Back in the village Buck looked up from the wall he was shoring up in time to see Nathan come out of the brush with a whole passel of women following him like he was the Pied Piper. A wide grin split his face as he walked towards them. "The wind blew, the clouds parted and out came the sun! I knew you wouldn't let me down, you old dog." He slapped Chris on the back as he passed him. "Well, what do we have here?"
Nathan smiled a little self-consciously. "Found them up at that canyon back of here. Actually, they, uh, they sort of found me."
"What y'all doing down here?" Eban demanded, striding up to Rain. "Didn't I tell y'all to stay hid?"
"Is this not our village, too? Why should we hide like rabbits while our grandfathers defend us?"
"I say we let'em stay," Buck suggested with a smirk.
"You touch my daughter, I promise I'll kill you." Eban growled.
"W-which one is your daughter?" Buck stuttered, carefully taking a step or two back.
"No harm will come to your women," Chris promised.
"Let them stay," Tastanagi said, smiling at Eban's disgruntled look.
**********
Buck walked down the path towards the bottleneck Chris wanted to use to trap the bandits, paying little attention to his surroundings since he was still in 'friendly' territory. He never saw the Eloni brave crouching on top of a boulder, didn't realize anyone was there until a body slammed into him from above, tumbling them both to the ground. He rolled to his feet in a crouch, his hand near but not on his knife. Crouched in front of him was an Eloni brave he didn't recognize from the village. He wore the tattered remains of what looked like a prison suit. In his hand was a large hunting knife.
"Who are you?" the brave hissed at him.
"Nobody you need to use that pig sticker on." Buck said, trying to figure out how to disarm him quickly.
"Why are you in my village?" Before Buck could answer the brave leapt at him, bringing his knife up.
"Hey! I'm one of the good guys," Buck shouted. A crossbow bolt hit the ground not more than a foot from Buck's head. The brave jerked backwards to avoid anymore possible bolts. A young voice shouted, "I got him!" Then the brave slumped forward onto Buck, out cold. Buck pushed the Eloni off him to see the teenager who'd followed them the day before, a big grin splitting his face.
"You stupid son of a...," Buck shouted getting to his feet and grabbing the kid's crossbow, "you damn near shot me! Help me tie him up."
**********
"Imala! He has come back!
Chris looked up from the improvised map he, Vin and Tastanagi were studying at the shouted greetings. Buck had just entered the village leading a tied up Eloni brave and behind them was the teenager from the other day. Realizing that the villagers knew the bound man, he gestured for Buck to release him. "Buck, let him go."
Tastanagi had him in a hug the moment Buck untied him. "Imala, my son! I thought you were dead!"
Imala hugged him back for a moment then pulled away, his gaze angry. "No, father, not dead. I escaped from the white man's prison. Do you know why I was in prison? For the crime of not being white. And what do I find when I return? These white men."
Buck had enough. He could understand their distrust of white men, but he was getting tired of it. These people had come to them for help. Not the other way around. "That's it! Now, what in blue blazes are we doing here, risking our lives for a chunk of gold that wouldn't even fill a tooth? Why should I die for you?"
Before the situation could escalate, Tastanagi's daughter-in-law called out, "Imala! Your son."
The brave quickly moved to her side, awe clear on his face as he stared down at the tiny bundle of life in his wife's arms. Tastanagi stepped up next to him. "He is called Osceola, for the spirit of his father."
Imala smiled at his father, then glared at the hired protectors as he steered his family towards their hut.
Once they were gone JD stepped forward, proudly declaring as he pointed at Buck, "He'd be dead now if it weren't for me."
"You damn near shot my ear off."
"But I didn't, did I? I saved your life twice. Twice!"
"You think I couldn't handle him?" Buck demanded.
"I just want to prove to you that I can..."
"Don't ever use the butt of your crossbow as a weapon," Buck interrupted, getting in the kid's face. "You keep smacking it around and before long it's going to misfire, or knock your your sights all outta wack. And another thing. Get rid of this damn, stupid hat!"
JD grabbed at his hat as Buck swatted it off his head.
Vin grinned, "What Buck means is thanks, kid."
Chris just shook his head, realizing the kid wasn't going to leave on his own. They'd have a better chance of keeping him from getting himself killed if he was where they could keep an eye on him. "If you want to die young...stay."
