Hello all! Welcome back once again to another chapter of Second Destiny! Previously we left off in the middle of the battle between Zane and the Untamed. Now we get to see the end result of the battle and the events afterward. How will Zane's last stand end? Read on to find out!
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The song used in this chapter is "Home On the Range", written by Roy Rogers.
Enjoy the chapter!
A stunned silence settled over the outlaws and volunteers as Picazo's gun clattered to the ground, encased in ice.
Samuel's jaw dropped. "Did he just-"
Hailey nodded. "Yup…"
Picazo had stopped laughing and was now staring at his weapon, eyes wide. He snapped back to Zane, who still was advancing on him. Picazo's hand flew to his belt where he kept his other gun. He drew it quick but no sooner had the outlaw cleared leather was it shot from his hand by another beam of ice. Now defenseless, he dropped back by the side of one of his men.
"KILL THAT THING!" he bellowed. "KILL IT AND ALL THE OTHERS! FIRE, FIRE, FIRE!"
The horse thieves took their aim and the volunteers cowered as they were certain that they would die.
Gunfire roared. Ice shot out from both of Zane's hands. A wall of ice shot up from the ground, shielding the allies from the oncoming bullets. A shield of ice formed in front of Zane to protect himself as well.
"What's he doing?!" One of the ranchers cried.
"He's protecting us!"
Unfazed by the bullets, Zane began shooting ice in front of the horses, making them rear and run away in fright, causing the Untamed to become jumbled and distracted as they tried to flee and get their horses under control.
Samuel picked up a gun that lay abandoned on the ground and waved to the others. "Come on, he needs help! This ain't the end of us yet!"
Fighting spirit renewed, ranchers and natives alike grabbed whatever weapons and horses they could find and charged behind Zane, guns blazing.
Zane was fighting his way through, shooting ice at them, when several outlaws on foot tried rushing him. Seeing he wouldn't be able to take them on one by one, he did the only thing he could think of.
"NINJA GO!" He yelled before bursting into a white and blue tornado, which dragged the men in and threw them out every which way.
Hailey, who was fighting, watched in awe.
"Holy shit!"
The other thieves saw it too. Within moments, the Untamed had scattered and fled for their lives, frightened by Zane and going down under the ranchers and warriors.
Picazo looked around frantically, panicking as he watched his men beginning to fail. He jumped in front of one of the thieves' horses, pulled its rider out of the saddle, and sped away to the destroyed wall in an attempt to escape.
Through the fighting, Zane saw Picazo flee. Of all the Untamed, he could not let him get away.
Picazo was almost near the gate, spurring the horse so hard blood trickled from its ribs. He grinned as he thought he would be able to escape.
There was a great flash of light, and a huge shadow passed over him. Just before he reached the wall, a massive blue and white dragon landed in front him. Picazo gasped and pulled back on the reins. The dragon roared, causing the horse to spook and toss Picazo off before running away.
Picazo scrambled to his feet but only made it a few steps before a massive set of claws slammed themselves over him, trapping the leader. His face paled and his heart almost stopped as he looked up at the dragon's face, piercing white eyes staring into his own.
And there on its back sat Zane in all his glory, holding the dragon's reins, glaring down at Picazo.
The outlaw was so shaken by what he was witnessing he couldn't form a coherent sentence.
"H-how?" was all he could say.
"I have said it once, and I will say it again," Zane said, voice carrying as he sat on the back of his dragon. "I was built to protect those who cannot protect themselves. You are a threat to Mt. Horn and my friends and had to be stopped. Or you were, at least. You have continually and unjustly robbed many people of their livelihoods and inflicted great pain upon them. Now, it is time that you answer for those crimes!"
Seeing that their leader had been captured, the Untamed had lost their will to fight. While others were more difficult, most had begun throwing down their weapons and putting their hands up, surrendering to the volunteers. They whooped and cheered as they began rounding up the outlaws, disarming them, and taking their horses. Soon Picazo was the only one left. He came walking, knees trembling in fear as Zane and his beast followed, lest the leader be stupid enough to try and run away. The ranchers and warriors gasped and watched wide-eyed as Zane sat on the dragon's back and controlled the man.
They reached the other outlaws, who were being held at gunpoint by the others. Zane's dragon shoved Picazo from behind with its head, making him fall to the ground. He got up groaning.
"Face me, Picazo." Demanded Zane harshly.
Seeing he was in no position to do otherwise, Picazo grudgingly did as he was told.
"What are you going to do?" He jeered at Zane in a fake attempt to preserve his dignity. "Kill me?"
"I very well could if I want to." The master of ice said. "And I'm certain that there are plenty of us here that would give anything to do the same. But I'm not going to."
"Oh, really? Why not?"
"Because unlike you and your men, I and my allies are merciful and have a sense of decency. If I were to kill you, it would only make us stoop down to your level. There's a difference between us and you."
Zane tugged the reins, and his dragon roared before snow shot from its mouth, freezing El Picazo up to his neck in solid ice. He gasped and fought, but it was no use. He was frozen solid.
"W-what did you do?!" He cried, twisting his head in a futile attempt to escape. Zane's dragon disappeared and he landed on the ground before walking up to the outlaw.
"I put an end to your reign, that's what I did." said Zane. "You'll be seeing a punishment for your crimes as deemed fit by the law. The Untamed's time is over, Picazo."
Zane turned and began to walk back to the volunteers when suddenly his vision swam and he stumbled as his knees buckled. He hadn't used his dragon, spinjitzu, or elemental powers in so long, it almost completely sapped him of his energy. He fell, but was caught by several pairs of arms and sat gently on the ground.
