Hello all! I welcome y'all back to another chapter of Second Destiny: Discovery of Mt. Horn! This chapter is a nice and chunky one, and we really start picking up the pace here. Things in this story really are moving along alot faster than I previously thought I would. We meet new people, and get more insight on some of the cultures in Mt. Horn. I did alot of research for this chapter, but if something is incorrect please let me know so I can fix it.

On a side note, if you haven't seen already, I'm collabing with The Night Ninja on the story "A Broken Creation", a book about where Zane is mistreated and ends up joining the SOG, and shit really hits the fan. There's no reviews to respond to, so without further ado, enjoy the chapter!

Warning: Violence and mentions of skinwalkers, that some cultures do not like to mention. Proceed at your own risk.

By sunrise the next day, Hailey, Zane, Christopher, and Tony had the camp packed, their horses saddled, and the others ready to be led. They let the herd get one final drink and they refilled their canteens before they rode out.

"It appears to me that the Untamed are following the Thunder River." Zane said to the others. "Perhaps their base is upstream."

Zane patted his belt to make sure his gun was there, when his hand brushed on another gun tucked behind him in his waistband. Confused, he pulled it out and recognized it as the outlaw's gun. It was heavy, the metal cold, and the sixteen notches in it's wooden handle gleamed in the sunlight. Looking at it made him feel sick and like he couldn't breathe. He squeezed his eyes shut, fighting the wave of nausea that was threatening to overcome him.

"You okay?"

Zane opened his eyes and saw Hailey on Ranger next to him, looking concerned. Zane sighed, trying to quell the sick feeling in his stomach.

"I think so…"

"What's the matter? You don't seem alright…" She glanced down at the gun in his hand. "Is it that?"

"Yes…" He said. "Every time I look at it, I think about what happened. This weapon took too many lives, I don't want it to claim any more."

Hailey held out her hand. "Here. Give it to me."

Zane handed her the gun, who looked over it once before standing up in her saddle and tossed it into the river.

Plop!

The gun sank to the bottom of the river, never to harm or take another human life again. It's killing days were over.

Zane heaved a sigh of relief knowing the weapon was destroyed. He wouldn't have to look at it anymore.

They continued to ride along the banks of the Thunder River. Since the campsite, Zane had seen no sign of the Untamed passing through, even after a half day's ride. He was starting to become anxious that he had lost their trail. The others seemed to share his concern.

"Zane, we've been riding for awhile now and there's still no sign of them." Christopher said. "Are you certain we're headed the right way?"

Zane looked around them. He scanned the ground, but there was no sign of the Untamed anywhere.

"I'm not sure…" He said finally. "I can't find any more clues…"

Christopher behind him cussed. "Dammit! Now how are gonna find him in time?!"

Zane flinched at his voice.

"Maybe we can split up?" Hailey suggested. "We can cover more ground that way."

Zane nodded and the four went their separate ways. He rode a little farther up the river until he found a spot shallow enough for him and Gale to easily cross. He saw some hills up ahead that would give him a good view of the land around him. They crossed to the other riverbank and Zane guided his horse through the sagebrush and rocks to the top of the hill. Zane stood in his saddle and looked around. There was nothing unusual that he could see, and more hills in front of him blocked his way. Zane and Gale descended down the hill. They had nearly reached the bottom where the bases of the two hills joined when suddenly Gale stopped and shuffled backwards. He tossed his head and snorted nervously and refused to go forward, even when Zane tapped his ribs with his spurs.

Gale was becoming extremely anxious, so Zane got off of his back and patted his neck to calm him.

"Easy, Gale, easy." He told his horse. "What's making you so afraid?"

Once he had settled down, Zane got back on and continued down the hill. A hot breeze blew through, when suddenly a stench hit his nose so hard he almost retched.

"Ugh…" He said to himself. "What is that?"

It smelled as if something was dead, and it got stronger the further down they went. Soon they reached the bottom and rode along, the smell getting stronger and stronger. They came around a turn, and Zane discovered the source of it.

In the sand ahead of him lay a dead horse.

Zane got off Gale and led him over to get a better look. It was a bay horse, it's legs stiff and it's abdomen bloated from the heat of the desert. It's neck was bent at an unusual angle, as if it had been broken. Sand and dried blood crusted it's muzzle, its eyes dried out and sunken in into his skull.

Zane conducted a scan on the horse. It looked extremely similar to one of the horses he had seen at the Untamed camp, but he wanted to be sure. He looked at the dead horse's hooves for shoes and found none. But not all horses wore shoes.

Grabbing the horse's front legs, Zane heaved and pushed the horse over on its other side. He brushed the sand off its body until he found what he was looking for: a brand. Pushing back it's mane, he found the numbers "7692" on it's neck above an "X" with a bar over it. Zane looked back in his memory banks and confirmed it was the same horse he thought he had seen.

Zane heaved a breath, relieved that he had found another sign of the Untamed's trail, but regretted it as the stench of dead horse made him gag.

"Come, on, Gale," Zane said as he got back on his horse and rode past the dead one. "Let us see what else we can find…"

Together they rode to the top of the next hill, where a gruesome sight met their eyes.

Several horses lay dead, strewn across the flatland below. Like the bay he had found, their bodies too were bloated and their legs splayed and stiff. Pieces of rope and ripped leather tack was among them. The smell of death hung thick in the air as he and his horse rode down to investigate.

