Hello all, back again with another chapter for y'all! I had quite a bit of fun writing this one, so hopefully you'll have as much fun reading it as I did writing it! A few things I want to give you guys a heads up on: One, if you haven't seen my announcement already, I am going back in my old chapters and rewriting them. I'm not changing the concept of the story, just going back and cleaning up and fixing minor details. So feel free to go back and read the new and improved chapters!
Two, since this is a two-book series, the name of this book is still called Discovery of Mt. Horn, but this one and the next book will be under the series name of Second Destiny (shoutout to the Night Ninja for helping me come up with that name).
Third, I am collabing with the Night Ninja on her one-shot collection of Oneshots of Horror and Humor. We take requests, so drop one and her and/or I will write them for you!
Now for review responses!
ProfessorYeti: Thank you so much! I feel like you'll enjoy the rewritten chapters much better! And I'm glad you like the last chapter! I can tell you that it's not going to be an easy feat getting Samuel and escaping out of the badlands, but as for details you must wait and see... *Evil laughter*
Guest: Thank you so much! I'm glad you like it! So here's another chapter for ya! Enjoy!
The dust blew across the sand as Samuel's search party trudged through the desert. The sun continued to beat down relentlessly on the four as they rode.
With some water and rest, Hailey had recovered from her heat exhaustion and was able to ride again. Zane had her ride by his side so he could keep a close eye on her. The sun climbed higher in the blue sky as the day dragged on.
A faint rumble made Zane look up from the ground. In the sky beyond the horizon he saw black clouds rolling in. It seemed like a storm was brewing.
"How common are storms in this region?" Zane asked.
"The weather here and on the prairie is unpredictable," Tony told him. "It can be sunny like this one minute and the next rain clouds would be over you."
"Why do you ask?" Said Hailey. Zane pointed to the horizon, where a black stripe was growing larger and larger by the minute.
Hailey squinted and stood up in her saddle. "Yep." she said. "That's a storm alright."
As if to confirm Zane's suspicions, he could faintly see the flash of lightning in the clouds. He sighed.
"I don't see anywhere that we could take shelter." He adjusted the grip on Gale's reins. "We'll have to ride through it…"
The storm was upon them within a couple hours. It wasn't long before the black clouds blocked the blue sky that they began to feel its full wrath.
It was dark as night, their only source of light was the jagged forks of lightning that danced in the sky. Roaring thunder shattered the air. Then the rain came down. It drove down in sheets, making water stream off the brims of their hats. Mud coated their horse's legs and their boots as they pushed on through the storm. The wind howled alongside the thunder. Zane kept his head down, one hand on the top of his hat to keep it from blowing away and other holding onto Gale's reins.
There was another roar of thunder. Gale snorted and tossed his head nervously as he trotted through the rain. Zane leaned forward and patted his horse's neck reassuringly.
"It's okay, Gale!" He told him. "We'll get through this just fine!"
Just as he finished, a huge bolt of lightning came down from the sky and struck the ground beside him. Gale reared in fright and lost his footing in the wet ground.
Zane felt a jolt of horror as he fell to the ground and saw his two thousand pound horse about to land on top of him. He couldn't hear his friend's cries of terror over the raging storm before everything went black.
"ZANE!" They cried when they saw what happened. They rushed over.
Hailey got there first. She jumped out of Ranger's saddle and dove for Gale's reins just as the grey horse was getting up to run away. Zane's horse reared, squealing in fear as there was another clap of thunder.
"EASY, GALE, EASY!" Hailey told the horse. She grabbed him by his bit and brought him back to earth.
As Hailey got Gale under control, Tony and Christopher were with Zane. They sat him up, mud falling off of him in clumps.
"Zane!" Christopher said. He shook his shoulder. "Zane! Can you hear me!? Say something!"
Zane's head lolled. Christopher lifted his face up by his chin. His eyes were closed. He felt for a pulse, breathing a sigh of relief when he felt one.
"We have to take cover!" Hailey yelled over the storm, leading both Gale and Ranger.
Tony and Christopher grabbed the unconscious Zane and slung him over Gale's saddle. The three got back on their horses, Hailey leading Gale by his reins. They spurred their horses into a gallop and raced across the stormy desert, frantically looking for a place to escape from it's rage.
Through the wind, rain and flying mud, Hailey spied a pile of boulders.
"There!" She cried, pointing.
They rode to it. The boulder pile gave them shelter from the wind and rain. They got off their horses and carefully lay Zane down.