"Yes!" JD crowed, throwing his hands up in the air. Buck took the opportunity to grab the kid's hat again. The others laughed as the two tussled for the hat like brothers rather than complete strangers.
**********
The sun was just starting to set when Buck, followed by his new shadow JD, joined Chris at one of the tables. Following the direction of Chris's gaze, he saw Vin disappear into the brush.
"Something odd about those two," Buck commented. "They both say they're partners but I ain't never seen them together."
"Seen who together?" JD asked. He was pretty sure he'd met everybody at this point.
"Vin and Ezra," Chris answered. "You noticed that too, Buck?"
"Yeah. I half-wonder if Vin don't turn into Ezra at night. That would explain why we've only seen Vin during the day and Ezra at night."
Chris slanted an amused look at his oldest friend. "You been reading those stories you were accusing JD of reading, pard?"
"No, I haven't been reading those stories. I just got to thinking is all. I mean, Ezra is a Mage."
"Half. He's not a full-blooded Mage," Chris corrected. "He's also part Hunter. According to Vin they're a Pair."
"Who is a pair?" Josiah asked, coming up to the table to hear Chris's last words and see Buck start to choke on his drink. Nathan slapped Buck on the back until he shrugged him off.
Able to breathe again, Buck asked, "You're joking right?"
"Nope. Vin told me this morning that Ezra was a crossbreed. He's part Mage, part Hunter. Vin also said they were a Hunting Pair. But the little I know about Pairs says one is never very far from the other."
"What's a Hunting Pair?" JD asked.
"That is true. Hunting Pairs share so close a bond that to separate from each other for very long can cause physical pain," Josiah said, "and even death."
"So then how are they able to stay away from each other so much?" Buck asked.
"What I don't understand is how Ezra could be a crossbreed?" Nathan put in. "I mean, Mages and Hunters don't like each other to begin with, so how two of them were able to mate is beyond me. Either way the Mage and Hunter magics should have cancelled each other out, making Ezra just Human like the rest of us." Nathan put in.
"Uh, guys?" JD tried again.
"Maybe they can be separate longer because Ezra's only half-Hunter? Except Vin's a full Blood so he should be feeling it. Unless it's not a full bond?" Buck asked, stil trying to figure out why they never appeared together.
"He doesn't seem to have any Hunter abilities either," Nathan continued.
"Actually his gifts seem very much to be natural magics. Camouflage, or making things seem invisible, occurs all the time in nature, as does fire." Josiah pointed out.
"Guys!" JD shouted, finally getting their attention. He blushed a little when they all stared at him, but he didn't let it deter him. "What are you guys talking about? Hunters? Mages? Hunting Pairs? Well, I know what Mages are. We had a bunch of them back East in my home city. But Hunters? And why don't they like each other? Are Hunters evil or something?"
"Does Vin seem evil to you?" Chris asked with a glare.
"Well, no. I guess not. But why don't Hunters and Mages like each other? And what is a Hunter? Back home the people we called hunters were those who went hunting for deer and such for meat and their furs."
"Those aren't real Hunters," Chris said.
"Yeah, kid, don't you know nothing?"
"Brothers, I think it is our duty to educate young JD, not ridicule him," Josiah said sternly. Buck just grinned while Chris gestured as if to say, "Go ahead."
"There are in essence two types of Humans, JD. Those who, like us, cannot truly sense nor manipulate the energies that flow and ripple around us, and those who can tap into those energies. Those who have that special ability, that magic, can again be divided into two categories. The more commonly known Mages who live in the cities and villages; and Hunters who prefer the less populated areas. The main difference between the two is how they manipulate those energies. Mages bend the energy to their will, making it do things that do not necessarily conform to the natural order of things. Hunters do not manipulate the magic so much as flow with it, allowing it to guide them. They see the patterns in the energy flows and use it to their advantage. It's why they make such good trackers. They never kill for sport. It is always out of necessity. Hunters and Mages don't get along because their magics are in direct opposition of each other most of the time. Being near a Mage can sometimes cause a Hunter actual pain."
"Okay. I think I kind of understand what a Hunter is. What are Hunting Pairs? I mean other than two Hunters."
"Hunting Pairs are very rare. It is not just two Hunters who are mated to each other, but they share a deeper connection. One that has bound their very souls to each other. They are often said to have one soul in two bodies. Their connection to the natural world is much deeper than the average Hunter. Some say that they can speak with animals. And some believe that Pairs can track the very wind. One drawback to Hunting Pairs is they cannot be separated for very long. It causes them intense pain, and can lead to death. The death of one also usually causes the death of the other, though there have been cases where one survived."