"Zane." Came a muddled but familiar voice. "Zane! Can you hear me?"
"Y-yes, I can." Zane mumbled. He shook his head and blinked a few times, his vision coming back into focus. He was surrounded by the concerned faces of Hailey, Christopher, Tony, Samuel, and a few other ranchers and warriors. After a few more moments he was able to stand up.
"Are you okay?" Samuel asked. Zane nodded.
"Y-yes, I'm just weak after all...that."
"THAT WAS AWESOME!" Hailey cried. "THAT WAS INCREDIBLE! YOU LITERALLY BECAME A TORNADO AND SUMMONED A DRAGON! HOW DID YOU DO IT?!"
Zane grinned. "It's all a part of my elemental powers. And the tornado move is called Spinjitzu, its a fighting style I learned from Sensei Wu back in Ninjago."
Christopher bit his lip. "About that…"
"What?"
Samuel cleared his throat. "Zane, when you used your powers...you gave yourself away…"
"I know. I had to. Otherwise, we all would have been killed."
"Well, you may want to give them an explanation, amigo," Tony said.
He pointed a thumb over his shoulder and Zane looked. Even though they were holding the Untamed, the volunteers, namely the ranchers, were staring at Zane, some fascinated, some terrified, and some even angry. Samuel, Hailey, Tony, and Christopher knew he was from the outside, but no one else did. Or if they didn't, they did now.
Zane felt almost three hundred pairs of eyes boring into him as they silently demanded answers to what they just witnessed. He sighed and walked out in front of them. There was no use trying to hide his identity anymore. His secret was out.
Zane took off his hat and fumbled with the brim, unsure of how to begin. These people hated outsiders. How would they react to him being from Ninjago? And not only that, but having been among them for so long? They had the ability to annihilate him in seconds if they wanted to. Would being a part of the Dark Archer's prophecy be enough to convince them not to? Or would it not matter to them? By the understanding from Hailey, it seemed not many believed nor paid attention to it anymore.
Well, there was only one way to find out.
Zane cleared his throat.
"I...know what you all are thinking." he began, addressing the ranchers. "And the answer is yes. I'm not from here. I am an outsider."
There was hushed murmuring among them now. A few more people began glaring at him.
Zane scuffed his boot in the ground. "I'm from Ninjago. There I was a ninja. I discovered my ice powers and learned spinjitzu. I came here not on purpose, but merely on accident."
He began to explain his journey from beginning to end, starting with his encounter with Morro and ending with their fight with Picazo. They listened silently, but the tension in the air was so thick it was almost suffocating.
"There is another thing I must confess." he said.
Christopher inhaled sharply. Tony and Hailey held their breath. They knew what was coming next.
"Oh no." Samuel said. "This ain't gonna be good…"
Reluctantly, Zane put a hand to his chest and deactivated his hologram cloak. The others gasped as his human looking skin disappeared, leaving his titanium exoskeleton gleaming in the sun for all to see.
"I'm not human." Zane admitted. "I-I am a nindroid…"
"So you've been mimicking us to cover your ass?!" somebody yelled.
"We should've been after him instead of Picazo this entire damn time!" shouted another in the back.
"The hell with the prophecy! Someone ought to kill that thing while we still can!"
Seeing this was about to turn ugly, Christopher, Tony, Hailey, and Samuel ran over to Zane and took their places by his side.
"All of you, cut the shit!" Christopher yelled. "He was the one that led us in and out of this fight, and this is the thanks he gets?!"
"I know how you all feel." Samuel said. "And I felt the same too at first. But take it from me, as someone who's fought outsiders before: Zane is not something to be afraid of. If he was looking to do damage, he would have by now!"
"Zane is a good man with an even greater heart!" Tony said. "You all would be fools to try and kill him!"
"Yeah!" Hailey added. "Did you see what he did?! He literally risked his ass to rescue Samuel and all of us! We'd all be dead right now if it weren't for him! That alone speaks volumes about him! He may be made of bolts and screws, but he has more humanity than most people in the world! He's proved that to us today! And if you still think it's right to kill or hurt him after everything he's done for us, then maybe you should reevaluate yourselves!"
There was a hush. Zane saw quite a few people look at each other and back. The anger and shock was gone from their faces. Some even looked ashamed. They turned and talked amongst themselves for a while.
Zane leaned over to Tony. "Thank you all for that. I don't know what I would have done otherwise."
"Don't thank us yet." said Samuel. "We still don't know how they're gonna act…"
The five watched with bated breath as the other cattlefolk turned back around.
"Well?" Christopher asked.
For a moment, no one moved. Then, the group began to part as one of the ranchers, an elderly man, walked forward and up to Zane. Gently, he took Zane's hat from the nindroid's hands and dusted it off before placing it back on Zane's head.
The old rancher tipped his hat. "For a born city slicker you make one hell of a cowboy, I'll give you that." He said.
Zane grinned and returned the gesture. "Thank you, sir."
The man turned around and waved to the rest of them. "Come on, y'all. He's just fine."
"We just took down the Untamed, for Four Legend's sake!"
Hailey looked to Zane for confirmation of Tony's statement. "Did we win?" She asked.
Zane smiled and nodded. "We did."
No sooner had the words left his mouth that he and the others were suddenly caught in a tidal wave of overjoyous ranchers and warriors, all whistling and shouting with glee as they had finally defeated one of their worst enemies. Hailey jumped into Zane's arms and gave him one of the biggest hugs he had ever gotten.
