Wind Rider
Chapter 7: Goodbyes and A New Town

“What do you want?”
The mare came forward till she was standing right in front of Angel. Reaching up she stroked the white marking on her face between her eyes completely ignoring the rider until he answered her.
“Angel, Jessie wants to leave soon.”
“I understand.”
“I don't want to leave you here by yourself.”
“Don't worry about me Cole, I'm the Legendary Wind Rider.”
“The legend just makes you more of a target.”
“You're an outlaw Cole. We'll see each other again.”
She turned from petting the mare and whistled softly for her stallion. He paced up and she hauled herself up on his back and nudged him forward so she was sitting face to face with Cole. Shaking her head she nudged her stallion forward, but stopped him a few feet away and threw something at Cole. He caught it easily. Looking down it was a silver heart shaped locket. An intricate design of roses and vines wrapped on the top cover.
“Keep it,” she started before he could protest. “That's insurance that I will come looking for you. My father gave me that before he died.”
She kicked Shadow into a gallop to return to the house without looking back.
When she returned to the house her head was down. Sighing she raised her head to the stars and looked longingly amongst the sea of diamonds trying to find the answers she sought, but would never find. Putting Shadowed Fury in the barn Angel went into the house with her feet dragging the entire way to her room. Laying down she rolled up in her blankets and cried softly.

Hours later...

She was so exhausted. Her tears had ceased to flow after awhile. The sound of soft foot falls on the stairs made her curl up even tighter upon herself. A soft knock on her door didn't even startle her. The door creaked open and Cassidy walked in and sat down the on the edge of her bed.
“The men are back.”
Cassidy continued knowing her sister was in a great deal of pain. “Jessie tells me that they're leaving at dawn. Cole wants to see you before you go. Maybe you'll get lucky this time.”
What Cassidy didn't expect was Angel to rise so fast and push her off the bed. The younger sister landed hard on her back.
“Owie!” Cassidy whined.
“Get out!” Angel snarled darkly.
“Angel...”
“Shut up.”
The angry Texas Ranger got up and threw some of her clothes for on the job into a bag. Throwing on her duster and Stetson she turned to face her sister.
“Tell Cole to take Storm Chaser.”
She left the house and quickly saddled Shadowed Fury with her Ranger tack. The black leather gleamed brightly in the lamp light. With care she slid the bridle on his head. The two Ranger stars gleamed behind his eyes. She pulled the breast band up and tied that off. The Ranger star stood proudly in the middle. Finishing strapping the saddle, saddle bags and bed roll, she hauled herself up and turned the stallion from the home pasture. Her direction was in a south western direction. When she finally stopped the sun was almost completely up. A lake stood glittering before her. Quickly she slid off the stallion's back so he could drink and graze a small bit. There was so much that could go wrong in a short amount of time. Bowing her head slightly she sank into her depressed state and laid down on her back covering her eyes with her arm.
The sound of pounding hooves made both ranger and stallion tense. Angel didn't get up. Sitting there she waited for whoever was coming. She moved her arm when a shadow crossed her face. Looking up a familiar mare's face stared back down at her. Tilting her head back farther she saw Cole perched on the mare's back. The mare was all silver except for the dark gray of her mane and tail.
“What are you doing here Cole.”
“I had to find you before we left.”
“Cole you're wasting your time.”
She gracefully rose like a cat and then managed to get to her feet. Shadowed Fury moved to stand beside his mistress. She leaned against the stallion her forehead touching his neck. She once again marveled at how much heat this animal could create. The shifting of a saddle and the thump of something hitting the ground caught her attention as she leaned against Shadow. Then she was forcefully whipped around and warm lips were plastered to hers. Angel pushed Cole back some.
“You have to get out of here,” she breathed softly.
“Thank you for the mare.”
He leaned down and kissed her softly again. Once he pulled back their eyes met. “I'll find you again.”
“I doubt that. I'll find you. Remeber one thing about me Thomas Coleman Younger is that if I don't want to be found I won't be. So I'll find you.”
He nodded and let her go after one small kiss. “And Cole.”
“What?”
“Take care of Storm Chaser.”
Smirking the outlaw nodded his head before remounting and going back the way he came. “It looks like we're alone again Shadow.”
The stallion bobbed his head as if in understanding. Getting back into the saddle she turned the stallion southward.

