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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 3168837" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter 192, “The Reluctant Hero”, Monday, March 27th, 1882, 6:00 AM Nanuet had awakened that morning just before the sun and begins his humble prayers trying not to wake Minerva.  Minerva is awakened by the warmth of the sun on her skin. She lies still and watches Nanuet as he prays. "It is not a dream." she thinks as her heart fills once again with joy. She quietly stands and packs up her bedroll as she waits for him to finish.Nanuet finishes his prayers and heads over to Minerva. "Good morning Priestess" he says with a smile and a tender kiss "I hope you slept well. We should find something to eat and then hopefully Kajika will meet with us again."  "Si, I slept like a little bambina in your arms." she says returning the kiss "You know I really like this!" She says as she lowers her lips to his again. She states, "I am starving. We ate very little yesterday." Looking around she wonders. " What has happened to Luna and Maska? I hope that their new friend did not eat her for dinner." she jokes. And as she says this Luna flies over the hill to greet her.  Nanuet says, "Ah, there is Luna now, and I am sure Maska sleeps. She would not let herself go hungry so I reason that she spent the night hunting. Come let us hunt down our own breakfast." Nanuet and Minerva make there way among the Apache and find some food. Nanuet offers to pay for their meal. They are both ravenous and scarf the food down hungrily. After the meal they seek Kajika.   Kajika spends the morning teaching both Nanuet and Minerva about the ways of the Apache and of some spells that neither of them had attempted to cast before. He apologizes to Minerva that he can only show her part of what she needs, as she will also need guidance from somebody of her own faith. He adds "The night that Storm Goldeneye left this realm she approached me and told me of how your path and Nanuet’s would be as one. She also said that a mentor for you would be drawn to here just as Nanuet and I were drawn together."  Nanuet replies "Thank you again for imparting your wisdom upon us. I miss Storm greatly and still regret her loss. I am honored that she continued to take interest in me even after it was my lust for revenge that cost her her life."Minerva states, “Si, Storm Goldeneye was a brave and true friend. She returned to this realm since than to help us find Nanuet when he was in trouble and said something similar.  A mentor? for me? I had thought that Nanuet would teach me the ways of your gods as I would teach him our ways. Do you know who it is? But we must be going soon. Will I meet this mentor before we depart?"Kajika replies, "I have no idea who this mentor will be, but they will be someone from your own religion, probably a High Priest or High Priestess, with the skills and experience to teach you how to better be a priest of your faith. My suggestion would be for you to speak to your gods about this individual, it is through their will that you will be drawn together."It is early afternoon and Kajika is in the midst of training Nanuet in another spell when they are interrupted by Flint's friend Naki-Yai. The Apache woman rides up on a horse pulling Nanuet and Minerva's horses. She speaks to Kajika in the Apache tongue. He turns to Nanuet and says, "The human woman that you own the ranch with is in danger. She and a companion are being chased by members of the Cowboy Gang, including the one you call Ringo. They are just currently a little over a mile to our north and moving in a southeasterly direction."Nanuet states, "I knew we couldn't escape trouble out here." Nanuet goes to his bundle of belongings to retrieve his rifle and ammunition. He checks that his knives are secure. He then heads back to the horses and others. "I have no expectations from anyone here, Ringo is a dangerous enemy, but I must go and help my friends. Kajika, if you could help it would be greatly appreciated as I know Ringo has magic more powerful than I have been able to overcome in the past. Minerva, you can do what you wish, but my thoughts are for your safety and that is here in this camp."Minerva states, "And mine for yours. No I am coming. Senor Ringo must be stopped. We must hurry." Minerva grabs her rifle and digs the magic bullets out of her pack. "Nanuet did Chester give you any of these bullets?" She says as she mounts her horse. She calls to Luna and tells her to fly ahead and bring back information.Kajika says, " They are still in the area that we moved back from, but they head in the direction where the families are. If they come closer to where the people they will regret it, the Apache have hundreds of warriors and their magic will prove ineffective against such a large grouping. I must stay with the people but you may take this". He removes a pouch from his belt and hands it to Nanuet. "The powder must first become lightly dampened to be effective and the word "Ka-din-ya" spoken. It will then make all other magic where the powder lies cease to function."Nanuet says, "Thank you Kajika for this gift of magic. If I cover an area with it, will magic that enters it cease to function or will only the magic already in the area that I use it in stop working. Can I spread it out over an area and then try and lead Ringo to that spot? How long will it last?"  