"Thank you, Zane." She said. "I don't know what I would have done without you."
Zane smiled more and returned the hug. "There is no need to thank me, Hailey." He told her. "Its what I do."
"And you do it really damn well at that!" Samuel said before sweeping Zane into a crushing bear hug. "Goddammit, you saved my life!"
Claps on the back, handshakes, hugs, and cheers went around as they all praised and thanked Zane for helping them stop the Untamed. There was so much more gratitude shown to him than back in Ninjago, even when he had sacrificed himself to defeat the Overlord, and honestly, he enjoyed it very much.
Before he knew it people were hoisting Zane onto their shoulders and parading around the base, chanting his name. Usually he didn't like attention like this, after all, protecting people and fighting against evil was his purpose.
But these people had been long awaiting this day. Some thought they would never live to see it. If they wanted to celebrate this way, he was not one to deny them of it.
They all had fought, and they won. The Untamed was defeated. No more would the Chacam and other desert tribes have to be exiled. No more would the ranchers have to live in constant fear about losing their livelihoods. Once again, peace had been restored among both the desert and the prairie.
…
A few River and Chacam tribesmen had ridden out to notify authorities of Picazo's capture. The Range Patrol as well as the sheriff said they would be there by the next week. Over the course of the next few days, Zane and the others tended to those wounded in the fight, continued to watch over the outlaws, reunited people with their stolen and missing horses, round up the remaining livestock, and helped the Chacam move their belongings and animals from their village to the now-liberated base. Picazo had been pried from his frozen prison and thrown into the building where Samuel was once held. To help conceal Zane's identity, the ranchers erased the evidence of his elemental powers by taking the chunks of remaining ice and throwing them into Chacam Run. The two desert tribes swore to not say a word until it was safe to do so. Several natives had died during the fight, so they attended the funeral ceremony. Zane and the cattlefolk also helped repair the buildings that were damaged by the Untamed. Two entirely different groups working together warmed the nindroid's heart.
It was early in the morning when the sheriff and Range Patrol finally reached the walls of the Chacam village. Zane, Hailey, Tony, Christopher, and Samuel were there to greet them while the rest watched over the Untamed.
The sheriff rode on horseback, as did the dozens of Range Patrol members escorting him. He looked at the walls Zane and them had blasted to get inside. He tipped his hat as they approached.
"Good morning gentlemen. And ma'am." He said.
The rest greeted him and returned the gesture. The sheriff dusted off his glasses.
"Alright, let's get right on down to business." He said. "I need to confirm the man you claimed to capture is El Picazo. Can y'all take me to him?"
"Of course, sheriff." Zane said. "Right this way."
The five rode to the other side of the base, sheriff and Patrol following. They came up to the Untamed, who were tied up. Picazo was at the front, hands tied behind his back and his knees tied together. He snarled when he saw Zane with the sheriff and the Patrol.
The sheriff got off his horse and peered at Picazo. He unzipped his jacket and pulled out a piece of paper. It was a mugshot of the leader. He held it up next to Picazo's face for a moment before letting out a low whistle.
"I'll be damned." He said. "It really is the man himself."
The sheriff stood back up. "Who's responsible for the capture of this man?" He called.
All at once, everybody turned to Zane. The nindroid shifted uncomfortably in Gale's saddle, once again feeling many pairs of eyes boring into him.
The sheriff turned to Zane. "You? You're the one who captured Picazo?"
"It was a collective effort-"
"It was him."
Zane looked at Hailey. She shrugged.
"What?" She asked. "You were the one to actually capture him." She stood up in Ranger's saddle. "Am I right?" She asked, addressing the cattlefolk and natives.
A collective response proved her point. Zane sighed.
"Yes." he said. "It was me."
The sheriff blinked a few times in amazement before walking up to Zane and taking his hand.
"What's your name, sir?"
"Zane, sheriff."
"Zane, on behalf of all law enforcement and everybody here, I'd like to thank you for your fine work. You did what no one else could. I never thought I'd live to see the day to see Picazo and the Untamed be dismantled. Great justice was delivered today"
Zane nodded. "It's an honor sir."
The sheriff nodded and walked over to Picazo.
"As for you, you yellow-bellied scoundrel, I'll make sure you rot in the deepest pit of prison before you rot in the deepest pits of hell!"
He turned to the members of the Range Patrol. "All right, y'all! You know what to do! Get these thievin' heathens cuffed!"
The ranchers and warriors stepped back as the Range Patrol took over, cutting the Untamed free of their ropes before placing them in metal cuffs. Zane watched, relieved that these men would finally face punishment for their crimes, and justice would be served to those who suffered at their hands.
The sheriff walked over to his saddle back and pulled out a black case and unzipped it. Inside was a camera.
"Zane!" The sheriff called. "Do you and your friends there mind getting in closer? The newspapers want a picture!"
Nodding, the ice ninja, his friends, the ranchers, and the desert warriors all got closer together. The sheriff got in front of them and snapped a picture. Picazo was at the center, handcuffed and on his knees, wearing a look that could kill. Behind him were the ones responsible for his downfall. The sheriff gave them a thumbs up to let them know he was finished.
Hailey grinned and elbowed Zane. "Looks like you're gonna be a front-pager!"
The sheriff put the camera away and approached Zane again.
"Zane, what you and your crew did here was amazing work." He said. "I just gotta know, what can we do to repay you?"
Zane opened his mouth to automatically declined, but shut it as he thought of something. He bent down in the saddle.
