Clover, the sweet and gentle girl she is, nuzzled their palms in search of cookies. Can't say that's surprising. While she is a spoiled girl who gets her fair share of cookies she isn't rotten about begging for them. Instead she nuzzles their hand expectantly and even gives her best woe is me melt your freakin heart brown eyes. Begging them for a delicious treat. Her expressive face nearly pouts when they move to give her neck pets making me want to smile. Such a sweet girl. "She's sweet." Jordan offers quietly, making me give him a slight smile and a nod.
"She is a sweet girl, do you want to meet your steed?" He looks at me skeptical as Ryan halts near us Coco looks unenthused with it all, just slightly interested in the possibility of cookies. Spoiled rotten babies. With a nod I pull Jordan to Coco, sticking my head out to him. "This is Coco, he's a good boy, very relaxed and a bit lazy if I'm honest." I attempt to light his spirit, lord knows that they could use a bit of a break.
He offers a small smile as he pets his nose softly. "What are we going to do?" Jordan asks, making me glance at him as Delaney sniffles quietly behind me. I see his red eyes and I have to shake my head with a soft sigh. What do I even say to that? To make it better?
"We'll take this one step at a time ok? Let's start by getting you both back to the house, ok?" I ask gently, earning a nod and a sigh.
"Yeah... thanks Koda." He murmures quietly and I nod.
"I'll take care of this, now come on, mount up." I instruct with a nod to Coco, Jordan stares at the saddle like it's a foriegn language making me shake my head amused. "Come on, step up with your left leg and kick over with your right leg." I bend my knee and offer him my arm to hold onto as he mounts up. He takes a moment to watch me wearily before following instructions carefully. Delaney mounts from the ground with only a slight shake, she bounces twice before pulling herself up.
A small shakey smile morphs her features for a brief moment, taking pleasure in remembering the simple act. With all she's been through in the past few hours, it's a wonder she could even manage that. I have to admire her bravery and courage, both of their bravery and courage. I couldn't even imagine finding your last living parent dead on your couch with a threatening letter to boot. Not a good morning that's for fucking sure. "Koda... where are we gonna go?" I look at her as I move to Harley. That's a great question.
"To be honest, I'm not sure right now, I need to figure out what's going on. But you are more than welcome to stay with me until we can get this figured out. We can talk to your aunt and uncle, I'll see if they can let you stay with them for a bit, until things cool down ok?" I'm more worried about bringing these two back to the house right now, sleeping arrangements aren't on the forefront of my mind right about now.
"Koda, should I call the sheriff?" Calling makes a record and that'll make it harder to handle my problems with little miss prissy. I give him a look but I'm saved from answering as Delaney cries and shakes her head vigorously.
"NO! You can't, no police, there can't be any police." I look at her confused as Jordan glances towards me, looking around conspiratively.
"There was writing... No cops, No police... no witnesses." My eyes fall to Digger's as he arches a brow. Pruszkow. I rub my face and nod.
"Alright, let's worry about getting you two back to the house and then... I'll look into that ok?" I earn nods before I mount up on Harley. Ryan nods and starts leading them back, Coco, is eager to follow him, Delaney steers Clover up next to her brother, wanting to stay close. Digger gives me a look as we fall into line a distance back.
"Why would... you sure?" I look at him with a grunt.
"I've seen enough remnants from that end of the world to know the saying, I know who's behind this, it's very clear to see." I stare ahead, watching where we are going as I get lost in thought.
"What are we going to do?" That's a good question, Cowboy.
"Kode, come in hot and heavy." Tony's wording has me grunting as I answer, my hand unclip the radio, pulling it to my mouth.
"Loud and proud, what's cooking?" Digger's staring at me like I've lost my damn marbles, Delaney keeps giving me passing glances. Ryan keeps leading the pack forward.
"We've got a fortune teller blowing through here with hell hounds nipping hard. Throwing some hands in passing." Fortune teller? My heart beats quicker as my mind processes the meaning.
"Nipped back?" What's her damn game?
"Raised Cane, been biting back hard, Shadow's looking scuffed up." At least there's a fight there.
"Where's Fortune teller and Shadow? Where's marked?" Harley feels my rising energy, my adrenaline is pumping, pumping hard, too hard for my liking.
"Streaked past two, breaking off on twelve, down past Brooke, throwing hands." Twice, damn it.
"Led dancing yet?" He's not able to respond as gunshots ring out and my worst fears slam into my head. Birds screech their displeasure, squawking as they take flight. I'm moving before my mind registers much of anything. "Get to the house, stay in line, don't break off." I growl, three more shots ring out and my heart jumps to my throat.
"Kota! Damnit!" My hand finds the latch on my holster.
"Stay with the group, escort them back to the house." I growl, I know my eyes are wild with fear, wild with unease, the feeling of doom weighs in my gut heavily. Harley splits off and I have no time to think about them, I'm focused, falling into the soldier.
