Waking Up Dead, The Western Werewolf Legend, #2

Chapter 5 - Challenges

Chapter 5 - Challenges

Copyright 2013 Catherine Wolffe | All Rights Reserved.

The rain didn't show any sign of letting up as the water came down in buckets. Running in great, rushing rivers under the wagons pulled hurriedly together in a haphazard semi-circle, the rain cut deep grooves in an already weathered landscape. 

Darkness had fallen, the only light being a few forgotten lanterns hanging from hooks on the sides of a couple of the buckboards, which had quickly huddled together in the unexpected downpour. The rest of the world loomed around them in pitch black. 

Ty peered down the line of wagons forming the train from under the protection of his well-worn but ever-present Stetson. The rain pelted his body in increasingly wind-blown sheets. If not for the black oil-skinned slicker covering him from his neck to the tips of his boots, he'd be drenched. 

Moving with purpose, Ty sloshed through the torrent of water toward the object of his attention. 

The petite form of Sonja tugging on a mule's reigns. So far, she'd managed to exert enough pressure on the determined beast as to corral it not a whit. 

"You're gonna lose a finger wrapping the line like that." He snapped the words out with more irritation than he'd intended as he approached her. 

Sonja's slim frame jerked and her blonde head snapped up with the force of his words. 

Ty's heart skidded to a halt. 

Beneath the water-logged bonnet, the slight creature wore as protection against the storm, a set of the most beautiful eyes Ty'd ever seen stared back at him in the meager light of a forgotten lantern. Alarm and surprise registered in their depths making the amber glow almost topaz in the lamp light. His heart stopped as she blinked at his words. Probably scared her witless, you fool. 

A distinct tremor shadowed her movements as she stepped sideways in defense of his curt observation. Something started to coil inside Ty's gut. She had no business out here attempting to tie the team down in the downpour. If she'd allowed him to travel with her in the same wagon, this wouldn't be happening. The rain fell in earnest now as if in agreement with his statement. He'd liked to have been done with the job and inside the safety of the cook wagon before things went this far, but such wasn't the case. Shoving the concern to the back of his conscious, Ty took the line from her and deftly maneuvered the balking mule to the tie-out line alongside the others in the team. He didn't see the point of arguing with her tonight. 

"Are you hurt?" Ty glanced back at Sonja standing ankle deep in water. 

"No." She lifted her chin a fraction. "I could have managed fine." 

She had the most amazing eyes Ty'd ever seen. Even in the meager light, they seemed to glow with a fiery heat as if from the depths of her soul. Ty touched his fingers to the brim of his hat and spoke over the rain. "I've no doubt you could've, but the storm's setting in good and proper now. I was simply trying to help." A grin teased his mouth when she gave him a stubborn thrust of her delicate chin. Inclining his head toward her wagon where one thin flicker of light shown from a lone lantern inside the back entrance, he suggested sternly, "Best be gettin' back inside now, before you catch your death." 

A mixture of calculated temper and resignation warred behind those tawny eyes. He wouldn't be off in assuming she weighed the options of berating him further for believing her incapable of taking care of herself and gratitude for the assistance. Lucky for him, common sense won out. 

With something akin to a nod, she wheeled, moving smooth as a cat to the wagon's ladder. 

Agilely shimming up the wooden rails, she presented Ty with a pleasant view of her trim backside.