Zane approached the nearest dead horse first, a black gelding with white socks. One of its legs was clearly broken, its eyes gone. This horse wasn't branded, but it was wearing shoes, and Zane could confirm it was another horse he had seen with the outlaws.

Zane turned his attention to the next one, a dapple grey mare. A pair of vultures sat on top of it, one pecking at its eyes and another stripping flesh off its open ribcage. It was clear that some previous scavengers of the desert, perhaps a coyote, had made quick work of her, the horse's entrails were exposed.

Zane shuddered at the sight as he came close, and the buzzards squawked at Zane before they flew away, He got off of Gale again, found another brand on the horse's flank, and was able to confirm it was the same one he'd seen. He got up and was about to get back in the saddle when he paused. His sixth sense made him freeze. He felt like he was being watched.

Zane scanned the area carefully, but didn't see anything that would warrant any suspicion. He tried shaking it off and got back on Gale, but even as he was inspecting the other dead horses, he couldn't get rid of the feeling.

The final horse he had yet to take a look at was at the far end of the flatland, nearby a few small buttes and thick clumps of sagebrush. The horse lay on it's side, fully tacked, unlike the others he had seen. When Zane got off Gale and walked around to observe it, he was horrified to see a man, clearly dead underneath the horse. His face was gaunt, ashy, and dried, his cold dead hand still clutching the reins.

Zane cautiously prodded the dead man with his boot before rolling the horse off of him. Conducting a scan, he recognized them as one of the Untamed and that he died due to being crushed by his horse.

He crouched down to observe more carefully, when his sixth sense again alerted him that he was being watched. He looked around again, and out of the corner of his eye he thought he saw the swish of a horse's tail from behind the sage. He stared in that direction for a time, but saw no other movement.

Thinking the desert heat was playing tricks on his eyes, Zane turned back to what he was doing. Searching the horse's saddlebags and the outlaws pockets, he found medical supplies, a few bags of jerky, a can of beans, and a couple boxes of ammo. He placed all this in his own saddlebags before getting back on Gale. He cast one more glance around the flatland and turned Gale's face to go find the others.

Snap!

The sound of a branch breaking under something heavy made Zane whip around. His sixth sense was buzzing. He peered in the direction from where it came, the sagebrush next to the butte. Through the branches, he saw a flicker of movement and heard footsteps.

Zane bristled and reached for his gun. He wasn't alone.

Cautiously Zane approached the brush, gun in hand.

"Hello?" He asked. "Who's there?"

No one answered. Zane and Gale crept closer, the two on edge, ready for someone or something to jump out at them.

"I know you're there!" Zane said. "Show yourself!"

Just as Zane and Gale rounded the edge, a blur of yellow and white streaked out from bushes in front of them. Gale spooked and reared in fright.

Zane gripped the saddle horn for dear life as he was almost thrown off. He jerked at the reins, trying to get his horse under control.

"What was that?!" Zane asked himself as Gale settled down.

He looked in the direction that the streak had gone. Through a cloud of dust he could see a horse running for the hills. And on it's back was a rider!

Zane turned Gale's face and spurred the horse to a gallop in pursuit of the person. He didn't know who they were or what they were doing here. He needed answers.

Gale was fast, but the mystery rider's horse was faster. They reached the bottom of the hills before Zane did, and he lost sight of them. But once the two entered the hills he finally had them in his sight. They followed the other rider and their horse, twisting and turning through the hills.

"Hey!" Zane called. "You there! Stop!"

The rider looked back over their shoulder. But instead of yielding, the rider kicked their horse to go faster.

Zane growled in frustration and dug his spurs into Gale's ribs. His horse put on a burst of speed and they seemed to fly off the ground. Finally, they were closing the gap.

As Zane and Gale gained on the rider, he was able to get a better view of the person. They were shirtless, their skin tanned from the sun. They wore a pair of what looked like leather pants and shoes. Their long black hair was tied back in a braid and a leather band around their head. A sheath of arrows and a bow was slung over their back. There was a necklace of blue stones around his neck. The horse he rode was a lean buckskin and white pinto with a black mane and tail.

The person ripped around a sharp turn with ease. Zane approached and turned the same curve, but Gale stumbled as they went. The person had to be a very good rider to take that turn so cleanly.

"Argh!" Zane said as his horse recovered. "Come on! We're losing him!"

They continued pursuing the person up a hill, where Gale and Zane were finally able to regain the distance they had lost. As they went down the other side, Zane finally caught up with the person.

Seeing he wouldn't get within reach of the person to knock him from his saddle, Zane had another idea. He untied his lasso from his saddle and swung it over his head and towards the rider. It came down over his head and body. Zane jerked the rope and the rider came flying off the back of their horse and crashing into the dirt. Zane brought Gale to a halt and helped the person up, who was coughing.

"Alright," Zane said, removing the rope and drawing his gun. "You have some explaining to do. Who are you? What are you doing out here? And why were you stalking me?"

The person, who was a man, straightened up. He brushed himself off and held his hands up. He had thick eyebrows and a sloped nose, and no facial hair. The man cleared his throat before speaking.

"I am Apenimon." The man said in clear english, although different sounding than his own or even Hailey's.

