By the time they reached the camp Vin had already put some coffee on and scraped together some breakfast from the meagre supplies they’d brought with them. He always kept some basic supplies in his kit so was able to come up with some fresh ‘camp’ bread to supplement the meal.
Tel was still sleeping but at the first sign of the dawn lit the camp she too awoke.
"That smells good Mr Tanner"
"Mornin’ Miss Macloud" Tanner offer her some of the food.
"Just some of that bread and coffee thanks"
"Nothin like hot coffee and the morning sun" he smiled, repeating her words of the day before.
"Quite right Mr Tanner" she smiled back taking the cup of steaming coffee he held out to her. She gasped as she took the first sip, "And the hotter the better".
Vin passed Buck and Chris a cup of the brew each, "Careful, its real hot!" he warned.
The men sat down and enjoyed what they hoped wouldn’t be there last meal, occasionally throwing wary glances in Tel’s direction. Tel ignored them, concentrating instead on her coffee. As she got up to refill her cup, Buck couldn’t stand the silence any longer,
"Y’know I’ve been to cemetaries where there’s more conversation than here".
Everyone ignored him and a few minutes later he got up in disgust to check his guns and ammunition.
It was Vin who spoke next, "You okay?" he asked Tel. She looked at him but didn’t speak. He started to pack up their gear, "Looked like you were having some pretty wild dreams last night …"
"I’m fine". She finished her coffee and helped with the clearing up.
"Were they …" he wasn’t sure if he should persist, "were they visions or just dreams?"
Tel gave him a long look, "I never just dream Mr Tanner"
"You want to share with us then Macloud?" Chris might have accepted the situation but he still didn’t like beating around the bush.
"It was similar to the one last night – the details aren’t important at this stage."
"I take it, it wasn’t a good one then?" Chris decided if it wasn’t a good one then he didn’t want to know.
"No. It wasn’t"
So, they’re finally talking, thought Buck, "So tell us, you get lots of these premonition thingies"
"All the time" Tel answered honestly. There was no point lying to them. She knew they’d made their choices during the night but she didn’t want doubt creeping in now to spoil the new found trust.
"Are they always right?" asked Chris
"Always"
Then Buck remembered something she’d told him over breakfast at the hotel was that only yesterday? It seems much longer, "Which one of those passengers is the friend your meeting?"
Vin and Chris looked up, they hadn’t known about this.
"The woman with the gun" she answered slowly.
"That’d be right" mumbled Chris then more loudly, "Any other bits you haven’t told us yet? Like what exactly is in her trunk?"
Shrugging Tel answered, "That I don’t know. She didn’t mention anything last time I talked to her or in the last wire I received" she paused trying to think what the trunk might hold, "She was off visiting a sick relative. Maybe they died and left her something – I really don’t know"
"Well, can’t you see into the case?" He couldn’t keep the edge of sarcasm out of his voice.
"Chris .." Vin murmured not wanting a repeat of last night’s scene.
"That’s alright Mr Tanner. When I looked at the case I did see a faint glow and I heard a faint noise but I don’t know what that means"
"So these visions of yours aren’t all-powerful?" Chris continued with his questioning.
"Never said they were. However, a lack of such detail can mean one of two things. One, they’re hidden from me for another purpose or, two, they’re just not important and have no bearing on the main circumstance." The three men looked reasonably happy with this so she continued to explain.
"I also see very little about the child and its mother. I don’t even know if the kid’s male or female. To me that means that these two aren’t in real danger and they might make it through whatever the day brings"
"What about the man? Sounded like you knew him real good. And your friend?" asked Buck fascinated despite himself.
"Well, I guess that doesn’t bode well for either of them but its not a death sentence either"
"Well, I’m all ready to ride" said Buck as he got back up and walked over to his horse, adjusting his gun belt and hat as he went, "Lets go shoot us some bad guys." His grin was wide – the promise of action bringing back his usual enthusiasm.
Chris and Vin were ready too but Tel stayed in the clearing, hands on hips and staring at the ground.
"There’s one more thing I need to do" Her voice was all at once hard, uncompromising. She looked at them, her stare icy cold, "We need to know where the bad guys are"
"Easy. We know they’re after the stage so all we have to do his get there first. Right?" Buck had a feeling things were a lot more complicated than that but thought there wasn’t any harm in trying for easy.
