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"Horse Tales"Written By: Kaeru Shisho Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Gundam Wing
or its characters, nor do I make any monetary profit off this story. Rating: NC 17 Warnings: Yaoi, Very AU, so very AU it's AD, another
dimension. The GW boys are horses. My apologies. Please heed the warning. Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 6x5 Summary: A few lucky stallion purebreds are given a second chance at the Horse Haven Sanc-tuary. A/N: In defense of my writing this extreme version
of a GW story… Waterlily and Snowdragon made me do it, heh, heh… " Horse Tales" Chapter Twenty- With Spots Before Your Eyes (o) Duo's POV I'd been grazing on the bits of grass growing at the base of the fence posts, mulling over the latest argument with Heero, when I noticed Goldie hustling out of the barn. I watched him come nearer, clearly targeting me as his destination and his face knotted unpleasantly. I had no idea what beef he might have with me, but I prepared to defend myself if he chose to take his grievances to the physical level; in fact, I kinda looked forward to a scrap to work out my stress. "Duo, hurry back to the stable. We haven't much time." "For what?" "I was in the barn when the word came down. Howard's ordering a lockdown, security level red." "Red?" "Relena! Red! I don't know any details. I overheard the stable manager giving orders to his minions for tonight. Heero wants to go over our plans before we get locked up." That meant Heero'd be gone soon! Heero'd be leaving me and he wouldn't wanna come back. Did I have a shred of hope of making up first? I trotted back to the stable alongside Goldie with the worry part of my brain on overload, while the reasonable part of my mind pretty much shut down. When we got there, everyone else was crowded around Spot and Sunshine's suite, parting to make a place for Goldie and me. "We leave tonight." Heero's eyes caught mine. "I met with each of you so you know already that I'm leaving Duo in charge, and expect you all to help out. If not, I'll hear of it. I want weekly updates. We talked about this; you'll get out to the pasture gates after sunrise, where I'll be." Spot taught us to keep track of a week by counting days using our legs, two days for each. When we get to the last leg for the second time, a new week starts. "Do I hear any disagreements?" Either Goldie or I or the both of us shuffled our feet, but no one complained. Me in charge. I'd known that was the way it would go, but now that it was about to come true, I had doubts out the kazoo. Just how long after leaving Heero to the Mustangs would it be before The Count and I'd be knocking heads? "Trowa, you have the paint stowed and ready for use?" Heero sounded all business. "Yeah, brush and all. Little mixing then we mark you. Ten minutes." "There's the business of the locks," I thought to mention. "If they get the electronic ones back operational on the stalls and stable doors, that'll eat up more time getting open." "It would save time if Heero and Trowa shared this stall, wouldn't it?" "Sunshine, are you nuts?" "Not yet. Just listen. With Trowa in the stall with him, Heero could have the disguise done by the time the doors were open." Smart horse. Heero thought so, too. "Yes, it's a good idea. We'll try that and see if the humans attempt to interfere." "Would a little deception help?" The Count asked. "I'm certain I can start a little ruckus to distract the workers so you and Quatre can exchange places-if need be." "Good backup strategy." Now was my chance to apologize to Heero and set things straight. Then a couple humans entered and another, chattering on about something in kind voices, but leading us to our assigned stalls. The Count let out a piercing whinny and I heard him kicking a stall wall, wood cracking. Percy streaked by, a blur of white and a man after him with a stick. The man leading me slapped my rump, my guess to encourage me to go to my stall, and then he took off where the commotion was at the other end of the stable. It was all working. With the humans otherwise diverted, we could sort out ourselves out our way. Sunshine pushed by me to Heero's stall, which felt really strange even when I understood what was up. Heero wasn't out, so I guessed he was already hidden away, and Spot was turning around. He stuck his head out the top half of the door and chewed a mouthful of straw, "nothin' goin' on here." I couldn't see Goldie either, so I looked out the back stall window. Hey! A human hand pushed my nose away and closed the shutters. "There go the locks!" I told everyone. The inner doors swung shut and the locks engaged with a humming sound. Nickering calls reassured me that everything was going according to plan. I only had to wait for Trowa's all-clear call before starting to undo the locking mechanisms. "This is fortunate," I heard Spot telling Heero. "Gives us time for the