"If it's not too much trouble," he said. "I would just like to request to keep the press off my back. I'm...not quite fond of public attention, if you know what I mean."
The sheriff nodded, although slightly confused. "Alright, that's definitely doable. Anything else?"
"No sir."
"Hey sheriff!" Hailey called, trotting up on Ranger. "What do you want with all these cattle in the back pasture? There's gotta be at least a thousand head."
There sheriff waved his hand. "Ah, you and your fellows can round them all up and take them to your ranches. I'd say sort them if they have brands and call the brand inspector and split the unmarked ones among yourselves."
The Range Patrol members finished securing the horse thieves. One of them rode up to the sheriff.
"Sir, they're ready." He said.
The outlaws had all been cuffed and mounted on their horses and extra ones brought by the Patrol.
"All right, let's move them out!"
The sheriff turned to Zane. He tipped his hat to Zane before getting back on his own horse and trotting over and helping the Patrol.
One by one the outlaws were led behind members of the Patrol out of of the Chacam town and into the desert beyond.
"DON'T THINK THIS IS THE LAST YOU'LL SEE OF ME, YOU TONTO!" Screamed Picazo at Zane as he was led away. "YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS! I KNOW YOUR SECRETS! SOON THE ENTIRE WORLD WILL TOO! I'LL DRAG YOU DOWN WITH ME!"
He continued to scream and shout as they passed the walls of his former hideout. His voice faded as the sheriff and Range Patrol departed, disappearing into a cloud of dust. It would be the last time any of them would see the leader of the Untamed.
Samuel rode up to him on Gunsmoke. "Don't worry, Zane." He told him. "Regardless of what he says, no one's gonna listen to him. He's been wanted for years. No one's gonna take him seriously."
Zane shook his head. "I'm not concerned."
The other three appeared next to him.
"Alright, Zane." Christopher said. "What's our next move?"
Zane thought for a moment. "What's the status of the wounded?"
"Most of them say they're fit to ride again." Tony said. "There's a few that can't, but some already offered to ride with them. We're able to leave now if you want to."
Zane took this into consideration. "Very well." He said. "Let's see if the Chacam need any more of our help. Then we can get the cattle together and head back home."
Zane and the others milled about the village, offering their assistance to anyone who needed it. Aside from a few quick tasks, there was no major work to be done. Seeing this, they met the rest of the ranchers at the pasture and began to move the cattle. Zane had never driven cattle before and was unsure if he would be able to do it, but he had his old and newfound friends to help him out.
Slowly but surely, the animals began lumbering out of the gates and out into the town, guided by the cattlefolk. Dust clouds rose as the cattle lumbered down the main path and the Chacam people gathered on the edges of the street. They whistled, whooped, and cheered as the ranchers rode alongside them, thanking them for giving them back what was rightfully theirs.
Zane was at the rear of the herd, making sure no cows fell behind.
"Zane!"
Hearing his name, he turned around and saw Apenimon on his horse racing towards them. He skidded to a stop at his side.
"Apenimon!" Zane said. "I hadn't been able to find you since the start of the battle, I was worried something had happened to you!"
"I'm alright." He said. "I am better than I have ever been!"
Apenimon rested a hand on Zane's arm.
"Zane, you did what we couldn't. You freed us from the Untamed's harsh rule and liberated our home. You have the eternal thanks from my people, and we are greatly indebted to you. Your showcase of strength and courage will be remembered and the story of you will be passed down from generation to generation."
Zane smiled and nodded. "Thank you Apenimon. I am not sure, but if this is the last time I see you, I would like to thank you for you and your people's hospitality, guidance, and strength. There was no way we could have accomplished this without you. You and your people will forever hold a place in my heart."
Apenimon returned Zane's smile.
"We are home, but now it is time for you to return home to your people too." He said. The Chacam looked over.
"Zane, they are leaving. You must go with them."
Zane turned and saw that the herd was already past the walls. He gasped and spurred Gale into a gallop as he went to catch up.
Wind and the voices of the Chacam whistled in his ears as the two ran past. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Chief Aditsan, Apenimon, and the rest of the tribe waving him goodbye.
Reaching the wall's opening, Zane pulled back on the reins and turned back around. Gale reared and took off his hat and nodded to the Chacam as a final goodbye before placing it back on his head. Then he turned towards the herd and galloped off, rejoining the cattlefolk and they drove the cattle across the desert.
Zane slowed Gale to a trot as he brought up the rear of the herd. He looked around. Tony and Christopher were farther up ahead on the right side, and Samuel and Hailey were on his left.
The air around the ranchers was light and gleeful. Even as they guided over nine hundred cows through the difficult desert terrain, Zane could see the smiles on their faces. Some were sharing stories, others jokes, or just happy and relieved they could finally go home. Zane watched as Samuel looked down to Hailey riding beside him and wrapped an arm around her. She leaned into him.
Zane grinned. It was then he knew that everything would finally be okay.
For the first time in a long time, the nindroid was able to slow down and take a breather. Looking around, he was able to take in the desert around him. The sky was blue with large puffy clouds drifting lazily overhead. The mesas and plateau glowed orange in the bright sun. The creaking of saddle leather, hoofbeats of horses and mooing of the cattle filled his ears. Dust rose into the air, mingling with the sweet smell of sagebrush and the more rancid one of the horses' and cows' sweat. Even though it was definitely new and unfamiliar to him, he enjoyed it very much. He would miss it greatly when he left for Ninjago.
Finally able to truly relax, Zane leaned back in the saddle and sighed contently, letting the breeze blow across his face. This had been an adventure like no other, and it was one he would not soon forget. He would have plenty of stories to tell when he got back to his brothers.