"That would explain the falcon and the cougar," Nathan commented.
"You mean that stupid bird that knocked me off my horse yesterday?"
Nathan just nodded with a slight smile.
"They just continue on after the other one dies?" Buck asked, thinking of Chris's struggle after his family died.
Josiah shook his head sadly. "No, they don't just continue on. They usually go mad. Depending on the circumstances many will succumb to blood-lust and seek vengeance on those who killed their other half. Once their mission is successful they suicide. Those who have lost their bonded through circumstances such as an accident usually suicide as well at some point."
"And Vin and this guy Ezra are one of these Pairs?"
"According to Vin they are."
"Okay. I've got just one more question. Who is this guy Ezra? Have I met him yet?"
"I am, Mr. Dunne. And no, we've not met yet," said a soft Southern accented voice behind the young man. Only Chris and Buck seated across from JD had seen him arrive, or more accurately seen him appear to melt out of the darkness. JD spun around, blushing at having been caught talking about someone behind their back, but stopped when he saw what was sitting next to the well-dressed Southerner. He gulped nervously, pressing back against the table, afraid to move.
The cougar regarded the young man for a moment, blue cat eyes seeming to see right through him, and then the cat heaved what sounded like a sigh before leaning heavily against Ezra's leg. The Southerner looked down at the big cat in fond exasperation. "Must you do that?"
The cougar just purred in response, making the men chuckle. After a moment the cougar went to lie beneath the table while Ezra took a seat. "You know, Mr. Dunne. If you had spent more time watching where you were aiming rather than showing off, the falcon might not have felt the need to knock you off your horse. Nor is he stupid."
"How'd you about that? You weren't even there." JD asked, blushing once more.
"What Vin knows I know, and what I know he knows. It is the nature of our bond."
"So you are a Hunting Pair?" Chris asked.
"Yes." Ezra answered simply, not lifting his gaze from his plate.
"Are you really part Hunter, part Mage?" JD asked.
Pushing his plate away, Ezra glared at each of them in turn before settling his cold, green gaze on the youngest. "I do not ask you about your past, nor your heritage, Mr. Dunne. Do not presume to do so with me. I assume Tastanagi is still with his family?"
"Yes," Josiah answered.
"Then, Mr. Larabee, if you would be so kind as to go over precisely which items you would like me to use my particular talents on?" Ezra rose from the table and headed off in the directions of the new fortifications without waiting for the blonde man to follow him.
Buck whapped JD upside the head. "Now you done it. Don't you know not to go askin' questions a man don't want to answer?"
"How am I supposed to know he's not gonna want to answer my questions if I don't ask? And it's not like none of you weren't wondering the same thing."
"Just leave it be, son," Josiah said, gently patting him on the back.
********
Once Chris showed him what he wanted, Ezra settled in to start practicing, making sure he would be able to do what was asked. The cougar lay down next to him. Ezra shifted away when the cat tried to lay his head on his thigh. He was angry with Vin and made sure the cougar knew it. He tried to concentrate on the task at hand, but quickly found he couldn't. When he knocked over part of the stone wall Josiah had built earlier, rather than turn it invisible, he gave up.
Jumping to his feet, he paced several steps before turning to glare at the cougar. He felt Vin's apology in his mind, at the same time he knew Vin didn't regret telling Chris what he had.
"Dammit, Vin," Ezra growled. "You had no right telling him about my background. Especially without asking me first. I don't care if you trust him. It is my past, my life, that you just so blithely told him and now they all know."
The cougar watched him pace sending a questioning thought.
"Why don't I want them to know? You know perfectly well why, Vin. As soon as anyone hears that I'm a crossbreed I'm looked down upon at best, considered a freak and a monster. I've been driven out of towns because of my heritage." He paused in his pacing, arms wrapped around himself, to entreatingly at the cougar. "These men barely trust me as it is. Do you really think this will endear me to them now? I told you this was a bad idea from the start."
Rising to his feet, the cougar moved to stand in front of Ezra. There was nothing but love in the cougar's thoughts and the assurance that should any treat his bonded differently they would deal with him. Ezra smiled crookedly as he knelt down. The cougar moved forward so that his chin rested on Ezra's shoulder. Wrapping his arms around the cat, he trembled when he felt the rough tongue lick briefly at his neck. He wished some many things were different, they both did. Most of all he wished he could hold his bonded's human body in his arms once more. He needed to feel that reassuring touch.