"Interesting. I have never heard such a name…"

"It is not a name common beyond the desert. In my people's language, it means 'Worthy of Trust."

Zane raised an eyebrow. "Very well, Apenimon. If you're worthy of trust as your people say, perhaps you can tell me what you're doing out here?"

"I was out on a hunt when I came across the dead horses back there." Apenimon pointed over the hill. "I was looking around when I saw you and your horse. I hid because I couldn't tell if you were friend or foe."

"That depends." Zane said. "Are you with the Untamed?"

At the mention of the horse thieves, Apenimon's face turned into one of disgust.

"Me? With those plunderers? I would never let the Four Legends catch me dead with them!"

Zane could tell by the vindictiveness in Apenimon's voice and the look in his eye that he was telling the truth. Convinced that he was of no harm, Zane put his gun away.

"I'm sorry for any unnecessary trouble I may have caused you." He said.

"It is no trouble," Apenimon said. "But what are you doing out here? I have not seen any cowboys out here for as long as I can remember."

"Perhaps I should ask you the same?"

"I told you, this is my home. Me and my people live here. This is our land."

Zane nodded. "I see."

Apenimon put his fingers to his mouth and let out a sharp whistle. From around the bend came his horse. It loped up to him. It wore a saddle, but not like Zane's. It was made of animal skins and rawhide, the bridle was simple and made of leather and bone.

"Is that your horse?" Zane asked. Apenimon swung up on the horse's back with ease.

"Yes. This is Yoki, or, as my people would say in our language, "Rain."

"This is Gale." Zane said. "And I am Zane."

Zane climbed back in the saddle and began to turn back to the river. Apenimon followed him.

"You have yet to tell me, what are you doing out here?" The newcomer said.

"We are on a mission." Zane answered. "One of my friends was taken hostage by the Untamed, so myself and three others are trying to find them so we can get him back. We've been following their trail for about a week."

Again, Apenimon's face twisted with disgust.

"Those fools. They know no honor, and have no regards for the lives of others. I have hated each and every one of them since the day I was born."

"What's caused you to hate them so much?" Zane asked as they rode along. Apenimon sighed.

"It is a long story." He told him. "It's best saved for another time."

"Do you know this land well?" Zane asked the man. He nodded.

"This is the land of my ancestors. I know it as well as my own name."

"Apenimon, we're in a very dangerous situation here. As I told you, my friend named Samuel was kidnapped by the Untamed and is holding him for ransom. If we don't get them the money they want within two weeks, they'll kill him. And a week has already passed."

"We don't deal in modern money." Apenimon said. "Therefore I cannot help you."

"No, we do not intend to give them a single cent. We are trying to find their base so we can rescue Samuel and bring these men to justice. Since you know this land well and appear familiar with the Untamed, would you be willing to help me and my friends and guide us through the rest of our journey?"

Apenimon smiled. "I'd be glad to. Not just because I want those men to be held accountable for their crimes, but because you appear to be a good man, and it is the way of my people to help those in need."

…

"Where is he? He's been gone for hours now!"

"Should we go look for him? Maybe something happened…"

Christopher, Tony, and Hailey were standing at the river's edge, the same place where they had split up. They had ridden their own separate ways to find any signs of the Untamed after Zane had seemingly lost their trail, but had come up with no such luck.

Hailey shifted in her saddle uneasily, looking to where Zane had disappeared. "I hope he's okay…"

They didn't have to wait much longer. A few minutes later Zane appeared from the hills.

Tony squinted to see through the shimmering desert heat, and saw another figure beside him. "Who is that with him?"

Christopher saw it too.

"Whoever it is, it can't be good…" He growled. He drew his gun as Zane and the other person got closer. The two crossed the river over to the bank where the others were standing.

"Who are you?" Christopher demanded harshly. Zane motioned him to put his gun away.

"There is no need for that." he said. "He's a friend that is willing to help us find Samuel."

"Greetings." The man said. "My name is Apenimon, or "Worthy of Trust", from the Chacam tribe."

Hailey tilted her head. "The Chacam? My father was from the Thunder River tribe."

"The River tribe are good allies of ours." Apenimon said. "What is your name?"

"Hailey."

"No, I meant the tribal name given to you."

"Haseya." Hailey replied. "Its River for "She Rises."

Apenimon nodded. "I see." He glanced at the other two. "And you are?"

"Tony and Christopher." Tony said, pointing between the two.

Zane turned to Hailey. "I didn't know you were part desert native?"

Hailey shrugged. "I never was really connected to my dad's side. He was never there to show me what the culture of the River tribe was. I'm papered, but that's it."

"So how did you find him, Zane?" Christopher asked.

"I was out looking for any signs of the Untamed when I came across several dead horses as well as a dead member of the group. Apenimon said he was hunting when he saw me and hid. I saw him and after a brief chase I was able to catch up to him and make him explain himself. He said he's familiar with this land, and therefore agreed to help us find Samuel."

"How can you be so sure that he's not with the Untamed?" Hailey asked suspiciously, raising an eyebrow.

"I would never join those men even if it meant all the wealth in the world." Apenimon said. "The crimes they have committed against my people and others are too atrocious."

"So you know where they are?" Christopher asked hopefully. Apenimon nodded.

"Yes."

"Apenimon has offered to guide us through the desert in our search." Zane said. Apenimon nodded.