Kajika replies, "You have many questions. It prevents both wizard and clerical magics for as long as the powder remains lightly moist. Once it dries the power will cease, but if it becomes too wet it will wash away. While the magic is in effect it will prevent both clerical and wizard magics from entering or functioning in the area and to a height equal to the width of the area affected."With that knowledge in hand Nanuet heads in the direction Naki-Ya told them that the trouble was brewing. Minerva follows behind. Nanuet will watch and listen for any sign of riders such as disturbed wildlife, clouds of dust, etc.  Nanuet turns around when he hears another mount following them. Naki-Ya had also decided to join them. Nanuet turns around to speak to her. "Naki-Ya, you are coming also I see. Are you prepared for a battle? I know little of your skills."  Nanuet's Apache is poor but sufficient enough for him to understand. She replies, "I know this land, you do not. We go together if we are to save them and protect my people."  He replies, "I always appreciate a guide, just stick close by." Nanuet keeps Naki-Ya and Minerva close to him, riding conservative and letting Naki-Ya direct them.Kate and Conrad continue onward.  "Never a dull moment," she muttered to herself and pulled her skirts further up in case she needed to move more freely on the horse. She kept low with the shotgun in her hands, praying they would reach the Apache before the horses played out.Conrad and Kate continue onward. Kate begins to find some of the area they are in familiar, thinking that they are near the location where she, Nanuet, Flint, Sonoma and the Cartwrights had first met with the Apache. They are now in a lightly wooded area, the thin forests blocking their view from those following them. They soon reach a stream, around five feet across. Kate says, "We can't see them right now, they might not be able to see us. We've ridden the horses pretty hard, but not so long that their muscles will react badly to cold water. If we ride in the stream for a bit, they might have to stop to pick up our trail again."Conrad and Kate follow the stream as it flows south. The stream bottom is rocky and they have to proceed slowly and carefully in order prevent the horse's hooves from getting caught between the rocks.  She states, "We don't want to stay in here too long."   Kate led Conrad down the stream, keeping her ears open for sounds of their pursuers. Once they had gone about five hundred feet, Kate stopped and let her horse drink for a slow count of ten, then led the way onto the stream bank and pushed the horse to speed again.Kate and Conrad continue onward. They ride vigorously as the forests clear out. They soon see movement a quarter-mile back, but now there are only two riders. Conrad tells Kate, "Those four must have split up at the stream, not knowing if we went north or south. However, I'd bet that the other two probably aren't much further back."She says, "I prefer two to four, but you're probably right. And they're getting a lot closer. We don't have much more time, I don't think," she finished and grasped the rifle, ready to start firing.  Kate and Conrad proceeded on. She sees that the trees and bushes are thinning out as the elevation increases and there is unfortunately nowhere to go south, southeast or southwest that doesn't go higher and above the tree line. It had been a good run, probably five or six miles with horses not trained for this but holding up well none-the-less. But the horses were tired and tiring more as they climbed, as soon she and Conrad would be out in the open again.Kate spots an area with a flat rock plateau with high flat rocks on the rear and right and three to five foot high rocks covering most of the front, making a natural wall. She decides that the plateau has enough space to put the horses and fire from the front. But they have perhaps four-tenths of a mile, most of it across open terrain climbing up at a forty-degree angle to get there.Nanuet, Minerva and Naki-Yai travel for a little more than a half-mile, ending at a cliff side overlooking a sloping mountain going down, ending in a forested area with a stream. At first neither Nanuet or Minerva see anything. Then Naki-Yai points to the end of the tree line saying in Apache "There, she and her friend are down there." Nanuet spots them around three-quarters of a mile below and to the left."I see them now, thank you Naki-Ya. I think it is too risky to signal to them. I guess we should just try and head to them. Do you see anyone pursuing them still?" Nanuet scans the area for signs of anyone else. He takes his time looking and relooking before moving on.Below, Kate nodded toward the plateau and says, "There, that's the best spot," . "We just have to get there somehow. We'll have to make a dash for it. I have an idea. Wait for my signal before you move."  She took a few deep breaths and pictured what the two of them looked like, tired and windblown on their horses. Once the image was constructed in her mind, Kate cast the new spell she had learned, sending the illusionary doubles shooting out of the tree line about 25 feet away from them and heading off to the right side of the plateau.Rifle fire soon erupts from the a patch of forest a quarter mile to the left of her.  Up above, Nanuet sees Kate and Conrad moving out into the open and then sees the two men who he assumes are Cowboy Gang members, in the trees no more than a half-mile below him and firing at his friend and her companion.  