"Following a vision is never easy Buck. There’s certain steps that must be taken – this is one of them"
"What do you want us to do?" Chris asked calmly. Buck was surprised at his calmness, patience not being one of his strong points, much like Buck himself.
"Be ready to ride as soon as I come back." She strode off towards a pile of large rocks nearby, climbed to the very top then sat cross-legged her face to the wind.
"What’s she doin' now?" Buck asked. Keeping his eyes fixed on the seated figure, Vin answered him.
"I heard a story of an Indian shaman once who had great Power. She could send her spirit out to see if soldiers were coming. She was very powerful and she was always right. Reckon that might be what Tel’s gonna do now"
"You think she’s a shaman?" Chris asked.
"She don’t look Indian" said Buck
"Don’t have to be" Vin replied
"Well, she’s definitely not like any other woman I’ve ever met" concluded Buck with a laugh. Silently Chris agreed. Neither of them noticed Vin slip away.
Tel sat quietly on the large rock – waiting. It was still very early, the sun only just over the horizon. While she waited she thought about the three men below. She understood the leap of faith they’d each taken to trust her so completely and put their lives in her hands. They weren’t men to stand down or back from a challenge but they seemed willing and able to keep their natural instincts – to rush in guns blazing – in tight check. Tel smiled to herself, she hated the delays too but if experience had taught her one thing it was that the careful approach was the best one to take. Only fools rush in, she thought.
A faint footfall behind her indicated that her waiting was over, it would soon be time to start the journey. She opened her eyes as the tracker sat opposite her.
"Took your time" was all she said as he made himself as comfortable as he could on the cold rock.
Then, "Are you ready?"
Vin nodded that he was and Tel reached forward to take his hands, a tingle of energy passed from the woman to the man. He instinctively recoiled from the slight shock but was held firm and quickly relaxed into himself. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply.
Traces of the music still in his head grew louder and he smiled at the sweet sounds he heard. Without thinking about it he took his harmonica from his coat pocket and started to play. The melody, at first faltering and unsure, caught in the breeze and was lifted up and out to envelope not only himself and the woman but the two men watching from below.
Chris and Buck were both surprised at the beautiful music they could hear coming from Vin’s harmonica and they smiled in pleasure as it grew louder and stronger.
As the tune grew the gentle breeze of before grew into a strong wind catching leaves and twigs in its currents till they danced in the air.
As the music had started Tel closed her eyes and started chanting in a low voice. The tones of her voice changing to match that of the harmonica and as she settled into the rocks and the music, and the wind all around her, she let go of herself.
The exhilaration of being free of her body took hold and she flew straight up and away from the earth. But the coming events were strong in her mind so she only allowed herself a few precious moments of freedom before gaining control and beginning her search for the outlaw gang.
They weren’t hard to find, their evil minds causing a ripple in the atmosphere around them. Their corruption and malice reaching out in bright shards of blinding light. As she drew closer the smell of their evil invaded her senses and she felt suddenly ill. She forced the thoughts from her mind and concentrated on what she was here to do.
The camp was still in the process of waking up. Some of the men were asleep, others eating, still others checking equipment and horses. She counted them all, nine, she thought. Just then a tenth man stepped out of the bushes. The way he barked out orders and kicked those not awake marked him as the leader and Tel started to feel ill again as the evilness of his soul radiated towards her. With the bad-tempered leader kicking and pushing at the men to hurry up Tel knew they’d be riding out soon. Time was starting to run short when the leader suddenly stopped. His head went up and he almost seemed to smell the presence of someone watching. He turned in Tel’s direction staring straight at her and even though she knew he couldn’t really see her she felt a stab of fear at his baleful gaze. Shit!
His awareness of her presence was not good and she knew he could be a tough adversary must be getting some help from the spirit world of his own. A blackness seemed to generate around him then. Blocking him from her view and reaching out towards her. Time to go!
She could here her own voice and the music calling her back. Not yet. She left the outlaw with his band of murderers and evil demons and went in search of the stagecoach. No sooner had she thought of her friend than she was there by her side watching her pack her night case and making preparations for the final leg of her journey. Tel reached out to the woman and caressed her cheek to let her know that she was there and would be watching over her.