Christopher sighed a huge breath of relief. "Oh, thank the Four Legends…" he said. "There's still hope…"

"Their hideout is this way," Apenimon said, pointing to the plateau ahead.

He rode ahead, and the others followed. Now with a new member of the search party, they rode across the desert through the night, upon the insistence of Apenimon. They climbed the hills at the base of the plateau until they reached a long, narrow canyon with the beginnings of the Thunder River. For several hours they rode through the river as the outlaws had the day before. Apenimon led them to the small beach and helped them get themselves and the horses to the top of the canyon. Then they rested for a few hours.

"Apenimon," Zane asked the native. "If you do not mind me asking, how do you happen to know where the Untamed are hiding?"

"Their home was once my home."

"What do you mean?"

Apenimon sighed. "When I was a child, me and my people lived in homes carved from the cliff faces and built with sandstone and clay. We call them pueblos. But one day the Untamed came and demanded that we let them live in our homes. Knowing that they are bad men, we refused, so they took it by force and drove us out. We were forced to flee and make new lives for ourselves on the other side of the plateau, as far as we could without leaving our land."

Zane nodded. "I see. I'm sorry you had to suffer that kind of pain."

Apenimon nodded. "We have done everything we could, but we are unable to get our home back. Everytime we try, the Untamed comes and punishes us. Steal our food, burn our village, kill our people. It's been many years since we've last attempted, we've grown to accept the fact that we may never get it back."

"That doesn't have to be true. Have you asked for help from other tribes?"

"They refuse to for fear of being punished also."

Zane thought for a moment. "What if we helped you?"

Apenimon's head shot up. "You would do that?"

"The Untamed have committed many unjust acts against many. We plan on rescuing Samuel and bringing these men to justice. They will not get away with any of this."

"If you are willing to do such a task, you will have the eternal thanks of my people and others. But how will you do it?"

Zane smiled. "I know many friends that can help us. Besides, there's more to me than what meets the eye."

Apenimon was just about to ask what he meant, but gaped in awe as the hologram that made Zane appear human disappear, leaving his titanium exoskeleton to gleam in the moonlight.

"Y-you're really him…" Apenimon said. Zane nodded.

"Yes. I am actually not from here, but from Ninjago. I am an elemental master, so controlling ice is part of my powers. I am also a robot, or as many of the friends call me, a nindroid."

Apenimon was in shock. "It's...an honor to meet you...I never thought I would live to see the day."

"And neither did I, yet here we are." Said Zane. He reactivated his cloak. "Shall we get going?"

…

The sunlight broke over the plateau. The Untamed had ridden through the night in order to get to their hideout. They had gone without rest, save for brief breaks for their exhausted horses.

Samuel was slouched in the saddle. The ride from the forests through to desert had gotten the best of him. His skin was blistered from the sun. His face and hair were covered in dirt and dust. His throat was so dry it felt cracked. Mud coated his clothes, and he reeked of sweat and horse. He hadn't been able to sleep these last two days, so fatigue plagued him like the flies constantly at his face. He had partially dozed off but was jolted awake as they suddenly came to a stop. He tried rubbing his eyes before looking at what caused them to halt.

There before them was a huge sandstone wall with heavy wooden doors. Peeking above the walls were two outlaws armed with guns.

Picazo looked up and gestured to them. "¡Abre las puertas! *Open the gates!*"

The two nodded and a few moments later the two doors were opened. The Untamed arose in whoops and cheers.

Picazo turned to the others. "Men, we are home at long last! This journey has proved to be difficult, but we have persevered! Today we have ridden, but tonight, we celebrate! Vamanos!"

They cheered again as they rode through the gates. Samuel looked around.

The hideout was at the base of a cliff face in the plateau. Dwellings were carved from the sandstone rock and different levels connected by ladders. Other buildings were built from sandstone brick and masoned with clay. Pathways ran between the buildings and there were pens containing horses and other livestock. The sandstone wall surrounded the entire place, patrolled by outlaws. As a matter of fact, the entire "town" was filled with them, as Samuel saw as the group rode through. Some poked their heads out of windows and others rushed to the sides of the paths to watch them come through. Some gazed on while others cheered.

Samuel heard the two doors slam shut behind him and his heart sunk. He realized that now, it would take a miracle to get out of here alive. And based on the malicious and hungry looks he was getting from the other outlaws, that may not be for long.

"¡Encadena al rehén! ¡Entonces lleva estos caballos al pasto! *Chain up the prisoner! Then get these horses to the pasture!*"

They came to a stop before a small building with wooden bars over a small window and an iron studded wood door with a heavy chain on it. Two men got off their horses and roughly got Samuel off of his own. They dragged him over to the building. One unlocked the door while the other held him, and they both shoved him roughly inside. They untied his hands. Samuel wanted to fight, but at this point, doing so was a death sentence. He didn't struggle as they slipped a pair of shackles over his wrists and locked them.

"You dare to escape, and you're a dead man." One of the outlaws growled as They walked out, slamming the door shut behind them, leaving Samuel alone.

The hostage looked down at the shackled on his hands. They were attached to a pair of chains anchored into the wall. He yanked at them, but they held steady.

"Shit…" He muttered through his gag.

He looked around. He was in a single room, the walls sandstone and the floor dirt. There was no light save for the sun that filtered through the window and the wooden slats above that made the roof.