paint to dry. Looks pretty good." What could I say to Heero now? No magic words to undo the last fight came to mind, but I tried to paste a few together as I waited. Human voices and footfalls came and went. They were taking extra measures this night. Whatever they knew, the humans were prepping for an eminent threat. When Spot had explained about our escape timing, he'd said that it was summer and the days were long. There should be time to do all our traveling before if got completely dark out. "It's close to sunset, isn't it?" I asked him, just guessing. It had seemed like we'd been penned up for hours to me. "No," Spot said, "but there's a change of watch guard soon, and the human's won't be covering us for an hour or so. Be ready to go then." It couldn't be soon enough for me. I hated this waiting around; the longer the delay the darker it would get, and I sure didn't look forward to stumbling about in the murky wild lands chancing a broken leg. I studied the lock on my door and decided it was the same one I'd shorted out before, just replaced, so that a repeat performance would disable them again. Spit or pee. No worries there. Which meant I had loads of time to ponder life. I loved Heero. I was miserable. To be happy, I knew I needed him, yet here I was miserable. Utterly. What did it matter that he was more aggressive than I was prepared for or that he was as unromantic as a horse could get? I was no particularly great catch myself. But he'd thought I was. Geez, what an idiot I was... he was... we both were. I whinnied his name and heard mixed reviews. A little muffled "Duo" and some of Spot's "not now." Percy stuck his paw under the gap at the bottom of the door, but he must have had better things to do or more out of the way places to hide, because he left after that. How much longer until we had to go? "Delay of plans," came Spot's soft voice. "Time table pushed out. Hold on tight." I passed on the news to Sunshine and heard muttering further away. Wait, wait, wait. Howard must have expected Relena to come in the night- kinda like a human vampire, when I thought about it- and steal Heero away. That made me suddenly love the feel of the locked doors. The barn blockaded, the fences buzzing with Relena-frying electricity. I said to nobody in particular, "Maybe we should can the plan and just wait it out and see if Howard can magically save Heero from her clutches?" "Duo, it's time." Spot's alert jolted me awake. In near darkness, I broke through the locks. There probably was a bit of moonlight, but not much more to help me get past the security. The barn and stable had been buckled down tighter than a jumper for show. "Dawn's not far off," Spot told us as we slinked our way to the outside arena gate. We stuck to the shadows and listened for the sound of humans. You'd think they'd never leave us unwatched, but Spot followed their schedules carefully and knew when the guard coverage would be weakest. Good thing Howard hadn't kept dogs, or we'd been found out, though. Our time was "excellent" according to Spot when I disengaged the locking mechanism for the back gates. Good thing, because we couldn't gallop across the moonlit pasture to the electric fence, for fear of stumbling into a rabbit hole or tripping over hidden snags. Spot led the way with me next, 'cause we had the best night vision. Actually, to be fair, Percy was out in front performing point duty. He could see nearly as well as in daylight, so he cut a path for us that was safe and short. I wondered why he was so cooperative. When I asked Goldie about that, I was told The Count had promised him a female mate in return for his help. "Where's he going to come up with that?" I asked. And Goldie just flipped his stubby, half-braided little tail. "He's already taken care of it." The Count and Sunshine were visible in the gloom, reflecting the moonlight best. Spot flickered in and out of shadows; I was a shadow, gliding along silently. Heero I caught glimpses of at the end of the line. "It's awfully dark." I heard the waver of fear in my breezy buddy's voice, as his pale, ghostly form nestled close to mine. "Yes, it is, my little ray of Sunshine and brightness, but you are not alone." "That's what's worrying me, the things out there closing in on us." "No cats. We'd smell'em. No ozone, so no thunderstorms." I was checking off the dire things that could strike us down. We really didn't need lightening now and screw with Heero's head. I wasn't sure what played out in Spot's nightmares, he was such a stoic, and his mistrustfulness wasn't any worse that mine. However, my worst fears were about to be realized as a result of my own actions. "Only our two resident vampires and they're outnumbered." "Other," he shivered, "things." Right. Poor Sunshine. Whatever demons were out and about tonight, he brought along more of his own to wrestle with. "Just stick close to me and you'll be all right. Me, I'm the God of Death." That