Kate held back on the signal, waiting either for the lull that would mean they were reloading the rifles, or for the gunmen to follow the illusions away.Nanuet looks for a spot where he will have cover and still be able to see the two Cowboy gang members. He then targets one carefully, steadying his arm before shooting his rifle.  Despite the long distance the shot it true, striking the shooter in his gun arm and causing him to drop the rifle The other man continues to fire at Katherine and her friend Conrad as they ride up the mountain. "The gods must be looking favorably upon you," Naki-Yai tells Nanuet in Apache. Katherine continues to concentrate upon the illusion. Conrad saw Nanuet's rifle flash from higher up the mountain and heard the shot. He says, "Damn, they're ahead of us now too. It must have been those other three."  Minerva sends Luna up and tells her to screech to alert Katherine that they are in the area. "Stay high Luna, I don't want you hurt. and return and tell me what you see" She then aims her rifle and shoots at the cowboy that she can see most clearly.  Minerva’s shot also rings true, despite the distance, striking the other cowboy in his shoulder. Both men do not appear to be seriously hurt, but they stop shooting at Nanuet and Kate as they begin to move back the nearest cover, a large rock thirty feet from them, pulling their horses with them. The illusionary Kate and Conrad continue to ride towards cover, almost reaching a rocky plateau further up  Naki Yai points to some movement over near the edge of the woods. Minerva is alerted by Luna of the same movement Naki sees, as well as more movement in the woods around a quarter-mile further back from there. An owl's eyesight is far superior to humanoids at night, but during the day is not much better than a human's, so the bird is still unable to differentiate exactly who is where.  Minerva takes a quick moment to pray in Spanish. "Minerva querido, en su sabiduría divina. Dirija por favor nuestras acciones which translates as “Dear Minerva in your divine wisdom, please guide our actions.”   Kate sent the illusion cutting around the plateau until it was out of their sight and then let the illusion go. She turned to look at Conrad and took his hand, not bothering to hide the fear in her eyes. "I'm out of tricks. We could stay here and hope they try to track the doubles, but I think we'll be found. We have to get to those rocks."Conrad replies, "With those other three on the peaks higher up? That would be suicide, they'd cut us down in a minute. Those other two were firing from that side and have stopped. They're probably reloading or waiting for those fake versions of us to fire back down. Why don't I see if I can sneak up on them now before those other two show up? They won't be looking out for us, thinking we're up at the plateau."Kate answers, "I don't think we should split up, but I don't know how quiet I can be. Still, I think we should go together. Tie the horses and leave them here. You can go ahead of me, but I'm keeping you in sight."   Conrad and Kate make their way through the forest east. They stop when they see movement ahead 100 feet ahead which they make out to be over behind a large rock. They see two horses but no riders yet.    Above, Naki-Yai tracks movement below saying "Those two groups are moving together."Kate quietly hefted the rifle and crouched down. "I'll be able to see you from here," she whispered. "I'm not quiet enough to go closer. What do you think?"  Conrad replies, "I've played a number of heroes on the stage, but never one in real life." He opens and rechecks the revolver. He then removes his Derringer from the small of his back, placing it in his sock and also pulls his dagger slightly out from the sheathe inside his boot for easy access.  He moves forward, using the rock itself as cover until he is up close. He then stays low and heads around the front of the rock, low to the ground. Kate loses sight of him.Kate kept her ears open and moved forward, staying as crouched down as she could with the rifle still pointed forward. She moved somewhat to the side, hoping to be able to see around the rock.  Kate recognizes the sound of her late husband's gun going off. She hears three shots in rapid succession followed by a shot from a different revolver. One of the horses moves as a result of the sound and she can now see one of the Cowboys holding a pistol and preparing to fire again.Kate sighted down the rifle, remembering Jake's instructions. Aim for the torso, squeeze, don't pull. No tricks. She took careful aim at the Cowboy and squeezed the trigger.  Kate's aim is off but she does manage to hit, the bullet passing through the man's leg. That delays him firing and two more shots ring out from her late husband's gun immediately after which the Cowboy falls back dead. Kate rushes forward to see Conrad standing there, gun still in hand, with a shocked look on his face.  Up above, Minerva and the two elven warriors hear the shots and carefully move in that direction being careful to stay out of sight.Kate approached him carefully, laying her hand on his arm. "Conrad. Are you hurt? Are you alright?" she asked gently, remembering what its like to have just killed someone.  The sound of Kate's voice breaks Conrad out of his stupor. He looks up "Kate...I'm fine. He shot at me but it bounced off...your magic saved my life."  