There was a clatter of hooves outside, and Samuel raced to the small window. He was stopped right before it from his chains, but he could see the horses as they were led away, including his own.

There was a sharp whinny that cut through the air as the horses left, one Samuel would recognize anywhere.

"Gunsmoke…"

…

The shadows stretched long over the sand as the sun began to set. Zane, Hailey, Tony, and Christopher had been following Apenimon as they rode across the top of the plateau.

Apenimon was ahead of them, when he came to a set of low hills. He and Yoki loped up the gentle slope, but stopped right before it crested. He held up a hand, signalling to catch up and stop.

"What is it Apenimon?" Tony asked as they rejoined.

"You wanted to find the Untamed." The desert native said, staring ahead. "Here they are."

The others looked where he was pointing. Christopher and Tony drew in a sharp breath. Hailey gasped. Zane went wide eyed.

It was a town, carved from the face of the cliff and fortified with a wall. Windows glowed with light as the night began to come, and in the setting sun Zane could make out the shapes of outlaws walking along the top, all armed with guns.

Christopher whistled. "So this is their hideout."

Zane shook his head. "Not a hideout. It's a fortress…"

"And Uncle Sam's somewhere in there…" Hailey said. "How are we gonna find him?"

"Perhaps I can take you to my village." Apenimon said. "We can rest and figure out a way to save your friend. I'm certain the chief would like to meet you. Besides, the longer we stay here, the more we are putting ourselves in danger."

Apenimon turned his horse around and the rest followed. He led them around a safe distance from the base and across the Thunder River from where it flowed across the plateau before dropping down into Chacam run.

Zane cast one last glance over his shoulder before the base vanished from sight. He silently reaffirmed the vow he had made to find and rescue Samuel if it was the last thing he did.

They continued to ride for a few more hours, following the desert native through a twisting and turning path through the hills before stopping at a rise. He turned to face them.

"This is the village of the Chacam tribe." He told them. "You are welcome to stay here for as long as you'd like. I will tell the chief of your presence."

He rode down the rise and they followed. As they neared the bottom, Zane was better able to see the village through the darkness.

The dwellings were made from hardened mud packed onto a frame of wooden poles. From outside, the glows of hearths blazing inside could be seen. Some homes had a hole above the door and others wooden pipes on the roof to allow smoke to escape. Intricately woven blankets covered the entryways. Outside some of the homes were ovens made from mud where the residents were cooking food like meat, fish, and bread. Pens contained sheep and horses. The people, including men, women, and a few children all wore clothing similar to Apenimon. They stared wide-eyed at the search party as they rode through the village. Zane tried to appear friendly and smiled and nodded at a child and their mother looking at them, but they only cowered in fear.

Zane became confused. They weren't here to hurt anyone. Why were they so afraid?

'Perhaps they think we are the Untamed…' He thought.

They followed Apenimon to a large mud and wooden building that was larger than any other in the village. He stopped at the front and got off Yoki.

"Wait here." He said. "I'll get the chief."

He disappeared into the building and came back a few minutes later. With him, was another man. He clearly exhibited a higher status than the rest. His long hair was tied into two braids. He wore long robes of patterned woven material and leather. He also wore many necklaces of shells and beads around his neck and a pair of lustering shell earrings. His face was aged and weatherbeaten.

"Friends, this is Chief Aditsan, or Listener in Chacam. Chief, these are the ones I met while hunting today. They're the ones offering to help us get our home back." Apenimon said.

Chief looked at each of them, his eyes studying them slowly and thoroughly. Finally he spoke.

"I sense no evil in them." He said finally. "Friends of Apenimon, he has spoken with me about your intent. I would like to discuss this further with you and my council. Please, come in. Apenimon will take your horses to get fed and watered."

The others got off their horses as Apenimon took their reins. Zane patted Gale on the neck.

"Don't worry." He said. "I will see you later."

Chief gestured to the four and held back the blanket that acted as a door. They walked in. The inside of the building was spacious. The walls were the frame of the building, logs stacked upright side by side that formed the base and longer logs that criss-crossed to form the dome. A large wooden pole stood in the center that supported the roof. The floor was pounded earth. About a dozen people sat on woven mats around another fire that blazed in the center. The members turned to watch the four as they walked in.

Zane looked around, fascinated. As if he thought he had already seen everything there was to be seen in Mt. Horn, every day continued to bring new surprises. These people were drastically different from the cattlemen he had previously met. Who knew Mt. Horn held so many different cultures?

Chief walked in after them, and had them sit down. Then he walked to the front of the group.

"Elders," He began. "Today one of our people, Apenimon, found this group at the bottom of the plateau. Upon further questioning he discovered that one of their own was captured by the Untamed and were on a quest to get him back."

At the mention of the crime ring, ripples of whispers and grunts of disdain were heard from the council members.

"I know your feelings towards those men, and I too can share those same feelings. But these people Apenimon have brought to us are pure in their hearts and seek to do no harm amongst us. In fact, they are here to help us."

"How so?" One of the elders asked.

"Friends?" Chief asked. "Would you like to explain?"

"Yes." Zane said. He stood up and deactivated his hologram cloak. At the sight of the prophecy's key, members of the chief's council gasped.

Zane cleared his throat before he spoke.