he thought was funny. And that was all right because it meant that awful quivering unease in his voice had disappeared. Once we'd hopped the fence, the path turned rugged. We hadn't worn it as well and we had to go slower, check for safe hoof holds. I figured that's why Spot stopped. "There they are, waiting for us," he said. Or, he'd stopped because we'd come to the end of our road. The Mustangs stomped and snuffled nervously in the dark. And there was the smell of mountain lions. I coulda done fine without them stinking up the place. "Spot, Sunshine," I was already taking over, "Better you guys stay on watch for cat attack." Apparently, the cats had been sniffing around the wild herd since a colt and a couple fillies had been birthed. While we waited for the Alpha to put in an appearance, I tried to stay near to Heero, who stood between me and The Count, with Goldie vamping on the white horse's other side. We were all listening to what the mares were saying, and keeping an eye out for trouble. The dark one called Noin was nearest The Count. She and the lighter one, Sally, were attempting to engage both vampires' attention. Didn't they ever get tired of trying? "-You're just saying that, because if I died I'd get a two rank promotion.*" "No, Noin, I was saying we wouldn't be in this predicament if we had run the cats off a cliff months ago, but you chickened out." "I'm... just feeling a little beat up inside and out*. You wouldn't expect me to take on the big cats all by myself, would you?" Noin hip-checked The Count to get his eyes on her. "I do trust you, Zechs.*" "Forgive me, were you addressing me?" he drawled. "Well, yeah," she huffed. "Say, what's that on your back?" "A cat." Percy remained snuggled at the base of his mane, well entangled, purring. Great, the vampires had a familiar now. They'd conquered Percy, and all for the promise of a girlfriend. "Ah! Kill it!" This time I agreed with her, and I'da bet Heero did too. "Kill what? You are making no sense." The Count curled a lip and revealed a vampire fang. I saw it! I did! "Zechs, please don't make me repeat myself. Again!* Oh, there's leader Une. Gotta go." "You heard her. Why do you say things like that?" Heero asked him. "Because I can." The Count, he was a smooth one and sly. I sure never trusted him and pretty soon, Heero would be gone and it would be me and the fanged one hoof to hoof. Over the din of arriving hoof beats, I could hear Noin pass on her message, "I've got a call-in from his Excellency. He says to be more graceful. About everything. More graceful, Lady Une.*" And I could swear that Lady Une looked about to eat the bearer of unwanted messages for breakfast, and might have, had she been a cat. "Message received. And don't you go back to squandering your time and energy on that atrophied excuse for a stallion." "Oh, but I...I do love him!*" Noin said about Zechs, poor delusional thing. He might as well bite her and get it over with. Put another misty-eyed, slobbering, admirer out of his misery, or her misery in this case. "You are a fool, then. Pull yourself together," the lead mare snapped at her. "Treize is our Alpha, not that other stallion. We have a pact to settle." "Yes, of course!" Noin said, pulling herself together and looking resolute. "It was Treize, our grand Treize, who won. We all love him dearly!" Une's left eye twitched, and there weren't any flies about either. "Won? I suppose acquiring a challenger to his position in exchange for ridding us of the big cats could be considered a 'win'. It is not the victor that leads the heart of the horses.*" Then who, I wondered, the losers? Treize was their 'heart' wasn't he? And a winner? She'd just contradicted herself, unless she thought of herself as the beloved leader, which I suppose she might have convinced herself of that. Geez, that Une was a nutcase. I couldn't wait to be away from her, but at the same time, I dreaded leaving Heero in her clutches. "Leave your excess baggage and go," the lead mare ordered The Count, with a swift kick. She was referring to my Heero as garbage. I hated her to my very core. "We won't be needing you any further.*" This time she insulted the ignoble Count himself, but I didn't hate her any less. "I'm afraid it'll give him an attitude.*" She tried rear-kicking Heero away, but he'd expected no less, I bet, 'cause he moved out of her range. He was too much the gentleman to kick her back, especially not under the current conditions of his stay. He'd be dependent on her good graces while he hid with the wild band. "Hell of a time for tasteless tactics, Une! Get a grip on yourself!