…
The blinding sun greeted Zane when he groggily opened his eyes. He groaned and covered his face.
"He's awake!" He heard someone say.
A hand gently pried his arm from his face. As his blurry vision came into focus, he saw the concerned faces of Tony, Christopher, and Hailey. Their faces were coated in dirt and mud crusted their clothes.
"W-what happened…" Zane mumbled.
"Your horse spooked from the lightning and landed on top of you." Christopher told him. "You're lucky you're alive. Gale could have killed you."
As he recollected what happened, a searing headache came without warning. He hissed in pain and clutched his head.
Hailey knelt in front of him. She soaked her bandana in water and gently began cleaning the mud coating his face. The coolness of the bandana helped soothe his pounding headache.
"Thank you…" Zane muttered as she finished.
"Of course." She said. "Do you feel okay?"
Zane ran a system check. Nothing important seemed damaged. "I believe so…"
"Your titanium self must have protected you from Gale when he fell on you." Tony said.
At the mention of his horse, Zane felt a velvety nose brush against his cheek. He turned his head and saw Gale sniffing him. He smiled weakly and rested a hand on his head.
"I am okay…" Zane told his horse. "You don't need to worry…"
Hailey handed Zane his hat. He put it on and with a grunt tried to get up.
"Zane, I don't-" Hailey began, but Zane held up a hand.
"I'll be fine." He told her. "Besides, we need to keep up with The Untamed. The storm delayed us more than I'm comfortable with."
Using the rock face as a support, Zane stood up. He stumbled a few steps before getting his footing. He mounted up on Gale and the others did the same.
Zane sighed as they rode along. The storm would have washed away any tracks they could have followed. Now, it really would be difficult to track the thieves. He'd have to look for more than just tracks, which would lessen the time they have to get to Samuel before the two weeks were up.
…
Night had fallen across the Thundering Badlands, and the four were bedding down for the night. The horses had been tied and Zane had offered to take the nightwatch again so the others could sleep. The night sky was clear and bright, completely opposite from what it was earlier.
Zane left his spot on a hill where he was watching for any dangers and walked down the slope to get a sip of water from his canteen. He quietly greeted Gale and untied his water canteen, taking a long swig. He went to return to his watch spot when he looked over and realized Hailey's bedroll was empty.
Panicked, Zane looked around. She hadn't gone awol again, had she? Ranger was still here.
He scrambled back up to his spot, which gave him a clear view of the camp and the hills surrounding it. On the other side of the camp, sitting cross legged on the ground was Hailey.
Curious as to what she was doing awake, Zane cast one more glance around before making his way to the other side of the camp. She was staring out at the desert ahead of them, her rifle sitting in her lap.
Hailey turned around to see Zane approaching her.
"Hailey," He said to her. "What are you doing?"
"I'm just sitting." She said. "I couldn't sleep."
"Why is that?"
Hailey shrugged and sighed before looking back out at the desert. "I don't know…"
Zane had known Hailey long enough to know that this wasn't true. She did know, but she just didn't want to say it.
"Yes you do, Hailey."
"Seriously Zane, I really don't."
"My sixth sense indicates me otherwise."
Hailey was quiet. Zane sighed and sat down next to her.
"Hailey, I understand you're not one to talk about things that trouble you, but keeping it bottled up can adversely affect you. It's better if you tell someone what's the matter, otherwise it will continue to bother you. I can tell that something is obviously making you lose sleep. Now please, what is it?"
Seeing Zane wasn't going to let her off easy, Hailey sighed.
"This wasn't how it was supposed to be." She said.
Zane was confused. "What do you mean? What isn't how it was supposed to be?"
"Everything, Zane! Nothing is like how it should have been."
"Well, then tell me. How was it 'supposed to be'?"
Hailey kicked at some sand. "It was supposed to be simple. I move onto the ranch after I graduate high school. I live and work on the ranch and then inherit it when my great grandfather Clemens passes away. Then I pass it onto my children. See, easy!"
"But now with all this, you know, with you coming, no offense, and now Uncle Sam gone because of me…" Hailey sighed and rested her head on her arms.
"It was my destiny to carry on our family legacy with the ranch. But now I screwed it up for myself all because I couldn't contain myself."
Zane rested a hand on Hailey's shoulder. "I see."
"I understand how you feel, Hailey. But just because something doesn't go to plan like it should doesn't mean that your destiny is ruined. One's destiny can't be ruined, no matter what happens. Besides, how do you know for certain that taking over the ranch was all you were meant to do?"