"People of the Chacam tribe," He began. "As Chief Aditsan has already told you, one of our friends has been taken hostage by the Untamed and we are on a mission to rescue him. When I first met Apenimon, he told us of the injustices you have suffered at the hands of these unruly men. I understand that their base now was once your home. And just as much as I intend to free Samuel from their evil clutches, I have also made it a priority to give back to you and your people the home you are rightfully entitled to. I may be from Ninjago, but I have one purpose in life: to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Even though I am not in my homeland, I intend to continue filling this purpose. Me and my friends are going to formulate a plan that will rescue our friend and get your traditional dwelling back. I will fight to the death if it is the last thing I do. We will not rest until we are either successful or dead."

"And how do you intend to do so?" One of the elders asked. "If you get so much as within eyesight of the base you are bound to be shot and killed!"

"I have a few tricks up my sleeve." Zane told him. "Back in Ninjago I was a ninja, which is nothing like any of these men had ever seen before. My ninja abilities have served me well against other enemies I have faced in the past, as they will in this case."

"And when will you go to investigate?" Asked another.

"I plan on riding out to the base tomorrow night, alone." Zane responded. "The more people that accompany me increases the likelihood of being spotted before I even get there."

Hailey grabbed Zane's arm. "Zane, are you crazy?! Going alone?! That's a death wish!"

"I will be okay." he told her, prying off her hand. "I can handle myself. And I do not want you of all people to be in harm's way."

"When will you begin to formulate a plan?" Said an elder on the other side.

"Once I come back from my investigation. Before we start making preparations I will need to see what we are up against."

"Perhaps I can send for warriors from our allies downstream." Chief Aditsan suggested. "There are many men that reside there. You cannot fight them alone."

Zane nodded. "That is an excellent idea, but as I said, I need to see what we are dealing with before we make assumptions."

"Very well." Chief said. "Then it is settled. I will tell the people of your presence and purpose and assure them you are not of ill will. In the meantime, I am sure you are very exhausted. It is a very long journey from the prairie. I will send you to Apenimon. He has already expressed to me that he is more than happy to accommodate you and your friends in the meantime."

…

The next night Zane found himself riding on Gale under the cover of the night's darkness. True to his word, he was going to the Untamed's hideout to get a better idea of what they were about to pick a fight with.

He guided Gale through the twisting trail with an expert hand. He had faced many threats in the past- snakes, skeletons, Garmadon, and the Overlord- but the Untamed were nothing like he'd seen before. In order to make it to the base and back safely, his ninja skills as well as his Mt. Horn skills would both have to be at the top of their game.

He and Gale trotted along in the pitch black darkness. This was the first time he was alone in unfamiliar and hostile territory. Anything was bound to go wrong in a second.

Zane felt his anxiety levels rise with each hoofbeat. He scanned the top of the hills for any Untamed, rogue bushwhackers, and another type of threat that lurked in these hills- skinwalkers.

According to the ancient lore of the desert tribes, skinwalkers were tribal demons conjured by native witches using an animal sacrifice. Skinwalkers were shapeshifters that could transform from humanlike creatures into animals, primarily coyotes and wolves with superhuman strength and endurance. They were so feared among the desert tribes that even Chief Aditsan was reluctant to talk to Zane about them before he left, and only did so to warn him. They believed that by talking about skinwalkers you were making yourself more open of one coming to hunt you. You could tell a skinwalker was near you if you smelled rotten flesh and heard the cries of any wild animal. No bow, arrow, or bullet could fend off a skinwalker. Only the light of the sun or the powers of a shaman could repel them.

So at Chief Aditsan's request, the village's shaman Walking Thunder came and blessed Zane before his journey, which included putting on a sacred facepaint, burning sage, and giving him a sacred prayer stick, which he was currently carrying in his breast pocket. Chief Aditsan had told him to keep it with him and to not show fear in the face of a skinwalker lest he come across one, for if you showed fear, it would kill you.

A gust of desert wind blew, bringing with it a warm breeze- and the smell of death.

The hair on the back of Zane's neck stood on end as the stench hit his nose. Off to his right he heard the yip of a coyote. He looked over his shoulder and he could almost swear he saw a pair of glowing yellow eyes peeking out from the sage at the top of the ridge. Fear seized his throat and he desperately tried to fight it down. He didn't know how a skinwalker would kill a person, and he didn't want to figure out how.

He turned back to Gale. "Come on, we need to get out of here!"

Zane jabbed his horse with his spurs and together they raced through the rest of the hills, stumbling over rocks and branches, and didn't stop until they were out of the canyon and at the river's edge. He paused a moment to catch his breath. He looked over his shoulder to see if they had been followed before patting Gale on the neck, feeling the flighty horse's muscles quiver and tense under his hand.

"Thank you for getting us out of that." He told his horse. "I'm sorry, but I didn't want either of us getting hurt." He cast one glance back at the canyon's entrance before turning back and seeing the river and the flat desert ahead, seeing the twinkling lights of the Untamed base in the far distance.

Zane drew in a deep breath of the cool desert air to recompose himself. He patted his shirt pocket to see if the prayer stick was still there. Thankfully it was. Whether he had seen the supposed skinwalker just in time, Gale's speed, or the ritual and stick from the tribe, he was thankful that he didn't meet a different end.