*" The Count shot in an angry reply. Oooh, she'd gotten him all riled up and gotten a reaction out of him! And that was just the start of the white stallion's little show of dominance. So he did have a backbone. Oh, of course, his lordship, Treize, had arrived and all that was an act put on for his benefit. At least I hoped that's what was going on. Treize looked on, but remained out of the immediate circle. The Count crammed himself next to Heero, showing more of that side of him I hadn't seen, but imagined. The aggressive warrior. "Une says 'trot along'," he said to Heero in a snooty tone of voice. I could barely make out what they were saying, but I heard my name and Heero tell the older horse, "Be of assistance to Duo." "I think the time for your orders has come to an end, don't you?" Heero stepped closer, nearly touching noses with the white vampire. "Help him, or I will deal with your noncompliance later." "Don't pick a fight, Heero. Duo already has to digest your forsaking him. Let's not add your mortifying defeat to me to his humiliating memories." Grr. That was a nasty dig. I sure as tootin' hoped he was just saying that for the benefit of the Mustangs. All bluster. I, of course, felt it was time for me to jump in and reassure my Heero. I nuzzled deep into his closest ear and whispered, "I can take care of everything. Don't worry. Including him." The Count, him. "I trust you to do that, Duo." The warmth in his eyes melted me on the spot and the feel of his nose rubbing my neck ever so lightly nearly brought me to my knees. Heero backed up. I smelled the traces of his scent, the tickle of his lips, as if he were still pressing into me. No, don't go. I didn't want to part. My teeth hurt. The pain ran completely through me. This is how I felt when Solo left me, died. Watching the life blink out and the flies... That gut twisting fear that I was alone and probably next on the chopping block. Desertion! Heero was abandoning me! No, that wasn't strictly true. I was doing the leaving. I was backing away and he was surrounded by strangers. How could I just leave him like that? It did it without thinking. I bounded past the vampire pair, who'd positioned themselves probably thinking they'd stop me from doing something stupid, and rushed into Heero's face. I rubbed my nose along his neck, shoulders, and back, breathing in as deeply as possible his unique, male aroma. I wanted to cover myself in his fragrance and take it with me. "Lead well. You can do it. Don't mind the small problems," he whispered. "I won't mind. I won't have the capacity to mind*," I said, snuffling back tears. "Lean on Quatre and Trowa, even Zechs and Wufei. They want the band to be strong." "'Kay." I heard Treize's muffled snort followed by a snide comment. "Well, Milliardo, it appears you have a tough little second to contend with." Me? Oh, I really wanted to kick some horse's ass now. "Hey!" I felt Goldie plowing between us and nudging 'Ro and me apart. "We must leave. Getting late." "We'll be together soon. As I promised." Heero licked my ear and looked away over his shoulder, where his future lay. I turned my back on him. I couldn't bear to look over my shoulder to where he was and the only future I wanted was. I whinnied "run" and took off, speeding past the lookouts. With the first rays of light poking through the thunderheads, I had Sunshine at my heels and more painting my back. Once we'd left the Mustang's territory, I fell back, automatically taking the rear guard position held formerly by Heero. Sunshine and Goldie charged in the front, as if they were racing for whose nose could win the race to the first gate. It was as if Heero'd never existed. Everyone falling into place. I hated that. I hated how we horses were-the band mightier than the individual. It made us strong and let us last, but right then I didn't care. I longed for Heero. How could I go on without him? I did. I released locks and jumped fences and checked the others for telltale signs of where we'd been, just like we'd done before. I did it all. Lead well, he'd told me. I'd do my best, for him. So he'd hear good things about me and be proud, when we'd go and check on him. And, he'd come back. Everything would be waiting for him and just how he left it, but better, when he came back. Yeah, I'd make it better. But when we got back, the moment I saw the red-faced stable boy waving his arms like a stupid bird who'd lost its feathers, probably all excited over our disappearance and sudden reappearance, and I felt bad. Empty. Just plain awful. The next day was awfuller. (o) Howard's POV "I can't imagine how she broke in and stole him away. I'm worried sick about that horse." The locks were fried, again. Something must have alarmed the horses, too. They left loads of piss. "Armed guards possibly?" "Sir, Miss Relena has just arrived. Outside. Her car." "She has, has she? She here to gloat? I'll give her what now, you can bet!" She pitty-patted directly to me, waving what I imagined to be her court order. "I've come for Heero. This says he's mine and you have to take me to him on demand." "It does, does it? Well, sorry to disappoint you, missy, but he's not here." "You didn't sell him! You can't have!" "Didn't claim I did. Said he's gone." "Gone?" "He's not here, I