Hailey shrugged. "I just do. It's what my family has done for generations."
Zane shook his head. "I don't think so."
Hailey gave him a sideways glance. "What do you mean?"
"After my father died and before I became a ninja, all I did was wander from place to place through Ninjago. I thought my destiny would just be I find a place to settle down and try to live a normal life. I wasn't expecting to find Sensei at the bottom of the frozen lake I was meditating in, and definitely not becoming the ice ninja. I didn't think a lot of things would happen to me. And I certainly didn't think I would be meeting you and everyone else I had here anytime soon. Yet here we are. And I have a funny feeling this is all for a reason."
"So you're saying that there's a reason behind why I basically led my uncle to his possible death?"
"Hailey, I told you this before. We will get Samuel back if it's the last thing I do. I will not let him die. You may not think that this was supposed to happen, but maybe this is destiny's way of showing you that you're meant for more than the ranch. Perhaps you're destined for something greater, and the ranch is just a stepping stone, before your second destiny. You just don't know it yet."
"What do you think I'm destined for, then, being a ninja or elemental master?" Hailey asked sarcastically.
"No, maybe not." Zane replied. "But something more than just inheriting Flint River."
Hailey shook her head. "No. That wouldn't make any sense. The ranch is all I'm destined for. I've lived and worked on it my entire life. My family did the same as me for eight generations. It's all I know. It's all I've ever known. Everything I know and love is there. I would be nothing without it."
"That's not true." Zane told her. But Hailey was already shaking her head again.
"I'm sorry Zane, but I'm just having a hard time believing it."
Zane sighed. "I understand." It turns out Hailey was a lot more stubborn than he had previously thought. He didn't understand why she thought the ranch was all she had.
He could try all he wanted to convince her otherwise, but if she wouldn't listen, then she would have to realize that on her own with time.
Silence stretched between the two.
Speaking of ninja and elemental masters, Zane thought back to a few days ago when he was contemplating telling them about what he had seen in the mountain range.
Zane looked over to Hailey, who was still staring out at the desert. It was just the two of them right now.
He took a deep breath. Here goes nothing.
"Hailey." Zane said.
The girl looked at him. "Yeah?"
"There's something I've been meaning to tell you for awhile now, but I think now is the best time to do so."
"Is it...bad?"
"That's the thing...I am not sure. Perhaps you will be the judge of that."
Hailey sat up a little straighter. "Well, what is it?"
"Remember, when we first met, I told you the story of how I got here?"
"Yes…" Hailey said. She looked at him suspiciously.
"Well, there's more to it than what I told you." Zane said.
Hailey was confused. "What do you mean…"
Zane thought for a moment. "Remember that book you showed me awhile back, that told the story about the Four Legends and the Dark Archer?"
"Yes…"
"When I first came to the range, Stonetooth helped me get over the ravine by making a bridge of rock and fought Bansha and Ghoultar. That's how I got into the range."
Hailey looked at Zane with wide eyes. She seemed to be in shock.
"Y-you saw Stonetooth…"
"Yes."
"With your own eyes…"
"Yes."
"He helped you…"
"Yes."
Hailey stared at the ground, unsure of what to say.
"Please tell me you're telling the truth." Hailey told him. "This is not something to be messing around about."
Zane looked her in the eye. "I am telling nothing but the truth, the whole truth, and the honest truth. I wouldn't lie to you about something like this."
Hailey held his gaze for a moment more before looking back at the ground, lost in thought.
"But that's not it." Zane told her. Hailey looked back up.
"What else do you have to tell me?" Hailey asked. "Zane you shouldn't have waited to tell me this, or anyone of all people!"
"I know, but at the time we first met I didn't feel like it was right."
Hailey shook her head. "Okay, okay, what else is it that you have to tell me?"
"Remember when you took me to Oldenburg that one day because I was a part of the prophecy?"
Hailey nodded. "As clear as day."
"When Hundarion was speaking to me about the prophecy, he told me the Dark Archer had passed."
"Okay…"
"But after I fell over the cliff, he came."
"Who came?"
"The Dark Archer. He came on his horse and carried me through the mountains until we reached the valley. He dropped me off and told me he couldn't carry me any farther. He disappeared down the hill and when I went to look for him there was no sign of him."
Even in the darkness of night, he could see Hailey's face pale.
