They fall back at last howlin' and scramblin' for the food in the snow, tearin' and clawin' at each other. It's a terrible sight to behold and I'm tryin' to push out the picture in my mind of what else they could've been tearin' at. We've made it, even though it's taken a fair stock of our energy. Blue's snorting and gasping and even though I can't see his face, I know his eyes are gonna be wild and his nostrils flarin'. Blaze is the same, and I reckon Stella and me ain't feelin' much calmer. Neither of us have got breath left for any talkin' until we've ridden on a good distance and left the cries of the wolves far behind. There's still a faint wail on the wind though that could be from them or the blizzard. Either way, it's a sound that chills my blood.
The sight of the old gunpowder works loomin' up in front of us don't bring much comfort neither. It's a stark heap of buildings that looks even bleaker in the snow and I'm sensin' unease from both our horses as we ride up to the main building and stop. Blue, who's normally the steadiest of beasts, is dancin' about and tossing his head, and I'm remembering the talk of ghosts from the man who died. If I were someone with an overactive imagination, I'd be imaginin' all sorts of ghostly things now. The wind's wailing and whining and the snow's fallin so thick it plays tricks on your eyes, almost makes you see shapes kinda' swirlin' about. Leastways, that's what I'd say if I was a fanciful man. Which I ain't.
Stella ain't a fanciful woman neither, but even she seems a little spooked, and we're stayin' close together. The horses trot forward slowly into the courtyard of the old works, and we shine our lanterns out in front of us. Ain't a thing to be seen other than those old brick and timber buildings, the snow, and lantern-cast shadows.
"Reckon we tie up the horses here, Mac?" Stella asks, pointing out a rail that seems it was set up for the purpose.
"Reckon so." I answer and we both dismount and secure them fast, not that there's any danger of either beast boltin'. But out here, I don't want to take no chances.
With lanterns held fast in our hands, we make our way towards the biggest building. It's a sturdy lookin' structure, outhouses either side of it, and a waterwheel at the side. Course, the water that would've usually turned it's got a skin of ice over the top and it ain't movin'. Can't see nothin' movin' in truth and it's a real eerie feelin'. Snow's kinda' muffled everythin', and I could even imagine the rest of the world has disappeared. It ain't a good thing to imagine.
Lookin' round, we can't see no trace of anyone havin' been here, but then, the snow's good at coverin' up dark deeds. There might be footprints covered over and we wouldn't know. I'm relyin' on my senses as much as I can, and they're tellin' me somethin' ain't entirely right here, but just what that is, I don't know.
Once we're inside and out of the snow, we hold up our lanterns. It's a big, open space, empty of everythin' but a mess of rubble in the middle of the room, and wood heaped up against the walls. Ain't no immediate signs of anythin' untoward, but I ain't letting down my guard.
"Where d'you want to start lookin'?" Stella asks, swingin' her lantern. The light's castin' all kinds of uncanny shapes. Shapes and shadows that sorta' creep out of the corners and slide along the walls, "You want to try pokin' about in here first?"
"Sure." I reply, "How about you look over that side of the room, and I'll try over here?"
She grins at me, "Guess I ain't the only one who's good at thinkin' up plans, huh?"
"You ain't…" I take a step forward, and hear a creakin' sound underfoot. Next thing I know, there's an exclamation from Stella, and she's yanked me backwards, almost pulling me off my feet.
There's a sorta' sighin' sound and the floorboards I were standin' on not a second before suddenly ain't there. Instead, there's a gapin' black hole. Stella don't let go of my arm, and both of us are breathin' heavily, too shocked to move.
"You all right?" She asks eventually, and I catch the slightest tremble in her voice.
"Thanks to you again. How did you know?"
She shakes her head, "Don't know, instinct I guess."
"Then I'm mighty glad of your instincts."
For a few more moments, we just stand there, happy to be safe and holdin' onto each other.
Then Stella brushes off my coat, "Let's get huntin' for these deeds." She lays her hand on my cheek for a moment; her fingers tingle against my skin and her eyes are smilin' in mine, "Sooner we do that, sooner we can be back home and in front of the fire."
"I'm thinkin' that's the best plan of all." I smile, and we keep our hands joined this time as we make our way over to the far wall to start lookin' for any sign of those deeds.
"Hey, Mac. Reckon there might be somethin' here?" Stella lets go of my hand and steps over to a heap of wood.
But then my instinct's suddenly alert. I hear a groanin' sound and a few splinters of wood fall on me. I look up, and see that one of the big wooden beams above us is shifting. And even as I stare open mouthed, it starts tearin' away from the ceiling.
It's fallin'.
It's fallin' and Stella's right beneath it…
I'm leapin' forward. Got no time to warn her, I gotta act. I grab her and try and drag her out the way…
But I've left it too late.
There's a roaring sound and the beam comes crashin' down, and Stella's still in my arms. I hear her scream as an almighty weight hits me, the floor breaks away beneath us and we're fallin' and fallin'...
And then there's only silence and darkness.
Oh dear… a slight cliff-hanger XD Please, please review and tell me what you think, even if you didn't like it. But I hope you did! 'Twelve Days' by Lily and Blue has also finally been updated! Thanks, Lily x