But right now, it was time to head back to Flint River ranch. It was time to go home.
…
The sun had gone down, and the moon had begun to rise as the cattle ambled across the desert. They had been driving the herd for two days now. Luckily it had gone smoothly so far, but Zane hadn't realized how exhausting it was.
He looked around at the others, covered in dust and soaked in sweat. And to think these people do this for a living!
The drovers at the front stopped, and gradually the entire herd came to a halt. They had stopped at the edge of the Thunder River. Slowly, the cattle stopped milling about and began to lay down, the herd preparing to bed down for the night. The ranchers did the same, most tying up their horses for the night and getting their bedrolls out. A couple stayed on their horses to watch over the herd. Zane offered to take the night guard so the others could rest.
Zane sat on Gale's back, watching over the cattle with a careful eye. At the far edge of the herd was Hailey, slowly walking Ranger as she too kept vigilant. Her eyes swept over the animals, making sure they were all resting.
While walking past, a couple cattle got up and mooed nervously as they became worried about Ranger's presence. Zane was afraid that the rest of the cattle would spook, but Hailey quickly got it under control. Slowly she circled back and paced her horse back and forth, singing a quiet tune.
"Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard
A discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day
How often at night
When the heavens are bright
With lights from the glitterin' stars
Have I stood here amazed
And asked, as I gazed
If their glory exceeds that of ours
Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard
A discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day
Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard
A discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day…"
By the end of the song, the antsy cattle had relaxed and had bedded down once again, settled in for the night's rest. She continued circling around the herd until she came to Zane's side.
"That was impressive." Zane told her. "I never knew serenading cows was effective in calming them."
"The cattle like it." Hailey said. "You can get a whole herd to come to you if you sing or play some music." She wiped the dust off her face. "How y'all holding up?"
The nindroid yawned as he felt drowsiness begin to creep up on him.
"Tired?"
"A little…" Zane said. "It appears your serenade was not effective on just the cattle, but me as well."
Hailey smiled and cast one more look at the cattle before jerking her head.
"Here, maybe a little night ride ought to get the blood flowing?"
"But what about the cattle?"
"They'll be fine. We ain't the only ones watching them. Plus it's clear tonight." Hailey turned Ranger's face. "Come on, Zane, loosen up a little. We've been here almost three weeks. Have you ever seen the desert sky at night?"
Zane looked around. The cattle were all sound asleep, two cowboys at the other side standing guard over the herd. Next to the animals, those not watching over the cows had made camp for the night. Most people were already asleep in their bedrolls, a few were boiling pots of water for coffee or cooking meals in dutch ovens over the coals of fires. The thick sweet smell of sage filled the air, carried on the soft breeze. The prairie moon was blazing silver. Everything was calm and quiet.
Sensing no danger, Zane nodded.
"No I have not." He said. "But I would love to."
Hailey beckoned him, and together the two strolled out of the camp. Zane was still unsure about leaving the herd, but if Hailey said it was fine, he trusted her. She had been doing this much longer than him. They rode for a few more moments, descending the hill into the flatlands below.
But just before the night sky disappeared behind them, Zane thought he saw from the corner of his eye, a flash of light off in the distance towards the mountains in the west, followed by an ever-so-faint rumble. Did he see lightning? Did he hear thunder?
Zane looked over his shoulder again to be sure, squinting at the horizon. There was nothing.
"Zane, you okay?"
Zane shook his head and rubbed his eyes. His mind was weary. Perhaps his eyes and ears were playing tricks on him.
"Y-yeah." He said, catching back up with Hailey. "I thought I saw a storm coming."
Hailey looked up at the sky. "Nope, no storm here. Your body has its ways of tricking you when y'all are tired."
Zane nodded in agreement. But still a small part of him was telling him otherwise.
Beyond the light of the campfires, the desert was cloaked in darkness. It was dead silent, save for the breeze making the sage rustle, the creaking of their saddles, and the sound of their horse's hooves thudding in the sand. Zane looked up at the sky, studded with stars. He had been too preoccupied with Samuel's rescue to see how beautiful it was.
"Wow." he said, breath taken away as he watched a shooting star streak past. He hadn't seen anything like it.
"Wow is right. I've seen these stars plenty out on the ranch. They still amaze me every time."
"So this is what you do?" Zane asked Hailey as their horses walked, guided by the moon's light. "Traveling the prairie? Herding cattle?"
"Actually, not really." Hailey answered. "Back in the old days, yeah, this was how ranchers would run cattle. They'd graze them on the range during the spring and summer and round them up before driving them to market. Of course, times have changed. Now we've got stock trailers and railroads to get the cattle to the stockyards, and we have pastures to graze our animals in instead of letting them out onto the open range. Big roundups and like this we would do only for our annual brandings, and we don't drive cattle over long distances unless if it's a…" she struggled to find the right words.
"Unique situation such as this." Zane finished for her.
"Yes, thank you."
"I see now." Zane looked up at the sky again, reveling in the desert night's beauty. "I can see why you love ranching so much. These views are spectacular."
"Yup, they sure are." Hailey agreed. "But being a rancher ain't all sunshine and rainbows."
"Really? Why not?"
Hailey sighed. "There's a lot of things that can go wrong, Zane. Losing animals, losing money...we even almost lost Flint River a couple times throughout the years. And it's a never ending cycle of hard work. Day in and day out. Breeding and raising cattle isn't an ordinary job. It's something you have to put your heart and soul into to make it work."