"Flanking the shadow, Two riders hunting ghost." Tony announces, the wind whips my hair, flapping it in the wind as Harley eats up earth, moving over the familiar terrain quickly and efficiently.
"Marker, now! Hunt that damn ghost." I can't decide if it's the wind thrumming in my ears or my blood rushing wildly. It doesn't really matter at the damn moment.
"Hit the gully, follow up, dust has hit the air. Tracking the ghost." He confirmed, I have my sig in my hand, held tightly, my mind running through the possibilities, the problems. Damn it I should've checked on him sooner. I've never been more pissed at myself than now. Trees pass by quickly, dust is kicked up, rocks spit out behind us. The trimmed trail soon opens up to expose the wide pastures, dotted with cattle the calves lift their head with interest, their mothers lazily grazing, ignoring the commotion that has passed.
Just get to him, damnit, just get to him! Tears prick my eyes painfully as the mouth of the gully opens up, the brook laps lazily, moving downstream in a relaxed manner, the drops off rocks increase its speed, spitting over the rocks, sanding them down over the years. Memories flash before my eyes, the years I've spent playing down by the brook, all washed away. Stolen from me easily. The scent of blood reaches me, burning my nostrils more than anything ever has. And I've smelt burning flesh, the acrid stench never leaves your memory.
"Damn it, Jackie, head left, hit the overlook, search!" Max comes over the radio.
"What the hell do you think I'm doing Maxi pad, I am hunting!" I slow Harley as I look around, the sickening feeling continues to grow.
"She split left, dropped down and vanished, Tony the Tiger, what've you got on cameras, there's gotta be something on screen." Coughs make me stop and search wildly. A leg... Fortune's leg. Her fur is covered in dirt, caked in a substance I don't have to question. Baby girl... No, lord please don't be doing this to me. I dismount and move towards her, her form is taut, shaking miserably as she breathes heavily, her heave line is drawn up. Her broken leg makes me want to scream as I near her.
"Fortune... baby girl." I murmur and my voice cracks pitifully, her ear flickers and a pain filled woofle escapes her lips, she tries to sit up, to raise her head. "No, baby girl, easy, you gotta take it easy baby." I murmur as I stroke over her head, a gash in her forehead makes me want to weep. Lord, you can't be giving me this choice... not my girl. Coughing sounds make me look around, scoping the ground. Lord... please, no, please I don't have the strength.
Papa lays on the ground his skin pale, eyes glossy as he stared at the sky. "P-Papa?" My voice breaks as I move closer, my heart torn between Fortune and him. My chaps and jeans soak up their blood a stain that I won't be able to wash from my hands even after death.
"Koda... baby." He wheezes as I near, tears fall freely down my face, the dirt leaving fresh track marks to see for miles. "How... how's she doin?" I shake my head, breaking more as he coughs blood, my hand finds the whole in his abdomen, trying to apply pressure.
"She... It ain't good Papa, she ain't..." I can't make myself say the words as he grimaces, his hand grabbing my wrist weakly.
"Don't... I ain't leaving this place, I'm dying here girly." I shake my head, futily fighting tears as they stain my face.
"No, Papa, you ain't dying, I'll get you outta here, we'll take you to the hospital and y-you'll get better." I grunt out, Harley moves to Fortune slowly, nuzzling her face to calm her down. I can't lose you both today.
"I don't want no d-" He's cut off, spitting up blood. I turn him, not wanting him to choke. "Damn hospital... Girly... I'm dying, I'm ready to go." His words sting, sting worse than a bullet.
"No, Papa, don't say that shit, you can't go. You got more to live, to do." I shake my head at him, my fears mounting.
"Ghost is gone, I see nothing on screen. Kota update." Tony cuts through the radio making me stare at Pap.
"No Girly... I'm done... There's nothing left in me." I shake my head with tears.
"No, damnit, I'm calling the chopper, you'll be fine, you have to be fine-"
"Damnit! Koda, I don't-" Sharp wheezes, the sound is truly rattling. "W-want a daughter right now, I need my marine." He growls as strong as he can his nails digging into my arm, making me stare at him.
"Papa-"
"I got cancer, it came back." He starts weakly making my world stop, he closes his eyes, breathing hard.
"We-we can fight it, we got-"
"No... I don't want to fight no more... I'm tired of fighting Girly..." I shake my head at him with tears.
"You said you wouldn't stop fighting..." I try weakly.
"Girly... You gotta let me go... Don't make me go to the hospital away from my home. I want to die here... let me die here, let me go." I inhale with a hiccup and shake my head. The sounds of hooves approach.
"Papa... please..." I try to beg, listening to the rattling breath in his longs. "I can't lose you, not both of you, please, fight!" I grunt, my voice raw.
"Be a Marine for me Girly... I need you to be a Marine." He gets out, steps near me and a hand claps on my shoulder in support. "For me... please Kota..." He pleads to me. My heart shatters as my eyes close. This is it.