"Tel?" The woman asked, always a little wild-eyed when her friend did this, "What is it?" Tel let her feel her presence and whispered the word soon into her mind. Time was running out.
She rushed backed to her body so fast that when she re-entered her physical form she jerked violently. Tel opened her eyes to the fading tune of the harmonica, the wind dropping back down to a breeze and the gently spiralling fall of the leaves and twigs. Dance is over girls and boys Tel thought as she watched everything return to normal.
The music stopped and Vin Tanner looked at her with clear blue eyes and a smile on his face.
"Welcome back Miss Macloud"
Tel returned the look, "Why thank you Mr Tanner"
By the time they reached the other men below Tel’s head was completely clear and she knew what she had to do.
"Let’s ride"
The stage departed right on time. Its four passengers relieved this was the last part of their long journey. All four were alighting at the next town – Four Corners
The outlaw gang was given last minute instructions by their leader – all were well awake now and itching to go. The leader still felt the strange awareness that he’d noticed just after dawn when he thought someone was watching him. He could still feel the burn of eyes in his back as he lifted one foot up to the stirrup and pulled himself into the saddle.
The band took off on a path that would bring them out on the stagecoach route – ready for the attack.
Tel stopped short just before the spot where she now knew the attack would take place. She’d seen it so often now in her dreams and visions that she knew every rock and blade of grass. It was an open spot surrounded by almost completely by hills. It was a perfect spot for the outlaws to attack and the perfect spot for an ambush.
"What now?" asked Chris anxious again to get the whole thing over with.
"We find a spot to hide and we wait for it to start"
"Wouldn’t it be better to take the bad guys out before they got to the coach?" Buck didn’t like leaving things to chance"
"Isn’t that a little risky. Thought you didn’t like risks?" Chris’ calmness in the face of certain danger was being replaced by a need for swift action.
"Yes – we have to get it exactly right or …" Tel stated
"Or?"
"Or we could all be dead!"
They dismounted, tied their horses off and checked their weapons a final time. As they worked Tel filled them in on what she’d ‘seen’ earlier.
"There’s ten men. The leader is a short guy, barrel-chested and about as mean as they come. We’ll have to take him out as soon as we can. Once he’s down the rest should be easy"
"Easy! In case you hadn’t noticed there’s only four of us to ten of them" stated Buck.
"But we’ve got the surprise" added Chris
"Plus there’s the guard, the driver and the woman with the gun. That makes seven" added Vin.
Tel’s head snapped up as if listening for a sound, "It’s time!"
They each found themselves a vantage point amongst the rocks overlooking the stage route and waited.
"I’d feel much better ‘bout this if the others were here" Buck whispered to himself.
The rumble of horses hooves could be heard echoing off the rocks as the outlaws raced towards the stretch of trail they had chosen for their attack. The stage was just coming into view, the sound of its wheels and the thunder of the horses on the hard packed earth growing louder with every passing moment.
Hidden from view the four waited until exactly the right moment before announcing their presence in gun-blazing fashion.
The stage driver had seen the approaching marauders but had no hope of outrunning them, they were almost on them – their guns raised, when a single shot rang out from the hills above. A shot that was instantly followed by a volley of bullets, all aimed at the outlaws.
The gang, completely taken by surprise, fought back desperately. Their leader had narrowly missed being hit by that first shot – a last second sense of danger had warned him to move away and Tel cursed as she once again saw the blackness emanate around him. The man urged his horse towards the now still stage taking a quick shot at the guard who had brought his rifle up. The guard slumped forward in his seat to hang over the side of the coach, dead. The man then levelled his weapon at the driver and called for one of his followers to come up and get the luggage down. As the second outlaw reached the roof of the stage he suddenly screamed and flew off the coach to land, dead, on the ground beside his leader.
Terrified screams could be heard from inside the stage where three of the four people there prayed for salvation from the chaos outside. The fourth, a woman in a green dress, had been expecting something to happen, not quite like this though, and she was ready. She made her way to the door on the far side of the coach, away from the gun battle, to edge the door open in the hope of gaining some advantage in the situation. She gasped in surprise when the dead outlaw came tumbling down but regained composure quickly and continued out the door.