He patted Gale again and adjusted the grip on his reins. He checked that his paint was still on and that his gun was in its proper place. Sacred blessing or not, he would need all the luck and help he could get. He had come too far to turn back now. He wasn't. He couldn't.

Zane urged Gale forward and the two made their way across the river, water sloshing around Gale's legs as they went. As they crossed Zane again searched for any unfriendly eyes. Luckily, they were alone now.

Gale clambered up the other side and shook himself off before continuing. They made their way across the plateau, getting nearer and nearer to the light ahead. There was no moon tonight, leaving the desert pitch black, giving Zane excellent cover. As they approached the wall, he looked for anything that would offer hiding spots so he would get as close as possible.

A few hundred yards from the wall, Zane spied a cluster of sage bushes that would be big enough to conceal his horse. He rode behind it and slid off of Gale.

"Stay here." He told him, patting his horse on the nose. "I'll be back soon."

Zane slipped out from behind bushes and made his way up to the wall, ducking behind rocks and branches as he went. This stretch of wall had no guards patrolling it as of right now. He cast one more look around before quickly scaling the wall. He peered over the top to see if anyone was around. There was not.

He swung over the wall and dropped down onto the other side with ease. He ducked behind a building for cover to catch his breath and to check his gun. His plan was relatively simple: scope out the general layout of the base, find where Samuel was being held, and get back to the village to formulate a plan with the others. But as easy as it sounded, what he was about to do would be a death sentence if he wasn't careful.

He took a cautious step outward to peer around the building, but stopped as his spurs jingled.

He winced. "That will really give away my presence…"

He bent down and felt around. Grabbing a couple pieces of dry grass, he stuffed them in his spurs to keep them from making any noise. He peered again. The coast on the ground was clear, but on the wall were outlaws. When he saw that none were looking, he dashed from his current spot to a nearby building, quickly climbing up the wall to the top.

"If I'm to get a good view of the base's layout, I'll need to find a good vantage point." he said to himself.

Cautiously he picked his way through the base, taking note of its structure and where things were located that could be used for either his advantage or the Untamed and looking for any weak spots in the surrounding walls or defenses. He had worked his way to the heart of the hideout and was edging around another building when he saw a structure that piqued his interest.

It was a small sandstone building with wooden planks that formed the roof and no light coming from the inside. He heard the sound of clinking metal from within.

Curious, Zane cast one more cautious look around before stalking up to the side of the building. He rounded the edges until he happened across a small barred window above his head. He made a small jump and grabbed onto the bars to peer inside. His eyes adjusting to the dark, he was shocked to find-

"Samuel!" Zane said quietly. He was on the floor and chained to a wall, asleep. But he was very much alive!

Zane picked up a rock from the ground and threw it at Samuel. He grunted as it hit him in the face and he stirred, groaning and groggily opening his eyes.

"Samuel." Zane whispered. "Samuel!"

Samuel shook his head before trying to figure out where the voice came from. He looked to the window and saw Zane's face. His eyes went wide.

"Zane!" He tried to say, muffled by the gag in his mouth.

"Shhh." Zane said. "Can you get closer?"

Samuel went as close to the window as his chains would let him. Zane reached through the bars and pulled the bandana out of his mouth.

"Zane!" Samuel said. "Boy, am I glad to see you! What are you doing here?!"

"To get you out of here." Zane said. "But not tonight. If I try to free you now, we'll certainly be caught and both of us will be killed. Right now I'm only here to get a better look at the Untamed's hideout. We're planning to fight."

"Fight? What do you mean?"

"I came across the desert with Tony, Christopher, and Hailey. The Chacam tribe took us in. This place was their home but the Untamed forcibly took it, and they are going to fight with us to take it back."

Samuel grinned, relieved. "I knew you guys would come."

"Of course we would. I can't just leave you in their hands. Are you alright?"

"I've...been better. I got beat up pretty bad by a couple of Picazo's men. But I've been fed and watered somewhat regularly. But I feel a hell of a lot better now that you're here. Is everyone safe? Where are they?"

"The others are safe and sound back at the Chacam village. I came here alone."

Suddenly Zane heard the voices of outlaws approaching. He turned to look and then looked back at Samuel.

"I'm sorry Samuel, but I have to go now. Here," He pulled the bandana back over Samuel's mouth. "I'll see you soon."

Samuel nodded and Zane let go of the bars and quickly slipped away.

Zane heaved a sigh of relief. Samuel was alive and somewhat well, but alive nonetheless.

Casting a look around to make sure he was alone, he projected his view to show a hologram scan of the base's layout. Satisfied with his work, he made his way to the wall and snuck past the guards with ease. He wove his way back through the desert to where he had left Gale, who was nibbling at the ground.

"Psst." He said. "Gale."

The horse looked up and saw Zane, then walked over and nudged his owner in the chest. He petted Gale's nose.

"We have what we need. Now let's get back to the others."

Zane put his foot in the stirrup and was about to swing his leg over, when suddenly his sixth sense alerted him that something wasn't right. But he didn't get the chance to figure out what it was.

BANG!

A shot rang out, shattering the silence of the night. A split second later a searing pain tore through Zane's shoulder. He cried out in pain as he fell from the saddle and to the ground, his vision swimming.

"I got 'em!" Said an unruly voice through the dark.

Groaning, Zane struggled up, clutching his shoulder. He looked at his hand to see it covered in his silver blood. His entire arm was consumed by a deep burning pain. He'd been shot.