"The Dark Archer's been dead for centuries, Zane." She said. "There's no way he could still be alive…"
"Maybe one of his descendants?" He asked, but Hailey was already shaking her head.
"No, no, no. The record of his bloodlines were lost almost two hundred years ago. And even then, no one can survive out in that range…"
Hailey gave Zane a serious look.
"If you really saw the Dark Archer like you say you did, you can answer this." She told him.
Zane raised an eyebrow. "Very well. Go ahead."
"What color were his robes?"
"Grey and black."
"And his element?"
"Dark fire. It's a purple flame. He was riding a black horse with purple eyes and a mane and tail of purple fire."
Hailey's mouth fell open in shock. She turned away. "Oh my god…"
"Hailey, I am telling the truth. I would not lie to you about something like this."
"I...I know you're not lying, Zane. I trust you. It's just…"
At loss for words, she dropped her face into her hands. "A lot…"
"Is it...bad that I saw them, do you think?"
"I don't know...except it probably means that whatever's threatening Mt. Horn is closer than I thought."
Suddenly, something clicked in Hailey's mind. She looked up at the ice ninja.
"Zane, you don't think…"
She didn't finish her sentence, but the look in her eyes told Zane everything.
"Yes, Hailey. I have a very strong feeling that Morro and his army are the threat the prophecy speaks of."
Hailey looked back to the ground. "This is going to be like the past all over again."
"Zane...what if the prophecy isn't fulfilled before Morro gets here? What will happen then, do you think?"
"That's a question I can't answer yet, Hailey. Even though I am capable of many things as a nindroid, telling the future isn't a part of my skill set. We will have to wait and see and let destiny and fate take its course."
Hailey sighed. "I just hope everything turns out alright...if they came into the range now, I don't think we would be able to pull through this one…"
Zane rested a hand on Hailey's shoulder. "I understand you are worried about the possible outcomes, Hailey. But in the meantime, it's important that we keep faith in the prophecy and that it will still lead us to a better tomorrow."
…
The stars.
The moon.
The clouds.
The night.
The night brought darkness. The night had bathed everything in darkness. And the night had made the sky become darkness, save the stars studding the black like diamonds and the moon suspended high above everything else and washing everything that darkness touched on the earth in a silvery blue light.
But high in the heavens above, far above the clouds, where the winds ran free, looking down upon everything else, there was darkness.
And deep within that darkness, there were two entities. Two entities looking down. Two entities watching someone. A particular someone. Two entities watching them every day. Two entities watching their every move. No one knew they were watching. No one knew they were there. Nor did the person they were observing have any idea that they were being watched. But they were. They had been waiting, are waiting, and would still wait for the time to be right. From the moment the person was born, to the very second of now.
The entities had no bodies. They had no shape. They had no scent. They had their senses, yes, but they had no appearance. They had a conscience, but they were not a billowing cloud of smoke or mist, or any ghostly anomaly. They were nothing, almost.
But yet, they were there.
And there was darkness.
And then, a voice came from the darkness.
"It is time."
"No." Said a second one. "Not yet."
"The one is mature."
"But she is not yet ready."
"The one is now an adult. She must come to means very soon with her destiny. If not, I fear the worst may happen when the time comes."
"It is too early. The land is not yet in danger. We must wait."
"But she must be prepared for the darkest hour."
"Again. She is not ready."
"When, do you think, the one will be?"
The second voice heaved a sigh.
"I do not know." It admitted. "But, as far as now, she is not. Remember."
"Remember what?"
"The one hasn't realized the full extent of her abilities. She doesn't know what truly lies within her. She is still coming to grips with what's to come. She has yet to prove she is ready for the responsibility that she will be taking on with her new role."
"But she-"
"No. I know she is a young woman. But she still needs to prove to not only us, but to herself that she is ready. If we pull her too soon, she will be unable to defend her home against this threat."
Silence.
"I see. We wait."
"Yes. We wait. We'll know when the time is right. But it is not now."
"But it will soon come."
"Yes. The time is indeed drawing near…"
…
Chaos was everywhere. Horses squealed as they spooked from the storm. Men shouted as they tried to get their animals under control. The long line of stolen horses that were being led became tangled in the rope. Some fell, trampling and tripping others. Some horses were being dragged through the mud.
"¡PONGA LOS CABALLOS BAJO CONTROL! *GET THOSE HORSES UNDER CONTROL!*" Picazo bellowed to his men over the raging storm.
At the command of their leader, some of the thieves jumped off their horses and ran to the line, trying to get the horses loose. They began cutting the horses free of the rope before tying them individually with their own lassos.