tell you. Why, I was positive it was you who stole him!" "I don't believe you! I wouldn't steal what was legally mine to begin with!" She fluttered the papers in my face. "Well, be that as it may, it's the truth. You can check, if you don't believe me. I put a call in to look out for horse trailers on the roadways between here and your uncle's stables. I was about to call his manager, when your car pulled up." One of my trusted hands rushed into the corral where Relena and I were having our conversation. "Howard, er, sir!" "You have news? Heero's been found? No? Spit it out, then." "Josh found signs that the horses have jumped the fence, the electric one!" "But they're all back in their stalls, except for the Thoroughbred." I forgotten Relena was standing right there until she shrieked in my ear, "You mean Heero!" She'd figured it all out, I guessed. "You think he jumped the fence too? But, but why he didn't come back with the others? W-what could have happened to Heero?" Mountain lions came to mind. "I don't know." But I would find out. "Saddle the horses!" "You're going out riding, now?" "That's right. We begin our investigation along the fence. If Heero's out in the wild horse lands (and alive), we'll find him." "I want to go with you." "Suit yourself." "I'll need a horse. Please, let me borrow one?" "If the Morgan's owner will let you, ride him. Duo's the black one. He's good with kids." "I'm not a child. I'm almost sixteen-" I wasn't listening to the jabber of the girl. Heero's well-being was foremost in my mind. "If Heero's out there, Duo'll lead us to him." "But why's that?" I didn't care to explain how her "dear Heero" adored that particular stallion. I couldn't and I wouldn't. I had my hands full gathering supplies we might need. "Ropes? Guns? What are those for?" Relena demanded shrilly. "Do not ignore me! I have a right to know!" For the love of God. "In case we find the horse in a gully and have to haul him up. And don't ask with the guns are for. If you're coming along, better getcher horse." (o) Duo's POV I just thinking how life at Happy Hoppin' Horse Havens, or whatever this place was called, seemed to be going no place fast. Dead in the water, that's how I felt now that Heero wasn't around. Why ever did I think no action was bad? He coulda stayed here and just held out, waited for Howard to figure out things, trust the humans. Now he was gone. I'd lost my appetite and started kicking my oats pail just to watch the contents spill. Take that! Then the humans were all over the stable, chattering, dragging me out, and the others too. The next thing I knew, I was being saddled up, we all were, but that wasn't the point. I was getting saddled up to carry HER. The Relena. Nooooooo! Why me? Of all the horses to choose, why did she pick me? How come I'm the chump who got saddled with the Evil One. The temptation to throw her was just so huge! Spot bumped me, moving to make room for The Count and Howard to cross in front. I hadn't been expecting that, and caught off balance, I almost stumbled and nearly let her fall-whatta wonderful start! "She's calling you a gimpy, merry-go-round pony," Goldie the vamp and warrior wannabe had the nerve to say. "She doesn't deserve my notice," I said as lightly as possible, trying to hide how his insult had hurt. I guess I was still touchy about my less than stellar past vocation. But he went and surprised the heck outta me by adding, "You are absolutely correct. She doesn't." "Thanks," I said, but he'd already trotted past, so I didn't think he'd heard me. As it turned out, the Evil One was a light load and a pretty fair rider. I couldn't complain about that, or I would have. We'd gone this route to the electric fence enough times now that I started timing my steps for the jumping part. Not doing that today, geez, I reminded myself. Luckily, I was in the back, last to go and the others had slowed to a stop. "What's up?" I asked Goldie, ignoring the directions my rider was giving me. "She says you're stubborn and stupid." His eyes actually sparkled with mirth. Better than malice, which I'd been more mentally prepared for. I'd really more expected The Count and him to be taxing me as opposed to supporting me. Maybe that would come later. "Forget her," I said, issuing orders like I'd been born to it. "Listen to Howard. What's he saying?" His ears flicked around. "Just a moment." Rather than fighting my command, Goldie reported to me properly. That was cool. "They are opening the gate. Power's off. They're searching for Heero. Howard's worried that we were attacked by the cougars and that Heero was killed, or spooked off, and that's why he didn't return home with us." "Crud! How did he come to suspect cougars might be involved?" "I suspect the human's are aware of them. They brought guns along." I'd seen humans shoot a horse with a broken leg, too, but I didn't bring that ugly thought up. "Did he mention the Mustangs?" He shook his