Feeling Vin's distress, he hastened to reassure him. "It's alright, Vin. I don't care what form you're in. I love you no matter what. I just..."
He didn't need to say anymore as the cougar pulled back to rub his head against the Southerner's cheek. The cat lay down once more, this time his head rested on Ezra's thigh and Ezra didn't move away.
*********
Some time later Josiah joined Ezra where he sat, the cougar's head still resting on his thigh, as he went through the tasks expected of him during the upcoming battle.
"The boy didn't mean anything by it. He was just curious. Curiosity and youth do not lend themselves to subtlety."
"I know, Mr. Sanchez, but my past is not something I enjoy talking about. Something Vin knows very well."
"Sometimes we need to talk about what has happened before to be able to face what is to lie ahead, brother."
Ezra was silent for a moment, his fingers absently stroking the top of the cougar's head. "Why'd you sign on, Josiah? What is it you expect to gain here?"
"I saw the birds of darkness in a dream. When I woke up, a crow was sitting on my windowsill staring at me like the devil himself."
"Why come here?"
"If death's coming, I'd just as soon meet it head on."
"And get your reward in the hereafter?" Ezra asked with an amused sounding snort.
"No. No, I was, uh... I was a Cleric once, but, uh... had a little trouble turning the other cheek.
The smaller man nodded. "I did a turn as a Cleric once also."
"Is that right? You felt the Lord's calling?" Josiah asked intrigued that an obvious sinner had once spoken the Lord's Words to the masses.
"Um, no, not exactly. I was hiding. From my mother of all people. Figured it would be the last place she'd think to look for me when her latest con was up. I did actually enjoy some aspects of the Cleric's life."
"What happened?"
"They discovered I was tainted. That I carried Hunter Blood in my veins. I was 'asked' to leave." Ezra's tone was bitter as he rose to his feet. "Even if I did feel the Lord's calling, I would never make myself a part of the Clerics. They care more for feeding their own physical pleasures and craving for power than they do about spreading His Word."
Watching him disappear with the cougar behind him, Josiah had to wonder if it wasn't the Clerics who had told him he wasn't worthy of being considered even a Lesser Mage. When Judgment came the Clerics would have to answer for many things.
*********
Early morning found Vin at the lookout point once again, his gaze troubled as he scanned the horizon. Chris came up next to him and took a seat on one of the rock outcroppings. Several minutes passed in silence. The glare of the rising sun promised another hot day, but for now a light breeze cooled them, stirring up tiny dust swirls as it went. Chris wondered what those sky blue eyes saw. Wondered if the man could really track the wind like Josiah suggested he could.
"You shouldn't have told them about Ezra."
"The boys are wondering why we never see you two together. Can't say as I blame them. You say you're a Hunting Pair, but Pairs can't be separated from each other, and yet you are. Makes a person wonder."
Vin rose to his feet in a rush, glaring down at the still-seated man. "Like Ez said last night, we don't ask you 'bout your past nor where ya come from, don't ask it of us. There's a lot of things you don't know and it's none of your business neither. I don't need ta be Hunter nor Mage ta see that you've got a powerful lot of hurtin' in ya from whatever's happened to ya in your past, but I don't ask about it. It's your business, not mine. So jest leave it be and leave Ezra alone. He's suffered more than any man should have to. At least he don't spend his time wallowing in self-pity like some I could mention."
Chris watched the tracker stalk off. The falcon came winging down from the trees to land on the upraised arm before transferring to Vin's shoulder. The mercenary wanted to call the younger man back, take him to task for his comments, for daring to compare him to the self-absorbed Southern gambler. The Southerner couldn't possibly have gone through what Chris had, the devastating loss of his family, his loved ones. No. Neither Vin nor Ezra could possibly understand why Chris was the way he was. Wishing he had a bottle of whiskey, Chris turned back to the valley, watching the sun continue to rise over the trees.
**********
The morning passed quickly as everyone worked to finish their appointed tasks in time. It was the seven protectors' third day in the village, but the fourth since the bandits had been there. They'd said they'd return in five days, but everyone knew they'd come sooner. The village was quickly running out of time.
Just past midday time ran out.
