(MxM) Tales Of A Shifter (P1) - The Meeting

Chapter 63 - Nightmare

The metal that the handle diapered into was unpainted and chalky with red rust, so when Brandon went to turn the handle he fully expected to meet resistance, but the handle slid like a well-oiled hinge beneath the force that he exerted.

Brandon quickly spun the handle counter-clockwise to stop the water from flowing, then he turned his gaze out towards the fields, just in time to see Ezekiel lugging two heavy wooden troughs back towards the drum. Both troughs propped up on his shoulders.

Brandon couldn't understand what came over him in that moment, but it was something about the way that Ezekiel moved effortlessly under their weight, the way that the mid-day sun hit him or his overall dutifulness to his horses.....but Brandon had to fight the urge to smile at him or just sigh about him.

A reaction Brandon swiftly squelched, before Ezekiel noticed.

But for the most part Ezekiel seemed clueless as had lowered the troughs down to the grass, then looked up and silently signaled for Brandon to turn the handle on the pump.

Brandon complied just as Ezekiel finished setting one of the troughs beneath the Drum and in what seemed to be seconds, Ezekiel was signaling for Brandon to turn the handle and stop the pump, which he swiftly did. Once more ignoring the twinge in his side as he worked.

Ezekiel nodded up at him, then easily slid the trough back out from beneath the trough, got down on his hunches and without a single grunt, he lifted the entire trough up into the air.

Jezz....that thing must weigh like fifty pounds...

Brandon thought to himself, thinking that anyone would need help transporting something so solid.

"Ezekiel, do you want me to help you?" Brandon found himself offering and even starting to turn from the handle, but Ezekiel sent him an easy smirk and a head shake from below.

"No, stay there. I've got it, trust me.....you're helping plenty already. "Ezekiel responded, seemingly ignoring the water soaking through the chest and belly of his shirt as it over flowed from his mostly fluid movements, then he walked a good distance away and swiftly settled the fresh trough of water back into its place. He returned a little wetter, grabbed the second trough, and slide it beneath the drum. "Number two.... "He said as he signaled for Brandon to turn the handle.

Brandon followed this process for thirteen more troughs, working in companionable silence for the most part and each time Ezekiel lifted yet another water laden trough, without so much as a gasp or panting for air.....Brandon was undeniably impressed with his stamina.

"Hey....do you hear that....." Ezekiel put a hand over his eyes and stared out into the north.

"Hear what?" Brandon asked him...slowing to a complete stop beside the Shifter.

But Ezekiel just closed his eyes and tiled his head. Listening to only something he could hear for a long few seconds, before him finally open them again and answered Brandon's question with a giddy fist pump that made Brandon take a slight step back. "Here they come!" Ezekiel exclaimed.

"What..." Brandon tried to ask him, but Ezekiel put up his hand in a motion of silence and pointed to his ear.

"Listen...you'll hear them." He instructed. "Lazlo the bands Stallion and Crystal the bands mare." Ezekiel told him told him.

"I'm not a shifter....but I'll try." Curious, Brandon tilted his head and concentrated and then he heard it easily.

Pounding

One....two sets of hooves.....and even more behind that...

Brandon thought to himself, and just as he opened his eyes, a group of large horses galloped across the rise of the hill a mile to the north. Brandon counted eight in all, but leading the charge was only two.