She could see that the driver was being held at gunpoint but the outlaw was facing away from her. As she began to bring her gun up from its hiding place within her skirts the outlaw leader sensed her presence and turned swiftly, leering when he saw her pale face.
"Get out!" he hissed, keeping his pistol trained on the driver he unholstered a second gun and pointed it at her menacingly.
She did as told releasing her own gun to fall back into its hiding place. Once she’d stepped down, the man grabbed her by the hair and dragged her over to stand in front of him and act as a shield between himself and the ambushers on the hill.
He tersely ordered the driver onto the roof to throw down the luggage. As the driver reached for the woman’s trunk she called out, "No, don’t throw it!"
On hearing the female voice, the four rescuers paused in their wholesale slaughter of the gang and looked towards the coach.
Buck had the best view and the best position to do something about it. He raised his pistol and moved away from the protective shadow of the boulder. Just as he squeezed on the trigger the outlaw leader noticed his movement and fired at the tall man. With a scream of pain Buck fell backwards to the ground and lay unmoving, his blood flowing freely from a wound above his heart.
"Buck!" Chris called out shocked to see his friend fall. He stepped out from behind the rock he’d been using as a shield his guns blazing so fast they grew hot in his hands. He grunted as one bullet winged him and another went flashing past his head. But the outlaws were nearly all down, Vin picking off the remaining few from his position.
Tel had already decided to concentrate her efforts on the man holding her friend hostage. She holstered her guns and without a sound made her way around the coach using the rocks and shrubs to camouflage her physical presence and chanting softly in an attempt to halt the outlaws apparent sixth sense. When she was within throwing distance she silently pulled a knife from its resting place under her jacket and threw it hard and fast at the outlaw. But once again, within milliseconds of receiving a mortal wound, the man moved and the knife sunk deep into his shoulder instead of his heart. Tel went for her guns as the man turned towards her and let go of the woman. Within the same instant the woman in green grabbed again at her hidden gun and shot the outlaw – at point blank range – in the chest. He fell to the ground beside his already dead partner his shocked eyes staring, unseeing, at the sky.
That’ll do it, thought Tel as she ran over to the coach. All firing had now ceased and she caught a glimpse of Chris and Vin climbing to where Buck lay injured.
"Hey Loren! Long time no see" she greeted her friend as if they were meeting in the middle of town instead of the middle of all this carnage. Loren gave her a strained laugh then continued with the process of checking the mortality of the two outlaws with a hard swift kick to their respective heads. Tel quickly checked the other passengers, who showed no sign of being injured, and the guard who was long dead.
"Can you do anything for him Tel?" her friend asked.
"Nope, he’s long gone" she replied, "But I can do something for the one up there if I’m quick about it".
She ordered the passengers to stay by the coach and, ignoring the dead and dying outlaws, followed the path that Chris and Vin had taken, her friend following behind.
"Buck?" Chris called again to where he’d seen his friend fall.
"Shit Buck!" he didn’t want to think about his old friend dead but the silence was not good and fear started to eat at his belly.
He reached the fallen man within minutes and stopped in his tracks. Buck lay where he had fallen, his shirt soaked in his life’s blood, a pool of it forming underneath him. His eyes were open, he didn’t move. Chris moved closer but froze again when he saw the still, blank eyes of his oldest friend.
"NOOO!" he yelled and fell to his knees beside the prone man, "Don’t you dare die on me Buck!"
He reached for his throat but could find no pulse.
Vin arrived seconds later to see Chris bending over the injured man searching for signs of life, not finding any. He knelt down beside them gently touching Chris on the shoulder. Chris turned his grief-ravished face to the young tracker.
"Christ, he’s dead Vin. Buck’s dead!"
Chris thought of all the years that they’d been friends, of all the times that Buck had stood by him. He had saved his ornery hide too many times to count. He thought of J.D. too, they were like brothers, he’d be devastated. God, this can’t be happening.
Tel watched the men bent over the body of their friend – the grief and pain at his passing washed off them in waves hitting her like icy cold water. She sighed then stepped forward. Buck was a good man and she wasn’t ready to let his soul move on just yet, not while there was still time.
Vin looked up when she was close enough to cast a shadow over them.
"This ain’t right" he told her as she too knelt down beside the body.