Days later...

She found herself in a small town. The people watched her ride by with something akin to fear and hope. Something wasn't right. Stopping by the general store she dismounted and tied Shadow up.
“Stay here,” she whispered softly to the stallion.
Going into the general store she looked around trying to discern what was happening. The clerk looked pale as if he was afraid of something. Looking on the shelves she saw odds and end things.
“I would like some canned peaches, some dried beef, and some sweets.”
“Yes, ma'am,” he stuttered out.
He hurriedly put the items on the table. It was irritating her. “All right what's going on here?”
“Ma'am?” he stuttered again.
She was now getting really irritated.
“You better get out of here Ranger,” a new female voice interjected from the back room.
The woman stepped forward her simple brown dress flowing around her. She had a refined grace about her.
“And why is that?” Angel snapped while turning around.
The woman gasped seeing who the ranger really was.
“You're... you're...”
“Yes, I'm Wind Rider... big deal now tell me what is going on here.”
“These bandits...”
“How many?”
“There are eight of them. They steal and rape the women. You better get out of here Ms. Defiance.”
“Just what I need,” she growled softly.
Turning around with her items she walked out to her stallion and put the items away. Digging further into her bag she pulled out an object that hadn't been in there before pulling it out she found a beautiful green ribbon with a silver star charm hanging from it. Bowing her head she wanted to sob but now wasn't the time with ease she tied the new gift around her neck and dropped it under her dark shirt. The woman came out of the store to look at her.
“Where are they?”
“They're holed up in the jail house. They killed the sheriff.”
“Of course.”
Grabbing her rifle and stuffing extra bullets in her jacket pocket. Checking the two guns at her sides she was ready. Untying Shadowed Fury she allowed him to move around of his own free will.
“All right Shadow I guess this is it.”
Moving forward she headed towards the jail house. All of the civilians rushed for one building or another. A man peeked out of the window. He shouted an alarm to his companions. Her duster fluttered in the wind with grace. The eight men piled out of the jail house onto the boardwalk. The leader stepped out from the line. He was a burly, man mostly fat. His mud colored eyes stared back at her.
“So the town sends a little girl to do their dirty work?” the man laughed.
Angel remained silent. That was getting to the man.
“I think she's afraid boss,” the man to his right said while nudging his ribs.
“I think you're right.”
Brining up her rifle really quickly she put a bullet in the lead man's head splattering blood all over the jail house door. She ejected that shell and killed the man to the right. Then did the other men get the sense enough to draw their guns and start firing away. Angel jumped behind a horse trough and reloaded her gun. Popping up she shot another two members before ducking back down. The hard thudding of hooves made her smirk. A man screamed and the sickening crunch of bones resonated though the town. Popping back up with her colts she fired nicking one guy and placing a bullet in the other's heart. The man that Shadowed Fury hit was dead. The stallion was nowhere to be seen. She fired another shot at the guy she nicked before. He made the mistake of popping up from his hiding place. His brains splattered all over the wall.
“You're all alone outlaw!” she shouted. “Surrender.”
“Never,” he shouted back.
This guy sounded really young. Bowing her head she let out a low whistle. Shadowed Fury neighed and stomped heavily against the boards of the walk. The kid popped up and Angel shot the gun from his hand. To make sure he didn't pick it up she shot his shooting arm only grazing it. Moving forward she kicked the gun away. Hauling the injured kid to his feet she shoved him into the doctor's office.
“Fix him up then throw him into a cell.”
The doctor only nodded.
“What about you Miss?”
“Hm?”
“You're arm.”
Looking down her arm was bleeding.
“Once you're done with him you can take a look at it.”
Going outside she saw some of the men loading up the dead bandits in a cart. Sitting down on the board walk outside the doctor's office she leaned against the pole to rest. Shadowed Fury paced up to her and nudged her softly. She stroked his muzzle.

Hours later

Angel sat on a bed in the inn. The towns people had thanked her by allowing her to stay in this room and they would feed her.
“Miss Defiance your bath is ready.”
“Thanks Anna.”
Getting up she went to get into the bath. Sighing she laid back in the rose scented hot water. Sleep was looming so she quickly washed herself off and went back to her room and fell into a exhausted sleep.