tightly bound mane. "Not yet." Well, that was good news. We hadn't been attacked by anything bigger than pesky flies and we knew where Heero was. As long as Howard didn't get it into his head that the Mustangs were involved and that he might want to investigate further, we were in the clear. The good times didn't last for long. Why was it that the good times never lasted, while the bad stuff just hung around like flies on dung? After combing the hills- for what my buddy Spot told me was about an hour- and finding no sign of Heero, most of us horses were ready to go back. Not Howie. Howard called for the riders to join him. He'd found something of interest, but forbade Relena to "view" whatever it was, I figured, 'cause he grabbed my bridle and held me back. Drat! "What's the problem now? I'm not liking this!" As the band's acting leader, someone would report to me, should report to me; I hoped they'd remember that. Goldie'd been doing a great job of it so far, and when I looked for him in the gloom, he appeared fully alert. Goldie cocked his ears and remained poised, listening, and then said, "Howard found indications of horses and one dead big cat." Erk? That wasn't good. Not at all. Not in any way could that be good, well, except there was one less enemy out there, but what had that cost the horses? Would Heero been involved? Had it been cats and us, he might take one on, but for the wild horses? Let them be culled. Ah, nuts. I wouldn't even wish Death-by-Cougar on that Une character. I could see Spot wandering close to the scene to get a high-quality look. When he contrived a clever maneuver to be near me, I asked, "Is it an old kill?" "Nope, recent. Killed this morning, by my reckoning. Definitely pummeled by hooves; smashed in skull. Pretty well mashed. Could have happened shortly after we left them." Ugh, real bad. "Howard wants to move on," Goldie broke in. "He thinks Heero might have been chased by a cougar and run to the Mustangs seeking safety in a herd." "That's crazy, well, not really. Howie's pretty smart for a human." Too smart in this case. "He's worried about Heero fighting with the Mustangs." "Me, too." I could see Howie was giving The Count his head to lead us all to the Mustangs, and the vampire seemed to be taking the most circuitous route possible. The only reason I could think of was to try to discourage the Evil One from following along. She didn't tire though. I even jumped a few rocks and she handled those well. She musta really loved Heero. Too bad. I did, too. The Mustangs saw us first; Hilde and Noin's calls announcing our intrusion echoed against the high rock cliffs. A strange call. With humans on our backs, we were no longer just horses like them. The men had ropes and guns and smelled of danger. We rode around the band at a distance, searching, examining the wild horses. No Heero. Even I couldn't make out his bred-for-speed body. My rider kept at it, though. Calling and calling. "What's she saying?" I hoped she wasn't making him feel bad enough to break character and come to her call. "Heero! I am waiting for you to come back to me, Heero!*" Goldie translated. "Silly woman. Oh, she ought to just give up and go. Hold on. She wants to go back. No, wait!" "You bet I'll wait! I don't wanna leave without seeing if 'Ro's okay. Anybody get the low down on the dead cougar yet?" "Low...down?" Goldie repeated. "It is flat on the ground." Argh! "Find out more," I pleaded. "When I can." Howard was jabbering with Sunshine's rider, heads nodding, agreeing on something. Relena climbed off, left my reins dangling, and marched up to Sunshine. Instructor H dismounted with effort, he weighed more than he should, and helped her up onto his saddle. "She thinks Quatre's prettier," Goldie said with a snicker of satisfaction. "And switched. There she goes." "He is," I agreed. "Good riddance-I meant about the girl, not our beautiful Sunshine." Instructor H continued talking with the other humans. No one was watching me, so I meandered closer to the horses in the tall grass to get a better look. If I were Heero, that's where I'd be. Where? Where? Where was he? There! Yeah, his spots intact and everything. He looked great. Spec-ta-cu-li-ci-ous. I ambled one way then turned closer to where Heero was grazing, looking real casual, and then leaned over to bite off a clump of grass. "Hey. How'yre doin'?" "Better than Treize. He has a second injury to a leg that needs looking after. Don't get too close." I noticed blood splatters on 'Ro's front legs. "You sure you're okay?" "Fine." "Not fine, Heero. I see blood on you. You can't go anywhere with your leg in this condition! We're talking miracles here!*" "It might take a miracle for you, but I can handle it.*" "Well, excuse me for being a mere mortal!