"Hmm." Zane said. "I think I understand. It's like me being a ninja. It is far from easy. 'Easy' would be the last word I would use to describe it. Just as we defeat one threat, another looms. We train hard to ensure we stay in peak condition. There are many risks, losses, and sacrifices we had to make for the greater good. But we always put our best foot forward in order to continue protecting Ninjago."
"Exactly. That's the idea."
"But if ranching is so difficult, why don't you find a different occupation? Why do you insist on doing it?"
"You see, Zane, that's the thing. I could if I wanted to. But ranching isn't just an occupation, it's an identity. It's a way of life. It's all I've ever known. What you've seen so far is only scratching the surface of how we are. It's hard, almost impossible sometimes. But I love it and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I can't see myself doing anything else. It's like me asking you why you insist on being a ninja."
Zane nodded. "I see. I understand now. But things can change."
"What do you mean? I'm a cattle rancher. I'll never change that."
"That's what you may think now, but perhaps destiny has other plans for you."
Hailey groaned. "Zane, we've talked about this already. It's what I'm meant to do. Without the ranch, I'm nothing."
Zane sighed and the two fell silent again. He found himself again wondering why she thought Flint River was all she was destined for. Didn't she believe she was worthy of other things too?
Suddenly, the gentle breeze that had been blowing shifted directions. A sudden gust of wind blew past the two. Gale snorted and pawed at the ground uneasily. Zane leaned over and patted his horse's neck to calm him. He looked up at Hailey.
"Did you feel that?" He asked. Hailey nodded.
"Yeah." She said. "And I don't like it..."
The wind began to pick up. Hailey and Zane both looked up at the sky, watching as big dark clouds began rolling in over them. They blotted out the stars and covered the moon, suddenly plunging the desert into pitch black darkness.
"It's a storm!" Zane told her. "We have to get back!"
They turned their horses around. Back at the camp, the cattle were becoming restless as the storm blew in. They started mooing in distress, putting both their herd mates and the cattlefolk watching them on edge.
"Where did Hailey and Zane go?!" One of them called as they tried to calm the animals. "We need them up here!"
"I don't know!" Answered another over the cries of the cattle.
"Find them! These cattle are gonna make a break for it any second now!"
Zane and Hailey raced back to the camp on their horses. Thunder rumbled over their heads. The midnight sky began to bleed as the rain came pouring down, the screaming wind driving it in sheets.
The first bolt of lightning split through the air. The cattle rose up and went running, wildly bulldozing through the camp. People jumped up and dove for cover, others running for their horses. Fires, tents, and bedrolls were all trampled underfoot. Another bolt of lightning flashed, and the frightened cattle turned and ran for the edge of the hill, leaving the demolished camp in their wake.
Through the storm, one of the cowboys saw Zane and Hailey also running on their horses for the hill's edge, which was directly in the herd's path. Seeing this, he spurred his horse ahead of cattle to warn them.
"HEY!" he yelled.
Hailey and Zane saw him as they reached the bottom of the hill. He was sitting on his horse at the top, yelling and pointing behind him, but his voice was being drowned by the storm.
"What's he saying?!" Hailey hollered to Zane over the wind.
"I can't hear him!" He shouted back.
Over the wind and rain, a rumbling noise began to grow. And it wasn't thunder. Then, through the storm the man's cries became clear.
"STAMPEDE!"
No sooner did the words leave his mouth that a massive wall of stampeding cattle appeared behind him. The rumbling became deafening. Zane and Hailey watched in horror as the man and his horse were swallowed up by the herd and disappeared under them. Thunder roared, sending the hundreds of cattle barreling down the hill like a tidal wave, charging straight for the two.
Hailey gasped and her face went suddenly white.
"Go! GO!" She yelled.
Zane needed no further telling. He whipped Gale around and he and Hailey fled, spurring their horses into a gallop.
"HAILEY!" He yelled over the storm. "WHAT DO WE DO?!"
"RUN!"
Zane dared to look over his shoulder, desperate to find some sort of way to escape. Lightning crashed, and he saw the wild tide of horns glinting in its light, charging after them like an ocean's angry swell. It was enough to make him start whipping Gale with the ends of his reins, Hailey spurring Ranger so hard blood was trickling from his ribs. They were trapped at the front of the herd with no way out. They had to do anything, everything to keep their horses ahead of the cattle. If they didn't, they would die.
Dust clouds rose as the rain fell, they mixed together and turned the air to mud. Rain and mud soaked Zane to the bone and plastered the front of him and Gale. He could barely see Hailey ahead of him through the storm. Roaring thunder, screaming wind, the pounding of his horse's hooves, the even louder pounding of his heart, and the bellows of the cattle filled his ears, all while lightning danced above them.
Ranger and Gale galloped ahead of the herd, trying their best to stay in the lead. But they were exhausted, the long journey had begun to take a toll on them. Soon they became winded and began to fall back.
"COME ON GALE!" Zane yelled. "COME ON!"
The stampeding cattle had now begun to catch up. Their thundering hooves roared in Zane's ears. A few of the faster cows ran by him. He felt their horns brush against his legs as they barreled past, making him feel the demons race through his blood.
Ranger and Hailey were still ahead. The horse's legs were churning so fast, he stumbled and lost his footing in the mud. Zane watched in horror as the two fell and hit the ground.
"HAILEY!"
Ranger leapt to his feet and bolted, leaving his owner behind. Hailey kept slipping in the mud and was unable to get up.