She replies lightly, "Well don't get too grateful, I seem to be the one who put it in danger in the first place," Her voice turned more serious. "That magic is a handy thing now and then." Conrad quickly looks over the situation and says, "Their horses have saddles and harnesses. We could make it to the plateau much faster." Gesturing to the man on the ground between them he says, "I'm about the same height and build as him. I could put on his shirt, vest and hat, that may fool those guys higher up. If we rode close, make it look like I'm trying to catch you, then they might not fire.""Try it. I think if you put the clothes on now over the spell they should show instead of the way the spell makes you look. We're best off in those rocks now since we don't know where all the others are, and we certainly can't reach any of them."  Kate took the opportunity to load another round into the shotgun and reload Tom's revolver. "I don't have anymore rounds," she warned Conrad.Conrad says "Pick up their revolvers. One of them has a rifle in his saddle too." He removes the shirt, hat and vest from the first man he had killed. He takes off his suit jacket and is reaching for his vest buttons when he looks up at Kate and says, "Katherine, please turn around."  "I won't be able to see anything, Conrad. The spell..." She stopped and shook her head. "I'll keep myself busy collecting guns." Kate moved around the area collecting the firearms and keeping her back to Conrad, although his insistence made her curious enough to take one quick peek.Conrad very carefully unbuttons his vest, unties his necktie and then unbuttons his dress shirt. Beneath he wears a cotton undershirt over what Kate notices is a fairly muscular body. He quickly puts on the Cowboy's shirt, leather vest and cowboy hat. He then neatly folds his own clothing and puts them into the horse's saddlebag. He then takes one of the guns that Kate had picked up. They climb up onto the horses and begin to ride out towards the plateau. Things have now been quiet below for a few minutes, Nanuet says, "Yes, let's work our way closer, I can't see them well enough here. Although, giving up the high ground may be a mistake." Nanuet is hesitant and Minerva turns around and sees Nanuet embattled in his own debate.  "OK, let's move. Try and stay low and covered. Naki Ya, what is the best way to get down there without being exposed?"  She indicates the best path. They begin to move when they see movement down at the trees near where the shots were fired. They quickly hurry back to the safety behind the rocks.Conrad holds the gun in his hand, pointing it upward and has his horse stay with Kate's as he yells out "Stop Woman!"  A half-mile up, Nanuet, Minerva and Naki-Yai see Kate charge out of the trees from where the shooting took place. A member of the Cowboy Gang is riding right behind her, hollering for her to stop and waving a pistol.Kate fought down the insane desire to laugh as Conrad yelled behind her, looking out of place in his Cowboy clothes with the pants from his fine suit. She leaned down lower over her horse and encouraged it to go faster toward the plateau, gripping a pistol obviously in one hand and trying to look as if she were uncertain if she should shoot or keep running.Minerva races toward the sound but maintains her cover. She comes around the bend just as Katherine and the Cowboy break through the trees. She yells out "Katherine!" takes aim and, if there is a clear shot, fires her rifle at the cowboy.  Minerva's abilities with a rifle are nowhere as good as that of her pistol and rapier and the shot misses by a good eight feet, striking the rocks. Both Kate and Conrad hear the shot and urge their horses further forward and up the mountain. "They're not buying it," Kate yelled. "Just run!" She maneuvered her horse so it was between Conrad and the direction the shot came from, pushing for the plateau. She stuffed the pistol back in her skirt and pulled out the shotgun instead.Minerva and Nanuet notice the Cowboy now riding alongside Kate and no longer threatening her so stop firing.  Kate and Conrad note no more shots from above. They are uncertain of why but don't complain. They are around twenty feet from the plateau when two more shots fire out, these from down below by the tree line. Both shots strike the horse Kate is riding, one in the torso the other in the head. The animal starts to fall.  Kate let her years of lessons take over, jumping clear of the horse with the shotgun in her hand to avoid being crushed beneath it. "Keep going!" she shouted to Conrad, intending to scramble up the last twenty feet.Conrad does as Kate instructs but also pulls off the cowboy hat and fires two shots from his horse down where the shots came from to make himself their target rather than Kate. His strategy works as a shot is fired at him. It strikes him square in the front right torso and then explodes in a fireball.   The blast knocks him off the horse, which is actually fortunate as the fireball blast also kills the animal which would have otherwise fallen on him. Kate sees Conrad lying unmoving on the rocks. Up above, Nanuet, Minerva and Naki-Yai see the two Cowboy Gang members three-quarters of a mile away from them who have fired on Kate and the man who they now recognize as Conrad Booth. They cannot make out specifically who the Cowboys are until Minerva receives a closer view from the aloft Luna. The shooter on the right, whose rifle just shot the fireball bullet, is Johnny Ringo.</blockquote>

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