*" Heero looked away. "You think I'm a vampire too now?" "A what? Oh mortal-immortal. Very funny you are." He cast a glance over his bloodied fur. "I'm not hurt badly. Just a scratch, really." "Oh, that's good, then. So, we found a dead cat." "One less now." "Details, sweetheart." He blinked a coupled times. "Howard's coming over." "Then talk fast." One nod and he was off, "We were running, Treize keeping back. There was a young colt unable to keep up and he was protecting it. I joined to help and the mountain lion moved in, got too close and I was able to kick it, taking advantage of luck. Treize circled around and reared back, landing hard and crushing its ribcage. I trampled its skull. There's still the female out there." Suddenly Spot was in my face. "Hey, Howard's eyeing you guys very closely. Better get back, Duo, before you blow everything." "Yeah, 'kay. Bye, 'Ro. Love you-" "Ah, me, too," he said as I backed away, and Heero nestled back low in the weeds. I could hardly tell he was there, but knowing he was made all the difference. I could leave him as long as I'd seen with my own two eyes that he was okay. "So, what'sup?" I asked Spot, who looked preoccupied by something in the far distance. On his back was Instructor S, clicking his tongue to get his attention. "I'm supposed to retrieve you, I think." That was obvious and I rolled my eyes. "Right. No, I meant, what's going on?" Spot turned around and I stepped in line like an obedient horsey. "Wufei says that the humans noticed the alpha stallion's injuries and were deciding what to do about him. They also want someone with a gun to follow and protect Relena." "She's giving up on finding Heero, then?" I asked hopefully. "Looks like it." Spot, I could tell, yearned to follow Sunshine, leaning in that direction, and listening. "Heero can take care of business here. He knows what he's doing." "You guys really trust in Heero. But he too can make mistakes*," I grumbled, followed by a distant grumble louder than mine. Thunderclouds loomed on the horizon, building up behind the hills. Now that just wasn't fair. We didn't need nature to gang up on us like that! Now I was back to worrying about Heero being out there, facing the bad weather alone. Instructor H claimed my bridle and climbed aboard, and then Spot and I trundled back in the direction of home carrying our loads atop us. And now Goldie was riding off at a fast clip. "Now what?" "Guess he's the one going for help. Bringing a vet or truck maybe? I dunno-" Spot's mouth snapped shut and his ears rotated to the side. "Beautiful!" He hadn't called me that, he'd heard a whinny. And then Relena's distant scream. No one had to tell me to punch it up a few notches. Before the men on our backs knew what was happening, Spot and I had taken off in the direction of the calls, Spot running faster than I'd ever seen him. As it turned out, Sunshine hadn't carried Relena very far back at all. When I caught up to them, Spot was standing fearlessly between his lover and the biggest she-cat I'd ever seen. Unwavering. Still as death. Not the comparison I wanted to have at the moment. My rider was shouting at Relena, I think. She shut up, anyway. I was grateful for that and I'll bet Spot and Sunshine were too. Silence is golden for sure, which reminded me that without Goldie, I wasn't going to learn much from the humans. Drat. I heard The Count trot behind me and come to a halt. "I don't see Wufei. I hope he reaches the ranch safely." His voice sounded so filled with concern I had to sympathize. "Yeah, bet he will, 'cause there's the other half of the cat-pair." "Oh, my..." he gasped, I guess because for the first time he was seeing what had caused all the ruckus. The cougar growled a warning, an anxious-sounding, rattling kinda moan, causing Sunshine to shift on his feet and twitch. He musta been just itching to run. I sure felt it was the thing to do. "When you said you'd catch the cats with a dead animal, Trowa, I certainly wouldn't have allowed it to be you!" he shouted. Ah, love my little ray of Sunshine. Ignore the dangerous wild animal and start a fight over tactics. "I'm not dead." "Not yet!" Sunshine cried. "What are you doing? Run! Run!" "I'm going to kill this last cougar," Spot insisted. "Oh, no! That's too dangerous! Zechs! Duo! Say something! Don't let him do this!" Spot remained frozen in place, staring eye-to-eye with the cat, like they were both mesmerized, then he said in the calmest tone, "Until now I have resisted my fate to die. And I'll just have to resist it again*." The glint of shiny metal shimmered and I caught movement out of the corner of my eye and instant before the air resonated with a loud- Boom! A cloud of dust, a yowl to end all yowls, and another ear-splitting blast! Leaping lions! It took all my strength of will to not jump, rear back, toss the weight off my back, and skedaddle out of Laredo. I'd never heard a gun go off like that right by my ears, and now I was afraid I'd never have the use of my ears again. * Once again, I borrowed lines directly from the original series.
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