Slowly she reached out towards the dead man. She touched his forehead, his cheeks. Her hands moving more quickly, she loosened the bandanna around his neck and unbuttoned his shirt to expose the wound fully. What a mess! She put her hand over the wound and could feel warmth coming from his body. Good.
"What’re ya doin'?" Chris asked but he was ignored.
Tel started chanting, her hands now over the body but not quite touching it. Chris and Vin watched, unsure, as her voice steadily grew stronger, faster, rising and falling in tune to a melody only she could hear. Once again the slight breeze that had been blowing all day grew stronger picking up leaves, twigs and dust to swirl in its eddies.
Loren approached the scene with some trepidation. She knew what was happening, had seen it before, but it always filled her with fear, and awe. Awe at the Power who friend could command and fear at what such use of the Power did to her.
She walked up to the two men and shook them to get their attention.
"Its better if you come away" she said to them but they wouldn’t budge. She cocked her gun at them, "Move! Now!" They hesitated a moment longer before standing up and backing away from the two on the ground.
"You can’t get too close, it could be dangerous and you’ll be in the way" she explained keeping the gun pointed at them and staying just out of their reach. Vin realised who she must be and put his hands up to show he wouldn’t do anything.
"Its alright. You can put that pistol down. We’ll stay out of the way." Loren lowered the gun slightly and Chris grabbed for it ignoring the pain in his shoulder at the sudden movement. Vin put his arm out to protect the woman.
"Chris! She’s right!" Loren let out the breath she’d been holding, "You’d be Tel’s friend from the coach then?" Vin asked the woman. Loren just nodded her attention caught by the events unfolding in the small clearing. Vin and Chris turned to see what was happening.
Tel’s chanting was louder now more insistent her voice wrapping around the group, embracing the few trees, the rocks and the earth. The wind roared along beside her. The intensity of the wind and the chanting deepened further until the very rocks and trees around them seemed to glow with a pulsating energy. The earth beneath them vibrated with life.
The three onlookers stepped back as far as they could they’re skin tingling from the energy encircling them. Tel and Buck were now completely surrounded by a light that was so bright the others had to put their arms up to protect their eyes. At the centre of the light just above the chanting woman’s hands a ball of darkness appeared. It spread out to engulf her hands then sank deep into the body beneath.
The wind whipped and pulled at their clothes. The vibrating beneath their feet had turned into a distinct rumbling matched by a sudden burst of noise from the sky above. Vin, Chris and Loren looked up to see storm clouds clashing above them.
Tel’s voice, more like a chorus of singers now than one lone woman, could still be heard clearly above everything else. She suddenly stopped speaking and stood raising her hands to the sky. She screamed something unintelligible and Buck’s body arched in violent convulsion. Impossible as it seemed her voice grew louder as she screamed the words again and again to finally be answered by a sizzling flash from the sky. A lightening bolt screeched down towards the standing woman. Arms reaching out wide she seemed to catch the lightening in her hands, her body jerking as it hit. From her the lightening spread out in a web around and under Buck lifting him from the ground as it coursed through his convulsing body.
Tel’s voice grew softer now and the sizzling ball of energy that engulfed them began to dissipate. The exhausted woman fell to her knees blood flowing from wounds in her hand. Chris started forward but Loren held him back, "She’s not finished yet."
Once again she had lent over Buck letting blood from her hands drip into his wound. The blood bubbled on impact as if boiling. It flowed into his body to mix with his own blood, which also seemed to be flowing again. She placed her hands directly on the wound. The blackness was back, sinking from her hands into the wound. The chanting grew softer, gentler, encouraging the man to fight for life. The darkness became a golden light shot through with the colours of the rainbow. It glowed incandescently for just a moment then disappeared.
The wind dropped to a breeze once again as the chanting stopped. All was still and quiet. Chris and Vin had their eyes locked onto Buck, barely breathing. Buck convulsed again then took a deep breath. He shook his head and tried to sit up but the effort was too much and he fell back down.
His two friends rushed to his side to help him to sit.
"What the hell’s going on Chris?" Buck asked, "I feel like shit!"
"Ya look like shit Buck!" he said, laughing in pure relief.
The laughter stopped when his eyes fell on the unconscious, blood-soaked form of Tel Macloud.
The Watcher [Next]