Vin was strategically placing quivers of arrows and crossbow bolts when the falcon sent the image of a large group of riders approaching. The dust they were kicking up prevented them from being counted but he could tell they were still a ways off. Vin rushed to the edge of the bluff he was on and called down to the others. "They're coming!"
Satisfied everyone had heard his warning he headed to the trail down the bluff. As he reached the bottom the falcon shrieked announcing his return before disappearing into the trees. Chris met him by the huts, Vin's longbow in hand.
"How far out?"
"About a mile off. Another ten minutes or so before they get here."
"Any idea how many?"
"Too hard to tell. Kicking up a lot of dust."
"Where's Ezra?"
"He's here."
"Where?" Chris demanded, grabbing Vin's arm. They had too much depending on the Southerner for his liking and he wanted to make sure the man would follow through.
"I said he's here, Larabee," Vin growled, shrugging off Chris's hand. "He's vulnerable when he's workin' magic. So he ain't gonna just sit out in the open. He'll do his job, you do yours."
Chris glared at the tracker's back as he disappeared back up the bluff. When this was all over those two were going to answer his questions--assuming, of course, that the Southerner came through for them. Otherwise they were all likely to be dead. No sooner had Chris reached his chosen hiding spot then things began to disappear. Maybe I won't shoot him, Chris thought to himself, settling in to wait.
***********
When the bandits finally arrived in the small clearing they found six large wicker baskets and a seemingly deserted village. The obvious second-in-command dismounted from his horse and crossed to the baskets. He flipped off the lid of each one. They contained rocks, sand, and sticks. Not the provisions or pelts they were expecting.
"There is nothing of use here, Capitan."
"I seem to remember being quite explicit in my directions, was I not, Marco?"
"Quite explicit, Capitan."
"I know you are in there, hiding in your little huts! I gave directions that I expected to have carried out. I told you the consequences. Ah!" He smiled broadly when Chris rose from his hiding spot. "I am Capitan Hisan Ansaro, formerly of the Great Southern Alliance Army. You are?"
"There's nothing for you and your men here. I suggest you move along," Chris said, resting his foot on the short wall in front of him.
"Of course there isn't. And I'm sure you gain nothing from this? Or perhaps you are here simply for the, uh, company?"
"We came ta ask ya ta leave," Vin said, stepping out of his hiding spot, longbow held loosely but ready in his hands, an arrow knocked.
"You do this purely out of the goodness of your heart?"
"Something like that," Buck called out, showing himself.
"And just how many 'protectors' has my little village gathered?"
"Enough," Chris answered. JD, Nathan, and Josiah stepped into view now, all holding long or crossbows at the ready.
Josiah smiled wolfishly at the bandits, his deep voice rumbling as he called out. "The Lord says, Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's possessions. Thou shalt do unto others as thou would have done unto you! And I shall smile upon you. The Lord does not smile upon you today, brothers."
"My, my, my. I am shaking in my boots." He glanced at his men who were laughing with him. His voice was almost lazy as he ordered, "Kill them. Kill them all."
The six men ducked back into their hiding spots as the bandits opened fire with their crossbows. Vin got off a shot before he ducked down. Shuffling to the sidewall, he used the small portion of his magic that he wasn't siphoning to Ezra to camouflage himself as he rose to his feet. Anyone looking in his direction would have a difficult time picking him out from the wall he stood next to. He aimed and fired in rapid succession, smiling triumphantly as several bandits went down.
With a hand gesture Ansaro ordered his men to charge the village. They didn't get more than a few feet before waist high wall of stone suddenly appeared before them. Horses reared in surprise, dumping their riders, while those on foot were unable to stop their momentum and toppled over the walls into booby-trapped ditches or the hands of waiting villagers eager for revenge.
When no more walls appeared out of thin air, Ansaro ordered his men forward for another charge. This time small pillars of flames began shooting up from the ground. Three of the bandits were caught in the flames, their screams echoing in the canyon as they were driven back once more.
Several of the still mounted bandits tried to cut around the side of the village through the bottleneck only to encounter a hastily raised net and more villagers. What was supposed to have been a well-ordered simple attack quickly turned into a melee as men and horses alike spooked.
The sudden appearance of a large bird of prey diving down at them, raking talons across unprotected faces and scalps of his men did not help any either. Realizing there was no hope of winning the battle this day, Ansaro signaled for retreat.