Zane frantically felt around for his gun but was unable to find it. He heard the voice and others getting closer. He staggered up to his feet and clumsily climbed into Gale's saddle, his shoulder screaming in protest.

"We need to get out of here!" He yelled at his horse. Together they sprang from the bushes and took off running.

"There they are!" said another voice. "Get them!"

Zane tried to look over his shoulder to see the pursuers, but they were only shadows in the night. He tried to keep hold of Gale's reins, but his vision and his bullet wound made them keep slipping from his hands.

Gunshots rang out from behind him and bullets went whizzing past them. He heard Gale snort sharply and felt him stumble and begin to run awkwardly under him. The trip made the reins rip from Zane's hands and slip over the horse's ears.

"No!" He cried when he saw he had lost the reins. He leaned forward to try and get them back when suddenly another bullet tore its path through Zane's leg. He instinctively reached over to clutch his leg but he lost his balance and fell off. He hit the ground, the impact driving the wind from his lungs. He could only try to catch his breath and writhe in pain as three sets of hoofbeats approached.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here, boys?" Said a different voice, just as unruly as the first.

Three pairs of boots hit the ground as they got off their horses. Two hands grabbed Zane's arm and another roughly hauled him to his feet by the back of his shirt collar.

"The hell were you doin'?" One of them snapped. He shook Zane by the collar.

Zane couldn't speak, he was still fighting for air.

"Well come on now!" Said another. "We ain't got all night!"

"Seems to me he was snoopin' around where he shouldn't have been and was trying to sneak in." Said the third outlaw, standing in front of them. He grinned and cracked his knuckles. "Maybe we should teach him a lesson…"

The man drew his arm back for a punch, But as he stepped forward Zane swung up his legs and kicked him in the chest. He staggered back and fell before getting up, a look of smoldering anger on his face.

"Get that damned fucker on his knees!" He demanded.

The other two tightened their grip on Zane and kicked his legs out from under him, bringing him down to his knees. He tried to fight them but stopped when a boot kicked him in the stomach. He grunted in pain as the air was once again driven from his lungs. He coughed.

"What do we do with him? Take him to El Picazo?"

"No," said Zane's assailant. "It's been awhile since the man's been in a decent mood, and I don't want to spoil it. Let's just get rid of him." He looked over at the edge of the canyon that formed Chacam Run. He jerked his head toward it.

Getting the man's message, the other two holding Zane began dragging him over. The nindroid twisted, fought against their hold, and dug his heels in, but it was no use. They overpowered him with ease. Once at the edge they lifted him back onto his feet. Zane only had a second to stare down the precipice before he was roughly shoved forward.

Next thing he knew the air was rushing around him as he fell down, down, down. A cry of terror escaped from his throat, but was cut off as he hit the canyon walls before being swallowed up by the churning black waters of the Thunder River below.

…

"Well Sensei?" Nya asked, showing their teacher the notes and theories her and the others had come up with during their time at the library. "What do you think about all this?"

Sensei Wu stroked his beard, looking thoughtfully and flipping through the pages of notes and different books stacked on the kitchen table. "It never occurred to me as to why the southernmost regions of the maps were poorly labeled, but the research you have done gives a valid explanation…" He peered closer at the theories written on the papers. "And these proposed ideas as to what this place can hold also have the good possibility to be true."

"Um, about horses, Sensei…" Jay began.

Sensei Wu looked at his student and raised an eyebrow. "Yes Jay? What about them?"

"Have you heard about them?"

"Only in passing, but yes, though I've never seen one."

"Are they…" Jay trailed off. "Bad?"

"That I do not know. I suppose we will find that out when we find one."

Jay gulped, seeming fearful of the idea of having to face a horse. Lloyd smirked.

"What?" Jay asked, seeing the green ninja.

"You're not scared of horses, are you?" Kai asked teasingly.

"No!" Jay scoffed, crossing his arms defensively. "You just never know. At least I didn't think treehorns were just little squirrels, Kai."

"Hey!"

"Come on Jay, based on what I've read, horses are almost nothing to be afraid of!" Lloyd said. "Besides, I'm sure our dragons would easily take care of them if they were a threat."

"Still, you never know!"

Cole had been silent during this whole spectacle, trying to think of anything that would help them connect the dots. He was flipping through the pages and vaguely listening to Kai and Jay's argument, when suddenly a sick feeling clenched his gut. It wasn't a nauseating sickness, but a kind of sickness that one only felt when something was terribly wrong.

Becoming uneasy, Cole looked around. But he saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"Hey Cole, are you okay?" Nya asked, seeing the worried expression on the earth ninja's face. "You look like something's bothering you."

"I don't know…" Cole said. "Something's wrong. I can feel it in my gut…"

"Ha, maybe your gut is telling you that you need more cake!" Kai said.

"I'm being serious Kai!" Cole snapped. "Something just went wrong. One second I was fine and the next I've got this feeling that something happened…"

Sensei immediately became concerned. He turned to Lloyd.

"Lloyd, check in on Zane."

"Okay," The green ninja said. He held out his hand and tried to summon ice.

But none came.

*Evil laughter* Hope you enjoyed! Be sure to follow, favorite, and drop a review on your way out! Stay healthy and safe! RealtreeGal, out!