Lightning flashed, and in its brief light Zane looked over his shoulder and saw Hailey struggling in front of a sea of hooves and horns that were quickly bearing down on her. She rose up to her knees and saw him.
"ZANE! RUN!" She yelled after the nindroid.
Then everything seemed to go in slow motion. Another flash showed the cattle coming closer. Hailey looked back on the herd and rested her head on the ground, seemingly accepting the fact that this was the end.
She was going to die in the stampede. Zane couldn't let her. He had to do something.
'I have to save her!'
He tightened his grip on Gale's reins. What he was about to do meant running right towards what certainly could be his death. But he was built to protect those who could not protect themselves. And he had faith he could reach her in time. Hailey had rescued him when he needed it most. Now it was time to return the favor.
Without a second thought Zane wheeled Gale around and charged towards the herd. The grey horse seemed to fly as they raced to Hailey, his hooves barely touching the ground. Zane jumped out of the saddle and slapped Gale on the rump, making the horse run away to escape the herd.
"What are you doing?!" Hailey cried as he ran to her side.
"Getting you out of here!" He said as he grabbed her arm and helped her up. "Get behind me!"
"What?!"
"Just do it!"
Hailey did as she was told. Zane outstretched his arms. Ice flowed from both his hands and onto the ground. Peering over his shoulder, she watched as he began to form a small wall of ice. He was trying to make a barrier so they could both take cover from the stampede. They only had seconds before they would be gored to death.
The ground beneath them trembled. Hailey looked up and saw the charging cattle, their horns gleaming in the lightning's glare.
"ZANE!" She yelled.
Zane looked up also. The herd was feet from them.
"GET DOWN!" He shouted. He pushed Hailey in front of the small barrier before throwing himself on top of her to shield her. The ice wall was barely big enough for both of them to get behind. Things returned to their normal speed. He put his arms over her head and squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself.
The herd barreled through like a tidal wave. Chunks of ice were taken out from the sides by several of the cattle's horns. Some crashed into it. Shards of ice fell in front of Zane as the barrier to crack. Would it be able to hold?
One of the cows stumbled over the barrier and went rolling over their heads, its flailing hooves barely missing them. It crashed into the ground beside them.
"Zane!" He heard Hailey yell from underneath him.
"We'll be okay!" He shouted back over the cattle's frightened bellows. "We'll be okay!"
More shards fell as the animals continued barreling into and past it. Zane dared to opened an eye and saw the cracks were getting bigger and bigger by the second.
A horn caught the side, ripping ice out as the cow ran by, missing the nindroid's face by inches. He quickly covered his face with his arm and squeezed his eyes shut.
'Please hold, please hold,' He silently begged. 'Oh FSM, please hold…"
The stampede and the storm continued to rage on. Mud and lightning flew through the air. Thunder shook the sky and hooves shook the ground. The cries of the terrified cattle drowned out the shrieking wind. Zane felt Hailey's hand reach up and grab his forearm and squeezed it, her fingers trembling. She was terrified. He grabbed her wrist to let her know he was still here, keeping a firm grip as the herd rushed on by.
It could have been seconds, it could have been hours, he couldn't tell when the ground's shaking finally began to subside and the bellows of the cattle began to grow quiet. The rain began to taper off and the wind gentled. The lightning had left, and the thunder rumbled quietly.
Then there was silence. Cautiously, Zane opened one eye and looked around. There were no more cattle running by
Zane propped himself on one elbow and peered cautiously over the ice barrier and the desert around them. The cattle were gone, save for a handful of dead ones that had been trampled and gored. Off in the distance, he saw the herd, still running.
But it was past them now. They were safe. He and Hailey had survived the stampede.
Zane let out a shaky breath he didn't realize he was holding. Groaning, he rolled over next to Hailey. Both of them were covered in mud, gasping for breath as the adrenaline raced through them.
Zane turned his head. "Are you alright?"
"Are we..are we alive?" Hailey asked. She turned to him. Her face was still pale, her eyes still wide with fright.
Zane held up his hands and looked at them. He flexed his fingers as if to make sure they were still flesh and blood. They were.
"Yes, we're alive Hailey. We made it. I told you we would."
Hailey was quiet for a moment. Then much to Zane's surprise she started to laugh.
"What's so funny?" Zane asked.
"Holy shit, I thought we were gonna die." She said between laughs. "I can't believe we survived that…" She turned to Zane again. "Can you believe that? We lived through goddamn stampede…"
"I thought the barrier was going to break." Zane said. "If it had, we would have been done for."
Zane craned his neck to look at the small wall, which was full of cracks. If it had taken another hit, it certainly would have broken.
"We're beyond lucky to be alive…" He said.
Hailey let out a breath. "Zane, I don't know if I said it before, I'd like to now. We may have gotten off the wrong foot at first but you have to admit: we make a pretty good team."
Zane smiled. "Yes, we do."
They were still too shaken by the stampede to get up, so they continued to lay on the ground to regain their composure, watching as the storm clouds parted to reveal the starry night sky they thought they would never see again.
…
The morning sun broke over the prairie, gracing the Flint River ranch in its fair golden light. Slowly, the cattle and horses stirred with the rising sun, and one of the roosters crowed to signal the start of the day.
But despite the tranquil nature of the morning, the energy on the ranch was anything but peaceful. It was still the same when the search party had left. The animals were still being surveilled twenty four seven, and armed cowhands still patrolled the ranch. Tensions were still high. There was no word yet about the outcome of the battle with the Untamed, and the ranchers were starting to fear the worst.