Lightning struck overhead followed by a roar of thunder. Some of the horses reared and bolted. There were cries as men got dragged, trampled, and thrown into the mud as the horses fled.
Frightened by the storm, a bay horse turned and tried to escape the mayhem. It pulled at the rope attaching it to the rest of the line, making it snap. The bay and five other horses ran into the desert. Two men got on their horses and attempted to capture them, but the runaway horses escaped their lassos and disappeared into the hills.
Thunder rumbled again, and Picazo's horse tossed his head and skittered off to the side.
"¡Cálmese! *Calm down!*" He said.
Lightning struck the top of a hill nearby. His horse panicked and ran, ripping the reins from his hands.
As Picazo tried to regain control of his horse, he didn't realize that the lead rope of Samuel's horse had slipped out of his hand.
The horse Samuel was tied to jumped back and bolted away, running aimlessly through the mess.
Samuel held on for dear life, unable to control the horse. He heard shouts and hoofbeats behind him. Looking over his shoulder, Samuel saw two of the thieves with lassos pursuing him on their horses.
Samuel turned back and looked ahead of him where his horse was running. The hills were up ahead.
If he could get control of this horse, he might be able to escape.
Samuel fought against the ropes that tied his wrists, ignoring the burning as it dug into his skin, but his bonds wouldn't budge.
He heard cries and saw the thieves were gaining on him.
In a panic Samuel turned back around and began fighting harder against his bonds, ignoring the blood that ran down his arms. He could hear the whizzing of the swinging lassos behind him. Samuel gave a great big heave and almost fell out of the saddle as the rope came loose from the saddle horn. He was free!
He quickly untangled his hands and feet and ripped off his gag. Grabbing a handful of mane to steady himself and the end of the lead, he dug his heels into the horse's ribs and turned its face just in time to dodge one of the thieves' lassos. He dodged a couple of stray horses and rode for the hills. He turned back around to see the men still on their tail.
"COME ON!" He yelled at the horse as he kept kicking its flanks. He turned sharply to avoid another lasso coming down.
Through his blurry vision, flying mud, and pelting rain, he could see the bottom of a hill just up ahead. He kept kicking and whipping the horse with the end of the lead, anything he could do to keep it going up the slippery slope. He had to escape now. If he didn't, Picazo would certainly kill him.
The horse made it up to the top of the hill, but so did Picazo's men. They pursued their hostage down the other side of the hill.
Samuel kicked the horse desperately as it frantically scrambled up another hillside. They were almost to the top when suddenly a rope came down over the horse's head. It cried out as it tightened around its throat. One of the thieves pulled on the rope with all their might, making the horse lose its footing on the sloppy ground. Samuel felt his stomach rise into his throat as the animal fell backwards. As he landed in the mud, he heard the SNAP! as the horse broke its neck as it rolled to the bottom of the hill.
Samuel snapped out of his daze and scrambled up. But he only made it a few steps before a lasso tightened around his leg and pulled him back down to the ground. He tried getting up again but another rope came down around his shoulders and pinned his arms to his sides. He cried out as he was yanked down and dragged through the mud before being roughly hauled up to his feet by the thieves.
"You fool!" One of them said. "You really thought you would be able to escape that easy?"
One of them tore their bandana off their neck and shoved it in Samuel's mouth before tying it in a knot, gagging him once again.
"Ven con nosotros, tonto. No más correr. *Come with us, fool. No more running.*"
One of the thieves yanked at the ropes, and the two rode back to the rest of the Untamed, Samuel walking dejectedly between them.
…
Picazo grabbed the front of Samuel's jacket.
"You tonto!" He yelled in Samuel's face. "You thought you could really escape from me?! I am El Picazo, leader of the Untamed! And nobody escapes from me on my watch!"
He shoved Samuel backwards into the arms of the two thieves that had captured him.
"Enséñale una lección. *Teach him a lesson.*"
The two thieves looked at each other and grinned sickly. As Picazo turned his horse the other way, he was satisfied to hear their prisoner's pained grunts as the two landed blows and kicks all over him.
Picazo trotted along, eyes sweeping over the desert to survey the damage.
The storm had almost completely blown over, and the rain was now coming down as a light drizzle. In the mud scattered lay some horses that had died trying to escape the storm. Some broke their necks and backs when they had fallen, others got trampled to death. He rode over to the rest of the thieves, who had finally gotten the remaining horses under control. Doing a head count as he approached, he realized that one was missing.
