Coyote

Sixteen

"You have?" Leah questioned.  The Coyote turned and let out a pleased hiss through his remaining teeth.  She recoiled, tightening her fingers around the leather reins.  The man held up a mangled hand, offering her help off of Trix.  Leah glanced down at his scabrous skin and took a heavy breath.  

"We need to discuss Ryker, Almus" Booth stated.  The blond haired man dropped his hand to his side and looked over at the other Coyote.  Booth stood at Roz's nose.  The horse was already tied to the hitching post and was taking a drink from the trough.  Half of Booth's face was shadowed, the other half glowing from the light of the moon.  

"Ryker," Almus breathed.  He reached a long finger up to scratch at the small patch of scruff he had for a beard.  "He's trouble."  

"We know that, but we need to know more," Leah snapped as she jumped down off of Trix's back.  The blond Coyote turned back to watch Leah as she tied her blue roan up next to Roz.  The two stallions touched noses briefly before Roz nipped at Trix's ear and the latter let out a squeal.

"I might know more," Almus mused as he tugged gently at the patches of facial hair on his face.

"You might?" Booth let out a soft growl and stepped forward.  The blond Coyote began cackling, his dark eye bright, a grin spread out across his face.  

"You want to know why he's gone after the girl," the Coyote lifted a crooked finger and pointed it directly at Leah.  

"Obviously," Leah snapped.  

"Girl has a mouth," Almus clucked.  Leah let out a puff of breath, a few strands of hair blowing across her face.  Booth nodded his head and looked over at Leah.  She scowled at the tall man.  She could almost swear a small smile crossed his face, but she had yet to see Booth smile.  It must have been the moonlight.  

"I can tell you only little, but there is another Coyote that's able to tell more," the blond replied, his one eye glued to Leah's face.  "Isn't there  reward for bringing her home?" He asked, a broken hand reaching up to touch her face.  Leah recoiled, turning her face and tipping it as far away as she possibly could.  Booth's sword came down flat on his hand, preventing the man from reaching her.  

"Tell us what you know," Booth growled, taking a step closer to Leah.  He used his sword to push away the other Coyote's hand.  Almus looked up at Booth and scowled, baring his teeth at the younger Coyote.   

"I get what I want, Booth, can't stop me," Almus grumbled.  Booth's blade flicked from the other man's hand to his throat.  The tip pressed at Almus' windpipe, the pressure making a slight indent in the flesh.  

"Tell me," Booth growled again.  When Almus began cackling once more, Booth put up an arm in front of Leah.  He grabbed her arm and pulled her behind him, using his body as a shield.  

"So untrusting, I don't need nothing Terra has to offer for that girl.  Good to know you've got a heart, Boothy," Almus grinned.  Booth lowered his sword, but still held it tightly in his hand.  

"He wasn't going to give me up?" Leah whispered in Booth's ear.  His eyes darted to the girl off his shoulder, but he didn't reply.  

"Quetzal near the center will have more information for you, follow ol' Almus," Almus stated, turning down the street and hobbling off.  As he walked, Leah noticed his limp and how his back hunched over as he walked along.  Booth turned his body towards her, his sword still clutched in his hand.  

"Watch your back," he muttered.  

"Not trustworthy?" Leah asked as she untied Trix's reins from the hitching post.  Booth shrugged his shoulders, leading his own horse down the road behind Almus. 

"While I know many Coyotes, not all of them I would put my life on the line for, especially ones like Almus," Booth whispered, matching his pace to hers.  The older Coyote hobbled on ahead, the few people that were awake watched as he passed.  

"Why?" Leah questioned, turning her focus to Booth.  She noticed how the tips of his black hair seemed to shine in the moonlight.  On his face, she could see the shadow of faint stubble upon his square jaw.

"Too eccentric," Booth replied, his gaze glued to Almus' staggering figure.  The blond Coyote turned and grinned at the other two. 

"You got horses, I shouldn't be all this way ahead!" He called back.  Leah lengthened her stride, noticing Booth continued to match it.  They easily caught up to Almus.  His one eye was squinted, looking at Trix's backside.  Leah looked over her shoulder, noticing how her horse's rump glowed in the moonlight, appearing almost blue.  

"Where you get that one?" Almus questioned.  The stallion's ears pricked forward at his voice.  His head lifted and Leah reached out to gently pat his shoulder.  

"I did not steal him if that is what you are implying," Leah grumbled out a reply.  Almus grinned and bobbed his head. 

"Never said you did," he responded before turning off down a side street.  The buildings were closer together, forcing the three to walk in single file.  Booth kept Leah in front of him, in plain sight.  They weaved through the back streets and alleys until they were behind the city center, the largest building in Cynder.  Leah looked up at the brown brick walls.  A few stories up, there was a candle in a window.  It flickered in the faint breeze that blew past and threatened to go out but stayed burning strong.  

Almus knocked on a small wooden door in a shack beside the building.  There was a clang and the door opened, a sword pointing out.  The man inside lunged, but his sword was met with Booth's as the Coyote stepped forward.  

"You ain't the authorities," the man sneered. 

"We need information!" Almus exclaimed.  

"Hush, there's someone up there," Leah stated and pointed to the window with the candle.  The three men looked up and each cringed.  

"Follow me," the man in the doorway stated.  He stepped out, flaming red hair the first thing Leah noticed.  As she looked him over, she could tell he was doing the same to her.  "Who's the girl?" He asked with a grin.  Booth stepped in front of her once again, his gaze locked with the new man.  

"Quetzal, let's go," Almus hissed out.  Quetzal looked Leah over once more before walking away from the city center.  

"You don't have to protect me from everyone," Leah stated.  Booth turned to look at her, his gaze meeting hers for a moment.  It was long enough that she averted her eyes and looked away.  With a sigh, he led Roz on, following the other two Coyotes.  Quetzal weaved them through another maze of small streets and alleyways.  He brought them to a large blacksmith shop and entered through the large doors.  

"The horses can eat that hay," he gestured to a large pile off to the side.  Leah untacked her horse, setting the saddle and bridle off to the side before letting him go eat.  The blue roan kicked out a foot at Booth's bay who also was making his way to the hay. 

Leah watched the two for a minute as they began to eat.  Trix lifted his head and looked at her, flicking an ear back and forth.  She smiled and turned her attention back to the three Coyotes.  Quetzal and Almus were sitting by a rack of swords sharing a loaf of bread.  Booth stood in the middle of the room, waiting for Leah to join him.  She nodded her head and made her way across the shop.  

"Information on Ryker, ay?" Quetzal asked, handing half of the loaf over to Booth.  Standing protectively next to Leah, he split their half and gave some to her.  

"What do you know?"