One of Clemens' ranch hands was patrolling one of the outer fence lines of the ranch, riding slowly on their horse as they scanned the horizon and the land beyond the barbed wire for any sign of potential enemies. He cast a sweeping glance where the prairie met the sky when something caught his eye.
He squinted, unable to see what it was, but it looked like a dust cloud. It wasn't the wind, there was no breeze blowing at this hour.
Confused, he pulled a pair of binoculars from his saddle bag to get a closer look. He peered through them and gasped before grabbing his horse's reins and galloping back to the ranch yard.
"Hey!" He yelled as he rode in. He saw Clemens. "HEY! Boss!"
Clemens, who was riding his own horse, turned around.
"What? What is it? Trouble?" He asked, reaching for his gun.
"No sir! But y'all need to see this!"
The ranch hand turned and sped away, followed by Clemens and a few more of his hands. They skidded to a stop. The man handed his boss his binoculars and pointed out into the distance. Clemens peered through them. He gasped also.
"Get the cattle back in their pastures and open the gates!" He called. "They're back!"
…
The pair of metal gates swung open, letting the thousand head of cattle flow into Flint River's ranch yard. Zane, Hailey, Christopher, Tony, Samuel, and the rest of the drovers were welcomed warmly by the workers of Flint River and the other ranches that the volunteers were from. Dust and cheers filled the air as they crowded around the heroes as they rode into the yard. The driving cattle were directed into the corrals to be sorted later.
The last cow ambled through the gate of the corral before it was shut. Zane took a deep breath, took his hat off and wiped the dust and sweat off his forehead before placing it back on his head. He patted Gale on the neck, his white coat also stained with dirt and sweat.
"We did it, friend." He said. "Wait until the others hear about this!"
"Well I'll be damned!" Samuel said, riding up to his right on Gunsmoke. "We did it! We really did it!" He seemed almost in disbelief. "Holy hell, we went through hell and back!"
Zane smiled and nodded. It felt so good having Samuel back safe again.
Hailey came up on his left. "Not too bad for your first rodeo." She said, playfully slugging him in the shoulder and grinning.
"Hailey!"
At the sound of her name, Hailey turned around. She gasped as a tall boy about her age in a button down shirt with jeans with a blonde mullet under a tan cowboy hat appeared at the front of the crowd. Her eyes lit up.
"Jackson!" She cried. She dismounted Ranger and ran over before jumping into his waiting arms.
"Oh thank the lord, you're okay!" Jackson said as he swept her up and held her close. "I heard what happened and thought you were as good as gone!"
"Well, I'm back!"
"I know. But for Four Legends' sake!" He paused to brush the hair from her eyes. "Please, please don't ever scare me like that again!"
Zane raised an eyebrow and turned to Samuel. "Who's that?" He asked, pointing a thumb at the two.
Samuel looked very displeased. "Her boyfriend." He growled.
Zane was about to question otherwise and say that you couldn't judge someone's relationship status from one look, but turned and saw the two just in time to see Jackson peck Hailey on the forehead.
Yep, he was definitely her boyfriend alright.
"Samuel! Is that really you?!"
It was Samuel's turn to look around. Clemens approached, riding on his horse. Samuel's eyes went wide and he quickly jumped off his horse. Clemens did the same and caught Samuel in an embrace. The elderly cattleman immediately began to break down into tears as he held his grandson close.
"Oh my god, you're alive…" He sobbed. "I thought they were going to kill you…I thought you were dead!"
"I'm okay, grandpa," Samuel said, a couple tears rolling down his face, so relieved and grateful to finally be home safe with his family. "I'm okay…I wouldn't be standing here if it weren't for him."
Samuel pointed, and Clemens looked up to Zane, his eyes puffy and red from crying.
"It was you?" He asked.
"Well, it was a t-"
"It was him, grandpa."
The old rancher sniffed and wiped his eyes before motioning to Zane to come closer.
"I'm...sorry?" Zane asked.
"C-come here…" Clemens said. "Come on."
Unsure of what the man wanted, he slid off of Gale's back and walked up to him. Without warning Clemens drew him into a surprisingly strong embrace, given his age.
"T-thank you…" Clemens said, burying his face into the nindroid's shoulder. "Thank you so damn much...I-I don't even know what else to say…"
"There's no need to thank me, sir, it's what I do. But you are definitely welcome."
Clemens broke the hug and rested his hands on Zane's shoulders. His eyes were filled with tears, but his face was glowing with joy.
"You're fine man, Zane." He said. "A damn fine one at that. And don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
Zane looked over at Samuel. Based on the look in his eyes, he knew what Zane was silently asking. Samuel nodded his head.
Zane sighed. "Clemens, there is something I must tell you. Or show you, rather."
Zane stepped back and pressed a button on his arm panel. His seemingly human skin flickered away to reveal his true titanium form.
"I am not...well...human…or a Mt. Horn..."
Clemens waved a dismissive hand, much to the fresh cowboy's surprise. "Ah hell, I know." he said. "Don't worry, you've proven yourself more than trustworthy to me. And you're just as much of a Mt. Horn as any of us."
Even though Clemens seemed unbothered, Zane still felt guilty for deceiving the earnest man. "I'm sorry I did not tell you this earlier."
"Sorry? What do you mean? You defeated the Untamed and brought my grandson and great grand-daughter back to me." He wrapped his arms around Zane's and Samuel's shoulders and pulled them in closer. "There ain't nothing to be sorry for. This calls for a celebration!"
Thank you for reading! Be sure to follow, favorite, and drop a review on your way out! Stay healthy and safe! RealtreeGal, out!