"Where's Fabian?" He asked them. They seemed to grow solemn.
"He's over there, jefe." One of them said. He pointed beside him.
Picazo stood in the saddle to get a better look. "Oh…"
A brown and white paint horse tacked with a saddle and bridle lay dead on the ground. Underneath it was a man, Fabian. His horse had slipped and fallen on top of him, crushing him to death.
"Bajo diferentes circunstancias, lo enterraríamos, pero necesitamos mantener a estos caballos en movimiento hasta que estalle la tormenta. *Under different circumstances, we would bury him, but we need to keep these horses moving until the storm blows over*" Picazo told his men. "Estar listo para mudarse. *Be ready to move out.*"
He took one of the surviving horses from one of the men and rode back over to the two thieves. They were still punching and kicking Samuel, whose face was now covered in bruises.
"That's enough!" He barked at them. "I want you two to saddle this horse up and tie him to it. And make sure he can't escape this time! And afterwards I want you to go out and catch those horses that escaped."
Once the chestnut mare was saddled and Samuel was secured, the group continued on their journey, a beaten and battered Samuel even more disheartened than before.
He had a chance to escape, and he failed. If he were to try again, Picazo would certainly wouldn't show him any mercy as he had already.
Samuel dropped his head in defeat. All he had now to keep him hanging on was the hope that Hailey and Zane would get to him before a bullet from Picazo's gun did.
…
The two thieves Picazo had sent to recapture the runaway horses rode through the hills, following their tracks.
"Creo que se dirigen al río. *I think they're heading for the river.*" One said.
"Si." Replied the other.
They rode along the dusty trail for several hours as the sun climbed higher in the sky. They stopped at the top of a hill to get a better vantage point.
One of the thieves was scanning the terrain, when he tapped the other's shoulder. "¡Allí! *There!*"
The other thief looked in the direction his partner was pointing. Sure enough, down below was the escaped horses, milling around and joined together by a length of rope.
They untied their lassos from their saddle horns and were just about to head down the hill to catch them, when suddenly a rising cloud of dust some distance away caught the eye of one of the outlaws.
He raised his hand to stop his partner. He looked at him with confusion.
The thief pointed to the dust cloud. The other turned to look. A few moments later, they saw four people on horseback. One of the thieves gasped.
"It's the hostage's friends!" He said. "What if they follow us?"
The other looked around before spying a grove of thick brush growing on either side of the trail.
"Follow me." He growled. He spurred his horse and drew his gun. "Let's see how sensible they are and give them a fair warning."
…
The sun had come up, and the search party had risen and packed up their camp before starting out on the trail. They galloped through the morning to cover as much ground as they could while it was still cool, and slowed down to a trot as the sun got hotter.
Zane told Christopher and Tony what he had told Hailey the previous night. They were very skeptical of his story at first, but Hailey convinced them that Zane was telling the truth. The two men were just as shocked as Hailey was.
Since any actual tracks were washed away by the storm, Zane suggested they still continue the same direction to see if they could still find any other signs of the direction they could be headed.
They didn't have to wait long. They were riding along the top of a ridge, trying to get a better view, when they saw something unusual.
"Look!" Zane said, pointing down the ridge to his left.
At the bottom of the ridge wandering around were six horses.
"Horses? Those aren't wild ones. What are they doing out here?" Christopher asked.
Zane stood in the saddle, squinting to get a better view. Christopher was right. These weren't feral horses, they were clearly domesticated. And he could barely make out a long rope joining the horses together.
"I recognize these horses as one's from Picazo's camp in the forest." He told them. "It appears they must have gotten loose from the rest of the herd and escaped."
"We should get a better look." Hailey said. They all nodded and rode down the ridge.
Up ahead, the trail was thick with brush. It was their only way down, as the rest of the terrain was too steep for their horses to safely go down.
As they came closer, Zane thought he saw something large moving in the brush on the side of the path.
Suddenly, two men on horseback jumped out in front of the four, blocking their path. Zane gasped and yanked back on Gale's reins. He recognized them as two outlaws of the Untamed.
The others came to a halt as the two men pointed their guns at them.
"Get off your horses and drop your guns!"
a HA ha, I love cliffhangers. Don't forget to follow, favorite, and drop a review on the way out! Thanks for reading another chapter of Second Destiny: Discovery of Mt. Horn! Remember to stay safe and healthy! RealtreeGal, out!